Star Wars: Duel of the Fates

Chapter 27

On the bridge Commander D'Arcy halted when a siren started to sound.

"Proximity alarm!" Connix yelled as two Star Destroyers dropped out of light speed and instantly started firing on them.

"They've found us!" Commander D'Arcy said, "Are the deflector shields active?"

Connix checked the readings, "No, Commander."

The cruiser shook as concussion missiles collided with it.

A huge dreadnought appeared, looming over them menacingly.

"Can we fire autocannons?" she asked.

"Not at our current orientation and we can't move with the ion engines still inoperable."

"Get the children into the escape pods. I want them ready to deploy if we have no other option," Commander D'Arcy activated the comlink, "All fighters, the First Order is here. Intercept immediately."

General Hux smiled arrogantly as he looked out from the dreadnoughts viewport, "Excellent, their ship is still crippled. How long before the cannons can be primed?"

"Five minutes, general," the chief petty officer replied.

"They'll try to eradicate our weapons so that we can't fire on their cruiser. Keep us at our current elevation and scramble all fighters," he said stepping forwards, "Notify the Supreme Leader of our arrival."

In the cruiser landing bay, pilots and droids rushed to their ships.

Poe leapt into his X-Wing as BB-8 prepared the engines.

"We all set?" he asked, getting a confirmation bleep, "Then punch it."

He lifted off, shooting forwards and away from the landing bay.

"Ok, everyone," he said, his voice distorted over the com, "This is Black One, are you reading me?"

Replies came in thick and fast.

"Copy, Black Leader," Seftin said.

"Hearing you loud and clear, Poe."

He exhaled sharply, "We need to take out as many of their weapons systems as possible. Blue Squadron take care of the Star Destroyers. We'll deal with the dreadnought. Black Two, Three, Four and Five follow me. I need everyone else to keep close to the cruiser. Your job is to defend it until the repairs are complete."

"Blue Squadron are on it, Black Leader," Snap said.

The Millennium Falcon was poised just in front of the cruiser as Chewie settled himself in the pilot's seat and Finn climbed down into the gun well.

"Ok Chewie," he said after putting on the headset and shifting the controls forward, "Quad laser cannons ready."

The wookiee roared as the TIE fighters came into view.

"I see them," he said, using the targeting screen. He tilted his chair to the side and fired, the red lasers reducing the fighter to flaming shards.

They took a wide path away, drawing five TIEs behind it. Finn shot three of them as they cut beneath two more.

Chewie weaved sharply as Finn took out the remaining fighters with a barrage of laser fire.

One started to careen towards the cruiser. Finn jerked in his chair and shot at it, so that by the time it reached the hull it was scrap metal that harmlessly bounced away.