A/N: In my last update I told you my depression was preventing me from updating. Since then I ended up taking a medical leave of absence from school, and got last semester wiped clean, so it basically never happened for me and my GPA is still a 3.4. Yay! I'm back at school this semester, I'm dropping my second major, so I guess I'll graduate with just one major like the normal kids :P I'm also taking less credits and trying to cut back on my extracurricular. What really helps me going is friends and community. Honestly reviews can and have many times turned my day around. That's why I always thank my reviews and why I often respond one-on-one. Thank you guys for being so supportive of me. It really does mean the world.

A/N 2: I'd like to thank Zireael07, SwordSeer, hp and lotr fan 4ever, ccp and stardash19 for reviewing.

Chapter 12

Plo Koon paced as he talked to the group of Jedi Aces and pilots from the Republic, "The weakness we have found is in the reactor core. When you are close enough you'll need to shoot a proton torpedo into it."

Mara sat next to Obi-Wan. Because of her piloting skills and apparent change in loyalties the Jedi Council thought it would be best if she could help out on the mission. Obi-Wan was the person who fought the most for her participation. Anakin fought hardest against. He still thought they should've killed her when they had the chance. On the other side of Obi-Wan sat Luke and next to himself was Leia. Leia was not going to be participating in the actually flying. Much to Anakin's displeasure she never was a much of a pilot, but she had a great strategic mind and would be helping in the command center.

"How large is this reactor core?" Anakin asked. He sat next to his padawan and was calmer than he had felt in days. The prospect of flying had calmed his nerves.

"About two meter," replied Master Koon.

Some of the pilots winced. That wasn't a very large area. But Anakin and Luke seem perfectly fine with this news. Anakin leaned over Leia and whispered in Luke's ear, "So they're trying to make this easy, huh?"

"Stop being so arrogant," Obi-Wan said without even turning to Anakin. He said it quietly enough that only their row could hear.

Leia pushed her Master off of her and bent forward, listening intensely. Anakin's mind wandered. He was the best pilot in the Jedi order, perhaps even the galaxy, and he knew it. He liked a little risk; to him it was fun. A little surprise here and there wouldn't kill him, and he was sure Luke would catch him up on the really important details.

"We'll be coming out of hyperspace shortly," Master Koon said as he finished his lecture, "You should all suit up and report to you stations."

Anakin was the first to get up and reach the exit. His legs were so restless; he wanted to do something, to blast something. Luke trailed slowly behind him. He was dillydallying, talking to Mara.

Anakin decided not to wait for his son. Anakin grimaced when he thought the word son. He had trained himself over the years to not think of the words such as son or daughter or children, in case someone caught his drifting thoughts, but sometimes they slipped out anyway. If anyone did catch his thoughts he would have told them that he thought of Luke as a son and thought of Leia as a daughter. It wasn't completely absurd, most masters thought of their apprentice as their own children, creating a bond that the Jedi forbade. It was generally accepted, though, that the Jedi having bonds with other Jedi were strong enough to make the necessary scarifies.

Anakin winced again as he turned a sharp corner. Perhaps it was because Luke and Leia really were his children, or it was because he was weak, but Anakin knew he would not be strong enough to scarify them for anything, even the fate of the galaxy. Perhaps in the end, that would be his downfall.

As Luke sat in his cockpit he could feel himself unnerving. Arfive whistled as Luke tried to relax. "Oh stop your complaining," Luke told it. He had learned how to understand the Astromech droid long ago, and like Anakin, he wouldn't allow it to have a memory wipe. He said the information it held could come in handy one day, but the real reason what because he had grown attached to the Astro droid.

Luke started up his fighter. It roared beneath him. He piloted the ship forward and out into space.

"Good luck Red Leader, and may the Force be with you," Leia's voice said over his intercom. It was the first time he was leading a squadron of fighters so hearing his sister's voices a comfort.

"All wings, report in," Luke said.

The pilots responded one-by-one. The last to respond was his wingmate, "Red Two standing by." Hearing Mara's voice helped comfort Luke a little more.

"We're passing though a magnetic field," Luke said. He felt some turbulence, "Hold tight!" Luke adjusted his controls. "Switch you deflectors on." Now as they were entering combat Luke began to feel in his element.

"Look at the size of that thing!" a young pilot named Wedge Antillies said as the Death Star came into view.

"Cut the chatter, Red Three." Luke wasn't trying to be a hardass; he just needed his concentration. He needed to feel the Force and couldn't allow for any distractions. "Accelerate to attack speed. This is it!"

"Red Leader, this is Gold Leader," Anakin said.

Luke smiled hearing his friend's voice. "I copy, Gold Leader."

"We're starting for the target shaft now."

The rest of Gold Squadron followed Anakin towards the shaft. A swarm of enemy fighters were suddenly released, the same ones that had shot at the Falcon when they left the Death Star.

"Tie-fighters," Mara said, "They should be easy enough; they don't have any shields." Mara shot down one as soon as she finished her sentence.

"Why don't they have any shields?" Luke asked.

"The Emperor doesn't want the weak to survive."

A fighter in Blue Squadron got shot and destroyed. Luke felt the life-force vanish. "We're in position," Luke announced, trying to shake off the death, "I'm going to cut across the axis and try to draw their fire."

Mara followed, staying close to his wing.

Luke could see an opening in the shafted. He headed downwards. "I'm going in, he announced." Mara stayed above him, keeping her eyes open and aware.

"Luke pull up!" she said.

Luke obeyed, trusting her judgment. As he rose an explosion occurred below him. Mara saved his life.

"You okay?" she asked.

His wings were slightly scorched, but he was alive. "I got a little cooked," he joked, "but yeah, I'm okay."

"I'm going in," Mara announced while Luke's fighter was cooling off. As she dove below a TIE fighter began to tail Luke.

"I can't shake him," Luke said after a couple of maneuvers.

"I'm on him, Luke," Wedge said soared across the space to reach the TIE fighter.

The TIE fighter began to shoot at Luke, searing one of his wings. "Blast it, Wedge, where are you?"

"Need me?" Mara asked, but she was too far away and too close to their objective.

"Negative, Red Two, stay on target." Behind him the TIE fighter exploded, when the fire clears Luke could see Wedge's X-Wing. Relief overcame him. "Thanks, Wedge."

Luke noticed that Gold team was started to pull out of the shaft. "Red Leader, this is Gold Leader. We're starting out attack run," Anakin said.

"I copy, Gold Leader. Move into position."

"The exhaust post is marked and locked," Anakin announced to everyone.

Mara was getting close to the reactor core. Three TIE fighters locked onto her. "Get out of there, Mara," Luke said. She pulled up, just dodging a blast.

She flipped her ship over, shooting one of the fighters. Luke and Wedge shot down the other two.

Red Six began to spiral out of control after being hit by some debris. A TIE fighter quickly picked him off. "Piggy!" Wedge shouted as the X-Wing exploded. He and the now deceased, Porkins, were obviously very close.

Luke started seeing gun turrets as they shot at them. Easily Luke dodged them, and shot back.

"How many guns you think, Red Leader?" Anakin asked.

"I'd say about twenty guns. Some on the surface, some on the tower."

Anakin went back into the trenches and was follow by his team, which had now descended into a low single digit number. "Switching to targeting computer," Anakin announced. A fighter was shot down, leaving Gold team to only three members."

"Master Skywalker, be careful," Luke pleaded, "You're down to a trio."

Anakin didn't respond but instead pushed forward. He shot his proton torpedo and pulled up, followed by the remaining two members of his squadron.

"It's a hit!" Luke said, following his friend away from the trench before the Death Star exploded.

"Negative," Anakin said. "It didn't go in. It just impacted on the surface." Anakin's wing got blasted and he spiraled out of control.

"Anakin!" Luke shouted.

"Take another shot, Luke, complete the mission," he said, beckoning Luke away. The two other remaining members of Gold team exploded.

Mara's x-wing came up next to Luke. "Go," she said, "You've got better aim than me, and I'm better in combat. I'll protect Master Skywalker."

As much at it hurt, Luke complied. He flew away, trying to get another shot at the trench. He got back it there and some turrets shot at him. Firepower from both the left and right destroyed the turrets. "Red Leader, this is Blue Leader, you can calm down a little, Padawan. I've got your back." Obi-Wan's voice unnerved Luke and he relaxed. His Master was covering his back.

When Luke was approaching the reactor core a TIE fighter came in close contact to Obi-Wan. The elder master started to pull up but he didn't move in enough time. Their ships collided, turning both into a fiery explosion.