The Krayt Dragon roared and charged forward. Ezra contemplated their options. They could try and climb the ladder back up to the catwalk but by the time even one of them got close to the top, Tiny would be able to swat the ladder right off the wall with a single swipe. That only left one option then.
"Run!" Hera screamed.
Zeb, Kanan, and Sabine fired their blasters as they ran but their blaster fire didn't even scratch the Krayt Dragon's skin. All that really seemed to do was make it mad. Everyone raced around debris of a fighter directly in their path. Ezra turned around to see Tiny charging at the wreckage and with an upper ward thrust of its head, sent the damaged fighter soaring through the air.
"Duck!" Ezra yelled. Everyone dropped at the flying debris passed overhead of them but within less than a meter. The wreckage rolled harmlessly across the hangar ahead of them while the Dragon was nearly upon them.
"Inside!" Zeb yelled, pointing to a nearby wreckage of a larger ship. Coincidently it was the same freighter the pirates used as a trap. Everyone rushed towards the open airlock, nearly toppling over each other as they leaped inside. The freighter shook from an impact as Ezra turned to see Tiny trying to fit its jaws through the airlock but couldn't. It roared in frustration and slammed its head into the ship, nearly knocking everyone off their feet.
"I hate animals," grumbled Sister.
"Great now what do we do?" asked Zeb, trying to catch his breath.
"The Ghost is out there. I made sure the cargo elevator brought it up," Sabine said.
"And how are we supposed to get to it with that monster out there? That thing could rip apart a rancor," protested Ezra.
"And our blasters aren't going to do much good against it," sighed Kanan.
"Maybe we could a way to distract it or sneak past it," suggested Sabine.
"By the time we do, Thrain will probably be in control of the ship again and be looking for us. It won't take him long to figure where we are and if we're not out of here by then, the pirates will get the hangar bay's turret guns back online and we're as good as dead," argued Hera.
"Maybe I can connect with it with the Force. Like what I did back with those creatures back on that asteroid," suggested Ezra.
"What is he talking about?" demanded Sister.
"There's an asteroid with a bunch of hostile creatures. Ezra managed to connect with those creatures and used them to try and kill the Grand Inquisitor along with his escort of Stormtroopers," explained Kanan.
"I'm guessing that didn't work considering that Pau'an almost killed me back on Tarkin's Star Destroyer," muttered Sister.
"Yeah but I managed to control the creatures," replied Ezra.
"Uh Ezra I don't mean to doubt you but that monster is a lot bigger than those things," Sabine commented.
"Size doesn't matter in the Force," Ezra said matter-of-factly. He approached the airlock opening where the dragon was still trying to get to inside. Tiny leaned down its head and glanced inside the airlock with one if it's massive eyes.
"Okay here goes nothing," Ezra said to himself. He closed his eyes and concentrated, reaching out with the Force. Instantly he felt uncontrollable rage and hunger. The Krayt Dragon was fixated on them, its primate brain thinking of nothing other than to kill and feast. Ezra tried to change that, trying to project calm through the Force. The violent rumblings of Tiny's struggles to get inside suddenly halted. Yes it was working!
Suddenly the whole ship shook again from another impact, nearly knocking Ezra off his feet and breaking his concentration. A giant claw tried to reach through the airlock but couldn't fit. That didn't stop it from trying, shredding the floor plating of the airlock as it tried to grab Ezra.
"I don't think it's going to listen to me. All it wants to do is kill and eat," Ezra sighed.
"Then let's give it what it wants," said Kanan. "I'll draw it away while the rest of you get to the Ghost and get it into the air."
"Are you crazy?" snapped Hera. "There's no way you can outrun that thing."
"Maybe one of us can't but what if it has several targets?" suggested Sabine.
"So instead of giving it a worm on a hook, you want to give it a buffet?" grumbled Sister.
"I'm not risking anyone else. I can out run it while the rest of you get away," protested Kanan.
"You don't get a voice in this after that little stunt you pulled earlier," shouted Hera.
"You know I'm right. Only someone with Jedi reflexes can keep away from that thing and distract it because we all can't just dash to the Ghost. If that thing sees us getting on our ship, it'll tear the Ghost apart," argued Kanan.
"Chopper is going!" Hera snapped. The droid rapidly shook his head back and forth. From the amount of expletives he was screaming in binary, he really didn't like this idea.
"Chopper is faster than all of us with his rockets, not to mention he can fly. He can distract that oversized lizard while the rest of us get to the Ghost and use the ship's guns to blast it. We'll pick up Chopper up and get off this deathtrap," explained Hera.
"It's not a bad idea…and I'm not saying that to sound selfish Chop," Sabine said. Chopper chimed in a retort.
"And I'm not a coward either!" protested Sabine.
Suddenly the ground began to shake and Ezra found himself barely able to keep his balance. It was like the entire ship was tipping over. Tiny must have given up breaking through the airlock and was resorting to flipping the freighter over. That wouldn't actually help the creature get inside but it would knock the Ghost crew around like a womp rat in a cage.
"Hang on!" yelled Kanan as the floor suddenly became the ceiling and everyone dropped onto the metal surface. Ezra landed hard on his right shoulder but luckily it didn't feel like it was broken. Zeb was groggy with the wind seemingly knocked out of him but everyone else seemed okay.
"This is the worst amusement ride I've ever been on," grumbled the Lasat.
"We need to move. Chopper we're all depending on you," Hera said. The droid responded with a quick binary rant but at least agreed to do his part.
"Relax. If he eats you, you'll probably give him indigestion and he'll vomit you out," Ezra quipped. Chopper swatted the Padawan in the thigh before rolling away.
"AHH! Chopper!" Ezra shouted, clenching his leg.
With the airlock they entered being the only entrance the rebels knew about, they had to wait for an opportunity to use it to escape the rotating death trap they were currently in. The airlock was currently on the ceiling thanks to the Krayt Dragon's ship flipping mood. Tiny could be seen through the exit, his large eye peering through for a view of his prey.
"Alright Chopper just keep him distracted. Don't take any unnecessary risks," ordered Hera.
Chopper grumbled in binary as he activated his thrusters and shot up through the airlock. Tiny roared and his head disappeared from view, no doubt in pursuit of the droid. Kanan easily leaped up through the hole and gripped the edge of the airlock opening, peering his head outside.
"Chopper's leading him away. We're clear," the Jedi called out.
Second Sister was next, leaping up through the airlock and passing by Kanan to land on the outer hull of the ship. Unfortunately the others didn't have Jedi abilities or in Ezra's case, their training hasn't reached that level yet. So Kanan and Sister used telekinesis to levitate the others up and out of the ship one by one. Ezra was first followed by Sabine, Hera, and finally Zeb. The Lasat particularly didn't enjoy his short trip.
"I felt like I was getting attacked by a tractor beam," grumbled Zeb as he was set down on the ship's hull.
"You get Force sick Dead Weight?" mocked Sister.
"C'mon move," ordered Hera.
Off in the distance, Chopper was flying in circles around the Krayt Dragon. The monster roared in frustration, trying to swat the droid with its arms, legs, and tail.
"Chopper's going what he does best," commented Sabine as everyone slid the side of the hull and onto the hangar floor.
"Yeah being a pain in the exhaust port," chuckled Zeb.
The Ghost crew took off running towards the Ghost which was sitting unharmed several hundred meters away. They had to run around and jump over wreckage but it looked like they were home free. That hope shattered when a blaster bolt impacted the floor plating near Zeb's feet. "Take cover!" he shouted.
Everyone quickly ducked behind wreckage as more blaster fire impacted all around them. Up on the catwalks were seven pirates firing down on them. They must have figured out their hangar bay turrets weren't working and decided to attack the rebels with their own personal weapons.
"Don't these guys ever give up?" grumbled Ezra.
"No way we're going to make it to the ship with that many guys shooting us," Sabine said.
"Ezra, Sister, I have an idea," Kanan said. "We'll use the Force to push our makeshift barricade towards the Ghost. Sabine, Hera, Zeb, follow along with us and lay down covering fire."
The three Force wielders used their powers to slowly push the metallic debris in front of them slowly towards the Ghost. Sparks flew as jaded metal slide across the floor plating, creating a hideous screech. This would have been so much easier with lightsabers but they were all still on the ship which left them without any other option.
"Might wanna hurry before lizard lips grows bored of Chopper and finally notices us," suggested Zeb, firing back at the pirates.
"You could always help us push your oversized plush toy," grumbled Sister.
Hera stood up and fired at one of the pirates. Suddenly a blaster bolt impacted her shoulder, dropping her to the floor. The Twi'lek captain screamed in pain, clenching the scorching blaster wound as she took cover.
"Hera!" shouted Kanan who stopped aiding in moving the barricade and checked on his companion. The barricade's progress came to a sudden halt.
"I'm alright," Hera groaned.
"None of us are going to be alright is we don't keep moving," said Sabine.
Sister glanced around and noticed a large metallic wing that had been severed from the main craft. She wasn't sure if it had been ripped off from a crash or been blasted off but right now that really didn't matter. The sight of it formed an idea in her head.
Sister grabbed Kanan, forcing him to look at her. "Are you mad?" she demanded.
"What?" he replied, confused as to what she was getting at.
"They just shot Hera, are you mad at them?!" shouted Sister.
"Yeah I'm mad!" he snapped.
"Then use it. There are better weapons then blasters here," Sister said. She turned and raised a hand, focusing on the wing. It began to shake and slowly lift off the ground. Kanan realized what she was doing and raised a hand as well. He used the Force to aid her, lifting the debris higher off the ground. Ezra noticed what they were doing and joined in as well.
"What are they doing?" Sabine asked Zeb. The Lasat just shrugged in response.
"The pirates wanted us here so let's make them regret it," said Sister.
"Ezra get ready. We're sending that right into the pirates," Kanan said.
"Really? Awesome," smiled Ezra.
"Now!" shouted Sister. The three Force users focused and hurled the wing right at the catwalk the pirates were standing on. The thugs screamed in terror and tried to run to safety as the wing impacted the catwalk and cut through it and one its support beams. The catwalk broke in half, dropping an entire section to the hangar bay below along with the pirates. None of them survived the fall.
"Let's go!" shouted Kanan. He helped Hera to her feet and everyone made a mad dash to the Ghost.
Sister heard a loud roar behind her and turned to see that Tiny staring right at the rebels from across the hangar and suddenly dashed forward, forgetting all about Chopper.
"Uh oh," gulped Ezra who noticed it too.
"Everyone inside now!" screamed Hera as the crew scrambled up the Ghost's loading ramp.
"Zeb man the Phantom, Sabine the dorsal, Sister take the nose," Hera said, giving instructions as she struggled to climb up to the cockpit. Though she was injured, the Twi'lek wasn't letting that slow her down.
The Ghost was powering and starting to take off as Sister climbed up and stepped in of the nose turret station.
"Better hurry before that oversized four legged Trandoshan finally…" Ezra spoke. He never got a chance to finish.
The whole ship was rocked by an impact that send it spinning before the Ghost was finally stabilized. Sister found herself face planted on the floor and groaned as she got to her feet and sat down in the gunner's chair. She strapped herself in just in time to see Tiny came rushing in. The beast passed underneath the ship and suddenly, the Ghost was rocked again. Only this time something was different. The ship wasn't rising anymore and was starting to shake if it struggling against something.
"We've got a Tiny problem and I'm being literal. That thing has it's jaws clamped down on the landing gear and it's in a blind spot that our turrets can't hit," radioed Hera. That oversized four legged Trandoshan was now in a tug of war with the ship. Sister realized how much she hated animals as the Ghost was thrashed back and forth.
"Hang on. I'll detach the Phantom and take care of him," said Zeb. The ship shook, probably from the Phantom detaching. Suddenly the shaking subsided as the Ghost began to ascend once again.
"Uh… I think I made him mad," gulped Zeb.
"Sister get ready. I'm going to line up a shot for you," said Hera.
Second Sister clenched the controls as the ship turned around. The Phantom was shooting at the Krayt Dragon but while they did cause it pain, they weren't inflicting serious wounds. Tiny roared in frustration and grabbed the nearest fighter wreckage with its mouth. The creature then hurled the fighter directly at the Phantom.
"Karabas!" shouted Zeb, quickly moving the ship out of the way.
Sister focused, aimed, and then fired. Twins blaster bolts struck the Krayt Dragon's head. It let loose a loud screech and collapsed to the floor, writhing in pain. The Ghost moved away with Hera not bothering to wait around to finish the creature off.
A signal came in over the com with a series of binaries. "We weren't going to leave you Chopper," protested Hera.
Chopper muttered something back in response. "Opening the airlock for you now Chop. Zeb get back to the ship," spoke Hera.
Sister thought things were finally looking up for about four seconds until she noticed something. "Hera the hangar doors are closing!" she shouted.
"I see it. Zeb hurry up!" shouted Hera as the massive blast doors began to close.
"I'm in. Go!" said Zeb.
The Ghost suddenly shot towards the gap in the hangar doorway that was quickly closing. The ship flipped on its side and Sister held her breath. If they were still alive in the next two seconds, that meant they got past the door. Two seconds passed and they were still alive, allowing Sister to breathe again. She needed to remember to trust Hera's piloting skills. They could put a Jedi's to shame.
Thrain entered the bridge where the crew had resumed operations. The bodies had been removed and damaged fixed. It didn't feel the same after the loss of so many onboard especially Kintara and Xar. Kintara was avenged but Xar's killer had escaped. Kanan Jarus killed Thrain's oldest friend and that was something that wouldn't go unanswered. Regardless of what Thrain used to be, he didn't feel any kinship to Kanan. The Jedi was going to die a slow death but first there were a few things to attend to.
Grakus and Narel were standing on the bridge bound, shackled, and guarded. They were the only surviving members of the boarding parties that Thrain's crew didn't kill. It was touch and go until Thrain activated his battle droids and after that, the fight was simply a foregone conclusion.
"Well congratulations Captain. I trust you're keeping us alive for a rea…" Narel spoke. He never got a chance to finish before Thrain stormed up to him, pulled out a knife, and started stabbing him repeatedly and violently. The whole room went silent as Narel collapsed to the floor and Thrain knelt over, continuing stabbing him over and over again until Narel's corpse was covered in so much blood, he was barely recognizable.
Thrain glanced up from his work and was pleased by the horror and shock on Grakus's face. It wasn't just him though. The crew was just as shocked and disturbed.
"Report! Where's the rebels?" demanded Thrain.
"Uhh…" Phaedon gulped nervously.
"If your tongue is so useless, you won't argue with having me rip it out!" Thrain screamed.
"They got away Captain," Phaedon quickly spoke up. Thrain's breathing quickened and the crew held their breath, having never seen him like this. Garkus wisely kept his mouth shut.
"I am through putting up with anyone who kriffs with me!" Thrain shouted. "Xar is dead, Kintara is dead, Tiny is dying in the hangar bay, and the mother kriffers responsible for this mess ran off. Well the buck stops here."
Thrain pointed to Grakus. "After I'm done handing this piece of Hutt excrement over the Imperials for fuel, we are going after those rebels and I don't care how many heads roll, how many corpses we have to step over, how many orphans we make, we will find those mother kriffers and they will die screaming! And if one of you kills Kanan Jarus before I get my hands around them, well you can ask Narel what that'll feel like."
(Finally this arc is complete. Expect Thrain to show up again and in a far less hospitable mood. Next up Always Two There Are and expect some changes.)