Log:Quality Assurance

Quality Assurance

OOC Date: August 28, 2017 (Optional)
Location: Bonadan
Participants: Sion, Triz Dermout, Jax Greystorm, Mandl, Adhar Gann(Narrating)

Telgorn Corporation, responsible for combat shuttles and other ships for the Republic, the Empire, and now the New Republic, is developing a new prototype - and it wants people across the galaxy to help them test.

This time, friends, it's you.

You are each put in the cockpit of an ancient Z-95, each one of them in excellent condition but museum pieces otherwise. Even in these days of advanced fighters but general peace, the Headhunters have their use. Launching from Bonadan - which is in the heart of Corporate Sector space - into near orbit, you await the arrival of the prototype.

Telgorn corporate security is here in the form of a Carrack cruiser called the Opportunity; the cruiser floats like a graceless brick in space, illuminated by sun and running lights, the great stylized 'T' on its hull to mark its affiliation.

So here you are, in formation. Waiting.

Dressed in her old and battered Merc flight suit and helmet, Triz feels right at home <<Just like the old days>> she says over the comms. Systems are checked, her droid cycles the self checks of the ship <<Not bad shape at all>> she says after keying the comms once again. <<Someone did a good job on these old Headhunters>>.

Work's work. And Sion Corvara could seriously use work. She's been grounded for some time now. Flying an outmoded fighter in prototype trial runs isn't her usual line, but... work's work. <Aggressor Three, standing by,> she calls over the tac net. <You said it! Even the throttle and stick response is top-notch. Someone must've given the avionics a good go-over.>

Jax was running through the systems of the his Z-95. << Yeah, Yeah Girlie. I don't know how I lost the flip to you to get the Subpro. They don't have the leg room of the Incom models.>> He grunts as he moves up into formation, <<Aggressor 3, Any word on what this protype is suppose to be?>>

Over comms, the Telgorn ship chimes in. <<Aggressor squadron, this is Opportunity. Please check over your weapons and confirm that blasters are turned to minimal power and missile tubes are disabled.>>

Mandl's voice crackles: <Aggressor Two, all systems in readiness.> The stubby planetologist is neither wizard nor greenhorn, but moves like someone who learned to drive in a van given control of a Dodge Viper. Clearly used to more ... plating.

Mandl adjusts controls, attempting to compensate! <Old garbage! Obey Mandl!>

<Copy, Opp. Aggressor Three shows nigh-harmless light and bingo missiles,> Sion calls in. <Standing by for action. Hey, is that you, Jax? I haven't heard anything, I'm afraid. I don't know our other friends, either. This should be interesting...> Hearing that call, she chuckles. <Sounds like it already is for Mandl.>

<<Aggressor Two, this is Agressor 4. I'm forming up on your wing.>> He says as he cycles his ships shiels to double forwad, << Yeah been awhile Agressor Three. Agressor Lead is an old firend and came from the same school of hard knocks as me.>>

<<Aggressor Two, this is Agressor 4. I'm forming up on your wing.>> Jax says as he cycles his ships shiels to double forwad, << Yeah been awhile Agressor Three. Agressor Lead is an old firend and came from the same school of hard knocks as me.>>

Triz slots up her Headhunter next to Agressor Three <<Lets team up, Three. We can show the other's how it's done>> A slight wiggle of the wings as she looks sidways to the matching Headhunter. She listens to Jax over the radio <<Some just had harder knocks than others>> she adds in.

<< Copy that, Aggressors Three and Four. >>There's a pause on the line before Opportunity speaks again. << I didn't quite get that, Aggressor One and Two. Repeat: confirm tubes clear and guns at minimal power. >>

<<Yea, yea, Aggressor One shows low power and tubes clear>> Triz adds quickly.

<< Ackowledged, Aggressor One. Aggressor Two, do you require assistance? >> Vague tension there, which is perhaps a bit odd. Then again, prototype.

<Okay, Aggressor One... though I hope you don't mind an inexperienced wingwoman,> Sion replies, laughing. <This isn't my usual line of work. Mostly I've flown transports. Sometimes in and out of hairy situations, sure, but still transports.> She adjusts formation, sliding over next to Triz's fighter. <Good to see you again, Four! How are you and the bunch, these days? I think somebody took me off the comm list my mistake. Welcome to the party, Two! Good to have you.>

Jax smiles, <We're fine. We're all fine here. How are are you?> He replies to the voice on the Carrack. He then replies, <<Their fine, Aggressor 3. Just don't see them aroudn much.>> He then replies, <<Agressor 2, adjust your power sequence to the following out put. It should be more efficent. Cannons on single shot, 25 % chrarge, shields 25, engines 50, sensors 25, life support 25.>>

<< Riiiiight. Well, just keep an eye on that drain, Aggressor Two, and we'll be out to support you if you need it. >>

That said, a new ship jumps into existance from the void of hyperspace; a dagger-shaped shuttle, its hull dull gray, with a quad-set of engine nacelles positioned at the back, one per angle. Looks a bit like a T-wing with an extra engine, and, you know, bigger. Also a shuttle.

<< Telgorn Control, this is Monitor, >> radios the new ship over the frequency. << We are here to begin testing. All systems nominal. Do you have the test zone coordinates? >>

<< Roger, Monitor, coordinates prepared. Monitor, Aggressor Squadron, prepare to receive coordinates. >>

Triz waits a bit and then the coordinates come to her display <<Got the coordinates>>. She looks over to Sion's ship <<You get them too? We can jump together when you do.>>

Mandl awaits Jax's lead, suggesting: <Four, this is Two -- Mandl will follow you in.>

<Coordinates received and locked in,> Sion replies. <And my hand is over the little magic levers. Ready anytime, Aggressor Lead. Looks like it's about time for the curtain to go up!>

Jax starts to program the coordinates into his hyper drive. << That's why they have after market Hyperdrives.>> Jax says as me moves his Head hunter forward. << Alright 2, begining micro jump in 3,2,1 jump> Then A4 jumps to the cooordinates.

Jax jumps out, and Opportunity sounds equal parts surprised, mystified, and heavily annoyed as they reply. << ...okay, then. The /rest/ of Aggressor squadron, wait to jump with Monitor. On five...four...three....two...one. Mark. >> There's some annoyed grumbling for a moment, but the feed cuts out - and the shuttle, turning and speeding off on a new exit vector, makes the jump out.

At the mark Triz jumps out to the set coordinates. Once Sion gets there she keys the comms <<Well, not the way I would go at it but it's their ball game. I guess I am more of the fly in, shoot and get the heck out.>> Right before the comms cut out there is a chuckle.

Mandl tracks Jax, Jax-tracks! S/he keeps close to their partner-- though predicting where he ended up could be a challenge!

<So much for not dividing the formation...> Sion observes, bemused. <Right behind you, Shooty One!> She pulls the hyperspace levers and follows Monitor's lead.

Jax drums his leg as he waits for the others to arrive. "Ayup. Let's get this show on the road."

A minute or two passes, as Jax sits, waiting for the rest to arrive. The Monitor arrives first - and, as it does so, pours on speed. The testing menu is supposed to involve the Monitor going through several speed and acrobatics patterns, so this isn't unusual....but when the ship's guns slide out from their retracted positions and open fire, perhaps Jax realizes his bad feeling was entirely valid.

The opressor starts to track Jax, << Sith spawn.>> Jax hits a rudder as he pulls back on the throttle, "Come on, come on. TBe the X-wing, I want you to be." He says pulling for a loop to throw the turrent off or that's the plan as the lasers strike his shields. Alarms go off and his shields turn to yellow, "That was on full charge." Jax says as he adjusts his weapon output, <Yeah, guys, I got bad news. They're not pulling their punches.>

The Monitor's drives flare white as it punches forward, shields going double-aft; its rear pair of laser cannons still spit defensive fire as the shuttle pours on speed, moving almost as fast as a starfighter. What are they /making/ out here?

As this scene goes on, the rest of Aggressor squadron jumps in to find lasers being spat liberally from the rapidly-shrinking shuttle. Oh good! Something's happening.

Coming out of hyperspace, Triz readies her ship while getting her bearings and a look over the situation. Just in time catch Jax's radio message <<Copy that, Bossman>>. Ooops, a slight slip up there. <<Agressor Three, you copy that, they are full power. What say you and I up the anty?>> Already Triz is pressing the throttles forward to head to Jax's defense and upping her power to her own lasers. "Ain't no one shooting full power during a training mission at my Jax and not get it right back," she mutters to herself. Years and years of flying Headunters during her Merc days and even back in the CDF makes it so she doesn't even have to think where the settings are nor the switches to do so.

Mandl slaps the dashboard! <You worthless scow! Mandl cannot remove inhibitors from lasers!> this is the reply as Aggressor Two comes whistling in from hyperspace!

The third Headhunter comes out of hyperspace just then, swerving to stay in formation with its wingwoman. <Did I hear you right, Jax? Lead? They're using full power on weapons? That's cheating!> comes Sion's return transmission. <Ramping up power levels now... I have your wing, Lead!>

Jax takes the moment to let the other in the squad rush in to distract the pilot or so that's his plan as he jousts with the she shuttle. His cross hairs turn gold as he fires the laser cannon and doesn't hit anywhere near the target. "Great shooting. Lets hope we make this out of here alive." He says linking up with Mandl and forming up on his wing.

Jax's shooting isn't nearly as good as his flying this time around, and the Monitor is able to dodge his salvo. Now, over the link, a hard, dry voice sounds.

<< Aggressor Squadron, this is Monitor. Now I know you civvies think you're going to be heroes today, but here's the deal: we've stolen this ship, fair and square, and anyone who tries and stops us going to get turned to scrap. >>

As if to make his point, the ship's rear guns focus bright crimson lances of light against Jax's flitting fighter.

Mandl's shots are wild! Pew-pew-pe-crap! CRAA-AAAP!

<<Right, Monitor. And I'm going to let you shoot us down. Ain't gonna happen.>> Triz flips the comms over to talk to Sion <<Lets stay together then split. You take the right and I will take the left side. We will get it in the cross fire>> "Come on, Aggressor three, we got this," she mutters to herself as she lines up the shuttle and fires. <<Years and years of practice in just this ship shows, Monitor. And who you be call'n a civie?>> She says with a laugh over the common channel. Goading. As her shots hit.

</Stole/ it? Okay, there's still /four/ of us and one of you, smartass,> Sion fires back. <Let's see if you're still so cocky with a few thousand gigajoules of laser up your tailpipes! Right with ya, boss!> Swooping in behind Lead, Aggressor Three lines up a solid shot and hammers the shuttle's aft quarter with lances of red energy. <Tallyho!>

<<Civillian? Didn't know the Republic was into stealing shuttles.>> Jax says easily flying through the blaster fire as the cannon opens up on him, threading the needle. As Triz and Sion strikes the ship from another angle, Jax strikes on the other end, << And there are no heroes here. Just angry mercs.>>

Patches of light crackle a few feet from the hull as the fighters' guns hammer at the shuttle's shields. Fast as it might be, and with heavy rear guns, the Monitor is taking heavy flak from all sides. Their pilot might be good, too, but too many graceless attempts at maneuvers suggest a pilot unfamiliar with controls. Nevermind the fact you folks aren't bush pilots.

Well, except for Mandl.

Suddenly the guns go silent, and the ship's engines flare bright blue to the point of near-whiteout. Someone is making a break for it, full drives.

-- Pilots have two turns to disable or destroy the prototype before escape. --

Mandl swoops around, firing incoherently at the rapidly-shrinking freighter!

Triz spots the ship attempting to run <<Nice shot, guys. Now lets hammer this thing since they tried to set us up and shoot my best friend out of space.>> She swings the nose slightly then pressing the throttles forward letting the nose of the Z-95 sweep back onto the shuttle. Once it does she lets the KX5 linked laser cannons do their thing. <Whoo hoo! There is another hit>> she cheers.

Sion swoops in again, but the sluggish shuttle somehow evades her, swerving wide of a blast of cannon fire. <They're not as sleepy as they look, Aggressors! Watch those tail guns!>

Jax frowns as the Shuttle turns and runs, << You're kidding me. This is the craziest Shuttle theift ever.>> He says chasing after the shuttle with Mandl. "Damn... GIrlie is going to make me buy drinks."

The sheer volume of fire is really starting to cause the shuttle to bob and weave - double so when Triz's volley collapses the shields. All it should take are a few good hits to knock out the ship's drives, but time is slipping away. Fast. In another few seconds, the ship will be out of range and ready to make the jump.

-- One more round before escape. Make your shots count! --

<<You are buying the drinks, Jax>> Triz says as she lines up again and fires her lasers. But just as she does the tiny craft has a brief and momentary power glitch, typical of such an old ship, throwing off the targetting systems. Her shots just miss but it was no hit.

<Frell! He's getting /more/ slippery!> Sion just can't seem to get into position on a slow, sluggish shuttle because of some arbitrary force of the universe. At least, it sure seems that way.

Jax reaches over subconciously adjusting power out puts. Then his thumb press the selector to fire twin linked. He dumps his shields into his engines and the thrusters flare to life speeding him further along. <<Guess If I'm buying, I better earn it, Lead.>> Then Jax pulls the trigger firing the two bolts to cripple the shuttle. << I'm so counting it.>>

Perhaps they might be slippery, but the pilot of the Monitor finally zigs when they should have zagged - and Jax is ready for them. The glittering lances of his blaster cannons strafe through the port dorsal nacelle, causing it to burst like a durasteel fruit in a cloud of flame and shrapnel. Whatever happens afterward, the ship's engines sputter and die, leaving the Monitor to tumble dead in space.

Well, nobody's stealing anything after that anymore.

Triz spots the hits by Jax and grins <<Good shooting, Bossman. Guess I am buying the drinks>> she says over the comms. as she throttles back. Easing in the direction of the shuttle. She glances over to Sion and grins <Shall we go clean up?>>

Mandl follows Jax on his six. <What is customary? Notify authorities now?>

<Woo! Nice shooting, Jax! Order one on me, too,> Sion calls, pulling away to make a quick flyby of the shuttle. <Sensors show they're dead in space; must've blown the main power system when you scorched their tail feathers. I think we can safely call in the company's reclamators.> She pulls up on Triz's wing again. <Right with ya, boss. This borrowed flight suit isn't the best fit.>

Speaking of reclamators, realspace shudders some distance behind you as the Opportunity enters from the realm of hyperspace - despite its homely appearance, the ship manages yet to loom at a distance over your collection of snub fighters.

<< Aggressor Squadron, Monitor, >> the cruiser calls over the network, << We tracked weapons fire. What is your -- wait, what the kriff happened out here? >>

So many things, friends. So many.

<< I can relate, Aggressor 3. Been there myself a time or two. >> Triz listens to Jax and Mandl on the radion << We, Jax and I, have a thing. The one that gets the shoot down gets drinks bought by those that didn't. So yes, he gets free drinks. >> She is about to say more when the Monitor comes over the comms << I suggest that you find some more trustworthy crew. This crew tried to shoot us out of the space and steal your ship. You can thank us later. Right after you pay us our fees. >> Well maybe there was fees.

Mandl replies: "Over, Monitor, Aggressor Two here. Transmitting motion-capture and telemetry data from ship's log to your hardline -- Mandl observed entire sequence of events." Mandl adds: "... Aggressor Two was vital in firefight. Absolutely *vital.* Over."

<Paying us would be good, considering the money we just saved you. Bet Koensayr or Seinar would've paid a /taaaaaaaall/ stack of credits for that shuttle those gravel maggots tried to steal,> Sion chimes in. <We're coming in. Monitor won't be going anyplace for quite a while.>

Jax chuckles at Mandl's comment but not on com. <Lead and 3 speak for me. I'm landing. I want a combat pay clause next time.>

So that's it. The Opportunity keeps you near while Telgorn tugs jump in to collect the disabled shuttle, then the lot of you are escorted back to Bonadan where you go through a fairly rigorous debrief. Mind you, the Telgorn folks aren't mad at /you/ - if anything, they're over the moon that not only was the shuttle recovered, but the thieves /and/ all telemetry data too. Mandl's data is just a cherry on the top, one that gets you all a bit of a bonus. Ten out of ten, would hire to test experimental prototypes again.

Soon enough, you're allowed to go your way...and with no small amount of change in your pockets. Not bad for a day's work.