It was chaos. I don't know how we made it out alive. I could barely understand what was happening. One minute we were dive bombing the Shield Gate to get to the surface, the next a hammerhead corvette rammed a Star Destroyer. We fought and fought, but the battle seemed endless. I took out as many TIEs as I could, but there were too many and everyone around me was dying. Ships exploding, men screaming, and the Imperial numbers never stopped. The General herself personally saved my ass when I got one too many TIE fighters on my tail. It seemed like an eternity by the time they finally called the order to retreat. But then Vader showed up. I can still remember General Syndulla calling for any ships that hadn't jumped to try to defend the Profundity. With Admiral Raddus dead General Syndulla took command of the remainder of the fleet and ordered us to stay until the Tantive IV escaped with the plans. But we failed. Vader was able to board the ship and hope seemed lost. Princess Leia was able to miraculously escape, but by the time we reached the Ukio system, General Syndulla was nowhere to be found.
-Unknown Rebel Pilot
"Zeb! I need you to take out that TIE!! We need to get this U-Wing to the surface AT ALL COSTS!!" Hera yelled over the din of the battle. She had never been in a battle this chaotic before. Not even Thrawn's assault of Atollon compared to this battle. "Rex, there's an Interceptor incoming at .2. Shoot it down before it gets anywhere close to the target." "On it General."
They had just arrived and already everything was in chaos. The sky was full of blaster bolts and TIE Fighters. Everywhere Hera looked there was another enemy headed straight for them or another of her friends being killed by an Imperial. But Hera couldn't dwell on that. She wasn't made a General because she got distracted. "Gold Two and Eight form up around me. Blue Five and Seven engage formation Two-Six and clear us a path!!" They did as they were ordered. It was a grueling fight, but the U-Wing managed to get through. "Good work everyone. We should regroup and form back up around The Profundity."
But Hera didn't realize by completing her mission that she had separated herself from the main fleet. And a squad of four TIEs and two Interceptors quickly took notice. "Gold and Blue SCATTER! Everyone else HOLD ON!!" She said as she flipped the ship and somehow managed to slip through the TIEs while the Interceptors went after the others. The TIEs immediately opened fire on her and they entered an elegant but savage dance, where one wrong move was all it took for a quick death. Rex and Zeb were each able to take out one, but couldn't seem to pin down the other two. As Hera dove and rose and feinted and charged, Zeb called out, "Carabast!!! Our shields are down!! One more hit and it's goodbye to the Ghost!!" Hera was an experienced pilot. Some would say the best in the Rebellion. But not even she could take on what seemed like the entire Imperial military bearing down on top of her. As the remaining two started to close in, a TIE Striker came at them from behind. Maybe The Ghost could take out the Fighters, but with no shields the Striker would tear them to pieces. Hera desperately looked around for a way to escape, but she couldn't find any. And in that moment she realized Sabine was right. Even if Hera was the greatest pilot in the Rebellion, she couldn't guarantee her own survival let alone anyone else's. She knew that when news of her death was delivered back it would crush Sabine, but Ezra would comfort her to tell her it was ok and that he'd never leave her. She was actually glad Ezra didn't come with them. She silently wished the two a long and happy life free from the Empire. She wondered how her father would take the news and realized she already knew. He would take the rage and anger of her death to triple his efforts against the Empire on Ryloth so he would never have to lose anyone again. Hera knew the Rebellion would look upon them as heroes who died so they could save others, some of the brave and selfless warriors who had touched so many of them. Hera thought all this and said resignedly, "Everyone this looks like the end. It was an honor to have fought alongside all of you, to get to know each of you and to serve along side you."
Just then a familiar ship came into view and destroyed the two remaining TIEs and blocked the Striker's path. "Don't go giving up just yet, General," a voice from the comms said.
"Ketsu?" Hera said with astonishment. She had thought Ketsu was on Pantora helping General Papanoida's underground spy network. "Don't act so surprised. As soon as I heard about the battle I rushed over. Just get to safety while I cover you." Ketsu said. Hera decided not to argue and safely managed to maneuver the Ghost away from the battle.
Meanwhile on Yavin
Everything was perfect. There was no battle, no Rebellion, and no Empire. All their problems were gone, they had never lost anything and the trees around them spoke of nothing but centuries of peace. Sitting there in that grove with Ezra, Sabine could almost believe that.
They had been coming there for months, making it their own little home. They had found it by accident one day, while they were "scouting". Really they had just been looking for an excuse to be alone and talk about their relationship without anyone knowing. But when they found it, it took their breath away. A miniature version of the Great Temple, tall enough to reach over the small trees, but only barely. It was surrounded by a mostly open clearing, with only a few dilapidated walls standing and some underbrush having crept in. Sabine couldn't stop imagining how she'd paint it all.
No one else knew about that place, and that's how Sabine wanted to keep it. Some of her happiest memories were there, memories that only belonged to her and Ezra. Since the they had found it, so much had happened there. She could still remember the feeling of his lips from their first kiss, right on the steps of the mini temple. She still feels the same butterflies that she felt months ago when she tried to say those three simple words, "I love you." The indescribable feeling she got when he said it back. Sneaking out at night to just be together and watch the sun set, to pretend there was no war or strife and that they'd always have each other. Bringing out her tools and paints, decorating their home away from home with her art, creating a small workshop to build and modify all kinds of things while Ezra meditated or practiced with his lightsaber. Sabine would never let go of anything that happened here.
Even now, at the start of one of the greatest wars the galaxy had ever seen, that place was still at peace, hidden on the fourth moon of Yavin where two young lovebirds let all their worries bleed away. As they kissed in their haven Ezra couldn't help but admire everything they had done. Everywhere he looked he could see Sabine through her art. A picture of the Ghost crew together in the main temple, a few lightsaber stains turned into a masterpiece full of winding colors and elegant shapes, Ezra's lightsaber crossed with the Darksaber in front of a gorgeous rendition of the Crest of Clan Wren. In Ezra's eyes the only beauty that could compare to all that was Sabine herself. As they stopped kissing Ezra couldn't help but smile. Sabine looked so beautiful, with the light of the setting sun on half her face and the darkness of shadows on the other half. He wondered how Sabine was able to make so much art when she herself was a masterpiece. He cupped her cheek and, thinking back to the events of the day, told her, "Sabine, I love you. I promise I'll never leave you. You are the most important thing in the world to me, and I can't imagine life without you. I promise after the Rebellion is over, we'll still be together. I'll always be here for you, no matter what." Sabine just looked at him, with pure happiness in her eyes and added this moment to the list of memories she had of Ezra and this place.
"Ezra, everyone in my life left me. My family abandoned me after my mistakes on Mandalore, Ketsu left me to die when we were bounty hunters, and Hera might be dying right now on Scarif. Ezra, I can't lose you and I won't. If you're ever dumb enough to try and die on a mission, I'll be there to stop you. If an Inquistor is ever stupid enough to try and hunt you, I'll be by your side to help you. I want us to be together when this war is over and then we'll really start our life together."
As they looked into each other's eyes they noticed that the sun had almost set, and the air had gotten much colder. Sabine suggested heading back, but Ezra instead got a blanket, wrapped it around them both, and told her to watch the sunset with him. As she nuzzled her head into his shoulder and watched the sun slowly fall, she reflected her life couldn't have been more perfect.
Back on Scarif
Things had gone bad. So bad. After Ketsu arrived and saved the Ghost Hera had stepped out of the more heated part of the battle, but the fleet was fighting a losing battle. The Shield Gate was still up, and their capital ships were sustaining heavy damages. Everyone in the fleet was doing their best, but it looked like it wouldn't be enough. Suddenly, a Hammerhead Corvette rammed into a Star Destroyer and the fleet fought with renewed hope. The Star Destroyer collided with another causing a chain reaction that ended with the Shield Gate's destruction. After that, the fleet fought like demons. They had already lost so many and victory was so close they could taste it.
But then, they saw it. A monumentally gigantic war machine, at least the size of a moon. As the Ghost saw it, they felt as if they were looking at their own death. And then it fired. A massive laser weapon, powered by who knows what, hit the planet causing a reaction that meant anyone left on the planet would die. It came as a relief to everyone when Raddus said, "All ships prepare to jump to hyperspace." As a few ships left the battlefield, things went from bad to worse. Darth Vader's flagship, the Devastator, arrived cutting of their escape. Hera watched helplessly as fresh Imperial ships started to close in on them, with ships still trying to escape. But she knew the mission wasn't over. The plans were still aboard the Profundity and the Tantive IV hadn't left yet. Hera called out, "This is General Syndulla. All ships change course and protect the Profundity!!" The few ships that hadn't left or been destroyed immediately started fending off incoming TIEs. But it wasn't enough. Darth Vader was on a transport headed straight for the ruined command ship, and Hera knew she couldn't stop it. Then she had to make the toughest decision of her life. "All ships make the jump to hyperspace. There's nothing more we can do here." She had to hope that Princess Leia would get out safely, but if what was left of the fleet stayed they all would've died for nothing. As the Ghost began its jump, Hera knew something was wrong. She knew her ship, and it was crying out in pain. Then, as they entered hyperspace, the ship started to wobble and ache. Hera knew she had to do something fast, but it was already too late.
Author's Note:
So new chapter. I tried to make a compelling battle scene. Did I do a good job? If I didn't please tell me how to improve.
Anyway I know it's been a week since I last posted, but things are getting busy. Exams are coming up and my teachers crammed as many tests as possible into the last week. So new chapters will probably come a little slower till I have more free time. Anyway I hope you enjoyed the chapter!!