The most terrifying part of starfighter combat was always the approach, the few silent and eerily tranquil moments before anyone pulled the trigger. Once the battle began, there was no time for nervousness. Any pilot worth their droid would be too focussed on the techniques and manoeuvres to even think about the possibility of failure, of death, but in the moments leading into the battle, there were fewer distractions.
A small group of x-wings drifted silently over the planet of Arkanis, a soft grey blanket of clouds separating them from the villages below. It was a rainy, outer rim planet, where torrential downpour occurred two or three times a week and sun was a rare occurrence. This provided ample screening for the incoming attackers, however, it was impossible for them to know exactly what they were up against until after they engaged. At the head of the group, the squad commander sat alert, watching the clouds roll by, waiting for the perfect moment to strike.
He spoke into his radio, "Left flank, do you copy?"
"We copy commander," a voice echoed from the other end, "Left flank is is position."
"Right flank, do you copy?"
"We copy," came the second reply, "Right flank is in position."
"Good. Jess, do you copy?"
"Yes I do Poe and I am in position!"
Poe laughed, "It's commander Dameron on the field." He thought he heard a muffled quip from the other pilot, though he couldn't quite make it out. "Now, we've been planning this for weeks, so it's critical we get everything exactly right. We engage on my mark."
Poe adjusted his grip on the controls, eyeing the readings projected onto his screen. Without being able to see any indication of where they were through the clouds, he had to keep an eye on their coordinates. One of their critical bases on Arkanis has been taken over a month ago by a totalitarian regime known as The First Order, and this mission was critical to its recovery. Scouts from their faction, the Resistance, were able to locate the hanger where the Imperial ships docked. The plan was to launch a surprise attack on the hanger before the First Order troops could retaliate and secure the base from there. Poe Dameron lead the charge with five other starfighters, two following behind on either side, and Jess scouting from above. It was fewer than Poe would have preferred, but the Resistance was under immense strain lately and they had to work with what they had. So with his five pilots, his breathing steady, and the coordinates approaching the desired point, he called into his radio.
"Now!"
The five pilots divided simultaneously, breaking through the dense cloud of vapor, into the darkness below.
And that is when all hell broke loose
