The war-room fell silent as their early-warning systems picked up four new contacts at the very edge of their range. Three Star Destroyers and the Death Star sat at the very precipice of the Yavin system.
Even without the Battle-station, the Empire had brought enough fire-power to obliterate them completely. Obi-Wan knew this. General Dodanna knew this.
"All evacuation crews!" Dodanna ordered, issuing a base-wide broadcast. "Triple time! This is not a drill! I repeat, this is not a drill!" Shrill horns began to blare through the air as Dodanna turned to face obi-Wan. "We have scramblers set up across the planet. They can't pinpoint the location of our base without descending into the atmosphere. That should buy us a few more minutes at the very least."
"The Empire does not need our precise location," Obi-Wan corrected him. "Only the correct planet." Dodanna nodded, and leaned in to whisper into Obi-Wan's ear.
"I know that," the General said. "You know that. But they don't. And that's for the best, i think." Obi-Wan nodded in agreement. The last thing they needed right then was thousands of rebels panicking. That would only lead to more trouble. "Our Y-wings should be our first priority," Dodanna said, as he straightened his back, addressing the rest of the assembled generals. "By far, they are our most effective weapon, especially against Star Destroyers."
"We could use them on a bombing run," a green-skinned Twi'lek female, dressed in full pilot's gear, boldly suggested. "target that Battle-station's weapon control systems, disabling it and-"
"By the time we do enough damage to that Station," Obi-Wan cut in calmly, stroking his beard as he examined the schematics of the Death Star. "What remains of the fleet will be decimated, and half of the Imperial Fleet will be bearing down upon those of us that remain." he shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts as he felt the trace of a familiar presence brush against his thoughts. A voice from his past. Someone he had known well. Someone who's soul was tainted by anger.
Vader.
He pushed the presence out of his head firmly, focusing on the situation at hand. "This is a fight we cannot win right now."
"Forgive me, Master Jedi," General Dodanna said, with a smirk edging at the corners of his mouth. Obi-Wan knew exactly what he had just done. Having a Jedi in their midst would be a huge boost of morale for the Rebel fleet. Many of the gathered Generals whispered to one another. This was big news to them. "But if I remember my history correctly, you have fought many battles with far fewer resources and come out very much alive. Where you not present for the Battle over Ryloth? At the siege of Kamino? Both of the Battles of Geonosis?" Obi-Wan took in a deep breath, knowing that it would be best to not outright refute the claims that the General was making. But at the same time, he also had to emphasize the importance of his opinion.
"Yes," Obi-Wan replied, as he caught sight of Luke, standing in the very back of the room, taking in his every word. "In almost every battle that I ever fought in, I was outnumbered, and out-gunned. And that taught me a valuable lesson. How to out-think your enemy." He paused, letting his words sink into their minds. He knew many of them wanted to fight. They where as bred for combat as any Clone Soldier he had ever fought beside. "The Empire is ready for this fight. They have been for a long time. With proper execution, we can take out that Battle-Station. But we need the time to form a proper plan than simply throwing our fighters at it. General," he said, turning back to face Dodanna. "make as many copies of those plans as you possibly can. And send them to every base you have. We cannot risk the Empire getting them back."
"Understood," Dodanna nodded, as he signalled for one of his men to do as Obi-wan instructed. "I shall have a shuttle prepared for you...and your charge. They will take you..." he said, as he pulled up a list of what Obi-wan assumed where bases. "To the Naboo Base."
...xxXxx...
Luke Skywalker was so caught up in all of the excitement surrounding the base, he wasn't exactly sure where he was going. He'd followed Biggs Darklighter out of the War-room with a bunch of his squad-mates. Now, they where in a locker room of sorts, and Biggs had just pulled out a red flight-suit and helmet.
"Here," he said, tossing the suit into Luke's arms. "You'll need this if you're gonna fly with us."
"You sure he's qualified?" one of the Pilots, named Porkins, asked bluntly. Luke looked the man up and down, considering asking if he was sure his ship would be able to take off with him in it. But he stopped himself. Uncle Owen would never have approved of him spewing such an insult.
"Porkins," Biggs chuckled, "Luke practically taught me how to fly! He's the best pilot in the outer-rim territories!" Laughter rolled throughout the group as Luke tossed aside his dust-covered clothes in favour of the flight suit. It fit almost perfectly, as if he was supposed to be wearing it. No sooner had he slid the last glove over his hand than a helmet was thrust into his hands.
"You're our number five," the tallest of the pilots, a man named Wedge, said firmly. "You'd better earn it, kid. The last man to wear that helmet was my friend." Luke nodded his response as the group of them trotted out of the locker room. As soon as they had done so, they where confronted by a burly-looking older man.
For Luke, it was nearly impossible to tell how old this man really was. Fierce creases crossed his face, and Luke couldn't tell if those where age lines or battle-scars. Perhaps they where a mixture of both. His arms where covered in thick slabs of muscle, which in turn was covered by battered armour. Armour which was similar to the kind Luke saw the Stormtroopers wearing, but still different enough. The man's eyes flashed over the group with a discerning eye, which almost immediately fell on Luke.
With a glance, he forced the pilots of Red Squadron to split apart, giving him a clear path to Luke, who gulped.
"This is your new number five?" the man said, with a low growl.
"Yes, Commander," Wedge replied calmly. "A very skilled pilot, so Biggs says. And we don't-" the older man cut Wedge off with a stern grunt as he continued to stare deep into Luke's eyes. Almost as if he was looking for something.
"Have you ever flown an X-series fighter before, runt?" the old man snapped.
"No, sir..." Luke gulped, wanting nothing more than to back away from him.
"How many TIE's have you shot down, kid?" the old man asked forcefully.
"T...Two," Luke replied nervously, knowing this was far from an impressive number.
"Two?" the old man grunted as he pushed Luke back with one hand. "Two? You think that makes you a pilot, boy? Droids can fly! Droids can shoot! Are you a Droid?!" he bellowed as he pushed Luke again, harder this time, causing Luke to stumble backwards. "Are you?!" the old man repeated as a third push knocked Luke right off his feet, onto the ground. "One little mess-up, boy, and everyone here is dead! Do you hear-?"
"Rex!" a woman's voice called out, cutting through the dull Yavin air like glass. Again, the pilots of Red Squadron parted ways, giving Luke a clear line of sight to two women who where approaching. One was a green-skinned Twi'lek, the other was a human woman, perhaps a year or two older than Luke.
"Captain," the old man, 'Rex', said, turning away from Luke for a moment to talk with the Twi'lek. "I'm a little busy here."
"I can see that," the Twi'lek replied plainly. "But I think there's someone you're going to want to meet in person."
"Who?" Rex grunted disdainfully. "Not some shiny like..." he said as his gaze turned back to Luke for a moment.
"Rex, we lost a lot of good people during the Scariff operation," the Twi'lek said, as she placed a hand on the man's shoulder. "Too many. We're going to have to use new volunteers like him," she said as she indicated her head towards Luke, who remained on the ground, slightly afraid of this man still. "and besides," she continued, "this is someone I think you'll want to speak with in private before we take off." Rex muttered something under his breath, before being led away by the Twi'lek woman.
Before he could rise, Luke was offered the hand of the armoured young woman. He took it gratefully, and did his best to not stare too long at the many wild patterns imprinted over the plates that covered her body. On Tatooine, it was rare to see so much colour condensed all into one space.
"Don't mind Rex," the woman smirked as she patted away some of the dirt that had covered Luke's shoulders. "He's a little to tightly wound. Give him time and he'll come around," she finished before turning around and following her two companions.
"Thanks..." Luke said, even though she was long out of ear-shot. Only a punch to his shoulder from Biggs brought him back to his senses.
"Well, well, well," Biggs chuckled, shaking his head as they walked. "Luke, being on that station must have really given you some moon-sized stones!" Still stunned, Luke didn't quite know how to respond. Or even what Biggs was talking about. His expression must have tipped Biggs off to his confusion. "Goin' and not turning tail in the presence of the old droid-blaster!" At this, the gathered pilots all began to laugh. As they did, Luke spotted Han and Chewbacca not far off, loading supplies onto their ship as fast as they could.
"Not to mention hitting it off with the Mando-girl," Porkins chuckled, though Luke wasn't listening. He peeled off and made a beeline for the smuggler duo. Chewbacca was the first to catch sight of him, setting down the crate of credits he was carrying.
"Huuragh," Chewbacca rumbled as his powerful arms pulled Luke into a gripping hug from which he could not escape. "Krooog huck huroo..." the Wookie mumbled as he patted Luke's head with one hand. Despite his best efforts, Luke couldn't quite escape the Wookie's grasp. So he was forced to just wait it out.
"Hey Chewie," Luke smirked, the moment he was able to slip out of his grasp. He turned to face the smuggler, with a small scowl forming on his face. The smuggler was clearly leaving. And Luke didn't want him to go. He knew Han would be needed there. The Rebel Alliance could certainly make use of his skills as a pilot, and of his ship. "So," he half-spat at Han, who gave Luke a knowing look. "You've got your reward? And now you're leaving?" he asked coldly.
"Yeah," Han nodded, "yeah. Listen..." he said, as his eyes darted around the hangar. He leaned in closer and continued, "why don't you tag along? Your not bad in a fight, you can fly. Could use you on board."
"Come on!" Luke replied, swinging his arm around the base, "look at them! You know what they're up against! They need you, Han!" the smuggler took a step back as a darkened expression crossed his face. He seemed like he was going to say something. Something harsh, but he struggled to restrain himself.
"what good's a reward," Han said instead, coldly grabbing one of the crates of credits in his arms. "If you ain't around to use it?" Luke stared back at the jaded man for a moment, contemplating if he could say anything to convince him otherwise. He realized that he couldn't.
"Take care of yourself," Luke spat as he stepped away. "I guess that's what you're good at." He began to walk away, but Han placed a hand on his shoulder, stopping him in his tracks.
"Luke..." he said, shaking his head with a hint of disbelief. "May...May the Force be with you." Luke wanted to say something back, but couldn't. He just walked away from Han, thinking it was easier. He began to make his way towards the X-wings. He figured that was where he would be of most use. He wasn't a general like Ben, or a Princess like Leia. He was a nobody, but still wanted to do his part.
He had made it halfway back to the pilots, when C-3P0, the golden Protocol Droid, waddled up to him.
"Master Luke! Master Luke!" the droid exclaimed, waving his arms in the air as he spoke. "You've been summoned again! Master Ben wishes to speak with you!" Looking between the droid and the pilots, Luke sighed as he trotted off after the former. He wondered what the old man wanted from him. Was it to send him back to Tatooine? To continue his Jedi Training? Both of those seemed unlikely, given the gravity of the situation they where in at the moment.
...xxXxx...
Obi-Wan leaned over the edge of the holo-table, eagerly eyeing the deployment of the Imperial Fleet. The method in which their ships where deployed absolutely reeked of Captain Tarkin, a respected General in the Clone wars, who had gone on to become a regional governor in the outer rim. Three Star Destroyers formed the rear of the formation, while five light carriers and six troop transports brought up the front. And in between them flew scores of TIE Fighters. No doubt being led by Vader himself. Obi-Wan doubted that there was a single pilot in the whole rebellion capable of out-manoeuvring his former apprentice. Maybe an entire squadron could best him, but not if Vader had the amount of backup that he currently possessed.
He was alone in the room, as every other General, including Dodanna, had left in order to secure proper transport. Though the latter swore that Obi-wan would be given command of a small fleet. Despite his best efforts to have otherwise. Dodanna had made an excellent case that the Rebellion was extremely short on experienced generals and commanders, and that having a Jedi on their side was an absolute miracle.
But Obi-Wan was not interested in being General Kenobi again. He had not waited all this time to just become a military leader once more. His purpose, he knew, was to train Luke, who could lead the next generation of Jedi into the Galaxy. But they both had to survive long enough for that to happen. So, he resumed his careful dissection of the enemy fleet, comparing it to their own forces.
His examination of their situation ended abruptly, however.
Heavy boot-falls echoed through the room, garnering Obi-Wan's attention. Three people, two of whom held themselves back at the very edge of the room, while the third staggered forward. There was something familiar about the sound of those footsteps. Obi-Wan had heard them before, a million times. Unable to believe his ears, he spun himself around.
Unconsciously, he found his hand reaching for the hilt of his lightsaber, still being wary of an attack from an Imperial Stormtrooper.
His concerns where unfounded. There was no Imperial Stormtrooper to be seen. Only a familiar face. A face that was both one-of-a-kind and as generic as possible. The face, marred by both time and pain, stared back at him, momentarily unable to process what was happening.
"General..." CT-7567, the clone captain Obi-Wan had simply known as 'Rex', whispered, tears welling up in both their eyes. A haggard breath escaped the aged clone captain as the two men pulled into a half-handshake, half-hug. Obi-Wan knew that Rex was feeling the same way, no doubt. To have lost so many of his brethren over the years, men he had fought and died beside, to get one back was a miracle.
Breaking the embrace, Obi-Wan took in his old friend for what he was now. His accelerated aging was clearly in full effect, as he looked to be closer to Obi-Wan's age, as opposed to actually being in his thirties. Rex also now sported a beard, easily as long as Obi-Wan's was. His powerful frame was covered in modified clone trooper phase two armour, and he carried two blaster pistols on his hips, just as he always had.
Of course, there was much more that Obi-Wan noticed about his old friend, and a number of questions that he had for him. Had he obeyed Order 66? Had he defected before that? Had he seen Cody since the fall of the Republic? Did he know the truth about what had happened to Anakin? Would he be angry that Obi-Wan had hidden himself for all those years? Would he understand why?
Nothing needs to be said, Obi-Wan told himself, as he glanced past Rex's shoulder, to his two companions. The Twi'lek who had suggested a bombing run on the Death Star, and a colourfully armoured Mandalorian stood waiting by the entrance. And while they where obviously familiar with Rex, which Obi-Wan knew meant they where good people, Obi-Wan could not trust them with everything he wanted to tell Rex. Too much was at stake.
And almost on cue, Luke appeared in the entrance-way, having donned a full flight suit, obviously having planned to join a squadron in defending the Rebel Fleet. With a shake of his head, Obi-Wan was once more reminded of a young Anakin, who had done something very similar above Theed.
"You again!" Rex snorted as he spotted Luke, who stepped back.
"Relax Captain," Obi-Wan said calmly, resting his hand on Rex's shoulder. "He's my Padawan," he said plainly, not wanting to say any more until he had a chance to speak with Rex in private. This seemed to be enough to stop Rex from outright tossing Luke out of the room, and even tolerate his presence to a degree. Obi-Wan hoped that this would change, as it had with another Apprentice Rex had worked with so often. "Now," he said, clapping his hands together as he walked through the arch. "I think it is time we leave. Unless any of you think that the Empire will make a better offer?" The rest of them followed shortly. Luke stuck close to Obi-Wan's side as they wound their way through the tunnel.
"And I thought Kanan's jokes where bad," The Mandalorian Girl chuckled from behind.
"It's a Jedi thing," the Twi'lek replied, as the group burst into a quick jog towards the exterior hangar. Quickening her pace, she caught up to Obi-Wan and Luke. "General Syndulla," she nodded, "Phoenix Fleet. We'll be your escort," she said as they exited the great temple, and once more where surrounded by ships. Though only a handful remained of what had been before. Which made it easier for them to make it towards the only remaining CR90 Corvette sat, surrounded by smaller ships of varying sizes. "We'll make sure you get to Naboo in one piece! Then we've got someone else who'll want to...Blast it!" she huffed, as Obi-Wan looked up to see two of the Three Star Destroyers opening fire on the escaping Rebels.
"Go, now!" Obi-Wan ordered, as he rushed Luke on-board the Corvette, sealing the hatch behind them. As the ship began to rumble.
...xxXxx...
Darth Vader stood alone in the deep interior of the Star Destroyer. The only sound to be heard was that of his own breathing. In and out. Darkness crept through the room like a sickness. Darkness was an ally he had grown accustomed to. It allowed him to be alone with is own thoughts, his own memories.
He cursed himself, tightening his fists with rage over his many failures. For the second time, he had been bested by his former master. A man, who by all accounts, was no match for him. As a Jedi, Anakin Skywalker bested Obi-Wan more than he lost against him, upon reaching maturity as a Knight. He had always been stronger, and faster.
Superior in every way.
In every way, save for his sheer arrogance. That was what had led him to make such a foolish leap on the lava river bank. Had he had more sense, he would never have needed the suit he was trapped in currently. He would have been the most powerful being in the Galaxy. The Emperor would be dead. Padmé would have lived. His child would have lived. Everything in the Galaxy would have been perfect.
If not for his arrogance.
He clenched his mechanical fist even tighter. Nearby, an astromech droid that was hard at work repairing a faulty conduit, caved in on itself. The sheer power of the Force crushed it into a ball of twisted metal. A mere fragment of his fury.
The Emperor was not pleased with this outcome. That much was abundantly clear. Not only had Vader failed to retrieve the stolen plans, but they had fallen right into the hands of one of the few beings in the galaxy that posed the true threat to the Empire. A man who Vader had failed to kill twice now.
The doors to the room slid open, allowing five beings to enter. Though they where of a variety of races, they wore nearly identical black clothes and armour. They where the remaining Inquisitors. When their order had first been formed, there had been over twenty of the Jedi killers. But years of hunting the last of the order had taken their toll, and weeded out the weaker members.
Now, only the strongest of their order remained.
"Lord Vader," the leader of their Order, the Grand Inquisitor, said as he and the others bowed low. Both out of fear and out of respect. "We are at your command."
Vader did not turn to address him as he spoke. "The Jedi Knight Obi-Wan Kenobi is with the Rebel Fleet," he said firmly, controlling is anger. "You are to disperse, and intercept their command ships before they can leave the system. Find Kenobi."
"And kill him," the Grand Inquisitor replied with a dark chuckle. He was no doubt eager to prove himself against an esteemed Jedi Legend.
"You alone would not survive," Vader replied coldly. "The one who finds him will stall him until I arrive. Only I will kill Kenobi. His companions are yours to slay. Save for the Princess of Alderaan. The Emperor wishes for her execution to be public, and painful. Am I understood?"
"Yes, my Lord," the Grand Inquisitor replied in a subdued tone. Even though he still did not turn to look, he knew the Grand Inquisitor signalled for them to turn and leave the room. And once more, he was surrounded by darkness.
And it was into that darkness that he stared. He made a silent vow. A vow to destroy Obi-Wan Kenobi, the last remaining glimmer of Anakin Skywalker in the Galaxy, once and for all. He would not stop until his old Master's lightsaber hung from his belt. A trophy to show the Galaxy that Vader was unstoppable.
Because after Kenobi, there was only one obstacle in his path to ultimate power.
...xxXxx...
"That's the biggest ship I've ever seen!" the pilot of their corvette exclaimed, as she caught sight of the Death Star, which was looming towards them at an alarming speed. Luke had to agree with her. He could never have imagined someone building something so huge. Even the size of the Star Destroyers amazed him.
Crammed into the Command deck of the Corvette with two pilots, the Captain, Princess Leia, Obi-Wan, R2-D2 and C-3P0, there was very little room for Luke to move around. But he did his best, watching as one of the massive behemoths broke off to intercept them. He watched with a mixture of fear and awe as powerful turbolasers filled the air with a volley of shots, hell-bent on taking them out.
"Don't worry," the pilot grinned as she gunned the controls, "our shields can take it. What those bucket-heads don't realize is that this beauty has two shield generators. And an engine that can-"
"Stow that talk, Wexley," the Captain cut in, "and get us out of here before they cut us off. Make for point six-twelve-fourty," he said, entering a command into the database. "Green squadron, report in!" he called out to their escort fighters.
"Green Leader, standing by!" "Green Two standing by!" "Green Three standing by!" "Green Four standing by!" "Green Five standing by!"
"Green leader," the Captain said firmly, "We only need a few moments to make the jump into hyperspace! The Imperials are sure to deploy a fighter screen to cut us off! Do not let this happen."
"Sir, yes sir!" Green Leader replied, as Obi-Wan motioned for Luke to follow him out of the cockpit. He did, dutifully, noting that there was an edge of sadness on the old man's expression. Something was clearly bothering him. He watched as Obi-wan leaned against the wall for support, even though the ship had not changed course.
"Are you alright?" Luke asked, as he took the older man's arm and slung it over his shoulder.
"Yes, I'm alright Anik...Luke," he said, correcting himself mid-sentence as they walked. "Just..." he said, "just an old wound. That's all. I'll be alright by the time we get to Naboo."
"From what I've heard," Luke said, thinking back to his many trips into Mos Espa with his Aunt and Uncle, where he would hear pilots and traders boast about their adventures. "It's a beautiful place. Full of water and trees and plenty of wildlife. Have you ever been there before?" Obi-Wan looked back at him, and almost immediately, Luke felt something stir up inside of him.
He was in a room he had never seen before. Red lasers had him secluded from two warriors engaged in an aggressive melee. One sported a green lightsaber, the other a double-ended red one. Their blades danced around one another in a deadly flow of strikes, parries and feints. The man, who carried the green blade, was pushing the one with the double-blade, a Zabrak, into one corner of the room.
But the Zabrak turned the tide of the battle. He stunned the man by striking him in the face with the handle of his weapon. And a mere second later, drove one end of his staff into the stomach of his opponent.
Luke stumbled back, unsure of what he had just seen. It had seemed so very real to him, but still distant. Like a long-faded memory.
In a complete reversal of what had previously been, Obi-wan lurched forward, grabbing Luke by the shoulder with renewed vitality, supporting him with his body as he set him on the ground. Vaguely, Luke was aware that R2-D2 had rolled into the hallway with them, and was chirping a message.
"Not now, old friend," Obi-Wan told the droid as Luke's vision stopped swimming. "Easy, young Luke," he said, as he patted Luke's shoulder. "It's been a long day for you, hasn't it?"
Luke looked back up at him, still slightly dazed. It had been a long day...or had it been two days? Maybe even three? The last time he had slept had been back on Tatooine, the night before R2-D2 had wondered off on his own, ironically saving Luke from a horrible fate.
"Let's get us somewhere to sit," Obi-Wan suggested. A good suggestion, given just how tired they both where. Together, the two of them hobbled down the main corridor of the Rebel Corvette.
Or they tried to, at least. A powerful blow struck the ship, sending ripples of energy through the hull. Thanks only to one another, Luke and Obi-Wan managed to stay on their feet. Luke was absolutely bewildered, whereas the older Jedi formed a scowl across his face.
...xxXxx...
"Rugh-raw Grrrrr" Chewie grumbled from his seat in the co-pilot's chair.
"Chewie, we've been over this," Han scolded, wiping his brow as he glanced towards his Wookie co-pilot. "We owe Jabba big-time. Dropping those spices put a bounty on our heads. We pay him now," Han continued as he began to set in the co-ordinates for Tatooine. "and we're off the hook. Free to go work for whoever's got the biggest pockets!"
"Raw-gurrg," Chewie half-snarled at him.
"It's their fight," Han replied with a shrug as he prepared to jump into hyperspace. "not mine. It's a suicide mission, going up against the Empire like that. I've got enough problems with the Imperials even without joining the Alliance."
"Ruk-Ruk grawl," Chewie nodded intently.
"We're two smugglers," Han shot back as he set the hyper-drive to begin it's countdown. "They've got all the soldiers and pilots they'll ever need, buddy. Blast," he scoffed, "they've even got one of those so-called Jedi on their side! They'll be fine!"
"Rawr Ruuuk grruug!" Chewie replied with a shake of his fist.
"Well yes, this is the fastest ship in the galaxy!" Han snorted, as if that fact would ever be up for debate. "No, I'm not afraid of those Star Destroyers! I just think-" he stopped the words in his throat as he looked over, past his Wookie companion and out into space. There, he could see the small-by-Imperial-standards fleet looming towards Yavin IV. In a heartbeat he knew this was more than enough firepower to destroy everything the Alliance could throw at it. And although a part of him hated to admit it, he didn't want that to happen. "Oh blast it," he grunted as he shut down the hyper-drive and spun the Millennium Falcon around, racing back towards the Rebel Base.
"GgGgGgGgGgGg!" Chewie cheered enthusiastically, lightly slapping Han on the arm.
"Don't get any ideas, Furball," Han replied as he gunned the engines, "It's 'cause I owe the kid. Nothing more. Now warm up the forward canons and I'll hand over fire control to you." he rolled the Falcon as he opened a single-relay transmission to the nearest Rebel cluster, hoping that at least Luke was on board. He knew he couldn't escort ever single ship, after all.
"Who is this?" a rough-sounding male voice grunted from one of the Alliance ships. "Reply, or be fired upon!"
"This is Han Solo," he replied calmly, eyeing one of the Star Destroyers, which had peeled off to intercept their convoy. "Captain of the Millennium Falcon. I thought you guys might need an extra escort." The launch bays of the Star Destroyer opened, allowing about thirty TIE fighters to pour out into open space. Easily four fighters for every escort ship the Alliance Battle-group had at their disposal. It was going to be a tough fight no matter what.
"Han?" the voice of Princess Leia replied over the comm line. "What in blazes are you-?"
"Easy Princess, just a change of heart," Han replied swiftly as the TIE's continued to approach the fleet. "Don't worry," he said as he took up a position in the formation of escort fighters, trusting that they wouldn't try and shoot his baby down. "Not like I'm going to live long enough to regret this, after all."
"Good to have you with us, Falcon," the first male said. "Do us a favour and keep those TIE's away from our rear cruiser's, will you?"
"Aye, aye," Han replied, as he manoeuvred the Falcon appropriately. No sooner had he done so than a swarm of TIE fighters attempted to engulf the Rebel fleet. Four green-coloured A-wing fighters, led by a heavily-modified light freighter peeled off to engage the first wave. They did better than Han thought they would, downing a third of the swarm while sustaining minimal damage.
A second wave of TIE's attempted to attack from the rear, but Han was more than ready for them. He swung his ship around on a dime, and fired right into the path of two incoming TIE's. Both ships where obliterated in an instant. Light canons on the Rebel Corvette turned and offered supporting fire against the swarm, reducing even more TIE's to dust. However, this was all a clever ruse by the Imperial Captain, who had used the distraction of the fighters to properly block their escape route with his Star Destroyer.
"Green leader," Leia's voice said, over a battle-group wide transmission, "We're open to suggestions! We've been cut off!"
"We have Ion charges," a woman replied, "We can disable their shields. But we don't have the firepower to destroy them completely." Han pondered their situation for a moment, wondering if maybe the Millennium Falcon could disable the Star Destroyer's engines on it's own. He'd successfully taken out smaller Imperial Transports on his own before, after all. That's when it hit him.
"Chewie!" he snapped, "do we still have those seismic charges we took from Azmorigan?" Chewbacca growled a reply, as Han's mind whirled. They had two charges available. And although they where out-dated models, he'd seen one completely destroy an asteroid before. He guessed that two would be enough to decimate a shield-less Star Destroyer.
"Come again, Falcon?" Green Leader barked, "Did you say you have a Seismic Charge?"
"Two, actually," Han replied with a small smirk. "Knock out that boat's shields and I promise I can give them one hell of a headache! I-"
"New contacts!" Green Four roared, as seven blips appeared on the Millennium Falcon's radar. Five oversized TIE fighters and two Imperial boarding craft. All of them making a beeline for their Rebel convoy. "I count five Defender-Class fighters!"
"Green Two through Green Six, break off and engage those fighters!" The Captain of the Lead Rebel Ship barked, "Keep them away from our transports! Green Leader, Falcon, deal with those boarding craft before they can latch onto our hull! Then proceed to the target!" Han eyed the five new TIE's with scrutiny. He'd heard rumours about the Empire having a much more advanced model of TIE, something capable of going into tough dogfights with even the most heavily armed and armoured fighters. But, he went against every fibre of his personality and did as he was instructed, swerving in behind Green Leader's Light Freighter as he set his sights on the first boarding vessel.
"Falcon," Green Leader said, "do me a favour and get their attention while I prepare my torpedoes."
"Yes Ma'am," Han smirked as Chewbacca pressed the trigger, letting loose a salvo of shots that sizzled against the first transport's shields. Chewie's aim was as true as it could be, but none of the shots penetrated the shields. They didn't even scorch the paint. But that wasn't their intention.
Fearing another attack, the Imperial shuttle swerved to the side, and right into the path of Green Leader's missiles, causing it to explode on impact. Their victory was short-lived however, as the second ship had accelerated faster than Han realized was possible, and it managed to bore into the side of the main Rebel Transport. They couldn't fire on it now, or else they would risk blowing both ships up.
...xxXxx...
Obi-Wan strode through the passageways of the Rebel Corvette, with the hilt of his Lightsaber in hand, ready for a fight. Simultaneously he cast out his mind, searching for the Dark Side presence that he could feel prowling the ship. Whoever it was, they clearly where not Vader, or the Emperor. No, this individual felt extremely weak in the Force, similar to a Jedi Apprentice. He reasoned that it could be one of the shadowy Dark Side Assassins he had heard about in the bars on Tatooine. Beings bred to hunt and kill any surviving Jedi Knights, or potential Force sensitives that opposed the Empire.
"Stay behind me," Obi-Wan ordered Luke, who nodded.
"Is it Vader again?" Luke asked, with the fear evident in his voice.
"No," Obi-Wan replied softly, "But you need to focus Luke. Empty your mind of any and all distractions. And ready your weapon. They are on-board," he said as he darted his eyes around. He knew that Luke would be no match for this Assassin, or maybe even a squad of competent Stormtroopers. Which was why Obi-Wan stood in front of him, ready to intercept any attacks that came their way. Because while he was unsure of his ability to fight someone as powerful as Vader again, he knew that this new enemy was no real threat to him.
No, Vader wanted Obi-Wan alive, so he could kill him himself.
"Remember what I taught you," Obi-Wan continued, giving Luke the best on-the spot battlefield training he could give, knowing this was only the third time Luke had even held a lightsaber. "Hold your shoulders tight to your body. Focus your defences on your torso and head. Keep your eyes firmly on your enemy, not the blade."
"Yes sir," Luke replied, igniting his crystal blue blade, even as a squad of white armoured Stormtroopers rounded the corner. Their commander ordered them to halt, obviously being cautious about engaging two Jedi. A smart move on his behalf.
The Stormtroopers fanned out as much as they could, taking up a classic quarter-circle firing position that even the Clone Army had used in it's time. Half of the Stormtroopers got down on one knee, allowing their companions to shoot over their heads.
The corridor soon filled with blaster fire, but Obi-Wan's blade moved in circles, deflecting each and every shot like it was nothing. Out of the corner of his eye, Obi-Wan watched as Luke managed to deflect three shots, a feat that had taken him months of training at the temple. The Stormtrooper's commander was the last to fall, using his last breath to call out their location to any soldiers on board the ship.
Not that it really mattered, because Obi-Wan tensed up as he saw a shadowy silhouette approaching. A lone figure, a Rodian male, he guessed. The Dark Warrior was clad in black armour, complete with a face mask similar to Vader's. He walked with a confident gait, no doubt smirking under his visor as he twirled his odd-looking lightsaber in his hands.
"So," the Inquisitor chuckled. "You did survive the Clone Wars, General Kenobi."
"An observant one," Obi-Wan quipped sharply, "aren't you?"
"Hmmm," the Inquisitor replied as he came to a halt. "Your death will please Lord Vader, I think."
"You seem to be operating under the delusion that you will be leaving this ship," Obi-Wan said firmly as he stepped in front of Luke, shielding him from the Inquisitor, and any surprise attacks he might throw his way. "I have fought your kind before, assassin. And I am not impressed."
"We shall see," The Inquisitor chuckled as he assumed a fighting stance, and ignited a second blade on his Lightsaber. Something which would have confused most Jedi, but not Obi-Wan, who had a plethora of encounters with saber-staff wielding opponents.
But the Inquisitor's lightsaber then did something quite unexpected and rather odd. It began to spin around like the blades of a fan. He'd never seen such an odd contraption before. And therefore needed to investigate it further.
Obi-Wan deactivated his lightsaber, earning a confused tilt of the head from the Inquisitor. Then, with a simple hand motion, he pushed the would-be assassin up onto the ceiling, forcing him to drop his weapon to the ground. With another motion of his hand, he dropped the Inquisitor and called the weapon into his hand.
"What an absurd contraption," Obi-Wan chuckled as he examined the ring-shaped blade. "So impractical! Don't tell me," he said as he smirked at the Inquisitor. "Can it make you fly?"
With a scowl and a roar, the Inquisitor jumped to his feet and attempted to charge the two of them, while still attempting to use the Force to break Obi-Wan's grip on his weapon. That did not happen, and a swift stroke of his blue blade cut the Inquisitor down before he could come any closer.
...xxXxx...
Han sped the Millennium Falcon through the Rebel Battle-group, bucking and weaving the ship in order to avoid the barrage of fire coming from two TIE Defenders, which where hot on his tail. No matter what he did, he couldn't quite shake their tail on him. Not even enough to start properly trading shots with them. The two pilots where smart enough to know how to stay out of his lines of fire.
And their shots where doing some serious damage to his baby. If he hadn't re-routed all non-essential power towards the rear deflector shields he knew he's be dead in space, an easy target for the two ships to pick off.
Similarly, he could see Green Leader having some troubles of her own, trying to shake her two pursuers. Only one of the Defenders had been taken out, thanks to a point-blank shot from the Rebel carrier. And the rest of Green Squadron was too busy dealing with a third wave of TIE fighters to be of any assistance. It would be a few more minutes before he could rely on their help.
So Han did what he always did.
He improvised.
"Chewie, I'm going to reverse the thrusters," he said as they continued to skim along through the Rebel Battle-group. "Set us up for a roll. We're going to throw their targeting computers off a bit!" Chewie grunted his response, but did as instructed. Space around him began to spin wildly as they decelerated rapidly.
Not expecting this, both Defenders shot out in front of him, providing an easy target. Which they did. The first TIE Defender exploded in a shower of sparks. Obviously, the Pilot hadn't had the time to properly power it's rear deflector shields to full, after using auxiliary power to match the Millennium Falcon's raw speed. However, the second Defender took off before he could get in a clear shot, instead only grazing one of it's wings.
Now having reversed the situation, Han cackled as he chased his quarry through space. The Falcon was clearly the faster ship. However, the Defender was far more agile. It was able to turn and bank at much tighter angles than Han could. It was a harrowing chase.
The Defender pilot was using the large Rebel ships to it's advantage, preventing Han from achieving full speed, while still keeping his advantage. However, it couldn't get to close to any of the larger ships, or it would risk being shot down like it's two wingmen.
"Green Leader, Falcon!" the Rebel Commander called out, "That Star Destroyer is bearing down on us! It will be in firing range in less than two minutes! You need to take care of those Defenders!"
"We know, Commander!" Green Leader snapped back briskly. "Falcon, any suggestions?"
"Uh..." Han replied, trying to analyze the situation. There had to be some way of getting all three Imperial ships in their sights at once. However, the pilots where too crafty. Almost on cue, his ship began to rattle. While he was distracted, the Defender had managed to loop around him, and was not back in it's original firing position, taking pot shots at his engines.
Which, surprisingly, gave Han an idea.
"Green Leader!" he said, "you ever done a 'Kreena Run?'"
"I like the way you think, Falcon," Green Leader chuckled, "head for our Hammerhead!"
"On it!" Han replied as he rolled the Millennium Falcon out of the way of a barrage of shots, and began to make a straight beeline for the Hammerhead ship as a smile cracked his face. He was going to make the TIE pilot pay for shooting his ship in the most glorious way possible. "Coming from below, Green Leader," he said as he skimmed the Falcon along the underside of the much larger ship, before swerving up the side. He took in a deep breath, knowing that if he, or Green Leader, was off by a few degrees it could spell disaster.
The Millennium Falcon shot out above the Hammerhead cruiser, just fast enough to avoid Green Leader's Freighter by a few meters. They where lucky. The TIE's where not.
The one that had been chasing Han was too cocky, and too focused on is target. He never got the chance to notice two of his companions before it was too late. All three ships collided, destroying one another in a brilliant explosion. "Got 'em!" Han exclaimed.
"Great flying, Millennium Falcon," Green Leader acknowledged. "Now, let's take care of the Star Destroyer! Green Five! Green Three! Form up behind me, and make a run for the Destroyer's shield generator! We need to knock it out before we lay those charges!" Han chuckled as he fell into a loose formation behind Green Squadron. It had certainly been a long time since he had flown with so many ships at his side.
"Green Squadron," Han called out as Chewie left the cockpit, heading towards the centre cargo bay, where the two bombs where located, "be advised that my gunner will have to manually release the charges. My ability to shoot and fly will be limited."
"Roger that, Falcon. We'll keep them off you," Green Leader replied as all four ships zipped towards the much larger Imperial warship. Thankfully, most of it's TIE fighters had already been deployed, and where either already engaged in battle, or had been blown to smithereens. Only three TIE's managed to break off. One standard and two interceptors. Easily outmatched by the four Rebel ships, even as they where forced to bob and weave through a hailstorm of fire from the Star Destroyer.
Han nervously looked at the Millennium Falcon's system status, carefully eyeing the blaring red signal that told him his engines where damaged, and that he was loosing fuel. They only had enough for one run.
But one run was all they needed.
"Release Ion charges now!" Green Leader barked, as blue spheres dropped out of the Rebel ships, and struck the Imperial warship, disabling it's shields for a few seconds. The few seconds that they needed to properly release the bombs.
"Chewie, now!" Han shouted, hearing a roar of a response, as both seismic charges where released into open space. "they're clear! Go!" he said, accelerating the Millennium Falcon to it's top speed, directly away from the impending explosion. Two seconds ticked by before a gigantic pressure-wave hit him. The bombs had detonated off the Star Destroyer's starboard side, severely crippling it, if not outright destroying it. One of the A-wings managed to get caught in it's wake, but the other, as well as Green Leader's ship, flew up beside Han, signalling their approval.
With a nervous gulp, he looked back at the Rebel Battle-group. About one-third of the ships had been disabled or destroyed by TIE fighters. A part of him wished that he could have saved more, but another was just glad that so many where free to leave the system. With the rest of Green Squadron, he docked in the largest remaining ship, before it blasted off into hyperspace.