Star Wars: Duel of the Fates

Chapter 55

Everyone on the cruiser was tense and ready.

"Preparing to drop out of hyperspace and turn off all systems," Connix said, "Engine room, can you confirm you are ready for countdown?"

"All warmed up," Rose replied.

Their ship suddenly appeared in real space followed by eight other cruisers, six Corvettes and hundreds of other vessels.

Before them must have been every Star Destroyer in the First Orders fleet, arranged in straight columns and rows awaiting their Supreme Leader as the dreadnought hung behind them.

"Disrupter primed," Rose's voice was broadcast to every ship, "Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one."

Every vessel turned off their operating systems and they were plunged into darkness.

General Hux strode towards the viewport, "They're here. Are our deflectors at maximum?"

The chief petty officer looked up, "Yes, sir."

"Excellent. Scramble all fighters. We'll allow the shockwave to pass and then use our own."

Ushar and Trudgen entered behind him.

"How certain are you that your plan will work?" Ushar asked.

Hux unconsciously distanced himself from them, "I have every confidence that this war will be over within a matter of hours."

Trudgen stared at him, "If your arrogance is misplaced you won't be answering to us."

He let out a heavy sigh, "Isn't there a TIE fighter you should be preparing?"

Ushar dropped his war hammer one side of him as Trudgen embedded his vibrocleaver into the smooth black floor the other side. Hux tipped his head to one side.

"We'll be back when it's done," Ushar said as they marched out.

The same miniscule pinprick of white light formed at the front of the Resistance cruiser and expanded outwards, like a glittering irregular network of interlinking energy that enveloped both fleets. This time none of the waves caught on the First Order ships, passing over them with little hindrance.

Hux turned with a self-satisfied smile on his face, "Is our weapon ready?"

"Yes, sir," the chief petty officer replied.

"Fire."

A large dome on the top of the dreadnought pulsed as a red cross lit at its crest. There was a moment of stillness and then an explosion of scarlet energy accelerated outwards; it shot through every ship, leaving the First Orders many vessels unharmed and knocking the Resistance ships away.

Poe sat in his X-Wing as it powered back up, "Ok, bridge can you confirm that their systems are down?"

A pause.

"...No..." Connix said, "All of their systems are operational."

"What?" Finn snapped from the Falcon.

"I...all of their systems are operating normally. It didn't work."

"It's a trap," Colonel D'Arcy whispered.

"Get us out of here!" Poe yelled.

The cruiser rocked violently, causing the ships in the landing bay to shift sideways. Poe's X-Wing collided with the wall.

"What the hell was that?" he demanded.

"They've used some kind weapon similar to our disrupter," Connix replied.

"Order everyone to jump to the rendezvous point now."

"The...the hyperdrive isn't working," Colonel D'Arcy said, the horror in her voice tangible.

"BB-8, can my X-Wing go to lightspeed?" Poe asked.

The droids short bleep made him shake his head.

"TIE fighters inbound," Maz said.

"Can anyone go to hyperspace?" Poe shouted.

A barrage of negatives came through.

The floor beneath them shook as cannon and laser bolts hit their deflector shield.

"All fighters engage First Order fighters," Poe yelled, as he deftly shunted his ship to the side as it rose up and out of the landing bay.

"Cruisers and other vessels maintain elevation above their autocannons," Colonel D'Arcy ordered, "Engineering team, what is happening there?"

"It's unclear," Rose replied from the engine room, "There's no obvious damage to any of the hyperdrives but they seem to have shut down completely."

"Get them back up," she said.

"We're on it."

The Falcon swooped out of the landing bay and flew to where a TIE fighter was trying to flank Poe's ship. He twisted his X-Wing and destroyed it.

"I hate to be pessimistic Poe," Finn's voice distorted over the com, "but...I have a very bad feeling about this."

"You and me both."

Chewie roared as the Falcon dived beneath the cruiser.

"Ok people," Poe said, "All Resistance squadrons we are going to take out the closest Star Destroyers and that dreadnought. Everyone else defend the rest of the fleet and keep out of their cannon range."

Nien Nunb's babble came over from the bridge of his Corvette as they moved to hover by the main cruiser.

"Following your lead, Black Leader," Snap said.

Wrobie spiralled her A-Wing over a TIE and blasting it with laser cannons, "We're right behind you."