Disclaimer: I don't own Star Wars Rebels that goes to Disney, Lucasfilm and Dave Filoni.
On Lothal, an Imperial shuttle flew towards the Imperial Complex with both Governor Pryce and Admiral Konstantine walking towards the shuttle as it began to approach them in the hangar bay of the Imperial Complex as the governor placed her hands behind her back as the shuttle landed with the ramp lowering, revealing Thrawn and two Death Troopers accompanying him in the shuttle's troop bay.
"Governor Pryce, I bring urgent news," Thrawn told Pryce as he walked down the shuttle's ramp with the Death Troopers following him and stood next to him.
"Of course. Right this way," Pryce said as she began to lead the Chiss Grand Admiral to his office while unbeknownst to them, Kallus watched them from the catwalk above them as he used a mouse droid to spy on their conversation as he pressed a button on a remote that he was holding twice as the lights on top of the mouse droid turned on as four of the lights on the mouse droid turned white with the last two turning yellow.
The mouse droid then rolled through a small hatch next to a blast door as it slid shut after Thrawn, Konstantine and Pryce walked through the blast door with the Death Troopers walking with them on both sides before Kallus left the catwalk.
"Is all this secrecy truly necessary, Grand Admiral?" Konstantine asked Thrawn as both he and the Grand Admiral had their hands behind their backs as they entered the Chiss' office as Thrawn closed the window's blinds.
"We still have a traitor in our midst. We need to be highly cautious about what we discuss and where we speak," Thrawn explained as he walked away from his office's window and towards his desk as unbeknownst to them, Kallus' mouse droid was listening in on the conversation from the office's ventilation ducts, transmitting it to the ISB/Fulcrum Agent, who was hiding in a storage room, holding a comlink in his hand, "And what I'm about to say cannot fall into the rebels' hands."
"Admiral Thrawn, I trust the information you have for me was worth the wait," A hologram of Tarkin said as he appeared from the holoprojector on Thrawn's desk, sitting across from the Grand Admiral in one of the chairs in front of Thrawn's desk.
"The rebels of the so-called 'Phoenix Squadron' are about to launch a major military strike against the Empire," Thrawn told the Grand Moff as he sat down in the chair behind his desk.
"They wouldn't dare," Tarkin said with disbelief in his voice.
"Oh, believe me, they would," Thrawn assured him, "Everything leading up to this moment has been rehearsal. The real performance is about to begin. I'm counting on it."
"You have my full attention," Tarkin told him, "What target will the rebels attack?"
"I believe they're about to strike our most important facility in the region," Thrawn began, "The TIE Defender factory right here on Lothal. My spies report General Dodonna's fleet is en route to reinforce Commander Sato and Captain Syndulla."
"Where is this fleet massing?" Tarkin asked him as he placed his left hand under his chin.
"I have yet to uncover its precise location," Thrawn admitted.
"A coordinated attack by multiple rebel cells is unprecedented," Pryce stated.
"And it's exactly this moment I've been waiting for… to wipe them out," Thrawn added.
Kallus widened his eyes as he heard this statement, horrified as he knew he had to tell Phoenix Squadron about this.
"I want you to capture their leadership," Tarkin ordered Thrawn as he removed his hand from his chin.
"In such a battle, it may not be possible to take prisoners," Thrawn informed him.
"Ah, but a man of your talents will manage. If we are to crush this rebellion, we must make examples of its leaders," Tarkin stated.
"As you wish, Governor Tarkin," Thrawn relented as he turned the holoprojector off, while Kallus left the storage room that he was hiding in as he went to warn the rebels as 'Fulcrum'.
"She did it. Hera really did it," Satele said, happily with disbelief in her voice as she stood near the communications center at Chopper Base with Kanan, "Look at everyone. I can't believe they're all gonna help Lothal."
"It wasn't just Hera," Kanan reminded her.
"Oh, I know," she told him before they began walking forward, "And you, too, Kanan. And Zeb and my sister, Sabine. Chopper… less so."
"No," Kanan chuckled, "That's not what I meant. I meant you."
"Kanan, I… I didn't do any of this," she argued, "If not for you guys, I'd be back on Lothal just… waiting for the Empire to fall so I could reunite with my clan, instead of how I actually reunited with them."
"Satele, you have never been like everyone else," Kanan told her, causing the Mandalorian to smile, "Hera always saw something special in you and your sister, and so did I. At times, I was afraid as you and her are both Mandalorians after all. Afraid that I couldn't teach you and Sabine everything you and your sister needed to know."
"But you did," Satele stated, "Me and Sabine have learned so much."
"So have I. We all have," Kanan told her, "In fact, sometimes I wonder if I have anything left to teach you, while I still have plenty to teach Sabine as I started training her after you and the others rescued me from Tarkin's Star Destroyer above Mustafar, while I've been training you since we destroyed those disruptors that the Empire was planning to use to mass-produce them on Lothal."
"No. That can't be true," she argued.
"My own Jedi training was limited," Kanan reminded her.
"I don't mean about the Force," she explained as he turned away from her before she pulled him back towards her, "I mean life outside of Mandalore, helped me get over my grudge against the Jedi and about being a good person. That's what you've taught me." Kanan smirked as she said that.
"Hey, you two. The time to talk is over. Let's help out," Hera called out to them from the base's holotable as she handed a datapad to a rebel pilot next to her, "General Dodonna and the Massassi group will be here any minute."
"General Dodonna?" Satele repeated as she recalled hearing that name before but couldn't remember where from, "That name sounds familiar."
"It should," Kanan said as he placed his right hand over her armor's left pauldron, "He got those Y-wing bombers we stole. He commands one of the largest rebel cells I know of. With him and his fleet, we have a real shot at taking out the Imperial factories on Lothal."
Above Atollon, the Phoenix Nest, a couple of CR90 corvettes, three Hammerhead corvettes, two GR-75 medium corvettes and a couple of Separatist Munificent and Providence capital ships, repainted with the Rebel Alliance's starbird on their hulls.
"Commander Sato, there are several ships emerging from Hyperspace," one of the Phoenix Nest's pilots reported to Sato, who stood behind them on the bridge of the Light Carrier with his arms behind his back.
"At last, General Dodonna's fleet has arrived," Sato stated with a smile on his face as a fleet of EF76 Nebulon-B escort frigates, Braha'tok-class flagships and CR90 corvettes jumped out of Hyperspace near them.
"Phoenix Nest to Vanguard. Welcome to Atollon, General Dodonna," Sato said on the communications system of Dodonna's flagship as Dodonna walked onto his ship's command deck from a holotable.
"Thank you, Commander Sato. This day has been a long time coming," Dodonna stated, "Hopefully, we can finally deal a blow to the Empire and show the galaxy what we're capable of, especially with our secret Separatist droid allies."
Back on Lothal, Kallus was riding a speeder bike to Satele's tower before hopping off the speeder bike and walked into the tower's elevator before it ascended up to the top of the tower before he entered the tower where there were multiple Imperial stormtrooper helmets painted on a ledge within the room as well as the transmitter that the Bridgers' used to broadcast from and sat down in a chair in front of the transmitter as he turned on the transmitter in front of him as the symbol of Fulcrum appeared from the transmitter, "This is Fulcrum with an urgent message. Thrawn knows about…" he stopped speaking as the symbol of Fulcrum turned red as his transmission to the rebels of Phoenix Squadron began to get jammed and tried to increase the signal to break the jamming frequency but to no avail.
"By the light of Lothal's moons," he suddenly heard Thrawn say, which startled him before he turned around to see the Chiss Grand Admiral standing in the doorway with his arms behind his back and began to approach the ISB/Fulcrum Agent, "That is your code phrase, isn't it, Agent Kallus? Or would you prefer I address you as 'Fulcrum'?" He then moved his left hand from his back to show him that he was holding a device in his hand and turned it around to show him a screen displaying the symbol of Fulcrum being jammed, revealing the device to be a jammer, "I'm afraid your rebel friends won't receive your warning."
This statement angered Kallus as he yelled and charged towards the Chiss, who instantly pushed his leg upwards, stopping him from coming forward as he began to punch Kallus. They then went into a fist fight as Kallus swung around Thrawn before the Chiss swung the Fulcrum Agent around before jumping back onto his feet.
"Your technique is good, but limited by your training in the Imperial Academy," Thrawn stated as Kallus picked up one of Satele's painted stormtrooper helmets from the ledge behind him, "Predictable…" Kallus threw the helmet at Thrawn before the Chiss caught the helmet as Kallus slid across the floor, knocking Thrawn to the floor as the Fulcrum Agent got back up and stopped on the jammer with his foot, allowing his transmission to go through to the rebels of Phoenix Squadron.
"You talk too much!" Kallus growled as they went into a fistfight yet again before Thrawn kicked him out of the room onto the balcony in front of the railing after he kneed him in the stomach, guarding the tower and was grabbed by two Death Troopers.
"You have the heart of a rebel," Thrawn remarked as he approached Kallus.
"I'll take that as a compliment," Kallus responded, panting before they dragged him inside the tower's room and proceeded to beat him up, bruising his left eye, blood marks on his forehead as well as his lips as a part of his hair's bangs was hanging down, separated from the rest of his hair after placing stuncuffs around his wrists as he had his arms upwards over a ceiling beam in the room.
"You may have transmitted your warning, Agent, but in doing so, you've given me the last piece of the puzzle," Thrawn said as a holomap of his Star Map appeared in the room as the trajectory of General Dodonna's fleet and Kallus' transmission appeared on it as well, "Now, this is the trajectory of General Dodonna's fleet, and this is the trajectory of your Fulcrum transmission. Taken separately, they mean nothing. But together…"
"Nothing. There's no planet there. The rebels are smarter than you give them credit for," Kallus said, interrupting the Grand Admiral.
"A pity you do not study art, Agent Kallus. There is much it can show you, if you know where to look. Such as, a system which does not appear on Imperial charts but is represented in the art of the ancient people of this sector," Thrawn went on as he inserted a disk into the Star Map's holoprojector, which switched to the system of where Atollon was located in, "I believe they call this 'Atollon', now the home of your rebel base." He then took out his comlink as he went to contact Konstantine, "Admiral Konstantine, deploy the fleet to these coordinates. We will join you shortly."
"We just received a new transmission from Fulcrum," Hera said as she approached the command center's holotable of Chopper Base as holograms of Dodonna, Sato, Ryder Azadi and General Kalani were projected by the holotable's projector as they stood around the holotable as Kanan, Satele and Lux stood around the holotable with Kanan having his arms crossed before the symbol of Fulcrum appeared from the holotable's holoprojector.
"This is Fulcrum with an urgent message. Thrawn knows about…" Kallus' Fulcrum voice said before it was cut off, causing everyone to look at each other.
"Thrawn knows?" Kanan repeated with confusion as he lowered his arms, "Knows about what?"
"It's either my vision of Thrawn ambushing and attacking us here on Atollon or the attack on Lothal," Satele answered.
"I suspect that Commander Wren is correct," Lux said, agreeing with the Mandalorian.
"Something's happened. Most of the Imperial fleet left the system," Ryder reported, "What does it mean?"
"Thrawn knows we're here," Hera said, realizing that Satele's vision was coming true as she turned to the rebel pilots nearby, "All pilots, battle stations!"
"How can you be certain?" Dodonna asked them.
"I concur with General Dodonna, how can you be so certain?" Kalani asked, agreeing with Dodonna.
"This has happened before when the Empire found and ambushed us on Garel just before I found out that Mira and Ephiraim Bridger died during a prison break," Satele explained, recalling the day when the Empire found them and Phoenix Squadron on Garel.
"Commander Sato," one of the pilots called out to Sato from the Light Carrier from the hologram projection of Sato.
"We have Imperial Star Destroyers," the rebel pilot went on as Sato walked up to them on the Bridge's command deck as five Star Destroyers with two of them having gravity wells attached to them jumped out of Hyperspace.
"Phoenix fleet, set defense formation Aurek-one!" Sato ordered as every single ship of Phoenix squadron began to take a defensive position.
"You do the same," Kalani ordered a couple of his B1 battle droids as he stood on the bridge of one of the Munificent-class frigates, "Order our other ships to do the same."
"Roger, roger!" The B1 battle droids on the Munificent-class frigate that Kalani was standing on chanted as they went to order the other Separatist capital ships do the same before they too took a defensive position.
"Alert rebel command!" Sato ordered Hera, Kanan, Satele and Lux from the command center's holotable of Chopper Base before Ryder's hologram vanished as the Imperials began to jam their long-range transmissions.
"What happened? Where's Ryder?" Satele asked as she noticed that Ryder's hologram abruptly vanished for no reason.
"They're jamming long-range transmissions," Hera explained.
"We have to scrub the mission," Dodonna told them as he turned to Hera.
"We were so close!" Satele muttered as she pounded her fist on the command center's holotable.
"Evacuate all ground staff. We're getting out of here!" Hera ordered one of Phoenix Squadron's troops that was standing at the communications system for Chopper Base.
"All personnel, code K-one-zero. Evacuate immediately," a masculine voice announced on Chopper Base's intercom as the alarms started blaring, causing the rebel pilots to immediately head straight for their A-wings.
"All craft, jump to Hyperspace," Dodonna ordered on his flagship as he turned to the holograms of Sato, Kalani and Hera, "Regroup at rally point Nova."
"I still have people on the surface," Sato protested.
"If we wait, they'll cut us to pieces, Commander," Dodonna said, trying to reason with Sato.
"I agree with General Dodonna," Kalani said, agreeing with Dodonna.
"You two go. We'll cover the two of you," Sato relented.
"Signal the other frigates of our fleet to jump," Dodonna ordered one of his flagship's communication officers before one of the EF76 Nebulon-B escort frigates jumped into Hyperspace, only to be pulled back out of Hyperspace, "Something's pulled them out of Hyperspace."
"So some of those Imperial Star Destroyers have gravity wells attached to them," Kalani realized, "From what I've heard Star Destroyers with those are called Interdictors and can stop ships from attempting to jump to Hyperspace."
"If that is true, there will be no escape for us," Sato stated from the Phoenix Nest as he realized that they were trapped.
"Gravity wells engaged, sir," an Imperial technician standing within one of the crew pits reported to Konstantine, who was standing on the bridge of one of the Interdictors as he stared out the bridge of the Interdictor's viewport.
"All batteries, open fire," Konstantine ordered as the Interdictor that he was aboard began firing its turbolasers upon the EF76 Nebulon-B escort frigate that tried to jump to Hyperspace as Thrawn's flagship, the Chimaera entered the system from Hyperspace.
"What of Governor Tarkin's prisoners?" Pryce asked Thrawn, who had his arms behind his back as she did the same with her arms as they watched the Interdictor that Konstantine was commanding was firing upon one of the EF76 Nebulon-B escort frigates from the viewport of the Chimaera's bridge with a captive Kallus behind them as well as being restrained by the two Death Troopers.
"General Dodonna is known for his courage. He wouldn't be aboard the first vessel to flee," Thrawn assured her, "It's crew is therefore irrelevant. Although I'm surprised to see Separatist capital ships here."
"Me too, Grand Admiral," Pryce said, agreeing with the Chiss, "Maybe they're from the Separatist holdout on Agamar that the rebels went to months ago."
"Possibly, but highly unlikely," Thrawn stated, "I think it's more likely that they're from another hidden Separatist holdout. Now, contact the rebels. I wish to speak with them before we begin our attack."
"Right away, Grand Admiral," Pryce said as she went to open communications with the rebels.
"General Dodonna, Commander Sato, Captain Syndulla and Senator Lux Bonteri of Onderon," Thrawn said, greeting most of the rebel leaders as he appeared on their holotables at Chopper Base, the Phoenix Nest, Dodonna's EF76 Nebulon-B escort frigate and Kalani's Munificent-class frigate as Hera and Satele stared at him, bitterly as Kanan had his arms crossed, "At last, we meet in this theater of war, however briefly. There is no escape, and your forces are badly outnumbered. This, uh, 'rebellion' ends today."
"We'll never surrender to you, Thrawn," Hera told the Chiss Grand Admiral.
"You misunderstand, Captain. I'm not accepting surrenders at this time. I want you to know failure, utter defeat, and that it is I who delivers it crashing down upon you," Thrawn stated before turning to the Senator, "And I am surprised that you were a rebel, Senator Bonteri."
"I was always a rebel," Lux told the Grand Admiral with a bitter expression on his face.
"Anyway, now, let us proceed," Thrawn said before the hologram of him vanished from the rebels' holotables as the holoprojector of the holotable on Chopper Base switched to that of a holographic battle map.
"We don't have the strength to meet Thrawn head-on, but I will get us to safety," Hera said as she began to study the battle map.
"How do you propose we break this blockade?" Sato asked as Dodonna placed his hand near his chin and beard.
"Thrawn believes this is the entire rebel fleet, so we need just a big enough opening to get one ship through," Hera explained, "Once clear of the jamming, they can call for the reinforcements to attack the Empire's flank."
"That should divide their forces and enable us all to escape," Dodonna stated.
So, who will go and get reinforcements?" Kalani asked them.
"Yeah, which one of us will go and get rebel reinforcements?" Lux asked, agreeing with the Super tactical droid.
"The Ghost stands the best chance," Sato answered as Dodonna lowered his arm, "We'll make an opening for you."
"Not for me," Hera told them, "Satele will take her Gauntlet starfighter and Kanan will go with her."
"No way. I'm not leaving you!" Kanan protested.
"This is our fight, too," Satele said, agreeing with Kanan as she placed her hands on the edge of the holotable.
"There's no time to argue," Hera told them, "As Jedi and a Mandalorian one, you have the best chance to escape, and there's no one I trust more to get the help we need. You're going. Chopper, too. That's an order!"
"Hera, I can't leave yet," Kanan told Hera as Zeb, Rex, Cody and Lux ran up the Ghost's ramp with R4-G6 rolling up the ramp as Zeb was carrying a rectangular shaped container in his hand as Cody had an oval-shaped jetpack over his back along with a DC-15A blaster rifle strapped over his back, while Chopper rolled onto the Brental Star, which Satele had repainted from red and black to orange and white, "There's someone I have to warn about this, out in the wilderness."
"What? Kanan, no! I need you and Satele to get help," Hera argued.
"That's what I'm doing," he explained.
"You mean from him?" Satele asked with her helmet under her arm as she approached them as she knew who he was talking about.
"Hey, I'm a persuasive guy," Kanan assured them.
"Who are you talking about?" Hera asked them as she crossed her arms.
"You wouldn't believe me if I told you," Kanan sighed, "But I need you to trust me."
"Don't keep me waiting long," Hera relented as she turned to the Mandalorian, "Satele, the mission is yours alone."
"One more thing, Hera, before I go. If rebel command can't send help, should I go ask my family and clan for help?" Satele asked the Twi'lek.
"You may," Hera answered.
"Thanks, Hera," Satele told her.
"You're welcome, Satele," Hera responded, "Besides, I know how important family is to you Mandalorians."
"Good luck, Satele," Kanan told the Mandalorian as he walked away from them after he placed a hand on Satele's armor's right pauldron.
"May haar Force cuyir ti ni," Satele muttered to herself in Mando'a as she placed her helmet over her head as Hera walked away from her as she headed for the Ghost, while Satele headed for her Kom'rk-class fighter.
"Still glad you got mixed up in this rebellion, Rex?" Zeb asked Rex as he sat down in the Ghost's nose gun as Rex sat down in the Ghost's co-pilot's seat, while Cody sat in the rear cannon's seat, "How about you, Cody?"
"Ah, it beats slingin' for joopas," Rex answered.
"Same thing for me," Cody answered, "It's better than being on Tatooine."
"Does it, Rex?" Zeb asked as he looked down at Rex in the nose gun, "They sure do taste good."
"Ah, they do, don't they?" Rex confirmed, "So, Cody, how was living on Tatooine for 16 years after I removed your control chip?"
"All I can say is hot," Cody answered as both the Ghost and the Brental Star lifted off the ground and began to head towards space after Hera sat in the Ghost's pilot's seat and Lux sitting in the seat behind her with R4-G6 standing next to him as the Kom'rk-class fighter flipped its wings down.
"Launch fighters!" Sato ordered one of the crew members on the command deck of the Phoenix Nest and with that both A-wings as well as Y-wings flew out of the Phoenix Nest's hangar, "All command, spearhead formation. Frigates and corvettes, protect the transports."
"We'll take point, Commander," Dodonna said as both he and Kalani began to carry out his orders.
"You called me, general?" A B1 battle droid with yellow markings asked Kalani as he approached the Super tactical droid.
"Yes, B1-551," Kalani answered as he turned to the B1 battle droid, "I want you to deploy the droid tri-fighters."
"Roger, roger," the B1 battle droid commander said before a squadron of starship sized droids with four laser cannons and discord missiles, which were located on the bottom of the droids' bodies with support clamps that were connected to wing cannons with a nose-tip laser cannons at the front of the droids' bodies, near their eyes and port sensors began to fly out of every single of the Separatist capital ships to help protect the other frigates and corvettes.
"Sato is employing a Danaan tactic. Bold. But I'd expect no less from the best commander to ever come out of the Mykapo system," Thrawn stated as he and Pryce continued to stare out the Chimaera's viewport with their arms behind their backs, "Reinforce our center and send in the fighters." TIE fighters then flew out of the Chimaera's hangar as a hologram of Admiral Konstantine appeared in front of the Chiss Grand Admiral.
"Yes, Grand Admiral?" Konstantine asked Thrawn.
"Konstantine. Keep your Interdictor Cruiser back until I order otherwise," Thrawn ordered Konstantine.
"Why not just attack now with overwhelming force? I could…" Konstantine began to protest.
"Because I know these rebels. I've studied them. They will, no doubt, defy convention and attempt something unexpected," Thrawn explained, "We will be prepared for it. As long as you do exactly as I say."
"As you wish," Konstantine relented as the hologram of him switched off.
"Fighting over glory?" Kallus said, trying to mock Thrawn.
"I do not require glory, only results for my Emperor," Thrawn stated as he looked at the Fulcrum Agent with the corner of his eye.
"Phoenix Squadron, keep those fighters busy. Green Squadron, attack the lead destroyer," Hera ordered Phoenix and Green Squadrons as the Ghost and Satele's Kom'rk-class fighter began to fly alongside the A-wings.
"Copy that, we'll clear a path," Wedge said, wearing a rebel pilot's helmet as he was flying one of the A-wings along with Biggs and Hobbie. As he said that, he, Biggs, Hobbie and the other A-wings began to into a dog fight with the TIE fighters as the droid tri-fighters began to aid the A-wings, while Cody fired one of the cannons of the Ghost's rear cannon at the TIE fighters, destroying one of them.
"All wings, arm proton bombs and follow me," a Y-wing pilot known as Green Leader with light skin, brown hair and mustache ordered as he along with three more Y-wings flew towards one of the Star Destroyers and began to bomb its hull with proton bombs, "Green group, clear for another pass.
As the Y-wings swung back around to bomb the Star Destroyer again, TIE fighters began to open fire on them, critically damaging one of the Y-wings with its laser cannons.
"I'm hit!" A female Y-wing pilot with tan skin cried out as her Y-wing went down.
Chopper grunted as he had both of his metal arms out as he stood next to Satele in the Kom'rk-class fighter's cockpit as they watched two TIE Bombers bomb a CR90 corvette with proton bombs before it went down in flames.
"I hope Kanan's having better luck," Satele muttered to herself.
Kanan flew his speeder bike through the wilderness of Atollon as spiders walked out of their nest, near the area where Bendu hides out at and above the top of the hill as Kanan stopped his speeder bike at the top of the hill and hopped off his speeder bike as he stood up and sensed the Bendu nearby, who was sitting at the area where he hides at with his back turned.
"Bendu!" Kanan said, calling out to the mysterious Force-wilder as he began to approach him, "Bendu, we need your help."
"You have brought war to my quiet world, Kanan Jarrus, Jedi Knight," the Bendu said with anger before turning around to face the blind Jedi Knight, "And I will have no part of it!"
"Wait, Bendu, hear me out," Kanan pleaded with the mysterious Force-wielder to listen to him.
"No!" The Bendu said as he pounded his right fist onto the ground, "I am the one in the middle. I take no side."
"So you're just gonna let us die?" Kanan asked him, "You think the Empire won't kill you, too?"
"I am beyond your worrying and wars. I am unseen, unknowable, like a rock in the river," the Bendu answered, "Do you think it chance this world was so difficult for you to find, eh?"
"No," Kanan answered, "But maybe we were meant to find it and meant to find you."
"For what purpose?" The Bendu asked him, "I was here long before you and will be long after. I am the bendu, the one-"
"In the middle. So you keep saying," Kanan finished for him before exhaling, "Look… I tried to live that way once. Told myself the galaxy would go on with or without me. But when I saw innocents harmed and knew I had the power to do something about it, I couldn't just watch it all burn down around me! Some things are worth fighting for."
"Phoenix Squadron, we've gotta keep those TIEs off our cruisers!" Hera ordered as the Ghost flew past the Phoenix Nest.
"This is Massassi group. We're taking heavy fire. We need help," Dodonna suddenly said on the Ghost's communications system.
"On our way," Hera told Dodonna, answering his call for help.
"I am also sending a few Vulture droids to reinforce you as well, General Dodonna," Kalani stated on the Ghost's communications system.
"Too many ships to protect!" Zeb growled as he saw how many TIE fighters were coming after them, Phoenix Squadron, the Separatist droids and General Dodonna and his fleet.
"I agree, Captain Orrelios," Lux said, agreeing with the Lasat from the Ghost's cockpit.
"I agree, Senator," Rex told Lux, agreeing with him as Zeb fired at the TIE fighters with the nose gun's cannons with one of the lasers from the nose gun's laser cannons hitting one of the TIE fighters, destroying the TIE fighter instantly as three TIE fighters began to chase a group of A-wings, while Satele destroyed the TIE fighters with her Kom'rk-class fighter's laser cannons before multiple TIE fighters flew towards one of the Hammerhead corvettes and began firing upon it, causing the ship to go down.
"All ships, charge the blockade!" Sato ordered as he saw the Hammerhead corvettes go down before multiple rebel ships began to charge towards the blockade as another of Dodonna's Nebulon-B escort frigates was destroyed.
"Commander, they destroyed the Orion!" A rebel officer reported to Sato on the Phoenix Nest's communications system as he closed his eyes as he saw one of Dodonna's Braha'tok-class flagships go down.
"Capital ships, hold your position," Thrawn ordered from the Chimaera, "Their cruisers will have to come to us."
This statement caused Kallus to look up at Thrawn with fear and worry on his face.
TIE fighters then began to chase Satele's Kom'rk-class fighter, firing upon it as its wings rotated around as Chopper grunted to Satele.
"I see it! They're cutting us off!" Satele told him.
"No, no!" Green Leader screamed as his Y-wing was shot down as it began to spiral towards the hull of one of the Star Destroyers before crashing into the Star Destroyer's hull.
"Hera, I can't get through as long as those Interdictor Cruisers are cutting us off," Satele told Hera on Sato's communications system.
"Stay sharp, Satele. We'll find you that opening," Hera assured the Mandalorian on Sato's communications system.
"I know, just… hurry!" Satele pleaded on the communications system of the Phoenix Nest as Sato looked out the viewport and saw another CR90 corvette go up in flames.
"Commander Wren, go to heading 221 and prepare to jump," Sato said, contacting Satele as he approached the Phoenix Nest's communications system before turning to his crew, "All hands, abandon ship and make for Atollon!"
"We're staying, Commander," one of the two pilots behind Sato told the Commander as Sato turned to them as the rest of the crew in the Phoenix Nest's bridge ran out of the bridge.
"Very well. Man your stations," Sato relented as the two pilots sat back in their seats before he placed his hands over the top of the pilots' seats.
"Hera, I think Sato's evacuating the carrier," Zeb reported to Hera as he saw rebel ships leaving the Phoenix Nest's hangar, causing Hera to look at the Light Carrier as she widened her eyes.
"That's a command ship. Move to intercept!" Konstantine ordered as he saw the Phoenix Nest breaking off from its position and heading towards the Imperial fleet.
"But sir, Admiral Thrawn ordered us to maintain our position," an Imperial officer behind him protested.
"Move to intercept!" Konstantine angrily, repeated himself, "I will not be denied the glory of this kill!"
"Konstantine, return to your assigned coordinates immediately," Thrawn ordered from the Chimaera's bridge as he saw Konstantine's Interdictor begin to intercept the Phoenix Nest.
"I've had enough of your games, 'Grand' Admiral," Konstantine retorted on the Chimaera's communication's system.
"Hera, what's Sato doing?" Satele asked Hera from her Kom'rk-class fighter as she saw that the Phoenix Nest was approaching the Imperial fleet as the Star Destroyers began to fire their turbolasers on the Light Carrier with the Phoenix Nest's shield deflecting the turbolasers.
"He's drawing that ship out of position," Hera explained, "Get ready to jump!"
"Prepare to engage gravity wells!" Konstantine ordered the Imperial officer before smirking.
"Wait…" Sato told the pilots piloting the Phoenix Nest as the Imperials continued to fire upon the Light Carrier, "Now!" The pilots then changed the Light Carrier's course as it began to fly towards Konstantine's Interdictor.
"Sir, he's changing course!" The Imperial officer told Konstantine as he saw the Phoenix Nest begin to fly towards them.
"No! Take evasive action!" Konstantine ordered as he began to panic.
Sato closed his eyes just as the Phoenix Nest rammed into the interdictor, killing Konstantine, the personnel of his Interdictor, Sato as well as his pilots as both ships began to be destroyed with Satele and Hera watching with wide eyes and disbelief as Kallus watched from the Chimaera with a facial expression filled with a mixture of shock and admiration at Sato's sacrifice.
"Satele, now!" Hera yelled into the communications system of Satele's Kom'rk-class fighter before Satele jumped her ship into Hyperspace.
"Sir, one rebel ship escaped the blockade," an Imperial officer with light skin, dark blue eyes and brown hair with long sideburns named Woldar reported to Thrawn on the Chimaera as he approached the Chiss Grand Admiral.
"Konstantine was careless," Thrawn said as he turned to him, "Let's hope he did not undermine my efforts. Press the attack. Force them to ground."
Dodonna and other personnel on his Nebulon-B escort frigate left the bridge as the ship began to be destroyed by TIE fighters with the ship's escape pods being launched with Dodonna in one of the escape pods as they began to head down towards Atollon.
Meanwhile on Kalani's Munificent-class frigate, the Super tactical droid began to run onto a sheathipede-class shuttle with a couple of B1 battle droids as the B1 battle droids were doing the same on the other Separatist capital ships and began to cripple their capital ships as TIE fighters destroyed most of their droid tri-fighters and Vulture droids as they too began to head down toward Atollon.
"All ships, return to base," Hera ordered as she flew the Ghost back towards Atollon with the corvettes, escape pods and sheathipede-class shuttles doing the same as the defiant Kallus and triumphant Thrawn watched from the Chimaera's bridge as the Chiss smiled with his arms behind his back.
"You can feel it, can't you?" Kanan asked the Bendu as he continued to try and reason with him as they saw the debris of the rebel ships breaking up in the atmosphere of Atollon, "My friends are dying."
"Such is the fate of all living beings," the Bendu stated.
"Not like this, crushed by overwhelming evil," Kanan argued, "Help us, Survive, Bendu. Help… us… fight."
"I will not fight your petty battles," the Bendu told him.
"You'd rather hide. Like a coward," Kanan muttered.
"I will not be called a coward by the likes of you Kanan Jarrus!" The Bendu said with rage in his voice after pounding his fist on the ground as he began to summon a storm of thunder and lightning and levivating off of the ground before remarking, "Perhaps it is the will of the Force that the Jedi and all your kind perish, and I serve the will of the Force!"
"Bendu? Bendu!" Kanan said, calling out to the Bendu as the wind died down and felt that the mysterious Force-wielder had vanished from where he was standing.
"Senator, there must be someone you can send or something you can do," Satele told a hologram of Mon Mothma as the Mandalorian held her helmet on her lap as her Kom'rk-class fighter flew through Hyperspace.
"I wish I could help, Commander Wren, but I can't," Mon Mothma stated with regret in her voice, "In doing so would play into Thrawn's hands, and he would wipe out all we've worked to build."
"I know. He planned this and I even had a Force Vision of this happening," Satele said with anger in her voice.
"Senators Organa and Bonteri were right. It was too soon for an open warfare against the Empire," Mon Mothma stated, "I promise you, me and Senator Organa will do our best to negotiate fair treatment for the prisoners."
"What if there are no prisoners?" Satele asked her, "I'm not ready to give up yet."
"You have courage, like a true Mandalorian warrior, Satele. May the Force be with you," Mon Mothma said before the holoprojection of her turned off as Chopper grunted to Satele as he approached her.
"No. We can't go back. Not without help," Satele argued, "The only other place that Hera said that I can get help from." Chopper grunted a response, "Sabine and our family along with my boyfriend, Janus on Krownest."
Please favorite and review. Would you like me to continue adding the Imperial scenes or not?