We're Wizards, Not Warriors: What If
Volume 5:
Chapter 10: The Adventure Continues….
The First Order was putting its efforts into overdrive. Supreme Leader Malakis has deployed his merciless legions to try and seize military control of the galaxy. Although this was much harder to do, given the failure to destroy the New Republic.
The Resistance was now the first line of defense to stand against the rising tyranny, certain that Jedi Master Luke Skywalker will return to the fight.
But the Resistance has been exposed. As the First Order speeds toward the rebel base, the brave heroes mount a desperate escape….
….
We then see D'Qar. A huge Resistance cruiser vessel called the Raddus, which is named after the Mon Calamari Admiral Raddus himself, ascends from the planet, accompanied by an escort of smaller spacecraft.
On the planet's surface, Lieutenant Kaydel Ko Connix and her tall colleague Jones oversee the frantic evacuation of the rebel base.
Jones yelled, "we're not clear yet! There's still 30 pallets of cannon shells in C bunker!"
Connix said, "forget the ammunition, there's no time. Just get everyone on the transport", she hears a distant boom and says, "oh, no…."
Connix and Jones look up and see two Resurgent-class Star Destroyers appear in the cloudy blue sky, quickly joined by the Star Destroyer Finalizer.
….
On board the bridge, Captain Edrison Peavey of the Finalizer watches the Raddus in the distance, then turns to general Armitage Hux.
"We've caught them in the middle of their evacuation", Peavey said.
Hux said, "I have my orders from Supreme Leader Malakis himself. This is where we snuff-out the resistance once and for all. Grand Master Skywalker is with them! Without him, the Jedi will be without a leader! Tell Captain Canady to prime his dreadnought. Incinerate their base, destroy their transports and obliterate their fleet."
The enormous Mandator IV-class Siege Dreadnought known as the Fulminatrix, owned by Captain Moden Canady, pops from hyperspace and into the foreground from the far reaches of space. Two massive cannons slung beneath the ship's belly begin to lower and take aim.
In the destroyer's bridge pit, a beautiful yet stern monitor eyes a red X shape on her radar screen, her surroundings lit red for ideal visibility during battlefield conditions.
She says, "General, Resistance ship approaching. Launching shields in attack mode."
Hux says incredulously, "two light fighters?"
….
We see Poe and Padme in their respective ships facing off with the Fulminatrix. BB-8 beeps worriedly.
Poe says, "happy beeps here, buddy, come on."
Padme said, "this is the craziest thing I've ever done. And I once ran around on Hoth completely naked on a dare!"
BB-4 beeps a laugh.
"Just for the record, Commander Dameron, I'm with the droid on this one", Leia said over the intercom.
Alastor said, "as am I! You better keep my daughter in one piece, Poe!"
Poe said, "thank you for your support, General's."
Padme flicked a switch, "attention! This is Commander Padme Skywalker and Poe Dameron of the Republic fleet!"
Poe said, "we have an urgent communique for General Hux."
….
On the star Destroyer….
"Patch them through", Lank Paze said.
Hux said, "this is General Hux of the First Order. Your fleet are rebel scum and war criminals. Tell your precious princess and Grand Master there will be no terms…. There will be no surrender."
After a few moments, Poe said, "hi, we're holding for General Hugs."
Hux sajd, "I just said, this is Hux. You and your friends are doomed! We will wipe your filth from the galaxy."
Padme said, "okay, we'll hold."
Hux asked, "h-hello?"
Poe said, "hello? Yup. We're still here."
Hux looks at Paze and asks, "can you…. Can they hear me?"
Padme asked over the intercom, "Hugs?"
"They can", Hux said.
"With an 'H.' Skinny guy. Kinda pasty", Poe said
Hux asked, "I can hear you. Can you hear me?"
Padme said, "look, I can't hold forever. If you reach him…. Tell him my dad and aunt have an urgent message for him."
Peavey sakd, "I believe they're messing with you, sir."
Poe said, "about his mother."
Hux growled, "those little…. Open fire on my command!"
….
Poe and Padme's ship display's beep rapidly.
Poe yells, "BB-8, punch it!"
Padme yelled, "the same, BB-4!"
The droids beep excitedly. As the X-wings rear nozzles fire, they hurdle forward. The velocity causes both droids' heads to slip back from their round body's.
….
"They're going for the dreadnought", Peavey said.
"Ha! They are insane", Hux said.
….
Poe yells, "wa-hoo! That's got a kick."
Poe and Padme's fighters soar atop of the Fulminatrix's hull, weaving and rolling throughout the aircraft's laserfire.
They manage to fire at the Fulminatrix's enemy cannons with fire of their own.
….
Hux watches with a grim expression.
"Alright, taking out the cannons now. Tallie, start your approach", Padme said over the intercom.
Tallie called, "copy that."
….
On the dreadnought bridge, Hux's hologram appears as he says, "Captain Canady, why aren't you blasting those puny ships?"
Canady answered, "those 'puny ships' are too small and at too close range. We need to scramble our fighters! Five bloody minutes ago!"
Goneril said, "they'll never penetrate our armor."
Canady said, "they're not trying to penetrate our armor. They're clearing out our surface cannons."
….
"There's one cannon left. And here comes the parade", Poe said.
A squadron of TIE fighters swoop over in pursuit. BB-8 chirps nervously at the sight, as does BB-4.
Padme yelled, "yeah, yeah, we see 'em!"
As one of the TIE ships opens fire on Poe's X-wing, sparks fly.
Poe's ship's cockpit machinery begins sparking as he yells, "no! No! Dammit! BB-8, my weapon systems are down. We gotta take out that last cannon, or our bombers are toast. Make your magic work, buddy."
BB-8 drops down from the socket to a cable-filled hold. His head hovers from his body as he searches the craft compartment. He sees the problem, and uses the appendages on his telescoping arm to plug some damaged panel sections, but more begin to spark as BB-8 chirps nervously.
Padme quickly moves to cover Poe!
….
Back in the Star Destroyer….
Canady paces aboard the Fulminatrix.
Canady asked, "are the auto cannons primed?"
A monitor said, "primed and ready, sir."
Canady said, "what are we waiting for?! Fire on the base!"
"Wait, something is coming out of Hyperspace", an officer said.
Canady yelled, "what!?"
….
Emerging from Hyperspace were no less than three New Republic Cruisers!
On the bridge of one stood a good chunk of the Jedi order!
Plo Koon stood there as he watched the battle take place.
He ordered, "make sure the ground troops safely get to Sam and Leia's ship! Send all available starfighters to help the Commander's!"
"Roger that, Master Plo Koon", a Republic officer said.
….
Down on the planet, Connix yelled, "punch it!"
Connix's U-55 orbital loadlifter speeds to safety.
….
In the Raddus control room, Connix is heard over the intercom, "the last transport is in the air, the evacuation is complete."
Leia said, "you two did it!"
Poe said, "Roger that General. Send in the bombers!"
"Padme, Poe. Get your squad back here so we can get out of this place", Sam said over the intercom.
Padme asked, "what about the bombers taking out the Dreadnought?"
"These things are fleet killers. We can't let it get away", Poe said.
Plo Koon said over the intercom, "we'll send a squadron of bombers to take it out. We have enough firepower to protect them."
"Then I trust your word, Plo Koon", Sam said.
Leia said, "send in the bombers!"
"Let's go, BB-8…. It's now or never", Poe said to his droid.
….
In the control room, C3-P0 stands next to Leia.
Leia said, "wipe that nervous expression off your face, Threepio."
C3-P0 said, "oh. Well, I'll certainly try, General. Nervous?"
….
BB-8 chirps as with inventiveness born of desperation, he has lowered the elevator he used to assume his station in the droid socket halfway, which requires that he erases three improper-operation alerts from the X-wing, and rolls into the cavity of the fuselage, as close to the short in the junction box as possible. His arm retracts into his body. Then, he uses the welding arm to swing the head out and down, like a man doffing his hat, shrieking. It smashes into the sparking junction box, the primary photoreceptor swirling with electronic feedback.
Poe squeezes his weapon's trigger, destroying the last cannon on the Fulminatrix's hull.
The X-wing zooms to the fiery cloud, then banks around. Two pursuing TIE fighters collide and explode, then BB-8 pops up, crackling with energy and exclaiming softly.
Poe yelled, "yeeeaaahhh-ho!"
Padme yelled, "all clear, bring the bombs!"
….
In the Star Destroyer….
"Captain…. Resistance bombers approaching", Bascus said.
"Of course they are", Canaday said.
….
A squad of heavy bombers and A-wing ships known as Colbrat Squadron and Blue Squadron approaches the dreadnought, resembling World War II aeroplanes, with long virtual compartments extending from their fuselages like magazines from automatic rifles.
Lieutenant Tallisan Lintra, a beautiful young blonde pilot, hovers on board her blue A-wing ship and says, "alright, let's keep the bombers in that tight formation. Fighters, protect the bombers. It's not every day we get a shot at a dreadnought, so make this count."
Dallow said, "copy that Blue Leader! If you get us there, we'll give it to them."
Teene said, "fighters incoming."
A squad of First Order TIE fighters approach the squadron!
Tallie yelled, "gunners, look alive."
But suddenly, a squad of starfighters fly in and blast at the TIE's!
"Don't worry we're here to protect the squadron", a pilot said.
A furious battle started between both sides.
….
Canady said, "recharge the auto-cannons. Target their cruiser's."
….
Poe said, "I see it. Tallie, they have targeted the fleet and begun the priming sequence."
Tallie said, "copy that. We are almost there. Bombardier…. Begin your drop sequence."
"I've got a visual on the target. We are approaching the point of attack. The bombs are armed", Nix Jerd said.
All of the bombers had managed to get though!
….
Bascus said, "auto cannons aimed."
Goneril said, "40 seconds to full charge."
Canady yelled, "destroy those bombers!"
….
Poe asked, "Paige, come in. We're over the target. Why aren't your bay doors open?!"
Paige yelled, "they shot down my pilot! I'm gonna have to send them down manually!"
"Look out", Finch Dallow shouted.
Paige shouts, "no!"
The bomber is nearly destroyed!
Paige takes one last look at a necklace she has before she manually drops the bombs, sacrificing herself in the process!
"Bombs away", Tallie said.
"Direct hit! Dreadnought down", Tallie said.
….
A Resistance Monitor yells, "direct hit! Dreadnought down!"
Most of the crew cheer at the success, but Leia seems to be in pain over the lives they lost.
Sam places a hand on her shoulder and says, "their sacrifices won't be for naught."
Leia gives her brother a grateful look.
….
On the Star Destroyer….
"General, Supreme Leader Malakis…. Is making contact from the ship", an officer said.
"Excellent. I'll take it in my chambers", Hux said.
Malakis' hologram appears right before Hux.
Malakis growls, "General Hux."
Hux said, "ah, good. Supreme lead- AAH!"
Malakis smacks Hux to the ground using the force.
He growls, "my disappointment in your performance…. Can not be overstated."
Hux said, "they can't get away, Supreme Leader. We have them tied on the end of a string."
….
Back with the Resistance….
Padme and Poe board the main ship.
Poe said, "good work everyone!"
Padme said, "let's hope Ani and the others have found Uncle Luke by now…."
….
Meanwhile, back on Ahch-To….
Rey walks towards Luke with his old green lightsaber.
Ani stands with Finn.
Rey held the lightsaber before Luke, offering it like a holy relic.
Luke then slowly reached his hand towards his old lightsaber.
We see his robotic hand as it shakes when it grabs the lightsaber.
Luke took his lightsaber and studied it for a moment.
Ani, Rey and Finn watched this with hope in their eyes.
But suddenly, Luke dropped the saber with a pained look.
It rolls down a bit as Rey grows a confused look.
Finn and Ani were shocked as well, especially Ani. Rey looked extremely confused as Luke walked right past her, with a sour and pained look upon his face as he passed by Ani and Finn as if they weren't even there!
Rey asked, "Master Skywalker?"
Ani asked in confusion as Luke ignored him, "Uncle Luke?"
The small group went over to where Luke had tossed the saber.
Near it were three of the small bird-like creatures known as Porgs.
One flew up to Ani's shoulder as they approached. He used his finger to scratch their little belly, making its foot thump over and over again.
"Now that is adorable", Finn said.
Ani gave a light chuckle and said, "Breha will love these little guys…."
One was tapping its foot on the saber before Rey picked it up.
Ani said, "Finn, you go get Chewie, Breha and King from the Falcon. We'll try to get to Uncle Luke."
Finn nodded and went off.
Rey and Ani then began to walk in the direction where Luke went.
As they did, they looked down into the nearby water to see Luke's old X-Wing down there.
….
Later, we see the group all approaching the hut Luke was in.
Ani knocked on the door to the hut.
Ani asked, "Uncle Luke?"
No response.
Rey knocked on the door and said, "Master Skywalker? Our name's are Finn and Rey. We're from the Resistance. Your brother and sister sent us. We need your help. Hello?"
Luke yelled, "go away."
Ani said, "Chewie, do it!"
Chewie nodded, broke down the door and growled at his old friend.
Luke asked, "Chewie, what are you doing here?"
King yelled, "getting you, ya nerf herder!"
Breha said, "you're coming back with us whether you like it or not!"
Luke asked, "how did you find me?"
"Long story, we'll tell you in the Falcon", Rey said.
Luke said, "Falcon? Wait…. W-Where's Han?"
Everyone looked down.
Luke could read their expressions like an open book.
He started to shake, his hands almost vibrating.
Rey looked at the others and said, "let's give him a moment."
The others nodded as everyone but Luke, Ani and Breha left.
Luke sat down on his bed, a look of shock on his face.
He asked, "how? How did it happen?"
Ani took a breath as he said, "it was Ben. Ben killed him. He thought Han was the only thing holding him back from being a Sith Lord…."
Luke had tears beginning to form in his eyes.
Breha said, "Dad did all he could to help us find you."
Ani knelt in front of his uncle and said, "Uncle Han went out of his way to save us. Me and my friends."
Ani had tears in his eyes. As did Breha. Luke hugged them both.
"I'm so sorry", Luke said softly.
Breha said, "thanks Uncle Luke."
Ani then said, "c'mon, we've got someone you need to meet."
Luke said, "I know who she is."
They both looked at Luke in confusion.
Breha asked, "how?"
Luke said, "long ago, I was told of a girl, strong in the Force, who would cross my path. A girl with a family that was strong in the force."
Ani and Breha were now left in amazement and shock.
Ani asked, "who?"
Luke said, "I'll tell you in time. For now, I'd like to meet the girl herself…."
….
We find Hux and Ren standing before Supreme Leader Malakis in a throne room that has walls colored blood red.
"Tied to a string, indeed, General Hux. Well done. The Resistance will soon be in our grasp", Malakis said.
Hux said, "thank you, Supreme Leader."
Hux turns and leaves Malakis and Ren there.
Malakis said, "you wonder why I keep a rabid cur in such a place of power? The cur's weakness, properly manipulated…. Can be a sharp tool…. How's your wound?"
Kylo said, "it's nothing."
Malakis said, "hmm. The mighty Kylo Ren. When I found you... I saw what all masters live to see. Raw, untamed power. And beyond that, something truly special. The potential of your bloodline. Potential that your cousins and sister could not not fulfill. A new Vader. Now I fear…. I was mistaken."
Kylo Ren looks up at Malakis.
"I've given everything I have to you. To the dark side", Kylo said.
"Take that ridiculous thing off", Malakis said.
Kylo Ren takes off his helmet/mask, revealing his scarred face.
Malakis said, "yes, there it is. You have too much of your father's heart in you, young Solo."
Kylo said, "I killed Han Solo. When the moment came I didn't hesitate."
Malakis growled, "and look at you, the deed split your spirit to the bone. You were unbalanced... Bested by a girl who had never held a lightsaber, a traitorous scout trooper, and a boy with no proper master! You failed!"
In an angry state, Ren gets up. Malakis shoots lightning at him. This sent him back down.
Malakis, "Luke Skywalker lives. His family lives. The Jedi Order lives! The New Republic lives! As long as they do, hope lives in the galaxy. I thought you would be the one to snuff it out. Alas, you're no Vader. You're just a child in a mask."
In the elevator, Kylo Ren lets out a breath. He then turns to his mask. He proceeds to bang it against the wall. He pauses, as we see the rage in his eyes. He proceeds with destroying his mask. The elevator opens, revealing two officers.
Kylo said, "prepare my ship."
He leaves, preparing for what he must do next….
….
Rey said, "there is no light left in Kylo Ren. He's only getting stronger. The First Order is still a major threat. We need your help. We need Luke Skywalker."
Luke said, "you don't need Luke Skywalker."
Ani, King, Finn and Breha yelled, "did you listen to a single word she said?!"
"You think what? I'm gonna walk out with a laser sword and face down the whole First Order? What did you think was going to happen here? You think that I came to the most unfindable place in the galaxy for no reason at all? Go away", Luke said.
Finn said, "we didn't come all this way to just leave you here!"
Rey said, "yeah! We're not leaving without you!"
Luke said, "I've lived with the shame of my failures for a long time. I can keep going."
As Luke walked away, Breha muttered, "jeez…."
For the rest of the day, Rey and the others keep following Luke wherever he goes. He went fishing and got milk from a strange creature and so on.
Breha stopped her uncle from drinking the weird green milk, right there and then.
The group then followed Luke until they came across an old tree.
Chewie, King and Breha went back to the Falcon.
Rey, Finn and Ani find a stack of books, actual books, covered in dust from so many years gone by.
"You are wasting your time."
Rey, Finn and Ani turn to see Luke.
Luke asked, "who are you?"
Ani knew the question was rhetorical. He knew who she was. He meant, does she know who she is?
"I know this place", Rey said.
"Built a thousand generations ago…. To keep these. The original Jedi texts. Just like me, they're a part of the Jedi religion. You've seen this place. You've seen this island", Luke said.
Rey said, "only in dreams."
Ani said, "dreams are important to members of the Jedi."
Luke asked, "who are you?"
Rey said, "the Resistance sent me."
Ani and Finn gave her a look
Rey corrected, "us."
Luke said, "they sent you? What is special about you and the other guy? Where are you from?"
Ani could tell that Luke was testing Rey and Finn. Seeing why they were there specifically.
"Nowhere", Rey said.
Finn said, "I was a scout…."
Luke said, "not surprising. Han was a scout a long time ago. As for you", he looked at Rey, "no one's from nowhere."
Rey and Ani said, "Jakku."
Luke said, "alright, that is pretty much nowhere. Why are you here, Rey from nowhere and Finn the former scout?"
Rey, "the Resistance sent us. We need your help."
Ani said, "the First Order is on the attack."
Luke asked, "why are you here?"
"Something inside me has always been there. Now it's awake. And I'm afraid. I do not know what it is…. Or what to do with it. And I need help", Rey said.
Finn nodded and said, "I'm in a similar boat. I was given a second chance…. Now I feel something calling to me…. Asking for me to help…."
"You need a teacher…. I can't teach you", Luke said.
Rey asked, "why not? We've seen your daily routine. You're not busy."
Finn said, "yeah. What else are you doing here?"
Luke, "I will never train another group of Jedi. Padme, Ani and Collin are the last of my students I trained before everything happened. I came to this island to die. If you ask me, it's time for the Jedi to end."
Ani felt shocked by what his uncle just said.
The man who had helped his dad save Anakin Skywalker from the dark side.
Who worked with his friends and family to end the Empire.
The man who had helped bring the Jedi back from extinction.
He said that the Jedi needed to end.
Finn said, "why? Leia sent us here with hope. If she was wrong, she deserves to know why. We all do."
Luke only looked at them with a pained expression before leaving the hut.
This left the trio to look at one another, questioning what to do now…?
….
Meanwhile, with the Resistance….
Leia yelled, "this is bad!"
Poe, Padme, Collin, HK-47 and BB-4 and BB-8 were all standing on the bridge with Leia, Sam, Alastor, Prime, who was holding Angie, and Admiral Ackbar.
Poe said, "we took out a Dreadnought! With very little casualties!"
Alastor said, "that may be, but you need to pull your head out of your cockpit Poe! The First Order is right after us, even with the New Republic Fleet with us."
Prime said, "not every problem can be solved by jumping into an X-Wing!"
Angie nodded.
Ackbar said, "we need to come up with a plan."
Collin said, "we're really nowhere. Deep space. How are Rey and Ani going to find us?"
Leia held out a small device and said, "with this."
Poe said, "a cloaked binary beacon!"
Leia said, "to light their way home."
Padme asked, "alright until they come back, what's the plan?"
Sam said, "we're planning on fleeing to a specific planet."
Suddenly, an alarm began blaring!
Ackbar yelled, "proximity alert!"
Poe said, "that can't be…."
The group all looked through the view of the bridge, and witnessed the First Order fleet jumping out of Hyper-Space.
Poe asked, "it's Malakis' ship. You've gotta be kidding me. Can we jump to lightspeed?"
Ackbar checked the system.
….
Kylo Ren was in his own TIE Fighter, leading a few others
Kylo said, "follow my lead."
….
Leia yelled, "they tracked us through hyperspace!"
Poe said, "I don't get it! That should be impossible!"
Padme said , "apparently not."
Collin said, "so if we jump to lightspeed, they'll just find us again."
Leia said, "Prime, Sam, Alastor, Ackbar, rally the others!"
The four men ran out with Poe, Padme, Collin and the droids.
Leia yelled, "full engines ahead! Get out of range of the Star Destroyers and the fighters will fall back!"
Unexpectedly, Leia feels her son through the force. He's close!
"All craft, full engines! Concentrate rear shields", an officer said.
….
Aboard his fighter, Ren feels his mother as well.
And as he's about to shoot the bridge, he hesitates. He can't bring himself to do it!
But another First Order pilot doesn't hesitate.
The bridge explodes, sending everyone out into the vacuum of space, including Leia!
….
Hux growled, "the New Republic has pulled out of range, return to the fleet."
Kylo said, "no."
Hux said, "they won't last long if we keep chasing them like this. It's just a matter of time."
….
As Kylo Ren's TIE Fighter flies back to rejoin the First Order, we see Leia floating within space.
Then a figure flies towards Leia…. A glowing blue figure!
It was her father's spirit!
"Hang on Leia", Anakin said.
He held onto his daughter and started flying back towards the ship.
….
Back on the ship….
"I have to get her", Sam shouted in a worried tone, as he knew his sister was on the bridge when it blew up.
Alastor looked out the window and double-taked as he yelled, "look!"
Sam and the others looked to where Alastor was pointing.
They saw Anakin flying towards the ship with Leia in his arms!
The group quickly ran to the pressurized room that led to the bridge.
Poe quickly opened the door and Anakin flew inside with Leia.
Two droids move her onto a gurney as Sam quickly moves to stand beside her.
One droid says, "life signs are weak, but she's fighting."
Anakin sighed in relief as he vanished.
As the droids carry off Leia, Sam by her side, Collin picks up the device she had that fell to the floor.
Padme stands next to him.
They look at it, determined.
They think, 'we gotta find Rey, Finn and Ani!'
….
Reviews:
SuperSentai199: agreed. Loved the last chapter.
….