This and the next post are most useful for what I'm pressing.
"Blue Five to Blue pack," Luke ordered, "let's go!" The three ships
peeled off and plunged toward the trench sector.
Meanwhile Vader finally succeeded in hitting his quarry, a glancing
bolt that nonetheless started small, intense explosions in one engine. Its
R-2 unit scrambled back toward the damaged wing and struggled to repair the
crippled power plant.
"R-2, shut off the main feed to number-one starboard engine," Blue
Leader directed quietly, staring resignedly at instruments which were
running impossibilities. "Hang on tight, this could get rough."
Luke saw that Blue Leader was in trouble. "We're right above you, Blue
Leader," he declared. "Turn to point oh five, and we'll cover for you."
"I've lost my upper starboard engine," came the reply.
"We'll come down for you."
"Negative, negative. Stay there and get set up for your attack run."
"You're sure you're all right?"
"I think so... Stand by for a minute."
Actually, it was somewhat less than a minute before Blue Leader's
gyrating X-wing plowed into the surface of the station.
Luke watched the huge explosion dissipate below him, knowing without
question its cause, sensing fully for the first time the helplessness of his
situation. "We just lost Blue Leader," he murmured absently, not
particularly caring if his mike picked up the somber announcement.
On Yavin Four, Leia Organa rose from her chair and nervously began
pacing the room. Normally perfect nails were now jagged and uneven from
nervous chewing. It was the only indication of physical unease. The anxiety
visible in her expression was far more revealing of her feelings, an anxiety
and worry that filled the war room on the announcement of Blue Leader's
death.
"Can they go on?" she finally asked Dodonna.
The general replied with gentle resolve. "They must."
"But we've lost so many. Without Blue or Red Leader, how will they
regroup?"
Dodonna was about to reply, but held his words as more critical ones
sounded over the speakers.
"Close it up, Wedge," Luke was saying, thousands of kilometers away.
"Biggs, where are you?"
"Coming in right behind you."
Wedge replied soon after. "Okay. Boss, we're in position."
Dodonna's gaze went to Leia. He looked concerned.
The three X-wings moved close together high above the battle station's
surface. Luke studied his instruments and fought irritably with one control
that appeared to be malfunctioning.
Someone's voice sounded in his ears. It was a young-old voice, a
familiar voice: calm, content, confident, and reassuring-a voice he had
listened to intently on the desert of Tatooine and in the guts of the
station below, once upon a time.
"Trust your feelings, Luke," was all the Kenobi-like voice said.
Luke tapped his helmet, unsure whether he had heard anything or not.
This was no time for introspection. The steely horizon of the station tilted
behind him.
"Wedge, Biggs, we're going in," he told his wingmen. "We'll go in full
speed. Never mind finding the trench and then accelerating. Maybe that will
keep those fighters far enough behind us."
"We'll stay far enough back to cover you," Biggs declared. "At that
speed will you be able to pull out in time?"
"Are you kidding?" Luke sneered playfully as they began their dive
toward the surface. "It'll be just like BeggarsCanyon back home."
"I'm right with you, Boss," noted Wedge, emphasizing the title for the
first time. "Let's go..."
At high speed the three slim fighters charged the glowing surface,
pulling out after the last moment. Luke skimmed so close over the station
hull that the tip of one wing grazed a protruding antenna, sending metal
splinters flying. Instantly they were enveloped in a meshwork of energy
bolts and explosive projectiles. It intensified as they dropped down into
the trench.
"We seem to have upset them," Biggs chortled, treating the deadly
display of energy as though it were all a show being put on for their
amusement.
"This is fine," Luke commented, surprised at the clear view ahead. "I
can see everything."
Wedge wasn't quite as confident as he studied his own readouts. "My
scope shows the tower, but I can't make out the exhaust port. It must be
awfully small. Are you sure the computer can target it?"
"It better," Biggs muttered.
Luke didn't offer an evaluation-he was too busy holding a course
through the turbulence produced by exploding bolts. Then, as if on command,
the defensive fire ceased. He glanced around and up for signs of the
expected TIE fighters, but saw nothing.
His hand went to drop the targeting visor into position, and for just a
moment he hesitated. Then he swung it down in front of his eyes. "Watch
yourselves," he ordered his companions.
"What about the tower?" Wedge asked worriedly.
"You worry about those fighters," Luke snapped. "I'll worry about the
tower."
They rushed on, closing on the target every second. Wedge stared
upward, and his gaze suddenly froze. "Here they come-oh point three."
Vader was setting his controls when one of his wingmen broke attack
silence. "They're making their approach too fast-they'll never get out in
time."
"Stay with them," Vader commanded.
"They're going too fast to get a fix," his other pilot announced with
certainty.
Vader studied several readouts and found that his sensors confirmed the
other estimates. "They'll still have to slow down before they reach that
tower."
Luke contemplated the view in his targeting visor. "Almost home."
Seconds passed and the twin circlets achieved congruence. His finger
convulsed on the firing control. "Torpedoes away! Pull up, pull up."
Two powerful explosions rocked the trench, striking harmlessly far to
one side of the minute opening. Three TIE fighters shot out of the rapidly
dissipating fireball, closing on the retreating rebels. "Take them," Vader
ordered softly.
Luke detected the pursuit at the same time as his companions. "Wedge,
Biggs, split up-it's the only way we'll shake them."
The three ships dropped toward the station, then abruptly raced off in
three different directions. All three TIE fighters turned and followed Luke.
Vader fired on the crazily dodging ship, missed, and frowned to
himself. "The Force is strong with this one. Strange. I'll take him myself."
Luke darted between defensive towers and wove a tight path around
projecting docking bays, all to no avail. A single remaining TIE fighter
stayed close behind. An energy bolt nicked one wing, close by an engine. It
started to spark irregularly, threateningly. Luke fought to compensate and
retain full control.
Still trying to shake his persistent assailant, he dropped back into a
trench again. "I'm hit," he announced, "but not bad. Artoo, see what you can
do with it."
The tiny droid unlocked himself and moved to work on the damaged engine
as energy bolts flashed by dangerously close. "Hang on back there," Luke
counseled the Artoo unit as he worked a path around projecting towers, the
fighter spinning and twisting tightly through the topography of the station.
Fire remained intense as Luke randomly changed direction and speed. A
series of indicators on the control panel slowly changed color; three vital
gauges relaxed and returned to where they belonged.
"I think you've got it, Artoo," Luke told him gratefully. "I
think-there, that's it. Just try to lock it down so it can't work loose
again."
Artoo beeped in reply while Luke studied the whirling panorama behind
and above them. "I think we've lost those fighters, too. Blue group, this is
Blue Five. Are you clear?" He manipulated several controls and the X-wing
shot out of the trench, still followed by emplacement fire.
"I'm up here waiting, Boss," Wedge announced from his position high
above the station. "I can't see you."
"I'm on my way. Blue Three, are you clear? Biggs?"
"I've had some trouble," his friend explained, "but I think I lost
him."
Something showed again, damnably, on Biggs's screen. A glance behind
showed the TIE fighter that had been chasing him for the past several
minutes dropping in once more behind him. He swung down toward the station
again.