Hey everybird! What's up!?
Before we start with the questions of the day, I know it's a little sad to bring this up, but I hope you're all praying for the victims of the shootings over the weekend, in El Paso and Dayton, both which combined took the lives of 31 people. And with all the news that came before with all the ICE raids and such… (Because of our current f***ing president in the White House…) I just want to make sure you all know that everyone is invited here, no matter your race, religion, sexual preference, gender, etc. and as long as you're nice, you are welcome here! And if anyone gives you trouble, no doubt I will make sure to act right away!
With that being said, lets get down to today's questions, starting with mine of course!
Which Star Wars trilogy do you like better, the original or the prequels? (And yes, I'm not including the new trilogy, because Rise of Skywalker has yet to come out!)
Me: I have to go with the original of course! The prequels are good and I like them very much, but the original is way more memorable and better even, despite the difference in film technology between the two, I do remember a lot more things from the original than the prequels.
Moving on to your questions…
From Stormknight089, he asks, "Can I please use your characters?"
Me: Well okay, but it still can't follow the Amazonian Life series and that's my final word on that.
From T8ECR34TOR, he asks, "If Lisa was real, can you imagine what fictional or cartoon character she would admire?"
Me: Obviously any shy character that has learned to be more confident over the years or through the course of a trial, like (Of course!) Fluttershy, Mulan, Judy Hoops, Moana, female characters like those.
Chapter 17: Family Rescue
(Tyler's POV)
"Yeah, I know Lucy, it's cold in here too, nothing much we can do about it." I told my droid as she found it hard to work with things getting a lot colder because of the majority of the fighter's systems being down. "Just focus on getting the engines and hyperdrive back up, I'll see what I can do about comms." I told Lucy as I tried getting back comms so I could call for help, any help would be welcome right now, I didn't wish to go out this early and alone, well except for Lucy of course.
Yes, I was pretty much alone out here in the asteroid field, after Arthur and what remained of Blue Squadron fled, our mysterious attackers also flew off to who knows where, not taking the chance that more New Republic ships might show up. I was scared, like really scared for the first time in my life, the feeling that this is where I will go, this is where I will spend my final moments, stuck in a now ruined T-85 X-Wing, doomed to have my body resting eternally in my cockpit, while drifting freely in the emptiness of space.
Only soon enough I wasn't alone…
As I was busy with my head looking downward, trying to fix the comm system, Lucy frantically began beeping at me, getting my attention.
"What is it Lucy?" I asked. "Is it the New Republic?" I looked up and well…
Those TIE fighters were now back, only they brought with them a massive shuttle type ship, with a huge black body and two wings snapping out on either side.
"Oh great, just what I need now…" I cursed as I began changing my mind on what to fix. "Lucy, go into low power mode and forget the engines and hyperdrive, focus on getting the laser cannons back up." I told my droid, who was rather confused at the order. "If we try to flee, they'll just chase and finish us, if we're going to die today, might as well take one or two of them with us." I told droid as I held onto the flight stick which contained the trigger for the cannons, ready to go out fighting.
The TIEs split up, stopping by each of the downed X-Wings, checking if the pilots and droids were alive or dead, of course not wanting any witnesses as they got closer and closer to me. The tension in my body grew as I saw them search each cockpit, before moving on, hoping that Lucy would get the laser cannons back up.
"Come on Lucy, anytime now…" I said quietly to my droid as I saw a couple of TIE fly over to me as Lucy beeped at me quietly that the cannons were now functioning as I held my fire, waiting for the perfect moment to strike. "Come on, come on…" I spoke softly as I waited for at least one of them to come into my crosshairs.
As I looked down at my targeting screen, I saw one of the TIEs fly into them as I took a deep breath, letting it out as I closed my eyes before pressing the trigger several times, sending out bursts of red laser fire lacing out and hitting my target, reducing it to scrap metal as its wing partner took evasive action. This of course alerted the rest of them as they all turned their attention at me, now several of the TIEs coming to finish me off, while the rest, along with the shuttle stayed back.
"Well Lucy…" I told my droid. "Looks like this is the end, it was nice working with you…" I sighed as I prepared for the volleys of green laser fire to hit me, waiting to see that flash of white light before I would go…
And I did see it, only it wasn't from me, as I had to cover my face with my wing from the explosions of TIEs getting hit with multiple bursts of red laser fire.
"What the… I didn't…" I said in shock as suddenly three T-65 X-Wings came roaring right in above my cockpit as a voice crackled in through my comms.
"Son, are you okay?" Dad's voice came in. "Looks like we got here just in time."
"Mom, dad?" I said, very happy. "I'm so glad you came."
"And me too Tyler, don't worry, we'll get you out of here." Grandpa Blu's voice cut in.
"But how?" I questioned. "My engines and hyperdrive are both down and can't be fixed quickly."
"That's why I'm here kid." A new familiar voice joined in as I heard a ship above me, looking up to see a small freighter right above my cockpit.
"Uncle Kipo?" I asked.
"That's right kid, the things I do for you and your family, hang on we'll get your fighter attached in no time to us." Kipo replied.
(Blu's POV)
While Kipo was busy securing Tyler and locking him onto his freighter, I issued out orders to the three other X-Wings with me.
"Okay, Lisa, Tiago, you two with me, Arthur, you stay back and protect your brother and Kipo." I communicated out as I got answers of "Copy that" back as I headed out, flanked by Lisa and Tiago on either side of me, into the flight of TIEs. "Just like old times Jewel, ready for some action girl?" I asked my droid as she gave back a very positive "Yes".
As I put more power into my froward shields, I counted the number of TIEs, at least a whole squadron and the shuttle, which I took to be where the leader of the enemy force here was. They, of course, outnumbered us, but we had the edge in having the X-Wings, despite being outdated models and years of combat experience with us.
"Plus the Force…" I joked seriously as I brought up my first target on the targeting display, while Lisa and Tiago locked onto their own targets as I pressed the trigger, sending out several bursts of fire out as I once again reduced a second TIE to small metal fragments, Lisa and Tiago following up with their own kills.
The TIEs shot back of course and our advantage in having shields played out as shots hit us, but couldn't get through fast enough to kill us as we dodged the fire, splitting off. The TIEs still outnumbered us, but at least it was a little more even as I put my fighter through some wild twists and turns as I spotted a TIE and gave chase. Now while coming here, Arthur told us that these new TIEs now had a co-pilot who sat in a seat facing backward, with a pair of laser cannons beneath, ready to surprise any attacker with a hail of laser fire and protecting the TIE from rear attacks. The only way to defeat these new TIEs was from above or below.
Using the asteroids to my advantage, I waited until the TIE, alert to me, dived down underneath one, hoping to catch me from behind, only I didn't follow, instead going above the space rock. And the TIE came up, showing its vulnerable top as I let loose my laser cannons, shooting another kill.
"These pilots are still amateurs…" I smiled as I, for the moment, was clear, turning on comms, I asked for a report. "Lisa, Tiago, are you two okay?
"Never better sir." Lisa replied back in a happy state. "It's great to be flying like this again." I heard Lisa reply as Alex also agreed.
"Yeah, I expected a bigger challenge." Tiago spoke while I heard the sound of his wing pressing the trigger. "The shuttle's in full retreat, the remaining TIEs are covering it."
"Kipo, Arthur, how are you two, almost done getting Tyler secured?" I spoke to the other two.
"Just a couple of minutes and we're ready to get out of here." Kipo reported.
"Yeah, had a couple of them going after us, but I managed to get one and Tiny got the other." Arthur reported.
"Good, I'm coming back, Lisa, Tiago, fall back to Kipo's position, we're going back home." I finished as I turned my fighter to return back to where Kipo was getting Tyler secured underneath his freighter.
Returning, I saw Tyler's heavily damaged fighter, secured underneath the belly of the freighter as I saw Lisa and Tiago return, still in one piece and most likely beaming with joy and excitement, not that I didn't want them to not have it, I was feeling pretty excited myself, it really was like old times during the war. If only I didn't let my guard down…
(Tyler's POV)
Sighing in relief as I thought it was over, I laid back in my seat, thankful I was still alive and that my family came for me. As I laid back, Lucy was beeping at me, getting my attention.
"What is it girl?" I asked as she told me to look down at my monitor as I looked up to see that a lone TIE still wanted to fight us as it came out from behind a nearby asteroid, obviously hiding as it now took its chance, coming in for the kill behind Grandpa Blu as Grandpa Blu didn't seem to notice, not taking evasive action. "Grandpa Blu, dive down."
"What?" Blu questioned.
"Now!" I shouted as I grabbed hold tight on the trigger as I saw Grandpa Blu's fighter take a sharp dive, revealing the TIE as I got it into my crosshairs before letting my laser cannons shoot for the last time today, scoring yet another kill as the pilot must have been surprised. "That was close…"
"Good job Tyler, looks like you got to save me for a change." Blu spoke through comms as he got serious. "Now lets get out of here and back home." The group flew out of the asteroid field before having a clear jump to hyperspace, back to Anaxes.
And with the white tunnel of hyperspace returning to black space, I saw the shipyards above Anaxes in view as we got clearance to land in the Liberty, Kipo's freighter, carrying me, coming in first as my family followed, landing their fighters next to us as several medical personal came running in with a stretcher as I opened the cockpit and was helped out and onto the stretcher. Meanwhile my family also came running out as they came to my side, of course mom and dad had tears of joy that I was fine in their eyes.
"Oh son, I'm so happy you're okay." Mom cried as she held onto one of my wings. "This reminds me of the time when your dad was like this."
"Thanks mom, I wouldn't be alive had it not been for you and our family." I replied as I coughed a little, feeling a little cold in me as being inside the warmth of the hangar made me really feel it now.
"Just another memorable moment to add in our family history." Arthur joked as he smiled and took my other wing. "Glad you're okay brother."
"Thanks, guess I owe you one now." I smiled back weakly as I turned to Grandpa Blu. "And I think I started a new war Grandpa Blu."
"Don't worry about that now Tyler, we'll handle it, you just focus on resting and getting back to your normal, strong self, that's an order." Grandpa Blu joked a little to lighten the mood.
"Yes sir." I saluted the best I could before fully resting my head against the stretcher as I was carried to the cruiser's sick bay.
And with that began my recovery, but also a new period of the path to a new war beginning…
And there we go… the first signs of the First Order… I'm very much reminded of how Yoda spoke of the Clone Wars beginning…
And I hope you all enjoy this chapter, this one was very exciting to write and finish!
And with that…
See everybird later!