The Battle of Antares - In Light of the Red Star - Part Seven
Jaal paced the bridge of the Basilisk, he felt… uneasy. They had just left yet for some reason this just didn't feel right. Maybe he was just on edge? No Jaal had never felt like this before, this apprehension was like nothing he had experienced before. What could this mean he pondered, could I be losing it? No that's impossible, at least highly improbable. Whatever this was, it wasn't good. Now he was in a foul mood. Great he thought, just great. Jaal was by himself, he preferred his own company where possible then with others. Others just got in the way. He glanced down at the charts that he was studying so hard. He almost knew this system by the back of his hand at this point. All the trade routes. The best places for supply depots, and stations. Yet after all of it they were utterly useless in this situation. He moved to look out the view screen into the cosmic void swirling around him. Slipspace was the true frontier, so limited in its capabilities as of, yet still so much to discover. His actions were not as strategic as they were more based in curiosity. Not that he would admit that. The wonders of the vortex where particular to him. He was interested in seeing what this tiny ship was doing all the way out here away from the safety of its pears. The comms rustled chiming for him to answer. He dared parry a look towards the control console before taking one last fleeting view towards the vortex encompassing him and his vessel. He slowly meandered to the console, frowning he smashed the button.
“What do you want.” He spouted. “Im busy.” A lie sure, but he would rather be left alone with his thought then talk to his underlings. They didn’t respect him. *** they didn't even know him. He preferred bonding with his warriors over battles, as did most Jiralhanae. Until then he would rather not be bothered with wasting his time with them till they had earned it.
It was the shipmaster of the Custaus, Bassytionun he believed, gah not that it matter. Jaal had no idea what he wanted. “Yes i assume you must be.” The Voice spoke back, a she apparently. “I would like to bring something to your attention, it would seem as we draw closer to this target of yours. The swirling chaos seems to be growing a pulse. I must assume this is what had you distracted is it not?”
Hmmm, really Jaal thought, he punched at the control console bringing up a hologram showing there jump trajectory. To his surprise a most curious sight indeed. It was in fact as if the vortex was pulsing. Interesting Jaal thought to himself. “Why of course” He quickly responded, he would be damned if his underlings noticed that he had missed something of such impertinence. “A most peculiar sight might I add.” he decided to voice his thought aloud. “This would explain why this vessel of there's would be so far away from its allies, wouldn't it.” Yet oddly it started to make sense, his uncertainty. This uncanny apprehension.
“Of course” The other shipmaster came back, bringing Jaal from his mind before he could finish this thought. “Interesting though it would seem, What could cause such an odd action of nature. I have never before in my being experienced something so… irregular.
“Agreed” He confirmed. What could cause something like this. “If you would not mind, I'd like to get back to it now. Thank you.” He stabbed at the controls once more ending this communication with the Custaus. He was sure she would inform whoever it was commanding the Lygtyeum of this odd development. He studied the hologram for a brief moment longer. About six minutes until arrival. He collapsed the hologram, he had enough of it. He paced back to once again lay his gaze upon the swirling vortex that encompassed the ship. He could only look out in silence. As the moments ticked by he pondered the ramifications of this new found knowledge. Odd yet so familiar. Another moment passed by, that was when it finally struck him. His face contorted into one of horror, he had seen this before. No... he had felt it only once. In a dream so terrible that his mind had willfully forgotten it. Jaals stomach dropped as the ship reached its destination and the fabric of the vortex contorted and split away sending the Basilisk plummeting into the deeper reaches of slipspace past the unknown.
Jaal struggled to his feet, facing the view screen as the ship plummeted through nebulaic gases that had come to almost surround him, strangling him in there suffocating grasp. The ship seemed to sway in the dark. He could feel the walls as if they were splitting apart at the seems. He gasped for breath sucking in what air his desperate lungs could find. He stood in place to catch his breath. He looked to his control console and rushed to it slamming on the controls to bring open a ship wide comm.
“ALL STATIONS REPORT!” He bellowed into the system, he could hear himself echoing through the ship. No one responded. Jaal marched to the door and pressed the button to slide the door open. It didn't budge. With a disgruntled grunt he forced the doors apart, and looked into the hallway leading to the command deck. The Hall looked far older than the room he was just in. He glanced back to see a similar site, as if the command deck had aged a few hundred years since he turned his back to it. He frantically ran back into the now ancient command deck to retrieve his brute shot. He grabbed the weapon from under the control console and to the surprise on no one really it fell apart in his hands. At least he had his axe. He pulled the blade from his back, it looked to be in the same condition he had last seen it at least. That was a comfort. Jaal pondered his options from here.
His once thought brilliant plan had turned into a waking nightmare in the course of ten seconds. He figured he needed to drop the ship back into real space somehow, if that was a possibility that is. He marched through the ships halls looking for a grave lift. He was still a tad unfamiliar with this ship, sometimes finding himself lost within its halls. It sure as *** didn't help that everything was covered in this black ***. Just as he remembered it, it was so surreal. As he came around a corner he found what he was looking for, of course the grave lift wouldn't be working. He looked down and tried to gauge the distance to the floor below. He looked around the charred floor for something to kick down. A helmet, most likely from one of his soldiers, he pushed it to the edge and sent it over straining his ears for the sound of it colliding with the floor. A few seconds later it clattered to the floor with an audible thud. He regretted it in an instant as it was followed by something shifting down below. He didn't have many other options, his face turned to a scow as he readied his axe and jumped down to the floor below bracing himself for the landing.
Jaal landed on his knee, he could here the floor creak and buckle under the pressure of his landing but it held. He quickly rose to his feet and braced for an attack, but non came. He looked around the room, there was no sign of movement. He looked down at the helmet he sent down and kicked it across the room. Nothing. He held his guard and tried to think back to his memories. Nothing of substance came to the surface, he shook his head in annoyance and pushed forward through the ship. He realized he wasn't sure what he needed to do, if he could do anything. He pushed onward into the belly of the ship looking for something yet nothing in particular. He sighed as he came to an open room, the inward control room as it was. As the Sangeili liked to call it the superior bridge. He moved to one of the chairs and went to sit in it when he noticed the thing was covered in a thick sludge. “Great” He spoke aloud. He kicked the chair over. He was just out of luck. It's like the ship was dead, flouting derelict for millennia in this endless void. Yet he knew he had just arrived here, sure he didn't quite understand exactly what was happening but it wasn't like he actually experienced 400 years or something just wisk past him in a single moment. He looked at the dirty consoles before him, much more extensive than the one in the front of the ship. He started thinking about everything logically. It was impossible. Slipspace can't do something like this. He remembered a obscure reference to a sub slipspace layer that operated like instant travel, but was stringy and uncontrollable. This was beyond anything he could picture. He once again tried to dig around in his mind but for the life of him he couldn't remember anything useful.
The only thing that did come to mind, was his mother. He tried not thinking about her. She was weakness. That's what his clan always told him. Family made you weak. He had strived to break free from his past. He was Jaal the conqueror, the slayer of beasts. He had defeated chieftains three times his age and beasts 3 times his size in single blows. Yet for some reason this thought prevaided him. As much as he hated it, thinking of her always helped him clear his head. That was something he needed. He pulled in a deep breath. Hmmm, if the ship had no power the life support systems should be dead right? Yet… the air wasn’t stale. He eyed the consoles suspiciously. He carefully laid down his axe and pushed one of the buttons and to his shock and delight a screen lit up. A stroke of luck after all? Could this time distortion be merely an illusion? But then that would beg the question where was the rest of his crew. He panned through the screens giving power to them all and locating the ship systems. He thumbed through the controls seeking a bio scan. After a few moments he located the command and initiated a scan of the ship. He watched it intently, a few moments later it came back. He didn't like what he saw. 32,000 life's signs were detected around the entire ship. Only 1 life sign was recognized. Him… yet nothing else was in the room… right? Jaal was once again on edge but he didn't have anything to really work with. Sure the ship had power but that didn't necessarily mean anything. He moved over to another console, within a moment he had full coms control. He launched a signal out searching for the Lygtyeum and Custaus.
“This is Jaal” He spoke quickly. “Lygtyeum, do you copy…” Nothing. “Custaus, come in!... Damit” He smashed his fist on the console. “CAN ANYONE HEAR ME! PLEASE RESPOND!” He desperately shouted into the coms. He was ready, he had to find a way out of this by himself. He went to retrieve his weapon when he got a minor comm burst. He rushed back over to it and listened closely. Static. He tried the coms once more just to be certain.
“This is the Basilisk, Jaal speaking… Custaus… Lygtyeum do you read me?...”
There was static for a moment before someone responded. “This is Captain Krase, Shadow wing reporting, Damit Phoenicia that better be you.”
Hmmm Jaal thought, no way that was his side. Definitely UNSC, but it was someone else. He spoke into the coms. “Negative, this is Jaal… ughhh.” Diplomacy wasn't his strong suit, he just killed everything that didn't agree with him most of the time. “Um, we could help each other…” Ok that sounded stupid.
The person on the other end responded. “Ummmm, ya maybe. Where are you, Jaaaaaal? Hu that's a pretty normal name Jaal. Jaal… roles off the tongue. Um scanners are not picking you up. Jinx you got something?
“Nope, zip.. .zadda… zilch. This place always frizzes the scanners you known? Ill try an short range pulse the *** k.
Jaal listened to this Krase talk amongst himself. He looked around the room he was in suspiciously. That uneasy feeling again. He felt like he was being watched all of the sudden. He grabbed his axe.
“Hay Jaal, can we get an idea of what were looking for?” The first voice asked.
Another came in. “Please for the love of *** and all things holy don't be floating around in a fricken space suit.
Jaal twirled his axe in his hand, His eyes darted back and forth around the room. He spoke. “No, my ship is a vessel of size to be feared. A Dreadnaught to be exact.” He thought for a moment. Would they help him once they knew he was their enemy? His eyes darted to the left… he swore he heard something. He made his choice. “I am with the Corilan, if you do not wish to help me then so be it”
“Corilan” This Krase spoke back to him in confusion. “Nope never heard of you, well can't say that don't remember you at least. When you work on a galactic level *** gets hard to keep track of. Even if you were an enemy leaving someone in this mess is just cruel.”
“Dreadnaught you say… Jinx look at this…”
“Aye, now that looks like a keeper there. IFF transponder, thank you mate. Basilisk.. .dat you?...”
Jaal lost track of who was talking by this point. “Yes, that is I” He spoke into the comm. “Whatever your going to do… do it fast… i feel as if i am not alone…”
“***, ya mate you might wanna skiddadal. *** *** like eatin ya when yur pants are down. Ok not really but they respond to emotional *** and ***. Keep cool and they back the *** off you git?”
“Good going Jinx tell him to lose his stuff. Ill pray for you brother”
“Both of you shut up, Lorin, do a diagnostic on that ship. If I'm correct it looks an awful lot like the um… Almeneck.”
Jaal, was starting to lose it alright…. Clear your mind he thought to himself. He drifted his thoughts to his mother. Happy thoughts, his anxiety almost melted away. Odd he felt less… watched? He lowered his axe again and focused on the coms. “The Almeneck? I think i know of that ship.”
“Really, um UNSC? United Nations…. SPACE control….”
“You know mate, cause space is so important when it comes to controllin ***. Right. Dat *** gonna jack my *** space… Dump annotation.”
“Yes…” Jaal agreed, the annotation was kinda dump. “wait “ he thought. “How does my ship look like the human vessel.” Jaal’s curiosity rearing its ugly head.
“Wow krase, indeed it does.”
“Let meh see dat”
“As i was saying, similarly like the Almeneck the Basilisk shouldn't be here. Its appearance is a mistake at best. That's good news for you Jaal. Are you using something called slipspace?”
“Ahh don't bother askin, of course he is... look at these.”
“Ok guys you're not helping. This Almeneck fell into wherever this place is. Something is causing a large subspace anomaly exactly where you tried going and being unable to enter whatever it is that's casting the anomaly you bounced off it and were sent to where the anomaly originated. Which of course that being here i have a fairly good guess what's causing it. That's our problem though… not yours.”
Jaal pondered this information. All well and said but that didn't explain what caused this, or where or how he had encountered this before. If his memories were to be believed as true. It also didn't help him get back. Jaal responded coolly holding his irritation back. “How does this help me exactly?”
Krase, at least he thought it was him responded back. “A hole lot. Your not actually here… i mean you are but not the same way we are. Theoretically speaking you can go forward and out the way you came. All you have to do is initiate this slipspace drive of yours and it should do the rest.”
“Yep, that's what happened with the Almeneck anyway. No guarantees of course. It's not like we have advanced science equipment on these things.”
“Worse case scenario brother, you die gloriously in service to your Corilan”
Jaal laughed at that. Sure he was part of the faction, but he didn't necessarily believe in it like his leaders or the others did. At least not to the same extent. Of course at the same time if legends like Ormentus were willing to aid in there cause there might be some legitimate backing to it. Even so, he felt like there was some ulterior motive driving there actions. Not even the Covenant under the prophets could amass a force like that of the Corilan on such short notice. The covenant took hundreds of years to build and even then there was always in fighting. They had managed to unite almost all the factions into one super force in no time whatsoever.
“Now hold on one sweat minute there mate, You said help each other. Soooooo. We need to find our pretty little Phoenicia before she goes and blows erself up if ya get what i mean…. So while you go and fiddle with your slipidey do dads mind if we use your er dreadnaught as a big ol radio tower?
“... what” Jaal retorted in confusion.
“Were going to do a feedback loop by pinging our coms off one another and relaying them through your coms system. Should be powerful enough for us to get a ring on the Phoenicia. Then we can regroup and high tail it out of here ourselves.
“Ok, just don't break anything… wait” Jaal thought, the frigates. “I had two frigates with me… they were the Lygtyeum and Custaus. Have you seen either of them?” he asked.
“Aye brother, the Lygtyeum, but she aint going anywhere. My heart goes out to the crew of your vessel. It was torn asunder.”
“She right dead mate, that Custaus though, no *** clue. You might jus get lucky and find er ehy. If we see erh and she's intact well relay how to get the *** out k.”
“Sorry Jaal, thanks for letting us use your ship. Lorin if you will.”
“On it”
Jall stepped away from the coms and waited for a moment. “This is shadow wing, Phoenicia Control if you're reading, Kaliunea we are at position coordinates 89231.29372 by 6278893.23 by 9823.234. We will maintain a heading at 89231.293829 by 4578293.1 by 9800 for 30. Ping us or run intercept. Krase out.”
After a moment they came back over the coms. “Again thanks and good luck.”
“Aie brother, *** bless”
“Keep it sain”
“I'd say somethin… but I'm tearing up mate… so farewell…”
Jall sighed. Ok then. He now knew how to get back. It would seem his frigates would have to be assumed forfeit. He moved to the control console and brought up ship systems. He scanned through the systems, and of course. He had to go back to the other control room for that. He relayed it there specifically so he wouldn't have to come down here. He silently cursed himself. Jaal readied his axe again and marched back through the door he came. He took a few steps before he remembered. Unless he could suddenly jump thirty feet had to find another way up. He went back into the center control room and took the left hall. There had to be another way up. How else would someone get around if the power was knocked out. He slowly crawled through the halls winding around the ship. Jaal was lost again in no time. He wondered about awhile before finding what he was looking for… well close enough he thought. A service shaft. Should run straight through the ship and put him close to the command deck. He pulled the hatch open… erh off and climbed in. For a being his size he scaled the shaft swiftly wasting no time. He reached what he assumed was the last floor. He hoped anyway because it was either that or vacuum. He opened the hatch and to his delight he didn't get sucked out immediately. He pulled himself through the small opening and took a moment to reorient himself. He scanned the halls and moved forward trying not to slip on the black *** on the floor.
That's odd he thought. He was feeling, apprehension again. But not the same way he had before. He slowed his step. Once again he crept through the ship slowly drawing back to the command deck. He stopped just shy of the door. It was closed again. He lowered his axe and placed it back where it belonged. He remembered now what this was. What he was feeling. Peace. He pushed the doors open. Waiting inside, of course she was… his mother. He couldn't look at her. The guilt he held within him for all these years finally forcing itself to the surface. He couldn't bare to look her in the eye. He had failed his family, his clan. He tried to be better, he tried to be brave and face the darkness. The truth was he failed to save his brother. He was the weaker of the two, Culture dictated the strong survived and the weak died. But his mother never saw eye to eye with the rules. What truly hurt the most though… was that he failed her. Yet she forgave him. How good she after what happened.
“Son… Look at me” She spoke.
“I can't…. I can never… not again…”
“You have to face me someday son… you can’t let this destroy you.”
“But how can I. You forgave me after I failed… I was a coward… I froze… i should have been brave… I could have saved him.”
“The past is haunting my son… but you can't let it lead you to ruin. You have to move forward. You have to forgive yourself… be brave son… and forgive yourself…”
I can't… i just can’t… I try to be strong… the things I've done… all of it was to redeem myself and yet… no matter what I do it's never enough… I don't deserve forgiveness… I deserve this fate. It is the price I pay for failing to be strong. The price for pretending...
“Son… I know how you feel… but please… Jaal died to save you… to him you meant everything… don't let him have died in vain now. You have to go on… I know it hurts. It never goes away. But you have to move forward. You have to learn to forgive yourself… even if you don't want to.
A tear fell from Jaal's eyes. He looked to his mother… and hugged her.
“Ill be better. His death will never be vain. Never… Ill try and be like him.
“Be you”
“Ill try and be better than me”
Jaal turned away and faced the thing that had manifested itself behind him. In one foul swoop he cut it down as it bellowed out a horrendous screech and he strode to the console adjacent him. With the push of a few buttons the slipspace drive hummed to life. The basilisk lifted up from the nebulaic gases and they faded away as the ship fell back through space.
“I'll be better… I'll be brave...
The Basilisk exited slipspace, 12 klicks out from the intended position. The ship was beaten and aged but otherwise intact. The UNSC Almeneck laid in a similar fate 8 klicks away from the Basilisk. Jaal was alone on the bridge of his ship. He struggled with the ship’s systems to identify the vessels dead ahead. He would be damned if… if what... hummm. That's odd it just happened and yet he could hardly remember. He felt better, about what he wasn't sure. He wasn't sure what he was struggling with either. The ship was brand new. Why wasn't the darn thing responding… ah there it goes he thought. His scanners finally roared to life to scan the vessels directly ahead. Jaals eyes shot wide at what they came back with.
“Impossible” he uttered. Dead ahead lay a phantom, a ghost more mysterious than the stories of old. The UNSC Zuel. A trattorias ship lost to the ages, believed destroyed but everyone knew was lurking in the shadows. With it the unimaginable. A ship of utter blackness, tendrils almost nebulous its size and stature stretching across the expanse, far past the length of the basilisk into the infinite unknown, a blanket blotching out the night consuming it in its maw and devouring the stars. “Impossible” A horror so stepped in the mind rippled through his brain. He was screaming. He could see it. Looking into him, through him… consuming his very essence. Bleaching his eyes of the light that beckoned forth from his anonymity. Flailing darkness consuming his ever presence. He was falling in a sea of death, and stars screamed out his name, sending him plummeting into the night.
Jaals eyes shot open. He was lying on the floor of his ship. He quickly shot to his feet. What the *** just happened? He looked around the bridge of his ship for any sign of disturbance. Nothing? He slowly looked out of the front view port straining to see anything… Nothing. He went over to the control console and smashed at the buttons. He wanted a proper scan of the area. Moments passed as Jaal racked his brain trying to remember what exactly just happened. He saw something… something he probably shouldn't have. Maybe it was a good thing he couldn't recall. He was in the right area… but the Hawkmoon was nowhere to be found. He picked up a UNSC ship moving away from the area… or more correctly putting distance between him and itself. A carrier, the Almeneck. Not that it mattered he could never catch it before it cycled its slipspace drives. Jaal just stared straight ahead for a moment trying to take in everything that had happened. He arrived to capture the Hawkmoon right? Then what else… This thing and just a blank… no that wasn't right… and wasn't he missing something. He swore there was something else but he for the life of him couldn't remember. He wasn't happy about this, but he didn't have any options. He needed to get himself into the fight. This operation was a bust. He set the jump coordinates to take him to the front lines of the main push. He needed to blow something up. He felt good even considering what happened… odd he thought. He stared out at the expanse waiting for his drives to cycle.
Mega-Verse "Retired Thread"
Fri Jun 01, 2018 8:27 pm
The Battle of Antares - In Light of the Red Star - Part Eight
“Terridor, the fleet is danger close, Eta 6 minutes.” The Dashmir was keeping track of the enemy's movement. They were keeping a steady pace making sure not to pass the Sither.
“What's the range on the Sither’s beams? When can we expect to take fire?” The Terridor came back.
“No *** clue, but I'm guessing any minute now.” We will keep watch replied the Dashmir.
“Why don't you ask Gamma here, clearly someone lost a ship to it.” Iota 3 stated smuggly.
“Shut it Iota, or I'll personally file a dispute against you, got it. We need to focus here. Arguing with one another isn't going to help anyone but them” Alpha 1 responded.
Cormic wasn't listening to the conversation. If the Sither was designed to engage long range she would catch their little group of ships. Her target was clearly the Terridor. As soon as she was in range she would splash the engines and those cruisers would shred the destroyer before they could even respond. He was formulating a plan, there fighters weren't particularly good aginsted a capship but if there 4 wings worked together they might just be able to disarm the Sithers weapon system and buy the Terridor the few minutes it would need to get out intact. It was a suicide mission but, if they could take out the weapons… what were 4 wings of fighters compared to a destroyer.
“5 minutes and closing, by our estimate they will catch us when ya ready to jump.” The Dashmir came in.
“Guys” Cormic came in. “I got a plan, that corvettes going to hit the Terridor guaranteed as soon as it gets within range, and its safe to assume it's going to try and disable her.”
“Are you suggesting an attack run on the thing? You're *** insane.” Iota 3 came in chidingly.
“I like it” Mathew responded. “We can take out the basterds stupid *** guns, then what will she be good for.”
The Infernicus decided this was a good time to join the conversation. “Your kidding right? Those cruisers would rip you guys to shreds before you even get close.”
“Got any other ideas that don't result in us losing a destroyer?” Cormic came back.
“I hate to say this but, well... he's right. The Terridor is toast if we don't do something, Were with you” Rho responded
“Alpha form up, we got a corvette to disarm” Alpha wing was in.
“Your insane… no your all *** crazy. Screw you guys” Iota 3 shouted into his coms.
“Well the rest of Iota is with you Gamma” Iota 2 responded.
“4 minutes and counting, Meridian… Infernicus… you guys in.” The Dashmir replied
“For better or worse our crew is in agreement.” The Infernicus came in “Where in as well” The Meridian also responded.
“Hate to break it to you guys… buuuuuttt, last i checked fighters weren't made for taking out cannons. Omicron, Xi, Nu. You guys ready to deliver some justice.” Kappa 1 spoke up.
“Woa… wait but how… we didn't call for backup… and where did you guys come from?” Cristi asked in confusion
“Where off the Almanack” Came in Mu 3. “As to how we found you guys in this situation. Well you can thank the Dimata for that, them ONI guys ain't so bad, got some fancy tech that picked you guys up.”
“3 minutes and 30 seconds… its charging its guns. We do this now or not at all.” The Dashmir came in.
“Fighters pull close and cover us, Nu target the left beam cannon. Xi I want you to EMP the cruisers nearest the Sither. Nock there flak cannons out. We got the right beam emitter. Infernicus I want you in between us and those cruisers on the left. Meridian, Dashmir pick a target and stick to it. Be as annoying as possible and draw as much fire from us that you can. They will focus on us but i’m sure you can *** off a gunner or two. As soon as the Corvette’s guns are down you guys need to jump flash out before the cruisers can take out their anger on you guys.”
The strike formation formed up and pushed straight towards their target. From the bridge of the Sither, a pair of yellow eyes stared at a view screen showing the front of the ship. The ship Master Zhix narrowed her eyes. A most displeasing development, they have grown bold. Or perhaps just desperate. Those bombers were going to be a problem, her race was never know for… competency and it showed glaringly in this crew. If they would simply… give her something more capable… to work with. She could have already brought down the engines of this fleeing human vessel. Non the matter, this fight was of little consequence and served only as a… distraction. She busied herself with more pressing and interesting matters, failure or success was irrelevant.
Cormic stared at the heads up display, tracking possible targets and identifying incoming fire. As soon as they closed in range every cruiser with a gun pointed in there direction opened fire with little care to where there rounds struck, they were being swallowed by a hail of plasma. The cruisers even opened up on the with there anti ship cannons. Cormic maneuvered his ship in and out of incoming fire, trying in vain to dodge the incoming hail fire of bolts. Thank *** for the Infernicus he thought as the ship stuck itself right in front of the path of fire easily absorbing the rounds ment for the smaller craft. Iota 1, Rho 3 and Omicron 3 didn't make the approach but thanks to the Infernicus most of them made it.
“Pilots target those cruisers, hit there weapon subsystems. All you need to do is slow them down.” Shouted Omicron 1.
“This is easy!” Of course Mathew was enjoying himself. Cormic shook his head, not this again. He tried to steady his hands. He made a pass on one of the cruisers, its gun blasting ionized bolts of heated plasma at his ship. He evaded the blasts and reached for the trigger. He froze. Dammit not again… NOT AGAIN.
Cormic fell to his side holding on to the console in front of him. The ship was venting oxygen, the reactors had gone critical and the ship was in full meltdown, he had walked them right into an ambush. Renegade insurgents from the Procyon conflict had been berating UNSC forces in the system for months. The colonies had been trouble for months but this was the first military action they had taken against the UNSC. The Procyon system was in full revolt, they had been sent in as part of the expeditionary team to retake the system. However these rebels were better prepared and armed then they had believed. They somehow managed to get there hands onto a destroyer and there incursion into the system had been one disaster after another. There carrier the Unity was flat lined within the first hour, the rebels broke there fleet up and had been hunting them down one by one ruthlessly slaughtering anyone who survived. Cormic foolishly responded to a UNSC distress signal and it had cost him his ship and most of his crew.
“Cormic we have to go now *** dammit!” Harrold was yelling at him again. Like he was screaming in his ear, back in that burning ship. “Cormic”... “CORMIC!”
Cormic blinked, he was heading straight towards a glowing blue light, he quickly banked his ship to the left narrowly missing a bolt of plasma as it streaked past his ship scorching the side of it black. He pulled up on his throttle riding the side of the ship up.
“Are you ok? What happened” Cristi asked worried.
“Ya what the *** man, you trying to get yourself killed” Matthew shouted at him.
“Im fine.” He lied evading bolts of plasma that harmlessly whizzed passed his ship, being absorbed by the shields of the hostile cruiser just below him. He looked in the direction of the Sither, he was hoping the bombers were having better luck. From the looks of it they got the left emitter. The Sithers weapon system flashed a blinding white, he had to turn away it was too bright. It had gotten a shot off, hopefully not enough to render the Terridor dead in the water.
Omicron came over the coms. “Were lining up for another pass all bombers converge!”
“Screw that, I got this” Mathew redirected his fighter pulling close to the Sither, as one of its smaller cannons opened up to fire a round he flew just under the shields of the ship.
“***…” Exclaimed Alpha 1 “ Now he's crazy”
“Omicron break off before those guns tear you apart he's got this… Trust me” Cormic ordered.
“Negative, to much is riding on this to put our faith in some hotshot, tighten formation” Omicron came back.
“Were getting torn apart out here, we won't make it you ha…” Xi 2 was blasted to pieces by a stray plasma bolt.
“This is the Meridian, were taking to much fire… we've done all we can, we need to get out of here now!” The ship disengaged and executed a crash jump away.
Cormic just watched as there push fell apart, the Infernicus was trying desperately to block fire but it was to close for her to maneuver effectively, the Dashmir was having similar luck. He watched Alpha 1 sacrifice himself taking a blast for the bombers. In vain. Omicron was blasted to smithereens.
“Damit!” Cormic yelled in defeat. “Everyone disengage now, we won't be able to do anything from here.”
As he spoke another blinding flash, the Sither had gotten another shot off… or not. The entire cannon on the front of the ship erupted in flames tearing a hole in the shields and sending debris flying outward from the explosion. There comms were filled with ecstatic cries of success.
“*** ya, *** you you piece of ***… That's how its*** done. ***.”
.Cormic was relieved to hear Matthew's voice. Matthews celebration was interrupted by the Infernicus. “Everyone clear the *** out down!” The Infernicu jumped out followed by the Dashmir. Cormic turned his fighter away from the onslaught of cruisers heading back to the Terridor. They pulled away from the armada easily out running them in the smaller craft.
The Terridor came in over the coms. “I don't know how you guys did it but our drives have cycled, were out of here. Get back alive you guys, we owe you all a drink or thirty.” With that the destroyer jumped out followed by the Alloy.
Cormic leaned back in his seat taking in a breath. he looked around his ship to see who was left. It didn't look good. He checked there IFF's. Nu was barely holding on. Omicron and Xi were gone… Kappa only lost there wing leader. Mu was gone and so was Rho. Iota 2 and 6 made it... also presumably Iota 3. So did Alpha 4. Wait his wing was all hear. “Guys sound off”
“I'm here” came Cristi.
“What... just because I didn't say anything doesn't mean I'm dead” came Louis.
“Your kidding right? That was easy… pfff to easy if you ask me.” Matthew was ok too.
Was it a stroke of luck? His hole wing had made it, out of everyone here the outcast squadron pulled through. It wasn't fair, actually. Pilots better than him had just died and yet he made it… again… he always made it… “Everyone” He almost lost it…. “Lets go... return to base”
“Terridor, the fleet is danger close, Eta 6 minutes.” The Dashmir was keeping track of the enemy's movement. They were keeping a steady pace making sure not to pass the Sither.
“What's the range on the Sither’s beams? When can we expect to take fire?” The Terridor came back.
“No *** clue, but I'm guessing any minute now.” We will keep watch replied the Dashmir.
“Why don't you ask Gamma here, clearly someone lost a ship to it.” Iota 3 stated smuggly.
“Shut it Iota, or I'll personally file a dispute against you, got it. We need to focus here. Arguing with one another isn't going to help anyone but them” Alpha 1 responded.
Cormic wasn't listening to the conversation. If the Sither was designed to engage long range she would catch their little group of ships. Her target was clearly the Terridor. As soon as she was in range she would splash the engines and those cruisers would shred the destroyer before they could even respond. He was formulating a plan, there fighters weren't particularly good aginsted a capship but if there 4 wings worked together they might just be able to disarm the Sithers weapon system and buy the Terridor the few minutes it would need to get out intact. It was a suicide mission but, if they could take out the weapons… what were 4 wings of fighters compared to a destroyer.
“5 minutes and closing, by our estimate they will catch us when ya ready to jump.” The Dashmir came in.
“Guys” Cormic came in. “I got a plan, that corvettes going to hit the Terridor guaranteed as soon as it gets within range, and its safe to assume it's going to try and disable her.”
“Are you suggesting an attack run on the thing? You're *** insane.” Iota 3 came in chidingly.
“I like it” Mathew responded. “We can take out the basterds stupid *** guns, then what will she be good for.”
The Infernicus decided this was a good time to join the conversation. “Your kidding right? Those cruisers would rip you guys to shreds before you even get close.”
“Got any other ideas that don't result in us losing a destroyer?” Cormic came back.
“I hate to say this but, well... he's right. The Terridor is toast if we don't do something, Were with you” Rho responded
“Alpha form up, we got a corvette to disarm” Alpha wing was in.
“Your insane… no your all *** crazy. Screw you guys” Iota 3 shouted into his coms.
“Well the rest of Iota is with you Gamma” Iota 2 responded.
“4 minutes and counting, Meridian… Infernicus… you guys in.” The Dashmir replied
“For better or worse our crew is in agreement.” The Infernicus came in “Where in as well” The Meridian also responded.
“Hate to break it to you guys… buuuuuttt, last i checked fighters weren't made for taking out cannons. Omicron, Xi, Nu. You guys ready to deliver some justice.” Kappa 1 spoke up.
“Woa… wait but how… we didn't call for backup… and where did you guys come from?” Cristi asked in confusion
“Where off the Almanack” Came in Mu 3. “As to how we found you guys in this situation. Well you can thank the Dimata for that, them ONI guys ain't so bad, got some fancy tech that picked you guys up.”
“3 minutes and 30 seconds… its charging its guns. We do this now or not at all.” The Dashmir came in.
“Fighters pull close and cover us, Nu target the left beam cannon. Xi I want you to EMP the cruisers nearest the Sither. Nock there flak cannons out. We got the right beam emitter. Infernicus I want you in between us and those cruisers on the left. Meridian, Dashmir pick a target and stick to it. Be as annoying as possible and draw as much fire from us that you can. They will focus on us but i’m sure you can *** off a gunner or two. As soon as the Corvette’s guns are down you guys need to jump flash out before the cruisers can take out their anger on you guys.”
The strike formation formed up and pushed straight towards their target. From the bridge of the Sither, a pair of yellow eyes stared at a view screen showing the front of the ship. The ship Master Zhix narrowed her eyes. A most displeasing development, they have grown bold. Or perhaps just desperate. Those bombers were going to be a problem, her race was never know for… competency and it showed glaringly in this crew. If they would simply… give her something more capable… to work with. She could have already brought down the engines of this fleeing human vessel. Non the matter, this fight was of little consequence and served only as a… distraction. She busied herself with more pressing and interesting matters, failure or success was irrelevant.
Cormic stared at the heads up display, tracking possible targets and identifying incoming fire. As soon as they closed in range every cruiser with a gun pointed in there direction opened fire with little care to where there rounds struck, they were being swallowed by a hail of plasma. The cruisers even opened up on the with there anti ship cannons. Cormic maneuvered his ship in and out of incoming fire, trying in vain to dodge the incoming hail fire of bolts. Thank *** for the Infernicus he thought as the ship stuck itself right in front of the path of fire easily absorbing the rounds ment for the smaller craft. Iota 1, Rho 3 and Omicron 3 didn't make the approach but thanks to the Infernicus most of them made it.
“Pilots target those cruisers, hit there weapon subsystems. All you need to do is slow them down.” Shouted Omicron 1.
“This is easy!” Of course Mathew was enjoying himself. Cormic shook his head, not this again. He tried to steady his hands. He made a pass on one of the cruisers, its gun blasting ionized bolts of heated plasma at his ship. He evaded the blasts and reached for the trigger. He froze. Dammit not again… NOT AGAIN.
Cormic fell to his side holding on to the console in front of him. The ship was venting oxygen, the reactors had gone critical and the ship was in full meltdown, he had walked them right into an ambush. Renegade insurgents from the Procyon conflict had been berating UNSC forces in the system for months. The colonies had been trouble for months but this was the first military action they had taken against the UNSC. The Procyon system was in full revolt, they had been sent in as part of the expeditionary team to retake the system. However these rebels were better prepared and armed then they had believed. They somehow managed to get there hands onto a destroyer and there incursion into the system had been one disaster after another. There carrier the Unity was flat lined within the first hour, the rebels broke there fleet up and had been hunting them down one by one ruthlessly slaughtering anyone who survived. Cormic foolishly responded to a UNSC distress signal and it had cost him his ship and most of his crew.
“Cormic we have to go now *** dammit!” Harrold was yelling at him again. Like he was screaming in his ear, back in that burning ship. “Cormic”... “CORMIC!”
Cormic blinked, he was heading straight towards a glowing blue light, he quickly banked his ship to the left narrowly missing a bolt of plasma as it streaked past his ship scorching the side of it black. He pulled up on his throttle riding the side of the ship up.
“Are you ok? What happened” Cristi asked worried.
“Ya what the *** man, you trying to get yourself killed” Matthew shouted at him.
“Im fine.” He lied evading bolts of plasma that harmlessly whizzed passed his ship, being absorbed by the shields of the hostile cruiser just below him. He looked in the direction of the Sither, he was hoping the bombers were having better luck. From the looks of it they got the left emitter. The Sithers weapon system flashed a blinding white, he had to turn away it was too bright. It had gotten a shot off, hopefully not enough to render the Terridor dead in the water.
Omicron came over the coms. “Were lining up for another pass all bombers converge!”
“Screw that, I got this” Mathew redirected his fighter pulling close to the Sither, as one of its smaller cannons opened up to fire a round he flew just under the shields of the ship.
“***…” Exclaimed Alpha 1 “ Now he's crazy”
“Omicron break off before those guns tear you apart he's got this… Trust me” Cormic ordered.
“Negative, to much is riding on this to put our faith in some hotshot, tighten formation” Omicron came back.
“Were getting torn apart out here, we won't make it you ha…” Xi 2 was blasted to pieces by a stray plasma bolt.
“This is the Meridian, were taking to much fire… we've done all we can, we need to get out of here now!” The ship disengaged and executed a crash jump away.
Cormic just watched as there push fell apart, the Infernicus was trying desperately to block fire but it was to close for her to maneuver effectively, the Dashmir was having similar luck. He watched Alpha 1 sacrifice himself taking a blast for the bombers. In vain. Omicron was blasted to smithereens.
“Damit!” Cormic yelled in defeat. “Everyone disengage now, we won't be able to do anything from here.”
As he spoke another blinding flash, the Sither had gotten another shot off… or not. The entire cannon on the front of the ship erupted in flames tearing a hole in the shields and sending debris flying outward from the explosion. There comms were filled with ecstatic cries of success.
“*** ya, *** you you piece of ***… That's how its*** done. ***.”
.Cormic was relieved to hear Matthew's voice. Matthews celebration was interrupted by the Infernicus. “Everyone clear the *** out down!” The Infernicu jumped out followed by the Dashmir. Cormic turned his fighter away from the onslaught of cruisers heading back to the Terridor. They pulled away from the armada easily out running them in the smaller craft.
The Terridor came in over the coms. “I don't know how you guys did it but our drives have cycled, were out of here. Get back alive you guys, we owe you all a drink or thirty.” With that the destroyer jumped out followed by the Alloy.
Cormic leaned back in his seat taking in a breath. he looked around his ship to see who was left. It didn't look good. He checked there IFF's. Nu was barely holding on. Omicron and Xi were gone… Kappa only lost there wing leader. Mu was gone and so was Rho. Iota 2 and 6 made it... also presumably Iota 3. So did Alpha 4. Wait his wing was all hear. “Guys sound off”
“I'm here” came Cristi.
“What... just because I didn't say anything doesn't mean I'm dead” came Louis.
“Your kidding right? That was easy… pfff to easy if you ask me.” Matthew was ok too.
Was it a stroke of luck? His hole wing had made it, out of everyone here the outcast squadron pulled through. It wasn't fair, actually. Pilots better than him had just died and yet he made it… again… he always made it… “Everyone” He almost lost it…. “Lets go... return to base”
Wed Jun 06, 2018 5:12 am
Just to be on the safe side, you may want to skim back through and edit out those F-bombs, rather than the mods finding them later and erasing the whole post.Admiral-Sabree wrote: ↑Wed Jun 06, 2018 4:35 amits hard to place, it has to with pronunciation of the word that results in it not getting blocked. O well its there system
Wed Jun 06, 2018 1:23 pm
Ya that's a safe bet. think I got em all. They should probably take the ing donotation into mindNatoGreavesy wrote: ↑Wed Jun 06, 2018 5:12 amJust to be on the safe side, you may want to skim back through and edit out those F-bombs, rather than the mods finding them later and erasing the whole post.Admiral-Sabree wrote: ↑Wed Jun 06, 2018 4:35 amits hard to place, it has to with pronunciation of the word that results in it not getting blocked. O well its there system
Fri Jun 15, 2018 6:06 pm
Yo Jason397a. question, for the battle of Antares space battle, do you have a specific vessel in mind that you have created. Or would the Copernicus being making an appearance in this battle? I need to know so I can set it up. Otherwise I will create a ship for you to participate with.
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