X-Men: The Empire Strikes Back

Chapter Four

Hoth

Danielle dropped into her position by the lookout posts, where sentries were keeping watch for the Empire when they came. She shuddered. When they came. They would definitely come, she knew that. She just wondered when.

Frowning, she scratched her head, then shook it. Something was bothering her head, and somehow she had a feeling it was coming from the cold. The only time she had ever felt like this was –

Abruptly, she stiffened. “Under cover!” she shouted. “Now!”

The Rebel fighters instantly did as she said, ducking behind various snowbanks. Danielle herself shot high into the air, using the weaponry the Rebels had set up to propel herself up.

She was just missed by the green blaster bolts.

Swinging up into the air, she finally had a look at what she was up against. The Imperial walkers were steadily approaching, armored up to the hilt. Her eyes widened in shock. “Sithspawn,” she breathed. She raised a hand to her ear. “Storm to Echo Base!” she shouted.

“Copy, Storm,” General Rieekan replied. “What is it?”

Danielle’s eyes glowed, turning pearly white as the snow started whirling around her in a blizzard. “Give Rogue Leader the green light.” The sky overhead turned from white to a dark gray, lightning flickering overhead. “We’re going to need them.”

***

Luke watched as the last of the snowspeeders fired up, then heard a twittering sound. “Rogue Leader, this is Echo Base,” General Rieekan’s voice came.

Luke clicked on his unit. “Rogue Leader,” he replied.

“Storm’s given the go. From the sounds of it, this is bad.”

Luke narrowed his eyes. “Then we go for it. We’re on our way.”

“Copy, Rogue Leader. Good luck.”

Luke grinned. “Thanks, General.” He flicked on another comm set, which connected him to the other Rogues. “Rogue Squadron, this is Rogue Leader. Get ready for battle.”

Various acknowledgements filled his ears, but Luke was busy firing up the engines of his snowspeeder. He looked over to Wedge, Rogue Three, who looked right back at him. They both gave each other thumbs up, signaling they would be at each other’s backs if needed. “Let’s show them what they’re messing with,” Wedge commented.

Luke grinned. “You tell ‘em, Wedge.”

***

Danielle dove down towards the leading AT-AT’s legs, her blizzard wrapping around her. She vaguely heard the wind roaring around her and the sound of explosions, but she wasn’t waiting for anything. She concentrated. Skies be with me. With that, she pointed her fingers right at the walker’s legs.

The sky responded. With a sharp crack of thunder, lightning spat and took out the front two legs from under the walker. It creaked and shuddered, collapsing. Part of its armor plates came off, and before Danielle could direct another barrage of lightning towards it, red lasers of the Rebel Alliance rammed into the exposed AT-AT, making it explode.

Danielle spun in midair, then smiled as she saw the welcome sight of the snowspeeders veering off to take on their own walkers. “About time you showed up, Rogue Leader,” she commented.