I own nothing except a few characters and the plot.
TROOPS: NEW YORK
A Spectre Returns
NEW YORK
The next morning, the principal Mr. Dobbs had called the student responsible for the offensive drawing into his office while NYPD Detectives executed a search warrant on the student's locker. Inside they found a bag containing assorted pills packaged for resale. Jamal had swaggered into his first class of the day with Ezra and dropped a note on Ezra's desk of what was found folded up to appear as the homework assigned the day before. Ezra's second day of teaching had gone smoothly except for him and Chopper getting into the middle of a fight in the hallway between students who were claiming to be members of rival gangs each claiming the school to be in their turf. Ezra used his lunch to send an update on the case to Tevin and ask that some Stormtroopers stop by to pick up the gang members who were being detained by School Safety agents after Dobbs handed them week long suspensions for fighting and gang activity. Ezra was cleaning up after school when Jamal stopped by.
"I heard about the fight." He said.
"Dobbs handed down ten days on our drug dealer pending other action from above and a week each on the fight pending other action from above. They're all in holding cells somewhere."
"Your place. My LT's hoping to close the undercover ops here soon and she wants to meet General Felth. Personally, Dobbs said he wants us around for the rest of the year. That includes you too Chopper." Jamal said as the droid made itself known.
"I can arrange that meeting. And I see why he wants me to stay, she completely ignored the roles Chopper and I played in the early rebellion. We were there when Mon Mothma formally declared open rebellion against the Old Empire. Chopper was at Scarif. Before you ask, these guys are The Empire in name only. They've bent over backwards time and time again for me. Everything from finding me a place to stay, giving me money for my personal needs, and landing me this gig. But, I was their only choice for this."
"They didn't suspect a thing. Not even with Chopper in here."
"Have a seat. I want to make sure you understand you have the right to remain silent and the right to an attorney before we start." Jamal said to the student who had been caught dealing drugs in the school as he entered the interrogation room at the Imperial part of the Federal Building.
"You're a cop!" The student said.
"I watched you for months. Good cover, pretending to be a bigot to hide the fact that you deal drugs. You were smart, but not smart enough once I got a partner with a sixth sense."
"Bridger's a Narc too. I should have brought my gun. One bullet for you, one for him, and one for that stupid trash can of his." The student said.
"You know anything you say and do can and will be used against you in court. Corporal, would you mind securing him to something. I suddenly don't feel safe in here with this unrestrained animal." Jamal said to the Stormtroopers who handcuffed the student to his chair. In the other interrogation room, the two gang members sat across from Max and Kelly handcuffed to their chairs with a pair of Death Troopers in the far corners of the room.
"That narc teacher better watch himself." One said. Max leaned forward. His annoyance with Ezra had turned to a form of respect after finding out three arrests had been made at the school where Ezra was serving as a teacher for serious criminal activity.
"First of all, you two geniuses know that statement will be mentioned in court. So your hopes for low bail just left the building." The younger gang member suddenly became scared.
"I want a deal." He said nervously.
"For what?" Kelly asked.
"You want someone higher up? The people who give the orders?"
"We'll get back to you. Take them back to their cells." Max said as the troopers prepared to escort the gang members back to their cells. The suspect with Jamal had also become desperate for a plea bargain after the two Stormtroopers were replaced by a pair of Death Troopers and they were joined by Tevin.
"I don't know what kind of a deal you're expecting from us. The people that executed a search warrant on your place just called me. They found more drugs and more hate literature. Including educational and recruitment materials from the First Order. The First Order is considered a radical terrorist group. Unfortunately, the United States doesn't cut deals with people it suspects are terrorists." Tevin said. The student smirked and looked at the glass between the interrogation and observation rooms.
"Tell me Bridger, how safe do you think Lothal is right now? I think Admiral Titus would be the best choice to lead the attack. It's only fair, you destroyed his ancestor's career. Now he's going to destroy your homeworld." Tevin and Jamal looked at each other is disbelief.
"He ain't taking that bait. He didn't take the bait from The Emperor, he won't take it from you."
"Your pal Titus is also locked up in our jail's CPSU. You'll be joining him there. Enjoy 24/7 lockdown while you await your execution."
"You can't kill me. I'm only sixteen and you have to put me on trial first."
"You're being charged as an adult which means you stand trial as an adult and are sentenced as an adult. I think Florence has room for you and anymore First Order agents we find. Lock him up." Ezra entered the room as the Death Troopers escorted the student out.
"I can now prove that Titus is a traitor. It means cutting a deal with that guy though. I'm sure my dad will agree that a sleeper agent is a smal fish when we have a guy who gave an enemy of our state two warships, then lied about it, and finally tried to carry out a summary execution for a very petty reason." Tevin said to them.
"What about Lothal?" Ezra asked.
"I'll see if someone can go out there from Coruscant and make sure the First Order isn't there. Luke has more Jedi then we do. The First Order already attacked a mining colony. I'm also gonna see if Houston can get the UN to do something."
"I'd like to take the Ghost out there once I get a crew together. I think I have a crew already." Ezra said.
"If I were to guess, Chopper, Detective Wilkins, and three teenagers because if you take two of them. Mine will simply sneak aboard before you leave. Radar, get me the information on Lothal." Tevin called to his clerk. The next few days consisted of training in preperation for the mission between everyone's school days as Ezra and Jamal were now convinced the First Order had placed more sleeper agents in the city. Ezra discovered that his old friend Jai Kell is now the Governor of Lothal and that he had become quite the celebrity there. Two Jedi had been dispatched from Coruscant to Lothal and were timing their arrival to meet with Ezra's team.
LOTHAL
The Ghost dropped out of hyperspace to a sight that made Ezra sick to his stomach. Hovering above the planet were a number of what appeared to be Star Destroyers. A second ship also dropped out of hyperspace and flew towards the Ghost.
"Ghost, this is Jedi Master Corran Horn. I guess the rumor was true."
"Looks that way. Did you try to reach Governor Kell?" Ezra asked.
"Communications are being jammed and now I see why. They're planning an invasion. Now I also see why me and Kyle were sent here." Corran said.
"I'm hoping the Earth approves reinforcements to here. They might get here before our fleet can." Kyle Katarn said. Josh leaned in close to Ezra.
"The UN will give in. Wanda loves using her office to put shady diplomats in their places by taking away their immunity. Or she'll remind them that Earth could be next on their hit list."
"Who knows what they managed to get done in the past 15 years." Jamal said from the co-pilot's seat.
"Landon, top gun turret. Jamal, front one. Josh and Lucy stay here. Just in case." Ezra said flipping a few switches as everyone moved places. Chopper warbled from his station.
"Yeah, transmit that back home if it's not jammed and make sure our shields work." A group of black TIE Fighters approached the two ships.
"Heads up, fighters and they're not friendly." Kyle's voice came over the ship to ship comm. The TIEs decided to fire upon the two ships, a move that had been sensed by the Jedi pilots of both.
"That's one." Came Landon's voice as a TIE exploded followed by a second TIE exploding.
"That's two. Four more coming in." Jamal said as a third TIE exploded under fire from Corran's ship. Chopper warbled something to Ezra.
"Why is Admiral Piett on his way here? He's got what with him? A whole fleet of American, British, and Israeli ships." Josh grinned as he knew what that meant.
"They're coming." He said to both ships as Landon took out another TIE followed by the last two being destroyed. One by Jamal and the other by Corran's ship.
On the bridge of the Finalizer, General Hux saw the skirmish occur and turned to an officer.
"Prepare to land ground forces and have our Interdictor move into position. Have the fighters provide cover for our landers." Hux was certain his ships could take on a freighter and a yacht no matter how well they were armed. But, he was skeptical they could keep the planet after his father's stories when he was younger about a pack of native wolves that had viciously mauled their way through squads of Stormtroopers and even managed to overpower and frighten a Nogrhi Death Commando which had led to an Imperial defeat. The Interdictor was now in place should the two ships attempt an escape. Caedus joined him.
"Jedi on both of those ships. Two Masters, a Knight, and a Padawan. One of those masters has a history as a one-man army. My uncle sent two of them, but where did the other two come from? I must inform Lord Sidious." He said to Hux and quickly left the bridge.
"Those look like landers and ground assault vehicles." Lucy said to Josh and Ezra.
"And more TIE Fighters too." Josh added.
"We have to hold them off until help arrives. Chopper, jam their frequencies." Ezra said and flew the Ghost into the thick of the First Order's landing operations attracting the attention of the TIEs who instantly gave chase.
"Are you insane?" Came Jamal's voice as Landon continuously fired at the TIEs and scored minor hits on the landers in the process.
"Me or Landon?" Ezra asked as a TIE exploded causing a second TIE to crash into a lander.
"Both of you." Jamal said as Landon responded by firing at the damaged lander and striking a TIE in the process. More TIEs were launched from the Star Destroyers as Corran's ship joined the fray and took out two more TIEs.
"We're totally outnumbered." Josh said. Chopper warbled at Ezra.
"Shields are going." Lucy said. A voice cut in over the comm.
"Commander Bridger, this is Halo Flight. We're coming in hot." Ezra pulled the Ghost out of the landing pattern leading a number of TIEs in pursuit as well.
"Good guys are here." Landon called as a group of American X-Wings flew in causing the TIE pilots to scatter.
"Halo Flight, lock a bandit and Fox Three." The X-Wings fired missiles at the TIEs and landers striking two TIEs and the damaged lander along with a second lander. More X-Wings joined the battle along with a pair of freighters that Ezra, Lucy, and Josh knew all too well. They were followed by A-Wings, Corvettes, and a group of Calamarian Cruisers. Another TIE exploded as the Felth's Pride flew through the fighters followed by a British Corvette and the blue and grey ship.
"It does fly." Jamal said.
"What?" Asked Ezra and Josh.
"The Astro Megaship. I heard it was at Bennett after Khayman died. Who's flying it?" Jamal explained as the Astro Megaship fired at the underside of the Finalizer.
"Who got that off the ground?" Josh asked over the comm.
"Skywalkers did. My grandson is on that Imperial-II. We're going to land on it." Came Anakin's reply. On board the lead Calamarian Cruiser, Admiral Piett watched the battle with great interest. He noticed the Interdictor Cruiser had taken up a forward position.
"All ships prepare to engage. Hammer Flight, take that Interdictor out." He said as a group of Israeli A-Wings flew towards the Interdictor.
"What attack plan is this?" Corran asked as he flew around TIEs and X-Wings.
"The Lando. Engage capital ships at point-blank range and hope for the best." Kyle said. A group of British X-Wings had managed to disable one of the Star Destroyers next to the Interdictor. This gave Piett an idea as he saw an Israeli Corvette take heavy damage from TIE Fighters.
"Something that was done at Scarif. Have that damaged Corvette shove that Star Destroyer into that Interdictor." He told his second in command, a British Royal Air Force Colonel. On board the Corvette, the crew received word of Piett's plan.
"Corvette Three, locked on target. Brace for impact." The Corvette scraped along the side of the ship before wedging itself into a nook.
"Thrusters, full power. Hammer Flight, pull out." The little Corvette slowly began pushing the much larger Star Destroyer into the Interdictor as the A-Wings pulled out of their attack on the Interdictor and began to cover their Corvette. On board the Interdictor, the Captain began to panic.
"Take evasive action! Reverse engines, full power! Brace for impact!" His crew rushed to carry out his orders, but it was too late as the two Capital ships collided ripping the Interdictor and Star Destroyer apart.
On board the Finalizer, Hux was beside himself with panic. Two of his capital ships had been destroyed, a third was taking heavy damage, and a ship had damaged the Finalizer before landing on board. He hadn't heard from Caedus either.
"Sir, enemy fighters are heading towards the surface. They're following behind a ship called the Ghost."
"Prepare to bombard the planet from orbit." Hux shouted.
Ezra flew the Ghost towards Capital City with a group of X-Wings behind him.
"Halo Flight, maintain Commander Bridger's Six."
"The one Star Destroyer is breaking out of formation." Josh said.
"We see it, Knights move to intercept and disable. We have operatives on board that ship." Piett replied. A group of American X-Wings moved towards the Finalizer followed by the Felth's Pride.
"Galen, let's drop a concussion missile on their starboard guns." Tevin said as R2-D2 beeped from the astromech socket.
"Yeah, one for the port side too." Galen Marek told the droid. Another Star Destroyer went down under a hail of missile fire from RAF X-Wings as Tevin flew his ship towards the Finalizer's gun batteries.
"Shield Generators targeted 12:00. Knight 1, Fox Three." A missile was fired and struck the Finalizer's shield generator.
"Knight 7, Fox Three." A second missile struck the other shield generator as the X-Wings pulled off.
"Sir, we've lost our deflector shields." An officer called to Hux.
"Intensify the forward batteries. Nothing gets through." Hux shouted. He knew if he was arrested, he would certainly stand trial for treason. He feared the courts on Earth more then he feared the courts on Coruscant. The Felth's Pride struck the guns on one side of the Finalizer.
"Sir, we've just lost the starboard guns and another group of ships has just dropped out of hyperspace behind us. Same designs as these ships." The oficer said. Hux froze in horror. The New Republic Defense Fleet had arrived.
"Launch all fighters." Hux shouted at his crew.
General Wedge Antilles was on the bridge of the Yavaris as he surveyed the battle in progress. The First Order fleet had already sustained heavy damage with three ships destroyed and two more heavily damaged.
"Launch our fighters, contact Master Horn to have him come aboard, and hail that lead Calamarian Cruiser." He said to his crew. Within minutes, Wedge's ships unleashed swarms of X-Wings, A-Wings, Y-Wings, and E-Wings which began attacking the First Order's flanks. Wedge was surprised to hear that Piett was in command of the other fleet and even more surprised that Piett had used crushing Imperial defeats to learn new tactics.
Elsewhere on the Finalizer, Darth Caedus had been confronted by Anakin, Jaina, Obi-Wan, and Michael.
"Jacen, you're a pawn to Sidious. Don't you think he's going to replace you the first chance he can?" Anakin said.
"What makes you so sure about that?" Caedus asked.
"What do you think he tried to get your uncle to do to me? His plan was to replace me with Luke. He could have left me to die on Mustafar, but he didn't have a replacement at the time." Anakin explained.
"Plus, he's a dirty coward. Every time he sees me, he tucks tail and runs." Michael added.
"If you come with us, you have a chance to redeem yourself. I don't think you've done anything wrong yet." Obi-Wan said.
"Do you think Mom would have sent me all the way to Earth to meet up with Grandpa if she didn't love you?" Jaina asked. Caedus thought for a minute, then pulled his Lightsaber out. He then gave it to Obi-Wan and sighed.
"You are a Skywalker." Obi-Wan said. With that Jacen Solo held his hands out for Michael to handcuff them.
"Standard procedure." Michael said as he secured Jacen's hands behind his back.
"I suggest we get off this ship before it gets destroyed." Anakin said as the five made their way back to the Astro Megaship.
The Ghost and Halo Flight made short work of the First Order ground assault forces. Most of the forces were disorganized after Chopper had jammed their communications much less from the unconventional tactics used by Piett.
"He's back." Was all Jai Kell could say as he saw the Ghost fly overhead followed by the X-Wings. Ezra landed the Ghost at a port near the city while Halo Flight reported that it was clear for Piett to begin landing ground forces to mop up whatever was left of the First Order Army. The Finalizer had been destroyed after Tevin had launched his concussion missiles into the Star Destroyer's engines once the Jedi Task Force was clear. Hux had been captured in an escape pod by another Israeli Corvette and was to be transported back to Tel Aviv for interrogation by Mossad agents. Tevin had pointed out that Hux would probably wish he had gone down with his ship after being put through a Mossad interrogation. The remaining First Order ships had fled into hyperspace minus the ones that were too damaged to escape with Wedge receiving orders to pursue them while Corran and Kyle hunted down Darth Sidious. As the U.S. Marines began landing on Lothal to mop up whatever Stormtroopers remained, Ezra embraced Jai while Chopper and the new Spectres watched. Piett had transmitted word back to New York that the First Order was driven off of Lothal and out of the system with part of their leadership in custody. Celebrations began to break out in New York, Washington, London, and Tel Aviv as news broke of what The Pentagon called Operation Lothali Freedom.