Chapter 4

The Death Star was destroyed, the transport carrying an army of storm troopers had been shot down by the Rebels and Black squadron had lost more than its fair share of pilots.

'Black squadron this is Black Leader, all remaining fighters to return immediately to the Interceptor' said Luke. He was furious not only at his own failure to retrieve the Princess, but also that the Rebels had succeeded in their attack, how the hell had they managed it he thought.

Hatred burning in him Luke was intent on still doing some serious damage to the rebel base and any remaining fighters before he followed his squad back to the Interceptor. Just over one million lives at just been lost, and Luke was still reeling from the huge shift in the force that had smacked into him at the moment of the Death Stars destruction. He had been going in the land when it hit him.

'Luke where are you going?' asked Deek, he had opened a private com channel to speak directly to him.

'Just getting a last few shots in Deek, go back with the others, I'll see you shortly, I'm going to need that brandy so get it ready' replied Luke.

'Well if you're sure?'

'Yes Deek, I've got this' said Luke closing the channel.

As he turned and flew his fighter toward the remaining ground crews and canons in front of the base, lining up to blast the place with everything he had left, Luke felt a disturbance in the force, much smaller this time. No, it's not he thought. Not so much a disturbance, but something familiar, not quite like his father's force signature, but something similar. In that small moment he was distracted, he took a hit from a laser canon behind their still intact deflector shields. Luke swore, cursing for allowing himself to lose his focus. He had lost his deflector shield in the direct hit. Turning away from the base, smoke rising out from behind him, he headed out toward the forest aiming to reach space as fast as he could. His father and the Emperor would punish him severely for failing, but he would deal with that on his return. Punching in the co-ordinates for the Interceptor, he was about to make the jump when he spotted a rebel fighter, too late, he took another hit. Without the deflector shield the blast destroyed his two left engines, they burst into flames lurching the fighter to the right and downwards. He had lost all control. He tried to eject but the explosives meant to blast away the canopy failed, merely shattering the transparisteel. Luke swore as the x wing slammed into the ground.

…..

Crowds of cheering ground crew and pilots surrounded Wedges x-wing as he climbed down the ladder. R2 beeped and whistled at C-3PO as the crane lifted him down.

'Wedge, Wedge!' shouted Leia running up and nearly flattening him with a hug.

'Hey kid!' said Han as he embraced the two of them.

'You had me fooled their Han, thought you'd left us for good,' smiled Wedge.

'And let you take all the glory, never' laughed Han.

General Dodonna approached the three of them, 'Congratulations Captain Antillies, Captain Solo, excellent work. The Alliance is forever in your debt.'

'General Dodonna, Princess Leia!" the chief medical officer said as he hurried over towards the celebrating crowd, 'Black squadron have gone but they've done a lot of damage. We have many injured pilots and ground crew; we could use some help with recovery operations'

'Black squadron?' questioned Han

'We think they came for me,' said Leia, 'We held them off and they fled when the Death Star exploded, but they destroyed the Ion canon and there is extensive bomb and laser damage, I fear many people are dead or injured out there.'

'Then how can we help?' said Han, Chewie growling his agreement behind him.