STAR WARS

Y-WING – FIGHTERS OF THE REBELLION

The galaxy is in turmoil. Rebel fighters, striking from the base on Yavin IV, have managed to destroy the Empire's DEATH STAR, but the fight for freedom is far from over. The Rebels still have many battles to win, and many sacrifices to make.

Forming the backbone of the Alliance are the Y-wings, reliable and powerful, flown by only the bravest pilots the Alliance has to offer. Even now, a group of Y-wings is escorting the last remaining Alliance forces to safety…

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"Let's go people! They'll be here any moment!" Keylara took the brief break in loading the crates onto the freighter to put her lekku back over her shoulder and tied together in a knot. Not the prettiest design I've done, but I don't think the Imperials save aliens based on their hairstyle. After taking a quick breather, she was back in the "supply" line, a long line stretching from the command center to the hangar, throwing boxes along the line and into the bulk freighters as they came. I still wish the Lieutenant had waited before borrowing my X-wing. I could have used it more then these sluggish and slow Y-Wings. They were some of the last left on base, volunteers to load the freighters and guide the remaining pilots from the Death Star attack to safety.

"Squints and Eyeballs on radar! Assault shuttles not much farther!" Keylara glanced to the comm platform in the corner, where some of the last of the command staff was sitting, and monitoring the comms themselves. "Keylara, you better guide this freighter out. It's the second to the last, and I've got a bad feeling coming."

"Imperials bent on revenge for the destruction of their prized station. How bad of a feeling can you get?" Waiting until there was a break in the line, she sprinted off down the Main Temple's hangar, towards one of the four remaining Y-Wings in the corner of the hangar. She saw three other pilots already climbing the ladders themselves, strapping in and performing quick flight checks. Making a leap to the ladder, she quickly climbed it, swinging into the cockpit. Carefully donning her helmet over her lekku, she began flight check and closing the cockpit door. As soon as her helmet was on, a chorus of chatter emerged from just the three other Y-Wings.

"I'm high rank, I'm taking lead here.."

"Bull, I just made Officer..."

"Cut the chatter people. I want names, now."

"Garn Sernilo, lit and green."

"Forn Tryln, and I must say, your voice is sexy."

"Tiana Lenn, ready to go."

"Keylara, ignoring that comment. Garn, you're Two, Forn you're 3 and you're 4 Tiana. Hope's End, are you ready yet?"

"Roger Keylara, we're lifting now. Follow our vector." With an enormous lurch, the freighters engines kicked in and the freighter glided out, through the hole in the temple. In the distance, TIE Bombers were beginning to materialize.

"This is Green Leader. Follow my exit and move into escort around that freighter." Easing her hand on the repulsorlift throttle, she slowly rose the Y-Wing up. This thing is so sluggish. Does make it easier to turn though. Keylara eased the Y-Wing forward, orienting herself to more engines and less repulsorlift every second she headed towards the opening. Eventually, she streaked upwards, pulling the craft into its full speed. Not bad. Just as good as my X-Wing in that respect. Rising up to the side of the freighter, she glanced behind and saw the other makeshift members of her flight rising up to similar positions.

"Alright people, stay tight. I don't think the Imperials will let us out without a fig-."

"Incoming TIEs! Green Leader, we're pulling ahead, draw them off of us!"

"Roger Hope. Alright, Green Two, you're my wing. Three and Four, you're a pair. Space out, keep your friendlies in mind." Three clicks of the comm followed her order, which signified they understood. Off to her side, Two had risen from his escort and come to the right and back a little of her. Three had lined up below Four. Pulling the Y-Wing around, she oriented herself towards the incoming TIEs. They were six of them, three of each separated into two groups. They're coming in way too fast for a split off. They want a head on. "Keep spread out people. Don't give them a chance to hit you." A few green shots were lancing out now, and Keylara started juking and diving, her squad mates following the same. "Hold it....hold it......now!" At the same time, each of the Y-Wings began spewing out their cannons. Within seconds, they were through the group of TIEs, looping around in their pairs.

We got two already. One's a little wobbly. "Anyone hurt?"

"Lead, Two. Looks like everyone's just got shield damage and a bad case of the nerves."

"Roger Two. Break off into pairs, two eyeballs to a pair. Just a little bit more time." Already off in the distance of the Temple, she could see TIE Bombers beginning their runs. Pulling to the side on her stick, she came around in a horizontal loop, moving to track around her pair of eyeballs. Steady up. Easy trigger......moving her targeting reticule, she eased the craft, trying to track the eyeball as it juked and jived on its own. She kept her stick constantly moving, not giving him an inch of quarter. With a short two click blast, the TIE was a flaming mess, plummeting towards the jungle below.

"This is the Hope's End. We've got a clear vector, transmitting now. Thanks a bunch Green squadron."

"Our pleasure. Receiving coordinates. Alright, break off people. Rendezvous on me and let's follow that freighter out." She let the ship's astromech feed the hyperspace coordinates, calculating the exact jump the craft would need to make. Hope that last freighter makes it out today. "On my mark....now." With a lurch, the lines of the stars lined her cockpit, but they were eventually replaced by the tunnel of hyperpsace.

One more day in the Alliance...one more day of a suppressed victory.

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Bendak Kain gave a sigh of relief his ship neared the edge of Yavin's gravity well. This was his third run escorting ships from Yavin, and still no Imperial response. But he knew that wouldn't last forever, as he checked the jump chrono. Another 5 minutes until he made the jump into the reassuring isolation of hyperspace.

Suddenly, his R5 screeched. Looking up away from the monitor, Bendak watched with horror as a large grey-white wedge of death filled his view.

"Imperial Star Destroyer!" The Y-wing shuddered and a green flash illuminated the cockpit as Bendak jerked back on the stick, pulling his Y-wing away in a spiral, back towards the other ships. The Nebulon-B frigate Twilight came into view, exchanging fire with the Star Destroyer. Bendak grimaced, knowing that the frigate was no match at all for the Star Destroyer. And it seemed the captain of the frigate knew that, too.

"All Alliance forces, this is Twilight. We don't have a chance against these Imps. Blue Squad, we're going to try a make a run for it. How about some cover?" A chorus of acknowledgements came over the comm, then the older voice of Blue Leader.

"Blues, form up. That Star Destroyer hasn't launched any fighters yet, but it's in the path of our hyper vector. We'll have to go around. Arm torps, and wait for my order before you fire!"

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"Engaging the Rebels now, sir!"

Captain Tymon allowed a predatory smile to creep onto his face. "Excellent. Tell all turbolasers to fire at will. These Rebel scum will regret ever striking the Empire!"

He stood tall and proud, hands clasped together at the small of his back as he stood watching the battle unfold. They had caught the Rebels totally off-guard, and had already blocked off their escape route. The Nebulon-B itself was proving to be stubborn, but Tymon knew it was only a matter of time before it was blasted to scrap. His ship, the Obliterator, had served the Empire well under his captaincy, and Tymon knew his crew would not disappoint him.

"Sir, the Y-wings have formed up, and are starting an attack run on the bridge." The officer stood there dutifully, awaiting orders. Tymon just smiled at the man.

"It doesn't matter. They'll never breach our shields. Concentrate fire on that frigate!"

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Grimacing, Bendak wrestled with the stick to hold his Y-wing on course. An endless rain of turbolaser fire filled the space surrounding the Y-wings, buffeting them about violently. Only the skill of the pilots allowed them to stay on target, and then Blue Three's Y-wing was engulfed in flame, hit one time too many. Not flinching, the Y-wings continued towards the enemy, in tight formation.

Static filled Bendak's cockpit, and was accompanied by Blue Leader's voice. "Blues, target the bridge and let loose a pair of torps on my signal. Steady… fire!" In unison, six blue streaks hurtled towards the command tower of the Obliterator. Before they got there though, they smashed against the shields, detonating and filling space with a bright glare. The glare and the fiery explosion momentarily hid the battered frigate from the Star Destroyers sensors, and within those couple of seconds it snuck past the Star Destroyer.

"Blue Squad, thanks for the help! We're clear, I suggest you get out of there before the Imps get even angrier!" Then the comm cut off, and the Twilight fled into hyperspace.

"You heard the Twilight, let's go!" The Y-wings pulled up away from the Star Destroyer, juking and jinking like they never had before. Even so, one gunner found his target, and in the space of a few seconds Blue Leader was reduced to space debris. Bendak watched in despair as the blip on his sensors designated 'Blue Leader' winked out of existence. That's yet another loss.. the Imps will pay one day!

"Four, let's get out of here! Hyper to the rendezvous immediately!"

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Captain Tymon watched in anger as the Y-wings escaped into hyperspace, following the frigate. The scum escaped! My superiors will never forgive me for this. Just as he was pondering what to do, one of his bridge crew came up behind him.

"Sir, we tracked their escape vector, and correlated it with the vector of a previous group of Rebels that fled. We know where they've gone." The captain turned to face the man, that predatory smile back on his face.

"Then all is not lost. I want this ship in pursuit immediately!" With that, the officer saluted him, then moved off to relay the order.