Star Wars_ Rebel Force 04_ Firefight - Alex Wheeler [8]
"Your orders are not to get toasted, Red Two," Luke said. "And that goes for all of you, Red Squadron. Let's show these guys they're making a big mistake!"
Han unfolded the wings of his ship and locked S-foils in attack position. The rest of the squadron did the same, gearing up for battle.
"Stay on my wing, Chewie," Han said into the comm, taking off after the nearest ship.
He adjusted his targeting computer, waiting for the Preybird to edge into the center of the scope. Then he squeezed the trigger, launching a missile at the enemy ship. "Take that—
whoa! "
The Preybird shot an antiballistic countermeasure from its tail launcher. It collided with the missile, unleashing an enormous explosion. Han pulled up hard, nearly sucked into the fireball. The nose of the X-wing glowed white with heat. And the Preybird was already looping around, closing in on Han for a kill shot.
Suddenly, a shower of laserfire raked across its hull. Han glanced up to see Chewbacca's X-wing streaking past. The Wookiee had bought him a few seconds, just enough time to shake the Preybird and regroup.
Five X-wings, four enemy ships: the math was simple— should have been simple. Just as the battle should have been over in minutes. But these guys were good. Almost too good.
Han half rolled the X-wing and spun it into a descending half loop, reversing direction and speeding after the two freighters on Luke's tail. Their flight paths crisscrossed back and forth, trapping Luke between them. Evading one put him in firing range of the other.
They'd caught him in a web, and it was tightening around him.
Han dived into the center of the formation, hurtling toward one of the freighters. It held to its flight path until the last moment and peeled away just before a collision—
passing so close that Han caught a glimpse of the pilot's lizard-like snout.
"Thanks for the assist, Red Two," Luke said into the comm.
"Anytime," Han shot back. "Like…right about now!" He fired off two blasts at the Preybird, zooming in from four o'clock, laser cannons blazing.
Han couldn't shake the feeling that something wasn't right about this attack. He couldn't put his finger on it, but something was off about the way these pilots were targeting them. If he could just take a moment to think…
"Red Two, bird on your tail, six o'clock!" Wedge shouted into the comm.
Han dropped altitude abruptly. Laser bolts screamed overhead. Fire strafed his wings.
The Preybird was back. Han accelerated, forcing all power to his thrusters, then whipped the ship around and spiraled through a series of gut-churning turns. The Preybird clung to him every step of the way. A burst of fire streaked toward him. Han jerked the ship to the side, forgetting for one fatal moment that this wasn't the Falcon, with its temperamental thrusters. He overcompensated, shooting hard to starboard, directly into the firing path of the Firespray.
The laser bolt scored a direct hit on the aft engine. Flames sparked from Han's control panel, and smoke filled the cockpit.
The Firespray closed in for the kill.
Luke slammed the Firespray with a barrage of laserfire. The ship seemed, incredibly, to dance between the bolts, emerging unscathed. But at least it backed off of Han.
"Han, what's your status?'" Luke asked, watching anxiously as smoke poured from his friend's X-wing.
There was no answer.
"Han!" Luke shouted, beginning to panic. " Report! "
There was another long silence. Then: "Mild damage to aft engine, but it's under control. Thanks for the save, Red Leader."
Luke breathed a thin sigh of relief.
This wasn't working. The enemy might have been outnumbered, but it wasn't stopping them from putting up a fight. This mission was too important to abandon—but Luke refused to lose a member of his squad to this faceless enemy. They needed a new plan—
quickly.
He needed a new plan. After all, Commander Narra had put him