Stowaway: A Star Wars Rebels Story

Fading Fast - Part 2

"Remember the days when I was at the Imperial Academy?" Sabine addressed everyone. I raised an eyebrow and gave her a questioning look. That's the first thing you say? Don't you remember what happened when you went there? But she also sounded fearless while asking that. She didn't let that devastating experience hold her back. "It's hard to forget about those times. Why?" Ursa asked. "I studied this type of ship, and it's a lot easier to take it out than you think," Sabine said arrogantly. "The gravity wells siphon most of its power. Destroy one well and the entire ship explodes. It is shielded, but enough firepower should bring it down. The Gauntlet will transport the strike team to the hull of the Interdictor while our wings act as air support and repel any Imperial ships trying to push us back. Once we're done, the Gauntlet will scoop us and we will jump back here." I nodded in agreement, impressed at her expertise on the ship. She really did have a knack for making mostly foolproof plans. "I like it. If you're gonna volunteer to help us out, speak now or forever hold your peace," I announced. The majority of the room voiced their support of this act, eager to lend a hand in this mission. "Perfect. Now come on, we don't have time to waste," Ezra ordered. I saluted the Countess, who understandably had to defend the stronghold, and left the throne room. Almost everyone followed us onto the Gauntlet, while the remaining volunteers scrambled to their ships. "You fly, Y/N," Ezra said. "One day, this ship might be yours." I gave him a confused look, but now was not the time to overthink things. I powered up the ship's systems and we were ready to launch. I looked back at everyone to see if they were strapped in, but my eyes locked onto Sabine's. She knew I had something to say to her. "Y/N, I-" she began. "I know. We can talk after the mission," I interrupted, keeping my head clear and my eyes on the prize. "All units, keep your comm channels open. Sending coordinates to Atollon," I said over comms. I lifted the ship off the ice, accelerated out of the atmosphere, and jumped into hyperspace. Let's go save our friends.

Narrator's POV:

Thrawn had just completed the second part of his three-stage attack. The orbital bombardment was unable to overwhelm the shield the rebels hid under, but it crushed their morale. Now, he would personally deliver the final blow, completing his vision of teaching his enemies a lesson on failure. "Governor Pryce, you're in command of the fleet while I lead the ground assault. Do not disappoint me," Thrawn said as he prepared to depart the command deck. Kallus laughed at this remark, perhaps a little too loudly, as the Grand Admiral turned to face him. "The plight of your friends amuses you?" Thrawn questioned. "I've been in your position before, only for the rebels to pull a victory from certain defeat," Kallus said. The rebels found ways to win battle after battle despite everything going against them, especially from the Agent's previous experience. Thrawn, however, hated this remark, lowering his eyebrows and staring directly back at Kallus. "You and I are not the same, as these rebels are about to learn," he said coldly. The Admiral walked out of the bridge, leaving Kallus to ponder his words. The more those words replayed in his mind, he realized the Grand Admiral was correct. Only once in Phoenix Squadron's history had they been defeated so brutally, and it wasn't at his command. Luckily for him, the death troopers holding him at gunpoint were replaced by stormtroopers. Maybe there was hope for himself after all.

Back on Atollon, the rebels breathed sighs of relief. The shield they had activated to fortify their base barely held up. However, their goal still remained the same: get off the planet and jump out of the system. Unfortunately for them, they had to continue holding out as long as that last Interdictor was still in space. "Our shield generator took a beating. I doubt it will survive another attack like that," Zeb said. "It won't have to. Thrawn was trying to soften us up. He'll send in ground forces to do the dirty work," Hera speculated. She pressed a few buttons on the main holoprojector, displaying an image of a chasm of a ravine close to the base. "I agree, Captain. My guess is he will launch a direct assault from this position," Dodonna added, pointing to the furthest point away from the base. "If we mine these approaches here, and here, we can slow them down," Rex devised, marking two locations along the ravine. "Good. You and Zeb get a squad down there. Move!" Hera ordered. The rebels nodded and hastily ran off to get the munitions necessary for a successful defense. "Scanners have picked up multiple transports in the western quadrant," AP-5 reported. "He's launching the first wave," Hera said. She prayed that Zeb and Rex's detonations would push back the Empire, or at least slow down their impending arrival. The bomb squad hurried to the ravine and placed their detonators frantically in their spots on the ground. Time was limited, and the thick fog that enveloped the ravine didn't help. Then they hid behind some rocks, patiently waiting for the cavalry to arrive. Minutes passed, but no noise was made. The Empire's imminence made the rebels feel uneasy. They knew they would come, but they never took this long to attack. After what felt like an eternity, a wave of AT-DPs emerged from the fog, their steps quick yet heavy. "Here they come," Zeb alerted, gripping his rocket launcher. Rex let the walkers approach them before triggering the detonators. He pressed the button, the explosives' vibrations rippling throughout the pass. All but one of the walkers were knocked down. "Left one for you," Rex said. Zeb stepped out of his cover, quickly taking aim and firing. The missile hit the walker square in its head, destroying it.