Message-ID: <11237eli$9805131456@qz.little-neck.ny.us> X-Archived-At: From: "Walter Slaven" Subject: {Walter Slaven}"STAR WARS: The Tie Fighter"( MF MMF MFF cons Sci-Fi ) [2/5] Newsgroups: alt.sex.stories.moderated,alt.sex.stories Followup-To: alt.sex.stories.d Path: qz!not-for-mail Organization: The Committee To Thwart Spam Approved: X-Moderator-Contact: Eli the Bearded X-Story-Submission: STAR WARS: THE TIE FIGHTER by Walter Slaven Part Two: Mofta IV...... and Beyond GUSTAV arrived at Mofta IV, the Imperial base in the Epsilon quadrant, after an uneventful three day journey. The repair crews had put the time to good use, however. Most of the damage had been at least temporarily repaired, wreckage had been cleared away and, except for some empty seats in the dining areas, there was little outward evidence that the ship had been in a fight. As good as the repair crews were, however, some of the damage was beyond their capa- bility and required the ship to spend some time in a space repair dock. I spent much of the time with my wingman, Lieutenant Dromo Acer, and the squadron, overseeing the repairs to our TIEs. We had lost several craft, and their pilots, in the scrape with the Rebels, and most of the rest had been shot up to one degree or another. The entire electronics package in my ship had to be replaced. Nevertheless, by the time we reached Mofta IV and Commander Cibock skillfully maneuvered GUSTAV into space dock, all of the remaining TIEs in Gamma Squadron were operational. As soon as the docking clamps were fastened and GUSTAV was secure in her berth, we were nearly overwhelmed by repair personnel coming aboard. Shortly thereafter we were informed that Vice Admiral Thrawn, one of the senior fleet commanders, had recently arrived at Mofta IV aboard his flagship, star destroyer VANGUARD, and was coming aboard. I was on GUSTAV's bridge with J'Una and Commander Cibock when we received the news. Cibock didn't look too happy. We all knew of Thrawn's reputation for being unforgiving and we assumed that, because GUSTAV had had to retire from the action at CT-38 that we would be held accountable for what was ess- entially an intelligence failure. The fact that we had put up a terrific fight against a numerically and qualitatively superior foe would matter little. Cibock sighed, then turned to J'Una. "Well, Commander," he said, "I'd best go greet the admiral. Assemble the senior officers in the conference room in the event that Admiral Thrawn wants to talk to them." "Yes, sir," she responded. She directed the Officer of the Deck to summon the senior officers to the conference room over the ship's intercom, then left the bridge. I walked with her. "Why do you think Thrawn's coming aboard?" I asked. "I'm not sure, she said as we headed aft, then down two decks. "Could be he just wants to check the damage and see how much repair work we really need. I've only met him a couple of times, but I know people who have worked for him. He can be a real bastard if he thinks somebody screwed up, or if he thinks you're not as loyal to the Emperor as you should be. I'm told that he's a real fanatical follower of the Emperor's, and," she paused dramatically, fire red eyes flashing, "he's trying to get promoted to Grand Admiral." "Grand Admiral," I repeated, impressed. "Can't go much higher than that. So what's stopping him?" "Other admirals, of course," J'Una said. "Thrawn isn't human. He was the first non-human to make admiral and a lot of people didn't like that. So, there's a number of admirals who are, so I hear, politicking to deny him any more promotions." "Because he's not human. Is that it?" I asked. I admit that I am very ignorant in the ways of politics among admirals. And I would rather keep it that way. I have little use for admirals. They usually find new and innovative ways to get the rest of us killed. But this story about Thrawn was interesting. "That's right," J'Una responded, a little bitterly. "We non-humans, especially female ones, aren't always accepted in high places. Promotion doesn't come easy. Good assignments don't come easy. I'm no admirer of Admiral Thrawn, but he would have been a Grand Admiral already if he was human." "Think so?" I asked. "Oh, yes," she said emphatically. I knew that pre- judice against non-humans was a real sore spot with her so I treaded lightly. "He has the best record of service against the Rebels," she continued, " But he's not human and other admirals are jealous." "Like who? Marina's father?" J'Una nodded. "Admiral Haarkov's one. Zaarin's another. I had to fuck one of Zaarin's aides to get this assignment. Zaarin didn't think a female Bardin would be able to handle this job." I could tell that J'Una was about to get angry so I decided to steer the conversation in another direction. "Thrawn's probably here," I said, "to blame us for the fact that, for whatever reason, the Rebels de- cided to make a major move out there. He'll tell us how we need to have more faith in the Emperor, as though that will compensate for flying TIEs against X-wings." J'Una looked at me and tried not to grin. She failed. "Why, Captain Tallig," she said with a smile, "are you questioning our Emperor?" If that had come from anyone else in authority I'd get a little nervous. This statement usually precedes charges of disloyalty and other such nonsense. But I knew that J'Una was being sarcastic. She knew that I was unhappy with what was going on and she was giving me the opportunity to say so, to her, thereby trying to keep me out of trouble. Not only was she a great fuck and a fine officer, she was also a good friend. "No, Commander," I said somberly. "I'm not question- ing the Emperor. It's just that I'm tired of sending good pilots out in inferior ships and watching them die. Every- one knows that the X-wing is far superior to the TIE fighter. They've been working on this new TIE inter- ceptor forever and we still don't have them in the fleet. I hear that the interceptor, while an improvement over the TIE, still doesn't match the X-wing. It isn't shielded. But, I'd gladly take an interceptor." "I don't know when they'll be available, Vel," she said. "But I'll bet the first ones go to the star destroyers in the inner sectors." "I know. I know," I said ruefully. "Because we're not one of the glamor ships we have to take on a major Rebel offensive in inferior starfighters." "You seem to have survived quite nicely, Captain," she said with a smile. We rounded a corner and were approaching the conference room where the other senior officers had gathered, awaiting Admiral Thrawn and Commander Cibock. J'Una shot me a look which told me that our converation was over, at least for now. We entered the room and took our seats. I engaged in some small talk with one of the supply officers, teasing him about the food. It's hard for people who don't live this life to understand that when you're stuck on a ship in space for months at a time the quality of the food becomes a critical morale issue. Fortunately the food on GUSTAV was not a problem. I'd been on ships where it was. I heard a commotion in the passageway outside and then Major Maarek, our esteemed storm- trooper commander, strode into the room bellowing, "Attention on Deck!" We sprang to our feet as Vice Admiral Thrawn, Commander Cibock and the admiral's aide entered the room. Vice Admiral Thrawn didn't just enter the room, he took command of it. He was tall and power- fully built with a broad chest covered with numerous ribbons and other decorations, and massive shoulders atop which were his admiral's epaulettes. He had pale blue skin, belying his non-human origins, eyes that were ruby red (as opposed to J'Una's which were more fire red) and thick black hair which seemed slick and oily. He exuded power, authority, confidence. He also struck me as someone you didn't want to mess with. We all stood rigidly at attention as the admiral strode to the front of the room, turned and slowly looked us over. I felt a chill go through me as the admiral's eyes momentarily met mine. "Please be seated," Thrawn said after running his gaze over each of us. I sat down, feeling the tension present in the room. I thought it odd that we were probably more afraid of our own admiral than we had been of the Rebel fighters we battled with just a few short days ago. "Commander Cibock," Thrawn began, nodding to GUSTAV's Commanding Officer, "officers of the Imperial Frigate GUSTAV, it is a pleasure for me to be aboard this fine vessel today." There was an aubible sigh of relief from some of the officers present. I wasn't quite ready to relax just yet. Maybe Admiral Thrawn was the type who liked to open with pleasantries, then shoot a laser blast up your ass. You never knew with admirals. I stole a glance at J'Una, who seemed to not share my concerns. "I am pleased to see," the admiral continued, "that the damage to your ship is not so severe as my staff first reported. Nevertheless I join you in mourning the loss of your shipmates. We will be able to provide you with some replacements, but not enough, I'm afraid." He paused for a moment. He had clasped his hands behind his back, and was pacing back and forth as he spoke. "Your battle with the Rebels in sector CT-38 was very important to us. Although you sustained damage and the loss of a number of fighters, which we will try to replace, you outfought a superior enemy and, more importantly, exposed a major Rebel effort in that area. I understand, Commander Cibock, that you and your Operations Officer tried to forewarn the rest of us about this." He turned to Cibock, who stood up to answer. "Yes, Admiral," he said confidently. "Commander Selena and I," he said nodding toward J'Una, "sent several messages with our observations and recommendations, but they were not followed. I assumed that Sector Flag Headquarters had more information than we did." He sat back down. "That officer," Thrawn said coldly, "has been re- lieved." There was a chilling silence following that pronouncement. I'm sure that everyone in that room was wondering just what "relieved" actually meant in this case. I preferred not to dwell upon it. Vice Admiral Thrawn paused a moment, then cracked what I guessed passed for a smile. Al- though the corners of his mouth moved up, there was no smile in his eyes. "Your conduct of that battle is most commendable," he continued. I was finally beginning to relax. Maybe this guy wasn't so bad after all. For an admiral. "You showed courage, adaptability, initiative and loyalty. We will be in great need of those qualities in the days and weeks ahead if we are to thwart the Rebel advances in this quadrant. In particular," he said looking toward J'Una and myself, "I would like to acknowledge Commander Selena for the tactical expertise she demonstrated during her direction of the battle, and Captain Tallig for the courage and in- novation he displayed while leading an inferior number of our TIE fighters against the Rebels. You are both to be commended." And he actually bowed toward us as polite applause emanated from our fellow officers. "Now," he said and the applause abruptly ceased. The pat-on-the-back had been delivered. Time to get down to business. "Where do we go from here?" he asked rhetorically. Obviously, he already had the answers. "It is clear to us that the Rebel Alliance intends to make a major effort in this quadrant, particularly sector CT-38 and its neighbors. Even though these areas are remote, we believe that the Rebels intend to stir up the local pop- ulace, attack and sieze resources and interfere with commerce beyond the Empire's borders." He paused and his demeanor turned even more cold and threatening. His red eyes narrowed and seemed to glow. "We will not permit the Rebel traitors to spread their infection to other sectors and systems. The Emperor has decreed that we will stamp them out!" Standing in the corner, Major Maarek broke out in enthusiastic applause which was politely picked up by most of the officers present. Ignoring it, Thrawn continued. "To that end," he said, "a large strike force, of which my flagship VANGUARD is but the precursor, will be assembled here with the objective of sweeping the area clear of the Rebel scum before they can get established. Once repaired, GUSTAV will play an active role in this operation. The knowledge that you have gained through your long patrols in this area will, I'm sure, prove most valuable." A major strike force? out here? I still didn't get it. With the war raging as it was, why send a major portion of the fleet out here? I guessed that Thrawn probably knew something I didn't. Which was why he was an admiral. "With regard to weaponry," he said, changing the subject abruptly, "I want to assure you that we are doing everything we can to speed development of new starfighters and other systems. We are current- ly developing a new, mobile battle station which, when completed, will greatly assist us in our efforts. I'm afraid I can't discuss that in any more detail, but I can tell you that our new TIE Interceptor is in the testing stage and should be out to the fleet soon. In the meantime, we have designed a modification to the TIE Fighter which will allow you to carry a limited number of concussion missiles. That should help you in future battles, Captain Tallig." He nodded in my direction. A few missiles, eh? I'll take them. Any- thing for that extra edge. "While you are here," the admiral continued, "technicians will modify your TIEs accordingly. I also want to encourage you to make use of the base's facilities on the surface. It's quite a primi- tive planet, I'm afraid, but there are some recreational diversions you might enjoy. The base commander has been instructed to assist you. Repairs should be complete, I'm told, in four or five days. After that it's back out to space. So, make use of this time. It may be a while before you have this opp- ortunity again." With that he turned and walked out of the room. Major Maarek shouted "Attention on deck!" again and we all jumped up, but the admiral and his aid were gone. Commander Cibock hastened after them to see the admiral off. J'Una and I looked at each other for a moment. "Well," I said with a leer, "Looks like we'll have a few days to ourselves." "Maybe you will," she said looking askance. "I'm going to have a lot of work to do." My vision of having three or four days alone with J'Una away from the ship suddenly vaporized. "Work?" I said lamely. "You heard the admiral. He wants us to enjoy ourselves here." "Who do you think has to plan our next mission?" she said haughtily. "Who do you think has to analyze re- ports and attend all those briefings? Who do you think has to work with the admiral's staff to figure out what GUSTAV is going to be doing when she leaves here? Certainly not you pilots!" "OK, OK," I said. Over the period of my relationship with J'Una I had learned when to admit defeat. "Are you sure?"I asked. She softened. "Yes, I'm sure, Vel. You know I'd love to, but my responsibility is here. Besides," she said , her eyes twinkling, black skin gleaming, "I want to get to know the admiral's aid. See ya." With that she left the conference room, striding purposefully down the passageway. I just stood there, staring after her like a complete idiot. I wanted to get angry, but I couldn't. I knew that J'Una had strong feelings for me, but her career and her sense of duty were stronger. Sometimes there were conflicts and I won. This was not one of those times. What the hell, I thought. May as well take ad- vantage of the situation anyway. I figured I'd grab Dromo, go down to the surface and see if we could get into any trouble. I went down to the hangar deck to check on the modifications to the TIEs, and to see if I could find Dromo. I found him standing in front of one of our TIEs going over a set of schematics with Marina Haarkov. They lift- ed their attention from the plans as I approached. "Well hello, Captain," Marina said pleasantly. "How was the big meeting with the Admiral?" "Most enlightening, Ensign," I said feigning importance. I turned to Dromo. "They're going to modify the TIEs to carry a few missiles." Dromo nodded, indicating the work that had already begun on some of the ships. "And," I said, "we're going to take a few days and go down to the base." "What about Commander Selena?" he asked. "Won't you be going with her?" Dromo was well aware of my relationship with J'Una. He also knew that if I was going with her, I wouldn't be stand- ing in that hangar talking to him. "Commander Selena has other duties to attend to," I said trying to sound detached. Who was I kid- ding? Marina Haarkov had fucked me and J'Una at the same time, so I wasn't fooling her, either. "You coming?" I said to Dromo my voice betraying some impatience. "Sure," he said with a grin. "I'll go. Meet you at the shuttle bay." He turned and walked toward the hangar bay doors. Marina had been silent throughout this little ex- change. She was standing beside the TIE with the schematics in her hand, her face and hands smudged with grease, her coveralls were soiled and her blonde hair was disheveled. I had an idea. "Would you like to join us?" I asked. "Why, Captain," she said coyly, "whatever for?" "Well," I said grinning. "I may have another problem that you can help me with." She laughed, recalling the "problem" that I'd had. We had been flying stepped up patrol missions non- stop for four days, I hadn't been laid, and I had a raging hardon. She helped me with my "problem." "In that case," she said with a smile, "I'd be happy to. The base repair personnel have already relieved us of most of the jobs, so we're free to go. Let me get cleaned up, pack a few things and I'll meet you at the shuttle." I felt my cock stirring as she turned and walked away. Maybe Dromo and I wouldn't have to look far to find trouble. Two hours later a shuttle deposited us at the base on Mofta IV. Mofta IV is one of the few planets in this sector capable of supporting an Imperial base like this one. Mofta IV used to be one large dry, uninhabited desert. Now it's an inhabited desert. Although there were no native inhabitants, several small towns could be observed surrounding the perimeter of the base, which was several hundred square kilometers in size. These towns were the inevitable camp followers and hangers on that arise to provide any military establishment with things that it needs but can't easily get. Admiral Thrawn was as good as his word, apparently. The base commander had ensured that sufficient officers' quarters were available for GUSTAV crewmembers. Dromo and I shared a suite. Marina had a room to herself. Imperial propriety, you know. Dromo and I unpacked while we talked about what we wanted to do with our few days off. "I hear that the towns outside the gates have some pretty wild entertainment," Dromo said as he stuffed some clothes into a drawer. "Lieutenant Trogo down in supply says they've got females from several quadrants who just love visitors." He smiled, and grabbed his crotch. "And my 'visitor' could use some Imperial hospitality." I laughed. "Be careful where you 'visit'," I said chuckling. "Don't forget Ceraeus where you 'visited' a lady whose husband damn near chopped your 'visitor' off." Dromo winced at the memory. He had barely escaped that encounter. He didn't learn much from it, either. Dromo was several years younger than I, tall, muscular, good looking. He came from a wealthy and connected family on Coruscant, the Imperial capital. A fine pilot and dependable wingman, he was nevertheless young, brash, impulsive, and tended to think with his cock more than the rest of us. Dromo personified one of my theories of human behavior: "When the little head gets hard, the big head goes soft." Still, he was my wingman and it's always good to have a happy wingman. "OK, OK, big brother," Dromo said sarcastically. "I don't need a lecture. I just need to get laid." "Just try not to get yourself killed while we're here," I said. "I'm going to need you once we get back into combat." Dromo was about to say something further when we heard a knock at the door. "Hey, boys! Are you ready?" It was Marina's voice. I opened the door and Marina walked in. She had changed her clothes and was wearing a silk wraparound that hid little. Her blonde hair was draped over her shoulders, her breasts were prominently outlined, her blue eyes sparkled. To put it mildly, she was stunning and knew it. "You guys aren't even ready yet!" she said scornfully, looking from me to Dromo. I was clad only in utility shorts and a loose shirt, Dromo in shorts only, his muscular torso bare. Marina's eyes lingered on Dromo. After a long moment, she turned to me, smiling coyly. "Why, Captain," she said feigning innocence, "it would appear that your wingman has a problem." "Problem? What problem?" said Dromo, clueless. I looked at the front of Dromo's shorts. Sure enough. The sight of Marina had had its effect. His cock was stirring, creating a prominent bulge. "You're right, Ensign," I said, acting serious, "It would appear that the lieutenant does have a problem." "What problem!?" Dromo exclaimed in exasperation. Marina walked up to him, reached down and grabbed his stiffening cock through his shorts. "This problem," she said huskily, flicking her tongue over his nipples. "Oh," Dromo said, finally catching on. "That problem." Sometimes even the most oversexed of us is slow on the uptake. Marina reached inside Dromo's shorts and grabbed his cock with both hands, jerking it up and down. Dromo's cock was quite large and had grown into a full erection. He reached down and pushed the shorts off of his hips, letting them slide down to his feet. He stepped out of them and backed against a table as Marina kept jerking his penis. I was starting to enjoy this, and my cock had gotten hard, bulging out against my shorts. Marina glanced at my protruding erection and smiled at me. "Looks like you have the same problem, Captain," she said as she bent down and licked the tip of Dromo's cock. "I guess I do, Ensign," I said. I quickly stripped off my shirt, shucked off my shorts and walked over to where Marina was now eagerly sucking Dromo's cock. Marina straightened up, Dromo's cock sliding out of her mouth with a soft plop. She very deftly unwound her wrap from her body, letting it pool around her feet, revealing her nakedness. Her magnificent breasts stood out proudly, her nipples already erect with excitement. Her lips were slightly parted and her eyes narrowed in lust as she grabbed our cocks. Dromo and I stood on either side of Marina as she worked our cocks with her hands. She turned to Dromo and kissed him deeply, then did the same to me, our tongues battling. I fondled her breasts with one hand while I squeezed her ass with the other. Dromo reached a hand between her legs and shoved two fingers into her cunt. Marina moaned. I could smell her wetness on Dromo's fingers. Marina squirmed against our ministrations, her hands working on our cocks. She released my throbbing erection and turned to Dromo, grabbing his dick with both hands. "Fuck me," she said. "I've got to have this thing in me. NOW." Dromo didn't need to be told twice. He picked Marina up and laid her on her back on the table, her legs draping over the edge. He got between her legs, grabbed her hips and pulled her to him as Marina grasped his cock and guided him inside her. Dromo slid in to the hilt, causing Marina to gasp in pleasure. Dromo started pounding away, his big cock sliding wetly in and out of Marina's pussy. He put his hands under her knees and raised her legs so that they draped over his shoulders. Marina gyrated her ass to meet his thrusts. Dromo looked over at me, a big smile on his face. "She's got a great pussy, Vel," he said between thrusts. "She really knows how to squeeze a cock." "Glad you're enjoying it," I said. "Anything for a happy wing- man." I was slowly stroking my cock as I watched Dromo piston his cock into Marina's sopping cunt. Marina reached up and pinched his nipples as she thrashed about on the table. Her breasts were flushed a deep red, and her nipples appeared to be as hard as my cock. Dromo's balls slapped noisily against her ass. I decided that I had been watching this arousing scene long enough. Cock in hand I approached the table. Marina smiled at me and reached out to grasp my dick with her hand, pumping it slowly. She pulled me closer, then took my cock into her mouth, slurping noisily. I could feel her run her tongue around the head as I began to thrust into her mouth. Dromo's thrusts were becoming harder and more insistent, causing Marina's entire body to shudder under the impact. As a result her mouth was vibrating around my cock as she sucked voraciously while her hands fondled and squeezed my balls. It felt terrific. I grabbed her head and began thrusting my turgid cock harder into her mouth, keeping time with Dromo's powerful hammering into her cunt. Marina was in cock heaven. She was moaning deeply and thrash- ing about. She lowered her legs from Dromo's shoulders to wrap them about his waist and draw him even deeper inside her. At the same time she thrust her mouth forward onto my cock, burying her nose in my pubic hair. She was too much! Marina's mouth continued to work hungrily on my cock, as Dromo continued his methodical thrusting into her cunt. Her hands squeezed my balls as she sucked me nearly to the back of her throat. My dick was rock hard and I could feel the explosion churning in my balls. I wasn't the only one close to cumming. Dromo's thrusts had taken on an increased urgency as Marina moaned around my pulsating erection. Dromo gave one final, mighty heave, his fingers dug into Marina's thighs and he bellowed his ecstacy as he pumped his sperm deep into Marina's cunt. Marina shuddered in her own orgasm and her hands and mouth gripped me ever more tightly. Dromo disengaged himself from Marina and staggered back, his cock glistening, cum oozing from Marina's pussy. I slammed my cock harder into Marina's mouth. She moaned and grabbed my hips, pulling me harder into her face. The climax churning within my balls broke free and travelled up the length of my penis to explode outward with gut wrenching force. My cum shot deep into her throat, gagging her, overwhelming her. I was cumming like I hadn't cum in a long time. Marina's mouth and throat tried valiantly to swallow my sperm, but couldn't keep up. Cum filled her mouth and flowed out around my cock and ran down the corners of her mouth. My turgid penis kept bucking and jerking wildly, pumping more and more semen into Marina's mouth. She seemed to hunger for it and attempted to suck it all down. Finally, she pulled my cock out of her overflowing mouth. I sprayed her face and tits with the rest of my cum. I was finally spent and, knees weakened by my orgasm, I collapsed into a chair, my deflating cock hanging limply between my legs. Marina smiled and sat up on the table. Her face and breasts glistened with cum. She looked longingly at Dromo's fat dick then said to me, "I think we've fixed the Lieutenant's problem, Captain." I grinned back at her. "It would appear so, Ensign," I replied. Marina got on all fours on the table and turned so that her ass and cunt pointed directly at me. She reached behind her and spread her pussy lips with her hands. "Now," she said lustily, "how about your problem, Captain?" My rapidly reviving erection preceded me as I moved across the room toward her. For the next couple of days we did just about everything. The three of us sucked and fucked for hours at a time in our suite, in Marina's room, in the pool, behind a bar. Marina couldn't seem to get enough and Dromo and I were only too happy to accomodate her. We nearly drowned her in our cum, but she always seemed to want more. Once, while taking Dromo's dick up her ass and mine in her cunt, she nearly passed out from ec- stacy. Dromo was a walking erection the whole time. We went to the nearby towns and he chased after virtually every female we encountered. One evening, after he'd been forcibly ejected from a gambling establishment, he hit it off with a four-armed female stripper from Acros2. She proved to be absolutely incredible sexually and did things I'd never dreamed of, including jacking off Dromo and I, herself, and Marina at the same time! Unbelievable. So, for a couple of days, the three of us completely lost ourselves in sensual, and sexual, pleasure. We became totally absorbed in fucking, eating (food), drinking, gambling and just having fun. Not exactly the stereotype of Imperial warriors, but I've never been accused of that, anyway. It was a bit unusual for someone like Marina, however, the daughter of an admiral. Nevertheless she was probably the horniest of the three of us. She was really taken with Dromo's sexy physique and huge cock and impaled herself on him every chance she had. As much fun as all of this was, what was more important was that, for a short time at least, we forgot. We forgot the war, the Rebels, GUSTAV, Admiral Thrawn, combat, the Emperor, storm troopers, everything. Time nearly stood still as we lost ourselves in ourselves and the three of us, each of whom had sacrificed so much, for our ship, our shipmates, the Navy and the Empire which it served, took a little back. Reality, however, usually finds a way to intrude upon such revelry. I was awakened from a stupor before dawn on the third (fourth?) day by the incessant buzzing of my comm link. All Imperial Navy personnel carry these so that you're never too far out of touch. I struggled to semi-consciousness suddenly aware of the female stretched out across my legs. I wriggled free of her, grasped the communicator and pressed the "receive" button. The buzzing stopped (thankfully) and a voice said, "All personnel return to GUSTAV immediately. This is a general recall. All personnel return to GUSTAV immediately....." I shut it off. In the next room I could hear Marina and Dromo begin to stir. Their comm links had awakened them, also. I slapped the female on the ass, told her it was time to go and staggered into the shower. Duty calls, I told myself, ignoring the erection that the sight of that ass had stirred up. An hour later Dromo, Marina and I were aboard a very crowded shuttle heading back to the space repair dock where GUSTAV was berthed. As we exited the shuttle a young crewman approached me. "Captain Tallig," he said earnestly, "senior officer briefing in twenty minutes, sir." "OK," I said reluctantly. "Tell Commander Selena I'll be along as soon as I get into a uniform." "Yes, sir," he said and hurried off. I headed toward my quarters, moving a little slowly. The ship was abuzz with activity. People were hurrying about and I noticed that the base repair personnel were all leaving. We're getting underway early, I thought.probably not good news. I got to my quarters and tossed my bag into a corner. I found a Clean uniform and changed into it. I was now awake enough to feel Like shit. Hopefully this wouldn't be a long briefing and I could come back here and take a nap. In the briefing room J'Una was standing in front of the other Officers who had already assembled. She smiled thinly at me as I entered and took a seat near the back. "Nice of you to join us, Captain Tallig," she said sarcastically, causing heads to turn in my direction. I smiled weakly. "Sorry I'm late, Commander." She ignored me and addressed the group. "Commander Cibock is getting the ship underway, so I will con- duct this briefing," she began. As she spoke we could feel a shudder as the docking clamps were released. Then the ship began to move. Cibock wasn't wasting any time. "The operation to counter Rebel incursions into this quadrant has begun," she began. I could tell that J'Una was in her element as she stood tall, proud and official in front of the group of officers. As the ship's Operations Officer and next senior to Cibock, it was only logical for her to give the briefing in Cibock's absence. Nevertheless it was obvious to me that there was more than a mere sense of duty motivating her here. Ambition. I was sure that whatever GUSTAV's role in the plans she was about to discuss was, J'Una had had a major part in drafting those plans. I also assumed that her obvious enthusiasm was due in no small part to the anticipation of a successful operation which, since she helped plan it, would reflect well on her and help her career. "Vice Admiral Thrawn with the Main Body of three star destroyers and numerous smaller vessels has already begun to sweep several systems in and near sector CT-38." Behind her a holographic display of the areas in question lit up. "Admiral Traalco is leading a smaller force with star destroyer VENGEANCE and several support vessels to investigate reports of Rebel activity in sector BJ-20." More lights lit up showing that force's track. I noticed that sector BJ-20 was nearly on the other side of the quadrant from CT-38. J'Una pointed a laser pen at several systems through which Thrawn's force had passed. "Several of the smaller, resource rich systems," she continued, "have been seized to preempt Rebel infiltration efforts." "That's not going to win us many friends out here, Commander," I chimed in. Heads turned. It is not customary for pronouncements from on high to be questioned. J'Una shot me an angry stare, red eyes blazing. "It is not our purpose to make friends, Captain," she said deliberately. "Our mission is to carry out the will of the Imperial High Command and exterminate the Rebel traitors so that we can end this war." There were murmurs of approval from the other officers present. I sat back and shut my mouth, but I couldn't shake the feeling that something wasn't right. "GUSTAV," J'Una continued unperturbed, "will rendezvous with Frigate SHAMUS and the Assault Transport Carrier HININBURG. We will proceed to the Resead system." The holographic map changed to display a closeup of Resead, a small unremarkable planet. "Resead has been the center of smuggling, legitimate commerce and other activities for a long time," J'Una said pointing her laser pen at the planet. Resead was just about exactly in the middle between CT-38 and BJ-20. Coincidence? "The Empire has left Resead alone because, frankly, some of the intelligence they provided due to wide ranging connections often proved valuable." She paused. "Until now. We have learned that the Reseans have virtually joined the Rebel Alliance. There is a large space platform in orbit around Resead which had been used for shipping, storage of goods, etc. Now, however, the Alliance has been allowed to move in and use the platform as a small base and, more importantly,to use the communications facilities to broadcast Rebel propaganda throughout the quadrant, which they have begun to do." There was an angry murmur from some of the officers. Major Maarek, the stormtrooper commander, seemed particularly distressed. "Our mission," J'Una said after pausing dramatically,"is to capture the platform and suppress the planet." Major Maarek couldn't contain himself and started clapping. Many followed. J'Una smiled but didn't let the clapping last long. "The execution will be simple and straightforward," she continued. "TIE fighters from GUSTAV and SHAMUS will eliminate any starfighter opposition. We don't expect much. The Reseans mainly have old Z-95 Headhunters and some old corvettes. TIE bombers will deliver heavy space bombs to knock out the platform's shields and incapacitate its defenses." The holographic display now showed TIE bombers attacking the platform. "Once that's accomplished," she went on, "Major Maarek will lead GUSTAV's stormtroopers to attack and sieze the platform. A much larger number of stormtroopers from HININBURG will attack and sieze the planet. Resead will become a permanent part of the Empire." There were nods of agreement all around. "A final word on command," J'Una said, smiling. "Commander Cibock is the senior officer present for this operation which means that GUSTAV will be in tactical control throughout." I think she really meant that she would be in control. It was apparent that she considered this a great opportunity. J"Una switched off the holographic display and the lights came up in the room. "I remind you," she said sternly, "that this is strictly confidential. No one outside this room is to know the nature of our operation until after we go to hyperspace. Thank you for your attention, this briefing is over." I waited until the room cleared to approach J'Una, who had been collecting her notes and chatting with other officers. She looked at me and smiled. "Well," she said putting her hands on her hips, "did you enjoy yourself on Mofta IV, Captain?" "Bet your ass, I did," I replied grinning. "Fucked your brains out the whole three days, eh?" "Just about," I replied. I always enjoyed this kind of banter between us. It made our relationship special. "I asked you to come along, remember?" "I remember, Val," she said earnestly. "But there was a lot of work to do." I looked at her for a long moment. "OK," I said, "tell me about the Admiral's aide." She laughed loudly at that. "You prick," she said still laughing. "I guess I had that coming." I merely smiled and raised an eyebrow. "He was good," she said. "I went with him to the VANGUARD for a while. What a ship! Absolutely enormous. He showed me around and we talked about things." "What things?" I asked, curious. J'Una was right about star destroyers. They are so big that it's hard to comprehend. Their crews number in the thousands and they can carry a dozen or more starfighter squadrons. J'Una looked around the room and lowered her voice. "Remember that mobile battle station that Thrawn talked about?" I nodded. "Yes. What about it?" "According to Rickna- that's the aide- this isn't any old battle station," she said. Her eyes had become intense, the red glowing. "It's as big as a moon and can wipe out whole planets. Or will when it's done." I shook my head in amazement. "Wipe out whole planets?" J'Una nodded. "Pretty nasty stuff," she said. "Is that how we're going to win?" I asked, "by wiping everybody out?" J'Una looked at me for a moment. "I hope we can bring this all to an end before that, Vel. But I don't think the Rebels will ever give up." "You're probably right," I said. "Anything else your aide friend tell you? Like why we're sending almost half the damn fleet out here chasing Rebel ghosts or beating up on some small system?" "Only that the Emperor was really pissed when he heard that Mon Mothma herself, the Rebel leader, had been out here stirring up the local populace. Since Resead was one of those places she visited, he wants it crushed." Something about all this puzzled me. "Why," I asked J'Una, "would the Rebels turn the Resean station into a comm center for broad- casting propaganda? Surely they know we'd come after it." She looked puzzled as well. I knew that she had had doubts about this course of action, too, but in her position she couldn't always express them. I was certain, however, that doubts or no doubts J'Una would take full advantage of any opportunity that presented itself. "I'm afraid I can't answer that one, Vel," she said after a moment. "Maybe you're right and they want us out here. I don't know. I do know, however, that we're here, we have a job to do and we'd best do it." With that we both left the room. She was right. There was a lot to do. We didn't have much time until we got to Resead. Dromo and I briefed the squadron, including the new pilots who had just checked in. We also inspected the missile modifications that were installed by Mofta IV technicians. Each TIE now had the capability of carrying four missiles. Not a lot, but I wasn't complaining. We had further briefings, which merely expanded on the first one and filled in some details. As soon as GUSTAV, SHAMUS and HININBURG came out of hyperspace, GUSTAV and SHAMUS would each launch their two TIE fighter squadrons, then the TIE bombers. I was designated to be in overall command of both of GUSTAV's TIE fighter squadrons, Gamma and Beta. SHAMUS' squadrons, Sigma and Tau, would be commanded by one of her pilots. We were told that there would be minimal fighter opposition, that the real threat was from the heavy laser cannons on the platform itself. I didn't really buy the line about 'minimal opposition.' I guess when you're the one doing the flying there is no such thing as 'minimal opposition.' I had a nagging feeling about this operation, but I set it aside and carried on as professionally as I could. No sense in letting the troops see that you have doubts. Not good for the mission. My one real concern, however, was that we didn't get to practice with the new missile launchers. I ran the pilots through the simulator so they could get use to switching back and forth between missiles and lasers, and become accustomed to the missile's targeting system. Simulators are fine, but they just can't substitute for actually flying the TIE and operating its weapons. Sometimes training takes a back seat to operational requirements. Concerns aside, I felt confident as we approached Resead and GUSTAV prepared to come out of hyperspace. Morale was up, thanks to Mofta IV, Admiral Thrawn had delivered on his promise to get us more starfighters and more pilots, and we would not be operating alone this time. During the few periods when we were able to talk privately J'Una expressed some of the same concerns I was feeling. Vice Admiral Thrawn's force had encountered virtually nothing. Only a few systems where some Rebel dignitaries had visited, but nothing else. Thrawn crushed those systems nonetheless, their populations either forcibly evicted or else subjugated to Imperial military rule. Admiral Traalco's smaller force, on the other side of the quadrant, hadn't been heard from recently. J'Una was uneasy about the lack of intelligence about Resead, and about the High Command's apparent indifference. "Sometimes I wonder how some of those bastards got to where they are," she said bitterly. Then she answered her own question. "Probably by avoiding combat duty aboard ship." GUSTAV was preparing to come out of hyperspace. I assembled the Gamma and Beta pilots in the hangar one more time. "We're still expecting only light opposition," I told them. "Mainly old Z-95 Headhunters. Maybe an old corvette or two. That's what the geniuses at intel tell us." There was a ripple of laughter. It is almost a cultural requirement for starfighter pilots to despise the people who work in intelligence. "What do you say, Captain Tallig," a voice called out. "I say don't waste your missiles on a Z-95," I said sternly. "You only have four so save them in case somebody else shows up." There was a murmur of approval. This made sense. In its day the Z-95 was the premier starfighter, serving the Old Republic. But that was a long time ago. Still used in great numbers by smugglers, bounty hunters and the like, the Z-95 was totally outclassed even by a TIE Fighter. I almost felt sorry for the poor dumb bastards that flew those things. Those feelings would stop, I knew, when those poor dumb bastards started shooting at me. "Remember," I told the pilots, "don't attack the platform directly. Let the bombers do that. Our job is to clear the area of fighters." Heads nodded. "Also, we're working with SHAMUS' fighters this time: Sigma and Tau squadrons. Give them help if they need it, and don't be afraid to ask for it yourself. Good luck." We climbed into our ships and went through the pre-launch cycle. The overhead cranes picked us up and moved us to the launching bay. GUSTAV came out of hyperspace and the launching bay doors in the bottom of the ship opened. As flight commander mine was the first ship to be lowered through the doors and released into space. I engaged the twin ion engines and checked out the electronics and the weapons systems as Gamma and then Beta squadron formed up around me. Off in the distance I could see SHAMUS' flight group doing the same thing. Between us there were nearly 50 starfighters and I suddenly felt like kicking a little ass. "Gamma one, GUSTAV," J'Una's voice, clear, professional and always sexy, purred into my ear through the commlink, "report status." "Roger, GUSTAV," I replied. "Flight groups formed. We will commence sweep around the platform." "Very well," J'Una acknowledged. "Be advised that the platform is launching starfighters." "Acknowledged. Any ID on them?" "They appear to be Z-95's, Gamma One," J'Una said. If that's all there was, this wouldn't be a problem. But my internal misgivings persisted. I contacted the SHAMUS flight leader. "SHAMUS flight leader this GUSTAV flight leader, Captain Tallig of Gamma Squadron," I called, switching comm channels. "Hello, Captain," said a sweet female voice. I was momentarily taken aback. There aren't many female starfighter pilots in the Imperial Navy, and fewer still who are flight leaders. "This is Captain Ijuf of Tau Squadron ." "Roger, Tau leader. We will commence our attack on the fighters near the platform. Request you hang back and cover us in case anyone else shows up." "Acknowledged, Gamma leader," she said. "We'll cover you. Holler if you need help." "Thanks," I said. The Z-95s were approaching now, so I put the squadrons into attack formation and led them forward. "Remember to stay paired up," I told them. "One guy shoots, the other covers him. Try to get behind them. The Z-95 isn't fast enough to run away. Use speed matching and rip them up." Then, to Dromo I said, "Gamma Two, you're with me. Let's go." "Roger, Gamma One. I'm with you." I could see him tucked in behind and to the left of me. Then we were in among the Z-95s, our formations dissolving into individual battles. Dromo and I teamed up and quickly dispached two of the obsolete craft. They didn't even get shots off at us. I noticed similarly one-sided engagements taking place all around me. This was quickly becoming a slaughter. The Reseans weren't giving up easily, however. Still more Z-95s arrived and joined the fray. We were outnumbered now, but our tactical and technical superiority more than compensated for that. Z-95s continued to vaporize and I felt no need to call the SHAMUS fighters for help. Dromo and I had just dispached two more Z-95s when I heard J'Una break in excitedly. "Gamma One, GUSTAV. Hyperspace alert! Numerous ships coming out of hyperspace." The excitement in her voice bothered me. I barely had time to acknowledge when blue streaks appeared everywhere, indicating ships coming out of hyperspace. Lots of ships. Lots of X-wings! Shit. And these were Rebel fighters, not Resean. We'd been set up! "Gamma One to all fighters. Watch out for X-wings coming out of hyperspace. Now's the time to use your missiles." My warning wasn't soon enough, however. Two TIEs were destroyed before they knew what happened and the battle suddenly became very confused. I accelerated to full throttle and activated the missile target- ing system, listening for the tone that would tell me I had a lock on an X-wing. I maneuvered in behind my target and released the missile. The range was close and I had a good lock. The missile hit the X-wing dead on and took down his shields. My sensors told me that the X-wing's hull had been damaged as well. I activated the speed matching device, switched to dual fire lasers and finished the job. The X-wing disintegrated. More ships were arriving from hyperspace! I decided it was time to call for help. "Gamma leader to Tau leader," I called. "We've been ambushed by Rebel X-wings. We need assistance now." "Roger, Gamma leader," Captain Ijuf responded. "We're on our way." The space around the Resean platform seemed to literally burst with starfighters swirling and weaving in a deadly ballet. The SHAMUS fighters slammed into the fight, momentarily taking the pressure off of us. I zapped a stray Z-95, then decided that we needed to reevaluate this mission. "GUSTAV, this is Gamma One," I called. "We are heavily engaged with a large number of Rebel X-wings. Repeat, Rebel X-wings." "Roger, Gamma One," J'Una replied. "What's the status of the battle?" "The SHAMUS fighters are helping us hold our own," I said. "But X-wings keep showing up. I'm not sure that we can clear them away for the bombers to make their run on the platform. GUSTAV," I said earnestly, knowing that J'Una's wouldn't be the only set of ears hearing me, "they knew we were coming." There was a pause on the other end. I assumed that J'Una, Commander Cibock and the other officers in the Operations Center were discussing my report. "Gamma One, GUSTAV," J'Una's voice, taut, determined. "GUSTAV and SHAMUS are launching the TIE bombers now. HININBURG is launching assault transports. Continue the attack." I could tell by J'Una's tone that it was useless to debate the issue. She was in charge, after all, and undoubtedly had more information than I did. "Understood, GUSTAV," I said reluctantly. "We'll try to keep the Rebels off the bombers, but that will leave you and SHAMUS vulnerable if anyone else shows up." "Continue the attack, Gamma One," J'Una said curtly. "Gamma One to all fighters," I called, "the bombers are on their way. Give them cover." Dromo and I made a hard right turn, blasted an X-wing and headed toward the line of TIE bombers that streamed toward the platform from the two frigates. As if magnetized, the bombers drew the attention of every starfighter in the area. X-wings streaked through the bombers' formations, intent on thwarting their attack runs. TIE fighters streaked after the X-wings. I found myself in the middle of this mad melee with an X-wing on my ass. Dromo had gotten lost somewhere in the fight. I pushed my TIE to max speed, and tried to corkscrew out of the X-wing's line of fire. He took several shots at me, but I was able to dodge them. I just hoped that he didn't have any missiles left. "Gamma Two, this is Gamma One. Dromo, I need help," I called. I wrenched my TIE hard right and barely avoided another laser blast from the X-wing. "Sorry, Captain," Dromo's voice was tense. "I'm in a bit of a fix myself. There's too many of these bastards." I veered hard left, the X-wing still on my tail, and came face to face with another TIE fighter flying straight at me, lasers blasting. Shit! I pulled the TIE violently upward and the other TIE kept firing, chopping my pursuer into pieces. "Thanks, whoever you are," I called out. "You're quite welcome, Captain." Captain Ijuf's voice purred into my ear. I remembered that Dromo was still having problems. "Dromo, I'm on my way," I said, turning my TIE 180 degrees. "I'm OK, Captain," he said, relieved. "One of the Tau fighters helped me out." "Roger, Gamma Two," I said. "Form up on me and let's go help the bombers." The TIE bombers' formation had been ripped and disrupted by the repeated X-wing attacks. Nevertheless they pressed on. They were now within range of the platform's heavy turbo lasers which opened up. Another bomber quickly disintegrated and the remainder commenced evasive maneuvers as they closed. The bombers had to get very close to deliver their load of two heavy space bombs. The space bomb can be a devastating weapon, but it must be launched at point blank range. Unlike the missile or proton torpedo, the space bomb does not have its own propulsion. It is "lobbed" at its target. Thus, the bomber has to get very close, release the bomb, pull up and get the hell away. It is not conducive to a long life and I had nothing but re- spect for those guys in slow, unmaneuverable craft flying right into the teeth of enemy fire to deliver their weapon. Dromo and I, along with Captain Ijuf and some of her Tau fighters, had our hands full keeping X-wings off the bombers as they began their final attack run. Just then J'Una's voice came over my comm link. "Gamma One, GUSTAV. More ships coming out of hyperspace!" New blue streaks slashed across space as more Rebels piled into the battle. But these guys weren't X-wings. They were Y- wing attack craft and modified corvettes. Shit. The Rebels had suckered us in close to the platform, then sent in attack craft and corvettes to go after our frigates. They sure seemed to know a lot about what we were doing. No time to contemplate that, though. The bombers were delivering their ordnance. My sensors detected several large explosions as the heavy space bombs pounded the platform's shields. Several more bombers vaporized right under the platform's lasers, which were firing incessantly. I could see Major Maarek's stormtrooper transport approaching the platform. I turned away from that scene and started to worry about the latest Rebel arrivals. "GUSTAV, Gamma One. Rebel Y-wings and corvettes in attack formation heading your way," I warned. "Roger, Gamma One. We are counterattacking." Counterattacking? J'Una's voice was cool, unemotional. I could see SHAMUS and GUSTAV closing each other to combine their fire. In this case Imperial tactics permitted a withdrawal. When surprised by a superior Rebel force, recall as many starfighters as possible, then get the hell out with your capital ships intact and come back later with a bigger force. That's the way the Empire operated and I'm sure that's what the Rebels were counting on. They had guessed right so far. What they hadn't counted on was encountering a Bardin female who was in tactical control of the Imperial forces and had no intention of withdrawing. "Gamma One, detach some fighters to assist us." "Roger, GUSTAV," I replied. She was taking a huge risk and I found myself hoping that Major Maarek's stormtroopers captured that platform because we'd need a place to land if the frigates got wasted. I quickly mustered up Dromo and two other Gamma fighters, plus Captain Ijuf and some of her Tau fighters. We formed up and sped after the Rebel force. The rest of the TIEs continued covering the bombers. There were three corvettes and numerous Y-wings approaching the two frigates. Smaller than a frigate, the corvette had been used pri- marily as a blockade runner due to its speed. The Rebels had modified many of these ships, however, equipping them with additional shielding and turbo laser mounts so that they posed a formidable threat. Three corvettes definitely meant trouble. I had recently seen what one proton torpedo could do to a ship like GUSTAV, so I decided that my group of TIEs would go after the Y-wings, and let the frigates slug it out with the corvettes. The battle had degenerated into a wild, uncontrolled melee and my concerns now focused on our long-term survival as opposed to the immediate tactical objectives. I had one missile left which I targeted on a Y-wing that I had slipped in behind, ignoring fire from another Y-wing. I got the lock and fired. The Y-wing's shields were damaged, but not completely down. I switched to dual lasers, activated speed matching and sawed the Rebel ship in half. It finally blew apart. I saw several other Y-wings suffer the same fate as our TIEs got in among them. Without X-wing protection they were very vulnerable. The corvettes pressed home their attack. Two of them seemed to head toward SHAMUS, probably because she was closer, and the third was attacking GUSTAV. The two Imperial frigates put up a wall of laser and missile fire at their approaching foes. J'Una and Commander Cibock had maneuvered the ships so that their broadsides faced the Rebel corvettes, who were approaching head-on. This enabled GUSTAV and SHAMUS to employ all of their guns, while the corvettes could only fire those that faced forward. Which meant, of course, that the other guns fired at us. The blackness of space was ripped by a fireworks show the likes of which I had never before seen. GUSTAV and SHAMUS concentrated their fire on the lead corvette approaching SHAMUS. Their combined turbo lasers hammered the corvette, smashing into the shields and ripping into the forward part of the ship. It continued toward SHAMUS, however, turbo lasers blazing. The two corvettes attacking SHAMUS began scoring some hits and I could see the ship shudder under the blows, its shields buckling but holding. Dromo and I and the other TIEs were still chasing down Y-wings, dodging fire from the corvettes and trying not to get shot by our own ships. "GUSTAV, Gamma One. We've eliminated most of the Y-wings," I reported. "We will commence strafing runs to give these corvettes something else to think about." "Roger, Gamma One," J'Una replied. Her voice was a little tense, but otherwise she did not betray any of the anxiety I knew she and others on the ship must be feeling. "We'd appreciate any help you can give us." GUSTAV continued hammering away at the corvettes, but started taking some fire herself. Dromo and I began strafing one of the corvettes. Our puny lasers couldn't penetrate the hull, but we could knock out some of their turbos and distract their fire. We tried to stay in between the corvettes so that if they shot at us, they risked hitting each other. Captain Ijuf and a couple of her fighters were also strafing a corvette. One of them was vaporized by a turbo laser blast. We were in the middle of a royal slugfest. The corvettes were pounding SHAMUS and I could tell that she was taking damage. I dived on one of the corvettes, targetting a turbo laser mount. I pressed the trigger and held it as I closed, my lasers slashing at the mount. It exploded in a flash of brilliant colors. One less turbo mount to worry about. I pulled out of my attack run and that's when I spotted them: two Y-wings we had somehow lost track of were approaching SHAMUS. I was closest to them, but I knew instantly that I was too far to be able to intercept both of them. Nevertheless I diverted all power to the engines and my TIE shot forward at full speed as I maneuvered between the corvettes. "SHAMUS, this is Gamma One. Incoming Y-wings, "I warned. "Watch out for torpedoes." "Acknowledged, Gamma One," SHAMUS replied. The first Y-wing launched its torpedoes before I could get a shot off. Both torpedoes slammed into Shamus, collapsing her shields and wreaking havoc in interior spaces. I could see explosions in the hangar bays. The entire ship seemed to shudder, but held together. The rate of fire from her lasers decreased markedly as power was undoubtedly lost to various sections of the ship. The offending Y-wing pulled out. I let him go, concentrating instead on the other one that hadn't launched. I got behind him and started blasting away, but this guy kept jerking his ship around, and I couldn't get a good lock. I knocked his shields down and targeted his torpedo launchers as we raced in toward SHAMUS. The frigate was visibly damaged, but a couple of her turbos were firing again, some of the laser bolts coming uncomfortably close to my ship. I hit the Y-wing again, damaging his weapons system but he kept on heading toward SHAMUS. "SHAMUS, this guy's gonna ram you!" I hollered as I pulled up and narrowly missed hitting the ship myself. The Y-wing slammed into SHAMUS, exploding in a huge flash. The frigate lost all power and I could see fires, smoke and collapsed bulkheads. I fully expected the ship to explode, but it didn't. It just floated, dead in space, a sitting duck. At that instant GUSTAV's gunners tore through the hull of the lead corvette and it did explode, the flash blinding me in my cockpit, debris hurtled for miles, rattling against my hull. The normal crew compliment of a corvette is 150-200 people. There could not possibly be any survivors. GUSTAV began firing at one of the other corvettes. "Gamma One this is GUSTAV," J'Una's voice, still anxious but determined. "The platform has been secured by our forces. HININBURG's assault transports are descending to the surface." The attack had continued unabated. Rebel efforts to drive the frigates off had failed. But there were still two corvettes out there. "Gamma One, we are launching four reserve TIE bombers with space bombs to attack the corvettes. Cover them." So that was her ace. Space bombs will knock down the shields of a heavily defended platform, but they'll blow a corvette to pieces. "Roger, GUSTAV," I replied. I had to admire J'Una's guts. She had held on to her reserve for as long as possible. Now, when the enemy was most vulnerable, she went for the kill. Two of the bombers swooped down on the nearest corvette and blew it into space junk before the poor bastards knew what hit them. The second was luckier. It managed to destroy one of the bombers attacking it, then get away from the other. It escaped into hyperspace. As quickly as the battle had erupted, it was over. The remaining Rebel starfighters joined the corvette in a hyperspace getaway. Captain Ijuf and I reformed what was left of our respective flight groups. The carnage had been incredible. The space platform, object of this adventure, had been blasted into a wreck by the TIE bombers, but was now fully under the control of Major Maarek's storm- troopers. Wreckage from numerous starfighters, Imperial, Rebel and Resean, drifted lazily through space. SHAMUS had managed to restore some power, but it was obvious that the ship was severely crippled. I could only imagine the devastation inside that vessel. I found myself asking myself what was all of this for? A relatively obscure system had become the center of a viscious battle resulting in horrendous destruction and loss of life, and for what? The Emperor? I'd never even seen the guy. I snapped myself out of this somewhat heretical reverie as I heard J'Una's voice come over the commlink. "Gamma One, GUSTAV." Her voice sounded much more relaxed now that the succession of crises had passed. "Prepare your group to return to base. Mission successfully completed. Well done." "Thanks," I said dryly. Then, "What about SHAMUS?" "SHAMUS is too badly damaged to recover starfighters," J'Una replied. "GUSTAV will recover her fighters after your group lands. It will get a little crowded but, accounting for our losses, we should be able to handle them." "Roger, GUSTAV," I said. "We're on our way in." The fortunes of war sometimes have a way of working out, I guess. I'd get to meet Captain Ijuf of Tau Squadron. She had proven herself to be an excellent pilot and a fine flight leader, and she had a very sexy voice. I wondered what she'd be like in person. I switched to the flight control frequency. "GUSTAV, Gamma One requesting landing sequence." "Roger, Gamma One," the Flight Control Officer responded. "Be advised that we are parking two TIEs to a stall." "Understood, GUSTAV," I responded. I cut the engines as I felt the tractor beam take hold of my ship. "Just try not to scratch the paint." The tractor beam guided my TIE through the bustling hangar and set her down all the way forward in the stall. I went through the post flight shut down quickly, then climbed out of my TIE. I suddenly felt exhausted and I really needed a drink. Another TIE was being parked in the same stall I was in, and I had to scamper out of the way. Great, I thought. Survive all that to be squashed by one of your own starfighters in a parking stall! The TIE's hatch dropped open and the pilot climbed out and dropped to the deck. The pilot straightened and removed the flight helmet. The first thing I saw was red hair. Lots of red hair flowing halfway down her back. The flight suit hid the particulars of her figure but her face was exquisite. She had steely blue eyes, full lips and a smooth, prominent nose. I extended my hand in welcome. "Captain Ijuf?" I asked. She nodded. "Welcome aboard, Captain. I'm Vel Tallig of Gamma Squadron." She took my hand in a surprisingly strong grip. She wasn't particularly big or powerful looking, unlike J'Una who towered over damn near everyone and exuded strength. Captain Ijuf smiled. "Pleased to meet you, Captain," she said. "Call me Kao. Any more word on SHAMUS?" We were walking toward the hangar bay doors. "I'm afraid I don't know any more than you do," I said knowing how concerned she must be for her shipmates. "You saw how much damage she suffered. It didn't look good." "I appreciate that effort you made trying to intercept that attack," Kao said. Her eyes glistened a little, but there were no tears. Tears are not part of Imperial protocol. "We're all on the same team," I said. The hangar bay doors opened and J'Una walked into the hangar bay, obviously looking for us. "Captain Ijuf?" she said to Kao who nodded. "I'm Commander Selena, Operations Officer." She extended her hand, which Kao took. "I'm afraid you and your flight group will be with us here on GUSTAV for awhile. SHAMUS was severely damaged and there were heavy casualties." Kao looked at her stoically, trying not to show emotion. I had only just met her, but I knew what she was feeling. "HININBURG has taken SHAMUS under space tow," J'Una continued. "Assault transport carriers," she said referring to HININBURG, "aren't much for combat, but they do have good medical and repair capabilities. Hopefully SHAMUS' hyperdrive can be repaired soon and she can travel quickly to a repair facility. In the meantime, you and your fighters will augment GUSTAV's crew. We can sure use you." "Thank you, Commander," Kao said stiffly. "Commander Selena," I said formally, changing the subject, "the Rebels knew what we were doing. Either that or they're damned lucky. They anticipated every move we made, except your decision to stick it out. What I don't understand is why they sacrificed so much for such an insignificant place like Resead. Hell, " I exclaimed, exasperated. "I don't understand why we sacrificed so much for it." J'Una ignored my rhetoric. "We had our orders, Captain," she said sternly, looking down at me, red eyes hot. "This 'insignificant place' was being turned into a major Rebel presence. We have eliminated that presence." She seemed satisfied with her answer, but I wasn't sure that she believed everything she was saying. I looked at her for a moment. "I hope the cost was worth it," I said quietly. J'Una's stance softened. "I hope so, too, Captain," she said. "We are going to remain in orbit here for a few days, to ensure the planet is fully secured. We'll make repairs to the platform and restore its capabilities as a communications station. You'll fly regular patrols to ensure that the Rebels don't interfere." "So, what great assignment awaits us when we're done here?" I asked somewhat sarcastically. J'Una's face broke into one of those great smiles of hers. "Right now, Captain," she said, "we have absolutely no idea. But I'm sure it will be interesting." I feared she would prove to be right. End of Part Two DISCLAIMER: the following story contains graphic scenes of consensual sex between adults of various planetary origins. Prologue: The following story takes place in the STAR WARS universe, but is told from a unique and different perspective, that of a veteran Imperial TIE fighter pilot, Captain Vel Tallig. I have tried to remain true to the events, personnages, places, ship-types, weapons systems and technologies portrayed in the original three Star Wars movies and in the Lucasarts computer games X-wing, TIE fighter and their add-ons. This story began at a point in time prior to the events portrayed in the original Star Wars film: Episode IV: A new Hope. Enjoy. WalterS -- +----------------' Story submission `-+-' Moderator contact `--------------+ | | | | Archive site +----------------------+--------------------+ Newsgroup FAQ | ----