Lyra groaned as she tossed and turned on her bed. She’d been trying to get some sleep for a while now. But her efforts were fruitless. Her thoughts too disturbed.
After the meeting that took place at the lounge, Hider recommended everyone to get some rest. Lyra had agreed, and so did everyone else. Even with light speed, reaching Alderaan will take hours to complete. But how long had it been exactly? Given her apparent restlessness, it didn’t seem all that long ago when she, Sweetie, and Master Darran retired to the crew quarters.
The Padawan flinched. Was she keeping the others awake because of her restlessness? If so, then why hasn’t anyone woken her up or try to calm her down? Have they left the room entirely?
As she asked herself these questions in her head, the Force was reacting to her distress. It surrounded and penetrated her, like a vacuum sucking up dust. However, she did not come to this realization right away. Her restlessness prevented her from recognizing such power around her.
That is until the large amount of Force energies began to take shape. Eventually, this high-concentrated amount of life energy was enough to finally get Lyra’s attention. Before she could react or try to control its power, she was granted a vision.
Though murky at best, Lyra saw herself standing in the middle of a forest. She was wearing her usual Jedi attire with lightsaber firmly grasped in her hooves, ignited and ready for battle. But that wasn’t all. Hundreds of blaster fire surrounded her position, as if she were in the middle of a warzone.
Soon, the vision became clear and Lyra found herself jumping toward soldiers equipped for war. Strange. The armor they wore looked familiar, but she barely paid any attention to it as she saw herself plunge her lightsaber into the belly of one of said soldiers. She eventually finished them all off, but soon spotted another approaching her, albeit slowly.
This one was intriguing to say the least. Unlike the others, he wasn’t approaching her with a pistol or rifle in hand. Rather, it was a sword. A double-bladed sword to be exact. Lyra found it strange. She didn’t know why, but it’s almost as if she had personally seen that weapon before. But where?
Before she could answer her own question, she saw herself charge directly toward her opponent. The two would clash blades, but then the vision would come to an abrupt halt.
“No, wait!” Lyra yelled at the top of her lungs. She desperately cried out to the Force, hoping that it would show her more. But in her struggles, she ended up falling off her bed.
“Ow!” she cried as she fell on the metal floor with a thud. Ears ringing, she got up on all fours and looked around, checking to see if her fall had woken up Sweetie or anyone else. But to her surprise, the room was empty. Okay, that’s weird. Where is everybody?
Curious, Lyra trotted over to the exit and left the crew quarters behind. A part of her still pondered if she was still having a Force vision, but she quickly brushed that notion aside. The sound of her hooves pressing onto the metal floor made her realize this was no delusion.
Are we still in hyperspace? she thought as she continued to explore the ship in search of anyone onboard.
“Lyra? You’re awake?”
“Huh?” Lyra’s ears wobbled. Someone was calling out to her. But who?
“It’s me, Padawan,” said the voice again. “Look to your right.”
“What?” Doing what she’d been told, Lyra turned around and spotted her Jedi Master looking right at her.
“Good morning, Lyra,” greeted Master Darran. “I see you are already up and about. Though you appear to be undressed for some reason.” He frowned. “Padawan, I’m aware that wearing clothes is not a custom for your people, but don’t you think it’s best if you get dressed. I don’t think Hider would appreciate you streaking inside his ship.”
Lyra’s cheeks flushed red. “Oh, come on, Master! You’ve seen me without my attire plenty of times already! And Sweetie doesn’t wear any clothing either!”
Darran sighed. “That was a joke, Padawan. I know we Jedi must act poised and professional in front of the public, but do not take things too seriously. As much as I respect my fellow masters, the last thing I need for you is to become as stern and stubborn as them.”
“Are you referring to Master Vrook, master?”
Darran cracked a smile. “Perhaps. But don’t tell him that. Anyways, what seems to be the problem, my Padawan? You seem a bit rattled.”
Lyra blinked. “Wait, you can tell?”
“Your thoughts are disturbed. I may not have the ability to see, but I can still sense your feelings. Tell me, what’s wrong.”
The young Padawan sighed. There wasn’t any point in keeping secrets. Especially now that her master had grown concern for her. So, she told him everything. About the Force and the vision that it gave her.”
“I see. So, this vision had you in the middle of a warzone, fighting against a squadron of soldiers.” The Jedi Master frowned. “I mean no offense, Lyra, but I cannot picture you fighting in the front lines. You’re not exactly trained for that sort of thing.”
“Yeah, I agree with you there, but that’s not the point, Master. Those soldiers I was fighting. I get this strange feeling that I’ve fought them before, but I can’t remember where.”
“And it’s the same for the sword wielding, soldier, correct?”
Lyra nodded. “The weapon he used. I swear, I’ve seen it before. Yes, I know there are lots of weapons that look different, but that isn’t the case.”
She looked to her master for guidance but was surprised to see him frowning and shaking his head. It’s as if he were upset with her. “Tell me, Padawan, do you remember your lesson about the Force and its two aspects?”
Lyra blinked. That question certainly came from nowhere. What it had to do with her vision, she had no idea. But at the very least, she owes her master an answer. “Yeah, of course I do. There’s the Living Force, which is the raw life energy that all living beings possess; and the Unifying Force, which… um.” She stuttered. For a moment, she had completely forgotten her lesson on the second aspect of the Force.
“Err, forgive me, master. But can’t you remind me on what the Unifying Force is again, please?” she asked, smiling sheepishly.
“The Unifying Force binds the stars and planets together, rippling the surface of space and time,” replied Master Darran. He shook his head. “Lyra, it’s important that you remember your lessons. Becoming a Padawan does not mean you forget the teachings that were taught to you as an Initiate.”
“Y-yeah. Sorry about that.”
“All is forgiven, my student. But to continue where I left off, the Unifying Force is not just the galaxy itself. It has a voice. Make no mistake, Lyra, the Force does have a will of its own. And communing with it allows Jedi like us to see into the past and the future.”
Lyra gasped. “So, the Unifying Force was responsible for showing me my vision back on Dantooine? And it gave me the vision I had just now?”
“Correct. Back on Dantooine, the Force had shown you a vision of the past. This time, however, I assume it showed you your future. A possible future, at least.”
Lyra’s jaw slacked. Though shocking, this revelation was welcoming to say the least; yet at the same time, she felt like it wasn’t enough. The Unifying Force didn’t give her all the answers. If it did, then maybe it could’ve told her who those soldiers were.
There is one thing I must warn you, my Padawan,” continued Master Darran. “Although the Unifying Force is an essential aspect of the Force, you must be wary of its power.”
“What do you mean?” Lyra asked with a tilt of her head. “Aren’t visions of the future supposed to be a good thing?”
“Perhaps, but the Unifying Force can be clouded at times. As powerful as it is, it won’t give you all the answers you seek.”
You can say that again. “But if that’s the case, what should I do? Should I carry on and ignore my vision completely?
Darran shook his head. “No, you shouldn’t. The future may be important, but you must not forget about the present,” he lectured. “To be honest, Lyra, I’d rather that you’d be more mindful of the Living Force rather than rely on vague visions. Should you heed the calling of the life energy around you, your questions will be answered eventually.”
“Yes, master,” Lyra replied. “By the way, have we made it to Alderaan yet, or are we still in hyperspace?”
“We just arrived a half an hour ago, Lyra,” Darran answered. “I had just finished my talk with the local officials, and they’ve agreed to provide our team support. Though it might take some time for them to deploy.”
Lyra’s eyes widened. “Oh, Force. We’re here already? But I thought Hider said it’ll take us several hours before we get here.”
“That was hours ago, Padawan. Six hours to be precise,” Darran replied. “Hider’s busy preparing to descend at any moment. And Chessk is getting our equipment ready for the upcoming battle.”
“What about Sweetie?” asked Lyra. “I didn’t see her on her bed, so I can assume she’s already up. Where is she right now?”
“She’s at the lounge with Hider. Apparently, our captain gave her a lecture on how to use the communication equipment he showed in our meeting earlier. Since your friend doesn’t know anything about electronics, he decided it was necessary to show her the basics.”
Lyra shrugged. “That makes sense. Wouldn’t want to leave Sweetie completely clueless when it comes to computers. Especially if she’s going to help us.”
“Indeed,” Darran replied as he stood back up. “And I suggest that you get ready yourself.”
“Yes, Master,” Lyra replied as she turned and galloped back to her quarters. When she arrived, she was surprised to see the door to the room was wide open. Someone was inside, probably looking for her. Curious, the Padawan peeked inside, but much to her shock, she spotted Sweetie going through her belongings.
“What do you think you’re doing?” Lyra shouted as she used her magic to quickly snatch her tunic away from her friend.
“Hey, take it easy. I just wanted a little peek at your equipment,” Sweetie replied. “Considering that you’ve worn only a tunic for the entire time we’ve met, I was curious to see what material it used.”
“Uh… material?”
“You know, like if there’s any futuristic metal you wear under that bath robe of yours.” The mare frowned and shook her head in disappointment. “Though imagine my shock when I saw no such armor.”
“Bath robe!” Lyra shouted, feeling slightly insulted by her friend’s remarks on her tunic. “Sweetie, this is an authentic Jedi tunic. The color may vary, but all Padawans must wear this sort of thing. It’s tradition!”
Sweetie cocked an eyebrow. “Is it also tradition for them to not wear armor?”
“Jedi don’t normally wear armor! Tunics and robes are the only thing we have,” Lyra explained. “And truth be told, wearing armor only slows me down. How else am I supposed to use my acrobatics if I wear something so clunky?”
“Hey, I’m not saying that you should be wearing anything heavy. Maybe a chainmail or some futuristic light armor that doesn’t hamper your movement so much.”
“Don’t worry about me. With the Force on my side, I have nothing to worry about,” Lyra replied. Though her response did little to convince her friend.
“It certainly wasn’t on your side when you acted recklessly on Coruscant,” Sweetie shot back, causing Lyra to instantly flush red.
“Y-your still mad about that… huh?” Lyra asked sheepishly. To her shame, Sweetie nodded in reply.
“I am. But I told you already, I’m giving you another chance. Just remember, do not do anything reckless this time. This is a team mission! If we are going to save everypony, then you need to work with your team, not abandon them outright!”
Lyra winced. Although she’d been lectured on this several times already, it seemed like Sweetie was keen on making sure she doesn’t mess up again. Truth be told, it annoyed her a bit. Being lectured by a mare who was the same age didn’t suit well at all. But it’s not the Jedi way to complain about such miniscule things. Especially, when the person who’s lecturing you is your friend. “I promise, Sweetie, I won’t abandon my friends again. We’re going to complete the mission together.”
“Now, that’s what I want to hear!” said Sweetie as she gave Lyra a hug. “I have faith in you, Lyra. Be sure to get everypony out, okay?”
“Of course. By the way, weren’t you supposed to be with Hider right now? I thought he was teaching you on how to use his computer and the comm-link?”
“We just finished a while ago. Since I woke up so early, he gave me a quick rundown on how everything works.”
“That fast?” Lyra asked with wide eyes.
“Sure, why not? I mean, it’s not that hard. You just push a few buttons here and there, and boom, it’s easy.” Sweetie raised an eyebrow. “What, did you think because I don’t know anything about technology, I’d have trouble learning the dang thing?”
“Um, yes.”
Sweetie rolled her eyes. “Ugh, forget it. Let’s just go to the cockpit already.”
Lyra, grateful that her friend didn’t take her insult seriously, sighed in relief as she put on her Jedi robes. After hoisting her lightsaber onto her belt, she joined her friend outside the living quarters and the two began walking down the corridor together. “Hey, do you know if Chessk and Geefour and ready yet?” she asked Sweetie.
The mare shook her head. “No, I haven’t. But considering that we’ve just arrived at this Alderaan place, I’m pretty sure they’re getting ready as we speak. Which reminds me, there’s something I’ve been meaning to ask you, Lyra. About this planet.”
“What of it?”
“What do you know about it?” Sweetie asked. “I mean, I’ve been on two planets already. One was a rocky terrain surrounded with nothing but ocean water, and the other was a futuristic planet sized city.”
“Hmm,” Lyra rubbed her snout as she pondered on her friend’s question. After a moment of silence, she finally answered. “To be honest with you, Sweetie, I haven’t been on Alderaan myself. However, I have read a few holo-records of the planet, so I know some of its history.”
“Is Alderaan part of the Republic too?”
Lyra nodded. “Alderaan’s government was one of the core founders of the Republic, along with Coruscant, Corellia, and—some other planets I can’t recall at the top of my head.”
“They’re one of the founders!” replied a surprised Sweetie.
“Yup. Alderaan, along with other core worlds, founded the Republic over twenty-thousand years ago,” Lyra explained. “The planet itself is not known for its futuristic cities, but its lush grasslands and mountain ranges make it a popular tourist spot.”
“Twenty-thousand years ago!” Sweetie yelled as her jaw fell agape. “You’re saying this galactic government is super old?”
Lyra chuckled. “You know, I should’ve figured your reaction would be like that. It’s almost akin to mine when I first researched Galactic History. But as farfetched as it sounds, what I’m saying is the truth. The Galactic Republic has a long history. Longer than even Equestria itself.”
She observed her friend carefully as Sweetie took in this latest piece of news. Her reaction wasn’t very good. The mare’s eyes completely wide, and her head twitching like crazy. It’s almost as if she were to collapse out of sheer shock.
Fortunately, she managed to snap out of her stupor by hoof-slapping herself in the face. “Sweet, Celestia. This is a lot to take in,” Sweetie said. “The discovery of space travel was huge everypony in my crew. But this? This is overwhelming!”
“I know, right?” Lyra replied with a wide smile. “But as much as I like to talk about history, we’ve got bigger things to tackle.” She trotted for a nearby door, which automatically opened, revealing the ship’s cockpit. Outside the window was Alderaan in its purest form.
“Wow. So beautiful,” said Sweetie.
“You like it, huh?” replied a familiar, friendly voice. From the captain’s chair sat Hider Louhun, who seemed preoccupied with the ship’s navigation system. “Welcome to Alderaan, you two. The most culturally artistic planet of the Republic. Mind your manners cause this place is known for its rich elitists. They’re good natured at heart, but if you go on their bad side, be prepared for the worst.”
Sweetie blinked. “Culturally artistic, eh?” She looked at Lyra. “So, this place is just like Canterlot, but on a planetary scale?”
Lyra shrugged. “I guess so. Then again, I haven’t really been here till now, so I can’t say.”
“Canterlot? What is that, your planet’s capital or something?” Hider asked.
“Nation’s capital to be exact,” answered Sweetie. “Equestria is just one nation. There are others that border us.”
“Multiple nations, eh? Oh man, that planet must be one big cluster—”
“Language!” Lyra shouted.
“For the last time, kid, quit lecturing me about what I say!” Hider rebuked. “No point in getting so angry over words!”
Sweetie sighed. “Language aside, it sounds like you're saying that having multiple nations in one planet a bad thing,” she said as she climbed up on top of one of the passenger chairs. “What makes you say that?”
“Most planets I’ve been on don’t follow your planet’s example. It’s one planet, one nation. Sure, there might be some clans or tribes that rely on local communities or governments, but they in turn answer to the Republic Senate and the Supreme Chancellor.”
“All of whom are elected officials,” Lyra stated as she too climbed up on one of the passenger chairs. “When it comes to the Senate, they are chosen to be represented by the people from their perspective planet. In turn, they—along with other Senators—debate on political issues. And when the time comes, these Senators elect a Supreme Chancellor. Someone who would serve as the head of all Republic affairs.”
Sweetie’s jaw dropped. “Wait, you’re telling me that your government is led by elected officials?” she asked, to which both Lyra and Hider nodded in reply. “So, there’s no monarchy at all in the galaxy? It’s all Democratic?”
“There are monarchies that still exist on some planets,” Lyra explained. “Sometimes, the monarchs themselves select their Senators, while others allow their people to elect the Senators for them. Either way, the galaxy itself is led by a Democratic-Republic. We do not have everlasting monarchies here.”
“Well said, my Padawan. I’m pleased to know that your studies on Galactic Civics have paid off.” The group turned their chairs around as the door to the cockpit suddenly swung open, revealing Jedi Master Darran. Alongside him was Chessk, who appears to be holding a pouch in his hand. “Good morning, everyone,” he greeted as he sat in the co-captain’s chair.
“Good morning, master,” Lyra greeted back. She then gave a quick look to her Trandoshan friend. “And good morning to you, Chessk.”
Trandoshan smirked. “Greetings to you as well, little Jedi,” he replied. “I hope you are ready for battle, because these next few hours are going to be the most exciting moments you’ve ever faced in your life.”
“Wow sounds like somebody’s excited,” said Hider. “What’s the deal, big guy? It’s almost as if you’re eager to get this mission started.”
“I am,” Chessk replied, still smiling. “It’s the thrill of battle that excites me the most. Especially, since I’m going face to face against some of the best warriors in the galaxy.”
“Oh, yeah. I forgot you Trandoshans are a warrior race. Guess the thought of fighting legit soldiers would excite you, huh? But do us all a favor, big guy. Don’t let your excitement get the way. We’re here on a rescue mission, not fight an entire army.”
“I know what my priorities are, human,” said Chessk as he sat down on a passenger’s chair. “Now, are you going to take us down or not?”
“Hold your scales, big guy. We’ll head down as soon as I’m done preparing here,” Hider replied as he turned his attention back toward the navigation computer.
“Wait a minute, where’s Geefour?” asked Lyra. “Shouldn’t it be here with us?”
“Don’t worry about the tin can. It’s at the lounge as we speak. Once we get past the planet’s atmosphere, it’ll activate the jammer from the computer over there.”
“How do you know that thing will work?”
“It will,” Hider assured while grasping the steering wheel. “I may have not used it in a while, but I do know the thing works.”
Force, I hope so. Lyra thought as the ship finally began to move. Fastening her seatbelt, she watched as Hider piloted the Omega into Alderaan. When they reached the planet’s atmosphere, the ship began to tremble.
“I can never get used to this,” Sweetie said as she squeezed her hooves on to her chair’s armrest.
“It’s not exactly a pleasant experience; but you’ll get used to it eventually,” replied Lyra.
“Not to be rude, but having you say that doesn’t make this experience any more pleasant!” Sweetie argued. Yet despite her complaints, the trip down the planet’s atmosphere ended as soon as it began. The Omega now hovered just below the clouds, revealing mountain terrain and lots of snowfall.
“That’s odd,” Lyra said as she observed the bad weather conditions outside the window. “I expected to see more greenery on Alderaan, not snow. Where are we right now?”
Hider shook his head. “Sorry to disappoint you kid, but sightseeing isn’t on our agenda today. Our main priority should be to find that Mandalorian base, and it’s located somewhere in this mountain.” While piloting the ship through the snow barren mountains, the captain reached for a nearby comm-link, raised it close to his face, and spoke on the mic. “Geefour, is the ship’s signal jammer up and running?”
A series of beeping noises came directly from the comm-link. “Yes, I get that the software is a little outdated. But can you please quit fussing for a second and do your job! We can’t waste any more time here!”
Another series of beeps came from comm-link, though it sounded a bit more aggressive. “You already updated the software? Then why didn’t you just say so? Damn it, we’re wasting time. Just activate the dang jammer so we can get moving!”
“Uh, was that Geefour on the other line?” Lyra asked, worryingly.
Hider sighed. “Yes, it was. Don’t know how or when that droid updated the ship’s signal jammer software, but at least it’s something we don’t have to worry about now.”
Lyra breathed a sigh of relief, feeling grateful that her droid managed to ease her worries a bit. Though as she leaned back on her chair, she felt a strange humming sound echoing across the cockpit. “What was that?” she asked.
“Just the signal jammer turning on,” Hider explained as he put the comm-link away and grasped the steering wheel. Pretty soon, the ship began to move again. It flew forward, making headway for the mountains. “The Mandalorian base is located here somewhere.”
“It shouldn’t be too hard to find,” said Sweetie Drops. “If it’s anything like those buildings from Coruscant and Ord Mantell, then we’ll have no problems.”
“I wouldn’t think so,” replied Darran with a shake of his head. “It’s unlikely that they’d risk building such a large fortress. Doing so would only alert the local military.”
“What do you mean?” asked Lyra.
“I’m saying that the Mandalorian base isn’t fit to station a large army. If you think about it, the main force is still fighting in the outskirts of the outer rim. And with the Republic Navy joining the fight, they can’t risk sending out platoons to the mid and core worlds. Only small contingents at best.”
“So, you’re saying the enemies we’ve faced were only scouts?”
Darran nodded. “Correct. The ones we fought on Coruscant were merely scouts whose job is to report on Republic Naval movement, not true soldiers. The true strength of the Mandalorian Crusaders is something that we’ve yet to face.”
“But why would they bring me and my crew into this?” asked Sweetie.
“They must’ve saw the advertisement my foolish cousin put out,” replied Chessk. “Considering that you and your kin are a newly discovered species, they wished to take advantage of that.”
Darran frowned. “If that is the case, then I fear that the Mandalorians are planning something with the equines,” he said grimly. “We must hurry. The sooner we find the equines, the better.”
“On it,” Hider replied as he continued to steer the ship through the mountains.
“Um, master, when you said our enemies are planning something, what do you mean by that?” Lyra asked as she gave Darran a worried look.
“I mean what I said, Padawan,” replied the Jedi Master. “The Mandalorians have their reasons for capturing your kin. And I fear it’s something sinister.”
Lyra frowned as she found herself quivering in her seat. “Y-you don’t think they are going to hurt them, are they?”
“Perhaps, but I don’t believe that is their true goal,” her master replied. “I believe they are after something much bigger.”
“Bigger?” asked a now worried Sweetie Drops. “Just what in Celestia’s name are you implying?”
“Save that question for later, creamy one,” said Chessk. He pointed his finger directly at the window. “We’ve found the base.”
Lyra gasped as she quickly looked out the window and—sure enough—her friend was correct. Just below the ship, surrounded by dense trees and thick mountain snow, was a fully operational Mandalorian base.
The facility wasn’t anything spectacular. Just like her master had said, the stronghold was small. It didn’t look like it could fit an army, nor could it hold any ground war machines.
“Damn, it looks like you called it, old man,” said Hider. “Looks like the Alderanian military won’t have to worry about an invasion force. Though I can’t seem to spot any ships.”
“It’d be foolish to park ships outside in this current weather,” said Master Darran. “I can only assume they must’ve docked them in a garage somewhere.”
“At least we know that the signal jammer works,” said Lyra. “I don’t think they’ve spotted us at all. If they had, we would’ve been shot at by now.”
“But where are we going to land?” asked Sweetie.
“It’d have to be someplace far enough where our enemies won’t see it,” said Chessk.
“No problem,” Hider replied. “There’s an entire forest surrounding the base, and we can use the mountains as cover too. I’m sure we can find someplace to land.”
The captain spun the steering wheel around and flew the ship the mountains. The crew looked for anyplace to land, but it proved to be more difficult than they’d realized. The heavy snowfall limited their view, and the large mountain hills made Hider unable to land the ship.
“I can’t see anything!” Lyra complained.
“That makes two of us,” Hider replied, grunting in frustration. “Damn it! There’s no good spot to land.”
“I’m certain there’s someplace we can use,” said Chessk. “Why not go deeper into the mountains?”
“That’ll be too far away!” argued Sweetie. “You’ll never make it to the base if you land too far. Especially with all this snow!”
“She’s right,” Lyra replied. “All this snow will only slow us down. And it’ll be even harder to get back to the ship with all the ponies we’ve rescued. Having them trot through this weather will only put us all at risk.”
“So, what do you suggest I do? Land the ship in front of the base?” shouted Hider who was starting to lose his patience. “I’m sorry, but we can’t land too close. Even with the jammer, it’ll only be a matter of time before some soldier discovers the ship. And trust me, putting my baby and Private Drops at risk is something I won’t do!”
“No need to worry, everyone,” Master Darran said calmly. Despite the crew’s little panic, he had somehow remained calm. “Steer your ship to the northwest of the base. There is a clearing we can use to land your ship.”
“Wait, what?” Hider turned his seat around and gawked at the Jedi Master. Lyra too was puzzled by this as well. How could her master possibly know what he’s talking about?
“Heed my words, Hider. Pilot your ship to the northwest!”
“Alright, I’m on it!” said Hider as he quickly followed the Darran’s directions and steered the ship away from their destination. Sure enough, the Jedi Master’s words came true. Just a few miles away from the base was a clearing. It wasn’t very large, but it was big enough for landfall and the forest surrounding it provided great cover. “The heck? How did you know about this spot, old man?”
Darran smirked. “Really, Mr. Louhun? After everything we’ve been through, you still question the Force?” he asked in a rather sarcastic tone.
“Well, excuse me, Master Jedi! I didn’t think the Force would be capable of finding good landing spots!” Hider let out a big groan as he piloted his ship over to their destination. Soon, the Omega began to stir as it descended onto the snowy mountain. Then, a loud crunch was heard, and the ship had stopped moving. “Okay, we’re not sinking underneath the snow. I guess that means the landing went well.”
Lyra sighed in relief. “At least that’s one obstacle out of the way. Now what do we do?”
“We got to make sure everything is ready before we leave,” replied Master Darran. He stood up and began to address the entire crew. “Chessk, what’s the status of your equipment?”
“I had left my rifle and the human’s blaster pistols back at the garage, but I’m done with my modifications,” Chessk answered.
“You better not have messed up my pistols, big guy. I paid a lot of good money for those pistols, and I don’t want it to be put to waste!” said Hider.
Chessk gave the captain a wide smirk. “Trust me, human. You’ll find your weapons to be much more powerful than what you had before.”
“What about grenades? Did you manage to make a few more for the mission?”
“I have two full pouches of explosives. One with me and another back at the garage.”
Darran nodded in approval. “Good work, Chessk. We might be needing those for the rescue. And Hider, what about the comm-system? Is it ready for use?”
“I already told the Private on how it works,” Hider answered. “All I gotta do is set up the headpieces and we’re good to go.”
“You have anything to wear in the snow?” asked Darran.
“Don’t worry. I got some clothes in my supply cabinet that we can use. Can’t wear too much on us though. Might slow us down if we do.”
“Then it’s settled,” said Master Darran. He stood up and began to address the entire crew. “Everyone, our destination is to the southeast. I’ll give you all five minutes to check your equipment one last time before we head out. After that, meet me at the landing pad. As soon as everyone’s ready, we’ll leave immediately.”