08123301 - SYSTEMS: WUTHAWCHU, PANCHUA - MISSION: DESTROY THE ENEMY BASE POWER GEN
08 Dec 2015Reisen Udongein Inaba
It soon became apparent to me that it was nearly impossible to do. My target was the power generator on the Bentham Point installation, Panchua, no problem I thought, it'll probably be a small outpost with the generator exposed. The idea was to take it offline, allowing the people I was working for an opportunity to get in with little confrontation. Far from it what I had envisioned.Upon arriving at my targets location, I was quickly made aware of the boundary from which my target would be notified of my trespass. The perimeter was huge, I couldn't simply make a flyby without taking some heat.... And a ground attack was out of the question without air support.
The heat, though, was the second point, having tested the boundary, and fired upon a turret, a volley of missiles are suddenly launched. I punch the ship into reverse (FAO) and hit the chaff, beam fire strips my shields, and together with the ensuing missile fire whilst I'm still in the perimeter, my hull integrity drops to 15%. That's it, its not possible, I'm out. But....I don't abandon the mission.
None of the outposts in the system cater for repairs, I neglect to check the other two settlements which would have pads, and punch it to a neighbouring system, Wuthawchu, and land at Gardner. Repaired and restocked, I reevaluate the situation. I only need to hit the generator, once that's deadly with, the settlement is defenceless bar a few guardians skimmers and that Goliath. I head back to Panchua.
My sensors are useless at picking up different installations, pretty much skimmers and turrets are the only thing I'd have a good lock on. For the generator, I'd have to fire without guidance, without the assistance of the gimbal systems. I had an idea though, the Diamondback Scout excels at disappearing from radar thanks to it's low heat signature, I took this into account and adjusted the systems accordingly. It meant turning the shields off, but anything for that little less footprint. I make a pass over, head steadily rising on the ship, but not a bat out of the enemy. Perfect. I locate the power plant and get myself out of range again.
My first run is a dud, I take a little heat having made my presence known with weapons fire and escalated heat as a result. The power plant appears to be protected from its south face, closest to the edge of the complex, I'd need to take it from the other direction, which would put me further into the danger zone. I skirt around the nearby mountain, keeping low, and position myself once more.
Silent running, shields down, 24 minutes to live, and I start my run, multiple hits on the generator, and that colourful, distorting explosion erupts from its location, I've done it, but I haven't relaxed yet, as I put pips to engines, and boost clear of enemy missile lock on range before allowing my ship to vent. A job well done, but perhaps it could have paid more than 112k CR.