Chapter Eleven:
The Death Star approached Alderaan, pointing its giant laser at the planet. Darth Vader brought Leia to the command room.
"Now you will witness the power of this battle station." Vader said. "Now…where is your Rebel base?"
"Why should I tell you?" Leia demanded, narrowing her eyes. Grand Moff Tarkin stepped in.
"Because your planet will be terminated immediately if you don't tell us." Tarkin said.
"No! You can't do that! Alderaan is a peaceful planet, you can't just—" Leia started.
"Then name the system!" Tarkin shouted, losing his patience. Leia hesitated.
"Dantooine. They're on Dantooine." She said finally.
"You see, I told you she would spill." Tarkin said. "You may fire when ready."
"What!" Leia yelped. "Why!?"
"You're far too trusting. Dantooine is too remote for the citizens of the Empire to see." Tarkin said coolly. Leia watched in horror as the Death Star's superlaser fired on Alderaan. She prayed that the laser would fail, but it didn't and her homeworld exploded and disappeared in a fireball.
-o0o-
Obi-wan was meditating in a room behind the cockpit when he felt a disturbance in the Force. His insides churned and he was forced to stop. He got up and went to Siri, who was sleeping until the disturbance. Siri stood up and hugged Obi-wan tightly.
"Oh Obi-wan, something terrible has happened." She whispered. "It's as if millions of people suddenly cried out in terror and then were silenced." Then she started to cry in Obi-wan's shoulder.
"Calm yourself. Everything will be all right." Obi-wan assured. Siri sniffed. She didn't feel any better. Then, Han poked his head in the room.
"Hey, we're jumping out of hyperspace in a moment." He informed. Then, the "Falcon" jumped out of hyperspace, finding only a meteor shower. The Jedi then stepped into the cockpit.
"What happened?" Luke said.
"This isn't right. We're at the right coordinates but the planet is gone." Han said, bewildered. Then, it dawned on Obi-wan and Siri the cause.
"The planet was destroyed by the Empire." Obi-wan said grimly.
"That's impossible! The Empire doesn't have anything that powerful." Han said. Then a TIE Fighter streaked above the freighter.
"Yes, they do." Riekan said, quivering. "The Death Star." He pointed to what looked like a small moon in the distance.
"That can't be it. That's just a small moon." Luke said, confused.
"That's no moon. It's the space station." Siri said. The Death Star gradually got bigger in the viewscreen.
"Uh-uh. We're out of here." Han said, pulling on the "Falcon's" controls. But it continued moving towards the space station, shaking violently.
"Uh-oh. We're caught in a tractor beam." Han said, releasing the freighter's controls. Chewie roared out in frustration. The "Millennium Falcon" entered the hangar and gently touched down on the hard metal surface. The stormtroopers quickly surrounded the ship and forced its landing ramp open. Four troopers entered it, only to be surprised and killed by Sami's lightsaber. The Jedi and their pilots charged out of the ship, slashing and cutting at any trooper in sight. Han and Chewie covered them with their blaster fire. As soon as the stormtroopers were defeated, Luke brought the droids out. Together, the group ran into a control center, where the few officers there were killed. Artoo rolled to a power socket and connected it to the main computer. Then he started beeping wildly.
"My friend says that he has found Princess Leia." Threepio said.
"I have a plan." Ahsoka said. "We need to disable the tractor beam holding the ship. But, we must also rescue the Princess. She knows the true location of the Rebel Base, which is our next destination."
"Hmm…But how are we going to do it?" Sami asked.
"We will each split up into three groups. Me and my Padawan will search and rescue the Princess. Siri and Riekan are going to disable the tractor beam, which Artoo will show you where the generator is. And Obi-wan and Sami will defend the 'Millennium Falcon' and the droids while we do our jobs." Ahsoka explained. "Han and Chewie, what do you want to do?"
Han and Chewie glanced at each other. They walked to a nearby corner and started debating. When they finished, Han turned to the Jedi.
"We will help Obi-wan and Sami defend our ship." He said.
"Very well. Go with Obi-wan and Sami. The rest of us, split up. We'll meet up at the ship." Ahsoka commanded sternly. The group broke up and went their separate ways.
"Let's go, Little Skyguy." Ahsoka said. Luke followed her out of the room.
'Wow, you sounded stern back there. That's a first!' Luke thought.
'That's not the first time I used this. Remember, I fought in the Clone Wars. Did you expect I was laid back my whole life?' Ahsoka replied.
'Yes…I thought you were that…' Luke thought, embarrassed.
'Well, now you know otherwise. Now follow me.' Ahsoka thought.
Ahsoka started down the hallway, Luke tight on her heels. Using the Force and her Togrutan predatory senses, the Master and her Padawan snuck through the corridors, meeting no one along the way. Soon, they reached an elevator to the prison levels.
'In here. The Princess is there.' Ahsoka thought to her Padawan. The Jedi stepped in the elevator and waited for it to stop.
"Get your lightsaber ready." Ahsoka said, unclipping both of hers. Luke nodded. Once the elevator stopped and opened its doors, the Jedi leaped out, striking down the few guards. Luke then ran down the hallway.
"Luke! The Princess is in the second to last cell on the left!" Ahsoka shouted. "Quickly! I can feel stormtroopers are already on their way!"
Luke kept on running and reached the cell. He activated his lightsaber again and started cutting a hole. He was halfway done when the stormtroopers arrived. Ahsoka retreated back to Luke's side and started deflecting laser bolts back at the enemy. Luke finished the hole and levitated the metal chunk out of the way. Then he stepped in.
"Who are you?" Leia asked.
"I'm Luke Skywalker. I'm here to rescue you." Luke answered as he stepped out into the hallway and started deflecting shots back to the stormtroopers. Leia picked up a fallen blaster and started firing it at her former captors. Some of her shots hit several troopers, causing them to reel backwards.
'Hmm…She's a great shot. Who knew?' Luke thought to himself. He then took out a comlink.
"Threepio, do you copy? We have the Princess, but we're pinned down in the detention block. Is there any way out of here?" Luke said.
"Master Skywalker, there is only one way in or out and that's the elevator. There is no other way." C3PO replied.
"Thank you for your help." Luke said, then disconnected.
"Snips! We need another way out of here!" Luke shouted over the deafening sounds of blaster fire. Leia noticed a garbage chute they could use. She pointed her blaster at it and shot the grating covering it.
"You two, into the garbage chute!" Leia shouted. The Jedi turned just in time to see the Princess leap into it. The Jedi glanced at each other and followed her down.
'Wow, she's worse than you.' Luke thought, chuckling to himself.
'Oh shut up.' Ahsoka replied.
-o0o-
Siri and Riekan silently sneaked through the hallway, avoiding any Imperial personnel. After a few minutes, they reached the tractor beam terminal. The room was a large trench, with a bridge to span it. The generator itself stood to the side, with a small catwalk surrounding it. Siri looked down the shaft and calculated the fall would not be survivable, even for a Jedi. So, they carefully got the catwalk, trying not to look down. Just as they were about to activate their lightsabers to damage the generator, a pair of stormtroopers walked in. They started chatting, oblivious to the presence of the Jedi.
'Should I push them over?' Riekan thought.
'Sure. Two troopers wouldn't make much difference.' Siri replied.
'But would they call for help?' Riekan asked.
'No. They'll be too busy screaming to their deaths to call, right?' Siri answered, a mischievous smile forming. Riekan smiled back and Force-pushed the two troopers off the bridge. As expected, the two screamed as they fell hundreds of meters to their deaths below. Riekan and Siri carefully shifted off the catwalk and back to the bridge. Then, they promptly left the generator room.
-o0o-
Obi-wan and Sami sat at the foot of the ramp, awaiting the return of their friends. They meditated as they waited; they had nothing else to do. Sami sat peacefully next to her father/Jedi Master, letting the Force flow through her. Suddenly, she felt a darkness fill her inside and she opened her eyes, looking at Obi-wan.
"Dad, Vader's here." She said. Obi-wan frowned and stood up, lightsaber in hand. Sami stood up as well and turned to Han and Chewie.
"Han! Get the ship ready for takeoff!" She ordered. "Vader is coming."
"Okay, okay! We'll wait for the others to return, and then we'll get off this place." Han replied, rushing to the cockpit. Just then, Siri and her Padawan ran in. Luckily, they had not been found out by the Imperials.
"Tractor beam is out of commission." Siri reported. Then she and Riekan boarded the ship.
"Good. Now once Luke and Ahsoka return with Princess Leia and the droids, we'll depart." Obi-wan said. Then the sound of blaster fire rang through the corridor. The hum of lightsabers could also be heard. Then, Luke and Ahsoka, defending Princess Leia and the droids, ran out of the hallway. An army of stormtroopers appeared behind them, running behind the group. The Jedi deflected the laser fire as Leia ad the two droids entered the "Falcon." Suddenly, Darth Vader appeared in the hangar, lightsaber activated and advancing on Luke and Ahsoka.
"Go! Go! Go! Get out of here! Luke shouted as they climbed aboard. Just in time, the "Falcon's" landing ramp closed shut and the freighter blasted off from the Death Star, leaving an angry and displeased Vader.
-o0o-
Vader glared at an officer nearby, who was trembling visibly in fear of execution.
"You! Send four fighters to intercept that freighter!" He barked.
"But why not hundreds?" The officer asked.
"The homing beacon on board is working perfectly. Let them lead us to their Rebel base." Vader replied.
"Yes sir." The officer replied, hastily leaving Vader's sight.
Meanwhile, the four TIE Fighters shot out of their hangar, and made their way to the "Millennium Falcon."
-o0o-
Just as everyone settled down for the jump to hyperspace, the same four TIE Fighters attacked the freighter.
"Han, evasive maneuvers pronto!" Siri commanded. "Luke, Riekan, take the guns!"
Luke and Riekan looked at each other in excitement and went to the gunner seats. Luke went up and Riekan climbed down. They set themselves up for the dogfight and started to track their targets. With the Force on their side, it was not long before Luke got a lock on a TIE. He fired his quad at it, causing a brilliant explosion. Riekan soon found another and blasted it into oblivion.
"Yeah! I got one!" Riekan cheered.
"Good shot. Keep your head straight. There are still two left." Luke warned. Meanwhile, Obi-wan sat in the room behind the cockpit, clutching at the sides of the couch. Apparently, his dislike for flying hasn't left him. Siri saw his discomfort and sat down next to him, sending waves of calm and reassurance through the Force. Siri giggled in her mind, still amused at Obi-wan. Sure enough, Obi-wan calmed down and released his grip on the couch.
"Han, we're all clear now." Luke said.
"Good shooting there, kiddo." Han said. "I thought his fight would last longer."
"Not to worry. The Force helped me and Riekan dispatch them." Luke said proudly.
"Believe in your so called 'Force.' I think you just got lucky." Han said. Ahsoka looked at him with amusement.
"Then what do you call this." Ahsoka levitated Han out of the pilot's seat and moved him out.
"Hey! Put me down!" Han protested.
"Then if this isn't the Force, then what do you call it?" Ahsoka asked, enjoying herself. Han just floated there, speechless. Then, with a loud thud, Ahsoka dropped him on the floor. Laughter filled the ship as they saw Han on the floor, dignity damaged greatly. Then, the "Millennium Falcon" jumped into hyperspace.
TBC…