Battle
Ald turned off the Holocom and ran back into the Dining Room, no longer in king mode, but as Commander Aldreaan Skye of the Royal Naboo Fleet.
"Jar Jar, inform the council we will be extending the leave of absence indefinably. Renic, ready Senator Amidala's H-type for immediate departure. You will take Sara and the Senator onboard. Syri, there are a pair of Naboo Bombers in the Hangar, you and I will take those. Sara, monitor Imperial Military Traffic frequencies, Syri, you and I will be on Alliance frequencies. All units maintain radio silence, communicate through personal comliks. Sara, inform me of any important fleet movements the Empire tries. Follow my lead for the hyperspace route."
"Ald, do you mind telling us what's going on?" Renic asked, shocked like the others.
"Dantooine has been attacked."
The convoy exited hyperspace a parsec outside of the system to avoid detection. Ald picked up his personal comlink.
"Sara, I need a report on Imperial Traffic."
"The fleet is in motion towards Dantooine. It seems to be an all out invasion force. Admiral Verion is in command, but Vader is aboard. He senses the Jedi hiding with the alliance, we think."
"That's not good. Alliance Generals aren't optimistic. The fleet isn't big enough. We have to hope they go for a land battle. Syri, you and I will go in on a bomb run once they deploy on the ground. Until then, everyone stay at base. Prepare entry procedures. Split up, meet at the abandoned Jedi Enclave in the northern hemisphere. May the Force be with you all."
The group met in the H- Type Royal Yacht before leaving the Hangar.
"Since Senator Amidala used this thing, I've made some changes, watch," Ald said, opening a compartment on the floor. To everyone's astonishment, the peaceful Naboo vessel packed a full military armory beneath the floorboards.
"There are enough blast damping jackets in here for everyone, I want everyone wearing them all the time while we're here. Syri, you and I have uniform jackets with rank insignia to show that we are military. Jar Jar, please don't carry a gun and make sure that empire doesn't know your here, we can't lose our place in the senate. Sara, how are you with a pistol?"
"I was the best girl on the range in school, save my sister."
"Good, take this. It's a standard issue Naboo Security Blaster. Very powerful, Syri, Renic, there are a few assault rifles here, you two carry those. I'll carry my personal military police blaster. I'm not much for rifles. Everyone be ready to fire at a moment's notice. Syri, keep the keys to that bomber with you so we can leave at any time. Let's meet up with Organa."
The group from Naboo proceeded into the Hangar Control Room, where temporary headquarters was set up for the battle about to ensue.
"Your Highness, any word on fleet movement?" Senator Organa asked?
"Vader is on his way, Verion is in charge. That's all we could hear on the way over. And it's Commander Skye today, not Your Highness."
"Right, how many of you are battle ready, Commander?"
"We have two J-Type Nubian Bombers with us, Lieutenant Kenna and I will take those out once the Empire lands. Sara Kenna and Renic Nilaen here are both ready to defend the hangar. Senator Binks will stay up here, protected."
"Right then, General Roulin is heading the land attack, our small fighter squadron is headed by Commander Ackbar, an imperial slave from Mon Calamari who has decided to join us. Does that little shuttle of yours have a comlink interceptor strong enough to reach Courasaunt?"
"No, but it may reach Corrillia or Kuat from here, why?"
"We are short on technology; we need to know what the empire is doing."
"Right, we can set up command in the cockpit of the yacht, there is enough communication equipment in there to listen to every new imperial recruit sneeze on every Star Destroyer that comes our way."
"I'll have my men set up camp there then. Thank you, Commander."
The cockpit of the Royal Yacht was crowded, but not overly so. Bail Organa and the Rebellion heads of military as well as Sara, Ald, Syri, and Renic were in the room. Jar Jar was in the bed chamber, barricaded.
"Sara, put channel 43 over the crew mic, it's normally the Naval Traffic Information."
Sara did so, and the sounds of the Empire's fleet of death filled the room.
"Destroyer 223 to NTI, moving into the Dantooine System, approximately one half parsec from destination."
"Destroyer 223 this is NTI, copy that. Authorized to prepare landing craft."
"Copy that NTI, D-223 Out."
"Outer Rim Fleet Command to all destroyers to Dantooine, Prepare landing craft, sending coordinates via data."
"Do we have a data interceptor onboard, Commander?" Organa asked.
"One Moment," Ald said while running a computer scan, "Landing site is approximately 20 kilometers from base."
"20 Kilometers; that gives us less than an hour to prepare." General Roulin said.
"Commander Ackbar, with your permission, Lieutenant Kenna and I would like to depart for our bomb run," Ald said the Mon Calamarian
"Permission granted. May the Force be with you."
"Bravo One, this is Bravo Two, there are so many of them, where should we unload?"
"Bravo Two head south to that destroyer there, 413, I'll go north to the 223."
"Copy that."
Ald and Syri split up, Ald carefully flew high above the grounded fleet, hoping they didn't look up. He flew in over the seven huge cruisers, with his bomb sights set on the large one in the rear, the 223. Verion himself was going to pay for taking the Queen.
"Bravo One coming up on target, removing safety," Ald said to the listening commanders, "preparing to unload."
The small bomber sped to the 223, coming in a little lower to set the sights,
"Bay open, Safety off. Letting go in 3…2…"
The silver tubes fell from the bomb bay, illuminating blue upon contact with the air, they fell landing on the starboard side of the huge vessel, a bit off target.
"I was a little off target, but it left a mark. The bay is dry, coming home." Ald told the commanders, "Bravo Two, status report."
"Bravo Two, direct hit. Command Bridge destroyed. I got a little something back from them, though, port engines are malfunctioning. I got hit."
"Return home, Kenna. We've done all we can do."
Upon return, Syri and Ald returned to the cockpit of the yacht, only to hear bad news.
"The invasion has begun, they've begun to empty the landers." Roulin said.
"Where are our forces?"
"Being scrambled as we speak, Commander."
"How many tanks do we have?" Syri asked.
"One brigade, not enough," Roulin replied
"Isa there any jedi in disa force?" Jar Jar asked, having returned from the bed chamber.
"Yes, three. They are planning to infiltrate the crusiers while the Empire's attention is on the battle," Organa replied.
"I will go with them, then. I have a score to settle with Verion, he was my commanding officer during school, he tried as hard as he could to make sure I didn't get my officership, and above all he came aboard my ship and took the queen as if he was trying to get back at me for graduating. I have to see him dead, if it kills me." Ald told them, "I hate him."
"Very well then, I will inform Masters Sora, Delrin, and Rikin that you will accompany them. Do you have a plan for the battle?"
"General, my suggestion would be to keep them at a standstill until Verion is dead, and go from there. What starfighters do we have available?"
"The Eta 2 class Jedi fighters, and a few ARC-150's left over from the war. Will there be any V-Wings aboard the cruisers?"
"Doubtful, they are using newer tie fighters now, I have no idea how to fly one, but if I can, then I will take one. The Jedi and I should go on foot for that reason."
"Good Idea, Commander, after Verion is dead, you and the Jedi should drop everything explosive you can find on the stormtroopers."
"Very well, Sir. I will take my leave then and join the Jedi."
"Wait Ald, what do you want me to do?" Sara asked before Ald left.
"It's your choice, Sara, whatever you want."
"Can I come with you?"
"If you're as good a shot as you say, then I don't have anything against it."
"Thank you, Ald"
Ald and Sara, as well as the Jedi masters, had traversed the forests around the landing site until they were sure that the entire force of stormtroppers had gone to the battlegrounds. Destroyer 223 was lightly guarded, and the troopers were easily disposed of. As they boarded the huge cruisers, the Jedi were uneasy.
"Ald, Sara, wait here, Delrin, Rikin, I seanse the darkside, Vader is here," Master Sora said.
"I feel it too. Ald, you and Sara should stay here. Vader knows we are here." Master Delrin told them.
"Sara, you might need that pistol," Ald advised.
The three Jedi Masters proceeded, igniting their lightsabers cautitiously. As they entered the hall, a dark figure met them. The sound of an iron lung filled the room and Vader removed his cloak.
"Ah, Three Jedi Masters, here to be killed, And I didn't even have to look for you."
"Anakin, You will not win," Sora told the black half machine figure in front of them.
"Ah, Master Sora, My old friend. Anakin Skywalker is no more, Obi-Wan Kenobi Killed him two years ago, Darth Vader was saved by the great Emperor Palpatine on that volcano. Skywalker was killed. I will enjoy doing you the same."
Darth Vader then removed his lightsaber, and engaged Master Sora. The two swordsmen fought at an amazing speed, flashed of blue and red where all that could be seen of the sabers, both seemed equally matched until Vader's red lightsaber tore itself through Sora's right arm, and he fell to the ground.
Master Delrin then engaged the dark lord, and his green saber tore through a mechanical finger of Darth Vader's, but it didn't seem to even faze him. Vader proceeded to disarm Delrin, and tore his weapon through the Jedi's neck.
Sara wanted to scream, but Ald clutched his hand over her mouth, to keep them hidden.
Master Rikin was hardly a Jedi master, and posed no threat to the menacing figure, he fell in a short time, leaving the three last three Jedi warriors of the rebellion dead in a pile on the floor. Darth Vader walked on, unbothered by the fact that he had taken three important lives just moments before.
"Sara, get Sora's saber, we don't want the Empire to have these weapons," Ald asked while picking up the other two weapons.
"Let's get upstairs."
Ald and Sara got into the control room, luckily without meeting Darth Vader on the way. They had heard a small shuttle take off, Vader had done what he came to do and left.
"Aldreaan Skye, the politician traitor himself," the Admiral remarked, "You have a lot of nerve to come aboard my ship. What business do you have here?"
"Admiral, my business is my own," Ald said making sure that Verion was unarmed.
"Let's not make a mess in front of the girl, Mr. Skye."
"Commander, that is. And the girl wishes to make the mess, Sir."
Sara and Ald both had their fingers on their triggers.
"Miss, put that down, we don't want anyone getting hurt."
"We would hate to have that happen, wouldn't we," Sara said, and pulled the trigger.
"Wow," was all Ald could say, "How did you do that?"
"I pulled the trigger."
The two then made their way to the hangar.