Chapter 10

Castle came down the ramp of the Millennium Falcon with a spring in his step. He had just finished stowing away the box that contained the balance of the money he was owed for the charter he had arranged with Obi-wan Montgomery. He had not expected the Rebels to honour the agreement and fork out the money and he had steeled himself for an argument but a word from Princess Kate had officials scrambling to fetch the agreed amount.

The pilot of the Millennium Falcon was feeling pleased. He had enough money to pay off Vulcan the Hutt with interest and still have enough left over to split with Javi. It had been a while since he had some money in his pocket.

Reaching the bottom of the ramp he came to stand beside his co-pilot. Javi had finished stowing supplies that the rebels had willingly provided for the journey back to Tatooine. Javi was watching the activity that was going on in the very large hanger. Castle took a moment to survey the scene as well.

Ground crews were rushing about along the lines of gleaming X-fighters and Y-fighters hurriedly getting them ready for flight. Pilots were climbing up ladders and jumping into cockpits of their fighters. R2 units were being lifted up with the help of cranes and deposited into spaces behind the cockpits of the fighters. Other ground crew were rolling out trolleys containing long torpedoes and attaching them to the fighters

Javi glanced at Castle.

"Word's come through that the Death Star is moving into position to launch an attack." Javi said, providing a response to Castle's unasked question.

Castle nodded his head and continued to watch the scene before him. He still felt a little sheepish when the Rebel sensor posts had detected the approach of Imperial warships into the Yavin system. It had not taken long to deduce the Imperial Death Star had followed the Millennium Falcon. Castle had immediately conducted a search of his ship where he discovered the planted tracking device. The discovery had elicited a strong of colourful words in half a dozen languages.

Castle did not fancy the chances of the fighter pilots who were going up against the Death Star. Unlike these pilots Castle had seen the Imperial Death Star and what it was capable of. He did not envy the task these pilots had before them.

Both Castle and Javi had sat in on the pilot's briefing where their mission had been outlined. To call it a suicide mission would be a kindness. The rebel commanders were expecting the pilots to run the gauntlet of the massive close quarter defence systems fly through a narrow trench on the surface of the station at maximum speed and then try and lob a torpedo into the opening of a two metre wide exhaust shaft that led directly into the reactor systems of the station and the torpedo had to hit its target at exactly ninety degrees so that a chain reaction could be set up. It was madness.

After the briefing had ended Castle had tried to get to Kate but she joined the party of commanders as they had left the briefing room. He had a feeling that she was blaming him for leading the empire to the secret rebel base.

"How long till the Death Star's in position?" Castle asked.

"They reckon fifteen to thirty minutes."

"Time we made tracks too."

Javi turned slowly and gave his friend one of his scowls.

"What?" Castle asked.

"Nothing."

"This isn't our fight, Javi."

"I heard you the first time, Bro."

"We need to get back so I can pay Vulcan what we owe."

"I know."

"You want bounty hunters chasing us for the rest of our lives?"

"No."

"So, why are you giving me that look?"

"I'm not giving you that look." Javi protested.

"Yes you are."

"No I'm not."

Javi turned away and resumed observing the pre-flight preparations. He spotted Ryan approaching. The scowl he was projecting softened a little as he looked over to the young man. Ryan was dressed in an orange and silver flight suit. A helmet was tucked under his left armpit.

"Hey look at you, Bro." Javi laughed as he gave Ryan an affectionate punch on the arm. "Nice and fancy looking in that gear."

"What do you think?" Ryan asked as he modelled the flight suit. "Not bad, eh?"

"I'm surprised they could find something in such a small size."

"Ha ha, very funny, Javi."

"You keep your head down and don't do anything stupid, do you hear?"

"Sure thing."

The two men shook hands.

"Good luck, Ryan."

"Thanks, Javi."

The grin on Ryan's face faltered when he looked at Castle.

"You got your reward?" Ryan asked.

Castle wanted to point out that it was not so much as a reward as payment of the balance owed to him but he did not feel up to clarifying the point so he just nodded his head instead.

"And you're leaving then?"

"That's right, kid." Castle said. "I have some old debts to pay off. Even if I didn't, I don't think I'd be fool enough to hang around here. You're pretty good in a scrap, why don't you come with us...I could use you."

"Why don't you look around, Castle?" Ryan said angrily, waving his free arm in the direction of the fighters. "You know what's about to happen...what they're up against. They could use a good pilot, but you're turning your back on them."

"Kid, this isn't my fight."

"It's everyone's fight!" Ryan shouted.

A couple of ground crew nearby paused in their work to look over where Ryan and Castle were standing.

"Ryan!" The Blue Squadron leader called from the top of a step ladder that was against his X-fighter. "Stop the chin wagging and strap your ass to your fighter!"

Ryan acknowledged the order from his squadron leader with a wave of his hand. He turned back to Castle. He looked at the taller man for a moment unable to hide his disappointment. He opened his mouth to say something. Thinking better of it he closed his mouth and just shook his head. He turned on his heels and raced across the hanger to where his X-fighter was waiting.

Throughout the massive hanger engines were spooling up to power. The noise in the hanger began to grow louder and louder.

"Standby to launch squadrons." The voice over the loudspeakers in the hanger ordered.

Castle nudged Javi's arm.

"That's our cue." Castle shouted over the growing din.

Javi nodded his head and headed up the ramp and into the ship.

Castle watched as Ryan's fighter slowly lifted off the ground rising to about five feet off the ground before it rotated to face the hanger entrance. The massive hanger door was rapidly coming down. Brilliant sunlight came spilling through the entrance. Ryan glanced in Castle's direction. Castle waved to the younger man. Ryan hesitated a moment before he returned the wave.

"Good luck kid." Castle said in a low voice before he turned and walked up the ramp of his ship.

XXX

Kate was standing in the large war room. There was a loud buzz in the room as orders were issued or relayed. People rushed from station to station. There was an urgency within the room that came with the coming battle. Kate barely took notice of the feverish activity that was going on around her. Her attention was drawn to the three large screens suspended on the wall before her.

The middle screen displayed a map of the Yavin system and all its moon. It was a battle map and it displayed the squadrons that had been deployed as small blue squares with their squadron designation marked in the square. There was a whole swarm of blue squares streaming away from Yavin 4 and heading towards the approaching Death Star.

On the screen to her right was a computer generated map of the Death Star as it slowly but steadily moved into position from where it could launch its massive super laser at the moon where the rebel base was located. The moon they were on right now. She had been offered a place on one of the ships that evacuated all the non essential personnel but Kate had steadfastly refused. She had never been one for running away from a fight. If she was going to die today then she would die with her rebel comrades.

The name Death Star seemed entirely appropriate for the Empire's most lethal and devastating weapon. It had been Castle who had come up with that name the other day. She had called it the Death Star when she had briefed the Rebel Alliance leadership on her arrival on Yavin 4 and now everyone called it the Death Star.

"Blue squadron is ready to launch, sir."

"Launch Blue Squadron." General Dodonna, the battle commander, ordered.

Kate looked to the screen on her left and saw vision of numerous X-fighters flying out the hanger entrance and streak upwards into the sky. They flew in pairs and in trios. In one of those fighters was Kevin Ryan but from this distance there was nothing to distinguish one fighter from another. She was concerned for the young man. Most of the pilots of the squadron had at least a couple of years flying experience under their belts whereas Ryan was a mere novice, his only experience being piloting a land speeder back on Tatooine.

The Rebel Alliance were in desperate need of pilots and his offer to fly had been snapped up immediately and that was why Ryan was flying an X-fighter now.

Kate saw the last X-fighter shoot out of the hanger and soared after the rest of the squadron.

"Blue Squadron away." Someone reported.

Kate was about to turn away from the screen when she caught sight of the Millennium Falcon fly out of the hanger. It rose swiftly into the sky. For a moment she thought it was going to follow Blue Squadron but before her hopes rose she saw the Millennium Falcon bank sharply and fly off in the opposite direction to where Blue Squadron were heading.

She could not tamp down the disappointment she felt as she watched the ship disappear from view. It had been a forlorn hope that Castle might decide to throw his lot in with the Rebel Alliance and stay and fight. She had not been able to catch up with Castle once they had landed on Yavin 4.

Almost from the moment they had touched down she had been swept away and locked in briefings with the General Dodonna and his commanders. Perhaps if she had been able to grab a moment with Castle she might have been able to change his mind and get him to stay.

Kate shook her head dismissing Castle from her thoughts. If he did not want to stay and fight, well that was his decision. A man must follow his own path, no one can choose it for him, her mother used to say. Turning away from the wall screens Kate made her way over to the main command station.

XXX

Castle finished inputting the course to Tatooine into the navi-computer. He double checked the numbers to make sure he had the right co-ordinates. It had taken him a little longer to plot in the new course because he was keeping an ear on the radio, listening to the radio chatter generated by the attacking Rebel pilots and found it little distracting.

"Must we listen to that chatter?" Castle groused.

Once they had departed from the rebel base Javi had switched on the radio to listen to the battle as it unfolded between the fighters and the Death Star.

"Yeah we gotta listen, you got a problem with that?" Javi replied with more belligerence than usual.

Castle glanced at his co-pilot for a moment before he shook his head and turned to his flight console.

"Blue Five, Blue Leader, I'm going in." Ryan's voice crackled out of the radio speaker. Both Castle and Javi looked at the speaker.

"I'm right behind you, Blue Five." Said another voice.

"The Death Star is going to be in a position to fire at the moon in about fifteen minutes." Javi remarked.

"We can jump to hyperspace in about five." Castle countered.

"Pull out. Blue Five, pull out! Kevin pull out!" A voice shouted from the radio.

Castle looked at the radio again. For some seconds he held his breath waiting to hear Ryan's voice again, hoping that the kid had not crashed.

"Are you alright, Kevin?"

"I got a little cooked, but I'm okay." Ryan's voice reported.

"Blue Leader, Blue Five, give yourself more lead time, or you're going to blast yourself out of the sky..."

"Yes sir, I've got the hang of it now."

Castle released the breath he had been holding. Glancing to Javi and he saw that the co-pilot had been doing the same.

Castle checked the sensor screen on his console and saw that the Millennium Falcon was rapidly putting distance between themselves and the battle.

"I thought you liked her." Javi said.

"What?" Castle replied looking at Javi with a puzzled look.

"Don't try to deny it, Castle."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"I'm on my way in now, Blue Leader." Ryan announced.

"Watch yourself, Blue Five! There's a lot of fire coming from the right side of that deflection tower..."

"I'm on it, Blue Leader."

Castle eased the Millennium Falcon a little further away from the Yavin system. He hated himself for doing that.

"Squadron leaders, we've picked up a new group of signals. Enemy fighters coming your way." An authoritative voice cut through the radio chatter.

"My scope's negative. I don't see anything." Ryan replied immediately

"Keep up your visual scanning. With all this jamming, they'll be on top of you before your scope can pick them up." Blue Squadron leader barked.

Castle could feel Javi's eyes boring holes in his head. Slowly he turned to look at his co-pilot.

"You saw what the Imperials did to Alderaan." Javi said. "That's what they're gonna do to Yavin 4"

Castle did not replied he just held Javi's gaze.

"She's on Yavin 4, man. I can't believe you're gonna let it happen."

"But..." Castle started.

Javi held up his arm to shield his face as he looked away.

"I can't even look at you anymore."

Castle turned back to his console. Once more his eyes swept across it checking that everything was nominal. He then looked out the front window into the depths of space. A frown began to creased his face. He hated himself for having left Yavin 4. Rick Castle was many things but a coward he was not. He had never run away from a fight in his life. Well, actually, there had been one or two times that he had fled but it had been justified because of the overwhelming odds against him. It was always better to run and fight another day than to stay and die, or get very seriously hurt.

What bothered Castle the most was that he had left Kate behind. Try as he might he could not shake her from his thoughts. She had pitched her tent in his head and another one in his heart and was not going to shift. The more he thought about her, the more he hated himself for having left her behind. This was not the way the heroes of his stories acted. No, the heroes in his stories faced the bad guys, did battle with them and defeated them, then saved the damsel in distress. He doubted he would ever forgive himself if she were to die and he just fled.

Castle suddenly sat up straighter in his chair and grasped the control wheel tighter in his hands.

"Javi, give me everything she's got to the sub-light engines." Castle ordered.

"You got it, Bro."

"Strap yourself in because it's going to get pretty hairy."

"Bring it on." Javi declared. "Let's kick some Imperial butt!"

Castle banked the Millennium Falcon sharply to starboard and turned back for the Yavin system. The ship responded immediately and in a matter of seconds was increasing her speed. From out the corner of his eye Castle saw Javi grinning at him.

"What?" Castle said.

"They'll be telling stories of your heroic deeds, Castle."

"Uh-huh."

"Minstrels will sing your praises."

"Zip it, Javi." Castle grumbled.

"People will be naming their first born after you."

"Enough already, we're heading back aren't we?" Castle said with growing irritation.

"Maidens, young and old, will grant you their favours." Javi continued, the smile on his face growing.

"Javi, enough!"

"The Princess will be pleased to see you." Javi some moments later.

"You think so?" Castle asked in a hopeful tone.

"Bro, I know so." Javi laughed.

XXX

Kate had been watching the mounting battle unfold on the view screens on the wall. The other rebel commanders were standing close by also watching the battle on the screens. Every single commander had a strained expression on their face as the battle ebbed and flowed. With the arrival of the Imperial Tie-fighters into the battle the balance was slowly turning towards the Empire.

Kate felt her stomach was in knots. She wanted desperately to start pacing to ease some of the nervous energy she was feeling. She would have loved to be in one of the X-fighters and shooting down the Imperial fighters. If she was up there taking part in the battle she would be doing something, being of some use. Instead she was down here in the war room feeling helpless and nervous while others fought and died.

The view screens flickered and then went to blank. Kate turned around to one of the control stations and raised a questioning eyebrow.

"The high band receiver has failed. It will take some time to fix..." The technician at the console reported.

"Switch to audio." Kate ordered. "And get that high band receiver fixed."

"Yes, ma'am." The technician replied.

"Tighten it up. Blue Two, tighten it up. Watch those towers." Blue Squadron leader shouted.

"Heavy fire, Blue Leader. Twenty-three degrees..."

"I see it Blue Two. Pull in...pull in. We're picking up some interference." Blue leader said.

"I can't believe it...I've never seen such firepower!"

"Pull in, Blue Five. Pull in...Kevin do you read me...Kevin?"

Kate balled her hands into fists as they rested against her sides. She stared at the blank screens as if she could see the battle.

"Blue Five, Blue Leader...I'm fine. I've got a target...I'm going to check it out." Ryan announced.

Kate released the breath she was holding in a quick sigh.

"There's too much action down there, Kevin. Get out. Do you read me, Kevin? Pull out!" Another voice shouted.

Kate turned away from the dark view screens and walked over to a nearby console. She leaned against a chair as she listened to the battle.

"Break off, Kevin. Acknowledge." Blue Leader ordered. "We've hit too much interference...Kevin, I repeat break off...! I can't see him...Blue Six, can you see Blue Five?"

"Negative, Blue Leader."

"Blue 2, Blue Leader, I've lost Kevin...There's a heavy fire zone on this side. My scanner's jammed. Blue Five...where are you? Kevin, are you alright...?"

Kate could hear the note of desperation in the pilot's voice. She gripped the back of the chair as she silently willed Ryan to respond.

"He's...gone..." Another voice advised.

Kate closed her eyes and fought down the tears that threatened. A number of good pilots had already been killed in the battle with the Imperial fighters. She hadn't known Ryan all that long but she liked him.

"No, wait...There he is! I see him...Fin damage...but Kevin's all right...The kid's fine!"

Kate slumped against the chair trying to compose herself. She took several deep breaths and exhaled slowly. Straightening up she saw that everyone was too engrossed with the battle to have taken any notice of her. Moving away from the console she walked the short distance where See Threepio was standing.

"Blue Leader, Blue Five, stick close...Where are you going?"

"My scope's picked up a lateral stabiliser...I'm going for it..." Ryan replied.

Kate turned to look at the bronze coloured droid.

"Why is Ryan taking so many chances?" Kate muttered in a low voice.

See Threepio looked at Kate and raised his hands in an open gesture as if to say he did not know.

"Got it...I'm moving south for the other one..." Ryan said excitedly.

"Blue Three, Blue five...watch your back Kevin. Watch your back! Fighters above you, coming in..."

"I can't shake him..." Ryan reported.

"Blue Two, Blue Five...I'm on him Kevin...hold on..."

"...Blue Five, Blue Two...thanks for that..."

General Dodonna stepped away from the group of commanders and walked over to Kate. Dodonna was a tall grizzled man who commanded the rebel forces on Yavin 4. He had been presented with the plans of the Death Star as soon as they had been retrieved from Artoo Detoo. The General had few peers when it came to military strategy. It had taken him only a couple of hours to find the Death Star's weakness and another hour to devise a plan of attack.

"Red squadron should almost be in position to commence their bombing run." The General announced.

"Thank you, General." Kate said, giving the old man a faint smile.

One of the screens on the wall came back to life and displayed a computer generated battle map showing the deployment of the rebel fighters and the Imperial fighters. There was a mass of blue squares and red dots almost merged together above the Death Star.

"Red Leader to Blue Leader...We are starting our attack run now. The exhaust port is marked and locked in...No flak, no enemy fighters up here...look's like we'll get a smooth run at it..."

"Blue Leader, Red Leader, copy that...We'll try and keep them busy on this end..."

Kate looked at the count down clock and saw that there was a little over ten minutes before the Death Star was in position to fire at the moon. She was not sure if the count down clock was accurate or not but she did not bother to ask how much time they had. Unable to help herself, she started to pace the floor just as Red squadron commenced its attack run.

XXX

Kate was showing the strains of the battle taking place in space. She was ready to start throwing things at the still dark screen. The technicians still had not brought the high band receiver back on line. The battle map was showing fewer blue squares. Most of Red squadron had been decimated by the Imperial fighters and those that had not been destroyed were damaged enough to force them to leave the battlefield and return home. Blue squadron had suffered high casualties in its first attack run with little or nothing to show for their efforts. The tide of battle was turning with ever more certainty towards the Empire.

"Blue Leader, Blue Five...move into position, Kevin. Start your attack run, stay low and wait until you're right on top of it...it's not going to be easy.."

"Are you all right, Blue Leader?" Ryan asked.

"They're on top of me...but I'll shake them off..."

"Blue Five to Blue Pack...let's go!" Ryan ordered in a voice filled with youthful exuberance.

General Dodonna cast a worried look in Kate's direction. His uncertainty of Kevin Ryan's abilities were writ large across his bewhiskered face. The same expression was mirrored on the faces of the other commanders beside the general. Kate lifted her chin with a confidence she never thought she had.

"He will do it, General." She said crisply.

General Dodonna regarded her for a moment before he slowly nodded his head and turned back to the battle map.

"Blue Five, Blue Leader, we're right above you. Turn to point oh five and we'll cover for you." Ryan said.

"I've lost my starboard engine." Blue Leader reported.

"We'll come down..."

"Negative Blue Five...stay there...Get set up for your attack run."

"You going to be all right?"

"I think so...stand by..."

Kate heard empty static for some moments and began to wonder what had happened. The answer came shortly.

"Blue Five to Base...we've lost Blue Leader..." Ryan announced in a quiet voice.

"Can they go on, General?" Kate asked looking at the General who seemed to her to have aged another ten years during the battle.

"They must." General Dodonna replied.

"We've lost so many." An other commander interjected. "Without Blue Leader how will they regroup?"

Kate was ready to rise to the Ryan's defence but was forestalled when the radio crackled into life again.

"Close it up Blue Two...Blue Three where are you?" Ryan said in a tone of command.

"Coming in, right behind you Blue Five..."

"Okay boss, we're in position." Blue Two announced.

"Blue Two, Blue Three...we're going in. We'll go in full throttle...that should keep those fighters off us."

"Copy that Blue Five..." Ryan's two wingmen responded in unison.

XXX

Kate gnawed at her finger nail as she stood before the large table that displayed a computer generated battle map in real time. There were fewer blue squares on the map than there had been just minutes ago.

There was a heavy silence in the war room. For a brief moment there had been unbridled elation in the room when Ryan had launched his torpedoes at the target and someone had reported that there had been a hit.

Though the torpedo had caused a large explosion there was only one problem. The torpedo had hit the rim of the exhaust outlet. Another pilot confirmed the miss and it was backed up seconds later by a computer. The cheering and clapping that had erupted in the war room had ceased immediately.

Kate was studying the map and she saw three red dots rapidly approaching the blue squares that represented Ryan and his two wingmen.

"Princess Kate." General Dodonna said.

Kate dragged her eyes from the map to find the tall general standing beside her.

"I recommend you evacuate on the last ship." General Dodonna suggested. "It's standing by to launch."

Kate felt like shouting at the old man but stopped herself before she said anything. She took a calming breath before she spoke.

"Thank you General for your concern. However it wont be necessary. I am staying here."

"We have five minutes before the Death Star is in attack position."

"I'm staying here."

General Dodonna was ready to argue with her but he saw the determined glint in her eyes and realised that arguing with the young woman would be a futile exercise.

"Very well." General Dodonna sighed.

Kate returned her gaze back to the battle map.

"Blue Group we have incoming." Ryan reported.

"I see them.."

"So do I..."

"Blue Two, Blue Three...split up...it's the only way we'll shake them off." Ryan ordered.

"General, what's the status on repairs to the damaged fighters?" Kate asked, without looking away from the map.

"It's going to be over an hour before we can relaunch the first bird." General Dodonna informed her.

"Status report on the squadrons?"

"Yellow is down to 10% effectiveness, Green is at 15%, Red is down to 5% and Blue squadron is at 25%" Someone reported.

The frown on Kate's face deepened on hearing that information. A couple more minutes of this and all the fighters would be destroyed.

"The high band receiver has been repaired." The technician announced.

"Patch through vision from Blue Five." Kate ordered before the General spoke.

A moment later the screen on the wall flickered into life to reveal vision from the rear camera from Ryan's X-fighter. Not far behind Ryan was an Imperial fighter firing on him. The vision jerked and jinked about as Ryan tried to avoid the laser fire from the attacking fighter. There was more jerking movement and then a trail of smoke came from Ryan's fighter.

"I'm hit...but not too bad...Artoo, see what you can do with it..." Ryan said calmly.

"Come on Ryan, you can do it." Kate muttered to herself.

XXX

On the bridge of the Death Star Governor Karnacki stood before the giant screen watching the battle with the Rebel fighters. He could not disguise the big smile on his face as he watched one rebel fighter after another was destroyed or forced to turn tail and flee. These rebel pilots were no match for the skills of Darth Bracken and his pilots.

Did those stupid rebels think they could destroy the finest battle station in all the Empire with their little puny X-fighters, he thought to himself? Within a few minutes those fighters would be swept away and then Yavin 4 would be at his mercy.

In a few minutes he would be declared the hero of Yavin 4. The Emperor would reward him with untold riches for being the man who destroyed the Rebel Alliance once and for all. He was sure that whatever he asked of the Emperor he would be granted.

"Governor." General McAlister called from his console on the bridge. A worried look had taken residence on the general's face. "We have analysed their attack plan, and there is a danger."

Governor Karnacki turned away from the screen to look at the worried general.

"Should we make plans to evacuate, sir?" General McAlister asked. "Your ship is standing by, sir."

The smile on Governor Karnacki's face faltered as he stared at the general.

"Evacuate!" He shouted. "You dare to suggest evacuation in our moment of triumph?"

"But sir..."

"I think you overestimate their chances, General."

"Sir..."

"Enough! I'll hear no more talk of evacuation, general." Governor Karnacki shouted angrily. He quickly turned his back on the nervous general and continued to stare at the screen.

"Yes sir." General McAlister said quietly.

XXX

"Blue Five...we're going in." Ryan ordered.

Everyone in the war room almost stood frozen in place, all eyes on the screen on the wall, watching as the X-fighter piloted by Kevin Ryan made a dive towards the surface of the Death Star. Laser fire come streaking up towards his fighter. The fighter was buffeted by the laser blasts but continued down into the trench on the surface of the Death Star. At the final moment Ryan levelled his fighter barely a few feet from the deck and raced through the trench dodging the laser fire.

"Blue Three, Blue Five...here they come again..."

"I see them Blue Three..." Ryan replied.

"Hurry Kevin...they're coming in much faster this time...We can't hold them...we can't..." Blue Three said.

The rest of the transmission was garbled static.

"We lost Blue Three." Someone in the war room announced.

Kate glanced at the battle map and saw the blue square signifying Blue Three flicker and disappear from the screen.

"Kevin watch it...that bogie leader is right on your tail..."

"I see him, Blue Two."

Kate watched as Ryan continued to fly straight seemingly oblivious to the laser bolts fired at him. His fighter jostled about under the impact of the enemy fire but did not deviate from its course.

"Blue Two, Blue Five...I got a malfunction Kevin...I can't stay with you..."

"Okay, Blue Two...get clear..."

"Sorry man..."

"Don't worry about it, Blue Two."

Kate wanted to turn away from the screen Kevin was on his own with three tie-fighters right on his tail. It was only a matter of moments before he got hit. Yet she did not look away from the screen. She would watch no matter what happened.

She saw the three tie fighters close in on Ryan's fighter in a tight v formation. The vision jerked about as a laser bolt struck Ryan's wing. Kate was so intent staring at the screen that she did not hear what someone said from a nearby console.

"I have an unidentified ship incoming."

The tie-fighter on the port wing of the leader was struck suddenly by a laser bolt. The fighter erupted in a ball of flames and crashed into the wall of the trench.

"Bam said the lady!" A familiar voice boomed through the speakers in the war room.

Kate was too stunned to react at first. She thought she was hearing things. Her eyes were glued to the screen and saw the second tie-fighter get hit and also explode in flames. Debris from the second fighter struck the lead tie-fighter. The fighter lost control and bounced against the walls of the trench several times before it was flung off into space.

"Castle...?"

"You're all clear, kid." Castle reported. "Now blow this thing so we can all go home."

"Roger that."

On the screen vision was being displayed from the front camera mounted on Ryan's fighter and everyone in the war room watched as the fighter streaked through the trench heading for its target.

Kate stared at the screen, the seconds seemed to last for hours almost as if time had slowed down. Two bright streaks of light shot forward past Ryan's fighter and flew straight down the trench towards the distance exhaust outlet. Ryan pulled up and flew away from the trench.

"You did it, kid." Castle shouted. "Great shot! That was one in a million."

"Glad you were here to see it, Castle..." Ryan laughed. "Now let's get some distance before that thing goes supernova."

"Right with you, Ryan."

"Hits confirmed." Someone in the war room announced.

The vision on the screen switched to show a distant shot of the Death Star. On its upper quadrant numerous angry fingers of fire burst through windows and hatches flaring out into space. A series of bright orange flashes tore along the equator of the crippled battle station. The surface began to warp and buckle. Suddenly the Death Star was engulfed in a blindingly bright ball of flame. Flaming debris was sent in all directions.

Even in the war room buried underground everyone heard the tremendous explosion that destroyed the Death Star a few moments later. At first there was stunned silence in the room as if those watching the screen could not quite comprehend what they had just witnessed. As if on a signal everyone started shouting and screaming, and started to hug and congratulate each other.

Kate let out an exhausted gasp. She closed her eyes and slumped against a console. The cheering in the room grew louder and louder and it was joined with other cheering from other parts of the rebel headquarters. She could not quite believe it. They had destroyed the Death Star. Governor Karnacki was dead. Darth Bracken was dead.

XXX

Castle stood half way up a set of marble steps and looked over the main floor of the temple. In his travels he had seen a great many temples but this one he stood in was by far the largest he had ever seen. The temple had been transformed into a very festive venue with bunting, flowers and banners of many colours draped around the columns and walls. Enormous chandeliers suspended from the ceiling provided a brilliant illumination.

Chamber music was being played by an orchestra comprised of uniformed rebel soldiers. The orchestra was situated in a small alcove beside the raised stage at the front of the temple. Some people were dancing to the music while most people, dressed in their finery, were just milling about drinking, talking, sharing a laugh or embellishing their part in the defeat of the Imperial Forces. There was a loud happy hubbub that almost drowned out the music but no one seemed to mind.

Castle too was dressed up for the occasion. He had to hunt around his cabin aboard the Millennium Falcon in search for the clothes. He had almost reached the point of giving up his search when he found them in a secret locker in the cabin. He had not worn the clothes in a very long time and he was having some trouble getting used to them now. Brown had never really been his colour. Still he was grateful the clothes still fit. The collar of the white shirt was itchy and felt like it was choking him. More than a few times during the evening he had to pull at the collar. The only comfortable item he wore was the holstered blaster on his right hip.

Around his neck Castle was weighted down by a heavy gold medallion and chain. A very grateful Rebel Alliance had award him its highest honour for what he had done to help defeat the Empire. Ryan and Javi had also been awarded the same honour. Castle had already forgotten the name of the honour but it had to be pretty important if it was made out of solid gold.

The medallions had been presented in an elaborate ceremony conducted before these assembled people and before the start of the soiree. It had been Kate who had presented the medallions to them. Castle had found he could not take his eyes off Kate, dressed as she was in a long Grecian style dress. She could not have looked more beautiful even if she had tried, Castle had thought to himself.

After the presentation ceremony the party had started. Castle had tried to get to Kate to speak to her but he had been dragged away by some high ranking officers. He had to watch from a distance as one general after another, one dignitary after another made claim on Kate's time and attention. She had a gracious smile who spoke with her. Once or twice he had caught her eye but eventually he had lost sight of her.

Castle had also lost sight of Javi about an hour or so ago and had no idea where he had gotten to. The last time he had seen his friend Javi had been with Ryan and they were being fawned over by a pair of female officers. Castle had no doubt that his friends would be getting up to no good by the end of the night. Tonight however, would be one of those rare occasions where getting up to mischief would be allowed, or at least a blind eye turned.

For the past couple of hours Castle had been mingling, accepting the congratulations from people, begged to recount his part in the Rebel Alliance's deliverance, smiling politely as women fawned over him. One or two women had been anything but subtle when they told him what they wanted to do to him. Normally he would have loved of all the attention, would have revelled in it, perhaps would have even taken up the unsubtle offers from the bold women, but tonight after about an hour he had grown bored with it. He put in another hour before he decided the time was right for him to make a discrete exit from the festivities.

Castle drained the contents of the goblet he had in his hand and set it on an empty tray that was carried by a passing waiter. He could feel the beginning of a gentle buzz in his head. Where the Rebel Alliance had managed to get their hands on the top quality wine they had been serving tonight he had no idea but he tipped his hat to the Quarter Master. He had about three goblets of wine and knew that he had to stop.

He gave the crowd a final look over before he turned and made his way up the steps and slipped out the small side exit.

Stepping into the night Castle found that the evening air was mild. He took a couple of deep breaths to clear his head. Inside the temple it had grown a little stuffy. Another good reason to get out of there.

He walked over to another set of steps that led down to a narrow path at the base of the temple and wound its way through a copse of trees. He sat down on the top step and stared to the distant trees. Through the trees he could see a number of large bonfires blazing. Music and singing reached his ears. Those not privileged to receive an invitation to the celebration in the temple were having their own celebration in the forest. He thought about paying those people a visit a little later on.

Castle lifted his gaze from the forest up into the clear night sky and gazed at the stars twinkling brightly up there. He could not be sure but it seemed that there was an extra sparkle in those stars tonight. Occasionally flaming streaks of light flew across the sky like shooting stars. They were debris from the Death Star. For the next few days Yavin 4 would be showered with debris from the destroyed battle station providing people on the ground with a spectacular show.

"May I join you?"

Castle turned around to find Kate standing a few feet away from him. A smile spread across his face and he nodded his head.

Kate started to carefully sit down. Castle reached up and took hold of her arm and helped her to sit down. Kate gave him a nod of thanks as she settled down.

"I would have thought you would still be in there enjoying your moment in the sun?" Kate said.

"Don't need to when I got one that I can take with me." Castle held up the heavy gold medallion.

Kate hid the amused smile that spread across her face behind her hand. Castle gave her a look which only made her smile even more.

"Not interested in hearing them sing your praises, Castle?" Kate asked.

Castle shrugged his shoulders.

"Or to be told that they are going to name their first born after you?"

"You've been talking to Javi, haven't you?"

"He might have mentioned something." Kate said in an off hand manner.

"Uh-huh."

For some minutes they sat close together staring into the dark forest to where the bonfires blazed and listening to the music. It was a comfortable, companionable silence which Castle found even more enjoyable. Whatever that perfume Kate was wearing it was an intoxicating aroma.

A couple of minutes later Castle was a little surprised when Kate rested her head against his shoulder as she looked up at the night sky. He turned his gaze up the sky as well. They watched the meteorite shower for a few minutes.

"So what's going to happen next?" Castle asked, breaking the silence that had fallen over them.

Kate knew that he was asking about the war with the Empire. She answered with a shrug of her shoulders.

"I wish I knew." Kate sighed. "The Empire will withdraw and licks its wounds but they'll be back."

"So, it's not over?"

Kate shook her head.

"It wont be over until the Emperor is dead, the Empire destroyed and the people regain their freedom."

"I had a feeling you were going to say that."

Kate lifted her head from Castle's shoulder and he immediately felt the loss of her warmth.

"Can I ask you a question, Castle?"

Castle heard the note of hesitancy in her voice and turned to look at her.

"Sure."

"Why did you come back?"

"Well, I couldn't let a flying farm boy go up against the Death Star all by himself, now could I?" Castle grinned.

Kate raised a single eyebrow at him.

"Besides, I felt terrible leaving Ryan to take all the credit."

Laughter bubbled out of Kate.

"Glory hound." She said bumping his shoulder with her own.

"No, the real reason I came back is because I'm determined to take you out to dinner."

"Is that so?"

Castle nodded his head.

"So how about it? Have dinner with me, Kate."

Kate regarded Castle carefully. She gnawed on her bottom lip, in the way that he had found very endearing, as she considered her answer.

"You're not going to give up are you?" Kate said finally.

"I can be a very determined man, your pulchritudinous."

"What?"

"Pulchri..."

"I know what the word means." Kate said hurriedly.

She could feel her cheeks start to burn and she quickly turned her head. He had a way with words that left her a little unnerved. Taking a deep breath and exhaling slowly Kate reached a decision.

"Okay."

"You will?" Castle replied, unable to hide his surprise. He had been half expecting to be turned down again. Kate smiled shyly as she nodded her head.

"Yes!" Castle hissed in delight as he pumped his fist in the air.

Kate reached over and took Castle by the hand. The smile on his face slipped a little surprised by her action.

"Thank you, Castle." Kate said in a low voice.

Castle looked a little puzzled.

"For rescuing me from the Death Star...and for today..."

Castle smiled gently as he looked at her.

"Always."

The End

XXXXX

There you have it but our galactic heroes will return when the Empire Strikes Back in the not too distant future. As usual I would love to hear your thoughts on this effort.

Con