CHAPTER SIX
Moving faster than the blink of an eye, Kyle Katarn ran towards the pilot's seat, moving the Bothan's lifeless body out of the way and taking the controls. While Arek moved to do the same, Kyle attempted to divert thruster power to at least slow down the ship, only to find out that the entire engine itself was practically dead.
Upon noticing this as well, Arek grimaced. "Guess whoever sabotaged the ship really wants us all dead."
Kyle nodded with a frown. "Certainly seems that way."
"Are you sure there aren't any escape pods left?" Natia asked, her voice on the verge of sounding fearful. "Or some other way to abandon ship?"
Kyle shook his head. "Even if there was, we would fry up. And if out saboteurs disabled the engine, I'm sure they've made sure we wouldn't have any means for escape."
The GA sergeant let out an exasperated sigh. "So, we're all going to die, right?"
"Correction: I believe there is still hope for us yet."
All eyes turned to HK-47, acting as if they had forgotten the droid was there. "Care to explain?" Arek asked, eying the droid skeptically. "Does your plan involve you killing us all?"
"Answer: No, unfortunately, although I would very much enjoy that. You see, although my memory banks have been tinkered with multiple times, I vividly recall having my memory being transferred into the computer of an ancient Republic cruiser.
"For more than twenty years did I remain connected to that ship. During the two, uneventful decades that followed, I managed to memorize the ship's entire structure, how it operated, and what to do in case everything the meatbag crew operated failed.
"To this day, although I have never attempted it since, I believe I can access this ship's internal controls and take full control over it."
"Well then, what are you waiting for?" the sergeant said. "Save our hides!"
HK-47 moved past the others and stood before the pilot controls. Flexing out his hands, the droid's fingers disconnected and extended into tendrils, moving under the control panel and plugging themselves into the same ports as the thousands of wire that allowed him to control the ship. Suddenly, HK's optics went dim and for a split-second, Kyle though that something had deactivated the droid.
He was soon proven wrong when HK's voice echoed through a speaker mounted on the ceiling. "Excited Statement: Ah, that's more like it. Now then, before I 'save your hides', let me take care of a few remaining Glorians that just arrived in the elevator."
Outside the main deck's door, Kyle heard a series of anguished cries followed by a sickening crushing sound.
"You just depressurized the room, didn't you?" Taana Di said quietly.
"Solemn Statement: Yes, sadly. Not as gruesome a death as I was hoping for. But no matter..."
Looking out the ship's viewport, Kyle and the others saw the flames of reentry thicken as the planet's surface neared closer, enough for them to see several cities dotted on the large continent they were facing. The freighter suddenly shuddered and Kyle assumed that HK had managed to reactivate the engines.
Either that, or they had lost part of the ship.
"Suggestion: I believe it would be best if you held onto something sturdy. We may be in for a rough landing."
* * *
"It's beautiful, isn't it?" the young, fair-haired Corellian woman said to her partner. "I know I've been told that Kaal is one of the best vacation spots in the galaxy, but I never knew it was true!"
Jaller nodded absently, staring out at the vast sea as it splashed across the rocks on the beach. They were pretty much the only ones there, save for a visiting Mon Calamari family spending time together and an Ithorian reading in the shade. Deciding that it was as good a time as any, he turned to the woman and took both of her hands in his own.
"Hali, we've been friends for a while, and...well-" He paused, trying to think of the right words. "Well, to put it simply...I love you."
For a moment, Hali stared at him wide-eyed. Then, with a smile, she said, "Funny. I was going to say the same thing."
Before Jaller could respond, she pulled him in towards her, leaning for a kiss. However, before their lips could touch, the Ithorian suddenly let out a deafening, sonic-powered cry. As the Mon Calamari family ran for cover, the young couple looked up to see an enormous ship descend towards the sea, enveloped by flames.
Jaller and Hali began to run but were unable to get far enough when the ship crashed at the edge of the beach, creating a large quake that sent the couple flying off their feet. Once the cloud of sand and dust had dissipated enough for them to see, Jaller got back up, coughing out pebbles of sand, and turned to the ship.
A blue blade of energy pierced through the vessel's front viewport as it began to carve out a circular opening. As the thick slab of transparisteel fell to the sand, Jaller could see a tall, human male with fair skin and brown hair, some of which formed a beard around his face, behind the remaining screen. A blue lightsaber in hand, he was outfitted in a tan shirt, dark blue pants, and brown boots.
Upon noticing Jaller and Hali, Kyle Katarn adopted a look of slight embarrassment. "Uh, I hope my insurance policy covers this...."
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