~Imperial Diaries~ Episode 15: A Fight To Remember
@animperialmarch part 15. A few courageous acts in the midst battle prove to Captain Needa exactly what a brave man he is.
Cue Music: Hollow - Phantom Sage
We had a very close call today. A Rebel cell invaded my ship, the Avenger, as it was orbiting the Lothal system and it was a miracle we all survived. On the bridge, one officer named Hawkins called to me: “Captain! There are several ships coming out of hyperspace!” As I watched, four enormous Rebel transport ships, surrounding by A-Wing starfighters, emerged directly in front of the Avenger. “What do we do?” Panicked Hawkins. “The only reason I took this job is because you never have to do anything!” “Don’t panic, Hawkins!” I replied. “Open fire!”
We opened fire on the Rebel ships, resulting in a few A-Wings exploding, but the fight raged on. I realised this was going to be one of those days. Turning back to Hawkins, I said: “Release the TIE Fighters!” Before he could do this, however, the ship rumbled and an alarm began ringing. “What the?!” I gasped, almost losing my balance. “Sir, one of the Rebel ships has flown into the landing bay!” Called Hawkins. “They’re trying to defeat us from the inside out!”
“Dispatch all squadrons immediately!” I said with determination. Leading a group of Stormtroopers, I ran into the hangar of the Star Destroyer. Sure enough, the doors of the Rebel transport opened and soldiers came charging out, blasters at the ready. Within seconds, everything plunged into chaos. Lasers whizzed through the air in all directions. My men were quick, but the Rebels were quicker and I found myself trying to stay alive in the centre of the hangar-turned-battlefield.
Outside, meanwhile, I could hear the sound of another battle raging above us as the Rebel ships tried to at least do some damage to the Avenger. One by one, they were blown away. Sadly, I found that my men were losing the fight, despite reinforcements from separate squadrons. The Rebels’ strength lay in their skill and we were literally being pushed back. If this is gonna be my final fight, I thought as I aimed a few lasers at a nearby Rebel, I might as well finish strong.
That was when it happened. I saw a Rebel soldier pointing his blaster at a nearby Stormtrooper, who shouted: “Oh, blast!” and I recognised the voice. One of my newest recruits - from Lothal, by coincidence - Zare Leonis. That traitorous Rebel was about to shoot him! Zare is like a son to me. I knew what I had to do. Running past the melee of soldiers, I shouted “Zare! Look out!” I jumped in front of him just as the Rebel pulled the trigger.
I heard a loud banging noise and a thud as I hit the floor. Zare’s voice, a hundred miles away, called to me. “Captain! Can you hear me? Needa!” I heard a muffled scream and a pounding of footsteps, before my world descended into blackness and I passed out.
I awakened some time later in the medical ward, my body feeling numb from the waist down. Zare Leonis and Captain Hawkins were looking down at me in concern. “Captain Needa. Can you hear me, sir?” asked Zare. “What happened...?” I mumbled feebly. “Are the others ok? Are you alright, Zare?” “Yes. I survived...thanks to you.” I smiled weakly. “One soldier to another.” I tried to sit up, but my waist began aching and I sank back again with a gasp. “How...?” I groaned. “Are you still alive?” Hawkins finished. “Let’s just say you got lucky, Needa.”
It’s incredible how so much can happen in such a short amount of time. It turns out, despite all the odds, that we actually won the battle. Upon seeing me wounded and apparently dead, my soldiers drove the Rebels back, believing that they would avenge me. I’m so proud of them. My wounds will heal in time, but I’m just relieved that everyone else is safe. Including Zare. And believe me, if I can take a laser to the stomach for him once, I’d be more than willing to risk my life for his again.
