Log:Pirate Swarm: Tatoo

A group of concern citizens run a pirate swarm out of system.

OOC Date: April 24th, 2022
Location: Tatoo not far from Tatooine
Participants: Jax Greystorm,Vhe Tenara, Vega, Ax, Zelo Parrai, Kin-Li Kel, Bizz Bliptettjupp, Karas Darkwing, [[Zandra naMuriel]]

A fleet of pirates, well more of a swarm, had been raiding Tatoo the last several weeks. The would disable any transports of interest with various fighters before sending in a pair of Ghtroc 720s with forces to cannibalize the ships then be gone. They always seemed to be traveling with a trio of BFF transports that had to haul their loot. It had became a problem and with any problem on Tatooine. The independent folks had got among themselves and decided to run off the pirates. A group of ships had gathered, some for fame, some for a chance of treasure snd fortune, and some like Saber Squadron, were here to just keep the system safeish.

The SWARM as they had became known had just jumped into the system and were harassing anything of interest. The alarm had went out. When a number of ships had risen from the planet below. A number of ships had emerged from Saber Squadron's hiding place in an old transport.

Jax was piloting his T-65, Saber Leader was still needing repairs and there was only so much Vega could do. She was one mechanic. The X-wing S-foils opened into attack position. "Tatooine Defense Fleet, this is Saber Leader in the Thunderbolt. I'm sharing any data with you to keep people from getting us mixed up and shooting on a friendly. Be safe out there and May the Force be with you." Then on the channel to his squad, "Alright Sabers, lets clean house and make sure the civilians make it home alive."

< Saber 04 (Vhe Tenara) >==============================================

Saber four slips out of the old freigther housing what makes up the squadron. Vhe behind its controls begins to go over quick readouts of her systems as she adjusts to having a new droid in the ship with her. "70, was it? Okay lets just get some nominal readouts and then I want targeting systems up and online, we engage in a few minutes so lets make sure we are ready for the run." She already can feel the adrenaline spiking through her system as saber leader crackles over the comms. <"Acknowledged, Saber Leader. This is Saber four. Ready to engage."> Or in her case likely to run straight into the mess of them to scatter the group at large.

She glances up and around, noting those flying with her as she reaches up to tug at the feathers caught beneath her helmet. The hair ornaments twist free and rest on her shoulder as a constant reminder, a smile tugging at the corner of her mouth.

< Saber 02 (Vega) >====================================================

Vega was indeed only one Gremlin and there was a lot of ships to repair. Sadly with the Eravana being in orbit over one of the most notorius planets in the galaxy meant that her work came with interruptions sometimes. Like pirates. Her saber ship was easier to fix and she knew it well, so when there'd been the call for help the Echani had crawled into her ship and launched to meet up with the others that were facing off against the pirates. <<Saber 2 reporting in.>> she states over the comms. "I promise I won't get us blown to hell this time, Roundy." she tells her BB-unit.

< Phantom Knight (Ax) >================================================

With a group of pirates this size, Ax had decided to offer aid in the form of the modified Raider-class corvette, the Phantom Knight. The fully crewed ship, with a compliment of fighters aboard was sitting on the edge of the system, engines primed, weapons ready, and his crew and droids ready to take the enemy on. "Alright, ladies and gentlemen," Ax says over the ship's intercomm. "Let's show these bastards what for. All ahead full, join with the Sabers and offer support. Ion cannons, target what you can, Quad-lasers, focus on the starfighters. Let's clean house."

Ax was currently sitting at the gunnery controls of one of the four quad-laser cannons towards the front of the ship, his crew on the bridge relaying information to him as it came in. <<"Saber Leader, the Phantom Knight is ready for your command. We'll rush in and try to break their formation if we can. These turbolasers aren't going to hit much, but they put on a pretty scary show of force while the ions and lasers do their best.">>

< Saber 12 (Zelo Parrai) >=============================================

Pirate hunting. Before Zelo had landed on Nar Shaddaa and found a new clan, before he had found the home he now shared, the Mandalorian had known a life of hunting and reprisal. Pirates one of the three most often sought out, as they fed on the weaker and cared little for the death they sowed as they took anything and everything by bully force. Such is the animosity born that feeds the fires in the Nautolan's black pool eyes.

Tatooine is not his home - nor should it be the home of any amphibious species or appreciater of water - but its innocent civilians deserve all protection from these predators. The T-85 X-Wing, called Saber 12, already has S-foils open and is ready to strike as it launches from the freighter. <"This is Saber 12. On your mark, I'm going to work."> One gloved hand leaves the firing controls to press to his breastplate for a moment, finding a shape pressed between armor and skin. Black pool eyes behind an H-visor look across the readouts and then visually verifying those other ships on the Black Ocean.

< Shadow Stalker (Kin-Li Kel) >========================================

The Pursuer-class vessel cruises at the edge of the engagement, a blocky, angular airfish among sharks. While not sleek like a star fighter, the vessel is still made for fighting. Weapons protrude, its drives flare, and it makes itself ready to fight.

The vessel is clearly not part of the Saber squadron. It arrived direct from Tatooine, alone, without any sort of tactical integration, part of no formation. The helmeted, anonymous pilot pulls in behind the Saber formation, its turreted blasters and ion cannon swiveling in the direction of the pirate swarm.

Over the local comm network, a rolling, lilting baritone voice issues: "Starfighter formation currently engaging the swarm of lowlife pirates -- This is the independent enforcement vessel Shadow Stalker. I intend to engage that swarm. Be advised, I am carrying non-lethal weapons, if you wish any specific vessels to be disabled. And proton torpedoes for those that you do not."

< Card Shark (Bizz Bliptettjupp) >=====================================

Bizz is puttering out of Tatooine's exosphere while manually calculating a lightjump path. He is carrying a cargo of rare birds including peko-pekos, golden pheasants, and humming peepers in cages, some of them stuffed into his cockpit at the lower bow of the ship. Space is at a premium. There is much squawking when suddenly a laser bolt is fired across his ship. A warning shot from THE SWARM. "<<Mayday mayday pan-pan. -SQUAWK-SQUAWK- Pirates are trying to steal my birds!>>" He says to his R5 droid, "Get the shields and turret up! They won't get MY birds!" The very slow salvage ship keeps puttering forward.

< Saber 07 (Karas Darkwing) >==========================================

Saber Seven launches, and it was not fully repaired and the squadron only has one Vega. Still he was going to actually see if he makes it back to help her. The ETA-2c streaks out of the old freighter that housed their squadron. There is a little play in his stick, but still the Interceptor is still very responsive. Karas the pilot of Saber Seven flips the switch to lock his S-Foils into attack position. <<This is Saber Seven, ready to put these pirates in their kriffing place.>> he says. Never having tolerated bullies, and so he is going to do what he can. Pushing the throttle up to move into formation with the rest of the Saber Squadron. Karas does have Spark, his R2 astromech droid to mark the friendlies in blue, and enemy fighters in red and enemy freighters in orange. Spark whistles and tootles at him that it is. Seeing Ax ship form up with them, he smiles, <<Nice Phantom Knight.>> he says onto the comm and Saber Seven moves to use the Raider-Class Corvette to mask his shiloutte.

< Saber 04 (Vhe Tenara) >==============================================

"70, sorry for this." Vhe is already angling herself at the heart of the swarm. Unlike the TIEs or anyone that works in a squadron that has some training the pirates are nor organized. <"Saber four here, I am heading in."> She lines herself up and with focused determination Vhe launches herself into the middle of the mass headed to engage with them. And it is literally a swarm. They do not strike each other but the chaos is real and it takes all she has in her now to collide with one of the ships she is darting into.

Its a mess. A hairy unpredictable mess that Saber Four now navigates. 70 who has been lent to the current pilot is chirping out in distress and giving proximity warnings as the Aetherisprite threads through the ships like a leaf on the wind. Its a glorious performance if dangerous as Vhe manages to come out the other side and begin to pull her tight turn to come around behind the fighters. Everything is fine.

< Saber 02 (Vega) >====================================================

<> Vega muses over the comms. She shakes her head as she whistles at Roundy and the Aethersprite goes into action. <<Going after one of the X-Wings. Might be a bit of a dog fight, but going after the bigger things is par for the course at my height.>> she chuckles as she guides the nimble ship in. She fires at Besh 1, but it doesn't even skin the paint on the ship. Booo!

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< Phantom Knight (Ax) >================================================

The Phantom Knight had larger than usual engines for a ship of its class, the miracles pulled off by Ax's wife were things of legend, and this ship was one of the pinnacles of her genius. While not nearly as maneuverable as an A-Wing RZ1, it was just as fast... in a straight line... and the wedge-shaped corvette proved it by jumping straight for the formation of Z95's on its way towards the BFF Freighters.

<<"Roger that, Saber Leader,">> Ax says. One can almost hear the smile on his face. As they draw near, the six dual heavy laser cannon turrets, six heavy ion cannon turrets, four quad-laser turrets, and even the four dual turbolasers come to life, firing into the swarm, less to actually hit the targets and more towards making them scatter to the winds. <<"And, who decided Bizz was going to be our bait in THAT piece of poodoo?">>

< Saber 12 (Zelo Parrai) >=============================================

Zelo watches Saber 04 punch into the heart of the swarm and through to the other side. As the Headhunters go for the civilian freighter full of rare birds - something the Nautolan notes for later - he finds Saber 12 following the Corvette and unloading laser cannons at the leading pirate fighter, landing a solid enough hit to seriously shake their shields and likely rattle their teeth in the process.

The X-Wing ducks 'lower' in relation to his view of the battlefield and accelerates, hoping to come back on his next pass from the other side. They may have the numbers, but the pirates may not be prepared for swarm tactics to be reversed onto them.

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< Shadow Stalker (Kin-Li Kel) >========================================

The Pursuer seems to take a far more cautious approach to engaging in combat. Where the Saber fighters are all aggression and pressing in, the angular gunship hangs back, utilizing long-range harassing fire rather than in-close barrages.

The choice seems to pay off, and one of the Z-95s pushing out towards the freighter that has become a target. The gunship rotates along its long axis, the turret unmasked. Fire begins pouring out of the ion cannon mount towards the lead vessel. The fire has good efficacy, and the Headhunter's shields flare and weapon as ion bolts smash into them.

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< Card Shark (Bizz Bliptettjupp) >=====================================

Bizz says to his R5 unit "Fly us straight!" He presses buttons causing the periscope-like targeting apparatus for the ship's lone turret to drop down in the cockpit. The dorsal rear-mounted double laser cannon rises on its mount and proceeds to turn with some awkwardness; the rotation collar needs some lubricating. "<<Firing at Headhunter 2!>>" CHOOM-CHOOM booms the turret as multiple green bolts are sent out, impacting with Dorn 2 and causing an explosive THUUUUUUUUUM as the headhunter blows up.

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< Saber 07 (Karas Darkwing) >==========================================

The -2c used the Phantom Knight to hide it's approach and as it went to engage, the small interceptor streaks off from the right and rolls up and around as it picks out it's target which was the four X-Wings from Besh Squadron. Karas pushes the throttle to max causing the fighter to move at incredible speed to close the distance. Coming in at an angle, Karas gets a solid tone on Besh 1, he fires. The ETA-2c's laser cannons sends a torrent of red energy lances streaking off towards the lead X-Wing, but the pilot is good and is able to dodge.

<<Tatooine Forces, be careful. If you need help call for it, these pilots are good or at least some of them. Fighters, try to screen our bigger ships so that their ships have a harder time attacking ours.>> he says over the tacnet.

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< Saber 05 (Zandra naMuriel) >=========================================

Zandra's analysis of the enemy forces, and their leader, brings a brief frown to the violet haired young woman. << This is Trigger, heading for the interceptors. They won't like us much, hopefully, and that will keep them off everyone else at least. >> She accelerates her eta into action, flying like she was born to it, as she zoooms into combat, firing at the lead interceptor at least hopefully enough to catch its attention. Mind you, she does try to take advantage of Ax's big ship, sliding in behind it, and then taking her shot as she has a target, before spinning and returning for another pass.

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< Thunderbolt (Jax Greystorm) >========================================

The Swarm and the Tatooine Defense Force fighters slam into each other. The Phantom Knight makes it's presence known as the Preybirds go well Knight hunting. From the mass of fighters a Flight of old T-65, X-wings make their presence know and they are definitely too good for pirates. That's nothing to say about the Tie interceptors.

Exine has a lot to say about the Tie Interceptors, Jax is busy zigging and zagging as he has one on his tail. "Yeah, Yeah I know he's back there. YOu don't have to remind me." Then he flips a switch, "Alright Sabers lets whittle out the Head hunters. We got to hope to thin the heard and survive the good pilots. Phantom I'd focus on the Preybirds."

Then there's the taughting voice of Captain Thrash, "Maybe you should just go home. Let us have the Slavage ship and it's yummy birds."

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< Saber 04 (Vhe Tenara) >==============================================

<"Understood, Saber Leader."> Vhe is busy dipping and dodging, the one angling at her had flown right past as if nothing were amiss. She glances back and up as she brings herself around to settle in near Zelo and begin to thin out the herd as it were. She lines up her target but unfortunately the pirates have some moves. Her shots go high over the cockpit and into the black void with no luck of chance targets in the mess of birds.

"Shoot!" She didn't make her shot and she lets out a breath. This is getting a bit overwhelming as Saber four weaves itself among the chaos. She's still moving and that is what counts in that moment. She follows up on her new target, starting to bob and weave with it, "Hold still!"

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< Saber 02 (Vega) >====================================================

Vega's still going after her original target, because apparently it's hard to give up on. "This is a target rich environment and you can't hit a damn thing, Vega!" she hisses at herself. She tries to get back around, making sure she's lining up for the next pass.

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< Phantom Knight (Ax) >================================================

The Knight is rocked by repeated hits from the Preybirds. Being a larger vessel, it's not going to dodge like a light freighter or fighter and is just forced to take the hits like a champ. That it does, shields still intact, but not nearly as bright as they were. "Engineering, push as much power to shields as we can spare, pull from the engines, we're not going anywhere until the fight is over so cutting power to them by 3/4 will suffice." Ax calls out over the internal communications on the Raider.

"Gunnery crew, engage those preybirds. I want all ions, heavies, and even the damned turbolasers taking shots at them. They're about the only thing out here that can blow us outta the water so aim well."

The Phantom Knight slows down considerably, and its weapon systems light up the darkness of space as ions and lasers on both sides of the vessel come to life, firing more for accuracy than they were during the initial charge. Apparently, Ax had a decently trained crew.

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< Shadow Stalker (Kin-Li Kel) >========================================

The Pursuer attempts to dodge incoming fire from the Z-95 that has maneuvered to his rear quarter, but the ship's evasive actions seem pro forma. The ship's shields suck up the fire.

The Shadow Stalker swoops in behind the line of vessels arrayed on the freighter, lining up a careful shot with the ion cannon. At least there is no shortage of targets.

An ion blast smashes into Z-95 3's shields.

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< Saber 07 (Karas Darkwing) >==========================================

The battle is hectic, <<Copy Saber Leader.>> Karas calls as Spark isn's able to get the sheilds repaired, "Come on Spark, we can't get taken out, I need you my friend." he says to his droid, "You never failed me, you're the best, come on, get our shields back up." he says as he even looks over towards the Astromech, as it turns it's photorecptor back at him. Karas smiles as he gives the droid a nod of encouragement.

With that, Saber Seven breaks from his dance with Besh Leader and begins it's new chase and prey. Rolling through laser fire and move with a deadly grace, and as it comes upon Dorn 3 as it's being attacked. Rapid scarlet energy lances fire towards the Z-95 but the shots miss. Saber Seven doesn't let the enemy fighter go. <<How's everyone doing? ANyone need help?>> calls from Karas.

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< Saber 05 (Zandra naMuriel) >=========================================

Zandra's eta gets rocked by the return fire from the interceptor, but it's safe to say she caught its attention. The speedy ship wobbles a bit, flying akilter while Zan cusses briefly, straightening out. "C'mon, Bubbles, get those shields back!" she calls. She hears Jax, and that gets a nod, not that he can see it. << Roger, Lead, targeting 4. >> The T-95s are about to find out that there are indeed pilots in the Tatooine Defense Force. And the Force is with them. Erm, mostly. Zan flies with grace, waiting for the reticule to hit green, finger on the trigger, just waiting. She hits that trigger and this time those shots sizzle out across the divide and crash into her target, taking down the shields and scorching the hull. << Commencing Operation Thin Out Their Numbers. I am not sure what's keeping this fellow flying; must be more scared of that Trandoshan than us. Big mistake. >>

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< Saber 04 (Vhe Tenara) >==============================================

Vhe is getting a little unsteady, the tingle at the back of her neck preempting her movement. She turns sharply as the fire goes over and into the void of space. It had been meant for her and her ship remains intact. Vega will be happy at the very least. She turns her head and glances for her target, noticing the heavily damaged vessel she lines up her shot with 70 reporting trajectory advice. "I got it...got it... she proclaims and then is fireing, squeezing off the shot that lands the final blow on the headhunter in her sights.

She rocks her wings, feeling the weight of that shot as she pulls back and away, the feathers caught in her hair twist and dance in the artifical gravity of her cockpit. <"Splash one, Saber four."> There is a tense tremor to her voice a she reports over comms.

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< Saber 02 (Vega) >====================================================

Vega's X-Wing fight went poorly and that was taken care of by Karas, so at least it was handled. The white haired woman focuses her attention on one of the Z-95's and fires off a shot, taking out more of their hull as they persue. "Alright, Roundy, it's going to be bumpy..." she tells him.

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< Phantom Knight (Ax) >================================================

"Keep working on those shields!" Ax says over the Knight's intercom. "And keep on the preybirds and the incoming X-wings!" As he speaks, he swivels the quad-laser turrets towards one of the incoming X-wings. "We'll have a real party, booze and food on me if we survive this." he adds, trying to bolster his crew. "See if we can get those tractor beams locked onto one of those ionized fighters and use it like a damned shield or something," he calls out.

Then, he's firing up the quads at the incoming fighters, knowing they're tougher to hit than the heavier preybirds are and hoping his skills are up to snuff. Been in a damned fighter so much, I've gotten rusty on the turrets," he mutters to himself. <<"Saber Leader, you alright out there? We're taking a pounding, but holding together. Not sure for how much longer before we're forced to bug out though.">>

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< Shadow Stalker (Kin-Li Kel) >========================================

The Shadow Stalker is not a pretty ship. It is asymmetrical, blocky, angular, and built for a specific purpose -- that purpose is not for winning beauty contests. It's purpose is more martial.

The ship holds its course, maneuvering with the Z-95, matching course and speed....and another ion bolt rips out into the darkness of space. The Z-95's shields flicker and die.

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< Saber 12 (Zelo Parrai) >=============================================

Saber 12 sticks with Saber 4, the headhunters scattering to try to thin them just as they had sought to bring down their own numbers. Remaining in proximity to your wingmate while also being evasive and effective is a skill that the Nautolan is still developing. As he tries not to roll away and divide their blockade, his instinct forsakes him and a pair of plasma shots sizzle into his shields, dropping them to under half. This number is clearly unacceptable to Befour, who breaks her silence to begin whistle-tweep'ing at him through the ship's systems. <"I'll try harder, I'm sorry! Remember last time. You do your thing, and I will do mine. I trust you completely!">

Dorn 6, another Headhunter likely calculating their increase in cut with so many fewer ships to split the take, seems to forget about evasion. Or maybe their nerves had their hands sweating and they slipped off the controls. Either way, the ship took a straight line and that's target practice to a pilot like Zelo. Laser cannons fire, blasting through the shields and hull in immediate succession as it joins Vhe's target. <<"Saber 12, splash one more.">> The Nautolan wiggles his wing at his wingmate, that pilot shorthand for all things operational, as Befour works steadily on the restoration of Saber 12's shields.

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< Card Shark (Bizz Bliptettjupp) >=====================================

Bizz looks through his turret-periscope, lining up a shot on the Z-95 being pursued by SHADOW STALKER. A golden pheasant lands on the periscope arm and starts squawking and chirping in an obnoxious manner, then depresses the trigger with its foot by mistake! A loud CHOOM-CHOOM and then a orange comet THUUUUUUUUUM as another Z-95 explodes in space. "<<You dirty pirates! You cannot escape the long arm of the LAW.>>" He shoos the pheasant away. It goes to perch on R5's dome while the droid works on restoring shields, as CARD SHARK has taken a beating.

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< Saber 07 (Karas Darkwing) >==========================================

Having managed to evade one of the Z-95s, Saber Seven does what it can to out run and maneuver the slower -95s. With this, he happens to notice that he did help out Saber Two. <<Coming back around on your wing 2.>> Karas calls to Vega as he sees one of the Z-95's take a pretty bad hit. Karas grins, "Sorry, you're mine." he says as he gets a good tone lock and fires. The shots of the -2c fires off rapidly, dropping the shields and destroying the Headhunter. <<Splash 1.>> he calls. <<On your wing Saber 2, let's go play.>> he calls to her.

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< Saber 05 (Zandra naMuriel) >=========================================

Zan still has an interceptor on her tail, but she continues to dodge while Bubbles works on getting the shields back up still. "Yes, they hit us pretty hard, you're right Bubbles. But you can take care of it! I know you can." She is only partly paying attention to what bubbles is burbling at her, as she's busy trying to keep from being shot again. And then her target is smashed, and she promptly picks a new one, becuse one less fighter attacking them is a good thing. << Good shooting everyone,>> she calls out. << D7 has low shields - at least right at the moment. >> She spins her eta, flips into an aileron roll and comes about, looking to see if anyone needs any help.

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< Thunderbolt (Jax Greystorm) >========================================

The pirates seem to be fighting the so-called Tatooine Defense Fleet pretty handedly the torpedoes against the Phantom leave her in a sorry shape. Captain Thrush of the Fleet re-appears, "You wanna talk terms of surrender?"

The Tie interceptor on Jax's tail keeps him from properly destroying one of the X-wings. Though there's a couple of strikes and Jax's shields collapse and then there's an explosion from the hyper drive. "What do you mean, the hyper drive is wrecked? See if you can get it fixed!" Then he's on the com, "Ax, you guys alright over there?"

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==================================< Jax Greystorm tests an NPC's z95. >

< Saber 04 (Vhe Tenara) >==============================================

Blessedly Saber Four is still running around without any extra carbon marks and her BB unit is currently singing her praises. The one on their tail does not even consider firing as she comes back around, attempting to focus on the Interceptor. A rather tall order given her skills in the cockpit. Vhe lets out a long breath and tries to ease her hold on the controls. She can not seem to keep up and as she lets loose a volley its too late, flying at an arch behind the tail of the interceptor and off into the void.

She murmurs beneath her breath. <"Saber leader, can not seem to shake your friend!"> She stays with them though, hoping to manage to strike a hit on the squirrely interceptor. She shakes back the feathers, letting them fall back away from her face.

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< Saber 02 (Vega) >====================================================

<<Thanks for the assist, Saber 7!>> Vega's happy to let the actual fighter pilots do the destroying. She's just a mechanic that moonlights as a fighter pilot. She's also not doing her best right now, but hey, Bizz will live! Or she hopes he will. She completely whiffs the shot that she takes at the limping ship and she can swear she hears laughter someone..."They mock us..." she tells Roundy.

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< Phantom Knight (Ax) >================================================

Well, Ax knew that he'd rush in and do some damage, and in the process the Knight would become a big target. "Alright team, bug out.... if we can." He knew they'd taken a pounding, and engineering hadn't even gotten back with him for a damage report yet. The Echani was leaving the quad-laser pod and making his way to the bridge to assess things first hand. Hopefully, he didn't have to launch escape pods.

<<"Jax, we've gotta bug out. I hope we helped out enough so that you can take the rest of those bastards out. I got too many crew aboard this thing to play sacrificial bantha.">> Ax says over the comlink headset he was wearing. <<"May the force be with you and the rest of your forces.">>

As tempted as he was to run to the hangar bay and launch in his fighter, Ax's first responsibility was to his crew and to make sure they got out of there safely.

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< Saber 12 (Zelo Parrai) >=============================================

Headhunter attention grows for Saber 12 as two of their numbers left the battle at his behest. Another Z-95 comes up on rader, hot on Zelo's heels, but too jittery to line up the shot. Or the Nautolan really is that good a pilot. Or, let's face it, it could be both. Eyes like black pools take in the battlefield and something in him feels the tide turning, even as shields fail on the Corvette. How much more punishment can the huge ship take? He's not sure. His own shields are replenishing, at least. <"You're doing great, Befour!"> TWEEP!

Dorn 7, hot on the trail of Dorn 6, finds the same sights hovering easily over its lazy evasion pattern, and when Zelo fires, laser cannons chew through shields and hull alike. <<"Saber 12, splash another.">> The Nautolan looks for the others, seeing the Corvette withdrawing. It's a miracle it's still in one piece. Because it only barely is. The swarm has thinned, but the numbers are still not in the favor of the defenders.

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< Shadow Stalker (Kin-Li Kel) >========================================

Shadow Stalker comes around with startling suddenness as fighters explode around him. Another hit causes moderate damage to his shielding, but he fights on. A bolt flies from the Ion cannon, and it hits, but does only minor damage.

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< Card Shark (Bizz Bliptettjupp) >=====================================

Bizz hears the radar alert BEEP-BEEP-BEEP as missile locks are detected. "<<Those fighters are locking torpedoes on me!>>" His turret can't quite get a hit. "Keep boosting the shields, you!" he barks at his insolent R5 astromech droid.

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< Saber 07 (Karas Darkwing) >==========================================

<<No problem.>> he says as the ETA-2c does a wing tilt acknowledging her. <<You're doing well, keep going. I got your wing but we will need to move towards teh others, follow me.>> he says as he breaks left and takes he lead. <<I'm going to help out the Card Shark, cover me.>> he says as the interceptor increases speed. Spark feeds him data, and as he does, he rolls through incoming fire and as the craft comes within range, Karas takes a deep breath. Inhaling through his nose and out his mouth. "Hold on Spark." he says. He glances at his sensors.

Pulling back on the stick and climbing, Karas manipulates the control yoke as he climbs, rolling the interceptor until it's inverted, using the laser fire and planet as a distraction. Karas pulls back more on the stick until the ETA-2c is diving and as it dive, Karas is greeted with a target lock of one of the X-Wings. He presses the trigger and rains down hell on the old -65b X-Wing destroying the craft. <<Splash 2.>> is all that comes over the comms. He keeps the dive due to the angle he's coming in at, but as he fires at the second X-wing, Karas mis-judges his shot and misses. He pulls back and banks to give chase, "No way Slemo, you're not getting away from me." he says as he is able get his fighter right in line with the enemy X-Wing and fires at the main fuselage. An X-Wing pilot himself, Karas knows how to fly and destroy X-Wings.

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< Thunderbolt (Jax Greystorm) >========================================

The Phantom Knight was out of the fight and likely so. This was not going well for Bizz and his rescuers. Then Karas would destroy a X-wing. The fight turned on a dime. With the swarm reduced by half and the lose of a good pilot things changed. The SWARM turned and started to run. The will to fight let out of them. Though not before in a fit of defiance of the remaining X-wing pilots released a pair of torpedoes against Bizz's salvage ship.

Jax is flying his damaged ship and trying to help Zan take out another X-wing. "I got it. I got it... but not enough. Why are they running?" Jax asks and moments later Exine starts reporting blips as several contact appear from the planet below of light freighters and ancient star fighters. A voice on the Com calls out, "We're here to muster up and finish this fight." Jax lets out a sigh of relief. "Reinforcements." =============================================================================