Star Wars Fanfic - The Padawan Path

Chap. 23. - In the bowels of the Beast

Roy: - General Pablo. Lieutenant Roy and Sergeant Collin reporting our return. - He spoke through the communicator of his fighter ship.

Pablo: - Lieutenant? Can we find out where you and the sergeant were? We lost contact with you half an hour ago. -

Roy: - We had an accident with the 501st legion in their orbital space. -

Pablo: - General Skywalker had better confirm his story, young Padawan. Or you will be in serious trouble. -

Roy: - Count on it. -

The space battle on this front was far behind compared to the rest. Not only were they the last to arrive, but the 194th Legion also had fewer resources than others such as the 501st or the 212th Army Corps. So its progress was much less progressive.

Among many other things, the 194th had fewer bombers, so frontal assaults against the Lucrehulk ships that made up the Separatist blockade were very risky, and the probability of success very low. Fortunately, the general seemed to have an idea in mind.

Roy: - General. We should contact the 501st and ask for bomber and fighter support if we want to shoot down those Separatist battleships. -

Pablo: - Negative. We received news from the troops on the ground. General Windo and Lightning Squadron are about to assault the capital city of Ryloth. We don't have time to wait for reinforcements if we want to clear the sector. If we don't destroy those ships before the Separatists are defeated... Who knows what they are capable of? Maybe they will carry out an orbital bombardment on the dam. We have to attack and now. -

Roy: - Any ideas? -

Pablo: - Yes. Commander Tukk? They are ready? -

Tukk: - The shuttles are ready and waiting. -

Pablo: - Very good. Lieutenant Roy, go with Captain Hammer and Neptune Company and assault the Lucrehulk on the right. Commander Tukk, to the left. The rest of you, follow me for the one in the center. To all battleships, provide fire support. -

Suddenly, the three battleships opened the enormous doors of the central hangars, and thousands of LAAT/i shuttles took off from inside towards the enemy battleships. It was an extremely risky maneuver, because although these transports could cross the void of space without much effort, they were not designed for combat against other fighters. They were much slower, and the Vulture droids would see them as easy prey, hence the extra effort the Republic fighters had to make to keep them away.

Both General Pablo, Lieutenant Roy and all the clone pilots were engaged in a fierce battle against the Vulture droids. Dozens of lives were lost every minute, and the clones inside the shuttles could do nothing but breathe deeply and wait to reach their destination, since they could not even have the side doors open to watch the battle. They could only wait... and pray.

Captain Hammer himself was proof of this. He was a great warrior without a doubt, but he felt too insecure inside a ship and he had his reasons. On land he had control over his actions. His decisions could save his life or that of his brothers, but both in the air and in space he was at the mercy of the course of the battle and the capricious Force.

Roy: - I already saw it R5. There are too many. - He responded to the beeps of the droid that was attached to his ship.

Collin: - Lieutenant. More Vulture fighters are approaching. -

Roy: - I don't like this... All the fighters. Defend transportation at all costs. -

It was simply too much. The young padawan gritted his teeth more and more as one of the transports under his charge exploded behind him. He knew what war was and its consequences, but men went there. Men who counted on him to accomplish their mission and he was failing them.