I blinked twice and slowly came to.

As I woke up, I stretched my limbs, trying to

relieve the feeling of stiffness that was creeping into them, especially my legs. Now that
I was somewhat awake, I realized that I was lying on the floor. Slowly, moving each
aching leg so as not to induce any unneeded pain, I managed to struggle to my feet. As I
surveyed my prison, with its creme-colored, frighteningly clean walls, I felt chills run
down my spine. The room itself wasn't cold, but its sterility gave it a chilling feeling, as
if some ghost had entered the room and turned down the thermostat.
"What am I doing here?
Not knowing what else to do, I sank down in one corner of the room and began to
contemplate my situation. "How did I get here and what am I doing here?" I again asked
myself. However hard I tried to answer the question, my mind always drew a blank and I
knew why. Someone had drugged me and I had the headache to prove it.
Getting up to take a better look at my new "home," I was determined to find a
way to escape. But as I examined the walls, it became clear that my captors didn't want
me to escape and had anticipated all of the likely methods. Ventilation shafts at the top of
the walls would have made an ideal exit, but I quickly found the walls to be smoother
than polished glass and slicker than grease.
Not ready to surrender my life to my captors, I continued to scrutinize the walls.
A knot began growing in my stomach as I continued searching and couldn't even find the
door that I had to have passed through to enter this wretched room. Whoever had
captured me understood the value of quality work, for I couldn't find a single flaw in the
room's interior materials.
Getting desperate, I began shouting for help. Yet again however, "they" had
anticipated my actions and my cries for help simply died upon the walls of my prison. I
was trapped in my own little world and despite my original hopes of rescue, I resigned
myself to the understanding that my fate had been sealed and my life as good as snuffed
out.

A pneumatic hiss resounded through the halls as another door opened and then
shut. Each one of these doors brings me closer to him. As the lieutenant continued his
walk towards the conference room, a growing dread came over him. What if he realizes
I didnt capture all of the renegades? The thought made him sick to his stomach, but he
couldnt allow that to show on his face. But if the reports that he can read my mind are
true, Im dead even if I dont look scared. He paused at the door that entered into the
conference room, took a deep breath and prayed that his meeting with Darth Vader would
be shortand that he would leave the room on his own power.

Darth Vader spun in his chair as the door opened. Yes?

I was told that you wished to see me, Lord Vader. Something about wanting to
discuss the stage of the operations.
Yes, that is what you were told, but that is not why I called for you.
The young lieutenant gulped and weakly responded, Its not, Lord Vader?
Vader slowly got up from his chair and walked around the desk to face the
operations officer. From the chair, Vader was a formidable black-suited man; face-to-face
however, it was like he was the embodiment of evil itself. Sweat began saturating the
lieutenants uniform.

Lieutenant Holm, are you aware that you failed your mission to capture the
entire rebel command?
Not sure whether the mind reading stories were true, Holm decided that honesty
was the best policy. Yes, my Lord. I am aware that I did not fulfill your request.
Vaders fingers twitched and Lieutenant Holm could feel the air closing in around
him. You disappoint me, Lieutenant. My request should have been easy for you.
Still struggling with the invisible vice that was closing around his neck,
Lieutenant Holm laboriously attempted to blurt out an explanation, but Lord Vader cut
him off.
Yes I am aware of Captain Midesos bungling in this matter. Vader relaxed his
fingers and Lieutenant Holm collapsed in a heap on the floor. Darth Vader walked back
to his desk and touched a holopad device. Send me Captain Mideso.
Within minutes Captain Mideso appeared. He knelt before the seated Vader.
Yes, Excellency?
Stand.
Captain Mideso rose to his feet and immediately began clawing his neck.
Lieutenant Holm looked in horror at Vaders outstretched arm and then back at Captain
Mideso, whose body was being crushed by the force of Darth Vaders grip. Vader
lowered his arm and Captain Mideso hit the floor dead.
Lieutenant Holm.
Yes, my lord?
Where are the prisoners onboard the ship?
Two are in the execution room and the other is in a holding cell.
Move the one prisoner into the execution room with the other two.
Yes, Excellency. Holm turned to leave, but Vader continued talking.
When you have moved the one prisoner to the execution room, wait for me. And
take your dead Captain with you.

I must have passed out during my time in the prison, for I did not hear the sound
of the door opening, or that of the Stormtrooper telling me to get up. I did however, feel
the electrical shock that he delivered to wake me up. Rising to my feet, I stumbled
slightly and two Stormtroopers caught me by the arms.
Come with us, please.
It became clear to me that I was about to leave my prison, though I sincerely
wished that I wasnt.

The door to the execution chamber was huge, easily big enough for fighters to
pass through. Once inside the room, I understood why; it was a maintenance facility for
TIE fighters. On the walls were various types of torture devices, largely for intimidation
purposes. Against the back wall were restraining clasps and two people were already
detained there.
Add him to the others.
The two Stormtroopers who had been holding my arms gave me a jerk and
walked in the direction of the locks.
Now clasped against the wall, I had a chance to meet my two new associates.
Who are you two?

Im Fred.
And Im Jessica.
Where you captured in the same raid as me?
I think so.
Silence! yelled the attendant officer. If Lord Vader didnt want you alive, you
all would be
Commander Biggs.
Commander Biggs turned around and knelt as Vader strode up to him.
Stand by your men.
Commander Biggs obediently rose and walked to the area his men were standing.
Vader turned his head and looked to us.
Were it not for the fact that rebel fighters are attacking this ship, you would be
shot immediately. However, this ship is about to fall apart, so we will let you stay
onboard and ride the ship down to the surface. With that Darth Vader summoned his
staff and the entire assembly filed out of the room.
How are we going to get out? I asked.
Jessica turned her head to the right and began explaining what she had seen.
These locks are not securely fastened. The commander doesnt understand how to
properly fasten these restraints. With that, she twisted her wrists and the locks popped
free. Fred and I did likewise.
Now, how do we get through this door? Despite there being two windows
alongside the door, we couldnt see anything outside of the room. However, even though
we could not see outside the room, we could tell that the ship was rapidly falling to the
surface.
What are those? Jessica asked.
They look like clay pots, replied Fred.
Fred rushed forward to grab one and then ran back to the window and began
smashing. Jessica screamed something about Fred being a fool, but he kept on smashing
and surprisingly, the window began to crack.
Greatly heartened by this development, I grabbed a pot and began working on the
other window. Jessica grabbed one too and began helping Fred.
The ship was shaking more as it moved closer to the plants surface, and we could
tell that there wasnt much time left. The orange warning lights made it seem like we
were stuck in a falling elevator rather than a crashing starship.
We continued to keep pounding at the windows, more than a little surprised that
they were holding up to this level of abuse. Freds window began to crack badly and then
suddenly, my window broke and we were lying on our backs. The three of us rose to our
feet and could see that one of the viewports in the hallway outside had broken and that
we are on solid ground.
We carefully climbed through the broken window and stepped into the hallway
outside. Two people from the planet were staring into the ship, like we were some
extraterrestrials who had come from another world. We climbed out of the ship and Fred
asked one of the locals where we were. As the man answered, it became apparent to me
what had happened; we had crash-landed onto a golf course in Australia.