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 Posted: Tue Dec 20, 2011 8:11 am
The Little Filly's alarms were shrieking throughout the ship as missiles and fighters blasted the battlegalleon's shields. The ship lurched and the various crewmembers running to their battle stations stumbled from the impacts.
"We've fallen into a trap! I knew we couldn't trust them!" Lieutenant Boulder yelled, as he steadied himself against a console.
Colton ignored his comment. "Quick, all ships come about! They've only launched fighters...we can still outrun their main fleet."
The frigate escorts were soon spraying lasers and launching missiles at the fighters. Explosions began to light up space around Colton's ships.
"How soon can we jump?!" Colton called down to Petty Officer Genndy.
"The FTL drives are still warming up!" she called back.
Something hit the ship and the girl braced herself for a moment.
"Our ships can't jump for another twenty minutes!
"There's no time! We need to counterattack!" Lieutenant Boulder growled.
"We won't be able to get our interceptors out. Bring all anti-fighter missiles online. At least we can swat a few down while we run."
"Damn it all....this is no way to start a voyage. I fell right into their trap!" Colton punched a bulkhead when nobody was looking. How could he have been so stupid?
When the Faulkner strike force had made a full turn, the ships tightened up in a formation that allowed them to pour out as much firepower at the enemy fighters as possible. The Little Filly was in the middle, her sidewinders and point defense lasers tracking the enemy. The frigates provided additional fire, making it difficult for the fighters to make passes through the formation.
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Posted: Tue Dec 20, 2011 10:05 am
"Sir, they've turned around and are returning fire."
"Keep in pursuit. They won't make it far."
"Sir," Lt. Gatros interrupted, "we're picking up signals from the scout. It may be contacting the rest of the Athenian fleet."
The Admiral rubbed his temples.
"Sir? Should we send someone to shoot it down?"
"He's not going to show up," Apasiokos muttered to himself. "It doesn't concern him. Keep all forces on the assault on Faulkner."
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Posted: Wed Dec 21, 2011 7:31 am
"We won't be able to outrun them. The fighters are slowing us down!" Lieutenant boulder cried.
"M'lord...there's an unidentified scout vessel in the system." one of the radar operators called up.
"Reinforcements? That may not be good for us." Boulder warned.
Colton didn't have many options. If they continued to flee until their FTLs warmed up, the Spartan fleet would catch up and the bigger ships would destroy them. for any hope of escape, the fighters needed to be dealt with, and swiftly. It was then that an idea popped into the young lord's head.
"Head into that planet's rings." he commanded, motioning to the large blue gas planet they had originally orbited.
"Is that wise? The dust, ice and rock chunks could be rough on us and the frigates." the OOD cautioned.
"Rough on us, but it will pulverize the Spartan fighters if they're foolish enough to follow us in there. If my knowledge of their warrior ethos is correct, they will. Do it."
Lieutenant Boulder gave the command and a new course. Faulkner's fleet made haste for the planet's rings with all possible speed, the Spartan fighters buzzing about them like an angry swarm of wasps.
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Posted: Wed Dec 21, 2011 10:26 am
"They're making for the planet's rings, Admiral," said the Chief Tactician, standing beside Apasiokos. "You know we can't possibly follow them. They're going to take a few hits, our fighters are going to be pulverized-."
The Chief of Security piped up from behind them both.
"We don't have a choice, sir. We've depleted most of our stores. The treasury is nearly empty-."
"What good are our efforts to feed our people if we're just going to get them killed-!"
"Stop talking. Just stop talking both of you!" the Admiral yelled.
The bridge fell silent again.
"Follow them. We'll do as much damage as we can. Slow them as much as possible until the Ares and the Leonidas can reach them."
The Chief Tactician didn't say a word to refute him, and just nodded instead.
"Yes, sir."
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Posted: Thu Dec 22, 2011 5:04 am
The Little Filly began the shudder repeatedly as it entered the planet's rings. The sound of dust and ice chunks bounced off the shields, putting stress on them. Colton hoped they would hold long enough before they started smashing into any external sensors or equipment.
"We won't be able to stay in here for long! They may attempt to trap us here!" Lieutenant Boulder cried.
"We only need to last until our FTLs warm up! Then we can escape them!" Colton insisted.
"Or so I hope."
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Posted: Sat Dec 24, 2011 10:01 am
The Spartans followed after them, and it would look to Colton as if they would all be pulverized before the Greeks could get at their ships, but as their fighters entered the planet's rings, thirty or so ships jumped into the system. To Colton, they might appear to be enemies, but Apasiokos knew otherwise.
"The Athenian fleet, sir."
The Admiral nodded.
"He must need something from them."
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Posted: Sat Dec 24, 2011 10:10 pm
When the other ships came on the Little Filly's radar, Petty Officer Genndy gave their location and course heading. However, with the planetary rings fogging up the sensors, nobody was able to determine if they were hostile or not.
"M'lord. More ships have just entered the system. Looks like more Greeks, but we cannot yet identify them as friend or foe."
Colton gritted his teeth.
"We must assume they're hostile. They may try to trap us. Go below the rings. We'll try and slingshot around the planet before they can intercept us."
"What if they manage to cut us off before then, m'lord?" the OOD asked.
"Then we'll try to blast our way through their fleet. Destroy any vessel that gets in our way." Colton replied coldly.
Lieutenant Boulder gulped. "But they have civilian..."
"Then warn them, Lieutenant. If they don't comply, then you know what to do. The Little Filly or the frigates will not be Greek prizes."
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