The New Adventures of Nomi Darklighter

Chapter 92 - The Attack on the First Order Convoy

It didn't take long for the small attack fleet to leave hyperspace. The expected First Order convoy was not yet there.
Nomi clicked three times, which was the signal to keep comm silence until the convoy would re-enter real space. All the pilots had already received their orders for the first part of the attack. So no communication was necessary for the time being.
The commander kept a close eye on the scanner displays. She was sorry she didn't have an X-wing and her astromech Fuzzy available for the attack. But the Aquarius would do. She could feel the anxiety and determination of her pilots in the Force. It was the familiar mix of emotions before a battle.

There was still nothing to be seen, and Nomi wondered if it was just misinformation. But then there was a brief flicker and the convoy re-entered real space one by one.
"Here we go," Nomi murmured quietly, smiling as the ragtag fleet began to take up position.
Whoever was in charge of the First Order convoy seemed unaware of the imminent danger. The convoy moved slowly as the few TIEs flew the usual escort pattern. Just a few more clicks and they would be in firing range. She glanced at her eldest, whose fingers were already hovering over the fire button. There it was. The targeting computer indicated that they had a lock on the first TIE.
The TIE pilot had no time to realize what had hit him, as Nomi deactivated the cloaking device and ordered her son to fire. The Aquarius' lasers relentlessly pummeled the TIE until its shields gave way and it exploded in a fireball.
"Now they know we're here," Nomi broke comm silence.
Another TIE exploded nearby, hit by the Moldy Crow's laser fire. But those were the only ones to fall so easily to the Resistance fighters.
The escorting TIEs split their formation and began their counterattack.

"Stay sharp," said the Jedi Master. "And don't forget that we need the freighters in working order."
"Understood, commander," Salla Zend replied as she steered her ship towards one of the incoming enemy fighters. Her sturdy freighter was not as maneuverable as the TIEs, but what it lacked in maneuverability it made up for in firepower. She attacked at full throttle and began firing. Kyle Katarn followed her and provided cover as her self-appointed wingman.
Nomi saw the TIE's shields flicker, and then they were gone. The enemy pilot tried desperately to escape the deadly laser fire, but it was in vain. The fighter exploded and everyone heard Salla cheer.
Nomi weaved her freighter through the aftermath of the explosion and headed for one of the convoy's transports, followed by some Uglies and Z-95 Headhunters, a fighter model that was more than outdated. But Shug had made sure these fighters were state of the art and a match for the TIEs they were now engaging. They attacked the remaining TIEs at full throttle and followed the enemy pilots' every move.
The Jedi Master sensed the determination of her people and the growing desperation of the First Order pilots in the Force. She smiled. It would soon be over and the convoy would be theirs. Nomi heard the chatter over the comm.
"There's another one. Watch out, Bug 3, you're being tailed."
"I can't see him," came the reply. "Wait... Kark, I can't shake him."
"I'm on it... Almost there. Gotcha!"
The commander breathed a sigh of relief. It seemed to her that this had been a close call when it came to Bug 3.
She had named her ragtag fleet Bug Squadron because they were going to bug the First Order wherever they could. Nomi was glad that everything was going according to plan so far. There were no casualties as far as her squadron was concerned.
After all, there was only one TIE left, and it already had scorch marks on its wings.
"Cease fire," the commander ordered. "Let him go and tell his superiors that the Resistance is still alive."
The Resistance fighters did as ordered and the TIE pilot activated the hyperdrive and made the jump into hyperspace.

The Resistance fighters were already swarming around the transports to prevent them from jumping back into hyperspace as the Bug Squadron freighters approached them.
"Now let's see if the cargo was really worth the effort," Nomi said to her eldest, steering the Aquarius towards the lead transport to dock with it. "We've to expect troops on board. The First Order won't rely on escorts alone, if they're smart."
Her son chuckled as he initiated the docking maneuver.
"They're no match for two Jedi, Mama."
Nomi shook her head.
"Don't get cocky, Junior, it could get you killed."
She checked her blaster, grabbed some gas grenades from a locker and two breathing masks. She tossed one of the masks to her son.
"You're going to need this."
Then she put on the mask and waited for the sound that indicated the Aquarius had docked.
"We're ready to go, commander," Dash Jr. said, rising from his seat to give his mother a sloppy salute.

Then he checked his blaster once more before putting on his own breathing mask. After activating his lightsaber, he went to the hatch and opened it. His mother followed him, holding one of the gas grenades in one hand and the blaster in the other. Dash Jr. cursed under his breath.
"Kark, they've sealed their hatch. This is costing us valuable time."
He didn't hesitate and began to cut a hole in the hatch with his lightsaber while his mother prepared to cover him. She sensed the defenders waiting for them just behind the sealed hatch.
The durasteel slowly melted away, leaving a gap in the hatch. Nomi's eldest jumped to the side and she threw the gas grenade. But instead of the expected cough, there was blaster fire.
Dash Jr. shoved his mother out of the way and deflected the blaster bolts before they could hit.
"Sithspawn, they were prepared for this," he shouted as death screams could be heard as the deflected blaster bolts found their marks.
At the same time, despite the noise of battle, Nomi heard the reports from the other boarding parties, who also reported heavy resistance. The whole raid seemed to be getting out of hand.

But then the defensive fire stopped. The young Jedi reached out with the Force. There were no signs of life on the other side of the hatch.
"All right, commander," he said, squeezing through the gap and carefully entering the transport, followed by his mother.
Nomi looked at the dead bodies and frowned when she saw that they were wearing breathing masks, but there was something else.
"Those aren't First Order uniforms, Dash, look at that symbol on their caps. I've never seen that before."
The young Jedi shrugged, deactivated his lightsaber and walked on.
"Let's see what they have on board."
He opened one of the crates and let out a low whistle.
"More than we expected."
One after the other, reports arrived that the transports were all being boarded.
Nomi raised her comlink and called the boarding parties.
"Toss the bodies out the airlock. We don't have the luxury of burying them properly. After that, take the transports in tow."
Dash Jr. gave his mother a stare, but then he followed her order and carried the dead crew to the airlock. He pressed the button, and the bodies floated into the vacuum of space.
Then they went back into the Aquarius, where they took off their breathing masks.
"Time to go," said the commander, sitting down in the pilot's seat and activating the comm.
"Jump when you're ready. I'll see you at base."
Then she took the captured freighter in tow.

Minutes later, one by one, the Resistance fighters and freighters made the jump into hyperspace, leaving behind the wreckage of the battle that had recently taken place.