Log:Saber Squadron: Drawn Sabers

This was all supposed to be a milk run.

OOC Date: October 8, 2021
Location: Plympto
Participants: Ax, Bizz Bliptettjupp, Ewan Eroh, Jax Greystorm as Self/GM, Kael Greystorm, Karas Darkwing, Merek, Nerys Greystorm, Rey Skywalker, Rune, Vega, Vhe Tenara, Zandra naMuriel, Saber Squadron

Feeling that Saber Squadron needed another shake down mission before seeing combat and also wanting the pilot of the squadron to know being a fighter pilot could be boring, Jax had traded assignments with Echo Squad. Echo Squad was in the middle of a daring display of Aerial acrobatics over the Chandrila Wildlife Preserve entertaining school children across the planet. Saber Squadron? They were in the Plympto system escorting a pair of yt-2400s for the Chandrila Biological Research Foundation. The two ships named the Lucindar & Eaurl after the foundations squall mascots were transporting several containers of Rikknit eggs from New Plympto to Chandrila for research and breeding. Rikknit Eggs were endangered but also a delicacy.

The two Yt-2400 had just left orbit and the Captain of the Eaurl, the lead transport broadcasts on the shared com channel. << This is Captain Antillies of the Eaurl, leaving New Plympto and formally requesting New Republic escort.>> Jax exhaled as he'd snuck in a bit of meditation, <<Saber Leader to Eaurl and Lucinda. Request received and accepted. May the Force be with you.>>

Then Jax switches channels to the Saber channel, <<Third Flight, you've got the Eaurl and Guardian flight you got the Lucinda. Sentinel Flight, we'll be running sensors and drag. Silver Leader you do what you do. Saber Guard for up with the transports. That way you're protected and nobody will expect you if there is a surprise.>>

Sentinel flight, that's her. Vhe catches the com chatter and sits a bit nervously in the cockpit with Enslow in tow. "Okay buddy, just help me out here and there and all will go well. I promise. I can fly...maybe not shoot." She is double checking a few things but pushing no buttons as she eases into formation with Saber 3 and behind their leader. She glances aside to be sure her wings are given enough space as she nods to Ax if he looks up.

She lets out a very long breath before switching to coms. <<"Copy Saber leader, forming up behind you.">> She settles into position with little to no problem. "Let's just hope the escort is just for show. Then all will be fine." Hummming to herself to keep the energy even, she doesn't dare wish for something or it might jinks them.

Ax was still getting used to the Aethersprite. The headset that helped channel the force into the controls of the ship were still giving him some issues. He'd been flying all his life, with his hands and feet, relying on his reflexes instead of the force. While he still had hand and foot controls, the Aethersprite was built as the pinnacle of Jedi starfighters and could be pushed to its full limits with the use of the force.

<<"Roger that, Saber Leader. Saber 3 copies and will begin sensor sweeps.">> Ax keys off the comms and tries to center himself in the force, feeling the ship around him. Nope, not working yet... Damn this ship, maybe something was wrong with his headset?

SABRE GUARD with Bizz in the large clear cockpit zips into view, having come from hyperspace to meet up with the squadron. It's an old Eta shuttle that was phased out and kept in storage. It still has the distinctive red markings of a Jedi shuttle, but there was no time for repainting. "<<SABRE GUARD is copy. Can tower confirm my speed?>>" Brother Bizz has the shaky voice of a new pilot over the public comm channel.

Vega's probably not the chattiest tonight but she has made all of her marks and formed up behind Jax when they are given the go to. The Echani is just trying to stay focused on the task at hand and get through the mission. Everyone's fighter was looking nice and repaired and she was happy that no ones wing was going to fall off. Now if Ewan would stop breaking ships while out they would be A-OKAY!

Guardian Flight. Zandra hears the instructions and there's a smile on her face, that can be heard in the comm no doubt. << Copy Saber Leader. This is Saber 5, Guardian Squad form up and let's take our escort positions on Lucinda. >> She suits her actions to her words, hooking her fighter into a curve and moving to take position where she's got visuals and sensors on the Lucinda and environs. << Guardian Flight check in, we are go for escort duty. >> She sounds entirely too cheerful for what promises to be the most boring flight of her fighter pilot career.

Merek of course would be on his first flight with the Saber Squadron. The man takes the time to check on the panel, and nods while he flies along with Guardian Flight in formation. The man comlinks to Zandra once he's up in position with the Lucinda, <<"Saber Eight, in position. Shields up, s-foils open. Defensive position. I'll take port.">>

Rune is behind the stick of the ETA-2c once more and the grin from ear to ear shows it. Guardian Flight flies along quietly through space and the young Jedi's head is on a swivel. Hazel eyes find different interesting things to look at no matter where they go, having latched onto a particularly beautiful nova he can see just beyond the planet. Then the two YT-2400s appear and Jax's voice is coming over the radio

He nods quietly to himself, checking a few things on the readout before acknowledging his wing and checking in. <<"I hear you Saber Five. Saber Six, falling in on your wing.">> Rune adds, glancing out of the side of the egg-shaped cockpit to verify his distance with Zan when he nears. Up ahead of them is the Lucinda, the jets of the freighter currently brighter than any star in the sky. Ecksdee sits in his modified hold outside of the cockpit, whirring and beeping pleasantly as the ETA's slip through the black of space.

Having did more training on his own, Karas has gotten the hang of the nimble ETA-2c fighter, just as fast as the RZ2, but the RZ2 has a slight advantage of speed, which honestly didn't worry Karas much. Hearing the orders being provided, he forms up behind the Lucinda, <<Saber Seven, in position.>> he calls in on his tact comm.

<<"Roger, Leader. You heard the Commander, 'sticks. We're on the Eaurl,">> Ewan offers on the comms. Inside his cockpit, his eyes are scanning the area around them, as if looking for something out of place. He would never admit out loud he had a full routine set up for Vector Flight for the aerial talent, but, orders were orders and protecting people served a better purpose. The ice-cold pilot fell into a quick-paced intercept path for the Eaurl, though, not so fast the slower ships of the flight couldn't keep up. <<"Loose formation, Vector. Patrol and Recon,">> He offers, reassuringly. Boredom had no place in the cockpit; there was work to be done.

The very spritely, but not aethersprite spritely A-wing that moved into formation with Saber 9 was piloted with diligent attention to detail, easy maneuvering keeping Saber 10 a comfortable distance between herself and the pilot on whose wing she was flying. At the console, Nerys kept a weather eye on the ships they were assigned as escort, hands loose on the controls. Too much tension led to poor performance.

Saber 11 Saber 11 pulls over towards the Eaurl the overly relaxed form of Kael in the pilot's seat, <<"Understood we're on the Eaurl.">> He keeps his throttle pushed forward for that intercept course and trying to keep up with that A-Wing, <"Saber 9 you want me staying close to 'em to allow for you two to have a bit better use of your speed?">>

The old X-wing known as Silver Leader these days pops out of hyperspace with a flash in its wake.

Inside the cockpit Rey adjusts the collar of the orange flightsuit she's wearing. Her gloved hand goes up to her Tierfan Yellow Aces logo'd helmet and she adjusts it abit as well before angling her fighter twoard the Saber Squad ships.

<"Copy that, Saber Leader. Silver Leader is on watch."> She says over comms before glancing down at her readouts. Behind her, the silver dome of Artoo swivels his head around as he beeps soemthing to Rey. "I'm watching it. It's fine. I know it'll work." She says to the droid who beeps something that sounds like he's not so sure. "Just because we got the part cheap doesn't mean it's bad. Have faith." She responds to her co-pilot.

Ewan was right there's always something going on in a cockpit it was never meant to be lax. Though it had been about 30 minutes as the small convoy had moved through the star system and setting up to jump to hyperspace. Jax was looking over the sensor scans as BB-70, the astromech with him was trying to convince the jedi to play eye spy with the little droid. Though the droid kept picking out space dust. "BeBe, I love you man. I can't play right now. We got a job to do and you know I can't see specific bits off dust." The little droid chirps happily that Jax had figured out it's game. Jax shakes his head, "What a week for Exine to be having an oil bath."

Then he looks down at the sensor again and to his right, << Sentinel flight, corse correct to bearing 34-125.> Then moments later the hair on the back of Jax's neck stand up. "I got a bad feeling about thi...>> BB-70 starts to squeal as the droid reports multiple contacts. <<Look sharp, Saber and protect those ships!>> Then Jax calls out, "Get those contacts identified, BeBe."

Jax is not the only one that can feel the change and shift in the air as it were..or maybe space. Either way she is already turning towards the direction of the strange shudder. Vhe furrows her brows as the ship comes out of hyper and takes am. <<"Saber four, moving in to block the shots. Cover me.">>

She veers back around, pulling hard on the stick to find it all together more responsive than the shuttle or her freighter. She makes a surprised WHOOP in her cockpit - thankfully no one else but Enslow can hear as she levels off and goes screaming ahead, breaking away to get between the newcomer and his intended target.

"Enslow just watch our shields...this is likely going to hurt."

Ax's fighter shimmers in bright yellow energy as the Aethersprite's sunshields suddenly flare to life, right before a CR-90 exits hyperspace near one of the YT-2400's. "Well I'll be damned, it does work!" Ax exclaims in the cockpit of his Aethersprite. He sets his 'lucky' sippy cup down, the magnet glued to the bottom holding it in place, and the spill-proof lid keeping the dark, amber contents inside.

<<"Saber, we have a CR-90 corvette looking to target one of our friendlies.">> He sighs as his wingmate goes to take fire. "How the hell am I supposed to cover someone who's flying into laser fire?" he asks himself. <<"Saber 4, that's a good way to earn yourself a callsign like Burnt Toast. I don't recommend it. Target weapons if you can.">> To show what he means, the Echani unleashes a helluva volley from his rotary laser at one of the quad-laser emplacements on the CR-90.

Bizz tries to read the strange sensor screen next to his console. <<"I see five Y-Wings. Does the Plympto Space Police fly in Y-Wings?">> He spots the fighters but the CR-90 apparently misses his scopes. "Ahh!" He uses his unetiwood walking stick to hit several overhead buttons, being too short to easily reach them from a seated position, and the shuttle's aftermarket shields kick on. Bizz then grabs the flight yoke to ease into formation with the escorts.

Merek will speak to his comlink when he sees the fighters on the display, taking his time to line up his ion weapons with the targeting system, his starfighter banking to take a position. <<This is Saber Eight, I'm going for the shields.>> Then he's lining up the shot before it fires, that volley of the ion weaponry beginning to flash across the shield even while it begins to dim the candescence of the protection. <<Direct hit. It looks like the shields are not going to be able to take a lot if we keep that up!>>

There's that tickling on the back of his neck again, very much like the other night when he was spinning about in an X-Wing and dodging TIE fighter attacks. The Force had chosen to warn him again when something wasn't right and out of hyperspace zips a CR-90, its weapons charging and ready to shoot the nearly defenseless transport. <<"Saber Six, engaging!">> Rune calls as he flicks the shields to life, opens the s-foils, and activates the targeting computer.

The younger Ysannan holds tight to Zan's wing as she pursues the ship, the reticle of his weapons moving over the center of his target and he squeezes the trigger to loose a barrage of laser fire at their bank of weaponry. Sadly the shield of the vessel is still up and his hits only light their protective barrier, the ship still sailing along with weapons fully armed. <<"They may be smart in some ways, not in others.">> Rune responds, <<"Clearly they did not think this through...">> states as the Squad peppers the offender with fire.

Karas is watching the sensors as everything starts to happen, seeing bogeys light up his tact sensors, Karas begins to scan the area and as he does he catches a group of four E-Wings coming in. <<Guardian Lead, we have four E-Wings entering the party. They aren't in range as of yet.>> he calls on their tact net. He hears what Zan tells them, <<Copy that Violet.>> he calls as he flips the switch over for his S-Foils to open. With a mechanical whirr, the s-foils open on the Eta-2c. Seeing his wingman Saber 8 go in for his attack run, Saber 7 picks up in speed and it targets the shields of the CR-90 and blue ion cannon fire erupts rapidly from the cannons striking the shields, <<Clean hit.>> he calls out and banks off following his wingman.

Ewan could sense it just before the targets revealed themselves, and his brow furrowed as the enemy ships came into view. "Damned," he says, considering the options. His mind was already shifting gears, speeding into flight mode as the pilot landed on a ... dangerous, gambit of a play.

<<"Ten,">> He says, as a hand reaches forward and shunts power away from the guns of the ship, <<"You're with me. This ... well.">> He left it at that. And then, suddenly, the nose of the A-wing dipped forward and rushed towards the Y-wings, with engines flaring to life. Time for speed. "Hold together," he mutters to himself, offering just a shifted glance behind him to check on the once-loose panel.

Nerys, who kept a keep eye on not only the flight she had been assigned to and their assigned freighter, but the sky around her, frowned, as her systems sounded an alarm, eyes dipping down briefly to mark the trajectory of the sudden blips which came into her scanning system. But she always trusted her eyes, and as soon as she identified the approach vector, she looked that way. Her voice was calm on comms, as she made her report, "I mark six incoming ships, I ID them as BTL-4As Y-Wings."

As Saber 9 began his run, Saber 10 fell into formation, following in his wake. But rather than moving to provide a screen between the incoming ships, Nerys angled her run to allow her to attack one of the Y-wings within her arc of engagement. There was no force powering her actions, or directing her movements, unless it was the simple force of will that set her on a single objective, destroy all hum--sorry, wrong franchise. Eliminate the enemy. The first missile flew off target, but she had that target still fixed in her sights.

Saber 11 Kael's watching his systems but he's been hunting bounties long enough that he trusts his gut and his eyes so he looks up and around often and when the Y-Wings leap into system his eyes narrow a bit, <"11 moving to intercept and strafe."> He closes his foils as he pushes his throttle open zipping towards the Y-Wings and as the gap closes and he's inside of laser range throttle back to attack speeds and the foils open and the lasers lighting up as soon as the s-foils lock into attack position.

Things are getting messy quick, the Cr-90 that's identified as the Black Heart Brawler by it's IFF is opening fire at the two zoo transports that are flying evasively. The Y-wings are trying to engage but finds Vector Flight engaging them in a terrible joust and the use of tactics the pirates have never seen before. The swift actions of Guardian flight and Sentinel Flight is keeping the brawler from just winning the day.

BB-70 is squalling at Jax, << One thing at at time Saber 07. Well deal with the E-wings. Alright Sentinel Flight, break off from the Cr-90 and get in there and take out the Y-wings. That's what these ships were designed to fight. Vector Flight, I need you going after that Cr-90. DIsrupt their targeting computers and get Saber 11 torpedoes on her. Kriff, fire all the missiles too. Violet, keep Gaurdian flight in the flight, if the Ewings engage protect Vector. We got to get rid of the Cr-90.>>

Cursing in her native tongue, Vhe watches as the CR-90 takes out its aggression on the freighters. Before she can engage once again to try her hand at the systems with the Force they are redirected around and she glances towards her wingmate or rather his last known trajectory. <<"Copy, Saber Leader. Saber Four moving in to engage.">>

IN the chaos that has erupted Enslow is the one that helps select her heading so she can rejoin Saber three, evening out with a better understanding of the quick controls that respond to her. Vhe events out and as they come in on the fighters she once more reaches out with the Force. She can feel the connection with the alive and electrified systems before finding the one running hot and pulls at its connection, severing the power from the targeting systems. <<"Systems down on target to far right.">> She cheers inside the cockpit and Enslow lets out a weep woo and boops at her.

<<"Roger, Saber Leader. Saber 3 engaging enemy bogies.">> Axel says as he breaks off his attack on the CR90 and does a quick roll and banking maneuver to line up on the enemy Y-wings. Picking one almost at random, he's quickly positioning for an attack run. <<"Nice shooting Saber 4">> he says with a grin.

Opening broad range comms, Ax states just before pulling the trigger on his rotary cannon. <<"Enemy Y-wings and CR90. This is the Jedi Starfighter Squadron Saber. You might think you have a chance, but I assure you that you do not.">> He fires off his blast, scoring multiple hits along the Y-wing's hull. <<"I highly recommend you depart this system post-haste. Should you keep up your attack, I can guarantee that you'll be exposed to the vacuum of space. Ever seen what that does to most species? It's not pretty.">>

<< Roger, Saber Leader, >> Zan calls. She has a grin at Karas calling her Violet, she heard that. << You heard the order, Guardian Flight. Let's put a real dent in this CR-90.>> She has a target lock so she fires a missile at the ship, impacting with an explosion. There's no doubt they can take down the corvette, but can they do it soon enough to protect the freighters they're guarding? Zan's eta zooms through, relatively zippy still, and she comes back again for another pass.

Merek will take the time to check the flight path, while he begins to maneuver in and takes the time to fire the ion cannons along into the CR-90. Another direct hit, while he comlinks, <<Good, Seven. It looks like we're doing a lot. I think that we need to flank.>> Then he's taking up defensive position with the escort.

<<"Working on it!">> Rune calls through the comms hooked over his ear, the young Jedi pilot maneuvering around for another go at the CR-90. Hopefully this time he'll hit something important that will help to shut down this menace before it destroys the YT-2400 they're guarding. They are called Guardian Flight, after all.

The ETA-2c known as Saber Six hooks around on Five's wing. Following the explosion of the missle, Rune looses his laser cannons, blasting at the harried ship with everything he's got, everything being the depression of a trigger to blaze red streaks through the black. Sadly the shields still hold but they are doing everything they can, the glow of the protective barrier registering weaker after his attack collides.

<<Copy that.>> Karas calls to Jax. His eyes focusing on what he sees in teh transparisteel canopy. Spark squaks at him as he rolls through shots not meant for him, the Eta-2c is fast and agile. He watches as the rest of Saber Squadron are working, he smirks a little bit as he hears Violet. <<Let's keep up the pressure.>> he says as he quickly braeks hard coming around and as he does, jinking as much as he can and then rapid blue energy bolts strike at the shields of CR-90. The fighter dancing along the hull of the CR-90 as it makes it's curcuit and escapes the surface.

The A-wing raced past the Y-wings, doing what he could to draw as much fire as he could in the process. This was a little more than he expected, but, in for a chit, in for a bag. The flaring of the A-wing's engines carried him between the fire, and a quick glance backwards in the cockpit leads him to spy his wing, Nerys.

<<"Good flying, Vector. Split the break and let Sentinel clean up while we take on that corvette. Preparing to jam targeting systems on the corvette on my pass. If you're close to me, watch it, your targeting systems might get fuzzy.">>

Not content with just one crazy antic for the day, Ewan folds into Jax's new orders and turns the nose of the A-wing towards the larger Corvette and rolls to match the outer plane of its armor plating. Relative to the ship, he dives low, skimming briefly along it until the flared engines become visible. Ewan's eyes remain fixed on the vessel, as his hand reaches out to toggle a switch at just the right time. A calm moment settles over him as Ewan focuses, and at the last moment the concussion missiles are fired under the careful guidance and timing of the force. You've switched off your targetting computer!

As third flight fell back into formation, Nerys adjusted her course, drawing in close with her wingman and her wingmate, trusting her eyes and her experience to keep her on target as the trio flew in formation away from the y-wings and towards the CR-90, Nerys did what she has been assigned to do. She followed in behind Saber 9, blithely ignoring the possibility of sudden and explosive death, as she loosed a second missile. This time, you guys, it totally hit! Perhaps because she had skills, or perhaps simply because the CR-90 was the size of a literal space barn. Like a wholesale warehouse sized space barn.

Saber 11 Shifting his vector towards that CR-90 Kael starts to target the CR-90 until the targeting computer bleeps at him and R5 beeps at him and the sensors beep at him and his eyes go all squinty from the boomy boom of the CR-90. <Well Scratch that torp run> But the torps were armed and dang it he wanted to shoot them. Flipping the X-Wing back around towards the Y-Wings he tries to get the targeting computer to lock on a bit faster. And it doesn't at all. It beeps some more, <My computer doesn't like me.> So he flips it out of the way and does some good old fashioned Kentucky Windage.... Riiiight about there. And the torps fire plasma trail from them flying towards the Y-Wing who seems to jerk that ship riiiight into it and blam. <Oh that's gotta hurt.>

It's all fun and games till the Pirate CR-90 explodes. There's a giant fireball in space and it gives the two Yt-2400 a chance to escape. The two ships slip through the fireball mostly unharmed. <<Saber Squadron, this is the Eaurl. We're doing what Squalls do best. We're running scared. May the Force be with you.>> Then the two yt-2400 zip to jump to lightspeed. Their capital ship gone, and a random Y-wing exploding. The pirates or poachers want nothing and they disengage running.

BB-70 chirps up about chasing, Jax shakes his head, "Not this time." He says breaking off from the attack, <<Good work Saber Squadron. Nice shooting 10, but we can all claim an asist on that one. So that means 10's buying after the mission. We're getting there and looking better. Disengage and form up. We need to get to hyperspace and Chandrila. My luck they will be another group of pirates dumb enough to try to pull that in orbit around the capital. >>