LUKE SKYWALKER SENSED the attack a second before Commander Narra's warning crackled over the comm Red Squadron we have incoming Multiple fighters moving in fast Luke threw his X wing into a sharp roll as emerald plasma bolts shot past his cockpit That was close Red Five Narra scolded him Too close Luke scowled as he leveled out Arhul Narra had taken command of Red Squadron soon after the Battle of Yavin and had made it abundantly clear that Luke wouldn't get special treatment He wasn't kidding The grizzled commander always seemed to be on Luke's back demanding more of him than anyone else including Wedge Antilles who had flown with Luke against the Death Star You okay Wedge asked over the comm bringing his own X wing alongside Luke's What was that Luke asked in response searching the nebula for any sign of whoever had attacked him
they From his position behind Luke R2 D2 burbled a reply A TIE fighter Luke asked the droid Are you sure I only caught a glimpse before it disappeared back into the cloud Wedge said but it was like no TIE I've ever seen Another voice joined the conversation It was Jamman a Duros pilot who had recently joined the squadron Could be experimental models Whatever they are keep your eyes sharp Narra replied They could be anywhere in all this dust Copy that Red Leader Jamman acknowledged Narra was right Red Squadron was accompanying the Nema an Alliance transport carrying essential medical supplies The Imperial Navy would stop at nothing to bring down such a valuable resource so the Alliance Council had plotted a course through the Kiax nebula Most spacefarers avoided the cloud of thick swirling space dust as it wreaked havoc on their sensor readings Mon Mothma the Alliance's chief of state had gambled they'd be able to use it to slip past the Empire unnoticed but what if she'd been wrong Luke felt a tug at his mind and recognized it immediately as the Force the mysterious energy field that connected all living things Luke had felt it all his
life but hadn't known its true power not until he met Ben Kenobi They're coming back he muttered How do you know Wedge asked Ahead of them two ships appeared through the sea of whirling dust Luke could see what Wedge had meant The Empire had dozens of different TIEs from the standard fighter to the advanced model Darth Vader had flown during the Battle of Yavin Yet they were all constructed along similar lines with the same gunmetal color scheme These were different The TIE on the right was bright blue with three curved wings while the fighter on the left was yellow its wings long and pointed with a large cannon where the cockpit should be Both had opened fire Luke and Wedge peeled apart the energy beams passing harmlessly between them Fighter on your tail Red Five Jamman reported as Luke ducked and weaved Thanks Red Three Luke reached out with the Force seeing a flash of blue in his mind's eye The TIE with the three wings He pulled up throwing his X wing into a loop R2 squealed in protest as they soared over their pursuer dropping down behind so the hunter became the hunted
