After hydrogen and stupidity, they were the most plentiful resource in the galaxy

[Jantar Keltainen]

Many Sith were, for want of a better word, snobs. They looked down on those that could not engage with the Force. Jantar was not one of those. She looked down on the weak, and fools. Weak fools were especially likely to feel her wrath. The pilot was neither, and to that extent, Jantar was tolerant of her. Keira was also, clearly, not intimidated by the Sith, and that boosted her significantly in Jantar’s estimation.

And she exuded confidence that was not misplaced – Jantar believed she was going to rather enjoy this little mission.

With the flick of a switch she cut in her repulsorlift generators and feathered the throttle so her ship rose from the hangar deck in a deliberate and firm manner. Using the rudder pedals to keep the lift generators in tandem, she killed roll and yawing. Adding some forward thrust, she moved the fighter into the magnetic atmospheric containment bubble and through it to the airless exterior. Once outside, she kicked the thrust engines in at full power and rocketed away from the host ship. She rolled the fighter and brought the nose up slightly, sending it into a gentle arc toward the virtual horizon.

The datascreen in front of her reported the engines were working at 105 percent of efficiency – an increase of engineering she approved of. Throttling back to 70 percent, then 65 percent, she dropped her speed and awaited her leader.

“Their butt has already been handed to them bruised and bloodied.”

[member="Keira Cerdulan"]

 

[Keira Cerdulan]

Why fear the Sith? Well there was a lot of reasons to fear the Sith but why did Keira need to go and fear them? There wasn’t enough of one to actually go and strike true fear in her heart, she flew an interceptor into combat situations constantly for her career within the Sith Empire, every single mission she teetered on being blasted into flaming slag.

Some glowing eyed nutjobs weren’t going to intimidate her, much.

Keira grinned, after zooming off into the void of space at speeds that were likely too fast she engaged in a quick spin to test her systems. Everything checked out in her baby, Systems ran smoothly and engines hadn’t overloaded yet. Sadly, she was stuck decreasing engine power so the rest of the force could keep up with her.

“Mastiff-7, all systems running clear.”

A bit of unnecessary protocol, but she was flying with someone she never had before: even if she showed an indefinite experience.

[member="Jantar Keltainen"]

 

[Jantar Keltainen]

There was a lot to be said of marriage…apparently. Jantar had never (and would never) consider settling down, but for now, it proved a useful allegory. There was something special about trust – absolute and unquestioning trust. They say that once it goes, the marriage follows soon after.

Yet pilots had to have an unswerving trust in one another with no courtship, no dates, no tentative and fumbled proposal. They were simply thrust together and expected to be a couple – harmonious and greater than the sum of their parts. Jantar enjoyed the risk this created. It was the sort of adrenaline rush that added to the exercise – even more so than the dog-fights themselves.

She punched her throttle forward and pulled the interceptor’s nose up. She allowed her fighter to go vertical, and then she brought it over the top and rolled out to port. It was good to let your partner know what you were capable of. Then she snapped the fighter up and pulled back on the stick, taking her out on a turn to the left.

Having had her moment of fun, she fell in line adjacent to her leader. “Ready when you are big dog,” she said. She followed most protocols in terms of actual flying, but her mouth was too free to be kept in check.

[member="Keira Cerdulan"]

 

[Keira Cerdulan]

An allegory that would've made Keira laugh hard enough to pass out probably, albeit more likely out of her own insecurity than anything: pilots aren't exactly horribly romantic when they have a grossly high morality rate. But that was all that truly needed to be said on that matter, other than Keira trusted anyone about as far as her current weapon could reach them.

There was a strange irony to Mastiff Squadron, the grossly unconventional nature of how those convicts all flew together had them on the list of: "why in the world does this work?", the Mastiffs were a simply separate but entirely whole bunch of different fighters, species, backgrounds, and everything thrusted together to make use of their strange and unique skill sets to try not and die: and if they did? They were only criminals. Each one it's own individual warrior who flew solo till they needed support, strange how they worked.

Alas Keira's only trick was flying far too fast right now, she saved the actual fancy tricks for when the shooting started: and those fancy tricks came in handy a lot.

"Hotshot, that's what they call me."

Keira didn't hide it very well, she had completely been laughing at being called big dog. The only thing big about Keira was her personality, so they said.

[member="Jantar Keltainen"]

 

[Jantar Keltainen]

Jantar chuckled. “Hotshot it is. And they call me…Jantar.” In truth, she’d never had a nickname and given her Darth moniker was still a secret, she only had her given name to use. Not that this was her real name, she had no idea what she had been called when she was born. The truth, as is often the case, would disappoint her – not that she’d ever find out.

“So, Hotshot, I’m following your lead. What’s our heading?”

[member="Keira Cerdulan"]

 

[Keira Cerdulan]

In Mastiff Squadron they all had a call sign of some degree, no one called themselves Mastiff whatever and all that junk unless they were talking to command. Simply, they didn’t want to be numbers: in the simplest way to actually go and put it. There was of course, much more to the matter.

“Aye, Jantar.

She took a pause, checking the heading for a few moments,

“Follow my lead, we’re breaking off from the main force. East heading, swooping from the flank.”

[member="Jantar Keltainen"]

 

[Jantar Keltainen]

Jantar awaited instruction. Out here in space, the Force was of limited benefit. Yes, she could use it to boost her reflexes. Yes, she could use it to predict an opponent’s moves – or more accurately see a short way into the future. But, as a matter of routine, she was just another pilot. A decent one. A solid one. No ace, not by any stretch. But the Force was enough to keep her between life and death – and typically keep her partner alive too.

“Following your lead,” she responded, “Heading east on your mark.”

Spoiler

I have no grand plan for what happens next – please feel free to make up whatever you want, as long as we get to have a few fun dog-fights

 

[Keira Cerdulan]

At the heart of it, it was just a simple pirate removal mission. Now simple didn’t mean blood would be nonexistent, and pirates were never to underestimated: especially since they were a mere handful of fighter squadrons was what stood to remove that disgusting little pest.

The battle started quickly.

Missile Turrets fired out as the advancing host of fighters, sending them scattering: Keira stood firm regardless of the fact.

“Keep heading.”

They could handle themselves. And with a slow and steady increase in thruster speed she made her way for the most ludicrous place imaginable: the closest asteroid field. Loop around in there and swing around to attack the enemy forces on the flank and make hell. Was it the proper place of an interceptor? Probably not. Was that going to stop her? Probably not.

[member="Jantar Keltainen"]

 

[Jantar Keltainen]

Jantar had engaged pirates many times – and, in essence, they were no different to ground mercenaries. They followed orders and took risks commensurate to the reward. Up the ante in either direction and they would make a quick decision to take ridiculous risks – or bug out in an instant.

What Jantar did not know was, how much was at stake here? Did the Empire represent an annoyance that could be side-stepped, or a threat to their very existence – to be defeated at all costs?

But the opportunity to mentally debate the possibilities was short-lived as missile turrets caught her attention. And, despite her smart mouth, she never deviated from orders and, when instructed to remain on the current heading, she nodded silently and maintained her position – matching the gradual but inexorable increase in speed – as they headed for…an asteroid field.

Jantar did not flinch, nor did she waste time asking questions. She merely followed, understanding as they manoeuvred, the simple tactic. To get into a position to attack from an angle they would not have expected – and were therefore vulnerable.

[member="Keira Cerdulan"]

 

[Keira Cerdulan]

Keria knew pirates like the back of her hand, she had been a pirate for years: a lunatic, near suicidal, pilot of an Ugly who had proven herself to actually know a thing or two about flying instead of just blowing up into some fast and ugly shrapnel like most pilots of her type back then. They always liked to use her for hunting pirates now, it seemed.

"Hope ya' didn't eat too much before flying!"

She didn't quite specify why but it made itself quickly apparent once her Interceptor began to spin and turn to avoid being crushed to bits by the floating rocks. Keria would've grinned even wider had she known Jantar didn't think she was some hotshot lunatic flying through Asteroids just for glory, no, she just grinned because she loved this job!

Well. Sometimes loved it.

But at stuff like this? She loved it!

[member="Jantar Keltainen"]

 

[Jantar Keltainen]

Jantar laughed. It was good to meet a pilot that was not impacted by her being a Sith. Scratch that, it was good to meet someone who didn’t want to kill/cower from/spit on you (regardless of their profession). “I’m good to keep up with whatever you have in mind. My breakfast is safe, trust me.” The recent drawing of another’s vitality had boosted her – in some ways like a drug, but without any odd side effects (save for the addiction). She was fully in control, she simply had more than her fair share of life to use right now.





Jantar mimicked her leader’s moves, a little jerkily at first, but she soon got into the groove, the Force and her precognition ensuring she saw danger ahead of the average pilot and so she was able to take the necessary action to avoid collision with relative ease.


[member="Keira Cerdulan"]

 

[Keira Cerdulan]

It gave a solid reasoning on why the Corellian was called hotshot, she lived nigh perfectly to that stereotype of what Corellians were in the eyes of many: fierce, independent, and occasionally nigh suicidal in their rush for adventure. Alas, running through asteroids wasn't much of an adventure anymore. But oh did she try anyway, gritting her teeth Keira made a sharp spin to the side and let her laser cannons flare to blast an asteroid into nothing but dust and rubble. Guns were hot and ready now.

"We should be reaching a clearing soon, prime ordinance. Dozen enemy vessels on my sensors."

2 Interceptors vs a dozen ships? Maybe a lunatic's fight, but Keira knew without a shadow of doubt that they could deal with it. And her voice showed that, unwavering determination, a bulwark of pure arrogant skill. How Corellian.

[member="Jantar Keltainen"]

 

[Jantar Keltainen]

Jantar’s progression was less challenging than her leader. Mostly because the other pilot was plotting the course and all Jantar really had to do was follow suit. And when no gap appeared, Keira simply made one with her laser cannons. Not that Jantar could rest on her laurels. What was a space for Keira wasn’t necessarily one by the time Jantar reached it, and occasionally she had to go around an asteroid in the opposite direction to her leader and once had to take one out with her own cannons.

Jantar checked her own data read-out. “Copy that, twelve bogies, repeat one dozen.” Jantar did not bat an eyelash at the odds. They had an element of surprise, they were approaching from the flanks and the ships would be wary of turning to engage them, in case they were caught in a pincer movement. The tactic was impeccable and for that reason, Jantar expected to be able to whittle down their numbers quite quickly. But once they were into a real-dog-fight, when the enemy was down to say half a dozen – that’s when the challenge would be at its greatest.

[member="Keira Cerdulan"]

 

[Keira Cerdulan]

Keira was a fair bit self centered in that regard, when it came to fancy and stupid flying she moved with herself first: gotta keep her own hide intact for now, then deal with other people. It brought more than a smile to her face when the amount of fighters was confirmed. This was going to be fun,

“Keep Missiles ready, and be ready to fire on my mark.”

Keira had her plan, she knew how to destroy most of these ships in one fell swoop: just unload a small barrage and let the shrapnel from the destroyed ships to maim the others. She had done it a few times before, always found it painfully satisfying. Though it was amusing to consider how much she took command in presence of the Sith.

[member="Jantar Keltainen"]

 

[Jantar Keltainen]

Jantar checked her HUD and mentally ticked off each system, including missile readiness, and how many she had. There was nothing more disappointing than depressing the red button to hear the thunk of ‘nothingness’ when you hadn’t counted how many you had left.






Part of her wanted to press for a plan of attack. Yes, she was dutiful but she was also used to being in control on the ground – most ranking Sith troopers deferred to her when in her presence, and sometimes – just sometimes – she wanted to take charge in space. But she was smart enough to appreciate the folly of the urge – she was out of her depth up here and her best use of resource was to follow orders, not give them.

“On your mark,” she re-confirmed. And waited…

[member="Keira Cerdulan"]

 

[Keira Cerdulan]

Keira did seem to have a knack for just being loud enough to take command, maybe the stress she had decided to put the two through as they weaved through asteroids in their little quest to crush pirates gave some credit to the skill. The Corellian didn't need to do much when it came to checking her systems, this Interceptor was her baby and she knew it like the back of her hand.

What she didn't know like the back of her hand was the terrain, so her little maneuver required near perfect timing and positioning to land just right: and that was thankfully her specility.

"On my mark....fire!"

Keira rolled out of the asteroid field, completely catching the pirates off-guard as she unloaded a small barrage of missiles from her interceptor. Immediately firing with her laser cannons as well, she had every intent to kill almost every fighter that had appeared on their sensors before they could even react.

[member="Jantar Keltainen"]

 

[Jantar Keltainen]

Their ruse had worked, just as Jantar had expected. It was a very clever tactic, bordering on the insane. Nobody in their right mind would attempt what they’d just done, which gave them a signifiant element of surprise.

So, on Keira’s mark, Jantar followed her leader and exited the asteroid field and began to open fire on the flanks of the pirates — missiles leaving her ship so close to their target that it would be almost impossible for them not to hit. Not that she waited to find out, the moment her last missile left its tube, she began to open up with her laser — aiming for the ones on the opposite side of the group to the ones Keira was taking out.

It seemed easy, but then the hard part had been the journey here. This was simply the just rewards for such skilful — and reckless - flying.

And Jantar wouldn’t have it any other way.

[member="Keira Cerdulan"]

 

[Keira Cerdulan]

Keira followed suit, unloading a good chunk of her ordinance right into the formation: oh how she loved the light show all the exploding vessels gave off, immediately after her laser cannons lit up and joined into the marvelous display of the Armada's skill:

"Yahoo!"

Of course, a good cheer every now and then hurt no one. Of course, she had left comms on which left but her cheerful little cry at all the carnage and the laughter that followed afterwards more than open to Jantar's ears. Keira loved her job. Always so much fun when the going went right. Spinning to straighten herself out she relished the carnage, they had practially destroyed them all in just that barrage.

"Ya' don't fly half that bad."

Any true Corellian kept a bit of arrogance, though it was much more teasing in Keira's case.

[member="Jantar Keltainen"]

 

[Jantar Keltainen]

Jantar appreciated few things in life. It was in part the result of being a spoiled little rich girl. She knew the price of nothing and the value of even less. As such, nothing excited her for the majority of her life – not fancy clothes, expensive jewellery, alcohol, drugs…nothing seemed to hit the spot. Until the Force that is. Amd what impressed her most about it was that if you were committed – if you were prepared to put your life on the line…then you reaped the correct rewards. And Jantar appreciated that ethos.

It was a philosophy she saw playing out in front of her eyes. Keira wasn’t just good – she was excellent. And she knew it, and she revelled in it. These things Jantar valued.

“Thanks,” she responded as they continued to light up the blackness of space between them. “Just following your lead,” she added. Banter she understood – but only respected from those worthy of dishing it out. And Jantar had found someone that fitted that bill.

[member="Keira Cerdulan"]

 

[Keira Cerdulan]

“Ha! I don’t think command recommends that course of action.”

Keira let out half a laugh, it was absolutely true. Keira broke just about every single convention that was valued, she drank too much, had little regard for her own well being when flying, fought much more like a lone wolf rather than a pack of fighters. She was an ex pirate, known for killing a good handful of Imperials when she was recruited. Lovely nonsense.

But was Keira some brat who flew just because she couldn’t find enjoyment in anything else? No, so painfully far from it, Keira grew up in the dregs of Cademimu, she had no fancy food, clothes, and beyond. She took whatever chance she could to feel like something and that was why she flew.

[member="Jantar Keltainen"]