Title of Marque Part 4
15 May 2024Vodan
Following on from Favors Part 3“Going for another pass Baines, they got nothing. Ok guys, form on me for another pass and target the anti-ship batteries this time” Sho commanded his wing.
The Anansi was stuck between two carriers and its fleet was heavily outgunned. The new Jade may be young, but she had bought this operation together and it looked like it was going to be a cakewalk.
Sho’s wing of Chieftains turned, formed a saw-tooth line on approach to the Anansi targeting turrets. The lead ships lasered the shields, and the follow-ups let fly precise strikes with their rail guns. Artfully gliding between retaliating fire, the wing caused explosions to blossom in their wake, signifying the death of yet more of the Anansi’s defenses.
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“Vodan, we’re getting the shit kicked out of us”
“Thade, I fuckin know. They are using a good plan, and I know it's a good plan coz, it’s my fuckin plan they're using” cried Vodan over the sound of arms pounding the Anansi’s armour.
“Twelve percent down on the anti-ship turrets sir” Called out the weapons officer.
“Keep the lasers on the ships, plasma on the carriers. I want the torpedo tubes locked and blocked. Save those fuckin anti-personal points. If I want to board her ship, you can bet the sneaky lil bitch is trying to board mine” he growled grasping the operations overview panel.
It looked bleak. There was a big green marker in the middle denoting the Anansi, with a few smaller green arrows buzzing around it like bees defending their hive. Two large red markers flanked the Anansi pounding it with broadsides, and each one fed swarms of red arrows to the battle field.
“Fifteen percent down on the anti-ship turrets captain. The attack wings are targeting them” shouted the weapons officer trying to be herd over the noise on the command deck.
The attack from Destinies Jester was very much like the plan Vodan had to attack them. So much like it, Voand had to know if there was a mole.
“Thade, do a deep check on anyone we took on during the Marque operation, including slaves in pods. I’d be reall..”
“Seventeen percent down on the anti...”
“Give me bad news ONCE MORE, and I’m taking these boots to your house to KICKFUCK YOUR MOM!” Shouted Vodan pointing an accusing finger at the weapons officer.
There was a pause in the hustle bustle of the room while the gravity of Vodan’s threat dissipated.
“Kick-fuck his mom?” Asked Thade quietly.
“Well, I’m stressed. Look, get those checks done, ok? The bitch is making me paranoid. Right now, I need to talk to the other captains”
Grabbing a coms unit, Vodan contacted the Ophois, the carrier that was supposed to be supporting Vodan against Destinies Jester, and the Löwe.
“How's that jump solution coming captain?” asked Vodan trying to keep the desperation out of his voice.
The cool calm voice of the Ophois captain was as annoying as his ‘I’m better than you’ face. “We’ve trimmed it down to seven minutes, but the interdiction cordon has pushed that to seventeen. We may trim that to ten but destroying that interdiction field should be your priority”
“Ya think? Thanks for the hot take. Keep working on it. We need you” switching channels, Vodan called the Nila, and its impressive captain.
“What's the news of that back up fleet? We’re dying here”
“They have had to go round the planet to avoid interdiction. They should be there in minutes. How many? I do not know, but not many” he answered with his thick Indian accent.
“Eighty present anti-ship turrets still active sir” informed the weapon officer.
Vodan had to smile. The guy was doing his job and saving his mom from a bad time.
“Ok, new firing patterns. Protect our ships and dip the plasmas into the interdiction units. Just dip, I don't want them to think that's the primary target. Helm, charge the jump drive make it look like we are trying to run, heading for the planet. Maybe that’ll make her think we want the interdictions down so we can jump out”
Flicking the coms unit to his defending ships, Vodan gave them new orders too.
“All wings run. I want you to lead them away from the Anansi by taking pursuers to the other side of the enemy carriers. While ya passing, lay some shots into the Bridge. If your bogies brake off, tease them till they come back”
The gut shaking rumble of the Anansi’s mighty engines vibrated up the back of Vodan’s head as he watched the battle play out on the situation map. The Jester and Löwe had the upper hand, so they were taking their time. Not even the fighters and bombers were reacting to the change in tactics from the Anansi fleet. They were taking time to strategies before responding.
“Seventy-five percent A-S turrets active sir. They are using the lack of flight cover to their advantage”
Punching the guy wouldn’t change the facts. It wasn’t his fault, it was Vodan’s. Red fucking Jade had got the drop on him. It was like fighting a mirror. Every move he made, she countered. All he could do now was minimize damage and wait for backup.
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“That's three more turrets my side Rhino. How many did your wing get this pass?” ask Sho, wondering how his friend flying for the Löwe on this operation was doing.
“Fore. We’ll be taking out the tubes and AP defenses soon. This guy is as good as captured. Even if we don’t bring him in alive, the bounty for the crew of the Anansi dead, will keep us in party-time credits for months”
“Ok guy's great work! Keep it up and don’t fall for the baiting. Rely on your escort to keep you safe. And hay, don’t get too confident, cut the chatter, we are professionals you know?” interrupted captain Red Jade.
“Yes captain”
“Yes captain” answered Sho and Rhino together before turning for another pass.
The wash from the Anansi’s engines made Sho pull out further than he wanted, giving the Anansi weapon crews time to target his wing.
“Not too tight guys” ordered Sho “If they miss you, they may hit the guy behind”
The wing started another run, taking out turret's shields, then letting the rail gunners take out the turrets. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it was his thinking. A new Voice came over the wing's coms, singing the theme to a famous caped hero of old.
“Der derder derr. Derr derr derr, Super Kai!”
Looking at the coms panel to see who was claiming to have a big S on their chest, he missed the new returns on his scope until they were almost in weapons range.
"What the hell!!" He called leaning forward to see if he could find the incoming ships.
An irregular shaped bright sopt on the planet appeared to grow bigger. His wing was turning to make another pass on the Anansi, so the new ships had them bang to rights, side profile. Just as he realized he saw plasma bolts slowly making their way to his wing.
"Incoming fire, Nine.." yelled Sho. He didn't get to finish.
Mini purple stars sailed through his wing, some of them flowering on the shields of his wings ships. The second volly soon followed with the same result, but this time two of his ships took hits to the hull, and one of them exploded. Ships rushed past his wing so close he couldn't identify them. Craft after craft past by, so fast Sho's pilots didn't have time to react. His scope told him, he also lost another two ships from his wing as the newcomers hurtled off towards Destinies Jester.
"Who the fuck is using torps already?" asked Kaisla "They are for the carriers guys"
"Désolé, je ne parle pas anglais" answered Phresh
"Sorry" said another one of the pilots.
"Whatever, don't waist anymore" They weren't waisted. Taking the opportunity that had presented itself as Kai and Phresh approached the fight after cruising around the planet had cost the bad guys three ships. "We need them for the carriers"
"Form up guys. Keep it tight, so tight you could lean out and stroke the thing. Cracker wing, we're on the shields gens, and point defense. Penetrator wing, fuck um hard with the torps. Priority is the interdictor unit"
"We know our job Kai, let's go" said Phresh, suddenly understanding English again.
Five FDLs approached the bow of Destnies Jester using a boost to cut the anti ships turrets lock on time. Chaff glistening like confetti streaming behind the FDLs as laser lances cut through the black. Kaisla's wing did their best to avoid the powerful defenses, but their priority was taking out the point defense.
Five ships each armed with five plasma cannons spat hot destruction at the Jester. None of them missed because a carrier is a big target, but most of them landed shots where they should. Even dodging the turrets, Kaisla's wing cleared a path for the torpedo attack. Just like Sho's wing, the leaders took out the shields, and the follow-up attacks took out the target.
Phresh's wing did nothing. They didn't even have a laser for defence, they were loaded out as torpedo boats. They followed Kai's wing and dodged incoming fire until they were in range of the interdictor unit. Kai's wing was flying close to the Jester, but Phresh was literally skimming the surface.
He didn't pull up until he was ready to fire. Pointing his nose at what appeared to be a chunk of hull, Phresh dropped a torpedo. Keeping his nose on the same spot as he drifted by, he launched another as soon as the first detonated, and repeated the action three more times. Each pilot from his wing did the same until there was an explosion from inside the carrier.
"That's one interdictor down Kai. Still two ships with a full payload" reported Phresh, celebrating.
"Great" said Kai as she watched two wings of ships leave the Anansi, and converge on her and Phresh. "Now we just got to do that again without the element of surprise, and those guys on our ass"
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"One field down" called Vodan punching his arm rest. "Whats that done to the jump timer?"
The Ophois captain answered "That's about five minutes off. Still trying to do better" The Nila's captain joined in with some good news. "I can send back-up now. They still have to take a wide approach, but you will have their guns shortly, Hooder"
Vodan stood up, things were starting to turn around for him, and the excitement got into his knees, making him need to pace.
"Get me Mercy. I want to know she's got her people ready. And some fuckin support ships would be nice too"
Thade didn't want to tell him, now Vodan was chilling out, but he needed to know.
"Um, Marcy left her carrier bout a few hours before the attack started sir"
Vodan stopped dead and turned slowly "You. Fucking. What? Get me the Thunderchild. Now"