The Empire's Fall (Pt.1)

Chapter Eight: The Rebels

"Come on, buddy, come on missy, we're not out of this yet!"

Luke and I get up and move out toward the gunport as Leia heads to the cockpit.

I climb down the ladder into the gunport cockpit, settling into one of the four main laser cannons mounted in large rotating turrets on either side of the ship.

Next thing I know, I'm hearing Han's voice from the headset I've got on.

"You in, kids? Okay, stay sharp!"

I'm just sitting and waiting right now. Not much any of us can do until we get the word that there's something to fire at.

Then Leia's voice comes from the intercom, she says,

"Here they come!"

Out of my gunport window I see an Imperial TIE fighter flying past. Then the fighter fires laser beams at us.

Another TIE fighter maneuvers in front of me. The ship gets a hit a little and bounces slightly.

I hear Luke over the headset.

"They're coming in too fast!"

The ship shudders, it clearly got hit again. Then the ship lurches. If I had eaten recently, I would most definitely be feeling sick.

I swivel my gun mount, following the TIE fighter with my laser cannon.

After a few minutes, in which Luke and Han both fire at some fighters and we nearly get hit, more than once, another TIE fighter moves in on the pirateship. I smile and fire my laser cannon at it. I score a spectacular direct hit, if I do say so myself.

"Got him! I got him!"

Han and Luke turn and give me a victory wave, which I very gleefully return.

"Great kid! Don't get cocky!"

Then Han and Luke both turn back to their laser cannons.

"There are still two more of them out there!"

We look into our respective projected target screens. A fighter crosses Han's port, another one crosses Luke's port, then one crosses my port. We all respond in the same manner, we swivel our chairs and fire at the Imperial TIE fighters.

Luke fires a laser bolt at the approaching enemy fighter, and it bursts into a spectacular explosion.

"Nice one, Luke!" I exclaim.

Han gets a well-aimed blast at a TIE fighter, and that fighter is now no more.

Luke and I both start laughing.

"That's it!" he says.

"We did it!" I finish for him.

When Luke and I go to enter the cockpit, Leia is storming out.

"Your friend is quite a mercenary. I wonder if he really cares about anything... or anybody."

"I care!" Luke cries.

I stifle a laugh, Luke so clearly likes her. I'm also beginning to wonder if Han likes Leia as well. Ooh! This is going to be fun!

"So... what do you think of her, Han?"

"I'm trying not to, kid!"

"Good..."

I can't resist smirking at their conversation.