When Leia had been told that the Death Star was coming to the Yavin system, she knew that Bail was going to insist that she get off immediately, which meant that Leia would have to spend another few days stuck in the Falcon with Han. Currently, Leia was rushing towards the command center. She passed numerous pilots but stopped in front of a particular one she recognized. "Luke! Why---You're flying on this mission?"
"Yeah," Luke replied. "It's the right thing to do, even if it was described as a suicide mission."
"But---but what about---" Leia tried to protest.
"I think I can do this, Leia. I think I might actually be able to blow the space station up." Luke grinned and continued, "And, as you and Han like to point out, I am a Jedi."
Leia stared at Luke. Force, could this guy surprise her, and yet Leia had known that he was probably going do this sort of thing. With no other option available, Leia smiled. "Good luck, Luke. I'm sure you'll do great. May the Force be with you."
"You, too, Leia," Luke replied before Leia started back on her way.
Leia had been walking for a few minutes through the hanger when she came upon Han. The Falcon had signs of being prepped for takeoff, but Han was standing next to his ship, watching everyone scurry around and try to get ready for the fast-approaching attack. "Hey, Princess," he said.
Leia was about to reply, but realized she didn't know what to call him. Was the relationship informal enough to allow her to call him Han, or should she still call him Solo? "Hello, Han. I see you're getting out of here as fast as you can," Leia remarked.
"I have other jobs, you know," Han replied. "And I don't really think that staying around here is all that good for my health."
"So you're just going to desert us?" Leia demanded.
"No," Han replied. "I was just hired to take someone away from here, ASAP. I'm being paid twice what you offered, in addition to the eternal gratitude of a handful of Senators and, for some reason, the entire Jedi Council. Least, that's what Organa said." Han shrugged. "Sorry, Princess, but it's almost time to go."
Leia shook her head, knowing that he meant that Bail had hired him to take her back to Coruscant. "I'm not leaving, and you can't make me."
"Look around you, Leia! This place is going to be destroyed if the fighter pilots aren't able to do their job! I talked to some of them, and they aren't even sure that the targeting computers can make the shot!"
"I know," Leia declared. "I know it's a one-in-a-million shot, and that this is a hopeless cause, but I also know that this sort of backing down is cowardly."
"When I was talking to him, Organa said he doubted if even Anakin Skywalker would be able to make the shot, and even I know that guy is the best pilot that's ever lived!" Han exclaimed. "Look, I don't expect you to like having to leave, but we do have to go."
"God dammit, Solo!" Leia yelled at him, infuriated. "I don't give a damn about whatever the odds against us are, and I don't care if not even my father could make the shot, but I do care about letting the Empire run around the galaxy with a weapon with enough firepower to destroy an entire planet! It's just not right!"
"Then let the fighter pilots do their jobs!" Han shouted back. "If you're off planet, and the station's destroyed, then everything's fine! Hell, if that happens, then I'll take you back here, all right?"
The glare Leia had been sporting softened at that remark. "Do you really mean that?" Leia asked, skeptical as to whether Han was truly sincere or not.
"Yes, Princess," Han reassured her, "I really mean it when I said that I'll take you back, but you do seriously have to call your parents or something, 'cause Organa looked like he'd been driven to distraction by them."
As Luke and Wedge were running around and trying to figure out where their X-wings supposedly were, they ran into an old friend of theirs who had left off the year before to join the Republic's space navy. "Biggs!" both exclaimed.
Biggs turned towards the two and grinned. "Luke! Wedge! What are you two doing here? I thought neither of you'd ever be allowed off Coruscant!"
"Much less join the Rebellion," Wedge added. "My sister 'doesn't' know or approve of my actions, should my parents ever discover that I joined."
"I don't think I'll be able to go anywhere near Coruscant in the near future," Luke said, "Seeing as the Senate's starting to think the Rebellion's the real threat now and the fact that I'm going to get the biggest lecture from Masters Kenobi and Skywalker."
"So it is true that you left without telling anyone?" Biggs asked. "I didn't think you would have ever done anything like that in a million years."
"Yeah," Luke replied, a little embarrassed. "I came here with Princess Leia. She sorta convinced me to come."
"Speaking of Princess Leia," Wedge started, "I now completely understand why Tycho idolizes her. Damn, I would let her convince me of anything!"
Luke groaned. "Wedge! You really need to stop saying stuff like that!"
Biggs seemed to be highly amused of the entire exchange. "Guys, you do know that it's almost time to go, right? Where are you trying to get to anyway?"
"Uh..." Wedge said. "Our ships?"
Biggs laughed. "You guys... Always the ones who don't pay attention. Look around. Which two fighters are not occupied at the moment?"
"Ah. I take it these are our X-wings?"
"Sure seems like it," Luke stated, walking over to one of the X-wings.
"Great!" Wedge exclaimed energetically. "Time to go kick some Imperial arse!"
Tarkin was watching the tactical monitors. They said that the Rebels were mounting an assault on the Death Star. TIE fighters had already been ordered out to counterattack. "This is preposterous!" he declared. "They're actually trying to fight back!"
The Dark Lord of the Sith made a sound which sounded reminiscent of a laugh. "Is that so?" he asked, disbelievingly. "I thought that this battle station was invincible? That it is now 'the decisive force in this part of the universe' ?"
"I do not think that the Emperor would take your remarks as kindly as I am," Tarkin sneered. "Any attack made by the meager Rebel Alliance is of no concern. Maybe if they had a decent Jedi pilot, then they would have a chance, but they do not, according to the latest intel."
"Fate and the Force always find a way," the Dark Lord replied tersely.
"Even though a copy of the plans was spirited away by some Jedi spies, I doubt that they would give it to the Rebellion," Tarkin remarked, sure of the station's invulnerability. "Or do you withholding information from us which could turn the tide of the battle, my Lord?"
"This battle station is no where near indomitable," the Sith decided to tell Tarkin. "But only a partially trained Jedi can make the shot to destroy the station."
It was Tarkin's turn to laugh mockingly. "Oh, really? And how do you know this?"
The Dark Lord grinned to himself and lied. "No reason, Grand Moff Tarkin. It is just that what I described is exactly what ...I have foreseen could occur."
"The only Jedi that could even fly well enough to outmaneuver all the TIEs we will deploy, the stationary guns, and your supposedly highly esteemed flying skills would be Anakin Skywalker," Tarkin asserted. "And he doesn't know about the existence of the Death Star. Therefore, the approaching onslaught is doomed to fail."
The Sith shook his head. "No. There is most definitely another, and I am the best pilot the Empire has."
"Really?" Tarkin didn't believe him for a second. There was no way that this guy could out fly every pilot in the Imperial forces.
"Yes. I have defeated Anakin Skywalker."
"I very much doubt that," Tarkin told him, disbelievingly.
"I find your lack of faith disturbing." I
hate you too, Tarkin. Always have, always will... I should just let the
Rebels destroy the Death Star to shut up this piece of bantha fodder.
"Well, then I suggest that you help defend the battle station
from the attack," Tarkin announced. "Or shall I have to report your
disobedience to the Emperor?"
Before stalking out of the room, the Dark Lord replied, "No, Tarkin. I was going to help in the fight regardless. If I return, then I will admit that the station is indeed invincible. If not, I will be glad that I never have to see you again."
Once the Dark Lord had left, Tarkin turned back to the screens which were still displaying the tactical data. Nothing bothered him, except for one thing: What did that Sith mean by that last statement?
The Falcon had been waiting a considerable distance from the fourth moon of Yavin, the Death Star, and the transpiring battle. Han was fine with the waiting, but his patience did not cover Princesses who would not stop talking about how he was deserting the Rebellion and Luke. Her tirade was getting tiring. Chewie had suggested that he and Han lock her out of the cockpit, but they had not been presented with the chance since the Princess had boarded the ship. Han swore to every deity he had ever heard of that he better still be getting those huge rewards that were supposed to be coming to him. "...And furthermore, Solo, you know that..." the Princess was still ranting, but Han had blocked her out again. This was going to be a long trip, regardless of the outcome.
Luke couldn't believe it. Minutes ago, he, Wedge, and Biggs were helping take down the deflector towers, then they had been destroying TIE fighters. But that wasn't it. No, it wasn't. Red Squadron had then started to make their attack runs on the Death Star. Only three pilots were left: Luke, Biggs, and Wedge. They had just been told to start the attack run by Red Leader, who had died only moments before. Luke felt as if he hadn't completely processed the information.
"Red Five! Luke!" Wedge said across the comlink. "Wake up!"
"Huh?" Luke snapped back to reality. "Right. Let's go in at full speed. That will probably keep those three fighters off of our tails."
"Okay, Boss," Wedge replied, grinning, as he and Biggs formed up their X-wings behind Luke's X-wing. "We're ready anytime you are."
"Wait a sec, you don't mean---" Luke had started to protest as they entered the trench, but he stopped talking once they were there. They were already past the point of no-return. Time to concentrate...
"At full speed, do you think you'll be able to get out in time?" Biggs suddenly asked, cruising down the trench behind Luke.
Luke nodded absentmindedly while checking the targeting computer before remembering to reply verbally. "Yes. I'm pretty sure I can get out."
"Luke, Biggs, I'm picking up the fighters again, coming in at 6 o'clock," Wedge announced. "They're the same three as before..."
Biggs turned around inside the cockpit of his X-wing. "I've got visual confirmation," he told the other two Rebel pilots.
"Dammit, they're coming in faster this time!" Wedge cursed as the TIEs began to commence their attack on the last of Red Squadron.
Luke barely registered what Wedge and Biggs had said. He was waiting for the computer get a lock on the exhaust port and come up with a shooting solution. Red Leader had shot one of his proton torpedoes off, but it had only impacted on the surface. Maybe it's the computer that can't make the shot... There was another way to aim, and Luke knew that he could make the shot that way---by using the Force. Luke calmed himself, but once he connected with the Force, he felt a powerful dark presence behind him. One of the Sith?
"Hurry up, Luke!" Biggs exclaimed. "I don't think we can hold them off much longer!"
The Dark Lord of the Sith was in a TIE Advanced since the Imperials apparently hadn't developed the TIE Defender yet. That was yet another reason that Tarkin deserved to be destroyed with the Death Star. The thought that maybe the Death Star wouldn't be destroyed had entered the Sith's mind, but he didn't think that a galaxy with the Jedi wouldn't have at least the one pilot needed to make the shot siding with the Alliance.
While chasing the last three Rebels in the current flight group, the Sith felt a very familiar presence and smiled coldly. So everything is happening like before. Good. He shot down one of the three X-wings in the trench and was able to nick one of the others shortly thereafter. Now to wait for that irritating Corellian to show up... "I'm on the leader."
"Luke, I'm sorry, I can't stay with you," Wedge told Luke. Only a minute before had Biggs been killed by their pursuers, and now Wedge was having problems. The situation had not gone from bad to worse, but from worse to a disaster. "There's a major malfunction in one of the---"
Luke sighed. There was no way he was losing any more friends today. "Wedge, there's no use staying back there. Get out of here while you still can."
"Sorry," was the only thing Wedge could say in reply as he moved his fighter out of the trench. None of the TIEs that were chasing them made a move to follow.
After turning off his targeting computer, Luke connected with the Force again. It had apparently decided to practically scream "Danger!" at him but stopped when two of the three TIEs seemingly spontaneously combusted while the third spun off uncontrollably away from the Death Star. A familiar voice then shouted over the radio: "You're all clear, Kid! Let's blow this thing and go home!" Chewie roared in agreement with Han.
Luke grinned. "I copy that!" He then went back to the task at hand. Suddenly, everything became clear, and he aimed and fired the proton torpedoes. Luke didn't need to check to see if he'd missed or not as he pulled the X-wing up before the end of the trench; Luke knew he hadn't missed.
The surviving Rebels, Luke and Wedge included, and the Falcon then proceeded to get as far away from the Death Star as they could. The space station detonated seconds after the fleeing group was completely out of range of the shockwave which came with the explosion. Both in space and on the ground of Yavin 4, the Rebels cheered.
Back on Coruscant, the Jedi Council was having one of their normal meetings. Half of the Council was sleeping with its eyes open, whereas the other half were listening with their eyes shut, while they had just been, yet again, listening to Jedi Master C'baoth complain.
Obi-Wan was about to say something when a very powerful disturbance in the Force presented itself. It jolted the entire Council awake. "What just happened?" Obi-Wan managed to exclaim.
"A lot of people just died," Anakin replied, half trying to make some light of the situation by stating the obvious. "I wonder why?"
A light bulb went on in Obi-Wan's mind. The Death Star. "No... It can't be..."
"A great battle between the Empire and Rebellion, there has been," Yoda decided. "Perished, many on both sides have."
"Could it have been that super weapon the Jedi from the future had mentioned?" Adi Gallia asked. She hadn't been present at the particular meeting where the Council had met with that Jedi during the Clone Wars, but she had heard about it.
Aaron Kent, one of Anakin's coconspirators from the days before the Clone Wars and the most recent addition to the Jedi Council, suddenly figured out what he had been sensing for the past few days. "I think a few Padawans know what is going on."
"I sense shenanigans," Anakin commented serenely. "From the usual suspects, of course. Maybe Corran knows something."
Mace turned to Yoda. "Tell me again why we allowed him to train more Jedi?"
"Remember allowing him, I do not," Yoda replied. "The subject, we must get back on." No one was paying attention---they were too busy ignoring Anakin. "Listen to me, you should!"
"Sorry, Master Yoda," Anakin mumbled, then continued in a normal tone. "But I was just saying that I have a feeling that Corran or Kyle Katarn know something about what happened, if they weren't directly involved in the first place."
"I feel that Anakin is correct," Plo added. "However, I also feel that something more sinister is about to emerge or that something which is equivalent to the election of Palpatine is about to happen."
"What about the Death Star?" Obi-Wan asked. "If that was the cause of those deaths, then what happened? Was it destroyed, which I find it needless to say that that specific case would be a good thing? Or did it destroy a planet or moon?"
"You have a point," Depa decided. "It seems to me that the space station was probably the thing that was destroyed. However, who was in control of it? Was it the Rebels? Or was it the Empire?"
"The Rebels were the ones to destroy it," Mace replied. "The Empire seems to be the type of group that would use the Death Star for it's intended purpose. They probably attacked the Rebel base, and the Rebels probably destroyed it so they would not be obliterated. There is a hole in that theory, though."
Kai-Adi-Mundi nodded. "Yes. We, meaning the Jedi Order in its entirety, have searched for those plans since the beginning and never found them. How could the Rebels known how to destroy the supposedly invincible machine?"
Anakin was strangely quiet as all eyes turned to him. "None of the supposedly key players of the Rebellion who are in the Order have told me about any vision they've had recently," Anakin reported once he had noticed the stares of the others. "No one since Mara Jade's bizarre collapse," he revised after a moment.
"You never did say what she saw happen in her dream," Adi said, mostly because she was still very concerned about Mara, but also because Anakin was supposed to report all of the dreams/visions of the other reality that he was told.
Anakin stiffened. "It's one of the dreams that has been reported before," he lied. He had never told anyone about that particular vision. "Besides, it had nothing to do with the Death Star." The first one anyway. "However, what she had been told by another source was the important thing."
Obi-Wan nodded. "She had said that one of the others in the vision told her that Palpatine might be alive on a planet called Byss."
"This all might mean that we will have to side with the Rebel Alliance," Mace noted. "That is, if the Sith side with the Empire."
"Side with the Empire, they will," Yaddle insisted. "Side with the Alliance, we should."
"What if the Senate decides that the Rebellion is wrong in all of this?" Depa brought back up from an earlier meeting. "Since we are under the control of the Senate, then we'll have to start the hunt for the Rebellion, regardless of whether the Sith side with the Empire."
"Troubled, the future is," Yoda decided. "Been this clouded, it has not, since accepted into the order, Anakin was."
"That's reassuring," Obi-Wan muttered. Anakin, the only one close enough to hear the comment, glared at his former Jedi Master. He thought he hadn't been that much of a problem! Except for the time he jumped off that speeder for a few stories, and the time he almost crashed racing swoops, as well as the time he started the legendary food fight in the cafeteria. Of course, the almost turning to the dark side didn't count, because he didn't turn.
Someone knocked on the door before entering. It was Corran and Kyle. "Uh, hey," Corran said. "Um, sorry for interrupting, but I---we think that the Rebel Alliance just blew the Death Star up, and we might know exactly who did it..."
The entire council turned to look at the two somewhat troublesome Jedi apprentices. Anakin suddenly had a bad feeling about this. "Corran, Katarn, what are you two up to?"
The two in question exchanged glances, and Kyle answered. "Well, nothing really..."
"Have some information, you do?" Yoda asked. "About how happened, this did?"
Kyle decided to abandon all inhibitions against what he was about to say. "Yes." He would have said more, but Anakin cut him off.
"How were you two involved?" he accused in low, threatening tones.
Corran realized Kyle was actually going to tell them everything, but Kyle kept going, even though Corran stepped on his foot to try and silence Kyle. "Corran, as usual, is just an informant, but I helped them get the plans." Plo stared at his Padawan. Maybe he should keep a tighter thread on Kyle so he didn't go get himself caught by the authorities for subverting the government.
"And how did you get the plans? How did you get the plans to them, too?" Depa demanded, surprised that even a normally---never mind, Kyle was one of the most rebellious Padawans currently in training.
Corran was glaring at Kyle, trying to get him to shut up, but his efforts proved fruitless. Kyle went on talking. "I went on a raid a while back while Master Plo was away doing something (I had feigned being sick). There, I had been transmitted the plans from another group, headed by a Corellian by the name of Bria Tharen. Unfortunately, all those involved on her end were killed by the Imps. So, from there, I brought the plans to Coruscant, where I borrowed a droid and downloaded the plans to it before handing the plans off to one of the leaders, whom I shall code name Thyme. Thyme, Paprika, and Salt then talked about who would take the plans, then one of them went back to base, I'm assuming. Just in the nick of time, too. I think the Death Star would have blown up the base if the plans hadn't gotten there."
The Council could only stare at Kyle. Corran decided to join in, seeing as nothing else could really make the situation any worse. Then Anakin twitched. Oh, Force, please have mercy on us! Corran prayed. "Kyle Katarn," Anakin said. "I have a question for you."
"Yes, Master Skywalker?"
"Do you know who destroyed the Death Star?"
Kyle grinned, and Corran wished he could disappear. "Yes. Oh, and your daughter joined the Rebels. I was supposed to tell you. From the tone of the message, it seemed she had to do some persuading to do so."
Seeing Anakin's patience deteriorating, Obi-Wan spoke up to try and prevent the meltdown which would probably equal a nuclear reactor going supercritical or do it shame by surpassing its severity by a long stretch. "And who destroyed the Death Star?"
"Luke," Kyle declared. Corran hid behind the door.
Silence permeated the room. Anakin felt like punching a wall, maybe Force-choking someone. Obi-Wan sighed. "I suppose I should have realized that sooner," he recognized.
"You have a real gift for training Jedi, Obi-Wan," Adi mentioned. Realizing everyone would think she was being sarcastic, she added to her statement. "I'm serious."
Corran, who had moved out from behind the door, nodded. "She's right, you know," he said. "I mean, the shot was a one-in-a-million type of thing. I was checking out the plans with Kyle, and I still sorta doubt even you, Master Skywalker, could make the shot."
"Wait," Anakin said, partially over wanting to hide under a rock since his children were obviously crazy (They inherited that from their mother, he assured himself) and suicidal while dreading the answer to the question which was soon to follow. "Go back to the 'borrowing' of the droid. What droid were you referring to?"
Corran glared at Kyle. "I'm just going to say it was his idea."
Kyle rolled his eyes. "R2-D2."
Anakin suddenly had a eerily cheerful expression on and turned to Plo. "I'm sorry, Plo, but I have the uncontrollable urge to kill your Padawan."
"Told you we shouldn't have said anything," Corran hissed at Kyle.
"Well, nothing happened! I mean, Luke blew up the Death Star, Leia convinced that smuggler she hired to go back to help, and they're all war heroes now!" Kyle defended.
"I think Hobbie's right. You do need a dictionary," Corran decided. "If that's your definition of 'nothing'."
Mace finally spoke again. "Katarn, Halcyon. One question: are you both going to formally join the Rebellion?"
Corran nodded slowly and smiled. "Yes. We believe it's the right thing to do. Besides, you need twelve pilots to form a squadron, and Luke and Wedge are only two."
"For political reasons, you might have to be cut off from the Order because of the Senate's will," Depa warned them. "The Council may agree with you, but the Senate might not. We hope it will."
"Then we'll just have to see you when the war is over," Kyle replied. "'Cause there ain't any way in hell that I'm going to side with the Empire."
"My sentiments exactly, Katarn," Anakin murmured quietly enough for only Obi-Wan to hear him.
Padmé could barely believe that the Senate, while having finally decided which side to support in the Rebellion/Empire conflict, was leaning towards siding with the Empire. It was preposterous, and after the announcement was made, she was going to give the Chancellor hell about it. For now, she just listened to the Senator from some planet she'd never heard of called something like the name of that one lion from some children's holovid.
"My planet, Mustafar, has been allied with the Empire for quite some time. As such, the group occasionally requests that we speak for them in the Senate. Of course, we feel obligated to agree to their requests and speak for them." The Senator, some guy named Sage Pestage, Padmé thought, sighed dramatically. This guy really needs some acting lessons, Padmé decided.
"Unfortunately, today, I bring some bad news to the Senate from my esteemed colleagues in the Empire. They have been in possession of a space station which would have been their base. It was just recently completed. However, the Rebellion saw it as a threat, as something it was not. Because of their misunderstanding, they attacked the space station without provocation and destroyed it.
"As most of you can imagine, the Empire is very distraught over this, and as a consequence, they would like the support of the Senate to assist in the capture of the Rebels involved and the disbandment of the Rebellion. Any moral Senator can see the wrongness of the Rebellion, and I implore you to side with the Empire and condemn the Rebellion for their unprecedented use of wanton violence." The Senator sat back down.
"The Senate is now open for debate," the Chancellor announced. Padmé, always having been quick on the draw managed to get the first word in after Senator Pestage. "The floor recognizes Senator Amidala of Naboo."
"Senator Pestage, you are, on behalf of the Rebellion, accusing the Rebel Alliance of destroying a space station. I wonder what you mean by 'without provocation.' I may be being skeptical, but you have given very few details. What sort of space station was this? Where did the battle occur? What was the battle like? Approximately how many casualties were suffered on either side?" Padmé demanded.
Pestage smiled cooly and answered Padmé's questions with just a hint of arrogance. "The battle occurred in a system called Yavin, named after the largest planet in the system. I am unaware of the way the battle happened, but there were grievous casualties on the side of the Empire. Their premeditated attack was very well planned."
Padmé managed to keep herself from glaring at Pestage. She knew that the Rebel base was in the Yavin system, but if she said that, then she would be pegged as a Rebel. Pestage, on the other hand, was obviously an Imperial. "You didn't answer my question, Senator. What type of space station was it? Was it mobile or stationary?"
Pestage glared at her. Apparently he was smart enough to know the consequences of saying it was mobile. "It was to be a base, as I said. As to the mobility issue, I was not given exact details on the station itself."
"What was it called, then?" Padmé pressed. Maybe the Senate would remember the outburst of the Senator calling herself Carrie. "You seem to know less important information than that, so you should know that. But, if I recall, Yavin is a gas giant. If the station was stationary, then the Empire would have to ship in a great deal of supplies, and I've heard that they don't exactly have a lot of monetary resources."
Garm stood, waited to be recognized by the speaker, and backed Padmé up. "Senator Amidala has a point. Yavin is a system far away from any of the supplies needed to build a space station. The shipping and assembly would be a momentous job, so it would most likely have to be mobile. However, if it was mobile, how would the Rebellion know where it was going to be? It sounds to me as if this space station was recently built, so there would be no pattern of travel for it."
Pestage turned to Garm. "Are you saying that the battle was in fact provoked? Just because the space station has mobility?"
Garm nodded. "I am saying that. After all, what if this Yavin system was actually the location of the Rebellion's headquarters? You yourself said that this space station is a base. If it's a mobile base belonging to the Empire, then wouldn't it be considered an aggressive action by the Rebels if the Empire were to take the station into the system where the Rebel headquarters are located?"
From Garm's accusation, the discussion on the Senate floor quickly deteriorated, and after an hour of it, a recess was called. Padmé was glad to get out of her seat and talk to Garm and Mon. After locating them, the three found a private room to discuss what was happening. Padmé collapsed into one of the chairs. "Oh, this is a disaster!"
"You got that right," Garm added.
"It may not be all that bad, Padmé," Mon mentioned. "Your performances in the Senate chamber may have been enough for the Senate to come to no conclusion about the disturbance."
Padmé sighed. "I just don't know if it was enough. Many Senators dislike the Rebellion already, and this might take enough more over the edge. Then we'd be called conspirators against the Republic and potentially arrested, not that I'm afraid of that."
"Do you want to know what actually happened?" Mon asked. "Bail called us as soon as the battle had ended."
Padmé nodded. "Of course. I know Pestage is lying through his teeth, but Leia was supposed to be around there, too."
Garm grinned. "No need to worry about her. She's perfectly fine. You have no clue how relieved Bail sounded when he called. I think he's been afraid of your husband going nuclear on him."
"I can imagine that," Padmé replied.
"Regardless, the Death Star entered the Yavin system surprisingly close to Yavin 4, and Bail barely had enough time to send everyone out," Mon began. "So, he had the Corellian smuggler whom Leia had hired to take her to Yavin to take Leia off the planet. The battle which ensued over the battle station cost us a lot of personnel, but it was worth it. The smuggler came back when we were at one of our last wings and shot a group of TIEs off the lone X-wing who was making the run to destroy the station. He did, and the Death Star was destroyed. The smuggler, his copilot, and the pilot of the X-wing are all getting medals for their bravery."
"I'm glad," Padmé said, smiling.
Garm grinned again, and was about to say something, but the chime that meant that the recess was over sounded over the speakers in the building. All of the Senators filed back into the Senate hall. The Chancellor started speaking again. "Senators, Senator Pestage has called for a vote to see whether the Rebellion should be viewed as what it is called: a rebellion. If so, Senator Pestage has provided me with some of the Empire's requests, which will be made mandates by the Republic. If there is not sufficient support of the Empire's pleas to the Senate, then the Empire shall receive no aid, and the Rebellion will stay at it's current status." The votes were cast by secret ballot, and the results were displayed on the Chancellor's post. Padmé could only wait in silence as the voting took place. Finally, after what had seemed like an eternity, the Chancellor spoke once more. "The Senate has voted, and the results are 49.9 percent to 50.1 percent in favor of supporting the Empire." The Chancellor quieted the Senate down again as there was a loud reaction to the outcome of the ballot. He began to talk again once the Senate was quiet enough. "The requests the Empire has made are to be put into action immediately. The Rebel Alliance is to be treated as a rebellion. As such, all those in the Rebellion are now wanted by the Galactic Republic for treason. The Empire is offering rewards for the capture of the leaders as well as any high ranking officer and, of course, those responsible for the destruction of the space station. The Jedi will be contacted about the tracking down of the Rebellion. The Senate is dismissed."
Reviews:
SuperBlonde: Thanks. I really couldn't help but add that to the story. It always makes Mara a more interesting character. I particularly enjoyed writing Padmé's thoughts on Anakin's state of mind and his exile.
Jas-theMAddTexan: Thank you for reviewing!
Yuna-flowering: Thanks you for reviewing! It's okay you didn't review for the last chapter, but I don't think Luke and Leia will connect the dots for quite a while (it has to do with what I have planned for the next few chapters).
JadeAlmasy: Thanks very much for reviewing!
Elisia Kenobi: Thanks! I'm glad you like this almost as much as FAH! In other news, yes, that elusive question... He's going to find out ...soon-ish. Maybe later. I'd say later than sooner. There's a lot of plot to cover before then.
cyndur: Thanks for reviewing both chapters four and five! I'm glad to know that you enjoy the plot and character development. I really appreciate it. Plus, the villains are fun to write about. According to my notes, the Sith are to act Sithy next chapter, so expect some more villain stuff.
nascar girl/jedi-princess:
Thanks for reviewing and coming back for the sequel! Feel free to ask
about anything you want. I might have left some plot holes, and I'd
appreciate any feedback on those or just plain confusing things. I'll
keep up the good work (since there is no try).