Mission Goals
During a mission, you can press the “G” key to get a readout of mission goals. If you’re in doubt what your mission is, check this readout. Updates will occur as the mission progresses. Check it often. These goals are why you’re out there, cadet.
Message Log
Press “L” to review all incoming radio messages and onboard system reports received during a mission—in case you were too busy dodging fire to notice the first time they came in.
In Flight Map Display
During a mission, your scanners will keep an up-to-date holographic map of all nearby spacecraft. Pressing the key marked “M” will call up this display. Use your stick controls to move about in the map.
Wingman Commands
You may issue commands to your wingmen, or to any other craft within your authority. Use “Shift-Z” on your console during flight to bring up a list of available commands, or issue them directly.
Damage Assessment
Pressing “D” calls up the damage assessment. Use this to prioritize repairs and to determine the amount of damage your ship has sustained. Just remember, you may not have time for damage assessment. Try not to get hit.
Flight Options
Your flight options display allows you to modify the parameters of the audio and visual display systems. Press the key marked “Esc” to access flight options during a mission.
Camera Recording System
Every pilot must keep a record of action. Turn on the camera by pressing the “C” key. Turn it off again by pressing “C” again. After a mission, all mission tapes will be assembled into a composite record which will be reviewed by your superiors. You will often be invited to view the record again. You can also review your mission in progress by pressing the “V” key to turn on the replay display in your headset.
Keyboard Reference
To obtain a complete reference to your ship’s controls, press the “K” button on your console.
Combat Checkout List
During combat situations, you won’t have a lot of time to think about what to do next. You’ve got to train until you’re in complete control of your spacecraft from the first moment you hit space. You will now learn the proper sequence of pre-combat operations, and you will practice them until you can perform them automatically.
1. Press the button marked “C” to start your onboard camera. Imperial regulations require you to keep a holo record of your activities.
2. Press the button marked “X” to set your craft in dual fire mode.
3. Press F9 twice to set laser recharge rates to maximum. If you also have shields, press F10 twice to maximize shield recharge rates.
4. Set throttle to maximum.
5. Press the button marked “R” to locate and target the nearest non-imperial starfighter or light-armed craft,
6. Once lasers are fully supercharged, press F9 three times to set recharge rates to normal.
7. If shields are present, reset to normal recharge rates once secondary shields are fully charged.
Maarek went through the pre-combat procedures several times, making few mistakes. But Trox; wasn’t satisfied, even when he ran through the procedure perfectly.
“Faster,” Trox would order. “You’re as slow as a space slug. Where do you think you are, your momma’s dinner table? You’ll be eating laser fire if you don’t move faster than that.”
Energy Management
“That’s about all for today, Stele. You want to take us back in?”
“Yes. Sir,” Maarek replied, already beginning to angle the TIE fighter around in a tight turn back toward the Star Destroyer. Maarek figured to keep his mouth shut, though he wanted to ask some questions, but Trox, it seemed, was in a talkative mood.
“The real key to successful control of your fighter craft is managing energy,” he said suddenly. “Do you remember what I told you about the LES displays?”
“I do, sir,” Maarek answered promptly.
“Allright, I want you to slow this fighter down the most efficient way you can think of.”
Maarek’s hand twitched on the throttle controls and he was about to pull back on the lever. He stopped himself and quickly reasoned out Trox’s order. The “most efficient” way… Maarek reached for the button marked F9 and pressed it twice, placing the laser recharge rates at maximum.
“Well…” came Trox’s tinny voice over the speaker. “I’ll give you that one, boy. Not many green recruits get that one right. OK. Here’s an advance on lesson two.
If you control energy output, you’ll control your craft. This is even more the case in fighters that have shields. Here are the basic configurations you’ll use in shielded craft. In fighters without shields, your options are more limited.
On the CMD screen, the following list appeared:
Normal Settings (Non-Threat)
Cannons: 50%
Shields: 50%
Throttle: Full
Maximum Speed
Cannons: 0
Shields: 0
Throttle: Full
Maximum Firepower and Speed
Cannons: 100%
Shields: 0
Throttle: Full
Normal Attack Configuration
Cannons: 100%
Shields: 50%
Throttle: Full
Minimum Speed
Cannons: 100%
Shields: 100%
Throttle: As needed
“If you’re as smart as you act, boy, you’ll commit these configurations to memory. Make them as automatic as your pre-combat checkout, and you’ll have a fighting chance.”
They were nearing the Star Destroyer, and Trox let Maarek perform the necessary communications with landing control. Soon they were tractored into the hangar and the robotic arms carried them back to the hangar, Maarek’s initial instructional flight was over. And he had, in the end, actually learned something!
Picket Duty
Maarek’s first mission after becoming a bonafide starfighter pilot was a routine assignment at a waypoint. He was temporarily based on a small corvette—nothing as grand as the Star Destroyer.
He entered the pilots’ ready room for the first time. It was nothing more than a long hallway lined with hanging TIE pilot regalia, the rows of helmets gazing sightlessly into the near distance. It looked like some planetside trophy case, and Maarek had a momentary vision of some giant creature that collected TIE pilots for sport. He shook off the vision and began to search for the suit assigned to him.
There was only one other pilot in the ready room. He donned the pilot’s outfit with practiced ease, and Maarek stopped to observe a moment as the man pulled on the helmet, sealed it carefully to the body of the suit, and then donned his gloves at last. The man turned, as if noticing Maarek for the first time.
“Easy mission,” he stated, his voice thin and nasal through the helmet speaker. “Name’s Cadrath. You’re the new recruit? Stele?”
Maarek nodded.
Cadrath extended a gloved hand, and Maarek returned the gesture. “Better get ready. We launch in just a few minutes. This one here’s yours.” Cadrath pointed to a suit, indistinguishable from all the others.
Maarek nodded again. “Thanks,” he said, and began putting on the gear, oversuit first, then boots, helmet, gloves. Cadrath showed him how to inspect everything first, especially the breathing tubes.
“With no life support aboard a TIE fighter, each pilot has to rely on his suit to protect him from the hard death of the vacuum,” he told Maarek. “Don’t assume anything,” he added.
Maarek followed Cadrath from the ready room to the loading bay. In the corvette, the TIE fighter dock was small, and he quickly found the craft assigned to him. It was an older model TIE fighter, scarred and burned from many battles, and Maarek found himself hoping the repair facilities aboard the corvette were well-equipped.
There wasn’t time to inspect the craft, so Maarek took a deep breath and climbed aboard, strapping himself in an
d doing a quick equipment checkout. Then he fired up the engines and allowed the robotic lifters to jockey the small fighter into position over the hatch. A moment later, he was spaceborne and felt the exhilaration of weightless flight. Then Cadrath came on the comlink.
“Form up with me. Stele. We’ve got picket duty.”
It was an uneventful duty, simply flying around and sensor-scanning various freighters and transports that jumped into the area. Then a group of six ordinary freighters arrived and Maarek fired up his engines, nosing his starfighter over in their direction. He used his target locator to select the first of the freighters and headed directly at it. Flying close to the freighter, his scanners revealed that it was carrying legal cargo—food supplies. Bound for some faroff world, he thought. He used the target locator and turned toward the second freighter.
Everything remained routine until he reached the fifth freighter.
“Weapons!” he called into the comlink, “I’ve got a load of weapons here.”
“Good work, Stele,” came the answering message, “Help is on the way.”
Just then, the onboard computer registered that several new shuttles had appeared out of hyperspace. These new shuttles did not identify themselves, which was enough evidence of their unlawful intent. Maarek found the nearest one on the target locator and jerked his TIE fighter over in a hard turn.
He came quickly upon the transport, and a visual sighting showed the hated symbol of the Rebel Alliance on its dorsal fin. The Rebel shuttle was slow, however, and after increasing laser recharge rates to maximum, Maarek still was forced to lower engine power to 2/3. He opened fire without delay, staying easily on the shuttle’s tail. When he came close enough, the target identification system confirmed the shuttle’s identity. He watched the indicator between shots to see how much damage the enemy had sustained.
While he was so engaged, other TIE fighters arrived and there was a confusion of laser blasts from the opposing spacecraft.
“Come on,” he urged. He was speaking to his dual-firing lasers, which made extremely slow work of destroying the shuttle. He was anxious to help the other pilots. But the shuttle’s shields were strong, and even with supercharged blasts, they held out a long time.
Suddenly the shuttle ahead turned sharply to the right. Another enemy shuttle appeared from behind it, boring directly down on Maarek’s unshielded TIE fighter. His threat indicator lit up and he jerked off course in a sharp turn, thinking to avoid enemy fire. But he hadn’t counted on friendly fire, and he almost ran directly into the beam of an oncoming TIE fighter who had joined in the pursuit. Only a last minute juke saved him.
He quickly found the shuttle he had been chasing and attached himself to its tail once again. But his hand on the stick was shaking and he could feel the perspiration dripping down his face inside the confines of his helmet. His breathing, too, was ragged. How easy it would be to die in one of these space buggies. Pargo had been right.
In the end, Maarek survived. He shot down three Rebel shuttles as they arrived in successive waves. Only two TIE fighters were lost in the battle, and the Rebels were routed. The squadron commander congratulated the survivors and held a short ceremony for the dead.
Maarek retired to his temporary quarters after the ceremony and sat for an hour with his head in his hands. He had watched one of the Imperial pilots die. His TIE fighter had collided with a Rebel ship and disintegrated. The Rebel ship’s shields took a beating, but the shuttle was not destroyed. It was a sobering moment. Maarek realized that the only way to survive as an Imperial pilot was to fly the better craft. There was only one way to get that opportunity. He had to be the best pilot in his squadron. He had to earn the right to be counted among the elite. Because only the elite had any hope of surviving for long.
At that moment, Maarek’s vision appeared before him. He saw it as a tunnel stretching off into the future. At the end, a bright light awaited him. Was it an early and explosive death, or would he become a star among the Imperial elite? He pondered the question until he fell asleep. In his dreams, he heard the Emperor’s voice.
“Maarek. You have been called upon to join us, to join for the good of all beings… You are mine.”
Starfighters of the Alliance
As the former senatorial malcontents and dissidents continue to sway the weak-minded to their side, the puny forces of the Rebellion have been able to attract some supporters who should know better. Not counting the alien scum of Mon Calamari, who are reportedly refitting their considerable starfleet to aid the Alliance, there are several key firms who at one time worked legitimately with the Empire. Among them are the traitors at several important starfighter design facilities. The most notorious of these are the Rebel sympathizers at Incom Corporation who stole the X-wing prototypes and handed them over to the Alliance.
Given their shortage of supplies and skilled workers, we had previously doubted that the Rebel trash could, in fact, produce any viable starfighters, but they have far exceeded our expectations. There are certainly several squadrons of X-wings in operation, and more are being built at secret facilities not yet known to our sources. In addition to the X-wing, we have obtained preliminary information regarding three other Alliance starfighters—the Y-wing, the B-wing and the A-wing.
Of course, the Y-wing is no secret. Before the hated X-wings began to show up, the Y-wing was the basic Rebel starfighter. In fact, it may be that the dogs at Koensayr had something to do with the defection of the Incom turncoats. Whatever the truth may be, Y-wings have been turned out in large numbers, and most of the pre-Rebellion Y-wings have somehow turned up in Alliance hands.
The A-wing is the Rebels’ newest craft, meant to challenge our TIE Interceptors. It is fast, maneuverable, and seems to carry special sensor jamming equipment. Several times these A-wings have managed to attack our capital ships before being detected. The A-wing uses Novaldex J-77 “Event Horizon” engines, which are efficient and deliver considerable thrust. Although relatively weak offensively, with only twin laser cannons, A-wings have been known to fire concussion missiles, and should therefore be considered a moderate long-range threat. We have an interest in capturing an A-wing for further study.
The B-wing is a new attempt at creating a heavy fighter. The Rebels, in their desperation, have adopted it to their purposes. B-wings are heavily armed, but slow and prone to breakdowns. Still, their firepower is excessive, and Imperial pilots are advised to use their superior speed and maneuverability to defeat a B-wing—not attempt to out-gun one. In addition to heavy weaponry. B-wings are well-shielded.
X-wing
Name/Model# T-65C A2 X-wing
Designer/Manufacturer: Incom
Combat Designation: Space Superiority Fighter
Crew: 1 pilot plus 1 Astromech Droid
Power System: Novaldex 04-Z cryogenic power cells and ionization reactor
Propulsion System: Four Incom 4j.4 fusial thrust engines (rated at 300 KTU)
Speed Rating: 100 MGLT
Flight Control System: Torplex Rq8.Y flight control avionics package
Maneuverability Rating: 75 DPF
Navigation: Astromech Droid, usually R2 unit
Star Wars - The Stele Chronicles Page 6
