Planets. He scanned the area for any traces of the Wolf-Wing's engine signature. He found it and began to make his way into the field. Suddenly the warning alarms went off and lights flashed in the cockpit. Balto checked his long range scanners. A Corellian Corvette was coming out of hyperspace. Balto flipped on his 3D zoom scanner and took a closer look. A large black Imperial insignia showed clearly on the front of the ship. Balto felt his muscles become tense.

"This is the Imperial Corvette Stinger. Drop your shields and prepare to be boarded," said a voice from the other ship.

"This is the Canis Light Frigate Trawler. I see no reason to meet your demands," replied Balto.

"We have scanned your ship and found a Rebel Alliance A-Wing fighter in your landing bay. Explain your possession of this craft."

"It's mine," said Balto.

"Rebel scum!" shouted the voice," Prepare to be destroyed!"

"We'll see!" said Balto.

He raced to the hanger. Muk and Luk were there. Balto went to the comm unit on the wall.

"Boris," he called.

Boris' image appeared on the screen," Yes what is it?"

"I need you to fly the ship. We've got an Imperial corvette coming in. Muk, Luk, and I will try to destroy it."

"You don't have to ask me twice!" said Boris.

Balto ran to his ship," Come on you guys!" he called to Muk and Luk.

They all got into their ships and started their engines. The three fighters flew out of the hanger and headed toward the corvette.

"I hope that's not an Assassin-Class corvette," said Balto.

"Negative on that," said Muk," I detect no fighters inside."

"Thank goodness. That's all we need is to have bombers attacking the Trawler!" said Balto.

He trusted his father's ship but it was still old and he'd been trying to get the money for a shield upgrade for months now. The Trawler was 30 meters longer than the corvette but was seriously underpowered, but it managed to outgun the corvette with its six light turbolasers and twelve laser cannons.

Muk and Luk came behind Balto in a Vic formation. They came into range of the corvette's more powerful turbolaser cannons. Balto's shields took two hits before he banked to the left. He re-positioned his crosshairs at the corvette's engines. His lasers hit dead on but with little effect. The corvette's shields remained at 100%. Muk and Luk fired and scored several hits before their shield levels forced them to pull away and recharge. Balto had wished he could have requested some warheads before leaving but he knew that with his reputation he would never be allowed to carry missiles on his ship during a leave of absence.

"Coming around for another pass," said Balto.

"I'm with you," said Luk.

The two fighters flew towards the corvette with their laser cannons firing rapidly. The corvette's shields dropped to 90% as Balto and Luk Pulled away. Muk came in and fired his cannons and delivered a powerful salvo of turbocharged lasers. The corvette's shields dropped to 83% and Muk began to put the capital ship behind him. Balto made another pass, closer to the ship. After dropping its shields further he flew away from it at the front. It fired enough times to drop his shields. He attempted to redirect his shields as he pulled up. Another blast disabled his flight control system and left him on a direct course with the asteroid field. He was now in full view of the top turret ad it kept pounding at him.

"Yaaaahhhh!" yelled a familiar voice over the communicator.

A pair of proton torpedoes crashed against the covette and destroyed the top turret.

"Jenna?" said Balto, recognizing the voice.

Jenna's course forced her to pass beneath the corvette and a laser salvo threw her off course. She regained control of her Y-Wing and came at the corvette again. She fired another set of torpedoes and was almost totally blown away. She limped her ship out of gun range and let the others fight it out. The corvette; although its shields were gone, had gained speed and was now closing on Balto. He had managed to get his shields back to full power but his flight control system was still dead. A quick glace at his computer told him that the repairs would take another thirty seconds. The corvette was almost in gun range. Muk and Luk made passes but were discouraged by the corvette's firepower. Balto was now in range. The corvette was using its four laser cannons as well. He felt his fighter shake as the lasers crashed against his shields. His shield indicator; a small round display with an image of his ship and shields inside it, turned from bright green, to orange, to red. His primary shield layer failed.

Muk and Luk were now in the corvette's blind spot shooting away at the engines. Balto's flight control system came back on-line and he pulled up and out of range of the bottom gun. The four laser cannons on the top of the cruiser continued to fire. He turned around and blew off the four remaining top guns. Thanks to Muk and Luk the corvette's navigation control was dead and the corvette was now heading towards a very large asteroid. The shock wave from the explosion barely affected Muk and Luk but Balto was too close. His systems flickered on and off and then finally failed. He was stuck in a vertical spin and was on course with an asteroid. Boris maneuvered the Trawler into position and grabbed Balto with one of the Trawler's tractor beam projectors. They waited as Jenna's fighter limped inside the hanger. When she emerged from her cockpit, her facial fur was singed and she was limping herself. The glass face shield in her helmet had cracked.

"Jenna, what happened?" asked Balto.

He helped her to a tool chest where she sat down.

"My control panel exploded and a ripped piece of metal stabbed my leg. I'll be alright though. Now we can go find Steele," said Jenna.

"You're not going anywhere!" said Balto," Except back to the fleet."

"But..."

Balto reached for the comm panel," Boris. Get the Trawler out of here. I'll continue on my own."

"No, Balto," argued Jenna," I'll be fine. You can't go on alone."

"Won't be the first time," said Balto.

Jenna looked at him and nodded," Well, here," she said.

She pulled a locket out from around her neck and handed it to Balto. Balto opened it. It had a picture of Jenna, along with a human that Balto guessed to be around thirty years old.

"Jenna I can't take this," said Balto.

"It'll remind you of Rosy. To keep you going. Never give up," said Jenna.

She leaned forward and kissed Balto on his cheek. He smiled and slowly, painfully stood up.

"Muk. You and Luk take Jenna to the infirmary," said Balto. Then to Jenna he added," I'll get the medicine to Earth. I promise Jenna."

He watched as they helped Jenna out of the hanger, then got into his fighter and left the Trawler's hanger. Jenna, Muk, and Luk watched from the medical bay's window as Balto's A-Wing disappeared into the asteroid field.

Balto followed his A-Wing's sensors along the engine signature left behind by the V-45's. He passed some large pieces of space debris including a half destroyed TIE Interceptor wing that was burned at the edges. He was positive that there was a fight. He came across the convoy after another ten minutes.

"Balto!" gasped Star.

"Balto, how did you find us?" asked Kaltag.

"Is anyone hurt?" asked Balto.

Steele came over the communicator in his low, tough guy voice," Everyone is fine!"

"Yeah, but Steele and Star have been disabled, and they can't repair themselves," said Nikki.

"Why not," asked Balto. "Our systems are too badly damaged," reported Star.

Balto slowed his A-Wing and stopped right beside Steele's Wolf-Wing. He looked through the viewport but all Steele did was stare straight ahead.

"I've got a zero-G suit in my ship," said Balto, "I could try to repair you from the outside."

"We don't need your help!" snarled Steele. Steele turned his head and glared at Balto. Balto lowered his eyebrows and stared back.

"Maybe we should listen to him?" suggested Star.

Steele flicked a switch and a burst of static went through Star's communicator. Irritated, Star turned him comm-unit off.

"Well, how could youse fix them, dere?" asked Nikki.

"I know just as much as the Wolf Wing as you guys do. I could repair the necessary systems: engine power, deflector shields, and flight control." said Balto.

"You'd have to repair the weapons too. Our tractor beams are linked through them and we need them to tow the containers," said Steele.

"Fine. Are we agreed?" asked Balto.

Steele stared straight ahead again," Agreed!"

A few hours later Star was flying again. Balto drifted over to Steele's ship and gave him a thumbs-up. Steele only glared back. He flicked two red switches and pushed a few buttons. A secret system, installed by Steele himself, began to come to life. As Balto worked, a tiny stun cannon was charging under the weapon system access panel on Steele's ship. As soon as Balto repaired his weapon systems, he would fire and leave Balto to drift in space.

Balto finished repairs on the engines and opened the access panel for the weapon systems. He crossed a few wires and arranged the cabling.

"There. That should do it," he said into his comm-link.

"Thanks, hybrid!" said Steele.

With that he pushed a small button. Blue energy flashed out at Balto, but he had seen the small device while doing his repairs and was able to duck in time. He pushed off Steele's ship and landed on the front of his own fighter. He quickly