Gamma Five Standing By...

Clone pilot CP-G5342 brought his Nimbus starfighter in a wide circle around the dying container ship. Rolling his V-wing to get a better view, he chuckled mirthlessly as another fireball blossomed from the bulk freighter's engines.

Scratch another ReSep ship.

Gamma-Five was still surprised at the daring of the ReSep attack; he'd heard rumors they'd even managed to penetrate the garrison planet-side with a large force of battle-droids. Well, after tonight, they'd never have the strength to challenge the Empire on Ranjahr again. Glancing at his sensors, the clone pilot saw most of Gamma squadron out ahead, circling another transport ship that had attempted to run the blockade. The other three members of his own flight settled in around him, and Gamma-6 dropped alongside his port wing.

"It's a pretty light show, eh, lieutenant?" crackled Gamma-Six over the com.

"Don't get too comfortable, Six. We've got a lot of traffic in the air. Any one of them could be ReSeps on the run," he growled back. But he couldn't help but to feel as elated as Six was. Stationed in this bloody nowhere backwater for two whole years, they all had been itching for some action.

As if reading his thoughts, suddenly Five's astromech co-pilot started bleeping about another bogey.

"Thanks for the warning Squeak," Gamma-Five replied. Right on cue, a light freighter popped up on his scopes, trailing streamers of Ranjahr's atmosphere as it lumbered into space. Squeak identified it as a YT-2400 class. Transponder named it The Shifty Crab, and though it was registered to an innocuous "GSV Mining Corp", there were priority alerts flashing across every display in the V-wing's cockpit.

Separatist Command Ship. Responsible for murder of Moff Gadj. Destroy or Capture.

"Gamma Leader, this is Gamma-Five. I have a Priority Alpha target coming into range. Requesting permission to intercept." He fought the urge to give chase immediately, the honor of bringing down a Priority Alpha target would bring him one step closer to the command he knew he deserved. But duty came first, and he awaited his squadron leader's reply.

"This is Gamma Leader. Affirmative, pursue Priority Alpha target with all speed. We're finishing up with the transport ship. We'll join you as soon as we can."

Gamma-Five smiled under his flight helmet. Gamma Leader had always been a supportive CO. Now was Five's chance to shine and he wouldn't disappoint his commander. He throttled back and flipped the V-wing towards the planet, and saw the Crab backlit by the hellish outgassing of a fuel ship Gamma squadron had neutralized shortly after the battle had started. Gamma-Five's four starfighters could easily vape a lone ReSep freighter, no matter how skilled the rebels. The rustbucket did appear well armed, but he didn't read any power output levels that were worth worrying about.

"Gamma Six, on me," he called out, "We're going for the engines. Gamma 7, 8 draw their fire. Try to box them in before they can make a run for it."

"Roger!" his flight-mates replied in unison. They were precision instruments of the Empire. They all would act as one to eliminate the rebel scum.

Gamma-Five gunned the throttle and dived for the YT-2400. Squeak whistled that the freighter's shields were up and the ReSeps' targeting arrays had locked on. Let them try to fight the Empire, they would fail.

His sensors bleeped about another IFF signal -- a lone Eta-2 Actis fighter on patrol above the battlefield. Designated Mynock-4, it was coming in fast from the direction of the Star Destroyer Illustrious. Most of Mynock squadron had been planetside, providing cover for the Imperial command during the attack. Looks like Mynock-4 has picked up the Priority Alpha target as well. Five wasn't eager to share their kill with the Actis pilot, but at least it wasn't one of those braggarts from the new T.I.E. squadron.

"Mynock-4, this is Gamma-Five. Come to 1-2-5 mark 3. We'll space this scum together." He had Squeak triple-encrypt the transmission. The ReSeps hadn't seen the other fighter yet, and Five wanted to keep it that way.

Standing by to assist, came Mynock-4's coded transmission. Angle your attack from the port side. They will track you as you pass. I will watch your backs.

Perfect, thought Five.

"Squeak, send to Mynock-4, 'affirmative'. Tell him we're starting our attack run now." Gamma Five swooped in on the The Shifty Crab, reveling in the glory of the Empire he served. The freighter hung like a doomed bantha in his targeting scopes.

"I have you now..." Five cheered as he pulled the trigger.