Jedi’s Honor – 25

“Shield power forward!” Luke orders, dropping into a tight outside loop. He ends the maneuver facing three TIEs. He is targeting on the Imperial pilots before they can realize what he has done.

As the Imperials split, Luke fires. The X-wing’s first shots fall behind the TIE he is targeting, dissipating harmless into space. Luke increases his speed and pulls the nose up, then fires again. By the time the energy bolts leap from his laser cannons, he has closed the 100 meters. He can see the Imperial pilot jerking his controls to port to avoid colliding with the X-wing.

Then the TIE dissolves into a ball of flame and glittering shards. The pilot simply ceases to exist.

Two shots streak across the X-wing’s nose from opposite directions, reminding Luke he can meet a similar fate just as quickly. One of the remaining TIEs approaches on each flank, catching Luke’s X-wing in a deadly crossfire. He responds immediately, climbing into a high, spiraling loop toward the TIE on the starboard side.

For a brief moment, the Imperials hang over his cockpit, upside down and far apart. They both fire, sending streaks of energy toward Luke’s canopy. The phototropic transparisteel darkens, shielding his eyes from the effects of two shield hits directly overhead. Luke utters a silent thank-you to the inventor of the phototropic canopy; without it, the brilliant flashes would have blinded him – perhaps permanently.

The starfighter lurches as if a meteor struck it. The canopy becomes transparent an instant later, revealing the fading clouds of the shield hits not ten meters overhead. Artoo chirps and Luke drops his attention to his instruments. The hits vaporized the radio antenna, but they suffered no other damage.

However, the starboard TIE now has a secure lock on his tail, mercifully at long range. Even if he hits again, the shot will have little impact on Luke’s shields. Luke has the other TIE almost directly in his sights. He fires without targeting, sending a stream of energy bolts just to the front and starboard of the worried Imperial.

The TIE pilot rolls to port, bringing him into Luke’s targeting cone. Luke activates the computer and immediately locks onto the TIE. For nearly a second, he follows the Imperial to secure the lock. Finally, he triggers his weapons. All four laser cannons touch the TIE with blue streaks. It dissolves into a blackish orange smear.

A long series of bolts streaks past the canopy, giving Luke no time to gloat. While Luke finished off his target, his pursuer closed the distance separating their two fighters. He is now positioned securely at medium range in Luke’s vulnerable tail-cone.

Fortunately for Luke, Gideon has finally caught up with the battle. His squarish-craft approaches from Luke’s starboard. The scow appears no larger than his thumbnail, but Luke can quickly drag the dogfight into Gideon’s range.

He banks toward the scow, careful to keep his X-wing between Gideon and the TIE. With luck, the TIE pilot is concentrating so intently upon hammering Luke’s tail that he isn’t watching his flight computer. If Luke can just block the TIE’s view of the Rockcan, the Imperial pilot might find a big surprise awaiting him at the end of this run.

For two seconds, Luke makes short, quick dodges designed to hide Gideon’s presence. The TIE hits Luke’s shields time after time, prompting Artoo to flash a series of disturbing warnings across the vidscreen. Luke ignores the warnings and flies a fairly straight pattern, drawing the Imperial pilot ever closer to Gideon. He can only hope Gideon has guessed his plan – and will not miss this time.

A fireball erupts atop the cockpit and the X-wing lurches. A shudder rumbles up from the drives and Luke decelerates. Every instrument on the panel falls blank and even the life support system fails.

“Artoo?” Luke calls.

No answer comes. Another firecloud opens, thankfully too far ahead to affect anything. The X-wing’s sudden deceleration took the TIE by surprise. The next shot will not miss.

“Artoo-Detoo!” Luke yells, his voice betraying his desperation.

Artoo warbles pitifully. Life slowly returns to the cockpit instruments, and an apologetic note appears on the vidscreen.

“Forget it,” Luke says. “Everybody gets shaken up once in a while. Just get those repulsor drives fired up again.”

By the time Luke finishes his request, the X-wing’s tail is already aflame with energy. Luke pushes the control stick forward and dives for cover beneath Gideon’s scow.

As the X-wing drops, the scow’s turbo-laser battery energizes, the cannon tips glowing red with impending destruction. Though he cannot see the Imperial’s face, Luke can imagine his surprise at finding himself face-to-face with a set of asteroid blasters.

The scow fires and the emptiness behind Luke erupts into a hurricane of blazing clouds. The storm is still expanding when Luke brings his fighter around. Did the blast catch the TIE?

For a full second, he waits for the explosion to die away. Nothing comes out. But the Imperial pilot might be waiting on the other side of the tempest, prepared to spring forward and assault Luke again.

When the fireballs dissipate, Luke sees no sign of the TIE. Luke brings his X-wing abreats of the scow’s cockpit. Behind the controls, Gideon sits with a broad grin splitting his beard from ear to ear. Sidney slumps in the co-pilot’s seat, his ears pressed flat against his head and his muzzle crumpled into a mask of horror and guilt. He cannot seem to bring himself to meet Luke’s gaze.

Gideon lifts his hand in a thumbs-up sign, then points to the Tredway asteroid. At first, Luke cannot see the assault shuttle. He finally notices a firepoint settling next to the disc of lights dear the asteroid’s center. He nods, then accelerates toward the shuttled.

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