Log:Resistance: The Good Nerf Herder
Resistance: The Good Nerf Herder
OOC Date: September 28, 2019
Location: Empty Space Chommell Sector
Participants: Ektor, Elrych Cometburn, Lofty, Merek, Nova Korell, Kare Kun, Zandra naMuriel, Tallissan Lintra, The Resistance
Minor distress calls were issued thousands of times a day throughout the galaxy. Not every call can be answered, especially not with the perpetually strained resources available to the Resistance. Thus, when Intel forwards orders for the alert fighters to escort the *Free Blazer* immediately in responding to one such distress call from a solitary civilian fightercraft, with the assurance they'd be briefed in hyperspace, curiosities might be piqued.
When the ad hoc task force was away, the holo terminals flickered to life, showing the miniaturized image of a uniformed Silver Astro. In her familiar stern manner, the Zeltron spy gets right to business. <<At nineteen hundred hours today, we monitored a distress call from a stranded ship naming itself 'Spark Seven'. Months ago, this was code for a Resistance agent in need of recovery. Unfortunately for our agent, that code was compromised by the Bounty Hunters Guild, and will quickly attract a hostile response. Recover the agent, refuel and recover the vessel, if possible. If you have any questions, ask them now.>> After an instant, she amends, <<*Relevant* questions only, Apollyon.>>
After the message is received, Kare is quick to her ship, moving through the bowels of the Valor. Her helmet is tugged on after she climbs into her ship and starts prelaunch check list and sequence. Rev is lifted into his seat behind her cockpit and he comes in clear over her commsys. "Check buddy I hear you. Run through checklist again and then we will get clearance to launch."
Once that is done she starts the engines. <"Black Four, No Joy, ready to launch."> She waits for clearance in then drops down off the pylon and enters space, starting in formation with the others towards their destination.
Merek is settled about the Free Blazer as a gunner, while he has his BB-C3 with him, black with golden details, moving to link into the computer on the tanker. "Alright, C3, I need you to keep watch on the shielding, if you're required," he says. Then he's speaking into the comlink, <<Blazer 3 on support.>> He then takes a moment to link his black flight suit with the targeting computer, "Alright."
Captain Lintra runs for the fighter pylons struggling with her flight suit. Fiver's head swiveling back and forth as he trundles on ahead of her whistling and beeping with irritation. "It's not like /you/ were asleep," she gripes back at him. Her helmet, strap looped around her elbow, bangs against her hip as they rattle up the steps too impatient to wait for the lift. Once released into space, her voice crackles over comms, <<Black Five, form up into regular formation, Astro doesn't call an emergency code for nothing. Be wary, be safe>>
Lofty the Talz is in hyperspace in the ugly utilitarian tanker ship. Being a master chief and with the navy lacking many of her warrant officers, and because of his experience flying transport ships, Lofty drew refueling duties. His co-pilot is a short Sullustan from one of the Sullust Resistance cells, Haoziiplirs Stebbs. "Lofty hope the escort is behind us." He checks the countdown to real-space while Stebbs chitters in Sullustanese.
Elrych Cometburn was already in his cockpit going over a few things with Eggsy when the call came through. The Jedi watches it thoughtfully before he closes the blast-shield of his cockpit and starts the launch cycle. "Twelve ready." Ge takes a deep breath and reaches out to the Force for guidance and focus.
This is new to Zan, but she thankfully wasn't far from her ship, so she didn't have to run too much. Or else she'd be panting hard, instead she sounds calm as she settles into her seat, precheck is done swiftly, ignition hit, and the A-wing launches. <<Black 10, launched and forming up.>> A little pause, though at least her question is only within her own cockpit and there's nobody there to hear it. "Regular formation? Wait, there's a regular formation? Oh, wait, that's what Captain Tallie was talking about!" She shakes her head, listening to the summary when it's given, and has no questions she can think of, but she does take a couple moments of quiet meditation - only a couple, as the A wing gets into position.
On board the /Free Blazer/ to inspect the security arrangements of such an important vessel, Nova Korell is in the adjunct to the bridge when the message comes through. She has to turn back from the door and take a better look at the image of the familiar agent. "Any possibility it's a bunch of BHG goons faking our code to draw in an even bigger payday?" she asks, frowning. After all, everybody who's been around Naboo space lately has to know the Resistance always answers distress calls, and lately that includes the First Order's murderous minions, hired and volunteer.
Ektor had just enough time to draw a breath for some inane response, before the Intel agent added her Ektor-excluding caveat. A dumb chuckle and, <<Fair, yeah?>> are his only responses.
Nova's inquiry draws a slow breath from the little blue image of Silver. <<There is that chance, Flight Officer. We have verified that the transmitting signal matches that of our agent's vessel, who was verified as free and on the move as recently as two days ago, so the chances that the signal is sincere are judged high enough to risk this response. The individual in question should be known to several of you; Flight Officer C'ai Threnalli, a survivor of Crait, so verify his identity upon arrival and disengage immediately if confirmation is not attained. May the Force be with you, all.>> Upon arrival at the designated coordinates- a stretch of vacant space, unmarked by any notable stellar phenomena- the team finds a solitary Z-95 Headhunter, drifting idle in the void, showing significant hull damage. At least there is no *immediate* ambush prepared.
Kare settles into formation as the rest as she jumps with the rest. Once they come into normal space she takes a moment to scan the ship. "Rev get me a read out on what is ahead of us," she she helps to focus the scan but nothing really comes up, nothing beyond what they already know and the screen read out even fluctuates a little. "Great, that is another thing to look at when we get back." She says to Rev. They have a whole other checklist to make it would seem."
She keeps her ship in formation though, not breaking from the rest to get closer.
<<On standby,>> Merek says, while he takes a moment to scan the space about the Z-95 to see if there's anything important, waiting to see if he's required. He is content to open his canteen, shifting the mask away so he can take a drink of water, then it's placed back on while he preps.
<<Pass that info to my helm, Pink Witch>> Lintra's calm voice comes over comms. "Fiver, scan it and tell me what you see." The little droid pauses and sends an image of the Headhunter listing strangely. Under the image fuel readings are given as zero, hyper engines essentially redlined and a life form. "What the...oh. Abednedo but alive. <<Pink Witch be ready to jam if we have incoming. Free Blazer do you have anything to report? Will you be maneuvering to lock on the Headhunter? Over>>
ZOOM. The FREE BLAZER drops out of hyperspace. Lofty flips a switch with his claw and begins to angle a deflector shield, then points out something on the sensor screen to his Sullustan co-pilot Stebbs. "Headhunter, that our man." The FREE BLAZER is an ugly ship with the cockpit sandwiched between two large cylinders of starfighter fuel and a rotating sensor dish on top. It is only 45 meters long, so it is the size of a large freighter, but devoted solely to refueling starships in space. Stebbs chitters a hailing message in Sullustese, "Niwanyita? Niwanyita? Nituranito kahinda kanene," in an attempt to hail the Z-95 pilot.
Lofty keys in on the mic. "FREE BLAZER here, moving to intercept and dock, roger." Elrych Cometburn goes on overwatch patrol, letting his s-foils into attack position and charging up shields equally. He takes a bit from the engines to give them a bit of an extra zap. Eggsy puts on a smooth tune to cruise to as the others move in closer to inspect the dead craft.
Zandra takes a moment to connect Pink Witch, she does. But once she does, she grins, and her fingers hit the board to send the data her sensors are picking up to Tallie so she can see it. <<Roger, Sunshine, data is sending, and ready to jam if needed.>> She frowns as she looks over the data, considering what she can see. <<Auxiliary power only, I think.>> she murmurs, forgetting to stop talking on the comm, but then she catches herself, and goes quiet.
<Can confirm fuel status: Looks like it's been gassed out for at least 24 hours,> Nova coms. And, hearing the ship begin to maneuver, she heads for the belly airlock, pulling on her helmet as she goes. "Captain, I'm going to see about getting that pilot in here. He's been inside that thing for more than a day now; he can't be doing well." She cinches the helmet to the collar and attaches the faceplate. If she has to go EVA, well, she's willing to do that. FO3 or not, The Sergeant is on the job.
The stranded Headhunter responds to the tanker's hail, in a familiar (to those who have heard it before) Abdegado croak, <<Nien? No, that's not Nien. Still, glad to hear a friendly voice. Any familiar faces left out there?>> The tanker, A-wing, handful of X-wings, and a single S3 Y-wing have emerged from hyperspace safely, and a deft maneuver of the slugging *Free Blazer* places it in position to lock onto the battered old Headhunter. <<No lie,>> Ektor contributes over the comms, << I hear 'Pink Witch' and I think Silver. Not that she's a pilot. ...Also, nobody tell her I said that, yeah?>>
The scattered fighters cruising around the tanker and target all read further visitors to this little corner of empty space: first a little Broadstar ultra-light freighter. Then a Trilon Aggressor. And moments later, a YT-2400 and a big Doomtreader medium freighter.
As the other signatures show on screen and the target is currently being dealt with, Kare moves her fighter about to get a clearer look at what lies ahead of them. <<"Black Four here, we have four freighters all heavily armed. Not likely to be friendlies.">> She remarks to the rest of the squad as she then flips up her systems so that she's ready to engage, her S-Foils snapping open in readiness like some viper about to strike. <<"Black Four readying for contact. Waiting for hostile action.">>
Merek moves with the targeting computer to line up the cannons towards the ships coming in, then he begins to wait for word from the Black Squadron. BB-C3 begins to roll into one of the stations for repair if he's required.
<<Heads up, No Joy reports incoming. Roger that, No Joy - mark the Doomtreader out for the tractor beam they are carrying. I will be locking on them in preparation for any hostile action. The Trilon will most likely be going for Pink Witch and Black Squadron. Black Five over.>> She rolls out of formation to come in high on the Doomtreader, S-foils deployed.
"Lock us on Fiver so we can wave hello first."
Lofty's co-pilot Stebbs suddenly chitters, "Waru ithano ndungu!" Lofty has a poor ear for Sullustese but it translates into "four fat potatoes" on the sensor screen. Or four hostiles. The large Talz driving the FREE BLAZER keys into the comm and says to Nova Korell, "Hurry up, many hostile coming! Lock headhunter to hull!" He keeps the flight sticks steady to facilitate the headhunter's capture.
Elrych Cometburn gives a whistle all mg with the melody of the music he has playing over the comms for just a second. He pulls hard on the yoke and comes around to establish a missile lock on the Doomtreader following Tallie's example.
Zan's finger hovers over the computer pad, and then she takes a breath. <<Black 10, holding on jammers,>> she says first. <<And targeting on the aggressor.>> Because she heard tell that ship was going to come after her, so why not be ready to return the favour. If she can? She's sitting relaxed, remembering to breathe and trying to think. Though if this is a braindead idea or not, who knows? Certainly not Zan. "I'd say I have a bad feeling about this," she mutters to herself. "Except it's not clear enough to be a bad feeling. Also shouldn't they be hailing us if they're friendly?" A pause. "Yeah, I've got a bad feeling about this."
"And, cue the bounty hunters," Nova coms back to Lofty and the /Free Blazer/, her tone disgusted. Another trap. There are times she hates being half-right: Genuine signal, but a bunch of greedy vultures hiding just out of sight and waiting to pounce. As the old Z-95 locks to the hull, Nova seals the inner airlock and slips out through the outer, snapping a tether line to the inside of the hatch. She kicks herself towards the cockpit of the little ship, then pulls herself to a stop with the tether; just like rappelling, really!
She hand-signals to the Abed to open the canopy, offering a hand. "Come with me," she coms. "If those killers get too close, you need to be inside a thicker hull that has working weapons!"
Encrypted transmissions fly back and forth among the quartet of heavily armed civilian craft. Ca'i, the Abednedo pilot gives Nova a slow nod, fixes his breath mask and prepares to vent the atmosphere and evacuate the cockpit. The solitary Y-wing shifts shields to double front and glides into a position from where he can screen the crippled Headhunter and the spacewalking Nova. Clearing his throat, the Tionese rambles, "Genius, gimme an open comm. I'm gonna be all diplomatic and drek." With a skeptical warble, the droid complies. <<Uh. Hey. You guys in the freighters. Or girls, I don't judge. Anyway, no salvage to be had here, as you can see we are, uh.. rendering aid. So, thanks for your concern in showing up, and if you happen to be bounty hunter scum, you can uh.. piss off and get wrecked, yeah?>> A nod follows. "I think I did pretty good, yeah?"
Then the shooting starts.
Kare's ship is shot at two times over by two different targets and she hisses as she rocks and wheels her ship back and forth quickly, rolling to the side to evade. Every closer she screams and the cockpit chimes out with a confirmed lock. It calls her finger to tighten and she pulls hard upon it to dispactch two torpedoes towards the doomtreader. She scores both hits and nods to herself. <"Contact made. Target still up.">> That said she starts in for another run, moving out of the way for the other pilots around her.
Merek lines up the computer targeting with the 2400, then he takes a shot, though doesn't manage to strike. It's not the kind of weapons which he is used to from the fighter craft, while he tries to adjust for it.
"Shush, Fiver," Lintra's grin is mirrored back in the cockpit screen as she listens to Ektor's strange version of diplomacy. It is wasted on the ships that he hails who impolitely open fire on the convoy of rescuers. No Joy was cued in on the Doomtreader, both she and Black Five locked on for potential hostility. Their predictions are unfortunately stellar. "Let's do it, Fiver." They roll, the targeting computer beeping louder as the brackets close in on their target. All torpedoes are released and as they pull up the ship's shields are pierced and it begins to crack apart on the port side of its round hull. <<Black Five, splash the Doomtreader.>>
Lofty is trying to glide the FREE BLAZER in space, in unison with the Z-95 Headhunter, while Nova reels the pilot or the ship to the tanker. And now shooting is happening. "Stebbs, you fly ship!" The large Talz takes his comm unit and lumbers to the second turret on the tanker and climbs inside, firing up the lasers and targeting computer. Stebbs chitters, "Haya, githii," over the internal comm.
Elrych Cometburn Elrych gets that familiar feeling and pushes his X-Wing into what could only be described as a very fast and violent continuous barrel roll, his engine exhaust leaving a twisting stream of red behind him. "Give me something more upbeat." He orders Eggsy, the shots from the Broadstar missing harmlessly in the wake of the seemingly inhuman maneuver. Hearing Tallie over the comms, he switches back to canons, levels out and pushes the engines as he come about. Retical finds its mark and revenge is taken as three of the quad linked canons of the t85 rock the Broadstar violently.
Zan takes a breath, fingers on the computer. <<Black 10, initiating jammer - kriff it, it's sticking, >> can be heard, as Zan runs into trouble with the jammer. She's keeping her ship sort of watching the trilon, more than anything, concentrating on flying and trying to figure out why the computer is flashing at her. "Just jam already," she grumbles. "I mean, c'mon, it's your job." Well, no droid to talk to, but at least the ship doesn't talk back.
The cockpit decompresses fine... pity the same can't be said for the guy Nova's rescuing. There must be some kind of air system flaw on Ca'i's suit; he falls unconscious almost the second the cockpit seal pops. Nova pulls herself into position above the cockpit and begins unlatching the harness holding Ca'i in his seat. She has it undone in moments. Gathering Ca'i against her body with one arm, she toggles the fighter's canopy and begins pulling herself back along the tether line. With only one arm to work with, it's a slow trip... and she's quite conscious of all the weapons fire not too far away.
Ektor has positioned his Y-wing well, fully screening the crippled Z95. "Arright, you Hutt-sucking drips, you want a shot, gotta go through me- hey. Heyheyhey!" The tractor beam that hand intended to lock onto Ca'i's ship snares the Y-wing, instead, drawing the light bomber ominously toward its hold. "Okay, so- MAYBE I didn't think this through too good-" but the volleys of proton torpedoes from the lead X-wings smash through the Doomtreader's shields and hull, striking a mortal blow and freeing the team's lead negotiator. "Never mind! Plan worked perfectly.." Veering into a strafing run on the largest remaining target, the hostile YT-2400, cannons flare to life.
Nova's instincts were apt, and her timing not a moment too soon, as the enemy Broadstar makes a run on the now exposed Headhunter, destroying the already damaged fighter in a flurry of triple lasers, blasting the wreckage violently loose of the tanker's mooring. An exclamation in Sullustan blares through the *Free Blazer*
Lofty settles into the light laser turret on the tanker and draws a bead on the Broadstar, which is firing on the Z-95 Headhunter in close proximity. The multi-level targeting computer blinks BRIGHT RED as the ship enters a firing grid. However, at the last moment, Stebbs is on the comm warning "Cucu umwe munene!" The rough translation is 'one big grandmother' suggesting an incoming missile lock. Lofty swings his turret toward the YT-2400 that is locking missiles on the rebel tanker, firing wild bursts. BRAP BRAP BRAP.
Merek lines up with the cannons upon the YT-2400 again, then he begins to fire on the ship with the lights of the lasers striking through space into the shields which brighten then shift, <<2400 to 80 percent upon shields,>> the comlink mentions, while he begins to charge the cannons as well.
Black Five flips into a tight turn to bring the Broadstar into its sights. Lasers streak red and green as they exchange volleys. The shields around Black Five flare green as she takes a hit. They pull out, shields down moderately. Give me a status Fiver on the rest of the squadron.
Zan continues to work at the computer, having trouble with the jammer for some reason. She's obviously locked herself out of the system - and is in the process of getting back in. But that does mean the stupid freighter is not being jammed. Which worries her. << Cannot get the jammer up>> she relays, letting her secure comm folks know she is trying, but there is nothing stopping the ... "I'm an idiot," she grouses.
Elrych Cometburn falls into a chase going after the broadstar, joined by Tallie. He keeps the persuite hot and lets a few misguided laser blasts slip harmlessly pass as the enemy ship out maneuvers him. "Now he decides to wake the krif up..."
Halfway between the hatch and the damaged Headhunter, Nova glances back just in time to see shots strike the fighter, demolishing the landing gear and sending it flipping end-over-end away from the tanker! Moments later the fuel cells cook off, reducing the ship to scrap.
Had she been just a few seconds slower... Nova shakes off the morose thought and keeps pulling herself up the line, the unconscious Ca'i held tightly against her. One long haul (literally) later, she's back inside the airlock with her precious burden. She slams a hand down on the AIRLOCK CYCLE button and gets on the com. "/Free Blazer/, package is secure! Repeat, package is secure, so please GET US THE HELL OUT OF HERE!"
A first concussion missile strikes the *Free Blazer*, dropping shields to 70 percent. Strafing runs and turret fire aren't doing enough damage to drive the heavily armed light freighter off target, as the fight gets uglier.
Merek looks to the targeting computer, while he takes another shot of the cannons towards the YT-2400, the shields shimmering while he speaks to his comlink, <<C3, check the shields,>> the droid beginning to work on repairs that bring the shields back up on full, then the gunner is speaking to the Fighter Wing, <<Shields back up to full, we are prepared for extraction, team.>>
A status report arrives announcing the agent being taken aboard after Nova's daring rescue. Lintra continues to exchange fire, a volley of four lasers taking down the YT-2400's shields further. "Tough old bird," she comments through gritted teeth as she is pushed back into her seat by the Gs of the tight turn they move into. <<We have our package Black Squadron, let's bug out of her.>>
Lofty fires at the YT-2400 but the shots go wide. Stebbs the Sullustan is already moving the ponderous tanker ship away from the fight, loading pre-calculated hyperjump coordinates for retreat into the computer. "Thiku njega, tigoi na wega," he says as a parting phrase. The ship's shields glow blue as it is rocked by missile hits, but nothing penetrates. "Kugoca Ngai!" the Sullustan says in praise of God, since the tanker is carrying over 300 tons of volatile fuel.
Elrych Cometburn continues to chase down the Broadstar as Tallie breaks off to help the free blazer and her gunners with the tough YT 2400. He nails the Broadstar hard leaving it without shields. He pulls off assuming he is sparing them and starts towards the yt 2400. He doesn't notice ektor blow up the Broadstar.
Zan is managing her piloting okay, keeping her ship from getting hit, but she's still fighting with the jammers, trying to follow those orders. She finally gets it, and there's an "Aha!" just as Tallie gives the order to retreat. The jammer comes on, at least to finally help protect the tanker as she retreats. Better late than never? Now then, what's left? Oh right, cover the retreat!
Inside the airlock, Nova waits for the ponderous mechanism to cycle. "Come /on/," she mutters. Artificial gravity kicks in, and she heaves the injured Ca'i up over her shoulder, so she can carry him into the ship proper... if that door ever opens! It finally does, and the combat lifesaver totes the agent into the tanker's ward room, setting him down on the deck and pulling out the medscanner from her medpac. Feeling the ship moving and hearing the Sullustan speech over the comlink, she sighs in relief. "Home we go..."
Ektor strafes his cannons across a pair of of the hostile gunships. Knowing full well that comms are being jammed, he drawls, "Say again, Sunshine? I didn't catch that last bit.. Just repeat if you didn't want me to finish that guy off, yeah? No? Okay, good talk." Boom goes the Broadstar.
In more practical goings-on, the *Free Blazer* has gained its jump vector, and spools up its hyperdrive. With missile lock disrupted, the hostile YT-2400 blind fires a concussion missile which streaks harmlessly past the big tanker. This looks to be one prize which will slip their grasp.
Merek keeps on the cannons while the weapons are firing, then he shifts back when they begin to enter hyperspace, while he speaks on comlink, <<Free Blazer's safe,>> he says, while he stands up with a shift to check on the targeting computer.
The comms drop just as she is going to congratulate Ektor on his hit. She makes a high sign in Zandra's and Ektor's general direction knowing she won't be seen or heard. Fiver blats and whistles at her as they are fired on and missed by the Trilon.
"Look, I knew the Hotheads were going to take a couple of last volleys. Glad she got us jammed, alright. You can fuss at him yourself when we get back. Me. No. We're alive, he and El-rock are good." She closes her foils out of attack position, a physical signal that Black Five is dropping out of combat and heading for the hyper. They change vector close behind the /Free Blazer/.
Lofty quickly shuts down the turret once they lurch into hyperspace, climbing down into the main fuselage of the rebel tanker. He peeks his head in to see Nova Korell and the fellow alien. "We get pilot?"
Elrych closes his s-foils and lets Eggsy plot a course. He switches his music back to something softer and more mellow before pulling back the hyperdrive lever and streaking off into the cold blue tunnel of hyperspace.
As the others all close their foils and break off, Zan follows quietly. She is still mad at herself, but it seems everything went okay, maybe. Hopefully? She takes a deep breath, concentrating quietly as her a-wing follows the others back into hyper and home to base.
"He's safe," Nova replies, glancing up. "Scanner says exhaustion, dehydration... nothing unusual for a man on the run after drifting in space in an unpowered fighter for a while. He should be fine after some water and a lot of rest. Some decent food wouldn't hurt, either."
