Millennium Falcon:
Leia watched as an image of Luke, and her mother materialized in front of her. "You are safe?" Padme smiled at her daughter and looked back at her son. She then spoke, "Take the Falcon into lightspeed and get to Yavin as quickly as possible. Inform Mon to prepare Red and Gold Squadron for battle. Tell her to begin preparing the base for evacuation. I will explain more when I arrive."
"What is going on?" Leia asked.
"We are setting a trap for Governor Tarkin," Luke replied.
"Don't put a scratch on my ship when you land," She heard Han yell as he appeared beside her family. Leia sighed as she spoke, "Mom why did you lie to us for all of our lives about..."
"Right now is not the time and place as I have told your brother. We will talk about this when we get home as a family."
"Mom is right Leia," Luke said as he affirmed their mother's statement. He looked at her mother with an icy glare before looking back at her.
Leia sighed in frustration as she spoke, "Fine."
"Now take the ship into hyperspace," Padme stated.
The transmission ended and Leia sat down in the cockpit as she prepared herself. The course was already calculated and laid out. She prepared to make the jump knowing that the Falcon would arrive before her family would. She turned away from the scene as she noticed Winter entering the cockpit.
"Well?"
"We are good to go," Leia replied.
"What about your family?" the Princess asked.
Leia smiled, "They are on their own and safe. We have orders."
Winter sat down alongside Leia without another word.
The young Princess had insisted upon joining her friend on the mission upon learning that Leia was going to pilot the Falcon by herself. Leia was glad for the company although she had little confidence in Winter's fighting abilities. As the Falcon made the jump into lightspeed she knew that this lone exploit was only the beginning of the war that she had dedicated her life to fighting.
Leia pointed to the com as she gave Winter the orders that needed to be relayed to Mon. She focused on making the jump into hyperspace as Winter made contact over the com with Yavin IV.
Yavin IV:
Technicians were working furiously to prepare around thirty starfighters for the upcoming battle. As they worked, various transport vessels were loaded in one side of the hanger for the evacuation of the base. As each X-Wing vessel was loaded with a pair of proton torpedoes for the upcoming battle, word was flowing through the base. The Alliance Council was in session. General Padme Amidala Skywalker had been sighted with her retinue of Jedi Knights and her rugged aide, Han Solo. She had returned to the base after missing for over a week. Word was that the Empire's new weapon was on the way to destroy their base and the Alliance. Furthermore General Skywalker was setting the trap that would ensnare this weapon. She knew of a way to destroy the weapon that no one else knew of.
Inside the Alliance war room Padme had just finished disclosing her plan to ensnare the Empire at Yavin. Although not all of the Alliance Council agreed with her plan, she had the general support of most of the Council. She had enough trust from all of the members that she knew that she could avoid a confrontation in this critical moment.
As She sat down, Jan Dodonna stood up, "With Viceroy Bail Organa's passing we are almost leaderless. We need a strong leader who does not show mistrust on this Council. I nominate General Skywalker to this position."
Obi-Wan spoke first, "I agree."
General Carlist Rieekan of Alderaan raised his hand in agreement. Princess Winter Organa did the same and was followed by Gial Ackbar. Garm Bel Iblis also agreed as all eyes looked towards Mon Mothma who joined the group. The decision was unanimous, Padme was the official head of the Alliance to restore the Republic.
She then spoke, "I'm ready to brief the men, General Dodonna and Princess Winter please join me."
Padme stood in front of a podium flanked by Winter and Dodonna as she spoke, "The battle Station is heavily shielded and carries a firepower greater than half of the Star Fleet. It's defenses are designed around a direct large scale assault."
Padme noticed murmurings from the younger pilots as she looked towards the squad commanders, Garvin Dreis and Dutch Vander. She looked past the two men and noticed her son sitting in between Biggs Darklighter and Wedge Antilles and smiled before gesturing to Jan Dodonna.
She noticed Biggs and her son exchanging jokes as she shook her head. While Biggs was four years older than her son he still had a lot of growing to do. She was as fond of the eighteen year old Imperial defector as she was of Wedge who was also just eighteen. So young and so much potential. Why must these boys risk their lives for such a cause in this modern time? she asked herself.
General Dodonna then spoke, "A small one man fighter should be able to penetrate the outer defense."
Luke noticed Dutch Vander who was just six years older than him speaking, "Pardon for asking sir, But what good are snub fighters going to be against that?"
"The Empire does not consider a small one man fighter to be a threat or they'd have a tighter defense," Padme countered as she resumed her position as head of the mission briefing.
Padme pointed to the image of the Death Star as she continued "An analysis of the plans provided by Princess Winter has demonstrated a weakness in the battle station. The approach will not be easy."
As the images of a large durasteel trench appeared Padme continued, "You will be required to maneuver straight down the trench and skim the surface to this point. The target area is only two meters wide. Its a small thermal exhaust port that leads directly to the reactor core."
Luke stared at the targeting zone as he looked towards his squad commander. Dreis had already agreed that he was the man who would make the run. His mother had atold Dreis that Luke would be the best bet to destroy the station in a timely manner.
Padme pointed to the shaft as she spoke, "A precise hit will cause a chain reaction that will destroy the station. Only a precise hit will destroy the station. The shaft is ray shielded so you will have to use Proton Torpedoes."
Wedge in frustration spoke, "That's impossible, even for a computer to hit."
Luke shook his head knowing that He would have to use the force to destroy the station as his father had instructed, "Its not impossible Wedge. Besides I won't be using the computer, I will be using the Force."
"Kid are you seriously going to put our lives on the line by putting your trust in some ancient religion that you practice?"
"You just said you don't trust the computer," Luke replied with a smirk.
"Silence from both of you!" Han yelled as he entered the room.
Luke and Wedge looked away from each other as Padme acknowledged their dispute. "You will all work to make this possible. Put aside your differences and let them wait until after this mission is completed. That is my final order to all of you!"
"Yes General!" The room of pilots unanimously replied.
His mother spoke as the briefing ended, "Man your ships, and may the Force be with you."
Padme waved for Luke to approach her as the group was dismissed. She stood in between Dutch Vander, the commander of Gold Squadron and Garvin Dreis, the commander of Red Squadron. Luke approached the two men and his mother as she spoke, "These two men are aware of your skills Luke."
"Our goal is to save as many men up there as possible," Dreis stated.
"What do you need to make that shot?" Vander asked.
Luke took in a deep breath as he looked at his mother before looking at the two squad leaders.
"Keep Vader as busy as possible and I can make that shot. I will make the attack run as soon as we get up there."
"I was thinking the false attack run will get Vader to come out early," Vander said.
"Vander is proposing leading Gold Squad and having you come in once Vader is chasing them. At that point we can hopefully pick off Vader's squad and make the shot," Dreis said.
Luke nodded his head, "That sounds good to me."
"Proceed but be careful," Padme replied as she looked at the two squad commanders.
"I think you need to pull out of the trench as soon as Vader is in firing range of your craft," Luke added.
"Luke that is just insanity. Once Vader sees him doing that he will know it is a ruse," Garvin said.
"Don't worry about it Commander I have studied Vader's strategy and my master trained Vader before he joined the Empire. I know enough about him to be able to stall him. I only need to get close enough to fire the shot."
Death Star:
Wilhuff Tarkin stood onboard the bridge of the Death Star as the Space Station came out of hyperspace. "They aren't expecting us are they?" Motti said with a smile. Tarkin turned to Motti and nodded in amusement, "No Admiral they won't know until it is too late."
Vader watched the scene from the background as a young officer rushed into the room with an uneasy look in his eyes and a datapad in his hand.
"What is it?" Governor Tarkin asked.
"Moff Jade is dead sir!"
"The surgery and the blood transfusion wasn't enough. His body went into cardiac arrest even under sedation."
Tarkin clenched his teeth as he spoke, "Let us destroy this nest of rebels in the name of Moff Jade my friend!"
An officer at a nearby computer terminal uneasily spoke, "Sir I am picking up ships approaching. They are starfighters."
A holoscreen was activated and Tarkin witnessed the sight of several wings of rebel fighters that were quickly approaching their position.
"How could they be arriving in such a timely manner if they didn't know that we are coming?"
Tarkin's eyes widened as he thought to the escaping rebel prisoner and the successful infiltration of the station that Vader had allowed. Had the rebels played them? They had thought that letting the rebels go would be a successful way of finding the base and indeed the homing beacon had worked. But what if the rebels had intended for them to discover their base? A the same time Tarkin put his foot down on the durasteel floor. There was nothing that could be done. There was no way that two dozen starfighters could destroy their battle station.
Vader sneered in amusement as he noticed the shock in Tarkin's eyes. He turned and strolled off of the bridge and into one of the dark corridors as the entire Death Star went to full red alert. They were under attack! He could only hope that Padme had a way off of the base if the attack run failed. It wouldn't fail though, he would make sure of the station's destruction.
He activated his comlink as he spoke, "Hanger bay 003 is my starfighter fully outfitted and armed?"
"Yes sir!" replied a young technician.
"Are there proton torpedoes loaded and ready?"
"Of course Milord. Everything that you would demand is loaded and your fighter has been inspected and is fueled as you requested."
"Good," Vader replied as he severed the connection.
Vader walked in the hallway as an Officer rushed up to him, "We counted thirty rebel ships Lord Vader but they are so small that they are evading our turbolasers."
Vader turned his head towards the nearby viewport as he observed a turbolaser battery exploding.
"We will have to destroy them from ship to ship get crews to their fighters.
Vader reached out with the Force as he sensed his son's presence outside of the battle station. He smiled with pride as he observed the battle on the holoscreen.
Luke blew up four turbolaser batteries as he heard his mother's voice, "Squad leaders we've picked up a new group of signals. Enemy fighters are coming your way."
Luke reached out with the Force as he turned his starfighter around he placed himself face on with the incoming squad of eight fighters with a smirk.
He hurled himself forwards as he targeted the closest two fighters. He knew that there were at least three more squads arriving so he decided that he would make quick easy work of these first eight tie fighters.
As he prepared to attack the remaining six tie fighters Biggs flew alongside him as he spun his starfighter in a spin. His torrent of blasterfire encompassed two fighters as Wedge flew head on towards another fighter and fired. Luke fired upon the last fighter as Biggs joined him.
As they fought several of their comrades were killed. Luke shivered as he felt their deaths in the force. "That was Porkins," Luke said in horror.
"Luke they are on my tail!" Wedge said.
"Biggs cover me! I'm going to help him out!" Luke said.
Death Star:
Vader walked away from the holoscreen as Wilhuff Tarkin spoke, "Where are you going?"
"To deal with the fighters that are in the trench and that pilot that just decimated the first squad of fighters."
Tarkin smugly smiled as Vader left. He knew that he would have not one ounce of valid fear with Lord Vader leading the defense.
Vader approached two pilots as he spoke, "Several fighters have broken off from the main group and are heading down the main trench towards the weakness that they have exploited. Come with me."
The pilots followed the Dark Lord without questioning as he led them towards his tiny hanger where his starfighter was waiting. As Vader walked he knew that the rebel squadron was suffering significant casualties. Tarkin had deployed an additional wave of tie fighters. He would have to move quickly to insure that the station was destroyed.
He walked into the hanger bay a few minutes later and headed towards his customized starfighter. As the two younger pilots moved into their starfighters Vader removed his cloak and boots and quickly slipped an Imperial flight-suit over his tunic and trousers. He then seized the heavy life support helmet and his cloak after putting the helmet on. While Vader didn't usually fly with a life support system he felt as though flying against his son warranted the need to dress in such a suit.
He then climbed into his starfighter as he spoke into the comlink, "Prepare to launch your fighters."
"Yes sir," his two wingmen replied in unison.
Yavin IV:
Padme cringed as she heard Dreis's final defiant screams. His starboard engine had been fried as he had intercepted heavy fire from several fighters in an effort to save Biggs Darklighter.
She sighed as she spoke, "All remaining fighters listen to me. Gold Leader pull your crew out of the shaft. Luke take Red Two and Three and proceed to make your attack run. Vander you take the rest of the squadron and hold off the rest of the fighters."
"Acknowledged General," she heard her son and Gold Leader reply. Leia seized her mother's hand as the group turned their attention back to the computer monitor.
Space above Yavin:
"Luke They are closing in on us!" He heard Biggs yell.
Wedge sighed, "I just lost an engine and I've lost my shield generator!"
"Get clear Wedge you can't do any good for me back there. Get back to base!" Luke ordered.
"Sorry!" Wedge said as he pulled his fighter out.
Vader watching the pilot pull out of the trench that he had targeted spoke to his wingmen, "Let him go the leader is our target."
"Yes sir!"
As Luke flew Vader spoke through the force, "You have one minute."
"These fighters father," Luke said.
"I will take care of them," Vader replied.
Vader slowed his fighter down as the two wingmen flew in front of him. The first tie fighter was on his monitor. He then targeted the fighter.
Death Star:
Wilhuff Tarkin stared at the screen in disbelief, "Did Vader just target one of our own fighters?"
"Yes," Conan Motti said.
"He isn't!" Tarkin sneered.
"Order all remaining fighters to turn their attention towards Vader's fighter!"
"Why would he turn on us?" Motti asked.
"Because he knows about my plans and he too is committed to Palpatine's overthrow. What a brilliant scheme. Use the rebels as his scapebantha to rid his most prominent rivals."
"Sir we need to leave! There is no time the rebels have crushed the other fighters! There are only eight of our own left!"
"The Rebels?"
"They just pulled their remaining fighters out of there," Motti said.
"They know what they are doing," Tarkin realized as he looked down at the floor.
"We must leave!"
Tarkin turned as he ran towards the hallway.
"Clear the station!" he yelled.
Space above Yavin:
Luke breathed in deeply as Biggs spoke, "Luke Vader is..."
"Biggs don't say anything else we will talk on the planet."
"Ok," Biggs skeptically replied.
Luke reached out with the Force and then delivered the fatal shot. He used the Force as his guide and the proton torpedoes were true to their mark.
He could sense his father's fighter retreating as he flew out of the trench with Biggs.
Death Star:
Wilhuff Tarkin stopped where he stood in the hallway as he stared out of the viewport towards the fourth moon of Yavin. He saw the fighters retreating. He knew that his doom was imminent. He should have evacuated the battle station much earlier he realized. Vader had played his cards brilliantly. Most of the Palpatine sympathizers that were competent were onboard the Death Star. Most of those who would support him when he moved to overthrow the two Sith Lords were onboard. Vader had used the rebels to get rid of a station that he hated and his rivals.
As the Death Star exploded into a magnificent display of firepower and destruction, Luke and Biggs flew towards Yavin IV. They hoped to catch up with the remaining survivors who were nearing Yavin IV. They had lost just over two thirds of their squadron in the battle. At that moment Biggs spoke, "Luke dive!"
Luke took his fighter into a dive just in time to avoid fatal ion cannon fire from a tie fighter. Biggs moved to intercept the tie fighter as a second tie got onto his tail.
"Survivors!" Luke realized to his horror as he struggled to shake the fighter on his tail, "I can't shake him!"
The fighter behind him exploded as Biggs spoke, "Move Luke!"
Biggs's comlink had gone silent. Luke turned his fighter into a downward spin as his friend's fighter exploded. This last lone tie fighter was the last thing left of the Death Star and now it was on his tail. At that moment he felt the death of the tie fighter pilot as he saw his father's starfighter blazing past him in his viewport. He gasped in a deep sigh of relief as he looked towards the massive debris field that was behind him.
"R2 are there anymore ships left in the system?"
R2 pulled up Luke's navigation chart and Luke looked to see his father's starfighter making the jump into hyperspace. He breathed in a deep sigh of relief as he saw that there were no ships left in the system. He directed his ship towards the moon and flew towards the Alliance Base.