Log:Mandalorians: Rumor Chasing

Mandalorians ambush and raid a craft following clues.

OOC Date: June 2, 2022
Location: Space near the Corporate Sector
Participants: Sumi Kora, Valeska Kora, Hahtavi Kora, Terek Rosol and Hadrix Kora as GM Mandalorians Clan Kora

The distortional vibrations of multiple craft coming out of hyperspace had signaled alerts aboard the antiquated Charger c70 retrofit titled 'Uped's Loupe'. Bay doors open and tugs moving containers to it from the Action VI 'Backwater' barely two hundred meters away.

<<"Reading all of ours coming out of hyperspace, target is the old C70 refit frigate. The Action VI is an obstacle under downed or they run.">> Hadrix's growl over 'squadron' comms adding to scramble distortion, <<"Drop her engines or ionize the ship, clear the air and then we can see about chatting with its captain.">> behind the lot of them, over their proverbial shoulders comes the Old and Busted, shields going up and weapons beginning to swing about.

A squadron of R-41 Starchasers on BARCAP bank off towards the Mandalorian craft, a sullustan voice speaking basic spitting out, <<"Unknown craft! Slow to quarter docking speeds and state your business, or be fired upon!">>

A pair of Skipray Blastboats holding closer to the heavier craft and with them a handfull of Corp-Sector IRD-A picket fighters in tight orbital patrol backing them up.

The Incom T-70 X-Wing 'Stompa' returns to real space in a bright flash of blue light before its s-foils lock to attack-mode. The R2 droid, Rain, turns its head in place, taking into account coordinates and positioning to convey that to the targeting computers.

Sumi Kora, dressed in her blue armor and helm, reaches forward with a gloved hand and pushes the throttle, taking them forward with bright glowing red engine outputs. <<"Copy, moving to intercept fighters.">> Her voice comes across robotic, but still distinctly Sumi. Flipping a switch to open channel, Sumi asks, <"Special delivery, who's signing for this?"> WAPWAPWAPWAP shots taken, spitting out red lances of laser light that travel into the vast distance of space.

Valeska has taken position at the gunner's seat again, warming up the targetting systems and itching up the trigger finger. She's got her full armour on: helmet, too. She learned her lesson from the battle over Thyferra. Head wounds hurt regardless of the circumstance.

Hadrix is on the comms and Valeska is quick to answer. <<"Copy that, Commander. I'll shoot whatever you put in range.">> Clicking her frequences back off, she hums to herself merrily off-key as their ship drops from hyperspace and right into the thick of things. Or the beginning of the thick of things.

As soon as the Tal'onidir drops out of hyper her shields come up. Hahtavi doesn't fly anywhere without his shields up, just in case. As his sensors gather data and his navicomp confirms location, he hears Hadrix over his coms.

<<"Bes'uliik copies, drop engines or ionize her for chat, over.">> And there goes Sumi, throttling up to meet the fighters head on. Hahtavi throttles up to head in off her portside wing but he won't stay there long. He can't help but grin at Sumi's endless enthusiasm!

The Tal'onigir's engines flares to full, propelling him in. Haht flips the caps off of his firing studs and makes his weapons hot.

Among several of the ships coming out of hyperspace is the Stellar Vulptex, the old Rigger ship coming into view shortly after the others. Just in time too as the Old and Busted comes in right after, dwarfing all the other ships, "At least we know we'll have some big guns as backup." Terek says to his R2.

He immediately ignores the orders from the patrol ships as his shields and weapons come online, <<"Stellar Vulptex checking in. Target is in sight, preparing to engage.">> He pushes the throttle forward and begins to angle towards the target ship. No ion guns, he'll have to do it the old fashioned way.

Or at the very least provide a tempting enough target so the Mandos in the smaller fighters can get those engines disabled.

<<"Signing for a package?!">> the voice returns before comms break in

<<"They're firing! They're firing!">> <<"Break port! Go evasive!">>

The Starchasers, agile shovel shaped craft breaking into wings and taking evasive maneuvers and angling to hunt for targets, the more fragile IRD holding by the frigate and the Skiprays boosting to begin approach towards the oncoming fighters. The CR70's shields raise and turrets begin to power up, tracking and looking for firing solutions.

<<"Keep the frigate from getting to hyperspace, I doubt they'll stick around for a fight.">> Hadrix's voice again, at the controls of the Ka'Shukalar, the ARC fighter hailing from the same era of craft of the Loupe lagging behind the quicker X-Wing but heavy cannons beginning to warm up. <"Heiyuu, we need to get a firing solution on the frigate."> the R2 unit blatting an acknowledgement while Pheegus, in the second gunner seat turns his flatworm like head to Val and winks one big brown eye.

The confuse and assault method of Sumi having bought the Mandalorians the surprise advantage.

Sumi chuckles over the hot-mic, but the open joust has claimed their attention, and a slew of R-41s crisscross in the open void. Sumi's targeting computer begins to sync with her helmet, and the Mando warrior orients her craft to give chase, her head tipping slightly, emphasizing the presence of feline ears atop her helm. The target acquisition focuser on her helmet begins to lower and Sumi orients her craft to align before engaging.

WAP, WAP, WAP, WAP!

All four cannons pick apart the fighter, destroying it with high-impact yield. By the time Sumi has flown her T-70 by, the explosion has not yet reached full capacity, but it does in her wake. <<"Splash one.">>

Valeska doesn't wink back at Pheebus because he wouldn't be able to see it if she did. Instead, she gives him a hearty thumbs up then a gesture towards her screen. <"Ready to light 'em up, Pheeby?">> Because everyone gets a nickname.

Targets coming in hot but not the golden goose. Looks like they'll have tp pluck some of the smaller ships to get at the biggun'. Valeska plays a silent game of eenie, meenie, minie, moe where 'moe' is Starchaser 3. With Pheebus' help, they shatter the shields and render the fighter wide open for explosion.

The frigate is their real goal here, but first they have to get through the R-41's. Hahtavi stays on course and full throttle though he wavers a bit to try and make himself a harder target himself - up until the last instant when he needs to get a lock and fire away! Dual heavy lasers fire but it looks to be an near miss as the kimo zips past.

If they are going to dogfight in a proper furball, they'll arc back around ... only Haht's more interested in closing range with that frigate. If he can get to it.

All the same, he keeps a weather eye on not getting shot in the first few seconds of the engagement.

Right behind him, Lil is socketed in. She whistles softly, keeping tabs on the Tal'ondir's output while everything is still at 100%.

This is a freighter, not a fighter. Terek is keenly aware of that fact as the smaller fighters scramble towards them. He pulls upwards on the stick and tries to line up a bit of a leading shot on one of the smaller fighters, but the fighter changes course as soon as he pulls the trigger, "Slag it!"

He quickly turns the yoke and turns the ship, trying to get a bead on the same ship he had just fired at, "Come on you.." The ship suddenly gets rocked hard by a pair of shots from one of the others, "Damn damn damn. Better hold onto something."

<<"Hit! I'M HIII*">>

Comm intercepts picking up sporadic sentences intermixed with the flashes of cannon fire and the hailstorm of turbolaser battery fire from corvette and frigate criss cross across the distance, the Old and Busted's own shields opaquing heavily under the exchange. <"Alor'Sumi. Shields have taking a pounding and they're looking fairly healthy, we may need to peel off and move for a head to head to fire all batteries.">> Sana's voice over comms and the old corvette already beginning to move, to get full weapons to bear.

<<"Keep it together!">>

The ARC-170 swinging in from one side, heavy cannons tearing apart the fighter that had been weakened by the turret crew, <<"Shukalar, splash one, read you Oh and Bee, Val, Pheegus keep it up, we'll pull the screen down.">>

Aboard the Marauder corvette, figures in Mandalorian styled crew armor are sprinting to and fro while the blatt of combat claxons mix with the thunder and shake of the shields threatening to overload in various places.

<<"Unknown fighters! Stand down and you will be shown leniency!">> a broadband from the frigate, though what sort of leniency would come from Corp Sector drogues?

<<"Do what you need to do, Sana.">> Sumi calls back, her fighter peeling off to lock onto another fighter. The erratic flight pattern makes it difficult for the old soldier to analyze where she should shoot. When an ideal moment comes, Sumi squeezes the trigger.

WAP, WAP, WAP, WAP!

Two shots connect, shattering the shields and leaving the Starchaser unprotected. Sumi uses her HUD to mark it for her companions. <<"Got one missing shields here! Marked!">>

<<"Naga copies.">> Because she doesn't have a callsign otherwise, might as well use one that's gathered a bit of dust. Not being burdened by any pesking flying or dodging, the young Mandalorian can focus just on the whappin'. Sumi drops the shields on one and calls it out, to boot. <<"On it!">>

The turret swings around, unleashing a storm of plasma into the cold, zero atmosphere of space. Her target dips and weaves out of desperation: knowing that a solid hit would send them floating into oblivion. And they do indeed manage to juke Valeska's barrage.

But not Pheegus'. The Ithorian is hot on the mark, bringing his gun around in a pincer maneuver and catches their quarry in the crosshairs. That poor Starchaser scrub flies right into their doom and explodes into a flurry of space scrap.

"Nice shot, hammerhead!"

The Tal'onidir comes back around. Tempting as it is to go after the frigate directly, they've got these fighters gunning pretty hard and it's the wiser course to thin them out. That frigate doesn't seem to be worried about making a run to jump yet.

The Kimogila comes back around and twists to line up another shot on a Starchaser. Hahtavi gets a good side profile and sets up his HUD's reticle alignment for what should be a good shot. When he's got tone, Haht opens up.

Yet /again/ it's a very near miss. <"Osik!"> Nobody but Lil can hear him and she's busy trying to repair their shields (which I forgot to declare!).

In a flash, he's lost his target in his sites and 'Tavi's bringing his fighter into a bank to arc back to find another bogy to try for. Not hitt'n drek, yet. <"Get that shield back up to power, Lil!">

Another blast strikes against Terek's ship, "Zee, lock that down before it gets out of hand!" He calls out at the R2 droid, who goes to get the shields back up before they go down, the droid beeping back at him as it goes to work.

Terek brings the ship back around and fires off another trio of blasts, the shots striking the ship and bringing the shields down, "There we go! Now hold still and let me blast you!"

<"Sana, I've got shields bolstered, not much - but she should hold!"> Mir is on his back, at a fried out console with a datapad plugged in and his hands moving across the controls both on the hand-held device and in the guts of the console as well. A son of a Mandalmotors shipwright, now long dead. Finally able to put what his family taught him and what he studied for long years to good use.

Several banks of lights go green and members of the ships crew call out firing solutions being set as the Marauder Corvette comes around.

<"Good... fire that trash at us..."> one arm extending pointing to the gunnery chief, the blue bridge lights making Sana's armor black, like a shadow come to life, <"FIRE! ALL BATTERIES! HAHAAHAHA!">>

Fewer R41s in the screen, getting chewed to pieces in spite of their best efforts to fend off the fighters that are quite effectively screening the corvette that opens fire on the larger class of ship. Known for their considerably high level of firepower, manufactured for the Rebellion, originally, to fight off light cruisers - the Old and Busted's shields strain, going opaque in places, threatening to fail in others - held together by the Rememberer's quick work while the capital ships trade fire that illuminates space all around in virulent crimson.

The Loupe's shields collapse in a brilliant cascade and the turbolaser fire begins bursting armor plates, slagging framework and sending gouts of escaping gasses into space. The frigate's guns dropping or freezing in place.

<<"Clear the air, fighters. Our sensors are showing their weapon systems are offline and engines are failing.">>

The Ka'Shukalar, all the while, whips past Terek's rigger, heavy guns ripping apart the fighter he's weakened the shields of, wings waggling in salute as it goes.

Their support lost, the Skiprays re-angle, turning in the same direction that the Action VI has set its heading, the smaller fighters loading up - all sensor signals suggesting the three craft are for making the leap to hyperspace.

Sumi is tagged as she's chasing one of the fighters, and her craft shakes from the blow. A quick glance to the read out and she recognizes that the shields are still holding. So she increases the speed, spinning and following along to another target. When they align with her targeting read out, her finger pulls against the stick, squeezing the trigger. The interior of her cockpit lights up in crimson blasts as she releases a series of shots toward the craft.

WAPWAP, WAP, WAP, WAP!

A single shot hits, the others missing in quick succession. She chuckles. <<"Good work Oh-en-Bee. I have a fighter here with half shields.. someone want an easy picking?">>

Lil may not understand any Mando'a but she knows her job! She's a smart little cookie. The R3 astromech is busy and has already done a splendid job of bringing their shields back up to full. Just in time for them to get hit with a BANG that throws the ship into a partial hard spin. There's a wilf blurp squeal from behind the pilot's seat.

<"I know! I'm alittle busy here, Lil! Do what you can!"> If you could just hear Lil thinking about how nice it would be if Hahtavi would only learn some binary and stop guessing at what she's SAYING! Damn Mando.

Nope, not a clue. Haht is busy firing away and getting blasted, his beloved Kimogila getting a bit of a pounding. But the shields are holding and he's regained full control after that brief bobble. <"I don't want to have to walk home, trust me. It's embarrassing.">

Lil makes a rude noise back there.

The Rigger pulls a turn, it's way wider than Terek would like, but he manages to hold on tight and keep the ship turning, finally lining up on the target that was just called out by Sumi, "Gotcha!" He pulls the trigger on the control stick and watches the blasts make contact. Boo no explosion, though.

<<"Looks like they're bugging out, we gonna let them go?">> He asks over comms, as he moves ot line up a shot on the same one he'd already hit, but hesitates to pull the trigger yet.

The Old'n Busted continues its path - tractor beams trying to get solid locks on the heavily damaged frigate - finding too much shrapnel from damage providing an excellent screen, but without her guns the larger ship cannot force the swifter corvette from making its approach.

<<"Alor'Kora, we will block their trajectory path until we can get them locked in beams. They retrofitted a lot of space for cargo and limited docking. You should be able to squeeze your snub fighters in... Rigger likely will need to dock and cut.">> the trill of a laugh in Sana's words, <<"We're otherwise moving to clamp on for proper boarding.">>

Hadrix's voice is the next on the line, flying through the shrapnel of a destroyed fighter, angling to set up on Sumi's wing, <<"The runners are of no concern. By the time they can get somewhere to call for help and return we'll be gone. But I won't stop you if you want to give a parting shot.">> the Action VI is the first to elongate and then flicker with pseudo-motion. Hurled forward by their drives into hyperspace, followed in turn by the Skiprays.

The half dozen remaining Starchasers dump power to shields and engines, running hard and leaving the now battered CR70 Frigate hanging in space. Fires burning where gases escape, people in crew outfits trailing behind macabre water droplets. There are still lights showing, but the engines barely candle lights and the guns remain offline.

Its listing, pushed by the last gasps of escaping pressure while bulkheads are sealed and lines blocked, shoring up and preparing for the inevitable.

<<"I've taken a few hits. I'll pass on parting shots. Lil needs time to get my shields back up to full. I'm RTB to Old'n Busted, over.">> Once Sana says it's clear to do so, he'll take the Kimogila in for Old'n Busted's hangar. But only once they are sure everything is ready for boarding.

Meanwhile, his helmet filters out the slightly fried wires smell coming from the back. Lil beeps and burbles to herself, muttering one thing or another about what she's doing while her pilot is obvious.

Keeping a sharp eye out, Hahtavi minds his fighter's readings on what's going on out there while he threads his way through debris. Not his best furball day but now comes the 'fun' part. Boarding!