Sacrifice - A Star Wars Fanfic

Chapter 22

On the small moon of Endor, the battle still raged on; Ewoks, Rebels, and Imperial troops in every corner of the forest. Sophisticated weapons were somehow no match for the sneaky tactics of the furry creatures, a few stormtroopers being bonked over the head with heavy wooden clubs, walkers being tripped by log-piles and vine trip-wires, and speeder bikes being lassoed with net-traps. If the battle wasn't so intense, some may have even found it laughable.

Trees tumbled down on unsuspecting troopers, pits were dug to entrap the walkers, rockslides, burning oil, knives, spears, and even eerie war-shrieks, all tactics used to confuse the enemy. It almost made the Rebels guilty of ever doubting the tiny fearless warriors in the first place.

Even Chewie was helping out as he grabbed onto a vine and swung onto one of the Imperial walkers, Teebo and Wicket clinging to his legs. The creatures landed on the main viewport of the walker, startling the men inside.

"Get him off of there!" One of the troopers shouted, sounding furious. Another trooper obeyed and moved to climb out of the top hatch, only to be met with a severely angry Wookiee. A scream barely got to leave the man's mouth before he was plucked up effortlessly and tossed onto the hard forest floor below. Wicket and Teebo cheered happily, clambering into the empty walker with Chewbacca protecting up above them. The Ewoks startled the other man inside the walker and managed, with their surprise attack, to knock his head into the control panel and send him spiraling into unconsciousness.

With no one trained properly in driving the machine, it wheeled out of control, both Wicket and Teebo trying desperately to keep it balanced. Chewie howled in surprise as he was almost thrown over, a fang-bearing scowl thrown down at the reckless Ewoks as he regained his composure and slid down inside with them to help. However, the fuzzy creatures were too busy panicking to take much notice to the Wookiee's complaint.

It didn't take long for Chewie to master the controls, and he managed to take several Imperials by surprise as one of their own walkers began firing on them. The plan reinspired some of the Ewoks below, and the battle grew even more violent than it had been before.

At the same time, Han was still fussing over the control panel at the bunker, the multicolored wires in his hands practically making him dizzy as he attempted to try and figure out how to open the door. Many of the cords sparked at him and he scowled, connecting random colors until something happened. Leia was still crouched beside him, shooting off any troopers coming into her vision.

Suddenly, a sound of elation left the Corellian. "I think I got it!"

"Then do it!" Leia shouted impatiently, shooting yet another Imperial right in his chest and sending his now lifeless body to the dirt.

"Pushy." Han muttered before connecting the wires he was certain were the correct ones. A loud woosh startled both him, Leia, and the droids, and they turned to see another blast door closing over the one they had previously been trying to open.

Han blinked, biting his lip and looking at Leia's scowl with a nervous chuckle before he set back to work. However, it wasn't long before he heard a scream of pain right by his feet. He instantly stopped what he was doing and looked down with wide hazel eyes to see Leia crumpled by his boots, grasping her arm which was leaking blood through her fingers. Panicked, Han let go of the wires and stooped to a crouch, ignoring Threepio's quip of, "Oh my, Princess Leia!"

Han wasted no time, grabbing for Leia's arm to inspect it. "Let me see." He ushered, sounding worried.

"It's fine, Han." Leia said with a grimace, crying out lightly as Han tried to move it. "Han, I said it's—"