Log:Array Consortium / Waywards Guild: Pirate Purge

Pirate Purge

Location: Y'oub System, off the Sunbelt Asteroid Field
Participants: Ax, Sajin, Maeb'h Moreland, Naldana, David Ironside, Jax Greystorm, Kaelyn, Adhar Gann

Not far from the edge of the Sunbelt Asteroid Field, a cargo convoy has come under attack - elements of the Array Consortium, along with any civilians in combat craft who wish to assist, scramble to put down the pirates and ensure that the local predators are kept from getting too brazen.

In the Y'toub system, thronelands of the Hutt Cartel, trillions of credits' worth of trade circulates in an endless river. Slaves, goods, and treasure pour through the collected worlds here and back out again, across the galaxy?s markets legitimate and otherwise. Everyone pays for the privilege - but even then, pirates are a constant danger. Every day, perfectly well-meaning legitimate traders and smugglers alike who've paid their dues still suffer the predations of the pirates that dwell in the Sunbelt asteroids, no doubt part of the Cartel's way of keeping happy a horde of crazed howlers happy who might otherwise turn their eyes to the /real/ riches of the realm.

Caravan Twelve of the Yallo-Satak Trade Group is one of those unfortunate parties. Just past the asteroids, they must have thought themselves home free - but that sort of confidence is just vanity. In no time, a sizable force of pirates have arrived, blasted challenge, and opened fire on the merchants and their fellows in a bid to bring them down for boarding. While a distress call in these situations might be little more than spreading the scent of blood for yet more sharks, the captains of Caravan Twelve have decided to take the risk...and so their beacons blare, promising reward for aid.

The fighters of the Array Consortium are launched within minutes of the call, their host ship having already been watching the situation - the Serious Business remains moored, sending out a party of Vendetta fighter-bombers, a modern X-wing fighter, and a pair of so-called 'kill packs', units made up of a single Kimogila and a pair of Cutlass-9s. It's Adhar Gann who commands the group from the lead Vendetta, sitting in the co-pilot's seat while Maeb'h mans the fighter's yoke, and with his hands on the weapons panels gives commands.

<< Response group, this is Vendetta Leader. Vendetta One, Red Pack, on my wing, we'll see what we can do about the transports. Bravado, you and Green Pack will hit the fighters. I'm sure we'll be seeing more show up, but let?s see what mauling we can do in the meantime. Microjump to target coordinates in five...four...three...>> That said, Adhar calls down to his pilot. "Keep it loose out there, Maeb'h."

Then the whole formation is synched to jump.

Cap't Mae Moreland sits in the pilot seat of the Vendetta Wing, Adhar Gann behind her working the guns. "Looks like a real cluster, Sir," Mae says looking at the space battle ahead of them.

"If we go in at at an angle, we might have an advantage, we.. I mean.. you.. can take out three of'em anyways..." she says and chuckles, "I'll try like hell to get you into position." she says and tightens her grip on the ship's controlls. "HERE WE GO!"

Having seen the scene unfold from afar, a pair of Phantom-class interceptors scream out of the hangar bay of a Raider-class corvette in the distance, the twin fighters painted a dark grey with crimson trim and giving off a much feinter sensor image than they should be, even for small interceptors.

<<Revenant, you've got more experience as a fighter jockey, so I'll fly your wing and take your lead in this,>> Ax says over comms to the other Phantom. <<Let's go see if we can render aid to those in need. Gheist Out.>>

Meanwhile, the Phantom Knight, the Wayward's Raider-class corvette lingers back, steering clear of the asteroid, but shields go up once the fighters launch.

Vendetta 02 is getting ready for the action, preping his weapons, checking his systems for the third time, his hands moving over the controls. As he wolf-man leans back into his seat, a fresh pot of coffee in his gaint mug, and his eyes are little narrow beads focused on the world out there, with a snarl of pleasure.<Naldana, reposrting in Vendetta two, preped and ready to go. On co-pilot heading to guns, once we go hot and live boss man.>

David in the T-85 X-Wing he craftily named Bravado 1, because if anything he knows how to roll with a punch, pipes up on comms. <<Make jump, hit fighters, you got it.>> he replies, forming up with the rest of the Array flight. <<On your mark.>> he adds when he's ready, gloved hands on the controls. He gives a half-glance behind him, where the domed head of his R2 droid Ones is rotating with cybernetic anticipation for the battle to come.

The Wyvern, a ship that not many people have seen before or yet zooms its way out of some of the asteroids, her pilot seemingly have been 'dancing' with rocks as it were, turning toward the fight to be had rather sharply and somehow without really loosing much speed. As the call goes in to micro jump, Kae calls over the comms << Hey guys I'm here, got a full load of boombooms too, all torpedos, was feeling lazy and didn't do a mixed load...>> As the call goes to microjump Kase calls out<< Ooh yeah, Roger Roger..>> Shortly before entering coordinates and jumping at the same time. It doesn't take long for the high performance prototype fighter to get on scene either.

Revenant's fighter pilot is circling through systems, "Exine rest the prefrences to the specifications from our last flight. Then link channel Geist for information excahge." At Ax's comment, <<Sure Gheist, just you might have to do the talking.>> The R2 unit with him beeps at Jax's comments. The Correllian lets out a deep breath centering himself. "The force is your ally." The droid beeps at him, "What it's been awhile?" The droid chatters at him, "I'm not that old." A few more sensor adjustments and in the lead he changes his angle to set an intercept course with the Array's ship. <<I'm engaging stealth measures. Gheist, what do you know about an A-wing Slash? YOu might let Gann know he's about to have a couple of tails.>>

Arriving at the edge of the battle zone, a mess is already in progress. Caravan Twelve consists of three BFF bulk haulers and a handful of YT-series freighters, two of which are YT-2000s, which are busy serving up their "totally unintentional" roles as gunships spewing laser fire from their quad-turrets. They and the crews of the otherwise woefully under-armed transports are not alone, however, as a full squadron of fighters are in escort - unfortunately, they're Starchasers, and as well maintained as they are, they're...well. Still Starchasers.

Meanwhile, a full squadron of fearsome Kimogila swarm about the group, along with seven light transports rigged up as gunships and a single Action VI seemingly spewing laser fire from every pore. Though the Kimogilas are largely still fencing with the Starchasers and the 2000's are seriously cramping their style, the sustained laser fire from the big hauler is withering the transports' defenses and causing general havoc. When the strike group arrives, the first two of the Starchasers explode, followed by a pirate fighter.

<< Right, >> says Adhar, << Bravado, take Green Pack and give those fighters some help. We're on that hauler. Vendetta, Red Pack, mass laser salvo on approach, then warheads. I want that Action burning in space before we finish the first pass if we can help it. >> He nods to himself, dialing up the guns. << Fire when ready. >>

Vendetta 01 pilots the ship towards the transports. "Keepin' it loose, Bossman!" she says and swallows hard. FRACK. Zig, zag, loop-de-loop, anything to keep those laser shots away from hitting the ship that she and Adhar were in. "GET'EM! I'LL GET US THERE!" Mae roars, sweat breaking out on her sky blue forehead.

Ax had been training with Jax in fighter maneuvers over the past few years, while he didn't have the experience the former Resistance fighter jockey did in the cockpit of a starfighter, he'd been a pilot his entire life. <<Roger that, Revenant. I'll get Gann on the horn and let him know. Engaging stealth systems now.>> he says. Of course, the stealth measures required him to slow the ship down considerably, but with a well placed micro-jump, he could maneuver himself and Jax into the area they needed to be.

Switching frequencies on his comms, Ax keys up his mic. <<Array fighters, this is the Wayward Phantom wing one. Be advised we'll be joining your endeavor in this and utilizing our systems to cloak behind your heavies. Sending coordinates of our arrival now.>> Ax glances to his HUD, "Send them, Buster. Make sure to sync Jax in as well," he says to the BB-series droid who served as the ship's nav-computer.

Soon, the twin Phantoms vanish in a blaze of light and pop back out of hyperspace a few moments later, flying the wake of the Array fighters, their energy signatures using the exhaust of the Vendettas as cover until target lock can be acquired with the enemy YT-2000.

Speaking of former Resistance fighter jockeys, David is already taking charge of his appointed Green Wing, pulling the lever that releases the s-foils into attack position just a split second before opening fire on the nearest Kimogila fighter. With a satisfied grin, the best human podracer known to the galaxy this month (available for shilling your merchandise or whatever) watches his volley catch the intended target by surprise, with at least one bolt hitting the craft, judging by the quick flash of shielding.

It doesn't take Kae too terribly long to get into trouble. As soon as the Wyvern drops out of hyperspace, dangerously close to the pirate's attack, the small forward swept wing fighter deploys fins, giving it a set of cannards and a kind of asterix profile each of those fins having an extra thruster at the ends.

As the fighter knifes into the furball, she suddenly pivots, swiveling and spinning sideways, like a car drifting around a turn, only in this case, she's drifting to keep her nose in front of a Kimogilla, seemingly a random target as she starts firing. Lasers lance out of the ends of her wings at a rapid cyclic rate, both streams of fire looking almost like a solid beam at distance.

It's just too bad for Kae she didn't set the attack run up properly before hand and was being rather random with her targetting, the semi-solid stream of fire is behind the crossing heavy fighter, as the heavy fighter moves out of Kae's engaging envelope, she locks the main engines back and suddenly her fighter's changing direction, moving into a chase position behind the Kimogilla. Kae's not giving this one up it seems.

Exine is busy complaining that Jax let Buster and Ax do the coordinating. "Ex cut the chatter. Yeah I know you hate the rollies and can do it but I'm busy." The coordinates popping up on his heads up display helmet. He then pulls back on lever sending the fighter into a microburst jump. There was a number transposed by Exnine or Jax pulls the lever on his hyper drive too soon. In the micro moments of hyperspace the Revant reapears not in the wake of the Consortium ships but in the middle of the convoy on display for everyone. Exine screaming at him. "Yeah, Yeah I told you I'm out of practice." Jax says slamming back on the throttle and a hitting a rudder peddle, <<Gheist, Stick with the plan, I'll meet back up with you.>>

The sheer volume of fire being thrown around the embattled caravan is terrifying. While the transports try to keep the fighters back as best they can, they're can only do so much against the enemy boarding ships and the wall of crimson light being thrown by the bulk haulers quad-mounts. One of the caravan transports sputters and begins to list as its engines die out, drifting out of the line by one lonesome thruster as one of the pirate transports begins an approach for boarding. Likewise, the enemy fighter pilots have a clear advantage; one by one the Starchasers begin to die, and while there are a few solid hits from the elderly escort fighters, none of the Kimogilas are brought down. Likewise, David's escort pack gives good fight, but there is no joy. Kaelyn is untouchable in her brilliant superfighter, but the pirates' fighters have tough hides indeed, and she too misses a kill.

Meanwhile, losses on the Consortium's part begin when one of the Cutlasses of Red Pack are speared by the guns on an enemy transport; rolling at the worst possible time, the hapless fighter's shields are breached, as is the engine assembly; the pilot barely has time to eject before Red 2 goes up in flames. << Damn it, >> Adhar mutters over the channel as the bulk hauler's defense guns wash fire over the ships in his control, << Wyvern, good to see you. All right, my group, set up a torpedo run. All ships, lock missiles and torpedoes, target the aft section. >> To Maeb'h, he says, "Right, keep a tight leash on 'er, this is gonna get nasty. >>

Mae swallows hard and frowns, concentraiting on where she is going, letting Adhar worry about the guns. She does dodge shots in Vendetta 01 to the best of her piloting ability. FRACK! "So ... many," she says to herself, under her breath. She takes heart in that our guys are doing well! There is the smallest of smiles on her dark blue lips, but not for long, as she moves the ship out of the way of incoming fire. "Get these guys Adhar! Rip'em to shreds! Make'm walk the space plank! Polly doesn't want a cracker, Polly wants a blaster bolt!!!!" Mae cackles as her Boss works the guns behind her, she can see the shots fired leave the ship.

<Roger that boss man.> Naldana is starting to get the locks ready on the torpedo, as he is dodging and moving his hands moving quickly, as he starts to look at the screen, trying to keep it level. His eyes are narrowed little red pricks of light ,on the green screen as his smile is wider.<Almost go it.>

<<Affirmative, Revenant, force be with ya and all that,>> Ax says over comms. "Buster, keep me apprised of his situation. He's exposed out there," he says with a few curses following in Echani. Ax keeps his fighter, the Gheist, flying in the wake of Vendetta 1, his computer still locking onto the pirate's bulk hauler. Assault concussion missiles weren't as fast to fire as standard missiles or torpedos, but there were few weapons more devastating. <<Revenant, engage the enemy fighters, keep them off the civilians.>>

David pulls his fighter back, retreading his flight path upside-down as he dodges returning laser fire from another Kimogila with the move, the errant bolts breaking the possibility of pursuit from his target and leaving it open for another run. Such opportunities should not be taken lightly, and David turns his ship around with a sweet corkscrew maneuver to unload a second volley on the same target. "How's it looking, Ones?" he asks of his droid, the question answered with beeps and whistles alike, bringing a grin to David's face. "Thought so." he replies.

Kae blinks as she suddenly hears her droid scream out.. Shields flare at a nick on them as a laser bolt glances off a wing... "Eep!" Suddenly, the Wyvern is flipping, rolling, jinking and moving around about like a leaf in a really bad wind storm as the nimble fighter darts in and out of red laser fire...

Suddenly Kae snaps her head over left and calls out "Get on the shields Hitch!" she calls.

She picks up on the pilot she was chasing after before, and takes aim again, this time swiveling her fighter around and unleashes another rapid torrent of fire... "Jeeze, you'd think with all the extra training I could hit the broadside of a cruiser or something." She mutters to her self...

< You too, Gheist> Jax calls out as he adjusts his weapons and Exine makes a pinging sound as Pirate 03 lights up on his heads up display. Jax pulls back on his flight yoke and set an intercept course for the pirate fighter as it preys upon it's target. Jax's cross hairs turn gold and Jax pulls the trigger his twin set of dual heavy lasers ripping across the Kigmogila fighter the enemy ships shields gone. "Now that's more like it. Exine keep an eye on Gheist. Kadi will kill me If he gets hurt." Then Jax slips into what he does.

With a wing of thoroughly unfamiliar fighters targeting its broad side, the enemy bulk ship is busy pouring fire from its quad turrets into the oncoming harriers. A storm of crimson tears through space to greet the Consortium fighters and Ax's interceptor, and as they proceed another of the Cutlasses are torn apart by oncoming fire. The pilot's fate, this time, is unknown.

<< Keep it tight, >> Adhar says through gritted teeth behind his sealed helm, just in time for his and Maeb'h's Vendetta to take multiple hits from two churning turrets. Alarms begin to chime as the shields buckle and the hull streams pale blue smoke, torn open in several pieces. << Keep it tight...agh! Loose torpedoes, fire, fire! >>

From Vendetta 01's recessed hull a pair of massive missiles are launched; the fighter's relatively enormous size can contain two of the capital-cracking warheads and their delivery vehicles, and now those baradium-cored lances are hurled at great speed toward the repurposed pirate Action VI. They land squarely, striking the transport's shield envelope like a hammer, and the field flares and sputters wildly as it moves to contain the miniature novae that erupt against its surface. It holds, but only barely - with this strike the transport's shields have been brought down to nearly nil.

"Maeb'h," he bellows, "Pull us around and get the shields up before they hit us again!"

Meanwhile, the defenders are being sorely worn down. Less than half of the enemy fighters remain, again to no losses on the part of the pirate fighters - but the corsairs are all paying attention to these new combatants now, and the guns are being turned their way.

Mae braces for the incoming attack, trying to best to dodge. "DIRECT HIT. SHIELDS GONE, SIR!" she roars, but Adhar probably already knows this. "Moderate hull damage Sir! ORDERS?!" Mae frowns and cusses in Wroonian something about the mother of the enemy, or lack there of. "Huttsucker sithspit!!!!" she grumbles and is angry, knowing she can fly better than this.

Mae gets her orders and does as Adhar says, she gets them into a postion where she can work on getting the shields back online.

<Hits incoming, took one hell of a hit, going to have my buddy here do some repairs, try and get the shield back up.> Naldana's voice cracks out of the helmet, as he is looking around the disply.<Now then, got the lock on firing it with full rage power.> The voice is teasing, as he starts to strife and then he is opening fire with the torpedos, trying to make sure they hit the mark. As it hits dead center, there is a little chuckle, from the wolf right as his helper, is bring up the shield."Good job, man great job JImmy. Keep us alive for another few strifes, and we might win this dude."

Ax gets the tell-tale beeping of a positive target lock. Taking a deep breath to center himself, he flips up the fire-control switch. <<Heavy hitter inbound!>> he calls over the comms to warn the others as his fighter breaks out of the cover of Vendetta 1's exhaust. The heavy assault concussion missile blasts forth from Gheist to scream towards the pirate's bulk hauler. <<Bird away>> Ax says as he banks hard to port and shoving his throttle to max to move towards the Revenant's wing. <<Revenant, I'm coming in on your starboard wing.>>

The Wyvern darts, spins, and rolls out of the way of incoming fire, somehow in all its wild maneuvers, the pilot keeps her nose pointed in the general direction of the Kimogilla she engaged from the getgo.... "Ya know, law of averages says one day I'm gonna hit the sucker." She mutters to her self, then draws a lead, and cuts loose with a stream of laser fire...

The pirate dodges out of the way and Kae would be flailing her arms if she didn't have to maintain a grip on the controls... Her droid, in the droid socket however has a number of manipulators extended now and Hitch is flailing... "Will you bloody stand still so I can shoot you!!!"

David has yet to take a hit, the lack of such adversity so far making the pilot grow cocky, almost cavalier with his manipulation of the control stick. "We're good." he tells Ones, the droid behind him. They are doing pretty good, considering. The X-Wing keeps behind his Kimogila target, the same one he's been behind all the while. Intermittently squeezing the trigger, he clenches his jaw when the opposing pilot suddenly seems to git gud, David unable to land a hit on the craft.

Jax is one with his ship, exine, and the force as he goes zipping along, diving, and rolling in Revant. The transport targeting him never seems to connect. The Corellian turns and twists his ship again finishing off the target indicated as Pirate 03. << I hear you Gheist. I'm finished with this dancing partner.>> He moves to link of up with the other Phantom, <<Lets send these pirates packing. Exine, Whose next?>>

The pirates are getting the upper hand, now. Most of the transports are on fire, now, and the pilots of the caravan's escorts are just /not/ prepared for how vicious and well-trained the pirates are. Nor are the Consortium's pilots, apparently, for Green Pack only manages to bring down a single fighter together while taking several heavy hits from the Kimogilas' guns, and the elites of the organization, for all their firepower and superior equipment, just can't seem to make a purchase. First blood goes to the Waywards Guild, in fact, as Jax in the Revenant tears apart one the Mandalorian-designed fighters, but the odds are looking bad as the enemy transports are near to boarding their damaged targets.

And then, those missiles hit the bulk hauler.

Torpedoes are one thing; capital-crackers are something else. Enough baradium to split open the hull of a Star Destroyer is spent blasting that transport in one salvo, to the point that its shields are blown away and a great hole torn in the ship's starboard side. Now burning itself, and repair crews scrambling to try and keep the ship together, the enemy hauler's triumphant appearance and suppression now becomes a slow attempt to escape while its guns continue to roar. The pirates change tactics, now, some of them moving to back up the hauler while the rest pour into these new and very angry combatants. Take out the new boats, and their victory is assured.

<< Vendettas One and Two, >> Adhar calls over comms, << Will concentrate laser fire on that hull breach. I want this thing dead! All other ships, do what you can to clear those fighters. Let the defenders open up on those transports. >>

"FRACKIN' HUTTSUCKIN'SONS OF A RANCOR!!!!" Mae roars again and tries to dodge incoming fire to get to a spot long enough to repair the shields. Got to have shields!!! NO PRESSURE!

Mae lets out a wild cackle.

"Right! Moving us to a spot where we won't get fired at... so quickly.. I hope..." she says to Adhar, her amber eyes have a crazed look about them if he could see them. With a big grin, she pilots the ship and then tries to repair the shields.

Ax banks to line up with Jax, tilting slightly to get a lineup on one of the enemy Kimogilas. A burst from the twin dual heavy laser cannons on the Gheist's bow unload into the fighter, turning it to little more than space dust.

There is not much time, as his shields have taken a solid hit, as he points to the console again at the shield, telling his co-pilot to work, as he lines up the shoot into the gap of the large ship. His eyes are narrow, and then he is firing off a laser with a wicked chuckle, as it strikes try, as he nods at the man."Get our shields up, we got more to do before this is over."

David, his teeth gnashing against eachother due to the clenched nature of his jaw, finally sinks his fighter into position behind the Kimogila 1. He scores a decent hit on it, visibly blowing the shields apart as the bluish hue appears on impact and then fizzles out with the telltale signs of an overload. He nods, inhaling and slowly exhaling, his focus entirely on a point between the Kimogila's exhaust ports. If he can just disable the engines, that'll be a win for him.

And then the dragon is slain.

With Adhar and Naldana at the guns of their respective fighters, the two Consortium Vendettas deal the final blows by loosing salvoes of heavy laser fire into the great hole blown into the Action VI's side; though it be silent in space, one can almost imagine the death bellow of the massive ship before several massive explosions tear through the hull, flooding the local space with light as it is broken into several pieces. << Keep on those fighters, >> Adhar calls as the holographic panorama within his helm marks the death of the bulk ship in a flare of pallid color, light fading behind his remaining eyelid as it scrunches closed momentarily in reflex. << We're going to drive off those transports. Ven Two, target one of those transports and tear it up. >> Then, to Maeb'h, he calls, "Keep at those shields, Crewman, and turn us on the closest of those transports. We have /got/ to get those ships away and give these ships room to escape. >>

Indeed, the ships of the beleaguered caravan, their hulls illuminated by the flash of the pirate hauler's gory death, are attempting to get away - and they'll be able to, so long as they can be kept free from boarders or pirate attacks for much longer. It's all a matter of time. Meanwhile, the pirate transports are being harassed by the remaining escorts, something they did not expect - though their defense guns are busy laying heavy carpets of fire against the ships, the pilots of the old Starchasers are much better against the slow freighters than they were against the pirate fighters. Shields are starting to drop, hulls starting to split. This might work out after all. /Maybe/. But it's not over yet...

"Blast it! Fuse blew...for the shields! REPLACING!" Mae says in disbelief. "No matter, I'll try again," she says thru gritted teeth.

The ol' Wroonian braces herself for more incoming and watches the outgoing.. "By the FORCE!!!" she snarls and pilots the ship to dodge and once having done that, she will attempt to fix the shield again, providing she and Adhar don't get killed.

<<Thanks Revenant. I had a good teacher,>> Ax says as he lines up his next shot, the twin dual cannons of his ship unleashing hell upon another pirate vessel.

Opening up broad-band communications, Ax keys up the mic. <<Attention pirate vessels. You've aroused the ire of a joint strike force. There's no way you can win, if you want to survive, I suggest you break away and hit hyperspace. Over.>>

As he speaks, the Raider-class corvette that the Phantoms had taken off from starts sending out target lock signals to help send the message as well as it moves to intercept at high speed.

It's taking too long now. David's brow is furrowed underneath his Array Consortium-issued helmet as he keeps the ship behind those engine exhausts. The pretty lights that need extinguishing so bad. David refocuses, peering at the scanners until he's absolutely sure there's a killshot, and indeed the next time he squeezes the trigger, one laser blast after another digs into the unshielded engines, sputtering at first, then sending the Kimogila into an uncontrollable death spin, until finally the fuel cells catch on and explode. David has already circled around, having been attacked by the Kimogila's wingman, taking light shield damage as he comes away from his first splash of the engagement.

The Wyvern slips neatly between incoming fire, Kae getting rather used to flying the Wyvern now, and this time, instead of crazy wild maneuvers she's quickly just thrusting out of the vector of incoming fire lines. Kae glances back over her shoulder now, and peers, before squinting back at the fighter she's pretty much spent the whole battle trying to shoot down....

More squinting as she tries to draw lead on it, then she squeezes off a bust of fire, ... Miss... Kae blinks and puffs her cheeks out... "Bloody Pirates!"

Jax duels with the Pirate that Exine has designated 07. The Corellian humble brags a bit to Ax, <Gheist, I need to meet one of these uncles one of these days.> Jax getting around his current target 07 using the speed and agility of the little ship versuas the big stuff. The Mandl Motors seeming to almost barel into Jax with each turn. He can't get away from Jax's blasters. The Corellian gets a shot lined up and pulls the trigger destroying his enemy for the momnt.

Literally dropping into the middle of this onerous space battle is a gunmetal gray camo patterned E-Wing Escort Fighter. Converting into real space and into the fray right out of Hyperspace, the fight bristling with three heavy laser canons and two Proton Torpedo launchers narrowly avoids ramming into a Kimogila as it saunters by, laser canons blazing. Inside the cockpit in his TX-3 Flightsuit is Sajin, the handsome Hapan. The E-wing identified as Yellow 13, perhaps because of the gold trim to the snubfighter's hull. "What the hell Buckets!" The King of Drik scolds his astromech. "Where the hell did you dump us! This is a SPACE BATTLE. Distress-call, what distress call!" The droid pumps through the information over his computer to update him on the situation. "Really? Alright, okay..." He opens up over Civilian Comms, <<"This is Yellow 13, I'm engaging some of these fighters. If you got a secure channel, pipe it over.">> He pushes the throttle forward and cycles through to his Targeting Computer, attempting to discern the closest target. He's angled in the Kimogila 2, his recital lining up on the slow fighter. He depresses the trigger his three linked heavy canons blazing to life and sending red fiery death, first collapsing the shields and then causing the fighter to out right explode from the onslaught. <<"Yellow 13, Splash one...">> At least the usually empty headed Hapan knew the lingo.

The pirates began this with overwhelming odds in their favor. They just wanted to rob a caravan, not end up with relics of the independent navies in the system rolling up on them - which is apparently now happening, with the appearance of the black demon wedge of the /Phantom Knight/ in local space. Half of their numbers exhausted, their mother ship destroyed, and the boarding ships now getting hammered by a combination of surviving escorts and Consortium fighters, the pirates do what pirates are not known to do: they take the smart option. Bursts of encrypted comm traffic rattle between the various ships, and the fighters break, moving away from the caravan at full speed; the transports quit their intended targets, still spewing discouraging fire as they pull away on modified drives. With Sajin's arrival adding insult to injury, their course is clear.

Meanwhile, Adhar shakes his head as damage alarms go off across his systems monitor, bathing the strange, faceless visor of his helmet in glimmers of light. << Welcome to the fight, /Phantom Knight/, >> Adhar calls over comms with a chuckle, then addresses the formation. << Keep close to the caravan, they're the objective here. Looks like they're going to make a break for it. >> He looses a final volley of laser fire at the struggling transport that Vendetta Two had lashed, and three of the fighter's loosed green lances pierce the transport's core. A great flash of light and the sledgehammer force of the shockwave rattles Maeb'h and Adhar in their seats, and he blinks yet again at the holographic flash generated in his helmet. << Right, >> he mutters, << That should learn them. >> For now, at least.

"Aaaalllllmoooosssst, come on baby, just a little more for momma... that's it!" Mae tries to get the shields all the way back online. So close now. She's really glad Adhar is an excellent shot.

Mae looks out at the battle for just a hot second, "They're running, Sir!!!" she says before returning her attention back to the shields. "Sithspit!" she says and pushes alt ctrl delete to bring the shields fully back online.

<<Smart move,>> Ax says to the fleeing pirates. <<Knight, open hangar doors, lower shields. Gheist coming in for a landing.>> The fighter banks away from where he was engaged with the fighters and flies towards the Knight. <<Array, it was a pleasure. Revenant, I'll have ordnance prepared for any reloads you'll need. Gheist out.>>

Exine beeps something happy as the pirates turn and run. Jax shakes his head, "Yeah, yeah Another Adventure. These are things one should not crave." Jax brings his craft around, <Affirmative Gheist. I'll see the Convoy to safety they return to base.> The Revant moving up in formation with Vendetta 1 wagglign it's wings before rolling away and moving to escort duty. The ship slowing down and mixing in with the other crafts. Now hiding the Revenant would be hard to find with sensors.

David replies on the comm, acknowledging the order to form up and defend. He turns his fighter around, noticing the formerly attacking pirates all turn tail and flee. The former Resistance pilot shakes his head, and while he does push towards the formation, he lets off some shots to discourage any individuals from coming back in with a renewed sense of pirate duty. To his surprise, and the attention called towards it by his droid letting him know that's a direct hit and one less fighter on the scanners, one of his blasts takes out a Kimogila. Just like that. <<Swear I wasn't even trying.>> he comms to the other Array craft, forming up as per Adhar's instructions.

Kae is flailing now somewhat, she then catches her self and gets on the controls as someone jumps in from hyperspace and shoots the fighter she'd been chasing "Eeee! That one was mine!" She calls out... She then blinks as they begin to depart, and she was about to turn and give chase! "You guys get back here! I'm not done with you yet!" There's fist shaking....

Then Addy gives the order to escort. Another blink and Kae puffs her cheeks out.... She moves the Wyvern to well escort, outside escort, then another pause and she gets a big silly 'evil' grin and spins the fighter on its axis, still flying in the same direction but pointing to draw lead on another kimogilla.... << Doop...>> over the coms a weapons switch is heard << Deeeeee...>> the channel is open as the launch of a pair of proton torpedos is heard before the two projectiles are seen leaving the Wyvern... And here's the thing.. this is probably the best shot Kae's made all night, as the protons dead center a fully shielded Kimo and there's the bright flash, followed by a large ball of expanding gas, and well, no fighter, not even teeny tiny bits can be seen.. << Wooot! Got oooone!!!>> Overkill much Kae?

Sajin brings his E-Wing to full stop as his computer indicated that the enemy had been routed. "Huh..." He ponders, looking towards the running remaining Kimogilas. "Look at that Buckets, we scared them all off." A shrug from the Hapan before he presses the throttle forwards and adjusts his heading for Nar Shaddaa, whistling a dumb tune to himself.

With one more of their number sniped at rather vanishing distance by David's T-85, and a wholly miraculous shot from Kaelyn's hyperfighter that sees a pair of dumbfired torpedoes obliterate another, the poor remains of the pirate fighters push their ships to the limit in getting while the getting's good. The formation in tatters now, they and their transports make for the asteroid belt where numbers and astrogeography can protect them. It does not take long for them to clear weapons range, especially with witches and sorcerers shooting people at impossible odds.

<< Consortium ships, >> comes a voice on the channel, a very terrified-sounding voice with all the jowled hallmarks of a Sullustan male. << And, uh...friends. This is Convoy Transport Two-Seven. We are the lead ship of this caravan. I cannot begin to tell you how happy I am to see you people - you've saved our lives! >>

<< Pleasure to assist, >> replies Adhar, one eye still lingering on the displays and the fleeing contacts at the edge of sensor range. << I'm sorry about your losses. >>

<< Well, with a group that size, we could have all been killed. >> A beat. << We'll put through to the home office about your help. If this cargo were lost, it might have wrecked our entire quarter. >> How quickly interest swings from life to profits! << We're ready to jump. >>

<< Go in safety, Two-Seven, >> Adhar replies. << Point your superiors to me, and I'll see to it all. >>

<< Acknowledged. Thanks again, everyone. >> And with that the freighters leap into space in rapid order, one at a time - departing the system to parts unknown, with considerably fewer defenders. There but for the Force go they, one supposes.

<< Right, then, >> Adhar says, checking over the sensor displays. << Excellent work, everyone. I'll get S&R out here to sweep for survivors. Yellow 13, my name is Adhar Gann. Put your name and account information to my ship, the Serious Business, and I'll see that you're taken care of. Thanks for your help. >>

And so the purge has ended, with bloody losses on both sides - but for everything that's gone on, it could have been much, /much/ worse.