Ok, I will admit that my last chapter was basically the same as the movie with the exception of a few things, including Yularen's sense of right and wrong. But this chapter I can assure you will be different and will have some action.
Now, I recently finished watching all the currently dubbed episodes of the Anime 86 and I once again find myself hating racism and bigotry more than I ever have before. For those who haven't watched the series, allow me to give you a brief summary of the series. In the Republic of Magnolia, within the 85 districts, the Alba, humans with silver hair and eyes, believe themselves to be superior to other humans while those that lived in the 86th district, those who don't have silver hair and eyes are forced into military service, combating the Legion, an AI army that has been attacking all humanity and fight them using Juggernauts, inferior mobile weapons piloted solely by the '86 scum' as a means to fight against the legion and wipe out the 86 at the same time, while the Republic claims the weapons to be automated.
It's a very good series and the mecha action reminds me a bit of Gundam. I highly recommend that you all check it out if you wish.
Anyway, onto the reviews.
54godamora: Yeah, not a whole lot different than canon, but this chapter will have some changes to the actual canon, considering we got Galen, Ruby, Jaune and Cody involved.
Spartan-626: I plan on including the fight between Obi-Wan and Vader. I have also seen Star Wars SC38 reimagined and it's a lot more action packed than the original scene, so I might use that for that part. Yularen will be taking a big turn when it comes to his fate in the actual Star Wars series, trust me on that.
Luffy L Deathwalker: Yeah, sorry about that. But this chapter will have some action this time.
Monster King: Thanks
BlindFaunusGirl: Thanks, and now that I think about Ruby was as naïve as Luke was at the beginning of the series, but eventually grew over time. I'm sure you'll like what I have planned for this chapter.
Jack Smith1: Thanks. I'm glad you haven't lost interest in my work, and I know what it's like to get bored when it comes to writing.
Alright, let's get started.
Disclaimers are the same as before. Please enjoy.
Chapter 79: A New Hope: Part 3
Standing by a used speeder salesman, Luke and Galen sold their speeders for the maximum amount of credits they could get for them. "All right. Give it to me." Luke told the seller and collected the credits. "Look at this. Ever since the new XP-38 came out, they aren't in demand." He said to the group, talking about the XP-34.
"It will be enough." Obi-Wan assured the boy before the group started to head in the direction of the docking bay where Solo told them to meet him. They hadn't gotten very far when Galen sensed something. "What is it?"
"We're being followed." Galen said aloud, catching Luke's attention. "We'll need to split up. Luke, you and Obi-Wan get the droids and keep heading towards the docking bay. Ruby, Jaune, Cody and I will try to lead our pursuers away from us, try to make them think we're heading in another direction." Galen advised.
"Take caution, you may end up getting into a fight with the Imperial forces." Obi-Wan cautioned.
"Right, let's get going." Galen agreed and moved quickly into another alley with Ruby, Jaune and Cody following him. The group moved between alleys to try and shake off their pursuers, but they were still being followed. "Looks like whoever's following us isn't giving up that easy." He observed.
"They're either imperial special force…" Jaune began before they turned a corner only to find themselves in a dead end. "Or they're probably a local gang working for a crime lord." He finished with a sigh.
"Or! They are just trying to warn you." The voice of Hondo Ohnaka said as he walked up behind the group, his hands up in the air. "Hey now, I'm not trying to trick you or anything." He began before he glanced at Ruby. "Well, hello there, Ruby. Tell me, have you made any improvements to your hybrid blaster?"
"Oh yeah, I added the DP-23 that my sister used to it and gave it close-quarters capabilities." Ruby answered proudly, her cape blowing in the desert wind. "I'd show it you now, but we're kind of in a hurry right now." Ruby said.
"Let me guess, you've hired Han Solo and Chewbacca to smuggle you all off world?" Hondo guessed, getting a serious look from Galen who looked ready to slice him up. "Woah, woah, I'm no imperial spy. I'm against the Empire like all of you, I just happened to be in the cantina when you were hiring him. Captain Solo, he's a good man and one you never want to rip off, especially with that Wookie he's got as a shipmate. No, no, I came to warn you that you've got bigger problems."
"What kind of problems?" Cody inquired.
Hondo pulled out a holoprojector and showed them a bounty poster. "Seems that the Empire has placed a bounty on your heads, Ruby. You, Ahsoka, the two members of the Garuda Team and the Demon Lord himself. Galen's reward is higher than the rest of the bounties, by about two million credits! Seems like someone wants you dead. I figured I'd warn you and maybe try to give you all a head start." He explained.
"Why give us a head start? You plan on collecting the bounty?" Jaune asked.
Hondo smirked before he pulled out his pistol and fired a shot… at a bounty hunter taking aim at Ruby from the roof above. "Don't be ridiculous, boy." He began as the body fell from the roof to the ground below. "I'm not one who would try to turn on his friends, especially considering since young Ruby here reminds me of someone I knew long ago." He said, firing another shot at another bounty hunter on the roof. "But it appears that we've been found and it's by bounty hunters who don't have a problem with bystanders getting caught in the crossfire." Hondo mused unimpressed. "Boba wouldn't do that."
"Talk later." Cody snapped as more bounty hunters appeared from behind and the roofs above them. "We've got a lot of company. My guess they followed you here, Ohnaka and you led them right too us."
"Well, it looks like I'll have to make up for it by helping you clear a path to your transport. It's the least I can do for getting you all in this mess." Hondo said as he ran for cover behind a container as the bounty hunters started firing at them. "Oh, I forgot to mention that they know you're a Jedi!" Hondo shouted to Galen, drew his lightsabers and ignited their blue blades, deflecting blaster fire back at the bounty hunters.
"Thanks for the update!" Galen exclaimed before he sensed something. "Cody! Take care of these guys down here! I'll clear the ones on the roof!" Galen shouted and leapt onto the roof, slicing through a bounty hunters sniper rifle before pushing them back with a blast of the force. He raised his head and came face to face with a mysterious helmeted figure dressed in black, with a mask over their face and revealing only their eyes. "Who are you?"
The figure said nothing, but Galen immediately knew that the figure was a female due to her 'assets. The mysterious individual drew a pair of lightsabers and ignited their red blades, dashing towards Galen and swung their blades at him.
Galen ducked down to avoid the blades and kicked the unknown back a few feet. "You seem to be well trained. Let me guess, you're a former Jedi that fell to the dark side, aren't you?" he assumed.
"Wouldn't you like to know." The mystery attacker finally answered. "My name doesn't matter to you. All you need to worry about is your death." The women than spun her lightsabers around, kick up sand and trying to blind Galen with it, but he had already closed his eyes and used his other senses to block the women's attacks. "Your skills are well refined. It appears that Lord Vader trained you well. It's a shame that you choose the Jedi over the Dark Side. All the Jedi know is violence."
"So, you are a former Jedi. Let me guess, you survived Order 66, but your master didn't, and you gave into the dark side and now serve the Empire, is that about right?" Galen questioned, flinging the parts of the broken sniper rifle towards his opponent who slashed them apart into tiny little pieces.
"You are not my concern, Demon Lord." The women said, blocking Galen's attacks with her sabers, pushing back with all their strength. "I've got a message for you to pass onto a certain Padawan I was once friends with." The women said and whispered into Galen's ears before kicking him in the gut, pushing him back. "Until we meet again."
A smoke grenade was then dropped by the women, releasing red smoke that covered her escape as she jumped off the roof and back down to street level. Galen scanned for the mystery women but found no trace of her. "Who was that woman?" he asked himself before leaping from the rooftop and back down to street level, finding his allies still in the midst of a firefight.
"What happened up there?" Cody asked, firing back with his carbine and nailed a few attackers in the chest.
"An Inquisitor. They gave me a message to pass on." Galen answered, blocking blaster fire at the bounty hunters before he threw one of his sabers at them, cutting them down. "We need to finish this up and get to the docking bay!"
"Up for taking point?" Cody asked. Galen just smirked and dashed towards the bounty hunters, cutting them down in a matter of seconds. "Jedi never fail to disappoint." He smirked under his helmet, before he followed after Galen, followed by Ruby, Jaune and Hondo, the two of which kept their lightsabers sheathed and their blaster pistols at the ready.
Jaune fired a few shots from the SE-14 he acquired from the Fall of Beacon, knocking down a few bounty hunters while Ruby fire back with her DL-44, nailing one of the bounty hunters in the head. "He's going down!" she shouted as the dead bounty hunter fell into a dumpster as Galen carved up a few bounty hunter droids with his blades. As Ruby prepared to fire another shot, she saw something from the end of the alley. "Uh-oh, I think the Empire might be looking into the noise complaints." She said with worry.
"Don't worry about them, my young friend." Hondo assured as several Stormtroopers entered the alley and began to fire at the bounty hunters. "I think we can let the Empire handle them." Hondo added.
"Let's get out of here!" Cody shouted and threw down a smoke grenade, blinding both the bounty hunters and imperials long enough for them to make a quick getaway, leaving the ongoing firefight behind them. Due to the increased imperial presence, they had to stick to the side streets to reach the docking bay where Han's ship was stationed. As for Hondo, he ducked away on his own way, promising to contact his friends if he needed anything or if he had something they needed.
"You guys look like you were in a tough battle." Luke observed when the group rejoined his group.
"You have no idea. Let's get on the ship and out of here before things get worse." Jaune stated, following Luke, the droids and Obi-Wan into the docking bay where they laid eyes on the ship. It was a YT-1300 light freighter, similar to the one that Seyden Merrick had in his possession.
"What a piece of junk!" Luke exclaimed.
"She'll make point five past lightspeed." Han declared from the boarding ramp. "She may not look like much, but she's got it where it counts, kid. I've made a lot of special modifications myself. But we're a little rushed, so if you'll just get onboard, we'll get outta here."
The group was quick to board the freighter, but it wasn't a simple departure as multiple Stormtroopers rushed into the docking bay. "Stop that ship! Blast 'em!" a stormtrooper shouted before the imperial soldiers opened fire. Han was quick to fire back at the imperials before he boarded the ship himself.
"Chewie get us out of here!" Han ordered the Wookie while Luke, Obi-Wan, Ruby, Galen, Cody and Jaune strapped themselves in for take-off.
"Oh my, I'd forgotten how much I hate space travel." Threepio said nervously to Artoo as the modified freighter blasted out of the port and headed into space, leaving behind both the mysterious figure from earlier and the remaining stormtroopers.
As the Millennium Falcon broke through the atmosphere, the sensors of the ship beeped as several new contacts appeared. "Looks like an imperial cruiser. Our passengers must be hotter than I thought. Try and hold 'em off. Angle the deflector shields while I make the calculations for the jump to lightspeed." Han mused and ordered his companion as the said imperial cruiser came into view.
"Stay sharp. There's two more comin' in. They're gonna try and cut us off." Han ordered as his passengers entered the cockpit.
"Why don't you outrun 'em? I thought you said this thing was fast?" Luke snapped.
"Watch your mouth, kid, or else you'll find yourself floating home. We'll be safe the moment we make the jump to lightspeed. Besides, I know a few maneuvers. We'll lose them." Han snapped to Luke as turbo laser fire from the two cruisers bracketed the ship, causing it to shudder and shake. "This is where the fun begins." Han said.
"How long before you can make the jump to lightspeed?" Obi-Wan asked.
"It'll take a few moments to get the coordinates from the navi computer." Han answered.
"Are you kidding? At the rate their gaining?" Luke retorted.
"Traveling through hyperspace ain't like dustin' crops, boy. Without precise calculations… we'd fly right into a star or bounce too close to a supernova and that would end your trip real quick, wouldn't it?" Han retorted back.
"Heads up!" Jaune shouted as a TIE fighter came screaming at them from headlong. Much to Han and Chewie's surprise, the TIE fighter was then crushed into a ball of twisted titanium before it exploded when its engines went critical.
"What the hell?" Han cursed before he turned back and saw that Galen had his hand stretched outwards.
"What's that flashing?" Luke questioned, equally confused about what Galen just did before his hand was slapped away by Han.
"We're losing our deflector shields. Go strap yourselves in, I'm going to make the jump to lightspeed." Han answered, swatting Luke's hand away before the Falcon jumped to lightspeed, leaving the imperial forces behind them.
Meanwhile, the Death Star had arrived at Alderaan. Leia's resistance to the mind probe had proved to be stronger then anticipated, so it would take time for the princess to divulge the information about the Rebel's base, but Tarkin had another means to persuade her.
With the Death Star now fully operational, Tarkin had decided to demonstrate its full power, much to Yularen's protest who knew exactly what Tarkin had planned. The Colonel stood in the control room beside Tarkin as Leia was brought into the room, escorted by Vader and two Death Star Troopers. "Governor Tarkin! I should I have expected you to be holding Vader's leash. I recognized your foul stench the moment I was brought onboard." Leia retorted with a glare before she saw Yularen.
"Charming to the last." Tarkin complemented. "You don't know how hard it was for signing the order to terminate you."
"I'm surprised you had the courage to take responsibility yourself." The princess scoffed.
"Princess Leia, before your execution I would like to be my guest at a ceremony that will make this battle station fully operational. No star system will dare oppose the emperor now." Tarkin admitted.
"The more you tighten your grip, Tarkin, the more star systems will slip through your fingers." Leia warned, faking a smile.
"Not after we demonstrate the power of this station. In a way you have determined the choice of planet that will be destroyed first. Since you are reluctant to provide us with the location of the rebel base, I have decided to test this station's destructive power on your home planet of Alderaan." Tarkin stated as Leia's planet came into view.
"No! Alderaan is peaceful. We have no weapons. You can't-" she protested in fear.
"You would prefer another target? A military target? Then named the system!" Tarkin snapped.
"You've overstepped your authority!" Yularen snapped at Tarkin. "Alderaan has no military value! Whether they are supporting the Rebellion or not, this is a wasted effort! Our enemy has always been the rebellion and those who threaten the safety of the Empire! We don't target our own people!"
"So, it appears that you've decided to side with the rebellion then. I'm disappointed with you, Colonel." Tarkin said, somewhat amused by the Colonel's words.
"I am not siding with anyone! This stations power has already been tested on Desparye months ago and you already seen proven its destructive capabilities. This is only a show of force!" Yularen protested and was prepared to move when more Death Star troopers arrived and aimed their blasters at him, forcing the Colonel to stand down.
"As I thought, you don't have the will to go through with your convictions." Tarkin smirked and turned back to Leia. "I grow tired of asking this. Where is the rebel base?" he demanded.
Leia looked back towards her planet before she made her choice. "Dantooine. They're on Dantooine" she answered softly and lowered her head. She only hoped that her answer would force Tarkin to call of his demonstration.
"There. You see, Lord Vader? She can be reasoned with. Continue with the operation. You may fire when ready." Tarkin sneered with triumph.
"WHAT?" Leia shouted in shock.
"Tarkin!" Yularen snarled only to get the butt end of a blaster rifle into his stomach, knocking him to the ground.
"You're far too trusting. Dantooine is to remote for an effective demonstration. But don't worry, we'll deal with your rebel friends soon enough." Tarkin declared as Vader held back the Princess as the space stations super laser shot towards the planet, broke through the planetary shield and turned the planet into nothing more than space dust, killing everyone on the planet and racking a certain Master Chief Gunnery Officer by the name of Tenn Graneet with more guilt than he had for his part in the destruction of Desparye.
The destruction of Alderaan was felt by all those strong in the force, especially Obi-Wan onboard the Falcon as it traveled through Hyperspace while Luke was practicing with his father's lightsaber. Galen, Ruby and Jaune also felt the disturbance. "Are you guys alright?" Luke asked.
"We felt a great disturbance in the Force. As if millions of voices suddenly cried out in terror and were suddenly silenced. I fear that something has terrible happened. You better get on with your exercises." Obi-Wan revealed.
'Did they actually finish it?' Galen thought to himself as he took a seat close to Luke as Han walked into the lounge.
"Well, you can forget about your trouble with those imperial slugs, I told you I'd outrun them." Han boasted, but no one seemed to pay attention. "Don't everyone thank me at once. Anyway, we should be at Alderaan by 0200."
"Thank you." Jaune said.
"Well at least someone thanked me." Han mused as Ruby, Chewbacca, Artoo and Threepio played a game of Dejarik, a game that Ruby noted was exactly like chess, only with monsters instead of knights, rooks and pawns.
"Now be careful, Artoo." Threepio instructed his companion.
"Go get 'em, Chewie!" Ruby cheered.
Artoo reached up with his claw and tapped the control's, sending one of his pieces to a new square and took out one of Chewie's pieces, a move that the Wookie didn't like and yelled about. "He made a fair move. Screaming about it won't help." Threepio pointed out to the Wookie.
"It's not wise to upset a Wookie." Han warned the golden droid.
"But sir, nobody worries about upsetting a droid." Threepio stated.
"That's 'cause a droid don't pull peoples arms out of their sockets when they lose. Wookie's are known to do that." Han said smugly.
"He's right. I've seen Wookie's literally do that against Imperial Stormtroopers. They're not a species you want to upset." Galen added in agreement.
Threepio glanced at Chewbacca who placed his hairy arms behind his head proudly. "I see your point sir." Threepio responded before he looked to Artoo. "I suggest a new strategy, Artoo. Let the Wookie win."
"Ahem?"
"Oh, right. Let the Wookie and Miss Rose win." Threepio corrected himself.
"Thank you." Ruby said proudly, looking at Chewbacca with a smile while Luke focused on a training remote as he practiced with his father's lightsaber.
"Remember, a Jedi can feel the Force flowing through him." Obi-Wan instructed.
"You mean it controls your actions?" Luke asked.
"Yes. But it also obeys your commands." Obi-Wan answered.
Luke kept his eyes on the remote as it moved several times before it came to a stop a few feet from Luke's face before it moved behind him after Luke didn't make a single move. The remote than fired a shot at Luke's leg, causing him to tumble while Han laughed. "Hokey religions and ancient weapons are no match for a good blaster by your side."
Luke frowned at Han's statement as he deactivated his lightsaber. "You don't believe in the Force, do you?" he questioned.
"Kid, I've flown from one side of the galaxy to the other. I've seen a lot of strange things, but I've never seen anything to make me believe there's some all-powerful force controlling my everything. There's no mystical energy field that controls my destiny. It's all a lot of smoke and mirrors." Han answered.
"You really think so?" Galen shot a glance at Han.
"I don't think… I know so." Han answered.
"Let's just see about that." Galen smirked. "Cody, switch your blaster to stun. Let's show Captain Solo what a Jedi can really do."
"With pleasure, Starkiller." Cody said, putting his helmet on the floor and grabbed his carbine, switching it to stun. Galen stood perfectly still as Cody took aim with his carbine and fired a shot that Galen blocked with his sabers. Cody fired a few more shots that Galen blocked without any effort at all. "Trust me when I say, that he knows what he's talking about." Cody smirked.
"I still don't believe it." Han scoffed as Obi-Wan picked up a helmet from nearby.
"I suggest you try it again, Luke." He said with a smile, putting the helmet over Luke's head. "This time, let go of your conscious self… and act on instinct."
"With the blast shield down, I can't even see. How am I supposed to fight?" Luke asked.
"Your eyes can deceive you, don't trust them." Obi-Wan warned.
"You got this." Galen assured Luke who activated his lightsaber, standing in place as if he were frozen. The remote shot straight into the air and Luke swung his saber, missing it and took a stun bolt in the arm.
"Stretch out with your feelings." Obi-Wan instructed. This time, Luke was able to block three shots from the remote. "You see? You can do it." the old Jedi Master said proudly.
"I call it luck." Han scoffed.
"In my experience, there's no such thing as luck." Obi-Wan replied.
"Look, good against remotes is one thing. Good against the living is another thing." Han commented before he spotted a small flashing on the control panel on the far side. "Looks like we're coming up on Alderaan." Han announced as he and Chewbacca headed for the cockpit.
"You know, I did feel something. It's almost as if I could see the remote." Luke said to his teacher.
"That's good. You've taken your first steps to a larger world." Obi-Wan said proudly.
"You'll do great things, Luke. I know it." Jaune said to the former farmer. Suddenly, the ship started to shudder and shake violently, almost knocking the passengers to the floor. "I don't think that was any turbulence." He pointed out as they headed into the cockpit and looked outside to see multiple asteroids outside the ship.
"What's going on?" Luke asked.
"Our position is correct, except no Alderaan." Han answered.
"What do you mean? I don't see anything." Ruby said in confusion.
"That's what I'm trying to tell you, kids. It ain't here. It's been totally blown away." Han said again.
"What? How?" Jaune asked in equal confusion.
"Destroyed, by the Empire." Obi-Wan answered.
"The entire star fleet couldn't destroy a planet. It would take a thousand ships with more firepower than…" Han began before an alarm sounded from the control panel. "There's another ship coming in."
"Maybe they know what happened." Luke suggested.
"It's an imperial fighter." Obi-Wan warned as an explosion flashed near the cockpit window as a lone TIE fighter raced past them.
"It followed us!" Luke exclaimed.
"No, it's a short-range fighter." Obi-Wan corrected.
"Those TIE's have no life-support, shields or hyperdrives. They're cheap, easy to build and expendable like the pilots who fly them." Cody added.
"There aren't any bases around here. Where did it come from?" Han stated as the fighter flew away from the Falcon.
"It sure is leaving in big hurry. If they identify us, we're in big trouble." Luke realized.
"Not if I can help it. Chewie jam its transmissions." Han instructed his copilot.
"It would be as well as to let it go. It's well out of range." Obi-Wan insisted.
"Not for long." Han replied firmly and continued to give chase after the imperial fighter.
"A fighter that size couldn't get this deep into space." Obi-Wan noted.
"He must have gotten lost, part of a convoy or something." Luke suggested.
"If it were a convoy, then where's the wreckage of the transports?" Galen asked.
"Well, he ain't gonna be around long enough to tell anybody about us." Han said as the fighter headed towards a nearby moon, but Galen had a feeling it looked familiar.
"Look at him, he's heading for that small moon." Luke said.
"I think I can get him before he gets to it. I'm almost in range." Han said.
"That's no moon. It's a space station." Obi-Wan said aloud.
"You're crazy. It's too small to be a space station." Han denied.
"No, it is a space station, but not just any space station. It's the Death Star!" Galen exclaimed.
"Death what?" Jaune asked in confusion.
"Death Star." Galen clarified.
"I've got a bad feeling about this." Luke admitted.
"Turn the ship around." Obi-Wan ordered the smuggler.
"Yeah, I think you're right. Full Reverse! Chewie lock in the auxiliary power!" Han ordered, but by then it was too late. The tractor beams on the space station started to pull the freighter into one of its hangers. "Damn it! Well, they're not going to get me without a fight!" Han snarled.
"You can't win, but there are alternatives to fighting." Obi-Wan said.
"What alternatives are you talking about, old man?" Han asked angrily.
"This ship is used for smuggling, right? So that means it has compartments to smuggle the cargo you don't want anyone to find." Ruby explained. Galen smiled at Ruby's idea, but at the same time, he felt a chill in the force, a chill that told him who was onboard the station.
And that's it.
Looks like there's someone new with a lightsaber working with the Empire and we have old Hondo warning the group about the bounties on their heads. Who is this mysterious new character? It's not Mara Jade, she might appear later on.
Yularen protested against Tarkin's plan but couldn't do nothing to stop the destruction of Alderaan. However, I do have plans for him.
Now, next chapter is the rescue of Princess Leia and Jaune's reunion with Pyrrha, but I have some bad news. My grandmother recently passed away and it hit me really hard. She was the best grandma I could ever ask for, she made great pizza, facetimed me whenever she could and was always so cheerful, despite losing her husband two years ago. I've now lost both my grandparents and I couldn't even see her one last time.
I'll dedicate a chapter to her further down the road, but I might be taking a break from writing for a bit. Hope you can all understand. Please read and review.