Chapter 6: Battle of Yavin Part 4/Reunion

Luke looked out of the window of his X-wing at the explosions far below. For the first time, he felt the helplessness of his situation.

Dodonna and Princess Leia with Threepio beside them, listened intently to the talk between the two pilots. The room was grim after Red Leader's death. Leia nervously paced around the room.

"Biggs, Wedge, lets close it up. We're going. We're going in full throttle" Luke said.

The horizon twisted as Wedge began to pull out. "Right with ya, boss"

The two X-wings peeled off against a background of stars, and dove toward the Death Star.

"Luke, at that speed will you be able to pull out in time?" Biggs asked.

"It'll be just like Beggar's Canyon back home" Luke replied.

"Giselle? You know where she is!" Edward cried.

Han nodded. "Uh... yeah, this way. Chewie wait here!" Chewie

Han led Edward to where Giselle by now had drifted off into a deep sleep. Edward smiled down at her. She looked beautiful even in her sleep, it would be rude to wake her so he sat beside her watching her every breath. He turned to Han and smiled relieved "Thank you"

Han shrugged. "It was nothin'. You know... she was so certain you were coming"

Edward smiled brightly hearing that. "Really?".

Han nodded. "It's impossible".

Edward frowned. "What is?"

Han smiled lightly. "That kind of love... it doesn't exist here"

Edward looked confused hearing this. "What do you mean?"

"All this talk of happily ever after, It doesn't exist".

"Of course it does!" Edward exclaimed. "True love is the most powerful thing in the world" he said stroking Giselle's face gently. Han must have been this REALLY crazy person in his opinion.

Han suddenly realised something! "Listen I uh gotta go"

Frowning Edward watched as Han scurried off turning back to Giselle he smiled warmly and with his gloved hand he stroked Giselle's face gently.

The three X-wings moved in, unleashing a barrage of laserfire. Laserbolts were returned from the Death Star.

Biggs, Luke's lifelong friend struggled with his controls. "We'll stay back far enough to cover you"

Flak and laserbolts flashed outside Luke's cockpit window. "My scope shows the tower, but I can't see the exhaust port! Are the sure the computer can hit I?" Wedge asked over the speaker.

The Death Star laser cannon slowly rotated as it shot laserbolts. Luke looked around for imperial TIE fighters. He thought for a moment and then moved his targeting device into position. "Watch yourself! Increase speed full throttle!"

Wedge looked excitedly about for any sign of the TIE fighters. "What about that tower?".

"You worry about those fighters! I'll worry about the tower!" Luke snapped. His X-wing streaked through the trench, firing lasers. He broke down into a nervous sweat as the laserfire returned, nicking one of his wings close to the engine. "Artoo...that, that stabilizer's broken lose again! See if you can't lock it down!".

The little droid got to work on it straight away. The canyon walls rushed by in the background, making his delicate task seem more precarious. Two laser cannons fired on the rebel fighters.

Wedge looked up and saw TIE ships. Luke's targeting device marked off the distance to the target.

Vader and his wingmen zoomed closer, he adjusted his controls at two X-wings flying down the trench. He scored a direct hit on Wedge.

Leia and the others grouped around the computer board. "I'm hit I can't stay with you!" Wedge said over the speaker.

"Get clear Wedge you can't do more good back there!" Luke said.

"Sorry!" Wedge replied pulling his crippled X-wing away from the battle. Vader watched the escape but issued a command to his wingmen. "Let him go! Stay on the leader!".

Luke's X-wing sped down the trench; the three TIE fighters were still in perfect, unbroken formation, tail close behind.

Biggs worried, looked around at the TIE fighters. "Hurry, Luke, they're coming in much faster this time. I can't hold them!".

The three TIE fighters moved ever closer, closing in on Luke and Biggs.

Luke looked back anxiously at Artoo. "Artoo, try and decrease the power!"

Ignoring the bumpy ride, flak and lasers, a beeping Artoo-Deetoo struggled to increase the power, his dome turning side to side.

Stealthily, the TIE formation creeped in closer. Vader adjusted his control stick.

Biggs looked around at the TIE fighters, Luke looked into his targeting device. He moved it away for a moment and ponders it's use. He looked back into the computer targeter.

"Hurry up, Luke!" Biggs said over the headset. Vader and his wingmen raced through the Death Star trench.

Biggs moved in to cover for Luke, but Vader gained on him. Biggs saw the TIE's aiming at him. "Wait!".

Vader squeezed the fire button on his controls. Biggs cockpit exploded around him, lighting him in red. His ship bursted into a million flaming bits, scattering across the surface.

Luke was stunned, his best friend? Dead? He was screaming No! In his was hard to take in. His eyes were watering with his anger also growing.

Vader took aim on Luke and talked to the wingmen. "I'm on the leader".

Luke's ship streaked through the trench of the Death Star. Leia returned her general's worried and doubtful glances with solid, grim determination. Threepio seemed nervous. "Hang on Artoo" he said.

Luke concentrated on his targeting device. Three TIE fighters charged away down the trench toward's him. He adjusted the lens of his targeting device, he charged his ship down the trench.

He lined up the yellow cross-hair lines of the targeting device's screen. He looked into the targeting device, he suddenly heard a voice.

"Use the force Luke"

Luke frowned. "Ben?"

The Death Star trench zoomed by. Luke looked up and started to look back into the targeting device. He had second thoughts.

"Let go Luke".

A grim determination sweeps across Luke's face as he closed his eyes and started to mumble Ben's training to himself. His fighter streaked through the trench.

"The force is strong with this one!" Darth Vader said as he followed Luke down the trench.

Luke looked into his targeting device, then he heard Ben's voice again.

"Luke, trust me"

Luke's gloved hand reached for the control panel and pressed the button. The targeting device moved away.

Leia and the others standed watching the projected screen. "His computer's off. Luke you switched off your targeting computer. What's wrong?"

"Nothing" Luke said over the speaker. "I'm alright".

Luke's ship streaked ever close to the exhaust port. He looked at the Death Star surface by streaking by.

Artoo-Deetoo turned his head from side to side, beeping in anticipation.

The three TIE fighter, manned by Darth Vader and his two wingmen, followed Luke's wing down the trench.

Vader manoeuvred his controls as he looked at his doomed target. He pressed the fire buttons on his control sticks. Laserfire shot towards Luke's X-wing fighter.

A large burst of of Vader's laserfire engulfed Artoo. The arms go limp on the smoking little droid as he makes a high pitched sound.

Luke looked frantically back over his shoulder. Smokes bellowed out of Artoo and sparks began to fly.

"I've lost Artoo!". Artoo beeping sound dies out.

Leia and the others stared intently at the projected screen, while Threepio watched her. Lights representing the Death Star, targets glowed brightly.

"The Death Star has the cleared the planet. The Death Star has cleared the planet.

Giselle's eyed slowly fluttered open. She must have been dreaming because she saw a familiar man with intense blue eyes. She rubbed her eyes and looked again. "Edward!" she exclaimed embracing him.

"Edward H-how did you find me?".

Edward smiled. "Pip" he answered. Just at that moment the name he mentioned appeared on his shoulder.

"Oh, Pip!" Giselle giggled with delight. She was glad she was finally reunited with her friends.

Giselle and Edward are reunited! Now getting back is a problem. I REALLY REALLY didn't want to kill of Biggs Darklighter :( He and Luke were like brothers!