Hey everybird! What's up!?
So before we get to today's questions, a couple of things first…
So I keep forgetting to mention this, but just be aware that there might be some differences from this story and the movies, not like major differences, but tiny ones that should not be too affecting.
Next, I'm still very much thinking about what to do for Halloween… I'm not so sure now that I'll have anything… But I'm still going to try for when that day comes!
Now, moving on to today's question…
What would you say is the funniest thing from Star Wars?
Me: I would say the battle droids from The Clone Wars, how can they be so scary when they like say things that will doom them or they trip and fall!?
Now on to your questions…
From Nightfly123, he asks, "What do you think Captain Roberto's reaction would be to finding out Lisa and Tiago perished on Hosnian Prime if he had survived the Galactic Civil war in The Scarlet Rebel?
Me: Well that is to say that he's not on Hosnian Prime himself as well, I would say the same as Blu.
From T8ECR34TOR, he asks, "Will there be a point in time where you've reached the end of 'Last Jedi' and you'll have to wait before continuing because Ep 9 hasn't come out yet?"
Me: Well I think by the time I get there, Episode 9 will be out, but even still I'm already planning on taking a break after, waiting for when the movie is not only in theaters and is more readily available for me to watch, so I can pause at points to pick apart what's happening.
From Stormknight089, he asks, "What do you think of the trailer?
Me: Again, I have no idea what that is, so sorry I can't give you any opinions.
Chapter 40: Now or Never
(Blu's POV)
As I stood close by the general, patiently waiting for the news that Starkiller's shields were down and the X-Wings were clear to go in to finish the job, I had many other things on my mind…
I wished I could have joined in, to hop in an X-Wing and fly with the pilots under my command, to lead them personally and by example like I had so many years ago, no less danger to myself, being in the thick of the action and had as much a chance of being targeted and shot down. Instead I was here, forced to lead in the far back while others went into the fray and well I knew this was by far the toughest challenge the Resistance was facing. As I watched those X-Wings take off and into the sky, I knew that most likely many, if not all of them were being sent to their certain deaths.
As I stood there, in the midst of my thoughts, I heard a concerned beep next to me as I looked down to see my loyal droid, Jewel, there.
"Don't worry about me Jewel, I'm just very worried about the boys and everyone else, they're going to have a tough time even with the shields down." I said. "And yes I also wish we could go to, but our time came and is gone." I sighed as Jewel got closer to me, comforting me in her own way.
As I anxiously waited for the news that Starkiller's shields were down, I prepared myself for when I would have to give the order that would surely send many to their deaths. And it came soon enough as the time was tickling down to the complete recharge of Starkiller's weapons system…
"General, their shields are done!" An officer on a console called out.
"Thank the Maker!" The general droid, C-3PO said with relief as the general turned to me.
"Han did it!" The general said happily. "Send them in!"
Part of me wished I didn't have to give the order, but it was now or never, there was not one second to hesitate as I gave the death order…
"Give Poe full authorization to attack!" I said with the most clear and emotionless voice I could muster.
"Black Leader, go to sub-lights on your call." A bird sitting down in front of a comm unit spoke, relaying the order to the X-Wings going through hyperspace…
(Tyler's POV)
"Roger base." Poe's voice came over comms as I prepared to push the button to take us out of hyperspace as I knew by the tone of that voice the team that went ahead to take out the shields succeeded and we were free for attack. "Red Squad, Blue Squad, take my lead." Poe said as I reached up for the button to take me out of hyperspace.
"Dropping out of lightspeed." Arthur's voice came over as I pushed the button and we all returned to normal space as right before, filling up my cockpit view, was the massive planet sized Starkiller Base.
Pushing my engines to full power and staying in formation with everyone else we all dived down through Starkiller's atmosphere, the thermal oscillator coming up as the hexagon structure stood tall on the surface, presenting a very large and perfect target that was impossible to miss.
"Almost in range!" Poe called over as we made our approach, switching my weapons over to my proton torpedoes and locking onto the oscillator. "Hit the target dead center, as many runs as we can get!"
"Approaching target." The voice of Snap, the pilot who came here before on the recon mission called out.
As we all dived down, almost in single file, one by one, the First Order now became alert as I watched green laser shots fly past my cockpit.
"Alright, lets light it up!" Poe shouted as I hit the trigger, sending out two missiles streaking out from the tubes on either side, before quickly sending two more as I watched the torpedos explode against the structure, followed by the other missiles of everyone else as I pulled the flight stick up before I could crash myself on the oscillator.
"Ha! Direct hit!" One of Red Squad's pilots shouted out.
"But no damage." Another red pilot added.
"Yeah we gotta keep hitting it. Another bombing run." Poe told us as we flew and prepared for another run. "Remember when that sun is gone, that weapon will be ready to fire. But as long as there's light, we got a chance." Poe reminded us as I took a look at the sun, still shining bright, so we had the time to take out the oscillator, except…
Ashley alerted me with a few loud beeps as I turned my head to see the sky up ahead full of TIE fighters, which will make things that much more difficult…
"Guys, we got a lot of company!" Poe shouted as I put my shield power to the front as both sides began exchanging fire, the TIE's volume of fire definitely more than ours as I prepared myself to go down fighting if I had to.
"Ashley, watch your head!" I told my droid who was sitting in her socket behind me as the sky became full of fighters from both sides going at each other, the sky full of red and green laser shots as I had to avoid both enemy and friendly fire. "Arthur, you stay here!?" I spoke through comms as thankfully my brother's voice answered back.
"Yeah, I see you, but can't get to you, too much fire, just keep watching after yourself and remember to keep hitting that oscillator if you get the chance." Arthur informed me.
"Copy that brother, I'll be fine." I replied back as I spoke to Ashley. "Ashley, make sure you keep watch for any TIEs that might come from behind." I ordered the droid as I began looking for any targets myself, to thin out the TIE numbers a little before I got in another run at the oscillator.
As I set my sights on a couple of TIEs chasing down one of Black Squadron's X-Wings, I noticed that in the span of what only seemed like a couple of minutes, the sun really started to dim as the sky became much darker, telling me that Starkiller was closer to a full charge. And every second that passed, it really did seem like the sun was dimming down and the sky was getting darker, but there was no time to think about that as I focused my crosshairs on the closer of the two TIEs. Quickly shooting off several bursts, careful to check that my fire wouldn't hit any friendlies, the TIE burst into flame, creating a bright dot in the darkness.
The second TIE became alert and broke off his pursuit of the X-Wing it was chasing and tried to look for me, but using the darkening skies to my advantage and owning to the fact that my fighter had superior sensors, as well as a droid co-pilot, it was easy to keep track of the TIE as I flew under as much cloud cover I could, using the additional darkness that offered. And using all those advantages paid off as the TIE still couldn't find me as I managed to get behind him and well using the lights on the wings, I turned them on, blinding the rear gunner of the TIE before he could alert the main pilot as I then filled the TIE's cockpit with laser fire. As the TIE burned, falling down onto the surface, I flew through the flames, coming out as I took a deep breath, calming down from that excitement.
"Two kills down, many more to go." I commented as for the time being I was clear of any TIEs, no targets close to me so I took this time to make another run at the oscillator.
However while there were no TIEs currently around to threaten me, the oscillator still had defenses around it, laser cannons and missile launchers active and at work, targeting any X-Wings within range. Dodging and zigzagging my way down as I dived towards the massive target in front of me, I watch as laser shots from the ground were very close to me, like I could almost reach out with my wing and the shots would burn off my feathers as smoke trails from missiles streaked by. At the last possible moment, I fired off a couple of my torpedoes, watching them explode against the structure as I pulled up.
"I got one behind me." Snap's voice came in. "See it?" He asked as I saw his fighter close by, being chased by a TIE, intent on not losing him.
"Yeah, I'm on it." Tally's voice cut in before I could reply, and I decided to leave it up to Tally, knowing she could handle this problem.
As I came back around for hopefully another run at the oscillator, I saw more missiles streaking through the sky as I watched Tally dodge them, but seeing another X-Wing, who was focused on a TIE and not paying attention to what was besides him, get hit. The missile shredding through the fighter's body before it tumbled out of the sky, pieces of the fighter breaking loose from the body as it crashed into the snowy surface besides the structure.
"Furillo's been hit!" Tally reported in, watching what happened right in front of her.
"Watch out for ground fire." Snap's voice came through as that wasn't obvious enough…
(Blu's POV)
As the fight continued on, with the minutes going by until Starkiller would be at its peak and ready to fire again, numerous reports were fast coming in as all of the pilots' comms were tied to the base, hearing pilots scoring kills, getting chased, getting hit, it was all coming in. It was extremely worrying to hear the two boys' voices in all of the chatter, wondering if they will ever report getting hit and going down before static came from their ends. And as the fight continued, it was starting to look like a losing struggle…
"General, are you seeing this?" A technician turning to where the general and I were standing.
"Two more X-Wings down." Another reported in. "That's half our fleet destroyed."
"And their weapon will be fully charged in ten minutes." C-3PO explained. "It would take a miracle to save us now."
Even thought I found the general's droid to be a little annoying sometimes, that golden headed droid was right… It would take one heck of a miracle for the remaining pilots and if our team on the ground was still alive on the base itself, to pull something off to win the day…
And I'll leave it off on there and finish the battle of Starkiller Base in the next chapter! I hope you enjoyed the start to this epic conclusion (Regarding The Force Awakens that is, not this story itself!
And with that…
See everybird later!