Over Borosk
Imperial TIE Fighter number#1198, assigned to Dark Sanctuary Squadron, based on the Fire Light Frigate
Core Nexus, recieved some comm chatter coming in from over his comm gear. It sounded like pilot chatter. He shared his message with the squadron leader, flying three ranks down from him.
"DS leader, DS leader, this is DS three, I am picking up some communications chatter coming from the other side of the planet. Based on telementry of the planet and the sound of the voices, I believe this chatter is coming from space, not ground." said DS three into his mike.
He then waited while DS leader confirmed with the
Nexus to anaylze the voices and see what was going on. Moments later he got his answer.
"Dark Sanctuary Squadron, this is DS Leader. We have just recieved word than an enemy convoy is approaching the planet, filled up with enemy troop reinforcements. The convoy is composed of Sentinel Landing Craft and Lambda Shuttles, and has a number of Z-95 Headhunters escorting it, according to radar data hacked into from Borosk's radar net. We are to proceed across the planet and engage the convoy before it reaches planetery atmosphere. Form into Delta formation, and set for cruise." DS leader ordered.
The TIE Fighter squadron proceeded to reform into a Delta wing from it's previous column patrol formation, and headed around the planet, accompanied by two other TIE Fighter squadrons. DS three consulted his radar and it showed him that the other two squadrons were Naruto and Jomkimp Squadrons, fighters flown by Diamal pilots, who willingly joined the Empire after their planet was freed from the grasps of the old Ishori goverment and their occupation forces. His scanner began beeping as they finished their transition of the planet and came within radar range of the enemy convoy. Out ahead he could make out the shapes of eight Sentinel Shuttles and three Lambda shuttles, along with a sizeable escort of Z-95 Headhunters. Twelve headhunters came from the Sentinel shuttles, and another six from escorting the Lambdas. That meant that they were outnumbered two to one. DS Three, Marek Tehran, would put those odds to the best use. He signaled his comm and switched to flight channel.
"DS flight two, this is Marek. Break into pairs when engaging the Z-95s. Watch each others back. And may the force be with you." he said into his comm.
He settled his sights on one of the Z-95s, waiting for the range to close before opening fire. Then, the time came. He depressed his firing stud and sent out twin pairs of laser bolts at the enemy fighter. His fire was joined by that of his wingman's, and together their fire penetrated the reinforced forward shields and scored the fighter dead center, causing it to explode. He then pulled up hard and tight on his joystick, swinging around to get on the tail of another Z-95. Explosions occured all around the his own craft and the fighter engagement as a whole. He settled onto the tail of another Z-95, and fired his laser cannons. This pilot must not have been as quick to re-settle his shield energy from all forward to evenly spaced, as his lasers encountered no invisible sphere of energy as they pummeled the rear of the craft. One of the cannon shots detonated the left engine, sending the headhunter spiraling out of control. The cockpit window fired off, and the pilot ejected moments before his ship detonated. With that target eliminated, Marek pulled out of the battle zone, his wingmate still in tight with him. There were a number of debris clouds indicating destroyed Z-95s, and a few ones indicating destroyed TIEs as well. A beeping at his comm distracted him for a moment.
"Dark Sanctuary Squadron, this is DS Two, we are to proceed with an attack on the Lambda Shuttles. The other two squadrons will mop up the remaining Z-95s." said the female voice. Marek ventured a guess in his mind that one of the TIE debris fields out there contained the remains of his squadron's leader. Pulling around on the joystick, he and his wingmate formed up with the seven other remaining fighters of DS squadron and headed out away from the engagement zone torwards the Lambda shuttles, which were running full tilt torwards the planet.
"DS Squadron, split up into three flights of three fighters apiece. Target and eliminate one Lambda shuttle apiece. DS Two out." ordered the new leader of DS Squadron. Marek formed up with his wingmate and a third pilot, DS two herself, and together they targered the rear of the forward most shuttle. When the range decreased to optimal firing range, all three of them opened fire at the same time on the shuttle's aft. To their suprise the shuttle responded by firing it's own rear mounted laser cannon. All three fighters pulled up and around, and then closed in on the shuttle from top, bottom right, and bottom left. The shuttle juked and jive, throwing off the rear laser cannon's accuracy, not that it's arcs of fire were anything speical. Again the three streams of laser cannon fire poured in, and this time the shuttle's shields were penetrated. Moment's later, the shuttle was a smoking and burned out hulk drifting torwards the planet. The other two shuttles soon succumbed as well, DS squadron losing another pilot, DS eight, to one of the rear mounted laser cannons.
With the shuttles eliminated, they were free to move onto the Sentinel shuttles. But a message coming over the general frequency warned them off of the shuttles, saying they were too heavily armed. Instead, with the Z-95s eliminated, the Carrack Cruiser
Harrier sliced into the fray, the sleek and fast cruiser opening up with her heavy turbolaser cannons and ion cannons. The shuttles responded by assault the cruiser in force with their quad laser cannon arrays and mini-torpedo launchers. One, two, then three shuttles were disabled by the ion cannons, while the remaining five were blown out of space by the heavy turbolaser cannons. The remaining three were taken aboard the carrack cruiser for interrogation of their crews and ground troops. Aboard the cruiser, stun gas was being prepared to pump into the shuttles. With their jobs done, Dark Sanctuary Squadron was ordered home into the Fire Light Frigate for a de-briefing and then a much needed rest.
"Good mission today huh?" said Marek to the newly promoted Dark Sanctuary squadron leader, the former DS two, Jillian Deran. He innocently let his eyes play over her lithe and beautiful figure while she removed her helmet, explosing the long coils of blone hair she has.
"I suppose so, discounting our losses. I rather liked the rookie Gendar." she replied, referring to DS eight, vaped by the shuttle's rear laser cannon.
They filed into the de-briefing chamber, where the frigate's captian met the surviving squadron members.
"First off, I will keep this short. I know some of you are very tired." said the captian. Marek looked around the chamber and noted some Diamal squadron members that were almost leaning over.
"Second, I am pleased to announce that based on the fact that you all have survived ten combat engagements, that you have all be promoted to second class of your ranks, and you will now be flying TIE Interceptors instead of TIE Fighters. Which brings me to number Three." said the captian to the pleased ears of the pilots in attendance.
"Three, the Venators that we have been promised have arrived. With them are the new TIE Interceptors that you will be flying. Eight hours from now, we will be making our assault against the enemy pirate's ground stronghold. You will be flying cover for them. Due to the losses of some pilots, you will be re-organized into two fighter squadrons. But that can wait for later. For now, you have little less than eight hours of sleep ahead for you. I will see you all again at 0800." said the capitan as he exited the briefing chamerb.