Chapter 15
Jacen and Tenel Ka slowly step into out of the stairwell, and into the hallway. Lining the hallway on both sides are doors evenly spaced every few hundred meters. Jacen takes a few steps down the hallway, looking back and forth, an unsettling feeling in the pit of his stomach.
Pulling his saber, he walks over and presses the panel next to the first door. Peering into the darkened office, he turns away, and walks over to the next door.
Palming that panel, the door slides open, and Jacen ducks as a console comes flying out of the room, smashing into the wall across the hall. He ignites his saber and steps into the room, slapping the light control switch.
Standing on the desk, set slightly back from the center of the room was one of the mutated Mogwai. When it looks at Jacen it lets out a mad sounding cackle, and then bends down to pick up a datapad. Jacen steps forward, and then the Mogwai hurls it at Jacen.
Jacen moves, bringing his saber up and slicing through the datapad. Then he takes another step forward, and a second turquoise colored blade ignites, slicing into the gremlin.
Jacen looks from the expanding puddle of slime, to Tenel Ka. He gives her a lop-sided grin. "Thanks."
Tenel Ka gives him a brief smile and a quick nod, and then they walk back out into the hall.
-------------------
Jaina and Zekk, slip through the hallways, advancing slowly. The pair finally arrives at the hanger bay, and presses the button to open the door. Jaina frowns as the door denies her access.
She glances left and right, and then pulls her saber and ignites it in one smooth motion. Without hesitation, she shoves the blade into the door, slicing away the locking mechanisms.
As she steps back, Zekk comes forward and pushes the door back into the wall. Together they walk into the hanger, and see the Falcon sitting there. She steps forward calling out her father's name, as a low level tingle appears in the back of her head.
Spinning she looks around for another of those creatures. When she fails to see one, she frowns and turns back to the Falcon, just in time to see it explode.
The explosion tosses the pair off their feet and against the wall. Jaina sits up, wincing in pain, and then looks at the burned hulk that was the Falcon. "Dad!"
She stands and rushes towards the wreckage, and as she nears, hears a groan off to the side. Turning that way, she sees her father sitting up holding his hand to his head. Jaina skids as she changes the direction from running towards the ship, to running towards her father. Kneeling beside him, she moves his hand away from his head, gingerly touching the large bump on his head.
After a second, his eyes focus on her. "Jaina?"
"What happened Dad?"
Han finally focuses on Jaina. "Something short an scaly was messing with the hyperdrive."
Jaina looks over her shoulder at the Falcon, her face hardening in anger.
-----------------------------------
Anakin helps Tahiri out of the pool, and walks with her to one of the reclining chairs set up around the pool. Dropping into the one next to his pile of stuff, he pulls her onto his lap.
With a smile, Tahiri leans in to kiss Anakin again, and a glob of slime falls down from the ceiling landing on them both. Letting out matching cries of shock and outrage, they both jump out of the chair and look up into vent set high up in the ceiling.
Then the grating drops out, and three green-scaled monstrosities drop from the ceiling landing on the chair. The two teens take a couple of steps back, as the creature cackles and advance towards them.
Anakin frowns and calls his saber to his hand. As soon as he is holding it, he ignites it and steps forward slashing the head from the first of the creatures. The other two, split up and advance from either side.
A thump draws his attention, and he looks back over to the chair, seeing another five of the creatures have dropped onto the chair. One of which, has a large crest of white on its head.
He hears another snap-hiss, and turns his head to see Tahiri has ignited her saber. Then he is dodging the claws of the animals, flipping around, as the new comers attack him as well. Another thump sounds behind him, and he spares a glance to see two more of the creatures going go after Tahiri.
A flick of his wrist and a head flies off landing a few feet away. A stab, and another turns into a small puddle of goo. A lightning fast slice, and one drops into two distinct halves.
A short scream from Tahiri attracts his attention, and he sees her holding her side, blood seeping from between her fingers. Anger flashes in his eyes, and he pulses out with the Force, throwing two of the remaining creatures against the wall with enough force to crush them. The other two fly into the pool, landing with a large splash.
Then Anakin jumps towards Tahiri and skewers the remaining creature that was attacking her. "Are you okay?"
She looks up at him, pain in her eyes, and pulls her hand away from her side. He sees the three long furrows that stretch from her side to her belly button. She manages a weak smile. "It only hurts when I breathe."
Then she glances past him, looking towards the pool. "Oh, sithspit."
Confused, Anakin turns around and sees the pool. It is a mass of green and red lights. Even though Anakin can feel no heat, the water appears to be at a rolling boil, the bubbles appearing and disappearing fast and furious.
Then a clawed hand grasps the edge of the pool, leaving long furrows as it slides back into the water.
One of the creatures pulls itself from the pool, its slick hide still bubbling. Then before their horrified eyes, one of the bubbles slides off, and falls to the ground, where it quickly begins to pulse as it grows larger. Finally it unfolds, revealing yet another of the gremlins. Then another bubble drops to the ground.
Dread settles in Anakin's heart as he grabs Tahiri and starts pulling her back towards the door. "I think we need to go now."
For once, Tahiri has nothing to say.