Playlist:

❶ "The Battle of Endor I"—Return of the Jedi Extended ST

❶ Holding out against the walkers were mixed at best. The walkers staggered, making it difficult for their cannons to hit such small targets. However, when the cannons found their targets, no one survived.

Namir said into his headset, "All troops, scatter. Twenty meters from the nearest person. Make it hard for them to hit you."

Naluma, remembering her master's experience on Hoth, spoke on a private frequency through her helmet. "Captain, we need to take out those walkers, not just run from them."

He grew impatient. "Really? I'm glad you're here to tell us these things."

"How many Plex missiles?"

"Plex missiles won't breach that armor."

"Not the plating—the membrane under the neck is vulnerable. Blast the neck, pull up with a harpoon cable, and toss in some thermal detonators."

"Who's stupid enough to get that close? You get stepped on by one of those feet, you're deader than dead."

"I will, and I won't even need the Plex rockets."

Through his macrobinoculars, Namir observed Naluma grab an ammo bag full of thermal detonators and scuffle toward the closest walker. She approached it at an oblique angle, using the Force to anticipate where the next cannon bolts would land.

Brand called into Namir over headset. "What's that idiot Jedi doing? Gotta death wish or something?"

"Just watch. I think she's onto something."

When Naluma reached the area in front of the walker, she activated her harpoon cable. As the large foot jerked forward to smash her, the cable attached to the armored beast with electromagnets and drew her up to the neck of the AT-AT.

Naluma ignited her lightsaber and opened up the neck membrane. She threw a few detonators toward the command head and five toward the back. Then she released her harpoon cable and dropped to the ground, using the Force to slow her descent to the sand below. The Jedi scrambled out of the way as the walker erupted in a blast of golden sparks and crimson flames. The mechanical beast wobbled, it's gangling legs locking up before it keeled over. The crash shook the surrounding area for clicks.

From a half-click away, Twilight Company cheered as soldiers grabbed Plex missiles and detonators. The soldiers clambered across the dunes to attack the oncoming walkers. 

Three speeders converged on a formation of walkers, laser guns spitting laser fire at their necks. Sparks flew from two of the AT-ATs, ceasing their advance. Three others fell victim to the volley of rocket-propelled detonators that struck their jugulars, two of the heads lobbing off and falling into the sand. When the clouds of sand rose, so did the victory cries of Twilight.

As the Inflictor plunged to the surface, Imperial ships from all sectors arrived from hyperspace. While five more star destroyers, multiple cruisers, and vast legions of TIE fighters appeared. The New Republic's hope to engage a large portion of the Imperial fleet transpired.

TIE fighters screamed about the Republic cruisers and frigates, popping off shots as they zoomed past. The last scored a significant hit as it turned into a corkscrew maneuver and dove away.

Ackbar swung around in his chair and narrowed his eyes out the port. "All fighters engage that legion of TIEs. Draw them between the larger ships. For the Republic!"

Following his command, X-wings, Y-wings, A-wings, B-wings, and even some antiquated U-wings squeezed into the narrowing gap between the vessels. The forces met the TIEs, ships blasting to fiery sparks on both sides.

The dogfights intensified as the formations broke apart.

Ackbar directed the Republic cruisers and frigates into point-blank range against the star destroyers. With support from Green and Gray Squadrons razing the destroyers' shield generators and conning towers, victory was insured. All five of the star destroyers burned up in space, each in their own time.

When the fifth star destroyer sputtered in the vacuum of space, the last super star destroyer, the Ravager, appeared from hyperspace. Grand Moff Randd found the Empire outgunned and five—no six—star destroyers demolished.

Upon his arrival, the Inflictor spat out its escape pods to the planet's surface as the ship lost all control and turned prow-down, puncturing the atmosphere of Jakku. The hot planet tugged the massive ship down to its sandy surface. 

Through his macrobinoculars, Luke spotted the Star Destroyer Inflictor entering the atmosphere. A sense of victory coursed through his body until he was drawn back into the ground battle before him.

He assessed the situation. Cannons fired from the AT-ATs, striking two speeders. Explosions filled the air.

Luke kept watch of the forward battle playing out. Another speeder, stuck by enemy fire, whizzed at him. The ship whined in protest, spiraling out of control until it crashed into the sand fifty meters ahead. A tidal wave of heavy grit roiled toward Luke as more laser fire followed up.

Master Skywalker raced toward the crashed speeder as the canopy opened and the gunner climbed out. Two of the Pulsars formed up on Luke and joined him in the dash across the desert floor. When they reached the speeder, the gunner struggled to free the pilot from the wrecked vehicle, smoke trailing off in twisted tendrils onto the battlefield.

Luke helped him move his friend out and felt for a pulse. With a frown, he said, "Sorry, but he's dead."

The gunner did not respond.

Luke examined the speeder. Except for sand in the engine exhaust, it still appeared flight-worthy. "Hey, which of you can fly this thing?" he asked.

The gunner said, "I can't. I just shoot."

The other two troops with him shook their heads. "We're army, not fleet."

"Well, I need a gunner. Hop in," Luke said as he appropriated the helmet from the dead pilot.

Poking Luke in the chest with his finger, the gunner said, "I don't know who you think you are, but if we don't get out of here now, that walker is going to blast us to bits. Besides, there's so much sand in the engines, this speeder will never fly."

Luke ignored him as he pulled in the Force and lifted the speeder to a vertical position, nose up. The sand drained from the engine exhaust ports before he set it back down on the desert floor.

Luke put the helmet on and climbed into the pilot's seat. "Get in, now. I need a gunner, and we can't afford to lose any more speeders in this battle."

The gunner jumped in and belted himself.

"What's your name?" Luke asked as he pulled the canopy down and fired up the engine.

"Lieutenant Sab Mitchell," the gunner said, warming up the weapons. "And you?"

"Commander Luke Skywalker, Jedi Master," Luke said as he took the speeder up, maneuvering to avoid the laser cannons.

Did you know ...

● Speeders were adapted for the cold to operate on Hoth. They were originally for more temperate climates.

● Speeders operate within atmosphere only.

● I chose some tasks for Luke throughout the book to show how he has progressed in his Force-work from his training on Dagobah. Lifting the speeder and turning it vertical to drain the sand was one of those benchmarks.

Tell me what you think ...

● What differences do you see between the army of the Rebellion and the army of the New Republic?

● How do you think Luke feels jumping into a speeder?