Times of Darkness
Modified Nebulon B Frigate Infinity: Bridge
14:20
The standoff continues... this encounter is getting out of hand. Out of the viewport on the bridge of the Modified Nebulon B Frigate, Infinity lay an ocean of stars decorated with the hulls of starships. Navy Captain Myn Donos sat in the captain's chair of the new flagship he had been entrusted with. The flagship of Green Squadron.
"Another Imperial ship is coming into this sector sir, sensors identify it as an Imperial Escort Carrier."
Myn glanced over his right shoulder up at his executive officer, Merlin. "Thank you, Lieutenant Commander, this nearly evens the odds now doesn't it?"
"Yes sir, it's anybody's fight now."
"There isn't a battle to fight yet... communications signal the Bonica."
The officer currently handling the communcations duty on the bridge, Ensign Corran, an eager young officer replied promptly. "Patching you through to the Admiral now sir." He acts like the old Corran... Myn spared a brief second to remember his comrade from his first days with the Alliance back in Silver Squadron... his new Ensign simply had the same name, nothing more - but at times the young Corran reminded him of his old friend.
The main viewscreen shifted views from a starfield populated with Imperial instruments of war, and to the almost equally dark view of the bridge of the Bonica. Admiral Togorian sat in a chair at the nexus of the entire bridge's activity.
"Smaller desk these days Captain?"
Myn let out a small laugh. Due to the small nature of the Infinity, at only 250 meters in length, almost every action to save space had been made. This included a newer design of bridge much unlike the captured Imperial ships Myn had captained, or even most of the rebel designs. Myn sat in a sunken in area in the center of the bridge. Ahead of him, in an area of even lower elevation lay the ships helm, communications, and astrogation consoles. Behind him and over both shoulders in an encompassing semi-circle were the console positions for the rest of the bridge functions, only three doors were to be seen on the bridge, two at the front, one on each side of the main viewport, and a third directly behind the captains chair on the elevated level. All three led to turbolifts that gave access to areas of the ship that could spare a little more room then the cramped bridge could.
"Admiral, I'd like to know what our plan is. There hasn't been a fleet briefing yet and it looks like the Imperials have slightly more ships coming to aid them..."
A small tremor in the force rippled through Donos as Togorian's reply came "Getting anxious Myn?"
"Yes sir, the size of this deadlock is starting to get dangerous - our best battles aren't the ones with large conflicts, good strategy can save more ships, but a much smaller percentage of lives - it is looking like this has already gotten dangerously large."
"I understand your concern, and you're right, if we had all the freedom we needed right now we'd have already attacked the Imperials, but it's going to have to wait for at least another sixteen hours."
A short chirp from the tactical officers console sounded through the bridge, and Myn could hear a similar sound coming from the same console on Togorians bridge. Dash interupted briefly.
"Sensors detect another Imperial vessel entering the system, one hundred thousand kilometers away. Ten degress starboard-bow on an eight degree plane with us."
I already felt that coming... it's a small one... "Class of ship?"
"Correllian Corvette, standard configuration."
"Thank you, Ensign."
Myn returned his attention to the viewscreen. "I assume you noticed the same?"
"It's small but it appears to be guarding their Interdictor, which will make a fighter attack on her much more difficult."
A pair of X-Wings quietly flew past the main bridge. The primary reason for having the decending levels of the bridge was to allow for multiple viewscreens, including the one Myn was utlizing, to go above the viewports without taking up any additional space, this also meant the Captain could observe the battle and analyze anything his heart desired simultaneously. It might be tiny and dark, but I like this ship. "Might I ask why we have to wait for over half a day?"
"Not now, no. Squadron Leaders are to head over to the Bonica for a briefing at twenty-three hundred, this will address most of your questions. I was going to formally annouce it in..."
The sound of an officer quietly addressing after another klaxon resounged briefly required Togorian to focus on someone offscreen. Myn allowed his eyes to drift to the chronometer that was found on both sides of the main screen. Twelve hours from now... why are we under these contraints.
"That's Red Squad on the line, looks like its time to have the same conversation. You Jedi aren't nearly as patient as your reputation suggests."
So Snake is noticing this too...
"We just try to be safe that's all."
A small smile briefly swept across the experienced officers features. "Of course. Togorian out."
Merlin spoke up the moment the viewscreen returned to a magnified view of the stars and the Imperial ships drifting throughout them. "Captain, what's going on?"
"I don't know... we've been floating out here with nets around each other for ten hours now and neither side has taken any action. I don't see why we'd be waiting for so long..."
"Bad timing for the Fleet Admiral to be gone."
Donos turned his chair slowly to look directly at his XO. "Now don't short change Togorian, he's just as competent a leader as Blinkie is, but you're right, political affairs are not supposed to be our business and I don't understand how he can be expected to do his job with all these non-military assignments he keeps getting from above, but the Navy is only part of the Rebel Alliance. Not even the Fleet Admiral gets to be free from the demands the leaders of the rebellion make..." Once more a tremor crept through Myn's skin just as he finished speaking.
"Are you expecting this to be a combat briefing?"
"Probably Merl, but I doubt that's going to be it... Take the bridge for me it looks like I need to get ready to go for a little jog over to the Bonica."
"No problem Captain."
Once again Dash's bridge console emitted a short beat. "Another ship is incoming."
Small Frigate... "If that Lancer, or any other ship for that matter, causes any trouble, you gentlemen know what to do."
Dash stared at his captain with a slightly confused expression on his face. "Sir how did..."
Myn offered a short reply as he exited the bridge at the aft outlet. "I just made a lucky guess Dash, that's all."
Nebulon B Frigate Infinity: Officers Room
20:33
Ensign Gearhead leaned back in his chair in the secluded officers room. One of the luxuries Myn had made sure was available on the compressed warship was an isolated room for formal or informal gatherings of all Green Squadron officers. No matter how tightly packed this space-can gets we'll always have this room. Not big, but its never crowded here. Finally he allowed himself to slowly spring back towards the black reflective table that his friends sat around. "What do you guys think of all this?"
Merlin was the first to speak up. "It's going to end in a fight. Two fleets at a standoff and both of us are interdicting each other? Only one way for us to get what we want, and that means taking them out. They probably feel the same way."
Redstar, the man about to step up and take Dash's flight once his LOA was processed, and also the only non-officer allowed into the room was the next to offer his opinion. "If the end result is a fight why are we waiting so long? We had nearly 3:2 odds on the Imperials when they only had their main fleet, now with all of their support ships they are gaining the advantage on us."
"Settle down junior. For some reason we have to wait another ten hours for something to happen."
Redstar turned his head towards the new speaker. "You've got to admit Dash, this is tactically a bad situation, and it keeps getting worse. Near the end of our shift that Imperial Star Destroyer came in to - that's more than just support craft - all the little ships started adding up but now they have a distinct advantage over our capital ships too."
Merlin's comlink chirped to life at this moment. A partly distorted female voice came in over the comlink. "Lieutenant Commander, you asked to be informed of any changes in the current situation."
"That's right. More play mates I assume?"
"Over the last twenty minutes three more capital ships have arrived, one Alliance, two Imperial."
"Models?"
"The Strike Cruiser Specter has arrived for our forces, and for the Empire one Correllian Gunship and one Nebulon B Frigate have arrived."
"Thank you Ensign, please inform me of any more changes as soon as it's convenient. Merl out." Merlin thumbed the comlink attached to his lapel off. "Well gentlemen?"
What could be so important that we'd have to wait this long... we might all die if we don't act
"Well I think we all agree that we're not in favorable circumstances by waiting here. What do you think Gear?"
Why does the Fleet Admiral have to be caught up in the bureacracy at a time like this
"Gear?"
"Oh sorry Corran... just thinking to myself. I uh... I'm gonna hit the sack - we're just waiting here, but you never know when the Imperials might attack... I might as well get some sleep first."
Gearhead stood up after suppressing a yawn. Corran replied to his comments beside him. "You know I would do that too, but I know that the Imperials would attack just as soon as I got undressed and in the shower. I'm gonna stop showering - and even changing my clothes, the safety of this ship depends on it."
Gearhead snorted a short laugh as he waved and headed out the door. He walked silently to his small personal quarters. This is bad...
Calamari Cruiser Bonica: Conference Room
23:00
Myn sat around the large circular table in the flagships conference room. Around him sat every officer in the local fleet ranked Commander or higher. Togorian sat at the larger chair in his Admirals uniform.
"Well ladies and gentlemen, now that you're all here we can begin."
Now we get some answers.
"As you all know we've been trapped with an Imperial fleet in this sector due to the effects of the Interdictor-class cruisers in both of our fleets. We are holding us, and we are holding them. We were the first ones here to intercept the initial Imperial task force, but we were not counting on it having an Interdictor, and now we are in this little mess.
"The initial reason we set up this blockade, is because on some planet that doesn't even have a name, it is only identified as C-3493 in our database, our Fleet Admiral is missing. We currently have a detachment of nine Correllian Corvettes and the Cruiser Deviant out looking for him. An Imperial planet is behind us, and the Deviant task force was engaged, and destroyed a planetary garrison of fourty-eight TIEs. We set initally came in with only the Silent Storm and Bonica to try and protect this site, but Imperial re-enforcements started showing up, and I'm sure you can all guess why its led to this current state."
Snake took the oppurtunity to interject. "Why is Blinkie missing, sir? We were under the impression he was caught up in political affairs."
"He was. What happened to him? We don't know. The Imperial Interdictor was the first enemy ship to show up but immediately began moving away from us with a gravity well up so we couldn't reach it to destroy it. I assume the Interdictor is connected, as it was pretty bloody close. Anyways, that aside, Blinkie never made it to Commenor for the bureacratic garbage he was sent to deal with. His shuttle sent a hypercomm transmission indicating an abrupt exit out of hyperspace before it reached it's waypoint. We found a radiation trail to the planet suggesting the shuttle's engines ended up there, we're hoping the rest of the shuttle went with it. The eight X-Wings that flew ahead of his shuttle from Wolf Squadron made it the waypoint but the other eight fighters in his escort that were travelling with his shuttle have gone missing as well, which lends credit to the artificial gravity well theory."
"Why are we waiting here until oh-six-hundred then sir?"
"I was just about to get there. In about seven hours we're expecting three main things. One is a group of Escort-class Shuttles to rendezvous with us. They are carrying some modified ion pulse warheads that we plan on using to quickly knock out the Imperial Interdictors gravity well generators, so we can get a sneak attack on them using some advanced tactics I'll go into later. Two is that two frigates modified with special sensors are going to try and sneak through the this area to reach the searching party and they need an that interdiction field down by then. The third is that for the last twenty hours, Bonica has been running entirely on emergency power generators, our main reactor was hit by an ionic wave, presumably from an Empion Mine prematurely detonating, and has been barely able to sustain herself. Engineering estimates that we will have standard power restored in five hours. Silent Storm has had similar problems with her shield generators, and we can't afford to lose our Interdictor."
Myn leaned forward. "So that's the real reason why you couldn't catch that Interdictor, you couldn't power your engines enough to pursue."
Togorian nodded. "And if we had've reached her we'd be without our engine power to charge our turbolasers and shields. She probably had enough firepower to take us... in a slugging match."
Myn shivered at that thought. Interdictors were possibly the most useful starship in terms of mass destruction of the enemy, as they prevented any hostile ship from running away with hyperdrives, but at the same time they lacked the combat power to contest with almost every other capital ship design. If the most powerful ship in the rebel fleet could have fallen prey to such a lightly armed cruiser things truly were not going to be pretty.
A comlink voiced a short tone at Togorian indicating the bridge had a message for him. Togorian reached out to the table and activated the com system for the room.
A familiar male voice came across drenched with static. "Admiral we've got some bad news."
"Go ahead Squires."
Myn briefly glanced around the room and noticed that indeed, his longtime friend Squires was not present, obviously the Commodore was manning the bridge of the Bonica. Myn returned his attention to Squires' reply. "We lost power to the magcon field in the hangar two briefly. This in itself wasn't much of a problem, but the pressure change was too much for some of the equipment and when the hangar repressurized a nasty fire broke out - the secondary hangar is unusable at this time."
"Any more news for us at this time."
"Not really, only new arrival is an Imperial Dreadnaught, however it is currently moving away from the rest of the Imperial Fleet and is currently two-hundred-thousand klicks, ventral side."
"Keep an eye on it. I'll be on the bridge shortly."
"Aye sir, Squires out."
Togorian briefly locked eyes with each of the officers around the table. "Well... It looks like this is going to have to be short. I'll arrange for quarters for each of you just in case you'll have to stay for a while." Togorian stood up, and grasped a data pad and thumbed a few keys on it. He moved towards the main holograph generator which promptly activated and displayed the current ship formations in the sector. "I've just sent individual squadron assignments to your respective datapads. You can review them on your own time and brief your pilots when the time comes.
"Our general strategy is as follows. Upon entering a reverse-deep-star formation with our capital ships and dispersing all of our fighters in a screen, A-Wings from Red Squadron will be loaded with our modified ion pulse warheads and make a mad dash for the Interdictor. It should lose its gravity well generator fairly quickly, assuming the modifications work. As soon as the gravitational field is down Bonica, Argent Star, and Infinity will enter hyperspace for a split second and immediately exit three hundred kilometers away from the Imperial fleet, we will be above them, relatively speaking. This will allow us to have a pincer attack oppurtunity, or force them to split their forces. It will also through off their bombers which will undoubtedly heading toward our fleet. We will then fight them the old fashioned way as B-Wings from Grey and Blue Squadrons assist in the starship attack. Red Squad will fly as escorts and support for Grey and Blue. All other groups are to primarily worry about fighter interception. Our capital ships will take care of any anti-fighter capital ships they have."
Lukesky, Myn's former executive officer, now the XO of Grey squadron spoke out. "Aren't we ignoring the possibility that the Imperials aren't going to take action first?"
"No we're not ignoring that possibility, but quite frankly, if they do, we're screwed. We'll resort to a fast all out offensive on their Interdictor Cruiser and fall back three light years and re-establish an Interdiction field."
Myn broke the short pause. "Why weren't we told the true status of the Bonica?"
The Fleet Admiral's Executive Officer returned to his chair. "We're Imperial transmissions, and they are monitoring ours. Though all of our transmissions are encrypted and scrambled we didn't want to take the chance on a transmission being decoded. Due to the general chaos surrounding our systems, we haven't been able to totally rely on our communication system, and that includes its security measures."
"Ah."
"If there are no more questions then I'm bringing this to a close." No hands were raised. "Very well, dismissed."
The officers began to slowly file out of the room, but there definately was a slight tension to the air that hadn't been there the moments before when everything was covered in mystery. It seems like a bunch of disasters have all cobbled together and formed some excuse for our current situation... I shouldn't bother asking why fate has dealt us this hand but still...
"You're in three-fourteen Myn."
Donos glanced up at the tall spokesperson. "Thanks Tog... I think I'm going straight there."
Calamari Cruiser Bonica
04:25
Myn exited his light sleep with a feeling of dread and hastily leaped out of the bed in his temporary room on the Bonica. Disaster is on its way. He immediately reached for the a comlink.
"Donos to Squires."
After a short reply Squire's voice came across the channel, sounding slightly groggy. "Squires here, what are you doing Myn?"
"What's the current status of the Imperial fleet?"
"I have no idea my shift ended over two hours ago."
"Oh... sorry Squires... I think you better get dressed though - something is wrong."
"We all know something is wrong Myn, however most of us aren't nocternal."
"They're going to attack us."
"...Well you're the authority on this matter so I'll take your word for it. I'll be on the bridge in five. Squires out."
He's only been developing his force sensitivity for a short time but still... he'll be feeling it shortly. Myn once again focused on his comlink."
"Donos to Snake."
Snake replied, his voice much more alert and there was substantial background noise. "Right here, Myn."
"Snake what's going on?"
"I don't know. But I've felt it too... I'm in a lift on its way to the bridge right now."
"Fill me in once you get there, I'm heading for the primary hangar. Donos out."
Myn deactivated the comlink and quickly dressed himself in the navy blue flight suit that displayed his membership in the Jedi Elite. The design was more comparable to the standard Jedi garments, but lacked the large cloak, allowing for both free movement and a certain agility that the normal, baggy, flightsuits could not offer.
Myn was on the lift down to the hangar when his comlink activated.
"Snake to Donos."
Myn reached to his cuff to activate the small comlink embedded into the lapel of his flight suit. "Donos here. What's up Snake?"
"The Imperial Fleet has entered a tighter formation and they are drifting towards us very slowly. A second enemy Interdictor entered the system about three minutes ago and is currently in formation with that Dreadnaught below us. That Dreadnaught is also getting pretty close, I might add."
"If they have two Interdictors this really adds to our troubles. We're going to have to devote another-"
Snake's voice cut into Myn's transmission. "We've got incoming fighters Myn. The Interdictor just launched a squad of Gunboats. The Dreadnaught is deploying TIE Interceptors and they look like their going to be screening the two ships. The other portion of the fleet has activated their engines and they are now approaching us at soon-to-be flank speed."
"What's the word on our fleet?"
"Tog is on his way to the bridge right now, Squirt just issued the order for all fighter squadrons to scramble."
"How about us?"
"Hold on..." There was the sound of a conversation in the background, but after a few seconds Squires voice was the one speaking. "Myn launch using one of our fighters. If you can't find a spare one use mine or Togorians. Snake same for you - if you boys take my ride I'll just borrow someone elses and join you two, I'm staying on the bridge for now though."
"Understood. May the Force be with you. Donos out."
Calamari Cruiser Bonica: Bridge
04:33
Togorian strode onto the bridge of the powerful battlecruiser. He wasted no time. "What is the current status of the main reactor?"
Squires moved out of the command chair and immediately to the ship pilots seat that he normally occupied. An Ensign made way for the incoming Commodore. "By the last report we got engineering can only get it going at sixty-five percent power. I've already ordered them to activate it, but because of the improvised design it's taking a while to get going up at the reported level. We've got our engines running now, but shields are only up at fifty percent, and we have no weapons ready yet."
Togorian sat down in the command chair. "Thank you, what is the status of the two fleets?"
"We're still in formation. Our fighters are launching and are currently setting up a screen, they are preparing for orders once they are all out. The main Imperial fleet is moving in on us with their fighters launched and in a defensive screen traveling with them. The two ships on our ventral side are making a mad dash to get back to the fleet, but their fighters are moving in on the Silent Storm. Silver Squad is preparing to intercept."
"Is our Valiant Squad ready?"
"Yes sir, they're in the main screen waiting for new orders."
"Thank you Commodore." Togorian turned in his chair to face the communications officer. "Comm, order Valiant group to assist Silver Squadron in protecting the Silent Storm."
"Yes, sir... Valiant group is underway."
Does it get any worse?
The communications officer spoke up once again. "Admiral, Silver Squadron reports they are engaging the TIE Interceptor escort. Silver Five and Six are making a run at the gunboats."
"On screen."
The main viewer came to life before the Admiral, displaying a series of exchanges of green and red laser fire in the background as Silver Squadron battled on against the TIE Interceptors in their upgraded T-65J X-Wings. Silver is outfighting those TIEs, but that doesn't matter, the Interceptors are killing time for those Gunboats.
I need to see those Gunboats. "Track Silver Five and Six."
"Aye, sir."
The focus of the main viewer shifted over to two lonely X-Wings pursuing the squadron of Imperial heavy fighters. The two fighters entered weapons range and opened fire with their concussion missile launchers. Three of the high speed warheads intersected on the rear gunboat and immediately incinerated it, it's shields proving useless against the massive destructive power of the warheads. A few seconds later the two Silver Squadron vessels began attacking with their lasers at maximum range. A second gunboat began absorbing the light into its rear shielding, but broke formation accompanied by two other gunboats. The X-Wings immediately broke off and prepared for the impending dogfight that would seperate themselves from the main group of gunboats.
Togorian turned to his communications officer briefly. "What's taking Valiant so long?"
"Valiant is moving straight for Silent Storm and will then move to intercept the gunboat group. They are approximately twenty seconds away from her."
"Tactical, how long until those gunboats enter torpedo range?"
Toad was standing at the tactics console dressed in civilian clothes. Must've run straight to the bridge from wherever he was. "Admiral, the lead gunboats have established a targeting lock already... the first wave of torpedoes are underway. Silent Storm is targeting the warheads with her concussion missile launchers... there are sixteen incoming in this wave."
"Comm, tell Valiant group to immediately start shooting down those warheads!"
Toad updated his report. "Sir, a second wave of warheads from the gunboats are underway, that makes thirty-two now."
Togorian paused to think for a short moment, then a rotten feeling entered his stomach. "What kind of warheads are those?"
"Luminosity suggests proton torpedoes, but they are leaving a trail of plasma - ionized gas, I'd guess an upgraded form of Ion Pulse warhead."
"Get Silent Storm on screen."
The image of the dagger-shaped vessel resolved itself on the main screen. A wall of needle-like torpedoes charging at the cruiser. Red tails from concussion missiles continued to flare in at the approaching warheads, and the red and blue explosion of burning oxygen and ionic blasts filled the void of space when the countermeasures met their target. The Bonica bucked a split second after each explosion.
"What's with the turbulence Squires?"
"I'm not sure sir..."
"Tactical?"
Toad looked up with a drained expression on his face. "Bursts of both electromagnetic and gravitational force are hitting our shields... they are being emitted from the destroyed Imperial warheads..."
If those are emitting the forces that are resonating with the metal this ship is made out of that means... Togorian slowly turned and locked his eyes on the main viewscreen again. Almost immediately after returning his view the main screen the first two waves of torpedoes hit their target. A blue dome encompasssed the Silent Storm as her shields activated to ward off the incoming blasts. White and Blue lightning played across the shield arcs, sparking massive electrical storms in the shields themselves that shot bolts of energy back in at the shield generators as the shields attempted to compensate for the massive increase in energy. Rolling clouds of plasma blazed off of the nearly opaque shielding sphere but through the distortion one could see lights flickering across the hull of the six-hundred meter cruiser as it attempted to maintain power. The sound of the very component molecules of the hull oscillating echoed through the halls of the Bonica.
Oh no... "Brace for impact!"
The shockwave from the massive detonation of the ion pulse warheads reached the Bonica and rocked the ship from bow to stern. Lights and control consoles dimmed and lit wildly as electromagnetic waves altered the current flowing through there components. After a few seconds of the thrashing it began to subside.
Togorian released his white-knuckled grip on the arms of his chair and turned to his communications officer yet again. "What is the status of the Silent Storm?"
After a short pause the comm officer replied. "Silent Storm reports a catastrophic failure in their gravity well generators..."
"They captured our shuttles with a second Interdictor and then attacked us with our own specialized warheads..."
Toad looked up with a confused look on his face. "Four Imperial ships have just entered hyperspace... do you think..."
Oh no don't tell me that they're doing this too...
"Sir, I have two Imperial Star Destroyers and two Nebulon B Frigates at two-hundred kilometers on the stern. They used our own plan against us..."
"Get a rear guard up immediately. We're going to turn around and challenge those ships, comm, get a hold of the Calamari Cruiser Trinity and inform the Rear Admiral he's to take command of the main force. Toad, who else can come with us to help block off this pincer before they crush us??"
"The modified Nebulon B Frigate Infinity is already in position. Green Squadron's A-Wings and B-Wings are awaiting your orders."
"Has Myn met up with them yet?"
"No sir, Captain Donos is currently flying in an independent wing pair with Commodore Snake, they are using Lancer Squadron's A-Wings."
"Get Lieutenant Commander Merlin on the line then."
The silence on the bridge lasted only a split second as the communications offer patched into Green Squadrons channel. Merlin was still giving out orders as they linked. "...flank with Flight Two. Merl here."
"This is Togorian, we're coming to join you. I hope you boys are feeling lucky."
If you are you'll be the only ones...
