Star Wars VIII: Stand of the Republic

29: Battle of Crait

As the First Order fleet took position in orbit over the reactivated Rebel base, the Millennium Falcon and a long, pod-shaped transport snapped out of hyperspace on the far side of Crait where the planet would shield them from enemy fire and detection as they made their approach.

***

Every fighter still combat ready streaked out of the base as the Republic raised the shield door temporarily.

"Gold Squad," Poe called through the comm system to all ships. "Your only target is the artillery cannon. You have to take that out. All other squadrons, provide cover. The lives of everyone in the evacuation fleet is depending on our success, and we will succeed."

Gold squadron consisted of Finn, Rose, and the other volunteers who were not as highly trained in fighter combat. They were only required to fly straight toward the target, destroy it, and veer off afterwards. A simple enough assignment, but the swarms of TIE fighters screaming over the salt flats would make it a challenge to survive, let alone accomplish the mission.

Poe kept his escorting fighters in close formation. The vast numbers of enemy ships had a weakness he planned to exploit.

"Keep tight, boys and girls," Poe encouraged. "With so many TIEs out here, we're bound to hit something just firing straight ahead, so let's clear the skies!"

When Poe began shooting, the Republic squadrons followed suit, and a flurry of red lasers tore into the First Order with devastating effect. Dozens of TIE fighters exploded or disintegrated in flashes of fire and a near constant rain of flaming debris. Although the casualties being inflicted were extreme, the First Order had more, much more.

As the Republic fighters carved their way closer to their target, the First Order changed their flight pattern. TIEs broke away and soared upward out of the stream of fire before banking around and plunging down on top of the Republic ships, firing green lasers in reply.

Poe saw the shift and realized what was coming. As the retaliatory volley started coming in, he gave new commands to his people.

"Break formation, and engage any targets of opportunity," Poe instructed. The fighters peeled off in different directions, continuing to fire at every target in range. The skies were so thick with enemy ships, Poe was able to keep the trigger depressed as he maneuvered his own craft into a new course. What had been an organized engagement with formations of squadrons attacking and dodging together broke into a chaotic frenzy as every fighter went in a different direction with no organization to it at all.

While the conflict turned wild and unpredictable higher up, Gold Squadron near the ground kicked up a wake of salt and left a bright red trail as they continued unswervingly toward their target.

The artillery cannon was a massive cylinder mounted on eight robotic legs, four on each side. A flattened square of a cockpit resided on top with a commanding view. Its forward motion was slow and lumbering as the tremendous weight of the cannon had to be evenly distributed between the eight legs to keep it from dragging the ground.

Ponderously moving alongside the cannon were the hulking forms of the First Order heavy assault walkers. Larger than the Imperial AT-ATs, and with reinforced front legs for stabilizing the MegaCaliber six turbo lasers when firing, the ten AT-M6's marched slowly forward to either side of the artillery cannon. As Gold Squadron closed in, the M6's turned their smaller, head mounted cannons in their direction and began firing. The shots were wildly inaccurate, creating red geysers of pulverized rhodochrosite crystals. Despite their poor aim, the walkers were adjusting, their impacts getting closer until Gold Nine was clipped on its left wing, spun out of control, and crashed in a fireball that left no question as to the fate of the pilot.

More of Gold Squadron succumbed to direct hits, fighters simply transforming into a blossom of fire. Two were destroyed to Finn's left, and three on his right. Flying nearly alone, he took a quick glance at his scanner to be sure no one was behind him before cutting power to his thrusters. His x-wing came almost to a complete stop before he slammed the throttle forward again. The walkers, having been leading their shots to compensate for his speed, missed their next several attempts, firing well ahead of Finn.

Rose had been weaving slightly, rather than staying on a straight and predictable course, dodging the incoming fire while approaching the cannon. Closing on her target at full speed, she fired a flurry of lasers at the artillery cannon in passing. She slumped in her seat as the shots glanced harmlessly off a deflector shield.

"The cannon has a shield," she reported.

Finn remembered Poe's tactic for destroying the primary weapon on Starkiller base and decided it could work here.

"It won't have shields down the barrel," Finn answered.

"Finn," Poe cut in. "The artillery cannon is too narrow. You won't be able to fly inside."

"Sure I will," Finn disagreed. "I just won't be able to fly out again."

"No, Finn," Poe denied as he realized what Finn was planning. "You can't do this."

"It's my life or the lives of everyone in the base," Finn explained as he adjusted his heading. "I never really wanted to be a part of this war, but I've found something worth fighting for. I'm not going to let those people die."

"Rose," Poe ordered. "You're closest, knock him off course."

A tear fled from her left eye as she replied. "No, sir. Finn's right. It's the only way. Good luck, Finn."

The artillery cannon had moved into range during the fighting and began to power up. Green energy filled the barrel, the targeting beam firing out first and bathing Finn's craft in emerald light. Alerts began sounding as the computer detected the weapon about to fire at him, but Finn ignored it. He switched off all unnecessary systems and transferred the extra power to the engines. Tightening his grip on the control stick, Finn shot toward the cannon and his expected end.