Guide Blair sandburg sat in the pilot's chair of the shuttle his eyes on the viewscreen in front of him. His fingers moved deftly over the controls as he adjusted the flight path slightly to compensate for the drag caused by miscroscopic asteroids and radiation. Normally, the computer flying on autopilot automatically adjusted, but Blair felt the need to hone his piloting skills and keep his mind on something other than a stubborn sentinel that was lying in a bunk in the back. Since his attention was on piloting he noted the arrival of three fast moving ships that where on an intercept course. Slightly alarmed, Blair had the computer scan the ships. When the scan was complete, Blair hurridly strengthened the shields and increased spee. He then had the computer start the calculations for a jump even knowing he was still too close to the sun in the center of the Tao system. Therfor he had the computer begin a countdown to when they could jump safely. The three ships came within range of the shuttle and fired. The ship rocked beneath the onslaught but the shields held. Blair pushed the intercom, "Jim, get up here, we're under attack!" Behind Blair, the door slid open and his sentinel, Jim rushed into the cockpit. Jim took one look at the viewscreen and growled, "Pirates." "Are you sure?" Blair asked. "Very sure. You might want to send out a mayday, Chief." Blair nodded and opened communications on all frequencies and sent a mayday while vacating the pilot's chair. Jim took his place. While Blair knew he was a decent pilot, his sentinel was a better one, and had combat experience. The moment Jim took control he began to divert power to the shields drom non essential systems. "Luckily for us these Imperial Class 1 shuttles have some of the best shields, bad news is they don't have any weapons." Jim said as his fingers moved over the panel. "How till we can jump?" Blair asked. Jim looked at the countdown, "Eighty three seconds. Too much can happen in eighty three seconds." Again the pirates fired at them. Jim rolled the shuttle and avoided the salvo of ion missiles. Then from outside the gravitational pull of the nearby sun, a ship jumped into normal space. Jim recognized it immediatly. "Glad you guys could join the party." Jim said on a secure channel to the new ship. "Always the party crashers, that's us." Colonel Simon Banks answered back. Simon's ship fired at the heavily armed pirate vessels. The missiles hit their targets but their energy was deflected by the shields. The pirates turned to meet Simon's ship and the four of them battled it out. Thre more pirate ships appeared from where they had been hiding behind a moon. Two of them engaged the shuttle while the other joined its sisters in battling Simon's ship. "Any chance for reinforcements?" Jim asked. "Unfortunatly not. The pirates jammed your communication. We just barely heard your call ourselves. And we don't have the new equipment to punch through the jamming. How long till you can jump?" "Forty eight seconds." Jim answered. "I think the shields will hold." "We'll try and divert their attention. Keep em off you ill you can jump." Simon's ship, Thor's Hammer, fired upon the pirate ships and flew rings aroudn them. The pirates tried their best to destroy the Hammer, but weren't as good a pilots. Jim continued to dodge the salvos of missiles, the shields holding when a missile managed to hit them. At the last five seconds, Simon readied their jump engines prepared to jump at the same time the shuttle did. At the end of the countdown, the jump engines came online and at teh same time the pirate ship released a solar bomb that detonated the moment the ships jumped. "Godsdammit!!!" Jim cursed. The lights in the ship were down with only emergency power operational. The cabin was illuminated only by the lights on the pilot controls. "What happened?" Blair asked. "They dropped a solar bomb." Jim answered. "What's that?" "Its a bomb that mimicks the gravitation and radiation of a sun." Blair's eyes widened. "We're in trouble, aren't we?" Jim could only nod.
"OKay, I am calm, I am calm." Blair recited his mantra for a few seconds then looked at Jim his eyes begging for an explanation. "ITs pretty simple and complex at the same time. Our junmp engines came online the same time the bomb exploded. Don't ask my the physics because I really don't know them, but what happens is that the combine power creates a wormhole with us at the event horizon. And now we are inside the wormhole and will be till our jump engines turn off. Luckily for us both ships were planning to jump to the same place, which means the computer will shut the engines down automatically at the same time. Both ships will end up in the same place. Where that will be is anyone's guess." Jim explained. "That's not all is it?" "No. All our power was diverted to the jump engines to create the wormhole, when we jump back into regular space we'll be floating dead. Only emergency power, and that will not run the engines, just life support." "The same thing will happen to Simon's ship?" Blair asked. "Yeah." Jim answered then went back to the controls. He knew it was useless. There wasn't enough power to fix anything, their only hope was that somehow they would come back into space near an Imperial ship. The possibilities of that were somewhere close to billion to one odds. "Another thing, Chief. The pirates will track us by our power signature through the wormhole. Its still there. They'll be able to calculate where we are going and jump there. We'll beat them there because a wormhole is faster than jumping, but they'll still get there." Blair cursed beneath his breath. He knew what would happen when the pirates caught up with them. At best they'd be sold to someone like Deneron, at worst...someone like Kit Dahlia. A light flashed, and Jim's attention was diverted to it. "Our jump engines our about to come offline." He informed his guide. Blair seated himself in the copilot's chair as they watched the swirling mass of blue and red light on the viewscreen change to a starfield and a looming green and blue planet as they came out of the wormhole. They also spotted the Hammer against the background of the planet. "Damn, we're caught in the gravity of that planet. We're going to crash. Brace yourself, Chief. I'm going to try and use the navigational thrusters to ease our crash landing." "I thought you said that we wouldn't have enough power?" Blair said confused. "We wouldn't but since we are going to an Type 1A planet, then we won't need the life support for very long. I'm deverting some of the power to the navigational thrusters. Its not enought o pull us fromt he gravity of the planet, but it might allow us to survive the crash." Blair nodded and strapped himself into the seat. "Jim strap yourself in too." Obeying, Jim strapped himself in the pilot's seat then returned to what he was doing his fingers moving quicky over the panel. The tempature inside the cabin begant o rise as the shuttle fell through the thick atmosphere. Luckily the ship was designed to take such extremes so that while the tempature was hot it still did not get unbearably so. At the last minute, Jim used the navigational thruster to slow their descent, and then the ship crashed against the jungles surface of the planet. The Thor's Hammer did the same not more that a few minutes after some mile from where the shuttle had crashed. Colonel Simon Banks groaned as he lifted his head wiping sweat and blood from his eyes. He looked around in the dark gloom, and in the light from a few electrical fires, he saw his crew. "Rafe." He said trying to get the attention of the pilot. "Rafe, wake up." A groan issued from the Lieutenant, and Rafe opened his brown eyes and looked aorund. "Uh, Colonel?" "Yeah, Rafe its me. How are ya feeling soldier?" Simon asked the pilot. "Ugh, rode hard and put up wet." Rafe answered. The pilot turned his attention to the weapons officer beside him, "Hey, Henri, wake up man." He gently touched the other Lieutenants shoulder. "Oh man, someone turn off that damn music." Henri growled holding his head between his hands as if afraid it would fall off. Rafe grinned. "Oooh, Colonel, is everyone all right?" Megan Connor asked as she made her way through the debris. "We're alive." Rafe said. "Anyone badly injured?" Simon asked. "A few bruises and cuts, nothing major. Henri?" Rafe asked. "The same. Though I would kill for an aspirin." Henri answered. "They don't make those anymore." Captain Connor pointed out. "So. Your point is?" Henri replied jokingly. Megan shook her head and turned to the Coonel, "How about you, sir?" "Same as them, bruises and scrapes. I've had worse shaving. We need to find the shuttle. She isn't as sturdy as Hammer." Simon said as he unstrapped himself and stood up. The others followed suit. "We need to get supplies. Henri bring the portable Holo, we'll need it to keep hidden from the pirates. Take everything now, cause we'll have to scrap her when we're done, and let's hope the pirates think we died with her." The others moved to obey. they gathered medical supplies, blankets, food, weapons, and electronic devices for communications, and scanning equipment. When they were all loaded for bear, Megan opened the emergency hatch,a nd they all made their way out of the downed ship and into the light of the planet. Megan used a device to scan the air. "Nothing poisonous to us. No unidentified microbes. Typical Type 1a planet." She informed them. "Good lets get going before the ship explodes. Make sure and leave no trace of our passing." Simon said as he took point and they followed. Henri had the back trail and it would be his job to make sure they left no sign of hteir trail or the pirates would know they didn't die in theship. When they were far enough away, Simon hit a button and the Hammer exploded in a ball of fire. They then headed in the direction their scanners said was where the shuttle had crashed. Some hours later they found the shuttle. It was in better condition than they though it would be in. Immediatly they set to work to get inside and rescue any survivors. "What if Sandburg's dead, and Ellison is still alive?" Megan asked Simon. "Then we let Jim do what he needs to do." Simon answered. They all nodded knowing what Simon meant. Finally, they were able to blow the hatch, and the four of them entered the shuttle. They made their way to the cockpit and found Jim in the pilot's seat slumped over the controls, his left arm in an unnatural angle, blood on his face from a cut above his left eye. Megan went directly to him, while Rafe went to Blair who was simiarly slumped over in the copilot's chair. "They're alive." Megan announced. Rafe nodded. They checked them over while Simon and Henri gathered what supplies they could in the shuttle. "What's their condition?" Simon asked when they were done. "Jim's left arm is broken. I managed to set it and started a bone knitter on him. It should heal in about four days. He had a concussion but the healing lamp took care of it. A few scrapes and bruises, all and all I'd say he was lucky." Megan informed him. "Blair had a concussion as well. His nose was broke, but I took care of that. A few electrical burns, and some bruises and scrapes. He'll be alright, too." Henri explained. A moan from Blair had the team tuning in his direction. tehy went over to him. "Hey Sandburg, welcome back to the land of the living." "Simon?" Blair asked. "Yep, kid, its me." Simon smiled. "Jim?" Blair asked. "He's alright. See for yourself." Simon pointed to where Jim was still seated in the pilot's chair. A groan from Jim said the sentinel was awakening too. Some minutes later, the six of them were outside the shuttle carrying packs of supplies, and ready to move out. Simon had set the detonator on the shuttle to destroy it as well. "We need to find some place to hole up where the pirates can't find us. Hoepfully, they will think we are dead." Simon said. The others nodded and they fllowed him away fromt he shuttle. A few minutes later the shuttle exploded. Simon stood silently beneath the overhang of a large twisted tree holding his energy rifle close to his body while scanning the surrounding area. Behind him, the rest of the group was either resting or scanning the area themselves, waiting for Rafe's return. Megan stood guard over the unarmed pair that sat on the ground their back against an enormous tree trunk. The pirates that had forced their crash landing would be after their prizes, and there was nothing worth more on the black market than a sentinel and guide. Henri stood not far from Simon watching the perimeter, the look on his face said he was worried for his partner and friend even knowing how good a soldier and scout Rafe was. It was not he ones who were scanning the perimeter that first noticed Rafe's arrival. Jim, lying beside Blair on the ground his head resting in his guide's lap, lifted his head and stared int he direction Rafe had gone. Megan noticed the movement and looked as well. A few minutes later, Rafe jogged through the foliage and over to where Simon waited. "I found us a cave not far from here. With the holo projector, we should be able to hole up in there for a few days." Rafe reported. "Good work." Simon said, then turned to the rest of the group, "Alright let's go people. Rafe you have point." Jim and Blair stood up and followed Simon with Megan and Henri taking up the rear to cover their tracks. They made their way through the jungle like foliage to rocky cliffs. A few meter from the bottom was an entrance to a cave. The path to the cave, though steep was not treacherous, and they easily made it to the entrance. The cave's entrance was small, and everyone including Blair had to crawl inside. Jim managed even with only one arm. The entrance was deceptive, however. The cave interior was tall enough for Simon to stand even though his head brushed the ceiling. The area was big enough to hold all of them comfortably. Blair and Jim helped spread blankets and sleeping bags out, while Henri set up the holo projector to cover the entrance. Megan and Rafe set up a portable heater, and light while Simon rummaged through the packs for food. When the holo projector was up and running projecting a solid wall over the entrance to the cave, Simon began to prepare a stew, heating it over the portable heater that converted into a stove. Henri sat on his bed with his energy rifle at hand, his bed being the closest to the holo projector and the entrance. Blair had set up his and Jim's beds at the back of the cave where Jim already lay watching the others. Blair looked at Jim, then turned to Simon, "How long are we going to stay in this cave?" Blair asked. "A couple of days, until we are sure the pirates believe we died." Simon answered. "Do you think they'll find us here?" "No the holo projector is one of the newest ones. It can't be detected with what the pirates are using. We'll be safe." Simon assured the young guide. "Good. I'm going to give Jim a dose of Docile, to allow him to sleep after we've eaten. His arm will keep him from sleeping if I don't." Blair said. Simon nodded. He would not interfere. When the stew was done, Blair took his and Jim's bowl over to where the sentinel lay on his good side. He helped Jim sit up, and gave the sentinel his bowl. Under his guide's watchful eye, Jim ate the stew and finished off another bowl. The others, unsure of how to act, or wether they should speak at all, seated themselves on their own pallets and ate their stew in silence. They watched their former Captain hand his bowl over to Blair who took over to where Simon had the other bowls piled. They watched Jim lay his head in Blair's lap the moment the guide seated himself on the pallet. Blair stroked Jim's head as he removed his puch and picked out the contents he would need. Filling a syringe with Docile, Blair carefully pressed the needle into Jim's neck just above the gold collar and injected the sedative into the sentinel's body. It wasn't long before Jim succumbed to the drug, and drifted off into a deep healing sleep his head still resting in his guide's lap. Knowing Jim needed sleep, and would not be able to do so on his own because of the pain from his broken arm, Blair refused to feel guilty for drugging Jim. But guilt still welled up inside him under the stares form Jim's former comrades. Eventually, everyone retired to their pallets. Henri took first watch, while the rest of them laid down and slept. Blair had carefully maneuvered himself and Jim so that he was lying on his pallet beside the sentinel, whose head rested on Blair's chest. Covering them both up, Blair closed his eyes and tried not to dream.