CHAPTER FOUR
"Are you sure you're Han Solo?"
Han glared at Kale Karsa. "Yeah, last time I checked. Why?"
"Because this looks nothing like the Millennium Falcon."
The four of them-Han, Karsa, Chewbacca, and Thrak-were standing before a Corellian YT-2400 light freighter. It had once belonged to an accomplice of Han, whose name was Dash Rendar, as a secondary ship. Dash then gave the freighter to Han after the Millennium Falcon was stolen several months ago on Bastion.
Appearance wise, the ship-which had been name the Vulture by Han-was vaguely similar to the Falcon, with only the rear and cockpit having any recognizable appearance. The YT-2400 was more sleeker than the Falcon's YT-1300 model, and had a more streamlined hull then the mismatched-looking frame of the Falcon.
Han glance back at Karsa. "Hey, even a guy like me changes ships every once in a while. It happens when you're a captain."
"Right," Karsa muttered as he boarded the Vulture. "That makes perfect sense."
As the three men and the Wookiee entered the ship, they failed to notice a masked figure watching them from afar. As the Vulture lifted up from the platform and took off, the figure headed for a green-and-yellow colored ship, which rose up as well and took pursuit.
* * *
Lando could do nothing but stare at what he saw before him, mouth agape. His mind was flashing back to that dreadful day over Empress Teta fourteen years ago. The day that Teta was destroyed. The day that billions of people died. The day that his old friend, Admiral Ackbar, died...
He snapped back to reality when Gavin Darklighter spoke through the intercom again. "Sir, we can't get past the Super Star Destroyer's defenses! I'm afraid Jaina and Corran can't board it!"
"Never mind that!" Lando shouted. "Focus your firepower on that superweapon!"
"Superweapon?" Gavin asked. "What are you-? Oh..."
There was a long pause before the leader of Rogue Squadron spoke again. "Oh, bantha poodoo."
* * *
Zel had barely reached the door to Darth Scythe's chambers when Captain Skem spoke through his comlink. "Er, sir? The...the Galaxy Gun just came out of hyperspace. I...what are your next orders?"
Zel froze in midstep. "The Galaxy Gun?" he asked himself out loud. "Since when was that under our command? I thought it belonged to Palpatine..."
Holding in his breath, Zel opened the chambers doors and again stepped into Lord Scythe's dimly-lit room. The Twi'lek Sith Lord was seated before was seated before a life-sized holographic figure of a cloaked Duros.
"...Right on time, Lord Mordus," Scythe was saying. "How long before the Galaxy Gun is in range?"
"Approximately ten minutes," the Duros replied. "I suggest that you have all your forces evacuate immediately. After all, we wouldn't want any...collateral damage."
"Indeed," Scythe replied. "I shall give out the order."
After the hologram had vanished, the room was silent for a few minutes. Zel stood at the doorway, standing stiff and straight as a post. Finally, the Sith Lord spoke again, sending a cold air down Zel's back.
"Have you come to speak with me, admiral?" Scythe asked. "You do know how I detest uninvited guests..."
"Y-yes, my lord," Zel replied nervously. "It's just that...I was not informed that we had the Galaxy Gun under our command."
"Why should you have?" the Twi'lek Sith Lord asked. "Knowledge is a strange thing, admiral. It can make one's self more intelligent and powerful...and at the same time, it can be their undoing."
There was another moment of silence before Scythe went on. "I am quite sure you heard Lord Mordus' words. Order the fleet to make a full retreat. I shall contact Lord Stalker and have his army evacuate."
A pair of yellow eyes glared at Zel. "You are dismissed."
* * *
"Toah! We have to evacuate!" Kyle called to his fellow Jedi Knight. "That superweapon is aimed right for us!"
Toah diverted his gaze from the superweapon. He saw, much to his chagrin, that 'Valan' and a majority of his forces had retreated to their ships. The mysterious Jedi was also gone, strangely enough...
Toah signaled for a group of troopers to help him and the other Jedi evacuate Dantooine's population. As he led the people onto the cruisers that had just arrived from Lando's fleet above, Toah began to feel some sort of dreadful feeling. He realized that Dantooine, the planet that he had lived on for so long, the planet which he had called home, had only minutes left to live.
He had heard the stories from Wedge and Madine about Bastion's decimation and Teta's destruction. He had been told what they had felt during those events. He had never though he would experience it as well.
Suddenly, he heard a voice speak in his head. It was very distant and faint, but loud enough for him to think it was coming from nearby. Something took hold of him, and he broke away from the other Jedi and the troopers, following the voice that was calling for him.
* * *
"The Galaxy Gun is in range, my lord." The captain of the Tyrant turned to face Darth Mordus, who stood on the bridge with a stoic expression. "Permission to fire?"
The Duros Sith Lord nodded. "Permission granted, captain."
From the bridge's viewport, Mordus could see the Galaxy Gun's barrel glow with energy. On its side, a row of transparent bars lighted up, giving the sign that the superweapon was charging up to fire. From the planet's surface, he could hear the cries of terror emitting from the native farmers and civilians. A small smirk pulled onto his thin lips. The barrel's glow became more intense. Dantooine's apocalypse was at hand.
Suddenly, flying out of nowhere came a lone starfighter, which flew straight into the Galaxy Gun's barrel. Mordus could see the violet flash of a proton torpedo going in and striking the weapon's core.
He did not need to see the devastating explosion to tell him that he had failed.
* * *
Lando stood on the Liberator's bridge, his eyes widening in disbelief. Where minutes ago, the superweapon hovered over Dantooine, ready to fire, was now nothing but debris floating around in space. As he watched the Imperial fleet retreat into hyperspace, one-by-one, he heard Gavin's voice crackle from the comm-channel.
"Well, sir. Shall we pick up Kyle and the others and...head back to Coruscant?"
"Yeah..." Lando muttered, still staring at the remains of the superweapon. "Hawk, tell the cruisers to cancel the evacuation. And tell Kyle's group to come here so I can ask them if they know who just...yeah."
The captain nodded and headed off the bridge, leaving Lando to gaze at the result of that pilot's sacrifice...
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