Earning your keep
Posts: 4025
  • Posted On: Apr 13 2007 10:43am
"Captain, congratulations on your promotion. But before you can command a real capital warship, we need to see that you are fit for a command. You will be evaluated in a two week cruise on the newly commissioned standard type combat frigate Envorious. These new ships are very basic, economical, and are meant for the kind of training duties that they will undertake. A full list of your ship's capabilites and loadout will be transferred to your quarters later. Any question on your command?" asked Lieutenant Commander Elbing. The commander was in charge of the local base facilites on Rachuk.

"No sir. What is my primary mission to be?" inquired the captain.

"We have recieved a report recently of a freighter being hijacked in a local system. While the Fuhrer just earlier today crushed a local and recently established pirate nest, we don't want to take any chances on any stray pirates still operating in the area. Your mission will be to escort a small convoy through the area, both on it's entry and exit vectors. This convoy consists of freighters ferrying arms, food packets, and munitions to the training academy here on Rachuk." explained the commander.

"Very good sir. When will this mission take effect?" the captain was eager to begin his assignment.

"The frigate is in orbit now. Once you have leaved here, you will be shuttled up to the Envorious. From there, depart to the system of Druckenwell, where the convoy will meet. The transit time is five days in one direction, with four days being spent loading up and unloading supplies. Are there any questions to your mission? If there are none, then you are dismissed with my wish of a safe mission." the Lieutenant-Commander came to his feet and offered a handshake to the captain.

Taking the handshake, the captain accepted the proferred hand, and followed up with a smart salute before departing the office.

*Training mission, day 7*

Having met the convoy in Druckenwell, two days had been spent loading up the supplies from Diamal in the core worlds. From there it was three days travel time to Rachuk. There were a total of four bulk freighters in the convoy. The four ships, each three hundred meters of length, carrying large containers with the valuable supplies, were ordered into a diamond formation, with the Envorious covering the middle of the diamond.

The convoy had come out of hyperspace near Rachuk when alarms began blaring on the bridge.

"Unknown contacts dropping out of hyperspace, in sector eleven. I count one capital-class ship, and four smaller contacts. Contacts are powering up shields and weapons." reported the sensors officer.

"Order the crew to battlestations. Get the crews to the fighters, and bring us in an approach vector between the pirates and the convoy. Order the ships to flee to hyperspace once an appropriate solution has been calculated." ordered the captain.

"Aye sir. The ships have now changed onto an intercept course. Contacts now identified from databanks. Hostile contact Sierra-One is a Loronar Belarus class medium cruiser. Hostile contacts Sierra-Two, three, and four are Krozny class gunships. Sierra-five is a gallofree medium transport." updated the sensors officer.

"Ion and Turbolaser cannons, target the Krozny class gunships. Missle launchers, prepare to fire heavy rockets against the Belarus cruiser, staggered salvoes of two apiece. Quad cannons, target the approaching medium transport. Aim for disabling shots. On a count of three, open fire. Three...two...one...commence firing." barely the words had left the captain's mouth before a blaze of firepower surged forwards from the ship.

One of the Krozny class gunships was blown apart by a turbolaser salvo, their crew caught by suprise. The others were more fortunate and began evasive manuevering. The Belarus cruiser shot down two of the heavy rockets fired at her, leaving two to slam into her shields, severly weakening them.

The medium transport, hoping to slip past, lost it's engines and bridge.

Moments later, the convoy entered hyperspace.

The pirates, angered by their comprised mission, seemed like they wanted to make the Imperials pay by perhaps capturing or at least destroying a meddling combat frigate.

"All weapons, focus fire on the Belarus cruiser. Again, use disabling shots. Launch all starfighters. Have the Defenders and TIE-2s go after the Krozny class gunships. Assault bombers are to finish off the Belarus cruiser." ordered the captain.

The Imperial warship was a blaze of firepower as her combined weaponry focused on precise points of the Belarus medium cruiser. The cruiser answered with it's own turbolaser and laser cannon salvoes, weakening the shields all along the frigate. But fortunatly their firepower wasn't concentrated. However, some of their firepower did break through to impact the hull. In this one on one duel, the Belarus would eventually come out the winner.

Fortunatly, the pirate cruiser was too focused on the frigate to notice the bombers until it was far too late. The medium cruiser's cannons swivled to target the fleeting bombers as they soared pass the cruiser. Moments later, the space bombs that they had released impacted on the cruiser's hull. With a mighty flash, they detonated, transforming a significant portion of the hull into shrapnel and scrap. The pirate cruiser lost power as the reactor shut down rather than risk overload.

Moments later, escape pods began pouring from it's hull.

One of the Krozny class gunships had managed to flee the scene with moderate damage. The other two were disabled or destroyed, although three TIE-2 fighters had been lost in the skirmish.

With the battle over, it was time to assess casualties and make a report.

*Debriefing of training mission, Day 15*

"Well, I've read over your report of the mission, including the battle. An enemy medium cruiser disabled, two gunships destroyed, and a enemy transport crippled. All in exchange for three TIE-2 fighters lost and about thirty onboard casualties. A very impressive engagment, captain. I'm proud to report to you that your first command is ready. You will be taking charge of a newly comission Raptor class Assault Cruiser." congratulated the Lieutenant-Commander.

"Thank you sir." replied the captain.

Soon he was on his way, and the frigate would be repair within a week and returned to service, training yet more crews for service in the The New Order.