The TIEs use a standard head-on approach. To Han’s surprise, instead of opening fire at long range, the pilots maneuver to cut off his escape routes. The port side fighter swings high and to the left; the starboard fighter drops low and to the right.
“These guys aren’t your standard TIE pilots,” the smuggler mutters aloud.
“They are aces,” Sodarra says calmly.
“Your don’t say!” Han snaps. The Imperial tactics testify to the pilots’ experience. The comet’s dust – even at a single grain per cubic centimeter – dissipates energy bolts at long range. By concentrating on maneuvering instead of wasting shots, the Imperials force the Corellian to make an unpleasant choice. He can execute only one or two simple maneuvers without challenging the twin suns’ overlapping gravity wells.
“Even shields, Chewbacca! This is going to be tricky.” Han dips the Falcon’s starboard side, presenting the narrowest possible target. “Belly guns, target the portside fighter,” he orders. “Top guns, target the starboard fighter.”
The fighters turn to face the Falcon’s vulnerable flanks, then streak inward like the closing mandibles of a Rigorian crab-ant. “Now!” Han yells. The freighter’s laser cannons blaze and four blue bolts lance toward each Imperial fighter. The TIE cannons flare in the same instant, catching the freighter in a glittering web of crossfire.
The Falcon rocks violently and half-a-dozen damage warning lights flare on Chewbacca’s panel. Han spins his vessel hard to port, hoping to shake the TIEs’ targeting computers. An orange ball of flame that was once the port side TIE greets him.
“We got one!” Han yells.
Chewbacca barks a report.
“Great!” Han growls. “He’s on our tail and the shields are stuck forward. We may as well be a target decoy.” Out of the corner of his eye, the Corellian catches the braided tongues of color of an ionized gas tail.
If Han tries to circle back to face the remaining TIE, Click Here
If Han flees for the ionized gas tail, Click Here