Jaina Solo (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
sticksofthejedi) wrote2013-05-27 01:30 pm
sticksofthejedi) wrote2013-05-27 01:30 pm
Entry tags:
Memory 65
Memory: As a starfighter pilot, getting shot down.
Received: Day 251
Form: A brightly-colored party cracker; two people can pull on it, resulting in a shared memory.
Summary: So the opening of Balance Point is literally Jaina getting blown up. I misremembered how this passage wrapped up when I put it in the registry, since getting shot isn't actually what takes her out of the fight.
--
The prologue comes into a space battle between the New Republic and the Yuuzhan Vong. Jaina's a lieutenant in Rogue Squadron; she's worn out from dozens of battles, midnight scrambles, lots of death and almost no sleep. Kalarba's industrialized moon, Hosk, is falling out of its orbit, as the Vong have deployed a device that is going to crash it directly into the planet. Jaina and her wing mate are tangling with Vong coralskippers, fight-equivalent living ships. They're trying to keep the enemy off of the Republic's capital ships -- in particular, Bothan assault cruiser Champion, which is in turn trying to cover a refugee convoy. The Rogues have some new tactics to balance things against the invaders, which use miniature black holes for propulsion and defense; they've built in a stutter fire trigger for their X-Wings now, a flurry of low-power lasers to distract the enemy's defenses before hitting it with full power. "As the colonel once put it, 'tickle its teeth, then ram a fist down its throat.'"
Jaina blows up the skip harrying her wingmate, and has a moment of victorious pleasure, thinking they've got the tactics to beat the Vong now. In an even fight. Then she remembers that it's never even when it comes to the Vong.
Other coralskippers are swarming Champion's drive nacelles. The X-wings form up to make a run on them. Jaina torpedoes a skip while it diverts its defenses to try eliminating her shields. The skip is blow up, but she takes a hit. It doesn't appear to have damaged anything vital, at least. Jaina's engaging more enemies next to Champion's port nacelle when Colonel Darklighter broadcasts that Champion's shields just got "sucked." Everyone needs to get clear.
Jaina remembers the aftermath of this already: Stuck in a bacta tank, taken off active duty due to mostly being blind and being shunted off to hang out with the refugees.
It's frustrating.
Received: Day 251
Form: A brightly-colored party cracker; two people can pull on it, resulting in a shared memory.
Summary: So the opening of Balance Point is literally Jaina getting blown up. I misremembered how this passage wrapped up when I put it in the registry, since getting shot isn't actually what takes her out of the fight.
--
The prologue comes into a space battle between the New Republic and the Yuuzhan Vong. Jaina's a lieutenant in Rogue Squadron; she's worn out from dozens of battles, midnight scrambles, lots of death and almost no sleep. Kalarba's industrialized moon, Hosk, is falling out of its orbit, as the Vong have deployed a device that is going to crash it directly into the planet. Jaina and her wing mate are tangling with Vong coralskippers, fight-equivalent living ships. They're trying to keep the enemy off of the Republic's capital ships -- in particular, Bothan assault cruiser Champion, which is in turn trying to cover a refugee convoy. The Rogues have some new tactics to balance things against the invaders, which use miniature black holes for propulsion and defense; they've built in a stutter fire trigger for their X-Wings now, a flurry of low-power lasers to distract the enemy's defenses before hitting it with full power. "As the colonel once put it, 'tickle its teeth, then ram a fist down its throat.'"
Jaina blows up the skip harrying her wingmate, and has a moment of victorious pleasure, thinking they've got the tactics to beat the Vong now. In an even fight. Then she remembers that it's never even when it comes to the Vong.
Other coralskippers are swarming Champion's drive nacelles. The X-wings form up to make a run on them. Jaina torpedoes a skip while it diverts its defenses to try eliminating her shields. The skip is blow up, but she takes a hit. It doesn't appear to have damaged anything vital, at least. Jaina's engaging more enemies next to Champion's port nacelle when Colonel Darklighter broadcasts that Champion's shields just got "sucked." Everyone needs to get clear.
What had they done, brought in another big one just out of Jaina's line of sight? She wrenched her stick and punched for full speed.
She was passing Champion's port nacelle when light broke through from deep inside. Slowly, with an eerie, fatal beauty, a seam opened on Champ's glossy side.
"Sticks," a voice shouted in her ear. "Eleven, get clear!"
"Full power, Sparky!" Jaina called. "Go -"
The blast flung her against her instrument panel. Rudder pedals seemed to crush up through her legs. Her cockpit's sides buckled, then vanished. A siren shrieked in her ears, blaring in rhythm with a synthesized voice.
"Ejection. Ejection."
She flailed down into the Force, grasping desperately. Almost ...
A white explosion of pain washed awareness away.
Jaina remembers the aftermath of this already: Stuck in a bacta tank, taken off active duty due to mostly being blind and being shunted off to hang out with the refugees.
It's frustrating.