Death Star Exterior
Darth Vindicta watched the X-wing explode followed by an intense of wave anger burst through the force. At first she thought it might have come from her father but quickly realized that the source of the intense feeling had quickly released it.
"I'm on the leader" Lord Vader announced.
Targeting the leader, Vindicta understood, the feeling of intense anger had come from the rebel pilot. The force is strong with this one, she thought to herself as she maintained pursuit. She attempted to lock on with her weapons but the rebel fighter danced in her display, which was having difficulty locking on.
Luke flew down the trench as fast as his fighter would allow. The two TIE advanced fighters dogged him the entire way. Green lasers streaked past him from behind and from the front. Very carefully he worked the controls to make the X-wing dance to prevent the imperial fighters from locking on to him as best as he could. He checked the targeting computer, he was almost there.
"Hang on Artoo" Luke told the blue and white droid.
Luke focused on the targeting device, watching as the display showed the exhaust port quickly approaching. The red targeting lines were still far to the outside of the of the image but Were quickly moving inward. Suddenly he heard his master's voice.
"Use the force Luke"
Luke looked around not believing his ears. After a brief moment he looked back into the targeting display.
"Let go Luke"
Luke looked away from the targeting computer. The imperial fighters were gaining on him rapidly.
Darth Vindicta continued to close in on the final rebel. She was growing frustrated at her inability to lock onto the lone fighter. As was her father, she could feel his frustration through the force as well.
"The force is strong with this one!" Darth Vader told her over the radio.
"I agree, Lord Vader," she replied as she fired her guns but missed.
"Luke, trust your training"
Once again the disembodied voice of his master spoke to him. Green laser fire continued to streak past him. Luke reached over and pressed the button that turned off his targeting computer.
"Luke, you've switched off your targeting computer. What's wrong?" Yavin base asked.
"Nothing, I'm alright" Luke responded.
The Death Star continued to streak by below him. Behind him Artoo beeped in anticipation. The X-wing rocked suddenly as he was hit by one of the imperials behind him. He turned around to check on the droid and smoke and sparks were coming off the astromech.
"I've lost Artoo!" Luke yelled.
Yavin IV
Winter watched the display nervously as Luke's X-wing raced down the canyon by itself. She looked over to the clock display just as it hit zero.
"The Death Star has cleared the planet" the speaker above blared.
Death Star Interior
Grand Moff Tarkin watched excitedly as the Death Star finally cleared the gas giant, though he displayed no outward signs of it. The intercom beside him announced the same.
"Rebel base in range" the voice on the other end told him.
"You may fire when ready," Tarkin ordered.
Death Star Exterior
Darth Vindicta worked her controls furiously trying to gain a lock on the rebel. The Targeting computer finally let out a long tone alerting her that it was locked on.
"I have you now" she said to herself, for a brief moment she thought her father had the same thing.
She saw Vader's fighter fire at the X-wing. Before she could do the same two of the three fighters were hit by laser fire causing them to crash into the trench walls.
"What!?" Vindicta exclaimed as she looked up to find the new threat. She had been so focused on the rebel that she hadn't been paying attention to her scopes and thus had failed to notice two familiar craft approaching.
In front of her she saw the same YT class freighter from Tatooine barreling straight at the three remaining TIE fighters. Following close behind it was the Rogue Shadow. Vindicta seethed in anger. She switched her aim from the rebel fighter to her former ship.
Before she could fire the pilot of the third TIE fighter yelled out a warning just before panicking and crashing into Vader's TIE fighter which crashed into hers. The two damaged fighter spun out of control and off into deep space.
"You're all clear kid!" Luke heard the voice of Han Solo announce to his surprise. "Let's blow this thing and go home"
"She's all yours Luke" the voice of Ahsoka Tano added, once again catching him by surprise.
Luke smiled as the two ships passed overhead before focusing once more on the exhaust port. He closed his eyes for a brief moment then opened them before firing his torpedoes. He watched as they disappeared down the shaft anticlimactically. Luckily though they had found their mark.
Luke pulled out of the trench and followed the two ships that had saved him and several other rebel fighters back to Yavin base. Behind them the Death Star exploded spectacularly, ending that particular threat to the galaxy.
"That was a great shot kid" Han exclaimed in Luke's ear.
Yavin IV
They returned to the rebel base where Luke was swarmed by cheering rebels as he exited the X-wing. Princess Winter rushed towards him calling his name and threw her arms around him. The hangar bay was getting crowded as more and more people poured in to see the pilot who destroyed the Death Star. Winter let go for just a brief a moment and looked around.
"You did it!" she cried as she turned back to Luke before hugging him again.
Han came over and slapped Luke on the back. "Hey, hey" the smuggler said with a huge smile on his face.
"I knew you'd come back!" Luke cried.
Han smiled a big toothy smile, "I wasn't going to let you take all the credit and take all the reward!" the smuggler joked.
"I knew there was more to you than money" Winter said with a big smile as she threw her arms around him too.
As the celebration continued under Luke's fighter he noticed two figures standing on the edge of the crowd observing him. One was his master Ahsoka Tano, who was smiling with pride at her pupil. The other was a blonde woman dressed in what appeared to be an imperial uniform without insignia. Whoever she was Luke could tell she was very powerful in the force. He pushed his way through the crowd so he could get to them. As he did so almost everyone he passed patted him on the back and told him good job. Once through the crowd he spotted a third figure standing with them. A small green alien dressed in simple robes leaning on a cane.
"Master Ahsoka!" Luke greeted the Togruta with a giant hug catching her by surprise. "How did you find us? Who are your friends?" he asked.
"Hello, to you too Luke," Ahsoka said once he released his hold. She turned to her companions. "I'd like you meet Juno Eclipse, formerly of the imperial navy," Ahsoka said, introducing the blonde woman.
"Well, I guess that explains the uniform," Luke quipped as he studied the blonde woman.
"A pleasure, Master Skywalker," Juno replied extending her hand, which Luke shook eagerly.
"And finally, Jedi Master, Yoda," Ahsoka introduced the little green alien. Luke's eyes widened in surprise.
"Yoda!? Master Kenobi spoke about you so much. I had no idea you were still alive," Luke said as he bowed to the jedi master.
"Hmm, yes, alive and still ready to train Jedi I am," Yoda said as he closed his eyes and reached out with the force. He opened them a moment later. "yes, strong in the force, you are. Like your father before you" the Jedi master added.
Luke looked from Yoda back to Ahsoka them back to Jedi Master, "You knew my father?" Luke asked.
Yoda nodded, "A powerful Jedi was he. Powerful Jedi"
Before Luke could ask more questions, The crowd once again shifted their attention back to their hero of the day. Ahsoka, Juno and Yoda quietly made their departure to go find quarters while they were on Yavin, leaving Luke to his moment.
Later that day Luke, Han and Chewbacca were awarded the Medal of Bravery by Princess Winter Organa. Unfortunately though the rebels only had two such medals on hand, so while Chewbacca earned the Medal and participated in the ceremony, only Luke and Han were presented with an actual award. Once the proceedings were finished Luke went in search of Masters Ahsoka and Yoda. He found them at the entrance of the hangar bay overlooking the Yavin jungle watching the sun set. He approached to within a few paces waiting to be noticed.
Yoda turned to Luke, "Come, young one" the ancient Jedi master said waving him over with his came.
"Passed most of your trials, you have. Master Ahsoka, tells me" Yoda said studying the young jedi.
Luke nodded before Yoda continued, "Difficult times are these for the Jedi. Difficult times" Yoda said shaking his head slightly.
Luke wasn't sure what to say so once again he simply nodded in reply. Ahsoka stood by silently while Yoda assessed Luke.
"Tell me, how felt you, when Master Obi-wan died?" Yoda asked.
Luke shuffled his feet nervously. He had heard stories from both Obi-wan and Ahsoka about how insightful Yoda was and now he was experiencing it for himself. He recalled the duel he had witnessed between Obi-wan and Darth Vader. How Vader had swung his lightsaber just as his Master had vanished. Then jumping through the air, his blade a blue whirl as he cut into the white armor of the imperial storm troopers in anger.
"I was angry Master Yoda. I attacked the storm troopers in anger not in defense" Luke admitted, his eyes moving to the floor in shame.
Yoda rubbed his chin in contemplation, "Let go of this anger you did. Afraid you were, of Obi-wan's loss"
"Yes Master," Luke admitted once more. "I felt the same thing when my friend Biggs died over the Death Star too Master,"
"But let it go, you did. Control you, it did not" Yoda told him. "Mindful of your feelings you must be." The Jedi master warned, poking Luke with his came.
"Fear is the path to the dark side," Yoda lectured. Fear leads to anger, anger leads to hate, hate leads to suffering," Yoda warned.
"I've failed in my training then," Luke replied, still staring at the ground.
"No, the opposite you have done," Yoda told him.
Ahsoka finally spoke, "Many Jedi have had these feelings. Its our ability to overcome them that define us as Jedi. Did Obi-wan ever tell you about his duel on Naboo?" she asked.
Luke shook his head no before she continued, "Your father told me about it. Obi-wan, who was still a padawan, and his master encountered a Sith Lord who killed Obi-wan's master," Ahsoka told him.
"Obi-wan, fueled by his anger, was able to strike down the Sith. Afterwards, he admitted what he had done to the council. He assumed he had failed much as you had. But in being able to let go and not hold on to these feelings he passed his final trial," Ahsoka continued.
Yoda nodded in agreement at the memory, "Done the same, you have. The rank of knight, you have earned. A padawan, you are no longer" Yoda informed him.
Luke tried not to show his excitement at the news but he couldn't help it. In one day he had destroyed the empires super weapon and saved the rebellion and earned his knighthood. The only thing that would have made it better was if his aunt and uncle and Obi-wan could have been there. Before he could get to excited though Master Yoda brought him back to reality.
"A long road you have. Before a master you will be," Yoda said. "Awaits you, a dark and dangerous path does." Yoda warned.
"You'll have plenty of help as well" Ahsoka told him, looking behind Luke.
Luke turned to see what she was looking at and saw Juno Eclipse approaching them. Luke was still unsure how the former imperial pilot fit into all this. All he had been able to learn was that Master Ahsoka had run into her on Tatooine. Luke also couldn't help but notice that the ship she piloted was the same one that had pursued the Millenium Falcon when it had left Mos Eisley .
"Strong in the force, she is" Yoda commented. "A good teacher, she will need"
Luke turned back to Master Yoda, "Me?" he asked "I've never trained anyone before" he added. Unsure if he would be able to train the former imperial.
"That's the reaction of most knights when they get their first student," Ahsoka said with a smile. "But you will do just fine. Master Yoda and I will be there to help you when you need it," she said with a smile.
"She's kind of old to begin the training, isn't she?" Luke replied, which made Yoda chuckle. "What's so funny Master Yoda?"
"Said this before, I have. Wrong I have been many times. But also right, several others," he said, sharing a look with Ahsoka that Luke didn't fully understand.
"Yoda brought up the same concerns about her before you joined us," Ahsoka informed him. "But unlike past students, we can sense no lingering fear or anger in her. Also, like I said, should you need help Yoda and I will be there assist"
"Rebuilt the order must be," Yoda replied "Adjusted for the time being, certain practices will be" With that last comment Juno Eclipse finally joined them.
"They were reluctant to tell a former imperial any thing," Juno began. "But it seems were going to be moving soon. Which is quite understandable considering the empire knows where we are" to which the three Jedi nodded.
" Command requests Master Yoda go speak with them" Juno added before the little green Jedi master nodded and made his way back into the hangar.
"Juno, Luke is going to be training you in the ways of the force," Ahsoka told the former imperial who wore a slightly confused look.
"But I thought you would be teaching me?" Juno asked.
"I will be assisting Luke but Master Yoda and I feel this will be an excellent opportunity for both of you to grow your abilities," The Togruta master informed her.
Before either Luke or Juno could respond a wookies excited growl caught their attention. The three of them looked to see Han Solo's copilot Chewbacca picking up Master Yoda in an embrace.
"Good to see you it is my old friend," Yoda grunted as the wookie roared again.
"It really is a small galaxy," Luke said with a smile. "it appears master Yoda gets around," he chuckled.
Ahsoka couldn't help but smile as well, "He spent quite some time with the wookies. Obi-wan once told me Yoda was on Kashyyyk when the clones betrayed the Jedi" she informed them.
The three them returned to their discussion where Ahsoka once again informed Juno that Luke would be taking over her training with the full support of both Ahsoka and Yoda. None of the three Jedi nor Juno assumed the task would be easy for her. Once their discussion was over Juno left to go check on the Rogue Shadow. Luke and Ahsoka went to join Yoda in his meeting with rebel command. Despite the days victory Luke realized the war with the empire was far from over.