Orbiting Clak'dor
"Come on Lieutenant, the ship is evacuated."
"I know, Captain. Even though we served on her for but a few days, I am quite saddened to leave this craft..."
"She was purchased for but one purpose Lieutenant, she is about to serve that duty now. Come, the shuttle awaits."
Planet Surface, Government Facility #21
"Preparation status?"
"Ready to go Sir, warm up time was a record ten minutes, twenty five seconds. I believe we can shave a few more seconds off, but not many more."
"Very well, we're already above and beyond the expected time allotment."
"Yes, Sir. Shall we begin the firing sequence?"
"At your leisure, Commander."
Orbiting Clak'dor
The shuttle drifted away from the Belarus-class Cruiser, now piloted only by a crew of droids. The Lieutenant watched in fascination, as the ship's engines ignited. Her bow turned toward the planet, and she accelerated to attack speed.
"Do you think it will be successful?" he asked with curiosity.
"Yes, just watch."
Planet Surface, Government Facility #21
Alarm claxons sounded, and red lights flashed as the crew of station #21 prepared for the first test firing of their child, their charge.
"Enemy ship is accelerating to an attack speed!" cried one man.
"We have a 130% hit chance Sir!" cried another.
"Weapon read!" said a third, and for a moment, all was still. Men waited with baited breath for the order they knew was coming.
"... ... Fire."
Orbiting Clak'dor
It was as if the cruiser had run into a massive brick wall. One moment it was traveling forward, the next, she was wallowing, her bow appearing as if it had been driven into the surf. The live uplink received from the computer aboard the cruiser was suddenly flooded with data, and monitors aboard the shuttle began to flash. Most of them were red.
"Direct hit Sir," said a navy man. "Square on the bow shields, estimated loss of 1452 SBD, hull integrity severely weakened."
Planet Surface, Government Facility #22
As station #21 completed the firing stage, and went into their reloading and re-position phase, station #22 took aim, and the word was spoken there as well.
"Fire."
Orbiting Clak'dor
This time, the effect was a little more spectacular. There was an explosion, and two of the many monitors in the shuttle went dead.
"Incredible," was all the Lieutenant could say.
"Sir, bow shields are gone, we have massive hull integrity damage, bow amour plaiting is buckling."
Planet Surface, Government Facility #21
"Fire."
Orbiting Clak'dor
One moment the ship was wallowing to the side, the droid crew desperately trying to right her, and the next... a fireball that quickly dissipated as the fuel ran out.
"Direct hit to the generator Sir."
"Well done crewman, make duplicate copies of the sensor data, following all procedure. Pilot, take us down to the planet."
Planet Surface, Government Facility #21
There was a quiet cheer, as the Belarus-class Cruiser detonated in a spectacular, if short-lived fireball. The system worked, exactly as it was meant to.
"Come on Lieutenant, the ship is evacuated."
"I know, Captain. Even though we served on her for but a few days, I am quite saddened to leave this craft..."
"She was purchased for but one purpose Lieutenant, she is about to serve that duty now. Come, the shuttle awaits."
Planet Surface, Government Facility #21
"Preparation status?"
"Ready to go Sir, warm up time was a record ten minutes, twenty five seconds. I believe we can shave a few more seconds off, but not many more."
"Very well, we're already above and beyond the expected time allotment."
"Yes, Sir. Shall we begin the firing sequence?"
"At your leisure, Commander."
Orbiting Clak'dor
The shuttle drifted away from the Belarus-class Cruiser, now piloted only by a crew of droids. The Lieutenant watched in fascination, as the ship's engines ignited. Her bow turned toward the planet, and she accelerated to attack speed.
"Do you think it will be successful?" he asked with curiosity.
"Yes, just watch."
Planet Surface, Government Facility #21
Alarm claxons sounded, and red lights flashed as the crew of station #21 prepared for the first test firing of their child, their charge.
"Enemy ship is accelerating to an attack speed!" cried one man.
"We have a 130% hit chance Sir!" cried another.
"Weapon read!" said a third, and for a moment, all was still. Men waited with baited breath for the order they knew was coming.
"... ... Fire."
Orbiting Clak'dor
It was as if the cruiser had run into a massive brick wall. One moment it was traveling forward, the next, she was wallowing, her bow appearing as if it had been driven into the surf. The live uplink received from the computer aboard the cruiser was suddenly flooded with data, and monitors aboard the shuttle began to flash. Most of them were red.
"Direct hit Sir," said a navy man. "Square on the bow shields, estimated loss of 1452 SBD, hull integrity severely weakened."
Planet Surface, Government Facility #22
As station #21 completed the firing stage, and went into their reloading and re-position phase, station #22 took aim, and the word was spoken there as well.
"Fire."
Orbiting Clak'dor
This time, the effect was a little more spectacular. There was an explosion, and two of the many monitors in the shuttle went dead.
"Incredible," was all the Lieutenant could say.
"Sir, bow shields are gone, we have massive hull integrity damage, bow amour plaiting is buckling."
Planet Surface, Government Facility #21
"Fire."
Orbiting Clak'dor
One moment the ship was wallowing to the side, the droid crew desperately trying to right her, and the next... a fireball that quickly dissipated as the fuel ran out.
"Direct hit to the generator Sir."
"Well done crewman, make duplicate copies of the sensor data, following all procedure. Pilot, take us down to the planet."
Planet Surface, Government Facility #21
There was a quiet cheer, as the Belarus-class Cruiser detonated in a spectacular, if short-lived fireball. The system worked, exactly as it was meant to.