The Unseen

Chapter 32 - To Escape

We have finished a second tribute for Vader on our YT channel. Check it out if you're interested. :P No spaces in the link: youtu . be / TrRylvLR0fE

~ Amina Gila

Ahsoka grips the controls of her X-wing tighter as she prepares to revert to real space. Most of the fighters were loaned by the Rebel Alliance, while the pilots are mainly surviving clones who Anakin had put together in the 501st Legion. Aside from them, Ahsoka called upon an old ally with whom she's worked a few times ever since they met through an intermediary around three years ago. Hera Syndulla, also called Spectre-2, is the captain of the ship Ghost. With her is a former Jedi Padawan, Kanan Jarrus, called Spectre-1, who is the co-leader, and the droid Chopper, called Spectre-3. While the Ghost mainly operates on and around Lothal, Ahsoka had specifically asked for their assistance, knowing how resourceful they are.

"Black Squadron get in formation behind me," orders Ahsoka. She suspects that Anakin is the one who gave them that name. These are his pilots, clones who survived and flew beside him in battle for years after the Purge. They're extremely skilled, and she knows she can count on them to watch her back and help get the mission completed.

"Yes, sir," chorus the clones, their X-wings falling into formation behind hers.

"Spectre-1 and Spectre-2, cover us," she adds. "As soon as Obi-Wan leaves the Death Star, helping him escape is the primary concern."

"Understood." Hera's voice is calm, though laced with a determination everyone feels.

Ahsoka turns her fighter towards the trench going around the center of the battle station, pushing it as fast as she can. They don't have much time before TIEs are sent out to stop them; hopefully, Echo was able to deactivate the defenses on the Death Star itself or they're chances will decrease dramatically. Activating her wrist-comm, she tries to contact Obi-Wan.

"Obi-Wan, come in," she calls.

At first, she only hears static, but then he answers, voice strained. "I'm here. We're in a bit of a situation though. Rex, Cody, and Echo were found out. They're making a run for the escape pods, but we don't have any way out of the hanger. Maybe try to cause a diversion..."

"The twins?" she asks worriedly.

"Here and safe," Obi-Wan replies distractedly. "Run!" The command is accompanied by blasterfire, and the connection suddenly cuts out. Ahsoka winces. That's not good. For now, she'll do her best to provide the distraction which Obi-Wan wanted. Without wasting a moment, she dives lower and begins shooting at the external defense mechanisms of the Death Star. If those are currently not operational, disactivating them will be easier and diverting for whoever is in command right now.

***

Obi-Wan backs down the hall towards another turbolift at the end, hoping that he and the twins will be able to get inside safely before being overwhelmed. After Rex reported that he and the others had been stopped in their attempts to permanently disactivate the weapons systems and force the hanger door to stay open, Obi-Wan had told them to flee and move towards the escape pods where he would meet them with the twins.

It might help if they weren't being pursued by dozens of stormtrooopers. The Force ripples as the ever-resourceful twins yank the blasters of their pursuers away, momentarily halting the blasterfire which he'd been trying to block. They race down the hallway together, rounding the corner and entering the turbolift at the end of that hall. From here, they only need to make it to the level where the clones probably are, before working their way to an escape pod from there.

Preferably, Obi-Wan would like to at least warn the men on board this battle station of its imminent destruction. Even if they choose not to leave, the knowledge that they could have will at least make him feel better about the million lives that will be destroyed. His reservations of the plan notwithstanding, Anakin was right. This was the only way to save the twins and the galaxy in one move.