Qui Gon and Leila raced from the room, bound for the bridge. Obi Wan, Si Treemba and Clat'Ha followed at a dead run.
Leila bounded around a corner and stopped still.
Right in front of her was a large view port. Through it, she could see five Torgorian warships. Two shot past the port. Green bolts of blaster fire erupted from the warship, slamming into their ship. The corridors began filling with greasy smoke. The gun had stopped firing and they all saw why. The gun turrents had been blown away.
The Monument floated dead in space. Though fire alarms sounded, no one on the bridge was shouting orders. And a Torgorian cruiser raced toward the ship.
Qui Gon stood, watching helplessly as the cruiser approached. There were times when he that he wished he never brought his daughter out of the Temple. He glanced at her. She was studying the port and the view that was outside. He determined at that moment, that she would not leave his side. "Obi Wan." Even though he did not fully trust the boy, Leila did. They needed some kind of plan and Qui Gon would not let Leila out of his sight. "The pirates are getting ready to board," he said the boy. "Leila and I will try to stop them. Go to the bridge and see if any of the crew are still alive. If they are not, I want you…I need you to pilot this ship out of here."
Leila had turned and heard every word. "That's ridiculous," she said. "I can do it and you know it."
"No," said Qui Gon. "You will stay with me." He stared hard at the boy. He knew he was asking a lot. He also knew that as a Jedi student, Obi Wan had flown very little and only in Coruscant. He had never piloted a ship like this.
"I can fly this ship," said Leila.
"No!" Qui Gon turned and grasped Obi Wan by both elbows. "Listen to me. You must obey this time. Trust my judgement. Leila and I can hold back the pirates, but we'll all die if the ship remains dead in space. Don't worry about where to do. Just fly anywhere. Once the pirates start boarding, their friends won't be able to fire on us for fear of killing their leader." Qui Gon searched his eyes. "I cannot let my daughter die on this ship," he said softly.
Obi Wan nodded. "I won't let you down," he said softly.
"Obi Wan."
Obi Wan turned to Leila.
"Be careful."
Obi Wan nodded, then he turned and sprinted down the corridor to the bridge. Si Treemba followed him.
Qui Gon had seen the flash of uncertainty in his eyes. He wasn't sure if Obi Wan would be able to pilot the ship either. For half a moment, Qui Gon tempted to grab Leila up in his arms and race after him. But the miners would be no match for the Togorians. He would have to trust Obi Wan.
"Listen," said Leila.
They both heard the distant roar of blasters.
"Come on," said Qui Gon. "And stay close to me." He dashed off down a side corridor, aiming for the docking bay. Leila was right behind him and Clat'Ha behind her.
He rounded a corner and stopped.
A huge Togorian pirate was standing directly in their path. His eyes where flashing like green fire. He roared when he saw them and reached out with his large claws to rake Qui Gon.
But Qui Gon was not a Jedi Master for nothing. The Force had already warned him. He flipped back out of the way.
That left Leila right in the pirate's path. She already had her lightsaber in her hand and the purple blade glowed brightly as she crouched and brought the blade up cleanly, slicing the Torgorian at the knees.
Qui Gon landed, his lightsaber in his hands and ignited.
The pirate fell to his knees.
Leila sliced his throat calmly.
More Togorians rounded the corner and ran toward them.
Clat'Ha, in a blind panic, pulled her blaster and opened fire.
Qui Gon stood slightly in front of Leila.
All the Togorians drew their own blasters.
Qui Gon's method of fighting was different from his daughter's. Qui Gon ducked and deflected the bolts. Leila returned them.
Clat'Ha dropped low, screaming in rage. She was an able warrior, but they were madly outnumbered.
The crew was dead. Obi Wan unbuckled the captain and moved him gently to the floor. Then he looked at the control panel for a long moment. Then his eyes raised and he looked out the view port.
Togorian warships surround their ship. A heavy cruiser was edging nearer. Its shields had to be down for it to be so close.
A red light was blinking and drew Obi Wan's eyes. In a flash he realized that the forward torpedo tubes where loaded and armed. He aimed for the bridge of the gun ship. His heart was pounding. He was afraid of what he had to do. He hoped that Qui Gon was right, that the pirates wouldn't dare fire back with their own on aboard. Because if they did fire back, they'd hit with everything they had. He took a deep breath and reached across the console. And launched the torpedoes.
Half of the gun ship disintegrated, hurtling debris into space. A second blast followed the first, as the gun ship's arsenal exploded. A huge section of the blown gunship hurtled into a second Togorian warship.
Obi Wan hit a button, loading more torpedoes into the launch tube. With the navigation console out, the only other way to fly the ship was manually. Obi Wan grabbed the control, pulled back hard and hit the thrusters. He heard the harsh sound of metal rending.
Quickly he consulted the display screens. Two Togorian cruisers were latched to his docking bays. By blasting off, Obi Wan was ripping away from the ships. And tearing apart the seals to the doors.
All the air by the docking bays would rush into space.
Obi Wan's hand faltered. Qui Gon and Leila had gone to stop the pirate's boarding party.
Obi Wan took a deep breath. He hoped only pirates would be swept out into space.
Suddenly, ahead of him, the warship open fired.