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Onward Ride

"There's nothing worse than this," Ensign First Class Zwibble said on the Zeta Squadron comm channel as her fighter cut through the dusty atmosphere at a low rate of speed.

"Sometimes I wonder if Vice Admiral Fel has lost it," added Second Lieutenant Steel from the cockpit of his T/A.

Zwibble began again. "You know, this is like..." She left off as she switched to the frequency the transports were using.

"Zeta, we've cleared touchdown. Thanks for your help. We'll see you in the bar."

"Maybe. Zeta signing off," interrupted Vortagh. Once the shuttle was off the channel, he continued "Let's just set down over there."

The T/A squadron set down in the empty wastes of Korriban. Commander Vortagh opened the hatch and jumped out, his feet hitting the ground with a loud thud. The rest of the squadron did the same.

"I still can't believe we were ordered to fly out here and watch the Army mess around on Korriban. Why would they possibly need the air cover here. Nothing here but dead Sith," muttered Splatter.

Zeta squadron had been scrambled from the ISD Chimaera to escort the Imperial Army to Korriban. It was not a popular decision amongst the members of the squadron, especially since the Chimaera immediately set pursuit course for the convoy. They all wanted to be out on the front.

"We'll look around and see what there is. Maybe we'll find something worth seeing," Zwibble said, trying to make the mood better.

"Just don't touch anything Sith-looking. You might wake up one of the dead Sith to haunt us," Vortagh warned mockingly.

"Two minutes until we come out of hyperspace, sir," a bridge officer aboard the Nemesis reported.

"Very good, crewman. Keep me informed," Wedge added, as he gave his authorization to a datapad and was promptly handed another. Wedge scrutinized it carefully and approved it as well.

A junior crewman brought Wedge his daily caf. "Thank you," Wedge said, as he held the steaming mug. "I hope this wasn't from the Herr Kaffee machine, was it?"

The crewman looked a little green in the face. "Was I not supposed to use that one?"

Wedge moved quickly over to the wall and dumped the entire mug into the refuse. "Most certainly not. Let me just put it to you that anything that comes from Herr Kaffee is not suitable for consumption."

"I'll get you another, right away, sir." The crewman saluted and hurried off to get another one.

"Prepare for hyperspace exit!"

The deceleration caused everyone to shift slightly before the compensators caught up with the sudden change from lightspeed to sublight. The blue tunnel collapsed and shredded apart as the Nemesis emerged into the Korriban system.

"Take us into orbit, ensign," Wedge ordered. He returned to reviewing supply requesitions and reports of the training exercise.

The Nemesis was on hand to pick up the Imperial Army. The Chimaera had cancelled their scheduled resupply rendez-vous with the Nemesis to pursue the convoy they'd found carrying an Interdictor's gravity well generator. They'd also had to unload the Imperial Army unceremoniously, and the Army had to have made the journey in the cramped transports.

"Captain!"

Wedge looked up from the datapad at Commander Laithlis's warning. Before their eyes the bone-white dagger shape of a Star Destroyer knifed its way into the system. Wedge assessed it after the distortion effect of transiting out of hyperspace had passed: Victory Class, an old one. No match for the Nemesis. "Report."

Laithlis moved over to a panel and started reading. "IFF Code identifies it as the VSD Warhammer. Appears to be a pirate vessel, launching transports to the ground and fighters at us."

Wedge knew all he needed to know. He pushed a button on the console. "All hands to battle stations. This is not a drill. Repeat, all hands..."

"... to battlestations! Launch fighters as soon as they're ready!" Brevet Captain La Forge shouted, some sectors away. The Chimaera dropped from hyperspace in hot pursuit of the convoy with the stolen gravity well.

Lieutenant Commander Muscat's voice filtered over the comm "We're out here, sir, in pursuit... I'm not sure we can catch them... there's an awful lot of enemy escorts coming in..."

"We'll still give it a shot," interjected Lieutenant Stark, from the hangar bay.

"I don't think we'll catch it. Our next best shot is to capture the dreadnaught and try to get some information out of them," Muscat replied.

"Let's go for it, commander," La Forge decided. "I want the dreadnaught captured and the fighters turned into debris!"

"Right on, sir!"

Commander Vortagh's communicator beeped. "What?!?" He angrily answered, expecting the Army to request another survey report.

The voice on the other side laughed. "Maybe I won't tell you the good news." It was Vice Admiral Fel.

"Oh, no, we had enough good news from you last time."

"I think you'll like this better than the last one," Fel said.

"Don't you always say that?"

"Get in your fighter. We've got an enemy VSD in orbit, and we're going to capture it."

"What do we need another one for?"

"Well, the Nemesis was going to pick up the Army after they finish, but the way I see it, we can take this VSD and give the army their own ride from now on," explained the admiral.

"And how do we figure into this?" Asked Vortagh.

"You're going to command the ship in space. Assuming you capture it."

Vortagh could hear it already: Captain Vortagh of the VSD Warhammer. "Zeta squadron is on its way!"

"So will you take back all the nasty things you've no doubt said about me since your last assignment?"

"How long have you known me, Fel?" Asked a smirking Vortagh.

"Right, no amnesty. It was worth checking. We'll see you up here."

"See you there. Vortagh out."

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