It was hot, stuffy and quite uncomfortable in general in the Challenge's briefing room today, a fact that was not due to a failure of the ventilation system. Wing Commander Major Corran Force and the six Squadron Commanders were standing around the tactical holo in the center of the room, their faces looking stern. Commodore Torres, who led the meeting, didn't seem to feel any different. Something smelled terribly wrong.

'Once the Challenge falls back into real space over Ssh'Peka, Tornado, Thunder and Typhoon Squadron will launch and go down to the planet's surface to eliminate the planetary defenses. If we catch them unprepared we might be home before dinner.'

Commander Corran Horn took the word and expressed everyone's doubts about the mission.

'COM Torres, with all due respect, what interest does the Emperor's Hammer have in this system?' This planet is almost as uncivilized as Endor, and the small rebel outpost there cannot be of immediate danger to us.'

'Nevertheless, CMDR Horn, Intelligence has found out that a couple of the recent attacks on our Battlegroup have been coordinated from the designated planet. Of course those attacks were pathetic to say the least, but still a pain in the ass.'

Lieutenant Colonel Callista wasn't convinced yet.

'Torrie, the Ssh' system is far beyond our prevailing operational area. The EH was never interested in yokel planets, and the effort for making an example is comparatively high to the effect it's gonna cause. Where's the sense in sending an ISD with six combat squadrons onboard to wipe out a bunch of rebels?'

'CMDR Callista, we are not here to question the Command Staff's decisions. If you are so sure that all you're gonna have to do is wipe out a bunch of rebels, then you shouldn't be so worried about this mission. Now CMDRs, brief your pilots on their mission objectives. We will jump into hyperspace in 15 minutes. Use your time wisely and catch some sleep before the mission starts at 0815. Good luck, pilots.'

The CMDRs and the WC went to their respective squadron quarters to inform their crew of the upcoming combat. CMDR Callista headed for the door as well, then turned and went back to COM Torres who still stood looking at the holo.

'Torrie, I have a bad feeling about this. It's just not logical. Why would we want to travel this far to erase this outpost if they're coming to attack us with a bunch of fighters anyway? I have a feeling they want to lure us to Ssh'Peka.'

Torres stared at the floor, then looked up at Callista, a trace of unease on his lines.

'I don't exactly know why, Calli, but I don't like it either. I suppose what's annoying me is that once we've arrived there, it won't be so easy to go back. It's a far distance we're crossing to get there and any kind of reinforcements will have to cross it too. We'll have to rely on ourselves here, Calli. But anyway, we shouldn't ponder about that. Intelligence reports a small outpost on a backward planet. Should be a piece of cake. And now go. You're wasting time.'

'Oh, I don't think I've ever wasted time around you, Torrie.' Calli said with a wink and headed for Typhoon's quarters.

* * *

It was common for Typhooners to assemble in Flight I's quarters, not only for alcohol orgies but also for squadron briefings. In spite of the official occasion that had called for the meeting, almost everyone had a beer in his hands, only Vader, of course, sipped on a Chalquila. The eight guys and two girls sat in a circle, all watching Call more or less attentively.

'Pilots, I'll make this short. To be honest, I couldn't make this any longer if I wanted to, cause we haven't been told much. Our mission is very simple. The Challenge will exit hyperspace at 0815 in a system called Ssh'..'

'What?! I didn't say anything!' Talon flared up cause Callista had looked at him.

Callista chuckled to herself.

'Actually, Talon dear, Ssh' is the system's name. Our objective is a rebel outpost on the primary planet, Ssh'Peka. That planet seems very undeveloped, looks a bit like Endor, lots of woods and little seas or rivers. We don't know the exact location of the outpost, but it won't be difficult to find it with our sensors. Opposition, if at all, is reported to be light, nothing we can't handle. We'll go out with Thunder and Tornado, but we'll be the first to launch, so we'll be the first to feed the rebels some rockets as well. We could be a bit mean and leave only ashes for Tor and Thu, but they prolly wouldn't like that.'

COL Domi spoke up.

'Calli, no offense, but this mission doesn't sound like you'd need an ISD and six well-experienced squadrons for it.'

'A corvette with a nice little turbolaser should do, don't you think?' Ehart added.

'Probably so, but as Torrie said, 'we are not here to question the Command Staff's decisions'. It'll be nice and easy anyway, so don't complain and you'll be back for your afternoon drink.'

'Fine then, you pay!' Jenn said and the rest of the pilots cheered.

Callista smiled again. This was obviously the result of her treating her pilots like friends and not as a superior. But she didn't mind as long as their friendship helped to keep each other alive.

'Now try to get some sleep, you might need it. Oh, and no pranks on me tonight, please. The super-glue in my boots and the fake tarantula in my cockpit were extremely funny, but I don't have time for that tomorrow, ok?'

She turned her back on the chuckling pilots and went to her small private room.

After taking a cold shower, Cal went to bed and tried to get some rest, but something in her mind told her she wouldn't get much sleep this night.

* * *

The feeling of something being wrong hadn't left her when Callista entered the hangar the next morning. Surprisingly enough, she was last to get into her fighter, all of Typhoon Squadron were already ready to take off.

Blackbird opened a channel to her fighter's comm.

'Hey Cap, how come you're late? Spent too much time on your makeup?'

'Nah, how could I put on makeup anyway, I've lent you mine a couple of days ago, Boidy.'

She opened a channel to all of her squadmates.

'Ok guys and gals, you know the procedure. We're falling out of hyperspace in a minute, and I want you out of this hangar in no time. Don't crash your wingmates though.'

She waited for her squadron to acknowledge, then checked her fighter's systems again. Her good old T/D was ready to cause some neat destruction. Her fingers cramped on her lever with anticipation and excitement, she impatiently waited for the countdown on her display to end.

It was always beautiful to see a ship's transition from hyperspace into real space, even though it seemed to Calli that she'd seen it a million times already.

When the Challenge had slowed down, the plasteel loops that held her fighter opened and a split-second later, she speeded out into space. Brandon, Blackbird and Nightwolf followed her closely, but at a steady distance. Flight II and III exited the hangar without any problems.

Calli watched her display intently, but it showed no sign of intercepting rebel fighters. Behind them, Tornado Squadron started launching.

Then, all of a sudden, a green laser bolt hit her rear shields. All sorts of alarms went off-

'What the...'

She opened her commlink.

'Typhoon Squadron, get your shields up at maximum! The Challenge is firing at us!'

'Seen it Cal, I suggest we get out of their range before they remember they've got advanced missiles!' Bran shouted.

'CMDR Callista to Challenge, what on earth do you think you're doing!?'

No reply.

Another laser hit her fighter and lowered her shields. Calli saw how Tornado Squadron had stopped their launching maneuver to escape the deadly fire.

'They must've gone mad! Pilots, get out of their laser range now! Transfer laser energy to your shields, you won't need your cannons anytime soon.'

'Fucking shit, I'm hit! Shields down, and my lasers are overheating. Shutting down now.' Andron's voice came through the comm.

'Andron! ANDRON!!!' Calli shouted, but by shutting down his fighter, Andron had also disabled his communication system. A small price to pay for preventing his fighter from explosion. Still, his odds weren't good. His fighter was heading for the planet's surface at full speed. Calli prayed he'd get the emergency systems running so he'd at least be able to slow down and survive the crash.

The Challenge now moved and turned her flank on the pilots. Desperately, they tried to evade the Challenge's full firepower.

'Challenge, would you please stop this crap now! You're killing us all!'

Still no reply. Calli checked her comm system. There was nothing wrong with it. Cal looked around to see how the others were managing.

'Good Lord... Jenn, get away from the Challenge! What are you doing, are you insane?!'

'Cal, I can't do a thing, my fighter's on auto-pilot, I'm struggling to override it!'

'Same here, Cap.' Blackbird said. His fighter was heading for the Challenge, too.

A million thoughts were running through Cal's mind, too fast to make sense to her.

'Bran, are you still ok?'

'Alive and kicking, Cal'

'Typhoon, get down to the planet if you can, try to find Andron. Keep a signal up so we'll find you. Bran, you come with me.'

Calli waited two seconds to see if any other of her pilots were going suicidal, but they were heading safely for Ssh'Peka. Then she turned her fighter as sharply as humanly possible into the Challenge's direction, with Bran flanking her.

'Bran, BB and Jenn are gonna be roasted like this. We need to give them time to get back control over their fighters.'

'Understood, Cal. Good luck.'

'Good luck to you too, love.'

The two fighters headed for the Challenge, drawing the ship's laser fire way from BB and Jenn.

'Cal, I'm almost done. But then my shields are pretty much gone.' BB stated.

'Can't be as bad as mine, BB matey.' Jenn replied.

'Hold out you two, we're getting there.'

At a distance of 0,75 clicks Cal heard her missile alarm shriek.

'Uh oh Bran, they're getting nasty. We can't stay here.'

'That's fine Cal, I'm right behind you.' Jenn said.

Another laser bolt hit Callista's T/D.

'My shields are almost down, Bran, I'd be happy if you could get that missile off my bum!'

'Honey, believe me I'd love to, but...'

Bran's fighter was hit by one of the Challenge's missiles and something on its hull exploded.

'There goes my hyperdrive motivator... I gotta shut down, too.' His voice crackled through the comm.

'Bran, try to get out of their laser range first.'

'Negative. Everything in here is heating up, I can hardly breathe. Shutting down now.'

'May the dark side protect you.'

Cal was furious.

'You fucking assholes on that big fat ugly ship there, you'd better have a real good excuse for that!'

'Now now Cal, don't go berserk. Bran's gonna cope with it. And I'm right behind you.' She heard BB say.

'Get away from me, BB and Jenn, I still got a missile on my ass.'

The two of them rolled and took position in front of their CMDR.

Cal looked at her rear camera display to see how close the missile was. The Challenge covered every part of the display.

'Cal, the Challenge's moving. Moving fast!' BB said.

Cal turned left a bit and looked over her shoulder to check what was going on. Then she saw it too. The Battleship was accelerating to jump into hyperspace!

'Yeah, fine, first try to vape us, now leave us here in good ole Yokel land. Bastards.'

Still firing its lasers, the Challenge disappeared into hyperspace.

'Cal, your missile.' Jenn reminded.

But it was too late. Cal had made a fatal mistake. The missile hit her fighter with its full force. The impact almost knocked her unconscious.

'Cap, are you all right? Looks like your left rudder's burning. Try to get your shields up a bit, or you'll be more than just a bit tanned when you penetrate the planet's atmosphere.'

'Thanks very much for this wise advice, Boidybrain.' Cal hissed.

The Typhoon CMDR was desperately trying to get her fighter do what she wanted, but her lever was blocked. She checked for the other pilots' frequency and typed Talon's course into her ship's computer. The T/D made a slight correction and reacted accordingly. Now Cal just hoped she wouldn't crash on the others.

'BB, Jenn, look for Andron and the others if I don't make it. And pick up Bran if you can. Hide your fighters as well as you can once you're down, and see if you can find a ship that'll bring you back to Aurora. And kick Torres in his Commodore's ass for me, will you? CMDR Callista over and out.'

When she entered the atmosphere, she tried to activate her subengines, but they didn't respond. Her last option was to activate the autopilot.

She just hoped it'd crash her rather softly.

CMDR/LC Callista/Typhoon/Wing X/ISD Challenge