As Jahn M'lyr climbed out of his TIE Bomber, he was visibly shaken.
"Hey, Jahn!" shouted Skyler Tarf, walking over to M'lyr. "What's wrong?"
"I can't go on," M'lyr replied."I actually saw the people in that last whale we took out! I just can't go on."
"Hey, man, others have seen that before and come through none the worse for wear, so don't worry, you'll make it," comforted Tarf.
"No, I won't M'lyr said softly as he pulled his standard issue holdout blaster out of its holster and put it to his temple."Goodbye, my friend," he said. Before Tarf could stop him, M'lyr pulled the trigger and acrid smoke started to wisp out of his helmet.
"NOOOOOO!!!!" Shouted Tarf. He then remebered that he had his helmet on and called into the comlink "Medical Emergency in Main Hangar! We have a blaster shot to the head!" as he knelt by his fallen friend. As he was sitting there waiting for the medics, he noticed a new craft in the hangar, on that looked like a modified TIE Fighter.
"I'm sorry, sir, there's nothing that even bacta can do for him," the MD droid reported emotionlessly.
"Thank you, for trying. I'll get over it," replied Tarf without sounding like he meant it.
"ALL TIE BOBMER PILOTS TO THE BRIEFING ROOM!" came a voice over the PA system. Tarf ran down the hallway to the briefing room, where his attention was drawn to a holo of the new craft he had seen in the hangar.
"Gentlemen, I present to you the newest starfighter that the Empire has created, the TIE Advanced! This ship incorporates the agility of a TIE Fighter, the turbolaser system of a TIE Interceptor, the warhead tubes of a TIE Bomber, and, most importantly, a hyperdrive system and shields!" started the briefing officer.
"In an Advanced, you will be able to carry more warheads and take more damage than you would be able to in a Bomber, thus increasing your survival rate and time over target. The first test of these ships is the purpose of this meeting. You will now be flying Advanceds and your first mission is to destroy a Rebel platform in theTrantine system. You will be escorted by 4 more Advanceds flown by former Interceptor pilots. The platform is defended by 3 squadrons of X-Wings and 1 of T-Wings. There is also a squadron of modified B-Wings who have had all of their turbolasers and ion cannons removed to make room for 4 more warhead tubes. The main focus is to destroy all of the B-Wings, whether by destroying them one by one if they launch, or by destroying the platform. Good luck," concluded the briefing officer.
Fifteen TIE Advanceds dropped out of the main hangar of the VSD Anger and streaked away into hyperspace. They were soon joined by onother four following them in. Then, a probe that hadn't been noticed before sent off a transmition in the same direction that the Advanceds had gone.
Within a few hours, the TIE Advanced fighters had made it to the Rebel platform in the Trantine system. Flying in the lead was Commander Lear, one of the better TIE fighter pilots on the Imperial side. He had quite a military history as a pilot, and he was respected. Now he was leading a mission that was to prove the fighter worthiness of the new TIE Advanced fighters.
"I will give the command to fire. We take out sensor systems and anti-starship batteries before attempting anything else. If craft are launched to intercept us, we will split up and try to fight them. Today we will get to see how good these ships are..." Commander Lear finished off by breaking formation, the signal for the others to follow him to the Rebel platform.
As the Rebel platform became more and more visible, Commander Lear noticed four X-Wings flying cover over the platform. The Rebels must have gotten word of the test run of the TIE Advanced fighters somehow. Now this would really be a test...
"The situation has changed, men. This will not be a surprise attack. The Rebels somehow knew we were coming. We will have to engage the X-Wings. I want four fighters on each of their four X-Wings. Don't let the X-Wings target you. Stay out of their firing paths. Let's get them."
Commander Lear broke formation again, this time heading towards the X-Wing to the far left of the formation. He warmed up his laser cannons, and he incresead speed. The small size of his craft would help him maneuver out of the target path of the X-Wings.
The other fighters in the formation also broke loose and engaged the X-Wings. Four TIE Advanced fighters for each of the X-Wings. It would be an interesting fight...
Chapter Two
Hauling on
the Etheric rudder, Zeb N'yxcal, Hunter Three, slammed the TIE Advanced to the
side, and out of the path of the ruby bolts emanating from the sleek X-wing
following him. Throwing the ship around in a wide arc, his TIE once again faced
his target: The Rebel space station, containing its hidden cargo of modified
B-wings. Flicking his controls over to Proton Torpedoes, he centred the HUD
targeting icon over the station's launch bay. The HUD flicked yellow as he
targeted, emitting a steady beeping sound. Within a few seconds, the HUD turned
red and the tone became constant. Squeezing the trigger, he sent two sparkling
blue warheads shooting towards the platform. As he turned away from the station,
he could see more
torpedoes coming in from the four other members of One
Flight, Including Commander Lear and Zeb's wingman Rhys Cardonn. Flicking over
to the comm, he spoke into it.
"Rhys, you're my wing. Let's go slag some pointers. I want to try out this new TIE Advanced to the max."
"I copy, Hunter Three." Came Rhys' curt reply. Zeb mulled that over for a second. Rhys was becoming more and more concerned about what they were destroying recently, and became very grim and regretful whenever Hunter squadron fought the Rebel Alliance. Zeb hoped Rhys wouldn't end up like poor old Jahn. The ageing bomber had shot himself after the last mission, saying he couldn't go on killing people. They had had the service only yesterday.
Then they were among the X-wings and there was no time to think
about Rhys. Rolling over to the left, Zeb followed an X-wing through the melee.
In the distance he could see Two Flight, Hunters Six through Ten, making their
run on the station. The Proton torpedoes silenced the platform's great
Turbolaser batteries, and great gouts of fire emerged from the primary
target
as it began to break up. There was no way those modified B-wings would ever fly
now. Turning his mind back to the melee, Zeb followed closely on the tail of the
fleeing X-wing, his finger hovering over the trigger. Stooping on it like a
hawkbat attacking a granite slug in the bowels of Imperial Centre, His lasers
shredded the rear of the X-wing, leaving the
blackened and melted nose of the
craft to float harmlessly away. He felt no remorse about killing a rebel against
Palpatine's glorious Empire. They were merely vermin for going against the
ruling power of the galaxy. He wondered why Rhys liked the Rebels so much.
Outside his magnificent new craft, the tide of battle was
beginning to turn. One TIE had been destroyed, but that was only because Jedd
had gotten to close to the station and the Turbolasers had disintegrated the
starfighter. All but two of the opposing fighters had perished. As Commander
Lear raked the sole remaining T-wing with laser fire, Zeb pulled his
TIE
around and sent a proton torpedo corkscrewing up the exhaust of the final
X-wing, spraying metal shards in all directions.
Curving back towards the
rest of the squadron, Zeb keyed his comm. "Three to Leader. Task complete.
Orders?"
"Leader to all units" came Commander Lear's reply. "Sensors
have picked up civilian transports fleeing the planet. Orders are to destroy all
transports before destroying ground installations."
"Copy that
leader." Turning off the squadron comm, he flicked over to Rhys' frequency. Zeb
glanced over to Rhys' fighter and noticed that he was pulling back, along with
Hunter Eight. He frowned. "Hunter Four, you're my wing." Rhys did not
respond. Zeb throttled down and tried once more. "Rhys, do you copy? Hunter
Four, do you read? Rhys Cardonn,
Answer me!" In response, Rhys' fighter
accelerated and heeled away, Kamlad's craft following him. Only then was there a
reply.
"Zeb, I'm not murdering innocents. I'm leaving here while my soul
is intact!"
Zeb's belly turned to ice as the two fighters prepared
to run for hyperspace. Accelerating to catch them, Zeb turned back to the
squadron frequency.
"Lead, orders?"
"Kill them both, Three." Commander Lear's voice came back calm and strong. "We cannot allow TIE advanced designs into Rebel hands. I'm sorry about how this must happen, but you must stop them. The rest of the squadron is tied up with these freighters. Act quickly, and destroy both fighters."
As his heart began to sink, Zeb switched to Proton Torpedoes.
Accelerating once more, he sent a warhead towards Kamlad. He was not afraid of
killing a squadron member for the good of the Empire, but he had reservations
about
killing Rhys.
Kamlad never stood a chance. The speeding torpedo hit the TIE before he could even think about dodging. The blue dart hammered straight through the centre of the TIE, before immolating the remains in a scintillating fireball. Turning to Rhys' fighter, he again activated the comm.
"Rhys, don't make me kill you." He pleaded. "Turn around and you
won't be killed. I will kill you if I have to."
"I know you will." Came
Rhys' soft reply. "You'll do anything for Palpatine's precious Empire." He spat
sarcastically. " That's why I didn't tell you about me and Kamlad's plan. You
cannot convince me. You have been a good friend, but we are now definitely on
different sides. If we both survive this, we may have to fight against each
other. When I am gone, either way, think about the evils of the Empire. Try to
see it the way I do. Good Luck Zeb, whichever side you choose.
Goodbye."
Zeb brought his targeter up over his friend's ship. The HUD
went red, and Zeb could shoot. His finger twitched over the firing button, but
then he hesitated. Did he want to kill Rhys? Yes you do came a thought from the
back of his mind. He is a rebel and a traitor. Kill him. For a few seconds,
Zeb's two minds fought for supremacy, but then he decided. He squeezed the
trigger and sent a torpedo shrieking towards the man who had been his
friend.
Those few seconds of indecision saved Rhys' life. Just as the
torpedo caught up with the Ion trails of his TIE, it elongated and disappeared
into hyperspace. In that split second decision, Rhys had gone from being Zeb's
best friend to being his mortal enemy. As Zeb prepared to complete the mission,
he whispered: "Next time we meet Rhys, I will kill you."
Exiting from hyperspace, Rhys
Cardonn steered the TIE Advanced towards the gentle curves of the Mon Calamari
cruiser ahead of him. As he closed on the cruiser, a Tractor beam locked onto
him. Powering down his engines and weapons, he keyed in his comm.
"Mon Londell, this is Rhys Cardonn, former member of Hunter Squadron. I have become disgusted with Palpatine's foul and immoral government and military. I wish to defect to your starfighter command, if possible. I do not wish to attack you, so if you would let me come aboard peacefully, I can give you something I think you might want: A working TIE Advanced fighter.
Wedge Antilles arrived in the briefing room just in time. The meeting was about to begin. As he looked around, he saw many of the best pilots in the Rebellion. There was Wes Janson, his gunner from the recent battle of Hoth. There was also Derek "Hobbie" Kilvin, another Hoth Veteran, Keyan Farlander, a survivor of the Battle of Yavin, and even Luke Skywalker. Off to the side, he noticed a tall young man dressed in an Imperial TIE pilots uniform, minus the helmet. Princess Leia herself stood up and went over to the holoprojector in the center of the room.
"Gentlemen. And women." She said nodding at the several female pilots who had joined the Alliance. "This is Rhys Cardonn, a former Imperial Pilot. He's defected to the Alliance after he was ordered to destroy civilian transports. And he's brought with him a surprise.
With that, she activated the holoprojector. In front of them appeared a fighter that looked like a TIE Interceptor except it had the dagger shapes coming out the back as well as the front.
"This is the TIE Advanced. It's based on the prototype TIE fighter that Darth Vader flew against so many of our best pilots in the battle of Yavin." There was a moment of silent remembrance, then she continued. "It is the most dangerous Imperial fighter yet, since it is equipped with shields and a Hyperdrive. Our techs are currently working around the clock to find weaknesses in this new design for you to concentrate on. In the meantime, we must keep a sharp eye out for these new models which could doom our cause. I am suggesting that you get to know our Ex-Imperial friend here, as he may have some excellent advice." With that she turned, and left the briefing room, leaving them to chatter excitedly among themselves.