The Empire's Fall (Pt.3)

Chapter Five: Speeder Chase

Han lands the stolen Imperial shuttle in a forest clearing. It's quite funny to see how the massive trees dwarf the shuttle.

On a hill adjacent to the shuttle, our Rebel contingent makes it's way up a steep trail. Leia and Han are in the lead, slight ahead of Luke and Chewie, and then Callum and I slightly behind my brother and Chewie. The strike team follows us, with Artoo and Threepio bringing up the rear.

Up ahead Han and Leia crest the hill, and get to the side, motioning for us all to get down.

"I told you it was dangerous here," I hear Threepio say, no doubt he's talking to Artoo.

I go up to the top with Callum and Luke, once we get there I see two Imperial scouts wandering through the bushes in the valley below us. Their rocket bikes are parked nearby.

"Shall we try and go around?" Leia asks.

"It'll take time." Luke says.

"This whole party'll be for nothing if they see us."

Leia motions for the rest of the squad to stay put, but she, Han, Luke, Callum, Chewie, and I start going down as quietly as possible.

We make our way to the edge of the clearing, not far from the scouts.

"Chewie and I will take care of this. You stay here."

"Quietly," I hiss, "there might be more of them out there."

Han grins, and says, "Hey... it's me."

"Like that's reassuring," I mutter. I hear Callum huff a little from behind me.

Han and Chewie then turn and start through the bushes toward the scouts. Luke, Leia, Callum, and I all exchange smiles. Han isn't the greatest at sneaking, and Callum... well, he's pretty good at sneaking up on people.

Han does manage to sneak up behind one of the scouts, but then he steps on a twig. Of all things, a twig is what disrupts a sneak attack. The scout whirls around, knocking Han into a tree. Then shouts for his companion.

"Go for help! Go!"

The second scout hops on one of the speeder bikes and takes off. Luckily, Chewie gets off a good shot on his crossbow, causing the scout to crash into a tree, and his bike to go up in flames. Han and the other scout, are in a nice little fist fight though.

"Great. Come on," Luke says, and it's pure sarcasm. Oh how I love sarcasm.

We all start for the scuffle, but as we run through the bushes, Leia stops and points. Damn it! Two more scouts are sitting on their speeder bikes, though there are two more unoccupied bikes parked near them.

Callum nudges me, and says quietly, "I'll go help Han, you go catch those two."

"Thanks."

He breaks away to sneak over to where Han and the scout are still locked in a brawl.

Leia then points out the three scouts she saw, "Over there! Two more of them!"

"I see them. Wait, Leia! Leeda!"

Leia and I run for the two remaining speeder bikes, and both of us take off just as Luke jumps on the back of Leia's bike.

"Hey, wait!" Han yells from behind us.

Turning my head, I see Callum shove the scout away from Han, using the Force. Which allows Han to get the scout on the ground. I then return my focus to the chase.