CHAPTER 25

I.

Wedge kept the Falcon coasting just above the treetops of Veraant's evergreens. A pair of A-Wing starfighters flew in formation to port and starboard above them to provide cover. The squadrons of agile rebel fighters had caught the larger force of TIEs off guard, and their superior maneuvering within the atmosphere gave them an additional advantage. They had taken out dozens of eyeballs in the first blow.

"I've got something on sensors, boss," Janson reported from the copilot's seat.

"What is it?"

"An explosion, sir."

A pair of TIEs roared past them without so much as a parting blaster shot. The reason for their haste became clear a moment later when a pair of concussions missiles riding white exhaust trails streaked after them. One missile struck the round underbelly of the second TIE's cockpit and blew it apart. The other missile continued through the fireball and then proximity-detonated just to starboard of the dead eyeball's wingman. The blast shredded the TIE's right solar panel and sent it tumbling to the surface. It spun through the green canopy of the treetops and exploded.

"There's plenty of crap blowing up around here, Wes, so be specific."

"This explosion was a thousand klicks south of the air battle—no ships are operating in that region."

Wedge turned to look at him.

"Could be Luke?" he asked.

"Could be."

Wedge flipped a few switches on the control panel and eased the yoke to the left.

"Signal our escorts to follow us due south." He hit the intercom switch. "Chewie, we think we've got a lead on Luke's location. How's the patch job coming?"

A series of hoots and growls came back over the speaker.

"Chewbacca reports that he is making progress, Captain," Threepio translated. "He did add, however, that if he needs to use the welder again on this trip, he is going to use it on—well—you, sir."

Wedge nodded. "Fair enough."

II.

Admiral Ackbar watched as gouts of flame erupted from a Star Destroyer's hull for the first time during the battle.

"Reciprocator has lost shields," the tactical officer announced.

"B-Wing groups Alpha through Gamma: make a strafing run at her bridge." Ackbar ordered. "Delta group: target her engines."

Twenty-four B-Wings raced along the Impstar's drive section towards the bridge, chewing up hull plating with constant fire as they went. The Destroyer suddenly banked hard to starboard, forcing their formation to scatter to avoid collision.

"They're running," Ackbar said.

"Yes, sir," tactical responded. "Detecting energy build-up in their engines."

And with a burst of light from their aft drive cluster, Reciprocator was gone. Cheers rose up from the bridge crew. Even Mon Mothma quietly pumped a fist through the air.

"Good work, people, but let's stay focused," Ackbar said. "Have the Justice move in behind the last Destroyer to establish triangular envelopment."

"Sir, the TIEs in the atmosphere are all making a break for orbit."

"Order our A-Wings to follow them. We'll take out as many as we can before they can dock with the Impstar."

"Can we destroy their hyperdrive before they can collect their fighters and retreat?" Mon Mothma asked.

Ackbar shook his head. "If we were getting close to achieving that end, the commander of the Destroyer would simply order the jump and leave the fighters behind. I suspect this battle will play out in the next several minutes."

"Then perhaps we can begin phase two, Admiral?" Mon Mothma said, her eyebrows raised.

"Indeed, Madam." Ackbar turned to his communications officer. "Deploy Search-and-Rescue shuttles. I want complete sweeps of the planet and the surrounding space for survivors."

III.

Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader dueled along the cliffs of the river canyon. The humming of their blades and the shrieking clash of their collisions were the only sounds audible over the deafening roar of the towering waterfall.

Vader swung his one arm from side-to-side and up and down, never letting up the pace for an instant. Luke parried these slashes, not easily, but without any close calls. He felt fear trying to rise to the surface and flood his mind. The realization came to him every few seconds that this was Vader he was fighting.

How could he possibly win? How could he do anything except be captured or killed?

But he controlled it. He kept those black currents from washing over him. He willed himself to focus. He would handle this battle one lightsaber stroke at a time.

As Luke did this, the world around them receded into the background, and then into something less—something faded and muted. Each swing from Vader seemed slower, and he blocked them with time to spare—with focus to spare. He used the extra moments to place thrusts of his own. The Dark Lord blocked them, but having only one arm, he could not recover with an attack of his own as quickly. And as Luke settled into a rhythm, his footing became surer, and he found it was he who was setting the pace.

Balance, young Skywalker, Yoda had once said. For every action, a reaction, there must be. For every light you shine, pushed back the darkness is.

Vader was on the defensive, and with each step Luke took forward, Vader was forced to step back. It was balance—and each gain he made had to be Vader's loss.

He was driving the Sith Lord towards the falls. The iron breathing came fast and erratic. The lightsaber strokes were shorter and more desperate. Luke maintained complete calm and clarity as his blade crashed down upon Vader's like a pendulum, again and again and again.

And in this moment, the whole universe seemed to make perfect sense, like a vast machine that Luke understood from beginning to end. All possibilities were within his grasp.

Luke dropped low and swept a kick behind Vader's calves, knocking his legs out from under him and dropping him onto his back. Vader wrenched his blade upward in a futile attempt to stave off a killing blow. The crimson blade wavered in the air between them as Luke prepared to bring down his own saber one last time.

I'm going to win.

I'm going to destroy my father.

My FATHER.

And that's when the world came crashing down back around him.

IV.

Vader lay on the ground, lamely holding his saber blade between himself and his son. Luke held his own blade above his head, and was about to strike him down when he suddenly paused. The utter passiveness in his eyes gave way to intense emotion.

Vader felt a shift in the force. It was like the moment when the temperature drops and the rain begins to fall. Like the bursting of a bubble.

He's lost his focus. The force has slipped from his grasp.

Vader force-grabbed a stone and launched it at Luke's raised hands. The magenta blade was knocked from his grip and went spinning over the cliff. It disappeared into the white currents of the falls.

Vader surged to his feet and Luke instinctively stepped back. His eyes went wide as his foot failed to find a purchase. He flailed his hand at Vader.

"Luke!" Vader tossed his lit saber aside and reached his remaining hand towards his son.

He was too late.

Luke went over the edge.

To be continued…