Star Crusader: Knighthawk Squadron. Star Crusader, #2

Nate and his friends are expert gamers, and now veteran combat pilots. They have proven their skills by inflicting defeat on the enemy and saving their ship in the process. The passengers and crew regard them as heroes, yet after their violent escape, they are to be sent home to a life of study and boredom. Their ship, ANS Relentless, sets off to join the fleet to embark on a secret operation. A new battle is about to begin, and Nate and his gamers are unwilling to be pushed aside so easily.
The dangerous assignment for Relentless is one that will require every pilot onboard to join the fight. The Orion Battlegroup assembles under the command of the war hero, Admiral Churchill. Desperate for pilots for the coming fight, Churchill gives Nate's unit their chance. They will reform the defunct Knighthawk Squadron, and join with their comrades in the battle to help their Byotai allies. Churchill's fleet is heads into hostile territory, a place where the enemy will outnumber them ten to one.
As Nate climbs into the cockpit of his Bullnose Gunship, he still has no idea of the suicidal risks they are about to take. The Empire has already fallen, and the flames of revolution are spreading fast. Books in the Star Crusader series:Hero of the AllianceKnighthawk SquadronOperation Hellfire