The warning light cut out, and David pulled up to skim the atmosphere, glancing between his instrument panel and the space above him through his cockpit. There was a warning light, but it was a heat alert from the upper atmosphere's friction on his deflector shields. 

He found the attacker and pulled up sharply, putting extra into the turn to compensate for the atmosphere drag on his tail end. 

He could escape into the atmosphere, but there was no guarantee he wouldn't be followed. Better to fight it out up here, with that escape route remaining handy. 

He put the ship in his sights and fired with his blasters. His ship didn't have torpedoes. It was a fighter, but he didn't keep it equipped for combat. 

As he pulled on the triggers he murmured, "The Force is strong..."