Chapter 11: Opening Salvos
The Empire had entered the Raxus Prime system.
Rebel troops rushed to their alert stations as the warning alarms wailed through the halls of Indomitable Base. Ground crews and droids of all sizes and makes hurried to perform their assigned duties, responding efficiently to the impending Imperial threat.
Fighters of every class were made ready as they waited in attack formation to blast out of the main hanger entranceway. Meanwhile, in the hanger, Prince Organa was addressing a small band of Rebel fighter pilots. "The large transport ships will leave as soon as they're loaded. Dark Squadron and Shadow will provide cover using the Farlander maneuvers against any Star Destroyers in your flight path. Rogue Squadron will provide cover for the base until we are fully evactuated. Only two fighter escorts per ship is all we can afford for the escape. The energy shield can only be opened for a split second, so you'll have to stay very close to the transports."
Hobbie Klivian, another member of Rogue Squadron and a veteran of many battles, looked at the prince with concern. "Two fighters against a Star Destroyer? I understand Dark and Shadow Squadrons are gonna be up there, but isnt that a little much?"
'The ion cannon will fire several blasts which should destroy any ships in your flight path." Luke explained. "When you clear the energy shield, you will proceed to the rendezvous point. Good luck."
Somewhat reassured, Hobbie and the other pilots raced toward their fighter cockpits. Meanwhile, Han was working frantically to complete welding a piece of the Falcon into place. "Okay Chewie, try it!" Little Het stood on top of the Falcon with him, and ducked for cover when whatever Han was working on started to spark and burst into flames. "TURN IT OFF! TURN IT OFF!" Han yelled over the din. "TURN IT OOOOFFF!"
When the device finally stopped sparking,little Het stood up, dusted himself off, walked over, reached past Han and yanked a few wires. With dextrous hands, he started to modify the wires and attached them into a new configuration. Han watched fascinated for a moment, and then Het gave him a thumbs up. "Ok, Chewie… try it again." Han said tentatively. The machine hummed, and then activated completely. "Hey, thanks little guy." Han said with a grin. Het nodded and only said. "Stupid safety bypasses. You just needed to lock down the negative power coupling. It would have polarized twenty minutes into your first flight, knocking out your hyperdrive. Now you don't gotta worry about it."
Han smiled. "Brilliant. Ok, from now on, only you, me and Chewie can tinker on the Falcon."
Het grinned. "Im honored!"
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The Avenger, one of the Imperial armada's wedgelike Star Destroyers, hovered like a mechanized death angel in the sea of stars outside the Raxus Prime system. As the colossal ship began to move closer to the ice world, the planet became clearly visible through the windows which stretched across the huge bridge of the warship.
Captain Lorth Needa, commander of the Avenger's crew, gazed out a main port, looking at the planet when a controller came up to him. "Sir, Rebel ship coming into our sector."
"Good." Needa replied with a gleam in his eyes. "Our first catch of the day."
"Their first target will be the power generators." General Rieekan told those with him.
General Kenobi, Bail Organ and Winter stood in the main control room with Rieekan, listening to sensor controllers report of ship layouts. "First transport Three Zone approaching shield." One of the Rebel controllers said, tracking a bright image that could only be an Imperial Star Destroyer. "Dark and Gold Squadron heading straight for Imperial ships three and four in target zone."
"Prepare to open shield." A radarman ordered.
"Stand by Ion control." Another controller said.
A giant metal globe hidden in the junk fields rotated into position and angled its great turret gun upward.
"FIRE!" came the order from General Rieekan.
Suddenly two blue beams of ionic energy were released into the sky. The beams almost instantly overtook the first of the Rebel transport craft, and sped on a direct course towards the huge star destroyer.
The twin blue bolts struck the enormous ship and blasted its conning tower. Explosions set off by the blast began to rock the great flying fortress, spinning it out of control. Dark Squadron, which consisted of 12 of the new B-wing class fighters headed towards the second Star Destroyer with Avenger, the Death's Head, and fired twenty four heavy torpedoes towards their shield generators, while Shadow Squadron, which consisted of Y-wings, fired at the Invictus.
The Avenger plunged into deep space as the Rebel transport and its two fighter escorts streaked off to safety to the glow of multiple explosions splashing across the shields of the remaining two Star Destroyers in that sector.
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Leia Skywalker, preparing to depart, pulled on her flight gloves and watched the pilots of Rogue Squadron prepare their personal fighters. Gunners, and astromech units hurryng to complete their tasks. She waved at Davin Felth as he headed towards his personal war-machine, salvaged from the wreckage of Raxus Prime. Davin placed his specially designed helmet on, which bore a resemblance to a Storm Trooper helmet, but was red and black in color. He waved back and gave her a thumbs up.
On the way to her fighter, the young commander paused at the tail section of the Millennium Falcon, where Han Solo, Het Krex and Chewbacca were working on the right lifter.
"Chewie." Leia called. "Take care of yourself. And watch over this guy, will ya?"
The Wookie barked a farewell, gave Leia a big hug, then turned back to his work on the lifters.
Het leaped down from the top of the Falcon into Leia's arms. "Whoa! Your not as light as you used to be!" She giggled as Het hugged her. "Tal'sha'nasa! Falcon finished! Now we go to Dagobah!"
Han smiled. "Im heading to Corellia… unless plans change. Depends on the situation." Solo said, looking over at the group of Jedi that were gathered near the Ebon Hawk. "Looks like their discussing whos going where."
Leia looked over at the Jedi, and smiled. "Olee Starstone likes you, ya know."
Han practically blushed, but turned away. "What about you and Wedge? How's things going on that front?"
Leia shrugged. "We'll see. Take care of yourself, Han."
"Give em hell, beautiful." The Corellian responded lightly.
The public address syste broke in on their thoughts. "The first transport is away. "A rebel announcer proclaimed the good news.
At the announcement, a cheer burstfrom those gathered in the hanger. Leia turned and carried Het over to his modified airspeeder, and turned to see the newest member of Rogue Squadron over by his fighter looking a little frightened. He waved at Leia and asked. "How are you feeling, ma'am?"
"Like new, Dack. How about you?"
Dack beamed. "Right now I feel like I could take on the whole Empire myself." His earlier nervousness faded away.
"Yeah," Leia said as she helped Het strap in. "I know what you mean."
Prince Luke's voice came over the address system. "Attention Rogue Squadron and fighter pilots… on the withdrawal signal you are to head to sector omega. Code One Five will be transmitted when evacuation is complete."
Threepio, Artoo and Red stood amid the rapidly moving personnel as the pilots readied for departure. The golden droid tilted slightly as he turned his sensors on the little astromechs. The shadows playing over Threepio's face gave the illusion that his faceplate had lengthened into a frown. "Why is it,' he asked, 'when things seem to get settled, everything falls apart?" Leaning forward, he gently patted the two other droids heads. "Take good care of Mistress Leia, Red, and you take care of Master Luke. And take care of yourselves."
Artoo and Red whistled and tooted a goodbye, then both turned to roll to their respective ships. Artoo towards the Ebon Hawk, while Red headed to Leia's X-wing. Waving stiffly, Threepio watched as his two stout and faithful friends moved away.
To an observer, it may have seemed that Threepio grew misty eyed, but then it wasn't the first time he had gotten a drop of oil clogged before his optical sensors.
Finally turning, the human-shaped droid moved off in the opposite direction.