| abstract
| - Selene Day was nearing its conclusion. Tonight was one of the last events, a space battle - friendly, of course - held over the Imperial capital and observed by Grand Admiral Kreldin and other Imperial military personnel. Several starfighters flew around a specific area of space set aside for the battle - the contestants in the tournament, patiently awaiting the initiation of the tournament, and the battle. Mostly TIE Interceptors, other assortment of starfighters could also be seen - such as a Z-96. It would be a simple tournament. Once the green light started, the pilots would just go at it - and who ever came out on top was the victor, naturally, and declared championship. Wasn't too much to it - just like any other dogfight, only no one was going to die. Kreldin himself is sitting aboard a viewing room on the Malevolence, watching as the starfighters assemble and the clock ticks down to the start off. The space over Selene makes for a picturesque back drop for tonight’s event. Leaning back in her shock-couch, Jal'Dana punches in a few codes and marks each one of the other fighters. A mixed battle royal, this should prove to be good training really as each ship pilot is going to have different tactics and specs. For her, the most important thing in her fighter will be speed. The TIE interceptor Mark II had some shields, an improvement over the first production model, but still the dagger shaped fighter relied on quickness, and its four laser cannons. All that is needed now is the green light to go, and she'd mark her first target. Cruising in a crimson Z-100 Centurion, Adam Shadow scans over the targets being marked on his threat computer. Turning on his internal com, he addresses the yellow and green R3 unit socketed behind his cockpit. "Clicker, start marking targets, put a priority on the slower ones, then we'll work our way to the squints. Unless one decides it wants to play first." Receiving a confirming beep in his head-set, he starts feathering his wings, firing the maneuvering thrusters. As he's doing this, he cracks the vertebra in his neck to loosen them up, mentally preparing for the lightning reactions necessary in a major dog-fight. Cracking his fingers as he sat in his TIE mk II. He had purposely positioned himself nearer to Rall's fighter, maybe he could stay alive long enough, by staying away from her as long as he could. He brought up his tactical display and checked over the other fighters in the battle.. "This is going to be a bit different from a real battle.." he said to himself. Hopefully he'd do a bit better then last time. He checked over his systems one last time. "Ready." With all the fighters participating in the battle, apparently, having assembled at their starting positions, the radio bursts to life as a public official from Selene sends his voice to both the spectators and competitors alike. Doubtlessly, elsewhere, his face is being broadcast over the news networks, and all over the holonet in general. "We are gathered here to day to celebrate the rebirth of our glorious capital in a tribute to the very means by which it was created. This new, powerful Selene has been built from the ashes of conflict, and so too must we fight to preserve its legacy." Clicker blats a warning to Shadow just as his ship is lit up with a full spread burst of green energy. Enough of the blasts hit to blow his shields, and Shadow cringes as he banks hard. Hollering "Find that ship, Clicker! Then fix those shields!" Shadow throws the throttle forward and angles directly into the direction from which the shots came from. The small droid dutifully marks the offending vessel on the threat display and HUD, a white TIE Interceptor that his sensors show has shields. "Hmmm, an Mk II." the pilot mumbles to himself as he lines up a shot on the charging ship. "Let's see just how more durable those things are, eh Clicker." With that he squeezes a full spread burst of his own from the chin and wing-tip cannons. Red lances of light flash across space between the two vessels. Pausing for a moment, doubtlessly for an applause that takes over on both mediums, the man soon continues. "While none will die today, make no mistake, those gathered in the vastness of space outside fight with the same fervor seen by the pilots just before the burning began. Their reasons may be different, but make no mistake, this brief set of moments will make or break their hope at fame, fortune, and perhaps, the better life we all aspire to." Turning toward the window that faces the battle, the speaker adds, directly to the pilots; "You may begin!" That command was all that Jal'Dana had been waiting for, pressing hand down on with her right foot, she swings the TIE in a sharp arc. The woman had pick her target was soon as each of the pilots were announced, and that Red Z-100 was going to be first. She had never flown against one before, but it was a tough bird, Jal'Dana's own TIE raced towards the fighter, the move wasn't meant to be sneaky, or overly slick. The white colored TIE she flew stood out, and she knew it. Jal'Dana wanted to engage quickly, before someone else selected her as the prey. Viper I closed the distance with extreme speed, the four tips of the solar panels flashing green as she fired the first set of shot, all cannons linked. Clicker bleats a warning to Shadow just as his ship is lit up with a full spread burst of green energy. Enough of the blasts hit to blow his shields, and Shadow cringes as he banks hard. Hollering "Find that ship, Clicker! Then fix those shields!" Shadow throws the throttle forward and angles directly into the direction from which the shots came from. The small droid dutifully marks the offending vessel on the threat display and HUD, a white TIE Interceptor that his sensors show has shields. "Hmmm, an Mk II." the pilot mumbles to himself as he lines up a shot on the charging ship. "Let's see just how more durable those things are, eh Clicker." With that he squeezes a full spread burst of his own from the chin and wing-tip cannons. Red lances of light flash across space between the two vessels. Wolf slams his TIE into a high speed, going straight for a few of the easier targets. He had decided to free up the field of the desperate ones, hoping to get a lucky shot in and gain the winnings. He flew straight toward an X-Wing class fighter, he smirked. 'Shouldn't have brought that stick to a gun fight..' he thought, opening up on the poor X-Wing. His shot's brought down his shields, and the cockpit lit up with fire, effectively killing the pilot easily. The fighter ripped in half just in time for Wolf's TIE to sail right between the debris. He smirked again as he saw the pilot floating out in space, "Maybe he should have thought quicker." he said to himself, lining up another pathetic pilot. Flying always was the ultimate rush for the woman piloting the white TIE interceptor, but this was different. It wasn't about death, just life and the rush of flying as a sport. Yet, no smile breaks the tight line Jal'Dana's lips form as she rolls her TIE over and arcs up, giving the pilot of the Z-100 a view of the underside of the fighter, she didn't need to see his shields flicker, the HUD told her all she needed, and just as quickly, the HUD told her she had in coming shots. Red lasers flew harmlessly wide, the fire was just a reaction she though. The pilot not really aiming. "Got him off guard..." Ja'Dana says to herself. Shifting hard on the controls, Jal'Dana takes a position on one the side of her target, the Z-100 is flying an intersect course, and Viper I sets up a strafing run, just as she sends off a staggered set of fire, two form the lower lasers then two from the upper, she sees the target fighter's shields flash blue, the R2 got them up. "I hate those things" she says...passing over the z-100 Wolf targeted another pathetic life form. He checked his computer for the pilot and transponder codes for the MKII TIE Interceptor he was trailing. An alien flying a MKII Interceptor? Unforgivable! He targeted the pilot's Shield generator and fired a volley. The shots Impacted against the Alien's shields and brought them down. The Alien, realizing Wolf was on his tail began defensive maneuvers. Finding it slightly harder to target the Alien, he aimed for the Supporting strut connecting the TIE's pod to one of its wings. In a matter of moments, the amount of fighters present are greatly reduced, with most bailing out or fleeing the scene before anything bad can happen. Naturally, there are a few 'accidents', but whether or not this is against whatever vague rules exist for the battle royal, nobody has intervened as of yet. And somehow, despite the sheer rate at which this is happening, a bit of commentary is offered for each. "And there goes another one, loyal citizens, who has chosen life rather than persistence. If only our enemies would be so willing to submit!" Naturally, a picture of Shadow's Z-100 is visible on the screen for a brief moment as this is said. But by some measure of respect or expediency, the man is not mentioned by name, or in detail. Passing over the Centurion in her TIE, Jal'Dana never watches to see if her shots find the mark. She knows that if she eyeball's it she'll forget to fly and leave herself open to a hit of her own. The TIE pilot does however lean forward in her shock-coach to see if the path under her is clear, the large view ports in the TIE making such moves easy, and giving her a better feel for the action. The Combat Display rings in her ears, and Jal'Dana move to Top the fire headed her way. The lasers pass under the left solar panel, and that is the direction she turns the fighter. Finding her favorite Z-100, the HUD shows that little R2 didn't get the shields up this time, and just easing back her index finger in succession, she peppers the fighter with shots in order clockwise. Each tip of the Solar panel glowing green with laser fire. Shot 1 shot 2 shot 3 shot 4. As his ship is once again rocked by blasts from the TIE, warning sirens sound throughout his ship before being choked out as the ship's primary generator goes down and his engine and combat systems expire. The shrill squealing from his astromech is mercifully cut off as the ships systems die, excepting emergency life-support. Patching a bit of that over to com, he cringes as the R3 behind him begins a long exposition on the shortcomings of his piloting today. Cutting the tiny green and yellow droid off, he says "Clicker, please start repairs so we can limp back to dock and get this thing repaired. And keep a copy of the sensor log, I'll want to review this fight." He cuts off the com and watches the white squint bank away. Slamming his left fist on the control panel he growls "Damnit." Before sealing up his flight suit and preparing for EVA repair operations. Wolf's lasers hit its target, blowing the wing off the Alien's ship, sending the ship spinning away. 'That'll teach you for using a noble Imperial War Machine.' he said, staring as it flew away. He brought up his display once again, showing a list of combatants as it decreases. He looked for Rall's fighter, wondering how she was doing. Locating it he looked out of the Viewport, bringing his fighter to bear on the small battle happening with the white TIE. He circled round, watching as his wingman picked on the Crimson ship. As the Crimson ship was obviously now dead in space.. Wolf grunted, he wasn't surprised she had pulled him apart like a little kid with a daddy long legs. "And the Z-100 is out, there's no way his droid can pull him back from this," the man continues, as the number goes from just three, down to just a single pair, doubtlessly to be locked into combat. Pictures of the fighters fill screens on thousands of Imperial terminals around the galaxy, but particularly so on Selene. "There are only two left now, both Imperials, both with their own reasons to fight. Only one can end in victory, however, in spirit of the terrible cost that our brothers faced when pitted against still more of our brothers." Truly, as many at their homes start to wonder, can there be anything more symbolic? The staggered shots work, and each one finds its mark scoring the hull of the Z-100 and damaging the engines past repair. The While TIE does a fly by and rolls over allowing Jal'Dana to make sure the pilot is in one piece. She knows killing is a part of war, but war this is not. She wouldn't have minded taking out that Astromech though. She always did feel the little droids were like cheating. Checking the HUD she finds only one other ship remains, a TIE Mark 2 as well. Tapping the HUD, it gives the ships transponder, and a faint smile does part her lips. "Wolf...." She should have known her ex wingman would still be kicking around. Well, it was time to see what the wiz kid had in mind. Keying up the ship to ship, "Been waiting me I see" Not really waiting for him to answer, Jal'Dana kicks Viper I into high gear. Simple ticks are not going to work with Wolf, he's watched her fly for too long. So, she tires the next best thing. No trick...just a head on run, linking fire she sends off four blasts, forming one bright green line of fire towards the other TIE. Wolf knew her very well, and when she just outright attacked him, he was surprised. Rolling slightly to send the shots passed him, rather than to hit his shields. She was good, but he'd learnt a lot from her and it was his turn. "I was, I thought I'd but out of your little one sided fight." he said over the Ship to Ship. He brought his TIE back around, coming from above. He let his cannons rip, linking all four together. With her first shots going wide Jal'Dana can't help but smile and take a little credit for him knowing her moves, and just as she expected Wolf wastes no time in answering with his own volley. Her white TIE dancing around with this black painted one. This is less about the money and more about bragging rights at this point. Wolf will never let her live it down if he wins this. Though 60K is a nice sum. "Now now" she radios to Wolf, leaving her mike open for inter-ship comms. 'I'm sure you were just pacing yourself' and as her own Tie twists around his shots, she reverses thrust, and spins the TIE back around letting Wolf's cross her again fully linked fire. Wolf was hit, He laughed a bit.. He knew she would get him and decided to call it there. "Rall, I'll call it there. There is no way I'm coming out of this a winner." he said, bringing his fighter back to a controlled cruise. "I'll be happy with second place." he grinned, looking out his viewport at her. He didn't care if he lost to her, she was an awesome pilot and knew he wouldn't be able to match. She was on his side after all, he'd rather fly with her then against her. Clearly the battle is not one of sport such as would be the case in the CSA, for in a display of ruthless efficiency, the dogfight ends in under a minute, leaving Major Rall the victor. "A spectacular woman, to be sure, and one that the New Order can be proud to call its own!," goes one part of a rather lengthy dialogue regarding just what she did - that is, without actually describing how she managed to do it. Because while many things will make for a proper media broadcast, a technical commentary in this case will not suffice. Around the field of battle, numerous support ships move in to secure disabled ships, with a particular attention paid to those starfighters that carry wounded pilots aboard. "Our hearts go out to those who participated in the skirmish tonight, for regardless of your reasons, and what you have come out of this with, you help to honor the victory that the New Order had, what seems like only yesterday, at war with elements that would lead us down a path of corruption and waste." If only the man knew the hypocrisy in his own words, perhaps he would even have a conscience. But as things are, it is enough that the 'battle' is at an end.
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