As I pulled alongside the fleeing craft in the dark I had tried to crowd it into the cave wall. The pilot was too clever for that though and rolled over me, the wing passing barely a metre above my head. Now we were on the inside and they tried the same manoeuvre on us. I wasn't sure how much room I had above me so I elected to slow down. I dropped the flaps and cut the engine. They weren't expecting that and shot ahead. I followed, piling the power back on and sitting in their wake.
I got level again and did the same, but as they started to roll I lifted the shuttle up, reducing the room. Our wings clashed and I peeled away. The crash had thrown the other pilot of course, as they tried to correct they touched the cave wall and spun in toward it.
Tanner had been watching, he cheered, “Well done Finn,” he shouted and the marines joined in.
Somehow the other pilot had slid along the rocks without major damage and incredibly had regained control but as we both shot out into the bright sunlight I could see smoke pouring from one of their engines. They were in no state to fly and pancaked onto the ground, sliding over the grass. Their passage left a long gouge in the earth. In the end, one wing hit a tree and they spun around a few times before coming to a stop.
The troop carrier landed beside the smoking wreckage of the pirate craft and Tanner and the marines jumped out with their weapons at the ready and surrounded it.
I took my hands off of the controls; they were shaking as the adrenaline surged through my veins. My vision felt clearer than it had ever been and everything was sharply focused.
I followed the marines, moving more slowly, my legs strangely reluctant to obey the orders of my brain. I had grabbed a pulse rifle from the rack by the door but didn't trust myself to point it at anyone, it hung by my side.
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