FORSAKEN II - Eternal Dawn

CHAPTER FORTY-NINE

"Get ready. We're going to have company soon," said Syrran after hearing the last attempt from the Hypori's Revenge to contact them.

"Here comes that odious sound," said Elynn, as the screeching of twin ion engines pierced the sky.

"We have two of those TIE strikers coming in fast at six o'clock high." said Jarriss sensing the TIEs. Unlike the usual design of the Imperial starfighters, these ones had two horizontal triangular wings over the cockpit.

"What were those alpha TIEs with the point, rooftop wings?" said Gorin, leaning out the ship's side door.

"TIE strikers," Virra said. "Experimental air superiority fighters specialized for in-atmosphere missions. Looks like the Empire is throwing everything they've got at us."

"I love how you can admire the very things they send to kill us," Quinlan said.

"Good design is good design, Master Vos," Gorin said. "I would be more worried if they hit us and my bomb goes off."

"Then, get rid of that thing," Theleema said.

"Not over a civilian population." Ilum looked down at the buildings below.

The wing commander come up on the comlink, "NN-01 Imperial Enforcement Airspeeder, this is the Imperial Navy. You are ordered to divert to the nearest garrison. Failure to comply will be treated as hostile. This is your only warning. Over."

"What do you say, Jar, ready to give them our answer?" Syrran said.

"Ready when you are." Jarriss powered the airspeeder's cannons.

"This airspeeder can't hope to compete against those fighters," Quinlan said.

Syrran smirked and said, "Master Tiin used to say, 'You work with the advantages you have, not wish for the ones you lack.'" He dove between the industrial buildings and headed for a section with tall cranes and cooling towers.

The TIEs moved into attack position. The four fire-linked laser cannons of the lead starfighter opened up on the fleeing airspeeder. Laser bolts passed close to the craft, blasting the ground below. To avoid getting boxed in, Syrran feigned taking the left path on a fork and turned into the right one instead at the last second. The bottom of the airspeeder scratched the side of a building. The passengers held on as best they could to avoid being tossed around.

"I can't do much if I can't get guns on those TIEs," Jarriss said.

"Get creative," Syrran said.

The TIE strikers curled their wings down to go faster, looping around to make another pass. Wise to the tactic, the Imperial pilots separated and kept a greater distance from the airspeeder to be able to keep on target without having to reposition. Another volley of laser fire rained down on the airspeeder.

"These guys seem to have a brain under those buckets," Syrran said.

With not much room to maneuver, Syrran opened up the throttle to its maximum and flew straight at a large building under construction.

"You're not going to have room to maneuver around it." Theleema leaned against the entrance of the cockpit to keep her balance.

"That's the whole point," Syrran said.

Everyone held their breath as the airspeeder flew right into the building's unfinished floors. The craft cleared the beams and columns by a matter of a few centimeters. A few tools and plastic covers laying around were blown over in the wake. The TIE strikers had to break away on either side of the building at the last moment, preventing a crash. Syrran fired the laser cannon at a crane on the other side of the building.