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They always go into these missions with a plan. A clear objective, a clear series of actions, as little risk as they can anticipate, and --

And almost every time it turns into this, a last-minute scramble with the pressure on, Kanan way outside his position and requiring a quick extraction, weapons blazing.

Just . . . usually it's a pretty simple maneuver to break atmo and run into hyperspace. This time, not so much. The planet's surface is covered with elaborate stone structures, most of which function like a forest canopy, just made of stone. And of course the cities are all built under this multi-shelled stone forest.

So now there's a maze to thread, at high speed, with TIEs firing at them and someone taking his time actually getting inside the damn ship.

"If you don't get inside in the next two minutes, Spectre-1, I'm going to send Chop out to get you. With his stim-prod."

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Kanan swivels, anticipating the next TIE before he sees it. His screen barely begins to flash before he blows it out of the sky.

"Makes it easier on me." But harder on Hera, he knows, as he swivels back toward the other two.

"That's what I strive for, every day," Hera says a little too sweetly, then grits her teeth and drops into a sharp right-hand turn that continues to become a barrel roll.

"Things are going to get hairy for a minute, but I'm setting you up for a clear shot. Someone in that TIE knows what they're doing."

In a way it's thrilling, pushing her piloting skills to this limit, but Kanan and Chop's lives are depending on her, so it's incredibly sobering at the same time.

"Hold on!"

She takes a spiraling path down, twisting the Ghost so that the laser cannons are directed right at the TIEs that are now framed clearly against the atmosphere above.

Kanan keeps his feet flat on the floor, and this time stays steady, even as the ship dives. He takes a deep breath, shifting the cannon toward one of the TIEs. The screen before him flashes, but his eyes stay on the sky.

He fires at one TIE, and it smashes to pieces in a burst of white flame. The other dodges the explosion, closing in, as Kanan swerves with it, firing, forcing it to roll away before -

"Argh-" Kanan jumps back out of the seat as the console explodes in a shower of sparks, tumbling to the ladde and grabbing the top rung before he can fall any farther.

"Dorsal cannon's out!" he yells, hoping Hera can hear.

The muttered string of Twi'leki curses over the comms -- and the sharp jerk of the Ghost to the diagonal -- suggests that she did.

"I'll find us some more cover, you get yourself up here on the double. Chop'll keep the seat warm for you."

If the nose turret goes, though --

No, it's going to be fine.

Hera pulls her ship into a quick series of back-and forth movements, twisting to stay ahead of the remaining TIE's laserfire. The pilot's relaxing, she can tell, because of the momentary lull in fire from the Ghost. This is going to be a problem.

Kanan drops from the ladder, landing less-than-gracefully on the floor below but quick on his feet, running for the nose gun.

"Chopper can take the rear cannon."

"As long as nothing in the dorsal turret's burning."

She's pretty sure the fire suppressant systems are up to spec, but all it takes is one flyaway spark.

Though if they get shot out of the sky by this TIE fighter, it's really not going to matter at all.

"Sorry for this."

The Ghost plummets like a stone, as Hera catches sight of a nice little hidey-hole that should let them get the drop on their persistent pilot friend.

If she can just get them out of sight quickly enough . . .

"Woah -"

Kanan grabs hold of the chair at those nose canon, stopping himself from falling forward into the console. He quickly pulls himself up into the seat, grabbing hold of the cannon's controls and gritting his teeth.

"Either Chopper's gonna have to shoot him, or you're have to fly at him."

"How good are you feeling about my piloting skills right now?"

If either Chopper or Kanan were currently in the co-pilot's seat, they'd see a very determined light take fire in Hera's eyes.

"I want this over faster, or we're going to have quite the welcoming party when we actually break atmo and head for hyperspace. I'll get you the cleanest shot I can."

Now if the TIE took the path she guessed he might, once the Ghost dropped out of sight . . .

And if there have been no other reinforcements in that time . . .

"Come on, give me all you've got."

Hera gives the Ghost an immense burst of speed, darting out of the inlet she'd found and driving straight at the back of the TIE fighter that was lurking near where the Ghost had vanished before.

"Now!"

There is no one else in the universe Kanan would rather have in the pilot's chair.

No longer needing to stay on his feet, Kanan shifts in the gunner's chair, turning with the Ghost, instinctively anticipating Hera's movements. It's easier now that he's closer to her, and closer to seeing what she's seeing. He can feel the path of the final TIE, its draw to them; it grows so strong that he almost feels that he's beckoning it back to them, before with a final burst of speed, the ship lurches back into view.

Kanan ignores the targeting panel. He's pulling the trigger the moment that Hera speaks.

It's a direct hit to the TIE's engines, and the fighter goes down in a ball of shrapnel and flames.

"Let's get out of here before more of them come to find us. Chop, pull up the headings while I get us away from this planet."

Hera immediately pulls up, pointing the Ghost's nose at the apex of the sky, and the stars beyond.

"Kanan, do you mind staying there until we actually hit hyperspace? Just in case there's another surprise in the wings."

Her voice is warm, a mix of affection and approval for Kanan's excellent shooting. They really make an excellent team. And . . .

Hera pulls her focus back on her piloting, because they aren't quite out of the woods yet.

"I'm not going anywhere, Hera."

He keeps his grip on the controls, but leans back in the seat as the Ghost rises, climbing toward the stars.

"Let's get you to hyperspace."

"How about we get all of us there, with the Ghost in one piece," Hera says, smiling even as her focus is on piloting her ship up into the black.

No expensive repairs would also be a plus, but there are no guarantees.

"But I'll give you dibs on any Star Destroyers we run into on the way."

"I don't like my chances on that one."

Size matters not, maybe, but Kanan's still pretty sure this cannon won't do much against a Star Destroyer's tractor beam.

"I don't, either, which is why the plan is hitting hyperspace as soon as possible."

Which is to say . . .

"Anything on sensors, Chop?"

There's certainly nothing visible up here, except a few freighters and a troop ship or two.

Edited 2017-11-02 12:21 (UTC)

Chopper's quiet at first, but then starts to beep wildly. Kanan's hands tighten over the controls.

"Focus on calculating the jump to hyperspace, you have time."

"You'll give me what you can, I know."

Hera keeps her voice calm, though the tension threading through it is pretty damn clear.

"Calculating now."

It's not a Star Destroyer, which is probably for the best. But it is a small, less-than-raggedy fleet of re-equipped freighters, arrowing in on the Ghost from two different directions.

"Why did it have to be pirates?"

"Probably looking for the same thing we were."

Kanan waits, the three approaching ships still too far to get a good shot. They may be less-than-raggedy, but even halfway decent shields will make them a little more formidable.

"But without the work." He takes aim, and fires a warning shot along the bow of one of the ships. The ships don't slow down, but the blast flashes over an enormous, but rusted harpoon bolted along the ship's hull. Kanan jumps from the gunner chair.

"Chopper, route all power to forward shields."

"Right," Hera says, catching a glimpse of the harpoon even while most of her attention is focused on calculating an exit vector.

"Speeding up the calculations, I can do that."

Heading, heading, which heading is going to get them where they're going without shooting them through a gravity well . . .

"I have an idea."

Or something like an idea. Kanan sprints, climbing up to the cockpit, the ship rocking as the pirates begin to test the Ghost's shields.

"At least their weapons aren't much," he says, as he races into the cockpit and up behind Hera's chair.

"Still enough to cause us problems," Hera mutters, shifting back and forth to ride out the ship's rocking motion.

"Plus they're in the way of the best exit I can find. I'd rather not go through them if we can help it."

Unfortunately.

"That might be where we need to go."

Kanan leans above her, looking up to the approaching ships, gaze fixed on the harpoon again. But then, he closes his eyes.

"Do you think you can draw them toward each other?"

"Since they're coming after us," Hera observes, only a little tartly, "I'm pretty sure you've made more difficult requests."

Well, in for a credit . . .

She peels off by tilting the Ghost to the right, dropping below the plane of the pirates as if she's trying to avoid them in that direction. It's somewhere to start. And if they take the bait . . .

Kanan doesn't answer. His eyes are still closed, one hand gripping the back of Hera's chair as he lifts the other, raising it up, and toward the incoming ships. He stays steady as the Ghost rocks, barely noticing the movement, focused only the harpoon, on the locks bolting it to the pirate ship's hull, on the launching mechanism.

It's enormous, and far, and he won't be able to see, or hear, the locks snap open. And yet, he knows.

"All right." He can feel Hera's tension, but has to dismiss it. He can't let it distract him now. The harpoon ship dives in closer, below them, likely to get a good angle toward their cargo doors. One of the other freighters mirrors its movement along the Ghost's other side, while the third stays in their path.

It's their only shot, before the pirate ships can get the angle they need. Kanan closes his hand into a fist.

"Hera -" He slams his fist back, and there's roar like thunder below them.

With the harpoon having smashed into at least one of the neighboring ships, and the explosion expanding from below them, Hera gives the Ghost its head and aims full throttle for the ship that remains in front of them.

Said ship is flying directly into the explosion, which means it's about to get out of their way with extreme rapidity. Hera's eyes narrow as she waits for the smallest indication of whether the ship will roll left or right, adjusting the Ghost's approach in one great swerve once she can see those tiny tells.

The shift to hyperspace is quick, after that.

"Nicely done, everyone."

And, with a look up at back at Kanan.

"You're all right?"

Kanan presses his hand to his forehead, stepping sideways and collapsing into the chair next to hers.

"Yeah."

He slides his hand down his face, sighing and leaning back in the seat. "I can't believe that worked."