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A Time for Change
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| Shiva | Date: Saturday, 14 Jul 2012, 9:59 AM | Message # 1 |
 Major general
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| Things had settled in the Cronese Mandate, at least in terms of their foreign policy. They'd lost a Golan station to Acherin, Robeir had withdrawn from daily rule and the Cronese Fleet had been largely reduced. As such, the time for a statement as at hand, especially as weak as the Mandate appeared in recent days. The Golan-I space platform at Algor was the site of this demonstration, largely because of Algor's use by pirate and lawless forces and this statement would be a blow that would state the Cronese were not welcome to interfere in certain ventures. It helped as well that the idea was sold by Shiva, who'd pledged support and organization of the action.
The fleet that emerged away from Algor, placing the station between the fleet and the planet, was this action. The central largest vessel of the pirate fleet was a Neutron Star-class bulk cruiser. Older, slower than most capital vessels, it still boasted an impressive array of thirty quad laser cannons, intended to keep the station's fighter compliment at bay. Approaching in no particular organized formation with it were a pair of Conqueror-class assault ships, a pair of Muurian transport, a pair of YKL-37R Nova couriers, four each YU-410 and YV-100 freighters, a pair of YZ-775 freighters and a small group of snubfighters consisting of a squadron of Y-TIEs, a squadron of R-41 Starchasers and a squadron of Z-95 Headhunters. The pirate captain on the bridge of the bulk cruiser Sloth hailed the platform.
"Cronese forces, this system is no longer wanting you... affiliation. The pirates of Algor have risen up to throw you out. Surrender your station and you'll be allowed your lives."
Shiva
The Shadowlord
The Lightbringer
Separatist High Commander (former)
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| Captain_Holt | Date: Monday, 13 Aug 2012, 10:29 AM | Message # 2 |
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Group: Users
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| (( I'll handle this one. Bear with me a few hours, please. )) Added (13 Aug 2012, 10:29 AM)
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(( I'm doing it again! So, maybe one of Jaron's can respond to this one? ))
Captain Gordon Holt
Star Destroyer Magnum
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| Shiva | Date: Tuesday, 28 Aug 2012, 5:05 AM | Message # 3 |
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Major general
Group: Users
Messages: 386
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| (( Anything coming here? )) Added (28 Aug 2012, 5:05 AM)
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I'll toss a post up here later today. ))
Shiva
The Shadowlord
The Lightbringer
Separatist High Commander (former)
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| Augustus_Valerian | Date: Tuesday, 28 Aug 2012, 8:53 AM | Message # 4 |
 Lieutenant
Group: Users
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| ((Meant to post on this last night, and the night before... and the night before. Sorry I've let it slip. Go ahead and throw something up; I'll come in on it after work tonight.))
Captain Augustus Valerian
Star Destroyer Vanguard
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| Shiva | Date: Tuesday, 28 Aug 2012, 12:00 PM | Message # 5 |
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Major general
Group: Users
Messages: 386
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| (( Would you be amused if my post was 'And then they all ran away'? )) Added (28 Aug 2012, 12:00 PM)
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(( Actually, just go ahead and post tonight. I'll wait for you. ))
Shiva
The Shadowlord
The Lightbringer
Separatist High Commander (former)
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| Augustus_Valerian | Date: Tuesday, 28 Aug 2012, 11:09 PM | Message # 6 |
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Lieutenant
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| The orbiting Golan-I Space Defense Platform was still only partially constructed; re-constructed was perhaps the more appropriate term. The Cronese were slowly reforming from their previous imperialistic ambitions, that included reversion back to pre-expansion security forces. The now nonfunctional hulk of a Spire-class Space Station hung nearby, both in orbit of the planet. The Cronese however ensured that the Golan's weapons system were already functional, even if the turrets sat on scaffolding still, and that the hangar was one of the first sections completed; it was however notable that only a third of the station's weaponry was actually usable, the rest still inaccessible. From it, spawned twenty-four Eta-2 Actis-class Light Interceptors, which launched in a tight line, one after another, only ten meters from one another. Once clear of the station they made a long, arcing loop around the station only to form into two diamond formations of twelve craft each, which slowly moved further from each other as they near the enemy, coming to the edges of the enemy formation.
Off in the distance, a single Skipray Blastboat was watching the affair and signaled a quick, burst transmission off into space. On the receiving end was the Star Destroyer Vanguard and the Detainer CC-2200 Interdictor Cruiser Catalyst. They would immediately make the jump into hyperspace towards the system.
Captain Augustus Valerian
Star Destroyer Vanguard
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| Shiva | Date: Wednesday, 29 Aug 2012, 4:44 AM | Message # 7 |
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Major general
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| The pirate captain, D'oten by name, was a Devaronian with a lust for battle. He'd been one of the quickest to sign on with Shiva for this attack and when the station launched the fighters, he took it as a sign that the Cronese weren't simply going to bow out and surrender. The pirates, at the moment, were just out of range of the station's weapons, allowing them a freedom of movement.
"What have you got for me, Lokken?"
The sensor operator glanced briefly at his equipment and looked back to D'oten. "Twenty-four fighters inbound, Eta-2 interceptors by the profile, and about three hundred kilometers distant, a single signature. Looks like a Skipray."
"Oh, so they brought in more friends to play too? How fun. Assign two vessels to chase down that Skipray. Open fire on the fighters when they come in range."
Peeling off from the main group, the pair of Conqueror-class assault ships accelerated to their maximum speed, aiming for an intercept course with the Blastboat. The Sloth and the other vessels began locking in targets for the attack, but it was one of the Nova Couriers that responded to the attacking fighters. With an impressive armament of three concussion missile launchers packing twelve warheads each, it had already locked targeting on the approaching fighters and dumped two entire tubes, one warhead per fighter as the group prepared to tackle the station once the fighters were down.
Shiva
The Shadowlord
The Lightbringer
Separatist High Commander (former)
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| Augustus_Valerian | Date: Monday, 03 Sep 2012, 11:34 PM | Message # 8 |
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Lieutenant
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| The Eta-2s, as they approached, shifted into two distinct, symmetric claw formations. They were now on attacks vectors towards the R-41s and Z-95s. The downside was that they had no shields, and were lightly armored, however they made up for that with incredible speed. It would be tough for the gunners in the freighters to target object heading towards them at 125 MGLTs, and should they engage the enemy fighters, it would be difficult for the fighters to outmaneuver the agile craft.
In the meantime, the Skipray, after it was noticed that they were noticed, began a slow leisurely turn in the opposite direction of the planet. While they were well out of the world's gravity well, they wanted to continue their observation of the situation while they retreated. Once facing away from the planet, they made a turn to parallel the attacking the force, maintaining aggressive scans of their force and the battlezone.
Captain Augustus Valerian
Star Destroyer Vanguard
Message edited by Augustus_Valerian - Tuesday, 04 Sep 2012, 6:31 AM |
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| Shiva | Date: Tuesday, 04 Sep 2012, 9:02 AM | Message # 9 |
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Major general
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| As the Eta-2s were indeed heading dead-on at 125 MGLT, it was a simple matter for the targeting systems of the attacking Nova Courier to lock on its twenty-four concussion missiles and fire. As the attacking fighters made no effort to truly evade, casualties would be high, perhaps even as much as ninety-five percent among the assaulting craft, leaving less than a half-dozen fighters to try and confound the attacking forces. This, by and large, was likely to leave the station open, but the pirates made no real move to attack just yet, almost as if they were waiting on something.
The pair of assault ships were still in hot pursuit of the Skipray and if it did not truly gun its engines, preferring instead to try and remain in a scanning posture, it would find itself under attack by a total of four medium laser cannon and four ion cannon as the pirates did their best to bring the ship down.
Shiva
The Shadowlord
The Lightbringer
Separatist High Commander (former)
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| Augustus_Valerian | Date: Saturday, 15 Sep 2012, 7:19 PM | Message # 10 |
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Lieutenant
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| ((Post to be up in 24 hours.)) Added (15 Sep 2012, 7:19 PM)
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The six Eta-2s that survived the missile barrage were staggered, and two of them damaged. Without having fired a single shot on the enemy, they cowered and fled back along the same course they came, allowing the enemy force to eliminate them at their pleasure. Waiting on something or not, the Cronese of late were not known for their fighting resolve, and it would be likely that the pirates could even take the Golan station for themselves if they committed to it; all of the operational guns were on the side facing them, and it would be a simple sweep around to the backside outside of the firing range of the Golan, that began firing sporadic shots towards their general formation, to make a clean entry. The Golan was key, and they could possibly take the planet itself from that platform, through mere threat of force.
That is, if it weren't for the heightened presence of Imperial forces, which the Skipray was part of. At this moment, an Imperial-class Star Destroyer and a Detainer CC-2200 Interdictor Cruiser dropped out of hyperspace in position to take the enemy. The Star Destroyer was lined up diagonal to the planet, in relevence to the Golan platform, while the Detainer was coming in on the enemy, pinning them against the planet. After a few seconds, its Gravity Wells went online, as the Imperial began launching fighters. "This is Captain Augustus Valerian of the Star Destroyer Vanguard, to all attacking craft; in the name of the Emperor, surrender now and prepare to be boarded. If you resist, lethal force will be used," was transmitted immediately to all of the pirate vessels. As this occurred, the Skipray turned on its pursuers, and locked on its impressive array of weaponry against them.
Captain Augustus Valerian
Star Destroyer Vanguard
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| Shiva | Date: Sunday, 28 Oct 2012, 4:41 AM | Message # 11 |
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| The fleeing fighters were not pursued, and the fleet was indeed still waiting for something, part of which was the Star Destroyer that dropped out of hyperspace. When the name of 'Augustus Valerian' came over the communications systems, D'oten chuckled, looking around at his bridge crew. "It's the killer of civilians," he said, referring to the Jewel of Winter incident where the Imperial captain had destroyed the bridge of a luxury liner to take out terrorists. The name was known indeed. For some reason yet, the pirates did not seem concerned about the dragship.
Opening his own channel, D'oten hailed the Star Destroyer. "Captain Valerian, this is Captain D'oten of the Separatist Remnant," D'oten shot his crew a grin as he said that; they might well claim that, seeing as how they were working under the Shadowlord. With the emergence of the CC-2200, which was a juicy target, the squadron of Y-TIEs and the squadron of Z-95s accelerated rapidly towards the vessel, while the Sloth and the pair of Nova Couriers began to turn about, albeit the couriers far faster than the bulk cruiser, to face the threat of the Star Destroyer, though at an angle so as to be able to maneuver. With that facing force remained the squadron of Starchasers and pair of Muurian transports, while the quartet of YU-410 freighters and YV-100 freighters followed after the pair of snubfighter squadrons towards the CC-2200. The pair of YZ-775 transports, meanwhile, accelerated to circle about to the far side of the station, where the Golan's weapons could not fire upon them.
Now the Skipray did indeed have impressive armament, but it was still within cannon range of the Conqueror-class assault ships. As it turned about, a total of four medium double laser cannons, turreted, would open fire against it, as well as a total of four ion cannons as the pair of ships split to either side of their target to attempt to force it to track one or the other.
"Captain Valerian, why don't I offer you a counter-proposal. Surrender your vessel and power down your weapons and shields and we won't destroy your ship."Added (20 Oct 2012, 7:50 AM)
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(( I'll be posting on this tonight if nothing is up. )) Added (21 Oct 2012, 10:51 AM)
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(( Been over 24 hours since the head's up. I'm going to post. If there's any objection, let me know. ))
The Skipray might well have been a very powerful craft, but indeed, it was only one craft. Momentary indecision from the gunners on board gave the attacking Conqueror assault ships that extra edge. The Skipray was raked brutally with eight laser cannons, dead on target from the close proximity, as well as four ion cannons. Whether or not it would overcome the shields was up for grabs, though unlikely on just one pass, though the Skipray would likely be rocked, perhaps some electronics fail. Flashing past on either side, the pair of assault ships would continue to hammer the Skipray with their laser cannon turrets as they swung towards each other with the intent of circling around for another pass.
The Y-TIEs, escorted by the Headhunters, approached the CC-2200 in the lead. Each of the Y-TIEs held two proton torpedoes, which they released at maximum distance as they came in, making for a total of twenty-four proton torpedoes against the hapless interdiction vessel. The Z-95s, as well as the YU-410 and YV-100 freighters would provide fighter cover for the attacking ships against any TIEs that came in for assault.
The YZ-775 freighters, having managed to gain a space where they could not be fired at, closed with the Golan station. Their entire load of proton torpedoes, forty-eight in total, would be fired at the station's portion that was least covered by weapons. Such a load, especially if not deterred, would likely cripple if not kill the station, which after all was not fully whole.
On the Sloth, D'oten gave his next set of orders as his ship was now dead-on with the Star Destroyer. "Engines full reverse. Begin backing us out of here and collapse forces as they complete their tasks. Comms, open a channel again to dead Captain Valerian."
"Captain, I offer you one last chance to surrender before we send you running."
The Sloth's cannons would have engaged any TIEs that came within range by now, with the squadron of Starchasers, the two Muurian transports and the pair of Nova Couriers did the same, protecting the larger ship. Added (28 Oct 2012, 4:41 AM)
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(( If nothing up today, I'll post again tonight. ))
Shiva
The Shadowlord
The Lightbringer
Separatist High Commander (former)
Message edited by Shiva - Saturday, 15 Sep 2012, 7:44 PM |
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| Augustus_Valerian | Date: Monday, 29 Oct 2012, 9:00 PM | Message # 12 |
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Lieutenant
Group: Users
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| ((Sorry I let this slip up. I will have a post up this evening, around nine or ten central time.)) Added (29 Oct 2012, 8:17 AM)
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((Sorry I let this slip up. I will have a post up this evening, around nine or ten central time.)) Added (29 Oct 2012, 8:53 PM)
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The singular Skipray was playing a game of chicken with its attackers. They passed the test, however there was a reason it was considered a pocket capital ship, and its shields and armor held, although a power surge temporarily disabled the wing assembly. This was a GAT-12j Skipray Blastboat, the newest of the line, and it quickly turned around on its attackers, taking the one on its starboard side once turned. It matched the attacker's speed and began firing into the port bandit with its dual laser cannon turret, while firing into the target it was pursuing with its three ion cannons, both of which focused on hitting the laser cannon turrets. It would, however, now use evasive maneuvers, while attempting to keep its track on its target, to avoid being hit with ion cannons further.
While un-armed, the Detainer merely responded to the incoming warheads by shifting its shields to a double-front setting. Once the impacts occurred, the shields held and they were reverted to their normal setting, albeit in a weakened state. The Vanguard's fighters, meanwhile, had stayed in an escort formation around the Star Destroyer as it moved in on the aggressors. However, the Empire had thus far not attacked. Now, with the failed salvo on the Catalyst, that would change; and so too, would public support for these renegades. Whereas the people of Algor may have supported an overthrow of the disastrous and controversial government of Robeir XXII, support was high with the Empire which had allowed the Cronese an high amount of autonomy and had left them to largely govern themselves. The support of the people here was irrevocably lost.
The Vanguard proceeded to angle down at the incoming Bulk Cruiser and its escorts to bring all of its dorsal weaponry to bear, while the fighters, consisting of four squadrons of TIE/ln Starfighters and a squadron of TIE/sa Bombers, with two GAT-12j Skipray Blastboats in support, had stayed underneath the massive ship for cover, now burst out in halves, one coming out on each side, to sweep around, clear of the Star Destroyer's guns, and towards the enemy. They did not turn in however, but would not pass them yet. The Star Destroyer would open fire upon the Bulk Cruiser, and hitting any escorts in the way in the process, with six dual heavy turbolaser turrets, two dual heavy ion cannon turrets, two quad heavy turbolasers, three triple medium turbolasers, two medium turbolasers, thirty heavy turbolasers and thirty ion cannons; this barrage could decisively be taken as Aurelius' response to the demands of surrender. Added (29 Oct 2012, 9:00 PM)
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(Also, I've noticed an error. You were to chose between either the Muurians or the Nova Couriers. Since the Nova Couriers have actually attacked something, I'm assuming that is what you chose and have disregarded the Muurians.))
In addition:
The attacking on the still under construction Golan did work. While incomplete, it did have a whole and working reactor, which in its death, leashed out with a release of all of its energy. On the incomplete side, with little to no structure to contain the blast, the two freighters would likely be swallowed up or several damaged in the blast. It would, in turn, take out the Eta-2s that were attempting to land at the time.
Captain Augustus Valerian
Star Destroyer Vanguard
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| Shiva | Date: Tuesday, 30 Oct 2012, 2:57 PM | Message # 13 |
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Major general
Group: Users
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| (( My mistake on that. I just looked over the request and realized I read it wrong. ))
The Conqueror pilots, used to working as a pair in their band, had a trick they'd used in the past to trip up enemies and they used it here. Both vessels went from full thrust to full reverse thrust; the resulting slowdown would ideally be enough to cause the Skipray to overshoot them. After all, their shields were not akin to that of the Skipray and already the punishment had knocked the starboard ship down to seventy-five percent and the port vessel to ninety. If indeed the maneuver worked, they'd turn the full force of their armaments upon the Imperial vessel. Barring that, however, their turreted laser cannons would keep a continued rate of steady fire back towards their pursuer. The ion cannons, forward-firing only, would be of use only if the Skipray was ahead of them. Then again, there was always the chance the Skipray would not expect the maneuver and collide with one of the craft.
With the CC-2200s shields indeed weakened by the massive, powerful barrage of proton torpedoes and with the ship undefended by fighters, the Z-95 Headhunters opened up with their concussion missiles. Each Headhunter carried six concussion missiles, and half the squadron fired their full load for a total of thirty-six concussion missiles. If this somehow did not finish off the CC-2200, then the other half would add their load to the pounding.
The Nova Courier with twelve warheads left had maneuvered to the side of the Sloth, taking it out of the Star Destroyer's intended fire line. It opened up with all twelve warheads at the squadron of TIE/sa bombers. To its port, the second Nova Courier, still boasting a full load of warheads, locked six each on either Skipray and the remaining twenty-four on a squadron each of TIE fighters. With only two laser cannons remaining in their arsenal, these ships, with the Star Destroyer bearing down on them, would proceed to turn and flee for open space. Of the two remaining squadrons of TIEs that had not been targeted, the squadron of R-41 Starchasers moved to intercept. Each carried eight concussion missiles apiece, so three of the R-41s targeted the remaining two squadrons between them, locked a single warhead on and fired.
D'oten knew he was in trouble as soon as the Star Destroyer advanced. "Shields full front! Divert all power from weapons!" The first salvo tore through the smaller vessel's shields, and it was only the reinforced shields that kept the ship from being destroyed outright. Fires blossomed along the bow of the vessel as its armor was torn asunder and vented atmosphere and crew into space. On the bridge, rocked from the impact of the Star Destroyer's full force, D'oten regained his feet on a now-panicked bridge that was lit by emergency lighting. "Comms, get on the horn and tell that bastard we surrender." As soon as the message was delivered, D'oten gave the command to abandon ship and was among the first to race for the bridge for the escape pods.
The YZ-775s were perhaps, in a way, a tad luckier. One of them was indeed consumed by the explosion. The second, further out, was simply rocked by the blast and debris. Still, with lowered shields, it turned to flee as well, not at all willing to risk the wrath of a Star Destroyer.
Shiva
The Shadowlord
The Lightbringer
Separatist High Commander (former)
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| Augustus_Valerian | Date: Thursday, 08 Nov 2012, 0:20 AM | Message # 14 |
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| The Skipray did overshot them, giving them a moment of clear fire upon the craft, but once the event had registered to the pilot, he immediately pulled the craft up, to rip the ship out of the brackets of the attacking craft while keeping their own turret capable of firing. His hope was with their full reverse and his now full throttle loop, he would be able to come down upon the back of them. Whether that came to pass was up to the pilots however.
It would take the other half adding their load to the massive salvo unleashed upon the CC-2200, but it was finally destroyed at the expense of the warheads of the bulk of the pirate force's starfighters. While escape was possible, they were still well within the planet's gravity well. Such was the Imperial position, to pin the pirates against the planet. The fighters, for their part, did the unexpected... somewhat. As the warheads were targeted and launched at them, in a continuation of the asinine practice of wasting most or all of their warheads in expansive volleys, the fighters broke off immediately, and headed at full speed towards the group of fighters that had been attacking the Catalyst. This would take the warheads with them, with some hope of confusing their tracking into locking onto the enemy craft, while the Skiprays attempted to provide cover of the movement by using their turrets to attempt to shot down the warheads.
Aurelius showed his increasingly infamous lack of mercy for pirates, and allowed the bombardment of the pirate flagship to continue. Observing the catastrophic damage to the Bulk Cruiser, Valerian spared no time in issuing his next set of orders. "As soon as the Bulk Cruiser is finished, shift fire of upon the Couriers. Heavy turbolasers and ion cannons are to shift their fire upon the escorting freighters." He hadn't left his spot at the center of the viewport as he watched the battle unfold. He believed in leading from the front, and he did so as much as a Captain could on his bridge. He left the pirates essentially two options. Attempt to rush their way past his Star Destroyer, and around the soon to be exploding Bulk Cruiser that was likely to damage or destroy several ships in their formation, or turn around and attempt to outrun the fast battleship around the planet to the other side of the planet's gravity well.
Captain Augustus Valerian
Star Destroyer Vanguard
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| Shiva | Date: Sunday, 02 Dec 2012, 9:11 AM | Message # 15 |
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Major general
Group: Users
Messages: 386
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| As the Skipray overshot, both assault ships continued to try to track and fire with their dual turreted laser cannons while breaking right and left respectively. With their own small battle going on, they were not well aware of the larger fight in the distance and as such, would continue to engage. While their maneuver meant that the Skipray would be able to follow one or the other ship, it also meant that the Imperial craft would have to dodge rearward fire from the ship it was pursuing while also dodging full forward fire from the ship that would come behind it.
With the Star Destroyer still in weapons range, the pair of Nova Couriers had split up, moving down relative to the planet and breaking for space that way, juking about as best they could. It was largely determinant by how much fire was brought to bear on them which would decide if they would escape or not. The lone YZ-775 had already entered into the atmospheric level of the planet and was currently making as fast as it could for the far side and escape.
With sixty fighters executing what amounted to a turn and burn at a squadron of Headhunters, the odds of getting the warheads to target the Headhunters themselves seemed quite small. The Z-95s, seeing such a massed formation coming at them, deemed it best that the only chance they had for survival was to cut their way through. With shields on double front, the squadron wheeled about and throttled straight at the incoming TIE squadrons, opening fire with their laser cannons at maximum range. While the squadron was sure to take major losses, if not fully wiped out, it was likely the Imperials would lose a chunk of their own to the massed warheads flying at them. If the pair of Skipray craft escorting the fighters were not careful in shooting down pursuing warheads, they might fall victim themselves to the six concussion missiles that had been locked upon them.
This left the R-41 squadron as the most 'free' which turned planetwards for the maneuver of riding the atmosphere to take them to the other side. Above them, the Sloth exploded brilliantly in space as the final volley struck it. Only a handful of escape pods made it away, one of which contained D'oten, who'd killed several of his own crew to make his escape.Added (02 Dec 2012, 9:11 AM)
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(( Any chance of wrapping this up? ))
Shiva
The Shadowlord
The Lightbringer
Separatist High Commander (former)
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