Log:Rogue Squadron: The Flight of the Mynock
Rogue Squadron: Flight of the Mynock
OOC Date: June 23, 2021
Location: Corellia
Participants: Ax, Zandra naMuriel, Zul Gradnk, Callax Dalso, Tallie Lintra
Captain Adson Pavan knows the risk they are taking. Flying the New Republic agent out was extreme. But he likes gambles, likes pushing the limits of the HWK-290, the Blessed Mynock, even more, and hates the FO for more reasons than he could count on two hands - starting with his late sister's death, back through years of oppression. Also, he was flattered that NR high command picked him to ferry out their agent, whose real name he doesn't know. The military officer briefing him hadn't appreciated his snort at the code name, Bespin Sunrise.
The Captain didn't need to consult the computer to know that the engines were close to redlining. He can feel that particular pulse and vibration that tell him that they don't have much more left in them.
When they cleared Coronet City Spaceport without being nicked, he hadn't exactly relaxed. The agent, smuggled on board in a cargo case, had thanked him and bedded down in a bunk after a rough crossing from someplace on Corellia. His NR contact had told him the less information he knew, the better. He doubted that. Just as they cleared the city, an officious voice had told them to reorient and land or be shot out of the sky.
Bespin Sunrise must be someone of extreme importance because not one but six TIE/sfs were now on their tail. Silently. Not one peep from them.
Nearby in relative terms, Rogue Squadron, is on routine patrol during their ten-day rotation from the CRS Pantheon when the call comes to intercept the Blessed Mynock.
Commander Lintra out with part of the Squadron coms, <<"We have new coordinates, pilots. We are matching up and escorting , the Blessed Mynock, an HWK-290, out of the system. He has, according to scan from NR command, six bogies on his tail. Fiver is sending coordinates to you now.">>
"Ya know, they really should hire professional smugglers for these runs. I mean, there wouldn't even be a need for us to babysit if they had a real pro out there," Ax says in the cockpit of his ship, talking to nobody other than his droid. The Echani pilot keys up his mic, <<"Roger that, Rogue Leader. Rogue 3 out,">> he says. Punching in the coordinates, Ax checks that his weapons systems are green across the board and pushes his throttle to its stops, not opening his S-foils yet. TIE/sf's weren't a ship to play around with, they carried a second gunner who could use the turret to fire upon chase aircraft, making them doubly dangerous.
<< Even Han Solo got picked up from time to time, >> Callax replies over commsn, checking over their instruments yet another time as the ships barrel on toward the action zone. << That's how he got into the whole situation in the first place, eh? I say thank the Force for screw-ups. Commander, our priority is the fighters or the ship? That is to say, should we focus on interception or defense? >>
From the back, Babo lets out a squarking chirp and a whistle. "Well I'm sure I don't know, darling," Callax says over comms to the droid in the ship's midsection, "But keep the shield generators nice and warm besides."
<<"That's the spirit, Glitz.">> Lintra laughs to herself as they head in a tangent to the HWK-290.
<<"Roger that, Fabulous. We need to keep those TIEs off of the ship long enough for them to hyper out. We keep it safe and say hello to a few TIEs while we do it. Our four to their six, even if they have tail guns, Toast. Weapons hot. We are two minutes out from intercept.">> On a scrambled channel, <<"Blessed Mynock, this is New Republic X-Wing Commander Lintra and an element of Rogue Squadron. We will be escorting you out to your hyperjump point. Do you copy?">>
<<"Whew, Rogue. Good to hear your voice. I copy that. These guys are getting serious. We're holding our own.">>
<<"Affirmative, Sunshine,">> Ax says moving into formation with his other Rogue pilots. S-foils open up. <<"Weapons hot, ready to rock.">>
Zul Gradnk nods in her cockpit <<"Part of why I am no smuggler. That, and the paycheck from simple trading may be better.">> she offers, before grinning <<"And yes, Fabulous, but no screw-ups here!" >> she continues <<"And affirmative!">>
<< Acknowledged, Leader. >> Callax pulls the actuator to engage the foils, and Black Ten's gray and blue hull is converted into a cruciform switchblade. "Right, then," Callax murmurs to themself, flexing gloved fingers and punching throttle with the rest to begin interception of the fighers tailing the oncoming transport. "Let's scatter them."
Commander Lintra of Rogue Squadron coms, <<"We have new coordinates, pilots. We are matching up and escorting , the Blessed Mynock, an HWK-290, out of the system. He has, according to scan from NR command, six bogies on his tail. Fiver is sending coordinates to you now.">>'
<<Roger, Rogue Leader. Rogue 5, switching to new coordinates and engaging. >> Zan heads in, as Ono plugs in the data, so it comes up on her hud. She engages her S foils, flying an X wing today, as she has the last few missions. << Target selected, going after Zeta 5. >> Zan settles in, her hand on the throttle increasing the speed. Not as much as she'd like, but it's not too bad. She takes a moment, reaching for the Force and concentrates, and then lets her lasers fly. She might miss her target, but the dodgy TIE pilot knows she's there.
They are all professionals. As soon as the T-85s are in range, red lasers lance from the incoming fighters engaging the enemy who had concentrated their fire on erasing the Blessed Mynock. Dogfights break out. Ax immediately blowing one of the special fighters into pieces. <<"Great shooting, Toast. Let's get this guy out to hyper point.">> Tallie heads toward Zeta Leader, looping into a tight turn to avoid the tail gun. Tagged twice by the pilot, it returns fire, making the shields flare. The captain of the Blessed Mynock coms, <<"Rogue, these guys don't like me. We're hit but, we're gonna make it!">>
When the time comes to engage the enemy, Ax gets that serious look to his face. Bringing his X-wing dead on the pilot's six, probably not the smartest position given the tail gunner, but the Echani pilot is quick to fire off a burst from his X-wing's four laser cannons. <<"You'd almost think I caught him with his shields down,">> Ax says over comms. <<"Bogey 3 down. Moving to next target.">> And, Ax is heading for the one that's engaged their mark. Looks like Zeta Six is gonna be his new bestie.
Zul Gradnk growls a bit as she moves to fire <<"Almost!">> she exclaims, hitting a pair of shots to the shields <<"No such luck with me, sadly, but that can fix!">>
Zan flips her X wing around, tight on a credit, dodging mostly out of the way of the return fire. "You can do it, Ono - fix us up good as new." Yes, the droid is muttering ONO ONO ONO in the background, but he does move into action, working to repair the shields, while Zan continues to concentrate and fly her X wing and fire at the bogeys, working to protect the Mynock. << Nice job, Toast! >> she calls as well, as she this time lights up Zeta 5's shields with her lasers in retaliation. << I think maybe I got his attention. >>
A buzzer sounds on the Blessed Mynock's board as the ship shudders under fire from the TIEs pursuing him. He struggles for control as the agent that is the object of the FO's ire comes forward from his bunk and straps into the co-pilot's seat next to him. The young captain barely glances at him, "We might not make it. Still, too bad you missed those New Republic fighters' arrival. They chewed up one of those TIEs and spat him out. We're about ten minutes out from our jump point. Let' see if they can keep us alive till then." As he speaks two of the TIE fighters show the fleeing captain their speed (Zeta Leader and Zeta Five) passing the light freighter and turning to rain laser on it. <<"They are concentrating fire on the Mynock, pilots. Take them out!">> Tallie coms, G-force strain making her voice a thin thread.
Ax fires again at his new best friend until the friend decides that he didn't want to play anymore, takes his toys and goes running for home. <<"Six is out of the fight, moving to One.">> Ax says over comms. <<"Maybe that's their leader and we remove him, we run them off.">>
Opening fire onto ships, Glitz grins. She can beat them! That was a hit, right? No? Well, they are going down soon enough anyways!
Zan circles as she hears Ax do a roll call. << I'm not sure if it's a good thing that Toast is on fire, >> she teases. She waits until her targetting array goes green, and fires, but her target dodges, while his return fire lights up Zan's x-wing. << Maybe I shoulda stuck with the Awing,>> she mutters. Still, if they're firing at her, at least they're not firing at the mynock. In theory. << Ono is keeping up so far with shield repairs, we're going to keep trying to make this bogey turn tail. >>
Lining up a shot at Zeta 1, having already dispatched one TIE and sent another running with its tail tucked between its legs, Ax fires off a volley of lasers at what he hopes is the leader of the enemy fighters. While he'd been hot tonight, his shots at the enemy TIE were done in haste and not nearly as clean as his previous shots.
Zul Gradnk grins as she lines her own shot up, towards the dogfight "GOO AWAY! WE HAAAVE WOOOON!" she sing-songs as the shields disappear
Zan circles around, still reaching to the force, and this time as the enemy TIE fires at her, the hair at the back of her neck gives her just that little bit of warning, and she dodges, giving ONO a break on the repairs. "We got this, buddy," she tells the crazy R2. And then, in the middle of an aileron roll while dodging, Zan's reticule glows green and she lets Zeta 5 have it, full barrelled, all lasers aimed in its directions. there are sparks as her lasers hit, and Zan's smile is somewhat wry, though she's glad if she can help protect the Mynock. << Zeta 5 is hurting, coming around again. >>
The Blessed Mynock's ray shields are in tatters from the concentrated fire from the remaining four TIEs. Rogue hammers them. Another TIE/sf breaks apart under Rogue Three's lasers. The four T-85s circle the light freighter running for its life, wearing down the enemy fighters until only Zeta Leader remains in the fight.
The young captain of the Blessed Mynock coms as he waits for the computer to finish crunching the jump coordinates, <<"Rogue, we wouldn't have made it without you. Drinks on me down on Corellia or the next port I see you all. I owe you one.">>
<"On behalf of the New Republic, we wish you luck, Captain Pavan. We'll take you up on that!">> Switching to Rogue coms, Tallie chuckles saying, <<"Excellent work all of you. Let's see how many drinks we can pour down Toast before he is under the table. We are returning to patrol.">>
The light freighter, Blessed Mynock, transitions into hyperspace and disappears from scans.
<<"I gotta warn you, boss, I've been practicing for that challenge for my whole life,">> Ax says over the comms as he disengages the S-foils on his fighter. <<"So, someone's gonna have a lighter wallet at the end of the night.">> He chuckles and does a couple of barrel rolls in his fighter. <<"Seriously nice flying ladies. Any of you are welcome on my wing at any time.">>
