Project Boussh: Ground Defense
by Josh Nolan

Josh held his hand up in the darkness and hissed, "Halt."  He'd heard a
noise - maybe it was Nick and his group.  The Ewoks behind him silently
fell into formation, blasters bristling, searching the silent darkness
for any sign of movement.

The night obstacle course seemed to be working fairly well so far.  In
an attempt to train the Ewoks in both teamwork under adverse conditions,
and to train them to be alert for blaster-toting enemies, Josh and Nick
were running their groups through slightly different courses - and the
contest allowed for opening fire on the opposition.  As Josh and his
group scanned the night, a streak of light flew overhead.  And another.
And another.  Loud booms rolled across the night, from all directions.

Josh keyed his comlink.  "Six, this is Five.  I'm thinking we should
terminate the excercise."

"Thinking the same thing, Five," came the reply.  Josh turned to his
group, and said, "Okay - the excercise is over.  It looks like we may
have some real bad guys to worry about.  Don't shoot at Ewoks - shoot at
stormies."

The Ewoks cheered.  Josh said, "Spread out, form up on me.  We're going
into the danger zone."  Josh's pulse began pounding in his ears as a few
more streaks shot overhead.  "This is real, now."

*****
Nick turned to look at the deserted pathway behind him. He grinned. As
the streaks had shot past overhead, his squad had disappeared into the
trees. Signalling the all clear, he called out, "Alright you lot,
playtime's over. The rules change - we have a suspected enemy presence
that we're going to check out. Valid targets are stormies and Imp
vehicles."

Emerging from the trees, Yarg added his own voice, <"You've all seen the
records. You know what the enemy looks like. Although this lot may have
more sensible armour.">

With a quizzical expression, Nick turned towards the Ewok leader,
"Records?"

Yarg nodded emphatically, <"Records of the defense of our home world.
Stormies and AT-ST's. They had rocks and sticks. We have blasters. We
win even easier.">

*Ye Gods*, Nick thought to himself. *They've been watching Jedi.* His
grin came back. _This_ was going to be entertaining. He struck off in
the direction the closest streaks had seemed to be headed.  Yarg took up
a position beside him, and the rest of the squad creating a scattered
cordon through the forest behind.

*****

Josh reached the edge of the woods, his breath steaming in the midnight
air.  The Ewoks had travelled with him silently - were it not for the
occasional faint 'yub', he might have assumed he was alone.

Out in the clear space around the cabin, four AT-STs were
chicken-walking in neat line towards the cabin, at a tangent to Josh's
position.  Josh quickly searched either way for signs of movement, and
noticed a swarm of tiny sillouhettes about a hundred metres behind the
walkers.  *Look after your support,* muttered the stormtrooper voice,
*and it will look after you.*  But the stormtroopers had apparently
landed a little too far away to properly follow this advice.

Josh's comlink beeped.  "Terra Group, this is Rogue Lead.  We have
walkers incoming.  Repeat, we have walkers incoming.  All pilots,
scramble.  All pilots, scramble."

"Rogue Lead, this is Terra Five.  I have visual on four AT-STs,
approaching the cabin from the south.  They are being followed by at
least two-zero stormtroopers.  Recommend you scramble the hell out of
here."

Suddenly, the AT-STs opened fire, the green blaster bolts screaming
through the night and destroying one of the small buildings near the
cabin.  Josh gave one final look at the approaching stormies, and took a
deep breath.  "Stay in the trees," he called softly.  "I'll take the
walkers."

As the yubs of confirmation filtered from the closest Ewoks, Josh drew
another deep breath and launched himself out into the night.

"I will not fear," he recited softly as he ran, falling into a random
zig-zag, on an intercept course with the walkers.  "Fear is the
mind-killer.  Fear is the little death -"

The nearest AT-ST paused in its tracks and began to swivel around
towards him.  Josh continued, "-that brings total annihilation."  The
scout walker fired, the vibrant shafts of light slamming into the ground
behind him, the shockwave throwing him off his feet.  Josh turned the
motion into a somersault, bringing him back to his feet, still running.
"I will face my fear," he chanted as he approached the walker, "I will
allow it to pass through me and over me,"  a blaster-bolt flew two
metres over his head, the hot blast of air banishing the cold for a
moment, "and when it is gone, I shall turn my inner eye to follow its
path."

Josh flew past the walker's legs, the awkward machine trying in vain to
target him.  "Where the fear has been, there will be nothing," Josh
whispered, circling the walker's legs as it tried to circle and see him
again, "only I will remain."

Josh unclipped his lightsabre, and the brilliant pink blade burst into
being with an exhilirated snap-hiss.  Josh scythed the energy blade
through the scout walker's left leg, then turned and ran headlong.  The
scout walker, unaware of its injury, continued to turn, removing its leg
from its severed foot.  Slowly, the walker toppled, smashing into the
ground bare metres in Josh's wake.

The other walkers began to turn at the fall of their comrade, but Josh
had already closed to the next one, slashing through its legs with
impunity.  The lightsabre's blade scintillated and sparked as it cut
through the metal, and Josh continued his mad rush towards the remaining
two walkers.  There was a deep booming thud on the ground behind him as
one of the walkers' severed legs smashed into the ground, followed by a
jarring crash as the walker overbalanced and fell.

The third walker opened fire, inadvertantly moving to block off the
fourth walker's line of fire on Josh.  However, the shot went wide and
was not repeated - evidently, the third walker's gunner was loath to
fire near where he might hit his fallen comrade. Josh sprinted through
the walker's legs, holding his lightsabre nonchalantly outstretched as
it sheared through the war machine's left leg.

The fourth walker's gunner was waiting for him, and fired a shot
directly into Josh's line of motion - but Josh had zigged just two steps
before, and was thrown wide by the blast, his right side blistered by
the near-miss.  Josh hit the ground heavily, wincing at the sudden
burning sensation, as well as the clumsy landing.  He lay prone for a
moment, grimacing in agony, his lightsabre having been thrown out of his
hand.  It lay a metre to his right, bright blade still humming
powerfully.  *That wasn't a great plan,* reflected Josh.  *Did I really
think I could take four AT-STs single-handed?*

There was a crash behind him, and Josh craned his head around.  The
fourth walker was coming to finish him.  Not by a blaster shot - if it
had wanted that, Josh would already be dead - but it was obvious the
pilot was wanting to crush him under one of the walker's massive feet.

*Get up!* screamed the stormtrooper.  *You have a duty to finish.  A
plan to fulfil.*  Josh began to reach for the lightsabre, but winced as
he aggravated his new burns.  *Weakling!* raged the voice.  *There's no
"I'm too wounded" in team!*

The AT-ST's left foot smashed down three metres from where Josh lay.
The scout walker could crush him on its next step.  It was time to act.

Josh scooped up the lightsabre, and scrambled towards the AT-ST's left
foot as the walker lifted its right leg.  Josh sliced upward through the
leg and hauled the lightabre out, hobbling away to safety.

The top half of the walker's left leg began to slide down the inclined
slash, bringing the right foot into thunderous contact with the ground.
The left leg stabbed into the ground, and the pilot tried in vain to
correct the overbalance, hastening the walker's fall.  It fell
face-first into the snow covered ground, the impact apparently jarring
the gunner's controls.  There was an explosion of green light from under
the walker's cabin, and the monster was dead.

In spite of himself, Josh felt a rush of exultation that drowned out the
pain from his burns.  He sheathed his lightsabre and began sprinting
back towards his allies in the trees.  "Terra Five to Terra Group.
Scratch four walkers."

*******

"Terra Group, this is Wraith Eight.  Sensor logs show one-twenty,
repeat, one-two-zero, ballistic tracks consistent with twelve AT-STs and
one hundred eight infantry.  Also, we have twelve TIE Defenders incoming
from orbit, ETA six minutes.  Recommend you scramble... /now/."

*******

"Three Troop, this is Walker Eight.  We have contact - a lone human.
Commencing fire."

"Eight, Five.  You can handle him?"

"He's slippery, Five.  I think I have hi - wha?  Losing -"  Static burst
over the walker troop's frequency.

"Three Troop, this is Seven - target has a lightsabre!  We're -
WHOAH!"  A crash, and then static.

"Six is firing - we've lost him, repeat, we're going dow-"  Static.

"Three Troop, this is Five.  We have disabled the Jedi.  We're going to
make an example of him."

Chase shook his head as he listened, and keyed the frequency.  "Five,
Lead.  Just shoot him, you fool!"

"He's helpless, sir, I have - Sithspit!" A crash and a  report from a
blaster cannon, then static.

Chase cursed, and keyed his comlink again.  "Two, Three and Four, we are
moving to assist.  Follow me through that forest."  He switched
frequencies.  "Delta Platoon, Walkers One through Four are changing
course.  Assist."

"Roger," the stormtrooper replied.

As the troopers formed up around the AT-STs, Chase allowed himself to
grin.  The Empire had slain Jedi before - and who was he to argue with
tradition?  He searched the low-light screen in front of him for targets
as Sergeant Yagger began to negotiate the rough terrain of the woods,
when suddenly a blaster bolt flew out of the darkness, striking the hull
of the walker with a clang.

"Contact," growled a stormtrooper over the general frequency, and
several of the grey-armoured figures stalked off into the forest.  There
was another clang on the hull, and Chase searched his display for any
sign of targets.

There - halfway up a tree.  Chase aimed disdainfully and fired a blaster
bolt at the half-exposed figure, obliterating it and setting the tree
alight.  However, the clangs began sounding more frequently, and the
stormtrooper frequency came alive.

 "Sithspit!  They're everywhere!"

"Stay down, stay -"

"Requesting fire suppo-"

There was blaster fire all around, coming seemingly from out of
nowhere.  The walkers turned in all directions, laying down heavy
support fire, trying to assist the stormtroopers, but the enemy seemed
to melt out of the way before the fire arrived.  "Terror Group, this is
Walker Lead," Chase broadcast over the general frequency.  "We are under
heavy fire at co-ordinates -"

He was interrupted by the overhead hatch exploding, the metal fragments
bouncing around the small cabin and lodging themselves in the officers.
Chase looked up in reflex, and saw a furry face on the opposite end of a
blaster muzzle.  "Ewoks," he croaked incredulously, and there was a red
flash.

******

"Terror Group, this is Walker Lead," the voice announced on the
Admonitor's bridge.  "We are under heavy fire at co-ordinates -" A loud
bang came over the frequency, then a voice croaked, "Ewoks," before the
channel died.

Brad threw a glance at Thrawn, who was listening to the broadcasts
intently but impassively, gazing into the middle distance, his
blue-tinged fingers steepled in front of his face.  "Damn right, it's
not Endor," Brad muttered.  "This time, the Ewoks have blasters."

******

Nick spun and gunned down a stormtrooper that had just popped up out of
cover.  Most of the stormies who had entered the forest were now
fertiliser, and the Ewoks were battling bravely.  The AT-STs had been a
terror, throwing devastating blaster fire anywhere it seemed to be
needed - but he and Josh had trained them well to shoot-and-scoot, and
it seemed most of the Ewoks were still around.

Suddenly, one of the walkers turned clumsily and began firing at the
others, and Yarg howled, <"Eesnick and Jert always wanted to capture a
walker!  Look at that!">

The Ewoks' inept gunnery actually caught one of the Imperial walkers,
causing its cabin to shudder as something inside exploded.  One of the
enemy walkers returned fire, narrowly missing the rear of the Ewoks'
vehicle, and the clumsy walker spun quickly to face its new threat.

Unfortunately, the Ewok pilot had asked for more from the machine than
he was able to control.  The walker tottered, its blaster cannons firing
more shots into the night, and finally toppled, bringing down several
trees with it.

Nick and Yarg ran through the forest, the Terran trusting in the Ewok's
superior night vision to guide them.  As they reached a clearing, a
thunderous roar filled the air, and through the gap in the trees Nick
could make out the glowing engines of a flight of X-Wings as they
screamed over the forest.  "At least they got off the ground," Nick said
to Yarg, turning to the Ewok with a grin.  "We're going to be... Yarg?"

The Ewok was staring behind them, where a walker had appeared standing
side-on to them.  The glorious noise of the X-Wings had drowned out its
unstealthy approach, and now it stood a mere five metres away firing off
into the forest somewhere.  Nick hastily glanced around for the nearest
piece of cover, but they were hopelessly exposed.

Yarg pulled something out of a pouch around his belt, drew his arm back
and hurled it at the walker.  It struck its hull with a metallic clang,
and the walker began to turn towards this futile assault.

"Are you crazy?" hissed Nick as Yarg helped  him sprint towards cover.
"It hadn't seen us!  We could have -"

The AT-ST exploded, the cabin removed from the legs entirely, the legs
themselves toppling in the same direction from the blast.  Even at the
distance Nick and Yarg had managed to put between themselves and the
walker, the blast knocked them off their feet.

"A thermal detonator?" Nick spluttered as he dragged himself upright
again. "Where in the hell did you get a thermal detonator from?"  Yarg
merely smirked, and continued to drag Nick away from where the walker
had been.