POV: The Battle of Endor

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POV: The Battle of Endor (Cont.)

By Dario Pozo

Effectively, one of the TIE advanced engaged by Gray 12 was dogfighting with him, but the three remaining were now threatening Green leader. There was nothing Rolan could do but warn him, because he had his own problems. The TIE he was targeting was resulting to be really tough, and the one on his six had almost left him without rear shields. You could say that was the same thing as not having any shields at all, since Rolan had directed all energy to that zone.

The cry from Green leader distracted him momentaneously. He risked a quick look, and that was enough: The A-Wing was falling...spinning without control towards the Super Star Destroyer bridge. At the same time, his R2 unit informed him that the Imperial ship's shields were down. He couldn't keep looking. The last laser blast from the TIE Advanced had collapsed the rear shields and caused hull damage. The astromech whistled terrified beeps and some of the cockpit instruments fried. Rolan disengaged the other TIE and maneuvered like a crazy to evade. He was very surprised when the Imperial pilot made a bad move that put himself just in the middle of Rolan's sight. Rolan shot without a doubt, weakening the TIE Advanced's shields and then saw what probably had made the TIE's pilot distraction. The Super Star Destroyer, with her bridge in flames was falling directly over the Death Star, like an arrow of fire. The giant battle ship crashed against the station surface and exploded.

"Uauuuu!" screamed Gray 12. He had finally shot down his TIE Advanced. "You follow after that TIE, I'll catch his partner!"

"Roger, Gray 12!" answered Rolan while continuing to shoot against the Imperial fighter.

He had no time to finish the job. An urgent order interrupted any other consideration.

"Move away from the Death Star! Right now!"

Probably the TIE Advanced's pilots interpreted correctly the meaning behind the Rebel fighters retreat as they didn't try to persue them. Instead, they retreated completely in the other direction.

Death Star Explosion "R2, direct all the energy you can find to the engines!" ordered Rolan. The X-Wing skipped at front and raced towards the escaping cruisers. At his back, the Death Star exploded like a supernova, taking with her all the ships that was not far enough, between them, and the Star Destroyer that was probably waiting to detect the Emperor's shuttle between the last ships escaping. When the expansive wave ceased, the X-Wing's rear sensors started to working again. Only two green signals, corresponding to the ships of General Calrissian and Commander Antilles were on his rear sensors.

The remaining Imperial ships seemed to doubt whether to continue the fight, but evidently there was nobody at command of the fleet and each captain was deciding what to do with his ship. The rebel forces was too weakened at that moment, but Admiral Ackbar noted the confusion on the Imperial side and made his decision.

"All ships..." ordered using the general frequency, "launch a last attack against the Star Destroyer's engines where the shields are the weakest. Every ship we destroy today won't be back against us the next time!"

Rolan's X-Wing was in really bad shape, but he had four proton torpedoes left to use. He saw some Rebel fighters punishing the Star Destroyer that was already seriously damaged. Then he decided to contribute with his torpedoes being careful not to get in range of the powerful Star Destroyer's guns. He shot at the engines of the Star Destroyer at medium range and waited for the result. He looked at his damage indicator and he was not conforted with what he saw. His R2 unit said that there was no way to repare the shields, so he can't do anything more against the Star Destroyer without suicide.

Instead, he thought he could help attack some of the TIE fighters that were aproaching and have yet a chance to survive, and that was what he did. He chose a group of three and fired with quad lasers, destroying one and managing to evade the fire from the other two just by luck. Surely they had orders to defend the threatened Star Destroyer, because none of them engaged him and continued the route towards the big ship. But they were too late. The Star Destroyer broke in two parts at the middle of her hull, erupting in a chain of explotions.

The combined fire from the Rebel Capital Ships and the remaining fighters destroyed two more Star Destroyers in less than a minute. That made the final decision from the Imperial's that they'd rather be in any other place in the galaxy at that very moment and jumped to hyperspace. Of all the remaining Imperial fighters, only the TIE Advanced had hyperspace capabilities, so the rest could be trapped there without their home ships.

Dozens of fighters abandoned the combat and directed towards the Star Destroyers, disobeying the orders of continuing the battle. Some of them were destroyed in the attempt, but most managed to reach their destination. Admiral Ackbar understood that there was no need to force their luck, with the Rebel fleet so reduced as it was. That last attack had granted the destruction of three Star Destroyers, a great reward, but a Rebel Calamarian Cruiser had fallen in the fight and the two surviving Cruisers had received severe punishment, without even mentioning the lost fighters.

"All ships, interrupt the prosecution of the Imperial forces." ordered Admiral Ackbar. "This is enough for today."

Rolan greeted this order in silence. His X-Wing was flying yet almost by a miracle.

Everybody on board the Rebel flagship was celebrating. Only Admiral Ackbar stood in silence. Although it was classified as a victory, he couldn't avoid thinking of all the people that had been lost under his command. But now it was time to do all that was possible for the pilots who were still alive.

"Launch all available shuttles. Look for ejected pilots. Make prisoners of the Imperial's. All fighters, identify all the ships that had escaped from the Death Star but had not jumped to hyperspace."

"You heard the orders R2!" said Rolan. His astromech beeped in answer.

The few B-Wings and Y-Wings that had survived the battle were having an easier job disabling transports carrying Imperial troops and workers. Several transports and utility vehicles were being piloted for prisoners that had managed to evade in the confusion of the Death Star's last moments.

Rolan saw a lonely Imperial shuttle directing towards the Rebel cruisers, and used the fighter's sensors to investigate her. It seemed that it was occupied by only the pilot. Rolan put his X-Wing in the shuttle's tail and used the intercom.

"Imperial shuttle, stop your engines and identify yourself at once, or you will be destroyed!"

"Take it easy, pilot..." came the answer while the shuttle reduced her speed. "This is Commander Skywalker."

This was a surprise for Rolan. It was known that Commander Skywalker had been with the commandos on the Endor's moon, so the shuttle's pilot could be lying.

"Wait a minute while I check that, sir." Rolan said with caution.

"R2, check the vital parameters of that pilot and check it with the Defiance's database." After a few seconds, the droid had a positive confirmation.

"This is Lieutenant Rolan Kazanna, Gray 21, Commander Skywalker." said Rolan with evident joy. "I will escort you to the Defiance, sir."

"Thank you, Lieutenant." replied Commander Skywalker. You could hear the exhaustion in his voice.

Rolan transmitted to the Defiance his position and who the pilot was of the shuttle he was escorting. Everybody on board the flagship was glad to hear the good news. The commandos team led by General Solo had contacted the Defiance earlier and reported that Commander Skywalker was not with them. At that time nobody had really known if he was still alive. Admiral Ackbar spoke with him personally, while Rolan listened.

"Commander Skywalker, this is Admiral Ackbar. It seems that you are coming from the Death Star. Do you have any news about the Emperor?" asked the Admiral with anxiety. Everybody was in silence waiting for the answer.

"Yes, Admiral. The Emperor is dead. Darth Vader killed him prior to his own death."

Nobody said a word during the next few seconds. That was incredible from all points of view, but everybody believed the words of Commander Skywalker.

"I suppose you have many things to tell, Commander Skywalker..." Admiral Ackbar replied at last, "but we can wait to hear it until you are on board."

"Thank you, Admiral." replied Skywalker.

Rolan made the rest of the short travel to the Defiance in silence. He saw some of the rescue shuttles boarding the cruiser, and thought of Den, his lost wingman, but he knew that he wouldn't be amongst the rescued ones. The rest of Gray squadron, six X-Wings from the 48 that left the Defiance what seemed an eternity ago, joined with him before reaching the Defiance's bay. Gray leader was not between those who were returning. Every pilot was greeting one another with silence as they were aware of their losses. Not to mention of them thinking about the news brought from Commander Skywalker.

The death of so many comrades and friends had not been for nothing. The Emperor was dead with the Death Star and a new horizon of hope stretched in front of the tired warriors. Could it be that the Rebel Alliance becomes some day, not too far in the future, the New Republic?

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