Log:Clipping Wings
A desperate run from Mon Calamari and the fate of her people.
OOC Date: January 30, 2023
Location: Mon Calamari
Participants: Amaia Dara, Aemi, Aryn Cortess - Reverberate as GM
<<"This is shuttle Ardent Agile, we have important data aboard. Unable to transmit, hyperdrive is down we need assistance!">> the small Mon Calamari designed shuttle was leaking gases in its wake, shields were back up but the damage to the craft was clear. Even its directional thrusters were suffering, causing its flight to make it appear to be listing to one side.
<<"This is Imperial Cruiser Enforcer.">> the clipped voice joining the comms din perfunctory, as if they were bored of their task. A Xyston-class cruiser flanked by a pair of Blood-Moons, TIEs and smaller craft moving around the curve of Dac, turbolaser batteries hammering the massive works of the Mon Calamari Shipyards. But it is the central cruiser that is the true terror, <<"Civilian and New Republic craft are to power down and engage surrender transponder signals. This is the final war-KSH*">>
A pair of blue energy blasts from the surface of the ocean world break atmosphere and slam into the flank of the Star Destroyer, coating it in crawling lightning and making it drift in its path, forcing the other cruisers to grow closer to it. TIEs too lose are touched by tendrils of power reaching out from the cruiser and the cloud of red and black armored TIE craft begin to spread out as they move for defense craft of Ardent Agile.
<<"That should buy some time, keep TIEs off of that shuttle and if someone can docking clamp or has a hangar berth, you need to get to it ASAP!">> A half squadron of X-Wings and a quarter squad of A-Wings round from the shipyards, headed towards the shuttle, <<"This is Blue Flight, we're coming to assist!">>
<<"You've sealed your fate, squid-heads.">> a new voice, IFF connection indicating it coming from the Blood-Moon class called Brutal refocusing its battery fire anew.
In this sector Clan Dara was not so well known, if any Mandalorian clan could be said to be known, as some of the others. But closer to their home and in the spaceways in which they lived, the Clan was known as skilled pilots and space combatants. One such, was Amaia Dara, normally a gunner on one of the Clan's larger ships, but today, she was only maneuvering the Solar Flare away from the planet, having just departed to return a passenger to the moon after having made a visit to the public shipyards. The sudden flash of ships jumping into the sector had the Rattaki on high alert, as did the call for assistance. "I would advise holding on back there," Mai called from the pilot's seat, as she veered away from their escape vector and the helix's engines flared as she moved to try to intercept the damaged shuttle. "Deo, cycle up the docking procedures." Was she about to try something foolish? If Jallo had been here, he might have replied in the affirmative. The Alor of this branch of Clan Dara was, not, however, in residence, and so, he could keep his opinions to himself.
In the copilot position of the Helix Light Interceptor 'Solar Flare', an orange-skinned Togruta in a red and white flightsuit held twin sticks in her hands. She'd spent the flight up acclimating herself to the ship's controls. While she was likely one of the least experienced pilots to be involved in the possible engagement, she had a natural talent for flying and a strong mechanical know-how. Her yellow-striped lekku rested over her shoulders (the one in the back was behind her shoulder) as she watched the display screens and listened to the incoming transmissions. She'd save outgoing transmissions to the ship's primary pilot, unless the other was for some reason unable to do so.
Bringing up the targeting computer, Aemi Starsong ensures that she's calibrated to both the turret weaponry as well as the fixed hardpoints, prepared to use either as the situation called for. <"Yeah sounds kind of series - think I'm ready back here if you need me,"> she speaks into the comm in her helmet, communicating with the ship's primary pilot. <"About as ready as I can be anyway!"> Her voice was youthful and eager, and if she was nervous for her first space battle then she hid it well. She straightened her posture, settling in, and gripped the targeting sticks tighter.
<<"Blue Squadron, this is Silver Two..., I will help you in your mission to safeguard that shuttle. -- May the Force be with us all.">>
A silver and red T-85 X-Wing had just appeared in real space just moments before that transmission. Its pilot, Lady Aryn of House Cortess, raises a gloved hand to flip the switch initiating the split of her S-foils. A green and white BB-series astromech droid occupies the socket behind the cockpit as violet hued engine outputs begin to glow brighter with the sudden ignition of afterburners. This carries Silver Two toward the respective shuttle.
"I know it looks grim, but it is a storm we must weather, Cedar. Positive beeps from this point forward. It may do us both some good to not know the odds." Cedar raspberries back in response, earning a chuckle from Aryn.
<<"Citizens of the Mon Calamari system. This territory is sovereign domain of the Sith Empire. Your actions are in violation of Imperial Law.">> Brutal's commander continues. Lights already beginning to come online on the Enforcer, its navigational thrusters correcting its list. More blasts from the planet come, full strength turbolaser fire that smashes against cruiser shields.
<<"We were enslaved by Palpatine's Empire! Never again!">>
The Blue Flight fighters are set upon by TIEs that try to close in on the transport shuttle. Green energy darts striking weakened shields or passing dangerously close to them. A pair of the A-Wings with Blue trying their hardest to keep fire off of the slower X-Wings, <<"Copy Silver Two, good to see you. We've plenty of dance partners here.">> The lead marked X-Wing bucking under blasts against their shields before heeling over into a wild S-turn.
The Blood-Moon destroyers continue their advance, moving to shield the Enforcer with their own hulls as more fire rises from the surface of Dac.
"Nice to have you aboard." Amaia was never one to turn down the dab hand of a good pilot, or a fellow gunner. And while she was well aware that they were flying into and through hostile territory, she was not about to turn tail, when it appeared that of the ships launching to assist the Mon Calamari in their attempt to elude the Sith, the Helix was the only ship capable of grabbing the disabled shuttle and trying to get it out of there. "I would mention there's an escape pod. But I won't, because there isn't." Welcome to being Mai's ride or die, Aemi.
In the copilot's seat, Aemi Starsong had tensed herself for what seemed like was going to be a battle. Her Captain seemed to want to engage and that was completely fine with her. Without knowing the plan, she saw the ship maneuvering around to clear a path for one reason or another, and Aemi made micro-adjustements in the flight trajectory to line up the ion cannons once she noted from her console that Amaia had assumed turret control.
Aemi's thumbs depressed flipped the control switch to 'primary' on her flight sticks, and took the first shot of what may very well develop in to a career of shooting at Imperial starships. The twin ion blasts propelled forward from the Helix Interceptor, the blue streaks finding their mark. The TIE's shields lit up and burst away from the hits, which drew a small start from Aemi. She wasn't experienced with ships, at least not yet, but she did know that it was rare for TIEs to have shields. Well, that just means a bit more work, which is no problem for her! The TIE veers out of the way, spinning laterally as it drifted away from the line of fire.
Aemi shoots Amaia a smirk. "Hey, no escape pods just makes the challenge more of a thrill! Anyway, not sure I'd want to pod out over this planet - I might sink to the bottom of the ocean!"
Aryn wasn't quite in range for the TIEs when they began their assault, but the moment they had an opportunity to strike out at the enemy, there was a lack of hesitation. Aryn was a veteran of two wars now, seasoned and hardened to the task at hand, she understood more than most, the necessity of completing their mission and the stress of overwhelming odds. When she fired on one of the TIEs, it whipped away from the blasts, trying to draw her off the escort, but Aryn did not fall for the trap. Holding the stick with one gloved hand, her other points up at the TIE as it screams by, "That.. was bait."
TIEs descend into the thick of it now, spinning on axis to turn their fire into spirals, trying to catch the defenders in emerald cages. One of Blue's X-Wings, the cries of the pilot rising and becoming garbled static when their shields fall, then armor is slagged, ending with one of their engines going up, taking the craft down with it.
<<"By Imperial Law, this continued rebellion against Sovereign Rule - Dac has openly revolted against its rightful ruler, Empress Kessa. In such you shall be brought to face Her Justice and be shown as example of what happens to those who would oppose the Sith Empire.">> Turbolaser fire intensifies on the planet surface and now there seems to be no quarter taken.
An Empress class cruise liner, fleeing from Mon Calamari comes under the guns of Barricade, hammering past shields and gouging holes in the hull of the transport, blowing it apart in moments with a following storm of shocked voices on comms, some calling out vitriol to the Imperials, some calling out for aid.
<<"Dac shall be granted no mercy and no surrender shall be accepted at this point.">>
Ardent Agile continues to race towards the Solar Flare, shields going out, flaring and reengaging once more with a palpable frenzy of activity aboard the craft.
"It'll be fine." Mai did not, however, cap that with, 'I promise.' Even she was not foolish enough to promise that, as the Helix was bombarded by fire on all sides, only some of which the pilot managed to avoid. "Deo, get them working!" The R2, whistling in the affirmative, he did enjoy being in charge, extruded his plasma torch as the two repair droids got to work, not wanting to be shown the error of their ways, clearly. <<"Ardent Agile, this is the Helix-class Solar Flare, we are headed to you. Prepare for docking.">> Mai did not even wait for a reply, <<"Yes, that's what I said. We'll get you to safety.">> She hoped. "Aemi, can you get on that ship? See if you can get them up and running? if not, I'll keep us docked and jump for the both of us."
Aemi appreciated the assurance, but a promise wasn't necessary. She still had that youthful sense of invulnerability and, quite frankly, didn't entirely realize the actual danger she was in. It's something she'll reflect on years later, with a laugh.
As Amaia brings the ship around to the next enemy fighter, Aemi runs the trajectory through her head, lining up her shot like she were playing a hologame. Her thumb depresses the sticks and she fires the cannons forward, but had shot a bit early, resulting in nothing more than a warning shot for the TIE.
"I can!" She agrees, looking down to unclip her safety harness. "I'll need some tools." Without waiting for much guidance, she's run off in search of both tools and the docking ring.
Aryn was engaged by three TIEs the moment they could retaliate, but the Jedi submitted her focus to the Force, trusting its influence to guide the motions of her hands. The X-Wing she flew began to fly in a manner fitting of an ace pilot, not because of the Force, but because of a combination of knowledge and the power of its influence. Escaping certain death, Aryn managed to orient the snubfighter toward one of the TIEs, landing four solid hits that not only shattered its shields, but scarred its exterior hull, too. It was limping now, and Aryn was not eager to abandon the possibility of erasing one from the docket. Every TIE destroyed was a life saved, in theory.
Without a helm, the Lady continued to work the controls of the ship, her perspective constantly changing while her hands controlled the throttle and flight stick simultaneously, deviating only to flip a switch here and there. The silence in the cockpit was almost reverent, something her droid did not intend to break as it ducked and dipped in its socket, showing off its self-preservation programming often mistaken as personality!
<<"Tell your Empress that Dac is free!">> another volley of ground based turbolaser and ion cannon fire lance up, smashing down Brutal's shields on its starboard, and forcing it to roll and expose its belly, and fresher shields while also alleviating the planet and some of her defenders from the fear of the many, many, guns the destroyer can bring to bear.
Another transport dies, with TIEs swarming it like crop destroying insects that are the bane of agricultural worlds. With it go too a pair of independents in fighters trying to fly escort, reduced to shrapnel and frozen slag twirling through the ether.
<<"There's too many! Too many!">> Blue three goes up in flames, chewed to pieces by TIEs who are, in turn, set on by their squadmates. The remaining X and A-Wings focusing fire, trying to eliminate those going after the Ardent Agile that begins adjusting thrust, rotating to aim her docking port towards the Solar Flare.
<<"Solar Flare, get us connected. The hyperdrive is gone, we need a tow or get us aboard. We have to get this information out!">> the bubbling voice of the Quarren pilot piquing with growing panic as red hulled TIEs continue to near, some of which are blown to pieces by Blue Squad, or driven away by Aryn and Amaia's cannon fire.
Aboard the Enforcer, a sallow faced man turns to look towards his gunnery chief, brow raising in silent question.
"We're ready to fire, on your order." her response is clipped, satisfied even, the Star Destroyers systems back to full strength since the ion strike.
As the Togruta rose from the second pilot's seat to go and grab her tools, Mai called back. "Grab anything you need from the back." Even a droid, likely, "Take the LE. Safe Journeys, Aemi." And then Mai left the engineer to her own work, as the Rattataki threaded the needle, the helix twisting and adjusting, inertial dampeners firing so as not to toss around anything inside the ship, as Mai maneuvered to align the Helix with the shuttle, the clamps Deo had prepped cycling up to connect the two ships. <<"Ardent Agile, prepare to receive a boarder.">> Mai's other hand was on the hyperdrive, ready to spin it up and get them away as quickly as was near-humanly (because rattataki, get it?) possible. <<"Aemi, I'll try to keep us clear, but we need the ship ready yesterday or let me know and we'll just out under the Flare's power.">> Hopefully, that the Helix had an illegal hyperdrive might work in their favour. As the TIE's zoomed in, clearly expecting a sitting duck target, Mai fired the turrets, trying to angle for one of the TIEs already damaged. A cheap shot? She didn't care. The TIE exploded, the sound of fragments impacting the ship like rain.
Aemi had sprinted toward the aft of the ship, her head swiveling as she passed various bulkheads to look for discarded hydrospanners or hand-fasteners. Her trio of lekku trailed behind her as she rounded a corner and sprinted ahead, moving on a mechanic's instinct to where she'd assume the engineering bay was. "LE droid, L-- you!" She points an orange finger at the LE repair droid as she runs in to engineering. "Show me to the docking ring! You're with me for a bit!"
Aemi will follow the droid to the nearby docking ring and await the tense few moments until she feels the ship rumble with a solid connection. Cycling for the airlock, the Togruta palms the access panel, securing her side of the seal. She presses the intercom. <"We're set back here, I'll get over there and--"> She's cut off as the docking ring door slides open and a torrent of Quarren, Mon Cals and other various beings stream through the passage. "Okay, scrap that," she says to the droid, as there's no use in trying to fight against the current.
"In here, make way for those behind you! Round the corner and head left!" She waves her arm toward the corridor behind her, repeating it for those that are coming in behind the first few. "Make way for those behind you! Around the corner and to the left. Make way!" As a small Twi'lek stumbles through, the young child trips. Aemi grabs her and pulls her out of the path of those behind her before she can get trampled. "Just wait here with me," she says to the youngling with a comforting smile.
The TIE pilot knew they'd been had when the signal behind them did not veer off. Working through the danger of three other pilots firing on her, Aryn focused on the continuous beeping noise indicating a locked-target. When at last the time came, she squeezed the trigger, releasing a torrent of cannon lances.
WAP, WAP, WAP, WAP!
The craft did not slow as it combusted, its engine energy spreading like a brief fire to consume the interior of the craft before finally exploding outward in every direction. Aryn's X-Wing flew by in the blink of an eye, the reach of the fire stretching in her wake for the brief moment it was present. Aryn didn't have time to call out the kill, she was still dealing with the three behind her.
"Cedar, begin plotting a jump for us to take. I sense we will not be here much longer."
"Order is given..." The Enforcer's commander turns back to the viewscreen, watching Barricade move to provide defilade for Brutal against Dacs turbolaser fire.
"Aye, fire order given!" the gunnery chief turns to those in the pit under her command, "Commence primary ignition!"
"Commencing primary ignition, aye!"
It's a bustle of movement now from the bridge crew and those deeper in the guts of the cruiser. Specialized hatches in the belly of the ship lowering a ventral axial cannon. Power chambers already glowing bright red when it starts to swivel towards the ocean world.
<<"What in the hells!?">> a Corellian born pilot exclaims, one of Blue's A-Wings firing paired missiles into the middle of a TIE formation. Destroying one and sending its fellows into a scramble that the remaining Blues descend upon like mynocks on exposed power cables. The docked shape of the Mon Cal shuttle attached to the Solar Flare shuddering as the craft continues to suffer from its damages, those aboard scrambling to get through the airlock once they catch sight of Aemi.
"Go! Go! WE NEED TO GO!" a half dozen mixed quarren and mon calamari rushing in, the last of those aboard the shuttle. The command crew. One of which clutching a small databank to her chest. "Go anywhere! We'll give our destination once we're clear!" the panic climbing in her voice, tentacles flailing excitedly.
Enforcer's Axial Cannon spears Dac with a single red beam that seems more a targeting laser than a weapon blast. But it is a constant beam that makes clouds suddenly, and violently, begin to whirl and spiral about it, more clouds grow at a rate normally not visible even from orbit. Then a single, angry, red pulse comes from the Enforcer. Speeding towards the world below.
As soon as Deo chirped that everyone who was getting aboard had gotten onboard (but he was just an astromech, not a psychic, he didn't really know, say sorry, anyone who was left behind), the docking doors slammed shut, and the sound of the ship undocking under duress was loud enough to ring in the whole of the ship as Mai hit the engines, the ship plotted towards the first clear inch of space she could find. <<"Helix is jumping out, all bodies aboard. Safe Journeys.">> They couldn't stay to help the others. Now was the time for running. The next battle was waiting. The proximity warnings had only just stopped ringing when the ship blasted out of sublight space into the white on white of hyperspace. "Aemi, get them settled, I'll come back to show you were the emergency supplies are."
Coralling amphibians in to the ship, Aemi hadn't seen the mega laser being targeted and then fired, so her attention was focused solely on the new passengers. When the last one came through she stopped her to ask if there had been anyone else on board. She leans her head in to the docking ring just to confirm. "Anyone left?" She calls out, then focuses her montrals a brief moment to send out a few echolocation pings. She couldn't 'see' too far in to the ship, but she wasn't getting any shapes that looked like beings in the near vicinity. Satisfied for now, the tangerine hued Togruta slammed her hand to the access panel for a second time, and the docking connection unsealed. <"We're clear back here,"> she calls out on the intercom even while the docking seal is still disengaging.
Placing her back to the wall, Aemi lets out a slow sigh as the adrenaline starts to leave her. It wasn't over yet and these people needed her. Pushing off the wall, Aemi rounds the corner where some of the refugees were huddled in the hallway. "Hey! I'm Aemi and welcome to the Solar Flare. Our pilot's really good and she'll get us out of here, no problem! This here is LE," she says with a gesture to the repair droid, though the way that she pronounced it came out more like 'Lee'. "The Cap' will be back here shortly so let's get you all to the lounge, or something." Did this ship have a lounge? Time to find out.
The droid is incapable of computing a path for them to take. There were too many fighters flying toward them, and after them, too much interference from the blast emitting from the star destroyers, too many transmissions from those dying or about to die. Aryn understood all too well, because she felt the same thing through the Force. It's as if millions of voices cried out in unison, and fear swept through her conscience and mind, paralyzing any thought and drowning any light of hope with darkness.
Pure skill fueled her response as she cued up the nav-computer and prepared for a jump. She was not going to New Alderaan, no. She was heading some place neutral, then jumping to another. During the First Order war, they had a means to track starships through hyperspace. Perhaps paranoid, but old tactics worked best.
Closing her s-foils, the fighter shot ahead at a sudden gust of speed. As the planet began to buckle, Aryn gasped as she felt it all.
Cedar was the one who initiated the jump to hyperspace, and the snubfighter shot into the distance with a single flash of engine speed.
All the screaming stopped at once, replaced with the silence of a cold crypt.
Glowing red lines appear through the oceans of the world shared by Quarren and Mon Calamari. Burning through the oceans and spraying light into its atmosphere. A section of the worlds tectonic plates lift, break and the chain reaction begins in full. Gravity sensors in ships nearby begin a wild swing in readings as Dac's core quite literally bursts.
<<"By the Gods...">> It's one voice among many, so many calling out amidst those cut off, from the destruction and from those disappearing to Hyperspace while so many more are attempting to flee, being cut down by TIE and Star Destroyer fire alike. The three wedge shaped daggers of the cruisers looming over all, casting broad shadows.
When the world erupts it is violent, ragged. Great motes of rock and ocean flash freezing without the protection of the planets core, its atmosphere, to defend it from the horrors of open space.
<<"All New Republic craft, fall back!">> the remnants of Blue Squadron angling to flee, a pair of their number caught up under fire from chasing fighters close to their heels.
Chased by the tremor of millions of voices crying out in terror, then suddenly silenced.
"Report to Command. Dac has been dealt with. Their rebellion is quelled." the commander of the Enforcer remains at the fore, staring out the bridge viewports to observe the dissolution of the world brought under Imperial Justice this day.
