Log:Rogue Squadron: Diving into Danger
Rogue Squadron: Diving into Danger
OOC Date: February 18, 2021
Location: Codru Montu
Participants: Karas Darkwing, Ax, Jax Greystorm, Zandra naMuriel, Tallie Lintra, Zul Gradnk, Nova Korell
The briefing takes place with the Renegades briefing room. The mission is to destroy a First Order entrenched base. The base is located deep within a mountain canyon. The terrain is harsh but this is one of the bigger bases the First Order was able to build. It's used for supplying the First Order troops and ground vehicles for their operations on the ground. Due to the location of the base, it's an ideal placement. They use hoover tanks and a few of the F/O TIE Maulers along with transports for the troopers. The mission is to navigate through the canyon and destroy the base. The base is heavily reinforced so Proton Torpedos, Concussion Missles and Proton Bombs will be needed to take out this installation. The canyon itself isn't just a straight shot, there are laser turret emplacements set within them to deter both aerial and ground assault attempts. Rogue Squadron has been tasked with this mission, with the success of many other missions they were recommended for this Op.
The assembled pilots listen attentively, a question about the number of emplacements asked, as well as the kind of supplies stocked at the base. After the briefing is over, Tallie Lintra, standing at the back of the room announces over the din of scraping chairs and conversations between pilots, "Rogue Squadron assemble for takeoff in twenty minutes. Look smart. See you on the flight deck." Twenty minutes later, flight check list finished, the commander lights up the T-85's engines in preparation for launch from the Renegade's fighter racks. Through the fuselage she can feel and hear the thrum of the other fighters' engines. <<"Rogue Squadron, fly safe and let's leave them with a message they won't forget. Get off of Montu Codru and let them join the New Republic.">> With a look at the droid reflected in her transparasteel canopy, "Let's take her out, Fiver."
This was Ax's first mission since being stranded on Montu Codru. With his E-wing out of commission, he'd gone with the venerable Y-wing, though the newer variation had its upside compared to the older models, not least of which was the lack of a need for a co-pilot and seperate gunner. He'd put on the flightsuit, and done the pre-flight check. For his BB-series droid a special sleeve had to be installed in the droid socket so the smaller droid wouldn't fall out. With his pre-flight done, and the rest of his squadron launching, the Echani pilot pushes the throttle forward. "Damn this thing is sluggish," he mutters to his droid, which chirps in pleased affirmation. <<"Roger that, Rogue Leader. Rogue 3 proceeding as directed.">> he says over comms. <<"Try not to leave me behind. This thing is slow as hell.">>
Jax had been unusually quiet almost to the point of somber. As he goes through preflight checklist and seemed satisfied. << Rogue 9 is green. >> He responds as he produces the holocapture as a good luck charm and applies it ot the console of his fighter. He lowers the visor of his helmet letting it polarize against the star Codru. Then finally in the cold blackness of space as they go flying toward the planet. Jax lets out an exhale and reaches out to the force to be one with it.
Zandra is in an A wing, back to her usual flying speedster, as opposed to the x-wing she flew last time. <<Rogue 5, all systems green,>> she reports in as well, crisply, meeting at the appropriate time and place. "Sorry, Ono," she says softly, since the droid is being left behind this time. The R2 stands on the flight deck, rather like he's seeing them off, crestfallen he can't come along. She takes a breath, reaching for the Force, once her fighter is launched, centering herself, and preparing for events to come. Her fingrs fly across her controls, bringing her sensors up and online.
The number of turrets are 12, they are in strategic places so the pilots will need to be frosty. They are given partial images of the base, they aren't that good but should do. The General wishes them all, "Good Hunting Rogues." the one given the briefing was a Bothan by the name Captain Feilia.
Karas too was quiet during the briefing, he was taking in all the information provided. At the conclusion of the briefing, he too made sure to be in the hangar on time. Spark had his fighter already prepped and warm up sequence already done. <<Rogue 2, Ready to Rock>> he says as he grips the throttle and control yoke. As the Rogues launch, he pushes his throttle and launches out of the Renegade. S-Foils in the closed position as he follows the coordinates down to Codru.
It's early in the morning, the sun will be rising in about ten minutes Galactic Standard. Their insertion point towards the planet is clear, at this time they will hear that Echo Squadron has also launched to help with distraction and high altitude cover, which will allow the Rogues to slip in.
Tallie hums a song to herself so ancient that no one knows what planet it is from, slightly off key, "Oh, you take the high road and I'll take the low road..." Behind her Fiver makes a flatulent sound that only encourages her. In the lead, she takes the squadron down to coordinates that will drop them into the canyon. <<"This is like the flying of yore. Coming in low, wiping out ground emplacements and taking off into the blue.">> She drops the nose of the T-85, levels off and begins the fun house ride through the canyon, tipping the fighter onto one wing in the first tight turn. Behind her the sun breaks the horizon, turning the sides of the canyon rose in the early light.
Y-wings were never the most agile starfighter, and a canyon run kind of makes Ax wish he were in something a bit more agile. However, the proton bombs of the vessel would be of benefit against ground targets for sure. He follows the rest of Rogue, "I don't know either, Buster," Ax tells his droid, who'd beeped a question that showed up on the display inside the cockpit.
Jax calls back to Exine, "Alright, Buddy. I want you to paint Rogue 3 on scope. We're going to stick close to him. Maybe they'll be bucket heads and target the flashier fighter." Exine starts a series of beeps and whistles that translates to 'Are you insane?' Jax laughs, "That's what it finally took to make you ask that question?" He says reaching down to pull the lever to extend his S-foils.
Agility is the A wing's thing, in theory. Zandra takes her position on the wing, looking over all the sensor data, the pictures and such one last quick time. << Here we go, >> she says. << This is the sort of thing that they say not to do in the sims, you know. >> She takes a breath though, thinking on things. "Protect the bomber, take out the turrets, fly through the canyon. Why did I sign up for this again?"
The flight into the orbit and breaking atmosphere was pretty clear. This isn't what normally happens for a mission but isn't there a saying of don't look a gift Bantha in the mouth? The skies are clear blue but as the fighters continue their decent, they will see the mountains coming up and the canyon right below it. The coordinates given to them starts them pretty far out of range from where the turrets are. It's pretty early and it only took them two minutes to reach where they needed to be. Their comms will pick up the chatter of Echo Squadron already engaging TIEs.
Karas continues to fly in formation with the rest of the squadron, he leans back into his seat as he flies towards the start point. He looks at the other Rogue fighters and he smiles. He hopes they remembered the training the did back on Chandrila. He shifts a little bit and flips the toggle for his s-foils to move into attack position.
The roar of the engines is magnified between the rock walls as they tilt and twist at speeds that are faster than thought. It is hand-eye coordination that winds them through the circuitous path leading to the mission objective.
<<"We're closing in Rogue. Let's light them up.">>
The Y-wing was definitely not as agile a ship as Ax was used to, not by a long-shot. "Alright, that was close," he says as his shields nearly scraped the canyon walls as they were diving in. "Forgot just how big this ship is in comparison to the X-wing." Buster beeps. "Great, I go too fast you complain, I go too slow, you complain. Is there a time you don't?" he asks the droid. Ax mutters checks his weapons terminal, everything was lit up and ready to fire should the need arise, but more importantly, his shields were on and at full capacity. <<"Roger that, Rogue Leader. Rogue 3 is weapons hot.">>
Jax continues to bank in and out of the canyon and staying with Rogue 3. When Ax nearly scrap the canyon wall. Jax doesn't fallow too close. Exine beeps and whirls at him, "I was going to shadow the guy and give him cover. I never said anything about crashing into a mountain cause he was crashing into a mountain." There's laughter from the droid. Jax shakes his head.
As Tallie gives the order, << Rogue 9, weapons hot and firing at will.>>
Into the canyons they go, and Zan follows, holding back on the A wing's speed, just enough to not hit whoever is in front of her, or anything else in the canyons. She enjoys flying an A wing because of its speed and agility, and this is no exception. << Rogue 5, ready >> she reports in as she brings her weapons systems online as well. >> Shields, check. Sensors, check, Weapons, check. jammer - ready to go. support systems are green. << Let's make it count, Rogue. We got this. >>
The engines of the incoming fighters of Rogue Squadron thunder through the mountains and going into the canyons. Their sensors will read that they've been picked up. The canyon itself is narrow, though the pilots of Rogue Squadron show why they are the best. Bits of debris and rock scatter and fall further into the canyon as the snub fighters streak through the canyon as they make their way towards the First Order base. The first of the turrets start to come online but they are slow, the start up sequence and power plants of the first group of turrets slowly power up as the incoming fighters make their approach.
<<This is where the fun begins!>> Karas calls as he cut his threads through the canyons. Keeping his eyes peeled, flying through this canyon was different then the one on Chandrila, this one has many cuts, twists and turns and flying at high speeds makes this even harder.
The sun is slowly starting to rise which for the incoming New Republic fighters the sunlight seems to be chasing them from behind. As the fighters make their way down they will see two of the first turrets as they are still powering up but they do turn towards their direction.
Gloved hand tight on the yoke, Tallie swerves into a tight turn that takes the underbelly of the X-Wing close to the rock face of the canyon. The first emplacement is around the turn, making it difficult to sight the target before they have whipped past it. She depresses the firing button, instinctively laying two shots on the turret before barreling by. The canyon reverberates with the sound of X-Wing's passage.
Ax stayed in formation, firing his ship's weapons at the stationary turrets. A connection is made and he keeps pushing forward, his primary focus not hitting the canyon walls.
Jax targets the second gun implacement. Exine making a tone that Jax is familar with. The Corellian pulls the trigger and destroys the emplacement. << Target 2 is down.>>
Zan is amazed at the shooting her compatriots do, and she hopes to follow suit. She's got the flying part down, but her lasers slam into the canyon wall doing negligible damage to it, and completely none to the turret she was trying to hit. Apparently she can't hit the broad side of a barn.
Rogue Squadron tasked with the destruction of a First Order base that's been used for supplying the First Order ground troops and vehicles. The path to the base is through a canyon behind a mountain range which protects the base pretty well. Rogue Squadron set out early in the morning, but once they hit the canyon the enemy turrets started to get ready to fire but Rogue Squadron had the jump on them. Two of the turrets were destroyed, the enemy turrets fired back but missed their targets. Rogue Squadrons fighters are starting to get closer to the remaining three turrets before passing to the next section of the canyon.
Rogues 11 and 12 are the last to launch due to technical difficulties, but they were given coordinates to meet up with the rest of the squadron and continue the mission.
The canyon reverberates with laser fire and the boom of snub nose fighters flying low and close to their targets. It is a challenging course of twists and turns, booby-trapped by the gun emplacements protecting the supply depot. Working on pure instinct, Tallie jinks to port, tipping the X-Wing horizontally, firing at the tower. Two rays of pure red hit, weakening it considerably before moving past it and onto the next target.
With Ax having to fall back with technical difficulties, Jax forms up with Rogue 5. << Violet, on your left.>> He says as forms oup on the wing of the A-wing piloted by his fellow jedi. He pulls the trigger hitting target 3. << Is that turret moving? I say it's grown legs.>> While that's debatable but with all these technical issues, what not is Miri having words the technicans after the mission.
Zan chuckles at Jax's comment. << I'm sure that it's moving. Somehow. >> The engines are thrumming throughout the canyon, and certainly it doesn't seem like a top secret entry here. Still, the A wing follows those X wings and fires at the turret, managing to hit it this time, at least adding just a bit more damage. << I think that particular turret definitely is able to move. I hope the rest can't.
A late launch... it's just been one of those days for Nova. First the ship's kitchen was serving Rybettian goulash for dinner today. Her stomach's still growling from skipping it, even after a ration bar. Too much gym time. Then some technical problem prevented her ship's Number 4 engine from starting. It was fixed in a jiffy, whatever that is, but it still made for a ten-minute delay, and some very risky, high-speed flying to catch up to the other Rogues.
Reckless speed carries her through the canyon, her reflexes sharpened by the laser focus only simmering fury brings to her. <Hang back a bit, Zul. Maybe they'll waste their fire on me, and you can pick up where I leave off a little more safely. Rogue Eleven, entering the combat zone now!> Jammer gives her a hasty sum-up of mission progress so far via sensors and target-sharing systems. Looks like they've been busy. Even now a turret is falling silent, courtesy of Zandra. The droid hastily overlays a target profile through the smoke from the two burning turrets. Every little bit helps!
At her throttle setting, she'll have time for only one shot. Nova quad-links the T-85's cannons and noses down to make her run. Down a little... a little more... NOW! Four shots pierce the turret's armor, igniting a power capacitor against the back bulkhead. The resulting explosion sends the turret flipping off of its base and crashing down thirty meters away, belching smoke.
That... was satisfying. <Rogue Eleven, tally one emplaced weapon. Sorry for the wait; did you miss me?>
Zul Gradnk grins <<Right behind you, 11!">> she yells out, finally here and pushing the throttle forward, opening fire towards a turret, after having set the sfoils to open <<"They might not need to waste their fire. Rogue Twelve is here!>>
Karas following in after Rogue 12 taking their shot, he followed in and fired as well. Red energy streaks towards the fifth turret destroying the turret. Not slowing down, Karas keeps up with the rest of the squadron.
The canyon is clear for now, though about 100meters ahead it looks like the canyon deadends, with the speed at which the fighters are moving they will need to do something or crash into the canyon itself. There is no target locks being initiated against the incoming Rogue pilots for now.
Tallie is tempted to make kissy noises at Nova's question of whether she was missed but refrains. Fiver practically honks in derision which on any other occasion would make her roll her eyes. She's too busy. Thumbing open a channel, she teases the two pilots, <<"Good to see you. Better late than never! Of course, we missed you.">> An alarm sounds in her helmet headset.
<<"Objective in... Goddess! ">> A wall of rock looms ahead of them. Fiver bleats a telemetry reading that, in hindsight, Tallie won't remember reading. G-forces slam her back into the seat as she banks the fighter to starboard, several hundred meters from their target.
Jax makes the tight turn of the rock canyon, "That was a hair pin turn." Then Exine starts squawking, << LOOks like we got more friends a head. Of course I say we sit back and let Moombeam handle it. >> Then he adjust his sensors, "Alright looks like we get to go back to work Exine."
Zooming along in my fighter - and ... Zan's eyes go wide at the big scary dead end right in front of them. well, not Right in front, but at the speed they're going, it might as well be. She's got no droid, so her hands dart across controls, and she murmurs nearly under her breath, <<there is no fear, there is - Aha! a canyon to the left. >> Okay, she may have accidentally left her mic open for that. She banks hard, following after Tallie and Jax, the zippy A-wing turning on a credit with Zan having to be careful she doesn't catch up with the others in the tight quarters. Tight for starfighters that is. << We missed you. Glad you're joining us. >>
High-speed flying time! And now, that they need to dodge through the canyon, Zul steers her ship thought it, with some difficulty, lacking grace, but ultimately succesfully <<"I need more time in the sims!">> she cries out
<Nice to know somebody wants me around,> Nova muses, grateful all the same. It's a lonely galaxy for her kind.
But the turrets are all down, and there's someplace else go get to for the next objective. Which wouldn't be a problem if there was someplace to fly to in this canyon! Fortunately, Jammer pings a canyon opening that Jax picked up, highlighting it on sensors and HUD, if only barely in time. Nova holds her breath as she rolls left and pulls up. That canyon wall looks to be less than a meter away...
Abruptly, clear air beckons and she comes out of the turn, following in the wake of the other fighters. <Piece of glaze cake, Jax. Just have to speak these people's language.>
Karas laughs a bit in his cockpit as they race down along the canyon though as he looks back at Spark who starts bleeping at him, "What?" he asks as he looks to the droid, <<Oh welcome to the part.......yy........>> Karas himself was distracted as the killer canyon wall was staring and waiting for him to slam right into it. He throttles up and pulls hard on the stick and turning hard to left. The warning klaxons began blaring as he turns but as he makes teh turn, he takes a breath. <<That was close....>> he goes quiet.
Up ahead four more turrets begin swiveling two turrets are up head on opposite sides of the canyon and two more midway down along the canyon wall. Telemetry was provided to the canyons but still the snub fighters of Rogue Squadron are moving fast and partially covered by the canyons.
They come out of the hairpin turn into the maw of four more gun emplacements. Tallie fires, laser cannons only hitting the mark once as they bolt down the narrow canyon. Even over the T-85's engines' noise, she can hear the peculiar whoosh of laser fire behind her as the Squadron melts the towers. Green fire lances over her canopy as she flies past the next tower; she drops the X-Wing and then swoops upward, racing for the mission objective.
The dual laser turrets begin tracking the incoming starfighters as they begin to come within their range. Though before the two primary turrets could fire, the racing fighters begin their assault. Rogue Leader begins the attack first followed up by Jax, they both damage the turret pretty good, but Zandra in her A-Wing finishes the job. Nova after her near canyon wall collision is able to take her shot and damages the turret across from the already destroyed one and Karas keeping tight with the rest of the squaron finishes it off. Though with only two turrets left, the remaining turrets fire Rogue Leader and Rogue 9.
Jax targets the turret painted #6 helping Tallie with her damage of the turret. Then one of the turnes down range open fire on him and Jax rolls out of the way in one of the canyon's 'Wide spots.' Exine starts complaining. "I'll let him know you find his actions rude."
Zan and her zippy A wing continue along, she fires at the target that they're on, and once it's disabled, she follows along, joining the race to the target. << Rogue 5, heading for main objective,>> she says. There's a calmness in her voice, though she does enjoy the tricky flying when she gets the chance. << Nice flying, everyone. >>
<Playtime again,> Nova comments, seeing the turrets up ahead. Jammer helpfully marks them and target-shares. <Those two up top will pin us in the canyon for the others, if they can!> There's a logic to turret placement in this kind of terrain. The ones on top can't fire down into the canyons more than a little, but they can add to a pilot's problems. A less daring pilot can stay low, but risks crashing as well as the fire from the two lower turrets. A ship pulling up to take shots at them, though, risks a deadly crossfire from all four turrets at once.
It's a chance she'll just have to take. Tallie, Jax, and Zandra knock the risk down some by taking down the left-side turret. But that still leaves the other one. <Taking the second high target...> she says, already in concentration. This'll be tricky...
Eleven noses up sharply, taking her out of the path of the turret's fire as it tries for a full frontal shot, the most dangerous fire a pilot can receive from a ground-based gun. The two blasts pass on either side of the X-Wing's narrow fuselage as she rolls inverted and noses down, her four cannons blazing. Four shots slam into the turret, but they're glancing hits, partially deflected by the turret's sloped armor. <Rogue Eleven, target is hit but not down yet! Watch out!>
The dual laser turrets begin tracking the incoming starfighters as they begin to come within their range. Though before the two primary turrets could fire, the racing fighters begin their assault. Rogue Leader begins the attack first followed up by Jax, they both damage the turret pretty good, but Zandra in her A-Wing finishes the job. Nova after her near canyon wall collision is able to take her shot and damages the turret across from the already destroyed one and Karas keeping tight with the rest of the squaron finishes it off. Though with only two turrets left, the remaining turrets fire Rogue Leader and Rogue 9.
Up ahead, the main camp looms, the secret cyst of the FO sunk into the bottom of the canyon. The Squadron arrives to excise it with surgical strikes. "Target lock, Fiver," she mutters over internal coms. Brackets on the reticle stutter to a standstill as they nose dive down onto the target, missiles plummeting onto the camp. A greasy black smoke rises almost simultaneous with the boom of impact. Tallie pulls up hard to loop around for another run.
Jax pulls up a target lock on the main facility. The sensor continue to count down as the lock, << Thanks Moon beam for taking that antiair laser off us.>> Then as his cross hairs light up with a target lock, Jax toggles his weapons selector to torpedos and fires. << Rogue 9 firing torpedos. >>
Zandra waits until the first two fighters are clear, before her strafing run. At least mostly. She waits for the reticule to green, target lock on, and then drops the missiles, before looping out and around, sliding back into position with her team mates. She's quiet now, concentrating, as she works towards the mission goal.
Targeting data comes up as Rogue Squdaron begins closing in on the base. Four of the five fighters streak past the remaining turrets, but Rogue 11 doesn't. The X-Wing fires at one of the mid-turrets scoring a direct him which was enough to powering the weapon down. Though the remaining turret was able to turn and fire on Rogue leader. Due to the speed, the shot is wide and Rogue Leader is able to speed past the turret without it hitting.
This puts them within range of the base and as five of the six pilots make it through the clearing, proton torpedo streak from each of the fighters all strike the base in varying areas. They will see explosions as the torpedos detonate.
There is activity, along either side of the base, a medium dual laser turrets start to become active, it looks like the First Order isn't going to let this base go if they can help it.
Tallie feels the blood drain from her face; the familiar light-headedness hits her as she pulls the T-85 into a tight loop to rain fire on the supply depot. Target lock acquired, she slides her fingers around the yoke to trigger torpedoes at the camp obscured to the naked eye by dust and smoke rising in a mushroom cloud from the many impacts. Nose down, the T-85 swoops on the camp, bringing further destruction to it. Tallie imagines the sound of sirens and officers cursing at the surprise attack. The torps dash downwards, adding to the mayhem below.
Jax evading heavier lasers from earlier as he flies up and out of the canyon in a big twisting loop. Then angles up and comes diving down back at the base. He fires a pair of torpedos at the base to add to Tallies mayhem. << Second round from Rogue 9.>>
Incoming. Not that the enemy base had too much warning, truthfully. Zan times her roll and next pass to be on the heels of Jax and Tallie, making her attack run while the turrets are sidetracked by Nova's fancy flying and better shooting. << Nice shooting, team,>> she calls at this point, as she wings towards the base, flying lower and passing closer than she ought, but it lets her drop her missiles just so, doubtless thanks to the Force guiding her. And the target lock. She pulls back on the rudder, and she blasts into a turn as her missiles strike. << Rogue 5, missiles away. >>
Nova's own weariness is catching up to her: She did make her flight through the canyons at a much higher speed than her squadron-mates, and then there's the impatience and irritation of that delayed launch and the worst dish in the history of space force mess halls. So her shots are a little less accurate than usual now, though her last target did cease functioning. No boom, though. There should've been a boom. As Tallie, Jax, Zan, and Karas focus on knocking out that base, she makes a showy attack pass to keep the fire off the other Rogues. Her shots are a little rushed, scoring only twice out of four cannons. But the explosion that marks mission completion isn't any less sweet for all that. <Nice fireworks, Rogues. Can we go home now?>
The attack run is vicious and deadly, this surprise attack on the First Order doesn't bode well for them at all. The two Medium Dual Laser cannons finally were in attack position but after the first initial torpedo strikes from the Rogues heavily damaged the base and a power surge fluctuated through the system causing the weapons to power down then back up. When Rogue Squadron came around for their final assault, another wave of proton torpedos finished the base sending it up in a brilliant morning explosion, debris scattering all over the place, enemy transports try to escape the blast. Some do, some don't. One of the Medium Dual Laser Turrets is hit, not soundly but the damage was already done. Fires have broken out and now secondary explosions have started to sound and a portion of the back part of the mountain starts to come don against the base.
