Chapter 13
Grand Admiral Thrawn suppressed a grin as the Executor entered firing range with the Lusankya. The Imperial flagship was attempting to provide cover for the Death Star by using its fighters to war off any attack on the main reactor. Facing the enemy flagship was every naval commander's dream, a guilty pleasure Thrawn planned to indulge. Both titans were nearly evenly matched.
It was a confrontation for the ages.
"Fire on the Lusankya," Thrawn ordered.
It appeared as if his enemy just gave the same order for Thrawn observed as the turbolaser volleys appeared to emerge at the same moment. Thrawn stood still on the bridge as the firefight began.
Lando led the Rebel fighters along the surface of the Death Star. Imperial pilots from the Lusankya were doing everything to defend the station from the Rebels. The Millennium Falcon was nimble enough to keep from being destroyed, but the odds were quickly falling out of their favor. Many Rebel pilots were not lucky enough to avoid fire from enemy TIEs.
"Blue Squadron, take your group and draw away those fighters," Lando ordered. "The rest of you, do not stop to engage! We have to hit that reactor."
"I'm picking up interference," one Rebel pilot said over the frequency. "The Death Star's jamming us!"
The Millennium Falcon blasted towards the incomplete surface of the Death Star. Thanks to cover from Blue Squadron, the Rebel fighters were able to make it to the reactor shaft. The incomplete portion of the Death Star was proving to be just as much a hazard as the enemy fighters. Girders, scaffolding and incomplete towers were proving to be some engineer's idea of an evil maze.
Lando persisted as two X-Wings blasted past him, firing on approaching TIEs in their path. The general watched as Mara and Wedge approached the shaft.
"I see it," Mara said. "We're going in."
The two X-Wings climbed before arcing down into the tiny shaft. It was a tight fit, but the agile starfighters easily made it through. Lando felt his stomach lurch for the first time in the battle. It would be tight for him.
"Here goes nothing," Lando said as he brought Han's freighter into a climb before spinning and diving into the shaft. The shaft was an even worse maze than the incomplete superstucture. What Lando assumed to be Mara's X-Wing appeared to be flying purely on instinct.
"Or the Force," Lando muttered before activating the general fighter frequency. "Now lock onto the strongest power source. It should be the reactor."
"Got it," Wedge said after a couple of seconds.
"Form up and stay alert," Mara told them. "Looks like we're going to run out of space real fast."
The Rebels barreled through the shaft, making the nearly impossible twists and turns while being pursued by enemy TIEs. Three Rebel TIEs were quickly taken down by the Imperials. It seemed as if they had no tolerance for traitors. Soon, they were attacking the more familiar Rebel starfighters. An X-Wing exploded from a concentrated barrage.
Nien Nunb spoke nervously to Lando, warning him about an oncoming shaft obstruction. The general, wanting to remain calm, said, "I know! I see it."
Lando turned the Millennium Falcon a full 360 degrees underneath a heat wall that blocked most of the shaft. X-Wings and A-Wings followed, though a couple of Rebels crashed against the heat wall.
"My scope's gone," Wedge complained. "Switch to visual scanning!"
"Just hang on!" Mara told them. "Follow me through."
More Imperials fell upon the Rebels. Two X-Wings trying to avoid enemy fire and navigate the maze hit the shaft wall, while another was taken down by the TIEs. They were running out of space and were proving to be sitting ducks against the Imperial pilots.
"Split up and head back to the surface," Lando ordered. "See if you can get a few of those TIE fighters to follow you."
"Copy, Gold Leader," an A-Wing pilot said. The A-Wing took another route through the shafts, bringing three TIE fighters with him. Other Rebels followed suit. The pursuit for the main reactor continued.
Mara and Wedge dove through a tight shaft. Lando clenched his teeth as he tried to guide the Millennium Falcon through the small opening. The ship scraped against the side of the shaft, scraping the radar dish from the freighter's hull. In the cockpit, Lando sighed with relief and Nien Nunb chattered frantically.
"That was too close," Lando said.
From his vantage point on the bridge of Home One, Ackbar observed as the Executor exchanged blows with the Lusankya. It was clear that Thrawn was attempting to scare the Imperial commander with a show of force while deflecting attention away from the Death Star. It was not enough.
"We've got to give those fighters more time!" Ackbar exclaimed. "Concentrate all fire on the Lusankya!"
Combined with the Executor's barrage, the Rebel fleet and starfighters were finally beginning to assault the Lusankya en masse, taxing the Imperial flagship's ability to operate. Rebel fighters flew along the hull, blasting away at enemy fighters and the ship itself. Suddenly, one of the two shield towers erupted.
The bridge of the Lusankya rocked from the explosion. Admiral Loz turned to his first officer and asked, "What's the damage?"
One controller looked up at Loz and announced, "Sir, we've just lost our bridge deflector shield!"
Loz looked down at the controller, maintaining the discipline of the Carida Academy. "Intensify forward batteries," he ordered. "I don't want anything to get through."
Loz never noticed the Rebel A-Wing spinning out of control outside the bridge. It was hurtling on a dangerous crash course with the Imperial flagship.
"Intensify forward firepower!" Loz bellowed, losing his patience and discipline.
"Too late!" his first officer yelled
The A-Wing crashed through the bridge, vaporizing everyone on impact and dealing a critical blow to the ship. The bridge tower exploded and began to list to port.
Thrawn allowed himself to grin as he observed the damaged Lusankya being pulled by the Death Star's gravity well. He could only imagine the sort of atmosphere on the bridge of Home One as being that of a festival. There were no such cheers on the bridge of the Executor, where discipline kept the men concentrated on the still raging battle.
"We did it!" one Mon Calamari controller aboard Home One shouted, initiating a chorus of cheers.
Ackbar smiled proudly as the Lusankya plunged like a giant dagger into the Death Star. The ship collided with the superstructure head-on and vaporized. It was as if the entire station itself shook with the impact.
Anakin nearly fell as he carried the Emperor's body into the hangar. The massive explosion shook the entire Death Star, causing the Chosen One to drop his nemesis on the floor. Luke and Leia both turned as their father stopped moving to retrieve the body.
"I still don't see why you insisted on bringing him with us," Luke said.
Anakin heaved the Emperor's body over his shoulder. "Didn't you ever hear that living a Sith Lord's body lying around is bad luck?"
"Just hurry up!" Leia shouted. "This station is going to go up any minute now!"
"Well, excuse me for wanting to give a Sith Lord a proper burial!" Anakin retorted as he chased after his children.
The truth was, Anakin knew it was necessary to lay the Dark Lord of the Sith to rest on Korriban. Despite the fact that he no longer clung to the Sith ways, he was still duty bound to that tradition. Darth Sidious would join his kin in eternal rest on the tomb world.
"There's one!" Luke said, pointing towards an unoccupied shuttle.
The twins ascended the ramp first, followed by Anakin. There was urgency in the situation. Anakin could feel the web of the Empire crumbling as the Battle of Endor turned overwhelming in favor of the Rebellion. Anakin set his former master down in the cargo hold before he gazed up at a Force ghost.
"I sensed you there, helping Luke," Anakin said. "Thank you."
"You have to help our daughter," Padmé told him. "She needs your guidance."
"I still don't understand everything," said the Chosen One. "I feel like I still have so much left to do."
Padmé smiled. "That's the Ani I fell in love with," she told him. "You always wanted to help others; even those who didn't deserve it. But you have to leave. There's no stopping them now."
"Thank you," Anakin said again before heading towards the cockpit.
Just when Lando could not imagine the shafts leading anywhere, he heard Mara transmit, "There it is!"
Two X-Wings and the Millennium Falcon flew into a giant chamber. The main reactor was monstrous, looming over them like a god. Lando had a brief moment of respect for Imperial engineering before he remembered just what that reactor powered.
"It's too big," Mara said. "Our proton torpedoes won't dent that."
"Mara, Wedge, see if you can hit the power regulator on the North Tower on your way out," Lando suggested. "I'll handle the reactor."
"Wedge should take the shot," Mara said. "He's earned it."
"Thanks, Rogue Leader!" Wedge exclaimed as he followed Mara towards another shaft. He fired a salvo of proton torpedoes at the power regulator. It erupted on impact and the X-Wings flew out of the reactor chamber.
The Millennium Falcon fired its concussion missiles at the reactor and hurried towards the exit. Behind the pirate freighter, the power generator collapsed on itself and exploded. Lando barreled on as fast as his engines allowed, hoping to make it out of the superstructure in time.
"Move the fleet away from the Death Star," Thrawn ordered. "It's only a matter of time before it blows!"
The crew of the Executor responded to the Grand Admiral's orders. There was still some of the enemy fleet remaining to be engaged. Thrawn intended to demand their surrender once the Rebels were clear of the Death Star.
Luke piloted a Lambda-class shuttle out of the collapsing hangar bay. A nervous Leia sat beside him while Anakin looked confident behind him. They escaped the Death Star just in time for the section to explode behind them. Luke sighed with relief as he piloted the shuttle towards the forest moon.
The Millennium Falcon and its pilot braved the shaft one last time as explosions erupted behind the freighter. Two TIEs following the Rebels were vaporized by the chain reaction. Lando clenched his teeth and said, "Come on, lady luck. Don't abandon me now."
The flames grew closer as the explosions trailed the Millennium Falcon. Lando held on for the worst even though he could see the exit fast approaching.
Mara flew out of the Death Star with Wedge following close behind. She let out a relieved sigh as she piloted her X-Wing as far away as she could from the battlestation.
The Millennium Falcon burst through the exit of the shaft just as the explosion reached the edge. Lando felt what he believed to be the ultimate adrenaline rush.
"Yeeeehaah!" Lando exclaimed after the Falcon emerged from the Death Star.
Beside him, Nien Nunb was laughing after having survived the worst.
Behind them, the entire station exploded, sending debris flying in all directions. The Death Star was no more.
Kyle looked up at the sky as the Death Star flared like a second sun. The Jedi could hear the cheering of the Ewoks as they celebrated the victory. Even Kyp was excited that the Empire got its just desserts.
"They weren't on that thing when it blew, were they?" Han asked as he walked up behind Kyle.
"No," Kyle said. "They made it off the station with one extra."
The Battle of Endor continued for hours after the destruction of Death Star. The Imperial fleet refused to accept Thrawn's terms of surrender and was nearly decimated. Only a few ships managed to retreat from the debacle. For the time being, the Rebels took a moment to celebrate, all save for a few.
Luke, Anakin and Leia stood before Mon Mothma in one of the Ewok huts. The leader of the Alliance stole a few dirty glances in Leia's direction as Luke pleaded her case.
"I'm confident she can be reformed if you release her into the custody of the Jedi Order," Luke said. "You did the same for Darth Vader and he defeated the Emperor. Thrawn should be able to convince most of the remaining Imperials to surrender to the Alliance. All I ask is that you spare Leia a war crimes trial."
"Master Skywalker, I'm sure you are aware of the extent of her crimes," Mon stated. "High treason isn't even the tip of the iceberg."
"Mine were even worse, if you remember," Anakin said. "Give her the chance to train as a Jedi and you won't regret the decision to release her into the custody of the Jedi."
Mon sighed. It was clear she was wrestling with the consequences of her decision. "So be it," she agreed. "But this will be a probationary period." The Alliance leader stared directly at Leia. "If you relapse, the penalty will be swift."
"It won't come to that," Leia said before she unclipped her lightsaber from her belt. She handed it to Mon. "I do not have the right to carry this anymore. I surrender it to you."
Mon hesitated before accepting the Sith weapon. "I wish you the best, Leia," she said.
"Thank you," Luke said before leading the Jedi from the hut.
Anakin stepped outside and observed the celebration. He took a moment to sample the night air with his son before he told Leia, "I think there's someone waiting for you down there."
"Han," Leia said, immediately feeling shame for her deeds. "I did something terrible to him."
"Captain Solo is softer than he lets on," Anakin told her. "He'll probably give you another chance."
Leia sighed. "Here goes nothing." She walked away from Luke and Anakin, leaving the two alone to speak.
"I want you to train Leia," Luke told him. "I'm going to promote Kyle to Jedi Knight so he can finish Kyp's training. You'll need to devote your full attention to Leia."
"Right," Anakin said before gazing at his son. "I need to make up for past guilt?"
"No," Luke replied. "This will be your greatest challenge, Master Skywalker."
