The maneuvers of the Rebel fleet were definitely brave, but the fact that most of them were suicidal was nerve-wracking. One cruiser belonging to the Rebellion was amongst the field of Star Destroyers currently, part of it alive with explosions and brilliant flames. It refused to go down alone, however, when it rammed straight into an Imperial Star Destroyer and exploded, taking both ships with it.
Meanwhile, the Falcon, Blue Squadron, and Green Squadron worked on taking out one of the larger Imperial ships—the main communications ship. The ship had already been slightly disabled by one of their cruisers, yet it wasn't a fatal wound to the metal monstrosity. They had to take it out while it was still down.
"Increase power on the lower deflector shields." Lando called into his comm. "We're going in."
"Right with you, General." Wedge answered. "Close up formations, team!"
Blaster fire shot from several brilliant maneuvers, the fighters aiming at the Star Destroyer's weak points.
"Stay clear of their front batteries." Blue Leader warned through his commlink.
"It's a heavy fire zone down there."
"Concentrate on the left of the comm tower, she's vulnerable there!" Wedge noted.
"Right with you."
Suddenly, a shout came through the comm as Green Wing was hit. "I'm losing power!"
"Get clear before you blow!"
The small fighter made a split second decision and dove to the side, landing right in the Destroyer's front batteries.
A small respectful silence and a mumbled, "Thank you," from Blue Leader.
Wedge was the first to reeler his head. "Alright team, that opens it up for us! Cut over. The power reactors are just inside that cargo bay."
"Follow me!" Lando called, directing the Falcon with the snub fighters behind him.
After a while..."Direct hit!"
"Pull up, pull up!"
Just as the squad moved out of range, the Star Destroyer erupted almost beautifully, the different colors of fire lasting briefly as the ship faded away and took on the look of some sort of star. Unfortunately, Blue Leader got caught by the shock wave and cried out his final screams as his fighter blended in with the large explosion. Lando and Wedge were some of the few to escape, silently mournful as they did, yet grateful all the same.
Ackbar, still on the bridge of the Rebel command ship, commed through to Calrissian. "General, the jamming has stopped. We have a reading on the shield."
Lando felt a brief sense of hope and desperation. "Is it still up?"
Ackbar sighed. "I'm afraid so. It looks like General Solo's unit didn't make it."
Lando closed his eyes for a moment, taking a deep breath as he wondered what exactly was going on down on that moon. 'Come on, Han...'
"Until they've destroyed our last ship, there's still hope." Lando said firmly, getting another worried look from Nien beside him. The gambler-turned-general's hands gripped the steering mechanism of the ship and he narrowed his eyes. Han wouldn't let him down. He knew that.
"Come on. We have a job to do."
***
Inside the Imperial bunker that held the shield generator on the Endor moon, many Imperial officers, the same ones who had intercepted the Rebels, waited in anticipation for the battle to end outside. The bored troopers and officers all suddenly perked up, however, when the view screen broadcasted a call coming through. They instantly opened it up to see a vague, cut-off picture of one of their Imperial walker pilots. The static and interference was terrible, but the message was clear.
"It's over, Commander," the pilot said. "The Rebels have been routed. They're fleeing into the woods. We need reinforcements to continue the pursuit."
The controllers, officers, and troopers cheered together. "Send three squads to help! Open the back door." The control room commander ordered.
"Yes, sir," another commander saluted, enthusiastic about their success.
The squads approached the door and scrambled out as it opened up, looking around in sudden shock to see Rebels smirking at them, all of their blasters trained on them. They were outnumbered. They looked up to also see some of the Ewok creatures with bows and arrows, looking just as smug about their ruse. The Imperials threw down their weapons and rose their hands above their heads grumpily.
Han clambered out of the Imperial walker with a smile, throwing off the pilot's hat he had worn to fool the Imperials. He quickly took Chewie and a few other Rebels and ran inside of the bunker, determined to finish what they came here for. Each Rebel set to work setting explosive charges, taking out the few remaining Imperials left inside. "Throw me another charge." Han called to his Wookiee friend, deft with his hands as he caught the explosive device.
One of the Rebels, with Han's nod of approval, quickly triggered the devices, each of them lighting up and counting down. They all ushered out as quickly as they had come in, Han screaming out the warning as he ran out, preparing to dive into the brush just as the bunker exploded behind him. The shockwave knocked him and many others flat to the ground, the explosion large and elaborate and taking up almost the whole sky. The Rebels cheered as they all looked in the air, hoping that the fleets above would be able to have a chance now.
Just as the ground assault assumed, the fleet knew of the explosion immediately.
Ackbar sat forward with elated eyes. "The shield is down! Commence attack on the Death Star's main reactor!"
Lando heard the call and laughed loudly. "We're on our way, Admiral. Red Group, Gold Group, all fighters follow me." He smiled broadly and turned to his co-pilot. "I told you they'd do it!"
Nien laughed as well, his adrenaline rising. The Second Death Star loomed closer as the Falcon, and the fighters behind it zoomed towards it innards, determined to end this once and for all.
***
Luke held his breath as he heard Vader's slow approaching footsteps. He tried his best to dim his Force signature and quiet his physical noises as well. He knew Anakin was unconscious above him, as his signature was clouded, so he was alone at least until he awoke. His true test against the Sith version of his father.
Distress seemed to be radiating from Anakin despite his fuzzy signature, and Luke forced himself to focus. The echo of Vader's respirator made him shudder as his hand gripped his saber tighter. His palms were sweaty and clammy and he bit his lip, still struggling to stop his breaths from being loud. "You cannot hide forever, Luke."
The baritone voice cut deep into the boy's soul and he gathered his courage. This was his father. No matter who he was, he had helped give him life. Force, he had met the man's past self now, so he at least knew what he used to be like. But how was he to redeem him if he was too scared to face him?
Making sure his throat wasn't too dry, Luke dared call out to the Sith, making him turn towards the sound of the youthful voice. "I will not fight you."
Vader smiled tensely, sensing Luke's troubling thoughts despite his weak shields and also sensing Anakin's torturous mental pain. "Give yourself to the dark side." He urged, moving to where he was sure he had heard Luke speak. "It is the only way you can save your friends on Endor. Your feelings for them are strong."
Luke winced, trying to force his mind to stop worrying about Han, Leia, and Chewie down on the moon. Especially his newfound sister...oh if something happened to her because of him...
'No, stop! He can hear you!' His mind screamed at him.
"Especially for..." Vader trailed off as he inspected Luke's conflicting thoughts, his worries for his friends and for Anakin overcoming his rational sense. Then, a certain thought sent the Sith staggering backwards a step.
'You are a member of the Rebel Alliance and a traitor, take her away!'
The Princess!? His...daughter? Padmé had had twins?
An angry snarl left him, sounding strange through is vocoder. How could...not only one child hidden from him, but two!?
"Sister..." Vader growled, waiting for Luke to confirm it. The small, almost child-like gasp he heard was definitely the boy's, so he must've heard his thoughts correctly. "So..." Vader drawled angrily, "...you have a twin sister. Your feelings have now betrayed her too. Obi-Wan was wise to hide her from me. Now his failure is complete." So if Luke refused him...a small smile came over him. "If you will not turn to the dark side,"
Luke tensed, a sudden rage overcoming him as Vader completed his sentence. "then perhaps she will..."
"Never!" Luke screamed, his blue eyes alight with an anger he had never known before. Vader jerked in surprise; his intentions had been to drive Luke out of hiding, but he definitely had not been expecting a small ball of fury to lash out at him with a brilliant emerald saber.
Shocked, Vader struggled to block the frenzied attacks, his son's azure eyes almost clouded. He was completely out of control, drawing on the dark side to aid him in his attack. Vader was briefly proud, but he buckled backwards at Luke's sudden surge of power. They stumbled back up the stairs, the green blade a blur as Vader tried desperately to defend himself. Once they reached the small bridge by the elevator, Vader's eyes briefly flickered towards Anakin, still crumpled on the side.
His distraction proved fatal, however, as Luke used all the brute force and strength he had in his small body to drive Vader to his knees and hack at his father without mercy, his eyes murderous and set to kill. Vader had never been in so much shock before. The next thing he knew, the nerve sensors in his hand flared up in pain, a agonized cry leaving him as he finally collapsed at the boy's feet, breathing heavily through his respirator and looking up at the blade at his neck. Luke was breathing just as heavy, his expression crazed and intense.
Vader held up his uninjured hand in an attempt of mercy from his child, and slowly saw the blue eyes slide towards the missing hand, the sparking wires clicking something in his mind. A violent shudder gripped the youth as he stumbled backwards, his sword grip wavering as he stared at his own hand, concealed underneath a glove but mechanical all the same, cut off by Vader in a similar situation such as this one. But this time Luke was the monster...
Then, as if leaving a trance, Luke sent a horrified look at his crumpled Sith father, unable to comprehend that he had just used the dark side...the one thing he was supposed to avoid...had sworn to avoid.
"Good, good!" A voice came from behind Luke, making him turn shakily, his eyes wide and troubled. "Your hate has made you powerful. Now, fulfill your destiny and take your father's place at my side!"
The words cut some cord in Luke and he scowled up at the old man, his gaze defiant. "Never." He muttered, his hand chucking his saber to the side before he could think too hard on the consequences of the action. Vader looked up at his son nervously, wondering exactly how the Emperor would take the boy's words.
"I'll never turn to the dark side." Luke sounded much more confident now. "You've failed, Your Highness. I am a Jedi." He gestured towards Anakin's unconscious figure and then towards Vader, the both of them still his true father no matter their drastically different personalities. "Like my father before me."
The glee the Emperor had shown at Luke's use of the dark suddenly melted into a angry scowl. How dare this boy tell him whether or not he has failed. He was weak and pathetic, nothing against the true power of the Force.
"So be it..." The Emperor, Luke, nor Vader noticed the faint stirring of the time-traveler in the corner just as the blue sparks began to crackle on Palpatine's knobby, wrinkled fingers.
"Jedi."
***
A/N
Oh my goodness, we're approaching the end! I don't want it to end!
Good thing I have other books planned. *wide grin*
Lol, hope you guys enjoy! I had just enough time today to work on this, took me about 3 hours of writing and refined editing. :)
PS - Thank you all so much for 50K READS on Redemption. I almost cried when I saw that. Just...thank you. Also, Redemption is ranked 241 in ALL fan fiction novels, which is even more incredible that I actually ranked. Sacrifice is 796 I think, but overall...wow. :)
May the Force be with You,
- lucky_ducky_123