A/N: Two of the three trench runs are verbatim from the movie. The third is a little…embellished. Credit to George Lucas.

Episode 4 Chapter 10

Battle over Yavin IV

Leia walked into the command center of the base and joined General Dodonna and the rest of the command staff around the circular display that outlined the Death Star's approach to the small moon.

"Standby alert. Death Star approaching. Estimated time to firing range - fifteen minutes."

"And so it begins," she murmured to herself as she watched the small dots on the display move up from the moon and into space towards the station. "Be safe, all of you."

In space above Yavin IV, several squadrons of X and Y Wings fell into formation as then headed towards the massive space station that was slowly heading towards them. Despite the seriousness of the situation, Anakin couldn't help but smile.

"Just like old times, Buffy," he remarked over their private channel. "Reminds me of when me and Obi-Wan were flying in the battle over Coruscant, trying to get to General Grievous' ship to rescue the Chancellor."

"Well, I wouldn't know about that, since someone decided it would be a good idea to let me sleep through the whole damn thing," Buffy remarked dryly.

"Oh yeah…" Anakin replied. "You know, upon reflection…"

"You wish you hadn't succeeded?" Buffy finished knowingly. "Don't think about that now. Just concentrate on taking this damn thing out." Almost reluctantly she switched her com system over to the squadron's frequency, cutting off anymore private chats with her brother.

"All wings, report in!" Red Leader called over the com.

"Red Ten, standing by."

"Red Seven, standing by."

"Red Three, standing by."

"Red Six, standing by."

"Red Nine, standing by."

"Red Two, standing by," Wedge called, powering up his weapons and checking his systems on more time.

"Red Eleven, standing by."

"Red Five, standing by," Luke called. Artoo chirped in agreement.

"Red Twelve, standing by," Anakin called in.

"Red Thirteen, standing by," Buffy announced as well, then grumbled to herself. "Thirteen… I had to get thirteen…"

"Lock S-Foils in attack position," Red Leader called. One by one the X-Wings split-design wings opened up into the position that gave the ships their name. Anakin moved the stick around a little, trying to get a feel for the ship.

"Oh, yeah. Much more responsive than the old Actis Interceptors," he remarked as his ship suddenly started to buck.

"We're passing through the magnetic field," Red Six called. "Hold tight!"

"Switch deflector to double front," Red Leader called. The pilots complied as the station grew larger and larger, finally blotting out all of the surrounding space.

"Look at the size of that thing!" Wedge exclaimed.

"Cut the chatter, Red Two," Red Leader reprimanded. "Accelerate to attack speed."

"This is it!"

As one - Red, Green and Gold groups all moved in.

On board the station alarms blared and crew members ran to their stations. One by one the massive turbolaser batteries were manned and powered up and immediately began firing at the small attackers. Admiral Motti was surprised - he had expected the Rebels to stage a large-scale defense around the moon, not send in snub fighters. Soon the true extent of the tactical blunder was made apparent as the fighters began to inflict some, if minor, damage on the stations hull.

"I want all batteries manned and firing," he instructed his subordinate. "They can't dodge the fire if space is filled with it."

"This is Red Five, I'm going in!" Luke called out, putting his fighter into a steep dive to try to confuse any electronic tracking.

"I'm right behind you," a voice sounded in his ear. Luke recognized it as his old friend Biggs.

Luke dove down to the deck and leveled off, weaving in and out of incoming fire instinctively. He took aim at the offending turbolaser tower and opened fire with all four of his cannons, blasting it to atoms. Almost too late he realized he was to close to the exploding tower and pulled up and his tiny craft was shaken by the explosion.

"Luke, are you alright?" Wedge called out to him.

"I'm fine, just got a little toasted, that's all," Luke responded.

In higher orbit, Anakin followed his son with the Force. Just relax, Luke, he sent out. Don't over-fly it.

Inside, troopers, mechanicals and equipment were blown in all directions by subsidiary explosions as the effects of the blast traveled back down various conduits and cables. Where the explosion had hulled the station, escaping atmosphere sucked helpless soldiers and droids out into a bottomless black tomb.

Moving from position to position, a figure of dark calm amid the chaos, was Darth Vader. A harried Commander rushed up to him and reported breathlessly.

"Lord Vader, we count at least thirty of them, of two types. They are so small and quick the fixed guns cannot follow them accurately. They continuously evade the predictors."

"Get all TIE crews to their fighters. We'll have to go out after them and destroy them ship by ship," Vader replied.

Down in the command center, Leia could only watch helplessly as the Rebels attacked the Imperial monstrosity.

"Heavy fire, boss! Twenty-three degrees!"

"I see it! Stay low."

"There's a lot of fire coming from the right side of that deflection tower!"

Leia closed her eyes and sighed, praying to whatever deity would listen for the safe return of her family.

Luke was flying like a wombat out of hell. The last few minutes had seen two of his fellow squad mates taken down and he had been hard pressed not to join them.

"Squad leaders. We've picked up a new set of signals from the other side of the station. Enemy fighters coming your way."

Luke looked around in confusion. "I don't see anything!"

"Pick up your visual scanning...here they come!"

Several squads of TIE fighters boiled out of the Death Star's hangars and headed straight for the groups of Rebels. One immediately attached itself to Biggs.

"Watch it, you've got one on your tail!" Luke cried out, pushing his ship to the limits to reach his friend in time.

"Where! I don't see it!" Biggs yelled in return, frantically looking around through his canopy. Green flashes suddenly streaked past his viewport and he started to frantically juke and jive. "I can't shake him!"

Luke came up behind the TIE and opened fire. The lasers ripped through the TIE's unshielded body and blew it to pieces.

"Thanks, Luke!" Biggs said and then got back to the business of downing fighters.

"I've got one! I've got one!" came a less restrained cry of triumph over the open intercom. Luke identified the voice as belonging to a young pilot known as John D. Yes, that was Red Six chasing another Imperial fighter across the metal landscape. Bolts jumped from the X-wing in steady succession until the TIE fighter blew in half, sending leaf-like glittering metal fragments flying in all directions.

"Good shooting, Red Six," the squadron leader commented. Then he added quickly, "Watch out, you've got one on your tail."

Within the fighter's cockpit the gleeful smile on the young man's face vanished instantly as he looked around, unable to spot his pursuer. Something flared brightly nearby, so close that his starboard port burst. Then something hit even closer and the interior of the now open cockpit became a mass of flames.

"I'm hit, I'm hit!"

That was all he had time to scream before oblivion took him from behind. Far above and to one side Red Leader saw John D's ship expand in a fiery ball. His lips may have whitened slightly. Otherwise he might as well never have seen the X-wing explode, for all the reaction he displayed. He had more important things to do.

"Flying is for droids!" Buffy announced as she put her X-Wing into a spiral to escape the fire from the pursuing TIE. She deftly flipped her craft around 180 degrees and opened fire, destroying the pursuing craft. As soon as it exploded, Buffy flipped the craft around again and hit the afterburners, rocketing her ship onward.

"You complain as much as Obi-Wan does!" Anakin taunted, downing another fighter. Buffy sighed wistfully.

"I hope he's all right."

"He is. We would have felt it if he had died, dimensional barrier or not."

"Right," Buffy replied and then went back to the task of eliminating TIEs. The time to worry would come later.

"Tighten it up, Red Two, tighten it up," Red Leader was saying. "Watch those towers."

"Heavy fire, boss," came the voice of Wedge Antilles, "twenty-three degrees."

"I see it. Pull in, pull in. We're picking up some interference."

"I can't believe it," Biggs was stammering. "I've never seen such firepower!"

"Pull in, Red Five. Pull in." A pause, then, "Luke, do you read me? Luke?"

"I'm all right, Chief," came Luke's reply. "I've got a target. I'm going to check it out."

"There's too much action down there, Luke," Biggs told him. "Get out. Do you read me, Luke? Pull out."

"Break off, Luke," ordered the deeper tones of Red Leader. "We've hit too much interference here. Luke, I repeat, break off! I can't see him. Red Two, can you see Red Five?"

"Negative," Wedge replied quickly. "There's a fire zone here you wouldn't believe. My scanner's jammed. Red Five, where are you? Luke, are you all right?"

"He's gone," Biggs started to report solemnly. Then his voice rose. "No, wait... there he is! Looks like a little fin damage, but the kid's fine."

Further above them, Anakin's relief was a palpable thing as he saw Luke's slightly battered X-Wing pull up out of the fire storm and in the control room on the moon, Leia leaned against the display in relief. Buffy attempted to hide her own relief behind her sarcasm.

"As reckless and irresponsible as his father…" she muttered.

On the battle station, troopers worn half to death or deafened by the concussion of the big guns were replaced by fresh crews. None of them had time to wonder how the battle was going and at the moment none of them much cared, a malady shared by common soldiers since the dawn of history.

Luke skimmed daringly low over the station's surface, his attention riveted on a distant metal projection.

"Stick close, Red Five," the squadron commander directed him. "Where are you going?"

"I've picked up what looks like a lateral stabilizer," Luke replied. "I'm going to try for it."

"Watch yourself, Red Five. Heavy fire in your area."

Luke ignored the warning as he headed the fighter straight toward the oddly shaped protuberance. His determination was rewarded when, after saturating it with fire, he saw it erupt in a spectacular ball of super hot gas.

"Got it!" he exclaimed. "Continuing south for another one."

Within the rebel temple-fortress, Leia listened intently. She seemed simultaneously angry and frightened. Finally she turned to Threepio and muttered, "Why is Luke taking so many chances?" The tall droid didn't reply.

"Watch your back, Luke," Biggs's voice sounded over the speakers, "watch your back! Fighters above you, coming in."

Leia strained to see what she could only hear. She wasn't alone. "Help him, Artoo," Threepio was whispering to himself, "and keep holding on."

Luke continued his dive even as he looked back and spotted the object of Biggs's concern close on his tail. Reluctantly he pulled up and away from the station surface, abandoning his target. His tormentor was good, however, and continued closing on him.

"I can't shake him," he reported.

"Hang on Luke, I'm coming!" Biggs sounded off.

"I'm coming, Red Five," Anakin called, putting his fighter into a steep dive and pushing his engines to the fullest. Luke, meanwhile, was continuing to try to shake his opponent - and failing.

"Blast it Biggs, where are you?" he muttered to himself, looking around. He looked forward in time to see a familiar X-Wing flying straight at him. Instinctively he pushed down on the stick as the X-Wing opened fire and then flew through the exploding ball of superheated gas that had been a TIE fighter.

"Thanks, Wedge," Luke said gratefully.

"Good shooting, Wedge," Biggs called out.

"Good shot, Wedge," Anakin said, pulling out of his dive and picking another target, doing his best to push the fear out of his mind.

On the station, Vader stopped two pilots as they headed for their ships.

"Several fighters have broken off from the main group. Come with me!"

"Red Leader, this is Blue Leader," he announced into his mike. "We're starting our attack run. The exhaust port is located and marked. No flak, no enemy fighters up here—yet. Looks like we'll get at least one smooth run at it."

"I copy, Blue Leader," the voice of his counterpart responded. "We'll try to keep them busy down here."

Three Y-wing fighters dropped out of the stars, diving toward the battle-station surface. At the last possible minute they swerved to dip into a deep artificial canyon, one of many streaking the northern pole of the Death Star. Metal ramparts raced past on three sides of them.

Blue Leader hunted around, noticed the temporary absence of Imperial fighters. He adjusted a control and addressed his squadron.

"This is it, boys. Remember, when you think you're close, go in closer before you drop that rock. Switch all power to front deflector screens—never mind what they throw at you from the side. We can't worry about that now."

Imperial crews lining the trench rudely awoke to the fact that their heretofore ignored section of the station was coming under attack. They reacted speedily and soon energy bolts were racing at the attacking ships in a steadily increasing volume. Occasionally one would explode near one of the onrushing Y-wings, jostling it without real damage.

"A little aggressive, aren't they?" Blue Two reported over his mike.

Blue Leader reacted quietly. "How many guns do you think, Blue Five?"

Blue Five, known casually to most of the rebel pilots as Pops, somehow managed to make an estimate of the trench's defenses while simultaneously piloting his fighter through the growing hail of fire. His helmet was battered almost to the point of uselessness from the effects of more battles than anyone had a right to survive.

"I'd say about twenty emplacements," he finally decided, "some in the surface and some on the towers."

Blue Leader acknowledged the information with a grunt as he pulled his computer-targeting visor down in front of his face. Explosions continued to rock the fighter. "Switch to targeting computers," he declared.

"Blue Two," came one reply, "computer locked in and I'm getting a signal." The young pilot's rising excitement marked his reply.

But the senior pilot among all the rebels, Blue Five, was expectantly cool and confident—though it didn't sound like it from what he murmured half to himself: "No doubt about it, this is going to be some trick."

Unexpectedly, all defensive fire from the surrounding emplacements ceased. An eerie quiet clung to the trench as the surface continued to blur past the skimming Y-wings.

Blue Two looked around worriedly. "They stopped. Why?"

"I don't like it," growled Blue Leader. But there was nothing to confuse their approach now, no energy bolts to avoid.

It was Pops who was first to properly evaluate this seeming aberration on the enemy's part. "Stabilize your rear deflectors now. Watch for enemy fighters."

"You pinned it, Pops," Blue Leader admitted, studying a readout. "Here they come. Three marks at two-ten."

A mechanical voice continued to recite the shrinking distance to their target, but it wasn't shrinking fast enough. "We're sitting ducks down here," he observed nervously.

"We'll just have to ride it out," the old man told them all. "We can't defend ourselves and go for the target at the same time." He fought down old reflexes as his own screen revealed three TIE fighters in precision formation diving almost vertically down toward them.

"Three-eight-one-oh-four," Darth Vader announced as he calmly adjusted his controls. The stars whipped past behind him. "I'll take them myself. Cover me."

Blue Two was the first to die, the young pilot never knowing what hit him, never seeing his executioner. Despite his experience, Blue Leader was on the verge of panic when he saw his wingman dissolve in flame.

"We're trapped down here. No way to maneuver—trench walls are too close. We've got to loosen it up somehow. Got—"

"Stay on target," admonished an older voice. "Stay on target."

Blue Leader took Pops's words like tonic, but it was all he could do to ignore the closing TIE fighters as the two remaining Y-wings continued to streak toward the target.

Above them, Vader permitted himself a moment of undisciplined pleasure as he readjusted his targeting computer. The rebel craft continued to travel a straight, invasive course. Again Vader touched finger to fire control.

Something screeched in Blue Leader's helmet, and fire started to consume his instrumentation. "It's no good," he yelled into his pickup, "I'm hit. I'm hit...!"

A second Y-wing exploded in a ball of vaporized metal, scattering a few solid shards of debris across the trench. This second loss proved too much even for Blue Five to take. He manipulated controls and his ship commenced rising in a slow curve out of the trench. Behind him, the lead Imperial fighter moved to follow.

"Blue Five to Red Leader," he reported. "Aborting run under heavy fire. TIE fighters dropped on us out of nowhere. I can't—wait—"

Astern, a silent, remorseless enemy was touching a deadly button once more. The first bolts struck just as Pops had risen high enough to commence evasive action. But he had pulled clear a few seconds too late.

One energy beam seared his port engine, igniting gas within. The engine blew apart, taking controls and stabilizing elements with it. Unable to compensate, the out-of-control Y-wing began a long, graceful plunge toward the station surface.

"Are you all right, Blue Five?" a troubled voice called over the intership system.

"Lost Tiree... lost Dutch," Pops explained slowly, tiredly. "They came from behind—"

On the Death Star, a young officer approached Tarkin in the main control room.

"We've analyzed their attack Sir and there is a danger. Should we have your shuttle standing by?"

Tarkin looked at the officer reproachfully. "Evacuate? In our moment of triumph? I think you overestimate their chances."

And a voice in the background announced, "Rebel base will be in range in five minutes."

Anakin watched helplessly as Red Leader and his two wingmen flew through the trench, relentlessly pursued by the three TIE fighters. Finally it became too much.

"I'm going to help them," Anakin announced, moving to follow the TIEs.

"No!" Buffy responded. "No, Anakin. They are doing their job, so that we can do ours."

"It's Vader down there, Buffy! They don't stand a chance!"

"And neither do we if we go in too early!" Buffy retorted sharply. "Just trust me, brother!" She looked down as Red Leader was destroyed and Luke, Biggs and Wedge took up position for their run. "It's almost time."

In the rebel base, all Dodonna and Leia could do was watch as the Death Star inched closer and closer to firing range.

"Death Star will be in range in one minute," a voice announced. Leia looked up at the elderly general, who stared back resignedly.

"Oh dear," Threepio moaned.

"Biggs, Wedge, let's close it up!" Luke called out. "We're going in full-throttle. That should keep those fighters off of us!"

"Right with you, Boss," Wedge responded

"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."

The three X-wings blasted through the trench, flying at speeds so fast that there was no way the defense towers could track them. That didn't stop them from trying to shoot them, however.

"Watch yourself! Increase to full throttle," Luke ordered.

"What about that tower?" Wedge asked.

"You worry about those fighters. I'll worry about the tower!" Luke retorted, weaving as much as he could in the tight confines of the trench. He noticed a distinct wobble in his craft. "Artoo,' he called out, "that stabilizer's broken loose again. See if you can't lock it down."

The towers suddenly fell silent and Biggs started looking around. Sure enough, he spotted the three TIE's moving into position behind them.

"Fighters coming in, point three."

Vader calmly target the first fighter and opened fire. His blasts managed to damage one of the starboard engines, as well as the stabilizers.

"I'm hit!" Wedge announced. "I can't stay with you!"

"Get clear Wedge, you can't do anymore good back there!" Luke called back.

"Sorry!" Wedge replied, pulling up sharply and exiting the trench.

Vader watched the pilot go impassively. Plenty of time to kill him later, he mused. "Let him go! Stay on the leader," he told his wingmen.

Biggs looked at his display worriedly. "Hurry Luke! They're coming in much faster this time," he said, increasing power to his rear deflectors.

Luke ground his teeth in frustration. "Artoo, try and increase the power!"

"Hurry up Luke! Wait—" In a flash, Vader's powerful lasers tore through Biggs' shields and his X-wing vaporized into a ball of glowing plasma. Luke shut his eyes tightly and allowed himself a moment of grief for his old childhood friend, then pushed the feelings aside and continued on.

In the control room on the Rebel base, Leia looked at the board in dread. Only Luke's fighter remained and he was still being pursued by the three TIEs.

"Death Star will be in range in thirty seconds," a technician announced. Leia took a breath.

Hurry, Luke…

"All right, Anakin. Time to play," Buffy announced. "When we get closer, Vader's going to sense us coming. So the only thing we can do is shoot in right in front and drift back sharply, allowing them to slam into our ships."

Anakin blinked. "That's got to be the dumbest plan I've ever heard of. I thought you got past the whole suicidal, flying into ships phase!"

"You wearing your PPG?"

Anakin's frown turned into a fierce grin. "As a matter of fact, I am."

"Then as soon as we fly in front of them, turn it on. Let momentum take care of the rest."

"Copy that, lucky Thirteen," Anakin said, adjusting his course. "Let's go rack up another Sith Lord."

Wedge's day was going from bad to worse. He was flying on three engines and only his port stabilizers and as a result he couldn't keep his ship lying in a straight line. It also made it difficult to out run and out maneuver the TIE fighter that was on his tail. A sinking feeling was beginning to settle in his gut— that, like so many of his friend here today, he wouldn't make it back alive. Absurdly, he wished he had seen that Mandalorian's face or at least learned her name before he took off…

He was pulled out of his musing as, against all possible odds, an old ARC-170 appeared in front of him out of nowhere, simply shimmering into existence right before it opened fire with its two main guns. The oversized canons pounded at the TIE behind him, almost instantly vaporizing it and the ARC flew through the debris.

"Looks like you broke your ship, flyboy!" a somewhat familiar voice sounded in his headset. After a moment he recognized it as the Mandalorian's voice.

"You know, we keep running into each other," Wedge replied. "Not that I'm complaining, mind you…"

"You know, it's a Mandalorian tradition that if a Mandalorian saves your life, the person that was saved has to take the saver out to dinner."

"Well, I'm not one to go against traditions… though does this mean you'll actually take the helmet off?"

"If you're lucky," she teased. "It's hard to eat with the helmet on; but not impossible." The ARC pulled alongside Wedge's X-wing. "Follow me back; I'll cover you."

"Copy that," Wedge paused. "If I'm going to take you out to dinner, can I at least learn your name?"

"The name's Joyce," she replied. "Joyce Solo"

Luke was pushing his X-wing to the limits, but it still wasn't fast enough. He looked through his targeting scope at the exhaust port.

"Still too far," he mumbled.

Use the Force, Luke!

Luke blinked. That was Quinn's voice. He thought to himself. How—

Let go, Luke.

Vader frowned as he adjusted his targeting scope. "The Force is strong with this one."

Luke, trust me, Quinn's voice sounded. Trusting his feelings, Luke reached over and switched off his targeting computer.

Anakin smiled. He had heard Qui-Gon's voice through the Force as clearly as Luke had and he was proud that his son was picking it up so well.

"He's going to make a hell of a Jedi," Anakin stated.

"Not if we don't get those fighters off his tail," Buffy countered. "Punch it, Ani!"

The two Jedi flew in tandem, pushing their craft down at an 80 degree angle. Anakin sent out a brief reassurance to his son, letting him know that they would be all right.

Vader sensed this and looked up and saw the two X-wings closing in on him. The Force called out to him - he knew who was in those fighters.

"Skywalker!"

Vader hit his reverse thrusters, sending his ship speeding backwards while his two wingmen shot forward.

Anakin saw what was happening and cursed, but there was nothing to do now but hope that debris would damage or destroy Vader's ship. Luke's X-wing shot past just as Anakin's and Buffy's flew in behind it and the two Jedi immediately hit their reverse thrusters and yanked up hard on the yolk, then both hit their PPG activators. A flash of light was all that was seen in the cockpits as the nose of the two crafts banked sharply and then back as the craft tumbled backwards out of control. With no room to maneuver, the two pursuing TIEs plowed right into them and the resulting explosion rocked the station.

Vader managed to pull up enough so that he flew through the upper part of the resulting fireball, but several pieces of debris did manage to strike his modified TIE. None of the damage was serious though, so he immediately took up pursuit once more. He aimed on the fly and opened fire and one of his shots struck a glancing blow against Luke's X-wing, slamming into Artoo.

In the Rebel base, Leia and the rest were still trying to figure out why Luke switched off his targeting computer when she saw the two X-wings flown by her father and Aunt crash wildly into two of the pursuing TIEs.

"No!" she cried out, though it was more of an instinctual reaction. Somehow, she just knew that neither of the two Jedi were dead. Her confusion soon turned to dread as the third TIE rejoined the pursuit and opened fire.

"I've just lost Artoo!" Luke exclaimed over the com, even as the voice in the background called out.

"The Death Star has cleared the planet! The Death Star has cleared the Planet!"

Tarkin stoop impassively on the bridge of the battle station as the display finally cleared.

"Rebel base in range," a technician announced.

"Very well. You may fire when ready," he replied.

The X-wing was at its top speed, but the damage it had sustained was slowing it down enough that Vader's TIE was able to catch up. He smiled evilly as his targeting computer finally locked on to the Rebel ship.

"I have you now…" he said— and then his ship was rocked viciously. "What!" he exclaimed, looking around. Much to his astonishment, coming out of the sun's glare above him was the battered old Corellian YT-1300 that he had let escape from this very station.

"Yahoo!" Han exclaimed, letting loose with another barrage from the lower quads. The blasts punched through the TIE's shields and took out its port engine, causing the ship to veer wildly out of the trench and away from the battle.

"You're all clear, kid!" Han shouted over his mic. "Now let's blow this thing and go home!"

Luke was nearly at the target shaft. Letting his instincts guide him, he released two of his proton torpedoes and yanked up hard on his stick, managing to pull out just as the torpedoes flew straight down the shaft. Luke's fighter joined the Millennium Falcon and the surviving Rebel pilots as they sped away from the doomed station. A moment later their cockpits automatically dimmed as the flash from the explosion lit up the surrounding space like a second sun, even as their shields were buffeted from the energy of the explosion. Finally Luke leaned back in his seat and sighed in relief.

"Great shot kid! That was one in a million!" Han called out over the com. Luke smiled as another voice joined the congratulations - a voice not being broadcasted through the normal means.

Remember, the Force will be with you. Always.

TBC

Next chapter— The ceremony, with a few surprise guests. And in two chapters, Joyce learn who killed her father, Vader reports to the Emperor, Buffy and Willow lament on getting old and Willow and Padmé finally talk.