Skirmish Blood brings family together

[Talin Treicolt]

Within an instant, fire turned from the main fleet onto her squadron. Navigation was a maze. Only two shots taken at the enemy fighter squadron, Talin peeled away, and instinct took root. Blurs of lasers painted the cockpit in a brilliant spectrum. Sweat formed on the brow beneath her helmet. Hard right, roll, dive. Stay alive. Stay alive. An annoying buzz brought her out of the zone of zen. Her comms.

<<Saber-5 to Saber, my shields are blo-.>>

An explosion caught the periphery out of the cockpit window. Lips tight, she knew she had to pull it together, get the rest o’ them back home safe. Leadership was supposed to be in her genes… right?

<<Saber, on me. We’re going to focus the flahship’s weapons, see if we can’t catch a break.>>

The X-Wing veered up the wall, climbing, dodging shots still coming down. It was lesser, here, so close to their hull - but still cuttin’ too close for Talin’s comfort.

“Tell me if those fighters come back, wouldja? We don’t need no more company.”

 

[Voice of the Diarchy]

Vault Naval Command Combat

The Second Officer stood rooted, one hand behind his back, the other flicking through tactical displays. Around him, the crew was calm. Hardened. Loyal. "Enemy flagship turning broadside," reported Tactical. "With the two battle dragons protecting their sides, they're preparing full salvo." The Vault shook with the distant thunder of turbolaser fire coming in from the enemy flagship

The Second Officer gave a single nod. "Maintain tight formation. Keep the frigates on our rear as an anti-fighter screen only. If we lose thruster integrity, we lose the fight. Full ahead. Our target is the port-side battle dragon closest to the enemy's thrusters. We cripple it, then press forward to the flagship's flank. Do not allow our rear to drift keep it covered by the frigates at all times. If that other battle dragon tries to encircle us as we get into the enemy we are in for a bad day."

"Aye, sir."

The ship rumbled as thrusters fired and the massive vessel began its path. With every second, the space between the Vault and the battle dragon shrank.

"Divert power from the primary batteries to shield reinforcement. Sustained fire only we don't need to kill it yet. We need to survive and get in close to the enemy."

"Acknowledged. Firing pattern Alpha-Four. Turbolasers locked. Autocannons engaging intercept formations."

Streaks of emerald light flashed from the Vault's hull as its turbolasers focused in tight volleys on the battle dragon's shield generators. The smaller frigates stayed close, sweeping arcs of flak fire at fighters.

"When we are in range split fire on our Ion cannons. Overload their shields and in those moments of weakness send our concussion missiles in targeting high value systems. Shield generators first, than their heaviest weaponry, and lastly life support systems or the command centers themselves."

Kyric Inosuke Ashina Talin Treicolt Corin Kaze Henna Ashina
Diarch Reign Zara Saga Merion Oreno

 

[Inosuke Ashina]

High Lord of the Lightsworn
Space

​

Inosuke's fighter rolled between battery fire, narrowly escaping instantaneous destruction. Slamming the throttle forward, he flew at near-top speed, dipping under firing arcs and losing pursuers. The ship's nose was pointed for the Vault's hangar, speed reducing as it flew through the magshield. The High Lord killed the engine, allowing the ship to drop onto the hangar floor. It slid several yards, drifting across the steel with a horrible screech, throwing sparks in every direction.

The cockpit shield hinged upward, and the old master sprang out of the fighter and into the air. His lightsaber screeched to life, cerulean blade flourishing with the turn of his figure. Deadly strokes met Diarchy forces in the hangar, cutting them down with impunity. Inosuke surged with breakneck speed, carried by the Force as he darted from place to place, cutting down combatants one by one.

His form flickered back into view, no longer the vague blur it had been moments before. He stood across from the Diarch's ship, saber ignited at his side. "I have come to grant your wish, Rellik! Come out!"

_____________________________________________________


Diarch Rellik | Diarch Reign | Zara Saga | Henna Ashina​

 

[Zara Saga]

​

Zara watched him go. A raised brow, a faint twitch at the corner of her mouth. Her expression was something between pity and distaste, neither a smile nor a smirk.

She let the silence linger after his speech, savoring the full bouquet of melodrama. Then she exhaled through her nose and said flatly, to no one in particular, "Stars, someone's in his feelings today."

She made no effort to chase after him, offer a rousing rebuttal, or vow to fight for glory, blood, or legacy. Instead, Zara turned on her heel, the hem of her coat swishing behind her like the curtain to a performance that had gone on a bit too long.

With a grunt of effort and a complete lack of ceremony, she hoisted herself onto a stacked crate of fuel cells. She settled there, legs crossed at the knee, hands braced behind her like a bored schoolgirl at a lecture she didn't ask to attend.

She watched through the hangar's magnetic field as the first volleys of fire carved lines through space, illuminating the void with reds and whites and the promise of violence. Her gaze tracked Rellik's sleek black interceptor as it broke from the Vault, predictably without an escort. Of course, he had to suffer heroically and prove something, yet again.

Then came the other ships, then smoke, then a crash.

She blinked once, then slowly raised an imaginary scorecard with both hands. "Eight-point-six for the landing," she murmured. "It would've been a nine if he hadn't clipped that barrel."

A young deckhand nearby glanced at her, wide-eyed, then quickly looked away.

Zara propped her chin on her hand and sighed. "Men. One mildly worded speech and suddenly they all want to remind me of my place." She glanced sideways at the chaos unfurling outside the hangar. "This is why I drink."

The klaxons roared louder, and somewhere far above, an explosion rattled the hull. Zara merely shifted her weight on the crate, pulling one leg up and resting her elbow on her knee.

She was already bored.

This wasn't a war. Not yet. This was ego and testosterone with a kill count.

Zara tapped her fingers against her thigh idly.

Kyric | Diarch Rellik​