Rise of the Teenage Conquerors

Episode 1.12

We're going to war. I'm in Star Wars, and I'm about to fight the Imperials.

Well, I'm about to fight their walkers. As a foot soldier. On Hoth. Damn, this isn't going to go well, is it?

"Let's show those Imps what for!" one of the Rebels shouted as they neared the trenches, and Lucas cheered assent with the others, trying to ignore his sense of impending doom. This isn't going to go well. This isn't going to go well.

They reached the trenches and Lucas stuck with his squad, slinging down the power packs from their backs to equip the turrets. The only thing running through his mind as he worked, fingers clumsy in the thick gloves, was how in Battlefront II he always enjoyed blowing up the turrets to prevent them from shooting at him and his men.

I guess this is my come-uppance.

He glanced toward the horizon, knowing there would soon be Imperial walkers treading toward them. Leana and Ben would be piloting speeders in the Battle of Hoth while Lumina helped call the shots from the command center. And he would be on the field, fighting in the snow, trying not to die.

You know, just this morning I would have died for this chance. Now I'm literally going to die for it.

Lucas rolled his eyes at his own dark humor, chiding himself. You're not going to die. You've got to save Star Wars, not die in the snow. Qui-Gon said this was the trial run for our actual mission. I can't fail this now.

In the trenches, with his rifle resting before him, Lucas set his eyes on the horizon and prepared to wait.

Then he heard the call. "Imperial walkers approaching!"

****

"Imperial walkers on the north ridge."

Leana felt a jolt of adrenaline as her hands tightened around her controls. This is it! The moment of action, the Battle of Hoth. It was time to protect the Rebel cause and prove herself as able to save Star Wars.

Feeding power to the engine, Leana guided the speeder up into the air and followed the others out of the hangar into the blinding white plain of snow. In the distance, she saw the large grey specks of the AT-AT walkers, moving toward the base. Somewhere below, in the trenches, was Lucas. Ben was behind and to her left, piloting his own speeder. Lumina was back in base to conduct the evacuation. All four of them here, involved in the action of their favorite movie saga.

This is unbelievable!

"All right now, boys, keep tight," Luke's voice rang over her comlink and Leana eased her speeder into the formation the other speeders were forming.

Red lasers flashed against the white background as the walkers opened fire. Leana banked to the right, out of the line of fire. She kept on course for the walkers, along with the others.

We're going to take you out.

"I'm ready, Leana," Egan said from behind her.

"Good," Leana replied. "Now hang tight."

The walkers rose, large and looming, through Leana's viewport as she banked severely to the right, twisting at just the right angle to allow Egan to have a shot. She heard the firing of the cannons as Egan aimed at the AT-ATs but knew they would do no good. The speeders' cannons weren't going to affect the walkers.

"Egan, prepare the harpoon and tow cable," Leana told her gunner. "We're going to need them."

"Really?" Egan asked skeptically as Leana swung around behind the walkers to begin her run again. "Why?"