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<blockquote data-quote="Ankh-Morpork Guard" data-source="post: 2715538" data-attributes="member: 10079"><p><strong>Chapter 19: Of Insanity</strong></p><p></p><p>The small, generally unshielded shuttle continued its head-on path straight for the four TIE Bombers. Esah was still at the controls, her fin-like hands having trouble manipulating the controls of the ship but still managing to maneuver them out of the way of the green laser blasts that the TIEs were firing at them. If Gant had eyes to closed, they’d have been tightly shut...both due to the need for him to focus and at least a slight fear that they were going to get themselves killed, in his opinion, far too early.</p><p> </p><p>Besides, Esah’s moving of the small shuttle back and forth was making him feel somewhat uneasy. He had never liked atmospheric flight all that much. At least in space there really was no up or down to confuse one’s stomach. But, so far, they still weren’t dead, so Gant was willing to give his Mon Calamari companion the benefit of the doubt.</p><p> </p><p>And then the ship rocked from a laser hit, nearly breaking Gant’s concentration as he continued to reach out and out to find the TIEs in the Force. Forcing away the moment, and doing his best to not make a sarcastic comment about Esah’s flying, Gant drew on the Force in every way he had ever been taught through his life. And then he had it. Or rather...had a TIE.</p><p> </p><p>Esah’s focus, currently, was on allowing both the Force and her natural pilot’s instincts to keep them from getting shot out of the sky. The bombers didn’t exactly have the best of short range weapons, but it was enough to take out a small cargo shuttle like they were in at the moment. While she wished for weapons to shoot back with, the Mon Calamari decided it would have just been one more thing to think about, and she still wasn’t sure if she’d be willing to trust a blind man to shoot when their lives were so much on the line.</p><p> </p><p>About the time that this thought crept into her thoughts, the blind man came through. The left center TIE suddenly wobbled slightly, normally a sign of a malfunctioning system or a drunk pilot, but this time it was neither. The wobbling stopped a half second later as if the pilot had regained control...but what had really happened was the attacker had gained control. Then, very forcefully, the bomber was lunged to the side, its bent solar panels slamming straight into those of the other TIE in the center, which in turn was jolted to the side and took out the third of the bombers. There was no explosion as the three bombers twisted and fell out of the sky, their systems damaged and repulsorlifts unable to pull them out of the twisting fall that Gant had thrown them into.</p><p> </p><p>But as they careened down to the trees below, Esah decided it was time to speak up, “Gant! You do know there were four bombers, yes?!”</p><p> </p><p>The remaining of the TIEs fired two quick shots from its green laser cannons, both of which hit the shuttle. They were rocked more violently this time, and an annoying alarm sounded to alert the occupants that shields were not, in fact, working anymore. As if they needed to be reminded of that after such a hit. But no shots followed. None could. The TIE was already flying past, and shot straight over their small shuttle the second that the shield alarm had gone off.</p><p> </p><p>Gant still wasn’t answering Esah’s question, and it was starting to annoy her more than the damned alarm that she couldn’t figure out how to turn off. One bomber was still bad enough, and it was nearly to the Temple again. Finding the right controls, Esah then growled in an odd, watery-but-obviously-angry voice, “Hang on!”</p><p> </p><p>She then wrenched the entire shuttle around, performing a completely one-hundred and eighty degree turn without moving more than thirty meters forward. Needless to say, most starships did not enjoy this kind of maneuver...especially shuttles. Especially this shuttle. The ship creaked and groaned violently, but not so much so to drown out Gant’s sudden yelp of surprise and the loud smack of his hand catching the wall before his skull did.</p><p> </p><p>“What in the Force are you doing?!” he suddenly screamed, obviously no longer focusing on the Force.</p><p> </p><p>Esah violently pointed her blue hand at the TIE bomber in front of them that was starting its run on the Temple, “Four. Bombers.”</p><p> </p><p>“I was working on it!” Gant snapped.</p><p> </p><p>“And you were taking too long!” she snapped back. Then, after a moment when nothing happened, angrily asked, “Why the hell aren’t you doing anything?!”</p><p> </p><p>“I lost my focus!” he yelled at her.</p><p> </p><p>“Dammit, its going to get to the Temple!” Esah tried to use the Force to calm herself, but had never been all that good at it, especially in moments like this. But before Gant could say anything, an idea cropped up. It was crazy. It was absolutely insane. It was the definite proof that she’d been around humans far too long, because it was something that Cira would have thought of.</p><p> </p><p>But it could work.</p><p> </p><p>It could work...and with how close the bomber was to the Temple, it was about the only choice left.</p><p> </p><p>Immediately, Esah’s hands were moving over the controls. Mainly to the sublight drives, kicking them into full speed and re-angling the shuttle slightly as they were jolted forward. Gant started to protest, but Esah was already climbing out of her chair and dragging him out of his. He was still trying to find words to ask if she’d lost her mind when she yanked a small pack out of a panel behind the pilots chair and thrust the thing into Gant, “Put this on and get ready.”</p><p> </p><p>“Huh?” he redirected his Force vision to look out front again, noting that they were now on a course below the bomber, but still rapidly approaching.</p><p> </p><p>Esah pushed the pack into him harder, “We’re going to jump! There’s only one emergency pack. Put it on, don’t let go of me, and we jump!”</p><p> </p><p>Gant was too stunned by the insanity of this idea to not start putting the pack on. Of course, his mouth had time to argue, “Are you insane?!”</p><p> </p><p>“Yes! Now come on!” Esah pushed him over to the hatch, then put an arm around his neck and tried to hang on tightly, “The important part is to not let go of me.”</p><p> </p><p>And then she hit the emergency release on the hatch. It slid open to a violent rush of air, and in a matter of moments they were out, falling to the trees below as the air stunk their bodies. But Gant did hold onto her at least...though both of them were currently directing their vision up and back. Not at all caring about the fact that the emergency pack was going to activate an yank them hard in a matter of seconds, they watched the shuttle.</p><p> </p><p>It shot forward like a missile, heading straight under the TIE Bomber. When it started to head past the fighter, its boxy nose creeping out in front, a proton bomb could be seen shooting out of the second tube of the TIE. It went forward a couple of meters, then started down...down for barely a second before hitting the shuttle and exploding in a violent ball of fire that also consumed the TIE and sent the debris flying in all directions...but mostly beyond the Temple itself.</p><p> </p><p>Both Gant and Esah breathed...then the pack activated, the internal repulsor unit kicked in, and they were jolted up at a painful rate.</p><p> </p><p>But at least Gant held on.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Ankh-Morpork Guard, post: 2715538, member: 10079"] [b]Chapter 19: Of Insanity[/b] The small, generally unshielded shuttle continued its head-on path straight for the four TIE Bombers. Esah was still at the controls, her fin-like hands having trouble manipulating the controls of the ship but still managing to maneuver them out of the way of the green laser blasts that the TIEs were firing at them. If Gant had eyes to closed, they’d have been tightly shut...both due to the need for him to focus and at least a slight fear that they were going to get themselves killed, in his opinion, far too early. Besides, Esah’s moving of the small shuttle back and forth was making him feel somewhat uneasy. He had never liked atmospheric flight all that much. At least in space there really was no up or down to confuse one’s stomach. But, so far, they still weren’t dead, so Gant was willing to give his Mon Calamari companion the benefit of the doubt. And then the ship rocked from a laser hit, nearly breaking Gant’s concentration as he continued to reach out and out to find the TIEs in the Force. Forcing away the moment, and doing his best to not make a sarcastic comment about Esah’s flying, Gant drew on the Force in every way he had ever been taught through his life. And then he had it. Or rather...had a TIE. Esah’s focus, currently, was on allowing both the Force and her natural pilot’s instincts to keep them from getting shot out of the sky. The bombers didn’t exactly have the best of short range weapons, but it was enough to take out a small cargo shuttle like they were in at the moment. While she wished for weapons to shoot back with, the Mon Calamari decided it would have just been one more thing to think about, and she still wasn’t sure if she’d be willing to trust a blind man to shoot when their lives were so much on the line. About the time that this thought crept into her thoughts, the blind man came through. The left center TIE suddenly wobbled slightly, normally a sign of a malfunctioning system or a drunk pilot, but this time it was neither. The wobbling stopped a half second later as if the pilot had regained control...but what had really happened was the attacker had gained control. Then, very forcefully, the bomber was lunged to the side, its bent solar panels slamming straight into those of the other TIE in the center, which in turn was jolted to the side and took out the third of the bombers. There was no explosion as the three bombers twisted and fell out of the sky, their systems damaged and repulsorlifts unable to pull them out of the twisting fall that Gant had thrown them into. But as they careened down to the trees below, Esah decided it was time to speak up, “Gant! You do know there were four bombers, yes?!” The remaining of the TIEs fired two quick shots from its green laser cannons, both of which hit the shuttle. They were rocked more violently this time, and an annoying alarm sounded to alert the occupants that shields were not, in fact, working anymore. As if they needed to be reminded of that after such a hit. But no shots followed. None could. The TIE was already flying past, and shot straight over their small shuttle the second that the shield alarm had gone off. Gant still wasn’t answering Esah’s question, and it was starting to annoy her more than the damned alarm that she couldn’t figure out how to turn off. One bomber was still bad enough, and it was nearly to the Temple again. Finding the right controls, Esah then growled in an odd, watery-but-obviously-angry voice, “Hang on!” She then wrenched the entire shuttle around, performing a completely one-hundred and eighty degree turn without moving more than thirty meters forward. Needless to say, most starships did not enjoy this kind of maneuver...especially shuttles. Especially this shuttle. The ship creaked and groaned violently, but not so much so to drown out Gant’s sudden yelp of surprise and the loud smack of his hand catching the wall before his skull did. “What in the Force are you doing?!” he suddenly screamed, obviously no longer focusing on the Force. Esah violently pointed her blue hand at the TIE bomber in front of them that was starting its run on the Temple, “Four. Bombers.” “I was working on it!” Gant snapped. “And you were taking too long!” she snapped back. Then, after a moment when nothing happened, angrily asked, “Why the hell aren’t you doing anything?!” “I lost my focus!” he yelled at her. “Dammit, its going to get to the Temple!” Esah tried to use the Force to calm herself, but had never been all that good at it, especially in moments like this. But before Gant could say anything, an idea cropped up. It was crazy. It was absolutely insane. It was the definite proof that she’d been around humans far too long, because it was something that Cira would have thought of. But it could work. It could work...and with how close the bomber was to the Temple, it was about the only choice left. Immediately, Esah’s hands were moving over the controls. Mainly to the sublight drives, kicking them into full speed and re-angling the shuttle slightly as they were jolted forward. Gant started to protest, but Esah was already climbing out of her chair and dragging him out of his. He was still trying to find words to ask if she’d lost her mind when she yanked a small pack out of a panel behind the pilots chair and thrust the thing into Gant, “Put this on and get ready.” “Huh?” he redirected his Force vision to look out front again, noting that they were now on a course below the bomber, but still rapidly approaching. Esah pushed the pack into him harder, “We’re going to jump! There’s only one emergency pack. Put it on, don’t let go of me, and we jump!” Gant was too stunned by the insanity of this idea to not start putting the pack on. Of course, his mouth had time to argue, “Are you insane?!” “Yes! Now come on!” Esah pushed him over to the hatch, then put an arm around his neck and tried to hang on tightly, “The important part is to not let go of me.” And then she hit the emergency release on the hatch. It slid open to a violent rush of air, and in a matter of moments they were out, falling to the trees below as the air stunk their bodies. But Gant did hold onto her at least...though both of them were currently directing their vision up and back. Not at all caring about the fact that the emergency pack was going to activate an yank them hard in a matter of seconds, they watched the shuttle. It shot forward like a missile, heading straight under the TIE Bomber. When it started to head past the fighter, its boxy nose creeping out in front, a proton bomb could be seen shooting out of the second tube of the TIE. It went forward a couple of meters, then started down...down for barely a second before hitting the shuttle and exploding in a violent ball of fire that also consumed the TIE and sent the debris flying in all directions...but mostly beyond the Temple itself. Both Gant and Esah breathed...then the pack activated, the internal repulsor unit kicked in, and they were jolted up at a painful rate. But at least Gant held on. [/QUOTE]
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