Act III

Chapter 7

As the X-wings and other fighters emerged from hyperspace in the Ghansel system, Ahsoka was quick to call role. "Alright squadrons, this is Free Leader, clear of the jump site. All pilots respond."

*Green Leader present, six little Greens accounted for.*

*Red Leader present, all Reds arrived safely.*

*This is Gold Leader, both Golds checked in.*

*Sky One ready for action-*

*-and Sky Two right behind him.*

Smirking, Ahsoka rolled her eyes at the twins' shared eager tone, something she recognized from their dad. "Alright, Gold Squadron is going to head in first for the trench. Greens provide cover fire to the N-Sec, Reds to the S-Sec. The Skies and I will circle opposite the Golds as a distraction. Orders clear?" A chorus of affirmatives from all the pilots answered her, and Ahoksa was reminded of the days she'd be leading a flight of clones into battle.

These stakes were much higher than any mission in the war, though.

This time, they were protecting more than a single ship or planet, but rather the entire galaxy and beyond.

"Alright boys and girls, let's move in, and kick these Imps where it hurts."

-T&T-

They'd returned.

Vader had just been about to leave the bridge after learning that the tracking device was discovered abandoned on the planet below, when he felt a large shudder in the Force. Extending himself, the Sith was just able to detect twenty different lifeforms swiftly approaching the Death Star. Half were strong with the Force - and three were the Jedi who'd only just escaped him earlier that day.

Evidently, they were planning to attack the station.

Just as Vader came to that realization, one of the ensigns below informed Tarkin of the incoming attack force. Fighters were immediately deployed, though the Grand Moff waved away any concern that the Death Star was in danger. Nonetheless, Vader quietly ordered for his own Tie to be readied for take-off, and departed for the hangar bays.

-T&T-

*Here they come!*

*Red Two, I could some extra cover fire here.*

*Three Ties above you, Green Five!"

*Gold Squadron has entered the trench, I repeat, Gold Squadron beginning our bombing run now.*

*We lost Red Four, enemy squadron circling around.*

"Green Leader, send two of your pilots to reinforce Red Squadron." Ahsoka ordered, paying attention to the battle with both her ship's sensors and the Force. Above and slightly behind her, the twins remained silent in their own X-wings, concentrating on evading enemy fire as they continued to flaunt themselves as a distraction.

*Affirmative, Free Leader.* Mara acknowledged. *Green One, Green Two, go give the Reds a hand.*

*Gotcha, Green Leader.*

*Understood.*

"Gold Squadron, what's your status?"

*Almost to the t- Argh!*

"Gold Two's gone, the Ties are right on top of me!*

*Stay on target-*

"Pull out, Golds, the run isn't worth your lives!"

*Negatory, Free Leader, Gold One's gone, Gold Leader- fek and all, they got him too.*

"New arrangement, then - the Skies and I are coming back around. Red Leader, send three of your pilots in for a quick diversion, but have them pull up when we get there."

*Acknowledged. Red Three, Red Two, follow me in.*

Ahsoka and the twins neatly twisted out of the path they'd been following, avoiding the majority of the Tie fighters behind them and blasting a few others to smithereens. Then they were in a race to get back to the main action before the three Red pilots had to leave off their diversionary run. The rest of Red and Green Squadrons circled the trench, putting up as much of a defense as they could. Mara's pilots in particular were able to take out enemy fighters just before they could successfully strike any rebel, as all the members of that squad were Force-sensitives, including a couple other Jedi who'd received training on Dagobah.

Unfortunately, that by no means made them perfect, and a few Ties still got through to attack the Reds. Including one, Ahsoka realized with a shiver, that Darth Vader was piloting.

*Careful, Red Leader, you've got Vader and his Blacks coming in on top of you!* Luke warned over the comms.

*We see them, Sky One. Darklighter, Antilles, get ready to pull out- now!* Just in time, the two young pilots swerved up from the trench to avoid being blasted by the elite Imperial pilots. Their squad leader, though, kept going, keeping the trio focused on him. Vader's ship swooped lower, fired, and took out the rebel pilot in one go. Ahsoka felt his death, but rather than growing angry at the Sith, kept herself calm by calling on the Force. Luke managed the same, but Leia...

"Sky Two, get back in formation!"

*Negatory, Free Leader, if we can sense him he can sense us. I'm going to pull Vader away from the fight.*

*I'll come-*

"Sky One, you stay right where you are!" Ahsoka barked. "Sky Two, get back down here for the bombing run with your brother - I'll distract Vader."

Obviously reluctant, Leia came down from the upward swoop she'd been entering, changing position with her aunt. One of the Red pilots, Wedge Antilles, took command of his squadron and set them to a rotating defense around the trench, while Biggs spun around and joined the twins for their run.

Blocking out the chaos of the fight around her, Ahsoka called on the Force to guide her movements as she swept directly in front of Vader's Tie, causing him to alter course in order to pursue. His bodyguard pilots, Blacks One and Two, had a hard time keeping up with the elaborate dance that the pair went through, reminiscent of their old tag-team efforts in the Clone Wars and yet so different. Circling behind an incoming group of Ties, Ahsoka blasted two, forcing Vader to swerve around them and buying her an extra bit of distance. She then had to enter a quick series of flips to evade his own fire, before entering a tight dive towards the Death Star's surface.

Then, disaster struck.

In avoiding a cannon shot from below, Ahsoka was too slow to pull back out of the path of Vader's shot, which tore out a section of her hull. The Jedi forced herself not to panic, in case she alerted the twins to her predicament and caused them to leave off their important attack. Pulling into as sharp a turn as she dared with her weakened ship, the woman prepared to at least try and take Vader down with her-

One of the Blacks exploded, the shockwave propelling Vader's Tie of to one side and away from the clear shot he would have had on Ahsoka. Stunned, the Jedi stared up at where the Millennium Falcon was coming around for another pass.

*Guess you're lucky we were in the neighborhood, Tano!* Han's voice had never been more welcome over the comm line. A moment later, there was another reason to celebrate.

*Sky Two got a direct hit!* Luke cheered. *Everyone pull out, we've got less than twenty seconds to detonation!*

The remaining fighters all sped away, with the Falcon providing cover fire. They all got just past the blast radius when the entire Death Star shattered, the massive explosion sending debris and energy ripples in all directions. Ahsoka had a brief flash in the Force from the deaths of those aboard, followed by the sense of Vader's fury. Where he'd wound up in his Tie, the woman didn't care, because she, the twins and all their allies were jumping to hyperspace, eager to return to Yavin and declare their victory.

-T&T-

The first thing Han encountered upon disembarking from his ship was Leia dashing up to him, throwing her arms around the man in a suffocatingly tight hug.

"Knew you wouldn't just up and leave," she murmured into his chest.

"Yeah, well, don't get used to- oomp! Chewie!" The wookie had come down the ramp behind them and grabbed both the humans in an embrace of his own, lifting them clear off the ground with a cheerful cry. Others began to gather as well, eager to congratulate the young Jedi who'd made the final shot that brought down the Death Star.

Shmi had first gone to give Luke a relieved hug, and Artoo, then Ahsoka, and finally Biggs as well.

"Well, I guess you were right, Lars!" The youth laughed. "Those Skywalkers sure are phenomenal pilots."

"I told you so." She grinned back. "Glad you came out in one piece, Biggs."

"Yeah, me too. Hey, Wedge! Have you met my friend Shmi yet?"

There was someone else waiting in the hangar bay, whom Ahsoka sought out as soon as she escaped the crowd of well-wishers. "Obi-wan."

"Ahsoka. I'm very glad to see that you've escaped from two close encounters with Vader in as many days," the man murmured, resting a hand on her shoulder. "The twins?"

"They're fine. Speaking to him was a bit jarring for them, but nothing too traumatic."

"Good, good."

"Will you be staying long?"

"Only until Bail leaves - he's promised to drop me off at Cody and Rex's base on the way to Alderaan. When that will happen, though, I'm not sure, because it promises to be quite the party for the remainder of tonight and possibly tomorrow as well."

"Obi-wan, this place is going to be in a state of celebration for the next week. And while I doubt Organa will stay for all of it, you are by no means leaving as early as tomorrow."

"Hm. Perhaps so." The mischievous twinkle in his eyes, though, told Ahsoka that the elder Jedi agreed with her statement completely. "Now, do you think we're going to be able to pull Luke and Leia out of that crowd any time soon?"

Looking over to where dozens of pilots, mechanics and other rebels had gathered around the twins, everyone laughing and cheering for the young Jedi, Ahsoka grinned and shook her head.

"Not likely in the slightest."

A/N: End Act Three! Not entirely certain of when I'll start up number four, but next weekend I'll post an Interlude chapter covering the three 'between' years. See you all then!

-Tri