The bridge of the Dominion was impressive. Its view over the gray-white wedge of a Victory-class Star Destroyer, its superstructure bristling with weapons, gave Mara a swelling sense of patriotism. She glanced to her side, to the Captain of the Dominion.

Captain Cody, like many clones, had graying hair. His was still mostly black, but the flecks of age still peppered his shortly cut hair like snow. He had a wicked scar from his left eye that only seemed to make his gaze harder. "So, you believe you can chart a course that can get us to the missing Prince?" He asked.

"With help from your navigational officer." Mara responded. They walked across the bridge of the Dominion, which was assembled with psychology as well as function in mind, like many things the Empire constructed. There were two large pits where various officers were stationed, flanking a center bridge where the captain would patrol and walk along. The command staff was to be above the rest of the officers, able to survey anything they wished.

They walked to the navigational officer, where a young Twi'lek woman was working at her station. Mara read her rank plate, and smiled genially. "Ensign, my name is Mara Jade."

"Ensign Vao, ma'am."

Mara smiled. "Rather young to be posted to a VicStar," She remarked.

The ensign shot her a look that seemed to say that she was one to talk. Cody interrupted. "Ensign Vao was one of the best NavComm specialists the Academy turned out last session. We were happy to have her on the bridge."

"Very well," Mara smiled. "Ensign Vao, let's put that brain of yours to the test. Gamma radiation leftover from a jump to lightspeed was detected and tracked by the StarWings' sensor records, yes?"

She nodded. "Pulling them up now. We pulled the sensor records from the gunboats in anticipation of tracking the ship." She brought up the correlating data on a small holoprojector next to her station. It showed the location of the gamma burst compared to the astrographical position of Alderaan. "The amount of radiation is substantially larger than a ship that size usually puts out."

"Count that one to the concussion missile that your flyboys scored." Mara remarked. "Ensign, assume the Riptide had a class 1.5 hyperdrive, as the Assessor reported in its scans of the ship. On that heading, how many possible destinations would you suggest a ship would even attempt to reach with her rating?"

Vao started to calculate the figures. "Seventeen." The hologram shifted to a cutaway of the known galaxy, with a swath of it lit up. Seventeen pinpoints of light illuminated the possible targets.

"Eliminate all worlds that are beyond two day's journey. They want a short jump before they try to affect repairs." That narrowed it down to eight. "Remove all Imperial worlds from the search." Two. "Identify our worlds."

"Celtrom system, owned by the Mining Guilds. Mostly for the production of a gas used in industrial processing. Eighteen hours journey, no Imperial presence."

Mara didn't like that one. It didn't feel right. "The other?"

"Xobome system, with a late-stage star and nothing of value. Some minor asteroid belts, but no economic or strategic value. Called Doldrums by smugglers, affectionately."

That got Mara's smile. She felt something in the Force, like a calling. "Set a course, Captain Cody. We're going to the Xobome system."

Cody smiled. "Let's go hunt some rebels."

Luke was sitting in the crew lounge of the Riptide, groaning as he tried to think of anything but the aches and scores on his skin after a half-hour with the remote.

"Well, you weren't awful." Ahsoka noted. "I mean, that level of proficiency is usually something we would see from a youngling, but you're a late start." She shrugged.

Luke grunted. "How bad was it?"

"Well, by the time I passed my tests to make Padawan, I could manage two remotes and deflect every shot." Ahsoka offered a little shrug. "I was at the top of the class."

Luke pondered if this was a good time to talk about it. "What was my father like? Anakin, my biological father."

"He was the bravest man I think I've ever known." She relaxed back into one of the seats, closing her eyes. "He was also probably one of the most powerful Jedi I had ever seen. But he could be brash, impulsive. The Council didn't like him a lot at times."

"What happened to him?" He asked.

"The Emperor was once a Jedi, Luke. He betrayed and murdered the Jedi. He killed your father, and took his role ruling the galaxy." She sighed. "He was in collusion with another Lord of the Sith, Sidious. Together, they exterminated the Jedi. But the Emperor killed Sidious. It's their way. He took control of the Empire, and began his iron rule."

Luke thought about that for a long moment. "Are there any other Jedi?"

"One, maybe two that I know of." She said. "Order 66 killed most of the Jedi, and the Emperor's Inquisitors hunted down many of the rest, or turned the ones they thought malleable to the Dark Side. None of the old Masters are left. I wasn't even in the Order when the Empire came to power. I had left a few years before."

"I'm glad you're here," Luke said. He extended a hand out, offering to Ahsoka.

She placed her hand in his, and squeezed it softly. "Wouldn't be anywhere else in the Galaxy, truthfully. I may not be a Jedi, but I want to teach you as best I can."

Winter's voice came over the comms of the ship. "Hate to spoil downtime, but we've just a contact. Star Destroyer incoming!"

Ahsoka and Luke both jumped to their feet, and started running towards the cockpit. By the time they got there, Winter had the controls, gunning the ship's engines.

"What's the status?" Ahsoka asked.

"It's the same Star Destroyer from Alderaan, the Dominion. It's about fifteen clicks out. Hasn't launched fighters yet. They're hailing us, asking us to surrender, usual Imperial openings."

Ahsoka tapped Winter's shoulder, and the younger woman got out of the seat. Ahsoka took the controls. "With the hyperdrive like it is, it's only good for a jump or two. Even with that, they'll be able to track us in a second." Ahsoka shook her head. "Take the guns. Phantom Squadron should be showing up soon, but we need to hold up until them."

The hangar bay of the Firestorm was aflitter with activity. Bandit Group had been scrambled to be the first alert fighters, and as Wedge pulled on his helmet, he heard Captain Serrin's voice over the internal comms.

"Bandit Group, this is Firestorm-actual. We've picked up a distress signal from a VIP, designated Fulcrum. They've been engaged by a VicStar, Dominion."

The voice of the other flight leader, a Lieutenant Silda, came over. "Two groups against a VicStar? What do they expect us to do?"

As Wedge hurried over to his Headhunter, marked on the nose with the signature crossed swords the Bandits had, he heard Captain Serrin reply. "The mission is to rescue the VIP. We've got to hold on for as long as we can so we can tow Fulcrum into our hangar, then bug out. Phantom and Corellian Star will keep you covered from the Star Destroyer's guns. You only have to engage the TIEs."

"Copy, Actual." Wedge keyed on to the Bandit channel. "We don't know how many fighter's they'll launch, but if they launch the whole TIE complement, it'll be bad numbers." He climbed up the ladder into the Z-95's cockpit, and started to flip the switches to check his systems. Both sublight thrusters looked fine, reactors was nominal. He charged the laser cannons up to full, as well as his shields. In that close of an engagement, capacity and durability would win out over raw speed. "Everyone, report in."

The four pilots for Bandit Group reported in one by one. Wedge allowed himself a little smile. He keyed on the fighter chatter channel. "So, I know Bandit Group won't be buying drinks in the galley tonight. That is, unless the Daggers think they'll be able to top us."

Something that almost resembled a snarl came from Silda. "Keep talking, Corellian. I'm going to be doing shots off your stomach tonight."

"My my, Hapes, what an awful little mind you've got there," Wedge chuckled. "We're going to do a combat launch the minute we get back to realspace. Full thrust out, punch through anything that isn't the VIP or a rebel."

It was two minutes before the ship dropped into realspace. He punched the throttle, the two sublights roaring to life as he blasted out of the Bulk Cruiser's hangar.

Wedge checked his scopes to orient himself, noting the blips on his scanner. He looked back up, confirming on his visuals. The Riptide was a rounded, sleek craft that looked like a more symmetrical version of Corellian freighters. Pummeling it were four TIE fighters, broken off into two pairs. The dorsal gunner was giving it all he got, but the Imp pilots were drawing his fire while the other pair of wingmen would make a strafing run. His readings showed that the VIP ship was losing shields. A few more hits and it would be in more serious trouble.

"Bolt, form up on me. Piggy, Jolly, cover us, head off any other fighters that dispatch from the Dominion."

"Copy, Rogue," Piggy called out, dropping back as Wedge gunned his throttle. Bolt's Headhunter moved right next to his. He targeted the first TIE, and checked for a possible missile lock. The Headhunter had half a dozen concussion missiles, and while he wouldn't like to waste them on an opening salvo, he did wonder what would happen once he started acquiring a lock.

The nominal lead, who he had been targeting, must have had a cool head. He didn't try to juke quiet yet. He was waiting for when Wedge put his missile into space before starting to evade. Wedge dropped the locking, and instead brought up his lasers. The range was at the far edge of its lasers, but he wasn't as good a shot as he was for nothing. He tracked the shot, waiting until the ring on his HUD went green. He switched his lasers to dual fire, and pulled the trigger.

Twin lances of scarlet light flashed out, but instead of catching the lead, he caught the solar panels on the wingman. It spun out of control, exploding in a ball of light. Bolt's Headhunter started to shoot at the lead too, but the TIE screamed ahead, barreling away from them. Wedge cursed, and watched as it veered around to form up with the other group as the turret gunner fired on it. "Let's give 'em hell."

Luke manned the gun as capably as he could, but in space, it was the TIEs who had the advantage. Ahsoka was doing her best to keep the TIEs in his sights, but he was becoming overwhelmed.

Then the fighters showed up. The lead ship, a Z-95, scored a hit on one of the fighters, sending it careening into an explosion. It overshot the Riptide, then pulled what Luke recognized as a Koirogan turn, using his momentum to carry his ship while he used the Headhunter's maneuvering thrusters to flip the ship around. The pilot seemed to be flying like it was the most natural thing in the Galaxy, a fact only proved further when it unleashed its next volley of shots. The pounding of scarlet laser bolts slammed into the group of TIEs, igniting all three of the remains.

A voice came over the private channel used by Rebel fleets. "Riptide, this is Bandit Lead. Can I talk with Fulcrum?"

"Fulcrum here." Ahsoka said. "Glad you showed up when you did. Our hyperdrive's damaged. We can make a jump, but it'll be tracked."

"Then sit tight. Firestorm is moving in to tractor you into the hangar. It's our job to cover you until it does."

"Appreciated, Bandits. We can provide sensor support if you need."

"Appreciated, but Phantom Squadron's already got an up on you."

Luke couldn't help but note how confident, young, and brave the pilot sounded. Luke found himself smiling as he peeled off his headset. He climbed down the ladder, knowing that they weren't going to have much chance to engage fighters from where they were going to be. He rushed up to the cockpit, taking the copilot's seat. "That was one hell of a move that pilot pulled off."

Ahsoka looked sideways towards Luke. "Careful there. You sound like you've either got a crush or hero-worship. I've got us in position to get tractored into the hangar." She checked the flight controls for a moment. "The Empire must have trailed our signature. Hopefully the Phantoms can get us out of here."

Luke watched through the viewport and on the sensors as the battle played out. The Bulk Cruiser moved up slowly, on an even approach towards the Riptide. Meanwhile, two CR-style corvettes headed off the Dominion, which even Luke could recognize as a risky maneuver. Star Destroyers were meant for a full frontal assault, to plunge into enemy formations head on. The corvettes, even with the numbers advantage, were punching several weight classes too far above.

Green turbolasers, and blue ion cannon bolts slammed into the two rebel ships, as they shot back with their own rapid-firing lasers. Small explosions ignited on the hull of one of the corvettes. "Corellian Star, this is Firestorm. You've got to pull out. You can't keep this up!" A woman's voice called out.

One of the corvettes pulled away, giving it a new angle. Its weapons were taken out of the gray, but it was replaced by four streaking Headhunters, firing angry red bursts of light, concussion missiles. While not impressive on their own, eight missiles slammed into the shields of the Dominion, combining with the corvette's fire to bring the front shields down for just a moment.

"They've got it," Ahsoka growled. "We've got the time…" She murmured. The shudder of a tractor beam filled the ship, and she sighed. "We might actually be getting out of this."

"Firestorm-actual to all fighters, recall. Hard combat landings! We are bugging out. Escape vector Besh."

Luke got the feeling that this was just the beginning, but he didn't voice that aloud. As they settled into the hangar of the Firestorm, the only thing he wanted to think about was getting away from the Imperials.