Page 55 of A Rebel's Shot

Nolan grunted his assent. With a silent prayer, Tiikâan pointed Darth Maule’s nose toward the heart of the storm. The plane shuddered as they hit the first wall of turbulence, and the world outside the cockpit windows turned into a swirling maelstrom of angry clouds and stinging rain.

They were committed now. There was no turning back.

Tiikâan’s hands moved with practiced precision, easing the yoke forward. Darth Maule’s nose dipped, and they began a controlled descent. The altimeter spun backward as they dropped, searching for clearer air beneath the storm’s fury.

“Hang on,” he called out, his voice tight. “We’re going lower to get below the storm.”

The clouds enveloped them, transforming the world outside into a gray soup. Visibility dropped to zero. Tiikâan’s eyes darted between the instruments, relying solely on their readouts to navigate. The artificialhorizon tilted and swayed as turbulence buffeted the plane.

Merritt’s skin was white, her breath coming in short gasps. Nolan muttered something that sounded like a prayer.

Suddenly, a shrill beeping cut through the drone of the engine and howling wind. Tiikâan’s blood ran cold. The proximity alarm.

“Crap!” He yanked the yoke to the left.

A dark mass materialized out of the clouds, rushing past the starboard wing. The mountain slope was so close Tiikâan could make out individual rocks and patches of snow. His heart hammered in his chest as adrenaline surged through his system.

“Too low,” he muttered, fighting to regain altitude. “The storm pushed us too low.”

As if in response to his words, the clouds ahead parted. A sliver of visibility opened up, revealing a familiar landscape. Tiikâan’s eyes widened as he recognized the massive ice formation jutting from the mountainside.

“The glacier cave,” he muttered, not quite believing what was before him.

Merritt leaned forward. “The one you promised to show me?”

Tiikâan nodded, a grim smile tugging at his lips. “Looks like you’re getting that tour sooner than we thought.”

He banked the plane toward the glacier, its blue-white face a beacon in the storm, and called in a maydaywith their location. The cave’s maw gaped open, offering shelter from the tempest. It was their only option now.

“Hold on tight,” Tiikâan warned, lining up for approach. “This landing’s going to suck.”

Tiikâan’s eyes narrowed, focusing on the faint outline of the glacier’s base through the swirling mist. He knew there was a smooth stretch of silt down there—perfect for landing—if only he could find it in this soup.

“Come on, come on,” he muttered, willing the clouds to part just a little more.

There! A flash of gray against the white. Tiikâan aimed for it, his hands steady on the controls despite the adrenaline coursing through his veins.

“Brace for landing!” he shouted over the roar of the engine and wind.

The ground rushed up to meet them. Tiikâan pulled back on the yoke, leveling out Darth Maule’s nose. The wheels hit the ground with a jolt that rattled his teeth. They bounced once, twice—too fast, they were coming in too fast.

Tiikâan’s foot slammed down on the brakes. He fought the yoke, using every trick he knew for short-field landings. The plane shuddered and groaned under the strain, but slowly, agonizingly their speed decreased.

They were slowing. They were going to make it. Tiikâan let out a long exhale, his shoulders sagging with relief.

“We did it,” he breathed, turning to flash a triumphant smile at Merritt.

Without warning, Darth Maule lurched violentlyforward. Tiikâan’s stomach dropped as the plane’s back side raised.

“No, no, no!” Tiikâan yelled, fighting the controls.

But it was too late.

The plane’s nose careened forward. With a sickening lurch, the plane tipped up vertically on its prop and flipped over.

TWENTY-TWO

Sharp pain pierced Merritt’s head. Her ears rang so loud it muted everything else. The acrid smell of burnt oil coated her nose and throat. Frigid wind and sleet pelted her as she tried to lower her arms from above her head.

---