Chapter Eight: Get the Hell Out of Dodge
#9 of Calls of the Force
AN: Heeuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaagh. Forcing this one out to please my legionsdozens of fans. Sorry for the absence, can't promise it won't happen again.
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The past day had been spent packing, for Ethan anyway. Larana and Oroni spent it eyeing eachother, whether it was for a bed or a bodybag, Ethan couldn't say, being largely distracted with packing as he was. Clothing, snacks, small entertainments for when Larana would no doubt be busy on Jedi business, all things he felt he'd need. The darker of the twins had instructed him to pack light, since the fighter already had her supplies, and he'd probably be getting more clothes once they arrived anyway.
If they arrived.
That was the part no one was quite sure of, whether or not they would actually get where they wanted to go. Not because of fuel consumption or anything like that, but because neither bunny knew if they'd need another blackhole to make the return trip. So far, the plan was basically for Oroni to use her flight computer to calculate her exact point of entry, angle of descent, and velocity when she hit the Earth's atmospher, and trace it in reverse in the hopes the effect would be reversed.
With any luck, it would work and we'd somehow activate a wormhole.
Soon enough, Ethan had two smallish duffle bags of clothing, snacks, and a few books, and all three were marching towards the woods where Oroni had landed, Larana keeping a close eye on her sister, her hand never far from her lightsaber.
"Alright, loverboy, pack it up and hop in the back seat," the black rabbit ordered, pressing a button on the side of the fighter and opening the storage compartment. At the moment, it was actually mostly empty, save for some food. As he placed his bags inside, Ethan supposed Oroni didn't need clothing when she had a flight suit. Either way, once that hatch was closed, the cockpit opened and Ethan climbed into the rear seat, leaving just enough room for Larana to sit in his lap while Oroni took her seat in the front. "And no funny business back there, or I swear to god I will pop the cockpit in deep space and kill us all."
The pair in the backseat had to share a smile and a chuckle at that as their fingers entwined, the rabbit's hips shifting slightly just to tease him in spite of her sister's words. Ethan just shook his head and buckled the safety harness around her, a snug fit around them both even at its loosest, as the ship started up with a hum and the cockpit sealed in front of them.
"Here's hoping," Oroni said as the calculations were made during the liftoff procedure, the ship aligning itself on autopilot with her only nudging the controls now and again, listening no doubt to the Force's corrections, trusting to her feelings, that old chestnut; and before long, the ship was suddenly zipping through the sky, branches vanishing in favor of clouds, those disappearing even faster as they picked up speed into pure blue sky.
As Ethan watched, even that began to fade, the cold darkness of space bleeding through, stars winking into existance as the reflected light of the sun diminished into nothing, leaving only the direct light. "It's beautiful," he said softly, feeling Larana's softly-furred fingers squeeze his in answer.
"Don't care," Oroni replied unasked as the engines started to really open up, screaming into the void only to be heard by the three they were propelling. "If we're lucky, it'll happen in three.... Two... One!"
Right on cue, the world went dark, but before any of them could do anything, it suddenly went bright again, and it looked as though someone had just shut off the lights and rearranged the stars.
"Home," the sisters intoned at the same time, a sense of releif filling them both.
"But where?" Ethan piped up, craning his neck to look at all the unfamiliar stars. "And if you guys got here through a black hole, was it in this same spot?"
"No, this is a different place," Larana answered for him, looking around as well. "Give the computer a minute to figure it out," Oroni interjected before the computer gave a double beep. "Aha, we are.... fucked."
"Normally I'd make a witty quip," Ethan said, blinking slowly. "But right now I'm just going to ask why."
"Not only are we in the middle of Hutt Space," Oroni started. "But jumping through wormholes and flying around planets is enough to drain my ship's fuel reserves almost completely. But the worst part is that the nearest planet is Toydaria."
"And since mind-tricks don't work on them," Larana said with the makings of a smile.
"I'll have to pay for the fuel," her sister finished.
"That's a problem?" Ethan asked incredulously.
"It is when you don't carry credits," Oroni answered testily, shooting a quick glare back at him.
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AN: I think it's a bit short, but I haven't slept in 24 hours, and I've been working for 12 of them, so there. Also, if any one likes this well enough to draw free cover art or something like that, I would be very much appreciat it.