Chapter 32- The Hoth Battle and Separated
Talon felt more bolts zing past his ears as he deflected one of the bolts with his lightsaber. This was a lot harder than the remotes that Yoda used when he was just a youngling in the Jedi Temple.
"Echo Station Five-Seven. We're on our way," Luke's voice came over Talon's comset.
"Take it easy, Luke. Imperial walkers are not the Boonta Eve Classic on Tatooine," Talon said. It was only fair that Talon warn Luke of the dangers of facing Imperial walkers. The boy had proven to be as reckless as Anakin at that age. He would jump first and ask later. It must be a failing with anyone named Skywalker. Lena had been impatient and reckless as a youngling, but thankfully she had outgrown it.
"Will do, Uncle Cail. All right, boys, keep tight now," Luke said, using the name he had started calling Talon and acknowledging Rogue Flight.
"Luke, I have no approach vector. I'm not set," a voice said frantically.
"Steady, Dak. Attack pattern Delta. Go now," Luke said, with wire-hard calmness. The fighters made a circuit around the walkers, firing.
"That metal is too strong, Luke," Talon said, into the comm attached to his left arm vambrace.
"All right. I'm coming in. Hobbie, you still with me?" Talon heard Luke ask through a static-filled channel. It must be that the boy hadn't heard him say that the armor was too strong as Talon heard energy bolts as well as static over the comm.
As soon as the static cleared Talon tried again. "Luke, that armor is too strong for blaster. Do you hear me, son?" Talon asked worriedly. In the last three years Anakin and Padme's children had become like his own children and he often treated them like an overprotective father.
"Rogue Group, my uncle is right. Use your harpoons and tow cables," Luke ordered, relieving Talon that the boy had heard him this time.
"Luke, go for the legs. It might be our only chance of stopping them," Talon said briskly as he deflected a bolt of energy, using his lightsaber and the Force.
"All right. Stand by, Dak," Talon heard Luke order to his gunner.
"Oh, Luke, we've got a malfunction in fire control. I'll have to cut in the auxillary," Dak said worriedly.
"Just hang on. Hang on, Dak. Get ready to fire that tow cable," Luke said, his voice tense. Talon could feel the battle through the Force getting to the boy, but at least he wasn't doing completely reckless stunts like his father would have done during the Clone Wars. Going to Geonosis with Padme to rescue Obi-Wan, had been talked about for weeks among the older Padawans.
A loud scream filled the air and Talon felt the Force stir with anguish. When the Force is this sad, someone has to have died, Talon thought. The last time he had felt this was when Alderaan had been destroyed and his wife, children, and family had died. The anguish had nearly killed him that time and Cora had cried bitterly in the collar of his robes to the point of crying herself to sleep.
"Dak! Dak!" Luke screamed as the power generator behind Talon exploded from a burst of energy.
"Rogue Three," Luke called to Wedge Antilles.
"Copy, Rogue Leader," Wedge said briskly.
"Wedge, I've lost my gunner. You'll have to make this shot. I'll cover for you. Set your harpoon. Follow me on the next pass," Luke said.
"Coming around, Rogue Leader," Wedge said and Talon saw the snowspeeders firing at the walkers.
"Steady, Rogue Two," Luke warned.
"Activate harpoon," Wedge said and Talon thumbed on his lightsaber again, the blue light bathing his face. Calling on the Force he jumped as a bolt was aimed at him. Time seemed to slow as he felt the Force vibrate in the air and he became one with the Force.
"Good shot, Janson," Talon faintly heard Wedge say over his arm communicator and out of the corner of Talon's eye he saw the fighters starting to do revolutions around the legs of one of the walkers.
"Cable out! Let her go!" Janson yelled.
"Detach cable," Wedge said.
"Cable detached," Janson said. The walker then fell, unable to move forward.
"Come on," a man next to Talon said. Talon threw his lightsaber with the Force and watched with satisfaction as it burrowed in the thick armor and exploded in a ball of flames and smoke. Talon called his lightsaber back to him and watched as his nephew and Rogue Squad planned their next attack.
"Ha! That got him!" Wedge said gleefully.
"I see it, Wedge. Good work, Uncle," Luke said to Talon.
Lena gnawed at her lips as the generators exploded. Feeling the tight squeezing on her hand, Lena looked down to see Cora standing there next to her with a look of consternation. "Leia, I don't think we can protect two transports at a time," Lena said to her cousin who was on the other side of her.
"It's risky, but we can't hold out much longer. We have no choice," Leia said as an explosion shook the base.
"Launch patrol," Riekaan ordered sharply behind them.
"Evacuate remaining ground staff. Cora, go with General Riekaan and Winter," Lena said stooping down to look at her sister in her blue eyes.
"You promised Papa that you'd protect me," Lena protested.
"This is me protecting you. Me, Papa, Leia, and Luke will see you at Sullust, I promise. Go to my quarters and take the Jedi holocrons. Continue the lightsaber practice you were learning from my father, Anakin Skywalker. Winter?" Lena called hers and Leia's childhood friend.
"Yes, Your Highness?" Winter asked, coming to her and bowing.
"Go with General Riekaan and take Cora with you. Protect her as well as you have always protected our family," Lena said, handing her sister to Winter.
"Yes, Princess, but what about you and Princess Leia?" Winter asked, taking the little girl's hand.
"We are on the last transport. We will all meet you on Sullust. Now, go and may the Force be with you," Lena said.
"May it be with you and Princess Leia, Your Highness," Riekaan said as he escorted Cora and Winter out of the command center.