Ch. 14: Attacking the Fleet and What's With All the Visions?
(A week after Vindi's capture, Ahsoka and Galen had made a full recovery, and were now back into the war effort. With news of Ryloth's capture reaching the Republic, they have sent Anakin's fleet to destroy the Separatist blockade so that Obi-wan and Mace Windu's ground forces could take the planet. With it still being a few hours until the fleet reaches Ryloth, Galen was making a few modifications to his Jedi Starfighter, which has drastically changed since he was in the battle against the Malevolence. He and Anakin added large turbine engines, an internal hyperdrive, added to extra laser cannons at the sides, and a small seismic charge launcher, and they also changed the paint job, painting it completely black, and added three lightning bolts on the top, making it a ship that most Separatist Commanders and Admirals shake and some even retreat at the sight of it. A/N: In case you're wondering, it looks like the ship Anakin used during the Battle of Muunilist in the Clone Wars mini-series. After making some final modifications, Ahsoka called Galen to the War room where Mace Windu, Obi-wan, and Anakin were discussing the plan to take Ryloth.)
Windu: Skywalker, how long until you reach Ryloth?
Anakin: Four hours master.
Windu: Good. We need you to break that blockade if Master Kenobi and I are going to get our ground forces through.
Anakin: Don't worry master, my padawan's will break that blockade.
Windu: I hope you're right Skywalker.
(The hologram of Windu and Kenobi disappeared, and Galen and Ahsoka went back to hanger to do some more work on Galen's fighter. After finishing the tests, Galen went to work on Ahsoka's fighter. An hour later, Anakin went to the hanger to tell Galen that there would be a bit of a change to his Squadron.)
Anakin: Galen.
Galen: Yes master?
Anakin: I came to tell you that your squadron won't be using the standard Torrent fighters, but instead a new prototype called an ARC-170 starfighter. And instead of using Gold Squadron, you'll be given your own squadron; Red Squadron.
Galen: Understood Master. I look forward to seeing them in action.
(An hour later, Anakin's fleet exited hyperspace and Galen and Ahsoka got to their fighters, and prepared to launch; Ahsoka and her squadron first, then Galen and his Squadron.)
Galen: All wings report in.
Red 2: Red 2 Standing by.
Red 3: Red 3 standing by.
(After a Red Squadron finished it call in, Separatist fighters were getting closer to their fighters, and Ahsoka's Blue Squadron was already engaging them.)
Galen: Lock S-foils in attack position.
(Once Galen and Red Squadron engaged the fighters, the Separatists were losing fighters fast, but that soon changed when four more Separatist cruisers exited hyperspace and engaged the Republic forces, and the Redeemer was soon destroyed, and the Resolute and Defender badly damaged, and when Galen checked on Ahsoka's squadron, there was only her, Ax, and Blue 5. To make things worse, a squadron of new Separatist fighters was attacking Galen and his squadron. These fighters had three curved arms surrounding a sphere that held what appeared to be its eyes, and a heavy laser cannon in front of the sphere, and a light laser cannon on each arm, and two missiles on the bottom of the ship. With the heavy reinforcements, half of Galen's squadron was destroyed by the time Yularen contacted him and Ahsoka.)
Yularen: Commanders, we need to retreat, we can't hold out against all this fire power!
Ahsoka: You're just over reacting admiral. We can get through.
Yularen: It's too risky! I'm ordering you back here!
Galen: Ahsoka, we should retreat, most of our squadrons have been destroyed.
Ahsoka: No! We can do this, squadron stay on course!
Anakin: Ahsoka, this is not time to argue! I'm ordering your back here!
Ahsoka: Alright, alright. Let's go squad.
Ax: Why are we retreating?
Ahsoka: We're not retreating. We're following orders.
(As Red and Blue Squadron made their way to the Resolute, droid fighters started flying into the Resolute's bridge, damaging it until one droid hit the command deck, severely damaging it.)
Ahsoka: Admiral? Do you copy? Admiral?!
Clone: All fighters return immediately, we're making the jump to hyperspace!
Ahsoka: Copy. Galen, Ax, stand on it. We only have a few seconds to get to the ship.
Ax: Don't worry about us skipper.
Galen: I'll try, but these droids won't leave me alone. Red 3, think you can lend me a hand?
Red 3: On my way.
(Red 3 made his way to Galen's starfighter and began firing at the fighters chasing Galen, but accidentally hitting Galen's right engine in the process.)
Red 3: Sorry sir!
Galen: Don't worry about Red 3, thanks for the assist; see you back at the ship.
Red 3: Yes sir.
Galen: Ax, what's going on?
Ax: I can't get these fighters off my tail!
Galen: Hang on. I'm on my way! R7, focus all remaining power to the main guns.
(R7 gave a confirming beep, and focused Galen's starfighter power to the guns and began shooting at the starfighters chasing Ax, and destroyed them.)
Ax: Thank you sir.
Galen: No problem Ax.
(But right as Galen finished that sentence, his right engine exploded, engulfing half of his ship in flames.)
Ahsoka: Galen!
Galen: I'm fine Ahsoka, just get to the hanger! I'll be right behind you.
(However Galen couldn't keep that promise, since he gained speed and passed Ahsoka, and landed it the hanger just as the doors opened.)
Galen: R7! Eject!
(R7 did as he was told and ejected out of the fighter, just before it hit the wall and the rest of the ship, including part of the canopy was in flames. As soon as Ahsoka got out of her fighter, she ran over to Galen's fighter, that had just had it's flames put out by the fire patrol troopers, and they began cutting the canopy open, but Ahsoka moved them out of the way and used her lightsaber to cut the canopy open and the medics carefully got him out of the fighter, and right as everyone was away from the fighter, it exploded, leaving nothing left but its shell. Once the Resolute entered hyperspace, Anakin went to the hanger, and saw what remain of Galen's fighter, Galen, who was in seriously bad shape, and Ahsoka trying to hold back tears, but failing miserably. He would talk to her later, but first he need to get everything cleaned up in the hanger. After the Resolute exited hyperspace, Anakin called over a pilot from Red and Blue Squadron.)
Anakin: Get your men together, I need a head count, we need to know how many we lost today.
(Anakin looked over at Ahsoka, who was waiting for him in the hanger, and as he walked over to her, he had to think of a way to give her the news about Galen.)
Anakin: Ahsoka, I am very disappointed in you! Not only did you disobey the admiral, you disobeyed me!
Ahsoka: I thought we could knock out those battle ships so that when Obi-wan arrived, he could get through.
Anakin: I know you meant well Snips, but there's a bigger you're not seeing here, first rule of war; listen and obey your superiors.
Ahsoka: But sometimes you get carried away!
Anakin: All that means is that I know what you're going through. It was a trap Snips, it wasn't your fault.
Ahsoka: I lost so many of my pilots.
Anakin: Take heart little one, that's the reality of command; you're going to lose men, no matter how careful you are.
Ahsoka: But Galen…he could have died! He told me we should retreat, but I didn't listen, and now he's in a critical state because of me!
Anakin: Ahsoka…
Rex: Excuse me sir. Sorry to interrupt, but master Windu wants to our progress on breaking the blockade.
Anakin: Our progress? We haven't made any progress.
Rex: I'll tell him sir.
Anakin: No, I'll tell him myself Rex, thank you. Ahsoka, I'm going to need you to…
(Anakin couldn't finish his sentence, since Ahsoka left the hanger during Anakin and Rex's conversation. Ahsoka decided to check on Galen and Yularen, since she felt that it was her fault that they ended up in the infirmary in the first place. After apologizing to the unconscious admiral, Ahsoka walked over to Galen and waited for the medical droid to give her a report on him.)
Droid: He is stable.
(Ahsoka then nodded and the droid walked away, to continue its checking on other patients, and when Ahsoka was sure the two were alone, she placed a small kiss on Galen's lips, hoping he would understand it being an apology. When she broke the kiss, she started crying again.)
Ahsoka: Galen, I am so sorry. Because of me, you got hurt and now you're in the infirmary. I seem to be nothing but bad luck when I'm around you, since this is the third time you almost got killed on a mission with me.
(Ahsoka was about to kiss Galen again, but Rex walked in before she could.)
Rex: General Skywalker is looking for you.
(Ahsoka nodded and walked out of infirmary, unaware of the visions going on in Galen's head. In it, he was surrounded by large trees, green grass, and clear sky. It felt a bit familiar to him, but he couldn't remember where, he started walking through the forest, until he came up on a small wooden hut that appeared to be even more familiar to him, but he still couldn't remember from where. As he walked through the forest, it got darker and more ominous looking, he continued walking until he heard raspy breathing, he tried to call his lightsaber, but it wasn't there, he turned around and saw an armored figure facing him, on its belt he saw several lightsaber, Anakin's, Dooku's, his, and Ahsoka's, which made his heart sink. The figure then activated a fifth lightsaber, and charged towards Galen, and although he tried to Force push the figure away, but nothing happened. The figure then jumped up and swung his lightsaber towards Galen's neck. But before it beheaded him, he jerked awake, and saw the admiral was awake as well.)
Galen: Admiral, are you alright?
Yularen: Yes, I'm fine, thank you commander.
Galen: Well, I need to head to the bridge, I have a feeling we'll be needed.
(Yularen nodded in agreement and made him and Galen made their way to the bridge and heard Ahsoka yell at a clone commander.)
Ahsoka: No, we don't have any more time! Master Skywalker needs me now! He needs us now!
Galen: She's right. I'm sure whatever it is that Ahsoka has in mind, it will work.
(Ahsoka just smiled at seeing Galen talking and moving around, and she smiled even more when she realized he was doing it to help her, and Galen just smiled in return.)
Galen: So, what do you have in mind?
(Ahsoka told Galen her plan, and was more shocked about Anakin's part of the plan, than he was Ahsoka's, but he agreed to help by being her gunner in her Y-wing. Once they all the fighters were ready, the Resolute exited hyperspace just as the Resolute hit the droid command ship. After a few minutes, the droid cruisers didn't make a move.)
Rex: The droids aren't attacking; we might have to pull back.
Ahsoka: Wait, remember, they are just droids, they're just a little slow, they'll figure it out.
(Just then, all the attack cruisers began firing on the Resolute, and the shields were holding. The bombers flew out of the Resolute's hanger and began giving the cruisers their payload. About twenty minutes later, all the cruisers were destroyed, and Obi-wan's ground forces just exited hyperspace.)
Obi-wan: Ahsoka, this is Obi-wan, are we clear for a ground assault?
Ahsoka: Yes master, the blockade has been taken care of.
Obi-wan: I won't even ask where the rest of Anakins' is, or why he's in an escape pod.
Galen: That's probably for the best.
Ahsoka: That reminds me, Master, you there?
Anakin: Yep, Artoo and I are just enjoying the show.
Ahsoka: Good, I'm sending a shuttle to pick you up.
Obi-wan: Galen, how do feel?
Galen: Better than how I used to.
Obi-wan: Good, dock with my ship, I'm going to need your help with getting Master Windu a landing pad.
Galen: Of course Master.
(Ahsoka then cut the transmission to all the other fighters and cruisers to give her and Galen some privacy.)
Ahsoka: Galen, are you alright?
Galen: Yeah 'Soka, I'm fine.
Ahsoka: Good, it really scared me to see you crash and so beaten up. I thought I lost you.
Galen: You're not getting rid of me that easily.
Ahsoka: I'm serious Starboy. I love you; I don't want you to be put in the infirmary every time we have a mission together.
Galen: I love you too Ahsoka, but you have to realize that death is always possible when in war.
Ahsoka: I know…but still.
Galen: Ahsoka, listen, you and I are going to get through this, I promise you, and then we can spend the rest of our lives together in peace.
Ahsoka: Promise?
Galen: Promise.
Ahsoka: Okay, now let's get you to Obi-wan, and be careful down there.
Galen: Aren't I always?
Ahsoka: No.
End of Chapter