The starfighter carrier was a large sleek trianglular shaped ship with a row of hangar bays at the back, and it's those hangars that First Order TIE fighters screeched out of, like banshees heralding the death of any pirate foolish enough to get in their way.
However, they did not face foolish pirates, but foolish New Republic pilots - with a secret weapon.
'Nest,' said Luna over the comm, eyeing her radar sensor nervously, 'we're going to need more than one flight to deal with these fighters.'
'Get in close to those cargo haulers,' replied Face. 'Use their bulk as shields. I'm on my way.'
'You heard him, 2 Flight,' said Luna, adjusting her trajectory to aim for the cargo ships. 'Increase your speed, we need to get there first.'
The others acknowledged her order and they soared through space. The cannons on the cargo freighters blazed around them, but it was easy enough to avoid them. Someone on the lead ship must have realised that their light cannons and the threat of the approaching TIE fighters weren't dissuading these Nexu squadron, and decided to turn their ship around. Perfect, Luna thought. This cargo ship had no aft cannons, and as 2 Flight reached the ship, as it turned, the larger profile meant that they could hide more easily. 'Hug the hull tight,' she ordered her wingmates. 'Break and attack on my mark.'
They were too close for the laser cannons on the freighter to target them effectively, and the ship protected them from the TIE fighters' sensors - but that also meant that Nexu squadron couldn't see them, either, so Luna could only guess at how long it would for them to reach.
Fortunately, she had back up.
'I see you, 5,' said Face. Luna checked her radar and saw 1 Flight pop up on it, still too far away to provide any firepower to the fight, but close enough to provide another form of help. 'You've got five seconds before they're on you.'
'Thanks, One.' Luna counted in her head, and on three, ordered the attack.
'Hit them hard and fast,' she said, even as her own starfighter crested the top of the freighter, her cannons letting out a deadly hail of fire. The incoming Squadron of TIEs knew they were there so it wasn't a true suprise, but Nexu squadron still had the edge here, and they took full advantage. Luna didn't even really need to aim properly to hit her marks, it was as easy as pointing and shooting, waiting for the fireballs to tell her that she had scored hits.
The TIEs broke in disarray, and the Nexus persued them relentlessly. There was no call for fancy flying, just pure speed and aggression. Overwhelm the enemy, don't let them think, don't let them calculate the odds, don't allow them time to figure out that they have numerical superiority. Just get in there, and kill them.
And that is exactly what they did. And soon, as One and Three Flight joined the melee, the wreckage of twelve TIEs floated between the two freighters. Nexu squadron flew about the two larger ships, harrying them, darting in with little jabs as if they were Eaduan midges, taking bites out of their prey, wearing them down, punching holes in their hull, tearing up their cannons so they were defenceless.
That is, until the First Order carrier sent two full squadrons after them.
'Nice,' said Face over the comm. 'This is where the fun begins.'
'After this is done,' said Ka'iulani, 'we're going to have to have a talk about how you define "fun".'
Luna had to agree. She knew she was good. She trusted her fellow pilots to do their job well. Even still. 2 to 1 odds were never a welcome calculation.
'Nest,' said Face over the comm. 'Time to make your run.'
'Yessah!' said Tarrik. As the first TIEs started to reach them, Luna just had time to watch Nexu's Nest rocket through space.
Rana Madak squealed in delight. 'Yeeehaaaaaw! Watch my baby go!'
Garan Madak moaned in despair. 'Oh no, watch my baby go.'
'Eyes on the prize, you two,' Vix gently reminded them.
'Yes, sir,'
'Sorry, sir.'
And then there was no time for casual talk as the rest of the TIEs descended upon them. They hadn't the luxury of hiding this time so it was purely a test of skill. Good thing they had two secret weapons: Cora, and knowledge of what was coming next.
Together, Luna and Cora danced through the TIEs, the two in perfect harmony as they destroyed any pilot who dared get in their way. Ecstacy swelled within Luna's breast with each kill. Is this what the Force feels like? she thought to herself. She had never felt such happiness before, and it took her aback, even as she revelled in the unique pleasure of not just doing the thing better than she ever had before, but doing it with someone she loved.
'I'm in range,' said Tarrik, breaking into her thoughts. 'Everyone clear the area.'
That wasn't too hard. The freighters were desperately trying to flee and the battle had stayed with them, drawing the fighters further and further away from the carrier. She brought her X-Defender around so that she could watch what happened next.
She watched as Nexu's Nest flew directly over the carrier, withstanding the barrage of the carrier's own heavy armament.
She watched as it opened the cargo bay doors on its underside.
She watched as several white objects, barely large enough to see at this range, were sucked out by the vacuum of space.
She watched as they floated down towards the hull of the carrier, even as the Nest sped off, trying to get out of range.
She watched as those little objects - Ion torpedoes, rigged to work as proximity mines - exploded in a brilliant flash of blue and white, tendrils of electricity crawled over the hull of the carrier, and then, as if someone had flicked a switch, it all went out. All of it, every light, all the engines, all the force fields protecting the hangars from the dangars of space. All of it. The carrier drifted along, dead in space.
And then she watched the TIEs break and flee in panic.
And then the true slaughter began.
