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Jacen watched the ship approach as if in a dream. It remained a black presence against the stars. It had no running lights. "It must be in the shadow of the Millennium Falcon," he thought. It was spericular like two cones with their bases pushed together. Where the cones met, three finned heart-like structures projected. These Jacen recognized as Dovin Basals, living creatures that vent space, time and gravity around themselves. There could be no doubt that it was a Yuuzhan Vong ship for it was made, rather grown, from the same Yorik Coral that Jacen had seen so many times already. Its surface was roughened by numerous small welts, as if the ship had contracted Bakuran fever bumps. When he realized the bumps were Coralskippers, the Yuuzhan Vong equivalent of starfighters, he suddenly grasped the scale. The thing was the size of a Dreadnaught and it was coming for them! It was most certainly what had yanked them, so brutally, from hyperspace. Jacen snapped out of his fog of confusion and pushed his way along the bulkhead and out of the dorsal gunner's turret, where he'd been sitting in contemplation before the sudden terrifying jolt. He pulled himself quickly along the rungs of the ladder into the main cabin. He fought the feeling of falling; it had been a while since he experienced zero g. "Mom! Dad!" his voice rang out in the silent ship. He got no answer. Frantic now, he pushed himself through the darkness to the cockpit. He found them there, and for a heart stopping moment thought they were dead! So still were they in the Force, but both were breathing. "Dad." He gently shook his father's shoulder. Han Solo stirred. "Huh? Who's there?" "It's me Dad." Jacen said. Next to him his mother began to stir, too. He couldn't feel anything seriously wrong with either of them. "Jacen," Han murmured "What's going on, what happened?" "I was hoping you knew. As near as I can tell we've been interdicted by a Yuuzhan Vong ship. It's out there right now, I don't think we have much time!" Han rubbed his eyes and looked at the control panel, where a few feeble lights that were clinging to life. He let out a long low whistle. "That's not good!" he said. "Han, Jacen?" Leia Organna Solo sat straighter in the crash couch, "What's happening?" "The usual." Han replied, flipping switches. A few more indicators came on. "Power systems offline, artificial gravity offline, emergency life support on its last legs, big ship full of bad guys outside!" "A REALLY big ship." Jacen added. "Just like old times." Leia sighed. "Hey, I told you it would be like a second honeymoon! You alright?" "I'm fine," Leia said "I'm wondering what made us black out." "Probably the same thing that fried the power couplings." Han remarked. Then his eyes widened, "Oh no!" "I told you it was big." Jacen said, as their lateral drift brought the Yuuzhan Vong ship in to view. "Do something Han," Leia said "Do something, NOW!" "I'm doing, I'm doing," He muttered, working at the controls "Unless someone wants to get out and push?" "Why aren't they doing anything?" Leia wandered. "They probably think we're dead in space," Han replied "They may be right!" Han unbuckled himself. "Take my seat Jacen. I had a shielded power core installed but the couplings have to be changed. The second I give you power, go, and I mean GO!" "We're too close, they'll snatch us with their dovin basals." Jacen said. "They'll snatch us for sure if we sit here." Han replied, and kicked back through the doorway. "Dad, hang on. I have an idea." "Always thinking, that's my boy."   |