Log:Rogue Squadron: Combat Piñata
Rogue Squadron: Combat Piñata
OOC Date: February 13, 2021
Location: Codru Munto
Participants: Croxin, Zandra naMuriel, Jax Greystorm, Karas Darkwing, Callax Dalso, Tallie Lintra, Nova Korell
Located twenty kilometers from the center of Codru City, situated on the northeast fringe of the city, an industrial barn squats in full defiance of the Republic, daring its ships to try and crack it. Which is, of course, exactly what the Rogues have been slated to do - there, kept safe beneath the barn's two meters of hardened permacrete, a sizable cache of war materiel awaits repatriation to Republic coffers. Somewhere in the jungle of pipes and steel that makes of the factory district in which the target looms, a third-party force led by another of the Rogues, Callax's Perlemian Rangers awaits to rush in and take as much as they possibly can. The Rogues have a simple mission: fly in, crack open the bunker on its north face, and ensure that any defenses are taken out to easy the Rangers' smash-and-grab job. Easy enough, on paper.
They just have to get through the defenses.
And defenses there are. A multitude of rapid-fire gun towers ring the facility, ceaselessly tracking the skies, and beyond that TIE fighters belonging to the 223rd Aerospace Supremacy Squadron have been making patrol sweeps about the city. The black fighters will doubtlessly be hard to spot in the nighttime mission, with the naked eye, but thank the Maker it's an attack - plenty of flames will be roused to light the way where scopes do not already track.
And so are the Rogues dispatched from the /Renegade/. Given a circuitous entry vector, they've already made atmosphere some one hundred kilometers or so from the city; at the clip they're moving, however, that won't take long to catch up. Codru City can be seen clearly in the distance, illuminated by flames and blaster fire, red tracers of anti-aircraft fire sweeping occasionally through the sky. It's hell down there among the ruined towers, the blasted streets. This war has been bloody from the get-go.
Once over the last mountain range that rings Codru City, Rogue Squadron races low over treetops leaving a sonic trail behind them, awakening animals, livestock, and the outlying districts' inhabitants. S-foils open, the commander sights the city's distant fires that they are approaching over the sound barrier. The faint lights of the T-85's control panel illuminate the shield of her helmet, green and gold.
<<"First run, we pound them with torps if we don't have anyone on our tail. Fly wary! This is too valuable for them to lose; they are going to be fighting us over it. Good luck, Rogue.">>
"Spots, brighten up the night scope by a notch or two, would you? And make sure the lasers are warmed. Go ahead and link up our sensors with the rest of the Squadrons', too. As soon as we spot any TIEs I want everyone to know about it." the Rookie, Croxin, quickly tells his droid. He flexes his hands in his gloves before resting one lightly on the control stick and the other on his throttle. With a flick of his thumb, the night scope is overlaid and sensors warm. Rogue 4, his X-Wing, flies in easy formation with the rest of the squadron. The S-foils slip open with ease, locking into place with a click as the Rookie searches for a target for his torpedoes.
Rogue 9 was sweeping through the artificial canyons that made up the capital as the squadron was drawing upon it's target in the Industrial complex. The s-foils of his X-wing extended, Jax sit in the cockpit at peace with himself. Tallie's orders to attack the facility caused him to start to hit buttons and switches as he toggled to torpedoes. HIs targeting computer coming on line. He calls out to his R2 unit, Exine. "Exine you heard the Boss. Keep your sensors peeled. We got bandits out there and they'll be spoiling for a fight.
<<Rogue 5 green. >> Zan says simply. She's in an X wing for a change, the usual A wing pilot grumbling to herself at the slow Xwing speed. Alas, she's certified to fly the X as well, and that's what the mission calls for. She has Ono with her, the droid not often getting into a fighter with Zan, for obvious reasons. She simply keeps a watch on her scanners, such as they are, and follows orders.
<<Copy that Rogue Leader.>> Karas calls as he pushes the throttles to MAX. Rogue 2 streaks low over the treetops as well, "Take your runs as quickly as you can. Rogue 4 you're with me stay on my tail.>> he says into his comms. Night missions to him are like space missions, soemthing you get used to. Rogue 2's S-Foils are in attack position and he looks over the sensor data he's getting. "Spark let me know when we have incoming." he says. He gets a few beeps from Spark. <<Watch for those turrets as well.>> he tells them. A bit redundant he knows but Karas is doing his job. <<May the Force be with Us.>>
Rogue Squadron hurtles over the broken, uneven land leading to the capital, collectively emitting the same low, familiar thrum as their engines flare brightly. War rages on despite their actions, a barbed wheel turning always - and then, all at once, faint scanner blips manifest on the edge of the monitors, moving faster than almost the sensors can catch. Somewhere ahead, on a fast interception vector, the ships of the 223rd have apparently already caught wind of the Rogues and their cruciform steeds.
But the Rogues will be ready. Tallie's sharp eyes will see them through, and they will not be ambushed.
Fiver catches them first. The droid warbles as blips flying at speeds that match their own appear on scan. <<"We have bogies at 12 o'clock, Rogue. Look alive. Spread out, make them work for it.">> Her gloved hands tightens on the yoke, "Bring me up three tac solutions, Fiver. Looks like they are out for blood. Let's give them something to remember us by."
<< I see them. >> Jax says as he sees the Ties coming in for a fight. He switches his waeapons to back to laser cannons. << Rogue 5, how you doing over there in the T-85? I know it's too slow for your tastes but care to team up and show them what a couple of A-wing pilots can do in some X-wings? >> He says moving to form up on Rogue 5's wing.
Zan's x wing is ready to attack, S foils open and all. She smiles as she hears Jax's words, her attention going to the incoming bogeys. << Sure, we can do that, Deadeye,>> she says easily. << Just gotta keep the mission in mind. >> She checks the sensors to see how Jax is setting himself up at her wing, and keeps pace with him, not commenting on the X wing's abilities at the moment. it's a good ship. Ish.
<<Copy that, I see the Eyeballs.>> he says. <<Rogue 4 on my wing.>> he says. <<Everyone pair off with your wingman and like Rogue Leader said spread out and let's take it to'em." he says, "Alright, let's see what they got." Karas says as he moves to engage. He checks his wing to make sure the Rook is with him. <<Keep comms open, if I see an opening, I will send a wing down to make their run while we fly cover..>> he says.
Back at the tail, Nova Korell watches the surroundings. The destruction is impressive and awful, but her eyes are open for the telltale glints of night-flying TIEs. They might matte-paint the hulls, but they can't do anything about the transparisteel viewports, the heat-polished barrel housings, or the exhaust glow of those signature twin ion engines. And if any of those fail, there's always the passive sensors, with Jammer studiously minding the screens. She still feels just a little uneasy. Between the smoke and the darkness, these are deadly flying conditions.
Jammer's squawk nearly makes her jump; it would if she wasn't so used to the droid by now. <Rogue 11, confirming eyeballs. Looks like they want to dance. Just because they handle like kites in atmo doesn't mean we shouldn't be careful. Use those sensors, and watch out for the ground. It's more dangerous than the fighters.>
They come like bats in the moonlight, hurtling close enough to be seen - shields charged and running lights off, their silhouettes flicker against a distant fireball coiling from somewhere in the city. I would be now that the fighters would be otherwise pouncing, but the Rogues are onto them, and the ambush is to be a battle.
<< Sounds good to me, Violet. I'm targeting Alpha 3. >> Jax says as he pulls back on his sticks and waits for his cross hairs to glow yellow as Exine gives off a sound to indicate Jax has targeted the fighter. Then the jedi pulls the triggers moments latter four energy lances of death find their target. The tie stripped of shields and showing light damage in one shot. Rogue 9 arcs out to the side as Jax hits a rudder peddle. It appears he's won the first joust of the night but it was going to be a long night.
Zan grins as she follows Jax in. She targets the same enemy, so that they can try to take it out. The theory might be sound, and Zan does get a shot off, after Jax, but perhaps Jax's shots woke up the enemy pilot. In any event, and for whatever reason, Zan's shot is handily dodged. She zigs opposite from Jax, and then turns to make another pass, expecting that they will be flying after the same target again.
They rush through the night, laser fire streaking the sky green and red, diffused in the humid air, leaving after images on the retina. In a calm neutral tone, Tallie coms, <<"I have Alpha One.">> The pilot is wily and as well trained as the commander. They both jink, avoiding fire. Tallie pulls the yoke back and makes a gut-wrenching turn to reengage to aware of the target priorities below them.
Watching the members of Rogue go after their targets, Karas looks up seeing the incoming fighters and he climbs straight up and as Rogue Leader and Rogue 11 go after one. Rogue 2 goes after Alpha 2 and as he does he manages to maneuver under the TIE/fo and fire once he got a lock. Seeing the TIE try to evade at the last moment only causes the pilot to be hit by a few of the red energy blasts from Rogue 2. Though as Karas pulls back on the yoke to continue pursuit, he sees green energy lances streak off at him. "Tck." Rogue 2's S-Foils close as it banks hard to the left and rolls before pulling up at a steep angle to throw off it's pursuit.
Coming in below Tallie's attack pass, Nova pulls up and left to engage that sneaky lead TIE. Two of her shots miss, but the others hammer the bogey's deflector screens. <Tally target on the leader... hit! On him!> She sees another TIE coming up aft, and hastily dips and pulls up; green annihilation streaks by overhead. <And one's trying to tally me...>
The fighter swarm the Rogues, good pilots all - but they're not so good that they can escape the wrath of the X-wings. Shields flash in the night like faerie fire, their lasers green balefire meant for the Rogues who parry with their own red lances. A brilliant lightshow for whomever might be watching, so far from the city, but there are likely none to see it.
The TIE/fo pilot loses his shields on the next pass, momentarily becoming a ball of red light as Rogue Leader's lasers tag him. They both veer off, mirror images of each other as they loop out over the dark countryside to find each other again.
<<"Deadeye, Violet, good work. Go for target objective. We will finish the remaining Eyeballs.">>
Jax lines up another shot finishing off his target Alpha 3, just in time for Exine to report that Zandra's destroyed a target of her own. Tallie's voice fills his cockpit reminding him to Continue Mission. << Will do. Guess you were right, VIolet. Also nice shooting.>> He thumbs his toggle to torpedoes. Then starts to pull up the targeting computer. << Anti-Aircraft first. >>
Zan spies fire at her own ship, and so she ducks and dodges, once that's done, she moves to fire at Alpha 3, but Deadeye has struck again. << Changing target, >> Zan says. << Rogue 5 targetting Alpha 4.>> She lines up her shot and fires, striking home with all lasers. That's not so good for poor Alpha 4. << Scratch 4, >> she adds, calmly. << Roger, Lead. Deadeye, following you, >> Zan follows up, also thumbing to torpedoes, as she moves her x wing in tandem with Jax.
Karas was able to keep up with his target even though he had to break from his earlier pursuit. Spark was able to track Alpha 2 down and Karas was able to get them back into position. Checking his sensors, Karas sees that Alpha 3 was taken out. Rogue 2 takes on a steady straight as Alpha 2 didn't deviate, firing off a few rapid shots. Karas watches as the enemy TIE is destroyed, <<Splash One!>> he calls into the comms. Hearing Tallie tell Jax and Zan to go onto mission, he smiles, <<Yeah get going, we will finish these guys up and keep you covered.>> he calls into his comms.
Nova sticks close to Tallie's wing, though her luck has returned to normal: She misses her shot at the lead TIE. <Still have your back, Lead, for what it's worth. Good luck, Violet, Deadeye. Mind the floor!>
In an instant, almost the entire wing is obliterated. The 223rd is missing a handful of good pilots now, but those who remain doggedly fight on - even as Jax and Zandra break off to head for the storage barn. While Jax and Zandra push on at top speed, they are met by the first flashes of light as the rapid-fire turrets begin to open up on the two incoming fighters; too far out to deal damage, but the sheer volume of fire pouring toward them is enough to light up the valley beyond the city like a river of flares.
The world turns green as Alpha One pours lasers on the front right quadrant of Rogue Leader's shields. Fiver loses his sang-froid and warbles as Tallie rolls the T-85 sideways and drops like a rock to angle up toward her adversary. Pushed hard into the seat, Tallie pulls the yoke back sharply for a steep climb, lasers blazing at Alpha One. The TIE expands into a luminous haze of red and drops off of scans, streaking across treetops to disappear behind a set of silos. <<"Rogue Two, turn over to target objective. Good work. All pilots on the objective. Alpha Five is mine.">>
Jax had started the target lock on his objective. << Fancy flying there Violet. It's almost like you're an X-wing pilot. >> Jax says as he starts the bombing run against one of the turrets. He calls back to Exine. "Keep your eyes open in case more of the Alphas show up."
<< Them's fighting words, Deadeye, >> comes the retort from Zan as she hears Jax's compliment. << But right back atcha. time to take out those Anti-air guns. Targetting, and locking. >> She suits action to words, and then she grins as she can hear her droid in the droidspot. "C'mon, Ono, it's not that bad yet." Just imagine the reaction from the droid, as Zan starts that strafing run, watching where she's flying, so as to target her own turret as the X wings start in on the real point of the mission.
<<Copy that Rogue Leader. Those who aren't engaged, break and go for our primary objective. Try to keep one another covered as you go in.>> he says on the tac comm. Rogue 2 rolls and dives again getting low and using the terrain to help keep from being targetted by the turbo laser emplacements. Streaking through the nights sky and treetops, he sees that Jax and Zan are further ahead then he is which was alright. <<Deadeye and Violet, I will keep you covered from back here if I can.>> he calls to them.
<Copy, Rogue Leader. Working on those gun turrets.> Nova whips Rogue Eleven into a tight turn and kicks sensors to active. Not that she needs them. The fire paths from the turrets tell her where they are nicely. She hastily kills active sensors: Targeting systems can pick /those/ up, too, and there's enough fire to worry about as it is. <Eleven, strangling the monkey-lizard. Setting up for attack run on the south turret...>
And she can only barely hit a /stationary object/. Some nights the universe just seems to be out to get you. <Hit. Effect on target.> She can't say /good/ effect. It's not.
Though single guns are mounted in the turrets rising on duracrete spires around the supply barn, a hexagonal pyramid tapering into a short, blunt top, they fire with uncommon alacrity - hoses spewing high-pressure streams of deadly light across the valley, lighting it up as if it were on fire. And yet, all that fire does little to stop the Rogues; shield damage is all the assault brings on. And now, they are in torpedo range.
While Rogue concentrates on the mission's main objective, Alpha Five persists like a pesky insect likely calling in reinforcements. The target reticule beeps and stutters towards acquisition, Tallie triggers the lasers burning away most of the Eyeball's defenses but leaving him to buzz them again. A tower falls in molten globs as the team pours their weapons on the protective perimeter. Gritting her teeth against G-Forces, <<"We're getting there, Rogue. We have to blow this depot out of existence.">>
<< Beginning Run. >> Jax says as begins his run. A couple of the turrets target Jax including the one he's beginning his run on. The shields are stripped away from his X-wing as his targetign computer begins the calculation for Jax to destroy the turret. Then Jax pulls his triggers sending a pair of torpedos into the turret watching it explode before he pulls up above the clouds
Zan is following Jax, but aiming at the turret next door. She is a fraction behind him, which gives her just enough time to rock, roll, and avoid the shots at her, though the first one she watches gleam green over top of her canopy, wide eyed. << Five, beginning run, >> she copies Jax, and hits the throttle. When she hits the right moment (she thinks) she lets her torpedoes fly and then pulls up, preparing for another run. << Target hit, but it's still standing,>> she reports.
Karas isn't far behind Jax and Zan, closing the S-Foils of his fighter which adds more speed to his X-Wing. Warning sounds emits that he is being locked onto by the enemy turrets. Karas doesn't break from his route and as the energy beams fire at him, Karas just jinks left and right evading the incoming jade beams. He sees the explosions of one turret, and another be damaged by Jax and Zandra. <<Climbing and engaging.>> he says into his comms. Rogue Two streaks forward then climbs, corkscrewing as it does to help make itself a harder target. Pulling back on the flight stick, Rogue Two does a loop and S-Foils open and two proton torpedos fire from Rogue Two at it's apex of it's loop. Diving two the two torps hit their target. Seeing the explosion, but not enough to send it up yet. <<It's a Hit but it's still holding. Going to go for another run!>> he calls into his comms.
The fire is a lot like glowing rain, but going in all the wrong directions. Somehow Nova keeps her fighter alive during the dive through the green maelstrom. "Just keep me apprised of any targeting sensor beams, Jammer. I'd rather know if someone singles us out."
Jammer beeps an affirmative... and then squalls in panic! No starfighter should /ever/ be this close to the ground, especially at night!
"There's more than one way to stay under the sensor cloud..." Nova informs Jammer, and kicks the fighter up onto its starboard wings, pulling the trigger. An instant later, there's an anomaly in the green maelstrom: A bright orange fireball where the south tower used to be! Structural members begin to collapse, the walls blown out by the generator explosion. Nova pulls away, gaining altitude to set up for an attack run. <Eleven, scratch one tower. Suggest making attack runs from the south; the counterfire will be lighter on that side.>
The first torpedoes go in, smashing towers and reducing the fire directed at the fighters - Karas's warheads hit the barn on the north face as directed, blasting free fountains of large permacrete fragments; it's an impressive show, bright light and flame and spalling material, but the bunker's structure holds.
Meanwhile, the last of the fighters dances with Tallie still, remaining intact...
An onlooker braving the fight instead of intelligently cowering in a bunker would hear the state-of-the-art engines thrumming as they strain against gravity, climbing at top speed. Flashes of light lance across the sky as towers topple under Rogue's relentless attack. Tallie has her single foe, they weave and dodge playing tag with each other and the ground. Beams light the night but the two adversaries remain while Rogue hammers the target.
With one of the enemy turrets down, Jax breaks off from his run doing a barrel roll. He takes a pot shot at one of the remaining turrets with his laser cannons before moving the rise up in the air. "Exine can you do something about repairign the shields?" Then he rises up back inot the sky.
Zan breaks from the turret to follow Karas on the primary target, letting loose on it to help soften it up. She flies around the anti fighter lasers aimed at her as if they're standing still, and then pivots with an aileron roll to come back again, looking to help with the rest of the turrets. << Let's keep it together. I'm sure we need to peel out of here any moment, but let's do what damage we can first. >> Those defenses got to go, as much as they can manage.
Corkscrewing away from the bunker and climbing again, Karas weaves through the enemy turrets fire. He knew he had to be careful, he didn't want to let one of those damned things to hit his fighter. Turbo lasers pack more of a punch then fighters do. As he comes back around, he sees Rogue 5 make her attack run and watching as her proton torp hit the bunker he smiles. <<Good hit Rogue 5, I'm coming in behind you.>> he calls to Zan. Reesablishing his lock, Karas fires twin torpedos and breaking from the bunker. The torps hit their marks, <<Torpedos away!>> he calls into his comm.
Nova takes her own advice, making her next run from the south. It's probably why the gunners don't see her.
But she sees them, and where she sees, the lasers often go. Another turret cracks like an egg under crimson lances of energy, spewing forth fragments of duralloy and a gout of flame. <Eleven, scratch two turrets. The incoming party should have a much easier time when they get here.>
The last salvo of torpedoes launched by the Rogues do their work. While one concrete gun tower after another splinter and crash to the ground, the salvoes of bright blue streaks that mark the passage of each torpedo smash into the pyramid's north face. Plumes of fire light the industrial tangle all around and slabs of shattered permacrete are hurled forth from the pressure waves cast off the structure with every impact. There's a loud groan from the pyramid, and then the entire north face collapses in a shower of spalling permacrete and blasted rebar, exposing the brightly lit interior within. From over the comms, a familiar voice -- that of Callax, who speaks with perhaps an unusually cheerful voice for combat conditions, they who normally speak with such a flattened tone while in flight.
<< Rogues, this is your fabulous friend, >> Callax calls over the channel, while the sounds of howling voices sound in the background and the clattering of gear and boots. << Appreciate your help, that's a gorgeous sight. We've got it from here. Get back in one piece! >> And then, after a moment, Callax actually /roars/ over comms to their troops before the channel finally cuts out. << Ranger! Guns up, get those transports over here! Anyone who threatens you, put them in the ground. Onward now, to gl--*ffffssszt* >>
And then there's just the one damned fighter.
Tallie listens to the drone of the other fighter's engines over her own. One never hears the enemy in space; it takes her back to her early teens and strafing trees with her pretend guns between runs on the fields she was crop dusting. The lone TIE fighter threatens the troops below and therefore must go. <<"This is Rogue Leader, Rogue, prepare to wrap this mission. Alpha Five is still my target.">> What she doesn't add is: not for long.
Angling the nose of the fighter upward she climbs and instead of disappearing into the black of night to greet the moon, she plunges down on Alpha Five firing salvo after salvo until abruptly it drops off of scans.
<<"Good work all of you. The last target is down.">>
As the order to bug out is given, Jax pulls back on the lever of his S-foils closing them. He forms up on Rogue 5's wing once more. << Sounds like the party's just started and we're heading back to base. Guess we'll get to stick around another time. >>
<< Good shooting, everyone! >> Zan comments, the smile on her face doubtless something that can be heard in her voice. << And you heard our fabulous friend - time for us to vacate the premises. >> She grins, not meaning to take over from the lead or XO, but Callax definitely let them know their work was appreciated. << glad that party's on our side, >> she adds wryly, as she lines up with Jax, and they head for the rally point.
Karas sees the reflection of the explosion as he rockets away, <
Party, indeed! As the Rogues pull away, the street out front of the breached storage structure now blaze with light as Callax and their troopers charge the entrance, filling it with blaster fire ahead of several large speeder transports that follow their way into the building. Smash-and-grab, all right, facilitated by a lot of naval torpedoes. But this is all in the background, for home awaits, and perhaps another sortie sooner than later onto the planet once more.
For now, though. Mission accomplished.
