Log:Resistance: Duel Over The Desert

Resistance: Duel Over The Desert

OOC Date: September 4, 2018
Location: Over Tatooine
Participants: David Ironside, Kare Kun as GM, The Resistance

It's just an everyday patrol mission. More like a boring put your ass to sleep from sitting in the cockpit of an X-Wing for hours and fighting to stay awake so you end up doodling on your mission notes that is strapped to your leg while your R2 unit, Brat, has found a selection of hard jamm'n music that is blaring in your helmet and about to drive you stark raving mad. "Brat!" Kare says finally with authority. The droid beeps back "Stop with the music! Gawd, I should never have let you down load that crap." A glance out the cockpit and the only thing to be seen is the other X-Wings and the far off suns of the Tatoo system.

So far things have been quiet. Very quiet. That is till static breaks over the comms. What did it say? Kare leans forward and fiddles with the comm unit "Brat, see if you can clear that up..."

<<You get anything? 'Cause I sure don't.>> David Ironside chimes in suddenly from one of the other X -Wings. His astromech has been trained not to report anything unless explicitly needed, and is therefor keeping quiet. He glances out at the beige planet nearest to their patrol, suppressing a yawn. "Nothing ever happens on these patrols, right, Ones?" he converses with his droid, getting a few beeps and whistles warbled at him.

<<Hold on, think I might-a got something,>> Kare responds as her droid works on clearing up the comms. <<Okay, got something,>> she adds after a brief time. Over the comms unit Brat replays the message <<This is the Celest...staticstaticstatic...pirates atta..static..ing...staticstaticstatic... heading to Tatooi...staticstaticstatic>> It is then the message cuts off. "Is that it Brat? Nothing else?" Brat answers in tones that would be sad sounding. <<That's all I got. Let's go check it out," she says as she deploys her s-foils. Apparently her mind is already made up.

<<That mention of pirates got my attention, let's go for it. You get a heading, Gold 3?>> David busies himself with the on-board systems, the s-foils parting with a high-pitched whine as the two X- Wings form up. <<You get anything apart from that?>>

Kare gives a shrug, as if David could see that, <<My guess would be Tatooine.>> She angles her craft towards the distant planet and throws the throttles to the stops. <<That's all we got, Brat says the transmission ended there.>> Then to the droid "Full scans forward, Brat. Give it full power and lets see if we can spot anything." Brat beeps an begins adjusting the scanners to do just that.

<<Tatooine then.>> David sets a heading for the desert planet much the same as the other X-Wing, nodding slightly at the remaining intel. <<There was mention of pirates. Keep on your toes, Gold 3. >> he instructs. It's not so much an instruction as it is a reinforcement of common sense, at least to the Lieutenant himself. <<The planet is kind of a breeding ground for terrible people, but at least they're unlikely to be First Order affiliated.>>

<<Roger that,>> Kare replies before adding <What you mean, Tatooine is a lovely place. I was think'n 'bout setting up a retirement home there.>> Comes her laugh filled voice. "Brat, keep working on those scanners. I aint' seeing anything." She calls out then hits the side of the scanner display with the ball of her hand. Who knows, maybe it will help.

The planet steadly grows in her vision as the two craft get closer. Then over the comms comes another message <<This is the Celestial Tramp. I have...staticstaticstatic...pirates attacking. Heading to the canyons to try to loo...staticstaticstatic...Anyone, I need help...>>Then the transmission cuts off and Kare shakes her head <<Bet he went into the atmo so we lost the signal>> she says as she angles her ship slightly to try to look for the distressed ship.

<<Either or, the message clearly said 'I need help'.>> David replies, already pushing his fighter towards the planet. <<So we're essentially obligated to head down there and offer it.>> "Goes for you too, Ones. I need you to scan the surface, tell us what's down there." The droid warbles and beeps and whistles, the display noting an unconfirmed number of ships. <<Gold 3, they're down near the Badlands. And you should think twice about retiring down there. It's awful. Keep your eyes and your scanners peeled.>>

<<Silly, just gotta be tougher is all. To much easy liv'n for you I think. Gotta tough'n you up some,>> Kare replies. As they break into the atmospher. Sure enough there is an aging YT2000 dodging and weaving as 3...no 4 fighters hot on it's tail. Down and over the canyon and it's walls the YT leads it's attackers. Lasers rip out, some striking the freighter causing it to leave a bit of a smoke trail but most of the other simply strikes rock and sand. << I got your six, following you,>> Kare coms to David as she slides back a bit.

As they get closer they can tell that two of the pirates are older Headhunters while two are T-65s. And they are after that freither all right. The piloting isn't all that great but they are doing a decent job at staying with the freighter.

<<We'll take out the big guns first, then the Headhunters.>> David instructs, right before unleashing blaster fire on the lead X-Wing. It's becoming easier to engage those, seems the pirates had some sort of auction on X-Wings. He lets loose with a volley of red laser fire, hitting the target dead on. <<Don't quote me on this but that's their shields gone.>> David comms. <<We're lucky they don't seem to have any droids in the sockets.>>

The first X-Wing, designated as A on the scanners, shows no sheilds left and slight damage on it's body. The other X-Wing banks radically just as Kare takes her shot and the lasers go way wide. "Damnit" she curses as Brat makes noises like laughing "Shut it, Brat. I can turn you into a protocal droid you know." <<Roger that, staying with you.>> The two Headhunters seem oblivious to the attacking Resistance pilots as they continue to pursue the freighter.

David Ironside keeps on his target, not allowing the X-Wing out of his sight, no matter the evasive maneuvers it attempts. His targeting computer beeps, slowly then quickly, before turning to a single ongoing beep. David squeezes the trigger on his control stick, the laser blasts taking out the lead X-Wing immediately, sending the four s-foils in different directions. <<Scratch one.>> the LT reports curtly.

<<Decent, just decent shooting,>> Kare chides David as she also stays on the Bandit ident'd as B on the targeting scopes. She waits, then waits some more as they twist and turn. Up out of the canyon, dust flying behind the pair of X-Wings, predator and prey. Still Kare waits till they crest a rocky spine of a ridge and on the way down she lets loose. Shields flicker and die as the body of the X- Wing shreds under the onslaught of her fire. One of it's wings nearly gone, one engine out and smoking badly.

Behind her and over the ridge the two Headhunters break off their attack on the freighter and turn towards the two Resistance fighters. A heavy column of smoke drifts up from the side of a canyon wall where the ship that Dave shot had plowed into it. Not much left of that one that is for sure.

<<Heads up, they're tired of us.>> David comms to Kare, before switching to an open comm channel. <<Freighter Celestial Tramp, the hostiles aren't focused on you anymore, it seems.>> He switches back to the Gold Squadron frequency, pulling the control stick back to dodge up and out of the way of the returning Headhunters fire.

<<About time you guys showed up. I've been calling for hours. What took you so long? No, never mind . Just forget it.>> The freighter captain replies as he turns and heads to Mos Eisley. << I don't think he will be sending us any thank you notes, boss>> Kare says to Dave as she lines up her target once again. She fires and for a time it appears that she did hit but the blasted X-Wing continues to fly. That is till it just plows into the sands of Tatooine in a dust filled fireball. <<Well, that was...uh, strange>> she comments before turning back to join up with Gold 1 <Shall we go after the rest now?>> The two Headhunters are on the scopes but appear to be running away from the two Resistance fighters << I think they had enough but why let them get away, right?>>

<<Copy that.>> David replies. << It's a thankless job, but it's best he doesn't get a sudden opportunity to reconsider.>> he continues, shaking his head at the less than ideal attitude the freighter pilot displays. <<He called for help, we offered it. Sometimes you get gratitude, sometimes you don't.>> He shrugs, spiraling his craft back down to take down one of the Headhunters. His target dips into the canyon right as he unloads a barrage of laser blasts at it, turning some sand into glass, but leaving the Z-95 unharmed otherwise.

<<Yea, but at least a thank you would have been nice. But then, who am I kidding, he will be back at the bar in an hour and we will still be flying. Maybe I need a career change. Yea, I can see me in some frieghter, smuggling stuff here and there. I'd be good at it.>> Kare replies. She lines up the retreating and weaving Head Hunter and pulls the trigger. 4 Blast of lasers streak out, one barely nipping the shields of the slower and older fighter. << I swear, the aiming is off in this thing,>> of course it is. Couldn't be her just not shooting well. No way. The pair of Headhunters they pull back and head straight up but then split. One going east and the other west. and diving back down towards the planet.

<<My target went into the canyon, I'm following.>> David reports, doing just that. The X-wing veers left and right when needed, target going in and out of focus with every turn. Finally a long stretch of canyon allows the LT to unload with a volley, all four wing tips emitting bolts that strike true. The target flies up out of the canyon, trying desperately to survive. <<That one's about done, I'm still on it.>> David submits as a status report.

Indeed the Headhunter that Gold 1 shot is about doomed. Body panels are flying off, smoke trails out of it's engine. It's clear that one of it's lasers is toasted as well. He dives down trying to shake the Resistance X-Wing off it's tail but Dave stays on it. <<Roger that, I will go after Delta, >> Kare replies and does just that. Both the X-Wing and Headhead hunter are on the deck, flat lands and the dust kicks up behind the pair as Kare keeps on the tail of the pirate. "Just a little more, a little mo...there!" She pulls the trigger and hits the pirate. Shields flicker and fade and the body of the craft takes a full laser bolt to it. A panel erupts off and sparks fly from the exposed in sides. <<That's a hit here too. Staying on it,>> she coms out.

<<Roger that.>> David comms, eyes never leaving his target, lasers continuing to fly towards it. The long stretch ends, though, the T-85 and the Z-95 zooming through the canyon, throwing up trails of dust that light up with the color of the exchanged offense. Right before a sharp turn, one of David's blasts manages to hit the rear quarter of the Z-95, sending sparks up along with the smoke. << It's just not giving up. Almost have to admire the skill. Almost.>>

Indeed Gold 1's bandit is not giving up as it continues to fly through the canyons of the rocky cliffs. A new scorch mark where Gold 1's laser gives it a glancing strike. Kare, mean while, still fights to stay on the tail of the damaged pirate. "At least this low he can't dive." She tells Brat as they fly past a one of those huge crawler things the Jawas use. She fires but her bolts strike nothing but sand << I killed more sand,>> she exclaims over the coms all proud like as she continues to chase after the pirate.

<<Good job!>> comes the offhand comment by David. He's not paying that much attention to Kare Kun, though, he's fully focused on taking down the evasive Z-95 headhunter. It finally comes to the end of the canyon, and David smiles. If anyone else could see it, they'd say it's a sadistic smile. As it stands, though, David lights the Headhunter up with laser fire, throwing bits and pieces of the old model snubfighter into the sky, only for them to fall down into the desert again. <<One Headhunter left, Gold 3. Make it count.>> he comms encouragingly.

Kare takes the shot and sure enough the Headhunter breaks up and splatters it's self across the desert. Bits and parts flying in all directions as she pulls up steeply <<Splash one more pirate>> she coms. << I see nothing else. How 'bout we head back to the barn. My butt is getting sore.>> She throttles back to a normal speed and banks her X-Wing to form back up with Dave. <What's that, 2 each? But who's counting, right?>> The coms click off as she laughs.

<<Two each, sounds about right.>> David replies, leading the way back to outer space as he switches back to a comm line the freighter can pick up. <<You're free to go wherever you please. Tell your friends the Resistance saved your ass.>> he sends into the airwaves before switching back. <<We'll see who's sore once we get back and tell the others we kicked ass here.>>

Still laughing Kare shakes her head <<Yea, no kidding. Anyway, I have a date with my bunk. Lets head back.>> and Kare does just that. Sets her nav unit to return back to the Renegade. <<See you there>>.