I don't own Star Wars Rebels or its characters
I own only Lisa Skywalker and my other OCs
Enjoy!
Sparks of Rebellion
Chapter 62: The Empire Strikes Back Part 2
In the Command Center...
General Rieekan looked up grimly from a console screen as he called over to Leia, Han, Nadia and Ferus.
"Princess, Jedi, we have a visitor."General Rieekan declared. "We've picked up something outside the base in zone twelve, moving east."
"It's metal."the senior controller admitted.
"Then it couldn't be one of those creatures that attacked Luke."Nadia complemented.
"It could be a speeder, one of ours."Han suggested.
"Hold on."Ferus instructed as he checked the screen. "There's something very weak coming through."
Threepio stepped up to the control panel and listens intently to the strange signal.
"Sir, I am fluent in six million forms of communication."Threepio exclaimed. "This signal is not used by the Alliance. It could be an Imperial code."
The transmission then ends in static.
"It isn't friendly, whatever it is."Han stated. "Come on, Chewie, let's check it out."
"Send Rogues Ten and Eleven to station three-eight."General Rieekan ordered.
Outside...
The dark probe robot moves past the smoldering ruins of station three-eight and down a ridge toward the Rebel base.
It raised a large antenna from the top of its head and begins to send out a piercing signal.
The probe droid has spotted Chewbacca who, not thirty feet away, has popped his head over a snow bank.
The probe robot swung around, but before it can get a shot off, it was hit from behind by a laser bolt and exploded in a million pieces.
Han replaced his blaster in its holster and peers intently at the smoldering remains of the Imperial probe.
In the Command Center...
Ferus, Nadia, Leia and Rieekan listen to Han on the comlink.
"Afraid there's not much left."Han stated.
"What was it?"Leia asked.
"Droid of some kind."Han responded. "I didn't hit it that hard. It must have had a self-destruct."
"An Imperial probe droid."Ferus murmured with a frown.
"It's a good bet, the Empire knows we're here."Han admitted.
"We'd better start the evacuation."General Rieekan declared.
In Space...
Darth Vader made he way to the main control deck of the Star Destroyer as controllers working the vast complex of electronic controls hear ominous approaching footsteps and look up from their controls.
The Sith Lord moved across the wide bridge, Captain Piett spoke to Admiral Ozzel.
"You found something?"Darth Vader questioned.
"Yes, my lord."Captain Piett replied.
Darth Vader leaned a little closer to the screen as Captain Piett brought up the image that showed several buildings that one of the Empire's probe droids transmitted in one of the military codes.
"That's it."Darth Vader answered. "The Rebels are there."
"My lord, there are so many uncharted settlements."Admiral Ozzel added. "It could be smugglers, it could be..."
"That is the system. And I'm sure the Skywalkers are with them."Darth Vader responded firmly. "Set your course for the Hoth system. General Veers, prepare you men."
The admiral nodded as Darth Vader went back to the deck, walking slowly back to the window where the ships would soon hear the new orders for the Hoth System.
However, the Dark Lord of the Sith became lost in his thoughts since he was thinking about two individuals.
Luke and Lisa Skywalker.
Twins.
His beloved Padme had given birth to twins!
The Sith Lord knew his Angel would've lived long enough to give birth to Lisa, but to learn that she gave him also a son nearly made him a feeling that he didn't have for so many years.
Padme expected a boy while he expected a girl though he never expected both of them to be right.
Both his children inherited the sandy blonde hair that he had when he was a small boy and only their eyes were different.
Luke had Anakin's eyes and...Lisa had Padme's eyes.
All the sudden, Darth Vader felt a boiling rage inside of him at the thought of his children being separated from each other and both hidden in the very two planets that he wouldn't ever visit due to his past life.
The Sith Lord cursed Obi-Wan and Ferus in his mind and the lies that they filled in his children's minds which caused him to crush the thoughts of what his life would've been if he didn't...
No.
He didn't have time for this and must deal with the rebels in Hoth.
The Jedi Knight known as Anakin Skywalker was dead and only Darth Vader; the Dark Lord of the Sith was alive.
In Hoth...
A captain issues instructions to two of his men at the entrance to the main transport bay.
Several Rebel transports behind them are being loaded by men carrying heavy boxes and moving quickly, but not in panic.
As soon as each transport were loaded, evacuation control would give clearance for immediate launch.
Alarms sound. Troops, ground crews and droids rush to their alert stations.
Armoured snow speeders were lined up in attack formation near the main entrance.
In the midst of all this activity, Han does some frantic welding on the lifters of the Millennium Falcon.
Han finished his work and hopped down to the hangar floor. He pulls out his comlink, all the while eyeing problematic lifters.
"Okay, that's it! Try it Off!"Han demanded angrily. "Turn it off! Turn it off! Off!"
Smoke rises from a minor explosion on the lifter as Han surveys the new damage.
Luke, pulling on his heavy-weather jacket headed toward a row of armored speeders with Lisa following next while wearing her orange pilot suit.
"Luke, are you sure you're able to pilot?"Lisa questioned. "The scars on your face look painful."
"I'm fine, Lisa."Luke assured with a small smirk. "Besides, I am a good pilot as you are."
"Right."Lisa chuckled. "We both have equal experience."
Leia brief a group of pilots gathered in the center of the hangar and among them were Zack and Gwen.
"All troop carriers will assemble at the north entrance. The heavy transport ships will leave as soon as they're loaded."Leia instructed. "Only two fighter escorts per ship. Zack, are you and Gwen going to keep the Empire preoccupied on the ground as we get away?"
"We can do it, Leia."Zack assured. "Don't worry."
"The two of us have done something like this with our father before."Gwen stated.
"Two fighters against a Star Destroyer?"Hobbie asked.
"The energy shield can only be opened for a short time, so you'll have to stay very close to your transports."Leia explained. "The ion cannon will fire several shots to make sure that any enemy ships will be out of your flight path. When you've gotten past the energy shield, proceed directly to the rendezvous point. Understood?"
"Right!"Zack, Gwen and the other pilots answered in unison.
"Good luck."Leia declared.
The pilots hurry away to their ships to prepare themselves with the upcoming battle against the Empire.
In the Snow Trench...
Rebel troops carried heavy bazooka-type weapons and position them along the snow trench.
Men hurriedly respond to their officers' yelled orders and brace themselves against the rhythmic gusts of bitter-cold wind while other troops load power packs into a gun turret and swing its guns into position.
Near the base power generators, troops rush to set up their heavy battle equipment.
Buzzing loudly, the generators send along, sparking fingers of energy into the bitter Hoth wind.
The long line of Rebel controllers is tense, as were Princess Leia, General Rieekan, Ferus and Nadia, who were trying very hard not to show any fear.
"Their primary target will be the power generators."General Rieekan explained. "Prepare to open the shield."
The Rebel transport and two escort fighters begin their departure from the ice planet.
The giant ball-shaped ion cannon rotates into position and blasts two red energy beams skyward.
The Rebel transport and its escort race away from the white planet, closely followed by the two red energy beams.
As the Rebel transport races toward the waiting Imperial Star Destroyer, it was overtaken by the two scarlet energy bolts.
The Imperial Star Destroyer is hit in the conning tower by the powerful bolts, which set up fiery explosions on its metal hull.
The big Star Destroyer veers, then spins wildly out of control.
As the Imperial ship careers into deep space, the Rebel transport races away to safety.
Pilots, gunners, and troopers hurried to their stations and their vehicles.
"The first transport is away!"the Announcer declared.
Everyone cheered at the announcement, which echoed through the hangar.
Luke and Lisa headed toward their snowspeeder and climb in.
Lisa smirked. "No problem if I take the gunner?"
"Sure, Lisa."Luke answered. "I'm ready for this. How about you?"
"Right now I feel like I could take on the whole Empire myself."Lisa admitted. "Like our father would take on the entire Separatist Alliance."
"I know what you mean."Luke assured quietly.
Outside the Rebel Base..
Ferus wearing a brown coat stood next to a trench officer as he lifted a pair of electro-binoculars to his eyes to check the objects that were on the horizon, moving in the direction of the Rebel base.
Through the lens, he sees a very close view of a giant Imperial snow walker and adjusts the view which then zooms back to reveal three more of the walkers approaching.
Small flashes of yellow fire billow from the guns of the lumbering snow walkers and the officer lowers his binoculars as the regular rhythmic pounding began to make the ground vibrate.
Ferus quickly took out his comlink to contact the base.
"Echo Station Three-T-Eight!"Ferus warned in his comlink. "We have spotted Imperial walkers on the north ridge!"
Ferus and the trench officer ducked down to dodge a streak of blaster that struck the weapon's turret behind them.
Pilots and gunners race to their waiting snow speeders.
Ice and snow began falling from the walls of the corridor, shaken by the pounding Imperial snow walkers as they draw nearer to the base.
Luke, Lisa, Zack and Gwen along with the fleet of snow speeders race above the ice field at full throttle, accelerate away from the base and head toward the distant walkers.
The cannons mounted on the walker head fire at the speeders as two speeders race away past two of the enormous walkers and bank to the right.
"All right, we're coming in."Luke declared.
"Here we go."Lisa murmured.
Luke turn their speeder and head directly at one of the walkers, flying toward its towering legs.
The horizon twists as the speeder banks between the legs.
"Zack, Gwen, are you still with us?"Lisa asked.
"We are, Lisa."Zack replied. "We are heading to a walker now."
Two speeders race directly at the head of a walker, then split and flew past it while three other walkers march onward, firing all cannons.
Rebel troops fired on the approaching walkers, as the snow and ice explode all around them.
A speeder banks through and away from the legs of a walker.
Two other speeders pass the first speeder from the opposite direction.
Other Rebel craft race just above the icy plain. A giant walker head swivels and fires, striking a snowspeeder and sending it crashing in a ball of flames.
General Veers and two walker pilots keep a careful eye on the racing Rebel snow speeders as they manoeuvre their lumbering war machine forward.
Luke and Lisa's speeder banks in from the side of Veers's walker and heads straight for its viewport, blasting away.
An explosion hits the walker window, but dissipates, doing no harm.
The speeder roared up and over the impregnable war machine.
Luke looked back at the walker as it grows smaller in the distance.
"That armour's too strong for blasters."Luke admitted.
"I guess we have to hit it with our blades."Lisa insisted with a small frown.
On the horizon, another walker moves up past the twins' cockpit window, twisting out of sight as Luke banked and started another run.
"Rogue Group, use your harpoons and tow cables."Luke ordered. "Go for the legs. It might be our only chance of stopping them."
Luke looked at Lisa.
"All right, stand by, Lisa."Luke instructed.
Lisa held the gunner's controls.
"Luke, we've got a malfunction in fire control."Lisa exclaimed. "I'll have to cut in the auxiliary."
"Hang on, Lisa."Luke insisted. "Get ready to fire that tow cable."
Lisa set ups the harpoon gun as Luke swings his speeder around and heads toward an oncoming walker.
Suddenly the walker fired a laser blast which caused Lisa's harpoon gun to get damaged.
Luke looked behind him to check on his twin sister.
"Lisa!"Luke shouted in worry.
"I'm alright, Luke!"Lisa assured. "But my harpoon gun is fried!"
Lisa held onto her controls and checked out the back window as an Imperial walker recedes in the distance.
Rebel troops fire the ray gun while explosions erupt around them before it got hit by a laser bolt from one of the approaching walkers and instantly exploded.
Inside the Imperial Snow Walker...
Through the cockpit window, General Veers and his pilot can see the Rebel power generators in the distance.
Then a hologram of Darth Vader appears on a control panel screen.
"Yes, Lord Vader."General Veers spoke up. "I've reached the main power generator. The shield will be down in moments. You may start your landing."
In the Battlefield...
"Wedge, Lisa lost her harpoon gun."Luke stated. "You'll have to make this shot. I'll cover for you. Set your harpoon. Follow me on the next pass."
"Coming around, Rogue Leader."Wedge answered.
"Steady, Rogue Two."Lisa warned.
Wedge's speeder races through the legs of one of the walkers and Wedge's gunner reaches for a firing switch to activate the harpoon.
The harpoon flashes out and speeds toward the receding legs of the walker before it gets embedded in one of the walker's legs.
"Good shot, Janson!"Wedge chuckled.
The speeder Rogue Three races around one of the giant walker's feet, trailing the cable behind it.
Continuing around the back foot, Rogue Three then circles the walker around the tail end.
Wedge checked his controls and banks around the front of the walker.
"One more pass."Wedge instructed.
"Coming around."Janson said. "Once more."
The speeder sweeps left to right in front of the giant legs, towing the cable behind it.
"Once more."Janson commented.
Wedge swings the speeder between the legs of the giant walker.
"Cable out!"Janson replied. "Let her go!"
"Detach cable."Wedge stated.
The cable release on the back of the speeder snaps loose and the cable drops away.
The speeder zooms away into the distance as the tangled legs of the walker attempt a step, but as they do the giant Imperial walker began to topple down.
Wedge lets out a triumphant yell, banking his speeder away from the fallen walker.
"That got him!"Wedge laughed in triumph.
"We see it, Wedge."Luke stated. "Good work. You too, Gwen."
Lisa smirked. "Nice move."
In the Command Center of the Rebel Base...
Large chunks of ice tumble into the command center as Nadia, Leia, Ferus and General Rieekan monitor computer screens.
"I don't think we can protect two transports at a time."General Rieekan declared.
"I assume we all evacuate before we receive any more damage."Nadia insisted firmly.
"It's risky, but we can't hold out much longer."Leia replied. "We have no choice."
"Launch patrols."Ferus ordered in the comlink. "Evacuate remaining ground staff."
Muffled distant explosions create widening cracks in the ice roof of the hangar.
Trying to ignore the noise and falling bits of snow, Han works on one of the Falcon's lifters while Chewbacca worked on one of the wings.
Noticing Chewbacca attaching a wrong part, Han grows more impatient.
"No! No! No!"Han shouted angrily. "This one goes there, that one goes there, right?"
In another area of the hangar, Threepio watched as Artoo was raised up into Luke and Lisa's tandem X-wing fighter.
"Artoo, you take good care of Master Luke and Lady Lisa now, understand?"Threepio instructed. "And do take good care of yourself."
Artoo gives Threepio a few beeps.
Outside...
The fierce battle on the vast snow plains of Hoth raged on.
The Imperial walkers continue their slow, steady assault on the Rebel base, firing lasers as they lumber ever onward.
In the snow trench, Rebel troops fire large guns and ray guns as explosions erupt around them.
A gun tower gets hit by a laser bolt and instantly exploded before another blast destroys a ray gun.
The main AT-AT, commanded by General Veers, prepares to take their aim at the Rebel base's main power generator.
Suddenly, Luke and Lisa's speeder was shot down by the Imperials and crash-lands in the snow, but the two siblings escaped before an AT-AT can step on and crush their ship.
In the Command Center...
Apart from the distant thunder of laser blasts, the corridor is strangely quiet and empty.
Han ran through the freezing hallway that had cracks in some of the walls and some pipes were broken, sending hot steam billowing into the underground hallways.
The smuggler hurried into the command center and some people wre still at their posts.
Han finds Ferus, Leia, Nadia and Threepio near one of the control boards.
"Why are you still here?"Leia questioned.
"I heard the command center had been hit."Han stated.
"You got your clearance to leave."Leia reminded.
"Don't worry. I'll leave."Han assured. "First I'm going to get you guys to your ship."
Threepio looked at Ferus and Nadia.
"Mr Ferus, Mrs Nadia, we must take this last transport."Threepio suggested. "It's our only hope."
Nadia looked at one of the controllers.
"Send all troops in sector twelve to the south slope to protect the fighters."Nadia ordered.
Suddenly, a blast rocks the command center, throwing Threepio backward into Han's arms.
"Imperial troops have entered the base!"the Announcer declared.
"Give the evacuation code signal!"Nadia demanded. "And get to your transports!"
"We need to get out of here!"Ferus warned. "Hurry!"
Han grabbed Leia as Ferus and Nadia started to lead them out.
As Han, Leia, Ferus, Nadia, R2-KT and Threepio run out of the command center, the code signal can be heard echoing off the corridor walls.
"Wait for me!"Threepio protested.
On the Battlefield...
Luke and Lisa managed to destroy two AT-ATs by using their hoist cables and lightsabers to get into the belly of the transport, tossing in two thermal detonators and then detaching themselves from the cables as a series of explosions neutralize the AT-ATs.
The Rebels suffer major casualties as the result of the battle. The main AT-AT, being driven by General Veers, gets within firing range of the power generator, then successfully blasts and destroys it.
Lisa quickly brought Luke back up from the icy ground as General Veers' walker continues to advance toward the Rebel base.
The Rebel troops continued their desperate retreat as they were pushed back by the relentless Imperial assault.
Inside the Rebel Base...
With Threepio lagging behind, Ferus, Nadia, Han and Leia race through the crumbling ice corridors.
Suddenly, there was an explosion whiched caused the four rebels to duck down before they continued making their escape.
Han takes out his comlink from his pocket to contact Chewbacca.
"Transport, this is Solo."Han declared. "Better take off. I can't get to you. I'll get her and the jedi out on the Falcon."
Ferus and Nadia paled when they felt a disturbance in the force causing them to slowly glance behind them.
Darth Vader had arrived inside the base!
"Vader is here."Nadia whispered.
"This way!"Ferus instructed. "Come on!"
Ferus, Nadia, Han and Leia run toward the entrance of the main hangar where the Millennium Falcon was docked as the snowtroopers reached the base and pushed through the blocked passageway with Darth Vader striding behind them.
"Wait!"Threepio shouted. "Wait for me! Wait!"
"Come on!"Han scowled.
Han reached out and pulled the golden droid through the entrance before Ferus quickly shut the door entrance down to prevent the Sith Lord and the snowtroopers from following.
Chewbacca paced under the shelter of the Millennium Falcon's landing gear and lets out a relieved shriek at seeing Ferus, Nadia, Han and Leia running toward the ship.
The Wookiee runs out into the falling ice, lets out a howl, then runs up the ship's ramp.
Ferus, Nadia, Han and Leia run up the ramp after him, closely followed by Threepio.
A distant, huge, explosion rocked the hangar deck as ice chunks come crashing down on the Millennium Falcon.
Han, standing before a control panel, was busy flipping switches as Chewbacca watched him.
Nadia, Ferus and Leia sat down in their seats in the cockpit before Han glanced at Chewbacca.
"How's this?"Han asked.
Chewbacca barked a negative reply.
"Would it helped if I got out and pushed?"Leia asked.
"Don't try to Leia."Ferus instructed. "We already lost enough time."
"Your boyfriend knows what he is doing."Nadia assured quietly.
Leia blushed. "He's not my-"
"Captain Solo, Captain Solo... sir, might I suggest that you..."Threepio started.
Han gives Threepio a look to shut him up.
"It can wait."Threepio responded.
Han flipped some more switches as Leia watched him with an impatient and disbelieving look.
"This bucket of bolts is never going to get us past that blockade."Leia commented.
"This baby's got a few surprises left in her, sweetheart."Han answered.
Ferus, Nadia, Han and Leia looked out the cockpit window and see a squad of snowtroopers rushing into the far side of the hangar after blasting down the door.
"They're here!"Nadia scowled.
Quickly, Han strapped himself into the pilot's seat and the giant hangar doors opened slowly.
A laser gun appeared on the Falcon and swings around to aim at the snowtroopers.
The snowtroopers, preparing to fire their bazooka cannon, were hit by the Falcon's fire and were thrown about in all directions.
Then Chewbacca rushesd into the cockpit.
"Come on! Come on! Switch over!"Han demanded. "Let's hope we don't have a burnout!"
A laser hits the window near Chewbacca as he was settling into his chair.
Letting out a loud whelp, the Wookiee quickly pulled back on the controls and the first stage of engine fire can be heard.
Han looked at Leia with a grin on his face.
"See?"Han sneered.
"Someday you're going to be wrong, and I hope I'm there to see it."Leia commented.
Han looked at Chewbacca.
"Punch it!"Han shouted.
The roar of the Millennium Falcon's main engines blasted out everything as the ice cave wall rushes by outside the cockpit window.
More stormtroopers run into the hangar, closely followed by Darth Vader.
Hearing the loud roar of the Millennium Falcon's engines, the Sith Lord looked toward the main hangar doors just in time to see the Falcon lift up and disappear outside the cave.
Luke, Lisa, Zack, Gwen and two other pilots look up as the Millennium Falcon raced above them, flying very close to the ground.
The three pilots turn then and trudge onward toward their X-wing fighters, each going to their own ship.
Luke and Lisa waved their companions farewell, then heads toward their own fighter.
Artoo, seated on his cubbyhole, chirped an excited greeting as Luke and Lisa climbed aboard the spacecraft.
"Artoo!"Luke called out. "Get her ready for takeoff!"
From his ship, Luke sees Wedge in his own X-wing, preparing for take off.
"Good luck, Luke and Lisa."Wedge remarked. "See you both at the rendezvous."
The Skywalker twins smiled and nodded at Wedge, then lowered themselves into the cockpit of his X-wing while Artoo waited in the cubbyhole, beeping impatiently.
"Don't worry, Artoo."Lisa chuckled. "We're going, we're going."
The canopy over the X-wing lowers and snaps shut.
Then Luke and Lisa's fighter speeds away from the icy planet and soon disappeared into the stars.
After making a decision, Luke pressed several switches and take their fighter into a steep turn.
Luke's X-wing banked sharply and flew away in a new direction.
The monitor screen on Luke's control panel prints out a question from the concerned Artoo.
"There's nothing wrong, Artoo."Luke replied. "I'm just setting a new course."
Artoo let out a beep.
"We're not going to regroup with the others."Lisa declared. "We're going to the Dagobah system."
Artoo let out a shocked beep.
Luke checked his readouts and makes a few adjustments as Lisa spoke to Artoo.
"Yes, Artoo?"Lisa asked.
Artoo uttered a soft, carefully phrased steam of whistles.
"Everything will be alright, Artoo."Lisa assured with a gentle smile. "You have nothing to worry about."
"That's all right."Luke assured. "I'd like to keep it on manual control for a while."
Artoo let out a defeated whimper as Luke and Lisa smiled at each other and continued on their destination to the Dagobah system.
Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter
Next chapter is Luke and Lisa meeting Yoda while Ferus and the others make their escape from Darth Vader:)