________________________________________________________________________ P-P-P-Chan Productions and Fission Park Press proudly present: Ranma Wars: Episode IV, Part 3 of 3 By Lucas Muzzatti and J. Austin Wilde ranchan@total.net wildeman@psn.net ________________________________________________________________________ The Million-Yen Yaki came out of hyperspace in the Yavin system, home of the Rebel Alliance's main base. The ship circled the massive gas giant of Yavin itself and headed for one the planet's emerald moons, Yavin-4. Rebels watched over EMS scopes as the ship glided lazily over the landscape and headed for a large temple situated on one of the few clearings on the jungle moon. After setting down, it disgorged its passengers and they were greeted by the Alliance generals. "The data in this Shampoo unit is vital for the Rebellion," Akane told them. They were as much relieved to know that she hadn't been killed on Alderaan as they were to know that the plans were safe. Shampoo glared at Akane as the droid wranglers took her away, but the princess was busy giving instructions to the others that Ran and his father were to be well paid for their services. If they weren't going to help, she just wanted them away from her as soon as possible. Ran began to redden slightly in shame. He was feeling like a heel for leaving, but what else could he do? The longer he waited, the better the chance that he and his father would end up as prize exhibits in Azusa Fett's collection of kawaii. The very thought made him shudder, and convinced him that he was doing the right thing. * * * Ryouga Lostwalker was happy. He had now formally joined the Rebellion, and had been given a commission as a Flight Officer! He would fly a K-Wing for a starfighter squadron! He had a brand new flight suit and helmet. Why he had one in pink while all the other pilots wore blaze orange he wasn't sure, but he was too excited to really care. He looked at his orders. They directed him to report to Commander Kasumi Antilles, the Commanding Officer of his starfighter squadron. The trouble was, he had taken a wrong turn somewhere, and had gotten lost within the labyrinthine maze that was the Rebel Base. (Not that *that* wasn't unusual!) After wandering around for awhile he finally got up the nerve to ask for directions. A passing soldier stopped and thought about his question. "Commander Antilles? Yeah I know where she is. You're in luck too, she's right through that door." He pointed across the hall to it. Ryouga was so excited that he blundered straight through the door. Thus he missed the sign printed on it that read, "Darling Squadron Locker Room. Knock before entering." Eleven young women were either nude or getting there quickly within. Ryouga froze in shock and alarm. The ladies all looked at him with similar surprise, too taken aback to remember to cover themselves. One of the ladies, a lieutenant named Akari Unryuu, blushed fiercely at him. She had long flowing black hair with two wisps of bright pink running down from her temples. Her eyes shone and her skin glowed in the fluorescent light of the locker room. Ryouga thought she was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. Even Princess Akane paled before her. "Why, hello," Akari greeted shyly. She was so... so... so delightfully naked! Ryouga felt the rising pressure in his head and let out a strangled cry of excitement mixed with terror. Blood fountained from his nostrils. He spun around on his heels a few times and dropped to the floor. He had the biggest, stupidest grin on his face. Kasumi Antilles pressed a set of sensor studded 'long johns' (an undersuit for the flight suit) to her bosom and kneeled over the unconscious Ryouga. She saw the pink flightsuit and looked over the copy of his orders. "Oh dear," she clucked. "What is it?" One of the other Darlings asked. "It seems this Ryouga Lostwalker fellow is our replacement pilot for Karen." "Wow! Now we have a *guy* in the squadron!" The tiny Tiko Glissando, Darling Twelve, cried. "Who gets him?" Akari asked Kasumi. Kasumi looked him over. "Well... He *is* Karen's replacement until she's well enough to fly. I guess that makes him yours, Akari." Akari grinned shyly. "Thanks Kasumi... I- I think he's kinda cute." When Ryouga was conscious and the Darlings dressed, they set him in the Squadron Ready Room and made the introductions. Ryouga was rather concerned to see that he was the only guy in the squadron. And that all his squadron mates were staring at him... Akari was quick to assert her dominion over Ryouga to the rest of the Darlings. Ryouga of course was oblivious to all of this. He did like her company even if it scared the bejeezus out of him every time she 'accidentally' brushed against him. There wasn't much time to get to know any of them, as they would soon be attending the brief for the attack on the Breast Star, which was almost certainly on its way to the Yavin system. For what little time he did know them, they instantly made him feel at home. Akari in particular. Every time she smiled at him he thought his heart would explode. Ryouga and Akari were already becoming something of a gossip item, although they hadn't known each other for more than two hours. Erika nudged Tiko. "Have you ever seen Akari so happy before?" she whispered. "Spacy, yes. Happy? Not really. It's kinda weird." "Look at him," Erika said pointing slyly at Ryouga. "Yeah..." Tiko said dreamily. "Just look at him. " "No, I mean *look* at him. He doesn't have a clue, does he?" The tiny 15 year old pilot looked closer at the two. "I see what you mean. He has no idea about how she feels about him. He has no idea what he's done for her just by blundering through a door at the right time." "Speaking of that, do you think we should walk in on him while he's changing into his flightsuit? Turnabout's fair play, Tiko. He got to see us in the buff, I say we deserve the same." "Akari would kill us," Tiko cautioned. "And poor Ryouga! He'd probably die of shock. He's just so innocent." "Yeah..." It was Erika's turn to sigh dreamily. The session went on. Kasumi explained some basic commo protocols and formations for Ryouga's benefit. The other Darlings added various bits of information as they went. Finally Kasumi took him aside. She had a few private questions for him. "I'm told you're one of the ones who rescued Princess Akane," she began. Ryouga grinned sheepishly and tugged at his bandanna. "Uh, yeah." "Was Oni Wan Kenobi with you?" Ryouga looked sadly to the floor. "Yes." "What happened?" Ryouga looked away. It was obvious even to him that Kasumi Antilles cared very deeply for the Jedi knight. He didn't know how to tell her. "I have to know, Ryouga..." Kasumi told him quietly. He had to tell her. Even if he didn't want to. "He didn't make it," Ryouga whispered. "Kunou Vader killed him." Kasumi let out a soft cry, trying to stifle herself. Tears suddenly welled at her eyes. She looked away from him. "I'm sorry Miss Antilles," he tried. She excused herself and retired to her quarters. * * * The Briefing Room filled with pilots, crew chiefs, and staff officers. The pilots of Indigo and Gold Squadrons took their seats. The Darlings filed in wearing their pink flight suits and drew a few appreciative stares from the others. Kasumi was silent but smiling, even though her eyes were reddened with tears. No one had approached her about it, they knew better than that. Kasumi wept in private, and put her best face forward in public. Ryouga noted that Ran Solo and his panda father Gen-baka were standing in back. His faithful droids Shampoo Deetoo and M-3PO stood with Princess Akane to the side of the room. The display flicked to life, depicting a plan view layout of the Breast Star. It cycled through several animated viewpoints, showing off the swollen nipple of the superlaser from different angles. It was the Hentperor's most hideous creation, and it showed. A general took up his laser pointer and directed it to the display. The assembled starfighter pilots shifted in their seats as they looked upon the thing. Shampoo Deetoo emitted a soft 'aiyaaa.' "The Breast Star is heavily shielded, and carries a firepower greater than half the starfleet." Several pilots murmured their concern. Ryouga and Akari Unryuu traded worried looks. Ran Solo and his father looked aghast at the display. The general went on. "Its defenses are scaled around a large scale assault. A small one man fighter should be able to penetrate the outer defenses." Gen-baka grunted to Ran. The look seemed to say 'Why aren't you going with them boy?' Ran Solo waved his hand at his father in disgust. A pilot from Indigo Squadron piped up. "Excuse me sir, but what are snub fighters going to do against that thing?" The general had an answer to that one. "The Hentpire doesn't consider a starfighter to be any threat, or else they would have a tighter defense." The display began cycling through an animated routine of the Breast Star trench. "An analysis of the plans provided by Princess Akane reveals a weakness in the battlestation." Shampoo Deetoo began to pipe up that *she* had been the one to get the plans to them, but M-3PO was quick to distract her with another vow of undying affection. She swatted him back with a loud *whang!* The assembled pilots all looked at the source of the interruption, triggering Shampoo's blush circuits. They turned back to the general as she waved delicately with her servoed fingers and shut up. "The approach will not be easy," The general intoned. "You will be required to maneuver straight down this trench to this point-" The display froze to illustrate exactly what the general referred to. The pilots all began studying the image and storing it in their minds. "The target area is only two meters wide; it's a small thermal exhaust port right below the main port. The shaft leads directly to the reactor system." The display shifted to show a small fighter lob a bomb down the shaft. "A precise hit should start a chain reaction that should destroy the station. *Only* a precise hit will set up a chain reaction." The animated bomb traveled down the shaft to the center of the Breast Star, which suddenly exploded. He let them chew over that for a second. No one seemed very amused. "Right in the Breast Star's 'G-Spot,' eh?" someone in Gold Squadron suddenly cracked. The remark drew a few laughs while the Darlings harrumphed in reply. When they were finished, the general went on. "It is ray shielded, so you will have to use proton torpedoes." Now the pilots were really concerned. "That's impossible," Akari whispered. "Not even a computer could hit that kind of target." "It's not impossible," Ryouga countered. "I used to bullseye womp-boars in my T-16 back home, and they're not much bigger than two meters." The general began handing out assignments. "Indigo Squadron will provide fighter top-cover. Gold Squadron will make the initial attack runs. The Darlings shall assist Indigo in keeping the Hen-TIEs off of Gold Squadron, and will make the attack runs if Gold Squadron fails." Gold Squadron pilots snorted in contempt. There would be no need for a bunch of girls to come in and play clean up for *them.* "It is critical that we attack swiftly, before the Hentpire is aware of the nature of our attack. The Breast Star can carry far more fighters than we could ever hope to fend off, and if we tarry, they will soon outnumber us." The brief concluded, the general sent them off. "Then man your ships, and may the Chi be with you." Princess Akane gave Ryouga a look of concern, his heart nearly melted. The pilots of Gold, Indigo, and Darling Squadrons stood as one. They had grim expressions on their faces, but this was one fight they weren't going to back away from. The Breast Star dropped out of hyperspace behind the swollen red gas giant of Yavin. Massive amounts of force warped space as the battlestation's gravity drive checked its velocity and threw it into a swift counter orbit against the moon on which the Alliance was based. Such an arrival did not go unnoticed. Large displays and holotanks projected an image of the Yavin planetary system. A voice with a sterling British accent announced, "Orbiting the planet at maximum velocity. The moon with the Rebel Base will be in range in approximately thirty minutes." Grand Moff Koucho stood sternly and watched the display. The palm tree growing out of the top of his head seemed to quiver with nervous energy. His brightly colored lei clashed with his dour grey Hentperial uniform. Kunou Vader struck a dramatic pose next to him. "In sooth this will be a day long remembered," he said proudly. "It hath seen the end of Kenobi, and will soon see the end of the Rebellion." Grand Moff Koucho said nothing, only waited. Ryouga Lostwalker strode onto the flight area with M-3PO and Shampoo Deetoo. He drew more than a few funny looks from the air crews as they noted his pink flight suit. The cute bunny rabbit patch on his sleeve also got a few laughs. He noticed that none of the crew were laughing at the other Darlings. He spotted Ran Solo and Gen-baka busy loading up their loot. He couldn't believe those two selfish jerks were going to walk away from this fight. Not when it was so important. Didn't they care at all about the Princess? Still he checked his temper, and vowed to at least give Ran another chance. He walked up to them as they were making their last trips. "So. You got your reward and now you're leaving huh?" So much for being pleasant. "That's right, yeah!" Ran hefted another strongbox. "I've got some old debts to pay off. Besides, you don't think I'd be fool enough to stick around here do you?" Ryouga couldn't believe he was hearing this. Ran Solo tried to make it up to Ryouga. "Come with us," he said. "You're pretty good in a fight, we could use you." Ryouga gestured around to the bustle of activity. "Look around you Solo. You know what's going on, what they're up against. They could use a good pilot like you, and you're turning your back on them!" "What good's a reward if ya ain't around to use it!" Ran countered. He threw the last box to Gen-baka, who was slacking off. "Besides," he said turning back to Ryouga. "Attacking that battlestation ain't my idea of courage. It's more like... Suicide." He turned to go. "Awright," Ryouga grunted bitterly. "Well take care of yourself, Ran. I guess it's what you're best at!" Ryouga left them, and Shampoo Deetoo and M-3PO followed after. Shampoo waved to Ran and winked a photoreceptor at him. Ran scratched his head. Ryouga's words stung. "Hey Ryouga!" he called after him. Ryouga turned to look over his shoulder. "May the Chi be with you," Ran offered. Ryouga shook his head slightly in disgust and continued towards the fighters. Gen-baka grunted something. His holosign flashed, "What are *you* looking at, Pop!" Ran snarled. "I know what I'm doing." He didn't know who he was trying to convince. Astromech droids were being craned into place within the K and Kawaii Wings. More ground crews scuttled by with racks of antimatter tipped proton torpedoes and plasmex warhead concussion missiles. The hiss of reaction mass fuel whistling through the hoses mingled with the sounds of the pumps that moved the volatile stuff. Announcements were made to get the crews to their fighters. "All pilots to your stations! All pilots to your stations!" Lorries and carts ferried pilots to their waiting ships. As Ryouga stepped up to his hot pink K-Wing, Princess Akane met him at the wingroots. "What's wrong Ryouga?" She asked him gently. "Oh it's Ran," he replied. "I really thought he was going to change his mind..." Akane shook her head. "He's got to choose his own path in life. No one can make that choice for him." Ryouga could see how much Ran's decision to leave had hurt her as well, but decided not to dwell on it. He would chalk it up as one more thing to resent Ran for. "I only wish Oni Wan were here," he said sadly. Akane smiled softly for him and kissed him on the cheek. Ryouga seemed to glow for a minute and then it looked like he would pass out. Shampoo Deetoo and M-3PO quickly caught him before he swooned. "Silly Master Ryouga! You no fall down before battle!" Shampoo chirped. The Princess was gone. It was obvious that she didn't want anyone to see her worrying over Ryouga. As Ryouga wobbled for a minute in bliss, Akari Unryuu stepped up next to him. Her Kawaii- Wing was setting next to his own K-Wing. She was his wingmate. Akari was so beautiful that he thought his heart would stop if he looked at her any longer. He remembered the locker room fiasco and blood nearly spurted in double spouts from his nose. Shampoo Deetoo was quick in stuffing double plugs of tissue into his nostrils. "Aiiyaaa!" she chirped in triumph at heading off a disaster for her master. "I wanted to wish you luck," she said to him, oblivious of the fool he now looked like with the red soaked tissue dangling from his nose. "I heard about what you did, saving the Princess and all. I think that was very brave of you." She leaned closer and pulled away the tissue. "It's an honor to fly at your side Ryouga Lostwalker." Ryouga fumbled about for a bit, then he gave her one of his bandannas. "Uh, it's not much, but maybe it'll give you luck?" He said weakly to her. He seemed like he was about to faint. "I know it will," Akari replied with a grin. She then took his astonished face in her hands and bussed him but good; square on the lips. She lingered for several moments, and to her delight the bashful Ryouga managed to return the kiss. She broke the kiss, touched a gloved finger to his lips and winked at him. Ryouga passed out. Akari giggled and clambered up into her fighter. "Silly Master Ryouga! It time wake up now!" Shampoo cried as she fanned the air at his face. M-3PO helped the groggy Ryouga to his feet. Akari's lipstick was smeared on his mouth. His cross-eyed smile of utter bliss made it plain that the lights were on but nobody was home. "I sorry, master, but you give no choice!" Shampoo Deetoo slapped him around a few times to get him to come to his senses. He stumbled forward like a punch-drunk prizefighter going one too many rounds with Muhammad Ali. They pushed and pulled him towards his starfighter. "Hey sir!" one of the air crew called down to him from atop the reactor complex. "We got a problem!" Ryouga came around a bit. "Uh, what is it?" He managed. "Sir, your fighter's astromech droid is wasted. I don't have any spare droid units that can replace him. I don't recommend flying with this one sir, it's real dangerous!" "What can you do about it?" The crewman shook his head. "I got nothing to replace it with. And I wouldn't recommend going up without a droid. Even on an in-system hop you're still gonna need one if you go into battle." Shampoo Deetoo bounced up the boarding ladder in all her purple-haired glory. "I go with you, master. I can help." "You can't be serious, Shampoo!" Ryouga cried. "You're not an astromech droid!" "I interface with these type computers before. Is no different if it in air or on ground!" Shampoo retorted. "Besides, we both know you get lost without me!" Ryouga bit down on a curse. She *did* have a point. The crew chief looked over at her. "You got a standard ninety- port connection? Universal photonics rating?" Shampoo Deetoo bared her impressive artificial chest to reveal an access panel just above her cleavage. "I have!" She chirped. "It'll be a tight squeeze for a humaniform droid, but I think it'll work," the crew chief mumbled, nonplussed by her exposed breasts. "And we need every fighter we can get up there." He turned to the other crewman. "Hook her up!" "No, Shampoo!" M-3PO cried. "It's too dangerous! I won't allow you to go!" He jumped up onto the wing with the intention of snaring her with his numerous spring and gas loaded wires and nets. She saw this coming and swatted him down with a metal on metal forearm strike to the face. His photoreceptors blurred and he crashed on the ground with a sound like a few hundred pounds of loose truck parts. Shampoo Deetoo was lowered down into the droid well. One of the crewmen hooked up the optic tie cables to her chest port as another tried to help secure her in the well. Shampoo made a few silly noises as she interfaced with the K-Wing's computers. "You gonna be okay back there, Shampoo?" Ryouga asked her. "I fine, master!" she replied cheerfully. The K-Wing's engines shrilled to life. The turbojet compressors began winding up, drawing air over the reactor and heating it for thrust. Control surfaces were flexed by Shampoo in preflight. M-3PO looked mournfully up at Shampoo Deetoo. "You must come back Shampoo. I couldn't go on functioning without you!" Shampoo peered over the well at him. Her face was fully articulated, and she gave him a soft look that had never been programmed into her. "I fine, Mousse... Not worry about me, okay?" M-3PO waved slowly good-bye to her. Ryouga locked his helmet in place as the plane captain handed it to him. The man gave him a reassuring thump on the top of the helmet and climbed down the boarding ladder. The canopy began to lower into place, and sealed with a hiss. "Good hunting, sir!" His plane captain called to him. Inside the cockpit, Shampoo's squeaky voice had replaced the even sillier one employed by the K-Wing's AI. Ryouga listened to her recite a preflight litany in his headphones as the starfighter powered up and readied all systems. Elsewhere, the other Alliance starfighters were warming up their engines. Ground crews pulled away emptied ordnance racks and fuelers disconnected their hoses. Pilots donned helmets and sealed their cockpits. Compressors stopped their pounding to be replaced by the rising shrill of dozens of HEPLAR engines. There was power in the air and the ground crews and pilots could feel it. Princess Akane watched the fighters powering up from across the bay. She wished them all well, hoped that all would return, but silently knew that this bay would be much emptier when the battle was over. If they succeeded. She made a silent prayer for Ryouga Lostwalker to come home safe, and another for Ran Solo to come to his senses. "Come, Princess," the general advised. "We should go to the situation room." Akane nodded and followed him. M-3PO tagged along behind mournfully. "All fighters prepare for departure. Open outer doors!" The loudspeaker barked. The massive double doors that protected the fighter bay lurched open with great servomotor whines. Sunlight spilled into the bay, and the angry red glow of Yavin beat down upon them. "Indigo Squadron, advance!" Indigo Leader called. K-Wings began lifting off using gravity drive. They warped space in such close proximity to each other that the air shimmered and crewmen wisely ducked below the distortion fields as Indigo Squadron lifted off. The shrill of engine noise was deafening. Indigo Squadron tore out of the fighter bay, and as soon as they got clear and high enough triggered their HEPLAR drives for a full burn acceleration into orbit. "Gold Squadron, lift off," Gold Leader yawned. He had that classic fighter-jock drawl that made everyone feel at ease. "Just another walk in the park, Goldies." That he was the most experienced starfighter pilot the Alliance had was also a big confidence booster. Gold Squadron's Kawaii-Wings surged aloft. They were painted white with gold trim and their titungstenel skins glowed in the ruddy light of Yavin above. Proton torpedoes in launchers and slung on streamlined pylons waited patiently for release. Kasumi Antilles wiped away another tear from her eye and summoned up her brightest voice for her girls. And for Dowling and Ryouga. She checked her ship ready and opened the commo channel to them. "Ready Darlings?" she asked them. "Ready Kasumi!" they cried in response. "Let's go girls!" Ryouga pulled on his control collective and began to climb into the air. Ryouga tapped at his headphones. **That couldn't have been Oni Wan?** "Shampoo, did you say something?" "No, Master Ryouga. Shampoo busy telling gravity drive what to do." He tried to scratch his head, but forgot that he was wearing his helmet. The hot pink K and Kawaii-Wings screamed into the air. Once clear of the hangar and at the proper altitude they formed up in an echelon left and gunned their HEPLAR drives. The Rebels observing from the watchtowers tracked them higher and higher into the sky, wishing them the best of luck. Because if they failed, the entire moon would be vaporized, and the Rebellion with it. In the situation room Princess Akane and M-3PO stood over a holotank display of the Yavin planetary system. The Breast Star materialized in the tank, slowly circling Yavin to reach them. A projected cone of attack appeared from the Breast Star. When the moon of Yavin was within that cone, the Hentpire could destroy them. "Standby alert!" An Ops Boss announced. "Breast Star approaching! Estimated to be in firing position in fifteen minutes!" More Ops men scrambled around their own displays, updating the positions and dispositions of the three attacking squadrons. Deep Space Tracking Systems had not yet detected any enemy starfighters. The tremendous magnetic fields of Yavin would hopefully screen the Alliance attack long enough to get into range before the Hentpire started shooting at them. High in Yavin orbit three squadrons of Alliance starfighters formed up. 36 starfighters against a battlestation the size of a small moon. Their EMS suites could feel the probing fingers of the Breast Star's sensors. The pilots could feel the subtle tug of the battle- station's gravity well as they made minor course corrections. Gold Leader was the Commander of the Air Group. He keyed the command channel. "Indigo and Darling Squadron Leaders report in," he drawled. Indigo Leader replied first. "Indigo Squadron standing by!" Kasumi Antilles checked over her shoulder. They were all there. "Darling Squadron standing by!" She was focused now on the object of her hatred. The Breast Star was a dull glow in the black void. She would see it destroyed for killing her beloved Oni Wan. Gold Leader cleared his throat. He keyed the all-stations channel. "Okay folks, sound off; make sure we got everybody ready." Indigo Squadron sounded off by the numbers. Gold Squadron followed. Then the Darlings. It came to Ryouga's turn. He squeezed the 'talk' button on his flight stick and tried to sound calm. "Darling Five Standing by!" Shampoo Deetoo added an 'aiyaaa!' of excitement. Princess Akane shuddered to hear his callsign over the 'white rat' speaker. The 'white rat' would broadcast everything on both the all- stations, and command channels. They would hear the entire battle even as their sensors and computers projected it on the holotank displays. M-3PO wished he had the will to deactivate his aural sensors. The Breast Star now loomed in their cockpits. "Lock S-Foils in attack position," Gold Leader drawled. Men and women touched their control studs as one. The K-Wings' airfoils opened up into their characteristic 'K' shape tipped on its side. The Kawaii-Wings' twin engine pods separated along the centerline and branched out forming a 'Y' shape. (Sort of like a rabbit's head.) The Darlings' Kawaii-Wings were in fact painted to look like bunnies. 36 starfighters now surged angrily towards the Breast Star. Their guns charged up and their deflector shields sprang to life about them. Their ribbon-bow shaped EMS suites shifted to range-while-search; ready to illuminate targets on command. They began to buck and shake as they approached. "We're passing through their magnetic field," Gold Leader advised. "Hold tight, and switch your deflector shields to double-front." The convergence zone between Yavin's magnetic fields and the Breast Star's was a wild torrent of electromagnetic energy. Ryouga watched as his shield indicators flickered and jumped in response. "Accelerate to attack speed," Gold Leader ordered. His voice was so calm he seemed asleep. "Oh my!" Kasumi cried. "Look at the size of that thing!" "Cut the chatter Darling Leader!" Gold Leader snapped. "Awright we're goin' in!" Princess Akane breathed another silent prayer. The K-Wings of Indigo Squadron dove at full speed towards the Breast Star to draw fire away from Gold Squadron. There were no Hen-TIEs detected yet, so they would pull point defense fire suppression runs along the surface. The Darlings formed up for their follow-on dive. "Indigo Leader, this is Gold Leader." "I copy, Gold Leader." "We've got the target shaft lined up in sight. We're starting our runs now!" "I copy, Gold Leader. I'm gonna cut across the axis and try an' draw their fire!" "This is it, boys!" Gold Leader called with the most inflection in his voice all day. Gold Squadron's Kawaii-Wings darted straight down at the battlestation. Indigo Squadron rolled over and dove echelon right. The K-Wings screamed down on full HEPLAR burns. The lead K-Wing screamed in low playing the bait. When a turbolaser battery revealed itself and opened up on him spitting brilliant green lances of death, two more K-Wings pounced on the battery and blasted it with full bursts of laser fire. The starfighters were too fast to track making low angle runs, but there was so much fire being thrown up at them that the Hentperials were bound to hit sooner or later. "Heavy fire at 0-2-3, it's pretty hot!" An Indigo pilot squawked over the white rat. "I see it, Indigo Six, you hang on!" "Get me some fire now!" "Hang on, Indy Six! Hang on!" "AAAAUUGHHHHH!!!---" The sound of Indigo Six being incinerated made a soul wrenching sound over the white rat, drowning out even the pilot's death cry. Akane gripped the rails of the holotank tightly. "There's too much fire to make the trench, we're gonna hang around up here a bit and try an' thin it out," Gold Leader advised the Alliance. The Darlings were next. Kasumi bit down on her lip and switched her headphones to the sounds of TSOL. Speed metal was what she needed to sink into the groove, to give her what she craved most: Vengeance for Oni Wan. "Darlings commence attack!" she cried. Her girls whooped their war cry, a war cry that Ryouga found himself joining. The Alliance ops people looked on with pride into the holotanks as the Darlings charged. The K and Kawaii-Wings of Darling Squadron fell upon the Breast Star's defenses like predatory birds. Bright streaks of red laser fire pounded gun batteries and hangar bays. Huge explosions burst into space around them. Kasumi Antilles was an avenging angel. She wheeled and juked her pink K-Wing through storms of laser fire that no sane pilot would dare approach. Her guns scored on dozens of turbolasers, silencing an entire sector of the Breast Star. Columns of plasma and fire from venting atmosphere climbed away from the battlestation's gravity well to shroud the station in a nimbus of glowing debris. It wasn't enough for her... For Oni Wan. Ryouga clicked his mic and gunned the engines hard. "Darlings Five and Seven going in!" Shampoo Deetoo gave her own war cry. Ryouga's K-Wing and Akari's Kawaii-Wing dove at the next offending sector of the station. Ryouga clamped down on the firing stud, cycling the guns as fast as the accumulators could charge them. Angry arrows of red light impaled themselves into the surface of the station, touching off a massive explosion as a fighter bay went up. Akari was just behind and so had enough warning to pull up. Ryouga dove through the fireball and his shields screamed in protest. His K-Wing was lost from her sight. "Pull up, Ryouga!" Akari screamed. Ryouga gutted out a punishing climb as he fought for control of the starfighter. The fireball roiled around him and he could feel the heat through his insulated suit. A half second later he was clear and climbing. "Aiiyaaa! You no do that again Master Ryouga!" Shampoo protested. "Shampoo's hair all singed!" "Ryouga, are you okay?" Akari called to him. "Eh, uh, I'm just a little cooked but I'm okay," he said weakly. Princess Akane started breathing again. M-3PO resumed processing routines. Aboard the Breast Star, Hentperials fought to keep their footing as the battlestation rocked with another explosion. A staff type sought out Kunou Vader with a report. The darkly clad titan spun on his heels and loomed over the man. "We count about three dozen fighters, Lord Kunou. They are too fast for our turbolaser batteries to engage successfully." Kunou rubbed his black gloved hands together. "Very well then," he said coolly. "It is good that we should have to face them in single combat; ship to ship!" He turned to his diminutive Hentperial lackey. "Prepare my starfighter Bin Sen at once!" "Yes, Lord Kunou!" Sasuke replied. He hopped away to do his master's bidding. "Watch out girls, there's heavy fire coming from the pole side of that deflection tower!" Kasumi announced. A violent fusillade of light burned around her K-Wing but couldn't touch her. As she thumbed the 'talk' button on her stick, the speed-metal cut out for a few seconds. "Darling Nine going in!" Erika Mil announced. "Cover me, Mona!" Mona Shantipall's Darling Eleven cut in above and to her left. "I'm with you, Erika." "Here we go!" Darling Nine and Eleven, both Kawaii-Wings, tore through the laser fire and fireballs to score big with their concussion missiles and laser cannons. A massive deflector shield tower evaporated into an expanding cloud of gas and plasma that rained down in slow motion upon the surface as the battlestation's gravity pulled at it. Turbolasers volleyed out in angry reply. "I've got a problem, Erika!" Mona announced. "Eject!" Darling Nine cried as Darling Eleven lost altitude. "No, I can handle it!" "Pull up!" "I've got it under con-" Darling Eleven dipped low, catching a stray bolt across the fuselage and tumbling into a tower. The Kawaii-Wing exploded into a billion glowing fragments a second later. Mona didn't even scream as the end came for her. Erika did all the screaming instead. "MONA!!!" She bawled. "Get up above the ecliptic!" Kasumi ordered. Pangs of grief wrenched at her heart, but she willed herself calm. She had lost girls before and she would lose them again. Better to save the tears for the darkness when she was alone. The Breast Star command room showed the moon nearly clear of the planet Yavin. The voice of the Tactical Officer announced, "The Rebel Base will be in range in seven minutes." Grand Moff Koucho watched the screen. Victory was so close, but did the Rebels know something? He tugged at the lei that hung over his stern grey uniform, deep in thought. Ryouga formed up with Akari again. He was preparing to make his next run. The turbolasers in this sector were clever, only firing in small groups and not revealing themselves against the sterile techno landscape until the last second. Several Indigo K-Wings now burned on the surface because of this. "How can I see them through all that?" He asked himself. **Oni Wan?** He tapped at his helmet again to make sure he wasn't hallucinating. He was certain now that he wasn't. He opened up his mind and his heart and felt the Chi flowing through him. Then he squeezed on the firing stud. His K-Wing's guns obliterated the batteries, stitching across them like wildfire. None of the guns had time to respond before he blasted them. "Amazing, Ryouga!" Akari cried in admiration. "You're amazing!" Ryouga fought back a blush. "You the best!" Shampoo Deetoo agreed. Back on Yavin's moon the Ops people took the word from Deep Space Tracking with grimaces. Princess Akane watched as dozens of angry red lights appeared on the holotanks. Designations posted themselves on an auxiliary screen. Hen-TIEs. "Gold Leader, and all flights; we're picking up a new group of signals coming up from the opposite equatorial and polar regions. Enemy fighters coming your way." Ryouga looked around him. "My scanners show negative!" he protested. Kasumi craned her neck up to look above her. "Pick up your visual scanning," she ordered. Her wingmate Beli Seff in Darling Three spotted them first. "I see them! Six marks at 2-6-5, azimuth 6-5!" "Here they come!" Irene Tal in Darling Two cried. Six Hen-TIEs dove down upon the Darlings, catching them low against the Breast Star. A dozen more were lining up in the distance. They would have to fight their way against the battlestation's gravity well for some room to fight. The Hen-TIEs wouldn't allow that to happen. "Climb and bank!" Kasumi Antilles ordered. "Use your missiles to clear a path!" The Darlings surged aloft and loosed volleys of concussion missiles against the Hen-TIEs. The Hentperials didn't have missiles of their own and so tried streaming laser fire down upon them. Missiles burst into the leading six, blowing them all into tiny glowing pieces of metal. The Darlings clawed higher and higher above the battlestation. The remaining twelve scattered, and the furball began. "Watch out, Jan!" Kasumi called to Darling Four. "I can't shake him!" Jantica replied. "Hold on!" Kasumi soothed. She gutted out a punishing slide turn and tried to get enough velocity back to reach Jan in time. It was too late. The Hen-TIE trap shot her with a low deflection shot against the hindquarter of the K-Wing. Darling Four exploded into a twisting fireball, the debris rained down in the battlestation's gravity well. Jan's death scream was cut horribly short. Kasumi bit back a sob and hosed her guns into the killing Hen-TIE. The bra-shaped fighter evaporated into a silver cloud of plasma. The metal music in her ears raged on. "Akari, you've got one on your tail!" Ryouga warned. "I can't see him! Where?!" "Above and behind you about 1000 meters back! I'm coming for him!" "Hurry, Ryouga!" Ryouga clenched his teeth, burying his fangs into his lower lip. His K-Wing slid across the dark void and he poured on the speed. Shampoo Deetoo adjusted his reactor and engine output for optimum performance. He slid in behind the Hen-TIE, the end of the dog-tail chase. As Akari banked and dove, she swam in the Hen-TIE's sights. But not before he slid into Ryouga's. Ryouga clamped down on the firing stud. Bright bolts of light incinerated the Hen-TIE in a fraction of a second. Akari waggled her wings and spiraled up to safety. "My hero!" she gushed. Ryouga began to blush furiously. Kunou Vader summoned his two best pilots. "Several units have broken off from the main formation. These Philistines must be slain at all costs. Harken to me!" He ordered them. They followed him without question to the fighter bay. Princess Akane watched the holotank in horror as two Hen-TIEs slid in behind Ryouga while he saw Akari to safety. The Ops men got on the commo at once. "Darling Five, you've got two on your tail! Darling Six, can you see Darling Five from here?" Darling Six was occupied. "I'm drawin' all kinds of heat and my wingmate's in trouble," she shot back. Akari tried looping back, but she had too much separation to reach him in time. She called out their positions for him, hoping he could evade them long enough for help to arrive. Indigo Squadron was busy and outnumbered two to one above the trench covering Gold Squadron. She didn't see anyone else who could help. "Break left, Darling Five! Break left!" someone else yelled. Ryouga almost jerked the stick left before he felt the twinge in his gut. Instead he climbed and held steady. The Hen-TIEs lined him up for the kill shot. "Ryouga!" Akari cried. A bolt burned across his outboard engine pod. Brilliant plasma fire boiled out from the hit. The K-Wing jerked nearly out of control before Ryouga fought it back on level. "Ryouga!" Akari cried in terror. "I'm hit, but not bad! Stabilizer's broken loose. Shampoo, see if you can lock it down!" Shampoo Deetoo peered out from the safety of her well to inspect the damage. Green bolts of laser fire rippled around her. Her purple fall of hair was a little singed. "It not bad!" she announced. A second volley nearly fried her. "Try keep me from getting shot!" "Hang on back there, Shampoo!" Princess Akane and M-3PO crossed their fingers. "Can anyone see Darling Five?" Ops asked. Ryouga dove right when his gut told him to. The Hen-TIEs dove with him, and faced Kasumi Antilles head on, guns blazing. She narrowly avoided a collision with Ryouga, and the sight of her K-Wing filling the canopy of the Hen-TIE's cockpit was the last thing the Hentperial pilot ever saw. She obliterated the lead fighter, passing right through the fireball with a feral cry before rolling out and trap shooting the second fighter with an impossible high deflection shot. She did another victory roll and looked to reform her squadron. "So sorry," she called to the cooling clouds of gas that were once fighters. "Th-Thank you, Kasumi!" Ryouga panted. "Oh Kasumi! Thank you!" Akari cried in relief. "Good shooting, Darling Leader!" Ops called. "It was my pleasure!" Kasumi returned. She could barely hear him over the sounds of Henry Rollins and Black Flag. "Indigo Leader, this is Gold Leader, we're starting our attack run!" "I copy Gold Leader, move into position!" Kunou Vader and his wingmen swept out of their shielded launch bay and into the fray. "Stay in formation," he advised them. "Leave the cretins to me." "We've got the exhaust port marked and locked in. Commencing run!" Gold Six announced. Three Kawaii-Wings dove headlong into the trench and pulled out of their dives in the nick of time. The silence of the guns above the trench didn't last long when guns inside the trench opened up. "Switch to forward deflector shields. Double front forward deflector shields," Gold Six ordered. He readied his targeting computer, which was programmed with the trench schematic and tied in with the terrain following EMS suite that scanned ahead of them. Thus he knew exactly how far he was from the port. 48000 meters. Maybe twenty seconds flight time. Turbolasers hammered away at them. "How many guns do you think, Gold Five?" Gold Six asked. Gold Five's response came slightly distorted over the white rat at the base. "I'd say about twenty guns. Some on the towers and some on the surface." The Princess, the general, and M-3PO watched the Breast Star move closer around the planet Yavin. Soon the red cone of vulnerability would envelope them. "The Breast Star will be in range in five minutes!" The three Gold Squadron Kawaii-Wings raced on down the trench. "Switching to targeting computer," Gold Six announced. A light flicked on back at the Rebel Base from Gold Six's telemetry feed; indicating that the computer was active. "I've got it locked." Suddenly the turbolasers stopped firing. "The guns..." Gold Seven muttered softly. "They've stopped?" Gold Five adjusted his sensors. "Set your rear deflector shields, watch for enemy fighters!" Gold Six looked up from his computer. "They're coming in! Three marks at two-ten!" Kunou Vader and his two wingmates pounced on them from above. They slid in behind them and accelerated. Now the most dangerous game of all would begin. The Gold flight formed up into a triangle formation with Gold Six the point. Gold Five and Gold Seven double-reared their shields and maneuvered themselves to block fire coming at Gold Six. Their shields could hold off laser fire for four seconds, maybe five. "I shall slay them myself," Kunou Vader announced. "Guard my flanks." "Yessir!" His right wingmate acknowledged. Kunou lined up Gold Seven in his sights and squeezed his triggers. Bin Sen's guns blazed forth a ripple of green lightning that blew apart the Kawaii-Wing before Gold Seven knew what hit him. Gold Six took a panicked look away from his computer to see Gold Seven die. The Hen-TIEs closed the gap with only Gold Five to protect him. "It's no good! I can't maneuver!" Six cried. "Stay on target," Five drawled. "We're too close!" Six protested. He began to bank away from Five. Out of the zone of protection. "Stay on target," Five ordered firmly. "Loosen up!" Six cried in panic. Kunou canceled him with a swift burst of coherent light. Gold Six burst into a golden fireball that crashed down into the bottom of the trench. "Gold Five to Gold Leader; lost Daisuke, lost Hiroshi!" He pulled out of the trench to try and escape. "I copy, Gold Five!" "They came at us from behind!" Gold Five had its engine pods blown off in a stream of brilliant green light. The Kawaii-Wing tumbled out of control and crashed into a gun tower. A Hentperial lackey presented himself before Grand Moff Koucho. "We've analyzed their attack, sir, and there *is* a danger. Shall I prepare your personal craft?" "Evacuate?" Koucho snarled. "In our moment of triumph? I think you over estimate their chances! A shaved head to da next person who talks of abandoning ship!" The Breast Star command room was silent. Koucho nodded firmly and consulted the tactical displays. "Rebel Base three minutes and closing." Gold Leader knew how many fighters he had left. He had his two wingmates and that was all that was left of Gold Squadron. Indigo Squadron was outnumbered and heavily engaged. Any number of Hen-TIEs could slip into the trench without opposition. That only left the Darlings should his run fail. "Gold Leader, this is Operations; keep half your group in reserve." "Copy, Operations," Gold Leader replied. He was planning that himself. "Kasumi, I want you to rendezvous at point Mark Six Alfa. Keep your girls ready to roll in and wait for my signal to start your run." Kasumi understood what he was implying. The Kawaii-Wings were slower than the K-Wings. Their chances weren't good against pursuing Hen-TIEs. They could try and drop in behind the chasing Hen-TIEs, but that would put too many fighters in a narrow gap. Friendly fire would be as dangerous as the enemies'... It might come down to her Darlings very soon. "Copy, Gold Leader," Kasumi replied softly. "Darlings form on me!" Her K-Wings and Kawaii-wings formed up. She dispatched Darling Two's Irene Tal and the even numbered Darlings to Indigo Squadron to support them. The rest formed up with her. She knew that there was only time for two more runs on the Breast Star before it was in range to fire. The three remaining Gold Squadron Kawaii-Wings dove towards the trench. "This is it!" Gold Leader yelled. Laser fire stormed at them down the trench. The three starfighters dodged and juked through it, closing the gap. "We should be able to see it by now!" Gold Eleven remarked. The guns stopped abruptly. "Keep your eyes open for those fighters," Gold Leader intoned. "There's too much interference," Eleven replied. "Darlings, can you see anything?" Ryouga scanned the burning surface of the battlestation below. "I don't see any- wait I see them coming at Zero Three Five, Azimuth nine!" "I see them!" Eleven remarked. He set all power to the shields and doubled them aft. He and Gold Eight would have to hold them off. Kunou Vader and his wingmates dove in. Gold Leader engaged his targeting computer. "Coming into range," he said evenly. The Hen-TIEs closed the gap. "Almost there." The range cues ticked away on his scope. "Just hold them off for a few seconds," Gold Leader drawled. The numbers ticked away. Kunou was closing into firing range. "Almost there..." Gold Leader could feel them crawling straight up his tail pipe. Gold Eight burst into flames. "We're a little loose back here!" Eleven cried. "Almost there..." "They're right behind me, I can't hold them!" "Almost there..." Kunou Vader was gracious enough to allow one of his wingmates the honor of killing Gold Eleven. The Kawaii-Wing burst apart directly behind Gold Leader, the deathlight reflecting in his targeting scope. The range cues ticked away to zero, the computer screamed at him to shoot. Gold Leader squeezed the triggers and two proton torpedoes leapt from their launchers. "It's away!" He yelled as he pulled out of the trench at full speed. The proton torpedoes exploded with fantastic force. Right away Gold Leader knew he had missed. He also knew he was doomed. "Did it go in?" someone in Indigo asked desperately. Gold Leader's reply was carried over the white rat for all to hear. "Negative. It didn't go in. Just impacted on the surface..." Princess Akane and the others bowed their heads. "Gold Leader, turn to point zero one and climb! We can get to you sir!" Kasumi called to him. "Negative, Kasumi. I just lost my starboard engine. Get set up for your attack run." Kasumi looked away as she saw Bin Sen set up for the killing shot. Gold Leader took a hit across the rear fuselage and augured into the Breast Star. The sound of his scream as he plummeted in his death dive rang in the surviving pilots' ears. "The Rebel Base will be in range in one minute." Grand Moff Koucho allowed himself a smile. Kunou Vader was sweeping them out before they could affect any harm, and soon it would be too late for the Alliance. He wondered where he put his ukulele. It would be appropriate to serenade the death of the Rebellion. "Darlings, we're going in and we're going in at full throttle," Kasumi told them. "That should keep those fighters off our backs!" "Can we maneuver in there at those speeds?" Beli Seff, her wingmate asked. "No problem for a Darling!" Kasumi replied. It was a brave front for a young woman who had lost too much already this day, and was expecting to lose far too much more. All she wanted now was the destruction of the battlestation. To avenge her beloved Jedi and the deaths of all her friends. "Form on me, Darlings!" she called to them in her brightest voice. "Right behind you, Kasumi!" Akari replied. She was tight on Ryouga's wing. The remainder of Kasumi's odd numbered Darlings dove into the trench. Turbolaser fire roared at them with insane fury. The gunners were figuring on the attack speeds and maneuvers of Kawaii-Wings. The K-wings scattered amongst the pack were throwing off the predictor computers. The three K-Wings and two Kawaii-Wings formed up into a pyramid formation. Kasumi was the shooter on this one. She was the most experienced out of the five. The rest took up their cover positions. "I can see the tower from here, but I can't see the exhaust port. Are you sure the computer can hit it?" Darling Three asked. Turbolaser fire burned the void around them. The gunners were getting desperate for a hit. "What about that tower?" Beli asked. "You worry about those fighters, *I'll* worry about the tower." Kasumi shot back. TSOL lost out to old Black Sabbath tunes over her headphones. Ozzy wailed "Sabbath Bloody Sabbath" as the flight shot through the trench. Ryouga was starting to weave. "Shampoo, that stabilizer has broken loose again. See if you can't lock it down!" "I trying! I trying!" Shampoo Deetoo fumed. She hated having to use her tool functions because she felt it detracted from her good looks. She leaned out of the droid well for a better look at the damaged control surface. The tingle of her close proximity to the ship's deflector shields made her circuits crawl. "Oooh, Shampoo hate this!" The guns stopped. Everyone started looking for fighters. Ryouga saw them first. "Fighters! Right behind us!" They had dropped right on top of them! "Oh my! Not now!" Kunou's first burst clipped across the shield wall formed by the other four starfighters and creased into Kasumi's K-Wing. Her starboard engine blew out in a fireball. Flaming shrapnel ripped into Beli Seff's Darling Three. "Ahhh!" Kasumi cried. "I'm hit!" She could barely keep control of her K-Wing. "I'm losing engine power!" Beli added frantically. "Get out of there, Kasumi! We can handle it!" Ryouga yelled into the commo. "Beli, go with her! Keep her safe!" "Come on, Kasumi!" Beli called. The two K-Wings leaped out of the trench. One of Kunou's wingmates thought of going after them. He sensed this and immediately put a stop to it. "Leave the sniveling cowards," he ordered. "Stay on the leader." That leader was now Ryouga Lostwalker. Proton torpedoes primed themselves in the launch tubes. His K-Wing leaped out to the fore with Akari and Erika covering. "Hurry, Ryouga!" Erika cried. Her slower Kawaii-Wing was falling behind and soon she wouldn't be able to protect him. Akari's Kawaii-Wing wasn't doing much better, but she was all over the trench trying to fill the gaps. Kunou murdered Erika a second later in a pulse of green light. "It's just me, Ryouga!" Akari gasped. "I don't know how much longer I can hold them off!" Ryouga peered down his scope. So close! "Just a few more seconds!" Shampoo Deetoo was completely out of the well now trying to affect repairs. "Oooh, Shampoo really hate this!" "I shall slay the leader," Kunou declared. He could taste victory. "The Rebel Base will be in range in thirty seconds..." "Hang on, Shampoo," M-3PO whispered. Akane couldn't even speak at this point. The red cone of vulnerability was almost upon them. It was only seconds away. "Please, Ryouga!" Akari begged. "I'm trying! I'm almost in range!" Kunou smiled as he squeezed the trigger. "Good night, sweet princess. May flights of angels see thee to thy rest." A blinding flash of light rippled across the inside of Ryouga's canopy. Darling Seven was no longer visible on his short range aft- looking EMS suite. His fighter was the only Alliance ship left in the trench. "No!!!" Ryouga screamed. Tears fell from his stinging eyes. He could still taste her lipstick on his mouth. He grit his teeth in rage and shoved the throttles to the stops. With one hand clamped on the burn studs, and the other on his stick, he rocketed ahead at suicidal speeds. Kunou Vader was taken aback by the move. "The Chi is strong with that one," he observed. Ryouga focused all his rage on his scope. The starfighter zipped through the trench at speeds so swift that there would be no time to react if something got in his way. The numbers ticked away. It was Oni Wan's voice, and no mistake. He tried to focus his attention, his rage, his bitterness on the targeting computer; for it projected the only target that he could possibly hurt to make up for his losses today. Ryouga Lostwalker looked away from his scope. He punched a button on his panel and the targeting scope swung away from his eyes. The telemetry data indicated this at the Rebel Base. "His targeting computer is switched off," an Ops man announced. The Operations Officer got on the commo. "Ryouga, you switched off your targeting computer. What's wrong?" Princess Akane and the others looked around in shock and confusion. **What could be going on up there?** "Nothing," Ryouga answered. "I'm all right." He looked deep within his soul. Nothing else mattered in those last few seconds. Nothing. Kunou Vader and his flight closed in for the kill. "They coming very fast!" Shampoo Deetoo warned. Kunou fired. Green bolts of light exploded around Shampoo Deetoo. She cried out in anguish, then fell silent. Display indicators for her dropped off Ryouga's Head Up Display. "I've lost Shampoo," he said. M-3PO blew a fuse and collapsed right there on the deck. Akane didn't notice, because the holotank showed the Breast Star's cone of destruction focused right on their moon. "The Breast Star has cleared the planet!" an operator cried in terror. "The Breast Star has cleared the planet!" "Rebel Base in range," the Tactical Officer announced. A display shifted to show a radar relief image of the moon. "You may fire when ready, brah," Grand Moff Koucho informed his Gunnery Officer. He looked out to the blue-green moon of Yavin IV. "Say aloha to da Breast Star..." The Primary Weapons Ignition Sequence began. The Breast Star's Main Reactor surged with power, channeling it into the weapon's power grid, building up to fire. Everyone on the battlestation knew the weapon was powering up to fire, could feel it in their bones. Ryouga juked and dodged as Kunou lined him up to shoot. **The Chi does flow well through this one, he has lasted far longer than the others.** Finally Ryouga's time ran out. He was so close that he couldn't afford to juke much more without missing his target completely. "I have you now, cretin." As Kunou's fingers tensed on the firing studs his wingmate on his right blew apart into a glowing fireball. "Whither my wingmate?" he cried. "YEEEEEAAAAAHHHOOOOO!!!!!" Ran Solo whooped over the commo. The Million-Yen 'Yaki dove out of the blazing sun towards them. "Look out!" The other Hen-TIE pilot yelled. He panicked and bumped into Bin Sen, throwing the Hen-TIE into the trench wall and propelling Kunou's fighter out of the trench at a tumble. "You're all clear, Ryouga! Now let's blow this thing and go home!" Ran yelled. Gen-baka was already punching in an escape vector for the 'Yaki. he signed. Ryouga Lostwalker thought about all the people he had cared for dying. He thought about his home being destroyed. His parents murdered by the Hentpire. Akari. All that was bottled up inside him. Only then did Ryouga Lostwalker find the depths of his pain. He wrenched up a huge gout of the stuff from his soul and blasted it out into space as words he had never before known spilled from his lips. "SHI SHI HOKODAN!!!!" In a shot no proton torpedo could ever have made, a great ball of Chi energy lobbed gracefully down the exhaust port. Ryouga let out a soul wrenching gasp of exertion. The K-Wing pulled out of its run an instant later. "Stand by!" a gunnery tech announced. The battlestation was only moments away from history. Grand Moff Koucho awaited the destruction of the moon. He strummed at his ukulele and smirked evilly. "Stand by!" The priming charge formed at the well of the Superlaser. The Million-Yen 'Yaki led the exodus from the Breast Star. Only a handful of fighters joined it. Time slowed to a crawl. Grand Moff Koucho strummed one final chord. His palm tree twitched as if anticipating the end. The Breast Star exploded with the might of suns. A huge expanding cloud of plasma roiled out in a millisecond to consume the entire station utterly. Trillions upon trillions of glowing shards scattered across the cosmos. The light of the explosion filled the skies above the temple. The Rebels in the watchtowers cheered as they shielded their eyes. It was over. The battle was won. "Great shot, Ryouga! I don't know what the hell that was, but it was one in a million!" Ran cheered. In spite of all that he had suffered, Ryouga smiled. Kunou Vader, Dark Lord of the Hent, had survived. He stabilized his craft and set it into a parking orbit. The Rebels would have to flee in spite of their victory this day, and the Hentpire would reach this system soon. Rescue wouldn't be far away. He felt his accursed father's passing with the battlestation's destruction. It felt good. And now *he* would be the Hentperor's right hand man... * * * Ryouga and the others landed to a Hero's Welcome. The Alliance cheered as they set down within the fighter bay. The bay had many vacancies, as Akane expected it would, but the overriding joy of Victory and of being alive made her look past that. She caught Ryouga Lostwalker at the boarding ladder of his scorched K-Wing and threw a hug around him. He blushed as she kissed him lightly and she laughed with joy. Ran Solo and Gen-baka approached and she threw her arms around Ran as well. The smuggler blushed furiously but returned the embrace. Ryouga threw out his hand and Ran shook it in his. "I knew you'd come back!" Ryouga cried. "And I knew there was more to you than money!" Akane added. "You're right! I couldn't let Ryouga get all the credit," Ran shot back with a smile. He flicked his pigtail over his shoulder. Gen-baka growled in the affirmative. His holosign flashed a big The three of them hugged once more. M-3PO looked up to the top of the K-Wing. A crane was swinging overhead while three crewmen worked at freeing the blackened Shampoo Deetoo. Wires and synthetic musculature spilled from rents in her body, lubricating fluids drained down her legs to her feet and dripped in an expanding puddle on the deck. Her long fall of purple hair was nearly burned away. Her eyes were dark and she made no sound. M-3PO was about as hysterical as a droid could get. "Shampoo! Oh Shampoo, why? Why did you have to be so brave?" Ryouga and the others turned to see the ruined droid. All three of them gasped at the damage done to the once lovely Shampoo Deetoo. Gen-baka's holosign read, M-3PO took one of the droid wranglers and shook him. "Please tell me you can repair her!" he begged. "If there's anything you need for parts, take them from me! You can have any of my circuits! Any of them!" "Don't worry, we can fix her. She'll be as good as new," the droid wrangler assured him. * * * Although much of the temple base of the rebels on Yavin four had been modernized by its current tenants, the main audience chamber had not. The chamber was awe inspiring in its size, but it also had a quality that the rebels could not in good conscience destroy. Now the immense confines of the chamber were filled to capacity by all branches of the rebellion. It was an impressive show of force. All of the assembled rebels wore pressed uniforms and their armor was glinting in the sunlight which filtered into the chamber through its many skylights. All of the planets that supported the rebellion were present here, each bearing their own flag or banner. They were here today to pay homage to those who had overcome incalculable odds, to preserve the ideals the rebellion clung to so tenaciously. At the front of the chamber, there was a raised platform, upon which stood the leaders of the rebellion. Among them were Nodoka Mothma, leader of the rebellion; Admiral Akbar, the Mon Calimari supreme commander of the rebel fleet; and Princess Akane Organa. M-3PO stood off to the side. At the opposite end of the chamber there was a slight commotion, all assembled turned to look as three figures entered from the rear. One of the three, a very nervous looking panda, tried to make a break for it. He was stopped by Ran Solo. "C'mon pop," he said in a reassuring voice. "They ain't gonna bite ya." Gen-baka composed himself and raised a holo sign. Clearly being a smuggler all his life had not made him comfortable around a lot of people. The third of the trio was Ryouga Lostwalker, he too seemed a little overwelmed by the masses that had assembled to greet them. True he had been the one to destroy the Breast Star, but he was still a farm boy at heart, he didn't see what all the fuss was about. Ran looked over at his friend and saw his glazed over expression, he chuckled inwardly. **He'd better get used to this kind of thing. I have a feeling he'll be doing it again** "You okay, Ryouga?" Ran asked. "I... uhmm... didn't expect this many people is all," he managed. "Hey you're the big hero, blew up the Breast Star and all; they just want to show their appreciation," he said. **And maybe they'll increase my reward,** he thought to himself. Ryouga thought back to those last moments before the destruction of the Breast star and his heart suddenly sank. **Akari...** he thought. His shoulders slumped as if a large weight had been placed there. Ran noticed this. "What's wrong, kid?" He queried. "Nothing," Ryouga lied. Ran knew what it was though, Akane had told him. He felt for the kid, really. He just wasn't really good at comforting. "There was nothing you could have done," Ran said as they came closer to the front of the chamber. He placed an arm on Ryouga's shoulder. "I know," Ryouga managed. "I know." They reached the stage and strode up to the top step, Ran finally got a good look at Akane and almost fell over. She looked resplendant in her flowing white gown, and the smile she displayed for them could warm the coldest heart. For his part Ryouga managed to lose his perpetual depressed look and put on a slight smile. Akane looked at him. **Poor guy,** she thought. **I wish he didn't have to go through this.** A fanfare began to play and Akane retreated to one side of the dais to retrieve something. On the other side of the stage, forgotten, M-3PO stood. He contemplated on why he had heard nothing on the condition of Shampoo- Deetoo. His reverie was shattered as he felt a slight nudging on his arm. He turned to face the disturbance and proceeded to fall over. Standing there, in all her glory, was Shampoo. "Sh-sh-Shampoo?" He asked dumbly. "Is me, silly Mousse," she replied, unable to suppress a smile. "Oh Shampoo!!! I thought you were gone." Mousse launched himself at Shampoo and was surprised when he found he was not sucking floor. He hugged Shampoo tightly and was again surprised when she returned the hug. "I tell you I be okay," she said. Ran, Ryouga, Gen, and Akane looked on. None of them could help but feel happy for the two droids. When the droids realized they were making a spectacle of themselves, they quickly disengaged and faced forward. Mousse had the stupidest grin on his face, and even Shampoo was smiling. The trio of heroes again faced the stage and watched as Akane approached them carrying medals. She first approached Ran. She smiled at him and he smiled back. "I'm glad you came to your senses, you macho jerk," she said playfully. "Hey, if you think I was gonna let the kid get all the glory, you're crazy," he replied with a lopsided grin. He leaned forward as Akane placed the medal around his neck. She then quickly leaned forward to give him a peck on the cheek. When Ran straightened up he was blushing furiously. "Gotcha," said Akane. The princess then moved on to Gen-baka. Even when he leaned over she had to strain to get the medal around his neck. That done she smiled at him. "Thank you for bringing Ran back," she said. Gen-baka raised a holo sign. it said. He quickly spun it around. "You're welcome," she replied. She moved on to Ryouga. She smiled at him. He returned the smile, but she knew it was forced. **I wish there was something I could do for you,** she thought. Ryouga leaned forward, and Akane was about to place the medal around his neck when a voice rang through the chamber. "STOP!!!" All the assembled masses turned to see the cause of the disturbance, next those on the stage did the same. As Ryouga turned to see what the commotion was all about he froze. His heart stopped, his mind went blank and his muscles locked. It was Akari Unryuu. * * * Akari's Kawaii-Wing had been severely damaged by Kunou Vader's Hen-TIE, and the shot it had taken in the fuselage had succeeded in crippling all her onboard systems, and knocking her out of the trench. As her ship toppled end over end away from the Breast Star, she had watched its final moments without blinking. She had seen the Million-yen 'Yaki fly in out of nowhere and destroy one of Vader's Hen-TIE escorts. She had seen Kunou's own fighter as it was knocked out of the trench and tumbled through space. She watched with relief as Ryouga's K-Wing blasted out of the trench at high speed. Seconds later, the Breast star had exploded into millions of pieces. The force wave from the explosion had hit her ship and caused her to smack her head against the canopy, knocking her out. She had awoken several hours later to find herself in the medical centre in the temple. The medical droid on duty had brought her up to speed on how she had arrived and what her condition was. She had been found by one of the rescue shuttles sent out to round up any ejected pilots. As to her condition, she had a mild concussion and a broken leg. When she asked the droid where everyone was, seeing that the medical area was devoid of anyone except the patients, the droid had explained that there was a ceremony being held in the grand chamber. She had immediately stated she was going. Of course the droid attempted to stop her. However, when she had mentioned disassembling it with extreme prejudice, the droid relented and let her go. On the way she asked a technician who happened to be around if he could assist her to the audience chamber. * * * And here she was. As Akari hobbled along with the assistance of the techie, her eyes stayed focused on Ryouga. Even with all the pain she managed to give him a wicked grin. When she had left sick bay, all she had to wear was her flight suit, which was torn and burned in places. Her head was bandaged around her forehead and she had a brace on her leg. She did however manage to conceal the bandage on her head with the bandanna that Ryouga had given her for luck. She continued to limp towards the dias. Once there she let go of the techie and hobbled up the steps. As she did this, Ran, Ryouga, and Gen turned to face her. She walked over to the princess who had tears of joy in her eyes. "Princess Akane," she addressed and attempted to curtsie. "May I do the honours?" Akane smiled broadly at her. "Of course," she said, handing Ryouga's medal to Akari. Akari turned to face Ryouga. He was still frozen in place. His mind was only now beginning to register anything. She motioned for him to lean forward, which he did, all on autopilot mind you, and she placed the medal around his neck. She then launched herself at him, Mousse style, grabbing him in a fierce embrace. When they made contact, Ryouga's brain finally turned back on. "You're alive!!" he yelled. He returned the embrace. All his despair and melancholy evaporated away. He began to cry. "I thought I'd lost y....." he said. Of course it was the last thing he said before Akari kissed him full on the lips. Now as we have said before, Ryouga had led a sheltered life. And even though he had been through alot since then it didn't seem to matter much in the end. Pretty girl, kissing him. He did what any good 'ol country kid would do. He sprang a double geyser and fainted. All was silent in the great hall as the hero of the battle of Yavin four lay sprawled on the floor with Akari tending to him. In the background, Shampoo "AIYA'd" Ran looked down at his fallen comrade and sighed. He turned to Akane and his father. "We have *got* to get this guy out more," he said. "Uh huh," Akane agreed. Gen-baka holosigned. THE END Thanks to all for the C&C!