The Aftermath of my Second Rescue Mission
24 Sep 2021Aylin Ouyang
Well, I'm still alive and putting this down, so at least that ended well enough for me.Turns out, my guess was right: It was an explosion, and it was set off by the team. Not a moment after I finished the preparations for takeoff, Mr Vadamee came in on the comms, asking for the ship's readiness. Soon after, they all came through the cargo doors with an additional young woman. I later learned that this is one of Mr Vadamee's two daughters, and the targets of the "extraction mission."
I wonder what did the pirates ask for ransom, that he resorted to pulling a dangerous and probably very expensive rescue mission? Maybe the pirates know something I don't about Mr Vadamee.
With everyone on board, I managed to manually undock from the landing pad; the hangar bay doors opened, I'm guessing someone on the team had an override. I was a bag of nerves, and seeing what was going on beyond the outpost didn't help: The Imperial Cutter, piloted by Mr Miller had dropped in and was holding off a number of also newly arrived Federation Dropships. Why were they here? I wasted no time and put the Sidewinder to full throttle and engaged the boost.
A couple of them peeled off as they saw the Sidewinder approach. I was trying so hard to not scream. I heard something from Mr Miller about slowing down for me, but I was just fixated on trying to get the approach right. This was harder than that time in Whargis: Not only were we both moving, this time, there were hostile ships around us as well.
An indicator came on in the Sidewinder. I recognised it as weapons lock. I thought I was going to die there and then. A mix of emotions ran through me, and I think I froze for a bit as well.
Then I heard the voice of a young woman on the comms and the weapons lock indicator going off. Turns out Mr Vadamee's other daughter took their impounded ship and managed to shake the hostile ship or ships off my tail.
I could only sigh with relief as the Sidewinder enters the internal hangar. I think I was just a ball of overwrought emotions at that time. I remember focusing and gripping on the two tangible things nearest to me: the ship's HOTAS controls.
Mr Vadamee snapped me out of it; it wasn't over. I needed to get to the bridge and help Mr Miller while he and Pinpoint man the turrets.
Arriving on the bridge, I was struck frozen again, this time, it was out of sheer incredulity. I had never been on an Imperial ship before, and the mix of majestic and frivolous that is the bridge of an Imperial Cutter just left me dumbfounded.
It was Mr Miller's turn to snap me out of another daze. I really had to do better. I took the co-pilot's chair, and gazed at the controls. I didn't have a lot of time to orientate myself when the Federation Dropships come for another pass. The way the controls were laid out were so pretty, but they were not helpful in a combat situation!
I managed to spy some familiar markings and started to fiddle with them. Remembering my combat orientation session with the Pilots Federation, I did my best to optimise the power settings for weapons, shields and thrusters as best I could to the immediate situation. I think I did better this time.
I know I wrote many complaining words about that combat orientation session, but now... I am grateful for it. It certainly has saved my life at least once.
Everyone else on the bridge are at least seasoned combatants. Mr Miller is definitely a skilled pilot, and I could see Mr Vadamee being a very good shot. Pinpoint left me no doubt about this ability when I first saw him, so seeing him being such a crack shot was not a surprise too.
A voice shrieks out over the comms. It's Mr Vadamee's other daughter, on-board her ship, a Diamondback Explorer. I gasp as well when I see on the sensors what is attacking her: A Federal Corvette has joined the fray, and I failed to notice its arrival. Pinpoint orders a high wake out, and I begin plotting a route back to Cubeo while cursing myself for not noticing the Corvette sooner. I found myself cursing again as I struggled with the Cutter's unfamiliar and unnecessarily elegant controls.
Mr Miller uses the Cutter to screen the smaller ship from the Corvette, and it turns into a slugfest as the two large ships trade blows, and I'm left floundering with the power settings. However it seems that the Cutter has fairly strong shields, as the Covette eventually takes a beating and starts to retreat.
The next few moments are a surreal mix of clarity and muddledness.
I hear Mr. Miller call to form up and get ready to jump out-system.
I hear Mr Vadamee addressing his daughters affectionately.
I hear the FSD being charged.
I see a bright glow on the left of the ship.
It is the Diamondback Explorer exploding. I look to the side and see another wave of missiles hurtle past the expanding fireball and the Cutter.
I hear an anguished scream from Mr Vadamee.
Then the fireball winked out as witch space enveloped us.