Unseen Revenge: Chapter 20, A Tragic Loss
Jessie and the others quickly fanned out and began to attack the Sabers. She was surprised at how well Falco and the others were doing since they hadn't seen battle in a while. Jessie felt a jolt as a stray shot from Bill hit her. She was able to keep control of her ship and quickly contacted Bill.
" Bill, watch where you're aiming! You hit me!" Jessie said, a slight growl in her throat.
" Sorry Jessie, and you are piloting a Saber ship after all." Bill said, then turned his attention to the Saber's around him.
Jessie had to return her attention to the battle as well. She was capable of shooting down a few ships with out being hit by the others for a while, but she couldn't stop the inevitable. As she came around the base, Slippy hit her a few times. Her ships computer announced that her left gun was disabled. Jessie, trying to keep a cool head and not blast Slippy to pieces, contacted him.
" Slippy, be careful! You just took out my left gun!" Jessie yelled.
" Sorry Jessie, I thought you were one of the Saber's. Look, maybe you should go, before Falco targets you. You'll lose more then your left gun if he does." Slippy said.
" But I need to set off the remote bombs, I just have to calculate how big the blast radius will be so we don't get engulfed in the explosion." Jessie said, barely dodging another shot from someone else.
" Just tell me the detonation code and the type of bombs they are, then I'll figure out the rest." Slippy said.
" Alright, the code is 9653, and they are Saber design remote bombs. Class S-47." Jessie said.
" Whoa, those are high class explosives. Tell the others to start moving. When I'm sure you guys are at a safe distance I'll set them off and catch up." Slippy said.
" Are you sure Slippy?" Jessie asked.
" Yeah, I'm sure." Slippy said.
Jessie tracked Falco down first. He was trying to out maneuver some ships, but he was having a little trouble. They were right on his tail, one shot could take out his engines. Then he would be in some real trouble. Jessie recognized the Sabers, it made sense, they were the best pilots the Saber's had. Jessie lined up her sights and fired a few shots. She got their attention, but didn't do much damage. They stopped chasing Falco and quickly started to chase Jessie. They wanted to take her out while they knew which ship she was in. It didn't last long as Falco took them out and then contacted Jessie.
" Thanks Jessie. How are you holding up?" Falco asked.
" Well, between being chased by the Sabers, and having Bill and Slippy shooting at me, I think I'm doing ok." Jessie said, Falco couldn't help but laugh. " Listen Falco, Slippy wants us to move away from the Saber's base. He's going to detonate the bombs once we're out of the blast radius. Tell the others to get out of here. I'll stay and help Slippy. You guys should be able to handle any of the Saber's that follow."
" Alright, I will, just tell me how far do we have to go." Falco said.
" I'm not sure, Slippy said the blast was going to be big." Jessie said.
" I see, well lets get moving." Falco said as he sent an open com-link to the others. " Listen guys, Jessie wants us to start moving. Once we're at a safe distance Slippy's going to set off the remote bombs . Take out any Saber's that follow. But try not to shoot Jessie down ok."
Nothing was said from the others, but they took off as Falco had told them to do. Falco waited until he he saw the three Arwings go by, then he followed. Jessie helped Slippy keep back some of the Saber's. She saw a few ship's take off, leaving the base. Jessie heard her com-link chirping as a signal was trying to come through. She opened the com-link channel.
" Hey Jess." Rock said, surprising Jessie. " I've decided to take your advice and get out of here now that I have a chance. And I'm not the only one. There are few other guys comin' with me. So thanks for the advice. Take care."
Before Jessie could respond Rock was gone. She was happy to know he was getting out of the Saber's. She returned her attention to the Saber's they were fighting. Jessie saw a shot fly past her ship, almost grazing the windshield. Jessie quickly turned and saw a Saber ship speeding straight for her. Jessie hit the boost and barely avoided a collision. Jessie saw Slippy begin to move away from the base.
" Jessie, the other's are safe, now lets get going and I'll set the bombs off." Slippy said.
" Ok, I'm coming Slippy." Jessie said as she followed.
Jessie was soon by Slippy's ship. A few Saber's following them. They didn't worry about them. After a few minutes Slippy stopped and contacted Jessie, they wee still in the blast radius.
" Keep going, I can't go any farther or the signal won't get through to the bomb's. As soon as I set the bomb's I'll catch up." Slippy said.
" Ok, I'll see you later Slippy." Jessie said, and kept going.
She knew arguing with him wouldn't accomplish anything. She looked back and saw the Saber's gang up on Slippy. Jessie immediately turned around too help. Jessie soon saw a Saber shoot out Slippy's engines and his stopped, stuck in place. Jessie distracted the Saber's as she tried to contact Slippy.
" Slippy! Slippy, are you alright!" Jessie shouted over the com-link.
" No, I'm afraid not. My engines are dead. Jessie, get out of here while you still have a chance." Slippy said.
" No! I won't just leave you behind!" Jessie shouted as she dodged shots from the Saber's. " I'll get help."
" It won't do any good, I wouldn't last. My air tank is leaking. At the rate the air levels are dropping, I would be out of air in just ten minutes. Then I would last for a few minutes. Just hurry and go." Slippy said in a low voice.
" But...Slippy..." Jessie said, trying to fight the tear's.
" GO!" Slippy yelled.
Jessie hit the boost and raced off, the Saber's still behind her. Jessie felt the hot tears running down her face. She felt a strange pain as she moved on. After a moment, she could hear a blast. Jessie chanced a look back and she could see the blast of the explosion growing. She saw the Saber's stop, shocked to see their base engulfed in the explosion. Jessie felt her heart stop in her chest as the flames got closer, she was still in the blast radius. She had already exhausted her boost and it would take a minute before she could boost again. Jessie watched the gage as it slowly filled up. The ship was already moving as fast as it could. The ship was built for battle, not out running explosions. Jessie could feel the heat from the blast as it got closer. Jessie was almost in the clear, and she could make it if she got the boost, soon. Jessie looked at the gage as it was nearly full. Jessie glanced at the blast, she could feel sweat run down her face, mingling with the tears that still ran down her cheeks. Everything became blurry as her eye's were filled with tears. She could barely make out the gage as it lit up, it was full. Jessie wiped the tears away and hit the boost, barely escaping the blast. Jessie leaned of the controls and buried her face in her arms as her ship slowed. Jessie sat there a moment unable to stop crying. She couldn't believe Slippy was gone. She couldn't bare to be the one to tell the other's. Jesse just closed her eye's and let her mind drift. She didn't want to think about any thing as she drifted there. Jessie didn't know how long she had been drifting there when she heard something on the com-link. At first it was hard to make out due to static.
" Jes...ar...ere..." a familiar voice said, then it became clear. " Jessie, Jessie is that you? Are you there Jessie?"
Jessie sat up and wiped her eye's. She looked around and saw the four Arwings. At first it looked as though they were upside down, which meant she was the one upside down. Her ship must have been turning as it drifted. Jessie opened the responded as she turned her ship.
" Yeah, yeah it's me Falco." Jessie said, her voice cracking a little from crying.
" Are you ok? Where's Slippy?" Krystal asked.
" I'm fine, but Slippy is..." Jessie froze, she just couldn't bring herself to say it.
" He's what? Please Jessie tell us." Krystal asked, sounding worried.
" He's, he's..." Jessie said, trying to pull herself together long enough to tell them. Even though she didn't want to.
" Jessie, tell us what happened." Falco said.
Jessie told them what had happened. When she finished everyone was silent. They sat there, mourning the lose of Slippy. Falco was the first to speak.
" Come on every one, let's get going." Falco said, trying not to show his grief.
They all started on their way to Corneria. Jessie felt horrible. If only she had stayed behind and took out those Saber's earlier, Slippy would still be there. She looked at the other's around her, knowing she couldn't even imagine how they felt. There was nothing but silence as they continued on.
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