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#: ARGO :#
(A Star Wars Story)
Report 9
- Scatter -
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[Pilot Log, Roy Collishaw]
This is a sh*t show. The Argo's hangar bay is only 50% operational. Three of the four launching cranes for our TIEs are down, broken even. We can only launch one at a time, this will slow us down. The last hit right before we jumped put out too many fighters and pilots in the bay. There's only 35 TIEs fighters and interceptors left altogether but too few people to man them until they recover from their injuries. At this rate, I seriously hope we don't have to go into a sortie. It's definitely going to be a real Bantha fest if we get an emerg—*RED ALERT!* *RED ALERT* *ALL AVAILABLE PILOTS SCRAMBLE*.
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"Ion-engines, ignition. Targeting computer array, online. Weapon systems, green. Solar panels check OK. Argo, Black Flight is fueled up and all checks are positives. Ready to rock and roll."
[Argo confirms. Preparing all fighters to the loading crane. Standby.]
"...F**k. Not that old bucket arm."
Squadron Leader Roy Collishaw didn't feel comfortable. Mostly because the hangar bay was going to use his least favorite loading crane to pick ups his TIE Interceptor. There were four in total, three of them ran as smooth as a Twi'lek girl dancing in an exotic show. He loved those cranes, because they didn't throttle him around so much in his cockpit. There was only so much space in the eyeball shaped hull he was stuffed in.
The fourth one... always shook him around like a child on Christmas Morning.
"Argo, this is—Guh—B Flight Leader—Geg—P-Preparing to deploy at full speed through—Geug—Hangar."
[Come again, B Leader, you're breaking up. Are you messing around with the transmission frequency again?]
"No, ma'am, I'm—Gegg—Just trying to—Guug—Enjoy the view—GAOG! THAT HURTS!"
This was the reason why the fourth crane was his least favorite. It was outdated and need of a complete overhaul. When command refitted some parts of the Argo's hangar, they seemed to have misplaced the order of the fourth crane. So only three old cranes were replaced with the new smoother ones that had better hydraulics. The fourth one... was considered a museum piece that no one bothered to use... unless all three other cranes broke down.
Roy Collishaw disliked the fortune of this situation.
"Flight systems are ready. Preparing to drop out of hangar and burn thrusters to full speed. Ready when you are Argo."
[Confirmed B Leader. Releasing magnetic hooks. Good Hunting.]
"Roger that Arg—GuGG! ARGO! SOFTER! LET GO A LITTLER SOFTER!"
If there was a video drone floating outside of the Imperial-II class Star Destroyer that was exchanging red and green laser fire with Rebel Ships, the drone would definitely zoom into a peculiar TIE Interceptor that just tumbled out from the belly of the ship. It was if it lost all equilibrium and just decided to walk its way to any destination, knowing it had no better coordination than a drunk man.
"Come on girl. Stay upright! That's it! Good girl! No-no-no! I said up! Up!"
Roy Collishaw literally spoke to his TIE Interceptor console, hoping that some hidden artificial intelligence would pick up his verbal prayer and follow it through. Somehow, his small whispers was enough to upright his fighter, right before he hit a stray meteor drifting below its feet.
"Argo, this is B Flight Leader, I'm away. Heading over to intercept the enemy starfighters. Get the others launching right this minute."
[Argo send. We'll do what we can with only one crane. You better not turn into space dust by the time the second launch is complete.]
"Don't worry. If I don't see another fighter coming out in 10 seconds, I'll personally remind you with gunfire."
The Squad Leader growled under his helmet before shoving a sliding lever in one hand at full speed. With a twist of his second wrist, he was able to kick his TIE Interceptor running at full sprint. He swerved around from under the Star Destroyer's side, rising up to fly above the horizon of the Starboard.
... What he saw was a good example of a sh*t show.
"Oh Bantha sh—."
His TIE Interceptor was surrounded by a wave of red laser bolts flying through the gaps of his fighter. Fortunately it was nothing but an floating eyeball with two stalks grabbing onto solar panels as shields, meaning he had next to minimum mass, so he was able to avoid most enemy fire. As this ship was an upgrade of the original TIE Fighter and specialized to deal with the new Rebel A-Wing attack fighters, his Interceptor never had a shield generator installed in favor to improve only its speed. Just like it's predecessor.
Meaning one stray shot would crush him instantly, no second chances. Maybe this little fact helped to improve his instincts of 'dodging enemy fire' more.
"Argo, I count 24 B-Wings making up two main squadrons coming in hot on intercept course. Engaging! Light them up, Maria!"
The Pilot patted the console of his Interceptor before he hit the button on his console to bring up the auto-targeting system. With a squeeze of his trigger finger, he unloaded the multiple green laser round from the tip of his shield like wings. They struck into one B-Wing that lead the pack. With three short volleys of four laser bolts, it quickly burst the shield on the starfighter. With another squeeze, the Pilot crushed through the cockpit of the side-ways T shaped fighter, forcing it to explode into a trail of fire and dust.
"One down, 23 more to go! Where is my support!?"
Roy Collishaw heard some noises. It came in the form of an electronic chirping sound. This mean someone had a lock on him, like he did on the first B-Wing. Two fighters were now on his tail.
"... I seriously do not have time for you right now."
With a groan, the pilot grabbed the handle for the throttle and shove it all the way down to zero. This stopped his Interceptor's engines cold, only for the reverse thrusters to kick in. It was enough for him to stop dead, and letting two B wing fighters zip right past him. Igniting the forward throttle again, he chased them down while shooting them with his fighter's laser cannon.
[B Lead, this is B2. I've deployed and right behind you boss.]
"Thank god, Reid. Come around on my right and intercept the B-Wing on my Left, I'll busy the other one."
The moment the first TIE Interceptor swooped into a curve in space, a second TIE Interceptor came following him. They formed into a two-wing man formation, hugging closing to one another. Without exchanging another word, they both shot criss cross from each other. The first shooting on the right and the second shooting on the left.
Both B-Wings lost their shields. When they tried to pull away, they panicked and failed to see each other. They collided and burst into burning scrap.
[...Boss, does that count as a kill.]
"I don't know. I don't care. Just shoot them down or the Argo is going be shooting at us for being too slow!"
[R-Roger that, boss.]
Roy Collishaw turned the TIE Interceptor around. He and his wingmate swooped through a patch of floating space rock, using them as shield when a group of B-Wings chased after them. The moment he and the other pilot broke through the other side, completly exposed—
"J.E., Nash — light'em."
Before the two B-Wings could open fire with their red laser beams, a shower of green gunfire hit them from above and pierced through their shields and hull. Melting through the cockpits, the two enemy planes drifted lifelessly pass the first two Interceptors before exploding.
What had been two TIE Interceptors now became four TIE Interceptors. Each of them were marked with a B on the edge of their shield like solarpanel wings. In the Imperial Naval, they were the No. 10 Interceptor Squadron, code name B Flight.
To them, to the crew, and to their enemies in the galaxy - they liked to call themselves Black Flight.
"Okay, here's the sit-rep. We got to provide cover for the Argo while they fix their hyperdrive issue. Once they got a clear path, book it back to Hangar. We don't have a hyperdrive ourselves, so I really don't want to be caught hitchhiking my way across the galaxy after them. Got it guys?"
[Got it Boss]
[Roger lead]
[F**k.]
"...Nash? You like to share something?"
[My girlfriends on the Star Destroyer Kaiser. The last I saw of her ship back on Endor it was on fire and badly off... Do you think she got out alright, Cap?]
"Yes."
[Seriously! At least try to hesitate before lying to my face!]
"You know better than anyone else that there is nothing we can do. And we don't have the luxury of brooding over the possibility of a bad end. This is war, like it or not, someone is going to be charging at you with a blaster pistol. So swallow that despair, grip your console, and give these rebel scum h*ll."
[...]
"...Or...The moment you are reunited with your sweetheart, I give you full permission to take three day shore leave with her, h*ll, I'll give you five days."
[TAKE THIS YOU REBEL SCUMBAAAAAAAAAAAAGS!]
One of the four TIE Interceptors in the rear kicked into full overdrive, charging into the fray. With some twist and turns, it was able to decimate a good five B-Wings in a matter of minutes.
[...Boss. I think that was too much of a shock for him. Now, I'm worrying about all the trouble his girlfriend is getting into when he does finally leap at her.]
"Hey, it motivated him. That's a good thing, Reid?"
[...]
Then the remaining fighters in the group called Black Flight hit their ion engines at the maximum. Ever since they lost the Battle of Endor, they still had that bitter taste of defeat in their mouths. Now, it was time to wash it out with the taste of victory, even if it was only a small fist fight.
As if seeing it with his own eyes, Roy Collishaw grinned.
"South of the Galaxy—"
[STILL NOT IN H*LL!]
[STILL NOT IN H*LL!]
[STILL NOT IN H*LL!]
