Chapter 19

The Board is Set

"Well I must admit that I hadn't expected this," Obi-wan said as they came into view of the Massassi temple that served as the Rebellion's headquarters. His eyes drifted over to Leia and Winter. "You certainly picked a renowned spot for your hideaway."

"We did?" Biggs was the one to speak up. "It's just some ancient temple."

"That ancient temple is where Exar Kun, made his final stand during the Sith Wars some four thousand years ago," Obi-wan said.

"Fitting," Winter said. "It may well be where we make our final stand."

"Bringing us in for a landing," Han said then looked to the small group peering out the viewports. "You mean that's where you're making your final stand, as soon as I get paid I'm out of here."

Chewbacca let out something of a cough and then grunted just a bit, almost as if he was admitting guilt in some horrible deed. Han's fingers slipped on the controls and the Falcon's landing struts skidded against the temples floor before settling down.

"What do you mean the hyperdrive is shot?" Han said. "It got us here didn't it?"

The wookiee let out a groan and proceeded to explain the situation, with each bark and grumble Han's face grew paler and worry lines appeared on his forehead. For a moment it looked like he was considering lifting off again but finally he just shook his head and sat back his seat.

"Well that's just great," Han said as the others waited for an explanation. "Thanks to your psychotic little droid and the damage we took in the escape, the hyperdrive is fused. We got one trip out of it and that was here."

"You can't repair it?" Leia said.

"No," Han shook his head. "It has to be completely removed and replaced. That's another thing that your rebellion is going to have to do for me."

"I'll be sure to let them know," Leia said. "Though a bit of a warning, we're going to be busy preparing for the Imperial attack, chances of you getting a work crew to replace your hyperdrive will hover just below zero."

"Fantastic," Solo said, jamming the controls off and shaking his head. "Somehow I always figured it would end like this."

"I'm sure we can come up with some sort of solution," Obi-wan said as he pulled himself up. "But until then we need to get Artoo and the plans he carries to your technicians. Time is of the essence."

Leia nodded and followed him out. Along the way they passed Fett, checking his weapons and armor. She almost told him to relax, that he was safe here, but recognized it was both useless and also perhaps not completely unwarranted. Boba Fett hadn't exactly been a friend of the Alliance's up to this point.

In fact, if she wasn't certain the Empire was following them at this point, she'd have grave concerns about him even knowing the location of their base. But it was moot at this now. The Empire would likely arrive soon and they would either fight or flee.

The ramp descended and Leia took stock of their little group. Who knew what would happen from here? They'd finally reached their destination. From here they would likely split up to every which way in the Galaxy. She took a breath when her eyes fell on Winter and Obi-wan. At least two people she knew would stay close, though they would all be consumed by their duties. Particularly Obi-wan, the famous Jedi General would no doubt be required to assume a leadership position.

That assumption, much to her surprise, came into question almost as soon as they landed. The initial greeting went as well as could be expected. Condolences were expressed for the loss of Alderaan and her father. Biggs was hailed as a hero. And most importantly, R2 was rushed to the droid lab where the Death Star plans were extracted and analyzed.

Leia had expected to run into trouble in regards to bringing Boba Fett to their base, but once the homing device was found and they realized the Empire would not be far behind, his presence became less of a concern. What really caught her off guard was the treatment of Obi-wan.

Apparently bringing a thirty something Jedi and claiming he was the same thirty something Jedi that disappeared twenty years ago came as a bit of a stretch to the imagination. Leia had thought that some of the older members of the Rebellion, that were active during the Clone Wars, would confirm the Jedi's identity but they just seemed suspicious of him. Some even thought him to be a clone created by the Empire with the intent on infiltrating the Alliance.

It wasn't until General Jan Dodonna came to see what the fuss was about that things started to get resolved. While Dodonna and Kenobi weren't much more than acquaintances, Obi-wan was able to tell him the specifics of a conversation they'd once had, enough to convince the general that Kenobi was the genuine article. Even so, he ordered blood work done just to be certain. So rather than aiding the Alliance leadership in coordinating an attack, Obi-wan went to the med-bay.

And that's where Leia found herself just before the big meeting where Dodonna was to present his strategy for their attack against the Death Star. Obi-wan sat on a medical bed rubbing his wrist slightly where the Emdee droid had gripped it to get the blood sample.

"I'm so sorry about this," Leia said, taking a seat next to him. "The Alliance means well, we've just been deceived in the past."

"No no," Obi-wan said. "I understand the precaution. Though I would have thought me demonstrating Jedi abilities should have clued them in. As you can't clone Jedi you know."

"There's been some debate about that, remind me to tell you about Starkiller," Leia said.

"Who?"

"The results are in," the Emdee droid interrupted. "Congratulations, you have no genetic markers of clones or other replicant lifeforms and you have a 100% match with Obi-wan Kenobi."

"Well that's reassuring," Obi-wan said. "I take it that means I'm free to go?"

The Emdee droid simply bowed and set about doing other tasks so Obi-wan shrugged and cast off from the bed, joining Leia side as the two made their way through the temple. A nervous energy hovered about as they went. Everyone scrambled to get ready for the pending Imperial attack. Leia herself felt a barely containable edge that made her want to run or fight or… well, do anything except wait around.

"Patience," Obi-wan said. "In short time we will all have more than enough on our plates to keep us occupied."

"Am I so easy to read?"

"I'm half afraid that you'll shake the Force around you apart if you continue," Obi-wan said. "In the meantime, we best get to the meeting."

"Right," Leia nodded and fell into lockstep with him. It was only when they spotted the meeting room that Leia paused and laid a hand on his shoulder.

"I just need to know one thing," she said. "Do you think we have a chance?"

"The future is muddied and difficult to see," Obi-wan said. "But I find it hard to believe that the Force went to such great lengths to unite the two of us only to have it all end today. We shall see."

Leia nodded and managed a smile. The Force had always been something of a nebulous concept before. More something that she used in conversation or speeches as a way of wishing luck than a firm belief in an energy field controlling everything. But Obi-wan clearly believed it and so she had to admit, he had a point.

Yet another floor and yet another deck officer that didn't know where Skywalker got to.

At this rate Lord Vader would be wringing his neck within the hour.

Cody cursed to himself as he picked up the pace of his march. With the Death Star nearing the Rebel base, he needed to be seeing after his squad, making sure they were ready. Not that he expected any stormtroopers to see much battle today. There wasn't going to be much left of Yavin IV to occupy after all.

Of course he would never occupy anything again if he didn't find Skywalker.

The kid slipped out of his notice when they had been on their way to check up on Jade. One minute they were passing a couple of turbolift tubes and another group of stormtroopers, the next Cody noticed the kid gone and lift doors closing. Kid might have been manipulated by Jade and Vader but he wasn't entirely stupid. He knew an opportunity when he saw one.

Nearly an hour passed and still no sign of the kid was to be found. On a station this large, Cody could look for days and never find him. And blast it all if he couldn't even figure out what the kid meant to play at. He had accepted Vader's offer and still seemed determined to care for Jade. Yet now he suddenly ran off? Didn't make sense.

They were in the middle of hyperspace so… no way the kid took a shuttle. Jade hadn't been disturbed, the Emdees would have notified him otherwise. Which didn't really leave many more possibilities. In the end Cody even went back down to the detention level thinking the kid might have been there for whatever reason. No luck.

Close to admitting he would have to put together a squad and alert some of the other platoons, Cody found himself wandering into a docking bay. It wasn't the one where Kenobi and Vader had their duel. Just some random hanger. A random hanger with a battered J-Type Nubian Starskiff sitting in the middle of it.

Cody narrowed his eyes as he approached. The last person he ever saw with one of these was Senator Amidala. Vaguely he recalled hearing about the rebels coming aboard in a banged up ship. Though it shouldn't have struck him as too odd that they would have been in such an… old ship. Most everything the rebellion worked with was… well past its prime.

Somewhere there was a comparison involving himself but he really didn't want to make the connection at the moment.

As he neared the ship, he noticed the work crews buzzing all around it. Not just human technicians either but also an assortment of repair droids ranging from G2's to the latest astromech models. Someone really wanted this ship repaired.

The aged stormtrooper rolled his jaw from one side of his mouth to the other as he thought on it. Given who he guessed the boy's mother was… might the kid be in there? He'd given up on most any other place to look so it certainly couldn't hurt.

However, just as he put a foot on the ramp, a technician along with a pair of stormtroopers rushed over to him.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" the technician said. "This vehicle is strictly off limits to unauthorized personnel. Lord Vader's orders, he wants it completely restored and undisturbed."

"Unauthorized?" Cody said, scanning the technician up and down. "I outrank you. I'm just doing a quick inspection of the ships interior."

"The ships interior is fine," one of the stormtrooper said, his voice giving away the fact that he was clearly an enlisted man. "I just checked it out."

"Well that's fine boy, but I'm going in there to take a look around," Cody said.

"No, you're not," the other stormtroopers said, also letting him know with his voice that they weren't brothers. "Just because you were grown in a tube doesn't mean you get to do whatever the hell you want."

"I'm sorry what?" Cody turned away from the ramp.

"You heard me old man," the stormtrooper said. "Crawl and wheeze back into your cylinder and let the real stormtroopers do their jobs."

"You boys know I'm a first generation clone yeah?" Cody said. "Fought alongside Jedi and faced down the likes of General Grievous."

"A first gen huh?" the other trooper said. "Your creaking bones and war stories suppose to impress us? I've seen you first gens in action, our commanders use them for cannon fodder."

"That's about all they're good for," the other chuckled.

"No," Cody said. "I'm telling you this for two reasons. One, I want you to know exactly what kind of man I am. And two, I want you to understand that when I talk about facing down entire squads of clankers and Sith Lords, I learned more than a few tricks."

Before they could respond Cody launched himself at them, smashing a boot against the first one's chest, sending him tripping over an astromech passing behind. The second trooper had his blaster out but Cody batted it aside and delivered a crack to the man's throat, just between the armor and the helmet.

The man stumbled away, gasping for breath and Cody turned to the one he first knocked over; only now getting up. The stormtrooper grasped at his blaster but Cody ripped it from his fingers and proceeded to beat him with it. With a vicious two handed swing he took the soldiers helmet off and clocked him in the head. That done he turned to deal with the other guy only to find that the cowardly technician had summoned security.

An entire squad of stormtroopers had appeared, though most didn't have their blasters drawn, apparently more curious than angry at the beating the others had been receiving. Still, Cody knew it wouldn't be much longer before they swarmed over him if he kept that up.

"Someone do a sweep of that ship's interior," Cody said, throwing the blaster down. "I'm certain there's someone onboard that shouldn't be."

After another moment of uncertain stillness, the technician moved in front of the stormtroopers. "Well aren't you going to arrest him? He assaulted those two! He might be a rebel spy just like the ones here earlier."

"Not with that voice he isn't," one of the stormtroopers said then pointed to a pair of the troops. "You two take him to the brig and you two… make a thorough sweep of the ship."

The stormtroopers broke away to do their tasks and the pair assigned to Cody gripped his arms. He shoved them away and handed them his detonator and blaster and helmet.

"I know the way to the brig," Cody said. "You don't need to carry me there."

The troopers looked at each other then down at the two Cody had laid out. Apparently neither felt inclined to challenge him so they just shrugged and motioned for him to get moving. Cody nodded and paid a final glance at the stormtrooper he'd punched in the throat.

Maybe he was old like that ship they didn't want him to get on. But he still had it. He still fought like the best of them. And for just this one moment, that was enough.

If the base had been on high alert leading up to Dodonna's strategy session, then the somewhat organized chaos that reigned, now attested even more to the urgency; particularly pronounced now, because the Death Star had been detected on long range scanners at the edge of the system.

Around him, flight crews scrambled to perform last minute prep for the starfighters that would lead the assault. Supposedly such a strategy appeared to be their only hope at this point. Some of the leadership had been hustled onto transports but the vast majority of the Alliance's forces were to remain. There was no real time to evacuate them anyway.

The chances of success on the pending attack on the Death Star seemed slim. And while Obi-wan had made a career out of beating long odds, he personally never thought it hurt to try and even them as much as possible.

A couple of the generals had wanted Obi-wan to join them in their council, others wanted him shipped away along with the few leaders going, but he had declined both. The former on the grounds that he did not yet know enough about the current galactic situation to serve as an effective voice, the latter because if he could help he would. He had been out of the fight for far too long.

In the future he might join the Alliance leadership in their planning and strategy meetings. For now he sought to influence the upcoming fight in a more direct way.

The Millennium Falcon sat in a secluded corner of the makeshift hanger, away from the bustling flight crews and repair teams. Atop its hull, Chewbacca could be seen desperately welding parts together with a plasma torch. The wookiee barely noticed as Obi-wan ascended the loading ramp.

"No, no Chewie!" he heard Han's voice as soon as he entered. "We're going to have a burn out if you- Dammit! Chewie get down here!"

Obi-wan followed the sound of the smuggler's voice until he reached the engineering pit. Smoke billowed out of it and Solo scrambled up the ladder sporting a pair of welding goggles and a sour look. Obi-wan only shook his head and held out a hand to help him up.

"Repairs could be going better I see," Obi-wan said.

"They're fine," Han said. "We've got everything under control."

Obi-wan batted a waft of smoke away from his hand. "Clearly."

"We'll have the ship ready to go by the time the Empire gets here," Han said.

Chewie descended back into the ship and Obi-wan frowned at the state of the ship.

"I'm afraid that the Empire is already here, the Alliance is gearing up for its attack."

"You mean its suicide run," Han said.

"Perhaps, perhaps not," Obi-wan shrugged. "But that brings me to why I'm here. I want you to be a part of said attack."

Han narrowed his eyes at the Jedi Master for a moment then let out a chuckle. "Right, fly in with the rest of them? I might as well aim the Falcon at a star and go right into lightspeed."

Chewbacca grumbled a bit about the work he had been doing up top and Obi-wan nodded.

"I don't think you'll be pointing your ship in any direction given the current state that it's in," Obi-wan said. "From what I've noticed and what Chewbacca just said, your new hyperdrive isn't even a third of the way installed and your only operating at partial sublight. Face it my friend, even if you took off now you wouldn't get halfway out of the system before the Empire caught you."

Han shook his head and then looked around the ship. Long lines drew across his forehead as he took a breath, maybe even partially admitting defeat.

"So I'm just supposed to give up, just like that? I've never worked that way."

"I never expected that you would," Obi-wan said. "But right now you only really have two options. Abandon your ship on this moon and leave with the evacuees-"

"Never going to happen," Han said.

"Or you join the fight and do your best to make sure that battle station is destroyed."

"Those are my two options huh?" Han raised a brow.

"Of course not," Obi-wan said. "But the third option of doing nothing doesn't strike me as something you'd be inclined to do."

Han shook his head. "You really think having me flying in one of those X-wings is going to make a lick of difference?"

"Even the smallest snowflake can trigger an avalanche," Obi-wan said.

Han rolled his eyes and started going for the hydrospanner. "What about Fett? Can't you just higher him?"

"I could try," Obi-wan said. "But the Alliance has already prohibited him from taking part in the battle and he's likely smuggled himself onto one of the transport ships."

"Great, so a creep like that is getting away from the battle while the rest of us are stuck here," Han shook his head.

"All the more reason for you to participate, beyond being your best chance of survival today," Obi-wan said. "Helping the Alliance represents your best source of survival for tomorrow as well."

"How's that?" Han said as he approached the pit.

"I heard your conversation with Boba Fett if you recall," Obi-wan said. "You owe a great deal of money to Jabba the Hutt."

"Yeah, and I have the means to finally pay most of it back," Han said. "Which won't do me any good if I'm dead."

"We both know that Jabba doesn't forgive debt that easily. He'll want to charge you extra, or he'll outright decide to make an example of you," Obi-wan said. "But I once led a mission to save Jabba's son's life. While the Hutt would hardly think that he owes me anything, he certainly would sit down with me at the negotiation table."

"What are you getting at?" Han narrowed his eyes.

"I'm saying that if you fly this mission with me," Obi-wan said. "I will personally negotiate your debt with Jabba. At the very least you'll have it settled once and for all, at the very best you might even be able to keep some of that reward for yourself."

"That's assuming I survive…" Han said but already Obi-wan could see the wheels turning in his head. "What about Chewie? I don't want him stuck here if things go south."

"Have Chewie stay aboard your ship," Obi-wan said. "Once the battle groups have left he ought to be able to requisition some maintenance droids to effect enough repairs that he will at least be able to take off should the assault fail."

Han flattened his lips and furrowed his brows. Clearly he still didn't like the idea of partaking in the assault but Obi-wan had done his work to open him the idea. Any further pressing on the subject would either be futile or even drive the smuggler away.

"I shall leave you to consider it," Obi-wan said. "Though you only have about fifteen minutes to make a decision. In the meantime I must get ready for the part I will play in this battle."

Obi-wan nodded to Chewbacca and made for the exit. After a few steps he heard Han setting down the hydrospanner and taking a few tentative steps toward him. Obi-wan fought the impulse to glance over his shoulder and just waited for the smuggler to speak.

"So you think that your all powerful Force controls everything right?" Han said.

"I do," Obi-wan nodded.

"So what about this battle, what does it tell you about this battle?"

"That it will have a much better chance at succeeding with you in it."

Vader stood next to Tarkin as the large gas giant that was Yavin came into view. Memories of another life flooded back unbidden. He knew the Rebels to now be on Yavin IV, the only habitable celestial body in the system. He suspected they were on the ancient Massassi temple grounds. A place Anakin Skywalker had come to during his initial battle against Asajj Ventress.

Obi-wan now stood on those temple grounds and part of Vader wished to take a shuttle and finish his old master off atop those stones. Ventress failed to overcome him there and Obi-wan would as well.

Yet he knew there would be no time for such a battle. Tarkin was determined to destroy the Rebels with one swift stroke; a strategy that Vader fully endorsed. Such rebellions had hounded the Empire for far too long. Once this one was finally quelled, the Empire could finally go about bringing true peace and order to the Galaxy.

"This is a momentous day," Vader said. "It will see the end of Kenobi and the death of the Rebellion."

Tarkin eyed him for a moment before turning back to the viewscreen displaying a readout of Yavin IV's position relative to them as they established an orbit with the planet. Had they had more time, they might have approached the system from another vector. But waiting a few more minutes wouldn't kill them. Not while Vader was there to repel any pathetic counter attack they may spring on them.

A pair of aids entered along with a couple of soldiers and to Vader's great surprise… Luke. Tarkin raised a brow but approached the officers he'd summoned first.

"Prepare all hands for attack and have all turbolasers manned and ready, they will no doubt launch some sort of resistance," Tarkin said to the officers then looked to the soldiers.

"We found this one in a restricted area," the soldier said. "Aboard the ship that the Princess and her group arrived on."

"Interesting," Tarkin said. "And what were you doing in there?"

The youth didn't look to Tarkin but rather Vader.

"I… I was just looking for some answers," he said. "I wanted to know more about the Rebellion since all I saw of them was when they were attacking."

"Hmmm," Tarkin said. "And for this you needed to go into a restricted space?"

"I thought I could get a… less biased source," Luke said.

"Indeed," Tarkin said then looked to Vader. "I take it you wish to deal with the boy as you're the one that ordered the ship's access to be restricted."

"I will," Vader said. "But the boy did no harm, I will deal with him in my own way."

"Very well," Tarkin said then signaled the guards to leave. "Come my boy, let me show you something."

Luke hesitated for a moment before approaching Tarkin and stepping to his side, all the while Vader watched.

"Before you," Tarking gestured to the display. "Is all you need to know of the Rebellion. On the fourth moon of this planet they have situated their base. From there they have been harassing our star fleet. In a few minutes time we will destroy them."

"Destroy them?" Luke said. "With just this battle station?"

"Do you really not know what this station is?" Tarkin said.

"I'm sorry… I don't…" Luke said. "I thought, given all the troops aboard, that it was some sort of orbital staging ground."

"Yes, well it is far more than that," Tarkin said. "As the Rebellion will soon learn."

"Shouldn't they be captured and tried?"

"They have already been found guilty of treason," Tarkin said. "We are here to carry out the execution."

"This is war Luke," Vader said. "They are the enemy that chose to disrupt the order of the Empire."

"It still doesn't seem right," Luke muttered.

"Does it seem right what they did to your friend Mara Jade?" Vader said.

"Mara is going to be alright," Luke said.

"No, she will not," Vader said. "I was going to wait until after the battle but it seems you need to know now. She's dead."

Luke's entire face opened in shock. Vader could feel the denial and the surprise rolling off of him. Had he felt similarly when the Emperor told Padme was dead? He honestly had a hard time remembering now. At least those first initial seconds.

"No… no… the doctors said that she was stable…"

"Commander Cody reported to me a short while ago that she took a turn for the worst and died," Vader said. "You can see the body if you wish."

"I… I thought…"

"The Rebellion killed her," Vader said. "Now we will get revenge on them. You can be a part of that."

"Solo," Luke breathed. "Han killed her."

"Sir," an officer's voice came through the communit. "We've detected a large group of starfighters on an approach vector from the Rebel Moon."

"Starfighters?" Tarkin muttered, cupping a hand under his chin as he looked at the Death Star display.

"I will deal with them," Vader said.

"Very well," Tarkin said. "Though I can't imagine what they think they're going to do against us with simple snub fighters."

"Wait for me outside Luke," Vader said. "There we will discuss how you can strike back at those that killed your friend."

Slowly Luke nodded and exited the room with his head hanging low and his mind burning with emotion, not the least of these was anger against Solo. Tarkin watched alongside Vader for a few moments then looked back at the displays.

"Is Commander Jade truly dead?" he said.

"She will be by the time Luke ever goes down the infirmary," Vader said. "The boy will be a far greater asset than Jade ever was."

The last of the ships had taken off, leaving Obi-wan standing there watching. After leaving Han with Commander Dreis, he was shocked to find that there was no starfighter for himself. He had requested one as soon as the meeting with Dodonna finished.

Upon hunting down the deck officer he learned that those among the security council that had wanted him to evacuate had put a grounding order on him; effectively preventing any crews from prepping a ship for him. Furthermore, they stated that he wasn't cleared for flight as he was unfamiliar with the modern starfighters.

At least that part appeared to be somewhat prudent. Obi-wan had taken the time to sit himself in an X-wing and realized it would take some time for him to learn the controls. It wasn't entirely different from an ARC-170 but as that was a clone fighter Obi-wan hadn't been trained in piloting it. Oh sure, he could certainly fly an x-wing if he really tried, but he wouldn't be very much help in the battle.

Still, standing by and waiting for the outcome of the battle held no appeal for him. Particularly since he still fully intended on rescuing Luke. If the battle was a success, then there was every chance that the boy would be destroyed along with the station. No, Obi-wan had to get airborne.

Finally he found his way to a Y-wing. A number of them had been launched but they were of the single pilot model. The models fitted for a pilot and an optional co-pilot remained docked.

After making a quick look around, Obi-wan ascended the ladder and peeked into the pilot's seat. A smile grew beneath his beard as he eyed the controls. In the height of the Clone War there had been Y-wings and it appeared that they hadn't made too many changes to the interface on the newer models. It wasn't a Jedi Starfighter but it would have to do.

Quickly Obi-wan found himself a locker and a flight suit. He of course would have preferred not to wear one at all but as he had mused earlier, it wasn't a Jedi Starfighter he was going up in. He had to be prepared to fly the craft he needed to fly.

After tugging on the suit he again approached the ship, only to find R2-D2 and C-3PO planted right next to the ladder. Obi-wan paused and rubbed his chin. He would have thought that the little astromech would be plugged into one of the X-wings, already on its way to the battle station.

"What are you doing here my little friend?" Obi-wan said as he crouched down and patted the droid's 'head'. "Were you not invited to go along either?"

The droid beeped a stream of 'words' rocking back and forth just a little as he did. Obi-wan looked up to the golden droid from translation.

"He says he wants to join you," C-3PO shook his head. "You're going to get yourself destroyed Artoo! Oh, why do you have to do things like this. We could have been on a transport!"

"Artoo stayed behind at my request," Leia's voice came. Obi-wan turned and raised a brow when he saw her standing in a flight suit and carrying a helmet under her shoulder. "It looks like I was right to make it."

"I assume this means you think you're coming along," Obi-wan said. "You know you don't have to, my promise to save Luke was not an obligation you had to share."

"You're my Jedi Master," Leia shrugged. "Where you go I go. Now come on, we don't have much time."

"Very well," Obi-wan grinned. "I assume you're familiar with the controls."

"Probably more than you are," Leia said. "I've flown y-wings before."

"Then let's get going."

R2 hooted and then his booster jets popped out of his struts and he launched himself in the air, plugging himself into the droid socket. Obi-wan nodded. R2 was always Anakin's droid, but it was fitting that he be there now to watch over Leia. It all felt… right. Quickly he ascended the ladder and plopped himself in the pilot's seat. A few moments later Leia sat in the gunner's position a little further up the craft than he was.

From there she would be able to control weapons power output, the primary guns, and the swivel mounted ion cannon. Meanwhile Obi-wan would handle the flying as well as the forward blasters.

"Be careful Artoo," C-3PO said. "You wouldn't want my life to get boring would you?"

The droid warbled a response.

"Do take good care of yourself," the droid shook his head.

"I've already ordered the deck officer to clear us for takeoff," Leia said through the intercom. "We should take off before I'm missed at the command hub."

"Then let join the battle," Obi-wan initiated the thrusters and they took off. "And may the Force be with us."

Next time: The Battle of Yavin