The half-galaxy pursuit of Hudson lackeys. All hands: Clear to engage! -- Part II --
16 Jan 2016iModar
Continued from Part IThe squad I grouped with for the training exercise jumped to supercruise (hereafter referred to as SC) to help Cmdr Zartonis with the pursuit. Cmdr Urik joined in to my wing as a superior officer to take charge. Thank God. They managed to loop back around to Saunders's. The cavalry dropped in to defend our home. A fleet of 10 ships is ready to fight. The two attackers orbited The Dive to prevent us from firing and causing collateral damage. They were smart. Drunk demanded an explanation as to why they were here. No response.
The comms chimed up again:
DrunkRenegade: They have two minutes to either respond to our questions or leave peacefully. After time is up, go in for attack.
JeradT: They're just waiting outside the dock... They're going into formation!
DrunkRenegade: Keep them there. All units: If you're in a fast ship, transfer all power to shields and ram them if they attempt to enter the station again. Once a hit is registered, deploy chaff and boost away.
JeradT: They're heading out, evading our attempts to block them.
DracoChoji: Just have a Vulture, sir. I need back up with the ramming.
Zartonis: The two minutes are up, clear to engage. Clear to engage.
Me: [Python] Is turning back towards the station.
DracoChoji: He's jumping! [Anaconda] has high waked.
DrunkRenegade: Somebody get me a destination solution.
JeradT: [Anaconda] jumped to Julannsa
Zartonis: [Python] has resumed course away from The Dive. — Clear from no-fire zone.
Me: Moving in. Weapons are locked on. Opening fire. His shields are down. — He high waked. Possibly to the same system.
My Viper, the Venomous Strike has a limited jump range before I need to refuel. I consider transferring to my Cobra, The Scrub's Dream, but time is of the essence. Eight of the 10 ships in the fleet began pursuit, myself included.
Zartonis gives real-time tracking info on the systems they jump through: Wally Bei —Orishvanti — Borfor is their final destination.
Course plotting gives Venomous Strike 19 jumps to Borfor. After 3, I decide to turn back and transfer to The Scrub's Dream due to fuel concerns. Course plotting gives a much better estimate of 9 jumps for my Cobra's greater jump range. I'm slightly behind because of my delay in switching ships. During the fleet's chase, tensions and battle adrenaline lower. Much more relaxed chatter fills the comms. Mainly light-hearted banter to clear the tension and strategic planning to deal with the two attackers. Of the pursuing vessels, only 6 of the 8 arrive at Borfor. Two engage them while I'm still three jumps away. The Python retreats to their base station while the Anaconda fights against DarkPhoenix and Urik. The 'Conda manages to evade and escape, but soon they're back on him just as I drop out of SC with weapons ready to go and I begin firing. He escapes again, and we're unable to track him anymore, he probably engaged a stealth mode and didn't expect a third ship to drop in during the engagement.
Five of us, two in Anacondas, one in a Python, a stealth Diamondback Scout, and my Cobra waited outside of their station in case the other attacker leaves port. He never does. Eventually we stand down and begin to head back home. I grew tired and decided, only three jumps away from Wolf, to camp out in the Cobra for the night. I enter orbit around a planetoid and lie in my cot.
To be continued...?