StarDestroyer.Net BBS

In the novel Allegiance, which I just got my hands on yesterday, Mara Jade cuts into the reaction chamber of a correlian frieghter, cuts through the door, and then welds it back shut. I should have taken better notes, but the implication was that even with a hole large enough for an 18 year old woman to crawl through and some spotty repairs, the engine would still function. What do they make these things out of that they are capable of functioning in such condition? And what are the implications about the durability of Star Wars spaceships?

On the first question, I think that THIS is their concept of safety (and we could use this in a SW vs ST debate). On the second, it implied that to block their function you have to do very heavy damage, to near-destruction level, and this could be a good reason behind ion weapons.

IIRC she cuts part of the insulation in the exhaust nozzel itself to get into the reaction chamber - not just a hole on the side of it. So essentially she's just widened a hole that was already there.
It is noted though that it will shorten the life of the engine somewhat.