Chapter 8

Bright bolts of energy flew by my shoulder as I again ducked behind the door frame. The shots came from stormtroopers and armed guards that were crowded into the hall outside of the hangar bay. It had been a stalemate fire fight from the moment I had landed. The man that we knew as Commander Dorin, was getting bombarded by shots from the stormtroopers while trying to frantically return fire with his single blaster. As soon as my cockpit hatch was up though I was there with him, one of my two hip-holstered laser pistols firing off down the corridor. I had opted to wear my usual assassin gear instead of my flight suit and I was certainly glad that I had.

Soon we were joined by Nim and D'lek, who were followed by Hu. All four of us now fired off down the hallway trying to pick off any brave stormtroopers who decided to peer around the corner.

"What are our odds?" asked Hu, a Twi'lek like Jarok.

"There are about twenty stormtroopers and half as many guards," answered the red-skinned Dorin.

"How about the technicians?" I asked as I dodged another blast and returned it with two shots of my own.

"Some of them have sided with me and have control of the command center, but I don't know how long that will last."

"We better get up there then," I replied, holstering my blaster and throwing my back pack to the floor. I dug inside and pulled out my snub-nosed blaster rifle and belt of throwing daggers. Although primitive weapons, the poison tipped five centimeter long daggers came in handy when the enemy may have un-armored soldiers in their ranks. I quickly latched on my belt and threw my back pack back on. Just as I picked up my rifle, the commandeered Imperial Landing Craft ALDERAN landed and dropped it's bay door.

Twelve lightly armored, blaster rifle armed Rebel Alliance troops then came rushing out, weapons in hand. The pilot and co-pilot then joined them, plain clothed and similar blaster rifle's in hand.

The pilot came rushing over and waved his arm at me. "Were do you want us Malik?" he yelled over the crackle and sizzle of blaster fire.

"I want six of your troops to provide cover fire for D'lek, Nim, Hu, Dorin, you, two others and I. When we override their defensive point, I want those six, and the rest of your troops to back us up. We'll keep it going like that until we reach the command center, they've surrendered, or they're all dead." I paused for a moment to let my plan sink in. "Got it?"

The pilot nodded his head quickly and repeated the orders to his troops. He turned to me once he had chosen everyone's roll and nodded again. Six of his soldiers took up the positions of Dorin, D'lek, Nim, and Hu by the door, and began firing off down the hallway. I let everyone else know of my plan and, with two throwing daggers in my right hand and my blaster rifle hanging off my shoulder and in my left hand I ran through the door, the others close behind me.

The hallway was about seven feet wide, so there was little risk of getting shot while running and plastering ourselves against the wall outside the hangar bay. The problem was when the Imperials realized that we were creeping along that wall to their position, about eight meters down the corridor. The Base's main structure and hangar bay were offset from each other, which was why the hangar bay doors were in a hallway that shot off from the main structure. The base formed a some what mutilated backwards "L" shape. It was good for us though, since we only had enemies coming from one direction, but good for them as well for the same reasons.

Diagonal blaster shots flew back and forth along the hallway as the Imperials and the Rebel troops providing cover fire, had it out with each other. So far only D'lek, Nim, the ALDERAN's pilot and Hu had made it across and against the wall. I hoped the others had the same luck as we did. Knowing that I was used to stealth attacks I waved the other four back a little and crouched down, inching closer to the Imperial's place around the corner. I was mere feet from their position when I waved the others forward and dove across the floor.

I slid on my side right in front of two Stormtroopers, who I blasted immediately and two un-armored guards. As the guards looked down and I came to a stop I loosed both throwing knives, hitting both of them directly in the throat. I shot to my feet, as the fell to the floor and backed against the wall. Great U shaped beams supported this hallway and I backed behind one, in case their were other soldiers down the hallway. Not seeing any I darted forward, and ducked behind another beam. Seeing D'lek around the corner I showed her two fingers and then waved her forward. She and Nim came running out, Nim taking a position right across from me, and D'lek behind me.

Shots came thundering out from ahead just as Nim slammed against the wall. They had come within millimeters of hitting him, and his chest heaving showed that he knew it. I nodded to him and, throwing my rifle on my shoulder and drawing my pistol, we both shot off down the corridor, towards an open doorway. We were answered by a hail of blaster fire, then silence. D'lek returned fire with her Herigan Hand Cannon, and then waved the ALDERAN's pilot and two of his troops forward. As they came running out Nim and I laid down cover fire.