‘Blue Milk Run’ (Episode 1, Kolene Arc)

[Forim Viridux]

Socorro’s Belt​

A sizable Corellian task force came out of hyperspace some distance away from a massive collection of asteroids. A certain starfighter units and types were out in escort formation surrounding the few warships and dozen supply freighters in the center. On the left flank a squadron of T-95 Xwings stayed in tight ranks as they continued to fly.

Taking up the tail of the formation Forim Viridux sitting in his cockpit was checking data on the computer screen. With hands still on the controls the young Duros nodded, satisfied with the results he reading. Glancing back up toward his astromech Forim commented.

“Good job Pal. The engines check out.”

Quickly the green pained droid answered back in binary back with a tone that one would describe as witty. The pilot rolled his red eyes in false annoyance while suppressing a grin.

“Of course, you’re the best. Though sometimes you act like an overpaid holovid star.”

The droid immediately fired a retort that causes Forim to finally chuckle before replying. “Watch your language there Pal. I’m the only one who can put up with your antics.”

Suddenly his comms came to live with the voice of his squadron leader.

“Mynock seven you’re lagging behind. Stay in formation.”

Finally noticing that he had slowed down more than necessary Forim grimaced. Embarrassed Forim acknowledged the order. “Copy that Mynock leader.” Increasing the speed of his thrusters the Duros closed the distance back with the rest of Mynock Squadron.

Once the comms were off Forim let out a sigh at himself. Have to stay focused. Or else Garvin going to have my hide. Especially with this being the squadron’s first mission. As he thought so Pal spoke again in droidspeak this time in comfort.

Smiling the young pilot nodded and said. “Appreciate the thought Pal but, we’re going to be fine. Let’s just stay on task.”

 

[Konan Sunracer]

CDF Green Wave - Bador-Class Light Cruiser Hangar Bay

When the Commodore in charge of Needle Point 1 told him and his squadron that they were joining a task force led by the CDF Razor of the First Fleet for a campaign against the Forgotten Sons he'd thought his easy life patrolling these asteroids was at an end. The Razor was a beast of a ship, a cruiser more than double the size of any ship he'd served on since joining the Corellian Defense Force and getting shipped back out to Socorro's Belt. She was also a part of the Soaring First Fleet which meant they'd probably seen action in the short few years the Confederation had seceded from the New Republic (Rest In Peace).

But he couldn't have been more wrong.

He'd lost track of how long they'd been out here looking for these thugs but he felt he'd spent more time in the Green Wave or in the belly of the Razor than actually in space. He and his squadron flew the small and nimble Q20 fighters. They were a Corellian-Quarth design, in other words built for speed and fancy flying, but they lacked fast or long range hyperdrives which meant they were more of a burden to wait for. As a result, they'd spend a few hours flying while the pilots of the Razor got some well needed shut-eye, and then when they got new jump coordinates they'd pack into the cramped hangar of the Green Wave or the bustling belly of the Razor and wait some more.

But it seemed as if something was about to happen because they hadn't called the X-wings back and the Qs, as the First Fleet task force had taken to calling them [Official Designation Belt Squadron], were being called to sortie. G5-5Z, or Fives, as Konan started calling him when they got assigned together, was beeping and tweeting in excitement, rocking back and forth in the magnetic clamp as it settled the black G5-series astromech into the Q20's astromech slot.

"Quit it, you're gonna give one of the newbie techs a heart-attack if you fall again." Fives seemed to love flying as much as he did, and was never afraid to show it. As he got settled into his slot a message scrawled over his screen as his ship's computer translated the binary.

"Well maybe if you weren't always so broody I wouldn't have to be excited for both of us."

Konan recoiled at the words. "I am not broody!"

"Right."

"Just get the checks done so we can get out of here." The droid tweeted a retort that Konan didn't bother to read and Konan reached under his seat and pulled out a box of music chips. He pulled one out that had "Gungang Wave" scrawled on it in hurried marker. He shrugged and slipped it in the console. A full start-up check was done though and in minutes the squadron of Q20s known as Belt Squadron was out, engulfed by the black of space and peeling paint towards more asteroids in the belt. They all gave their check ins and flew into formation behind Mynock Squadron.

[member="Forim Viridux"]

 

[Jek Tarson]

For the third time, Jek Tarson nudged the Corellia's Pride's forward momentum dampeners. The racer was being unusually temperamental. The ship was like her pilot, having great difficulty fitting in. Repeatedly, the ship left formation, only to be gently coaxed back. Jek cursed himself for testing that Verpine fuel additive during the last race. Sure, it gave him the extra punch he needed to win the race, but he was sure he would have to have the engines overhauled sooner than later.
Jek looked out the viewport at the asteroid field ahead. "This is going to be fun." He said to no one in particular.
"You've got a really strange view of what's 'fun'." The unsolicited response came from the Pride's gunner, a twi'lek named Nora.
"Come on, that mess out there doesn't remind you of Geonosis?" Jek asked. "Last year, remember? Running close-hulled with ol' Endrick's Phantom Blaze. Eeking out the win by half a meter. My heart was never closer to my tonsils."
"Bando and his crew died that day."
"Guy had a bounty out on me."
"He was my fiance."
Jek fiddled with his headset as if it had malfunctioned. A useless gesture since Nora was in the bridge with him and thus could hear him without the use of a headset. Chatter came over the radio. A welcome distraction.
"Looks like the fighters are moving ahead. Are we a fighter today?" He waited for a response from Nora that didn't come. He looked at the group of larger ships holding position. The Pride was already drifting away from them. "Yeah, we're a fighter today. Engines ahead full."
"Full?" The distorted voice of Baggy, the Ithorian engineer, came over the headset. "We're running hot today, cap'n. Maybe we should save our sublights for when it matters."
"I'm the captain, right, Baggy? I think I make the call on when speed matters. Punch it."
"Aye, cap'n."
"Let's show these small craft we can dance as well as they can."
The Pride surged ahead. Jek took his hand off the yoke, giving a happy sigh as the vessel leveled itself out. She ran best when she was fully underway. A gentle nudge to put her below the fighters and the whole formation painted quite a pretty picture against the backdrop of asteroids and cosmic starlight.

[member="Forim Viridux"] [member="Konan Sunracer"]

 

[Zahara Myneto]

For the first Time in several years the young blonde haired Commodore felt alive. An actual campaign had found it's was across Hus desk. Would he refuse? Of course not. And so he had finally found a command of his own. The Task Force rocketed out of hyperspace with such a firce even The Force felt them. He hated being on this ship however, it just wasn't his. The CDF Correlias Endeavor was destroyed during a skrimish with the Imperial Federation. Nonetheless he was exited. He watched as dozens of ships prepared to engage...er. He forgot what they were engaging. Oh, right The Forgotten Sons. Interesting actually, he had never heard of them. "Alright people let's get moving." He ordered. That wasn't much else to do. That order pretty much took care of everything that it needed to. It signaled the Wing Commanders and Line Commanders that the time was nye.

[member="Jek Tarson"] - [member="Konan Sunracer"] - [member="Forim Viridux"]

 

[Anne Albright]

NEAR THE ASTEROIDS​

MISSION: SEEK AND DESTROY INSURGENTS​

​

[member="Zahara Myneto"] [member="Jek Tarson"] [member="Konan Sunracer"] [member="Forim Viridux"]​

​

​

​

CDF Razor lumbered through the darkness, her crew on regular night shift schedule. Anne her-self had just finished a joyless meal, wolfing down food while reading After Action Reports from their advanced party scouts. It seemed this asteroid ridden system had been quite the area of contention. Pirates were a probable cause, insurrectionists a close second.

She rose and pushed in her chair, taking care to readjust her pressed blue uniform.

Next she did her rounds, cup of Caf in her hand. As she stepped onto the bridge the XO snapped a crisp Salute. He was a former Lt from the now almost defunct Corporate Protectorate. Mercenary types tended to make her belly turn, but she shrugged it off.

"What's the news Lt Garrick?"

"First Scouting patrol is out. Nothing on sensors or scopes long or short, though we are picking up a nebulae storm moving in. It'll be on us within the hour Ma'am."

"Chit. Better batten down the hatches then."

Code for secure the ship.

"Aye Ma'am."

Some captains had a chair aboard their bridge, where they sat in vanity and barked orders. Not Anne. She preferred either the platform with the railing overlooking the stations, or to prowl like panther on the hunt up and down the main strip.

Prowling seemed a better idea. This was a newer crew and she was eager to see how they performed.

"Chief Petty Officer Dyson should be around the Fighter Bays. Have him double check that our Fighter Compliment is in good enough condition. They'll be facing the Storm and the Asteroids. I also expect Combat as well...."

She took a sip of her caf. Earthy notes mixed with dirt scalded her tongue. The steam wafted into her nostrils, helping open them up.

Bridge air is so stuffy.​

"Also I think it's time we spun up the Combat Air Patrol. Send out a squad at a time, flying wide perimeter around the Freighters. Three hour shifts. Should give em about six hours of sleep and rec time each."

She kept walking, checking out display screens. Her own thoughts wandered back to the days of old as a young Lt herself. Before her first Command had been granted, she'd been stuck under quite the inept Captain, who had lost two ships and half a crew. Foolish maneuvering, pushing the crew beyond their capabilities. These were all hallmarks or a poor leader, who had not a clue as to the status of their subordinates.

"Ensign Kiril, how we doing today?"

​

​

 

[Forim Viridux]

After running another diagnostics with the fighter’s systems with his droid Forim breathed a sigh of relief. The last thing he wanted was for the X-Wing to have some sort of malfunction in the middle of the patrol. That would be a dumb thing to happen on my part.

While admittedly a risk taker Forim was stupid when it comes to making sure his starfighter is top shape. Years in a cockpit or bike seat during races taught him much about the necessity of preparations. Maintaining course with the rest of the Mynock squadron the Duros briefly looked out on the side toward the asteroids nearby.

It’s hard to imagine those broken pieces were once part of a planet The very thought made Forim shudder. Still despite that one aspect he found a certain beauty to space despite its supposed lifelessness. Whether it was being a Duros or simply his adventures personality he wasn’t sure but it didn’t matter in the end.

Quickly his radar picked up Belt squadron coming from behind. Pal chirp a message that cause Forim to shake his head. “No Pal I don’t know much about them. Same as you.”

Before the astromech could make a new comment the intercom through the private channel came to life again.

“Are ya talking with your little brother again Blueberry?”

“It’s none of your business Cathy.” Forim replied with a half smile. A chuckle erupted on the other end.

“Well that’s part of the fun. By the way you still owe me twenty credits.”

Shaking his head Forim replied. “I know. Just you wait going to clean ya out in sabaac next shore leave.”

“In your dreams Baldy.”

Cathy answered in a tone filled with amusement. Catherine Dewin aka Mynock Four from Cornet City was quite fond of messing with people and getting into games of chance. Forim and her had known each other since basic training.

She’s good people. Forim quietly admitted to himself. Further thought on the subject disappeared, when the radar suddenly came to life. Of hyperspace came a formation of mysterious ships, conisting two frigates, two corvettes and several squadron of Guardian fighters. Their formation shaped like an arrow pointing at the middle of the Corellian convoy. Speechless Forim’s mouth dropped not believing what he is seeing right now.

Shaking his head while still feeling nervous the Duros waited for the order to engage.

 

[Thalia Cruz]

Thalia often wondered how rebellions began in governments with such powerful militaries. The Confederates and the Old Republic, the Rebellion and The Galactic Empire...She'd read the military history of the last few hundred years during her time in Humbarine military school but how these rebellions took place she couldn't quite grasp with the iron fist of the Lord Admiral [member="Arage Bao"]. She'd never allow something like the Belters to crop up in her sector and the Corellian Confederation's military assets were easily much larger than hers now.

So why were they here?

An asteroid floated past the viewport near her monitoring station. A pit weapons officer, Thalia handled sending out orders to gunners and monitoring sensors for enemy ship movements. She also managed the Engsins who worked the weapons pits. When Senior Captain Albright, who was leading this task force, entered the bridge she offered the woman a salute. She heard the captain ask one of the Engisgns under her command what the situation was, but before he could answer proximity alarms began blaring and Thalia's gaze snapped to her monitor.

Four medium sized blips indicating capital ships and several smaller blips indicating starfighters slid onto the screen.

"Four ships and a fighter escort have just exited hyperspace off our bow!" Thalia's voice was surprised, but not in fear. "Its an ambush!" Before the captain needed to even ask she began giving pertinent information about the vessels. The ships were old, almost older even than herself.

"Two frigates, old Omega Protectorate Telum-class frigates. The corvettes are Watcher-class, also old Protectorate!" She wondered what scrap pile the belters dug these ships out of. The Telum-class wouldn't be too much of an issue for them she thought as they lacked capital weapons other than ion cannons and the two corvettes would have to get into brawling range with the Razor to do any real damage.

A turbolaser shot and an ion cannon shot flew past the viewport suddenly, illuminating the entire bridge. Looked like they didn't care about range or tactics though. They hadn't even given demands.

"Orders Captain?"

[member="Forim Viridux"] [member="Anne Albright"] [member="Jek Tarson"]

 

[Anne Albright]

​

NEAR THE ASTEROIDS​

MISSION: SEEK AND DESTROY INSURGENTS​

​

[member="Zahara Myneto"] [member="Jek Tarson"] [member="Konan Sunracer"] [member="Forim Viridux"] [member="Thalia Cruz"]​

​

Alarms blared just then as if on cue.

"Well I'll be a Gundark, look who it is. Pirates."

The bridge then exploded like a pinata with Officers and Petty Officers scrambling left and right. She took another sip of her coffee and smirked. She knew those designs and her suspicions were confirmed when Ensign Cruz gave her the rundown.

"This is the paltry resistance they offer us?" She quipped, arrogance now creeping into her voice.

"Lt. Cruz, scramble two Wings of fighters to intercept the larger vessel. Have them take out her Drives. The smaller ones can be handled by our own devices. Recall the scouting Wing and have them fall back to us. With any luck they'll be able to hit them from behind unannounced while they're otherwise occupied."

"Gunnery, prepare all weapons to fire. Turbolasers on the Frigate. Arm and hold Concussion Missile Batteries One through Six. Calculate solutions for the Corvettes and prepare to fire on my command."

Meanwhile comms chatter was picking up. She fielded a quick request on the order of battle and and nodded.

"Lt Cruz, keep us in front of the Freighters in our core. Prepare thrusters to tack port and starboard as needed. Let's broadside these bastards. Get Gunny Sarn't Henderson on standby with a boarding party."


OOC: Forim I'm assuming you are part of the scout party

 

[Zahara Myneto]

Zahara frowned as the ships exited hyperspace. "Reverse Course, have our cruisers move to intercept the enemy bogeys" he instantly ordered. He watched as a third of his fleet moved to intercept the enemy forces. "Fire at will" his second in command ordered. He saw dozens of turret's blaze to life, green and red lasers dancing on the belly's of the warships. "Contact the CDF Razor, I want a status report on the current placement of our fighters...among other things" his voice boomed. Captain [member="Anne Albright"] was good however he had made the assumption that she was stubborn and most likely refused to accept promotion, but he couldn't blame her. She was like him, young, naive and a damn good fighter. "Sir, more ships are exiting hyperspace! All of them old Protectorate Ships! Should I call the rest of our fleet to engage?" His second in command, Fleet Captain Xelayh asked. "No. Move our Capital Ships to engage the fleet as soon as it exits hyperspace. Keep our main guns focused on those cruisers" he pointed. This was indefinitely one of those days.
[member="Thalia Cruz"] - [member="Forim Viridux"]- [member="Jek Tarson"]- [member="Konan Sunracer"]

 

[Jek Tarson]

"And just when I was getting comfortable." Jek groaned as he scanned the enemy fleet. "Nora, stay hot on that gun, sweetheart."
"I'm not your sweetheart." Nora hissed. "Never was. Never will be."
"Why don't you ease up that throttle a bit, Baggy? We're running smoother now. Best to keep at a pace more conducive for coordination with the other fighters."
"Aye, Cap'n." Baggy's double-voice came over the radio.
Jek rolled the Pride a little to the right and pulled back on the yoke. The racer set off on a course to shoot right between the first two corvettes. Jek knew they would give the fighters trouble, so he thought it best to give them a distraction. Let the fighters paint a carbon-scored masterpiece on the hulls of the other- more eminent- vessels. With the high probability of near-misses with other craft during races, Jek had long ago invested in a set of prime grade Mon Calamari shields for his craft. They were, in fact, the second most expensive system on the ship, after the engines, of course. Corellia's Pride could take several dozen light-to-medium hits, or three really big ones, before resorting to hull integrity to keep her crew safe.
"Autopilot?" Nora lowered a disparaging eyebrow. "Seriously?"
"It's amazing how you were able to see me tapping away at the navi-computer with your eyes glued to those gun sights like I know they are. Listen, sweetheart, I hired you because you're one of the best gunners in the quadrant. You signed on with me because I'm the best pilot in the galaxy. Why don't we trust each other to do our jobs?"
"When you hired me, you said I'd be cooking." Baggy interjected.
"That was before you patched up ZT-47, simultaneously proving your skill as a mechanic, and giving us a droid that could outcook you."
"You just don't understand the simplistic intricacy of my native cuisine."
The chatter came to a halt as the Pride's hull began to beat like a drum. They were in range of the corvettes. The shields were holding. Waves of blue energy washed over the bridge viewport, totally blocking the Jek's view. The auto-pilot was maintaining course. Jek took out his watch and started counting down.
"Y'all better hold on to something. Baggy, all back full."
At the same moment Baggy complied with his order, Jek threw down the lever for the maneuvering clusters to fire back, and down. The corvettes' turrets, firing along the predicted track of the racer, continued firing in an arc ahead of where the Pride actually was. The two corvette's peppered each other with bolts, washing themselves in those radiating blue circles.
"That'll blind 'em for a bit." Jek touched the fleet-wide comm. "Hey fighters, you've got a window. It's purdy."

[member="Zahara Myneto"] [member="Anne Albright"] [member="Thalia Cruz"] [member="Forim Viridux"] [member="Konan Sunracer"]

 

[Forim Viridux]

“Mynocks fall back to the Razor.”

Garvin ordered in a voice that brokered no debate. Still tense up Forim complied with the command, twisting around and followed the other X-Wings back to the Cruiser. Pal chirped a comment about the situation that caused the Duros grimaced.

“I know, I know this is real.” He said defensively. Immediately Forim regretted it before sighing and added. “Sorry Pal I need to get my act together.” Pal quickly accepted the apology in binary before proclaiming they’ve make it.

Despite his lingering fear Forim grinned, admiring the astromech’s courage. Mynock squadron managed to rendezvous to the Cruiser just in time while two Wings of Corellian fighters flew passed them to engage one of the enemy frigates.

“Alright boys and girls this is it. Remember your training.”

Mynock Leader stated while the enemy fleet moved in to advance against the convoy before being before blasted at by the Corellian warships. The enemy fighters like a swarm of angry bees charged out at full speed supported by the two corvettes.

It wasn’t long before the insurgent fighters intercept with the Corellians in what became a massive dogfight. In his cockpit Forim briefly watched laserfire being exchanged and opposing starcraft maneuvering each other in a deadly dance.
Taking a deep breath and releasing the blue humanoid thought. I can’t hesitate now. It’s win or die. Squeezing the flight stick filled with newfound determination Forim heard the next order.

“Lock s-foils in attack positions.”

Just as they did so the Corellia's Pride’s communique came in through the fleet, specifically for the starfighters to attack the now blinded corvettes. Taking the opportunity Mynock Squadron flew out from above the Razor at full thrusters, splitting into two section with six fighters each. Dividing toward one of the twin vessels from behind with the first section Forim held on tight the stick before squeezing down the trigger at the last second. A collective barrage of missiles shots by the stuck the enemy corvette’s engines and while section two struck the other two the same, igniting a chain of explosions.

The corvettes’ engines gone leaving them easy targets for the defense fleet. Subsequently the X-Wings were driving away to regroup. Although that they succeeded Forim now sweating thought.

We’re just getting started.

 

[Konan Sunracer]

Yeah, maybe Gungan Wave wasn’t doing it for him. He fingered the box of tapes under his chair and came out with one that was labeled “Herglic Rage-Metal” just as the vessels dropped out of hyperspace. It must have been fate, or the Force. He smirked and ejected the first tape and popped the new one in. The heavy sound of the electric Herglic instrument began blaring over his internal speakers as the song began its build up. A smirk inched its way across his devilishly good looking face as enemy fighters began to scream towards him and the rest of the Qs.

While Mynocks got called back, the Qs stood their ground and slammed into the incoming tide of fighters, distracting them while Mynock made their maneuver. With a lack of any anti-capital ship weapons the only chance of a Q killing a capital ship was up close and blasting apart their bridge once shields were down. So they stayed where they were good. The small arrowhead -shaped fighters screamed through the enemy formation, picking off the old fighters with ease. At least it seemed that way. As he blasted apart one of the fighters he noticed small orbs of perfectly shaped metal. Were they…

“Kriff!” he shouted as he spotted one of the orbs light up from small thrusters. He flipped the com switch on his console, forgetting to mute his music, and subsequently filled all the coms with his herglic-rage metal. He cursed again loudly as he pulled his yoke to the side in an attempt to dodge the canisters whose blinking red lights were starting to look a lot like photoreceptors. He managed to find the mute button on his music and shouted,

“Watch the fighters! Their storage units are filled with buzz droids!” It was an old, old tactic from as far back as the Clone Wars if not further. When a force couldn’t hope to beat the one ahead of them some starfighter commanders had their fighters fill their storage compartments with mines, bombs, space debris, or as in this case, buzzdroids. When the fighters were destroyed their cargo was scattered across the battlefield wreaking havoc on their enemies. Fives tweetled in annoyance and some text scrolled across his screen.

“Get these things off of me!” His heart jumped into his throat and his eyes shot open with alarm. Had he already been compromised? The soft whirring of a single buzz droid soon turned into the shrill screech of Fives as he attempted to fight off two buzz droids with his small plasma torch and manipulator arms as he simultaneously attempted to fix a rudder that took some damage in his reckless turn. This wasn’t how he was going out. He wasn’t getting taken out by a couple of buzz droids. Then he saw his chance.

“Duck!” Astromechs couldn’t really duck, but they could usually duck fully into the fighter to take care of more worrisome internal damage. And so Fives did just that and slid fully into the Q20, just as Konan passed under a hunk of space debris from one of the enemy fighters. The droids turned to look at the debris and were suddenly and violently removed from the hull of his fighter. Konan grimaced when he heard the screech of his fighter against the debris, but when Fives resurfaced and said all that remained was a few magnetically stuck pincer legs he couldn’t help but pump the air with a fist as he made a sharp turn back to the fight just in time to see the Corellian Pride's crazy move pay off as turbolaser bolts slammed into the ally ships from one another. He let out a soft whistle. That was some fancy flying.

[member="Forim Viridux"] [member="Jek Tarson"] [member="Anne Albright"] [member="Zahara Myneto"]

 

[Thalia Cruz]

"Yes ma'am!" but even as the orders came some fancy flying from the freelancer ended up with the two frigates sending broadsides into themselves! She stood there dumbfounded with her jaw quite literally hanging open as she saw the manuever unfold on both her tactical and outside the viewport.

"Is he a Jedi?" she heard someone else on the bridge whisper loudly. Frankly she didn't care if the pilot was a Jedi or not. Those frigates took major shield damage from those attacks.

"You heard the captain!" she said, pretending like she hadn't also just been stuck in awe. "Get those turbolasers ready and prepare for close quarters combat!" The combat readiness light above her station changed from orange to a deep red indicating they'd be moving into brawling range.

[member="Forim Viridux"] [member="Jek Tarson"] [member="Anne Albright"]

 

[Jek Tarson]

The yoke for the aft engines clicked dully as Jek repeatedly into the full-ahead position. The engines flashed once or twice, but provided zero thrust. The Pride foundered between the battered corvettes as allied fighters flashed by, punishing the vessels. Jek watched the spectacle through his viewport, a little upset that he was missing out on all the fun. Baggy's radio chatter was ceaseless as he tried to get the main engines running. As the battle around them advanced to earnest conflict, the racer languished behind. Jek stared at his control panel. There had to be something he could do. Something a little crazy came to mind. He smirked and looked over his shoulder.
"Ready to play bow gunner?" He asked.
"What in Nar Shadaa's seedy underbelly are you talking about?" Nora countered.
"You trust my multi-tasking skills, right?"
"No."
"You'll learn."
The Corellia's Pride's forward thrusters sprang to life, their thrust directed as close to zero points ahead as possible. Jek fired the starboard cluster at higher output than the port, causing the vessel to roughly assume the course of the fighters about a click ahead. When the heading was right, Jek took to alternation thrust from each cluster, bouncing ten degrees off center at each interval. It was slow going, but it seemed to work overall.
"Angle of attack's off, Jek. We're looking down. The fighters are up. The action is up."
Jek pushed forward on the controls in the hopes of gaining some altitude, but that only caused the aft section of the vessel to angle further downward. He pushed down on the stick and the Pride began to descend rapidly. The thrusters weren't meant for travel. They were meant for stopping and turning. Growling in frustration, Jek stepped on the left rudder and threw the stick right. The Pride rolled onto her side, facing the right thruster downwards. Jek threw all the power he could into the right thruster. The vessel gained altitude.
"Bandits ahead. Looks like one of them's a skipray."
"Hit 'em!"
Nora opened fire with the rear, now functionally forward, turret. A flurry of blue bolts sailed out towards the enemy fighters. Two fighters were hit and exploded into fantastic balls of orange flame, but the skipray kept on. The blastboat had stronger shields. The nose of the enemy vessel began to glow red as torpedoes were armed.
"I can't crack him, Jek."
"You're holding on, right?"
Without waiting for a response, Jek rolled the Pride back to the left and threw the stick forward. The aft section of the ship angled downward, and kept angling down until the ship was somersaulting over herself. Jek glued his eyes to the viewport for the first rotation. The skipray was coming straight on. Three-quarters through the second rotation, he squeezed the trigger for the forward cannons. A fan of giant orange bolts emitted from the ship, sending four on course for the blastboat. The enemy vessel exploded.
"Ya-hoo!" Jek exclaimed as his ship tumbled through the explosion. He pulled back on the stick to exit the tumble. But the forward thrusters couldn't angle as far upwards as they could downwards. They fired slightly outwards, only serving to increase the speed of the spin, rather than arrest it. The ship was careening ever closer to the center of the asteroid field.

[member="Thalia Cruz"] [member="Konan Sunracer"] [member="Forim Viridux"] [member="Zahara Myneto"] [member="Anne Albright"]

 

[Forim Viridux]

The dance of death between the Corellian and insurgent starcraft continued. One moment Mynock Squadron had regrouped following their attack run only to be lost within the massive dogfight that engulfed them.

Inside his cockpit Forim twist and turn the X-Wing to avoid colliding with friend and foe alike. Panic threatened to overwhelm the Duros. His heart pounded loudly as if a beating drum and the fighter shook violently from the man made turbulence all around. Nothing in the training simulations could’ve prepared him for this hell in space. Red laser shots sped past from one side to another. Explosions ignited nearby and the comms were filled desperate pleas and dying screams.

Don’t close your eyes. Not now. Muttered the Duros to himself and repeated it in his head, barreling out of the way of an allied fighter. Just as if he was about to go mad with fear Forim recalled earlier lesson from Squadron Leader Garvin.

Keep your head on no matter what. Lose control and you will die.

Gritting teeth Forim subsequently commanded his astromech in the back.

“Status on repairs!” Pal immediately reported back in droidspeak his tone sounding like dread. Wincing at the report young pilot neverless added “Do the best ya can Pal. I’m counting you.”

‘Like always.’ Pal replied in binary. With renewed determination Forim pull a hard left spotting a Guardian fighter. Locking on target the Durosian without hesitation fired a three shot burst, clipping the enemy’s right wing and finished him off with another volley aimed in the center mass.

Diving away knowing he had killed a sentient being Forim thought. It’s us or them.

 

[Thalia Cruz]

The Captain still wasn't here and the battle was getting dicey.

"Move on the frigates, target them with our quad turbolasers. Fire when ready!" A stray turbolaser blast rocked the vessel as it glanced off of their shields.

"Shields holding steady!" Came a shout from the crew pits. Thalia bit her lip. She was too young to be commanding this vessel, but most of the Confederation Navy was young with few experienced commanders. The vessel lurched forward as the Razor moved to close the combat range between herself and the frigates.

The fighters were doing their job luckily after that freelancer's fancy flying many of the corvettes' weapons were disabled leaving them wide open to the onslaught of fighters. Green energy lanced from over the bridge as their turbolasers began their assault. She was rewarded with a bright flash off the port side of one of the frigates. A smirk danced on her lips as she resisted pumping a fist in the air.

[member="Forim Viridux"] [member="Jek Tarson"] [member="Anne Albright"]

 

[Forim Viridux]

Twisting his fighter in a barrel roll to escape hostile firing a volley at him from behind. Forim gritted his teeth. “This sleemo doesn’t quit.” He muttered, while the shields went down with each shot that hit its mark.

Just as he was about to dive away, the pursuing Guardian suddenly exploded. Surprised the Duros suddenly heard Cathy’s voice.

“You’re welcome Blueberry.”

With a grateful smile Forim aligned his X-Wing with Mynock Four’s and answered.

“Thanks Cathy. Next shore leave I’m buying the first round.”

“Sounds good to me c’mon we still got a fight to win here.”

The two partners turned their starcraft around to re enter the massive dogfight nearby. Subsequently the Corellian warships opened up on the two crippled enemy frigates. It wasn’t long before the duel vessels exploded one after the other, temporarily blinding the sensors.

Forim in a brief moment was in a trance like state, beholding the destructive sight. He looked away not understanding why the hostiles didn't surrender. The young pilot squeezed the flight stick in silent fury at those who were trying to kill them and drag this hellish conflict out.

Before he can even start shooting again what’s left of the pirates, starcraft and remaining warships began to scatter. Those not destroyed by the Corellian task force finally went to lightspeed. Cathy shouted through the intercom. “That’s right run ya cowards!”

Pal cheered at the rout as well but Forim just sighed with relief. This was a victory no doubt of it. However, it came with a coast. Once regrouped with the rest of Mynock Squadron that were flying to carrier’s hangar bay, Forim noted something amiss only nine X-wing were left in their small unit.

Where Mynock, five, two and eight? No, it can’t be.

His fear was realized when Garvin, squadron leader spoke up to the group in a sober tone.

“We have lost comrades today. I won’t lie to you all, the pain will never get easy believe me, but we must press on for their memory. May the force be with them.”

Saying nothing Forim guided his X-Wing inside the hangar bay. As soon as he docked the Durosian just sat in the cockpit silent. Taking off the flight helmet and placing it on his lap the immigrant immediately felt his left hand shaking violently. Forming it into a fist Forim then shut both eyes as he tried to compose himself.

He did not want the others to see him in this state right now. Breathing in and out for several seconds, the Durosian calm down enough opened out the cockpit while Pal in droidspeak said. [Don’t worry I won’t tell anyone.] Nodding with gratitude to the astromech but saying nothing Forim proceeded to exit out of the starfighter. He had a lot to think about.

[member="Thalia Cruz"] [member="Jek Tarson"] [member="Anne Albright"]

 

[Jek Tarson]

Shutting off the engines wasn't an option. Inertia would still carry the Pride forward in her her death roll. The hull of the vessel screamed as it brushed an asteroid. The battle flashed across the forward view port in the span of half a second, showing the beginning of a withering barrage from the allied ships onto the main enemy vessels. Shock-waves from the impacts were causing smaller asteroids near the battered vessels to drift away.
"Hold on tight!" Jek shouted as he slammed back the left stick, and then shoved it forward. The left thrust cluster shut off and then sprang back to life. The direction of the spin was changed, sending the racer on a collission course for the enemy frigates.
"I've got a bad feeling about this."
"What are you doing, Jek? Are you crazy!?" Nora shrieked.
"Probably." Jek cracked a smile as the nearest frigate's frame buckled. The armor plating folded away from the ship's starboard engine, exposing it's fuel cell. "Let's join the chorus!"
Jek shut off all engines. The spin carried on, her aft turret and forward cannons blazing. Torpedoes even left their tubes as they passed over the frigate. Most of the shots flew wild. A few bolts, however, struck the fuel tank, igniting it into a tremendous explosion. The shock wave surged out and hit Corellia's Pride with such force that her keel cracked. The vessel shuddered and screamed, threatening to tear apart. The spinning stopped. The shock wave passed. The racer drifted slowly, almost gracefully in the suddenly quiet cosmos.
"Darn good shooting fleet." Jek spoke into the main channel. He took off his head set as Baggy climbed into the bridge. "Rocket fuel for blood, eh?"
"I quit, Jek."

[member="Konan Sunracer"] [member="Zahara Myneto"] [member="Anne Albright"] [member="Thalia Cruz"] [member="Forim Viridux"]

 

[Thalia Cruz]

[SIZE=10.5pt]The battle, or skirmish rather, was over before it had even begun. Superb flying from the fighters had limited the damage to the Corellian warships and had in turn decimated the terrorist's forces. [/SIZE][SIZE=10.5pt][/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt][/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt][/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt]"They're preparing to jump to lightspeed!" Before they were even all gone the crew pits were cheering. She'd done it. She'd seen a vessel through its first battle, and lived to file a report. Where Captain [member="Anne Albright"] was she had no idea, but her comrades were already returning. Her smile was suddenly and abruptly wiped from her face as she remembered what they had come here to do in the first place. Her head snapped to the sensor group.[/SIZE][SIZE=10.5pt][/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt][/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt][/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt]"Quick! Record their vectors! We might be able to use that data to find where they're based." [/SIZE][SIZE=10.5pt][/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt][/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt][/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt]"Yes captain." Captain? The sensor operative seemed to realize the confusion as well and bowed their head in [/SIZE]embarrassment[SIZE=10.5pt]. "Err, I mean, Senior Lieutenant Cruz."[/SIZE][SIZE=10.5pt][/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt][/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt][/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt]With that over and done with she headed to the hangar to look over the returning pilots. They'd lost several X-Wing pilots today. She grimaced as she noticed a particularly glum looking Duro pilot. Even with Duros being a strong supporter of the Confederation you rarely saw them in the military proper. They usually seemed to keep to their own defense force. She offered him a sad smile, not sure if he'd even notice and went to file her report.[/SIZE][SIZE=10.5pt][/SIZE]

[member="Jek Tarson"] [member="Forim Viridux"] [member="Anne Albright"]