"What attack pattern is that, anyway? It looks like it's...what? Alpha, Beta? Those are two words I just learned, though." Tiok babbled, the Sullustan already adjusting the Unchained Kiros' deflector fields in anticipation of the TIE/ln wing's attack.
Niobe glanced up from the point defense cannon controls, almost silently cursing the luck that put her in the bridge of the cruiser, rather than their more nimble, battle ready transport, the Swift Grifter. They really needed to find her a new name, but at least she could dodge the TIE's aim in the smuggler ship. It did not feel natural or wise to her to accept ship blasters slamming into your shields. A quick glance at the formation of the two incoming wings told her they were using the far more offensive tactics of Gamma pattern - a gusty move for just TIE/lns. Her eyes narrowed. Why would they...
"Gamma, obviously," sighed Athorn, standing next to Tiok at the tactical display. It was, perhaps, more shaming than she would be to the Sullustan, but she figured Chiss had to over-emote with their voices to get certain ideas across. They, as a culture, probably never picked up on rolling their eyes to express exasperation - because no one would pick up on that sort of movement from their softly glowing red orbs.
She nodded curtly to Athorn, in agreement with his assessment, though he was already angling around the display, so she doubted he saw it. She went back to her previous though - Gamma was a very forwardly offensive pattern for just two wings, even supported by an ISD out of the nebulae clouds. For that matter, why hadn't they launched the remainder of their fighter compliment?
~~~
The captain of the Imperial Star Destroyer Torment brought the comms to life over the sounds of the ion engine screams with a quick, throat-clearing cough. "The cruiser is limping, its fighters spent in the last engagement. Inferno, go in flying Imperial Attack Pattern Gamma. We shall make it lesson to the other rebel scum. Melt. It. Down."
"Fire One to command," a voice rasped over the comms,"Acknowledged. Assuming Imperial Attack Pattern Gamma. Check in, Inferno." A number of somewhat muffled voices replied in turn, acknowledging the order. "Fury One, yuuuuup!" DX-77-4 - cut in quickly to prevent the attack leader from calling her wingleader's...sense of humor. "Fury Two, ack," her jaw tightened with an effort not to laugh. Miraculously, the check-in continued without any discipline threats.
"All wings, begin attack run." After three quick passes from the TIE/INs, the shields of the oddly shaped, alien-built cruiser weakened, given no time to regenerate - but no rebel fighters launched to challenge theirs. The bombers of Tuk'ata wing joined them on the fourth pass, and shields and hull crumpled and exploded, throwing wreckage that Fire Three wasn't quick enough to dodge. DX-77-4's mouth tightened, and she rolled her eyes underneath her mask. The cruiser had a skeleton crew aboard, enough to draw them in to kill it when it's remaining fighters and transports must have snuck out between jumps, before it got here and the Torment had been alerted. They'd missed the bulk of the surviving rebels, and had no idea until the attack had been underway. It had been the third time they'd just missed the enemy - but at least the scruffy anarchists had yet again had to sacrifice firepower in order to save themselves.
"A ration of Bonadan in honor of Fire Three, when we get back," she nearly spat across the comms. Fury One responded soberly, quietly, "A drink, in honor of our loss today. Sure."
~~~
Their attack pattern hadn't executed as tightly as she expected from the sort of diehards that would still be with the Imperial remnants these days. Niobe muttered, "something's not right," even as she tore into the damaged wingman from the first group, sending panels spinning away from each other at a sharp angle. They called for the Kiros' surrender, and looked like they were going to attempt to board. When they sprang the trap, she guessed that the Destroyer had set a trap for any Alliance forces attempting to reach Hapan space - the way was dangerous, so the Hapans might not be in on the ambush. The lack of fighters, and the attempt to capture them did not add up. She shook her head - there was no way to explain this change in Imperial strategy.
Gyrinim called up the the bridge on the comms. "I'm going to shout 'knock, knock.' They'll pause cutting the door, and say, 'who's there,' then I'll say 'Nexu.' 'Nexu who?' 'Nexu one through this blast door is going to get rather mauled, I think.'"
She ignored the librarian and his distractions. Her eyes widened, and she breathed in sharply in surprise. They weren't Imperial remnant. They were common pirates.
Niobe glanced up from the point defense cannon controls, almost silently cursing the luck that put her in the bridge of the cruiser, rather than their more nimble, battle ready transport, the Swift Grifter. They really needed to find her a new name, but at least she could dodge the TIE's aim in the smuggler ship. It did not feel natural or wise to her to accept ship blasters slamming into your shields. A quick glance at the formation of the two incoming wings told her they were using the far more offensive tactics of Gamma pattern - a gusty move for just TIE/lns. Her eyes narrowed. Why would they...
"Gamma, obviously," sighed Athorn, standing next to Tiok at the tactical display. It was, perhaps, more shaming than she would be to the Sullustan, but she figured Chiss had to over-emote with their voices to get certain ideas across. They, as a culture, probably never picked up on rolling their eyes to express exasperation - because no one would pick up on that sort of movement from their softly glowing red orbs.
She nodded curtly to Athorn, in agreement with his assessment, though he was already angling around the display, so she doubted he saw it. She went back to her previous though - Gamma was a very forwardly offensive pattern for just two wings, even supported by an ISD out of the nebulae clouds. For that matter, why hadn't they launched the remainder of their fighter compliment?
~~~
The captain of the Imperial Star Destroyer Torment brought the comms to life over the sounds of the ion engine screams with a quick, throat-clearing cough. "The cruiser is limping, its fighters spent in the last engagement. Inferno, go in flying Imperial Attack Pattern Gamma. We shall make it lesson to the other rebel scum. Melt. It. Down."
"Fire One to command," a voice rasped over the comms,"Acknowledged. Assuming Imperial Attack Pattern Gamma. Check in, Inferno." A number of somewhat muffled voices replied in turn, acknowledging the order. "Fury One, yuuuuup!" DX-77-4 - cut in quickly to prevent the attack leader from calling her wingleader's...sense of humor. "Fury Two, ack," her jaw tightened with an effort not to laugh. Miraculously, the check-in continued without any discipline threats.
"All wings, begin attack run." After three quick passes from the TIE/INs, the shields of the oddly shaped, alien-built cruiser weakened, given no time to regenerate - but no rebel fighters launched to challenge theirs. The bombers of Tuk'ata wing joined them on the fourth pass, and shields and hull crumpled and exploded, throwing wreckage that Fire Three wasn't quick enough to dodge. DX-77-4's mouth tightened, and she rolled her eyes underneath her mask. The cruiser had a skeleton crew aboard, enough to draw them in to kill it when it's remaining fighters and transports must have snuck out between jumps, before it got here and the Torment had been alerted. They'd missed the bulk of the surviving rebels, and had no idea until the attack had been underway. It had been the third time they'd just missed the enemy - but at least the scruffy anarchists had yet again had to sacrifice firepower in order to save themselves.
"A ration of Bonadan in honor of Fire Three, when we get back," she nearly spat across the comms. Fury One responded soberly, quietly, "A drink, in honor of our loss today. Sure."
~~~
Their attack pattern hadn't executed as tightly as she expected from the sort of diehards that would still be with the Imperial remnants these days. Niobe muttered, "something's not right," even as she tore into the damaged wingman from the first group, sending panels spinning away from each other at a sharp angle. They called for the Kiros' surrender, and looked like they were going to attempt to board. When they sprang the trap, she guessed that the Destroyer had set a trap for any Alliance forces attempting to reach Hapan space - the way was dangerous, so the Hapans might not be in on the ambush. The lack of fighters, and the attempt to capture them did not add up. She shook her head - there was no way to explain this change in Imperial strategy.
Gyrinim called up the the bridge on the comms. "I'm going to shout 'knock, knock.' They'll pause cutting the door, and say, 'who's there,' then I'll say 'Nexu.' 'Nexu who?' 'Nexu one through this blast door is going to get rather mauled, I think.'"
She ignored the librarian and his distractions. Her eyes widened, and she breathed in sharply in surprise. They weren't Imperial remnant. They were common pirates.
No comments:
Post a Comment