The Jedi were quickly stripped of their lightsabers. Korran fastened the lightsabers of Coris and Mira to his belt. Melenna handed the lightsaber of Del to Grand Admiral Thrawn. The rebel troops held their hands on their heads, while Commander Thorn was restrained and held at gunpoint. Thrawn stepped forward to speak to the prisoners.
"I must thank you Padawan Del Ennada. Yes I know you're real name. I know an awful lot about each of you. For instance I know that you, Del Komo, were the padawan to Jedi Master Falon Cormac. But back to my thanks, you have brought me every Jedi and a vast majority of the rebels on this planet. You have done a great service to the Empire."
"You can take my service and choke on it." Del said spitefully
"I can offer you a chance for you and your Jedi friends to walk away from this entire mess. I'm sure Padawans Mira and Coris Covell would appreciate that."
Del looked as best he could with one functioning eye at Coris and Mira. He knew that he and Mira and Coris were quite possibly the last Jedis in the galaxy. But he also sensed that it was a trap. But Del had a plan.
"Mira, can you hear me?"
"Del?? How are you doing this? How am I doing this???"
"No time to explain. I need you to get your lightsaber and Coris' from the Inquisitor. I'm going to fake taking the offer. I need you to sell it though. Got it?"
"Are you sure about this?"
"No. But it's our best chance to have a shot of fighting our way out of here. Trust me."
"Okay..."
"If I take your offer, you will ensure the survival of me and the other two Jedi, correct?"
"I assure you, no harm will come to your or your fellow Jedi."
"What's the catch?" Del asked
Thrawn handed Del his lightsaber and unlocked his handcuffs.
"I want you to execute Commander Titus Thorn here. Do this, and we will ensure your safe, untracked departure where you may disappear into the vast expanse of the galaxy, never to be disturbed."
Del took the lightsaber and activated it. He stared Thorn in the eyes.
"No, Del don't do it!" Mira yelled
"Del, what the hell do you think you're doing?!"
"I knew we should've never trusted you. You doomed us and this planet. Jedi filth" Thorn said, the hate filing his eyes.
"Shut up and get ready to grab a gun" Del said under his breath loud enough for only Thorn to hear.
Del raised his blade, Melenna smiled, and Thrawn smirked.
"You know Thrawn, I'm impressed you know so much about me. But one of your facts is wrong."
"Which would be what?"
"I am not the last apprentice. I am a Jedi Knight."
With one stroke, Del brought the blade down and cut right through Thorn's handcuffs. Thorn got up and immediately knocked out the nearest Stormtrooper and grabbed his blaster. Immediately he began firing on the surrounding troops. Del turned around and used the Force to launch Thrawn 30 feet back. Melenna and Korran turned around to see the Grand Admiral fly through the air and land on the concrete hard. While they were turned around, Mira used the Force to grab her and Coris' lightsabers. She cut her handcuffs, then Coris' and handed him his lightsaber. The three Jedi all ignited their lightsabers and were immediately enveloped in an intense fight. Blaster fire was going everywhere, rebels had grabbed weapons and started firing, others were using their bare hands to fight the Stormtroopers. Thrawn had gotten up and quickly retreated into the Imperial Headquarters. Melenna and Korran had ignited their double bladed lightsabers. The rebels, though armed with the stolen weapons, were still outnumbered. Even the three young Jedi looked around and saw that this fight could very well be their last. They were surrounded on all sides, vastly outnumbered. Then, things got much worse as an Imperial walker arrived to the scene. An AT-ST was never a welcome sight, and even more so for a group of rebels in the middle of an Imperial stronghold with no back up.
"Well Commander, I don't suppose now is a good time to thank you."
"Oh don't you worry Del, we've got an ace up our sleeve."
"What do you mean?" Del asked
Then, out of nowhere, a transport ship arrived in the atmosphere. It immediately began firing on the city below, causing chaos. Melenna and Korran had a turret blast fired right in front of them. The AT-ST immediately focused on the massive rebel transport ship, giving time for the rebels to clear a landing zone. Then, a second transport ship arrived, and it provided even more air support. Commander Thorn, Mira, Del, and Coris were all taking cover behind a nearby wall that had crumbled during the air strike.
"Here Commander!" Del said over the loud bombing continued and sever rebels engaged troops on the ground. He handed him his communicator. "Call the command center!"
"Forest, this is Thorn, do you read?"
"Loud and clear Thorn, communications must finally be unjammed. We called in that air support."
"I can see that. Took a little longer than 45 minutes don't you think?"
"They were preoccupied when we called sir, helping other rebels escape from their own sticky situations. But hey, at least they made it."
Thorn chuckled to himself, "Yes they did. Get yourself and the rest of the rebels on a transport back at the base Forest. Leave the system and we'll send you the rendezvous coordinates once we have them. Bring everything with you, don't leave anything for the Empire. It won't be long before they find that base. But by then—"
"We'll be long gone. You got it Commander. See you at the rendezvous."
Little did the rebels know that the real reason for the communications being unjammed was taking place in Thrawn's office.
"Admiral Tharen, two rebel transport ships have just jumped out of hyperspace inside the planet's atmosphere. I expect you to stop them before they leave the system."
"Understood Grand Admiral. The atmosphere of the planet will be their graves."
The AT-ST finally went down, exploding on its way. This finally gave the rebel transports enough room to land. The area had been cleared of Stormtroopers and the rebels began filing into the transports. Mira helped Del find his way to one on account of his vision still being poor from the injury. Coris followed them to ensure their safety. Once all the rebels got aboard, the ships lifted off. Thorn sent the rendezvous coordinates to the last remaining rebels back at the base, who had grabbed all information kept in the database. The base was nothing more than a building with some hologram tables now. As the rebel transports were leaving the system, TIE fighters were sent to intercept. With Imperial TIE fighters firing on the transports, the rebels sent full power to the engines and shields.
It was a bumpy ride, but they finally broke the atmosphere, only to find the unwelcome sight of Admiral Tharen's Enforcer waiting for them. The Star Destroyer began firing, and the rebel transports were forced to take evasive action. Unable to find a way through, the rebels options were running out. There seemed to be no way past Tharen's Star Destroyer. She had the rebels right where she wanted them. As the Star Destroyer locked onto the transports to destroy them once and for all, something unexpected happened. The rebels who had left the base on Calda had finally arrived in space, and had led a bombing run on the Enforcer. The weapons were down, and the tractor beam was left useless. There was nothing Tharen could do to capture or kill the rebels. Her brief moment of victory ruined by an unplanned attack that she could've prepared for. All she could do was watch in rage as the rebel transports made their jump to hyperspace, escaping the system in one piece, and escaping the clutches of the Empire.
Del finally relaxed as they escaped, sitting down after watching the events unfold before him through one of the ship's windows. Mira sat next to him, a medical kit in hand, preparing some things to heal his wound. Coris helped her with the supplies, looking for things as Mira asked for them. They bandaged Del's eye and chest to stop the moderate, but not fatal, bleeding.
"It's not much, but it'll be enough until we make it to the rendezvous." Mira said
"We're glad you're still with us. Seeing how that monster left you made us worry." Coris said
"Thanks guys. I don't know about you, but I need some time to rest. So if you don't mind, I'll be taking a nap."
"I'll wake you when we get there." Mira told him.
"You better." Del said with a smile as he slowly drifted off to sleep. The last thing he saw from his one good eye was the calming blue colors of hyperspace, and a hand covering him with a warm blanket.
"Remember Del, the Force will be with you, always. Your journey has just begun."