by Forcechild
“You got him!” Steffen exclaimed. “Nice move. Thanks my friend. You just saved my butt.”
“There’s more friendlies out there. Let’s give them some support.”
“You’ve got it pal. Let’s pound those TIE’s to hell and back,” Steffen responded.
Ben continued to use the Force as he sought more of the enemy. He took out every TIE he came up on. He felt an increasing strength building within him. The Force flowed through him like he’d never experienced it before. He could actually feel himself become a part of his fighter. His hand molded to the joystick as if it were an extension of his body. Ben no longer needed his eyes to see the TIE’s as he picked them off two and three at a time. The young starpilot banked, spiraled, pitched and rolled as his X-Wing plowed through the enemy fighters. His laser cannons became red hot as they spit out burst, after burst, after burst.
The other X-Wings were taking TIE’s out as well. Many of Ben’s comrades had fallen, but the rest were holding their own now that they knew what the enemy was doing. Yet, no matter how many TIE’s they took out, more kept taking their place.
Ben wondered how long they’d be able to hold out before all the X-Wings were destroyed. He knew exactly who and what they were fighting now. When he’d scanned the pilot’s mind who’d first pursed him, he’d also gained his knowledge as well. He’d learned that the TIE pilots were cloned from Darth Vader. He couldn’t understand how it was possible. Darth Vader was dead.
Ben was aware that the being awaiting him on Geonosis was a Sith Lord. His adversary had let that fact escape when he’d heard Padmay’s screams of terror. Was that man Vader’s clone too? If true, how was he going to defeat anyone who held that much power within the Force? Would he survive against the TIE’s? Was Anakin by his side to protect him? Ben knew his abilities weren’t advanced enough to be flying as well as he was. He couldn’t understand how he’d been able to enter the enemy’s mind telepathically. Nor did he know how he’d been able to send his thoughts through space in order to warn his comrades.
Anakin Skywalker told him that he’d return when the time was right. Ben concentrated on his grandfather’s presence, but didn’t sense him at all.
*
As the small fighters waged battle over Coruscant, the New Republic’s cruisers came into firing range of the enormous Death Star. All the vessels banded together with a fleet sent up from the planet’s surface. The Solaris came broadside of the massive space station and opened fire. Their turbolaser batteries blasted away without cessation. Every battleship deployed fired on the enemy, but even their combined firepower couldn’t penetrate the Death Star’s deflector shields.
*
Lucian Gris had a smug look of self-satisfaction on his face as the battle raged on. The New Republic’s starships were no more than flitnats buzzing around banthas, seeming no more than toys, the Grand Moff mused. Even if Coruscant sent their entire fleet into combat, the rebels meager attempt to destroy this battlestation was totally in vain.
Though the children failed in their attempt to block Coruscant’s defense systems, the battle between the fighters was certainly going in their favor. The ability of the children to read the enemy’s minds and attack them accordingly was working superbly. This is how a war is truly won Lucian couldn’t help but think with pride. It was an honorable way to fight. Destroying the enemy face to face was the only way to triumph with a true sense of victory.
Lucian wanted to savor every minute of the slaughter. The rebels had a lot to pay for. First the TIE’s would destroy all of their fighters. Then they’d attack the battleships. While the cruisers concentrated on the TIE’s, the Death Star would be able to lower its shielding and fire on them. Once the battleships were eliminated, they’d be free to fully power up their weapon and destroy Coruscant. All those who’d fought against the Empire would perish in a bright flash of hot, molten fire. The Grand Moff could hardly contain his joy.
Gris finally turned away from the viewport. He couldn’t be happier as he strutted over to the communications station. His smile extended from ear to ear when he asked, “Have you made any progress breaking through the defense system on the surface?”
The officer didn’t answer his superior.
Gris’ smile faded and his brows creased. “I asked you a question. Is there any progress?”
Vader’s child still didn’t respond. He wasn’t paying any attention to him at all. He was sitting in complete silence with a confused expression on his face.
Lucian scanned the bridge. All of Vader’s children were staring straight ahead looking bewildered. He bent over and tapped the com officer on the shoulder. The child slowly came out of his dazed state and looked up.
“I asked you a question young man and would appreciate a response,” the Grand Moff stated with authority.
“I..., um..., I’m sorry sir. I didn’t hear you.”
“That’s quite apparent. I’ll ask the question again.” Lucian spoke each word distinctly as if the young man was an imbecile. “Have you breached the defense system on the planet’s surface?”
“I don’t know sir.”
“You don’t know? Then might I suggest that you find out as quickly as possible.”
Vader’s child hesitated.
“NOW!” Gris dared to shout in his face.
The officer tried to communicate with his brothers, but he couldn’t get through. He looked up at the Grand Moff and shrugged his shoulders. He quietly said, “I don’t understand it sir. They can’t hear me.”
“Well try again.” Confident that the problem would soon be solved he walked back to the viewport in order to watch the massacre, but something was very wrong. The TIE’s had stopped firing on the enemy. What the blazes was going on?
*
“Do you see that Ben? The TIE’s are flying in circles.” Steffen said stunned by the sight. “Why have they stopped the attack?”
“I don’t know. Keep sharp Steffen. It may be some kind of trick.” Ben used the Force to enter into an enemy’s mind once again, but there seemed to be a black void surrounding the pilot. He concentrated harder attempting to scan more pilots. He succeeded, but their thoughts were blank as well. He couldn’t understand what was happening.
The minutes ticked by. Suddenly Ben began receiving the pilot’s thoughts again. Their voices were loud and jumbled, making it impossible to understand what they were thinking. He concentrated on a single pilot. Ben sensed something not entirely human deep within the young man. He allowed his mind’s eye to see what the pilot was envisioning. He saw a swam of insects buzzing around their hive. Ben knew immediately that the pilot, or a part of him at least, had evolved from that particular species. Protection of the hive was foremost in an insect’s mind, along with a strong need to kill enemies who attacked the hive. The instinct insured their survival.
Intrigued, Ben scanned more pilots. They were all seeing the same image. He learned that every pilot evolved from insects. They’d belonged to different species at one time, but evolution had blended them into one race.
Ben also sensed a sinister presence that was shared by the pilots. He concentrated with all his effort and what came through shocked him to his very core. The young man finally understood the enormity of whom and what he was facing. These pilots weren’t just Vader’s clones. They also contained Sidious’ vast knowledge as well. Each one had the ability to use the full powers of the Dark Side. The pilots intended to use their powers to kill all who opposed them. Their mission was to eliminate democracy entirely.
As Ben sat in stunned silence, he sensed the pilot’s ancient warring instinct surface to the forefront of his mind. An surge of pure, unrestrained fury dominating him. An irresistible urge to kill started to control his every thought. His wrath wasn’t aimed against Ben. His rage was aimed towards his brothers. The pilot unexpectedly turned his fighter on his comrades and started firing on them. Then another TIE pilot did the same, then another one, and another. The X-Wings were
no longer considered the enemy. They were completely forgotten in the enemies need to eliminate their new foes.
Ben quickly surmised what was going on. The Jedi were using their survival instinct to invoke an intense hatred against one another. They were making them think each one was an invading species trying to infiltrate their hive. The pilot’s brothers became the “intruders” and the Death Star became their “hive.” They’d continue fighting until only one species remained. It was in the insect’s nature to kill rivals. These young men couldn’t perceive that evolution had mixed their species into just one race. They’d annihilate each other.
Steffen soared up beside Ben. He was in awe of the spectacle. “What going on Ben? Why are they attacking each other? It’s sheer insanity.”
Ben suddenly felt an urgent need to flee. “We’ve go to get out of here Steffen,” he shouted telepathically.
“Why?”
“There isn’t enough time to explain. I just know we have to get out of here. Now!” Ben banked, and sped away at full throttle.
Steffen didn’t hesitate. Leaning heavily on his stick, he followed.
Ben used the Force to contact the fleet, warning them that they had to get as far away
from the Death Star as quickly as possible. He knew they had very little time to escape the cataclysm that was about to occur.
*
Back on board the Death Star chaos erupted on each and every level of the battlestation. Vader’s children were attacking everyone in sight. They’d grabbed blasters and fired on their brothers. The regular crew wasn’t armed so they grabbed anything available in order to protect themselves from the children.
On the bridge Gris screamed amongst the mayhem, “What’s going on here? Stop this at once. Get back to your posts immediately. I demand it!”
His orders were completely ignored.
One of the children suddenly turned towards him and shouted, “We’ve been invaded! They’ve breached the containment core. The hive will be destroyed.” The young man laughed in absolute madness before turning to his brothers.
The Grand Moff didn’t have time to wonder what was meant about “the hive.” He was grabbed from behind and spun around. The last words Lucian Gris heard were, “He’s an invader! Kill him!” The children leaped on their captain. They tore the flesh from his body with their teeth, ripping his throat wide open.
As Vader’s children ran amok on the massive battlestation in a murderous rampage, they continued attacking all the “intruders” on board. The entire crew deserted their stations and hid wherever they could in order to evade the mayhem, but to no avail. The Death Star’s decks turned red with blood.
Before long here wasn’t a soul left on board to monitor a very serious problem that had arisen. The weapons system had been ignored while Vader’s clones destroyed control panels in their attempt to slay their enemies. The superlaser had been activated by a damaged switch, but could not propel its enormous energy outward. The reactor built up a tremendous amount of pressure and quickly overloaded.
The most powerful space station built to date detonated into a spectacular, brilliant blaze that illuminated the surrounding heavens. The Supreme Ruler’s hopes of destroying the New Republic disappeared along with his “indestructible” battlestation. It disintegrated into bits of molten debris. A few littered fragments of the third, moon-sized Death Star would revolve around the hub of democracy forever. Smaller pieces would be drawn closer to the planet by gravitational pull until their obit decays. The remaining particles would slowly descend into Coruscant’s atmosphere and burn up, incinerating entirely.
Part Three
Chapter Twenty One
- Interference -
The Supreme Ruler had been connected to all his children when they entered Coruscant’s orbit. He wanted to feed off the fear and confusion as his “ultimate weapon” destroyed all those worthless lives. The Death Star would leave nothing behind but burning cinders and ash. The pleasure of that moment was greatly anticipated. After these lengthy years of patiently waiting for retribution, his hunger would finally be sated.
While the Sith Lord waited anxiously for this long, awaited event to occur, he felt an incredible, swirling turbulence gathering strength within the Force. Though welcoming this violent tempest, he sensed an inordinately strong opposing energy trying to break through. He felt as if he was in the very center of an enormous maelstrom as good and evil opposed each other in an immovable impasse.
The Supreme Ruler suddenly sensed this enigma burst past the dam of battlements. This immense force was invading his children’s minds, manipulating their thoughts. He felt a tremendous need arise inside each one of them to kill an imagined intruder. The Sith Lord was filled with absolute dread as he sensed his children stop their deadly assault. Instead of destroying his hated enemy, the pilots turned on each other, all shouting, “Protect the hive!”
It suddenly dawned on him that Darth Sidious made a terrible error when he employed Ceris to create this cloned army. The former Emperor had instructed the insectoid to dilute Darth Vader’s blood cells before inseminating the women who birthed them. He hadn’t foreseen that Ceris would use his own blood for this purpose. He should’ve been more specific with such a lowly, primitive mind. Darth Sidious should’ve specified that the insectoid use only human blood.
Even with such a horrid mistake, Vader couldn’t understand why the pilots adopted their forebear’s instinctive need to kill intruders. Ceris had been the only one who’d known how they were created. Darth Sidious had the creature’s complete loyalty. Ceris would’ve never divulged this information to a soul fearing Sidious’ wrath.
Lord Vader couldn’t understand how this was happening. Who was powerful enough to be able to influence the pilots this way? It had to be the Jedi. Was it Ben? No. It couldn’t be him. The lad’s powers were just beginning to be awakened. Kenobi then. No. He wasn’t powerful enough to disrupt his children thoughts. Someone else had to be behind this. Perhaps it was Yoda. He might be strong enough to twist the pilot’s thoughts, but how could the aged Jedi Master break through the defenses of the Dark Side? No. It couldn’t be Yoda either. The only one strong enough to control his children’s thoughts was Anakin Skywalker, but even he wasn’t powerful enough to dominate so many minds. It really didn’t matter. The Supreme Ruler was determined to put an end to the Jedi’s interference once and for all.
As he reached out in an attempt to block the Jedi, the Sith Lord felt an incredible amount of energy flowing through his grandson with a strength he knew couldn’t be the boy’s alone. Someone had to be aiding him, making his abilities stronger. Most likely it was Kenobi. Obi-Wan had taken Padme from him, as well as his son. He’d not steal his grandson too!
Lord Vader reached out through space once more, doubling his effort to sever Kenobi’s connection to Ben. As he did, he was suddenly propelled back into the air as if physically struck by an enormous release of energy. Flung to the floor, he instantly got back to his feet. He was filled with an uncontrolled rage. He’d felt the Death Star explode. He screamed out at the top of his lungs, “NO! THEY CANNOT DO THIS TO ME! NOT AGAIN! I WILL NOT ALLOW THEM TO DEFEAT ME THIS TIME!”
*
Ben’s small X-Wing barely escaped the shock wave when the Death Star was destroyed. The battlestation detonated in a display so bright that it rivaled a gamma burst. The lad’s piloting skills were all that saved him from certain death as his ship spun out of control. Debris from the explosion smashed against the fighter, nearly tearing both wings off.
When finally managing to get his crippled ship under control Ben scanned the area for Steffen. He’d also survived the blast. Luckily, his fighter hadn’t been damaged at all.
“Can you explain what happened now?” Steffen asked as he soared up next to Ben.
“Can it wait? I’m having a bit of a problem. My ship’s been damaged and my R4 can’t take over. I lost him in the shock wave.”
“Sure buddy, but I hope y
ou can explain what happened when we get back to the Solaris. It’s got me completely baffled.”
“I’ll do my best to explain things when we land. I promise.”
*
Such a terrible waste of life, Ben thought when he landed on the cruiser. Over a million souls had cried out in panic trying to escape the bloody massacre on board the Death Star before it was destroyed. Ben sensed each and every one of their lives come to an end. He was filled with sorrow. No matter what side of the Force a person was on, they shouldn’t die without being mourned.
Most of Ben’s squadron had already landed. They were shouting out in victory. Sympathy was also shared over those who’d fallen. Many friends were lost in this day’s battle. They would not be soon forgotten.
Steffen rushed up to his fighter as soon as he opened the canopy. Ben told him that their discussion would have to wait. He needed to find Captain Brant. He turned and hurried from the flight deck leaving Steffen more puzzled than ever.
As Ben entered the turbolift and punched the code for the bridge, he was well aware that their ordeal was far from over. The hardest part of the fight was yet to come. It would be even more dangerous than his battle against the TIE’s. He was filled with trepidation knowing who he was about to face. Nothing in his short life had prepared him for it. He prayed that he’d have enough courage to face the Sith Lord.
The lift doors opened and Ben stepped out onto the bridge. He looked towards the viewport and saw Brant standing there staring out into space. Lando was standing next to him. He climbed the steps, but before he could say a word Brant stated, “I knew it wouldn’t be long before you got here Solo.”
“Can we go after my sister now sir? I know where she’s being held. She’s on Geonosis.”
“I’m sorry, but we can’t go anywhere without reporting to headquarters first.”
“Captain Brant is right,” Lando added. “I am sure our superiors will have a million questions about how and where another Death Star came from. Besides, I left Chewbacca without saying a word. I’m sure he’s been going crazy wondering where I went without him. I can imagine what kind of damage I’ll find for leaving him behind.”
