The Battle of Eribria Prime (Lightning Squadron)

The mighty Lightning Squadron, a proud and dedicated squadron, serving the command of the Intruder Wing. Twelve members were in Lightning at the time of the Battle of Eribria Prime:

Nickname: "The Thunder Gods"

Motto: "Fifty Million Watts of Pure Rage"

Narm was sitting at the edge of his bunk when the klaxons began blaring all over the ship. "What the hell? Uh-oh." Narm swore, a worried look came over his face. "They’re here, no." Narm knew what was going on. That was the only way they would send them on full alert like this.

"All pilots immediately report to the main briefing room. This is not a drill. All pilots immediately report to the main briefing room. All hands report to battle stations, I repeat, all hands report to battle stations. This is not a drill." The voices on the blaring loudspeakers, warning of impending doom.

Narm wasted no time. He slammed his datapad into a pocket, and ran to get his few essentials. He opened his footlocker, and grabbed his MoAK, a Stormtrooper breastplate, his standard weaponry, and his coveted DLT-20A from its resting place in the corner. "Goodbye." Narm whispered as he grabbed his money and ran out of the room.

"I repeat all pilots report to the main briefing room immediately, this is not a drill."

On his way down the corridor, Narm ran into Slt. Doe.

"Hey Narm, what’s going on?" He looked stunned, and half asleep.

"Get to the briefing room."

"Did you join the POD Narm?"

"No, get to the briefing room. I think we’re under attack."

"No, I’m coming with you." Doe started running down the hall, outpacing Narm. They both had to dodge a flurry of unsure personnel, and people rushing to get into position. He eventually reached the briefing room, Doe had gotten there ahead of him. Narm walked in, and sat with the Lightning members, finding a seat next to Master. Narm then began listening to the officer speaking.

"-squads will be here. As for Lightning, they will be in position around the Darkstar. You will be assisted by the Supplement and Anti-Attack ships. We believe this to be a large scale attack, and expect heavy fighter cover for the enemy forces."

Narm noticed Hippie and the other squadron commanders up front.

Master began whispering. "Narm, I have a bad feeling about all this… Narm. Why are you caring the blaster rifle?"

"I found a way to stuff it in my fighter."

"What the, we’re going out on a combat mission. Why are you taking all that stuff?"

"There like good luck charms."

The commander holding the briefing continued on. "You will not engage unt---" He turned around listening to the messenger. "Okay people, suit up, and make the Intruder Wing proud." Before he finished many of the pilots had begun moving toward the ready rooms. Narm made his way to the lockers and grabbed his flight suit, and equipment. He quickly put on his flight suit and headed toward his fighter. The bay was full of activity. Narm climbed into his fighter, after securing his equipment into positions where they wouldn’t get into the way.

"All fighters, prepare to launch."

Narm secured his helmet, and turned his suit on. "Looks like it’s all or nothing." Narm whispered to himself.

"Launch!"

* * *

Major Hippie was soon launched out of the MC-120 into the quietness of space. That is, what was quiet a few minutes ago. Hippie could see two Star Destroyer’s, but the makeshift briefing they had been given suggest more, much more. Soon his starfighter was telling him that the Star Destroyer was launching ships. "Looks like the Destroyer is launching some shuttles, on a escape vector." Hippie thought about it for a minute. "Alright, I'll go check it out, the rest of you stay here, except you Deepthroat, follow up behind me and let's head in." Hippie and Deepthroat began on a course to put them against the shuttles. As they were nearing in, however, Hippie noticed that the shuttles weren't maneuvering, weren't turning. It was almost like there was no one in there. A thought suddenly occurred to Hippie. "Pull off, immediately, NOW!" Hippie pulled off just as 4 Modified Frigates came flying in, guns firing, along with squadrons of E-Wings and A-Wings. Deepthroat wasn't so lucky and got fired down almost immediately. *

* * *

"Looks like the Destroyer is launching some shuttles, on a escape vector. Alright, I'll go check it out, the rest of you stay here, except you Deepthroat, follow up behind me and let's head in." Hippie came in over the comm.

"Hey Master." Narm called on a direct channel.

"Yeah Narm." Master responded.

"Why is Hippie taking Deepthroat with him? I should be on his wing. I don’t doubt Deepthroat. But I should be there."

"Maybe he’ll take you on his next run. From the briefing that you mostly missed, it sounded like there was going to be a lot more."

"Yeah, it’s scary we’re being hit on our own ground. Outside the atmosphere of our last planet."

"Don’t be so blue Narm, sheesh, you act like we’re all dead." A new voice broke the silence.

"Doe, what did I tell you about tapping into everyone’s private Comm channels."

"Hmmm. Don’t?" He responded.

"Come over hear and I’ll use you as a practice dummy." Master said.

Then they heard Hippie scream through the comm. "Pull off, immediately, NOW!"

"What’s going on Hippie?" Deepthroat asked.

"Don’t question, pull up!" Hippie yelled back.

"Aaaaah---" Deepthroat screamed, but it was cut short by the explosion.

"What the hell!" Narm looked at screens and immediately saw the peril. "Oh no."

"We all see it Narm." Master said.

Narm switched to the main squadron channel. "What’s going on. We’re getting assaulted." Narm thought for a moment. "Hippie, aren’t we going to engage?"

Hippie took his place at the head of the squadron. "Narm this is the order being relayed from command. All ships are

to continue patrol around the Darkstar. That answer your question?"

"Hippie, excuse me for asking, but those fighters are getting close, shouldn’t we do something?" Ens. Antilles asked.

"We’re going with whatever command says. Final." Hippie stated, his voice sounding determined. "And command says engage!" Immediately the flights broke off, and moved to intercept the approaching fighters. "Try to get them before they get too close." Hippie, could tell that this was going to be a long, and painful battle. He was already feeling bad about leading Deepthroat to his death. No, he couldn’t afford to dwell on that. Especially with an e-wing tat close. Hippie, skillfully maneuvered his ship behind the E-wing. The brackets on his Tie Interceptor turned green. "Time to fry." As he began firing the E-wing in front of him completely vaporized, as it was hit by a turbolaser blast. "That was going to be my kill."

"I know, I saw it." Narm said.

Hippie rolled to port, using his sensors to guide him to the nearest enemy fire. He finally got visual, it was an A-wing, trying to make a strafing run on the Darkstar. "Eat this!" Hippie’s brackets turned green, and he poured fire onto the Republic fighter. Its shields absorbed a few hits, but Hippie was soon rewarded with a brilliant explosion. "That’s another kill!"

* * *

Ens. Antilles carefully lined up the E-wing in his brackets. It juked to the left, but Antilles stayed with it. He began firing, and watched the E-wings shield light up absorbing the laser fire. "Damn." Antilles cursed as the E-wing rolled to starboard, and tried to do a reversal. "I’ve got you now." His targeting brackets turned green, and he fired. The E-wing took more fire than its shields could handle. Ens. Antilles shots hit the fuselage, and the E-wing exploded. "Yeah, five kills. I’m an ace!" Antilles cried out with joy.

"Don’t get distracted. The battle is still going on." Brittania scolded.

"Don’t worry, they’ll never get m---" Antilles was cut off mid-sentence as a blast from an A-wing shook his Interceptor. "I’ve got one on my tail." Antilles tried juking, and rolling, but the A-wing wouldn’t give up.

"I’m on my way, just hold on." Brittania said reasuringly.

"Thanks. I’m no---" Another blast rocked his ship. "Shields are down, overloaded. I need help."

"Hold on Antilles."

A blast hit Antilles fighter, hitting it in the port solar panel, tearing it off. "I… died… an… ace---" were the last words Ens. Antilles uttered before his ship disintegrated.

"Damn it!" Brittania, angered by the loss of his flight member vehemently attacked the A-wing. Pouring laser fire into it. "Die!" Eventually the shields broke under the strain, and Brittania’s fire was hitting the actual structure of the A-wing. He saw one blast hit it directly into the cockpit. Done with that one, he moved on to the next offending sensor dot.

* * *

Master had just slipped behind another E-wing, and was about to open fire. So far this battle had not been that much different from any other, but that changed soon. Master opened fire, and watched his lasers lance forth, and hit the enemy fighter. The shields seemed to be weakening, this was good. Then Master was in complete shock. His brain processed all of the information, but he was left lost, a Super Star Destroyer appeared right above them, but it had Republic Markings. "No!" Master quickly recovered, and finished off the E-wing. "Hippie, do you see that?"

"Of course I do! I point up, and it fills up my viewpoint."

"So, what are we supposed to do."

"Continue on, unless command says something different."

"This is Admiral Kevin to all Darkstar fighters, concentrate fire on the Super Star Destroyer, I repeat concentrate fire on the Super Star Destroyer."*

"Was that something different?"

"Follow orders people."

Master angled his ship toward the SSD, he could see Ens. Maverick on a trajectory toward the SSD. "Watch it Maverick, we’re getting close to turret range from the big one."

"I know what I’m doing, we’ve done this kind of things in the sims." Maverick came back.

"It’s still not actual combat experience."

Just then batteries from the SSD opened up on the approaching fighters. Master saw a lot of friendly sensor dots disappear off his screen. Just be concerned with yourself he thought. "How you doing Maverick?"

"Not too bad. This is eas---"

"Maverick, respond." Master looked at the squadron status. Ens. Mavericks name was red. He was dead. "Maverick respond immediately." He knew Maverick was dead.

Hippie’s voice came in over the Comm trying to be reassuring. "He’s not going to respond, he’s dead Master. No way he survived being hit by one of those. It wasn’t your fault."

"Thanks lead."

"Anytime."

Master continued to skillfully maneuver to the SSD, eventually getting along the surface. Master started skin dancing along the haul of the great warship. Using the many canyons to his advantage, Master evaded turbolaser fire while firing his own lasers into the warship. Suddenly Master’s ship rocked, as a volley of torpedoes exploded nearby. The impact tore through the shield, and a pair of torpedoes enter through the breach. Master narrowly evaded a second volley from the same group. Then Master noticed a group of sensor dots disappear. In the position those Tie Bombers were in. "Damn, the casualties are becoming high."

"Hey, careful down here. You could get a boo-boo." Noin came in over the comm.

"Careful yourself. It’s a death trap. Don’t lose concentration for a second."

"No problem." She rounded a corner, twisting her Interceptor to fit into the artificial canyon. Suddenly an

X-Wing moved into the canyon with them, and began firing at Noin, it seemed oblivious to the Tie Interceptor behind him. "Could use some help here."

"On my way Noin." Master lined up behind the X-Wing and began firing, but the X-win had been firing steadily at Noin, hitting her fighter several times, but they seemed to be absorbed by the shields. Master’s lasers lanced out of the cannons, repeatedly hitting the X-wing. The shields glowed brightly, then flared as they gave out. One of Masters shots hit the upward starboard engine, causing it to explode, tearing off the starboard stabilizers. The immediate imbalance sent the X-wing spinning out of control. It careened off to the starboard side, and smashed into the side. "Noin, are you okay? I saw you take some fire."

"Nah, I’m all right. Just scraped my shields, nothing touched me."

"Good to hear." Master noticed a small flash off to his port. It had come from Noin’s fighter. "Noin are you okay?"

"Uhh. Catastrophic engine failure. Dammit, all my systems are going. Lasers down. There’s nothing I can do." Her ship started weaving, and moving erratically. "Dammit."

"Hang on. It’s going to be okay." Master tried to sound hopeful.

Her Interceptor became uncontrollable. "I just lost flight control. I’m dead." She said, resigning herself to her fate.

"Don’t say that, you can get out." As he said that her fighter lurched to the port side, and smashed into the wall creating a brilliant fireball. "I’m sorry." He whispered.

"Don’t be too hard on yourself Master. They can’t all survive. Let’s make’em pay." Doe tried to cheer Master up.

"I don’t have the best of luck Doe. That’s two people out of my flight, half. You think I feel good right now?"

"You still have me left Master." Doe responded.

"Like I said, you think I feel good right now?"

* * *

Hippie fired off more blasts and saw the Y-wing burst, its flash grew brighter as its payload exploded. Hippie checked to see what was close by. He noticed something horribly wrong. "Squad bad news, the Illustrious is going down. There abandoning her. It’ll wipe out… industrial facilities, and a lot of resources. It’s not good. Not good at all. Looks like a lot of transports are launching to get out."

Maltrude came in with the inevitable question. "Should we break and escort sir?"

"No, they’re not getting past they fleet. And we’re not going to make that much of a difference." Hippie lined up another Y-wing in his targeting reticle, and opened fire. "The secondary fleet is being merged with the primary fleet, we’re getting backed into a corner." Hippie finished off the Y-wing, and looked for a new target.

"Aaaaarrrrggghh----" A scream came in on the comm.

"Who the hell was that?" Hippie yelled, checking his list.

Brittania answered. "Slt. Tsayv sir. A good pilot. He was hit by a turbolaser blast. Completely incinerated."

* * *

Being surrounded by people dying constantly made Doe feel better that he was alive. "He Narm, instead of paying you, when we get back to the Darkstar, I plan on winning back the money I owe you."

"Hey, I would rather have the money."

"Hey you two, knock it off, only necessary Comm transmissions. There is too much going on to have it mixed with inane chatter."

"Sorry sir."

"Sorry sir." Doe always hated this point in a battle. There, New Republic A-wing. Looked like it was busy picking on a Tie from the reserve forces. Was picking on a Tie from the reserves. Too late to save him, but not to avenge him. Doe climbed up, attempting to get behind him, but the A-wing juked, and weaved. Doe liked a good dogfight, helped liven up the day. Doe attempted to keep behind him.

"Doe you want some help?"

No Narm, I can handle a single A-wing. Doe weaved, he hadn’t realized that the A-wing was behind him. He saw a flash as his shields absorbed a blast. He quickly threw his shields all aft. "Got to get behind him quickly." he whispered. The Republic pilot seemed capable of countering his every move, and then coming back with an attack. Doe adjusted his throttle to make a sharp turn, just then several shots hit his solar panel, the shields gave, and his solar panel was torn off. Doe was able to maintain control, but the A-wing was turning around to finish him off. "Narm I have one consolation in this. Since I’m dead, I won’t have to pay you back!" Doe watched the A-wing approach. Subtly he moved it into his reticle, the stupid cocky pilot he thought. Doe started firing, and watched the bolts lance out of his cannons toward the other ship. The A-wing launched a concussion missile just as Doe’s first shots hit it, causing the shield to give, and a bolt it hits cockpit, killing the pilot. The missile streamed between the green lasers and headed for Doe’s Interceptor. Doe watched it get closer, never blinking once, inside his helmet he could feel a bead of liquid running down his cheek. Doe tried to convince himself that the drop was just sweat, but he knew, it was a tear. The missile impacted on the wounded fighter, causing an extraordinary explosion, leaving little debris. A few moments later, the wounded A-wing drifted over the spot that the Interceptor, had just occupied, and continued on its journey.

* * *

"Dammit! Can’t they stop doing this?!" Narm cried out.

"We know, he owed you-" Hippie started to say, but he was interrupted.

"It’s more than that Hippie. He was my friend. They were all my squad mates. We served together, laughed together, and watched other people go. It ends like this for everyone I know."

"We’re still here Narm, we won’t go that easy." Master reassured.

"Neither did Doe, if you noticed."

Hippie paused. "Pull yourself together Narm. Get out of this alive."

"We’ll always be here, you know that." Maltrude came in with.

"Thanks, I’m back. Thank you."

"No problem." Maltrude cheerfully responded.

Narm found another target for his vengeance, an unsuspecting E-wing harassing some Gunboats. Narm moved in. He threw as much energy into his shields as possible, venting the last of it into the E-wing, weakening its shields. He dedicated his laser power into his engines and gunned it, using his solar panel to slice the wing off of the E-wing. Narm knew there was superstructure damage to the solar panel, but it made him feel better to do that. Narm then regulated his power, and looked for a new target. Then Narm noticed a new sensor contact, another Star Destroyer. Narm knew this was bad. "Everyone see this. A new playmate, courtesy the New Republic." It immediately began launching fighters, the Intruder Wing forces were completely overwhelmed.

The Comm crackled, and then Dogger’s voice came over. "All forces...retreat, I repeat, retreat."

Narm could hear the pain in his voice. This had hurt him deeply.

"Okay, everyone, we all know the orders. You can leave at anytime, but anyone who stays with me, and continues to engage the enemy, might give another ship one less warhead to deal with, and may even let it escape. Do it for the Intruder Wing!" Hippie sounded enthusiastic.

"We’re with you all the way sir." Lightning Squadron unanimously yelled.

Narm accelerated, to get on the Wing of his Commander, he could tell Maltrude was doing the same on the other side.

* * *

"Watch it Derricote, you’ve got one on your six." Brittania warned, while juking his interceptor to avoid the fire from the X-wing behind him.

"I can handle him." Derricote came back. He started a loop, to get behind the X-wing, which he completed, but the X-wing was maneuvering and easily avoiding his shots.

"Derricote, break off, it’s a trap!" Brittania yelled his warning, but seeing it was already too late. Two concussion missiles came up behind Derricote’s Interceptor, and exploded, blowing the starfighter up, and killing Derricote instantly. Brittania then began noticing the damages to his own starfighter. "Hippie, I have to leave soon, my ships about to fall apart. We also lost Derricote. Brittania was setting the course for Hyperspace, when he saw something going on with the Darkstar. Brittania finished entering the coordinates for the rendezvous point.

* * *

As the forces of the Intruder Wing retreated, the MC-120 Darkstar rammed into the bottom of the SSD Revive, tearing the two ships apart. The SSD soon split into two parts and the MC-120 Darkstar, already cut in half, flung off into the other side, destroying both of the pieces. The last part of the SSD soon exploded in vacuum. There wasn't even rubble left of the Darkstar. *

* * *

"Looks like we’ve overstayed our welcome, lets get out of here." Hippie sounded defeated.

"Time to go." Maltrude said.

"My armory! No, so much was on the Darkstar!" Narm typically started thinking about what he lost. "I wonder if Dogger, and Kevin got out okay?"

"They probably did Narm."

"You don’t honestly believe that? They would have to be dragged off it."

"Can we go now?" Maltrude asked.

"Lightning squadron… retreat." Hippie commanded.

Narm felt his Interceptor lurch forward, as it entered Hyperspace.

* * *

Hippie, and Narm came back into realspace a short time later. They were surrounded with the remnants of the Intruder Wing Strike Fleet.

"Where’s Maltrude Hippie?" Narm asked worriedly.

"Maltrude, respond." Hippie ordered.

"You can’t order the dead to do anything Hippie. He’s gone. They must’ve got him just when we jumped."

"Too bad, he had a lot of potential."

"They all had a lot of potential." Brittania said, as he flew to get in formation.

Narm glanced over at the refugees from Eribria Prime. There were very few large ships. A strike cruiser, a frigate, some corvettes, and a carrack. There we different fighters. Some part of squadrons, others just out there. "Four of us left."

"I doubt they’ll keep the squadron." Hippie sadly said.

"Okay people, we are going on to the last leg of the journey. Any ships incapable of making another Hyperspace jump load onto a cruiser. Then everyone proceed on to the Platform Victory. The Intruder Wing is wounded, but still strong."

"Shall we go gents?" Brittania asked.

"Sure, what else have I got planned today?" Narm asked half sarcastically.

"I’m with you Brit." Hippie stated.

The three ships launched into Hyperspace, behind some other fighters, and a corvette. But ahead of the rest.

* * *

They entered realspace outside the Platform Victory. To the pilots amazement, the saw the platform surrounding it were a strike cruiser, a carrack cruiser, a few corvettes, and a brand new MC-80.* "Wait till everyone sees this." Hippie joyfully yelled.

"Guess the IW will preserver after all." Narm said.

"New contacts, identify yourselves."

"Okay, I’m Maj. Hippie/Lightning 1-1/Dogger Wing/MC-120 Darkstar, and this is the rest of Lightning squadron." Hippie responded to the request.

"Okay proceed to docking bay."

* * *

Narm and Master stood side by side, ready to accept the promotions they had earned. Kevin stood in front of them.

"In honor of your bravery displayed in the Battle of Eribria Prime, Lieutenant Commander Narm, I hearby promote you to the rank of Commander." Kevin handed Narm his Commanders bars. Then saluted Narm. Narm returned the salute, and replaced his old bars with the new ones. "Thank you sir."

"In honor of your bravery displayed in the Battle of Eribria Prime, Lieutenant Master, I hearby promote you to the rank of Captain." Kevin handed Master his Captains bars. Then saluted Master.

Master returned the salute, and replaced his old bars with the new ones. "Thank you sir."

"Too bad you lost your squadron Hippie, you had a fine one."

"Thank you for the complement sir."

"Now if you will excuse me, I have a lot to attend to." Kevin walked out.

"Too bad Brit couldn’t show. He’s been so busy lately."

"Okay Narm, stop associating with my squadron members." Mac said as he walked in. "Congrats Master, you earned it."

"It’s almost a different Intruder Wing." Narm said, letting his mind wander.

"Maybe one on the verge of a whole new horizon." Hippie said, hopefully.