After a long wait here is the final chapter, finally got the time to put pen to paper again as it were. Hope the finale is well worth the wait.

Enjoy.

First Strike
Storm over Tatooine: Episode Six

Midshipman First Class Wills Kamus watches as the dramatic battle unfolds before him, afforded a front row seat via the expansive viewport of his point defence gun well on the hull of the Rebel Command ship. Looking up he sees half the reserve fighters tackling a group of incoming Imperial ships with explosive results, and looking down he sees more of the same as Imperial TIE Bombers meet with spectacularly fiery ends, but as the last explosion blossoms and fades, he notices a cluster of bluey white shooting stars still heading up towards them. It appears as though some enemy proton torpedoes had managed to punch through the fleet’s starfighter screen. This could end badly. Then out of the corner of his eye Wills sees something flare just beyond his peripheral vision, the engines of a Gallofree transport had just gunned themselves up to full power sending the ship on an intercept course with the path of the incoming torpedoes. The transport blocks Wills’ view of the torps and he instinctively turns away as a bright flash silhouettes the ship with a burning halo, followed by more concussive impacts which eventually tear the ship apart flinging hull fragments across the fleet.

Wills turns back just in time to see that one of those deadly shooting stars had still managed to get through, with only a second left to impact the gunner is helpless to do anything but brace for the inevitable. There is blinding light and the gunner is thrown hard against his seat’s restraints, alarms blare in his ears and warning lights flash red over all his control boards. He quickly checks himself to make sure he’s not lost any bits, and then looks around his gun well. Luckily it appears to have held fast. Still dazed he sees another craft incoming and prepares to take the controls of his turret, but then recognises the vessel, and the battered Corellian stock light freighter thunders by at high speed. He then looks to his left and sees a ruddy glow just beyond his viewport, and twisted chunks of hull plating and wreckage floating by outside. His stomach then churns as he sees what look like the bodies of fellow crewmen flash frozen in the vacuum of space. That was too close for comfort.

“Damage Report!”

Shouts the Commodore as he hauls himself back upright in his command chair, that last impact had almost thrown him to the deck. His second in command turns from his station to relay the information.

“We were lucky sir, the torpedo managed to breach our shields but no critical systems were hit. The Gallofree transport Accordance took the brunt of the attack.”

The Commodore looked up and turned to the Commander in dismay.

“Captain Mularren’s ship? He was a good man. Well we’ll just have to make sure his sacrifice was not in vein. Commander, what is the status of our bomber squadron?”

Commander Nault looks back to his displays and then reports.

“Red Squadron have just got them through the ISD’s starfighter screen and they’re on final approach to the target.”

The Commodore looks forward intently across the battle playing out before him, his jaw locked in steely resolve.

“Good, then let’s end this. Manoeuvre the Vigilance towards the optimum firing position, and charge our main guns to maximum firepower, we’ll only get one shot at this.”

The Vigilance then breaks formation with the fleet, rising above her sister ships. Another salvo of heavy turbolaser fire rakes across the fleet missing the Vigilance completely but striking heavily into one of the other Nebulon-Bs resulting in some devastating explosions across the cruiser’s battered hull, the ship starts to list lazily to port, its lights flickering and dying, that last salvo obviously hit something important, but after a moment the ship appears to recover from the attack, emergency power kicking in. The Vigilance then holds position angling slightly down. The Commodore then flicked a switch on his comm panel keying in Gold Leader’s frequency.

“Gold Leader, this is Command, are you in position to commence your attack run?”

There is a moment’s silence, and then a crackly response comes back over the speaker.

“Affirmative, Command. Gold Squadron is ready when you are.”

The Commodore turns to Commander Nault.

“Commander, have all three reserve rescue boats stand by to make a run for the surface, our next attack is certain to hold the Imperial’s attention, this will most likely be their best chance to punch through the blockade.”

Nault turns to his console and relays the necessary orders.

“Roger that Commodore, the three rescue Gallofrees now have their updated orders and are preparing to make their run.”

The Commodore then switches back to Gold Leader’s channel.

“May the Force be with you and your men Gold Leader. We have to make this work. Commence your run on my order. … Execute!”

He then turns to his gunnery officers on the bridge, awaiting the timer on his tac screen to count down to zero, and then barks the order.

“Fire!!”

The lights on the Vigilance’s bridge dim momentarily as the power reserves are drained by the strain of all four of the cruisers main guns firing at once a maximum yield blast.

Gold Leader pulls up and away from the bone gray surface of the Imperial Star Destroyer weaving to avoid the emerald green blasts from the mighty war cruisers point defence guns, he then arcs around towards the side of the huge conning tower at the rear of the ship, straightening up on a course heading directly for the spherical structure of the starboard deflector shield generator dome. He activates his targeting computer and the rangefinder display drops in front of his eyes, the display showing a representation of the dome, and a highlighted pinpoint location dead centre. At that moment the powerful quad lances of turbolaser fire from the Vigilance sizzle overhead and strike the dome, the cruisers shields glimmering visibly as they compensate for and absorb the awesome force of the blast. Gold Leader presses the fire button and releases four of his proton torpedoes as does his wing man. There is a moment of doubt as the first torpedo hits resulting in a fairly unspectacular explosion, but as the remaining weapons hit their mark this time the results are clear to see as the dome erupts into a trillion glowing shards that expand in a beautiful display that reaches beyond the length of the mile long warship.

On board the Vigilance a cheer goes up from the bridge crew in response to the fiery display before them, at last they had proven that the ISD’s shields were strong, but not impenetrable. Commander Nault studies new scan data streaming down his display screen.

“Commodore, their shields are failing, but not completely, they still have full shielding over their bridge, but it appears that many other critical systems are now exposed, most importantly those heavy turbolasers that have been giving us such a pounding. Looks like we’ll have to take out the second shield generator dome to take down their shields fully.”

The Commodore grits his teeth and leans forward in his chair intently.

“This isn’t over yet. Order all gunnery teams to target those heavy turbolaser banks. Gold Leader, attack the heavy turbolasers, take those things out with extreme prejudice. All ships move in best possible speed. Commander, where are those rescue boats?”

Nault studies his screens again, before turning to respond.

“Already well on their way sir.”

Aboard the Rogue’s Venture Ensign Peliares looks across the Rebel fleet at the trio of Gallofree transports that break formation and rocket off towards the desert planet below.

“Good luck guys, hopefully you’ll be able to succeed where we failed.”

Rocorro warmly reaches out for the Ensign’s shoulder to get his attention.

“Hey Peliares, we did the best we could with a tricky situation, it just wasn’t meant to be. They’ll get them off that rock, I’m sure of it. What do you want to do now?”

Peliares, looks back at his first mate, and then looks over the battered interior of the cockpit, the scars of battle starting to show with burnt out consoles and carbon scoring across much of the walls.

“Well if she’ll hold together long enough I’d suggest we stick with the fleet and lend it support against any incoming fighters. If you guys are up for it.”

The Lieutenant slaps the Ensign’s shoulder grinning. He then flips a switch activating the internal ship’s comlink.

“Sounds like a plan to me. Alright guys, man your stations, we’re not done yet, let’s give the Empire a bloody nose to remember us by.”

Peliares smiles and pulls back on the controls swinging the freighter back into formation with the now rapidly advancing fleet.

Gold Leader rolls his battered old Y-Wing starfighter into a steep dive towards the surface of the Imperial warship, a storm of green laserfire probing up at him seeking to swat him from the stars, his wingman joins him as they swoop down to join their fellow bombers in their attack run of the Star Destroyer’s devastating heavy turbolaser banks, a blinding flash heralds the destruction of the first, falling prey to multiple proton torpedo hits. Gold Leader subtly adjusts his approach vector and zeroes in on the second releasing a pair of his torpedoes, his wing man does the same and the turbolaser battery suffers a fiery fate as both ships pull up almost skimming over the dorsal surface of the warship, barely avoiding the superheated conflagration.

On the Vigilance’s command bridge an officer turns from his scanning station to report to his superior.

“Commodore, sensors indicate that the ISD’s engines are powering up, she’s attempting to move out of low orbit.”

The Commodore glances over at the officer and then turns back to look at behemoth as it rises, turning above the golden desert planet.

“No doubt planning to shift vectors so it can bring its port cannons to bear now we have taken out half her starboard side heavy turbolasers. Well done people, I think we have now gained the Imperial Commander’s full attention. Concentrate all weapons fire on taking out the remainder of those heavy turbolasers.”

The heavily damaged Nebulon-B to port of the Vigilance powers forward, her engines flaring brightly, debris tearing away from the wrecked sections of hull torn asunder under heavy weapons fire earlier in the battle, her heavy cannons still intact send salvos of deadly fire sinking into the area of the Star Destroyer’s hull where the heavy turbolasers are mounted, the first shots hit their target tearing clean through the rear most heavy turbolaser battery, but the second misses its intended target, aim thrown off by the Star Destroyer’s current manoeuvre, instead just ripping through hull steel  in the decks below. The last remaining starboard battery opens up with the full force of its eight powerful turbolaser cannons which at such close range make short work of the Nebulon-Bs already failing shields, striking low on the Rebel cruiser’s forward hull the blasts tear through the hull plates like a knife through butter, vomiting glowing molten metal out into space. A second salvo across the same area of the ship adds concussive explosions to the mix, violently ripping the lower section away from the rest of the ship instantly silencing the Nebulon-B’s guns.

Gold Leader looks on in horror as a sizeable chunk of the Rebel cruiser spirals away, the remainder of the ship venting gases into space which fuel the fires raging across the severed section of the forward hull, small explosions erupt all over the ship’s surface as the vessel’s hull integrity starts to fail. The Y-Wing pilot is forced to turn his attention back to the job at hand as his gunner warns him of incoming fire. He quickly barrel rolls his fighter to one side to avoid the green spears of laserfire and homes in on his target. He releases two torpedoes which join his squad mates’ ordnance as they sail through space towards the last remaining starboard side heavy turbolaser bank, but just before impact the devastating weapon fires once more impaling the crippled Rebel cruiser with emerald lances of destruction, the forward hull is ripped asunder by a powerful series of explosions, the engineering hull at the rear spins away end over end leaving a trail of glowing fragments in its wake. Gold Leader flinches as the last starboard heavy turbolaser bank is blasted to smithereens while his starfighter speeds by, but it hardly seems all that important any more. With a crackle the fighter’s comlink bursts into life, a channel opened by a fellow Gold Squadron pilot.

“Gold Leader. I’m going to end this madness right now. I’m headed for the ISD’s bridge, and I’m gonna let them have everything I’ve got!”

Gold Leader looks about him confused for a moment, and then see’s a Y-Wing in the distance pulling up away from the squadron, arcing up towards the massive conning tower. Recognising the voice he keys his comm to the pilot’s channel.

“That is a negative, stand down Gold Ten, that’s an order. Command has indicated that the ISD’s bridge shields are still up.”

Gold Leader then banks his ship away and tries to get a visual on the climbing Y-Wing fighter as the comm panel crackles into life again.

“Not to worry, I’m sure we’ve softened the shields enough to do some damage, and I’m gonna ram my proton torpedoes right down those Imperial’s throats. Have a little faith Commander, perhaps the Force will be with me.”

Gold Leader curses under his breath and switches channels to the command frequency.

“Commodore, any chance of repeating that trick with the second shield generator dome?”

The comm panel fizzes into life once more with the Commodore’s reply, his voice almost drowned out by the sounds of alarms blaring in the background on the bridge.

“Working on it Gold Leader, the Star Destroyer’s current manoeuvre is making it difficult to make the accurate calculations needed to make the shot. Stand by.”

Gold Leader looks down muttering under his breath, and then looks up again, face set granite hard with determination.

“Gold Five, you’re with me. All other remaining Gold Squadron fighters, commence attack runs on the port side heavy turbolasers.”

Pulling back on the stick he and his wing man start to climb high above the Star Destroyer, their squad mate in the distance falling into view as they approach the massive foreboding grey wall that is the Star Destroyer’s conning tower.

“May the Force be with us indeed.”

Gold Leader then looks down to his console as a new message comes in from command, new co-ordinates and data stream down his screen. Then a new voice comes over the comm.

“Gold Leader, this is Commander Nault, we have new telemetry data streaming to you now. The calculations are ugly due to the need to compensate for the ISD’s motion, but they should be accurate enough to get the job done. Notify us when you’re in position and we’ll execute the firing sequence again.”

Already heading up to the appropriate vicinity of space above the Star Destroyer it takes mere seconds for Gold Leader to relay the information to his wing man and for them both to get in position. Indicating their readiness, the execute response comes in from command, and the game is on again. He looks across to the fleet and sees the powerful salvo of crimson fire heading towards his target, looks forward again to see his squad mate Gold Ten’s fighter dwarfed almost to insignificance in the distance against the mass of the Star Destroyer’s conning tower, and then peers back into the viewfinder as the graphical representation counts down to zero.

“Torpedoes away!!”

He then deactivates the viewfinder which flips away as he watches to await the results. To his horror the blasts from the Vigilance never make it to their target. The barrage of heavy turbolaser fire instead strike the port side edge of the massive tractor beam targeting array which sits at the centre atop the conning tower spectacularly blowing half the structure clean off in a devastating explosion, but missing their intended mark, moments later detonations can be seen on the surface of the shield dome, but they are unfortunately easily absorbed by the ISD’s deflector screens. Gold Leader then hollers down the comlink to Gold Ten begging him to pull out of there, but only received static in return, the stubborn old pilot clearly set on his path had switched off all communications to prevent anyone from trying to talk him out of it.

Gold Ten glances up to see the flash of an impressive explosion above the Imperial Star Destroyer’s conning tower above him, glowing fragments rain down over the sheer grey face of the command tower, and he assumes a second attack has taken down the last of the mighty warship’s two primary shield generators. Now his resolve is stronger than ever. He’d zero in on the bridge, empty his entire payload down the throats of the Imperial commanders aboard, and return to the Rebel fleet a hero. Gunning his engines to maximum he rockets towards the centre of the conning tower’s face, where he’d heard the command bridge was situated, a large wide chamber with an expansive viewport array that could not be mistaken for anything else. A juicy target to be sure. He started to make out the intricate detail of the face of the tower, a foreboding wall of portals, radiator grills, cosmic ray detector arrays and sophisticated targeting rangefinder banks. And then just where he suspected, his target came into view, a cluster of large triangular looking viewports slap bang in the middle of the behemoth before him. Compensating for the motion of the war cruiser Gold Ten adjusted his course so that he was heading directly towards his target. Flipping up switches on a console he armed all his remaining warheads and moved in for the kill. No targeting computer necessary here, he was going to wait until he could practically see the whites in their eyes before he fired to assure a clean shot. There was a slight shudder, he rapidly looked across his displays searching for the cause. One light was flashing red. His port engine nacelle was playing up again. Flipping to an interface screen between the cockpit and his Astromech droid sitting up behind him near the centre of the ship he relayed a message to the maintenance droid.

“R8, the port nacelle is giving me trouble again, see if you can’t lock that down, going to need maximum performance from both engines momentarily.”

A series of bleeps and whistles came back from the droid, and in seconds the vibration had dissipated. Looking back up all Gold Ten could see was the oppressive greyness before him, now he could see the lights within the bridge, and people walking along the deck. That was good enough for him. Pressing the fire button on his flight yoke his remaining six torpedoes soared forward from his vessel, and he slowed down, easing back the thrust so he’d have time to witness the results of his handiwork. A second later there were a series of impacts which engulfed the bridge in a blinding detonation that even cut through the protection of Gold Ten’s tinted blast visor. However as the flames and superheated plasma cleared it became evident that the command bridge had remained totally unharmed by the attack, the shields were very much still intact. Gold Ten had very little time to wonder how they were still at such optimum strength, as he soon realised that even at his current slowed down speed he was still careering towards the solid wide face of the command tower at an alarming rate. He pulled back on the stick hard climbing in an attempt to evade the sheer wall before him, gunning the engines to maximum to achieve more much needed thrust. The wall of grey became a blur before him as his craft sped up and away towards the stars. Just as it looked he might make it, an all too familiar shudder shook the ship from the port side as that engine finally gave up the fight with too much pressure forced through its already damaged systems, the starfighter slid to one side, the port nacelle dipped and struck an outcropping on the face of the Star Destroyer’s hull, and Gold Ten’s Y-wing scattered across the surface of the conning tower as a thousand glittering flaming fragments.

Gold Leader turns away as he witnesses an almost insignificant light flare up and fade away on the surface of the Star Destroyer’s conning tower, and instantly knows Gold Ten’s fate. Biting his lip he keys in to the command channel again and reports.

“Command, operation unsuccessful. Weapons fire struck the tractor beam targeting array structure, torpedo strikes just impacted on particle shielding on the generator dome. Need to attempt operation again, though before I do that I’ll have to take inventory on who still has torpedoes left, my wingman’s and my payloads are spent. Will contact the rest of my Squadron to see who has  any heavy ordnance left.”

There is static, and then the Commodore’s voice comes back over the speakers.

“Negative Gold Leader, we just don’t have the time for you to that, the ISD has finished its manoeuvre and is now facing right at us, the vessel’s port side heavy turbolaser batteries will have us zeroed in at any second. We’ll send in Red and Blue Squadron’s to finish what you’ve started Gold Leader. You and your guys have done a stand up job you can be proud of.”

At that moment aboard the Rogue’s Venture, Ensign Peliares and his first mate Lieutenant Rocorro witness as the Star Destroyer settles into its new attack vector facing away from Tatooine with its nose pointed directly at the remains of the Rebel strike fleet. Then it looked as if rain was falling from the ventral hull of the vessel, on closer inspection with magnified views it became apparent that the Imperial commander was now launching everything he had at this upstart Rebel rag tag fleet, now at last really taking the threat seriously. Salvo after salvo of emerald green laserfire streaked out from the vessel followed by an unbelievably dense swarm of Imperial TIE Fighters. Rocorro turns to Peliares.

“Looks like this fleet defence duty you just talked us into has just got real complicated real fast.”

Turning back to look at the full force of the Empire bearing down on them, the Ensign could only answer with a muted.

“Uh huh.”

At this close range all the capital ship’s weapons would be useful rather than just the vessel’s heavy turbolaser batteries, so suddenly all hell breaks loose with heavy turbolaser fire joined by turbolasers and even point defense laser cannons, all would do their bit, and the limited space between the opposing forces just became a firestorm of light and colour as energy weapons sizzled through space striking hull plating and ripping it asunder on both sides of the battle.

On the Vigilance’s bridge yet another barrage of fire raked across the ship causing the floor plating to buck under foot throwing many a bridge officer to his knees. An explosion to the rear of the bridge engulfs a technician who then catches fire. Crew mates rush to him to put out the flames with canisters shooting flame retardant foam. The Commodore looks over his shoulder at the drama unfolding before him on his bridge, and once certain that the crewman had been put out and is being stretchered off to med bay turns back to the battle that is exploding before his eyes. A Wing of TIE Fighters swoop by the viewport followed by a number of X-Wings giving chase. This had to end now, or it would end badly for them. The strike fleet simply could not take much more of this kind of punishment.

“Damage report Commander!”

Commander Nault turns to his commanding officer, his face blackened with soot from the smoking damaged consoles.

“It’s not good news Commodore, all shields have failed, hull integrity is still sound, but any more serious hits from that ISD’s heavy turbolasers and we could be in real trouble.”

The Commodore slams his fist into his command chair’s armrest in frustration.

“Can you make the calculations for another attempt on that ship’s shield generator dome?”

The Commander nods.

“That shouldn’t be a problem now sir, the Star Destroyer is facing straight at us giving us a clear shot. Of course that manoeuvre has also put us in the sights of their other banks of heavy turbolasers that we’ve not touched yet. Gold Squadron are moving in on them, but their torpedo reserves are getting low.”

The Commodore shakes his head as he responds.

“That’s not good, we need to strike at the heart of the problem swiftly and decisively or we’re done for. Commander, patch me through to Red and Blue Leaders. And prepare the necessary calculations.”

Once patched in the Commodore speaks into his command chair’s comlink pick-up.

“Commanders, we’ve only got one shot left to end this, and it is going to take the best that you both have. I want you to swiftly select the finest of your remaining pilots and reassign them to the new task before you. Those left will be tasked with defending the fleet against the incoming fighters. Get back to me as soon as you’ve done this, Commanders, we must be quick.”

In moments the Commodore receives responses from both squad leaders indicating their readiness. He then signals to Commander Nault to relay to them the data on their respective targets, and follows the data with some last rousing words.

“You have your new orders, just know that however this goes you’re making history today, and striking a blow at the very symbol of Imperial tyranny. Make every shot count and come home safe.”

Looking out at the chaos before him the Commodore can just make out two small groups of starfighters breaking away from the fleet and the incoming TIE Fighters, climbing high and then turning and barrel rolling in formation settling into an attack vector on the approaching Star Destroyer. The Commodore instinctively ducks as a vessel screams by the bridge a blur of grey hull steel and trailing glowing debris followed by a quartet of Imperial TIE Fighters.

Peliares rolls the Rogue's Venture on its side and pulls back on the stick turning away from the Star Destroyer and back into the Rebel strike fleet skimming a little too close to the surface of the command ship and then rolling in the other direction buzzing by a Gallofree transport, but still emerald green laser bolts streak close by.

“Damn, don’t seem to be able to loose these guys.”

Rocorro turns to him just for a second and then looks back ahead seeing they are moments from colliding with another Rebel craft. Peliares rolls and then dives away from the transport craft, the TIEs still managing to stick with them.

“Well maybe if you flew a little less erratically our gunners might be able to pick them off?”

Peliares looks deep in thought for a second as if drinking in the concept, and then nods.

“Sure, that could work.”

He then slams on the retro thrusters bringing the vessel to such an immediate halt that the inertial dampeners almost can’t compensate for it. One TIE pilot panics and pulls away hard to avoid their suddenly immobile quarry careering right into the solar panel of his wingman ending the battle for them both in a superheated flash of exploding gases. The other two TIEs manage to bank up and down respectively, avoiding collision with the Corellian freighter by the skin of their teeth, unluckily for one of them the Venture’s topside gunner is sharp and manages to release a burst of rapid laserfire just as the fighter swiftly sweeps across his scopes, the blast impacting directly into the ball like cockpit section of the ship, the resulting explosion flinging the solar panels to either side spinning out across space. The final fighter pulls up from beneath the freighter and arcs around coming in for an easy kill on the immobile starship. Suddenly a blast of crimson laserfire streaks across space slamming into the side of the fighter scattering glowing debris across the nose of the Rogue's Venture. Both Peliares and Rocorro look up to see where the blast came from, and can just barely see a figure waving to them from within a point defence turret on the hull of the Vigilance. Smiling they salute back as Peliares guns his engines and arcs away on the hunt for more enemy fighters that have broken through the fleet’s defensive lines.

Wills looks on as the curious looking very battered Corellian freighter that he had just saved moves off and back into the battle. He is just starting to get a good feeling, like they might actually get out of this battle and live to tell the tale when another salvo of heavy turbolaser fire streaks in from the Star Destroyer, a few shots tearing into the command ship’s sister vessel causing multiple explosions to go off within her hull, and still other blasts score a direct hit on a Gallofree transport shattering it into a million glowing fragments. The gunner’s attention is then drawn to a squadron of TIEs that have managed to break through the fleet’s defensive line and commence to strafe the capital ships. Now this is a problem he can do something about, gritting his teeth he opens up with his quad laser turret, his face lit up by the blossoming golden explosions before him.

A TIE Fighter detonates ahead of his X-Wing falling prey to Blue Leader’s fire clearing the way for him and his small group of starfighters as they soar high over the surface of the Imperial Star Destroyer, its conning tower looming forebodingly before them. He activates his targeting computer which flips down over his eyes while he relays orders to his squad mates.

“Alright guys, angle deflectors equally fore and aft, we don’t want any unwelcome surprises from behind, pull back far enough to cover my six, and stay focused with your visual scanning, the skies are swarming with eyeballs now, we can’t afford to let them catch us napping.”

He adjusts some controls and arms his torpedoes, maximum yield. He then switches to the command channel and hails the Vigilance.

“Blue Leader to fleet Command, am commencing my attack run on your mark.”

Receiving the go signal, Blue Leader opens up the throttle, His quartet of fusial thrust ion engines flare as he accelerates to attack speeds leaving his wingmen behind. He then switches back to his flight group’s comm channel.

“Okay men, I’m starting my attack run. May the Force be with us.”

The starfighter is soon dwarfed by the almost insurmountable mass of the conning tower before it, pulling up Blue Leader locks into the pre-calculated attack vector soaring directly towards the remaining deflector shield dome. The pilot’s heart skips a beat as out of the corner of his eye he sees a flight group of four Imperial TIE Fighters swooping up to intercept him. He grits his teeth and stays the course. He has faith in his wingmen, they won’t let him down. His cockpit gets lit up with green light as the first probing shots from the enemy fighters streak overhead as they attempt to find the range and adjust their aim.

Which is when his two wingmen decide to join the party. Holding so far back that the Imperial pilots think they’re getting a nice juicy lone fighter to gang up on. As soon as the TIEs settle into an attack pattern behind their leader the wingmen open fire brilliantly illustrating a classic case of the hunters becoming the hunted with a spectacularly explosive display.

“Nice work boys.”

Blue Leader congratulates his wingmen on a job well done just as powerful crimson turbolaser fire sizzles overhead striking the massive orb like structure ahead of him. Depressing the firing pommel six rapidly firing torpedoes exit the forward fuselage of Blue Leader’s X-Wing as he pulls up and to port skimming past the damaged tractor beam targeting array, and narrowly avoiding the still blazing remains of starboard deflector shield dome. His cockpit is then just filled with blindingly bright light and powerful shockwaves batter against the rear of his vessel.

Aboard the Vigilance the bridge crew collectively punch the air cheering as the fiery mushroom cloud rises from the top side of the Star Destroyer’s command tower, the last remnants of the targeting array structure blown apart by the concussive blast waves coming from the impact. The Commodore sits calmly in his command chair and hardly seems to react, simply flipping a switch on the comms panel on his chair’s armrest.

“Red Leader. Time to finish this.”

Four Rebel arrow like strike starfighters arc over as one towards the bone grey surface of the Imperial Star Destroyer, deftly avoiding the blanket of emerald green laserfire that now streams out from the Imperial vessel in dense waves, the gun crews apparently redoubling their efforts armed with the knowledge that their mighty warship’s shields had failed them, and that the once thought indomitable symbol of Imperial might had suddenly become all too vulnerable. 

Red Leader opens up with the full power of his fighter’s quad laser cannons as a TIE Fighter sweeps across his path, punching through the resulting fireball without so much as a flinch and increases altitude, soaring above the Star Destroyer and into the heart of the storm of green light above it allowing himself no distractions, purely focused on the mountainous cliff like form of the command tower before him. Without glancing down to his console he arms his torpedoes.

“Red Squadron, arm proton torpedoes, maximum yield.”

The battle had hit Red Squadron the hardest, battling constantly since the opening blows of the engagement Red Leader had lost a lot of good men, and when the Commodore had ordered him to pick the best of his squadron to participate in the final attack run the decision hadn’t been hard, he only had three pilots remaining, but by the Force every one of the men he’d lost had taken out more than their share of enemy TIEs with them. Red Squadron were the work horses of the fleet. First in, and last out of any engagement, and Red Leader was determined to finish this one in style for all his fallen brothers in the squadron, and in all the capital ships they’d lost today.

“Accelerate to attack speed. No targeting computers on this one lads. Just get in close to that command deck, spot the ugliest Imperial Officer you can see, and aim those torpedoes right in his kisser.”

The four tiny starships speed defiantly through the web of laserbolts, their hulls lit up a stunning green by the multitude of near misses, but staying true to their course right into the eye of the beast. Red Leader finds his cockpit lit up by a blast of gold light as his portside wingman is blasted into glowing fragments. He jinks to one side to avoid the blast but is soon back on track, and the third fighter behind falls in to take his fallen comrade’s place forming up into an arrowhead formation of the last three remaining starfighters of Red Squadron. Red Leader peers into the grey of the forward face of the conning tower as the surface starts to reveal detail, and slap bang in the middle is the glowing jewel that is the observation deck viewports of the command bridge. The veteran Rebel pilot fingers the firing pommel expectantly as the distance between them and their target rapidly decreases.

“Steady… steady.... Torpedoes away!”

Six torpedoes streak away from each of the three starfighters, and he pulls back hard on the stick transferring all available power to his thrusters, his vessel rattling under the extreme strain being put on the engines and the fighter’s structural integrity, before him beyond the canopy all he can see is a blur of grey as his fighter continues to climb. Red Leader grits his teeth with the strain, sweat streams back across his face as the deep vibrations shake him in his concussion chair. He starts to believe all is lost as there just seems no end to the oppressive wall of grey before him, when suddenly he sees stars and the velvety darkness of space, and he and his wingmen soar up over the leading face of the command tower with inches to spare. Red Leader gasps as he realises he’d been holding his breath, and eagerly gulps life giving oxygen with relief. He peels out of his meteor like assent rolling over to one side to observe the target below them and witnesses a spectacular plume of flame erupting forth from the area where the command bridge once was. Panels blow off of the hull in various areas across the command tower propelled by their own series of fiery explosions. Finally the garbage port at the base of the spine to the rear of the command tower erupts in a concussive devastating explosion that tears the tower structure apart heralding the fiery demise of the remains of the Star Destroyer’s command sector.

The Commodore finally breathes easy as the beaten Star Destroyer, its topside now fully ablaze lists lazily to one side evidently losing power and falling into the grip of Tatooine’s gravity well. Tactical displays showed that without their mothership to back them up the fight had gone out of the remaining TIEs which were now bugging out and heading for the desert planet below. Wiping sweat and grime from his brow the Commodore turns to his ever dependable right hand man, Commander Nault.

“Commander, give me a status report on the rescue boats, we don’t want to hang around here any longer than we have to. Imperial command is bound to be sending reinforcements to the system to investigate once this Star Destroyer fails to report in.”

The Commander consults his monitor screens before replying.

“Getting reports coming in from the rescue boats’ Captains now Commodore. It appears one of them didn’t make it, but the other two successfully rendezvoused with our people on the ground. All surviving personnel and the package were successfully retrieved. They are about to break orbit now sir.”

With a grin on his face the Commodore slaps the armrest of his command chair.

“Then what are we waiting for? Let’s get this bucket of bolts turned about and get out of here.”

The remnants of the Rebel Strike fleet arc around as one, starfighters falling into formation as support craft and an unusually battered looking Corellian freighter fall in behind the two leading Nebulon-B frigates. Finally as they settle in on their escape vector a pair of Gallofree medium transports join the party as powerful hyperdrive engines kick in, and in a blinding burst of sudomotion the Rebel fleet is gone leaving in orbit only the spinning wreckage of a hard fought battle and the remains of a once mighty symbol of Imperial oppression finally torn asunder by the gravitational forces of the world below, fated to fall to the desert sands as a most spectacular meteor shower.

First Strike
Storm over Tatooine: Epilogue

The roiling clouds of the dense nebula releases a supercharged bolt of plasma highlighting the battered hull plating of the Nebulon-B frigate, a repair drone creating its own light with a plasma torch as it locks a new patch of armoured alloy into place. Now returned to the relative safety of their staging area within the nebula of a proto star system, the Rebel Strike Fleet was free to lick its wounds and morn their dead. Despite the cost the mission had been a success, and information that could have been crippling to the Rebel Alliance had been successfully retrieved. The day was won, and the time had come to recognise the heroes of that day.

With a hiss, a large pair of blast doors slide apart to reveal the huge expanse of the Dreadnaught’s hanger bay, the Vigilance hanging in the distance beyond the hanger’s maw like opening into the void. Within the hanger stands a multitude of officers and crewmen of the fleet, all standing to attention. Ensign Peliares steps out into the light accompanied by the men of Rogue Tribe, the combat unit that had gone down to the surface of Tatooine to retrieve the intelligence package, and a selection of pilot’s who had shown exceptional bravery out on the field of battle including the last three remaining pilots of Red Squadron, and Gold and Blue Leader. The group walks forwards towards the raised platform in the centre of the hanger where the Commodore and several other high command officials await them.

On arriving at the platform they are each presented with a medal which is then attached to their dress tunic’s lapel personally by the Commodore. He comes to Ensign Peliares last and brings out a second item which he attaches to his collar.

“For your bravery, tenacity and insurmountable courage under fire, in addition to the Berndine Cluster, I hear by grant you the rank of Lieutenant. Without the valuable intel you provided regarding the enemies strength and position it is unlikely our mission today would have been a success. You also chose to stay once your ship had been severely damaged in battle and continued to perform admirably in the defence of the strike fleet, for these acts you are to be commended. Congratulations Lieutenant Peliares.”

Peliares salutes his commanding officer as the Commodore steps back and addresses all those now standing on the platform, and the rest of the personnel of the fleet standing before him.

“You have all taken part in a great victory for the Rebel Alliance this day. Until now Rebel fleet engagements with Imperial forces have had to be hit and fade missions with the Imperial fleet seemingly just too powerful for us to take on directly face to face. Today by defeating our first Star Destroyer we have shown the galaxy that we can take on the greatest forces that the Imperial Navy can throw at us, and we can win!”

The assembled crew then raise their fists to punch the air and commence a roaring cheer so loud you’d almost believe it could be heard across the vacuum of space. 

The End