The asteroid was quiet. The great rocky mountains on its surface cast long shadows over high ridges and deep caves. Any sensors would bounce off heavy metal ores that ran all the way through the floating rock. It was the perfect place to hide. Jaina nudged her A-wing fighter forward. The ship lurched as the asteroids gravity pulled it down, but Jaina quickly adjusted her course. This wasn't her first time flying through a asteroid field. If she timed it just right, she could disappear into one of the caves below and-
Blaster fire scorched the wing of Jaina's ship! It was too late. The Tie fighter had found her.
Jaina immediately fired her thrusters to their max and dove into the nearest cave. Thip enemy ship tried to follow, but it couldn't make the turn in time. The Tie zoomed past the cave entrance before whipping back to track her down.
Stupid, stupid, stupid. Jaina mentally kicked herself for letting the enemy ship sneak up on her like that. Taking a deep breath, Jaina refocused and flew farther into the branching cave. She was certain that one of the tunnels must lead back to the surface.
She could hear the screech of the engines as the Tie closed in on her. If she didn't come up with a plan soon, she was going to run out of cave. Her sensors bounced uselessly off the rocks around her. But even without their guidance, Jaina could see the walls getting closer and closer. The only way out now was behind her. Behind me... Jaina smiled. She had a crazy idea. If here sensors were malfunctioning, there was a good chance the Tie fighter's were, too.
Slowly, Jaina eased off her thrusters and took her ship as close to the cave floor as she could. She almost heard the pebbles vibrating beneath her as she skimmed along. One centimeter too low and her A-wing would be a pile of rubble. Jaina heard the Tie's engines grow louder and louder. Not yet. The cave began to rumble as the enemy ship drew closer. Almost there.
The second she saw the Tie zoom out behind her, Jaina slammed on her reverse thrusters. The Tie fired it's blasters, but it's targeting was completely off. The enemy ship clipped to the top of her cockpit and blew past her. There was no way the Tie could slow down now. It sped out of control, deeper into the narrowing cave. A few seconds later, Jaina saw the glow of an explosion as the Tie ran into the cave wall.
Yes! Jaina whipped off her helmet and punched the air... But her excitement faded as soon as she looked around her. It had just been a flight simulator, after all, every time she took off her helmet, a part of her hoped she would have miraculously teleported to where she really belonged, back with her family- wherever that might be. She was sitting inside the Imperial walker shell she called home. The sun still loomed large as it sank beneath the horizon. The blistering wind still scratched at her door.
It was an evening just like countless others Jaina spent on the sandy planet of Tantooine. But Jaina wasn't one to wallow. She shook off her disappointment and began preparing her pack for the next morning. There was a crashed Star Destroyer near the center of the starship graveyard she wanted to check out.
Who knew what valuable salvage might be waiting inside? Jaina filled one last canteen and stuffed it into her pack, next to her staff. If there were any dangers waiting for her, Jaina would be ready. She had survived many battles, not just in the simulator. But that was a worry for the next day.
The morning would come soon enough.