The small clearing was full of debris from the crashed cargohold. The cargo-hold was in peices, a large portion of it cracked or shattered across the clearing, or ripped or burned open when it entered the atmosphere. A pile of twisted metal was the largest single piece left.
So it was a wonder that nobody had died in the crash.
Kane stirred from his unconcious state. He was lying face down. He pushed himself up to his kness, and let out a breath. "Well, that's a fine how-do-you-do." He stood up, a little akwardly at first, then with surer footing. He looked at the wreck of the shuttle, then at the evac-suit he was wearing. Nothing seemed to be broken, and the suit wasn't stained with blood, which was good enough for him. It was the surest sign he wasn't injured. He removed the shattered helmet and gloves, then flet his face. He had a few shallow cuts from the plexi-glass of the helmet visor, but nothing else seemed out of place. He removed the evac suit he was wearing and dropped it to the ground.
Then, three other people began to stir. Two of them were men, as Kane could see through their shattered helmets, both just a little taller than Kane. The third, slightly shorter than Kane was, removed the undamaged helmet to reveal the face of a girl about his age.
"Are you people all right?" Kane asked.
"I'm fine," the girl said. She looked at the two men next to her with concern.
"Don't worry about us, My Lady," said one of them.
"We're fine," said the other.
Then both the men shed their evac suits to reveal the suits worn by Naboo Royal Security.
"Guards, huh?" Kane asked. He turned to the girl. "That makes you the princess, since I doubt the queen would run from her own planet."
"Your'e correct," the girl said. "My name is Ashta Niandri. Daughter of the Queen, Shastaa Niandri. These two are the guards assigned to protect me. They only two I can trust. Pic and Dogle."
"At your service," they said in unison.
"Ashta, Pic, and Dogle," Kane said, reciting the names to himself so he wouldn't forget. "So, why were you hinding on my ship?"
"We were told we could trust you, seeing as the queen had done business with you before. We are afraid that the Trade Federation has been planning a mass invasion like they made ten years prior to the Clone Wars, only much bigger. We suspect that they've even won over most of our guards to their cause, so they will have an easier time catching the queen. Pic and Dogle have been my childhood friends since I was very little, even before they enlisted to the security, and I can trust them. We were told to come to you for off-planet transportation and seclusion from the Federation."
"Well, youve' come to the right person then," Kane said. "During my years as SOLDIER, I was twice assigned to protect the queen from her enemies. And nothing got passed me, even treacherous guards."
"That's good," said Ashta. "Now, let's go find a way off this planet.