Star Wars: Claw Squadron

Chapter 1 The Simulation

Commander Dax Kardik pulled out of a loop and surveyed the battlezone. Over two-dozen TIE Interceptors had quickly swarmed the Thirteen E-wings of Claw Squadron. He banked his B-wing out of the course two Interceptor's fire and still barely missed being struck by their lasers.

"Claws, make sure that the squints stay away from Eleven and Twelve," Colonel Jonah Priegel ordered. He used the nickname 'squint' for the TIE Interceptor, because they had a narrower profile compared to the TIE Fighter, 'eyeball.' Jonah was the resourceful leader of Claw Squadron.

"This is Three, I got a problem and could use some help," Klev, Claw Three, usually did not get in trouble unless it was serious.

"Claw Wing coming to assist," Dax charged back into the fray to help Klev.

"Claw Six inbound," Zech Scardin, the young Shistavanen pilot, destroyed one of the squints angling towards Klev. Then Zech inverted and banked away as the wingman attempted to enact revenge.

Almost all of Claw Squadron was battling out with TIE Interceptors, only Claws Eleven and Twelve weren't fighting the TIEs directly because they were assigned to take out the space station with their ordinance of Proton Bombs.

"Eleven, got a lock and firing," Gideon Priegel unloaded two of his four bombs into the central control and communications tower that was in the center of the three docking platforms that protruded out of the station.

"Twelve, two loose," Edward 'Eddie' Ocequeda's cool voice came over the comm. as he let two of his own bombs fly towards one of the three docking platforms. The station opened fire on the two agile E-wings. One turbolaser nearly clipped Gideon but he performed a corkscrew Koiogran-turn and was able to avoid the barrage. One laser blast took out one of the bombs but the others struck their targets with brilliant effects. Even though the station's shields held for the first two bombs, the second pair overloaded the shields. Explosions rocked the station.

"The station's shields are down," Mit Setay in Claw Seven strafed the unprotected station. Dax finally found Claw Three and the two TIEs that were following his every move while slowly nibbling at his shields. He let loose a triple barrage that drilled through the cockpit of one of the Interceptors turning it into a fireball, the other one broke off its attack on Klev to deal with Dax.

Dax tied his ion cannons to his lasers and opened fire at the squint as it started to come head-to-head. Two shots hit the port pylon and three others hit the pylon connector severing it. The fighter went into a death spin towards the nearby planet. Then green laser fire flashed all around him. He glanced back and saw that three squints had closed on him while he was occupied with their suicidal friend.

"Not so easy after all," Dax dived down towards the station and banked hard to the right to try to avoid the TIEs but they were more maneuverable and were able to keep up with him while still firing on him. Then he put all engine power in reverse and swung to the right and the three unsuspecting pilots zoomed past him. He fired as quickly as he could into their formation and was able to take out one when the shots battered the cockpit till it finally exploded sending the two pylons in opposite directions. He clipped another with his barrage as he pulled back towards the space station. The remaining two came back behind his aft by doing their own Koiogran turns. Instead of trying to dodge their lasers he slowed down and then launched one of his enemy seeking flares at the one that was already damaged, when it hit it overloaded already damaged systems. The squint exploded spectacularly and forced his comrade to bank to port to avoid the flaming debris.

"This is Twelve, me and Eleven just finished off the station," Eddie declared. The station was breaking up as interior explosions ripped it apart. One docking platform already separated from the main hub and drifted slowly towards the planet it orbited.