Chapter 25 - *Secret Title at the End* (2/2)
- ”You'll respond for this to the Supreme Leader”- said Kylo Ren in a last attempt to stop Hux.
- ”I will take the responsibility”- said Hux immediately cutting off the communications.
Ren had burst of fury and wished to be next to Hux to break his neck and showed him who was the master. However, he understood that those thoughts were of no use and immediately boarded his TIE Silencer knowing that every second counted and immediately took off in direction to the Voyager. Leia Organa was one of the keys he needed to unlock his full potential and he would not permit anyone to kill her before it was the correct time.
- ”Black Five”- he ordered using his secret communication systems- ”meet me at point 78, 700 and wait for instructions.”
- ”Yes, Sir!”- replied the only Knight of Ren that had survived the Battle of Takodana.
Kylo Ren flew at breaking speed to the voyager and not much longer started to feel the presence of Leia
(...)
At the same time Leia who was still in the Bridge of the Voyager and was next to Ackbar also felt this powerful and familiar presence.
- ”He's here...”- she said feeling a tight pressure in her ċhėst.
- ”Shields at 40%!”- officers shouted while other also informed of many other damages they were suffering.
- ”Enemy Star Destroyer depleting more TIE fighters!”- informed another officer
- ”This doesnt look good!”- said Thaneespi but her face showed not much worry.
- ”Takodana reinforcements behind us!”- informed another officer with a radiant smile.
- ”The bait worked then”- said Ackbar and sighed with relief knowing that the plan had worked.
They had showed a small fleet on the flank of the flagship Inquisitor to make them believe they will make a desperate attack while the real fleet would support them in repelling this suicidal attack.
- ”Here General Solo”- said the voice of Han and Leia couldn't help but show a radiant smile- ”Leave the cleaning to us and Poe. So send your guys out there, Admiral.”
- ”Here Rogue 3”- said Poe who was leading the teams from the Rogue Squadron- ”we'll make way for the bombers so follow us tight and don't get delayed.”
- ”Received!”- said Ackbar with no hesitation- ”have the Y-wings follow the Rogue squadron!”
Multiple hangars from the Voyager were opened and many BTL-A4 Y-wing Variant starfighters lifted off followed by more potent BTL-S8 K-wings that immediately ȧssembled behind Han's group.
- ”Ok, Chewee. Let's do this.”- said Han introducing the last codes to the Millennium Falcon.
- ”Grrreweee!”- said Chewee showing the typical excitement he had before a battle as his warrior blood started to boil.
- ”Of course!”- replied Han grinning at him like so many times- ”Are you ready, Kid?”
- ”Ready”- responded Finn who seemed to be extremely angry since Kylo Ren escaped and seemed to be looking for somethng to let off steam.
- ”Rogue Squadron!”- said Han confirming their positioning- ”Get ready to enter the fray! Don't make the First Order look down on you!”
- ”We're ready and anxious to start, General!”- replied Poe with a wide grin that shared with all the members of the Rogue Squadron.
- ”All units attack!”- ordered Han and the Rogue Squadron surrounded the Millennium Falcon in formation. They were all battle-hardened warriors who smiled at death every day while betting their lives at every move, so this was just another deadly game which put no fear in them.
Some may think that a small force like this would not make any important contribution or difference and they wouldnt be wrong if it werent for the fact that this were the legendary Han Solo and the Rogue squadron who were veterans aces that had tilted far worse battles into their advantage. They entered the skirmish with no hesitation and cut through the enemy starfighters like a hot knife through buŧŧer.
- ”Rogue sqadron! enemies at point 85, 999!”- informed Han- ”send someone to block them!”
- ”On it, Sir!”- said Poe who was already taking out many enemy fighters- ”Team 4! You heard the general!”
- ”Loud and Clear!”- responded the team leader and they separated from the main group
- ”Keep on like that, kid!”- said Han praising Finn's top notch shooting abilities- ”maybe I'll hire you after all this ends!”
Han and Chewee's maneuvering gave Finn so many free shots that he thought that he had to be absolutely blind to fail. However, the truth was that FInn's reactions were spot on and Han knew that not many could match Chewee's maneuvering which spoke aloud of the abilities of the young man. Their momentum caught their enemies by surprise and managed to break their formations. In the first wave, they had managed to destroy a lot of TIE fighters and opened the way for the bombers who had been following them all along.
- ”Bomber Squadron, do your job!”- ordered Han seeing the Star Destroyers in front of them- ”Neutralize the upper cannons and protect them from the flies all around”
- ”Yes, Sir”- responded Poe following directly after him- ”Team 1! Follow me and get rid of the cannons! Teams 2 and 3 escort the Y-wings and clean up those greenhorns!”
-”Yes, Sir!”
- ”Copy that!”
The bombers advanced to the Star Destroyer which was making the most damage to the Voyager and got ready to bomb it. Many TIE fighters flew to them like furious hornets whose nest had been hit. The Millennium Falcon and the Rogue Squadrom X-wings advanced evading the anti- starfighter upper cannons and started to neutralize them with shots so accurate that even elite pilots would consider impossible
- ”Two bombers lost!”- they heard the inform but they continued doing their job- ”four now!”
Han sighed and knew that it was only natural. The typical curse of the bombers in general was their extremely weak defense which was the sacrifice they made in exchange for their equally ridiculous offensive capable of taking down Star Destroyers.
- ”Hey, guys!”- shouted Han with anger- ”I thought I had been clear about protecting those Y-wings! Do your job, Damn it!”
Even though many bombers and x-wings fell in the attack, plenty of them arrived to the Bridge and started their attack with powerful proton bombs that provoked massive damage on the systems of the enemy ships. Soon the first Star Destroyer started to change itsangle indicating that it was offline.
- ”First target eliminated!”- said Han setting his eyes on his next prey- ”the other two are not better than this one so we'll do the same... do not lose your focus!”
The second and third Star Destroyers had received a lot of damage previously which had made their shields extremely weak and so the bombers, especially the BTL-S8 K-wings new series took them out what was left of them, sending them to the netherworld. The second Star Destroyer especially had received so much amage that it exploded with such violence that sent many Resistance starfighters flying and even destroyed some. The Millennium Falcon also received some damage due to this explosion but it was not of serious repercusions.
- ”Mission accomplished, Admiral”- reported Han and the crew of the Voyager cheered loudly- ”Keep covering us until we can clean this area...”
- ”Good job, General!”- said Ackbar- ”we will...”
An explosion made all the Voyager tremble and the alarms started to sound all around. The shake had sent many people to the floor including Thaneespi who was helped by Leia who had managed to hold on her seat.
- ”Direct hit to the fuselage!”- informed an officer who had just returned to his seat- ”Shields systems down!”
- ”Damn it all!”- shouted Ackbar turning around to watch the battlefield- ”All weapons shoot what we have and have the reaining Cruisers form a blockade in front of us... ”
- ”Yes, Sir!”
- ”General”- said Ackbar talking to Han- ”we're a sitting duck at the moment and we need protection until the Cruisers can position hemselves.”
- ”Understood!”- said Han looking at Chewee so he can change of direction- ”Rogue Squaderon! Gather your forces and defend...!”
- ”Star Destroyer's main cannons locking on the Voyager!”- someone shouted through the intercom.
- ”What?”- Han looked through the window and saw one of the supposed eliminated Star Destroyers gathering energy on its cannons and reaccomodating its angle to shoot directly at the Voyager- ”Bombers! Take down that Destroyer NOW!”
Many bombers turned around and flew in direction to the destroyer. Every X-wing also dashed against it shooting everything they had to stop the Star Destroyer but Han knew that they would not make it in time.
- ”Leia!”- shouted Han in desperation seeing powerlessly how the massive destroyer had finally accomodate to shoot the shot that would kill one of the most important figures of the Resistance.
BOOM!
The shot was never done, however, since the Bridge of the Star destroyer had been destroyed by a direct hit that had definitely and mercilessly killed every crew member of it. Han and all of the Resistance members were in disbelief and wondered who had made such miraculously shot.
- ”TIE Silencers detected!”- informed the officer by the radio and the happiness they had felt turned into desperation.
Han recognized the starfighter that was the personnal model used by Kylo Ren and he had no doubts about his intentions. Even though the rest of the Resistance did not understand why Kylo Ren had saved the Voyager, Han and Leia knew very well that it was because Kylo wanted to do it personally, so Han did not hesitate for a second in going after him.
- ”Poe! After him!”- ordered Han and started a furious chase after Kylo Ren
- ”Teams 1 and 2 follow General Solo!”- ordered Poe also flying at full speed after the TIE Silencer- ”Teams 3 and 4 deal with the other Blackie!”
- ”Roger that!”
Han and the Rogue Squadron started to shoot at Kylo Ren but he seemed to be uninterested in them and just evaded and moved with incredible swiftness in direction to the Voyager. Han saw in desperation how the other Mon Calamari Cruisers were trying to block him but he just slithered through them dodging any shot and preparing to finish off the Voyager in the same fashion as he had done with the Star Destroyer.
- ”Please somebody!”- shouted Han calculating that Kylo Ren was in shooting range- ”Block him!”
In the moment when it looked as if Kylo Ren was going to shoot, he made a drastic maneuver that permitted him to evade a shot that had been extremely accurate. Han looked for the responsible and saw a T-65 X-wing variant that looked extremely familiar. This X-wing not only forced Ren to dodge but he also destroyed four TIE fighters that were flying around the Voyager at a vertiginous speed.
- ”Impossible!”- said Han recognizing the X-wing and its pilot- ”It's Luke!”
Chapter Title: ”Luke Returns”