Sorry it's taken so long. Here's the next chapter.
Star Wars: Remix version
Chapter Twenty two: Flight of Death
Anna, Leia, Padme, Threepio, and a field commander sat quietly before the giant display showing the planet Yavin and its four moons. The red dot that represented the Death Star moved ever loser to the system. A series of green dots appeared around the fourth moon. A din of indistinct chatter filled the war room.
"Stand-by alert. Death Star approaching. Estimated time to firing range, fifteen minutes" A voice over the intercom said.
The Death Star slowly moved behind the massive yellow surface of Yavin in the foreground, as many X-wing fighters flying in formation zoomed toward the death star. Light from a distant sun created an eerie atmospheric glow around a huge planet, Yavin. Rebel fighters flying in formation settled ominously in the foreground and very slowly pulled away.
Red Leader lowered his visor and adjusted his gun sights, looking to each side at his wing men.
"All wings report in" He said through the intercom. Everyone responded.
"Red Ten standing by"
"Red Seven standing by"
"Red Three standing by"
"Red Six standing by"
"Red Nine standing by"
"Red Two standing by"
"Red Eleven standing by"
Luke grinned and said "Red Five standing by"
Artoo-Detoo, in position outside of the fighter, turned his head from side to side and made beeping sounds.
"Lock S-foils in attack position" Red leader commanded.
The group of X-wing fighters moved in formation toward the Death Star, unfolding the wings and locking them in the "X" position.
"We're passing through their magnetic field" Red leader announced. "Hold tight!"
Luke adjusted his controls as he concentrated on the approaching Death Star. The ship began to be buffeted slightly.
"Switch your deflectors on" Red leader said over the intercom. "Double front!"
The fighters, now X-shaped darts, moved in formation. The Death Star now appeared to be a small moon growing rapidly in size as the Rebel fighters approached. Complex patterns on the metallic surface began to become visible. A large dish antenna was built into the surface on one side.
Wedge was amazed and slightly frightened at the awesome
spectacle.
"Look at the size of that thing!" He exclaimed.
"Cut the chatter, Red Two" Red leader instructed. "Accelerate to attack speed. This is it, boys!"
As the fighters moved closer to the Death Star, the awesome size of the gargantuan Imperial fortress is revealed. Half of the deadly space station was in shadow and the area sparkled with thousands of small lights running in thin lines and occasionally grouped in large clusters; somewhat like a city at night as seen from a weather satellite.
"Red Leader, this is Gold Leader" A new voice came over the intercom.
"I copy, Gold Leader" Red Leader said through the headset.
"We're starting for the target shaft now" Gold Leader told him.
Red Leader looked around at his wingmen; the Death Star looming in from behind. Two Y-wing fighters bobbed back and forth in the background. He moved his computer targeting device into position.
"We're in position. I'm going to cut across the axis and try and draw their fire" Red Leader said.
Two squads of Rebel fighters peeled off. The X-wings dived towards the Death Star surface. A thousand lights glowed across the dark grey expanse of the huge station.
Alarm sirens screamed as soldiers scrambled to large turbo-powered laser gun emplacements. Electronic drivers rotated the huge guns into position as the crew adjusted their targeting devices. Laser bolts streaked through the star-filled night. The Rebel X-wing fighters moved in toward the Imperial base, as the Death
Star aimed its massive laser guns at the Rebel forces and fired.
Princess Anna, Leia and Padme listened to the battle over the intercom. Threepio was at Anna's side.
"Heavy fire, boss! Twenty-degrees" Wedge said through the intercom.
"I see it. Stay low" Red Leader instructed.
An X-wing zoomed across the surface of the Death Star.
Technical crews in the death star scurried here and there loading last-minute armaments and unlocking power cables.
Wedge maneuvered his fighter toward the menacing Death Star. The X-wings continued in their attack course on the Death Star.
Luke nosedived radically, starting his attack on the monstrous fortress. The Death Star surface streaked past the cockpit window.
"This is Red Five; I'm going in!" Luke announced. His X-wing raced toward the Death Star. Laser bolts streaked from Luke's weapons, creating a huge fireball explosion on the dim surface. Terror crossed Luke's face as he realized he wouldn't be able to pull out in time to avoid the fireball.
"Luke, pull up!" Biggs shouted over the headset.
Luke's ship emerged from the fireball, with the leading edges of his wings slightly scorched.
"Are you all right?" Biggs asked, concerned.
Luke adjusted his controls and breathed a sigh of relief. Flak burst outside the cockpit window.
"I got a little cooked, but I'm okay" He said, shakily.
Rebel fighters continued to streak the Death Star's surface with laser bolts.
The walls buckled and cave in. Troops and equipment were blown in
all directions. Storm troopers staggered out of the rubble. Standing in the middle of the chaos, a vision of calm and foreboding, was Darth Sky. One of his Astro-Officers rushed up to him.
"We count thirty Rebel ships, Lord Sky. But they're so small they're evading our turbo-lasers!" The officer told him.
"We'll have to destroy them ship to ship. Get the crews to their fighters" Sky commanded.
Smoke belched from the giant laser guns as they wound up their turbine generators to create sufficient power. The crew rushed about preparing for another blast. Even the troopers head gear was not adequate to protect them from the overwhelming noise of the monstrous weapon. One trooper banged his helmet with his
hand in an attempt to stop the ringing.
Red Leader flew through a heavy hail of flak.
"Luke, let me know when you're going in" Red Leader said. The Red Leader's X-wing flew past Luke as he put his nose down and started his attack dive.
"I'm on my way in now..." Luke began
"Watch yourself! There's a lot of fire coming from the right side of that deflection tower" Red Leader warned.
"I'm on it" Luke replied.
Luke flung his X-wing into a twisting dive across the horizon and down onto the dim grey surface. A shot hurled from Luke's guns. Laser bolts streaked toward the
onrushing Death Star surface. Several small radar emplacements erupted in flame. Laser fire erupted from a protruding tower on the surface.
The blurry Death Star surface raced past the cockpit window as a big smile swept across Luke's face at the success of his run. Flak thundered on all sides of him.
The Death Star superstructure raced past Luke as he maneuvered his craft through a wall of laser fire and peeled away from the surface towards the heavens.
The thunder and smoke of the big guns reverberated throughout the massive structure. Many soldiers rushed about in the smoke and chaos, silhouetted by the almost continual flash of explosions.
Biggs dove through a forest of radar domes, antennae, and gun towers as he shots low across the Death Star surface. A dense barrage of laser fire streaked by on all sides.
Imperial star pilots dashed in unison to a line of small auxiliary hatches that lead to Imperial TIE fighters.
Princess Anna, surrounded by her generals and aides, paced
nervously before a lighted computer table. On all sides
technicians worked in front of many lighted glass walls. Padme and Leia
watched quietly from one corner. One of the officers working over a screen spoke into his headset.
"Squad leaders, we've picked up a new group of signals. Enemy fighters coming your way" He said.
Luke looks around to see if he could spot the approaching Imperial fighters.
"My scope's negative. I don't see anything" Luke responded.
The Death Star's surface swept past as Red Leader searched
the sky for the Imperial fighters. Flak pounded at his ship.
"Keep up your visual scanning. With all this jamming, they'll be on top of you before your scope can pick them up" Red Leader reminded Luke.
Silhouetted against the rim lights of the Death Star horizon, four ferocious Imperial TIE ships dove on the Rebel fighters.
Biggs panicked when he discovered a TIE ship on his tail. The horizon in the background twisted around as he peeled off, hoping to lose the Imperial fighter.
"Biggs! You've picked one up...watch it!" Red Leader said.
"I can't see it! Where is he?!" Biggs cried, freaking out.
Biggs zoomed off the surface and into space, closely followed by an Imperial TIE fighter. The TIE ship fired several laser bolts at Biggs, but missed.
Biggs saw the TIE ship behind him and swung around, trying to
avoid him.
"He's on me tight, I can't shake him...I can't shake him" Biggs repeated. Flying at high altitude, Biggs peeled off and dove toward the Death Star surface, but he was unable to lose the TIE fighter, who stuck close to his tail.
Luke was flying upside down. He rotated his ship around to normal attitude as he came out of his dive.
"Hang on, Biggs, I'm coming in" Luke announced. Biggs and the tailing TIE ship dove for the surface, now followed by a fast-gaining Luke. After Biggs dove out of
sight, Luke chased the Imperial fighter.
In the foreground, the Imperial fighter raced across the Death Star's surface, closely followed by Luke in the background.
There was a shot from Luke's X-wing and the TIE ship exploded in a mass of flames.
"Got him!" Luke said cheerfully.
Darth Sky strode purposefully down a Death Star corridor, flanked by Imperial storm troopers.
"Several fighters have broken off from the main group. Come with me!" Sky commanded.
A concerned Princess Anna, Leia, Threepio, Padme, and other officers of the Rebellion stood around the huge round readout screen, listening to the ship-to-ship communication on the room's loudspeaker.
"Pull in! Luke...pull in!" Biggs cried.
"Watch your back, Luke!" Wedge warned. "Watch your back! Fighter's above you, coming in!"
Luke's ship soared away from the Death Star's surface as he spotted the tailing TIE fighter. The TIE pilot took aim at Luke's X-wing. The Imperial TIE fighter pilot scored a hit on Luke's ship. Fire brokes out on the right side of the X-wing.
Luke looked out of his cockpit at the flames on his ship.
"I'm hit, but not bad" He said through the headset. Smoke poured out from behind Artoo-Detoo. "Artoo, see what you can do with it. Hang on back there"
Green laser fire moved past the beeping little robot as his head turned.
Luke nervously worked his controls.
"Red Six..."
In the war room, Leia stood frozen as she listened and worried about Luke.
"Can you see Red Five?" Red Leader finished.
"There's a heavy fire zone on this side. Red Five, where are you?" Red Six asked, looking around.
Luke spotted the TIE fighter behind him and soared away from the Death Star surface.
"I can't shake him!" Luke cried.
Luke's ship soared closer to the surface of the Death Star, an
Imperial TIE fighter closing in on him in hot pursuit.
The Death Star whipped below Wedge.
"I'm on him, Luke!" Wedge said quickly. "Hold on!" He dove across the horizon towards Luke and the TIE fighter. Wedge moved his X-wing in rapidly.
Luke reacted frantically.
"Blast it! Wedge where are you?" Luke asked.
The fighter pilot watched Wedge's X-wing approach. Another X-wing joined him, and both unleashed a volley of laser fire on the Imperial fighter. The TIE fighter exploded. Luke looked about in relief.
"Thanks, Wedge" He said gratefully.
Anna, Leia, Threepio, Padme and other Rebel officers were listening to the Rebel Fighter's radio transmissions over the war room intercom.
"Good shooting, Wedge!" Biggs said grinning.
"Red Leader..." Gold Leader said over the headset.
Gold Leader peeled off and started toward the long trenches at the Death Star surface pole.
"This is Gold Leader. We're starting out attack run" He told Red Leader.
Three Y-wing fighters of the Gold group dove out of the stars toward the Death Star surface.
"I copy, Gold Leader. Move into position" Red Leader responded.
Three Imperial TIE ships in precise formation dove toward the Death Star surface.
Darth Sky calmly adjusted his control stick as the stars whipped past in the window above his head.
"Stay in attack formation!" Sky barked.
"The exhaust post is marked and locked in!" Gold Leader announced. Gold Leader approached the surface and pulled out to skim the surface of the huge station. The ship moved into a deep trench, firing laser bolts. The surface streaked past as
laser fire was returned by the Death Star.
Gold Five was a pilot in his early fifties with a very battered helmet that looked like it's been through many battles. He looked around to see if enemy ships were near. His fighter was buffeted by Imperial flak.
Gold Leader raced down the enormous trench that lead to the exhaust port. Laser bolts blasted toward him in increasing numbers, occasionally exploding near the ship causing it to bounce about.
"Switch power to front deflector screens" Gold Leader instructed.
Three Y-wings skimmed the Death Star surface deep in the trench, as laser bolts streaked past on all sides.
"How many guns do you think, Gold Five?" Gold Leader asked.
"I'd say about twenty guns. Some on the surface, some on the towers" Gold Five responded.
"Death Star will be in range in five minutes" A voice over the intercom said.
Gold Leader pulled his computer targeting device down in front of his eye. Laser bolts continue to batter the Rebel craft. "Switching to targeting computer"
Gold Two, a younger pilot about Luke's age, pulled down his targeting eye viewer and adjusted it. His ship shuddered under intense laser barrage.
"Computer's locked. Getting a signal" Gold Two replied.
As the fighters began to approach the target area, suddenly all the laser fire stopped. An eerie clam clung over the trench as the surface whipped past in a blur.
"The guns...they've stopped!" Gold Two exclaimed. Gold Five looked behind him.
"Stabilize your read deflectors. Watch for enemy fighters" He said.
"They've coming in! Three marks at two ten" Gold Leader shouted.
Three Imperial TIE ships, Darth Sky in the center flanked by two wingmen, dove in precise formation almost vertically toward the Death Star surface.
Darth Sky calmly adjusted his control stick as the stars zoomed by.
"I'll take them myself! Cover me!" Sky commanded.
"Yes, sir" One of the wingmen responded.
Three TIE fighters zoomed across the surface of the Death Star.
Sky lined up Gold Two in his targeting computer. Sky's hands gripped the control stick as he pressed the button.
The cockpit exploded around Gold Two. His head fell forward. As Gold Two's ship exploded, debris was flung out into space. Gold Leader looked over his shoulder at the scene, sadly.
The three TIE fighters raced along in the trench in a tight formation. Gold Leader panicked.
"I can't maneuver!" Gold Leader shouted.
Gold Five, the old veteran, tried to calm Gold Leader.
"Stay on target" Gold Five said calmly.
The Death Star raced by outside the cockpit window as he adjusted his targeting device.
"We're too close" Gold Leader said worriedly.
The older pilot remained calm.
"Stay on target!" He repeated.
Gold Leader really began panicking.
"Loosen up!" He cried.
Vader calmly adjusted his targeting computer and pushed the fire button.
Gold Leader's ship was hit by Vader's laser. Gold Leader exploded in a ball of flames, throwing debris in all directions. Gold Five moved in on the exhaust port.
"Gold Five to Red Leader..."
Luke looked over his shoulder at the action outside of his cockpit.
"Lost Tiree, lost Dutch" Gold Five finished.
"I copy, Gold Five" Red Leader responded.
"They came from behind...." Gold Five explained.
One of the engines exploded on Gold Five's Y-wing fighter, blazing out of control. He dove past the horizon toward the Death Star's surface, passing a TIE fighter during his descent. Gold Five, a veteran of countless campaigns, spun toward his death.
Luke looked nervously about him at the explosive battle.
Grand Moff Tarkin and a Chief Officer stood in the Death Star's control room.
"We've analyzed their attack, sir, and there is a danger. Should I have your ship standing by?" the chief officer asked.
"Evacuate? In out moment of triumph? I think you overestimate their chances!" Tarkin scoffed.
Tarkin turned to the computer readout screen. Flames moved around the green disk at the center of the screen, as numbers read across the bottom.