Alright, everybody. Back with another chapter.
Let's get to it.
Chapter 7- Landing
(10:21 AM Eastern Time)
"United 93, Pittsburgh Tower. You are cleared to land runway 28R. Once you've landed, turn off at exit B3."
In the cockpit of United 93, Rommel responds, "Pittsburgh Tower, United 93, cleared to land runway 28R, copy. Will turn off at exit B3."
It did not take long for United 93 to reach Pittsburgh. However once they got there, they were put in a holding pattern for about 10 minutes before being cleared to approach the airport. However, now, finally, they're cleared to land.
"Opening the flaps," Rommel says as he flips the switch to open the flaps. He then turns to Tom Burnett and says, "Lower the landing gear."
"Lowering the landing gear," Tom says as he lowers the plane's landing gears.
The 757 continues its descent towards the airport. Rommel motions for Tom to take control of the throttles while he concentrates on the other instruments he needs to pay attention to. He continually directs Tom to pull back slightly on the throttles and advance them a little bit as needed.
Rommel gets on the intercom and says, "Passengers, this is General Rommel. We should be on the ground in about a minute, at which point we will be directed towards our parking spot. Once we are on the ground, we will likely be subjected to police inspection and likely detained. Once we are on the ground, please do whatever the police or military requests of us. It's been an honor to fly with you all."
Rommel then refocuses his attention on the landing. Meanwhile, Tom calls out the altitude, monitoring the altimeter constantly.
Rommel watches as the runway gets closer and closer as he tries to hold the 757 in the proper angle of attack.
Finally, he feels the plane shake a bit as the rear landing gears touch down. Rommel quickly deploys the spoilers on the wings and activates the thrust reversers on the engines to slow the airplane down. A loud roar echoes through the airliner as the reverse thrust slows the plane dramatically as Rommel pushes the nose down, and the nose gear touches down.
Before too long, the aircraft has slowed down to taxiing speed. Rommel guides the plane down the runway to their designated turn off, where he guides the 757 off the runway and onto the taxiway.
Waiting for them at the turnoff is a Humvee. The gunner on the back motions for them to follow him as the Humvee begins driving. Rommel follows the Humvee along the taxiway, noticing all the while that the machine gunner on the back has the gun aimed at the jet.
The Humvee leads them along several taxiways towards an isolated area of the airport tarmac. And at their designated parking spot, a small army is waiting for them. At least several hundred soldiers, as well as a tank and an attack helicopter.
Rommel follows the Humvee until the gunner signals for them to stop. Rommel follows the instruction and brings the plane to a halt and begins to power down the engines. As he does, the small army waiting for them surrounds the aircraft, weapons aimed at the aircraft.
Rommel and Tom both stare out at the soldiers surrounding the 757. "Well. Looks like we're not going to get a hero's welcome quite yet," Rommel says, and he and Tom share a chuckle.
(2 hours later)
Mace Windu stares out at the parked 757 as the LAAT that he took to Pittsburgh lands about a hundred feet away from the airliner. When they heard about United 93, the Jedi Council decided to send Mace to Pittsburgh to oversee the boarding of the aircraft and deplaning of the passengers. Given the flight had been hijacked, authorities were taking no chances despite Rommel's report.
The airliner is still surrounded by soldiers and a tank, all with weapons aimed at the airliner. They've held the jet at gunpoint the entire time. There had been an idea to have the tank use inert rounds from its main gun to destroy the engines so there was no chance of the aircraft taking off again, or to otherwise use grenades to destroy the engines. However, both ideas had been rejected, and the engines have remained intact.
So far, the airplane has not moved, and the authorities have decided it's time to board the aircraft. They had waited for Mace to arrive, as well as a detachment of men from SEAL Team 6. The government was taking no chances on the off chance that there may still be hijackers alive.
As Mace leaves the LAAT, the leader of the SEALs, Commander Alex Dallinger, approaches him. "Master Windu, we're ready to board the aircraft."
"Understood, Commander. Wait for my signal and follow my lead," Mace says.
Mace does a slow walk around of the aircraft. He can see people inside through the windows, but can't make out any faces.
After walking all the way around the aircraft and seeing nothing particularly out of the ordinary, Mace walks back to where the SEALs are congregated next to a pair of mobile passenger airstairs. "Alright. Let's board. Be cautious and ready for anything."
"Yes, Master Windu," Commander Dallinger says as each of the SEALs cock their assault rifles.
The drivers of the airstairs rev the engines and moves the airstairs towards the forward and rear doors on the right side of the aircraft. Mace and the SEALs follow carefully. As the airstairs reach the airplane, seven of the SEALs hurry up the forward stairs after Mace, assault rifles at the ready, as the other eight hurry up the rear stairs.
"Get ready," Mace says. He then reaches out with the Force and uses it to move the lever on the outside of the door to unlock it. Once he unlocks it, he uses the Force to pull open the door.
Without hesitation, Mace ignites his lightsaber and hurries into the aircraft, two SEALs right behind him with their assault rifles raised.
Mace instantly sees Rommel standing in the doorway of the cockpit, with Tom Burnett right behind him. He also sees several of the flight attendants and passengers tending to the captain and first officer, and the bodies of the two terrorists who were in the cockpit laid on the floor of the first row of first class, while Jeremy Glick is still guarding the unconscious terrorist, still holding Yoda's old lightsaber in case the terrorist wakes up.
"General Rommel. It is good to see you," Mace says.
"You as well, Master Windu," Rommel says. He then turns to one of the SEALs he's met before, a Lieutenant Anthony Gallo, and says, "Lieutenant Gallo. Didn't expect to see you here."
"Good to see you, General," Gallo says.
"The captain and first officer need immediate medical attention," Rommel says.
"I understand," Mace says. He moves over and uses the Force to lift the captain off the seats he's laid across while two of the SEALs still on the airstairs call for a stretcher.
Meanwhile, at the back of the aircraft, the other team of SEALs open the rear door and storm into the aircraft, assault rifles raised. As they enter the cabin, the lead SEAL, Commander Dallinger, yells, "Everyone get your heads down and put your hands where we can see them! Nobody move!"
Many of the passengers in the rear cabin are frightened by Commander Dallinger's sudden appearance and yelling, but comply. The eight SEALs move slowly up the aisle, scanning the rows, assault rifles at the ready.
"Does anyone need medical attention?" Dallinger calls out. He sees multiple people shake their heads, but hears no response.
The SEALs move slowly but smoothly, scanning everyone in the seats. Seeing that nobody matches the description of the terrorists Rommel gave earlier on the radio, and seeing nobody is moving, Dallinger says, "Alright. Team Bravo, start getting 'em off."
Dallinger and the three men of his fireteam hold their positions while the four men of the other fireteam begin gently pulling people to their feet and guiding them towards the rear door. As each passenger reaches the door, they descend the airstairs where they are met by clones from the Terran Clone Legion. The clones begin escorting them over to buses which will take them to a hangar where its been decided to hold the passengers for the time being. Each passenger is watched carefully as they get off of the plane, guns pointed at them just in case. A number of clones are also having to calm and comfort some of the passengers who are feeling very scared after everything they've been through.
As Dallinger's team is removing the passengers from the rear cabin, Mace's team is working to do the same in first class. They've already gotten the captain and first officer off the plane, and both are being rushed away to get medical treatment. The SEALs are now working to get all the passengers and flight attendants currently in first class.
As they're getting down to the last few individuals, Lieutenant Gallo and another SEAL make their way over to where Jeremy Glick is still guarding the last terrorist, al Nami. The SEALs feel a momentary urge to put a bullet through his head as revenge for the attacks, but they quickly quell that. His value as a source of intelligence is too great to pass up.
"Don't worry, Mr. Glick," Gallo says, having gotten Jeremy's name from Rommel, "We'll take him from here."
Jeremy nods and steps back. Gallo and the other SEAL turn Nami on his back and snap handcuffs around his wrist before they haul him up and carry him off the plane. Once they reach the bottom of the airstairs, clones take him and haul him over to the LAAT. Once Nami is secured on board, the LAAT takes off, heading down to Fort Bragg, home of JSOC, where he will be interrogated later.
The forward team begins leading the last few passengers and flight attendants off the plane, who are all a little nervous at the number of guns pointing at them, but trying to remain calm.
As Sandy Bradshaw is being led off, Mace turns to Rommel and Tom Burnett and says, "You're welcome to leave the plane now. We can handle this."
"With all due respect, Master Windu, I'm the captain of this aircraft right now, and I won't leave until all passengers and crew, living or dead, have left the aircraft," Rommel says firmly. Mace stands there for a second before nodding.
A minute later, the last of the passengers and crew except for Rommel and Tom Burnett leaves the plane, 15 minutes after Mace and the SEALs first boarded the plane.
Now, clones come aboard to take the bodies of the three dead terrorists off the plane. They are to be transported away from the airport and prepared for an Islamic burial. Despite the terrorists' intention to harm Americans, the government wants to respect Islamic customs with regards to burial.
Then, the SEALs prepare to take the bodies of the flight attendant and passenger who were killed. The other flight attendants have identified the dead flight attendant as Debbie Welsh, and ticket records have identified the dead passenger as Mark Rothenberg. The SEALs bring stretchers aboard, as well as white sheets to cover the bodies. The bodies are then carried off the plane. Two hearses have already gathered to take the bodies away. As the SEALs carrying the bodies reach the bottom of the airstairs, a clone honor guard lines the way to the hearses and salutes the two dead as they pass.
Finally, as they watch the bodies of Deborah Welsh and Mark Rothenberg be taken away, Mace turns to Rommel and says, "Come, General. There's nothing more for you to do here."
"One moment," Rommel says. He steps briefly into the cockpit to finish shutting the plane down, finally flipping the switch that cuts the rest of the plane's power.
After taking a moment to take it in that its all over and done, Rommel walks back out of the cockpit. He looks at Tom Burnett and says, "Thank you, Tom. Thank you for your help with this situation." He then smiles and says, "Let's get off this d*** airplane, brother." The two laugh, and Rommel puts his arm around Tom's shoulder. Tom puts his arm around Rommel's shoulder, and the two walk out of the plane and down the airstairs with their arms around each other.
A cheer rings out as Rommel and Tom emerge from the plane. In a matter of moments, all of the clones and American military and airport personnel surrounding the plane are cheering as they see Rommel walking down the airstairs.
Rommel and Tom are escorted to the buses with the other passengers. Once they are on board, the buses begin driving towards the hangar while police arrive with investigators and several police dogs to begin a thorough search of the plane.
The buses soon reach the hangar set aside for them to be kept in for the time being. Once the buses park, American soldiers from the Pennsylvania National Guard escort them off the buses and into the hangar.
The National Guard has already set up the hangar for them to stay there for some time if necessary, including bedding, food, and even some entertainment.
As Rommel enters the hangar, a Colonel from the National Guard approaches him and says, "General, good to meet you. Me and my men will be here for your safety and to help in any way we can. You'll be kept here until the authorities can confirm there is no more threat from this flight. The government has also arranged for some counsellors to be brought her to help all of the passengers and crew begin to cope with this whole situation. The government is also working to gather the families of everyone here and bring them here. We'll let you know of any changes."
"Understood, Colonel," Rommel says before walking further into the hangar so he can speak with the passengers and crew.
Alright, I'll end right there.
So, the events of 9/11 are technically over. But there's still a few more chapters, which will cover the aftermath of 9/11. Next chapter will take place on the 12th, and there will be at least two more chapters after that.
Next chapter will be up tomorrow. Until then, leave a review and stay tuned.