Chapter 31
Red Ten came over the com. "Red Five, can you see them from where you are?"
Luke scanned the area with his blue eyes taking everything in, searching. "No sigh of any…wait" He saw something, fighters. There were three of them. Two of them were normal TIEs, while the third, who was in the middle, looked like some prototype.
"Coming in point three five," Luke announced.
"I see them," Red Ten replied.
Ari could now see them as well, and shivered again, feeling cold. She spun and blasted another TIE, watching it spiral down towards the massive space station. She was certain things were going alright when she heard Green Six call out. "I'm hit… I'm"
The rest of transmission was lost as he also erupted in flames, leaving only Ari and Green Three.
"I'm in range," Red Leader announced and Luke held his breath, wanting to see if Ari was alright as well, but not wanting to break Red Leader's attention for even a moment. "Just hold them off a few seconds," he instructed his wingmen.
Ari tried her best to watch what was happening. She saw the TIEs race down the trench after Red Leader, Red Ten and Red Twelve.
"Force be with them…" she muttered.
Luke watched, unable to do anything as the leader of the trio of TIEs shot a volley of blaster fire at Red Twelve, who then erupted into a fireball against the deep trench wall.
Red Ten was trying to hold them off the best he could. "You'd better let her loose," he suggested, fear starting to show in his voice, as much as he tried to hide it.
"Almost there," Red Leader assured him.
"Come on," Ari whispered, her attention then taken by a TIE racing towards her blasting
"You can do it…" Luke muttered, eyes on Red Leader. Ari, be safe, he silently pleaded, hearing her whisper something over the com.
"I can't hold them!" Red Ten exclaimed, panic showing clearly now. At that moment a cry was heard over the com as Red Ten was also hit, leaving Red Leader alone.
"It's away!" Red Leader exclaimed and everyone started to feel excitement, anticipation hanging thickly in the air, having saw the shot of the proton torpedoes.
"It's a hit!" someone shouted, jumping the gun.
"Negative," Red Leader announced sadly. Ari felt her heart drop. How could it not go in? she wanted to ask. "Negative. It didn't go in. It just impacted the surface," Red Leader continued, then quickly turned to try and avoid the shots of the strange looking TIE fighter.
Trying to control the bitter disappointment he felt, Luke spoke up. "Red Leader, we're right above you. Turn to point oh-five; we'll cover for you."
There was a short pause before Red Leader answered. "I just lost my starboard engine. Get set to make your attack run."
Ari was surprised. It was time for Luke to make a run, and he was new. So many had lost their lives already. As if to have her words become even more true, the TIE shot Red Leader who screamed as he plummeted towards the space station where he exploded on the surface.
There was a moment of silence among everyone, before Luke finally spoke up, taking control. "Biggs, Wedge, let's close it up. We're going in.We're going in full throttle."
"Right with you, Boss," Wedge replied.
"Luke, at that speed will you be able to pull out in time?" Biggs questioned, concerned, and unknowingly asking a question that had leapt to Ari's mind as well
"It'll be just like Beggar's Canyon back home," Luke assured him.
"You'd better come back to me, Luke Skywalker," Ari spoke up. "You too Biggs," she added.
"We will. You just concentrate on taking care of yourself," Luke told her. "I'd better see you on the ground after this in one piece."
"You will," Ari promised as she shot at yet another TIE. She and Green Three had their hands full with the TIEs, though it seemed as if no more were coming out to join them.
"Be careful of those three TIEs around there," Ari warned them.
"We will, just Ari please be careful yourself," Luke answered, worry showing through his voice.
"Yes sir," she replied, trying to tease him, but it was clearly too difficult since it came out tight and uncertain.
Ari could see Luke, Wedge and Biggs making their run and hoped that they would be alright. She swung around to hit another TIE with a stream of blaster fire.
"We'll stay back far enough to cover you," Biggs announced to Luke over the com.
All of a sudden there was a volley of shots fired and it barely grazed Luke's fighter and R2 gave a chirp of protest.
"My scope shows the tower, but I can't see the exhaust port! Are you sure the computer can hit it?" Wedge asked over com.
"It has to," Ari replied with determination in her voice. "We only have one more shot at this guys." The worry and fear was starting to rise up again. She had faith in Luke and Biggs, along with their abilities but time was against them. She was able to see just slightly as the gun turrets followed the fighters
Luke glanced around for enemy ships and saw that they were all still busy with Ari and Green Three. "Ari? Are you okay?" he asked, turning on his targeting computer.
"I think we can handle them," she answered, before biting her lip in concentration. "Just worry about your run."
Luke nodded before announcing to Wedge and Biggs, "Watch yourself! Increase speed full throttle!"
"What about the tower?" Wedge asked, sounding nervous
"You worry about those fighters! I'll worry about the tower!" Luke assured him, trying to keep his calm in the midst of battle.
Ari could just barely make out Luke's X-Wing firing along the trenches at the towers that seemed to track their every move. She shot one more TIE but her concentration was broken for a moment by a cry as she saw Green Three burst into flames .
"Ari?" Luke asked, worried. He knew there were only two Y-Wings left and was so worried it was her.
"I'm here. Green Seven is all that is left of Green Squadron," she announced sadly.
"Ari go back…" Luke started to plead with her.
"Luke, my job is to keep these TIEs off you as best I can so you three can go be heroes and blow this thing up. Now go do it," she answered, blasting at one of the few remaining TIEs, the one that had killed Green Three.
"You better be alive and well at the end of all this."
"I will if you are," she told him.
"Fair enough," he muttered, forcing himself back to the trench, trying to concentrate on that more than his worry for Ari as the towers continued to fire on him, one brushing one of his wings close to the engine.
"Artoo...that, that stabilizer's broken loose again. See if you can't lock it down," Luke instructed. The little droid complied, trying to fix it
The battle down along the trench continued as Ari took on three remaining TIEs. They tried to box her in, but she nose dived forward and waited for them to start following before pulling up hard, making herself dizzy in the process but able to shoot the TIE in front before pulling a sharp loop hitting the one behind her.
AN: And the battle continues. I promise it is almost over. Thanks to everyone for being patient! Please read and review guys. The more people who review, the sooner I update. Gives me that creative push.