Chapter Seven
Truths
The Rebel base was in a flurry, and his father and Old Ben seemed to be leading everything. Luke felt lost in the multitude and while taking the only break he would likely had he chatted with his old friend Biggs.
"I told you I'd make it off-world someday," Luke commented.
"You did, all right. It's going to be like old times, Luke. We're a couple of shooting stars that'll never be stopped!"
"You got that right," Anakin said as he motioned for everyone to get moving. "We better hurry, if I'm right the Dark Lord put a tracking beam on the Falcon, and they will be close. On fact, there are reports of it getting close to us here, on Yavin 4," Anakin said.
"This Artoo unit seems damaged, General Skywalker, do you want another one?" Anakin lifted his eyebrows, that was a rank he hadn't yet achieved but he would by the end of the war. Their had been talk of a promotion for him, but he shrugged thoughts of pride away.
"Not on your life, Artoo and I nearly grew up together," he said with a laugh, "Right buddy?" Artoo beeped his agreement and Luke was given an Arfour unit. They climbed into the cockpit and prepared for takeoff. "I'm going to cover you son. This is your victory, not mine. "
"But, Dad, you volunteered."
"I know. Which is why you will get all the credit you deserve son. Even if I have to take out the dark lord personally." Anakin had no idea if he could actually do it.
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Anakin tapped on the microphone and smiled, he always felt in control in a cockpit. "Red leader, all wings report in."
"Red Three standing bye," replied Obi-Wan, "Please do be careful, Anakin."
"You worry too much, Master," Anakin replied with a smile, flipping on the turbo boosters, he felt Obi-Wan's smile through the Force. Things were returning to normal. Obi-Wan trusted him, even if he didn't trust Darth Vader. There had always been three things that Anakin could count on, Obi-Wan's friendship, Padme's love, and Palpatine's guidance. Anakin was back in his element. He saw the tight smile through the holoscreen and he remembered the look on Padme's face on Genosis. Could Leia possible be...? ...his daughter? The thought closed in on his mind. Why wouldn't Obi-Wan tell him? Did Luke know? There was no way. He was certain he was right, how could he have not seen it before. Anakin blinked away the sudden emotion, because his feelings were telling him it was true. He meditated as the group called in, pushing away his feelings, for as Obi-Wan had said Darth Vader would be able to sense him, and Anakin would protect them with his last piece, they were all he had of Padme. Leia looked so much like Padme but she was more like him when it came to temper and personality, the poor girl, he didn't want her to suffer. He wanted to be back in his time, where he could confide in his dear wife.
"Red Four standing by," Luke replied.
"Red Six standing bye," replied Biggs.
"Red Five standing bye," answered Wedge.
"Let's go," Anakin said giving the order. "Follow my lead, and when I give the order, fall back," Anakin said as they started toward the Death Star. "Lock S-foils in attack position," he ordered and they complied. "We've breached their security. I'm sure they are aware of this. Be prepared to be followed by Vader," he said, feeling Vader's intentions, in fact he could hear his breathing feel the thoughts in his head, and to Anakin surprised most of his thoughts were sad. His got infinite sadness from the machine. What did that mean? Once he started down the dark path, it would forever dominate his destiny, he had the proof before him. Master Yoda was wrong, Anakin thought and the thought astounded him, Master Yoda was never wrong. Besides, he was more machine than man, how had that happened. He stood against everything Anakin stood for. Yet, at this moment there was only a desire to protect, he felt his own desire to protect Obi-Wan and his son, and he felt Darth Vader's desire to protect his Emperor and his crewmen. "We're passing through their magnetic field, hold tight," Anakin commented to the non-force users. "Switch your deflectors on."
"Look at the size of that thing," commented Wedge. Anakin didn't reply for he, Obi-Wan, and Luke had already witnessed it.
"Cut the chatter, Red Two. We need to focus on the mission at hand, " Anakin replied. Anakin flipped a switch with his gloved hand and pulled on the accelerator with his human one. "Accelerate to attack speed," he ordered.
As the fighters move closer to the Death Star, the awesome size of the gargantuan Imperial fortress is revealed. Half of the deadly space station is in shadow and this area sparkles with thousands of small lights running in thin lines and occasionally grouped in large clusters; somewhat like a city at night as seen from a weather satellite.
Anakin looks around at his wingmen; the Death Star looming in from behind. Two Y-wing fighters bob back and forth in the background. He moves his computer targeting device into position.
" We're in position. I'm going to cut across the axis and try and draw their fire," Anakin said to the others. "Obi-Wan, protect Luke."
"No, Anakin. I am still your master. Let me play the bait."
"As you wish, Master."
"You didn't have to sound so happy about it, Anakin," Obi-Wan grouched, as he began the descent and Anakin pulled back.
"Heavy fire, General. Twenty degrees to the left," Wedge said in alarm.
"I see it, I'm going to take them out, "Anakin commented and zeroed in with his targeting device. "I've got ya," he said firing away. The small Imperial fighters spun and hit each other and Anakin congratulated himself.
"Nice shot, Dad," he heard and laughed, losing all pretenses of keeping it professional. Luke nosedives radically and Anakin follows him giving him cover. Luke starts his attack on the monstrous fortress. "I'm going in," Luke says noticing the fighter on his tail. "Not so close Dad," he admonishes. "I can do this."
"I know you can, son. I just don't want to lose you."
"You won't. Dad, trust me to do what's right and to live through it. I'm your son," he said and the tension visibly leaves Anakin as he slows down. Obi-Wan was right he couldn't save everyone, sometimes he had to trust that they could and would save themselves. Luke's X-wing races toward the Death Star. Laserbolts streak from Luke's weapons, creating a huge fireball explosion on the dim surface.
"Luke, pull up," Anakin nearly screamed.
"Take it easy, Dad. The Force IS with me," he said with a smile.
Luke's ship emerges from the fireball, with the leading edges of his wings slightly scorched. "Are you alright?" Anakin asked.
"I'm fine, Dad," Luke says slightly embarrassed. "Just a little more cooked than I would have liked," Luke says with Anakin's humor and Anakin smiled. He was going to make a very interesting padawan. Anakin knew he was going to get it from Obi-Wan on Luke's antics. Smoke belches from the giant laser guns as they wind up their turbine generators to create sufficient power.
"Luke, let me know when you are going in?" Anakin asked coming up on Luke's left as Obi-Wan returned on Luke's right.
"I'm going in now."
"Watch yourself. There's lot of fire coming from the right side of that deflection tower," Anakin said following.
shot hurls from Luke's guns. Laserbolts streak toward the onrushing Death Star surface. Several small radar emplacements erupt in flame. Laserfire erupts from a protruding tower on the surface.
The blurry Death Star surface races past the cockpit window as a big smile sweeps across Luke's face at the success of his run. Flak thunders on all sides of him.
The Death Star superstructure races past Luke as he maneuvers his craft through a wall of laserfire and peels away from the surface towards the heavens.
Anakin dives through a forest of radar domes, antennae, and gun towers as he shoots low across the Death Star surface. A dense barrage of laserfire streaks by on all sides.
Princess Leia comms them. "Squad leaders, we've picked up a new group of signals. Enemy fighters are coming your way."
"My scopes negative," Luke replied.
"Turn off the computer," Anakin suggested. "Don't look feel, use the Force. I can feel them. They aren't getting away. I'm going to take them out," Anakin said leaving Luke's side with a thought to Obi-Wan to protect him, he still had a long way to go. Biggs, you've picked up one."
"Where is he? I can't see him," Biggs asked as Anakin fired.
"He's gone, Negative, he's gone," Anakin replied with a grin.
Luke is flying upside down as he heads toward the main reactor.
"Pull in, Luke, " Obi-Wan tells him.
"I sense Darth Vader, I have since the beginning but he's no longer on the Death Star he's in a fighter," Anakin says sadly.
"Be on guard, "Obi-Wan commented.
Darth Vader fires at Luke and Anakin sees red beneath his eyes as he turns his fighter on Darth Vader.
"I'm hit but not bad," Luke replied. Anakin shot at Darth Vader twice sending his fighter spinning.
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It was Skywalker again, Darth Vader thought with a growl. It had infuriated him when Anakin had entered his head projecting protectiveness over Obi-Wan and the boy. What was so important about the boy? Didn't Skywalker understand that Obi-Wan had betrayed him? The boy, he was blowing up the death star and before he could move he was hit and sent spinning into space as the Death Star exploded. His master would not be happy, he thought sadly.
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Anakin had been about to take the shot toward Darth Vader, but before he could another shot was fired and hit Darth Vader. Anakin looked around and smiled, "Nice shot, Solo," he said with a grin as they all headed back to base.
