************************
Chapter Fifteen: Victories and Defeats
*
Hister felt it immediately through the force, as did Windu. They stopped their saber battle in order to fully absorb the impact of what had happened. Finally, after several moments of silence, Windu smirked and spoke to Hister.
"It seems as if your Master's abomination has been destroyed," said Windu.
Hister sneered. "And you will soon join it."
The Sith immediately attacked the Jedi a series of swift and powerful blows, forcing Windu backwards. The Old Jedi was tiring now, trying desperately to keep the force flowing through him as he blocked and returned Hister's saber thrusts.
**
"Are you sure?" asked General Bliloc.
"Confirmed, sir," said an Imperial officer in complete shock. "The Death Star...the Rebels destroyed it."
"How can that be?" asked Bliloc. "The Death Star was the ultimate power in the universe! And a band of pathetic Rebels using equally pathetic stunt fighters destroyed it!"
"Shall we retreat, sir?" asked the officer.
"NO!" said Bliloc. "The Emperor ordered that this base be taken, and we will carry out that order. We can call for fleet support once the task is completed."
"Sir," said another officer. "Scanners report Rebel fighters coming in. Probably the same group that destroyed the Death Star!"
"LOOK!" yelled another officer.
Several X-Wing fighters came surging down at high speed, blasting away with their laser cannons, strafing the Imperial positions. Imperial troops and equipment were blown to pieces all around Bliloc and his officers, who had hit the dirt as an Imperial walker exploded near them.
"Where are our fighters?" asked Bliloc.
"No contact with them, sir," replied one of his officers. "They Rebels must be jamming our frequencies!"
***
Obi-Wan watched as Rebel fighters began making strafing runs against Imperial positions. He could not help but smile at the reprieve being provided by the air support. His comm link bleeped, and Obi-Wan retrieved it and activated it.
"Kenobi here," said Obi-Wan.
"Hello, Master," said Anakin's voice over the comm, much in the way he used to when he was a Padawan. "Mind if we lend you a hand?"
Obi-Wan smiled. "I felt the Death Star's destruction through the force," said Obi-Wan. "Well done. Do you think you could drive the Imperials back into the woods."
"Not a problem," said Anakin. "I have Luke, Wedge, and Biggs with me. The commander took the rest of the squadron and is dealing with their fighter cover."
"Very good," said Obi-Wan. "We'll make a general advance to match your attacks, so we both push the Imperials back."
Just then, another voice broke over the comm. "Obi-Wan, this is Padme. Come in."
"I'm here," said Obi-Wan.
"Padme," said Anakin, from over the comm.
"Ani!" said Padme. "Thank force, your alive! Is Luke alright?"
"He's fine, but a trifle busy strafing storm troopers at the moment," said Anakin. "Are you alright?"
"I'm fine," said Padme. "Solo is getting us out on the Falcon. We'll join the other Rebel leaders at the rendezvous point, until it is safe to come back or until the rest of you join us if the base falls."
"How's Leia?" asked Anakin.
"She's...been shot," said Padme.
"WHAT!" yelled Anakin.
"Its alright," said Padme. "It's a scratch. She's okay. But there's something else.
Obi-Wan, Darth Hister is in the base. Master Windu is battling him alone."
"I thought as much," said Obi-Wan. "Where are they?"
"Last I saw, junction 4, corridor 7," said Padme.
"I'd better get there," said Obi-Wan. "I'll give Nadine command of the troops while I'm gone. Anakin, keep up those strafing runs. They're making all the difference in the world."
"Will do," said Anakin.
Obi-Wan grabbed Nadine, and told him to take over. Then, he ran into the base to help Windu confront Hister.
****
Hister struck again at Windu with incredible speed and power, but just barely missed the Jedi Master, striking the corridor wall instead with a resounding crash. The Sith kept up his unceasing attack, pushing Windu's ability to fight to the breaking point.
Finally, one of Windu's countermoves failed to connect with Hister's light saber, and it was all the latter needed to strike. Hister thrust his light saber into Windu's chest, the red blade puncturing all the way through the Jedi.
Windu's eyes clouded, realization showing in them that he was a moment's away from death. Hister withdrew his blade, and then with a swift motion, took off Windu's head. The Jedi Master's head rolled to the floor, while the rest of his body crumpled to the floor in a heap.
Hister surveyed his handy work with a smile. "So much for fossils," he said.
The Sith Lord reached out with his force powers trying to locate his target, Padme Amidala Skywalker. But, instead, his force sense told him that the woman he sought was no longer in the base, or on the planet for all he could tell.
"HISTER!" yelled a voice from down the corridor.
The Sith turned and saw Obi-Wan Kenobi, standing with his light saber activated, in shocked disbelief at the scene laid before him. On the floor was Windu's headless body, standing above him the Jedi's killer. Obi-Wan had to use all of strength to control his rage, to keep down the dark emotions he felt at seeing yet another Jedi he knew and respected cut down by Darth Hister.
"I have no time for you today, Jedi," said Hister. "But your time will come. Soon."
Hister turned and ran down the corridor. Obi-Wan chased him through the base, determined to stop Hister and make him pay for Windu's death and the death of so many other Jedi years ago. The pursuit continued out of the base and back into the forest.
Obi-Wan finally caught up to Hister as the Sith got to his ship. The Jedi force jumped through the air, and brought his saber down to attack Hister. But the Sith blocked his move with his saber, and the two began to exchange blows.
After a few moments, several Rebel soldiers ran up, and stood in awe at seeing a light saber battle. This was something they had heard about as legends, but now they were seeing it in reality.
Hister saw an opportunity to distract Obi-Wan and escape. He broke away from Obi-Wan, and cut through the trunk of a large tree with his light saber. Hister then used the force to increase the speed at which the tree was falling, and directed its fall straight towards the rebel soldiers.
Obi-Wan immediately used his own force powers to stop the tree's fall, as the Rebels ran to try and escape. The Jedi Master used his force power to throw the tree back away from the stunned Rebels, and send it crashing to the Earth.
The sound of a ship's engine now filled Obi-Wan's ears, and he turned and saw Hister's ship take off. The Rebels fired on it with their blaster rifles, but Hister had made good on his escape.
Chapter Fifteen: Victories and Defeats
*
Hister felt it immediately through the force, as did Windu. They stopped their saber battle in order to fully absorb the impact of what had happened. Finally, after several moments of silence, Windu smirked and spoke to Hister.
"It seems as if your Master's abomination has been destroyed," said Windu.
Hister sneered. "And you will soon join it."
The Sith immediately attacked the Jedi a series of swift and powerful blows, forcing Windu backwards. The Old Jedi was tiring now, trying desperately to keep the force flowing through him as he blocked and returned Hister's saber thrusts.
**
"Are you sure?" asked General Bliloc.
"Confirmed, sir," said an Imperial officer in complete shock. "The Death Star...the Rebels destroyed it."
"How can that be?" asked Bliloc. "The Death Star was the ultimate power in the universe! And a band of pathetic Rebels using equally pathetic stunt fighters destroyed it!"
"Shall we retreat, sir?" asked the officer.
"NO!" said Bliloc. "The Emperor ordered that this base be taken, and we will carry out that order. We can call for fleet support once the task is completed."
"Sir," said another officer. "Scanners report Rebel fighters coming in. Probably the same group that destroyed the Death Star!"
"LOOK!" yelled another officer.
Several X-Wing fighters came surging down at high speed, blasting away with their laser cannons, strafing the Imperial positions. Imperial troops and equipment were blown to pieces all around Bliloc and his officers, who had hit the dirt as an Imperial walker exploded near them.
"Where are our fighters?" asked Bliloc.
"No contact with them, sir," replied one of his officers. "They Rebels must be jamming our frequencies!"
***
Obi-Wan watched as Rebel fighters began making strafing runs against Imperial positions. He could not help but smile at the reprieve being provided by the air support. His comm link bleeped, and Obi-Wan retrieved it and activated it.
"Kenobi here," said Obi-Wan.
"Hello, Master," said Anakin's voice over the comm, much in the way he used to when he was a Padawan. "Mind if we lend you a hand?"
Obi-Wan smiled. "I felt the Death Star's destruction through the force," said Obi-Wan. "Well done. Do you think you could drive the Imperials back into the woods."
"Not a problem," said Anakin. "I have Luke, Wedge, and Biggs with me. The commander took the rest of the squadron and is dealing with their fighter cover."
"Very good," said Obi-Wan. "We'll make a general advance to match your attacks, so we both push the Imperials back."
Just then, another voice broke over the comm. "Obi-Wan, this is Padme. Come in."
"I'm here," said Obi-Wan.
"Padme," said Anakin, from over the comm.
"Ani!" said Padme. "Thank force, your alive! Is Luke alright?"
"He's fine, but a trifle busy strafing storm troopers at the moment," said Anakin. "Are you alright?"
"I'm fine," said Padme. "Solo is getting us out on the Falcon. We'll join the other Rebel leaders at the rendezvous point, until it is safe to come back or until the rest of you join us if the base falls."
"How's Leia?" asked Anakin.
"She's...been shot," said Padme.
"WHAT!" yelled Anakin.
"Its alright," said Padme. "It's a scratch. She's okay. But there's something else.
Obi-Wan, Darth Hister is in the base. Master Windu is battling him alone."
"I thought as much," said Obi-Wan. "Where are they?"
"Last I saw, junction 4, corridor 7," said Padme.
"I'd better get there," said Obi-Wan. "I'll give Nadine command of the troops while I'm gone. Anakin, keep up those strafing runs. They're making all the difference in the world."
"Will do," said Anakin.
Obi-Wan grabbed Nadine, and told him to take over. Then, he ran into the base to help Windu confront Hister.
****
Hister struck again at Windu with incredible speed and power, but just barely missed the Jedi Master, striking the corridor wall instead with a resounding crash. The Sith kept up his unceasing attack, pushing Windu's ability to fight to the breaking point.
Finally, one of Windu's countermoves failed to connect with Hister's light saber, and it was all the latter needed to strike. Hister thrust his light saber into Windu's chest, the red blade puncturing all the way through the Jedi.
Windu's eyes clouded, realization showing in them that he was a moment's away from death. Hister withdrew his blade, and then with a swift motion, took off Windu's head. The Jedi Master's head rolled to the floor, while the rest of his body crumpled to the floor in a heap.
Hister surveyed his handy work with a smile. "So much for fossils," he said.
The Sith Lord reached out with his force powers trying to locate his target, Padme Amidala Skywalker. But, instead, his force sense told him that the woman he sought was no longer in the base, or on the planet for all he could tell.
"HISTER!" yelled a voice from down the corridor.
The Sith turned and saw Obi-Wan Kenobi, standing with his light saber activated, in shocked disbelief at the scene laid before him. On the floor was Windu's headless body, standing above him the Jedi's killer. Obi-Wan had to use all of strength to control his rage, to keep down the dark emotions he felt at seeing yet another Jedi he knew and respected cut down by Darth Hister.
"I have no time for you today, Jedi," said Hister. "But your time will come. Soon."
Hister turned and ran down the corridor. Obi-Wan chased him through the base, determined to stop Hister and make him pay for Windu's death and the death of so many other Jedi years ago. The pursuit continued out of the base and back into the forest.
Obi-Wan finally caught up to Hister as the Sith got to his ship. The Jedi force jumped through the air, and brought his saber down to attack Hister. But the Sith blocked his move with his saber, and the two began to exchange blows.
After a few moments, several Rebel soldiers ran up, and stood in awe at seeing a light saber battle. This was something they had heard about as legends, but now they were seeing it in reality.
Hister saw an opportunity to distract Obi-Wan and escape. He broke away from Obi-Wan, and cut through the trunk of a large tree with his light saber. Hister then used the force to increase the speed at which the tree was falling, and directed its fall straight towards the rebel soldiers.
Obi-Wan immediately used his own force powers to stop the tree's fall, as the Rebels ran to try and escape. The Jedi Master used his force power to throw the tree back away from the stunned Rebels, and send it crashing to the Earth.
The sound of a ship's engine now filled Obi-Wan's ears, and he turned and saw Hister's ship take off. The Rebels fired on it with their blaster rifles, but Hister had made good on his escape.