*******************************
Chapter Thirteen: Confrontations
*
Darth Hister made his way through the woods of the Rebel occupied moon. He concealed himself from those fighting the battle around him, both by using the shrubbery and the force. He could clearly see a massive firefight between white clad Imperial storm troopers, led by black clad rebel officers, and camouflaged rebel forces. Blaster fire erupted through the woods, impacting against trees, bushes, and against men.
The Imperials began to bring up two-legged Imperial walkers, and these valuable pieces of mobile artillery began firing into the Rebel defensive positions. But the Rebels were not entirely unprepared, as they brought forward several heavy blaster cannons, that opened up on the walkers, sending one plummeting to the ground in ruins.
But Hister was mainly oblivious to this battle going on around him. He took no part in it, merely making his way around and through it to get to his intended target. His Master, the Emperor, sent him to this place for a specific reason. In actuality, the battle to destroy the Rebel base had a dual purpose, both to destroy or capture the leaders of the Rebellion and their military forces, and to give Hister a chance to get into the Rebel base undetected.
Hister became very cautious when he saw a brown robed Jedi, blue light saber in hand, leading the Rebel forces. The dark lord recognized the Jedi to be Obi-Wan Kenobi, one of the two Jedi he had faced on the star destroyer. Now, Kenobi was at the had of Rebel forces, his light saber deflecting blaster fire and cutting into Imperial storm troopers along the way.
The sith lord continued past the battle, and began to head at a quicker pace towards the Rebel base.
**
Obi-Wan Kenobi was a very busy man. This was the first huge battle he had been in for many years, and he had wondered before it whether his older frame was up to the challenge. But Obi-Wan felt the power of the force around him, aiding his will in the fight against the invading Imperials.
Five storm troopers opened fire on him, but Obi-Wan's light saber deflected the fire expertly back at them. Three of the five troopers fell from the deflected blast, the other two taken out by a Rebel soldier next to Kenobi. The Jedi was about to turn to thank the young man, when the latter was struck by enemy weapons fire and fell to the ground dead. Briefly, Obi-Wan shook his head at the waste that the loss of the young man's life represented, but pushed forward with the battle.
In the midst of battle, for a few moments, Obi-Wan felt a cold chill run through the force. It was as if something dark and dangerous was nearby, and the force was trying to tell the Jedi of its presence. Obi-Wan halted in his battling for a very brief moment, in recognition of the dark force nearby. But soon, more enemy weapons fire distracted him from the dark presence and brought him back into the battle.
***
Rebel fighters shot along the outer surface of the Death Star, dodging turbo laser cannon fire, while at the same time letting loose volleys of blaster fire and proton torpedoes against the surface of the battle station. Though the weapons fire from the fighters would not do much good, the Rebels did it mainly to be obvious in their attack, in order to distract the Imperials from the other group of fighters that would hit the exhaust port and destroy the main reactor.
Luke Skywalker, in the cockpit of his fighter, felt the rush of high speed flight across the Death Star's superstructure. Even though the weapons fire around him kept him in mind of the danger, Luke felt as if he had never been so alive before in his life. This had been his dream for so long-to be amongst the stars and fight for a worthy cause. He was in the thick of the Rebellion now, fighting in the biggest battle that Rebellion had ever engaged in.
Then, Luke heard the voice of Mace Windu over his comm. "Base to fighters," he said. "We've picked up some other signals in space near you. Possibly enemy fighters."
"I'm not picking up anything," said the voice the squadron commander.
"I've got them," said the voice of Anakin. "Coming in at point 45."
"I see them," said Wedge's voice.
Imperial TIE fighters swarmed into the scene, opening fire on the Rebel fighters. One X-Wing exploded almost immediately after the Imperial fighters attacked. Luke's reverie ended as this became a deadly serious ship on ship fight with the Imperial fighters.
Luke brought his fighter in position to the rear of one of the enemy fighters. He tried to get a lock on his enemy, but the Imperial pilot was no rookie, and weaved and dodged while trying to escape Luke's pursuit. All of a sudden, enemy weapons fire came at Luke from behind.
The young Skywalker turned around to see a TIE fighter following him. But it wasn't there for long as weapons fire from an X-Wing destroyed it.
"Luke," said Wedge, "I got him. Keep after that other one!"
Luke complied, finally getting a lock on his target. He fired, and turned his target into a fireball.
"Thanks, Wedge," said Luke.
"No problem," Wedge replied. "Least I could do for the son of Lady Amidala, and for a friend."
Luke smiled. Then, concerned, he thought. "Where's Father?"
****
Anakin had sensed that his son was in danger, but also knew that someone helped him. Therefore, he kept after the enemy fighter he was intent on destroying. The Imperial banked hard, hoping to outmaneuver his pursuer, but Anakin would have none of it.
When he had a lock, Anakin said, "I have you now!", and fired. The enemy fighter destroyed, Anakin smiled, and said, "speed kills, doesn't it?"
*****
Mace Windu stood in the control room of the Rebel base, observing reports coming in from two battle that were occurring simultaneously, and were also really two parts of one huge engagement for the moon they were standing on. The Rebel ground forces were giving the Imperials one hell of a fight, but were outnumbered and slowly being pushed back towards the base. The fighters were making some progress, but still no word from the small squad of fighters assigned to take out the main reactor.
Then, he was suddenly shaken from his concentration on the battle reports by a tremor in the force. Mace was a powerful Jedi, and could sense the presence of another force sensitive quite easily. He thought at first that it might be Obi-Wan returning for some reason, but quickly dismissed that idea when he felt the cold presence of the dark side in the force tremor. He felt the need to investigate this.
******
Padme watched, with blaster in hand, as her squad of Rebel soldiers took positions around the hanger housing the escape transports. This squad included Han and Chewbacca, who stood with weapons ready and none too happy looks on their faces next to one of the transports. Leia was helping Rebel officials get on the board the ships.
Though she was performing a vital function, Padme still felt as if she should be doing more. After all, her husband, he son, and Obi-Wan were all in the thick of the fighting. Why shouldn't she be there as well?
"Mother," said Leia. "We haven't heard from Mon Mothma. She went to find Counselor Trella, but that was nearly 20 minutes ago. Should I go look for her?"
"No, I will," said Padme.
"Mother, are you sure its safe?" asked Leia with concern.
"The Imperials haven't broken into the base yet, so it should be," said Padme. "Stay here and get those people aboard. Tell Solo he is in charge until I get back, but if he tries to leave, I will make sure he wishes he was never born. Got it?"
"Will do," said Leia. "And be careful."
"I will," said Padme, kissing Leia on the cheek.
Padme made her way out of the hanger and into the corridors of the base. Counselor Trella was last reported on the south side of the base, seeing to the wounded. Before becoming a Rebel leader, Trella was a respected healer. Mon Mothma probably went there looking for her.
As Padme walked down the corridor, she was suddenly confronted by a dark form that dropped from a rafter above the hall. Startled, Padme jumped back a few feet as the form of a Miralian with cold eyes, dark robes, and a red light saber in his hands confronted her.
Padme reacted by raising her blaster and firing at the thing that confronted her. The dark clothed form easily deflected the blasts with his light saber, and raised his hand. Padme's blaster went flying out of her hand and landed in her enemy's grasp. She knew that was the force that wrenched her weapon away from her, and also knew who her attacker must be.
"Darth Hister, I presume," said Padme in her cool, politician's voice.
"Lady Amidala," said Hister. "My Master said that you were a spirited woman, and quite a lovely one at that."
"Huh, wish I could return the compliment," said Padme.
Hister sneered. "My Master has demanded the honor of your presence."
"Tell Palpatine I have nothing to discuss with him," said Padme with sudden anger. "Tell that butcher I will make him pay for destroying our world, and our people."
"The Emperor's instructions are not an invitation," said Hister. "They are an order. You will come with me now!"
"I don't think so," said a man's voice from behind Hister.
The sith lord turned and faced a dark skinned, older Jedi, holding a purple bladed light saber. Hister recognized the man immediately.
"Well, well, Master Windu," said Hister. "My Master and I had been wondering if you were still alive. I almost had you once, those years ago. You and that little toad Yoda were the only members of the Jedi Council my Master and I didn't see to. But, unfortunately, I am not hear for you now. I will be taking Amidala with me, and will have to come for you another day."
Mace raised his light saber, and smirked. "Dream on," he said in his cool voice. "You want her, you're going to have to get through me." As he did so, Mace nodded towards Padme, a silent call for her to get out and let him deal with Hister. Padme hesitated, but knew she could not help Windu, and would only be in the way and risk capture if she stayed. So, she turned and ran back down the corridor, leaving Mace and Hister alone to their battle.
Hister raised his saber. "I guess this will be your day to die after all."
Chapter Thirteen: Confrontations
*
Darth Hister made his way through the woods of the Rebel occupied moon. He concealed himself from those fighting the battle around him, both by using the shrubbery and the force. He could clearly see a massive firefight between white clad Imperial storm troopers, led by black clad rebel officers, and camouflaged rebel forces. Blaster fire erupted through the woods, impacting against trees, bushes, and against men.
The Imperials began to bring up two-legged Imperial walkers, and these valuable pieces of mobile artillery began firing into the Rebel defensive positions. But the Rebels were not entirely unprepared, as they brought forward several heavy blaster cannons, that opened up on the walkers, sending one plummeting to the ground in ruins.
But Hister was mainly oblivious to this battle going on around him. He took no part in it, merely making his way around and through it to get to his intended target. His Master, the Emperor, sent him to this place for a specific reason. In actuality, the battle to destroy the Rebel base had a dual purpose, both to destroy or capture the leaders of the Rebellion and their military forces, and to give Hister a chance to get into the Rebel base undetected.
Hister became very cautious when he saw a brown robed Jedi, blue light saber in hand, leading the Rebel forces. The dark lord recognized the Jedi to be Obi-Wan Kenobi, one of the two Jedi he had faced on the star destroyer. Now, Kenobi was at the had of Rebel forces, his light saber deflecting blaster fire and cutting into Imperial storm troopers along the way.
The sith lord continued past the battle, and began to head at a quicker pace towards the Rebel base.
**
Obi-Wan Kenobi was a very busy man. This was the first huge battle he had been in for many years, and he had wondered before it whether his older frame was up to the challenge. But Obi-Wan felt the power of the force around him, aiding his will in the fight against the invading Imperials.
Five storm troopers opened fire on him, but Obi-Wan's light saber deflected the fire expertly back at them. Three of the five troopers fell from the deflected blast, the other two taken out by a Rebel soldier next to Kenobi. The Jedi was about to turn to thank the young man, when the latter was struck by enemy weapons fire and fell to the ground dead. Briefly, Obi-Wan shook his head at the waste that the loss of the young man's life represented, but pushed forward with the battle.
In the midst of battle, for a few moments, Obi-Wan felt a cold chill run through the force. It was as if something dark and dangerous was nearby, and the force was trying to tell the Jedi of its presence. Obi-Wan halted in his battling for a very brief moment, in recognition of the dark force nearby. But soon, more enemy weapons fire distracted him from the dark presence and brought him back into the battle.
***
Rebel fighters shot along the outer surface of the Death Star, dodging turbo laser cannon fire, while at the same time letting loose volleys of blaster fire and proton torpedoes against the surface of the battle station. Though the weapons fire from the fighters would not do much good, the Rebels did it mainly to be obvious in their attack, in order to distract the Imperials from the other group of fighters that would hit the exhaust port and destroy the main reactor.
Luke Skywalker, in the cockpit of his fighter, felt the rush of high speed flight across the Death Star's superstructure. Even though the weapons fire around him kept him in mind of the danger, Luke felt as if he had never been so alive before in his life. This had been his dream for so long-to be amongst the stars and fight for a worthy cause. He was in the thick of the Rebellion now, fighting in the biggest battle that Rebellion had ever engaged in.
Then, Luke heard the voice of Mace Windu over his comm. "Base to fighters," he said. "We've picked up some other signals in space near you. Possibly enemy fighters."
"I'm not picking up anything," said the voice the squadron commander.
"I've got them," said the voice of Anakin. "Coming in at point 45."
"I see them," said Wedge's voice.
Imperial TIE fighters swarmed into the scene, opening fire on the Rebel fighters. One X-Wing exploded almost immediately after the Imperial fighters attacked. Luke's reverie ended as this became a deadly serious ship on ship fight with the Imperial fighters.
Luke brought his fighter in position to the rear of one of the enemy fighters. He tried to get a lock on his enemy, but the Imperial pilot was no rookie, and weaved and dodged while trying to escape Luke's pursuit. All of a sudden, enemy weapons fire came at Luke from behind.
The young Skywalker turned around to see a TIE fighter following him. But it wasn't there for long as weapons fire from an X-Wing destroyed it.
"Luke," said Wedge, "I got him. Keep after that other one!"
Luke complied, finally getting a lock on his target. He fired, and turned his target into a fireball.
"Thanks, Wedge," said Luke.
"No problem," Wedge replied. "Least I could do for the son of Lady Amidala, and for a friend."
Luke smiled. Then, concerned, he thought. "Where's Father?"
****
Anakin had sensed that his son was in danger, but also knew that someone helped him. Therefore, he kept after the enemy fighter he was intent on destroying. The Imperial banked hard, hoping to outmaneuver his pursuer, but Anakin would have none of it.
When he had a lock, Anakin said, "I have you now!", and fired. The enemy fighter destroyed, Anakin smiled, and said, "speed kills, doesn't it?"
*****
Mace Windu stood in the control room of the Rebel base, observing reports coming in from two battle that were occurring simultaneously, and were also really two parts of one huge engagement for the moon they were standing on. The Rebel ground forces were giving the Imperials one hell of a fight, but were outnumbered and slowly being pushed back towards the base. The fighters were making some progress, but still no word from the small squad of fighters assigned to take out the main reactor.
Then, he was suddenly shaken from his concentration on the battle reports by a tremor in the force. Mace was a powerful Jedi, and could sense the presence of another force sensitive quite easily. He thought at first that it might be Obi-Wan returning for some reason, but quickly dismissed that idea when he felt the cold presence of the dark side in the force tremor. He felt the need to investigate this.
******
Padme watched, with blaster in hand, as her squad of Rebel soldiers took positions around the hanger housing the escape transports. This squad included Han and Chewbacca, who stood with weapons ready and none too happy looks on their faces next to one of the transports. Leia was helping Rebel officials get on the board the ships.
Though she was performing a vital function, Padme still felt as if she should be doing more. After all, her husband, he son, and Obi-Wan were all in the thick of the fighting. Why shouldn't she be there as well?
"Mother," said Leia. "We haven't heard from Mon Mothma. She went to find Counselor Trella, but that was nearly 20 minutes ago. Should I go look for her?"
"No, I will," said Padme.
"Mother, are you sure its safe?" asked Leia with concern.
"The Imperials haven't broken into the base yet, so it should be," said Padme. "Stay here and get those people aboard. Tell Solo he is in charge until I get back, but if he tries to leave, I will make sure he wishes he was never born. Got it?"
"Will do," said Leia. "And be careful."
"I will," said Padme, kissing Leia on the cheek.
Padme made her way out of the hanger and into the corridors of the base. Counselor Trella was last reported on the south side of the base, seeing to the wounded. Before becoming a Rebel leader, Trella was a respected healer. Mon Mothma probably went there looking for her.
As Padme walked down the corridor, she was suddenly confronted by a dark form that dropped from a rafter above the hall. Startled, Padme jumped back a few feet as the form of a Miralian with cold eyes, dark robes, and a red light saber in his hands confronted her.
Padme reacted by raising her blaster and firing at the thing that confronted her. The dark clothed form easily deflected the blasts with his light saber, and raised his hand. Padme's blaster went flying out of her hand and landed in her enemy's grasp. She knew that was the force that wrenched her weapon away from her, and also knew who her attacker must be.
"Darth Hister, I presume," said Padme in her cool, politician's voice.
"Lady Amidala," said Hister. "My Master said that you were a spirited woman, and quite a lovely one at that."
"Huh, wish I could return the compliment," said Padme.
Hister sneered. "My Master has demanded the honor of your presence."
"Tell Palpatine I have nothing to discuss with him," said Padme with sudden anger. "Tell that butcher I will make him pay for destroying our world, and our people."
"The Emperor's instructions are not an invitation," said Hister. "They are an order. You will come with me now!"
"I don't think so," said a man's voice from behind Hister.
The sith lord turned and faced a dark skinned, older Jedi, holding a purple bladed light saber. Hister recognized the man immediately.
"Well, well, Master Windu," said Hister. "My Master and I had been wondering if you were still alive. I almost had you once, those years ago. You and that little toad Yoda were the only members of the Jedi Council my Master and I didn't see to. But, unfortunately, I am not hear for you now. I will be taking Amidala with me, and will have to come for you another day."
Mace raised his light saber, and smirked. "Dream on," he said in his cool voice. "You want her, you're going to have to get through me." As he did so, Mace nodded towards Padme, a silent call for her to get out and let him deal with Hister. Padme hesitated, but knew she could not help Windu, and would only be in the way and risk capture if she stayed. So, she turned and ran back down the corridor, leaving Mace and Hister alone to their battle.
Hister raised his saber. "I guess this will be your day to die after all."