Arani Jakal was not ready to be stranded on an unfamiliar planet, causing her whole life to change. But in the chaos, a friend or two popped up - seemingly from nowhere - wishing to help. Ari gladly accepted and quickly became part of a small town...
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NO MATTER HOW MANY TIMES Ari had been in space, it always amazed her. Nothing but black darker than night was seen and, yet, there was beauty to be found. She and Haro had switched on the autopilot, wanting to take some time for themselves before they inevitably ended up in danger again. However, as it turned out, danger found them all too easily and quickly.
The ship sounded a blaring alarm and the warning lights in the passageway flashed. Ari, being closest to the cockpit, rushed back to find the proximity indicator flashing red in warning.
"Uh, Din, we've got company," she said anxiously over the comms. He wasn't in view and had no clue if he knew.
"I've spotted them. Pirates. Keep on course, I'll take care of them."
"Din, no, I know that N-1 is effective but this is a pirate fleet we're talking about." No response. "Din? Din? Damn it."
"What's wrong now?" Haro questioned, sitting in his chair.
"I lost Din, he won't respond," she hung her head and sighed, fighting off the urge to scream. "We've got pirates."
"I'll go man the guns."
"No."
"No?"
"Din's got a plan. I trust him. Just keep going at a steady pace, the fewer pirates we draw to ourselves the better."
They had come upon an asteroid belt and saw Din leading away three other vessels, chasing him in hot pursuit. The two friends thought for a second that they might be in the clear when the proximity indicator started to blare again.
"We've got three," Ari said and flipped a few switches. The Defiant shot off, twisting and turning around the asteroids, and Haro made sure to stay away from Din.
The pirates chased after them, their guns firing around them. One came upon them from the front but they were quick to fire off their shots. Last minute, the two veered right and the pirate's vessel exploded behind them.
But their victory was short-lived. The Defiant lurched and shook, on the dash, on the screens lit up, showing a diagram of the ship - the back left thruster had taken a hit.
"We've been hit. On my signal, jump into hyperspace," Ari commanded, rushing out of the cockpit.
Hari did a double take. "Signal? Ari, what signal?!" But she didn't answer. Instead, he heard the mechanical sound of a door opening and he understood what she had planned. "She crazy! Completely insane!"
