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  There was a simultaneous announcement in the Death Star control room: “Rebel base, in range.”

  Tarkin turned to an officer and said, “You may fire when ready.”

  The Imperial officer pressed a button on an illuminated control panel. “Commence primary ignition.”

  While the Imperial soldiers readied the Death Star’s superlaser, Darth Vader’s targeting computer locked onto Luke’s X-wing. Taking careful aim, Vader said, “I have you now.” He pressed the trigger on his control stick.

  Suddenly, an unexpected blast of laserfire angled down into the trench and struck the TIE fighter that had been traveling alongside Vader’s starboard stern. The TIE fighter exploded. Vader exclaimed, “What?” He glanced up to locate the unknown attacker.

  It was the Millennium Falcon.

  “Yahoo!” Han Solo hollered as he descended rapidly from above, guiding the Falcon on what looked like a collision course for the two TIE fighters.

  Intending to warn Darth Vader, the startled surviving Imperial wingman cried, “Look out!” But the sight of the oncoming Corellian freighter caused the wingman to panic, and he veered radically to one side and smashed against Vader’s TIE fighter. The impact sent Vader’s fighter spinning up and out of the trench, while the wingman’s fighter crashed into the wall and exploded. Vader fought to regain control of his fighter but it continued to tumble across space, leaving the Death Star behind.

  The Falcon pulled out of its steep dive and Han said into his comm, “You’re all clear, kid. Now let’s blow this thing up and go home!”

  Luke looked up and smiled, then concentrated on the exhaust port. I can sense the target. It’s right in front of me. I cannot miss.

  Luke fired the proton torpedoes. The twin high-speed concussion projectiles streaked away from his X-wing, carrying their payload of high-yield proton-scattering warheads. Both torpedoes plunged down into the thermal exhaust port, and Luke—traveling at an almost sickening speed—pulled up and out of the trench and accelerated to catch up with the Millennium Falcon, Wedge’s X-wing, and a single Y-wing, which were already speeding away from the Death Star.

  Inside the space station, the superlaser was finally ready to be fired. Grand Moff Tarkin’s eyes remained fixed on the viewscreen as an Imperial controller announced, “Stand by.”

  The three Rebel starfighters and the Falcon were barely out of the danger zone when the Death Star exploded in an immense, blinding flash. From a distance, the blast resembled a small supernova.

  “Great shot, kid,” Han said into his comm. “That was one in a million.”

  Luke let out a deep breath and relaxed. Then Ben’s voice said, “Remember, the Force will be with you…always.”

  Luke smiled all the way back to Yavin 4.

  Darth Vader regained control of his damaged TIE fighter. As he headed for the nearest Imperial outpost, he was not preoccupied about how he would explain the loss of the Death Star to the Emperor. Tarkin had been responsible for the space station and its vulnerabilities, and the Rebels had been more cunning than anyone had anticipated. There was really nothing more to say.

  But there were plenty of other things to think about. Before Vader had been knocked out of the trench, he’d recognized the Corellian freighter as the same ship that had delivered Ben Kenobi to the Death Star, reportedly from Tatooine. Vader wondered why Kenobi had been on Tatooine, and how long he’d been there.

  Then Vader thought of the last X-wing pilot in the trench. He was so strong with the Force.

  Vader wouldn’t rest until he learned the truth.

  After landing in the main hangar at the Rebel base on Yavin 4, Luke climbed out of his battered X-wing to be greeted by a throng of cheering Rebels. As he descended the ladder beside his ship, he searched the crowd for one face in particular, and then he saw her.

  “Luke!” Leia shouted as she rushed to him. She threw her arms around his neck and they danced around in a circle. As Luke spun, he saw C-3PO make his way through the crowd to stand beside the X-wing, then saw Han and Chewbacca come running toward them.

  “Hey! Hey!” Han said as he embraced Luke.

  “I knew you’d come back!” Luke said. “I just knew it!”

  Han playfully shoved Luke’s face and laughed. “Well, I wasn’t gonna let you get all the credit and take all the reward.”

  Leia beamed at Han and said, “Hey, I knew there was more to you than money.”

  A maintenance crew had removed R2-D2 from the X-wing and lowered him down to the hangar floor. Seeing the astromech’s scorched body, Luke said, “Oh, no!”

  “Oh, my!” C-3PO cried. “Artoo! Can you hear me? Say something!” When no reply came from R2-D2, C-3PO looked to the maintenance crew and said, “You can repair him, can’t you?”

  One of the technicians said, “We’ll get to work on him right away.”

  “You must repair him!” C-3PO said. Turning to Luke, C-3PO added, “Sir, if any of my circuits or gears will help, I’ll gladly donate them.”

  “He’ll be all right,” Luke said with great assurance. He had good reason to feel confident. He was no longer a kid with no future on a desert planet.

  He was the pilot who’d just blown up the Death Star.

  The next day, trumpets sounded over the Massassi temple. In the expansive ruins of the temple’s high-ceilinged main throne room, hundreds of uniformed Rebel troops stood at attention and faced a long aisle. The aisle extended to the far end of the chamber and ended at steps that led up to an elevated level, upon which stood Princess Leia, General Dodonna, and the other Alliance leaders.

  Luke, Han, and Chewbacca entered the throne room. Luke wore an Alliance-issue yellow flight jacket over a black tunic, brown pants, and dark leather boots. Han wore his own clothes, including a clean shirt he’d been saving for a special occasion. Chewbacca wore his bandolier.

  The Wookiee followed the two men up the aisle, passing the silent troops as they marched solemnly toward the princess. When the trio arrived at the steps, Chewbacca glanced aside and barked at the troops. As if in response, the troops turned simultaneously on their heels to face the Rebel leaders.

  Luke and Han ascended the steps and stopped just below Leia. Chewbacca was uncomfortable with the situation and remained on a lower step behind Han.

  Princess Leia wore a white gown and a silver necklace and bracelet. She looked to Han and Luke. Luke was unable to maintain a serious expression and broke out in a big smile. Leia smiled in return.

  General Dodonna handed a gold medallion to Leia. Han bowed as Leia placed the medallion around his neck. As he rose, Han winked at Leia.

  Luke glanced over to C-3PO, who stood beside the Rebel leaders. The protocol droid was gleaming from head to toe, and appeared very proud. Luke nodded to acknowledge C-3PO, then returned his attention to Leia and the ceremony. He lowered his head, and Leia placed a medallion around his neck too.

  Then both Han and Luke bowed to Leia, and a happy beeping sound came from beside C-3PO. It was R2-D2. The astromech had been completely refurbished, and looked better than he had when he’d been brand-new. R2-D2 wobbled back and forth with excitement, causing all to grin.

  Luke, Han, and Chewbacca turned to face the assembled troops, and the ancient temple was suddenly filled with loud cheers and applause. Chewbacca surveyed the crowd and growled.

  Even though friends had been lost, and the battle against the Empire was far from over, the fact remained that a small band of heroes had destroyed the Death Star against impossible odds. For that, the Rebels found cause to celebrate. And they did.

  More Star Wars eBooks from Disney • Lucasfilm Press

  MAY 2014

  Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace

  Star Wars: Episode II Attack of the Clones

  Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith

  Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope

  Star Wars: Episode V The Empire Strikes Back

  Star Wars: Episode VI Return of the Jedi

  Sta
r Wars: Prequel Trilogy: 3 books in 1

  Star Wars: Classic Trilogy: 3 books in 1

  Star Wars: The Life and Legend of Obi-Wan Kenobi

  Star Wars: A New Hope: The Life of Luke Skywalker

  Star Wars: The Wrath of Darth Maul

  Star Wars: The Rise and Fall of Darth Vader

  Lives and Adventures of Obi-Wan Kenobi, Luke Skywalker, Darth Maul, and Darth Vader: 4 books in 1

  JUNE 2014

  Star Wars: Rebel Force

  Target

  Hostage

  Renegade

  Firefight

  Trapped

  Uprising

  JULY 2014

  Star Wars: Jedi Quest

  The Way of the Apprentice

  The Trail of the Jedi

  The Dangerous Games

  The Master of Disguise

  The School of Fear

  The Shadow Trap

  The Changing of the Guard

  The Moment of Truth

  The False Peace

  The Final Showdown

  Coming August 2014: Star Wars Rebels eBooks!