Ch 14

After the Third Brother had learned the location of the rebel base, they had launched a full-scale invasion.

Many stormtroopers and two Purge troopers arrived with two AT-AT walkers on Yavin 4.

The walkers spat red bolts which created smoldering holes in the base doors and soon the troopers and the Third Brother poured in.

"Hold them back!" ordered the rebel leader Mon Mothma who was firing her blaster.

The rebels and troopers traded many blaster shots with Ezra and Hammerly also helping out with their saber and blaster pistol.

Ezra even struck down one of the Purge troopers but the fierce onslaught of Imperials drove the rebels further and further back.

Then one stormtrooper shot Ezra in the torso and he screamed, falling down in a heap.

"Ezra's down!" Hammerly said.

She and Sabine helped carry Ezra into another room which the rebels sealed off with blaster shots to the door console, temporarily slowing down the Imperials.

Ezra was on a strecher and some of the rebels went close to the door, aiming their blasters at it to buy time for the others to escape.

Hammerly also went to join them but Ezra grabbed her arm.

"You don't have to do this." Ezra said.

"If we don't then you won't be alive." Hammerly replied.

"I don't want you to die for me. I can't lose another friend."

Hammerly went over to him, ruffled his hair and kissed his cheek.

"Don't worry." she said. "I'll be back before you know it."

Then Hammerly joined the others at the door and Ezra was pulled away by the rebels who were going to the hangar.

At the door, the rebels and Hammerly tensed up as they waited for the attack.

Then sparks flew from the door and the troopers poured in.

Blaster bolts flew everywhere and many rebels fell until there was only Hammerly left.

The Third Brother raised his hand and the troopers stopped firing.

"You are a traitor and you will die as one." the Inquisitor asked.

"Well, depends on who you ask." Hammerly replied.

She fired but the Inquisitor stopped the blaster bolts with his bare hand and swung his saber.

Hammerly kept dodging until she picked up a metal rod.

She ducked the Third Brother's swings and whacked his sides with the rod, making him grunt in pain.

Then the Inquisitor sliced Hammerly's rod in half and Force pushed her down.

Hammerly stared up at the enemy with a fierce defiance before the Third Brother ended her life with a single strike of his saber.

On an escape transport, Ezra felt Hammerly's death and a spark of pain almost made him fall and he held onto the wall.

"Are you alright?" Sabine asked.

"Hammerly is gone." Ezra said.

Then the two survivors embraced each other for a long time.

Hammerly had made the right choice.