~More than anything he wanted to know her. This yearning, so agonizing threatened to devour him whole.~Anakin Skywalker
Cassandra Pierce is hunted by a powerful evil, putting everyone in danger. Kamar Taj reaches out to the Jedi Temple for aid. Newl...
Anakin had only a moment to glimpse Cassandra's petrified face before the Falcon barreled into the heavy flak. He angled the controls and the Falcon edged through a field of shrapnel, pieces of jagged metal banging against the sides of the cargo ship. Bodies of clones floated limply in space all around them, inflaming his temper.
The Separatists had launched a surprise attack above Coruscant, leaving Anakin no choice but to fight his way through to reach the surface of the planet. He took immediate command, issuing orders to his inexperienced copilot. "Cassandra, hit the switch above your head!"
"There's like a hundred of them!" She snapped back, overwhelmed.
The Falcon slid beneath a battle cruiser, the shadow of the massive ship blotting out the light. Anakin scanned the hull for an opening. "The one you need is small and red!"
"Oh, God." Cassandra moaned and smacked the switch on the overhead panel. "You're going to get me killed."
Anakin smirked. "Have a little faith, Master Pierce. I've been flying since I was a youngling."
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"That may be asking too much. I barely know you." She pointed out.
Fear seized Anakin's throat in a brutal grip. He struggled against the sheer weight of the sorceress' anxiety to reach the center of calm in the Force. "Cassandra, I have this."
In response, a skeptical look was tossed in his direction.
Her distrust stung. Anakin would do everything in his power to protect her and keep her safe. After he saved her life, she should know that.
A strong blast struck the outside of the Falcon, sending a violent reverberation through the entire ship. Squeezing her eyes shut, Cassandra screamed. "You are the craziest man I've ever met! And too cocky for your own damned good!"
Anakin laughed and shot into the battleship's hold searching for his target.
"I hate this!" Cassandra yelled. "Why can't you people fight sensibly on the ground?"
Hitting the accelerator, Anakin pulled the trigger on the forward guns. Short bursts of laser fire shot through the air and the fuel cell buckled in a fiery inferno. "Pull the small yellow lever on the wall!"
Cassandra yanked on the lever and the rear thrusters reignited. "What now?"
"Now, we get out of here." Anakin replied steering them toward the exit.
The death of the fuel cell set off a chain reaction of explosions. A wall of fire roared behind the Falcon propelling the ship back into space.
Cassandra pointed a shaky finger in front of them. "Four o'clock!"
An enemy fighter swooped out from behind the remains of a clone's ship and fired toward the cockpit.
Three more fighters ambushed them and throttled the Falcon with gunfire. One of the strikes made it through the shield, slamming into the ship's side, tipping them sideways. Anakin nearly fell out of his seat.
