Star Wars: Duel of the Fates

Chapter 62

"Hammerhead Corvettes are beneath the Star Destroyer, Black Leader," Colonel D'Arcy said over the com.

"On my mark," Poe said as he and the others defended them from the passing TIEs, "Now!"

One of the commanders on the bridge of a Hammerhead hung onto the bar above her head with one hand and held a com link in the other.

"Elevate, I want a ninety degree angle when we reach them!" she said, as all four Corvettes lifted up and charged towards the underbelly of the Destroyer, "Locked on target, everyone brace for impact."

The complicated ventral design of the enemy ship drew closer as all four Corvettes rose and hit the Star Destroyer.

"Sublight thrusters at full!" the commander yelled.

The widened head of their ship slid to the side until it found a more secure purchase in a seam between two bulkheads, and the bright orange of their engines exhaust burst out behind them. At first nothing seemed to happen as the Corvettes strained and struggled but after a few moments, the Destroyer started to rise.

Far above in the command tower, General Pryde and the First Order officers were nearly knocked over by the enormous jolt.

"What the hell is happening?" Pryde demanded.

"We're moving upwards," a petty officer said as she looked at her readout screen.

"They're trying to use us to take out the ship over us," Pryde said, "Get our reverse engines on now."

Higher and higher the Star Destroyer rose.

"Why aren't we moving backwards?" he snapped.

"Reverse engines are at maximum power," the petty officer replied.

"Contact the Star Destroyer above and get them out of the way. They can go to lightspeed if necessary," Pryde said, nodding, "And get all of our TIE fighters underneath this ship now! I want whatever is doing this destroyed."

"Yes, sir."

There was a pause and Pryde looked up nervously as the Destroyer overhead got closer and closer.

"Why haven't they moved?" he said, his voice strained.

"They're manoeuvring as fast as they can, but there are ships in front of them so they can't go to hyperspace."

Another sudden tremour passed along the bridge and Pryde caught himself on a nearby counter.

Closer and closer they got until the entire command tower crashed into the other vessel. It shuddered and crumbled into endless shards of metal.

A series of explosions triggered throughout both Destroyers as the Corvettes disengaged and flew back to view their handiwork.

"Woo!" Poe cheered as he blew up a TIE, "Let's try that again!"

"There are a lot of them in the way!" Snap shouted.

"Defend the Hammerheads!" Poe said as he circled around.

"On it, Black Leader," Aftab said, yanking his Y-Wing back towards them.

A TIE bomber snaked between two A-Wings and showered the furthest Corvette with laser fire and it blew up.

Snap twisted his X-Wing away and took out the bomber from below.

He was about to bank back towards Poe when a TIE appeared, shadowing his every move.

"I've got company!" he said, weaving erratically.

"I'm coming to you," Zorii said turning her ship.

Snap dipped, trying to stay out of the TIEs weapons range but was pelted with laser bolts. One took out his astromech. He tried to steer away but the TIE managed to hit both of his thrust engines which ruptured into a large flash of fire.

"Snap!" Poe yelled, staring at the wreckage in horror.

"...Black leader, what do we do?" Aftab asked him.

He took a shaky breath in, "Protect the Hammerheads and we do this again."

"Copy that."