Star Wars

Shield of the Empire

By Jacob Whittington

A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away…

STAR WARS

SHIELD OF THE EMPIRE

It is a dark time for the galaxy. Despite the loss of the monstrous Death Star, the evil Galactic Empire continues its crusade to wipe out the valiant Rebel Alliance.

However, there is new hope for the Alliance. Two force-sensitive twins, Arluin and Reina Starfire, are on their way to join the Rebels at planet Venaari. The twins are some of the last remaining descendents of the noble Jedi Knights.

Aware of the threat of new Jedi, the Emperor has dispatched the cunning Admiral Merik to hunt down and capture the twins, so he may convert them to the Dark Side of the Force…

1

Two ships.

The first ship was small and skinny, save for the three bulbous engines on its rear that sped it across the stars. This particular vessel was an aging relic of older times, but its owners made certain that it was given the care of any vessel fresh off the assembly line. Sporting a coat of red-and-gray paint, its design was more diplomatic than military, although its current purpose was something it was never intended for. Indeed, the ship had been recently modified for heavy battle, and numerous cannons and turrets now spiked its otherwise slim appearance. This ship was the Iego, and it was under attack.

The second ship was massive, brutal, and knife-like, clearly designed to inspire fear in any unlucky enough to find themselves under its guns. Huge weapon emplacements bristled along the sides, top, and bottom of the monster, offset by the striking, sleek lines of the hull and the four globe-like protrusions on either side of the vessel. Several giant thrusters propelled the ship forward, allowing it to move at speeds that should be impossible for something of its size. Sprouting up from the rear of the ship was a boxy tower that served as a command bridge, and mounted on the bridge were two orbs. One could get the impression that these orbs were eyes, searching the darkness of space to find a fresh meal for the monster to devour. The second ship had, in fact, located a victim and was moving in for the kill. This ship was the Star Destroyer Executioner, and it was about to be victorious.

Despite the imposing bulk of the Executioner and the fact that it was rapidly gaining on them, the crew of the Iego refused to give in. The smaller ship's laser cannons were pointed backwards and were firing upon the much bigger vessel, for what little effect it had. In turn, the Executioner was launching salvos of deadly bolts across the vastness of space at the Iego, and was getting far better results. Scars and craters that showed evidence of multiple hits from the Star Destroyer now marred the previously colorful antique ship. This did not deter the Iego. It had a mission to transport refugees and nomads to the world of Venaari, and it did not intend to fail that mission.

However, had the Iego had been aware of two specific passengers it was carrying, it might have tried to go a little faster.

The blue and green orb that was Venaari loomed ahead. The planet was not far away from the Inner Rim, yet it was barely controlled by the Empire, making it an ideal refugee point for the many people who opposed it. It was also rumored to house a base of the Rebel Alliance, which was now famous for destroying the Empire's fearsome war machine, the Death Star, one year ago. Since that massive victory, more and more people had joined the Alliance's ranks, and several new bases had sprouted up across the galaxy.

The Iego raced toward Venaari, determined to deliver its passengers to safety. For a moment or two, as the planet drew closer and closer, it seemed to the crew of the fleeing starship that it was actually possible that they might actually succeed in reaching the Rebels, and that the monster pursuing them would be vanquished, and they would be safe. Then their hopes were completely and utterly dashed. Two more wedge-shaped ships appeared from behind Venaari's moon, directly in front of the Iego. These ships were slightly smaller than the Executioner and lacked its four distinctive protrusions, but they were no less fast or powerful, and in a few seconds they would be on top of the small craft.

It was over. The Iego was trapped. The enemy had won.

Arluin Starfire grabbed hold of a support beam as a shudder suddenly ran through the Iego. A concerned expression crossed his face, which was kind and young yet strong at the same time. Sweat formed on his head, dripping down his short hair and landing on his loose cloth clothes.

"What was that?" The question came from Arluin's twin sister Reina, who had nearly fallen over when their transport shook. Her refugee clothes were dirty and the tool belt strapped around her waist was askew from the franticness of the situation. Like her brother, Reina had deep green eyes, dark brown hair, and soft features which made it easy to convey her emotions. The distress in her voice and face were obvious, and Arluin shared it.

Arluin closed his eyes and mentally stretched out. This was one of the few Force abilities he knew, and had practiced it for years. In his mind's eye, he saw two massive cruisers approaching the Iego from the front. His heart sank into his stomach—this could only mean one thing.

"We've stopped," he said grimly. Arluin was the darker of the two Starfires, and had been since their mother died twenty years ago. He had since learned to deal with problems as they came, and his reaction to the trap was not fear, but calm acceptance. "Two more Star Destroyers just came around the moon. They were waiting for us."

Reina did not share his calmness. "Can't we just go into lightspeed?"

Arluin shook his head. "That Interdictor ship that's been chasing us is emanating a gravity well. There's no way we can jump to hyperspace."

"What are we gonna do?!" Reina's voice was getting increasingly worried as she began to understand how dire their predicament has become.

Arluin turned to face his sister. "You need to relax! I'll think of something." He looked Reina straight in the eyes and tried to convey some of his calm to her. "I'm not going to let anything happen to you. I never have and I never will."

Reina stared back. Finally, her breathing slowed and she seemed to relax a little. Then she looked at the floor and nodded.

Another tremor shook the ship and both Starfires looked back up at the ceiling. Arluin guessed what was happening. "They're tractoring us in."

In the coldness of space, the Iego was moving again, this time backwards—towards the ship that had been chasing it. An invisible beam had fastened on the helpless star cruiser and was pulling it into a ventral bay. Dozens of guns tracked the doomed ship as it approached the monster against its will. The Executioner had captured its meal, and was now going to consume it.

Several men dressed in security uniforms rushed past the Starfires, clutching blaster rifles to their chests. They had the determined look of men who were heading into certain death, and knew it was necessary so that others might live.

One of the men noted the Starfires standing nearby and approached them. "You two might want to head back to the refugee bay! This area's about to become a warzone!"

"Is there anything we can do to help fight back?" Arluin asked him, but the man shook his head.

"It's not safe for you! We'll hold them off as long as we can, but we won't be able to stop them all! If you can hide or escape, do it!" And with that, he hurried off to join his companions.

Reina shot her brother an inquisitive look. "Are we going to hide?"

"Of course not. Follow me!" Arluin took off in the direction the soldier had gone, with Reina close behind.

The twins finally ended up at the starboard airlock hallway, where a dozen security men and women were pointing their guns at the airlock door. Arluin and Reina took cover behind a storage crate at the back of the hallway and felt a third shudder make its way through the floor of the Iego, this time followed by a clanging sound as the captured vessel was secured in the hangar of the Interdictor. The security team looked around for a quick second, and then focused their attention on the airlock again. Suddenly, a burst of hot blue flame emerged in the lower left corner of the door, and began to work its way up, leaving a black tear in its wake. The flame moved up and around the top of the door, and then began to come back down one it had reached the right side. As soon as the flame reached the bottom of the door, it disappeared. For one whole second, the entire ship was quiet. Then the door exploded inward.

Red bolts of death tore through the new opening, followed by their shooters. Men covered head to toe in white armor plating, bearing skeleton-like helmets and deadly black blaster carbines, stepped through the smoke and into the ship. There were far more of them than the Iego's security team, and they quickly began to overwhelm the defenders. As soon as they could see their attackers, the security team returned fire, but only the most precise shots could pierce the armor of the Imperial Stormtroopers, and the defenders soon realized they were outmatched. As the invaders quickly eliminated the first lines of defense, the security team started to retreat.

Laser bolts screamed past Arluin's head. He knew that if he and Reina remained in their hiding place, they would soon be as dead as the unfortunate members of the security team who had been closest to the airlock door. He grabbed Reina's arm. "Come on, we're leaving!"

Reina refused to budge. "We have to help those soldiers!"

Arluin sighed inwardly. Reina had a good sense of kindness and was always looking out to help others, but this was a battle they couldn't win. " There's nothing we can do for them! We need to go right now!"

Reluctantly, Reina pulled away from the battle. The twins raced down the corridors of the ship, looking for escape. Arluin heard blasterfire and turned around to see the soldier who had spoken to them but three minutes ago. The stoic expression he had worn then had since been replaced by one of pure terror. Suddenly he jerked forward and collapsed to the floor, his rifle sliding across the deck toward the twins. In his back was a bloody crater, and behind him was a single Stormtrooper, carbine still smoking.

Arluin lunged for the rifle, but Reina beat him to it. She snatched up the fallen soldier's weapon and quickly fired. A single red bolt soared through the air and caught the Stormtrooper in the stomach, throwing him against the wall. He slid to the floor, dead. Reina handed Arluin the rifle. Arluin gave his sister a quick look. Her face was a mask of pure hatred directed at the Stormtrooper, the Empire, and who knows what else. "I couldn't help him in time." She glanced at the unfortunate security team member who had been alive merely ten seconds before.

Arluin put one hand on her shoulder. "Let's keep going." Her only reply was a single nod. Arluin grabbed her hand and ran away from the dead soldier, away from the approaching Stormtroopers, and away from the anger that threatened to consume his sister.

The Stormtroopers continued to chase the security team through the winding corridors of the Iego. Despite being many different individuals, they were of one mind—their orders were to eliminate all armed defenders aboard the Rebel vessel and then seek out two specific refugees that Admiral Merik was very interested in. The refugees were wanted alive and unharmed—the Admiral had been extremely clear on that detail. It made little difference to the Stormtroopers why the refugees were special—they were simple but efficient men whose only purposes were to follow orders to the letter. And they would do this without question as well, for they knew if some unfortunate rookie were to harm, or so help him, kill the targets, the punishment for them would be far, far worse than death.

Five troopers broke off from the main force and went down a side corridor, searching for hiding Rebels. They came across a trooper sitting against the wall that might have been resting, were it not for the smoking hole in his chest. Nearby a Rebel soldier lay facedown on the deck, a similar mark on his back. The scene did not affect the Stormtroopers—they knew the faces of battle and death. It was not until one looked up and down the hall that they noticed two refugees fleeing the scene.

"It's them! Set for stun!"

The troopers flicked switches on their rifles, setting them to stun their targets instead of kill, then aimed.

Blue stun bolts barely missed Arluin and Reina. Arluin glanced back, saw the five new arrivals, and quickened his pace, making sure Reina stayed right beside him. As they rounded a corner, he motioned for his sister to stop, and then aimed his rifle around the corner. Unlike the Stormtroopers, he had no problems with killing his targets at the moment. The first shot caught one of the troopers in the chin. Although it did not penetrate the helmet, it hit with such force that it blew it off his head and knocked him backwards. This spared him from the second shot, which impacted on the wall behind him. He got back up to fire again, which was when the third shot smacked into his head, degenerating it into a pile of blood and bone.

The four remaining Stormtroopers did not cease firing to try and aid their comrade. They charged down the hall towards Arluin, shooting as they went. Arluin pulled back around the corner as a stun bolt hit the wall where he had been a moment ago.

"We need to find an escape pod!" he yelled to Reina over the sounds of blasters discharging.

"What about the rest of the refugees?" she asked. Arluin faced down the corridor again, launched a volley of blaster bolts, and turned to face Reina again.

"We can't do anything for them! If we don't get off this ship, we're dead!" Reina knew he was right, and a resigned look took her face, quickly replaced by one of determination as she racked her brains for the location of the escape pods. "I think the pods are this way!" She began to run down the corridor. Arluin turned around once more to snap off a few more shots, then followed.

The twins stepped through a set of open blast doors and soon came to a second blast door that had sealed in the wake of the boarding. Reina jabbed at the controls, but nothing happened. "It's locked!"

Arluin turned around. The pursuing troopers were getting closer.

"Try to get it open any way you can!" Arluin aimed at the controls of the blast door they had previously passed and squeezed off a single shot. The damage caused the door to malfunction and close just as the Stormtroopers came into view. Arluin prayed that it would hold them for long enough.

Reina got to work on the locked door. She had more experience with machines and locks than her brother, but this door was fairly damaged. She could barely make out the lock mechanism. Reina drew a utility tool from her belt and started tweaking the lock.

Behind her, the blast door Arluin had sealed shut was starting to smoke. The Stormtroopers on the other side were melting it with constant blaster fire. Soon a small hole appeared and began to grow larger by the second.

"Almost done there, Reina?" Arluin could hardly keep the concern from his voice.

Inside the mechanism Reina was tampering with, something clicked and the blast door shot open, revealing the escape pod bay. Reina grinned with success. "Piece of cake!"

The hole in the other blast door was now so large that a Stormtrooper began trying to crawl through to get a shot at the twins. Arluin lowered his blaster and stretched out with the Force. Suddenly he threw his left hand forward towards the Stormtrooper. The trooper was flung backwards by some invisible hand and knocked down the other men behind him.

Reina stared at Arluin, eyes wide. "You'll have to teach me that one."

Arluin gazed at his own hand in wonder. He had never gotten that to work. Then he heard Reina calling his name and snapped out of his trance. His sister was gesturing towards the open blast door that led to the escape pods. He shook his head to clear it and stepped through the door.

"Arluin!"

He spun around and saw the Stormtroopers getting back up. Handing the blaster to Reina, he raised both hands to the ceiling and concentrated, trying once again to access the Force. With a huge effort he didn't know he was capable of, he brought his arms down and the ceiling came with them, completely sealing off the door and protecting them from the Stormtroopers.

Suddenly, he felt lightheaded. He saw Reina looking at him in concern. Her concern turned to shock as Arluin felt himself begin to collapse. His vision blurred, and then he was falling into darkness.

Reina watched her brother begin to fall to the ground and rushed to catch him before he hit the deck. She checked Arluin's pulse—he was alive, but completely unconscious. Using the Force to bring down the ceiling must have been too much, she thought. Scanning the room. She noted that every last one of the escape pods was still docked in their berths. No one else managed to escape. Her heart seemed to sag at the thought of the dozens of fellow refugees that would soon be in the merciless hands of the Empire, but she pushed the thought out of her mind. It was up to her to get the Starfires to safety. Reina carefully set her brother and protector on the deck. If she didn't know better, she could have sworn he was in a peaceful sleep.

Approaching the nearest escape pod, she tossed her shoulder-length hair over her shoulders to get a better look at the pod's technical readout. Everything was in perfect condition. She opened the pod and walked back to Arluin. Making sure not to accidentally hurt him, she dragged him into the pod and then stepped in herself.

The controls of the escape pod were not complex. Flipping one switch closed the pod's entry hatch and secured it against the vacuum of space. Another button armed the escape craft's rockets and prepared them to activate. Reina clutched one of the safety bars mounted on the roof of the tiny lifeboat as its computer indicated a countdown. When the countdown reached zero, there was a massive detonation and the pod shot out of its bay, swiftly attaining distance between the fleeing twins and the enormous Star Destroyer that had swallowed up the luckless Iego. Reina steadied herself and gazed out of the craft's single viewport. The only object in view was the green-and-blue globe that was Venaari, their single possible destination. As the planet continued to grow larger in the viewport, Reina clutched to her last hope that she and Arluin would be able to find salvation on the small world.

Back at the airlock of the Iego, two Stormtroopers had been assigned to stand guard. Their sergeant, commander of the boarding operation, was inspecting bodies for personal data. He surveyed the remains of the carnage that had taken place here a few moments ago. Blaster marks scored the once-pristine walls, and bodies lay strewn across the deck. There were one or two deceased Imperial soldiers, but most of the dead were the majority of the Iego's security team. The defenders had never stood a chance.

The Stormtrooper suddenly felt a dark presence behind him and turned to see a sinister figure stepping through the airlock door. The newcomer was dressed in a neat gray-and-black suit decorated with a single bar that displayed his Admiral status. A holster on his right leg held a small blaster pistol of standard make. The face of the officer was pointed and alert, nearly wrinkle-free despite his obvious old age. His short hair was grayer than his suit, if that was possible. He was in surprisingly good physical form for a man of his age, and he stood straight up with his head held high and both hands clasped behind his back. Normally, such a man would not inspire fear in a battle-hardened Stormtrooper, but this person's eyes were a sharp, deep blue, and betrayed no lack of cunning or malice that the man was known for. The Stormtrooper knew instantly who the newcomer was and what he was capable of doing to soldiers who failed him, and suppressed a shudder, praying that his comrades had located the special Rebels by now.

Admiral Merik stepped over a body of a dead security team member and gazed at the results of the quick battle. He did not grace the Stormtroopers standing guard with even a glance, nor did he heed the dead Rebels scattered on the floor. His expression was almost bored, and it was impossible to tell what he was thinking. Without warning he called to the Stormtrooper sergeant and the soldier approached him.

"Admiral, the Rebel security is all dead and we located two dozen passengers in the cargo hold," the Stormtrooper stated.

"Have you found the refugees I inquired about?" Merik's voice was as expressionless as his face. The sergeant thought carefully about the news he was going to deliver and what it could mean for him.

"One of our teams spotted the Starfires and pursued as you ordered, Admiral."

Merik's expression did not change. "And did you capture them, sergeant?"

The trooper gulped. "N-no, Admiral. They managed to secure themselves in the escape pod bay."

The Admiral did not move for a very long three seconds. Suddenly he snatched up his blaster pistol and fired. The sergeant winced, waiting to feel the pain, but it never came. Glancing around, he saw the shot had missed him and instead killed one of the other Stormtroopers standing behind him. He allowed himself a small sigh of relief.

Merik's wrist communicator beeped. He held it up to his face and spoke. "Yes, what is it?"

The voice of the Executioner's captain responded. "A single escape pod has launched from the Iego, Admiral. It is currently heading towards Venaari. Shall we destroy it?"

"No!" Merik's order was quick. "Let it go. We need its occupants alive… the Emperor was very specific. Move the battlegroup into formation and begin scanning the planet for signs of inhabitance."

"Yes, Admiral." The communicator switched off. Merik stared once again at the Stormtrooper sergeant.

"This minor setback is nothing." The Admiral showed the first emotion he had since coming onboard the Iego—an unnatural and evil grin that stretched his face like some demonic thing of legend. "Soon the Starfires will be in my grasp, and then they will be in no shape to aid the Rebels whatsoever." The malice in his voice was a thousand times worse than the grin. Then Merik's face wiped to blank again. "Lock the passengers in the cargo hold and then destroy this ship. Leave no one alive."

The sergeant saluted. "Yes, Admiral." Merik returned the salute, then turned and stepped off the Iego. The Stormtrooper watched him leave, and as soon as the Admiral was out of sight he relaxed considerably. Aside from the overwhelming relief at escaping the Admiral's wrath, his only thought was pity for the poor souls Merik wanted alive.

In orbit above Venaari, the Iego dropped out of the ventral hangar of the Executioner.

The twenty or so refugees still aboard the captured vessel stared around in confusion. Many of them wondered why the Empire's Stormtroopers were not barging through the cargo bay doors, blasters flashing instant death. A small few dared to hope that they would be left alive.

Without its crew, the Iego could not flee the scene. Even if it had been able to, the three Star Destroyers now circling around the smaller ship would surely have stopped it.

Hundreds of cannons and gun emplacements mounted on the triple wedged ships suddenly swiveled to target the surrounded craft. Officers gave the order, and the blackness of space above planet Venaari suddenly became a lightshow of green lasers and orange explosions as the Iego was assaulted by an unending torrent of destruction. The trapped passengers screamed in terror as their transport rocked under the merciless barrage of death. Suddenly, the center of the smaller craft snapped and the Iego split in two, causing large chain reactions to go off on both parts of the crippled ship, ending in the detonation of the three bulbous engines. The resulting explosion enveloped the entire mass of the doomed vessel, and when the fire cleared, the Iego and its passengers had ceased to exist.

2

The skies of Venaari were a clear, beautiful light blue. I was sure lucky to get stationed on this world, Barret Hadwin thought to himself as he gazed upwards. Barret had been with the Rebel Alliance for four years now, and he had never seen as picturesque a planet as Venaari. The land was made up of pointed, snow-capped mountains, grassy plains, plentiful green forests, and shining, clear waters that reflected the blue heavens above it. To add to the spectacle of serenity a gentle breeze floated through the air, stirring Barret's straight brown hair like the grass in the field that surrounded the lone watcher.

Venaari's only major city was Ven-Kavi, an Imperial city populated by approximately two billion people. Despite the amount of people living there, the Empire did not have a very large military presence in the system, and so the Alliance, after evacuating the Yavin IV base, had posted an outpost on Venaari until they could establish a permanent base elsewhere. Barret and his sister had both been fortunate enough to be assigned to the Venaari station, and were currently enjoying the relative calm at the peaceful outpost. The Imperials had not given them trouble for the simple reason that they were completely unaware of their presence, and so the Rebels were continuing operations without any sort of hassle.

At the moment, Barret was reclining in a comfortable chair at one of the watchposts outside the base. He was quite content to kick back in his smooth green combat suit and stare at the skies. A small grin decorated his brave and open face, one that Barret spent a good amount of time wearing. Scratching the stubble on his chin, he calmly meditated on his current position. Although he was a pilot, he had volunteered for guard duty because not much flying was being done at the present time—and besides, the view was great. The watchpost was not far from the main base, which was hidden in the bottom of the closest mountain. A pair of macrobinoculars lay on a table next to him, ready to be used at a moment's notice should Barret spot anything unfamiliar on the vast plain he was watching over. Fortunately, in all his time spent on guard duty, the Rebel pilot had never sighted evidence of any Imperial forces, or anything else that could prove harmful to the Rebels and their small outpost. Optimism was consistently strong in Barret's attitude, and the beatific scenery was not doing anything to hurt it.

However, as Barret stared upwards and his thoughts drifted off to his sister and his ship, he noticed something unusual. A dark trail of what looked like smoke or exhaust was traveling in the sky. Barret suddenly became very, very alert. He reached over, snatched up the macrobinoculars, and looked through them at the head of smoke trail. He could just make out the oval shape of an escape pod shooting down towards the ground. The pod was getting bigger by the second, and Barret realized it was going to crash near in the field he was guarding. He tracked its descent and, sure enough, the craft smacked down a few miles away from his watchpost. Barret's attentive brown eyes followed the trail back up into the sky, searching for the pod's point of origin. His blood turned cold when he spotted three wedge-like shapes in the sky that Barret knew all too well.

Tearing his gaze away from the smoke trail, Barret picked up his comlink and spoke into it. "Venaari Station, this is Watchpost Two. I've sighted what I think are three Imperial Star Destroyers in the sky."

The stern voice of General Viktor, head officer of Venaari Station, came back to him. "Copy that, Watchpost Two. Our sensors just picked them up. They may not be aware of our presence yet, so take no action against them yet."

Barret hoped he could continue holding that order—he would vastly prefer it if war did not come to Venaari, although he could not imagine a purpose for an Imperial battlegroup to come all the way out here. "Understood. I also visually detected an escape pod crash in my sector. Permission to investigate?"

"Permission granted. Report immediately if you find survivors."

"Affirmative, sir. Watchpost Two over and out." Barret clicked off the comlink and tucked it in his pocket. Setting the macrobinoculars back on the table, he made sure his personal handblaster was still in his holster and exited the watchpost, heading in the direction of the crash.

The pod had crashed nose-down, standing out like a sore thumb, a gray-and-brown hunk of mechanical mess amid the green sea of swaying grass. There was no fire, but the small craft had been severely damaged on impact. Barret thought it was extremely unlikely that anyone had survived, but he began to search for the access hatch anyway. The crashed lifeboat bore no markings of any kind to indicate that it belonged to Imperial forces, but Barret was still wary, and remained ready to draw his blaster pistol at a moment's notice should anything inside the pod attack him. Finally locating the twisted plate that was the pod's door, he pried it open and peered inside.

There were two humans occupying the cramped interior of the pod, a male and a female, both around his own age, both unconscious. They had similar hair and facial features, which led Barret to come to the conclusion that they were twins—if not that, at least siblings. The boy appeared to have only minor wounds, but blood was trickling out of the side of the girl's head and was pooling on the floor of the pod—likely an injury caused by the crash. Barret leaned forward and checked their pulses. Both occupants were still alive, just barely—but alive was alive. The girl at least needed medical help, and fast.

He leaned out of the pod and activated his comlink again. "Barret to base, I've located the escape pod. There are two survivors here. Neither appears to be Imperial. One of them needs medical attention quickly."

"Affirmative, captain. We'll send a speeder your way immediately."

Arluin felt himself grow aware of the world once more as his body began to wake itself up. His head ached and made it hard to think. He could just barely tell that he was lying down in a bed, but he was still to weak to open his eyes. He fought to recall the events that had led to him being knocked out, and remembered his sister staring at him—

Reina!

At the thought of Reina a jolt of adrenaline shot through him, and he immediately sat up straight and opened his eyes, getting a glimpse of a small white room. A second later a wave of pain hit him and he let out a loud gasp. The noise attracted the attention of someone sitting across the room from him. The person got up out of his chair and approached Arluin's bed.

"Good to see that you're awake!" the man said, beaming down at the newly awakened refugee. Arluin scanned his visitor. He seemed to be about Arluin's age, and possessed straight, short brown hair and a small beard, accompanied by matching deep brown eyes. The man's face was soft and friendly, and Arluin immediately felt that this man meant him no harm, but was not quite ready to trust him. He needed to know more first.

"Who are you? Where am I?" Arluin asked.

The man's smile grew wider, showing pure white teeth. "One question at a time. You just woke up! You shouldn't strain yourself. First off, I'm Barret Hadwin, and I'm a friend.

"You're in the Rebel Base on Venaari. You're safe here."

Arluin sighed in relief. So, Reina had managed to get them to safety after all. Then he frowned and looked back up at Barret.

"Where's my sister?"

At this, Barret's smile slipped and he his face lost some of its cheerfulness. Arluin's heart sank into his stomach. "Your sister suffered a head injury when your escape pod crashed. We managed to recover her too, but she's receiving extreme medical treatment right now. We're doing everything we can."

Arluin might have had a better reaction if Barret had punched him in the stomach. He looked away from the rebel, trying to take in this information. He started getting out of bed.

"I need to see her."

Barret also stood and placed his hands on Arluin's shoulders. "You need to rest! You're still recovering from the crash."

Arluin shook his head and stared firmly into Barret's face. "I'll be fine. Take me to her, now."

Barret could see there would be no arguing with the survivor. He gave in. "All right, if you're sure." He walked over to a small locker in the corner of the room. "You got a name?"

"Arluin Starfire."

"Well, mister Starfire, if you want to save yourself some embarrassment, you'd better put this on." He retrieved a robe from the locker and handed it to Arluin, who noticed he was wearing only a pair of shorts. Wrapping the robe around himself, he nodded to Barret and the two left the room.

The halls of the rebel base were painted a plain tannish-gray and lacked detail. The only illumination was provided by a series of lights mounted on the ceiling, but it was sufficient enough for human eyesight. Every now and then a Rebel would enter the hall and pass by Arluin and Barret, being too occupied to notice the newcomer. Arluin glanced around, taking in all the details. Already he could feel his strength coming back to him, but the pit in his gut refused to leave.

Barret led him past several more medical rooms identical to the one Arluin had awoken in. "Sorry about the poor lighting, but we're kind of under a mountain. Not too much we can do with our budget," Barret joked.

"It's okay," Arluin responded. Barret's humor was making him feel a little better. He decided to try to get more information out of the Rebel. "How long have the Rebels been here?"

"Since Luke Skywalker and Han Solo obliterated the Death Star and we had to evacuate Yavin IV," Barret informed him. "We got scattered across the mid rim and Venaari was one of the better planets we were able to settle. What brought you here, anyway?"

At first, Arluin hesitated, but Barret's friendliness seemed to be genuine. He ultimately decided he could trust the Rebel. "My sister and I were seeking refuge, and we heard rumors of this place. Figured it would be a good idea to hide here from the Empire, but they found us on the way instead. Our ship got captured and we barely escaped. Hell, I wouldn't have gotten out if it weren't for Reina."

"Your sister?"

"Yeah."

"You might want to question her piloting skills."

Arluin grinned. "My sister and I are good enough pilots, but I'm guessing she had to evade those Star Destroyers that attacked us."

"I saw them. We're all praying they don't find us here. With a little luck, they won't."

They turned right at a corner and a Rodian dressed in a Rebel uniform nearly walked into Barret. The alien pardoned them and continued walking past.

"How many aliens are here?"

"Plenty. The Alliance takes just about any help it can get, and we usually accept anyone that wants to join." A nasty thought crossed Barret's mind. "Hey, you're not a bigot, are you?"

Arluin hastily replied, "No, of course not! Just curious, is all."

Barret eased up. "Good. My sister is an alien."

Arluin halted. "What?"

Barret shook his head and laughed, turning around to look at Arluin. "Nothing. You'll meet her soon." He faced forward and resumed walking, leaving Arluin in deep confusion.

"So, why does the Empire want you dead?" Barret asked casually.

Arluin considered revealing this information. It was not something he told others lightly. But Barret had dragged them out of the pod and gotten them to a medical center…

"They don't want us dead, they want us captured. My sister and I are the children of two Jedi Knights. We're force-users."

It was Barret's turn to stop and be confused. He gave Arluin a quizzical look. "I didn't know the Jedi could have children. Wasn't it prohibited or something?"

Arluin nodded. "We were hidden from the council when we were born. Our father died shortly after our birth, and our mother took care of us from then. A year later, she was killed by the Empire along with the rest of the Jedi. We've been pretty much on our own since then."

Barret pondered this new information. "This is pretty serious. You two must be some of the last remnants of the Jedi."

Again, Arluin nodded in agreement. "We've been hiding for twenty-two years hoping the Empire wouldn't find us, but they finally did. The Emperor wants us alive and he sent some Admiral Merik to capture us. I don't know what we're going to do."

At this, Barret put a hand on Arluin's shoulder and gave him a warm smile. "Don't you worry. None of the Rebels will let you get captured. I certainly won't."

Arluin cheered up a little at this. He'd finally found someone he could rely on.

Soon they reached a plain door with a sign above it that read INTENSIVE CARE. Barret looked at Arluin.

"Your sister's in here."

Arluin nodded, steeled himself, and walked in.

The room was not much bigger than the normal hospital rooms, and there was a single bed in the middle of the room. A 2-1B medical droid stood next to it, and in the bed was Reina, eyes closed, the top of her head completely bandaged. The medical droid turned to face Arluin and Barret.

"Ah, Master Hadwin!" it spoke in its electronic voice. "Have you come to inquire about your patient?"

"You guessed right," Barret replied. "How's she doing?"

"I just finished removing a small piece of shrapnel from the left side of her head," The droid stated. "It came quite close to her brain. She is a very lucky woman."

"So she'll live?" Barret inquired.

"With enough rest and time, yes, she will make a full and healthy recovery!" The droid announced cheerfully.

Barret relaxed and looked at Arluin. The poor man was white as a sheet. "Didn't you hear the medbot?" he asked him. "Your sister's gonna be okay."

"I know," Arluin replied, his voice hoarse. "But seeing her…" He swallowed. "Seeing her like this…" He stared at Reina, who was still peacefully unconscious and unmarred despite the turban of wrappings that adorned her head. "After our mother died, I promised her I'd never let her get hurt. I failed that promise."

Barret's brow furrowed. "This isn't your fault, it's the Empire's! If it wasn't for them, you could be living happily with your parents instead of being chased across the galaxy and trying to hide!"

Arluin looked at him, his green eyes moist and dark. "I have to protect her the best I can. If I don't, who will?"

The Rebel pilot thought for a moment, then answered. "I will. The Rebel Alliance will."

Arluin stared disbelievingly. "Why would you do that for us? You just met us."

Barret answered easily. "The biggest problem in the universe is that no one helps each other. The way I see it, if more and more people were just kind in general, we might not have things like the Empire in our lives."

Arluin looked at this man who he barely knew and yet had just volunteered to help them. "You're a good man, Barret."

The Rebel pilot shrugged. "I try."

Both men returned their gaze to the sleeping form lying on the medical table.

A few hours later, Reina had been moved to one of the smaller hospital rooms. Arluin and Barret watched as she struggled to regain consciousness. Her eyes fluttered open and looked around.

"Where am I?"

Arluin took hold of his sister's hand. "You're with me. We're safe."

Reina turned to look at him. "I had to drag you into the escape pod," she said accusingly.

"Well, someone else had to drag us both out of it." Arluin gestured to his new friend. "This is Barret Hadwin of the Rebel Alliance. We owe him big time."

Barret grinned at her and threw her a small wave. Reina regarded him with cautious eyes. Then she turned those eyes on her brother. "How much have you told him?"

"Everything," Arluin replied. "Don't worry," he replied hastily when Reina looked shocked, "I'm sure we can trust him. He vowed to protect us both. Besides, he's with the Rebels, so how bad can he be?"

"Now, there's your mistake, Arluin," Barret interjected. "We Rebels can be a bunch of scoundrels at times. You've clearly never met any of our," he lowered his voice to a whisper, "Bothan members."

"Who's the bigot now?"

Barret grinned and moved to sit down beside Reina. "Jokes aside, Reina, I am willing to look out for you and your brother. Besides, it's not every day you meet two Jedi descendants."

Reina's gazed switched to Arluin. "You did tell him everything."

"I didn't see a reason not to, "Arluin said apologetically. "We need all the help we can get."

The door to the room opened with a hiss and a dark-haired man in a red-and-black uniform stepped through. Barret immediately stood at attention. "Sir!"

"At ease, Captain Hadwin," the man said to him. Then he looked at the Starfires, and a smile spread across his wise countenance. "I'm only here to welcome our new arrivals. Hello, Arluin. Reina, I hope you're feeling better."

"It's a step up from being unconscious," she replied.

The man chuckled. "Glad to hear our medical services are still adequate."

"Arluin, Reina, this is General Viktor. He's in charge of Venaari Station," Barret informed the twins. Arluin stood and shook the General's hand. Reina also did so, but from her position in the bed.

"I understand you're being hunted by the Empire," Viktor continued. "Rest assured, the Rebel Alliance will do what we can to make sure they don't find you again."

"We don't need protection," Reina stated sharply. "We can take care of ourselves."

The General smiled warmly at her. "While I'm sure you two are perfectly capable of self-protection, the Empire war machine is too vast for you to take on by yourselves. You need our help."

Reina started to protest, but Arluin put a hand on her arm. "He's right. We wouldn't have been able to run for much longer." Reina stared hard at him, an expression of frustration appearing on her face, and then accepted that fact. Arluin looked back up at the General.

"We accept your offer, but we can't take it freely. Is there anything we can do to help around here?"

"Oh, there's plenty you can do for us," answered Viktor. "The Alliance is always accepting new members, and we're a bit understaffed here as it is." He turned to Barret. "Once the young lady is feeling well again, please find jobs for these two, Captain."

Barret's grinned again. "Glad to do it, General! I've been looking for some assistance in the hangar."

"Good! I hope to see you all again shortly." With this, the General left the room. Barret turned to face the twins.

"I forgot to ask, what exactly is your expertise with fixing starfighters?"

Arluin and Reina looked at each other then replied "None."

Barret's shoulders sagged. "Oh boy, I just landed you both in mechanics…"

Venaari Station's hangar bay was large and spacious compared to the cramped corridors of the rest of the base. Occupying it were several X-Wing starfighters, R-22 interceptors, and one large freighter that stood out from the rest of the craft.

Barret led Arluin and the now-walking Reina over to the large ship. "This, Starfires, is my pride and joy, Hadwin's Fate."

Reina wasn't sure what he was so proud of. The freighter was styled in the unwieldy shape of a half-circle with the cockpit and two weapon emplacements sticking out of the front like a trident. The left spoke of the trident had a socketed ball cannon that looked too big for the ship welded on, while the right spoke sported a mess of spiky lasers and missile launchers. Opposite the cockpit, two bulbous engines extended from the ships' rear. The hull was covered in pockmarks, carbon scoring, blaster hits, and scratched-off paint, giving the impression of an ailing starship in a state of disrepair. It certainly wasn't glamorous.

To the right of the cockpit, a boarding ramp extended downward from the ship's innards. A short red and white astromech droid came rolling down the ramp, whistling and beeping a greeting to Barret. The droid shared the discoloration and dirt of the ship it had just come out of.

"Meet R2-X5," Barret said as the diminutive astromech rolled up to the three. "He's my copilot and mechanic." Barret flashed his signature grin again. "Maybe he can teach you a thing or two about fixing a starship."

Reina wasn't shy about hiding her opinion. "I think your ship and your droid could both use some fixing themselves."

Barret laughed. "I know they don't look like much, but both of them have been handed down in my family for generations. Hell, the Fate saw action in the Clone Wars, and Ecksfive here is one of the best copilots you could ever meet."

Ecksfive beeped happily.

"The Rebels let you fly this ship into battle?" Arluin asked.

"No, I usually have to fly an X-Wing on attack missions," Barret replied, "but wherever I go, she goes. I couldn't leave her behind." He sighed wistfully. "I do wish I could take her into action against the Empire, though. I added a whole lot of weapons to her normal systems, including that lightning gun." He pointed to one of the cannons on the ship's right side, Arluin wasn't sure which. "It was real tricky to find, but totally worth it. You should see Allia use it during target practice. Ah, here she comes now!" He pointed behind the Starfires, who followed his gaze.

Approaching the group were two kids in their late teens. One was a lightly-built human boy with unruly jet-black hair and rugged facial features. The other was a slim blue-skinned Twi'lek girl dressed in a dirty white shirt and overalls. Her lekku head-tails bounced behind her as she chased after the boy, arguing all the way. Words of their conversation reached Arluin's ears.

"…I'm just saying, when some random kid shows up with the Princess of Alderaan and then just so happens to blow up the Death Star, it just seems a little suspicious!" the boy was protesting.

"What, you think it's some Imperial plot? Why would they blow up their own Death Star?" the Twi'lek girl was arguing furiously, making rapid jabs at the boy with gloved fingers. "Would you rather have it that they had destroyed Yavin, and us with it?!"

"I'm just saying, it seems a little suspicious!" the boy repeated exasperatedly. The camouflage fatigues he was dressed in wrinkled as he shrugged. The two halted in front of Barret.

"Barret, tell Joshua that Luke Skywalker isn't an Imperial spy!" the Twi'lek pouted.

Barret laughed. "If he is, he's not a very good one."

The Twi'lek girl whirled on the boy. " See?! I told you!"

The boy named Joshua shrugged. "I still think it's suspicious."

"Whatever." The girl wiped her mechanic's gloves on her overalls, and then strode over to Ecksfive to pat him on the dome-like head. "Ecksfive is with me, aren't you?"

The little droid tooted an affirmative and she shot a smug glance at Joshua, who shrugged and looked away. He noticed the Starfires and regarded the twins with inquisitive bright-blue eyes.

"Who're they?"

Barret swept a hand out towards the twins. "Allow me to introduce Arluin and Reina Starfire, the two newest Rebels of Venaari Station."

Joshua stepped forward and held out his hand. "Joshua Pendraham, Spearhead pilot. Welcome to Venaari."

Arluin took his hand and shook it. "Nice to meet you."

"Aren't you a little young to be an interceptor pilot?" questioned Reina.

"I've been flying R-22s since I was ten," the boy replied. "I'm pretty sure I'm qualified."

Arluin whistled. R-22 Spearheads were prototype interceptor craft that were little more than small cockpits mounted on two jet engines and an exceedingly small body frame. Half the size of an X-Wing and almost twice as fast with even greater firepower, the craft required their pilots to be either daring or insane. Arluin was not sure which trait Joshua possessed, but he guessed it was likely a combination of the two.

Barret came back into the conversation. "The little squirt over here is my sister, Allia," he said teasingly. The Twi'lek girl punched him on the arm. Arluin saw in the young alien a sense of eagerness and innocence he had lost several years ago.

"Don't listen to him," she said. "I may be young, but I can handle myself."

Reina arched an eyebrow. "Your sister is a Twi'lek?"

"Well… she is adopted." Barret replied. "That doesn't make her any less special, though. Her mechanical skills are almost on par with Ecksfive's."

The red astromech trilled again.

"Speaking of which," Barret began, "Allia, I need you and Ecksfive to show these two how to use a hydrospanner. I kind of got them stuck in a repair outfit and they can't fix a toaster."

Arluin frowned. "I didn't say we were that bad."

Barret grinned good-naturedly at him, then looked back at Allia. "Have them work on the Fate for starters. The sublight engines are acting up again."

Allia smiled up at them. "You won't find better teachers than Ecksfive and me!" she said enthusiastically. Ecksfive hooted is agreement. Then, to Arluin's surprise, the Twi'lek youngster grabbed his arm and pulled him up the boarding ramp of the Fate. Ecksfive rolled along after them, warbling happily.

Reina watched them go. "She sure is a spirited one," she said with a sigh.

"Yeah, she is," Joshua agreed in a light tone.

Barret shook his head. "Sometimes it's too much. She acts without thinking, and that occasionally gets us into trouble. I'm the only one who can get her out of it when we do. Ecksfive and I are her whole world."

Reina's gaze fell to the floor. "I know all too much what that's like." She thought about everything Arluin meant to her, and how he was always looking out for her, despite the sacrifices he constantly had to make. She wondered if there'd ever be a day when her brother's worries could be finally washed away, and he could pursue his own life. She divorced the thought from her head. Right now, the Starfires had to worry about staying hidden from the Empire. Fantasies of peaceful futures and happy lives would have to wait.

In orbit above Venaari, the Star Destroyer Executioner was scanning the land far below for signs of enemy occupation. The monster was again on the hunt.

On Executioner's bridge, Admiral Merik oversaw the many tasks necessary for keeping the great beast alive. He was awaiting the report of one crewmember in particular. Soon, a tight smile appeared on his face when said crewmember hurried up to the Admiral.

"Admiral Merik, we have spotted them," spoke the scanner.

Merik followed the scanner to his station, where the crewmember showed his superior a thermal computer image of one of Venaari's many mountains. At first, he did not notice anything important on the scan. Then, he took note of the tiniest of heat emissions coming from the base of the mountain. Merik had been witness to similar signatures before, and recognized it as the thumbprint caused by multiple starfighter emissions. His smile grew wider, and if it was possible, even colder.

"Broadcast a message to the Imperator and the Vendetta. Tell them to get ready to assault the Rebel base."

"Shall I have them prepare bombardment cannons?" asked the scanner.

Merik held up one hand. "No. I'd prefer something a little more personal this time." His evil grin could have been worthy of the Emperor himself. "Tell them to prepare all troops and walkers for ground assault. We shall fight them on the land they so foolishly thought was their sanctuary. The Starfires will not escape me this time!"

3

Sparks from Ecksfive's welding tool almost hit Arluin in the face. The young man dodged just in time to avoid injury. The little red droid twittered apologetically.

"No, it's okay," Arluin told him. He had spent a lot of time around utility droids such as Ecksfive while moving planet to planet in transports ships with Reina, and he had learned how to understand their beeping, warbling language. "I'll be more careful next time." He lowered the protective welder's mask over his face, determined not to have any more close encounters. Ecksfive hooted and went back to work.

Arluin sighed. The droid was making a lot more progress on the Fate's sublight engines than he was. Then again, Ecksfive was built for that sort of thing, and Arluin was just learning. Re-encouraged, he picked up the wrench again and started to tighten a bolt on the panel he was facing.

There was a clatter as Reina came running up the Fate's boarding ramp. "Arluin, get out here!" she called. "General Viktor's making an announcement. Something's happened!" Then she was gone.

Arluin dropped the tool, tore off the mask and followed her. As he came down the boarding ramp he was greeted by the sight of every rebel in Venaari Station crowding the hangar, with General Viktor and a few other officers standing in the middle. Reina and Arluin ran to stand by Barret, Allia, and Joshua, who were intently watching the General.

Viktor had the full attention of the whole crowd, and was now starting to speak.

"I regret to inform you that the day we feared has come to pass. Three Imperial Star Destroyers have entered the system and somehow discovered our hidden base."

A ripple ran through the crowd as people started to whisper and mutter about this new development, but none were as upset as Arluin. He felt his chest grow cold. They've found us again. He felt a small tremor in the Force and knew Reina must be thinking the same thing.

"It appears that the Imperials are opting for a surface attack instead of an orbital bombardment," the General continued. "They are amassing a formidable battle force mere kilometers away from here. This will give us time to start the evacuation. Our transports should be able to slip past the ships and travel to our fallback coordinates."

Barret leaned over to Arluin. "It's because of you guys, isn't it? They don't want to risk killing you in a bombardment."

Arluin just nodded.

Next, Viktor indicated the combat personnel in the room. "We will need more time to get everyone out of the base, so our troopers and pilots must hold off the ground forces as long as they can until the last transport is away. After that, those still remaining can use the auxiliary transport to escape. Soldiers, we're counting on you." He clapped his hands once. "We don't have much time! Everyone, to your stations!"

The hangar erupted in movement as rebels of all kinds went to their posts. Arluin turned to Barret, who had a grim expression on his usually merry face.

"What happens now?" he asked.

Barret put a hand on his chin. "You and Reina will have to get out on a transport. Joshua and I will be flying our starfighters against the Imperial forces. Afterward, we'll escape on the auxiliary transport. We'll have to leave the Fate behind." The pilot shook his head. "I'm sorry, but there's nothing I can do."

Just then, General Viktor made his way through the crowd to them. "Arluin, Reina, are either of you experienced pilots?"

Arluin nodded. "We both are."

Viktor had a pained look on his face as he spoke. "Well, we have one spare X-Wing fighter and we're going to need everyone in this battle. I hate to ask you this, but will one of you pilot it?"

Arluin spoke before Reina could. "I'll do it."

Reina had a betrayed look on her face. "Arluin, no!"

"Reina, these people have done so much for us," he said. "I have to repay them. You go with Barret and Allia on the Fate. I'll see you at the rendezvous."

Reina couldn't even speak. Her mouth just hung open as she tried to find the right words to stop her brother from making this sacrifice.

Viktor looked back and forth between the twins, still grim. Then he spoke. "Reina, if you like, you can fight alongside your brother. We have a few extra weapons, and the soldiers could use your help in the trenches."

Reina's expression quickly brightened. "I'll do it!"

Arluin's eyes grew wide. This was exactly what he had hoped to prevent by volunteering. It was his turn to protest. "No—"

Reina cut him off. "Arluin, I can do this! You have to let me!"

Arluin saw the smolder in his sister's eyes and resigned. She was right, of course—he couldn't protect her forever. Sometime, she would have to be able to fight for herself. Arluin just wished it wasn't now. He sighed, resigned. "Fine. Just—be careful, okay?"

Reina grinned at him. "Aren't I always?"

Arluin smiled back, his heart slightly lifted.

"We'll get that equipment to you right away," Viktor said. "Thank you for your aid." Then, the General left.

While the Starfires had been conversing with Viktor, Barret had been busy arguing with his own sister.

"You need to get on one of those transports," Barret was saying. "There's nothing you can do here."

"I won't run while you're out fighting!" Allia insisted, close to tears. "How can you tell me to do that?!"

Barret's voice turned stern. " Allia Hadwin, I am responsible for you and you will do as I say. You will evacuate this planet on that transport." His voice softened and he put a hand on Allia's shoulder. "After that, you'll find me at the rendezvous point and we'll sit back and drink some Java juice to celebrate our victory. Understood?"

Allia's eyes dropped to the floor. She sniffed and nodded. A warm smile reappeared on Barret's kind face. "Good. See you soon, kiddo."

He wrapped Allia in a long hug. After finally releasing her, he walked off toward his X-Wing, leaving Allia standing alone. But he was not the only one who had to say goodbye to the Twi'lek. Joshua Pendraham tentatively approached Allia and put an arm across her shoulders.

"Look now," he began. "I don't want to see you crying over me. There's no way these Imps are gonna take out this hotshot," he said with a grin.

Allia gave a half-choked laugh and looked up at him, tears still in her eyes, but a small smile on her face. Joshua stared at her for a few moments, and then patted her back and left for his fighter.

Three wedge-shaped ships cut through the dark blanket that was space.

In the main hangar bay of the Executioner, dozens of Stormtroopers loaded weapons, strapped on armor and headed into formation. Pilots boarded their landing shuttles and prepared them for takeoff. Some of the men were climbing into the hatches of tall, two-legged walkers known as AT-STs. Ten of these deadly war machines were to be brought down to the surface to breach the Rebel base. Armed with dual laser cannons, concussion missile launchers, and repeating blasters, an army of them would tear Rebel defenders to shreds.

The gathering Imperial forces knew that on the Executioner's support ships, the same procedure was being run. Each of the three Star Destroyers could land 9,700 troops and 10 AT-STs on the ground in a matter of minutes. The combined army of the three warships was overkill when facing the small Rebel outpost, and their leader knew it.

Admiral Merik walked about the bay of the Executioner, observing the shining army of his Stormtroopers and the flawless plating of the battle walkers. He allowed himself a feeling of satisfaction accompanied by a smug grin as he oversaw his troops assembling. Merik took pride in being an Imperial officer, and getting to bask in the gleam of nine thousand Stormtrooper suits was certainly a perk of the job.

The hangar bay's officer ran up to him. "Admiral, all men are assembled and accounted for."

Merik's satisfaction grew. "Very good. You may start the landing. Order the Imperator and the Vendetta to begin as well, and transmit these landing coordinates to them." He handed the officer a small data chip containing the location of the landing zone, a few miles away from the Rebels' hidden base. The officer pocketed the chip and nodded.

"It will be done, Admiral." The man started to turn, but Merik stopped him.

"I will be joining the ground forces in their attack," he said with ice in his voice. "I want to see the Rebels flee before us. Tell my second in command to capture, not destroy, any ships evacuating the system. The Starfires may try to slip past us. That cannot happen," he ordered fiercely, making sure the officer knew the price of failure through his voice. The message clearly got through to the man, as Merik saw him grow nervous and begin to sweat. The officer bowed again.

"Yes, of—of course, Admiral."

Merik's grin returned. Nothing could go wrong now. "Excellent. Dismissed."

The officer nodded one last time and hurried off to follow through with his orders. Merik turned and strode toward one of the AT-STs. This particular walker stood out from the others—it possessed different weaponry and was painted as black as space. Merik climbed into the walker's control cabin and drove it into one of the awaiting transport ships. The other machines followed suit, docking in the massive Theta-class barges. The numerous Stormtroopers boarded several smaller Lambda-class transport shuttles and waited for takeoff.

The dozens of ships began to lift off the bay deck and fly out of the hangar towards Venaari. Soon the transports were swooping down to the planet below, and were joined by the multiple ships from the Imperator and Vendetta, creating what looked like a massive swarm of insects unified in the hunt of prey.

The Imperial Army was inbound.

Arluin, now dressed in the orange-and-black suit of an X-Wing pilot, approached his new ship. The fighter was in good shape, and had been used in a few battles before now. However, its paint was scratched and its hull was dented, giving it a used look that Arluin actually liked. Its callsign was Ven Three, which labeled it part of Venaari Flight, the ten ships designated to protect Venaari Station.

A stocky white R2 unit with purple panels rolled out from behind the starfighter and greeted Arluin with a whistle. R2 units were commonly able to fit into a special socket of certain starfighters such as the X-Wing and provide targeting support, hyperspace calculations, and in-flight repairs. Arluin read the droid's designation: R2-J6.

"Hello there, little friend," he said cheerfully. He was glad to have the help of the astromech in the upcoming battle. "Guess you're my copilot, huh?"

The droid beeped and spun her head around. Arluin let out a little laugh and began to climb into the cockpit of the starfighter.

All around him, other pilots and their droids were doing the same. Barret and Ecksfive were running last-minute checks on Barret's custom-painted X-Wing, which shone a brilliant gold and red. Joshua was hauling himself into his slim blue-striped R-22 Spearhead. The Spearhead interceptors lacked an astromech socket, but were swifter and more agile.

Arluin strapped into his seat and lowered the X-Wing's canopy. Behind him, R2-J6 pulled herself into the fighter's socket. Soon all readouts shone green. Arluin gripped the X-Wing's yoke and prepared for the order to launch.

The flat, grassy field in front of Venaari Station possessed a large gulley a mile in front of the base where a river had once run through the plains. The only way across was a natural land bridge that, at best, could only let one Imperial Walker through at a time. It was this choke point the Rebel ground defense team picked to hold the line.

Reina adjusted her camouflaged combat uniform and checked her laser rifle's setting. It was still on, just like the last time she had checked it a few minutes ago. She was getting nervous, she admitted to herself—but who wouldn't in this situation?

Other men and women in the trench were performing similar actions, making sure every last detail was in place and ready for the assault. Many had already guessed that they would not be able to keep the Imperials back long enough, but they knew that they had to give it their best shot. Reina wondered how many of them would survive the battle—she wondered if she would survive herself. She steeled herself, knowing there was only one way to find out.

Rebel troops shouldered long-barreled rifles and aimed across the field, waiting for any sign of Imperial forces. Mounted gun emplacements turned slightly, trying to use their high-range sensors to detect the approaching enemy. For a painfully long hour, nothing stirred except the restless, nervous Rebels in the trench.

Then, the cloud appeared.

It was low to the ground, just at the edge of the field, a shapeless mass of dark gray, the color of a rain-filled storm cloud. The image drew closer and closer to the Rebels by the minute, and soon it resolved into the profiles of Imperial AT-STs. Reina could pick out thirty or so of the death machines as they plodded across the field towards the base. She could even make out the details of the lead walker, a jet-black permutation that sported one long, heavy laser cannon instead of the standard dual chin blasters.

Somewhere in the trench, a commanding officer was calling in the sighting and requesting air support. Reina hoped the starfighters would arrive in time.

Six X-Wings and four Spearheads lifted off the hangar floor and shot out of Venaari Station's front bay door.

"Ground team, air support is inbound," Flight Leader Zane Trimmer was saying into his comlink. The Rebel Commander's stoic face was creased with concentration as he led his squad into battle. He then switched the channel to his flight. "All wings form up on me and head for those Imp walkers. Activate deflector shields double-front."

Arluin adjusted a knob on his dashboard and guided the ship into formation. He pressed a button and the four S-foils of the starfighter opened to attack position. Around him, the other X-Wings did the same.

Arluin looked dead ahead and saw the AT-STs getting closer and closer as the starfighters zipped over the plain. They hurtled over the heads of the ground team in the trench. Reina's down there somewhere, Arluin barely had time to think before the walkers opened fire. The X-Wing began to shake as flak rounds detonated around it, but his deflector shields absorbed the damage.

"Grab your wingman and take down as many as you can, boys," Trimmer said over comlink. "We have to buy as much time as we can for those transports." Voices from all over the wing responded affirmatively. Arluin detected Barret's and Joshua's voice in there somewhere, but there was no more time to think—they were on top of the walkers now.

The starfighters broke formation. Arluin checked his wingman, Ven Four, a Spearhead pilot. "Four, cover me, I'm starting my attack run." Four acknowledged the order swooped in behind Arluin. Arluin sighted one of the AT-STs and pressed the firing stud, hosing the walker with laser fire before he had to turn sideways to fly between two of the Imperial machines. He and Four shot through the tiny window unscathed, and Arluin jerked the X-Wing around to face the walkers again. He noticed with dismay that the lasers hadn't harmed the AT-ST one bit.

"Three to flight," he announced. "Turn on your cannons to full power. Regular settings won't scratch their armor." As Venaari flight acknowledged, he saw a laser bolt from one of the walkers ignite Ven Seven's X–Wing, turning the poor man's craft into a fireball that dove into the ground. Arluin winced. Seven had such bad luck to be the first casualty of the battle.

Ven Nine, one Barret Hadwin, glided his starfighter toward one of the AT-STs and fired. Two high-powered red bolts shot out of the X-Wing and impacted on the targeted walker, and the machine's cabin detonated. Barret flew through the explosion, his signature grin on his face as Ecksfive tweeted a positive kill. One down, twenty-nine to go.

Joshua, under callsign Ven Two, was covering Commander Trimmer as the flight leader attempted a particularly tricky maneuver that resulted in the death of another walker. The Spearhead pilot drove his ship upwards to avoid being struck by flying AT-ST parts. Looking down, he saw that the loss of a mere two walkers had not stopped the approach of the Imperial walkers, which were still marching towards the Rebel base and firing upon the soldiers in the trench. The Rebel troops were shooting back, but their guns had little effect on the armored transports. Even the turret emplacements could not halt their attack. Joshua cursed under his breath and flew down for another attack run.

R2-J6 screeched as a laser round slammed into Arluin's shields, almost knocking the X-Wing out of the sky. Arluin quickly recalibrated and pulled the nose of his fighter back up. He targeted another AT-ST and opened fire, destroying the Imperial tank. The walkers weren't having much luck hitting the agile fighters, but there are so damned many of them, Arluin thought to himself. "Four, break off and try to knock out more of those walkers," Arluin told his wingmate. Hopefully we'll be able to kill more of them this way.

Ven Four acknowledged and departed, seeking his own targets. Arluin sighted his third walker and spat laser fire at it, but the walker turned its boxy head and fired back. Arluin was forced to dodge and lost sight of his enemy. Too bad we don't have any torpedoes, or this would be a lot easier.

Ven Eight was thinking much along the same lines as a walker sighted his X-Wing. His R5 unit beeped a warning, announcing a target lock on the ship. Eight tried his best to avoid the laser fire, but it was too late. The pilot, his droid, and his ship were all consumed in a ball of orange flame.

Joshua saw the Eight meet his destiny and headed to avenge him. The Spearhead's cannons flashed several times, rewarding Joshua with the sight of the AT-ST spouting fire and toppling over.

"Ecksfive, we took a shot to the upper port engine, try to minimize the damage!" Barret barked at his R2 unit. Ecksfive hooted and extended a rodlike arm and began to repair the minor injury to the X-Wing. Barret ducked and wove past three of the walkers, cutting awfully close to the machines' square cabins. He knew that his mechanical friend was dangerously exposed in the socket, but such risk was necessary if the droid was going to provide the needed repairs. Barret fixed his reticule on another of the walkers and shot. The AT-ST went down in flames.

A stray shot nicked Commander Trimmer's X-Wing, causing it to rattle. His green-and-black R2 unit warbled a question. "No, Royal, let it loose," Trimmer answered, referring to a cargo hatch that had become dislocated by the shot. "We won't need it. Keep working on that stabilizer until we're steady again." Royal pinged an affirmative and went back to work.

As Joshua swung around to bring a walker under his guns, a piercing scream sounded on his comlink. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Ven Ten, her X-Wing trailing flame, hurtle into the cabin of an AT-ST, causing both Rebel and Imperial to vanish in a fiery detonation. Joshua ground his teeth. Three pilots were dead and they hadn't even taken out half the Imperial forces, which were still menacingly advancing towards Venaari Station. Joshua entered a curving maneuver as he tore past several more of the Imperial walkers and came out cannons blazing. An AT-ST fell to the ground, victim of the deadly guns of Ven Two.

"This is Ven Five, I'm going in," announced the Spearhead pilot. Five put the leader of the walkers in his sights and relentlessly opened fire. To his shock, the lasers bounced off the walker's deflector shields—shields AT-STs weren't supposed to have. The walker turned its long cannon towards Five's Spearhead and shot once. The bolt impacted precisely on his starboard engine, causing Five's fighter to spin out of control and smash into the field.

Arluin noticed the death of his fellow pilot. "Ven Nine, Ven Four, form up on me," he called. "We've gotta do something about that lead walker." Arluin tore his X-Wing around and faced the black AT-ST.

"We're right with you, Ven Three," Barret replied as the two pilots approached Arluin's left and right. All three ships sighted the lead walker and prepared to open fire.

Just then, the walker turned toward the Rebel pilots. Powerful bolts of red death began to rip through the air around the fighters. Arluin gritted his teeth and struggled to keep his X-Wing from getting hit. Suddenly there was a yell over the comlink, and Arluin saw Four's Spearhead rush towards the ground and explode.

"Break off, Three, break off!" Barret shouted. Arluin noted his friend's X-Wing soaring up and away from the rapidly approaching walker. He started to do the same when his ship gave a frightening jolt. R2-J6 let out a loud scream as the X-Wing began to shake and head downward, suffering from a hit to one of its engines.

"Nine! Two! I've been hit!" Arluin yelled in panic. Smoke poured from the injured drive- the wound was too critical for R2-J6 to repair. Despite everything he did, every button he touched, the X-Wing fell lower and lower. As the ground rushed up to meet him, Arluin closed his eyes and hoped he would survive the impact.

Arluin's X-Wing smacked into the ground, slid a few feet, and lay there, still as any rock, tree or dead thing that decorated the battlefield.

4

General Viktor stared at the holotable displaying the battle happening just outside the base. As he expected, his starfighters were losing. Soon, the walkers would have destroyed every last one of them, and could turn their full attention onto the ground team. Viktor wished he didn't have to send these brave men and women to their deaths, but he knew that it was necessary if the Rebellion were to live another day.

Such was the price of being a leader.

Viktor returned his thoughts to the holotable.

Arluin struggled to lift his head from where it lay on the X-Wing's dashboard. His helmet had luckily prevented serious head injury from the violent crash, but he was still disoriented. A sharp whistle of warning from R2-J6 brought Arluin fully back to his senses. He jerked his head up, and bit back a yelp when it smacked into the X-Wing's still-lowered canopy. A new sight pulled his attention away from the pain. Just up ahead, an Imperial AT-ST was making its way toward his downed fighter.

Arluin began to panic. He pressed his hands against the canopy and shoved with all his might, trying to force it open, but it was no use—the glass barrier would not budge It trapped him inside the X-Wing's cockpit and sentenced him to certain death. He looked up again and saw the AT-ST bearing down on him, readying its chin blasters for Arluin's execution. Feeling utterly helpless, Arluin raised both hands over his head and squeezed his eyes shut, bracing for oblivion.

He heard the shot and saw the flash of light through his eyelids, but death never came. Slowly, he opened his eyes and saw an unbelievable sight—the attacking AT-ST was belching flames and crumpling to the ground. Arluin looked around in disbelief, but the surviving starfighters were all elsewhere. Who had taken out the walker?

R2-J6 let out a whoop of success. Arluin turned to regard his droid with unbelieving eyes.

"You didn't do that, did you?" he asked.

The squat robot, still in her socket, squeaked an answer.

Arluin's eyes grew wide in surprise. "You re-routed what was left of the shield system and used it to reflect the walker's laser back at it?"

Beep-boop. That was a yes.

"You're one pretty resourceful droid, you know that?" Arluin stated appreciatively. That compliment earned him a thankful whistle. "I'm gonna have to give you a nickname. Something fitting. How about…Savior?"

The newly christened Savior spun her head around and gladly whistled. Arluin smiled up at his little droid.

"I'm glad you like it. Now let's start getting this canopy opened before we get stepped on."

Reina gazed out at the battle. The few remaining Rebel starfighters buzzed around the AT-STs like wasps. Less than half of the ships remained. Reina wondered if Arluin was among those still in the air.

A laser bolt struck the ground next to her, jolting her from her worries. She saw that the Rebel ground team was still having no luck in taking down any of the walkers—their blasters and turrets just couldn't punch through the Imperial armor. She aimed with her laser rifle and fired a volley at one of the AT-STs. The shots, as all before, were merely absorbed by the walker's heavy plating. This isn't working, she thought, frustrated by her uselessness.

Reina scanned her surroundings for something—anything—that could be of more use. She noticed a heavy missile launcher lying across the body of a dead Rebel soldier. The poor man had been shot before he'd had a chance to use the ordinance. Reina relieved the dead trooper of his weapon and inspected the firing setting. This particular model was old and primitive, and as such had no target lock-on. Instead, the missile was guided by a system built into the launcher that required the user to manually steer it. It wasn't exactly what Reina had hoped for, but the explosive missile inside was capable of blasting apart Imperial armor. It would have to do.

Hefting the launcher, Reina aimed at the nearest walker and let fly. The missile whooshed towards the AT-ST, which noticed the inbound projectile and started blasting at it. Reina steered the rocket around the interfering laser bolts and kept it on an unpredictable course with the Imperial walker. The AT-ST kept attempting to shoot down the deadly missile, but had no success. The rocket smashed into the walker's head and detonated. The AT-ST collapsed in a heap of burning metal.

A cheer went up in the trench at the sight of the walker's death. Reina felt a moment of pride at her achievement. Then the pride was blasted away as heavy laser bolts struck the field beside her. Reina looked up to see the pitch-black walker leader and two of its standard cousins bearing down on her. The trio of death machines illuminated the battlefield with laser flashes and concussion grenade explosions, causing the deaths of many troopers in the trench. Reina scurried out of the line of fire and crouched down in the trench. She gazed on as Rebel soldiers stood their ground against the massive walkers and were cut down like grain for the harvest. Not for the first time, she wished that she had enough power to deliver these soldiers out of harms way and to safety, but she could only watch as the brave defenders willingly gave their lives to protect the people they cared about.

Those still inside Venaari Station were beginning to truly feel the effects of the battle as explosions and laser bolts shook the base like earthquakes. The holotable flickered and then steadied again. Looking down on it, General Viktor watched as the AT-STs started to overrun his troops. He felt a huge amount of gratitude to those warriors and their sacrifices. They had bought enough time for all but two of the transports to escape Venaari. Now, the only ships remaining were his own and the auxiliary vessel the defenders would use to evacuate.

Reaching for the comlink, Viktor switched the channel to the defending forces. "All teams, this is General Viktor. The transports are away. I'm sending the auxiliary ship to your position. Sound the retreat and meet us at the rendezvous point! May the Force be with you."

At the order to fall back, Rebel soldiers scrambled out of the trenches and ran full speed to the base. Some unlucky souls were knocked into the air by AT-ST lasers and were dead before they hit the ground.

Reina waited for two of the walkers to climb over the trench before joining the retreat. She kept her head down as the Imperial machines began to cross the lone bridge over the chasm that had previously been the Rebel's only hope of halting the walkers.

In the sky, the five remaining pilots heard Viktor's order and turned their ships toward Venaari Station.

"Ven Nine, can you see Ven Three?" Joshua asked.

"Negative, Ven Two, Three got shot down," replied Barret.

"Understood," was Joshua's grave answer.

The X-Wings and Spearheads soared over the heads of retreating Rebel soldiers. A bolt from the lead AT-ST struck Ven Six's interceptor in the port thruster, causing her to enter a spiral that ended in a collision with the mountainside.

Far across the field, the lengthy auxiliary transport touched down and extended its boarding ramp, which Rebel troops began to climb up in a desperate bid for safety.

Across the chasm, Arluin and the little droid Savior struggled to stay out from under the plodding feet of the rearmost walkers. As they reached the edge of the gaping valley, Arluin realized they would not be able to use the bridge to cross, as it was currently occupied by several AT-STs. His hopes sank. They would not be able to get to the evacuation transport before it was forced to lift off.

Savior nudged his leg and tooted. Arluin looked down at his new friend. "Hold on to you?"

Savior beeped a yes.

Arluin walked around the droid and wrapped his arms around Savior's barrellike body. The little astromech righted herself and extended two rocket jets from her legs. Arluin let out a little yell as the boosters fired and they lifted off into the air. Savior began to fly over the chasm, wobbling slightly as she tried to support Arluin's weight. The two made good progress over the gully until a stray flak round exploded near them and knocked them out of the sky. For a heartbeat or two, there was no sign of man or droid. Then, slowly but surely, Savior reappeared carrying her master to the chasm's edge and safety.

In the cabin of the lead AT-ST, Admiral Merik savored the sight of Rebel soldiers fleeing before him. The attack was going well, and therefore exactly as planned. His gunner opened fire on another small pack of running targets and Merik smiled as the shots landed and took their lives. Some days, he thought, there's no pleasure better than watching Rebel dogs go down with their tails between their legs. He cackled slightly as another group was flung to the ground by an explosion.

The Admiral noticed that the Rebels were running to a transport that had settled down in front of the mountain. How foolish of them to expose their ship, he grinned to himself. He acquired the attention of his gunner. "Do you see that ship, soldier?" The gunner replied in the affirmative. "Wipe it off the face of this galaxy."

The gunner complied by turning up the walker's cannon to the highest power setting and firing a single shot.

Reina tripped over a stray branch and toppled over. She stood up again, cursing to herself. All other thoughts were wiped away as she saw a single, overcharged shot arc over her head and collide with her only hope of escape.

Arluin saw the explosion and turned to shield Savior from flying debris. After the heat had subsided, he gazed at where the evacuation transport and the Rebel soldiers had been—and saw nothing but a smoking crater.

Merik's eyes tracked pieces of transport as they sailed through the air, propelled by the massive detonation. The Admiral smiled to himself. The battle of Venaari was won. All that was left was to clean up the aftermath.

"Commander, the transport just bit the dust!" Barret called over his comlink. He tried not to think of the several dozen men and women who, just seconds ago, thought they had achieved salvation.

"I saw, Nine," came the grim reply. "Power up hyperspace drives and set coordinates for the rendezvous point."

Barret checked his readout. "Negative, lead, my drive's toast. I'll get out on the Fate." Secretly he was pleased at not having to leave behind his prized vessel.

"Lead, this is Two. I'm going with him," Joshua stated. The Spearhead pilot wasn't going to leave his friend anytime soon.

"Roger that, you two," answered Trimmer. "Best of luck to you. I'll see you back with the fleet." Trimmer's X-Wing soared up and away from the planet.

Barret and Joshua flew their starfighters over the lines of AT-STs and into Venaari Station's hangar, where Hadwin's Fate waited patiently for them. As soon as the X-Wing had touched ground, Barret dismounted and ran for his freighter. To his surprise, the ramp opened for him, revealing a familiar blue form.

"Get in here, quick!" yelled Allia Hadwin as she stepped down the Fate's ramp.

Barret was cross. "You aren't supposed to be here!" he said with the authority of a parent.

As Joshua and Ecksfive caught up with Barret, Allia stared lasers at her brother. "Imps are knocking on the door right now! You'd best be damn glad I'm here!"

Barret shook his head. "We'll talk about this later. Get back on board and fire up the ship!"

The inverted Y-shape forms of Lambda shuttles entered Venaari's atmosphere. The craft landed just outside of Venaari Station and began to disembark hundreds of white-clad Stormtroopers.

Arluin scanned the base of the mountain, searching for a gap in the Imperial ranks. At last, he noticed a small hole in the lines, and silently motioned for Savior to follow him.

Reina's voice echoed throughout Venaari Hangar.

"Wait!" she called to the crew of Hadwin's Fate. Barret wrenched up, a look of surprise decorating his face. "Reina, you're alive!"

Reina reached her friends and ceased running. "You sound so shocked," she said sarcastically between deep breaths. "Where's Arluin?"

Barret looked at Joshua, then returned his gaze to Reina with an empathetic expression. "Josh and I saw him go down in the field. We…we don't think he made it."

Reina's mind reeled and she closed her eyes. Then she felt the most peculiar sense in the Force. She looked back up at Barret. "No…he's alive. I can feel it."

Joshua whooped. "I knew it!"

Barret smiled as well. "Having a Force connection to your twin sure comes in handy, doesn't it?"

Reina let a grin play across her face. "You have no idea."

By now, the Imperial Stormtroopers had broken into Venaari Station and were chasing down a particular Force-sensitive man and his droid.

Weaponless, Arluin's only defense was to run. He didn't want to risk a blackout by calling on the Force. "Remind me to install a blaster in you!" He called to Savior as they reached the hangar.

From the Fate's cabin, Reina indicated an approaching familiar figure. "There he is! I told you he was still alive!"

Allia pointed out another fact. "He's being chased by Stormtroopers!"

Barret knew just what to do to help his friend. "Ecksfive, get the main cannon online!" he called. The droid beeped and brought a targeting reticule up to Barret's terminal. The pilot directed it over the oncoming Stormtroopers and fired.

In its socket, the Fate's ball-mounted cannon swiveled and launched red death at the attackers before they could fire again at Arluin or the ship. Arluin bolted up the Fate's boarding ramp and collapsed in the hold, completely out of breath. Savior followed close behind, squawking and shrieking.

"Close the hatch!" called the pilot of the Fate. Ecksfive complied and the ramp swept upward and sealed shut.

"We're taking off, everyone get strapped in back there!" Barret announced over the ships' intercom. In the main hold, Arluin, Reina, Joshua, and Savior buckled down into padded flight seats. Ecksfive and Allia took their places beside Barret in the cockpit.

"Did Ecksfive ever get the sublight drives on this thing fixed?" Allia queried.

"Only one way to find out," Barret said. "Hit it, Ecksfive!" He pulled several levers on the Fate's control pad and the old freighter rumbled as her engines came to life. Stormtrooper fire pinged off the heavy plating as Hadwin's Fate lifted off the ground, rotated towards the hangar opening, and shot out into the open sky.

Once free of the Imperial attackers, the Fate soared along Venaari's terrain. Arluin unbuckled and moved up to the cabin. "Nice job, buddy," he said to Barret, immensely grateful of the pilot's skill.

"Save it. We're not out of this yet. That battlegroup's still up there," Barret replied. He began to slowly arc the ship upwards. "We're exiting atmosphere."

With a gigantic roar, Hadwin's Fate blasted its way out of Venaari and headed for the stars.