Chapter Thirteen
"Destroying Alderaan is a foolish tactic. The repercussions directed towards the Empire will be overwhelming," Vader warned the Grand Moff as the pair of them returned to the bridge of the Death Star. They were due to arrive above Alderaan shortly, and he needed to find a way to delay the inevitable.
He needed to give his troopers and Obi-Wan enough time. His troopers were counting on the fact that the Battle Station was equipped with a mere Class 4 Hyperdrive. And, wherever the Rebel base was, Vader didn't think it was near enough for Obi-Wan to reach the Death Star in time.
Still, Vader repeatedly tugged on the old bond he shared with the Jedi. Hurry. Hurry. Hurry.
In a futile attempt to slow the Grand Moff down, Vader had taken a page of flimsi out of Obi-Wan's book and had taken to pestering Tarkin from the moment they'd left Jedha. He was trying to get him to see reason or even focus his attention on something else.
But Vader – who was horrible at negotiation on the best of days – knew deep in his gut that it was a complete waste of time. Tarkin would follow through with his plan until the very end.
That relentlessness was something that Vader had once admired about the man. But to have it directed at him was an unwelcome experience, to say the least.
Tarkin's Folly.
Vader shook his head, remembering Rey's words from only hours earlier. Whether he wanted to or not, he was stuck right in the middle of the Grand Moff's most grievous error in judgment.
"The Imperial Senate will not stand behind such an action." It was a weak argument, and they both knew it. The Imperial Senate – like the Republic Senate before it – was ornamental at best. It had no actual power in governance.
But as weak as Vader's argument might have been, it still had Tarkin slowing to a stop in the middle of the overbridge and turning to face him.
"You must not have heard, Lord Vader. The Imperial Senate was dissolved just prior to you stepping foot on my Battle Station," Tarkin drawled. "I would've thought that the Emperor would remember to inform his favourite massiff of this development." He paused, offering Vader a cool smile. "How demoralizing for you to have learned of this from me."
Vader clenched his teeth, resisting the urge to punch Tarkin square in the jaw. He set the fact about the Senate aside for the time being and rounded back to his earlier argument. "If you destroy Alderaan, billions of people across the galaxy will revolt. We do not have the resources to withstand such a widespread attack."
A massive portion of the Empire's military budget had gone towards developing the Death Star, for Force's sake. He wasn't lying, they truly wouldn't have the manpower to keep up with the revolts.
Tarkin scoffed. "Surely, we do." He gestured to their surroundings. "If anyone does dare stand against the Empire, I've got a new toy to deal with them as I see fit." He offered Vader a sinister smile. "People will cower before long, Lord Vader. If they want to survive, they will learn their place."
"The more worlds you destroy, Tarkin," Vader warned, "the more insurgents there will be to rebel against the Empire."
Tarkin's smile only grew. "Careful, Lord Vader. One might take your words for treason if you're not careful."
The Death Star dropped out of Hyperspace with an ominous shudder.
Vader and Tarkin paused their squabbling to stare at the planet as it came up on the viewscreen.
It's winter in the Northern Hemisphere, Vader's mind randomly supplied as he took in the beautiful world. While he might've hated the cold, he didn't mind the snow. He liked it better than sand at the very least.
He turned his back to the viewscreen and faced Tarkin directly. "Skywalker is not on Alderaan. Any threat made to this world because of him – because of my alleged actions – is a complete waste of time."
"Interesting," Tarkin narrowed his eyes at Vader. "Do share with us where you've hidden your son, Lord Vader."
Vader shook his head. "I haven't hidden the boy. He is not–" and it truly pained him to lie about this fact– "Luke Skywalker is… not my son."
"Not for much longer, at the very least," Tarkin callously replied. He wouldn't be deterred.
Movement near the entrance to the bridge caught Vader's attention.
Hawk and Contrail – both still in their full flight suits and keeping their faces from view – stepped onto the bridge.
The one on the right – Hawk, Vader believed – gave him a quick thumbs up. The first part of the mission was complete.
Vader allowed himself a small modicum of relief. His troopers had gotten Her Majesty off-world.
Then, in a moment of petulant spite, Vader crowded the Grand Moff, bumping his chest into him just to be a complete ass. He smirked when Tarkin was forced to take a step back to keep his footing.
"You are weaker than you realize," Vader snapped, unapologetic. "If you were even half the commander you believe yourself to be, you wouldn't need this–" he gesticulated wildly around the overbridge– "abomination to make the enemy kneel."
"Well… we will certainly see about that. Won't we, Lord Vader?" Tarkin stepped away from him, running a hand over the front of his uniform to make certain that nothing was amiss, and then addressed the officers on the bridge. "Charge to full power. Fire when ready!"
"Charged to full power!" A technician called out. "Firing in ten, nine…"
Vader closed his eyes and tugged as hard as he could on the old bond that he shared with Obi-Wan. Ah, it was easier this time. The Rebels were closer than before.
Once he knew that he had Obi-Wan's attention, Vader sent him waves of reassurance. Safe. Safe. Safe.
"…Three, two…"
Vader turned and forced himself to face the viewscreen.
"One."
There were a few seconds of delay – the tense anticipation across the entire bridge was thick enough to cut with a vibroblade – and then the superlaser fired its full-strength beam toward Alderaan.
Vader watched the laser make quick work of the planet's atmosphere before it reached the surface, where it seemed to cook everything to a darkened crisp.
He tasted burning bile on the back of his tongue, and felt a thundering ache in his chest, as millions upon millions of lives were indiscriminately snuffed out.
And then Alderaan was gone. And Vader felt… empty.
It was as though someone had completely scooped out his insides, leaving him nothing more than a hollowed husk of a man.
Vader wavered slightly, struggling to keep his balance. He thought of Rey's comment regarding his daughter somehow finding a way to keep standing after the loss of her home, and locked his cybernetic knees and straightened his spine in response. He stubbornly forced himself to keep standing tall.
"Such a shame," Tarkin drawled to the eerily silent bridge. "I must admit that I had grown rather fond of Alderaan's princess. She made those dinner parties that the Organas liked to host almost bearable with her quick wit and sharp tongue."
Vader took a half second to flick off his vocoder and then spun around to face Tarkin directly. He had the Grand Moff in a chokehold before the man could react.
The Sith Lord leaned in close, making sure that Tarkin – and only Tarkin – could hear his every word, and then rasped out, "Leia Organa is my daughter."
He didn't need the Force to feel the Grand Moff's fear. It was written clear-as-day on his face. Finally, Tarkin understood the deep pile of banthashit that he'd just stepped in.
Proximity alarms began blaring across the bridge.
The Rebels had finally arrived.
Vader grinned, tilting his head to the side as he regarded the struggling Grand Moff. With one hand wrapped tightly around Tarkin's neck, Vader reached out with Force with the other and tore Tarkin's tongue right out of his throat.
He released his grip, letting Tarkin and his dislodged tongue drop unceremoniously to the floor, flicked the amplifier to his vocoder back on and addressed the bridge. "Arrogance will get you killed just like the Grand Moff laying here at my feet."
Tarkin gave off a particularly wet last gasp of breath, shuddered, and then stilled without any further struggle.
Vader took a long, hard look at everyone on the bridge staring back at him in fear. Good. Fear was something he knew how to use to his advantage. "I trust that there is someone here who can tell me why this battle station's proximity alarms have gone off."
Silence.
Vader rolled his eyes. He didn't have time for this nonsense. "I needn't remind you that I can promote or demote anyone as I see fit." Not that he'd bother with any of that – everyone on the bridge would be gone in a matter of minutes.
"Uh–" a young technician raised a shaking hand– "I count at least twenty Rebel ships that have dropped out of Hyperspace and are rapidly approaching the station, Lord Vader, Sir."
"And our armament?" Vader asked the bridge.
"The ships they've brought are too small for our turbolasers, sir," a weapons technician, his face still pockmarked with acne, responded. "But we've got a lot of TIEs and plenty of pilots itching for a fight."
"Good." Vader nodded. Now he had an excuse to get the hell off of this battle station. "We will have to destroy the Rebels ship by ship. Get the crews to their fighters." He looked at Hawk and Contrail. "Shadow Ten, Shadow Eleven… with me."
It was time to have some fun, just like the old days.
...
...
"We're still moving through Hyperspace," Fixer informed Rey and Seven-Four the moment he rejoined them in the Mechanical Department aboard the Devastator.
Seven-Four looked up from the bacta hypo in his hand. "That's troubling." He shared a look with Rey. "The General told Command to stay put above Jedha."
"Palpatine," Rey muttered darkly. "Vader knew he was walking into a trap."
Fixer nodded. "It also means that I haven't been able to talk with Del or the others. I can't reach them at all when we're in Hyperspace. I don't even know if they reached Alderaan, or if they were able to get off the planet in time."
Seven-Four held up a hand, stopping Fixer before he could get too worked up. "Del's not a shiny. I'm sure he's fine."
"Nine-One and Zero-Eight are there with him, too. Three heads are better than one. I'm sure they've figured something out," Rey tried to reassure the Sergeant.
She frowned, remembering something her father had mentioned about his armour long ago. "What about short-range?"
"What do you mean?" Fixer asked.
Rey shrugged, then winced at the motion. "Del might not be able to talk to you because we're travelling through Hyperspace. But he'd have a short-range comlink built into his helmet, right? If he timed it right–"
"He could've gotten in touch with Hawk or Contrail through their personal comms when the Death Star dropped out of Hyperspace," Fixer finished. He blew out a heavy breath. "That's cutting it close, kid."
"It'd've been a bit hairy. But Del's good at improvising," Seven-Four said. He held up the hypo needle in his hand, showing Rey. "How 'bout that shot?"
"You're still in pain?" Fixer asked as Rey nodded at Seven-Four.
"Yeah. My head and my chest," Rey hummed. "I think the ache in my chest is a Force thing because of Alderaan. I think I felt everyone… die." She sniffed. "And my head's just a dull ache," she said before Fixer could worry. "Nothing sharp or excruciating, I promise."
"I was just going to inject some bacta in the soft spot behind her ear," Seven-Four told him as he brought the hypo needle up and had Rey tilt her head to the side.
"Everything else is fine though?" Fixer asked as Seven-Four stuck the syringe behind Rey's ear.
"More or less," Rey quietly replied. "I'm sore, but I don't think I'm dying or anything." She swallowed, trying to ignore the burning chill of the serum as it was injected under her skin. "D'you know how long this stuff lasts?"
Fixer grimaced and rubbed his face. "The patches'll last about a day, the injections a little longer. A day and a half, or so."
"That worries you," Rey commented as Seven-Four finished with the injection. "Why?"
Fixer pulled a face as he grabbed a chair and dragged it closer. He sighed heavily as he sat down, and met Rey's gaze dead-on. "I think we need to get you out of here, kid. As soon as we can." He shook his head. "I got a bad feeling about where we're headed…"
"How long before we arrive wherever we're going?" Rey asked him.
"I heard less than an hour," Fixer shook his head. "But that doesn't really narrow it down, does it?"
"Not at all," Seven-Four responded. He zipped up the medkit and handed Rey her helmet. "I suggest you put that back on, kid."
"Well, well, well… just what do we have here?"
Fixer and Seven-Four both froze in their tracks, while Rey's head shot up at the interruption.
Standing just inside the entrance to the Mechanical Department was a man – a Captain according to the plaque on his chest – in a standard grey-green uniform. Flanking him were two massive Imperial commandos in heavy armour, each of whom were carrying huge blaster rifles.
Fixer quietly cleared his throat, gaining Rey's attention.
He raised a questioning brow as she met his gaze.
With one hand still holding on to her helmet, Rey made a fist with the other and then extended three of her fingers.
At Fixer's minuscule nod of his head, showing that he was following along, Rey wiggled her middle finger. Silently telling the Sergeant that the Captain – Wermis, she assumed – was standing in the middle of the group.
Fixer leaned closer to Rey and pulled the blaster out of the holster at her hip.
"Commandos," Rey hissed in his ear.
In one fluid motion, Fixer spun out of his chair and fired three bolts in quick succession smack-dab in the middle of Wermis' chest.
The Captain dropped to the floor with a loud thud.
Rey watched with wide eyes as Fixer flicked the bolt-strength switch on her blaster over from stun to fatal, and stepped over Wermis' body to fire a half-dozen more bolts into the man's chest and head.
One of the commandos, the one on the right, made a point of looking down at the unmoving body and then back up at Fixer. "I think he's dead, sir."
"What're you two doing here?" Fixer growled.
The commando on the left shrugged. "The scughole wanted an escort, so we volunteered." He shrugged again. "Looked like he was up to no good, so we brought our cannons."
"Those repeaters would blast a karking hole in the side of the Devastator you lunatics," Seven-Four responded dryly, shaking his head.
He stood up from his chair, grabbed Rey's backpack and looped it over one shoulder. "Do either of you know when we're due to arrive?"
"Where in the hell are we headed?" Fixer asked at the same time.
The commando on the right held up a hand. "Alderaan. We should be arriving in a few minutes." He shook his head. "The Emperor's supposed to meet us all on the Death Star. The scuttlebutt is that he's pissed Lord Vader refused to bring the entire Five-Oh-First with him onto the battle station. Veers said that Tarkin was whining over the Holonet."
"Alderaan's gone," Rey muttered. A heavy emptiness echoed in her chest. "I think the Death Star is too."
Seven-Four looked at her and took the helmet out of her hands. He gently tugged it on over her head. "Then we gotta get you out of here. Palpatine will be coming here instead."
He held out a hand and helped Rey to her feet.
"Need any help?" one of the commandos asked.
Fixer shook his head. "Not with the kid. We'll escort her to Vader's hangar. But I need you both to get rid of the body. A trash compactor will do." He tilted his head to the side, pondering something. "Start spreading word that our Captain was an unfortunate victim of a weapons malfunction."
"Understood, sir."
"On it, sir."
Fixer turned his back on the two commandos as they figured out a way to carry their blaster rifles while somehow dragging Wermis' body out of the room.
He made his way over to Rey and flicked the safety back on her blaster before handing her the weapon. "That's a nice little blaster. Hawk and I picked a good one."
"It shoots straight?" Rey asked as she returned it to the holster on her hip.
Fixer flashed her a tight grin. "That it does." He peered over at Seven-Four. "Got the medkit?"
Seven-Four nodded, patting the bag on his hip. "Yeah." He cleared his throat. "Sorry about–"
"Don't mention it," Fixer responded before he could say another word. "It's fine. We're fine. There was no real threat."
Seven-Four nodded again. "Still… thanks."
...
...
"D'you know how to pilot a starfighter?" Fixer quietly asked Rey as they stepped into Vader's private hangar just as the Devastator dropped out of Hyperspace.
Rey grimaced inside her helmet. "I piloted a light freighter while being chased by TIEs through a scavenged Dreadnought once." She looked to the Sergeant. "Does that count?"
"Close enough," Fixer quipped. "What do you know about this TIE here?" he asked, nodding towards a sleek-looking TIE with curved wings.
Rey took a moment to take in the ship as Seven-Four pulled a ladder over closer. The inside of the wings was outfitted with solar panels, while heavy armour was plated on the outside and on over the cockpit shell. She took note of the dual chin-mounted laser cannons and projectile launcher. She'd read up on one of these TIEs before. Maybe.
"This is a TIE Advanced, isn't it?" she asked him. "I've read about the Ex-One, but this looks a bit different from the schematics that I'm familiar with. If anything it looks like a newer version."
Fixer nodded. "It's similar to Vader's Ex-One. This here's a TIE Advanced Vee-One, also known as an Inquisitor TIE."
"It's got a Hyperdrive," Seven-Four told her as he locked the metal steps in place. "And some decent shielding as well."
"Which you will keep activated until you reach the Rebel base, kid." Fixer firmly stated, giving Rey a pointed look. "No exceptions."
"I will. I promise," Rey assured him. She had no interest in getting caught out by any one of the Emperor's lackeys.
"Come in, Fixer. Come in."
Fixer sighed as he unclipped a comlink from his belt. "Fixer here. What is it, Nine-Two?"
"The General is about to join you. Hawk and Contrail are just pulling into the main hangar now," Nine-Two responded. "No word yet on our guest of the hour."
Rey turned to look out the open end of the hangar and spotted a TIE off in the distance that was rapidly approaching.
"Vader's here," Seven-Four said unnecessarily.
"Understood, Nine-Two. Got eyes on the General now," Fixer said into the comlink. "Standby for the kid. Over."
"Understood. Standing by."
"Why does Nine-Two need to standby for me?" Rey asked as Vader's TIE pulled into the hangar.
"To deactivate the immobilizer, kid," Seven-Four informed her with a smirk. "You'd be stuck here if you decided to just steal a ship."
Rey raised a brow behind her helmet. "I've been a scavenger for most of my life. It's a bit foolish of you to assume that I haven't figured out a way around an immobilizer or two."
Seven-Four grinned. "Noted."
"General," Fixer greeted before Rey could comment any further about the lackadaisical Imperial security measures that she'd encountered as a scavenger. "Had a successful mission, I presume?"
Rey turned around to face Vader as he came to a stop only a short distance away.
"Indeed," Vader intoned. "For Del and the others as well." He paused, letting his respirator cycle. "I trust that Wermis has been dealt with accordingly."
"Yes, sir." Fixer nodded. "He experienced a weapons malfunction when he thought it wise to stick his head into our quarters. Got Raffe and Rekk getting rid of his body, and spreading word of his demise, as we speak."
"Very good." Vader held out his hand for Rey's belongings. "I will see my padawan off. See to it that the Five-Oh-First is fully prepared for the Emperor's arrival."
Seven-Four handed Rey's backpack and the medkit over to Vader before turning to face Rey. He smiled tightly at her and pulled her in for a gentle hug.
"Take care of yourself, kid," he muttered quietly. "If your head hurts any worse than it already is, do not hesitate to tell someone. You got that?"
Rey nodded, blinking away the burning tears from her eyes. "I will. I promise."
Fixer pulled her in for a hug next. "Tell Obi-Wan about your father, kid. He'll be able to help you out, alright?"
Rey felt unease at Fixer's suggestion but nodded anyway. "I'll… try," she forced herself to say. "Be safe."
Both Fixer and Seven-Four nodded at her request.
Rey hesitated at the bottom step of the metal stairs as Vader gestured for her to hurry. "Can you tell Red and Junior that I appreciated their care and protection?"
"Of course, little one," Seven-Four assured her. "We'll pass it along."
Rey nodded her thanks before hurrying as quickly as she could up the steps to the top of the Inquisitor TIE.
"I will enter first and then help you down," Vader told her once she reached the top of the starfighter.
Rey waited as Vader popped open the access hatch and dropped into the TIE. She stepped closer to the hatch and only had a second of warning before Vader gently picked her up with the Force and carried her into the cockpit.
"You will likely need help getting out of this fighter when you reach the Rebel base, young one," Vader said to her as he directed her to sit in the lone seat in the cramped quarters. "I do not know how much upper body strength you have with your partially-healed injuries."
"Not a lot," Rey admitted as her master buckled her into her seat. "Everything aches even with the hypo Seven-Four gave me."
Vader nodded understandingly. He reached behind the clasp on his belt and pulled out a small datacard. He showed Rey the card before tucking it into a pouch on her own belt. "Notes that I have written regarding your training since your arrival. Give it to Obi-Wan as soon as you reach the base. Is that understood?"
Rey blinked at the order and nodded. "Of course, Master Vader."
"Your belongings and the medkit are directly behind your seat if you need anything from either," Vader informed her as he checked the tightness of the harness. "Do you remember what we discussed prior to Empire Day?"
Rey frowned. "You mean Ahsoka Tano?"
Vader inclined his head in confirmation. "She is an important asset to have on your side, young one. I suggest taking Obi-Wan and Rex with you to find her as soon as you arrive at the base." He paused, allowing his respirator to cycle. "I have a feeling that you'll like her company."
Rey couldn't help but smile at his comment. "I'll hold you to that, Master."
"As you should." Vader stepped to the side and pushed her seat forwards until it locked in place directly in front of the controls.
"Start the ship," Vader ordered. "It must be idling for us to make contact with Nine-Two in the Control Tower."
Rey hesitated for a brief moment, trying to make sense of the controls in front of her, before nodding to herself. Everything seemed more or less straightforward. A ship was a ship, as far as she was concerned, and they all worked in similar ways.
She reached out with her left hand and hit a couple of switches that turned the twinned ion engines over.
A hum and rattle of the engines coming to life settled deep in her bones.
Rey half-turned her head to peer over her shoulder at her master. "Now the comm?"
"That's right," Vader encouraged. "But don't say a word. I will do the talking."
Rey did as asked and hailed the Control Tower of the Devastator.
"Attention Nine-Two," Vader remarked over Rey's shoulder.
"Here, sir," Nine-Two quickly replied.
"The Emperor is due to arrive in mere minutes, yes?"
"Correct, Lord Vader." Nine-Two paused for a brief moment. "Five minutes is the expected arrival time. His shuttle is currently making its way through the debris field, sir."
"Very good." Vader placed a hand on Rey's pauldron. "Timing is essential for this starfighter's exit from my hangar. When the Emperor's shuttle sets down in the main hangar this TIE will leave. Is that understood?"
"Yes, sir." Nine-Two paused. "Does the pilot require a countdown to prepare?"
Rey nodded.
"Affirmative." Vader relayed. "I will leave the comm open for the countdown to be received. Over."
Rey exhaled shakily. She could feel a sinister chill seeping into her bones.
The Emperor was furious.
"Keep your shields tight and you will be alright. I recommend heading towards Commenor and travelling to your Rebels from there," Vader quietly advised her. "If anyone gives you trouble, lay down some cover fire and get away as quickly as possible. Do not hesitate, young one. Is that understood?"
Rey nodded once again. "Be careful, Master," she responded, equally as quietly.
Vader sent a gentle wave of reassurance through their bond as he pulled himself up and out of the TIE.
Rey swallowed the thick lump in her throat as the access hatch was locked tight, sealing her in.
She didn't know how long she waited – long enough for Vader and the others to leave the hangar – before the comm hissed and Nine-Two began his countdown. "The Emperor's shuttle is pulling into the main hangar now."
Rey felt the airlock release and grabbed the yoke to steady her ship.
"Releasing TIE in four, three, two, one."
The immobilizer released from the bottom of the TIE and Rey carefully lifted off from the hangar floor.
"May the Force be with you," Nine-Two said to Rey over the comm as she pulled out of the hangar and away from the Devastator.
"And with you," Rey replied before reaching out to switch off the comm. She took a moment to activate the shields around the TIE.
She exhaled deeply and meandered her vessel around the debris. Her stomach churned threateningly as she took in the debris field surrounding everything.
Rey swallowed the bile on the back of her tongue and pulled further and further away from the Devastator.
"Alright," she muttered to herself and pulled up the ship's navigation computer. "Commenor, here we come."
Rey selected the appropriate route and waited as the computer took a few seconds to make the calculations.
The computer beeped once, twice, three times, and then the TIE jumped into Hyperspace.
With the safety that Hyperspace travel permitted, Rey allowed herself to relax a bit in her seat, and go over her plans.
Given the relative closeness between Alderaan and Commenor, she had only a bit of time to mentally plan out the route she'd need to take to reach the Rebel base.
Commenor to Kashyyyk, Kashyyyk to Lantillies, and then Lantillies to Columex. From there the Yavin system wasn't too far.
"Commenor to Kashyyyk, Kashyyyk to Lantillies. Lantillies to Columex," Rey muttered under her breath. "Then you can bump over to Maridun, and cut into the Junction-Tierell Loop. It's as easy as dunking a Mon Calamari."
She was able to go over the route a half dozen times in her head before the TIE alerted that it was about to drop out of Hyperspace.
"R'iia's shorts!" Rey couldn't keep the squawk of amazement from erupting out of her throat as she dropped out of Hyperspace above Commenor.
She'd known that Commenor was a major trading outpost for many of the Core Worlds, but she hadn't comprehended just how important it was.
There were all sorts of starships travelling to and from the world, and in every direction imaginable.
On top of the countless freighters, she spotted at least a half dozen massive container ships ambling away from Commenor in the general direction of the Core, while the smaller vessels zoomed all around the Super Transports. Each of the transports had heavy escorts in place – at least one of the escorts included an old Firespray – as they slowly lumbered along the lanes leading away from the trading outpost.
Rey frowned as she pulled into traffic that was headed galactic northeast.
"What the hell's a Firespray patrol ship doing way out here?" Rey muttered while checking that the TIE's laser cannons were primed and ready. Firesprays were meant for prison patrol, not product escorts.
Vader's warning before she fled the Devastator was ringing loudly in her ears.
Rey sped past an old GR-75 Medium Transport that was waiting for its escort and peered over at where she'd first spotted the patrol ship on the opposite side of the thru-way, only to realize it had abandoned its post.
The Firespray was now speeding towards her, weaving in and out of traffic.
"Kark!"
Rey opened up on the throttle and the TIE screamed past a pair of Xiytiar-class heavy transports. She pulled back on the yoke, bringing the TIE over top of one of the transports, and cranked the yoke sideways while cutting the throttle.
The TIE banked over the side of the nearest vessel, upside down, and dropped between the two Xiytiar-class transports.
Rey pulled back on the yoke, righting the TIE so that it was the right way up once again, now moving in the opposite direction, and punched it.
The Firespray, now directly in front of her viewscreen and only a hundred paces out, tried to bank out of the way.
Rey squeezed the trigger and fired off one, two, three clean shots at the Firespray.
She whooped as one of the bolts hit the side of the ship, and opened up on the throttle once more, pushing the TIE as fast as it could go.
Kashyyyk was now out – she was moving in the wrong direction, and she'd no interest in risking another trip past the Firespray, damaged or not – but she knew another way to the Rebel base.
It'd just take a bit longer than she'd originally planned.
Rey pulled up the ship's flight computer and called up Malastare.
The TIE beeped once, twice, three times, and then jumped back into Hyperspace.