—•—

—•—

Other than those named characters not recognizonably being the property of Disney and/or LucasFilm, all named characters are the property of Disney and/or LucasFilm.

It might be a non sequitur to have a tiller wheel on a spaceship, but I have it that Lux prefers that kind of tiller over pushing buttons. Although fanastic George Takei pushed the buttons in a wonderful way on Star Trek, I still prefer the action of turning a wheel to turn the ship.

"Go With Me."

"Stay With Me."

Chapter 11

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—•—

From the previous chapter:

"Tractor Beam."

—•—

"Oh no you don't Tarkin." Commodore Lux Bonteri, commander of the Bonteri Fleet was mad. Very mad. "Engineering! Full power astern! Give me one-hundred percent on the reactors! Now!" Soon, the ship was shaking violently from the two forces being applied to it—the tractor beam pulling it to the Super Star Destroyer, and the Plo Koon's engines at full power pulling it away.

"Sir! We have slowed almost to a stop!" Ahsoka, the Ghost crew and Cham's people were holding on to the railing from all the shaking.

"Good! But we need something more."

"Terry!" entered Saw, "We need to add another dimension to the stress on the tractor beam! Maybe—"

"Right! Thank you, Saw. Helm! Right full turn!"

The helmsman tried to turn the large tiller almost taller than himself. But, "It won't move!"

Lux then rushed to the tiller to help the helmsman, "Oh yes it will."

In an instant Rex, Zeb, Kanan, Kallus, Riley, Acham and Saw joined Lux and the helmsman, turning the tiller to the right. Gobi and Cham were standing by to replace a man if he fell. It was hard work but it was working. It was a situation that required brute strength. Nothing less would suffice. The women could see the men straining against the tiller, pushing, pushing, pushing it with all their strength to the starboard. The ship, in addition to shaking, was now yawing to the right.

Ahsoka wanted to help too, so she raised her hand to help the men out as well. As soon as she did so, Riley was forceably pulled off the tiller, falling to the floor. Cham rushed in to take his place.

There was a, "What the heck!" from poor Riley. He immediately got up and went back to where he had been.

"Whoops."

"Ahsoka. You're not helping," Lux said in a sing-song voice. The admonishment from Lux wasn't all.

Ahsoka could see Lassa Rhayme looking at her very sourly. Lassa Rhayme was one person in this galaxy you didn't want looking at you that way.

"Yeah. 'Whoops.'"

All Ahsoka could do was smile and say sorry to Lassa. This person then looked back to the men with little change in her sourness.

Numa, for some reason, looked as if she enjoying this as she was smiling and looking to the men. She was looking admiringly to Gary. ('Gary' being the new first name of the former Agent Kallus.)

Hera could see Numa smiling and turned to who she was looking at. 'Well, well,' she thought, 'Yet another Ryloth girl smitten by a human guy.' She had to smile at herself though, as she was just one of those Ryloth girls. Numa noticed Hera looking at her, so she just gave the most innocent smile she could.

"Captain Acham, leave off. We need you in the pit. Tell us what's the status of the beam. Gobi! We need you in here for Acham."

"Yes, sir," the good Captain said as he removed himself from the tiller as Gobi rushed in to replace him.

"Captain," Commodore Bonteri continued, all the while straining at the tiller, "Tell the Ugnaughts to get a heap of scrap metal to the starboard forward missile tube asap. Then tell fire control to release it on my command."

"Right away, sir." Captain Acham then went into the pit to do as ordered. While he was doing so, Risè was impressed by his calm and his presence.

The men who remained at the tiller continued to strain at turning it. The tractor beam continuously was forcing the ship to turn straight, causing a great strain on the helm as the men were pushing it hard to the starboard. The women, Lassa, Hera, Risè, Numa and Ahsoka were impressed by how these men were sacrificing themselves in a dangerous position.

"Commodore! The tractor beam is straining but it is accommodating to the force applied to the right," Captain Acham informed.

"All right. Let's give it a new force to worry about," Lux said straining.

There were a few more turns of the chrono minute hand when Captain Acham came back in. "Commodore, the Ugnaughts scrap is inserted in the missile tube and ready."

"Ahsoka," said Hera quietly, "Why not a missile?"

"A fighter could hit the missile easily, exploding it. That wouldn't damage the tractor beam but it would really do something to us."

Suddenly, a shout from the Commodore reverberates throughout the bridge.

"All right men. Make ready to heave aport on my mark. Release and regain control."

"Aye-aye, Commodore Bonteri," said Rex. Ahsoka smiled when she heard that.

"Acham!"

"Sir."

"Release debris on my command."

"Yes, sir."

"All right, men. Release the helm on my mark. Three-two-one. Mark!" Very suddenly all the men holding the tiller released it and backed away quickly from the spinning wheel. Such was the force of the turn and the pull of the tractor beam on the ship that the wheel was spinning almost out of control to the port. Just as it seemed to slow, the Commodore gave a command.

"Acham! Release the debris!"

"Releasing now," Acham said as he pushed the button to release the debris. Soon, some debris, sharp and hard, was floating in the tractor beam, headed straight for it.

As the debris started to slowly head for the tractor beam, a vicious figure appeared on the bulkhead behind the command center. Tarkin.

"Your pitiful tactics will to work, you stupid bumpkin. You will not succeed."

"We'll see about that," replied Commodore Bonteri. "Ahsoka, please," he said as he gestured to her. She knew what he meant. Ahsoka then went over to the transmission, in the full view of Tarkin, even while he was watching her, and turned off the transmission—with a smile.

Just then, the tiller had slowed—

"Now men!" Commodore Bonteri shouted as the the men now pulled the ship to the port. As they did so, the women could feel the definite yaw of the ship as it turned. Again, the men forcefully turned the wheel more and more with all their strength, little-by-little, to keep the ship turned now to the left, putting more strain on the tractor beam.

Even as the ship strained, it was still getting closer to the Super Star Destroyer. A new worry came to the Commodore—

"Commmodorre," came the unmistakeable voice of the Trandoshan Chief in Engineering, "We onnnlyyy havvve moommmennts tooo critical on the reactors. They are going to blow!" The Chief said the last as quickly as a Transdoshan could.

"Keep them going full Chief," said Commodore Bonteri while he was straining against the tiller.

"They are going to blow!"

"Just a little more! Keep them going full! That is an order!"

"Commodore!" Captain Acham entered, "Ten seconds to impact of the debris! Nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one. Impact!"

The crewman monitoring the tractor beam could see some flashes from the root of the beam. It had weakened enough from the impact, so that—

"WE ARE FREE!" Evidenced by the fact that those not holding on to something were rolling on the deck. The men who were holding the helm let it go as quickly as they could and fell to the floor, piling on each other. But Commodore Bonteri was quick.

"Reactors! Power down! Helm! Hard aport! Get us out of here."

"Power Down, Aye!"

"Helm, aye!"

The Plo Koon moved quickly away from the Super Star Destoyer.

"All stop," came the calm command of the Commodore. All during this time, the women came over to the men to help them up. Hera was helping Kanan, Lassa was helping Riley, and, yes, Numa was helping Kallus, get up from the deck. Ahsoka moved so as to help Lux, but he was quick to get up, examining the situation. She went back to the railing.

The peace was short-lived, as it always seems to be in this galaxy, when the report came through that squadrons of TIEs were after them.

Commodore Bonteri was on this quickly. "Scramble all fighters! Give us some time! All fighters out! Turret gunners! Help them out!"

"Just don't tap on of our own," added General Gerrera. He then started to give commands to the turret gunners.

In a moment, streams of A-wings, B-wings and Whatever-wings could be seen heading towards the sortie by the enemy. However, the Commodore could see that one fighter had not yet scrambled.

"Wedge! Why aren't you out there?!" he yelled through the intercom.

"My engine, sir," came the response over the speaker, "It won't light!"

Lux had a rejoinder. "What'd you do?! Run out of matches again? You're too good a pilot, Wedge. We need you out there right now."

"I'm trying , sir."

"Have you tried getting out and pushing?! Get out there, right now! Wedge—"

Then Wedge could hear another voice come through the intercom. A female voice.

"Lux!" Then more quietly, "Commodore Bonteri."

"All right, Ahsoka," said the calm voice from Commodore Bonteri. "Wedge. Do what you can. Carry on."

Wedge was laughing while he was trying to ignite his fighter's engine. Then, it came to light. In a flash, Wedge was in his ship and headed out to the fight.

"I'm off!"

"Good hunting," replied his commander.

Outside the Plo Koon, fighters were engaging each other. It was a dangerous mission but the pilots were all brave. Inside the Plo Koon, Commodore Bonteri, with his fighters distracting the enemy, wanted to get a closer look at the Super Star Destroyer.

"You want to what?" asked Saw.

"I want to get a closer look. Our shields should protect us for the run. Captain Syndulla. Can you please contact Commandant Sato? The Rebellion needs to see this."

"Right on it, Commodore."

"Navigator, plot us a pass topside of the ship then under the keel. After we pass the keel, plot us a course to Umbara."

"Yes, sir. In a moment." Then, "Course plotted."

"Give it to the helm. Get all the cameras we can on it."

"Sending the course to the helm now," the Givin navigator informed. The Plo Koon started to go towards the Decimator. Then an image of Commander Sato appeared on the holoscreen. Lux turned and saluted.

"Commandant, you have a new ship by the Empire to deal with." He then pushed a button to send the images so that they could be seen by Commander Sato. All the cameras on the Plo Koon were recording the images and sending them to Commander Sato.

"Yes, Commodore, yes," Commander Sato said, "We had rumors of such a ship. It has become reality."

"It still has the same weak points of a Star Destroyer."

"Yes, the superstructure is exactly the same as a Star Destroyer," entered Captain Syndulla.

"And the stern—"

"Is just a bigger target," finished Lux for Commander Sato.

The Plo Koon, after putting a little distance between it and the Decimator after the first run, then made a sharp turn back to the enemy. The Plo Koon's fighters were as yet chasing after the TIEs. Then, the Plo Koon made a run for the keel. Just as the first run, as it got closer to the Decimator, it was being shaken more and more by the turrets from the Super Star Destroyer. All the commanders on the bridge were looking very closely at the ship and the images provided. After the Plo Koon went past the Super Star Destroyer again, Commander Sato then thanked his former student, looking proudly, and disappeared from the screen.

General Gerrera looked over to his friend. "You look like a man who has an idea."

Lux just nodded his head. He then pushed a button on the intercom.

"Ordnance."

"Ordnance, aye."

"Plant me a little bomb on the hull just aft of the hyperdrive pronto. Make it weak but with a lot of sparklers. Let me know when you have it planted." He then switched off the intercom. "General Gerrera, we have target coming up on the starboard."

"Right on it. Starboard gunners. Prepare to fire," Saw replied. Then, as soon as the Plo Koon was passing the Decimator

"Helm! Port roll. Twenty degrees."

"Gunners! Fire!" The large flak guns then fired at the keel of the Decimator. Many hit the ship, the large shells passing thorough the shields of the Super Star Destroyer.

Then, Commodore Bonteri pushed a button. "Flight Deck. Prepare the retrieve fighters." Then he pushed another button. "Flight Captain. Prepare your pilots to return home."

"Yes, sir," came the reply over the speaker. After passing the Decimator, the Commodore ordered all remaining fighters to return home. While the remaining fighters were being retrieved, an image forced its way to the screen;

"Bonteri, your efforts are ineffectual," an image of Tarkin smirked, "Prepare for boarding." Ahsoka glared at the image.

In the plain view of Tarkin, Lux put on a harried face. "He- Helm," he said shakily, "Get us to, to, to anywhere. Please," he pleaded. Out of view of Tarkin, Ahsoka, Hera, Kanan, Saw and others who knew the Commodore were smirking.

"You will not escape, Bonteri."

"I- I have to try."

"Make a move and we will strike you coward!" The image then disappeared from the screen. Lux changed in an instant.

"Helm. Point us to Umbara. Engage engines on my order. Ordnance," he now said into the intercom, "Update on that little bomb."

"It's planted and armed, sir."

"Very good," was the reply.

Just then, the Plo Koon was being hit by many shots from the fast approaching Decimator.

"The way they are hitting us, we may not need that little decoy."

"Sir, all fighters are in," said the Flight Deck Sergeant.

"Thank you," Commodore Bonteri said back. "Helm. Get us out of here. Three-quarters speed ahead."

"Three-quarter speed, aye."

"Hyperspace on my command." The ship started to move at a noticeable pace. "Ordnance, be ready. Hyperspace, be ready." After a tense few minutes, the Commodore making sure the Decimator was following, ordered loudly, "Ordnance! Now! Hyperspace! Now!"

In quick succession, the people on the bridge could hear an explosion and moments after, they entered hyperspace.


On the Decimator, Moff Tarkin was getting a report. Next to him, an Inquisitor was standing, looking death at those around him.

"Sir! They have entered hyperspace but their drive was hit. It was damaged."

Then, from another quarter, "Sir! An old separatist ship has just left hyperspace past Umbara. They seem damaged. Smoke is coming out of the engine area of the ship."

"After them."

"Yes, sir!"

"No one escapes me," said Moff Tarkin to the Inquisitor, who just smiled evilly. "I will have those Rebels. And you will have Tano to do with as you please." The evil smile became a sickening grin.


On the Plo Koon, which had stopped just past Umbara, Commodore Bonteri was giving commands. Over the intercom could be heard voices of different tones and different species give damage and situation reports.

"Engineering."

"Ennnginneerring, aye."

"Chief, can you put a little smoke out of the fantail vents?"

"Onnlllyy a littlllle?"

"Ok. A whole lot," he smiled. "Make it look like we have a forest fire in the fantail."

"Yessssirrr."

"Navigation. Put us past Umbara a thousand kilometers and then left three-quarters turn."

"Yes, sir, but do you mean—"

"Yes, I do. The Ghost Nebula."

The Ghost Nebula. Even thinking about it gave Lassa Rhayme shudders. She had never been in the Ghost Nebula, but the stories she heard were horrendous. Of those who entered the Ghost Nebula, few returned. And of those who did, none were sane again.

"Course plotted, Commodore."

"Send it to the helm. Helm. Once you have the plot, execute."

"Yes, sir."

"Plot sent."

"Executing now," replied the helm. In a short amount of time, the ship went past Umbara and was soon before the Ghost Nebula—there in front of the bowsprit, off a hundred meters, like a wall of deranged dust.

The Commodore held the ship there.

"Now, we're going to even the odds."

"Sir! Hyperspace flux. It's the same pattern as the Decimator. Off our aft port twenty kilometers."

Just as this officer said that, the Decimator appeared. It soon went towards the Plo Koon, coming in for the kill. When it did, Commodore Bonteri ordered the Plo Koon forward—

Into the Ghost Nebula.

—•—

Thank you for reading this. I just wanted to get this very short update out as it seemed a good place to stop and the next chapter is probably going to be a bit long.

Thank you for the reviews and I am sorry I haven't sent personal replies like I try to do. I wanted to finish this story and work is kicking me in the behind. (shanSWfan, I read your stuff on WattPad and I'm following you there. I love them.)

I get the feeling the story here is a bit too Lux-centric. There has been a lot of action, so being the commander would make sense that way. I hope to even it out with future chapters.

I will try to get the next chapter out soon, but I have hit a bit of a rough spot so it may come out after the Ahsoka book. No spoilers, please.

Thank you,

johnt