Project Boussh: When Plans Fall Through
by Brad Corletti

Flight Officer Davin Porsek gunned his TIE interceptor's engines and
shot out of the Melbourne hangar. He could hear the blaster bolts
scything through the once-abandoned warehouse, as Rebel troops
attacked his base.

Behind him, one of his comrades had already been slagged. The TIE
fighter that had done it screamed overhead.

He heard the reassuring voice of Lieutenant Hend. "Alpha Flight,
engage, and keep it tight. It's only a single fighter, but its pilot
is an excellent gunner. Exercise caution."

He swung in behind Alpha Lead. The TIE fighter ahead was looping up,
taking advantage of the fighter's excellent yaw rate - it was now
coming straight back at them, upside down.

Despite the no-doubt uncomfortable position, the TIE pilot's aim was
true. Alpha Lead exploded as the first shots lanced into his cockpit.
The two remaining interceptors returned fire, but the skilled pilot
juked and avoided the shots.

Davin watched as the TIE fighter screamed between him and his sole
surviving comrade. Then his comrade exploded.

Davin turned his interceptor away from the fighter - still heading the
opposite direction - and put all his powerplant's energy into his ion
thrusters. There was no way the fighter could catch him.

Better part of valour, he told himself. Someone had to survive to
report this to his superiors. He angled towards the sky.

Someone had to tell them what had transpired here today.