Ok now for the standard author babble, I do not own this so please do not sue me for I have no money. The only thing in this story that is mine is the character Striker he is mine, but other than that nothing else is so again please don't sue me. This is an alternate universe in which everyone can feel the force but they cant all use it to its limit (everyone isn't a Jedi, they can all just feel the force), and the roles of the good guy/bad guy have flipped (empire good, alliance bad) so there now go and read on fearless reader go.
A long time ago in a galaxy far far away...
The shuttle Eclipse speed though hyperspace towards an imperial fleet in deep space. The crew was bored, stuck with transport duty again. The pilot lightly snoozing in his chair while the new co-pilot was running unnecessary checks and diagnostics. The passenger was leaning back in his chair, impatiently waiting to get to his new ship. He was hidden within the shadows of the ship and the only thing visible was the gleam in his electronic eye.
"How much longer is it going to take us to get to the Lady Nilnarra, this shuttle is getting stuffy." The man said gruffly. The pilot started awake.
"So the new guy finally speaks. I was starting to think that you were mute," the pilot responded. The man turned, his electronic eye gleamed as he stared at the pilot.
"I asked you a question." The man said flatly. The pilot checked his console.
"We will arrive in just a few minutes, then you can get out of this 'stuffy shuttle'," the pilot chuckled. The man just leaned back again. The pilot slumped forward, irritated that his taunts went unopposed. Stupid newbie, he'll get a rude awakening when he gets to his ship. The console flashed and the pilot directed his attention to it. Then he flipped a lever and took the controls. The blurred star field out front of the ship shuddered to a halt, and took form of a more familiar starry sky.
"Shuttle Eclipse hailing the strike cruiser Lady Nilnarra," the co-pilot transmitted. "We're here to deliver your new pilot."
"Shuttlecraft Eclipse this is the Lady Nilnarra, you are cleared for docking in bay two." The pilot adjusted the crafts trajectory and the ship came into view on the front screen, the man sat up and looked at his new ship. The strike cruiser was a long spear in the starry sky. Her black hull almost unnoticeable except for her running lights that gave away her outline, she was among a group of starships. The fleet was composed of another Strike Cruiser, two Nebulan B Frigates, and an imperial Star Destroyer. It was a small group out patrolling the rim, hunting for rebel bases.
The shuttle closed the gap between the docking bay and the fleet slowly fell out of view. The shuttle glided into the bay and landed on the deck. The docking bay was vast; it held about 8 tie interceptors, 8 tie fighters, and about 6 assault gunboats. The bay was almost cramped with the shuttle docking. The crew prepared a welcome for the new pilot, assembled in front of the shuttle.
The passenger stood up and started walking towards the gangplank and as it lowered he started down the ramp. As he reached the deck he took a deep breath and looked at those gathered to welcome him aboard. The shadows had parted and revealed the newcomer. He was 6ft tall with a slightly thin frame. The metallic protrusions off his right hand and the right side of his head gave him a cyborgish look. His black hair covered his optical implant, all but the glowing eye. His face held no expression at all.
The crew was all dressed up in flight suits and command uniforms. He walked towards them stopping in front of his new commanding officer. The group saluted in unison, which he quickly returned.
"Greetings pilot, welcome to BETA squad," the commander said. "Around here will all just call each other by our callsigns, mine is Darksaber and I'm your commanding officer." He was a man of average height and build, he had on his dress uniform and it was so decorated with medals it was a wonder he didn't fall over from the weight. The commander had dark hair and a very serious look upon his face, a man that took things very seriously. Standing next to him was another man in a dress uniform, although he had fewer medals and a lower ranking.
"Hey man just call me Jlo, I'm your new XO," the other one said. His blonde hair was slightly unkempt and he had a devilish grin on his face. The new pilot saluted each of his commanding officers again and then addressed the group.
"Hi, if you all just go by callsigns then just call me Striker," he said gruffly. He turned back to his commanders and said, "Where are my quarters?" The squad shifted uneasily, they had come to give him a warm welcome and he wasn't returning it making them all uncomfortable. Jlo looked over to Darksaber and shook his head.
"Your bunk is in the barracks, just let your flight leader show you the way," Darksaber replied. Great we got us a loner; I'll have to talk to him. "Your flight group is 2, and your flight leader is Ensign Viperboy."
The moment he was done speaking one of the pilots stepped forward. He was dressed like all of the others except his flight suit had a strip of rank on his shoulder. He was slightly shorter than Striker and carried himself like someone that knew his duty but you could see a mischievous spark in his eye.
"Hey I'm your new FL," he said with a smirk. Striker just stared at him. "Ok the quiet type, well your room is this way."
Viperboy turned towards the closest hallway and started towards it, Striker quickly followed. The ship was new, all of the bulkheads were still shiny and the floors were still polished to a shine. They traveled down the hallway and stopped at the elevator, Viperboy pushed the call button and the doors opened a second later. The two of them climbed into the elevator and Viperboy pushed the button for the 14th deck. As the elevator started moving Viperboy glanced over to Striker, he was just staring at the door. Now this guy is really something. The doors opened as they reached the 14th deck, Viperboy led the way down the hall. They traveled down the corridor passing several doors until they stopped at one the looked like all the others.
Viperboy turned towards Striker, "This is it. Welcome to BETA squad, we have a flight group meeting in one hour so don't be late. If you need help finding the briefing room, just ask one of the droids to show you the way."
After seeing that he wasn't going to get any response out of him he left the pilot standing next to his room. Striker eyed the door cautiously, then he touched the keypad on the side of the door and it whisked open. He steeped inside to find small but accommodating quarters. The wall had a bed built into it with a small stand by the base; there was a dresser on the far wall next to a door leading into the bathroom. The room seemed a little cramped but that was expected on a strike cruiser. Striker set his duffle bag down at the end of the bed and plopped down on top of the bed. He just lay there staring at the ceiling. So much like home…
Meanwhile in the docking bay…
The pilots all watched the newcomer walk off following the flight leader. Once he was out of site the group all took in a breath of relief. Darksaber ordered them to be at ease; the ranks then broke off into groups of conversation while some just wondered off. The commander turned to his XO.
"Well that's not what we expected now is it," Darksaber commented.
"Actually its exactly what I expected, you did know his family was killed by the alliance don't you?" Jlo asked.
"Yes I did but I didn't expect him to be so shut off."
"Why not, I would be if my family had just died."
"You've got a point there my friend. So do you know how he got those implants?" Darksaber asked. "The man looks like a droid with human parts strapped to him."
"I don't know anything for sure but I think it was the crew that found him, they didn't want to let him die so they rebuilt him. I don't think he looks like a droid though," Jlo replied. Then they both started walking towards the briefing room. "Well let's hope he doesn't get himself killed for trying to avenge his family."
"Yea, let's hope," Darksaber said.
Flight Group two convened in the briefing room, witch was a small room with chairs on one side with a veiwscreen on the other. The group consisted of Striker and three other pilots and the flight leader Viperboy. Striker had changed into his flight suit and the others were still in theirs. The pilots were all seated in front of the veiwscreen while the Ensign stood next to it.
"Good morning pilots and welcome to our newest member Striker," he said with more than a touch of duty in his voice. Striker merely nodded to his fellow pilots. "Well then lets get everyone introduced then shall we?" A young pilot stood up and addressed Striker.
"Hey man I'm the assistant flight leader, names Doubledown," he said. He looked almost too young to be flying, but looks can be deceiving for he had a full stripe of rank on his shoulder. He was about five and a half ft. tall with a thin frame but you could see his fire in his eyes, definitely someone that could fly without fear. After he introduced himself he sat down and the pilot next to him stood.
"I'm Kalicu, just anther pilot trying to keep himself alive," he said with a smirk. A new arrival just like Striker, this guy couldn't have been out of the academy for more than a week. He had joker written all over his face, curious as to his choice of callsign.
"I don't have to try," Striker replied flatly. That remark just wiped the smirk off Kalicu's face, he was shocked to hear the new guy actually speak. After a moment his shock wore off and he sat down. The final pilot didn't stand up just spoke his name from his chair.
"Slider," was the only word that came out of his mouth. A quiet man, his reservations were unknown and his skills were questionable. The man could have been a copy of Striker with his tone and the way he carried himself but in appearance nothing was similar. A short man with a filled out shape, not bulky but toned, with light hair and eyes that were as cold as durasteel.
"Alright now that everyone's introduced lets get the briefing started," Viperboy stated. "We have just entered hyperspace and are heading for the planet Alderran. It is believed that the supply ships stopping there will be assaulted by the Alliance. Our job is to move in, secure the area, and stop any hostile ships that enter the system. We will be flying in the Tie Interceptors for this mission. We suspect that we won't get much more than a few X-wings or Y-wings, so if we do encounter more than expected the other two flight groups are on standby. Is everyone clear on the briefing?"
The group all nodded. "Alright then we'll be coming out of hyperspace in fifteen minutes so to your ships."
The group all stood up and moved towards the docking bay. The other pilots were joking about being stuck with an escort mission, but it was still a mission. Striker didn't say anything he just strode down the corridor. They reached the Docking bay in minutes, it was the same except the crew was hustling preparing the ships for combat and the shuttle Eclipse was gone. The group moved towards the waiting Interceptors, witch had already been prepped for flight.
"Striker your ships the one on the end," Viperboy said. Striker didn't respond he just headed for his ship. The ship was of standard interceptor shape: the ball cockpit with the two curved solar panels on the side, the panels stretched farter ahead of the cockpit than the normal tie fighters and they came to a pointed end. Once he reached his new ship he started looking her over and checking her components. He checked as if the engineering crew hadn't even looked at the ship.
"Hey you don't trust our maintenance guys or what?" Kalicu poked.
"I don't like flying in a ship that I don't know," Striker replied. Kalicu just sunk back into his ship with disappointment on his face. Man that guy just won't laugh.
"Alright cut the chatter people were about to launch. Bring all systems up and be ready," Viperboy broadcast over the comm. The hum of the engines kicked in as the pilots activated them. The streaked starfield suddenly lurched to a halt as the strike cruiser reached its destination. "Flight two exiting hanger."
The ships punched out one after the other with the familiar scream of the twin ion engines flared up. The moment they were out the ships formed up into two three ship V's. The ships circled the cruiser and the planet Alderran came into view, the planet could only be called beautiful with its vast oceans and clouds creating a bright orb in the starry blackness.
"Any sign of the convoy yet?" Doubledown asked.
"No we half to wait for there arrival, they'll be hear shortly," Viperboy responded. The flight group cruised the area waiting and watching for anything to happen.
Well that's it for my first chapter I would make it longer but I want to get it out among the people. I hope you enjoyed it thus far you'll see more of the alternate universe stuff in the next chapter until then later.