Sorry these two chapters have taken so long, its school holidays here and I'm super busy. Chapter 10 is already well under way.

Chapter 8

Deek, together with the Ensign he had accosted, entered one of the huge hangar bays aboard the Executor. Row after row of TIE fighters and TIE bombers awaited their pilots, with more in the racks to the sides. Engineers where busy checking each fighter was fuelled and loaded. It looked more like the invasion of a small planet was being planned, not one base, clearly Darth Vader wanted to be certain of securing victory this time, as well as finding Luke.

'Deck officer! Deck Officer!' shouted Deek.

'Yes Lieutenant, can I help you?'

'You certainly can, I wish to assess this Ensign before launch, I have a few concerns, are any of these fighters ready to go?' questioned Deek, pointing at the row of fighters at the front of the hangar.

'Yes Sir, the three front rows are ready, please take your pick,'

'Thank you, Officer, I can see to this assessment, please continue,' said Deek.

The Deck Officer nodded and returned to his duties. Deek waited until he was out of sight before marching his charge to the TIE in the centre of the front row.

'Right, Ensign Boone, please demonstrate a full check of the fighter that every pilot is expected to carry out before launch,' ordered Deek.

'Yes Sir,' replied the Ensign and began the check, talking his was through as he went. Deek was half listening and half watching for engineers or the deck officer returning, so far no one had recognised him.

'Sir, I've completed the exterior check, shall I move onto the cockpit?' asked Boone.

'Excellent, so far you are doing well. Yes, and be quick about it, it is important to be able to get a fighter ready quickly for departure,' replied Deek, taking the Ensigns helmet.

Boone nodded and climbed the ladder into the cockpit settling himself into the pilot's seat. Deek perched on the edge of the hatch, the inside was not designed for two people. Boone went to strap himself in, 'No need for that Ensign, just get her all fired up,'

The engines roared into life as Boone continued his checks. Deek handed him a set of co-ordinates, 'Right Boone please enter these co-ordinates, prep the course at maximum speed on autopilot.'

'Yes Sir,' said Boone, keen to prove himself. Deek watched to make sure Boone was doing everything correctly, he did not want some random course setting sending him spinning off to unchartered space, his heart raced hoping no one would discover them before he could….

'All done Sir,' Boone said interrupting his though process.

'Excellent, right can you just check the fuel panel, just down there by your feet?'

Boone dipped his head to check, Deek seized his chance, he brought the helmet down hard on Boone's head with a loud thunk. He slumped unconscious in his seat. Deek felt awful for inflicting all this on the young Ensign but he needed to get off this ship. He hauled the Ensign up and dropped him down to the floor, he landed with a thud. The noise of Boone hitting the floor drew the attention of the Deck Officer and engineers, 'Hey, what the hells is happening here?!' Deek heard someone shout. He slammed the hatch shut and strapped himself into the seat, putting on the helmet as he heard alarms ringing outside the fighter. Deek pulled back on the stick and the fighter rose into the air, he flew through the atmospheric shield under blaster fire from the squad of storm troopers that had responded to the alarms. Sweat beading on his forehead he cleared the ship and pulled back on the throttle, flicking the switch for autopilot he blasted off on the set course.

The Executors Bridge

Darth Vader stood on the Bridge with Admiral Ozzel and General Veers, 'The Avenger and Devastator will be arriving at Yavin 4 shortly my Lord,' said Ozzel.

'Good, are the fighters and transports ready?' asked Vader.

'Yes, my Lord, storm troopers are already aboard their transports, final checks on the TIE fighters are nearly complete, the pilots will be in them shortly,' answered Veers.

An alarm sounded down in the command pits beneath them. 'My Lord, there has been an alert in hangar bay one,' informed an officer.

'Put them through,' said Vader.

'Deck officer to bridge, Deck officer to bridge, we've had an incident down here. One of the TIE pilots has undertaken and unauthorised launch, an Ensign is injured and in a bad way, we tried to stop the pilot, but he got away fast' said the Officer.

'Shall we set a course for pursuit Lord Vader?' asked General Veers.

'No, the loss of one fighter and pilot is of minor concern, they are easily replaced. The raid of the rebel base is of more immediate importance, we can attempt to track the fighter once we have succeeded on Yavin 4,' replied Vader.

Vader was certain it was Deek who had escaped, he was going to use him as leverage when Luke returned, threatening to hurt his friend always worked. But no matter, he had to locate Luke first.

'Set a course to orbit Yavin 4 Admiral, we will join the Avenger and Devastator and begin the attack,' ordered Vader turning to leave, his cloak billowing in his wake.

…

Luke had been taken straight to surgery when they had docked with the Redemption and was now floating in one of the ships many bacta tanks. Leia observed from a couch opposite sipping on a cup of kaf, she had given Nea a much-needed break from her duties, the young nurse had been through a lot. She was still pondering over what had happened when she had touched the Princes hand when Han joined her.

'Well, your Worship, it looks like you managed to keep me round a little while longer,' he said with a smile as he took as seat next to her, 'what are we going to do with his highnessness over there?'

'I will speak with Mon Mothma when he's out of the tank, we could hold him as a sort of hostage, make him stand trial, try and get him to help us? I just don't know,' sighed Leia.

'Get him to help us, more chance of a Hutt smelling of roses than that, why would he help the Alliance?'

'We did save his life, he might surprise us,' said Leia. Han stared at her, raising an eyebrow quizzically, 'He might surprise us? What's gotten into you?'

Leia took a deep breath, 'you will think I'm crazy if I tell you, you said you didn't believe in all that ancient religion and force stuff.'

'Did something happen on the Falcon, Chewie said you looked all riled up when you came back to the cockpit, did that little brat do something to you?!' said Han starting to get annoyed.

'Calm down Han he was out cold. I touched his hand and felt this strange connection to him. It was like I could feel his pain and….' she hesitated.

'and?' said Han.

'He was scared, terrified even, just this overwhelming sense of fear engulfed me, and I almost felt sorry for him. Up until then I had been all for making him stand trial, a death sentence even, but now? I'm so confused,' said Leia.

Han thought for a moment, feel sorry for the kid? What was she on about? It did sound like a load of mumbo jumbo, but getting Her Worship even more worked up that she already was probably was not the best thing to do right now. 'Look, why don't you wait until he's awake, can't be long now, then we can talk to him,' he said finally.

Leia smiled, 'Yeah,' she replied wearily leaning against Han. Han was about to put his arm round her when the medic approached. Straightening up Leia greeted him.

'The surgery to repair the Princes chest wall went well and the time in the bacta tank should heal the remaining injuries and broken ribs. He will likely be stiff and sore when he wakes for a day or two,' informed the medic, 'we'll have him out of the tank shortly, I have set aside a secure room for him.'

'Thank you,' said Leia, 'even in a weakened state I feel a guard on the door would be wise to.'

'Chewie can help there,' offered Han, 'come on, let's get some shut eye while we can.'

Leia nodded and allowed Han to escort her to her room. Laying down to rest she was thankful for the break sleep would bring from the Prince, who seemed to occupy all her thoughts now.

….

The Executor, Devastator and Avenger where in orbit around Yavin 4. Darth Vader's shuttle had left for the surface along with two TIE squadrons and two squadrons of stormtroopers. Vader knew he could not fail, they had to destroy the base once and for all. The delay in re-grouping the Death Squadron and in part due to having to interrogate Black Squad members, meant several Rebel transport ships and fighters has already managed to leave the planet. Scouts had informed them several Rebels remained, there should be a few to question if his son was not amongst them hoped Vader.

He addressed the squadrons from his shuttle, 'All squadrons, we are entering the atmosphere of Yavin 4. TIE squad one you approach from the west to try and create a diversion, TIE squad two, cover the bombers. Both stormtrooper squadrons with me, we shall land at the entrance to the base and invade from there, shoot down all in your path.'

.…

On Yavin 4 the Rebel Base was nearly fully evacuated, a handful of ground crew and pilots were waiting for the last large transport vessel to get away and then they would leave with General Dodonna.

'General! General!' shouted the lieutenant, 'My scopes are picking up a large group of ships approaching, TIE fighters and bombers.'

'How many fighters do we have left on the base?' asked Dodonna.

'Not many sir, six at the most,' he replied.

'Open a base wide channel,'

'Remaining personnel, this is General Dodonna, Imperial fighters are approaching we must finish evacuating. All available pilots to their ships, everyone else to your nearest transport, do not stop to gather equipment. We head for the fleet, fighters protect the transports, may the force be with us,' ordered Dodonna.

'Sir the bombers are destroying the guns and towers,' informed the lieutenant.

'Leave them, there isn't anything we can do now, delete the data files and get to your transport,' replied Dodonna.

….

With the Rebels temporarily distracted by the fighters and bombers, Darth Vader seized his chance and landed on the opposite side of the base with the two squadrons of Stormtroopers.

'Squad one with me, we will enter the base and seek out any senior ranking Rebels to question, shoot anyone else. Squad two remain here to protect the ships, again, shoot anyone who approaches,' ordered Vader.

Vader set off surrounded by his storm troopers, a handful of Rebel soldiers rushed out firing. They manage to take out two or three troopers before being shot themselves. They entered the hangar to alarms ringing in response to their presence, marching onwards Vader reached out through the force in search of Luke, still nothing. If his son was here, he was either dead or unconscious. Two Rebels emerged from behind a damaged y-wing taking out the trooper in-front of Vader, stepping over the body Vader raised a hand and the two soldiers rose from the floor, flew backwards, and crashed into wall, landing with a thud. He gestured to the trooper next to him who went over and fired a blaster blot into each to make sure they were dead. Vader was not taking any chances this time.

'Hangar is clear my Lord,' said the Commander.

'Good, let us move further into the base, these Rebels where just foot soldiers, they must have a Commander somewhere,' replied Vader, 'lead on.'

Moving deeper into the base Darth Vader and his squad passed the medical bay, a search inside revealed it to empty of patients and medical staff. The only remaining inhabitants where the deceased on the trolleys over in the corner. The Rebels had clearly moved quickly, leaving their dead behind and even some equipment. Vader moved around the bay quickly but thoroughly, reaching out to find any trace of his son. Moving towards a bay in a small alcove Vader pulled back the partially opened curtain, in a heap on the floor was the torn black flight-suit of a TIE pilot. Vader bent to pick it up, dried blood covered the top half. The suit was ripped but also bore evidence of having been cut further to remove it from its owners' body. There was no mistaking this was his sons, he could feal it. The force moved in turmoil around him, fuelling the anger he already had towards the Rebels. Gathering up the suit he headed out of the med bay.

'Commander!' Vader boomed, 'gather your men, we need to find their leader,' he ordered as he continued onwards, the troopers hurrying to gather around him. Finding the blood-soaked suit meant his son was injured but alive as he suspected, what has the Rebels done with him, where had they taken him?

Rounding a corner Vader and his troopers proceeded along a long corridor. They could hear the thuds and feel the vibrations and shaking from the bombers outside. Occasionally the walls would shudder, and rubble would tumble down. A few passageways went off the main hallway, but Vader continued ahead, he could sense the fear in those who remained.

…..

'Right General that's it, we are the only ones left. I've not heard from the soldiers that went to confront Vader and the stormtroopers so I can only assume they are dead or captured, everyone else has gotten away,' said the Lieutenant. He had deleted all the secret data files, having transferred copies to the fleet, but he had refused to leave Dodonna on his own.

'Thank you, Lieutenant, it's been an honour, now let's….'

He was cut off by a large explosion blowing down the door and sending debris in every direction. Half a dozen stormtroopers entered followed by Vader and more troopers.

'Hands up'.

'On your knees, now!' ordered the troopers to Dodonna and the Lieutenant pointing their blasters at their heads.

General Dodonna and the Lieutenant complied, the latter shaking with fear. The ground continued to shake from the bombs being dropped outside. Vader approached the two Rebels, an intimidating sight to the men on their knees.

'And you two are?' he asked.

'I am General Dodonna, this is my Lieutenant, we are all that remain,' answered Dodonna.

'Good you two should therefore know what happened to my son and his location,' asked Vader, his monotonous tone unfaltering. Getting no response, he threw the black flight suit on the ground in front of them.

'I found this in your medical bay. It is my sons, so do not try to pretend he was not here. What have you done with him?' Vader asked again.

'We saved his life,' answered to Lieutenant with anger, 'he crashed, and we saved him, a hell of a lot more than what you would do for one of us.'

Vader nodded at the two stormtroopers behind the Lieutenant who in response dragged him to his feet. The Lieutenant glared at Vader's mask with distain, the noise of the respirator the only thing to break the silence.

'I will ask you one last time, where is my son?' said Vader.

'I'll die before I tell you anything!' shouted the Lieutenant.

'So be it, 'answered Vader. In one swift motion the Lieutenant rose from the floor gasping and grabbing at his neck. Closing his fist there was a sickening crack as the Lieutenants neck broke, Vader then threw his body across the room where it crashed into a console and slid to the floor. He turned to Dodonna.

'General we simply do not have the time for this, it is foolish to resist. Now tell me where my son is or meet the same fate as your Lieutenant.'

Dodonna raised his head and stared Vader down, 'Your Death Star is destroyed, the galaxy knows you can be defeated, the Empire will fall and you along with-it Darth,' he said boldly. Vader had had enough, without warning he stepped forward, placed his hand on Dodonnas and head tore through his mind with the force. Dodonna screamed in pain, his head felt like it was being ripped apart under Vader's grip. Vader abruptly released him, and he fell forwards, putting is arms out just in time to stop his head hitting the floor.

'I have what I need Commander, back to the ships, give the order to destroy this base once and for all,' said Vader, 'oh, and kill him.' As he left the room a sound of a single blaster shot rang out, ending General Dodonnas life.