Skye Legacy Ep. 4 | "Storm over Ryloth"

An even longer time ago, in a galaxy just as far away...

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Sirens start blaring throughout the hanger moments before the Malachor has exited hyperspace.

"Scramble all fighters, scramble all fighters. Rebel ships detected in orbit of Ryloth, execute Operation Stormy Skies."

The second the Malachor is out of hyperspace the TIE fighters inside of its hangers start launching with all of them, bar Shadow Squadron moving to screen the Malachor against the Rebels.

"Shadow leader to Shadow Squadron received an alert from the bombers on Ryloth. They have engaged an X-Wing squadron and three rebel transport ships, we have been redirected to intercept the Rebels before they can escape the planet. Shadow 5, you take your flight and go high."

A series of acknowledgements follow the updated orders, with Cecilia pulling up slightly from the formation taking her flight above the rest of the Squadron as they dive for the planet below. They soon break through the atmosphere of Ryloth with the Rebel X-Wings, and GR75's coming up towards them without them having noticed the TIE's yet.

"This is Shadow 5, leading the dive."

Cecilia dives on the X-Wings from above her flight seconds behind her with her leading the attack, as their interceptors fly through the formation of X-Wings with Cecilia scoring direct hits against one of them with on the engines starting to smoke and spark. After completing the first pass, they turn to attack again as the rest of the Squadron joins the attack as well with Cecilia's flight engaging the X-Wings they fought in the first attack shooting one of them down and damaging another before they break off to try and circle around again.

"Shadow 4 to Shadow 9, watch out you have a flight of X-Wings after you."

"Thanks for the heads up...evasive manoeuvres! I just lost 10 and 12!"

"Shadow 9, this is Shadow 5 got you covered."

With that message, Cecilia dives down on the flight of X-Wings chasing Shadows 9 and 11, but they quickly break formation dodging their shots and jumping onto her six. As her Interceptor passes the first X-Wing, she frowns slightly, using the opportunity to glance at the X-wing before she is past it. Cecilia quickly checks her rear sensors as they alert her to the flight of X-Wings coming after them.

"This is Shadow 5, got X-Wings coming after my flight."

"Not much we can do to help Shadow 5, we are all engaged and taking losses."

"A firm, Shadow 7 and 8 break right, 6 stay close."

Cecilia's flight quickly splits formation as the chasing X-Wings do they, Cecilia is rocked as the X-Wing chasing her manages to score hits against her TIE.

"Damn it, this is Shadow 5 just took a direct hit my engines are failing!"

"Copy that Shadow...the X-Wings are breaking off, they have made it through. This is Shadow Leader to all craft, reform on me and prepare to pursue."

"Shadow leader, Shadow 5 is unable to comply, need to set her down on the planet's surface."

"Acknowledged Shadow 5."

Cecilia breaks off from the other TIEs as she starts to head towards the town that the Rebels had just left, with Imperial shuttles already beginning to land to clear out the town. She manages to land her damaged TIE on the edge of the town where a pair of Stormtroopers are there to meet her once she has jumped out of the cockpit of her TIE, the two of them standing at attention once she has removed her helmet.

"As you were troopers, what is our situation on the ground?"

"Lieutenant, we have managed to drive the Rebels into the mountains and out of these towns with our bombing missions. Also, we have established a processing station in the centre of the town for those that we have captured."

"Thanks for the update trooper, here hold onto my helmet and arrange for transport to the Malachor for myself."

The Stormtrooper takes Cecilia's thrust out helmet, while Cecilia starts heading towards the processing post.

"Yes, right away Lieutenant."

Cecilia slowly walks through the bombed-out streets with the buildings in ruins on either side of the road with Stormtroopers searching through the rubble for anyone that was left behind. Without spending a lot of time walking, she soon reaches the processing post, she stands at the edge of the square watching the Twi'leks getting separated and thrown into cages with a small platform in the middle quickly finishing being built. She leans against one of the few buildings still standing as she watches the Twi'leks get roughly handled and collars being snapped on around their necks, her eyes linger on the Imperial army troopers dragging a Twi'lek girl that looked to be in her early to mid-teens. Cecilia starts to walk over towards the cages not long after the Twi'lek girl had been thrown into them, shouting to the troopers once she was close enough.

"Troopers! How is the batch for processing looking?"

One of the troopers looks over as they get addressed.

"Lieutenant, they are looking good. Despite most of them running off into the mountains or fleeing into space we got a good batch here."

Cecilia nods slightly as she looks at the Twi'leks in the cages with the electroshock collars on.

"Nice, that girl you just brought in...that one there, how does she look?"

"Aah, yes that one. She looks good quality, we reckon she will go well at the processing."

Cecilia nods slightly still staring at the Twi'lek girl, who is starting to shuffle under Cecilia's gaze.

"Hmm, actually I need a new personal servant, and I'm going to take her before she goes to processing. My name for the paperwork is Cecilia Skye flight leader of Shadow squadron aboard the Malachor."

The troopers glance at each other quickly with a look a fear as she mentions her surname before one of them hurries to start drawing up the paperwork and sending Cecilia a copy of it.

"Of course Lieutenant, right away. We will have her transferred to the Malachor right away."

"Thank you trooper, by the way, what is she called?"

"The Twi'lek name she said was Ardana Eyan."

Cecilia nods slightly before she turns away while the troopers finish making the arrangements for her, an Imperial shuttle coming into land in the centre across from the processing post. The Stormtroopers she had spoken to when she had landed come running over towards her once the shuttle had landed.

"Lieutenant, this shuttle is here to take you back up to the Malachor while the repair teams have a look at your TIE."

Cecilia nods slightly while she walks towards the shuttle.

"Good work troopers, carry on as you were then."

"Yes Lieutenant, thank you, Lieutenant."

The Stormtroopers head off back into the ruined town while Cecilia heads up the ramp of the shuttle and takes a seat inside, moments later with the repair teams finishing unloading their kit from the shuttle it takes off and returns to the Malachor.

Once the shuttle has returned to the Malachor Cecilia quickly hurries to the debriefing that is just coming to a close.

"...a few more operations like this and we will have the location of the rebel base in the area, and then we will be able to crush these rebels once and for all. That is all, you are dismissed."

Cecilia smiles slightly at the thought of being able to finally eliminate another terrorist cell.

Nicole takes a moment to look down at their base while Sabre squadron circles it while they wait for the GR75's to land, once the transports had touched down and pulled into their bays the X-Wings then begin their landing. Once Nicoles X-Wing had touched down the ground crews quickly get to work on it while Nicole slowly climbs out of the cockpit as her droid starts to get helped out via the ground crew and the winch. Nicole nods to the ground crew working on refuelling her X-Wing before she starts walking over towards the GR75 that her flight had escorted as she looks around for Nalan wanting to make sure she had made it okay, she manages to spot Nalan getting helped off the transport by one of the other Twi'leks as Nicole hurries over.

"Nalan, glad you made it okay. Here I'll take you to the medical centre to have your ankle looked at."

She offers a quick nod to the Twi'lek helping Nalan before she starts supporting Nalan, with the other Twi'lek heading off.

"Thank you..."

Nicole notices that Nalan looks like she has been crying with slightly red eyes.

"Not a problem, is everything ok?"

Nalan shakes her head slightly

"Ardana didn't make it to the transport...and the rest of my family were on the third transport..."

Nicole nods her head slowly, a look of sadness in her eyes before she crouches down in front of Nalan while she helps Nalan take a seat against the crate behind her.

"I'm so sorry I should have done more. But know this, for as long as you are here on this base, you are family..."

Nicole looked like she was about to say more when suddenly a Rebel Officer walks up to her.

"Lieutenant Commander Nicole Skye?"

"Can I help you Lt?"

The Lt hands Nicole a pocket computer to look at.

"Your new orders, command is forming a new fighter Squadron, and you have been given command of it. The squadron designation is going to be Falcon after your own callsigns as the founder of the squadron, and it's going to be a fighter squadron, your wingmate is being transferred over as well, and you get your pick of flight leaders."

Nicole nods slightly before handing the device back to him.

"Thanks, Lt."

The officer quickly heads back to the control centre after delivering the orders as Nicole turns back to Nalan, lightly placing her hand atop her head.

"Well then that is news, so what would you say to stick around with me and my squadron then, Falcon 13?"

Nalan looks up at Nicole a smile on her face as she leaps forward hugging Nicole.

"Please!"

Nicole laughs softly as she slowly stands.

"Well then, all pilots in my squadron need to be in the best of health so let's get you to the medical tent."

Nalan is still smiling while the two of them walk to the medical staff.