“Indeed,” He smiled. “I figured if I’m joining the Rebellion, might as well look the part.”
Storm Shield nimbly glides ‘The Redemption’ through space en route to the space station orbiting the forest moon of Endor. Spike and the girls stare out and catch sight of the vast Rebel Fleet which stretched as far as the eye could see. Overhead, a dozen small Corellian battleships fly in formation. Fighters and battlecruisers surround the largest of the Rebel Star Cruisers, the Headquarters Frigate. Gliding smoothly into the docking port, Storm landed his ship with ease and opened the cargo bay hatch.
“Alright every pony,” He spoke determined. “It’s Go time!”
“Yeah! Let’s do this thing!” Rainbow piped in.
One by one, they made their way down the ramp and into the frigate. Twilight quickly walked up alongside Storm and laced her fingers with his. Storm looked at her confused for a moment but quickly smiled when he saw the same determination and courage she had before. They were then instantly met by a group of Rebel soldiers.
“Welcome Master Shield and Princess Twilight,” One soldier greeted. “I’ve been tasked by Princess Leia to escort you all to the command center.”
“Lead on sir,” Twilight smiled.
All of a sudden, Pinkie Pie bounded up the front while bouncing excitedly.
“Ooh! Ooh! Does this ship have a bakery?” She asked hopefully.
“Unfortunately not,” The soldier responded.
“Aww that’s a shame because I really want to make a big, big victory cake for the victory party later. It’ll have chocolate, and vanilla, and red velvet, and fudge, and…”
Once again, Twilight just waved her hand and encased Pinkie in an invisible bubble to stop her rambling.
“We’re sorry about her sir,” She apologized.
“She just gets very excited when it comes to cakes,” Rarity emphasized. “And throwing parties.”
The soldier merely nodded and turned to take the lead towards the command center. Hundreds of Rebel commanders of all races and forms assembled in the war room. In the center of the room, a holographic model depicting the half-completed Imperial Death Star, the nearby Moon of Endor, and the protecting deflector shield were on full display. Mon Mothma, the leader of the Alliance, entered the room. She is a stern but beautiful woman in her fifties. Conferring with her are several military leaders, including General Madine and Admiral Ackbar, a salmon-colored Mon Calamari. Storm, Spike, and the girls then sported a very familiar face, Galen Marek, making his way over to them.
“I see you’ve finally made it,” He said.
“Wow Marek, dig the change in attire,” Storm admired.
The girls and Spike took notice of Marek’s new appearance as he now wore robes much similar to a Jedi than a Sith.
“Indeed,” He smiled. “I figured if I’m joining the Rebellion, might as well look the part.”
“Ya certainly achieved that there partner,” Applejack nodded.
“Weird how when this whole thing started I wanted to knock you into next week,” Rainbow quipped. “Now we’re on the same side trying to save the same person.”
“A common goal brings even the most unlikely of adversaries together,” Marek agreed. “I can assure you I will do whatever I can to help rescue Sunset Shimmer.”
“Well let’s stop standing around and get cracking then!” Spike declared, in Twilight’s arms.
From across the room, Lando moved through the crowd till he found Han and Chewie, standing next to Leia and the two droids. Han peered at Lando’s new insignia on his chest, practically amused.
“Well, look at you, a general, huh?” Han said impressied.
“Oh, well, someone must have told them about my little maneuver at the Battle of Taanab,” Lando responded.
“Well, don’t look at me, pal,” Han said sarcastically. “I just said you were a fair pilot. I didn’t know they were lookin’ for somebody to lead this crazy attack.”
“I’m surprised they didn’t ask you to do it.”
“Well, who says they didn’t? But I ain’t crazy. You’re the respectable one, remember?”
Mom Mothman signaled for attention, and the room immediately fell silent.
“The Emperor has made a critical error and the time for our attack has come,” She spoke.
This caused a stir as Mon Mothma turned to a holographic model of the Death Star, the Endor moon and the protecting deflector shield in the center of the room.
“The data brought to us by the Bothan spies pinpoints the exact location of the Emperor’s new battle station. We also know that the weapon systems of this Death Star are not yet operational. With the Imperial Fleet spread throughout the galaxy in a vain effort to engage us, it is relatively unprotected. But most important of all, we’ve learned that the Emperor himself is personally overseeing the final stages of the construction of this Death Star.”
A volley of spirited chatter erupted from the crowd. Han turned to Leia, as Chewie barked his amazement.
“Many Bothans died to bring us this information. Admiral Ackbar, please.”
Admiral Ackbar stepped forward and pointed to the Death Star’s force field and the Moon of Endor.
“You can see here the Death Star orbiting the forest Moon of Endor,” Ackbar explained. “Although the weapon systems on this Death Star are not yet operational, the Death Star does have a strong defense mechanism. It is protected by an energy shield, which is generated from the nearby forest Moon of Endor. The shield must be deactivated if any attack is to be attempted. Once the shield is down, our cruisers will create a perimeter, while the fighters fly into the superstructure and attempt to knock out the main reactor.”
There’s concerned murmur amongst the group.
“General Calrissian has volunteered to lead the fighter attack.”
Han turned toward Lando with a look of respect.
“Good luck,” Han spoke.
To which Lando nodded his thanks.
“You’re gonna need it…” Han muttered.
“General Madine,” Ackbar summoned.
Madine moved toward center stage.
“We have stolen a small Imperial shuttle,” General Madine informed. “Disguised as a cargo ship, and using a secret Imperial code, a strike team will land on the moon and deactivate the shield generator.”
The assembly began to mumble amongst themselves.
“Sounds dangerous,” 3PO voiced his concerned.
“When are things ‘not’ dangerous?” Rainbow asked, matter-of-factly.
“I wonder who they found to pull that off,” Leia spoke to Han.
“General Solo, is your strike team assembled?” General Madine asked.
Leia, startled, looked up toward Han, surprising changing to admiration in seconds.
“Uh, my team’s ready,” Han answered. “I don’t have a command crew for the shuttle.”
Chewbacca raised his hairy paw, the first to volunteer. Han looked up toward him.
“Well, it’s gonna be rough, pal. I didn’t want to speak for you.”
Chewbacca waved that off with a huge growl.
“That’s one,” Han smiled.
“Uh, General… count me in,” Leia volunteered.
“And me,” Marek stepped up.
“That goes for us too,” Storm spoke, for the group.
“I’ll do the best I can,” Fluttershy spoke meekly.
“I’m with you, too!”
They all turned in the direction of the voice, peering through the crowd as more cheers bellowed. The commanders part, and there at the back stood Luke Skywalker himself. Han and Leia are surprised and delighted. Leia moved toward Luke, embracing him warmly. She can sense a change in him and looked into his eyes questioningly.
“What is it?” Leia asked.
“Ask me again sometime,” Luke answered, hesitant.
Han, Chewie, Lando, and the Equestrians crowd around Luke as the assembly broke up.
“Luke,” Han greeted.
“Hi, Han,” Luke smiled. “Chewie…”
R2 beeped a singsong observation to a worried 3PO.
“’Exciting’ is hardly the word I would use,” 3PO muttered.
“Honestly… I wouldn’t either,” Fluttershy whispered.
“Then why do you tag along if it’s so scary?”
“Because it’s worse feeling left out.”
Fluttershy soon walked ahead to rejoin her friends, leaving the two droids tailing from behind.
<>
The Millennium Falcon rested beyond the stolen imperial shuttle, which looked anomalous amongst all the Rebel ships in the vast docking bay. Chewie barked a final farewell to Lando and lead R2 and 3PO up the shuttle. Most of the Equestrians found themselves crowded with the Rebel strike team loading weapons and supplies. Lando turned to face Han, while Luke and Leia said their good-byes and started up the ramp.
“Look… I want you to take her,” Han insisted. “I mean it. Take her. You need all the help you can get. She’s the fastest ship in the fleet.
“All right, old buddy,” Lando chuckled. “You know, I know what she means to you. I’ll take good care of her. She-she won’t get a scratch. All right?”
“Right,” Han spoke warmly. “I got your promise now. Not a scratch.”
“Look, would you get going, you pirate.”
Han and Lando took a momentary pause before exchanging salutes.
“Good luck,” Lando spoke.
“You too,” Han responded.
Han goes up the ramp. Lando watched him go, then slowly turned away. Luke was currently working on a back control panel, as Han came in and took the pilot’s seat. Chewie, in the seat next to him, trying to figure out all the Imperial controls.
“You got her warmed?” Han asked.
“Yeah, she’s comin’ up,” Luke answered.
Chewie growled a complaint.
“No, I don’t think the Empire had Wookiees in mind when they designed her, Chewie,” Han spoke.
Leia and the girls came in from the hold, the princess took a seat near Luke. Chewie barked and hit some switches. But the girls, even Storm, noticed Han’s glance was stuck on something out the window: the Millennium Falcon. Leia nudged him gently.
“Hey, are you awake?” Leia asked.
“Yeah, I just got a funny feeling,” Han spoke worriedly. “Like I’m not gonna see her again.”
“I understand how you feel,” Storm spoke up. “When I had to give away my favorite speeder for cash back in Tatooine, I still worry that the next owner will wreck her so badly I’ll never recognize my own baby.”
Han turned toward Storm with an annoyed glance.
“If you’re trying to make me feel better, you’re not doing it right,” Han remarked sarcastically.
“Hey, no need to feel so sad, Captain,” Pinkie chirped. “Who knows? If fate is kind, you’ll eventually get to see that old ship of yours again? So then you’ll feel like home, really get into the moment, up until—well, it probably won’t be canon anyway. I won’t go into details about that one.”
Han just eyed Pinkie Pie weirdly but even he knew better than to ask. Chewie, hearing all the talk, stopped his activity and looked longingly out at the Falcon, too. Leia placed a hand upon Han’s shoulder.
“Come on, General, let’s move,” Leia gestured softly.
“Right,” Han snapped to life. “Chewie let’s see what this piece of junk can do. Ready, everybody?”
“All set!” Luke answered.
“Ready when you are!” Twilight called out.
“Here we go again,” 3PO moaned.
“All right, hang on,” Han spoke.
Soon the stolen Imperial shuttle left the main docking bay of the Headquarters Frigate, lowered its wings into flight position, and zoomed off into space.
<>
In the Emperor’s throne room on the Death Star, the converted control room was dimly lit, except for a pool of light at the far end. There the Emperor sat in an elaborate control chair before a large window which looked out across the half-completed Death Star to the giant green moon of Endor. Darth Vader and Darth Seraphina, both standing with other members of the Imperial council, cautiously approaching their master even as the ruler’s back was to them. After several tense moments, the Emperor’s chair rotates around to face them.
“What is thy bidding, my Master?” Vader questioned.
“Send the fleet to the far side of Endor,” Palpatine commanded. “There it will stay until called for.”
“What of the reports of the Rebel fleet massing near Sullust?” Seraphina asked.
“It is of no concern. Soon the Rebellion will be rushed, and young Skywalker will be one of us!”
He then turned his attention toward Seraphina.
“As well as finally having the blood of Twilight Sparkle on your hands.”
Seraphina nodded in acknowledgement.
“Your work here is finished, my friends. Go out to the command ship and await my orders.”
“Yes, master,” Vader and Seraphina said simultaneously.
The Sith lords bowed, then turned to leave the throne room as the Emperor walked toward the waiting council members. Little did he know, looming in the corner and hiding in the shadows was Darth Andromedis. Having been awoken from his carbon prison after three thousand years, the former Dark Council member had been set free upon the galaxy by Palpatine to do whatever it is that he saw fit. The only condition he had for him was to cause havoc for the Rebellion as well, a small price to pay for the Master of the Dead. So for the last few years, he had secretly been hunting down and killing any and all rebels he could find. Though at the same time, he had more… personal matters to attend to.
The Sith master in question slunk away from hiding as he made his way to the core reactor room of the Death Star. Staring at the giant reactor, he closed his eyes and concentrated heavily on the dark side of the force. Though he suddenly lost focus when he felt the presence of the light side, and a rather familiar presence. Snapping his eyes open, his face turned into a hateful sneer.
“I’ve been expecting you,” He spoke.
From behind him, a faint white light shined before evaporating into the ghostly form of Ashara Zavros. The Togruta spirit looked sadly at the newly awoken Sith.
“As have I,” She said. “We have a lot to talk about, don’t we?”
Andromedis slowly turned to face her, and she could clearly see the disdain and hate in those eyes.
“It amuses me truly that though you say you’ve waited so long,” He growled. “You certainly did not seem all too eager to find me.”
Ashara looked down in shame before looking back at him.
“I’m sorry,” She apologized. “It hasn’t been easy for me either. When the sky-troopers attacked Marr’s battleship all that time ago, I wanted so desperately to find and help you. Then Andronekis told me to stay because you told him to get us back to the Empire.”
“Yet even afterwards when you heard I had been taken by the Eternal Empire, you never came to find me.”
Once again, Ashara looked ashamed and sad.
“When you disappeared, I didn’t know where to turn. The Jedi condemned me long ago and I couldn’t trust the Sith. I was lost. It made me realize how much I relied on others. I needed to forge my own path, away from you, away from the council, and everyone else who tried to influence me.”
This caused Andromedis to chuckle darkly.
“So, in other words, I spent three-thousand-years locked away simply because you needed to find yourself?”
This caused Ashara to transfer from being sad to almost angry.
“It’s not like I didn’t try to find you!” She snapped. “I searched everywhere I could. But the Eternal Empire had hidden you well. It wasn’t like I could just storm onto Zakuul by myself.”
“You left me behind!” Andromedis yelled back.
“That’s not true!” Ashara screamed. “How do you think I died?! Trying to save you! I gathered as many followers as I could to lead a search-and-rescue on Zakuul, but their forces were still too strong. I tried to sneak away to find you, but Vaylin found me first. I spent the last few moments of my life thinking about you, and only you.”
Andromedis’ face slowly softened a bit, yet still retained that stern look as he listened to her story.
“When I became one with the force,” Ashara continued. “My spirit traveled to Dromund Kass where the Sith brought you following the Eternal Empire’s collapse. I met Darth Marr and Satele Shan and we all stayed trapped there until a few years ago when those Inquisitors and that poor Sunset girl found you. Afterwards, we traveled to the Dagobah system to help Master Yoda teach the Jedi girls so they could finally stop the empire once and for all. I always figured if I couldn’t save you, I would at least do what my primary mission had always been since I was a Jedi.”
Ashara approached Andromedis, her spirit looked directly into his dark yellow eyes.
“But seeing you again makes me realize how much stronger I’ve become and… how much I still love you,” She said sweetly. “I spent many nights missing you, wondering if I’d ever see you again. You gave me the strength to keep going. I’m not the wide-eyed apprentice you fell for all those years ago, but I hope you understand how I feel.”
Andromedis actually allowed the ghost of a smile edge its way onto his face as he looked at his former lover and apprentice… till it quickly turned to a scowl.
“You abandoned me when I needed you most,” He seethed. “There’s no coming back from that. I have no need of you any longer, not the way you are anyway. However, there is still one thing I can use you for.”
He then shot his arms out and began the same ritual he employed thousands of years before to bind force ghosts to himself and use their power for his own. Ashara’s spirit cringed in agony as the feeling of darkness fell over her, as her spirit soon faded into darkness and Andromedis absorbed it into his very form. His usual yellow eyes then glowed a bright purple as he could feel the new power coursing through his veins only making him much stronger. A sick smirk made its way onto his face.
“Soon this entire galaxy will belong to me… forever.”
<>
There was a great deal of Imperial traffic in the area as construction proceeded on the Death Star. Transports, TIE fighters, and a few Star Destroyers move about. Now the huge Super Star Destroyer announced itself with a low roar and soon filled the frame. Han looked back at Luke, Leia, and the Equestrians as Chewie flipped several switches. Through the viewscreen, the Death Star and the huge Super Star Destroyer can be seen.
“If they don’t go for this, we’re gonna have to get outta here pretty quick,” Han spoke.
Chewie growled his agreement.
“I wouldn’t doubt that the Empire would be on edge,” Marek observed. “Of course a simple trip to Endor wasn’t going to be easy.”
“All we can do at this point is hope and pray that they won’t look too closely on us,” Storm spoke.
“We have you on our screen now,” The controller spoke, over commlink. “Please identify.”
“Shuttle Tydirium requesting deactivation of the deflector shield,” Han responded.
“Shuttle Tydirium, transmit the clearance code for shield passage.”
“Transmission commencing.”
Leia, Chewbacca, and Fluttershy listened tensely as the sound of a high speed transmission began.
“Now we find out if that code is worth the price we paid,” Leia said.
“It’s work,” Han responded. “It’ll work.”
“I sure hope so,” Fluttershy hoped.
Chewie whined nervously. Luke and Twilight stare at the Huge Super Star Destroyer looming ever larger before them.
“Vader’s on that ship,” He observed.
“And he’s not alone,” Twilight looked out. “Sunset Shimmer is with him.”
“Now don’t get jittery, you two,” Han warned. “There are a lot of command ships. Keep your distance though, Chewie, but don’t look like you’re trying to keep your distance.”
Chewie barked a question.
“I don’t know. Fly casual.”
“I’m endangering the mission,” Luke spoke. “I shouldn’t have come.”
“And our own best friend suddenly wants to kill us,” Spike pointed out. “But… here we are.”
“It’s your imagination, kids,” Han assured. “Come on. Let’s keep a little optimism here.”
“That’s right partner,” Applejack agreed. “We can’t just go givin’ up now when we’re so close.”
Chewie barked his worries as the Super Star Destroyer grew larger out the window. The girls could only stare toward the ship nervously, some of which crossing their fingers behind their backs when no one was looking.
<>
Lord Vader and Darth Seraphina stood staring out the window at the Death Star. Now, some vibration felt only by him caused him to turn. After a moment of stillness, he walked down a row of controllers to where Admiral Piett leaned over the tracking screen of the controller seen earlier. Piett straightened at Vader’s approach.
“Where is that shuttle going?” Vader demanded.
“Shuttle Tydirium, what is your cargo and destination?”
“Parts and technical crew for the forest moon,” Han spoke, voice filtered.
The Bridge Commander turned toward Vader for a reaction.
“Do they have a code clearance?” Vader asked.
“It’s an older code, sir, but it checks out,” Piett answered. “I was about to clear them.”
Vader looked upward, sensing Luke’s presence.
“Shall I hold them?” Piett asked.
“No. Leave them to me,” Vader answered. “I will deal with them myself.”
This declaration surprised Piett, yet he would not question Lord Vader’s orders.
“As you wish, my lord,” Piett spoke, facing the controller. “Carry on.”
Vader turned as Seraphina approached his side, the later gave a wicked grin as an evil flame lit within her red eyes.
“With General Grievous and the Inquisitors leading the ground charge, it will not only keep the Rebellion distracted, but the other Jedi as well,” He told her.
“Except… for Twilight Sparkle,” Seraphina grinned maliciously.
“At least the time for your vengeance has come at last,” Vader nodded.
“You deal with the young Skywalker as you wish but remember: Twilight Sparkle is ‘all’ mine.”
“May fortune favor you Darth Seraphina.”
With that being said, Vader and Seraphina went their separate ways with Seraphina heading for the one place she figured Twilight Sparkle would most likely be. For years now, she’d been waiting for this moment and now the time had finally come. One way or another, Twilight Sparkle would not live through this day.
<>
Deep within the confines of her mind, Sunset Shimmer stood in a fighting stance alongside Satele Shan, Darth Marr, and Valora Synn. Across from them stood none other than the Immortal Emperor himself, Tenebrae. The millennia old Sith Pureblood grinned wickedly at them as they stood in defiance to his power.
“At long last, the hour of oblivion has come,” Tenebrae spoke.
“You have no power in the galaxy any longer demon!” Valora stated loudly.
“The hour has come indeed Tenebrae,” Satele added. “The time to wipe the galaxy clean of you once and for all.”
This only caused the Emperor to laugh evilly as he looked upon them with dark eyes.
“Do you truly believe that you can silence the one true power in the galaxy?” He questioned. “I once breeched the fade in the name of another to serve the old gods of the empire in person. I found only chaos and corruption, dead whispers. For a thousand years, I was confused… but no more.”
Then, almost out of nowhere, two more figures stepped out from behind Tenebrae. Those figures being none other than his two other physical forms: Valkorion and Vitiate.
“At long last, I have gathered the will to return under no name but my own,” Vitiate said. “To finally correct this blighted galaxy and cleanse it of corruption.”
“I have crossed the very fabric of time and space itself for this purpose,” Valkorian added. “beg that I succeed, for I have seen the very throne of the gods itself, and it was empty.”
All of this was really beginning to confuse Sunset to no end.
“So what does any of this have to do with trying to corrupt me?” She asked.
Once again, Tenebrae just laughed.
“Foolish child, are you truly so blind you cannot see what is right in front of you?” He asked. “Have you never once wondered why I have chosen to show you what my life force has expanded to create?”
“Though I was able to sire children, none could ever potentially become the vessel I needed them to be,” Valkorian said.
“Nor has any apprentice ever been able to impress me enough to be worthy of the power that I possess,” Vitiate added.
Tenebrae then took a step forward, shooting out of his hand which knocked everyone else back in a gigantic force push and pulled Sunset right toward him.
“I forged you into a being worthy of claiming the galaxy and purging it of the force,” He said to her. “Once the final process is complete, I shall take your body as my own and rule once more as the Immortal Emperor.”
He then pushed Sunset back as well, and she flipped through the air and landed right alongside the others who were all in the process of gaining their ground once more. Together, they all drew their lightsabers as did the three forms of the Emperor. Sunset once again stood up before the rest as she stared the evil tyrant down.
“It seems you’ve greatly overestimated your own power,” Sunset told him. “You may be powerful, but even you three can’t stand against the combined power of the four of us.”
“Thankfully, I am able to provide an answer to that.”
The addition of a new voice entering the fray caused everyone to look off the side and they all, minus the Emperor’s three forms, seemed shocked. Walking towards the Emperor’s side was none other than the Master of the Dead and Head of the Pyramid of Ancient Knowledge, Darth Andromedis. The Sith lord held his lightsaber at his side as he stood side-by-side with the Emperors and looked down toward the assembled group, specifically Valora.
“Jedi Master Synn,” He chuckled. “How long ago it seems that you and I engaged in glorious combat. Now at long last, I will put an end to you once and for all. And in doing so, destroy the Jedi order.”
“You may have outlived me Andromedis, but we both know I have always been far superior to you,” Valora responded.
“Enough talk!” Tenebrae declared. “ANNIHILATE THEM!!!”
<>
Soon as the cue was granted, that the code transmission proved successful, everyone breathed a sigh of relief. Everyone except Luke, who still remained worried. Chewie barked.
“Okay! I told you it was gonna work,” Han smirked. “No problem.”
“For now anyway,” Storm spoke. “Let’s just find a secure place to land before they change their mind.”
The stolen Imperial shuttle moved toward the green Sanctuary Moon, flying its way passed the Empire’s fleet.
<>
The stolen Imperial shuttle sat in a clearing of the moon’s dark, primeval forest. The ship itself was dwarfed by the ancient, towering trees. On an adjacent hill, the helmeted Rebel contingent made its way up a steep trail. Leia and Han are slightly ahead of Chewie and Luke. The Equestrian Heroes and Marek, along with the troops of the strike-team squad, followed behind, with R2 and 3PO bringing up the rear. Up ahead, Chewie and Leia reached a crest in the hill and dropped suddenly to the ground, signaling the rest of the group to stop. Han, Storm, Mando, Marek, and Luke crawled up for a better look.
“Oh, I told you it was dangerous here,” 3PO muttered.
“Thanks ‘Captain’ Obvious,” Marek muttered.
Not far below them, two imperial troops are wandering through bushes in the valley below. Their two rocket bikes are parked nearby.
“Two troopers,” Mando observed. “Could be a small scouting party… or likely an ambush.”
“Shall we try and go around?” Leia suggested.
“It’ll take time,” Han pointed out. “This whole party’ll be for nothing if they see us.”
“Then we’ll need to take the stealth approach on this one,” Twilight advised. “Under no circumstances must we jump into anything hasty.”
One by one, the Equestrian party turned toward Rainbow Dash, who eyed her friends in confusion.
“Why are you guys looking at me?” Rainbow asked.
Ignoring Rainbow’s question, Leia motioned for the squad to stay put. Soon she, Han, Luke, Chewie, and Twilight’s group started quietly down the hill. Soon the team had just made their way toward the edge of the clearing not far from the two Imperial scouts.
“Chewie and I will take care of this,” Han instructed. “You stay here.”
“Quietly, there might me more of them out there,” Luke warned.
“Hey… it’s me,” Han grinned.
Han and Chewie turned with a start through the bushes toward the scouts. Luke and Leia exchanged smiles, knowing their old friend all too well. Marek picked himself up from his hiding position.
“Not that I don’t trust the captain,” Marek spoke up. “But I better get down there, just in case anything goes wrong.”
“And I’ll keep an eye on him,” Mando volunteered, addressing Marek. “Could use the extra target practice in the meantime.”
“Just be careful y’all,” Applejack advised.
Marek nodded as he, with the Mandalorian close behind him, followed their comrades carefully down the hill. In the meantime, Han slowly snuck up behind one of the scouts, aiming for a quick take down.
*SNAP!*
Han suddenly stepped on a twig and the scout whirled in alarm. He knocked Han into a tree before turning to his companion.
“Go for help! Go!” The Scout shouted.
The second scout jumped on his speeder bike attempted to take off. But the scout didn’t get far, when the Mandolorian suddenly appeared and shot the scout in the back sending him crashing onto the floor. Han and the remaining Scout are in a rousing fistfight, determined to one-up the other. This activity does not go unnoticed as the others caught sight of the fight.
“Captain Han is in trouble!” Fluttershy pointed out.
“Great,” Luke spoke sarcastically. “Come on!”
Luke started for the scuffle, followed by Leia with her laser pistol drawn. The remainder of the group looked on from their hiding spots. As they run through the bushes, Leia stopped and pointed toward two more scouts sitting on their speeder bikes, with an unoccupied bike parked nearby.
“Over there! Two more of them!” Leia shouted.
“I see them… wait, Leia!” Luke called out.
But Leia, not hearing him, raced for the remaining speeder bike. She quickly starts it up and took off, as Luke jumped on the bike behind her.
“Quick! Jam their commlink!” Luke pointed to the controls. “Center switch!”
Luke and Leia sped into the dense foliage in hot pursuit, barely avoiding two huge trees.
“Hey, wait!” Han called out.
The remaining scout nearly had Han, who flipped the remaining scout to the ground. Before the scout could recover, Marek leapt from the bush and slammed his own lightsaber through the scout’s helmet, killing him instantaneously. Shutting off his lightsaber, Marek quickly helped Han to his feet as the rest of the Equestrians immediately emerged.
“Where’s Luke and Leia?” Twilight asked.
“They took off after the other scouts,” Han pointed in the distance.
“We should go after them,” Rarity advised. “Those poor dears could be killed!”
“I’ll get them,” Marek volunteered, hopping on the speeder. “You guys wait here with the squad; I’ll help deal with the scouts.
Marek quickly sped off in hot pursuit, hoping to catch up with his comrades, while the rest waited beside Han. The Mandalorian quickly motioned forward.
“Where are you going?” Storm asked.
“Like I’m letting the boy go off on his own?” Mando spoke.
Without another word, the Mandalorian activated his jetpack and took off through the woods at high speed.
“Where did we find this guy?” Spike asked, baffled.
<>
In the meantime, the two fleeing Imperial scouts had a good lead as Luke and Leia pursued through the giant trees at 200 miles an hour. The fire from their bike’s laser cannon struck harmlessly near the moving targets.
“Move closer!” Luke instructed.
Leia gunned it, closing the gap. The two scouts recklessly veered through a narrow gap in the trees. One of the bikes scraped a tree, slowing the scout.
“Get alongside that one!”
Leia pulled her speeder bike up so close to the scout’s bike that their steering vanes scrape noisily. Luke leapt from his bike to the back of the scout’s, grabbed the Imperial warrior around the neck, and flipped him off the bike, into a thick tree trunk. Luke gained control of the bike and followed Leia, who pulled ahead. They tear off after the remaining scout.
“Get him!” Luke shouted.
The speeding chase passed three more imperial scouts. They swing into pursuit, chasing Luke and Leia, firing away with their laser cannons. The two Rebels turned behind them, just as Luke’s bike took a glancing hit. Suddenly, the third scout was struck in the back by laser fire and fell off his bike screaming. Marek & The Mandalorian finally caught up, the Mandalorian manning the controls, and removing one of the three pursuing scouts.
“Keep on that one!” Luke indicated the one ahead. “We’ll take these two!”
With Leia shooting ahead, Luke suddenly slammed his steering vanes into the braking mode. Luke’s bike was a blue to the two pursuing scouts as they zipped by him on either side. Luke slammed his bike forward, right beside Marek’s, and together they fired away (Luke having switched places with his pursuers in a manner of seconds). Their aim proved true, as one scout’s bike was blasted out of control and exploded against a tree trunk. The scout’s cohort took one glance back at the flash and shifted into turbo drive, going even faster. Luke and his allies keep on his tail.
Far ahead, Leia and the first scout are doing a highspeed slalom through the death-dealing trunks. Now Leia aimed her bike skyward and rose out of sight. The scout turned in confusion, unable to see his pursuer. Suddenly, Leia dove down upon him from above, blasting her cannon. The scout’s bike took a glancing hit as Leia moved alongside him. The scout eyed her beside him, reached down, and pulled out a handgun. Before Leia could react, the scout blasted her bike, sending it out of control. Leia dove off as her bike exploded against a tree. The happy scout turned back at the explosion for a moment, but when he turned forward again, the Mandalorian appeared from in front of him. The scout hit the brakes to no avail, as the Mandalorian shot a missile from the single-shot function on his pact and the scout exploded in conflagration while the Mandalorian flew off.
In another part of the forest, Luke, Marek, and the last remaining scout continued their weaving chase through the trees. Luke inched closer, while the scout responded by slamming his bike into Luke’s. A fallen tree formed a bridge across their path. The scout zipped under with Marek following behind. Luke went over the top and crashed his bike down on the scout’s Both riders looked ahead – a wide trunk loomed directly in Luke’s path, but the scout’s bike beside him made it almost impossible for him to avoid it. Luke banked with all his might, leaning almost horizontal over the scout’s, barely making it by (Just clipping the tree).
Marek zoomed around the tree only to find that Luke and the scout had their bikes’ front vanes locked, moving together as one. Another big tree loomed toward their path.
“Luke! Get out of there!” Marek shouted.
Luke reacted instinctively and dove off his bike. The two bikes come apart a second before Luke’s exploded against a tree. Marek swept out and circled toward Luke, who rose from the undergrowth just as the scout returned and opened fire with his laser cannon. Marek ignited his laser sword and begun deflecting the bolts in Luke’s defense. The scout’s bike kept coming and it appeared that in a second it could cut the pair in half. At the last instant, Luke ignited his own blade and chopped off the bike’s control vanes with one mighty slash. The scout’s bike began to shudder, pitch, and rolled, rising up to slam directly into a tree in a giant ball of fire.
Galen Marek breathed a sigh of relief after a hectic battle, as he disabled his light saber. By then, the Mandalorian made it toward the two jedi and switched off the rocket-pack landing beside the pair.
“Where’s the princess?” The Mandalorian asked.
“You mean you didn’t see her?” Marek asked.
But answer came none. Marek turned toward Luke, the sudden realization hitting the pair.
<>
Later…
Han, Chewie, the droids, and the Equestrians (Along with the rest of the squad) waited anxiously in the clearing. R2’s radar screen stuck out of his domed head and revolved, scanning the forest. A set of beeps escaped him.
“Oh, General Solo, somebody’s coming!” 3PO announced.
“Arms at the ready!” Storm ordered. “Could be Empire scouts!”
The group raised their weapons at the ready, just as Luke Skywalker, Galen Marek, and the Mandalorian stepped out of the foliage finding weapons trained on them. But they were too tired to even care, as Luke plopped himself down on a boulder and looked around.
“Luke! Marek!” Twilight shouted. “Where’s Leia?”
“Wasn’t she with you?” Rainbow asked.
“We got separated,” Luke sighed.
“We must’ve missed her a few miles back,” Marek added.
Luke and Han exchange a silent, grim look. Luke picked himself up, albeit wearily.
“Hey, we better go look for her,” Luke suggested.
Han nodded and signaled a Rebel officer over.
“Take the squad ahead,” Han ordered. “We’ll meet at the shield generator at 0300.”
“Come on, R2,” Luke called out. “We’ll need your scanners.”
Luke, Chewie, Han, the droids, and Twilight’s team moved off in one direction while the remaining squad proceeded ahead.
“Don’t worry Master Luke,” Pinkie assured. “We’ll find the princess faster before anyone can say Ticonderoga.”
“What the hay is Ticonderoga?” Applejack asked.
“No idea… it just sounded funny.”
The girls moaned in frustration, and they took off into the woods.
“And you said it was pretty here,” 3PO told R2. “Ugh!”