Another fan fiction based in Bestine, this may not read too well, the original story had over 3000 words so I had to edit it a lot to make it fit I'll also be posting the unedited version in the General Discussion forum.

Athlon entered the Freerunner’s cramped compartment and secured the hatch as the vehicle picked up speed and moved forward. The problem with Bestine was that while it had a couple of wide main roads, much of the city was enclosed by narrow alleyways, walls and entrance archways. Getting directly to the crash site would be difficult and so Athlon had ordered the crew to a point between the area and the Imperials local outpost. From there he planned to use the APC’s rear gun to pin down any Storm Troopers while the Rebels secured The Dawning Star and treated any survivors.

Zaphod watched silently as the tank moved through the city road. Below him Rebel troops fanned through the back streets. The disrupter in his arms felt hot and heavy, and a bead of sweat made its way down his face. He blinked twice to remove some of the dust and glare from his eyes then took careful aim through the weapons scope. The Imperial outpost watchtower filled the view, two Stormtroopers clearly visible. One held a DLT-20 sniper rifle, not as powerful as Zaphod’s illegal disrupter, but just as accurate the other appeared to be carrying an E11.

He steadied his breathing, the sights coming to a stop over the target, and gently squeezed the weapons trigger. A deadly yellow beam emanated from the muzzle and the medic fell from his sights. Before the Imperial sniper had time to react Zaphod had already taken aim and fired again.

On the other side of the city Gwynzer looked up at the sound of a scream as the medic high above died, swiftly followed by the sniper. There was no point heading for the crash site now, the rebels were obviously already making their way through the city. Better to setup a defensive perimeter and prevent them making any more progress.

“Defend this position,” he ordered, “I have an Eweb covering the area, I need a power generator and personnel shield around it.” His troops grunted their affirmatives and set about their orders, taking up positions around the posts courtyard.

“Rebel tank spotted!” cried Samzi, jumping down from a wall just in time to avoid a streak of yellow disrupter fire. He was the squad medic and Gwynzers second in command, having saved the Captains life more times than anyone could remember.

“Looks like an APC Freerunner,” added the medic, ducking as another bolt of disrupter fire echoed through the courtyard and struck a trooper in the chest. He ran towards the unlucky victim who had managed to crawl to safety behind a set of crates. Samzi reached in to his medic pouch pulling out bacta dressings and painkillers.

“Guess I zagged when I should have zigged.” Gasped Blind as the cooling bacta patch began to do its job. Trooper 3001, he’d earned his name because of his somewhat oversized helmet which often slipped and obscured his view.

Gwynzer activated his sensor ping, checking that none of the enemy had breached his defensive perimeter.  All around him Stormtroopers stopped as they analysed the data readings that began to fill their helmets. A large sensor echo appeared as the scan located the rebels Freerunner, along with smaller echoes that indicated the emerging ground troops.

Athlon checked the Freerunner’s wide area sensor readings as his squad exited the vehicle. “What do you see Zaphy?” he asked over the com, jumping a small sand coloured wall, the heat searing his hand as he touched it.

“Two stormies down,” came the reply, “Eweb emplacement in the main courtyard and a lot of activity, looks like they’re getting ready for a little reception party.”

Darac ran towards Athlon, breathing heavily as he came to a stop, “Just got word that the crash site is secure. No survivors and detpacks have been placed on the remains of the ship, Imps won’t get anything from it now.”

The squad regrouped and made their way back through the narrow alleyways, dust and sand collecting around their feet and kicking up around them in clouds as they ran. The idling rumble of the Freerunners engines reached their ears as they rounded the final corner, just in time to catch sight of a stream of mortar bolts hit the tank.

“Down!” screamed Athlon, dropping to the floor as the inaccurate fire struck the tank and the surrounding ground. More dust kicked up around them as each member dropped to the floor and the deadly splashes of high impact energy thudded around them. One of the bolts struck an unwilling target, he didn’t even have time to call for help as his body was torn apart by the force.

Arjay Sativa waved his hand in front of his face, hoping to clear the thick could away from it. He could barely make out the shape of the Freerunner, yet he knew it was only a short distance away. “We’ve got to move it!” He shouted, struggling to be heard as more mortar bolts began to rain down around them.

“GO! GO! GO!” Shouted back Athlon, rising from the floor and running forward. He reached the tank in time to see Arjay jump in to the cockpit and rev up the engines, glancing back to make sure everyone was onboard. Athlon nodded at him and Arjay gunned it, the vehicle surging forwards away from danger, to add to the confusion he popped smoke flares from the vehicle, hoping to hide the escaping Rebels.

The Imperial space dock was located on the cliff’s that towered over the city, Trooper 815 made his way towards it. He planned to obtain the ATST Walker that had recently arrived there and add it to the Imperials arsenal ready for the inevitable battle. He could feel the effects of the sun on the walker’s metal exterior even through his suit, the heat easily penetrating as he made his way in to the cockpit.

He wasn’t a trained ATST driver, nor did he have orders to bring the fearsome weapons platform down but that wasn’t going to stop him. This was going to be his chance to show that he was worthy of something. A Dukat from the Hapes Cluster, an attempt to assassinate the ruling Queen Mother had led to the execution of many of his family members. He had barely escaped the sector alive, hoping to join the Imperial forces and make his way through the ranks to a position of power.

Gwynzer activated the sensor ping again, locating the Freerunner was critical to prevent the Rebels breaking through. It had to be destroyed. Heavy troopers armed with Proton Torpedo Launchers and Packard Mortar Guns rushed to new firing positions as its echo appeared. Rebel’s had already breached through two other squads of Imperial troops, Gwynzer was determined his would not fall as well.

“Take out that Freerunner!” He ordered, “Infantry deploy homing beacons and stay alert!” He took up position behind his Eweb emplacement as the Stormtroopers around him obeyed orders, throwing out the short range scanners in all directions. A rebel appeared from around a corner, jumping up to throw a fragmentation grenade in to the midst of the Troopers in the courtyard. Gwynzer pulled the trigger on the heavy Eweb blaster cannon, unleashing a stream of energy towards the Rebel who died instantly as the shots tore through him.

On board the Freerunner Athlon looked nervously at the sensor readout as the ATST appeared. “Arjay, man the gun, try to inflict as much damage as possible on that walker. Darac, grab the launcher and help him out, we’ll move in on the Imperial outpost.”

Arjay had already moved to the rear, opening up with volleys of red flashes, each one striking home on the walker as the rest of the team filed out. Darac found a low wall and took aim, sending a powerful rocket from the HH-15 flying towards the walker.

Trooper 815 jumped as the explosion rocked the machine, he could barely make out the rebel tank through the sparks and smoke that were filling the view port. Another impact from the HH-15 caused a number of system failures and he began sending out retorts from the ATST’s chin mounted twin blasters. The Troopers struggled to decide which target presented more of a threat. Warnings echoed all around him as more and more of the walkers systems began to shut down. His mind made up, he ignored the source of the rockets and concentrated on taking out the Rebels tank.

Arjay was taking his time, sending short sharp volleys to prevent overheating the Freerunners only form of offensive weaponry. In the heat of Tatooine it would be all too easy to be left with no way of returning fire. He wouldn’t be able to stay much longer though, the internal compartment was already filling with smoke as the Walkers fire began penetrating through the armour. He fired one last volley then jumped out, waving to Darac to show that he could do no more. Dropping smoke grenades to cover his retreat he made his way to Athlon and the rest of the squad down below.
Darac had two more rockets left and the walker had now turned its attention to him, the head swivelling round as it searched for him. He reloaded, and took a chance, poking his head above the small wall he took aim and fired.

Trooper 815 sent a blast of fire towards Darac at the instant the rocket left the launcher then tried to move out of its way, the blast echoing through the cockpit as a fire ignited inside. A piece of shrapnel penetrated his helmet, tearing a chunk from it and rendering it useless. The noxious fumes now began penetrating through, the flames licking around him, their fearsome heat burning his exposed head. He removed the helmet and reached up, frantically trying to open the access hatch as the Walkers systems screeched in protest. He hauled himself out, crying out in agony and dropping to the floor as Darac’s final rocket struck home. The ATST towering over the Stormtrooper exploded, raining burning hot metal around him.

Darac threw the now useless launcher to the floor and made contact with Athlon, “Walker is down, but we’ve lost the Freerunner.”

“Thanks,” he answered, as Arjay skidded to a stop beside him and nodded a greeting, “Zaphod, get back to the ship, see if you can get the other Freerunner unloaded.”

“Yes sir.” Replied the sniper, he chanced one last look through the Disrupter scope and sent a final shot towards an exposed Trooper, sending him tumbling backwards before making his way from the tower.

Samzi shook his head as he towered over the last recipient of Zaphods sniper fire. “I can’t do anything for this one,” he shouted over to Gwynzer, who was sending bursts of fire from the Eweb as more and more Rebels began pouring towards the outpost’s courtyard.

“We’re outnumbered!” called back Gwynzer as he relinquished control of the weapon, its supporting power generator dying under the heat and dust of its environment. “Pull back to the City Steppes!”

Athlon and Arjay rounded a corner just as the last of the Imperial troops disappeared from view. The dead and injured littered the area, some called out in agony, and Athlon surveyed the situation. “Medics, get in here and help those men! Set up a perimeter and let me know what’s going on out there.”

Arjay climbed the outpost’s watchtower and took out his macro binoculars, scanning the surrounding city. “Looks like the only way to those Turbo lasers is using that main road, I got the Boys in White setting up another defensive position on top of the hill….what the…..” He watched in horror at the scene unfolding before him…

“What happened here?” demanded Gwynzer, surveying the still smoking walker wreckage that towered above them.

“I…I brought it down to help,” began Trooper 815, wincing as Samzi dressed his wounds, “I destroyed the Freerunner…but rockets…”

“You are responsible for bringing our only ATST here, with no support?” Gwynzer asked, anger rising as the loss of his only heavy machinery struck home.

“Yes..well..no, I thought it would help, I didn’t know they were there..” stammered the Trooper, fear rising in his belly as the officer standing over him began to reach for his sidearm.

“The Emperor will be most displeased.” growled Gwynzer, taking aim and sending a beam of light to the soldier’s chest. “Leave him!” He snapped at Samzi as he returned the weapon to its holster. “We have bigger problems.”

Bite my shiny metal Tie Fighter!