Log:Sith: Here There Be Dragons 4
Here There Be Dragons 4
OOC Date: March 14, 2025
Location: Sargon II
Participants: Aitax Rendon, Aryn Cortess, Bors Thul, Konstantin, Roan, Valin
One week prior, the Sith invasion force took advantage of a rare opportunity to replenish spent munitions and supplies following the capture of Modus and the Rifle Worlds; the first clear and decisive victory the Sith Navy had scored in a bruising campaign of attrition. The capitulation of the Modans and the subsequent assassination of the Hapan Queen had led to the planets of the subjugated Rifle Worlds making open alliance with the Sith invaders. In return, Imperial support had been thrown behind the Ducha Allurigant's claim on the throne of the Consortium.
The subsequent days had been spent in a series of probing maneuvers through the so-called 'Gateworlds' sector of the Consortium, seeking either to draw the Royal Guard away from Hapes Prime, or to force the surrender of more Hapan member-worlds. Threatened with the piecemeal desertion of more ships from the Royal Navy as rival factions maneuvered for the vacant throne, the iron determination of the Celestial Archon had bent at long last, and the Hapan fleet had moved out from defense of Hapes Prime to seek a decisive battle in the Gateworlds. Never until then had time been the ally of the invaders.
It was above the planet Sargon II that the hopes of Hapes would clash with Imperial ambitions. The Celestial Archon had defeated the Imperials before, and she desperately needed another decisive victory to keep the uneasy alliance of rival houses united. The full remaining might of the Royal Guard was in battle array: 28 Battle Dragons, backed by 17 Nova cruisers, with 18 squadrons of sleek Miy'tal fighters and a further 7 squadrons of powerful Hetrinar bombers.
Arrayed against them were the few mighty star destroyers of the Empire, supported by a handful of carriers and frigates. Yet the Hapan strength would still vastly outnumber that of the Sith, if not for the fact that ten Hapan ships- seven Battle Dragons, a trio of Novas, and seven squadrons- were arrayed in support of the Imperial battle line; the warships of the Rifle Worlds.
Merciless (Aryn Cortess)
Upon open channel, the Dark Lord for the Fleet takes the receiver from the Captain of the Merciless to address the Celestial Archon. Darth Kalus draws in a slow breath and begins her address.
<<"Celestial Archon, this is the Dark Lord Kalus. We meet again for the purpose of battle, and lives once more will be threatened by varied ideas and an outcome that is, ultimately, inevitable. I commend the gallantry of your forces and the resolve of your battle line, but these lives you command need not perish. Stand down, and allow peace to resume. You are more powerful /with/ the Empire, than you are without it. I pray you see reason.">>
Kalus held the receiver for the moment listening for a response. Meanwhile, the fleet moved into appropriate positions, making use of all those days the Modans spent acclimating to Sith tactics.
Merciless (Bors Thul)
<<"Merciless, Black Knight, I am in field...">>
Opting to lead from the front with what fighter forces the Merciless had to field, Lord Bors of the Most Ancient and Noble House of Thul rested in the seat of his cockpit, control yolk gripped and adjusting his readings on sensors while letting the pressure with diminished inertial dampeners handle the ache in aging bones.
Half of the Queen's squadrons still flew and rather than be pinned to a holopit table the old man had suited up... after boxing s deck officer's ears and struck another across the jaw with his cane en route to his fighter. The powerful TIE Whisper holding with the other fighters under his command, their flight a slow orbit over the Resurgent class cruiser like a dark halo.
<<"We are prepared to go on your command, my Queen.">>
Fog Weaver (Valin)
Commander Valin'nratha is no stranger to filling in where needed. Or maximizing talents. Today she finds herself in the Merciless' Fleet and looking after one of their carriers fighter squadrons. The Chiss doesn't seem to be bothered by this. It's why you trained to be flexible. The fighter squadrons were given their orders and she expected them to be followed verbatim unless told otherwise by herself. Or Bors. Or Kalus herself.
<<Keep a steady eye out on your fellow fighters and be ready for the command from her Majesty.>> Valin instructs her squads over the comms.
Ravenous Fleet (Aitax Rendon)
The Ravenous and its trio of escort frigates was drawn up in line with the much larger Merciless on the opposite flank from the Dark Pearl, its humble half-squadron of remaining TIEs all but lost in the larger cloud of Imperial fightercraft. "This is the nearest we've yet come to fighter parity," he noted with interest. "Let's make good use of it, shall we? Alpha squadron forward, concentrate all fire on the center of the Hapan line, hold for my signal," he added that last when Darth Kalus made the unlikely bid for surrender.
Aryn received two answers from the Royal Guard fleet. The first was the same austere, commanding feminine voice that had addressed them in the first battle. The message was curt, and the words heavy with significance: <<"For my Queen.">> The Hapan battle line erupted with glittering beams of red and blue as turbolasers and ion cannons opened fire, with the guns of the Imperial fleet giving prompt reply.
Ravenous Fleet (Aitax Rendon)
Although the Battle Dragons and Nova Cruisers kept the same strong, stacked battle line formation, Hapan fighter doctrines had changed tremendously in the month of warfare since the Imperial invasion began; whereas at first they had been drawn up in a vast defensive line before the wall of capital ships with only a few bombers and escorts sent to the attack, the defenders had clearly learned from the steep losses in fightercraft they'd suffered in early actions. Now, every singly Miy'til was thrown forward in a regimented checkerboard formation, all screening for the seven remaining squadrons of Hetrinar bombers.
While Hapan fighters had been an afterthought to the prized Battle Dragons when the war begin, they had come to be seen as the greatest weapon. Between destruction, damage, and desertion the Hapans had lost over half the squadrons they'd had in the first battle, but they were making much more effective use of what power remained. The object of bombers and capital guns alike was clear: they intended to destroy the Sith flagship. Although engaged along the entire line of battle, the heaviest fire was always poured upon the Resurgent-class.
Aitax watches the battle unfold with growing displeasure. Though his voice remained even, the ineffectiveness of his gunnery moved the Captain to look aside and order, "Helm. Ahead one half. I expect proximity will improve the effect of my guns, hmm?" Of course it would increase the effectiveness of the enemy as well, but Rendon didn’t seem much bothered by the prospect as the first hour of combat ground on...
Merciless (Aryn Cortess)
The response is what Kalus expected it to be, the Celestial Archon had been resolute in her defense of the Queen, and it seemed fitting that she stay the course even after the Queen's death. Kalus nodded her head with nothing more to add and passed the receiver to the Captain to hang up. Orders followed, Kalus' voice over encrypted comms as it had been her, and not the Captain, the Commanders had addressed.
<<"Our sovereignty begins and ends with this fleet. Each fighter they kill, every shell they fire that batters our shields is a threat to our success and mission. Protect our fleet; protect each other, and we /will/ see this through to the end. Commanders: See it done.">>
The Imperial response began the moment the enemy fighters came within range. The corvette opened fire spectacularly, appearing as a smaller vessel alongside the RSD, it fired in every possible angle creating explosions and cutting out two squadrons from the get-go. As the battle raged on, batteries shifted from targeting the dragons and instead began to engage the closer Novas, hopefully to draw them away from the Corvette that was doing some work.
Kalus took her usual perch by the viewport and watched quietly.
Merciless (Bors Thul)
Voices are snuffed out on comms and Bors's teeth grit, slaloming his fighter through hailstorms of fire, monocle scrolling data past his eye and making his nostrils flare,
<<"Merciless wings, bank and sweep. No target chasing, fire free when you have lock or if you have a lead. Watch your wing's backs and fly evasive until we can get their measure.">>
Thrown to one side as a detonating TIE buffers the tapered wings of his fire, heavy cannons on the tips of his craft belching fire like some great metal dragon of legend.
<<"Keep up the pressure, force them back, we cannot afford to yield this day!">>
The melee continues in full with craft detonating all around, the mists of the Hapes sector churning into a whirlwind of multi-hued tendrils that is consumed by or feeds upon the flames of dying ships.
Fog Weaver (Valin)
Ah dogfighting. It was a necessary part of battles and Valin didn't really mind that they got trapped in these. What she did have an issue with was losing so many squads. <<Tighten it up.>> the Commander states to her squads. <<Don't let them take anymore of our fighters and push them back.>> the Chiss tells them as she continues the fight to keep their resources from getting obliterated. Or she's hoping that they don't lose anymore. This was a pricey affair!
Dark Pearl Fleet (Roan)
The Dark Pearl Fleet is...not having a great time. Relatively undamaged from earlier engagements, the withering slog has started to take its toll on the ship with the 'highest morale in the fleet'. Shots go wide, TIEs are destroyed and not just disabled. Shields are low and armor is getting thin.
"Captain, sustaining heavy fire from the Battle Dragons. The Novas. The Hapani fighters..." her XO comments, looking up from a watched workstation.
Captain Roan shakes her head. "Just...keep firing." She sighs, watching the clusterfrag. "Send five squadrons to reinforce the Merciless. Divert all other fighters to clearing out these mynocks." She doesn't sound very enthusiastic as more fireballs blossom and die in the distance.
The second hour of heavy battle has begin to turn bloody. What had been an overwhelming tide of Hapan fighters dominating the space between the two fleets, with bombers making punishing runs against the flagship has turned sharply and now for the first time in the Empress' Hapan campaign, it is the invaders pressing a marked advantage in number of fightercraft.
Unwilling or unable to concede the field, the Hapan Celestial Archon has advanced the wings of her fleet to concentrate all available fire in the kilometes-long menace of the Merciless, even as the first of the Hapan support cruisers explodes.
Ravenous Fleet (Aitax Rendon)
Aboard the Ravenous, as his pair of tender frigates so their best to stem the durasteel bleeding of the Imperial fleet- first the Merciless, then a Dark Pearl carrier and lasting his own frigate- the lean delayan watches the battle through the transparisteel of his bridge and notes, "The turning point is near. Order Commander Zircon to summon the interdictor. This could be the final day." Overly ambitious, or perhaps optimistic of him, but Rendon allows a small smile to curl his lip.
Merciless (Aryn Cortess)
The battle continues, and the Dark Lord watches from the viewport as explosions and battery fire crisscross in a tapestry of utter chaos. Comms has countless transmissions pouring in, gunnery and ops are coordinating their efforts and yelling at the support fleet, and the Captain is moving up and down the command aisle doing his best to provide direction despite the predicament they find themselves.
Turning slightly, Kalus approaches the tactical table and within moments, her holo-image is projected to all ally ships. <<"Our campaign must succeed. Locate, close with, and destroy the Celestial Archon's vessel. My mercy has reached its limit. We cut off the head today. Captains, see it through.">>
Merciless (Bors Thul)
<<"You're grace we are progressing, we are registering multiple hits on the Merciless - we can shift target as necessary.">> Bor's fighters continue to wheel and loop through the firefight, the Black Knight of Alderaan attempting to keep those tasked under him rallied by his presence whilst he flies through the explosion of a destroyed Hapan foe.
<<"Besk-Wing, follow my squadron, clear as we sweep. Esk behind them.">>
The TIE wings form into three skeins behind Lord Thul as he charges in amidst the Hapan craft, cannons spitting fire and churning up the mists of the cluster. The diminished force under his command fanning out to fire in wide fields aimed at keeping the Hapes forces from having angles to retreat too in the dogfight.
Fog Weaver (Valin)
Valin's TIE is handled roughly as the fighting continues and the Chiss keeps her focus on the dogfighting. Her squadrons have their orders and that is what they are to stick to until she tells them otherwise. Because going rogue gets people killed and ships lost. Though so does going against an ungodly number of ships. They would endure though. They might have a lot of resources lost, but a win would lessen that blow hopefully.
Dark Pearl Fleet (Roan)
And then everyone converges on the Merciless. Roan's eyes widen. "They're trying to take out the Dark Lord!" Roan leans over and stabs a panel button, <<"KONSTANTIN! Bring down those bombers! Everyone is coming your way!">> Then the ship rocks and an ensign announces, "No damage! Shields holding!"
'For now,' Roan thinks. 'They're holding for now, until the Merciless goes down...'
Dark Pearl Fleet (Konstantin)
A crisp, upper-crust Coruscanti accent cuts into the chaotic chatter of the anti-bomber group. It is sharp, precise, controlled, and calm. "This is Wing Commander Dontra. Gryphon, Manticore, and Hydra squadrons, move to Point Desh, reconstitute, and begin wheel attacks on the lead element of those bombers. Any craft with damaged drives or weapons, withdraw immediately for repairs. Spectre, Wraith squadrons. Hit them in flanking pincer attacks from Point Yolo, and do not become decisively engaged."
"If I see anyone glory-seeking, I will personally blast their head from their shoulders when they land. Strike, wheel, depart. The kills will come. Discipline, ladies and gentlemen, or death. I /will/ have discipline."
And so the orders for the bomber interception group are given. Three squadrons of fighters re-order and reconstitute at the point in space they've been directed to. Several ships peel off, returning to the carrier per their orders. Once the squadrons are back in something like a formation, they begin wheeling in and the bombers. The three elements on the front do little damage...but they force the bombers to commit to a direction. And that's when the flanking attacks begin. Very quickly, results begin to accumlate as the bombers begin exploding. Not enough, though. Not enough.
Merciless (Bors Thul)
"I know that cypher..."
Bors frowns, tapping a signal key to put in a scramble code to the Merciless fighters, left eye narrowing further than the right as his monocle, still worn in Sith flightsuit, will only allow his eyes to close out so far besides a blink.
<<"Your Grace, err they have blundered. Code is a combination Sullus-Sluis alpha.">> Pausing as his mind works and he tasks his R2 unit... <<"Aurek, break off and follow me.">> Hauling over on his yolk and rather than using the throttle knob he reaches over to a more comfortable lever, <<"Black Knight, Merciless Squadrons, focus on my target.">> Data being sent to the Merciless. <<"Your Grace, I've cracked their scrambles. Feeding you command ship IFF...">> Chinning a comm toggle to resume speaking to his squadrons, <<"Continue skein, three vertical ranks. Open fire with ordnance and chase with cannons. Fusillade and break.">>
Strings of confirmations ripple across squad comms and the thirty four fighters break into two chevron formations of eleven and one of a dozen - the shorter groups above and below the larger. Charging headlong for the Archon's battle dragon. Hammering away at shields before they peel off at 'point blank' distance.
<<"My queen, the way is clear.">> Finally slamming his throttle forward to its modified '11' position as his fighter shrieks away, leading the pack to get them clear of the Resurgent's fury when it was to come. Turning towards the other Hapan ships as though to ward them away with the gauntlet, as the silvered tongue did not work at first.
Merciless (Aryn Cortess)
Kalus remained by the tactical table whilst Commanders of various ships acknowledged her hit order. The matter was about identifying which Battle Dragon to pursue. When Sir Bors announced over comms that he was able to crack the crypto, information was fed through the tac-table and the Captain immediately turned and stated, "He has done it; Dragon twelve. All guns fire on Dragon twelve. Send word to all vessels."
Within moments, the Black Knight and respective squadrons forged a path forward. Helm on the Merciless had already locked on following in to get an ideal firing solution. Shields glimmered as the Merciless took hits from every Dragon in the system and yet, her shields held. Make no mistake, were it not for their frigates repairing the emitters constantly, the Merciless hull would be slagged and on fire, but that didn't happen.
Volley after volley poured into Dragon twelve until..
Kalus accepted the receiver and spoke over open net.
<<"Your Celestial Archon is no more. The harbinger of your late Queen's wrath has given her last orders and died valiantly defending the honor of her Queen. -- No one else needs to die. Call off your forces, bend the knee, and let us at last discover peace. Choose to live.">>
Fog Weaver (Valin)
Valin has made it her mission to make sure that the bombers are not going to get away from them. And while the last crescendo of the battle is not a high note from her...she is relentless in her attacks and in guiding the squadrons to their purpose. There in the background she leads and makes sure that her flyers don't get anymore torn up over things.
Suddenly an explosion lights up the starboard side. Roan looks shocked. "That blast came from the Merciless..." The bridge crew exchange glances, an energy rippling through the deck. "That thing's operational!"
Roan immediately comms Konstantin, <"This is Pearl One to Strike Leader!"> After waiting for a reply, she nods, <"Send every fighter after them! I repeat, close to point blank range and engage those Dragons! They're about to get an interdiction well dropped on them!">
Then the Dark Lady calls for peace and whatnot, so Roan amends, <"...If they don't surrender, that is.">
Dark Pearl Fleet (Konstantin)
A single base-model TIE fighter comes streaking into the area at point Desh. It isn't any different than any other fighter, except for the fact it is a single ship, and it is flown with extraordinary skill. It circles, watching the wheeling attacks repeat against the bombers. Gryphon and Manticore do barely any damage, only denting shields.
Still.....the Wraith and Spectre flanking attacks are taking their tolls. The bombers, less nimble and forced to face the main attack on their front shields take more and more damage from the slashing, indecisive attacks coming from the sides.
First one, then a second bomber explodes in a prick of bright light in the darkness, on the same pass by one of the fighters. Over the radio, Konstantin's voice slashes through the chatter, once again. "Good shooting, Wraith-7! The kills will come, pilots! Be disciplined!"
The discpline being imposed on the bomber interception group did not yield immediate results. The slashing attacks, where the tie fighters use their speed and small size to evade counter fire, do not grant instant kills. But as the passes accumulate, more and more shields begin flickering out on the bomber force.
Soon enough, each pass by Wraith or Spectre is rewarded with a large splash of light on the inky velvet darkness of space. Eleven more Hapan fighters and their crews die gloriously for their planet. Carnage is inflicted on the bombers as a large percentage of their force is just...erased.
And then the order comes:
<'All squadrons, this is Konqueror-1. Set your divisions into loose combat spread and follow me. Engage that Dragons at point blank range. Remember. Discipline. Stay with your flights, do not split up. Tactics will win the day. Await attack order. For the Empress!'>
The withering fire of massed ranks of Battle Dragons was eroding the shields of the vast Merciless despite the efforts of three fleet frigates to bulwark the massive warship. The dogfight teeters on a vibrodagger's edge, as even outnumbered, the Hapans were fighting with ferocious desperation and significant skill. But as the Imperial assault abruptly shifts to focus upon a seemingly random Battle Dragon in the precise formation, there is a definite shift in the mood of the intense battle. Its shields battered and its elaborate hull scored by heavy turbolasers and torpedo runs, it is clear that the invaders have found the Archon's ship. In the face of heavy losses to their already diminished fighter wings, the hateful order to retreat was given, and the elegant Hapan formations began to bank and turn in concert, seeking withdrawal.
Ravenous Fleet (Aitax Rendon)
It was at that moment the Interdictor cruiser *Obedience* streaked into realspace, summoned an hour prior. Its gravity well deployed and the Hapan hyperspace escape was cut off. As the scope of the enemy's hopeless position sank in, on the bridge of the Ravenous, Aitax Rendon smiled.
The demand of Darth Kalus did not receive any singular response, but one by one, and with but little delay, the 41 surviving ships of the Hapan Royal Navy ceased fire, signaled surrender, and recovered their surviving squadrons. The request to send out recovery craft for their downed pilots was issued, but there would be no more battle.
