Chapter 121: Flight School
I gripped the controls tight as the shuttle shook. Our shields would not last much longer against these interceptors.
Soon after, we were hit again. I was nearly knocked out of my seat at that time. "FUCK! NOT AGAIN!"
I pressed the comm button in front of me. "WHERE IS OUR FIGHTER ESCORT?!"
As if queued by my complaint, the enemy interceptors exploded as friendly fighters flew by. A casual voice came through the comm channel. "Just in time, Commander."
The shuttle was now shaking violently. We had taken heavy damage and were barely going to make it to the cruiser.
Satele took over comms as I struggled to keep the shuttle steady. "Mayday, mayday, clear flight deck 3 immediately. We are coming in hot."
The flight controller quickly replied. "Affirm, General. Prepping flight deck 3 and response teams."
I found my body trembling slightly as we approached. I couldn't shake the image of tragically crashing again.
Once we were closer, I could see the last of the fighters and cargo being towed away from our soon to be crash zone.
I tightened the strap on my seat and flicked a switch on the dashboard. A rapidly decreasing number flickered onto the display.
With a quick calculation in my head, I determined roughly how long it would take us to land. "Impact in T-minus 7… 6… 5… 4… 3… 2… 1… BRACE!"
I cut the engines just before we passed through the shields. I felt my entire body sink down into my seat as we smashed into the flight deck. The shuttle screamed and shuddered as it scraped across the floor. Then, we screeched to a stop.
Within seconds, the windshield was covered in foam and the shuttle door was ripped open.
My ears were ringing and my vision was blurry. It felt like I had just been struck on the side of the head with a bat.
A loud voice came from behind me. "CABIN DAMAGE MINIMAL, CLEAR FOR EXTRACT!"
A sharp pain radiated through my head as the voice entered my ears. Before I could muster the strength of clutch my head, I felt a hand grab my shoulder and my straps being cut loose.
I felt myself being lifted into the air and then laid onto a stretcher. I caught glimpses of scattered objects throughout the cabin.
Thankfully, I was safe. I had survived yet another crash landing. I smiled slightly before passing out.
-6:15 PM-
I woke up, vision still blurry. I rubbed my eyes with my hands and sat up. My vision gradually cleared, revealing the medical equipment around me.
A monitor that was next to me immediately started beeping. Reacting quickly, a nurse rushed over. "Commander, you're awake!"
I rubbed my head and nodded. With squinted eyes, I asked, "Yeah, how long was I out for?"
She started tapping on her tablet. "Less than 30 minutes." She then turned away from me. "Dr. Djin, come quick. The General needs him moving ASAP."
A man rushed over in scrubs. He had a concerning amount of blood covering him. "Apologies for the blood, Commander. A technician was involved in an accident and needed surgery. Let's get you checked out."
Dr. Djin pulled out a small flashlight and turned it on. "What is your name?"
I winced as the bright light entered my eyes. "Commander Soryn Brenko, Jedi Knight."
He nodded and glanced at the nurse. "Pupillary dilation nominal. Where are we, Soryn?"
He then put the flashlight away and took out what looked like a rubber tomahawk hammer.
I fell silent for a moment in thought. "Well, last I remember, we were in high orbit over Kaal." He tapped right under my kneecap with the hammer, causing my leg to kick up. I sighed. "I'm sure that we've been moving though."
Dr. Djin nodded as he tapped my other knee. "Reflexes and memory both nominal. Alright, Commander. I have some good news for you."
He put the hammer away and smiled. "You're in good health. Don't be alarmed if you find any bruises on you. That is normal for crash survivors. If you have any minor headaches, feel free to take some anti-inflammatory medication. Some over-the-counter pills will do the job. If the headaches continue for longer than 2 weeks or any new symptoms develop, seek medical attention immediately. Other than that, your Padawan and General Shan are awaiting your arrival in hangar 6. You're free to go."
I nodded, turned in the bed, and stood up. I quickly stretched my limbs. "Thank you, doc. May the force be with you."
Dr. Djin nodded as I stood up, watching me carefully. "With you as well, Commander."
-6:23 PM-
The doors to the hangar slid open to reveal a hectic scene on the flight deck. Technicians, officers, and pilots were rushing all over the place in what appeared to be chaos.
I swept my eyes across the hangar and quickly found Satele and Sirius. They were standing near three starfighters.
I rushed over to greet them, but Satele beat me to it. "Good, you're here."
I nodded. "Fill me in?"
She sighed. "We are about to complete our second hyperspace jump and are preparing for battle."
I shook my head. "So, we did move. I guess we are being tracked."
Satele nodded. "Yes, we believe so."
I nodded. "Alright, I get the gist. What's the plan?"
She gestured towards the starfighters and tossed me a green badge. "We fight."
I nodded as I caught the badge. I then clipped it to my flight suit. Looking at Sirius, I asked, "Can you fly?"
Sirius nodded. "I've dabbled."
I rolled my eyes, knowing that he was taking a jab at me. "You little shit… Alright, let's get a move on."
Satele pressed a button on her comm. "Captain, the floor is yours."
He quickly replied. "Thank you, General."
I started walking towards my starfighter. This would be my trusty tool in victory or my container in death.
The loudspeaker beeped as the Captain addressed the entire ship. "All personnel be advised; hyperspace exit in T-minus. Report to your battle stations immediately."
I sucked in a deep breath and bent my knees. Then, I jumped into the air before landing softly in the open cockpit.
I grabbed the helmet that was hanging from the controls in front of me and strapped it to my head. Then, I grabbed the oxygen mask and clipped it to my helmet, securing it on my face.
Fortunately, this wasn't exactly my first rodeo with this Aurek-class starfighter. The expedited training program included dozens of instances with this exact model.
I closed my eyes and took a deep breath as I pulled down my visor, fully enclosing my head. My flight suit and helmet hissed as they formed an airlock.
Chills shot through my veins as my eyes shot open. I was ready.
I pressed the ignition to power up the engines. There was a slight vibration as the fighter hummed happily.
Through the open channel, the Captain spoke once more. "All personnel be advise, hyperspace exit in 3… 2… 1… Exit complete. Initiate full deployment. Give 'em hell."
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