Drake didn't know what to do. The slow TIE Bombers weren't built for dogfights. He saw a few of the Fighters turn around in an effort to fend the Rebles off, but they were built for going after larger ships or buildings, not small starships. Before Drake got much more time to think, a message came through on the X-Wing's communicator.
"25-5B, what are you doing? Why aren't you with the rest of your squad?" a man asked over the radio. Drake began to panic. If he said nothing, the man would become suspicious, but what would he say? He had to come up with a lie; and he had to make it quick. Drake thought for a moment.
"Uh, I was sent out to help you guys. There were two more guys with me, but the got shot down in the atmoshpere," Drake lied.
"Who sent you?" asked the man. Drake was in trouble now. He didn't know who would send him up there. He tried to lie again.
"It was, uh, Captain... Johnson," Drake said.
"Captain Johnson? Who is that? We never sent a Captain Johnson to Naboo!" the man grew angry.
"They, uh, had been stationed on Naboo for the past few months," Drake lied. The man wasn't buying Drake's lie.
"Is that so? Where is he now?" the man asked.
"He, uh, got caught in a burning room of the palace, sir," Drake said.
"Well I just tested for a 'Captain Johnson' and there is no 'Captain Johnson' stationed on Naboo," the man said, "Explain yourself, 25-5B!" Drake didn't have much of a choice now. He'd been figured out. He was in firing range of the group of Rebel starfighters.
Drake could think of two choices that he had. He could fight the Rebel starfighters and potentially escort some of the TIE Bombers to the planet's surface, or he could turn around and return to the surface of Naboo.
"Ok, then. Guess I'll shoot you down myself," the man said. Drake had forgotten about him, he was too deep in thought.
Drake turned around and took evasive maneuvers. He knew the man was on his tail. He must be tracking him on his ship's computer. Drake then remembered the TIE Bombers.
Drake couldn't just standby as they were being picked off one by one. He decided he would try and lose the man behind him first, and then help the TIE Pilots.
The man began firing at Drake, but luckily, Drake was a good pilot and was able to avoid the blaster bolts. After being chased for about five minutes, Drake sped up and did a backflip, putting him behind the man's X-Wing. Before the man had time to react, Drake opened fire on the X-Wing. After about a minute, Drake hit one of the man's X-Wing's wings. This caused the man to spin out of control for a moment. The man regained control but had trouble steering his ship. Drake continued firing at the man and eventually hit a part of his other wing. The man lost all control of his ship and was sent hurtling towards the planet.
"I need you guys to take of 25-5B! Avenge my death, guys!" the man said to the other Rebel pilots over the radio.
"Yes sir!" replied about three Rebel pilots at the same time. Drake was still watching the man fall to the surface. Drake then remembered how he'd survived his fall. Drake flew towards the man's ship, ready to finish him off, but a feeling of guilt came over him, and he let the man fall. Drake thought about the choice he'd just made, but he couldn't think for long, because now there were four Rebel starships on his tail.
Drake knew he wouldn't be able to evade all four of the ships, so he turned towards the planet. He was going to fly down to the planet and leave with the other Stormtroopers. They were probably almost done, anyway.
Drake began his journey to the surface of Naboo. As he flew down he could see the Troop Transports taking off, presumably leaving the TIE Bombers to finish the job. He then noticed that only one of the ships was following him now. It was firing at him, but Drake had been avoiding it for awhile. Drake had entered the atmosphere and was nearing the remains of the palace.
Drake was keeping his eye on the Rebel behind him who was piloting one of the smaller, faster Rebel ships, until it shot one of his wings, causing Drake to have difficulty controlling his ship. Drake was done running from the ship. He circled around until the ship was in front of him, and he opened fire. The Rebel pilot in the ship was shocked and Drake was able to get a massive blow on the Rebel starship. The Rebel ship was sent spiraling towards the ground. Drake cried out in success.
Drake decided he could head back to the hangar, but if the Rebels found his X-Wing, they would know he was still out there somewhere. He decided to land in an open field about a mile away from the palace.
After Drake landed and exited the X-Wing, he decided he would go to the palace and catch a ride back to Coruscant with the Troopers. He had to hurry; the first of the Troop Transports had already left the planet.
Drake began to jog towards the palace. There was a tall column of smoke coming from its direction. Drake's injuries prevented him from jogging too fast. He determined he'd jogged about a half mile when he crossed the crash site of a Rebel starship. It was the same design as the one he'd shot down. It may have been the same exact ship he'd shot down, but Drake didn't pay attention to where it crashed.
There were still several transports still at the palace, and plenty of Stormtroopers were still running around, so Drake thought he had enough time to check it out. The inside of the ship's cockpit was labeled 15-6A A-Wing. The smaller ships were called A-Wings. There wasn't a body in the cockpit, so the pilot must have gotten out.
Drake scanned around the crash site, staying alert in case the pilot was still close by. After looking around for about five minutes, Drake decided to start heading back to the palace. If he waited any longer the transports would be gone.
Drake wished he'd landed his ship closer to the palace, but he didn't want to be hunted down by a bunch of Rebels. In the sky, he saw three TIE Bombers flying down to the palace. The other ones must have been destroyed, as the remaining ones were followed by a dozen Rebel ships.
Drake turned to look at the A-Wing one more time before turning around. He walked slowly, his injury getting less painful, but still serious. He had only walked about a hundred feet when he heard a familiar voice call behind him.
