Leia Organa was standing by the holo-table in the center of the control room along with about a half dozen other commanders. A logistics hologram of the battle above the planet of Nuldarra was unfolding in real time in front of all of them…her planetary forces along with the currently incapacitated New Republic cruiser identifiable by their blue color against the three enemy cruisers and their fighters in red.
She had been watching and analyzing the skirmish for the last ten minutes or so and things were not going well. The unexpected multiplication of enemy fighters when each released their drones caught her forces completely off guard and had already led to more casualties then were acceptable. Thankfully her two cruisers were giving some support in picking off quite a few of the drones or things could be much worse. The first bombing run had also been largely unsuccessful. The enemy ships had armor that was stronger than anticipated and although some damage had been done to the bombing vessels, it wasn't enough especially considering that time was so short.
Currently, Leia was focusing on the Y-wing bombers and the different fighter squadrons that had escorted them on the run. They had just finished their first one and were currently looping back to regroup and start another. She watched intently as they fell into place behind her own defense force cruisers that were providing them cover. The second bombing run would take a slightly different trajectory than the first one and she was visually mapping it out against the moving patterns of blue and red holographic ships when something in the battle caught her eye.
"It looks like one of their bombers is changing its targeting.", Leia announced as she pointed to a part of the simulated battle "It's moving towards the Ackbar. Can you focus in on that sector there."
One of the many techs operating the display zoomed in on the area that was requested. A closer look from all confirmed what Leia had noticed. The entire ship was shifting so it's cannon was no longer pointed towards its surface target. It was now tracking the damaged New Republic vessel.
"How much time until they can fire again?", she asked
"Approximately twenty-nine minutes, Madame President.", came the reply from across the table
"Get me a direct channel to Commander Dameron.", Leia demanded.
"I know we're running out of time, Madame President.", Poe Dameron responded into his helmet communicator. "We're doing the best we can. The next bombing run is commencing now."
He jerked hard to the left on the fighter's yoke to avoid three drones that had locked in on him, spun into a hard spiral and let go a salvo of laser blasts that tore the small craft to pieces.
"Gray Four.", he barked. "Watch it, you have a fighter on your tail. Someone out there give him a hand."
"Sorry, Madame.", Poe said as he returned his attention to Leia's transmission. "We're in a hell of a dogfight up here. Could you see if you can get our cruisers to give us some more firepower. We need to pack a bigger punch on this. run. The torpedoes we're hammering them with aren't enough"
"We'll get some more out of them", Leia replied. "Just keep pressing. Get those enemy bombers out of commission by any means necessary."
"Copy, Madame President.", he said
The dogfight cleared up slightly as his squadron rallied behind one of their own cruisers in anticipation of forming up to protect their bombers on another run. As the Y-Wings fell into place, Poe once again assumed the apex of the X-Wing escort group. As his Gray Squadron made the turn and lined up with him he barked out orders.
"We're going to push hard directly at the bridge this time. See if we can't deal them a blow that could knock them out for a bit.", he said
"Stay tight on me and give them all we got this time.", he continued. "You guys in the back, make those torpedoes really count. Everybody with me?"
All of the craft signaled their agreement and a few seconds later the group was blasting forward for what Poe Dameron hoped would be the shot that turned the tide.
