Chapter 30- Evacuation Plans and Too Close
It didn't take long to lock down the base and begin loading the transports. It even took less time when Lena and Cora were using the Force to move crates into the ships. Lena looked over and saw her brother jog through the base. She gently lowered a crate and ran to him. "Luke, are you okay?" Lena asked, putting her hands on Luke's shoulders and looking into his eyes that matched hers. Other than the height which their father claimed was from Padme Naberrie Skywalker, she and Luke shared Anakin Skywalker's blue eyes.
"I'm fine. How's the evacuation going?" Luke asked, squeezing Lena's hands gently.
"So far, so good. Hopefully by the time the Empire gets here, we'll be far away," Lena said.
"Hi, Luke!" Cora chirped excitedly as she sidled up to Lena. As much as Talon had drummed into all of his children that a Jedi never acted excited over events, Cora was slow on the uptake and often showed excitement over every evacuation the Alliance did.
"Hi, Cora," Luke greeted back.
"Cora, go back and check our quarters. I think I left the holocrons of Anakin Skywalker in there. You and Luke will need them for lightsaber practice," Lena said.
" 'M'kay," Cora readily agreed and took off running as Chewbacca came up to them, growling.
"Chewie, take care of yourself, okay?" Luke asked the Wookie. Luke touched Chewbacca's hairy shoulder and turned to leave when Chewbacca grabbed both him and Lena in fierce bone-crushing hugs.
"O.K. O.K.," Luke said laughingly.
"Hi, kid. There's got to be a reason for it. Check it at the other end. Wait a second," Han said to a droid, before turning to Luke. "You all right?" Han asked Luke.
"Yeah," Luke said. Luke would have said something else, but closed his mouth and nodded, turning away.
"Be careful," Han called after him.
"You too," Luke said as he and Lena left.
Talon walked around the communications center, the danger sense in the Force getting stronger with each minute. Cora and Lena had both confessed to feeling the danger ripples in the Force. Talon touched the hilt of his lightsaber, prepared to do what he must to protect Cora and Padme and Anakin's children. It was almost a shame that Anakin had no idea what he was doing by chasing the only three reminders of Padme halfway across the galaxy.
"Master Jedi, General, there's a fleet of stardestroyers coming out of hyperspace in Sector Four," an aide said briskly.
"And here we go," Talon said.
Rieekan looked at him. "Do you sense anything, Your Highness?" The General asked, a worried expression on his lined face.
"Yes. Prepare the troops for ground assault. They will be a diversion as we get the transports away," Talon said, stretching out to the Force for an answer.
"Uncle, wouldn't that be dangerous?" Leia asked, an askance look in her brown eyes.
"Yes, Child, but not any more dangerous than being overrun by Darth Vader," Talon said, touching his niece's face with the back of his hand.
"All right. I trust your judgment, Master Jedi. Reroute all power to the energy shield. We gotta hold them until all transports are away, Your Highnesses. Prepare for ground assault," Rieekan said to an aide.
"I guess I better tell Rogue Squadron," Leia said.
"I am right behind you, Leia," Talon said, following his niece out the door.
Vader was sitting in his hyperbaric chamber, thinking of his children when a general came into the chamber. Vader hated to be disturbed when he was thinking of Luke and Lena, but then again the general wouldn't have come unless it was important. The man was as pompous as members of the old Jedi Order, but usually his emergencies were valid.
"What is it, General?" Vader asked, the vocoder in his helmet making his voice calm.
"My lord, the fleet has moved out of lightspeed. ComScan has detected an energy field protecting an area of the sixth planet of the Hoth system. The field is strong enough to deflect any bombardment," the general said, oblivious to the anger welling in Vader at Ozzel.
"The rebels are alerted to our presence. Admiral Ozzel came out of lightspeed too close to the system," Vader said, his voice getting lower the angrier he felt.
"He...He felt surprise was wiser," the general stammered.
"He is as clumsy as he is stupid," Vader spat out. "General, prepare your troops for a surface attack," Vader said, dismissing the general. Unbelievable! Thanks to Admiral Ozzel's stupidity, Vader now had a war on his hands that could effectively kill both of his children. Vader would not let his children be killed by a careless officer and Ozzel was going to learn what happened when Vader got pushed too far. Vader turned to face the screen behind him.
"Lord Vader, the fleet has moved out of lightspeed and we're preparing to-" Ozzel's statement was cut off and his hand went to his throat.
"You have failed me for the last time, Admiral. Captain Piett?" Vader asked ominously, clenching his fist tight as he strangled the man and Piett came up to the screen.
"Yes, my lord?" Piett asked.
"Make ready to land our troops beyond their energy field and deploy the fleet so that nothing gets off the system. You are in command now, Admiral Piett," Vader said as Ozzel fell to the floor with a final gasp.
"Thank you, my lord," Piett said, looking slightly uncomfortable to Vader's satisfaction. Witnessing what happened to Ozzel would be enough to keep Piett in line. Vader only hoped that this wouldn't be repeated with his children. He would hate to have to hurt them like this.