The scene is a large Rebel base in Minbari territory. The Minbari are very powerful so the Rebels naturally accepted their offer to have a base under their protection. The Rebellion had thrived with the support of a base long safe from Imperial attack, able to produce more ships than most bases and had the added bonus of rejected Minbari who would sign on as pilots and helped upgrade their ships. Only now there are no Sharlins, no Minbari flyers, no Minbari presence at all. They've left to do battle with the massive Imperial fleet heading for their homeworld.

Some of the Rebels felt better, they were used to working on their own and not in cooperation with a powerful, mysterious race with unknown motives. The Empire had somehow gotten suspicions of this base and had detached several warships to find It though, and soon the Rebels would be wishing for those huge Sharlins hovering overhead.

Enough introduction, time for battle!

Wedge: Everything looks ok out here. Coming back to base.

Luke: Ok, be on the look out though. The main Imperial fleet is fairly close by.

Wedge: AG!! What the?! Never mind the all clear! Red-alert!

Luke: Dang it! I knew this week was going too well. Scramble all fighters!

Rebel Commander: Defense cannons online, base shielding online, cruisers readying for launch!

Imperial Admiral: Captain, you came out of hyperspeed too early…

Imperial Captain: Uh…what's that mean?

Imperial Admiral: A friend of mine once made the same mistake, Darth Vader killed him over it.

Imperial Captain: Ouch…that's cold.

Imperial Admiral: You're telling me. Anyway, prepare to attack, let's crush these rebels.

The Imperial fleet moves towards the Rebel base, and several ships take up defensive positions around the planet. A few heavy cruisers with lighter ships and fighters fire to distract the Imperial ships from a few fleeing transports.

Rebel Commander: All right, all planetary defense cannons to full, let's give 'em hell!

Gunner1: Light turbo laser batteries ready!

Gunner2: Medium turbo laser batteries ready!

Gunner3: Ion cannon is ready!

Gunner4: Minbari slicer cannons ready!

Gunner5: Heavy turbo laser cannons ready!

Gunner6: Absurd turbo laser cannon ready!

A large wing of TIE bombers bank to follow a transport just exiting the atmosphere.

TIE Pilot: All charges ready. Begin bombing.

The TIE bombers speed toward their target, only to be cut apart swiftly by the Minbari slicers. The entire squad is soon adrift, each fighter cut in half.

Rebel Commander: Those ISDs are moving to attack the next transport, give them cover!

All base defenses fire, Minbari slicers cutting apart two ISDs and damaging three others. Lighter turbo laser fire deters a few ISDs. Heavy turbo lasers smash a few up, and Ion cannon fire puts out three more ISDs. The Absurd turbo laser only fires once but blows the tip off of a ISD.

Imperial Admiral: They only have three more transports to move out. Launch full-scale attack on their planetary defenses. Slam our weapons fire down their throats.

The remains of the fleet move forward firing quickly taking down several smaller rebel craft. Three ISDs position themselves together and fire massive amounts of firepower into the rebel's shields.

Rebel: Sir! The shields are giving out! Some of their firepower is getting through!

Rebel Commander: Damn it, I knew buying a shield generator past the expiration date was a bad idea.

Gunner2: Sir, some of the cannons are starting to overheat!

Rebel Commander: Let them! Fire faster, we have to get out of here alive!

The Rebel ships intensify their fire and try to push the Empire's forces back. Several fighter wings make successful strafing runs on the ISDs and the heavy cruisers intensify their fire but they're outnumbered and don't slow the Imperial forces down much.

Officer: Sir, we need to get going, this is the last transport out!

Rebel Commander: All right. Set defense cannons to automatic. And are you sure you got all our important files?

Officer: Yes sir.

The remaining base personnel run for the ship, as the battle wages on in space.

Wedge: Status report!

Pilot: Nearly half their fleet is down, but we're losing ground fast! There's still another transport to get out though!

Wedge: Have the most damaged ships jump to hyperspeed with them while we cover.

An ISD breaking through the line of shields succeeds in shooting down a few ships in the convoy before being downed by auto-planet fire. The most badly damaged ships jump away with the last transport while the remaining Rebel fleet tries to hold the Imperials.

Pilot: We have to pull out now sir! We've lost over half of our fleet and the planetary defenses are down to thirty percent!

Luke: I have to agree with you there, let's get out of here!

The Imperials make another charge and break up the Rebel fleet, causing them to scatter. The remaining Rebels just run for it due to damage. The Imperial fleet then turns its attention on the defenses and takes them out quickly only losing another two ISDs.

The Imperials turn the base upside down looking for information but fail to find any. Considering that a Rebel base taken was enough it was declared a victory even though the Rebel forces succeeded in escape.

Or did they?

..

…

Rebel commander: Whew! We made it. Prepare for dock at the mini-station.

Navigator: Sir!! It's not there!!

Rebel Commander: What it can't be?

Navigator: Unidentified ships on intercept course!