[I13 - Jakku - PK] Desperate measures (Ep 1 Cat A)

The last few days had been rough for Viah, she had fully expected a swift victory. Instead The Imperial forces was struggling to keep their foothold on Jakku, they had long since reverted to tactics she usually expected from partisans back on Kalarba. This mission was no different, ferrying special forces behind enemy lines to harass their supply lines, slowing the onslaught of the encroaching New Republic.

"We are moving the forces back," the commander told them over the comms, "I am forwarding coordinates to you now." Viah felt desperate, every single one of the special forces in the back, knew that this would be their last mission, and Viah was staring to feel the same way. "Wait, there is someone out here!" Trec in the gunner seat had spotted a lone tie-fighter being chased by a Republic merc. "Shit they are coming this way."

As the two ships ahead got closer, the comms blasted up again, noises from battle around the commander could be heard as his last words reached the cockpit of the Tie-Reaper, "We are surrounded!" He looked glum, "The Rho frontline is lost..." an explosion ended the transmission. "Chit! We are alone now." It only took moments before they had to engage with the mercenary ship. "No one was supposed to be out here!" Viah complained as the Tie-LN flew straight at them.

It happened fast, the merc shot the wing of the Tie-fighter, and it started spinning towards Viah's Reaper, the collision was too much for the already battleworn vessel. And Viah started going into emergency descend. "Hold on," she said through the intercom, telling the special troops to brace themselves. "We are in for a rough landing!"

With the mercs on their tail, they crash landed, laser blasts ringing across the hull, fires spreading through the vessel. "We need to get out!" Viah cried out to Trec, but he was dead already. The Merc would soon return to finish the job, so there was no time to lose, she tossed her helmet and ran through the doors to the soldiers in the back. "This way, mam!" one of them said, as they were already leaving the vehicle, heading into the dunes.

Two of them were setting up anti-air ballistic missiles, as Viah headed into the desert, leaving the wreckage behind.