Dark Tidings - 5

The Mako's Run and Republic Attack Shuttle cleared the surface of Sorn V escorted by two Jedi starfighters. Maneuvering their way through the debris, flack, squadrons of vulture droid fighters, and random fire the ships rolled and pitched squeezing between the massive Confederacy cruisers and control ships. Broadside fire raced by the four smaller ships as they darted through the blockade.

Droid debris clattered across the hull of the shuttle as the copilot opened up the forward cannons to clear a path through the dense collection of ships. The passengers were jostled against the bulkhead.

"Commander! Follow the Mako past the Control ship to port," Shaak Ti ordered.

"Yes, General," the pilot replied and attempted to match Sparg's wild slip as he rolled the Mon Cal freighter toward the enemy.

Shaak Ti cast a worried look to Baatal, "I see what he's doing. If we can skim close enough to the surface of the Control ship, we will be under their gun range and hopefully it will buy us time."

Baatal nodded. "Caaaaptannn, have yooouuu plotted the hyperspace jump to Coooriscaaant?"

The clone trooper furiously worked the the controls of the navcomputer, "Not yet, sir! There seems to be some interference with getting a lock."

Shaak Ti could see the Mako through the viewport dive and light her engines as the ship winked out into hyperspace on its way to Kemplex X. Suddenly the shuttle lurched and pitched to starboard.

"General!" the clone pilot called. "We're caught in a tractor beam!"

Baatal cast his glance again at Shaak Ti, "Whaaaat caaaan we do-o-o against that?"

She reached for her lightsaber and tucked the Sith Holocron beneath her robes, "Not much, but there are alternatives to fighting."


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