The stars stretched into lines as Kai's X-wing broke free of Yavin IV's atmosphere, his heart pounding like the thrusters behind him. Around him, the rest of Red and Gold Squadrons emerged into open space, forming into their attack vectors.
"All wings report in," came Red Leader's calm voice over comms.
"Red Two, standing by." "Red Three, standing by." "Red Five, standing by," said Luke. "Red Six, standing by." "Red Seven... Red Eight... Red Nine..."
"Gold Leader, standing by."
Kai keyed in. "Red Four, standing by."
Ahead of them, the Death Star loomed—a moon-sized behemoth of steel and death, drifting into firing position against the rebel base. The sheer scale of it sent a chill down Kai's spine.
"Stay sharp," Red Leader warned. "We've got enemy fighters incoming."
Within seconds, a swarm of TIE fighters burst from the Death Star's surface, their shrieking engines filling the comms like banshees. The battle was on.
Kai gripped the controls and banked hard, evading a flurry of green laser fire. T9 chirped in protest as the ship rocked.
"I'm fine, buddy! Keep shields up!" Kai shouted.
A TIE swooped into his sights. He squeezed the trigger. Twin bolts of red plasma erupted forward, striking the fighter dead center. It spun into flames.
"Nice shot, Red Four!" came Wedge's voice.
All around them, the stars lit up with chaos. X-wings and TIEs danced a deadly ballet. Kai caught glimpses of Luke's ship weaving through the madness, calm and focused. Somehow, through it all, he felt the Force—not loud, but present. A guiding hand.
"Red Squadron, prepare for trench run," Red Leader called. "Gold Squadron, provide cover."
Kai breathed deeply and pulled into formation.
"Here we go," he muttered, more to himself than anyone else.
Below them, the trench yawned open across the Death Star's surface like the mouth of a beast. Laser turrets lined the narrow path, already locking on.
This was it. No turning back now.
And somewhere, buried deep in the Force, a darkness stirred—watching, waiting.
Red Squadron dove into the trench, engines howling as they skimmed along the tight corridor of durasteel and danger. Turrets opened fire instantly, streams of green plasma cutting across their path.
Kai followed close behind Luke, eyes scanning for threats, his senses stretched thin. The Force pulsed at the edges of his mind—uneasy. Dark. Like a shadow approaching.
He gritted his teeth, trying to focus on the mission.
"Stay on target," Red Leader called. "Almost there."
Suddenly, a cold ripple washed over Kai, like ice down his spine. He gasped, the controls trembling under his hands.
T9 beeped a warning.
"Something's wrong," Kai murmured. "Luke—break left!"
Ahead of him, three TIE fighters screamed down into the trench, flanking their path. Leading them was a ship darker than the rest, a prototype TIE advanced, piloted by a presence that filled the Force with suffocating dread.
Kai slammed his control stick back, pulling out of the trench in a steep climb. The others continued on.
"Kai, what are you—?" Luke's voice cut across the comm.
"Just trust me! You've got one shot, and I'm not letting him take it from you."
As he ascended, Kai looped hard over the trench, coming in behind the pursuing TIEs. The lead ship, faster and sharper than the others, locked onto Luke with chilling precision.
Kai lined up his sights.
"Come on... come on..."
He fired. One of the flanking TIEs exploded. The others scattered in surprise.
But the dark one remained, chasing Luke with relentless purpose.
Kai dove after it, his ship rattling as he forced every ounce of speed from the X-wing.
"I've got your back, Luke. Just keep going."
Below, the trench stretched on. And the shot—the one that could change everything—was getting closer.
Suddenly, Kai's X-wing was rocked by enemy fire. A pair of TIEs had broken off from above and were zeroing in on him.
"T9, reroute power to rear deflectors!"
The astromech squealed in compliance. Kai pulled up again, this time reluctantly, forced away from the trench as he led the enemy fighters off.
"I can't hold them all... Luke, it's all you now!"
Luke stayed in the trench, focused, sweat beading on his brow. The targeting computer blinked as the trench walls blurred around him. The dark fighter was almost on him.
And then, like thunder from a clear sky, a familiar roar split through space.
"Yee-ha!" Han Solo's voice crackled through the comm.
The Millennium Falcon dove into the trench from above, blasting one of the TIEs off Luke's tail. The dark TIE twisted violently to dodge.
"You're all clear, kid! Now let's blow this thing and go home!"
Luke looked down at the targeting computer—then shut it off.
He closed his eyes.
The Force flowed through him.
Kai, high above, sensed it. The silence. The calm. The choice.
Luke fired.
The torpedoes shot forward into the exhaust port.
The Force exploded around them in a ripple of light and energy.
The Death Star erupted.
Kai blinked against the sudden burst, his cockpit filled with white light.
They'd done it.
They'd won.