Star Wars - The Final Exit by Patricia A. Jackson

Author:Patricia A. Jackson
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Published: 1994-11-29T00:15:58+00:00

“Think happy thoughts,” Kierra replied. “We have no cargo. We have no surplus material. And,” she added with a hint of feminine pride, “this ship has always been under its weight ratio. We’re lighter than a Gamorrean brain sack.”

“How long before he intercepts us?”

“Let’s just say I’m putting up the shields now.”

Abruptly, the modified light freighter shook with the impact concussion of another direct hit. Bucking beneath the powerful blow, the Kierra drifted beneath the cloud cover as the destructive energy ricocheted over the aft shields, dissipating harmlessly against the hull.

“Damage?” Ross panted.

“The shields took it,” Kierra replied wearily, still accessing the information from her multiple systems. “But the hydraulic level is already dropping. We won’t survive much more of that.”

Angling across the stratosphere, the Headhunter aggressively continued its pursuit. Hampered by the thickened atmosphere of Trulalis, it swayed from side to side, approaching for another strafing run.

Arming the lower turret, Kierra interfaced with the sentry gun, timing a sporadic burst across the forefront of the attacking ship. Not expecting retaliation from the crippled freighter, the fighter stuttered through the atmosphere, its left wing section erupting into flames. Avoiding the turret’s deadly accuracy, the Z-95 dropped back, barrelling out of range. “That should keep his head down for a while.”

“Not long enough,” Ross argued. Eluding Brandl’s cautious eye, he grumbled, “If there’s something in your Jedi survival book, now’s the time to spring it.”

Brandl nodded, his face notably drained and haggard. Reaching inside the fold of his robe, he again produced the peculiar capsule. The cylindrical-shaped device was cleverly fitted for concealment as a hydrospanner or mechanic’s tool. Staring at the object, Ross recognized it from their brief excursion at the theater. As he watched, fascinated, the control head flashed intermittently from a hidden power cell.

“What’s that?” Kierra crooned. Intrigued by the odd unit, her optical orb brightened, extending the focus on the transmitter.

“It’s a transponder,” Brandl replied. “And it’s been transmitting for nearly an hour.” The Jedi sighed with effort, leaning against the broad back of the acceleration chair. In the harsh light of the flight cabin, his arrogance could not hide the gaunt cheeks and stress lines that had begun eroding the handsome visage of a once proud man. The morbid signs of resignation and surrender were easily read in his noble face.

Without warning, the Headhunter broke off the chase, banking sharply toward the planet. Its aft engines betrayed haste, glowing with the throttle thrown full open as the fighter vanished into the dense cloud cover above the planet. Suspicious, Ross glared at Brandl, feeling the constriction of fear in his throat. “What’s the catch?”

“You had better prepare yourself,” Brandl whispered.

The proximity alarms blared, sending a deafening echo into the freighter’s corridor and accessways. Exploding with tactical data and imminent warnings of ship-to-ship collision, the sensors closed on the gigantic structure of the massive Imperial Star Destroyer, newly emerged from hyperspace.

As the Star Destroyer moved across the viewscreen only a scant 100 meters from him, Ross slumped against the back of his chair, defeated before one shot could be fired.

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