First Reply Pulled Over

[Teph Ganto]

Space, on the perimeter of High Republic territory
​

Out in the void, away from any inhabited worlds, a lone Naboo starfighter sat dormant. Inside the cockpit was a pilot capable of napping through the loud thrashing music that pumped through the speakers, but when a lone ping of her radar pierced past the din, she flung awake.

Another ship had just exited hyperspace nearby. Teph's computer beeped again, letting her know it was time to get back to work. The Nautolan grumbled, but hailed the ship with a radio signal, "High Republic Sector Patrol," She confirmed her identity once comms connected, her feet still up on the console as she recited her orders, "You've been selected for a random inspection. Prepare to be boarded." The boredom in her voice was unmistakable. Teph had a few too many reckless missions, and this was her punishment. Ranger duty.

She sat up and flared her engines, preparing to dock with the other vessel.

Spoiler: OOC

You're about to be boarded for inspection. Please comply. Or don't, I'm not your mom.

 

[Priesse Namada]

The craft that entered visual range was not one that was capable of being boarded in the traditional sense. Rather, it was another snub-fighter, and a particularly tiny one, at that. A TIE Sprite came into view, allowing itself to be pulled over by the N-1. By appearance, it resembled a miniaturized version of a TIE/ln, albeit with four additional struts connecting the eyeball-like cockpit to the solar panel collector wings.

Inside her cockpit, Priesse studied the N-1 with a wide, curious stare.

This was certainly an interesting shakeup in what might have been an otherwise boring patrol!

“Is that an ancient model N-1 from before the Clone Wars?” Priesse transmitted over comms, her tone rising with equal parts fascination and surprise. “Or is it a modernized version?”

The Seseli tilted her head then, a slight smile drawing up her lips. “You haven’t happened to hear about the N-1 Racing League, by any chance?”

 

[Teph Ganto]

Teph double-checked her scanner. It was a fighter, not much smaller than her own. Well that was annoying. Made the whole boarding part of her job a bit impossible to do.

More than that, it was a TIE-class fighter. All on its own. On the verge of High Republic space. Weren't these Imps one of the reasons they had tightened up on border security in the first place? And here was one of their pilots just... chatting her up?

"No, it's a uh-- one of the new ones..." Teph craned her neck, trying to get a direct visual from her cockpit window. "Racing League? Can't say I have. Tell me about it." She had heard about it, but she needed to stall while she confirmed the rules of engagement with any Confederation crafts. And while her weapon systems locked on, just in case. "Hope you don't mind if I run some scans while we chat. Routine stuff, y'know how it is."

Priesse Namada​

 

[Priesse Namada]

Location: Deep Space - High Republic Territorial Perimeter
Call Sign: Titan Ten
Objective: Scout High Republic border space.
Tag: Teph Ganto

Looking through the cockpit via her craft’s micro-electro photo receptor array and the transparent vision system in her face mask (her halo-shaped cranial horn made it virtually impossible to wear a full helmet), Priesse studied the Naboo starfighter with renewed intensity in an attempt to ascertain what model it might be. She knew that there were countless modernized N-1 variants in existence, most of which had certain outward features that distinguished them from the ancient predecessor model. Recognizing them was only a matter of picking out the details, or at least, not missing the obvious cues which might be presented directly in front of her.

Or alternatively, she could simply ask the pilot.

“Ohhh...” Priesse transmitted back, a faint note of disappointment coloring her tone. “What model is it?” She tried. Naturally, she knew that any fighter pilot worth the cost of their training would be cagey with that kind of information, but the Seseli figured that it was worth a shot!

Along that same vein, her own fighter had been fitted with sensor reflectors to disguise its true sensor signature by deliberately making it appear larger. The deception served to conceal the fact that her craft had both passive and active stealth systems. The former encompassed a stealth polymer coating and low profile engines, which could not be deactivated or turned off. The active stealth systems, which she had been ordered to avoid using for this particular sortie save for an emergency, comprised a full cloaking device, a semi-active stealth suite, and a distortion matrix.

As a result, should her TIE be scanned, anyone reading the sensor returns might not initially see anything off with its signature. However, closer study would reveal certain anomalies, notably the possibility that most scanners would likely be unable to penetrate the stealth polymer coating. Not to mention, in spite of the fact that the Sprite outwardly advertised itself as a TIE, its drives did not have the signature of actual twin ion engines.

“You wouldn’t happen to be flying one with J-type pulse engines would you? Or Nubian 221s?” Priesse continued, by now genuinely curious.

"Racing League? Can't say I have. Tell me about it." She had heard about it, but she needed to stall while she confirmed the rules of engagement with any Confederation crafts.

“Oh okay. Where do I begin? So, have you heard of Tintinallë Nyxara ? She set one of the fastest sector times for the third leg of the Mon Gazza race, in the Smuggler’s Spine sector. You’re not going to believe how she set it...”

And from there, Priesse began to regale the High Republic pilot with the fascinating tale of how Tintinallë Nyxara had set the fastest time through the Smuggler’s Spine by essentially driving her N-1 in a controlled powerslide throughout the entire section, converting potential energy into angular velocity to gain a full three seconds on the bulk of the field!

 

[Teph Ganto]

"Sorry, I'm pretty sure we're not supposed to give that info out for free," Teph's faced scrunched in thought. She probably should've paid a little more attention in orientation, but at least she was erring on the side of caution this time. Whoever this was seemed to know her stuff. Almost certainly an experienced pilot then.

The scan was bringing up some conflicting information, too: lots of concealed or misattributed data between what the computer said and what Teph saw with her own eyes. This tiny little TIE was pretty advanced. Whatever happened to good old fashioned starships? Protective shields, fast engines, and guns that went pew or boom. These days it seemed like any FNG who could flip an ignition was toddling around in the latest invisible, invincible, planet-destroying super weapon.

Teph was pulled from her internal diatribe (she was not listening to most of Priesse's racing story in the first place) by a buzz from her computer screen: A message from command had just come in, confirming permission to engage the TIE. "That's all I need," She said aloud. Not a moment later she pulled the trigger on her cannons, which quickly spooled up and sprayed hellfire in the TIE's direction.

Priesse Namada​

 

[Priesse Namada]

Location: Deep Space - High Republic Territorial Perimeter
Call Sign: Titan Ten
Objective: Scout High Republic border space.
Tag: Teph Ganto

With the relative cover provided by her story, Priesse continued her study of the N-1. She did not consider herself to be a technical genius. However, racing at Mon Gazza in the N-1 Racing League and working with Kyallia Santhe to tune her N-1 for the event had improved her knowledge quite significantly. She knew her engines. And she knew her N-1s.

Unfortunately, this particular N-1 remained stubbornly illegible to her practiced eye. And it was certainly no help that its pilot was not dumb enough to tell her what kind of N-1 she was flying!

“Now, the fourth leg is where it gets really interesting,” she continued, her eyes narrowing as she tried to pick out further details on the craft. “After setting the race record through the Smuggler’s Spine, she caught up with Priesse Namada in sixth place...”

Priesse continued the story, now describing the thrilling battle for position which had unfolded between Tintinallë and herself. Naturally, she offered no hint that this particular phase of the story was actually a firsthand account. Still, it might seem that she knew quite a lot for someone who was presumably just a starfighter racing fan.

However, it was then that her halo-shaped cranial horn thrummed in warning. Priesse glanced back as a precognitive shimmer-vision struck her awareness. The N-1’s cannons pulsed amber with lethal promise.

She had less than ten seconds before the N-1 attacked.

Priesse kept speaking while making herself ready, hands tightening on the yoke. She refrained from activating her combat systems, comprising her sensors, weapons, and shields, so as to avoid prematurely tipping the N-1 pilot off to her awareness. In addition, she decided not to jettison the sensor reflectors, which served an important purpose in concealing her craft’s full capabilities. Taking either action would risk spoiling her mission, which was to patrol and reconnoiter along the High Republic territorial perimeter. This was an opportunity for the Confederation to gain valuable data regarding the capabilities of the Republic Defense Fleet Starfighter Corps’ latest N-1 model. And by extension, insight into the capabilities of the Republic’s Starfighter Corps.

How long would it take them to respond to a territorial incursion? Under what circumstances would they call for reinforcements? What were their patrol patterns? What were the performance capabilities of the standard Republic N-1?

All questions which she now had the opportunity to acquire answers to.

The N-1’s cannons flared crimson in her awareness, all but assuring her that an attack was imminent within the next heartbeat.

Without warning, Priesse broke hard to port as searing hellfire lanced through the void that her craft had occupied only a moment before. She rolled her TIE’s wings 180 degrees in the same direction as the coaxium pulse-detonation engines surged to near-full thrust, the sudden G-force slamming her back into the seat. From there, she vectored her TIE into a tight arc, intent upon getting behind the N-1!

Spoiler: Loadout

Craft: TIE Sprite TN-29-6

• Status
  
  • Shields: 100%
  • Hull: 100%
  • Structure: 100%
• Armament
  
  • FAE/SW-15 Light Transcendent Disruptor Cannon (2)
• Pilot Equipment
  
  • FAE/A-09 Anti-G Suit
  • BG-D 6 “Outlaw”
    
    • Attachments
      
      • 1-5x FAE/S-08 Electro-Sight
    • Ammunition
      
      • Metallic Slug Magazine (4)
      • Battery

 

[Teph Ganto]

The TIE reacted quick— like she were expecting the attack— further confirming Teph's suspicions. "Oh, you're slick, huh?" She smirked, punching her engines into high gear and launching upward from where Priesse had maneuvered to flank her.

Where Teph used to be, the TIE would instead find a pulsing energy bomb, detonating only a moment after Teph was out of range. While she doubted the TIE would be dumb enough to fly straight into it, she hoped it would at least be enough of a deterrent to let her spin back around and continue her attack from renewed distance.

Priesse Namada​