Rebel Pilot: A Star Wars Story

Chapter 5

Everyone was still dizzy from the emotional roller coaster that had been the past few hours as they were greeted with cheers from members of the Rebel Alliance as they landed at the base on Yavin IV.

Someone who looked to be a commander of sorts for the Rebel forces enveloped Leia in a hug, misinterpreting the reason for the dazed look on her face. "We're so glad you're safe," he said. "When we heard about Alderaan, we feared the worst... we thought you might have been lost, like your father..."

Leia shook her head to snap out of it. "We can be sad later," she said, as much to herself as to the commander. "The battle station has to have tracked us here. There were..." she glanced at Anakin. "...a few distractions that allowed us to have a relatively easy escape, but they never ended up sending any TIE fighters after us, or even attempting to stop us. This means they must have somehow planted a tracker on Han's ship."

The commander looked alarmed. "What do you suggest?"

She nodded toward R2-D2. "The plans for the Death Star are in that droid. Hopefully the information will be of use to us."

—

General Dodonna, as Anakin had heard his name was, stood before a large electronic wall display that was clearly more advanced technologically than some of what they had during the Clone Wars. Still, that was hardly the most jarring thing about arriving in the future. He could handle some advanced technology. His future self being a Sith Lord, his wife being dead, the Jedi being extinct and his children being separated... those were the things he was still struggling with.

The battle station is heavily shielded and carries a firepower greater than half the star fleet. Its defenses are designed around a direct large-scale assault. A small one-man fighter should be able to penetrate the outer defense," Dodonna explained.

He gestured to the display, but Anakin's eyes had already strayed to where Leia was standing to the side with several other people who, from his experience, looked to be politicians. Force , Leia looked so much like Padmé, and not just her hair and eyes and cheekbones... so, yes, Leia resembled her very much physically, but the way she spoke and carried herself reminded him of Padmé as well. Of course, Leia and Padmé had both been royalty, and Leia had been raised by a senator with similar ideals as Padmé, so that could be the reason, but Anakin liked to think that Leia had inherited her posture and way of speaking from Padmé genetically.

A rough looking man in his early thirties interrupted Dodonna. "Pardon me for asking, sir, but what good are snub fighters going to be against that?

Anakin's eyes shifted over to where Luke was sitting next to some young pilot probably not yet out of his teen years. From his hair to his tan to his posture, he was Anakin, through and through... though his sunny attitude certainly hadn't come from him, that was for sure. His optimism was all Padmé, and Anakin began to wonder if these sorts of traits were genetic. Leia's snark and fiery attitude had come from him, if that was the case.

Force. These were his children. The brave heroes of the future, rebelling against the tyranny Anakin himself had helped establish.

Dodonna nodded in response to Gold Leader's question, which Anakin vaguely remembered having something to do with how small the fighters were or something. "Well, the Empire doesn't consider a small one-man fighter to be any threat, or they'd have a tighter defense. An analysis of the plans provided by Princess Leia has demonstrated a weakness in the battle station."

The mention of his daughter finally got Anakin to start paying attention again.

"The approach will not be easy," Dodonna warned. "You are required to maneuver straight down this trench and skim the surface to this point. The target area is only two meters wide. It's a small thermal exhaust port, right below the main port. The shaft leads directly to the reactor system. A precise hit will start a chain reaction which should destroy the station."