fandomhigh | Flight and Flying [Thursday, August 2, 3rd period]

Anakin was leaning against the reconfigured flight simulator when the flight students arrived, absolutely no trace of an smile--or any emotion at all, really--on his face.

"In every major event, there's always a beginning," he said, walking over to the television from his room and pushing a few buttons. A three-dimension projection of a world rotated in front of them. "The first battle in a conflict that eventually tore my galaxy apart took place on a world called Naboo." He glanced over at Qui-Gon ~~assuming he was there~~ and his voice got even harder. The Jedi should've seen this coming, dammit. "Millions of beings put at risk because of politics," he spat. "They were being used as pawns in a larger game we didn't know we were playing for more than a decade. Today we'll complete an entire military mission: the one that saved the planet from death by starvation by a blockade of petty criminals and their droids."

Anakin gestured to the projection. "Working in pairs, you'll take off from the planet's surface, fight past the enemy's droid fighters and destroy the control ship." On the projection, the target glowed red. "The only way to destroy the ship is to blow it from the inside: its shields are too powerful for the starfighter's torpedoes to take out from space." He put his hands behind his back and paced. "You're up against a deadline as well. On the surface there's a battle taking place: your people--including the fourteen-year-old queen of the planet--against a droid army that doesn't get tired." His expression turned haunted as a holograph of the leader in question came up on the projector. "Taking out the control ship also powers down those droids. Take too long to blow it up and there's no point going back to the planet: the enemy will have won through battle what they'd been trying to achieve through blockade."

He pointed at the simulator. "You'll be flying the Naboo N-1 Starfighter," he said. "They're a little more sensitive than the F-16 from last week and more elegant than the X-Wing, but without the engine power. And remember: once you break atmosphere, you won't be fighting gravity any longer so don't yank on the controls. Spinning out and crashing back into the planet is a really stupid way to die. The droid starfighters are faster than you are--and there are a lot of them--but they're als stupid. Watch for them and the laser cannons on the control ship--and watch for each other--and you'll do fine.

"This battle was real. This exercise can be accomplished. I don't accept failure--or excuses--from any of you on this." He tossed two deeply silly-looking helmets into the flight simulator. "These helmets are equipped with comm units that will allow you to talk to each other."

He waved them towards the simulator, ignoring any looks they or the TA might be giving him. "Begin."

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"I believe so as well," she agreed and smiled slightly, "shall we?"

River smiled and pulled her helmet on.

Irulan tried to copy River's smile but she could feel the rattlers in her stomach again as she put the helmet on. It was like what the Wayku wore, full sensory deprivation.

Sensing Irulan's nervousness made River give her a worried look. "Your fear is unnecessary," she said quietly, her voice soft.

"It will pass," she said, assuring more herself than River, "it is just an inbred cultural prejudice."

River gave her an understanding look and a nod, then turned towards the simulated scenario. "We keep close."

"Understood," she said with a nod and followed River's lead. She was far more experienced in these matters.

River took off and headed for their target, making sure Irulan was close. She tried gradually increasing the speed.

Irulan followed just a little behind and tried to keep Professor Skywalker's advice too heart. A nervous pilot is a dead pilot.

Then the droid fighters appeared out of nowhere and River fired, staying close to Irulan.

Irulan yelped as the droid fighters appeared and for half a second forgot where the weapon controls are. Suddenly one of the fighters shot at her, luckily her Bene Gesserit honed reflexes kicked in and she swerved away from the shot just narrowly missing getting hit.

She finally shook off her shock and started returning fire. Dammit, she was a Corrino, her ancestors were great warriors, she should not go gently into anything.

All her attention on the enemies, River too dodged the attack and returned fire, hitting one of thr fighters in the wings.

She noticed how Irulan quickly grasped the situation once she trusted her instincs.

Irulan kept a keen eye on the enemy fighters but always keeping one eye out on River's just in case she needed help. I will let this pass through me she recited in her mind, keeping the old fears at bay.

She fired only when she was certain of her target, after all a careless attack will only benefit the enemy.

Another fighter went down and River sped up, hoping to outrun the others.

Irulan dogged River's tail suddenly a fighter sped out of nowhere, straight to River's left flank, "River!" She called out, "Your left!"

Just a second before her wing was hit River dived, avoiding the attack. "Take it out, Irulan," she called back.

Irulan fired on the fighter until it exploded into a fiery shell. Her heart was hammering and her adrenaline was high and she was surprised to find herself grinning.

"We can do this!" She cried.

River sensed Irulan's feelings and they mingled with her own. "Yes!" she replied, then added: "Two behind us. Run?"

"Run, yes," Irulan agreed and hit the accelerator, "I think we're near our target!"

And just as Irulan said that the control ship came into view. "Yes. Need to get past the shields."

"How do we do that?" She wondered and fired at a fighter that flew to block their way.

"Get closer and we'll see," River suggested, knowing it wasn't much of a plan.

[I haven't seen this movie! Have no idea what this ship is like.]

Irulan hesitated then shook of her hesitation. "Cover me," she said, and pushed the controls forward. How she managed with all the flurry of laser fire and fighters shuttling back and forth she'd never know but then suddenly there it was... "I see an opening!"

River was behind Irulan, firing at the approaching fighters. "Go for it!" she called out.

The docking bay it was then, trusting River to cover her she flew in directly and contrary to her strategy outside Irulan began to randomly fire at everything. Professor Skywalker did say detonation should happen inside did he not?

Plus, they were running out of time!

"For the Empire!" She hollered as battle cry, "For House Corrino!"

She might have become a tad too involved.

Re: Go on a mission!

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