Hearts of Rebels | Star Wars Fanfiction

Chapter XIX

A rebel commander yelled across the hangar, whilst alarms sounded. Troops, ground crews, and droids rush to their alert stations. In the midst of all this activity, Rhea was calmly attending to her starship.

"We've been in worse situations," Rhea pulled the fuel line off her X-wing as R2-K5 beeped angrily at her. "You're a droid, quit worrying. You know I always get us out without a scratch."

R2-K5 chirped furiously at his mistress. She held her hands up in surrender.

"Alright, alright, I'm sorry. Besides I buffed that scratch out once we landed," She smirked as her droid gave up arguing with her. She stepped up the ladder, but a voice made her pause.

"Rhea?! What are you still doing here?"

"I'm part of a transports' escort, they haven't left yet," She answered, hopping back down to see Han jogging over to her.

"Who's transport?"

"Leias?"

"She hasn't left yet!" Han grimaced, furiously wiping the sweat off his brow.

"No? We're leaving once everyone else has," Just as Rhea said that the hangar rumbled, clusters of snow dropping down from the ceiling. "What exactly is going on?"

"Imperial Walkers are close to the base, where is she?"

"The command centre," Rhea's commlink then blinked, she snatched it up instantly, holding it by her face.

"The command centre's been hit!" With that, the hangar trembled worse than before. The two exchanged anxious looks.

"Come on," Han grabbed her wrist helping her run into the base, heading towards the command centre.

Distant laser bolts could still be heard in the command centre, and the icy ceiling of the base crumbled more and more from the Imperial Walkers. Steam billowed from cracks in various pipes, and most of the computer terminals in the command base had fallen over, or the wires had sprung apart from the constant quaking of the Walkers.

As if on queue, Rhea and Han burst through the one uncovered doorway, a block of ice tumbling to the ground shattering near Leia.

"You all right?" Han sped over dodging the icy debris, leaving Rhea at the door.

"Why are you still here?" She quipped curtly. Han looked slightly taken aback at her tone, but he resumed his personal mission.

"We heard the command centre had been hit,"

"You got your clearance to leave," She took one glance at him and decided the sparkling console that showed the raging battle was more interesting.

"Don't worry. I'll leave. First, I'm going to get you to your ship," Han riposted, but it had a grain of concern. C-3PO, who was standing quietly besides Rhea, started to speak up in his worried tone. His only tone in actuality.

"Your Highness, we must take this last transport.  It's our only hope," Leia looked at Rhea, then C-3PO, then to Han and sighed.

"Send all troops in sector twelve to the south slope to protect the fighters," She ordered the console operator. The moment she finished a static screech echoed for a split second and a rebel trooper's panicked voice cut through the speakers.

"Imperial troops have entered the base," The trooper repeated his warning once more but was silenced by the unmistakable sound of a blaster bolt.

"Come on... that's it," Han grabbed Leia's arms, pulling her away as she quickly gave her last orders to the operator.

"Give the evacuation code signal. And get to your transports!"

They raced out the command centre, C-3PO moving his metal legs as fast as he could with a cry.

"Oh! Wait for me!"

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