Moments after revision to realspace the task force was performing a high-intensity short range scan of the area. The scanning equipment aboard the Vigil's was optimized to detect interlopers with great speed, and it did just that. A holographic representation of the immediate area appeared almost immediately before MicCales' eyes. Two craft were moving, a Nebulon class frigate, and a small shuttle. Three other ships were present, but the sensors read their engines and weapons systems as powered down.

"Unidentified vessels," said MicCales into his com. "With the authority invested in me by the Anthos Sector Authority, you are ordered to power down engines, shields, and weapons and prepare for boarding." Turning to address the man at the sensor console, he asked whom the targeted craft responded as. "IFF transponders are not functioning on their ships," was the reply.

"Corral them," said MicCales.

The task force had not slowed upon exiting hyperspace, and they required only a slight adjustment to their course to align themselves on an intercept vector. With a top speed of more than twice of what the Nebulon could do, the task force began to close upon the enemy quickly. Two wings of ten E-Wing fighters each sped ahead, closing even more rapidly.

"Sir, we have a hyperspace revision on the far edge of the field. It appears we caught someone else, multiple contacts ... a convoy of some kind."

"Send them the message," ordered MicCales curtly. Long ago the ASA had come to the conclusion that it would be best to come up with a static text message they could send to any civilians who might be in the area when a takedown was performed. The message they had come up with was pretty generic, simply giving the credentials of the captain in charge, and a brief note explaining who they were and what they were doing. Namely that they were members of the Anthos Sector Authority, and they were performing their duty in capturing the scum of the universe. After the ASA began to use the text message method with regularity, the amount of misunderstandings dropped significantly.

The enemy ships completed their turn, and began to speed up, no doubt hoping to outrun the enemy long enough to escape the interdiction field. Futile, considering that the interdiction generator was more than capable of running circles around their outdated craft.

"Weapons online sir, shields reaching full capacity. We have a missile lock on the Nebulon, coming into energy weapon range."

"Open fire with concussion missiles, and prepare the ION cannons. Target the aft shields, let's take out their engines," said MicCales. "Order fighter wing Alpha to target the Nebulon aft shields with their proton torpedoes as well, Beta wing is to disable the shuttle.

Tal stroked his chin as he watched the ASA task force persue the Nebulon. His part here was done, but there would be no sense in making an uninformed ASA ship captain jumpy by moving.
&nbsp &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp "Recording backed up and transmitted, sir," said his communications officer.
&nbsp &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp "Good. Have engineering prepare to warm up the engines, we should be leaving soon."

Bill frowned as the enemy ships fire on him.

"Fire all weapons. Continue the run to hyperspace. Transfer power from non essential power to aft shields. Lower protection elsewhere and transfer it to aft shields. Transfer energy from bow weapons to aft shields. How long until we are clear of the system?"

"About ten seconds."

"Excellent."

The Nebulon-B continued to run, it's aft shields heavily reinforced, and it's weapons firing on the E-wings following it.

MicCales nodded slightly as the fleeing Nebulon opened fire with its rear weapons emplacements. This prey was determined to get away. The monitor displayed a few detonations as five concussion missiles found their way to the aft shields and exploded. The reading before him showed a drop in rear shield power, which was almost instantly recharged. They were reinforcing the rear shields heavily.

"We have a targeting lock for all weapons, Sir," reported the officer at the weapons consol.

"Open fire," replied McCales curtly.

Laser light lanced out from the bow of his Vigil, and moments later, the other five joined in. The Guild-class Cruiser soon chimed in with its bow weapons as well. Vibrations reverberated throughout his ship as the heavy weapons spoke out, lancing death to their target.

"Enemy rear shields holding in integrity, strength is dropping slowly," was the general report.

"Arm the proton torpedoes," said McCales, and order Beta-flight to begin harassing the bow of the ship with missiles. Force them to divert energy to protect their bow.

Beta-flight diverted from their attack on the rear of the ship, speeding away to prepare for a run on the bow.

"Order all ships to match speed with the Nebulon," ordered McCales. "Maintain distance and fire."


Alpha Wing

They moved in a blissfully coordinated motion that one was only able to achieve via experience. All the members of both Alpha and Beta flights were experienced pilots, and for the last year they had been working at the art of the non-lethal takedown. Lasers lanced from their rapid-fire cannons, eating away the shields for their target with an increasing rapidity. They flew in pairs, arrayed so that laser fire was always focused upon the enemy.

The tactic was succeeding with marvelous results. But then, it always worked.

"Aft shields down," came the cry through the static channel they communicated by.

"Go for the engines," said the leader, unnecessarily, as he triggered his cannons, scoring a run of hits across the glowing exhaust ports.



OOC: Nebulon rear shields down to 80% and falling. Rear shields on shuttle gone, engine exhaust integrity at 70%

The Nebulon-B2 Frigate shook as the torpedoes impacted on the ship.

"All guns, fire on that cruiser, the one that seems to be producing the gravity well."

"Yes sir."

"Keep the course plotted in, and prepare for Operation Safety."

"Yes sir."

Class A Thermal Detenators, keyed to be detonated by remote, a remote using radionics communications, a system that was not jammed by any standard jammer, or a jammer that was made to jam normal communications, were spread in side the ship by the crew members. The Nebulon-B2 Frigate fired it's weapons at the (Guild) cruiser.

"Transfer power from aft to front shields and make a turn to port. Transfer power back to front weapons. Accelerate at that (Guild) cruiser, on a collision course. I highly doubt we will have to worry about ramming them, they have enough speed to dodge us."

Power was immediately transferred, and the ship started to turn.

Meanwhile, the Sentinel Shuttles had split up. The enemy would be forced to split up as well, or suffer the consecenses of one of the Sentinels fring on their aft shields, and perhaps destroying some.

Damages:

Guild's Shields dropped to 90%.

Laser fire ripped through space, connecting with the bow of the Guild-class Cruiser.

"Order it to fall back!" called McCales, as he watched the bow armor plating was scored under the effects of the laser fire. The Guild-class cruiser throttled back, and fell behind the Vigil formation. Screened from fire, it hovered behind the racing sextuplet.

On the port side of the Nebulon a Vigil inched its way up, rotating in a spiral as its energy weapons pounded the port shields. Likewise, on the starboard side another Vigil was doing the same thing.

"They're attempting to turn, Sir,"

"Hold them tight!" said McCales.

Another Vigil crept to the top of the Nebulon, hammering at the topside shields, while simultaneously another maneuvered its way to the bottom, its lasers focusing on the bottom shield systems. In effect, the Nebulon was being boxed in.

The two remaining Vigil's stayed in back, missiles streaking out on every few seconds, lasers continuously hammering forward. Moments after the energy drop in the rear shields was detected all the weapon emplacements on the Vigil's that had a clear shot opened fire, ION cannons, turbolasers, anti-starfighter lasers, concussion missile tubes, and proton torpedo tubes.

Beta flight, now freed from having to harass the Nebulon, joined Alpha flight in corralling the shuttles. Using the same tactic that their sibling flight was on the second shuttle, they began to eat away at the shields there too.

"Open a channel," said McCales. "Nebulon, you are hereby ordered to stand down and surrender by the Anthos Sector Authority, power down your weapons and prepare to be boarded.


OOC: The guild-class cruiser doesn't have shields when grav-wells are engaged. 70% penetration on bow hull.

Nebulon, 80% shields on top, bottom, port and starboard, 50% on the rear. First shuttle, engine exhaust integrity at 40%, engines overheating due to exhaust port damage. Second shuttle, shield damage.

[edit: removed the phrase 'melting through the hull', as the Guild cruiser has a mandalorian Iron hull. Damage remains the same in the interest of fair play.]

The Nebulon-B2 Frigate continued to pound on the (Guild) cruiser.

"Sir, we have penetrated the hull."

"Excellent."

"Shields at 50 % on rear."

"Damm. Continue firing, we have to get that cruiser destroyed."

"Sir, the power reading show that the cruiser can not have the gravity well generator and the shields up at the same time."

"Why don't the power up shields, so that they can then survive?"

"I don't know sir. Perhaps it is crewed by droids that don't care if they live."

"Perhaps."

The ship continued to blast away at the (Guild) cruiser.

Damages:
More shields damage to Nebulon-B2 Frigate, and more hull damage on Guild.

"Boxed in, with no where to go, and they refuse to acknowledge," commented McCales. "How very foolhardy. Continue to fire all weapons."

Harassed from all sides but the front, the shield system on the Nebulon was failing rapidly. Forced to cope with an all out assault on in the rear, as well as a continuos hammering from all other sides, its rating was dropping rapidly. A pair of proton torpedos landed square in the center of the rear shields, and immediately four turbolasers and a pair of ION cannons focused on the weakened area and hammered it unmercifully. There was a crackle of electricity as some system shorted out from the ION cannons, and an arc of lightning worked its way up the side of the ship.

The Guild-cruiser continued to maneuver its way behind the two rear Vigil's, until it was completely out of the way of the Nebulon's aft weapons emplacements. Carbon scoring had peeled away the shadow paint on the hull, making it look to the naked eye like a shard of scrap was powering its way through space.

Alpha flight had finally succeeded in completely destroying the rear of the first shuttle, pitted burns decorated the once brilliant display of engine exhaust. The engines had shut down as a fail-safe, and the shuttle now floated dead.

The pilot for the shuttle Beta-flight was engaging was significantly better than the first, thus far he had succeeded in avoiding all but locked missiles. Eventually, however, he would fail. The odds were not stacked in his favor, today.


OOC: Guild-cruiser: 55% bow armor. Vigil's, receiving shield damage from Nebulon defensive systems.

Nebulon: Rear shields down to 20% Top, bottom, left, and right shields down to 60% First shuttle, engines disabled. Second shuttle, shields at 80%.

"Sir we've recieved a text message."

Captain Kalyla pondered the text of the AR transmission, his mind racing as a combat zone was building around him. A few stray lasers were even flying toward his contingent of ships, and the vunerable transports which were marshalling into a tight sphere.

"What action do we take Captain."

They could be bluffing- pirates have been known to hyjack vessel of planetary governments in their operations, though it seemed unlikely. Indecision began plauging the once eager captain's mind.

"L.. Launch the Azazel's- order the Imiamiah's to engage Vanish 2 systems." he paused.

He was preparing his forces for combat- but with whom?

"Transmssion from the Ghostmaster sir- asking for rules of engagment."

Captain Kalyla suddenly made a snap decision.

"Send out a general transmission, declaring the gravity wells must be lowered so they we can pass through the system."

Then, after a moment he added.

"Prepare targeting telemtry for ALL vessels."

"Yes sir."

The Nebulon-B2 Frigate was boxed in. Captain Freeman, who was currently commanding the Frigate while Admiral 'Bill' was out in one of the shuttles, was very pissed.

"Continue firing at that Guild. Even if we are boxed in that doesn't stop us from being able to destroy it."

"Yes sir."

"Prepare to reinforce the aft shields."

"With what power sir?"

"Power from all communications gear except the radionics communications. Transfer power from docking bay lights. Get all available trash and anything locked down in the bay into the bay, not secured to anything. Then shut off the docking bay and transfer power from life support to the docking bay and shut off power to the magnetic field holding the atmosphere in. All the trash and all that equipment will be sent out of the ship. Use the tractor beams to direct it at that Vigil. The trash and pieces of metal will collide with the shields on the Vigil, bringing them down in power somewhat. It isn't much, but it is all we can do."

"Yes sir."

"Once that is done transfer that unused power to the aft shields and also transfer power from the tractor beams."

"Yes sir."

The Nebulon-B2 Frigate shook as it sustained a major hit. Immediately the magnetic field was shut down, and the Vigil's shields were plumeted with trash, spare parts, pieces of metal and other things found on the ship.

"Sir, we are receiving a message. The Bothan ships are demanding that the gravity well generator is powered down and that they be let go on their way. They are also targeting everyone and launching fighters."

"Ignore them. Now transfer all the power."

"Power transfered to aft shields."

"Excellent. Now it is just a question of time. Will the we destroy the cruiser, or will they take down our shields?"

Damage:

Guild-35% hull
Vigil below Nebulon-B2-75% shields
Nebulon-B2 40% port, starboard, top, bottom, 25% aft(taking into cconsideration transfer of power and your damages to me)