Ask Dogfighting

[Hera "The Joyful" Albion]

Hera sat quietly in the cockpit of her ARC-170 starfighter, the ship was still in hyperspace when R6 chirped at her. The little droid was angry about, something? She reminded herself that learning droid-speak would be a wise decision at some point. After all, without understanding her little co-pilot, she often missed out on a lot of little things that would pile up until she took her ship in for maintenance. 'But that's a problem for future Hera!' She thought, 'And kriff that girl! She sucks!'

Laughing in the cockpit over her own joke, Hera looked back to check on the Padawan she had accompanying her. Hera had ordered the tiefling to get into the aft-gunner's position, she would need a little rear protection for what she had planned and Padawans needed an adventure every now and then. "Are you alright back there? Need a juice box?" Again, she laughed at her own joke. All things considered, Hera was in a great mood.

Of course, they were about to enter into a pitched dogfight with a bunch of pirates. But that was a problem for, well, current Hera. But that wouldn't be an issue for another twenty minutes. They were still locked in hyperspace along with the rest of Hera's hired mercenaries until the entire group could exit together. Her plan of attack was simple, and a little insane, but again, Padawans needed an adventure.

And today would certainly be an adventure.

@LouJoVi

 

[Aranmir]

Aranmir smiled with excitement while the starfighter moved through the hyperspace. Besides it being the first time that he traveled in a ship of this type, it was also going to be his first official mission. And he wasn’t going to participate in it with a simple Knight. No, it would be Jedi Master Hera Albion herself who would lead it.

He felt so lucky!

“Everything is fine!” the Tiefling answered the Jedi Master, his voice not hiding the excitement that he had at that moment. “Isso é tão maneiro!” he muttered for himself in the language of his homeworld, while staring at the blue color of hyperspace outside. He never felt so close to it.

“Can I pilot it when we go back to the Temple?” the Padawan asked, hoping that Hera would allow him to do it. “Por favor? Please?” if the Master was able to look at him, she would see him doing a puppy face. Even his red eyes would be shining like that of a pup.

The Tiefling couldn’t avoid laughing at Hera's joke. It wasn’t because he thought that it was particularly funny, but because it was really silly. “No, but maybe you want caf. You’ll need to be very fast when the fight starts.” he provoked, hoping that it would make the Jedi Master pilot really fast when they left hyperspace.

@Black Noise

 

[Hera "The Joyful" Albion]

Hera laughed at the excitement of the Padawan behind her. It was good that she had chosen him to come along with this mission, even with the danger. She got the distinct feeling he wouldn't balk or freeze up when they began actually fighting. Still traveling through hyperspace, and smiling at the little bit of banter that Aranmir returned her way, Hera decided to pass the time by telling him a bit about their mission.

"I have organized a mercenary group that I'm acquainted with to assist us in this mission. A group of pirates has taken residence up in the space around Bimmiel, harassing trade and setting up a rudimentary blockade of sorts. While not able to stop smugglers and faster vessels, it's really put a damper on legal trade and aid to the planet. We, along with my mercenary friends, are going to remove the pirates from the sector.

I think if we target their main space station then we can get the rest to just retreat, minimizing casualties. But we'll see if that's viable when we exit hyperspace." Truly, Hera did hope for the pirates to just kriff off once taking a few losses. The last thing she needed was a group of pirates to protect this small world as if it were their own homeland. Tapping the console as she waited, Hera asked Aranmir the same question she asked every Padawan,

"Tell me! Why do you want to be a Jedi?"

@LouJoVi

 

[Aranmir]

The Tiefling paid close attention to Hera’s explanation about their mission. Pirates were always trouble. He remembered how the circus where he used to live was forced to make a free show for a group of them in exchange of not being pillaged. It would be a pleasure for the Padawan to stop them from pestering the people of Bimmiel.

“Do you know who these pirates are?” Aranmir asked, the G’weneen accent on his voice. He was curious to know more about the criminals that they were going to face. While it couldn’t matter much for their mission, the boy thought that it would be honorable to know the name of the enemy. At least it was what Ottar, a Nagai that worked in the circus, used to say to him.

Aranmir why surprised with Hera’s question. He didn’t expect that the Jedi Master would ask why he had decided to join the Jedi Order. The Tiefling wondered if it was some type of test and he would be sent back to the circus if he failed on it. Everyone would feel so disappointed if it happened.

“I think that it was because I can learn how to use the Force to help people.” he said, while shrugging. The Tiefling never thought about it, but it had been the reason why he agreed with the people of the circus when they said that he should join the Jedi. “E você? Why did you join the Jedi?"

@Black Noise

 

[Hera "The Joyful" Albion]

Hera waved a hand in the air in response to Aranmir's first question. "Random thugs united under a warlord, nothing too special. Honestly, they'd probably be absorbed by a major syndicate if we left them for too long. So it's best if we nip them in the bud before they are able to truly become a threat. But if I recall, uh, correctly, their warlord is known as 'Borgax Big-Fist.' Dumb name if you ask me." At that, she chuckled quietly.

After listening to Aranmir's answer to her question, then asking his own, Hera smiled. "Helping people is a noble goal, but if that's what you want to do then make sure you truly like people! Sometimes, the people you want to help will hate you for it, even if it's in their best interest. Sometimes, when we try to help, we fail. If your passion to help is strong enough, then it'll carry you through the hard times. Just don't give up if something doesn't go your way, you know?"

The ship lurched a little, they would be exiting hyperspace soon. Hera paid it no mind, continuing her conversation with Aranmir, "I was born into this life, which made the Jedi the only family I've ever known. I want to protect my family however I can, and if I can help people along the way then all the better."

At that, the ARC fighter dropped out of hyperspace. For a moment, it hung alone in space, like a stone suspended from a string. Then, with a rush of whooshing noises, six dozen Z-98 Gazarant Starfighters dropped out of hyperspace around them. Reaching down, Hera tapped the communications channel and opened it with one of the starfighters, "Ready for a rumble, Haddoc?"

After a few seconds, the response came through the starfighter's speakers, "You's knowin' it Hera! Me boys be a'fixin' for a lil' violence!"

@LouJoVi

 

[Aranmir]

Like Hera, Aranmir also chuckled a bit with the name of the pirate leader. ”It seems more like the name of a pro-Wrestler.” he wondered if it was lack of creativity that made people use these stupid codenames. At least the members of the circus used some more creative ones, such as Flying Duo. They were simple, but good. Not everything needed to be super elaborate to be nice.

“I know. The Jedi aren’t much loved these days.” the great number of articles criticizing the Order in the Holonet was no secret. Aranmir only wanted to do his part showing that those words weren’t true. Well, at least most of it, because the case of Wookies being tied to a ship by a pair of Jedi was real. He couldn’t believe that there were people crazy enough to do something like that.

“Besides, I’m used to people hating me. Not everyone likes my species. In my homeworld, there were some that used to call me demônio. Demon.” while it wasn’t much common, G’wenee had its religious fanatics. Tieflings, Devaronians and others were considered as abominations by them. Since a small child, the Padawan had learned to avoid these crazy groups.

“It must be nice to grow up in the Order.” Hera probably grew up surrounded by several other Padawans, like a small family. “I used to live in the streets, but then was taken by a circus. They were my only family until I joined the Jedi.” the Padawan would occasionally make contact with them. The last time that they talked, they were doing shows in Naboo. “I learned several things in the circus.”

When their fighter left the hyperspace, Aranmir could see how vast the space was. The feeling was scary, but good at the same time. He wanted to fly a ship like this one in the future, but alone. He turned to see the mercenary fighters appearing in the once empty space. The fun was going to start.

@Black Noise

 

[Hera "The Joyful" Albion]

"So you understand what it's like already, good." Hera responded as she increased the speed of the ARC fighter. The fighters began to subdivide into squadron groupings, with Hera moving independently. Far off ahead, though not very far for how fast they moved, Hera could sense their enemies. Aloud, she spoke her thoughts, "In theory, we should only be facing a dozen enemy fighters and a single small Tartan cruiser. Nothing too dang-" At that, she stopped speaking.

She could sense it before she saw it, but the screen below the pair would illuminate with the enemy before them. Instead of a dozen fighters and a Tartan Cruiser, they were face to face with a Quasar Fire-class bulk cruiser and nearly three dozen enemy fighters. As the enemy approached to engage, Hera slammed the comlink and shouted, "Haddoc! Change of plans! Distract their asses while I approach, I'm going to board that son of a Sith-spawned whore!"

Laughter came back through the comlink, an affirmative from Haddoc as far as Hera was concerned. In an instant, Hera was gunning the ship towards the Quasar, lasers flying all around them as she flew the starfighter. Suddenly, Hera jerked the starfighter to the side and shouted back to Aranmir, "We have one coming up on our tail, shake his ass off me!"

@LouJoVi

 

[Aranmir]

Aranmir was listening to Hera’s description of the pirate forces that they were going to face when she suddenly stopped. The Tiefling frowned, confused with why the Jedi Master did it. His answer came in the alerts of the sensors of their fighter, followed by the sight of the Quasar Fire-class bulk cruiser and the several enemy fighters that were waiting for them in space.

“Merda.” he cursed in Sil-Cale, completely forgetting that he was sharing a ship with a Jedi Master. “Tell me that we are going to wait for more mercenaries.” Aranmir said, his eyes never leaving the several fighters that surrounded the bulk cruiser, like bees protecting their hive.

The way that Hera gave her orders to the mercenaries showed that there wasn’t going to be any help. It also showed him that the Jedi Master probably wasn’t going to reprimand him for cursing, even if she understood what he had said. She was really different from what he expected from a member of the Council.

Then, the older Jedi piloted their ship toward the Quasar. The enemy fighters immediately moved toward them, exactly like a swarm. Expecting that soon it would be time for him to act, Aranmir placed his hands in the weapon system and waited for the moment to attack the enemy.

“Certo!” he screamed, the adrenaline of the situation making him not even care for the language that he was using. Focusing the weapon system at the fighter that was getting close to them, the Tiefling started to fire. Due to the movement of the ship, he would miss some of the shots. However, one would hit its wing and the other its front.

While these shots didn’t destroy the fighter, they made it get slow enough to allow Aranmir fire once again. This time it would destroy the enemy ship. The Padawan screamed with excitement, before talking with Hera. “It’s down!”

@Black Noise

 

[Hera "The Joyful" Albion]

Hera could barely hear Aranmir's curses over the rush and flow of the Force through her body and mind. She gave herself over to it entirely in order to focus on the Quasar. Aranmir, thankfully, held off the pirates as she dove toward the Quasar. Aiming directly for its open landing bays, she gunned the ARC-170 to try and get in there as soon as possible. However, a single shot from a fighter above them slammed into one of the wings of the ARC fighter.

Instantly throwing her off course, Hera yanked the vessel down to prevent it from slamming into the bottom side of the Quasar. Cursing, "Sith-spit!" Hera drove the ARC fighter past its speed limits, much to the chagrin of her little R6, and swung under the Quasar in order to try and come around for a second flight. All the while, two more pirate vessels turned and began to chase their fighter.

As they came around, Hera decided the second approach would be all or nothing. "Hold on!" She shouted, another laser bolt slamming into the same wing as before. Warning lights began flashing all around the vessel and pitch-black smoke poured out of one of the aft engines. On the second approach, still being shot at with Aranmir trying to keep enemies off them, Hera barely made it into the hangar.

And barely meant barely in this case. Her right wing slammed into the durasteel floor, shearing off like the side of a paper airplane. As the ship slid, Hera slammed the button to open the cockpit and lept out, lightsabers ablaze. Unbeknownst to her, a shard of metal had shorn through her armor and rendered her chest plate, effectively, useless.

@LouJoVi

 

[Aranmir]

As soon as he had destroyed their pursuer, Aranmir felt the fighter speeding up. If he didn’t hold his seat, the Padawan would probably have hit his horns against the glass. He turned to look at the Jedi Master and saw how the woman was capable of avoiding enemy fire while also trying to reach the Quasar.

He saw the trajectory that Hera was taking, going directly to the landing bays of the bulk cruise. The Tiefling immediately understood what she wanted to do and strengthened his grip on the seat. While the Jedi Master was an excellent pilot, the maneuvers toward the Quasar weren't going to be easy.

A shot from an enemy fighter made things even more difficult. Aranmir immediately focused his attention in firing against them, leaving Hera to control the ship. While he used the weapons, the Tiefling would still try to avoid being thrown around with the movements that the Jedi Master did with the ARC.

The Padawan wasn’t sure how, but they were able to land inside the Quasar. He couldn’t say that it was landing, being more like falling there without being killed in the process. Like Hera, Aranmir also jumped out of the fighter with his lightsaber activated. However, he wasn’t so graceful like her and fell over his own butt. The Tiefling groaned, before rising as fast as he could and getting in guard.

@Black Noise

 

[Hera "The Joyful" Albion]

Once more, as blaster fire began to erupt around her, Hera attempted to give herself over to the Force. She allowed the energies of the Force to flow through her body and take her movements to their natural conclusions. Around the crashed starfighter nearly a dozen pirates had organized and began shooting at Aranmir and Hera. Luckily for Aranmir, the pirates aimed at Hera initially and hadn't taken advantage of the fallen Padawan.

Unluckily for the pirates, Hera would fail in one significant attempt. Hera was attempting not to kill the pirates, but in her rush, she was not aiming very well. Dashing towards the first man, she cut clean through his hands at the wrist. A blaster bolt, carefully aimed at the councilor, found its way back towards the owner and clean into his forehead. Reaching out with Force, she grasped two men and slammed them into each other. A sickening crunch echoed throughout the hangar, and Hear grimaced.

Any men remaining who were not taken down by Aranimr fled for their lives. Spinning her blades to regain her focus, she beckoned Aranmir to follow her. "Come, let's head to the command center. If we can get them to surrender then perhaps we can avoid some bloodshed."

@LouJoVi

 

[Aranmir]

Aranmir barely had time to get in a defensive position and a bunch of pirates were already opening fire against them. Well, not exactly at him. All the bolts were being directed at Hera. Without any doubt these criminals saw the Jedi Master as a threat greater than the Padawan.

And they were right in thinking it. The Tiefling got distracted blocking a stray bolt that had come toward him and when he turned back to look at Hera, he saw the Jedi Master moving against the pirates. She was going so fast that Aranmir could only compare her attack to the pounce of a serpent.

In the end the pirates had no chance. Those that were in the path of the Jedi Master ended up cut down, while others that were close enough ended up being thrown away with the Force. Aranmir ignored his amazement with Hera’s fighting abilities and immediately rushed after her.

With some effort, he was able to kill some. Most of them were distracted trying to stay away from Hera, but ended up ignoring the Padawan that was coming after her. Seeing that the two were dangerous, the surviving pirates fled.

When the two were alone, Aranmir turned to look at Hera. “Tu é incrível!" he said, full of excitement. “I never saw someone fighting this way! Can you be my Master? Please?” he gave her a puppy look, one that used to work with the people of the circus. She probably already had a Padawan, but he didn’t lose anything by asking.

@Black Noise

 

[Hera "The Joyful" Albion]

Hera laughed as Aranmir spoke, joyful that the young man hadn't lost himself in the previous works of violence. Battle was something that could easily draw youth toward darker emotions, but he seemed to have something of a more relaxed disposition. It reminded Hera of herself to a degree. Moving towards the airlock door that would lead them into the main hallway, Hera spoke, "We can do another mission after this, assuming we survive! That's for sure!"

Opening the door, the pair were greeted by a handful of pirates with weapons drawn. For a minute, they simply stared back at the pair of Jedi. Hera, not one to wait, flashed her lightsaber around and remarked, "How about you all just get out of the way?" Another few seconds passed by, then the pirates reacted. Half ran toward the Jedi with their weapons tossed aside, they just wanted to get out of the way and not get hurt.

The other half ran back in the direction of the command center. They would be problems soon, but Hera decided they would deal with that when it came time. Walking to the airlock as the pirates shut it behind them, Hera spoke again. "Be careful, they'll be ready for us."

With a wave of her hand, she overrode the airlock door controls and opened the door. Instant, Aranmir and Hera were faced with a dozen men armed with blasters. That wasn't Hera's biggest worry, however, as a small glint of metal thrown their direction caught her eye.

A frag grenade.

Throwing up a shield with the Force, she attempted to shield Aranmir and herself from the grenade. However, while Hera had expected blaster fire, she had not expected someone to be so stupid as to throw a grenade inside a starship. The grenade, exploding violently, threw both Jedi back a solid ten feet. While Hera's shield ended up protecting Aranmir, some of the fragmentation tore through the shield and into Hera's armor.

Her armor rendered useless for the rest of the fight, Hera shouted, "Defend!" As blaster fire began raining down the hall in their direction.

@LouJoVi

 

[Aranmir]

”I can't wait for that!” Aranmir said excitedly. Having more missions with a Jedi Master meant that he could learn more abilities. Perhaps Hera would teach him how to fight like her. The woman had literally moved through a bunch of pirates like they were only a pile of paper.

The Tiefling followed Hera through the airlock door. Once it was open, they came face to face with another group of pirates. Aranmir smirked at them, while raising his lightsaber so they could see it. The Jedi Master’s warning seemed to have worked, because all of them ran away.

Aranmir was a bit disappointed. He had hoped to participate in another fight.

Before they could reach the end of the airlock, the door was abruptly closed. "Understood. I'll be prepared." Aranmir said to Hera, his grip around the hilt of his lightsaber strengthening. Obviously the pirates that fled deep inside the ship were preparing their defenses against the two Jedi.

It seemed that he was going to have the fight that he desired, after all.

As soon as Hera opened the door with the Force, a group of pirates surrounded them. They had blasters pointed to the two Jedi and Aranmir was prepared to block the shots with his lightsaber. To his surprise, the criminals had the bright idea of throwing a grenade. Inside a ship.

In the brief moment between its explosion and Hera making a shield around them, the Tiefling wondered if these people were suicidal.

While he was sent flying by the explosion, Hera’s shield had protected him from major damage. Aranmir couldn’t say the same about the Jedi Master’s armor, which had seen better days. Her scream for defense prompted the Padawan to stay in a defensive position and deflected first bolts that reached them.

To compensate for the damage in her armor, the Tiefling was prepared to block any shot that the older Jedi couldn’t.

@Black Noise

 

[Hera "The Joyful" Albion]

With Aranmir defending Hera from the incoming blaster bolts, she was able to recover herself from the grenade. In their immense luck, the frag grenade had not pierced any part of the hull. Gathering the Force to her body, she dashed past Aranmir and into the command center with the pirates. Her body moved like a blur, slamming into the captain with her blades and instantly ending his life.

Without hesitation, she snapped to the next man, her body dashing over and over again as she cut down pirates. Within seconds, the other half of the room she had not yet gotten to had thrown down their weapons in surrender. Breathing heavily, Hera beckoned Aranmir to come into the command center.

Pointing to the weapons strewn about the floor, she ordered, "Gather up the surrendered pirates and their guns and assemble them in the hangar." At that, she moved up toward the comm center and slammed a fist down on the communicator. "This is Jedi Master Hera Albion, your captain is dead. Any pirates that do not immediately return to the hangar to surrender will be shot by the point defense of this starship. Any pirates that return may be granted amnesty, provided an agreeance of terms."

At that, the sounds of battle outside the Quasar slowly stopped. Pirates and Hera's own mercenaries alike began returning to the vessel, and the two Jedi would have negotiating to do. However, Aranmir would see that Hera appeared visibly exhausted from the battle, and something underneath her chest plate was bleeding. She wasn't in the best place to talk calmly or with a clear head.

@LouJoVi

 

[Aranmir]

Aranmir continued his efforts in giving cover to Hera. In a flash, she was already over another group of pirates, delivering several blows with her lightsaber. Once again the older Jedi showed why she was a Master. He was certain that no simple Knight would be able to bring down so many of these criminals so easily. Even the captain went down.

Given Hera’s speed, Aranmir struggled to follow her and continue giving cover, even with him using the Force to enhance his speed. However, his efforts were successful and the Tiefling was capable of protecting the Jedi Master. He even killed one of the pirates by deflecting a bolt back to them.

After some time, the surviving pirates decided that the best they could do at the moment was to surrender. Aranmir deactivated his lightsaber and followed Hera inside the command center. Like the Jedi Master, the Tiefling was also a bit exhausted with this fight, but at the same time he was excited with the fact that it had been his first serious mission.

“Xa comigo!” Aranmir said, before turning to deal with the pirates. While Hera talked with the mercenaries, the Tiefling had used his lightsaber to gather the criminals in the hangar and returned to pick their blasters. To stop them from escaping, the Padawan had the idea of trapping them inside a room full of cleaning products.

Once he finished, the Tiefling returned smiling to the command center. However, his smile disappeared when he saw that Hera was bleeding. “Master! You are hurt!” he said, before rushing to help her. “I have a bacta patch in my bag.”

@Black Noise

 

[Hera "The Joyful" Albion]

Spoiler: OOC

Going to wrap up thread because of increasing duties in real life. Feel free to make your own wrap-up post if you'd like.

By the time Aranmir had returned, Hera had mainly stripped off the outer plates of her armor. Walking, slowly and deliberately, down the hall toward the hangar, Hera remarked to Aranmir, "Come, tend to me while I speak." And continued on her way. Into the hangar, she entered. Reaching out with the Force, she grasped a large amount of scattered wreckage and trash about her and formed it into a large pile.

Upon the pile she sat as if it were a dark and terrible throne. Soon, pirate surrenderers and her own mercenaries alike arrived in the hangar and gathered before her. As Aranmir assisted her, and he would see that her stomach had nearly been torn open by the shrapnel, Hera would speak to the pirates. "I have killed your captain! By my right of power and authority, I, Hera Albion, declare myself the new captain! If any should argue, step forward so that I might strike you down!"

If there were any who wished to fight her for the right of captainship, they did not show it. Perhaps it was Hera's intimidation, or maybe it was the scattered corpses, who could say? Sitting unopposed, Hera continued, "From this moment on- you are no longer pirates! You are mercenaries and warriors in service of the First Defense Mercenary Enclave! You will respond to my summons and be paid for your work. Any who choose to refuse my generous offer will be arrested and sent to The Resistance for imprisonment or execution. Welcome to the FDME!"

The Tanaab Red Reavers cheered, for they already wished for consistent work from Hera. The rest, cheering or not, had no choice in their new life. It was either work for Hera, or lose their freedom. Hera knew pirates, they would, every time, choose freedom.

/end

@LouJoVi