The Vengance started engine and pulled away from the station. It was decided by all that even if the Defenders were the Navy just investigating the firing of Lutz's cannon, it was best that they not getcaught with their pants down. The cruiser was head toward a nearby nebula cloud.

That everyone would want to have little contact with the Liberty government wasn't a surprise. O'Connor said he bought the cruiser from the Navy, but what government gives away cloakable cruiser to a group to that could pontential be pirates. Quigley knew Lutz, Michael, and Arrigoni definitely want to lay low. He had seen their wanted notices over his neural net. They were all former Liberty navy/police officer, and all were disgraced and out of uniform. A lot like himself he reflected. The only difference was that Liberty didn't want him dead just nothing to do with him.

Feeling a bit depressed by the resurfacing of history, Quigley turned to his fighter. The tiny fighter was all he had. It was his home and faithful steed. He loved it but it was underpowered, he realized, in a fleet battle. He turned around and watched the Vengance's crew scurried to clear for action and finalize repairs. Danson, reinstated in the crew and wholefully relieved, surveyed the work.

Quigley: Danson, are you busy.

Danson: Yeah, what can I do? I hope you don't want the money because...

Quigley: I know a way you can make up for all the trouble you caused, and it's right up for alley.

Danson's face lit up, knowing that he could keep his money and all he had to do was do some simple favor.

Quigley: The Dream here is a could ship, but if I come up against any bigger than a gunboat, I'm in trouble. I want you to mod her to carry a torpedo.

Danson's face fell.

Danson: A torpedo! It can't be done! The structural stresses, the the... The damn laucher is bigger than the front fourth of the ship.

Quigley: That's all I ask. Either this, Mr. Wizard, or you can scrap together money you don't have.

Quigley left Danson standing there, mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water. Quigley wandered to the ship's bar and ordered a citrus fizzy. That snapper was still haunting him, and he hadn't had any of the ale because he was allergic to most spirits and liqour.

As he sipped the fizzy, Michael's name came to find. He'd heard it before, but where? Then history came crashing back to memory. Quigley jumped off the bar stool and tore out of the bar. He'd heard of Lutz before the wanted notices. His brother's last message to him before he died mentioned Lutz as fellow pilot in the program he worked on. He hadn't met anyone since he left West Point that had met his brother. His brother had died while being involved in some secret military project. Maybe, just maybe Michael knew about the convoy's destruction and his brother's death and could tell him how his brother's death had resulted in his wash-out.

Bob Hope

1903-2003

A great American, none more honored.

Edited by - jedierrant on 29-07-2003 00:21:03

They all felt it. the tremmor went through the ship as it accelerated to cruise speed. Michael, Lutz, and Arrigoni stood together, while they watched the ship engineers finnishing the last details on the interior.
That particle cannon did more damage than Lutz anticipated.
Michael looked at Lutz and thought of his little outburst back in the bar. That must be awfull, having to leave your wife behind like that. She must beleave him to be dead by now.
He made a prommise to himself to help him get his girl when the time came. The idea of heading straight into the heart of Liberty space, freaked him out a litle, but they were good friends back at Manhattan and Lutz had saved is ass more than once. He figured it's the least he could do.


Lutz: Ok guys, here's the deal. I know of a Pirate fighter wreck nearby that probably has one of the other two Particle cannons.
Now, there's a catch, a few actually.

Lutz lowered his foice to a near whisper

Lutz: First of all, I don't know if they (meaning Terranova and co.) know about this to, but there was a news report about two defenders that got into a fight with the navy. One of them could get away. The other one though, had a disabled system or something. They left it for dead.
My guess is that that were the stolen defenders. And that means, that one of them is still out there somewhere.

Michael: well, what are we waiting for then, lets go get it.

Lutz: I'm afraid it's not going to be that easy. We can never get of this cruiser undetected. And here comes the best part, it's somewhere in the Dark matter cloud north of planet New Harlem.

Arrigoni: Ohw man, that stuff is the worst there is. I'd rather fly into a heavy radiation field littered with mines , than a dark mater cloud.

Lutz: I know, but it's there somewhere and we need to get it before anyone else finds it.

Michael: So, what's the plan then?

Lutz: Terranova asked me to do him a favour to repay him the credits I...borrowed from him.

They all grinned. It was a bold move to piss of a guy like Terranova and actually get away with it.

Lutz: It's probably got something to do with the Pirates that got the other particle cannon. So it's gonna be dangerous. But as soon as we can, meaning when he thinks I repayed him, we scramm.

Michael: just like that?

Lutz: yes, as soon as we can, we get our arses into that Dark matter cloud. Their scanners won't detect us, so that should give us some time to search around.

Arrigoni: It's a big cloud, how do we know we find it.

Lutz: I don't know.
...he admitted

Lutz: but after all of this bad luck, I think fortune has to repay us.

Michael: I'd better be looking for a capable mechanic, then who can finally fix my scanner

Terranova: there are more then enough mechanics around who can help you Michael.

What the... How long has he been there, what did he here?

Michael: My god Terranova, You scared the bejesus out off me!

Terranova: bad consience? Hahaha, don't worry lad, I won't hurt you.
Terranova padded him on the shoulder, but it felt like a sledgehammer beat down on his shoulder. Michael stumbled.

Terranova: We're far enough away from the Navy patrol and Hunter now. Follow me, Long range scanners picked up a unknown base just in the southwest of this system, about 120K away. Fair chance it's the base we're looking for.

"Some scanners", Michael thought. Arrigoni must have figured the same, cause he raised an eyebrow.

Terranova: We're making up a battle plan, trying to figure out how to take that base.

Michael: Take it?

Terranova: Sure, you don't want to blow it up and risk the chance of destroying that weapon now do you?

Michael: No, ofcourse not
*thinks* Yes ofcourse you @ssh0le, I don't want anyone like you to get hold of it.

Terranova looked at him as if he new what Michael was thinking. He didn't like Terranova. He didn't like him at all.

He didn't say anything. Instead, he turned around and walked to the landing bay. Michael, Arrigoni and Lutz followed quitely.

Sh!t was going to get down, Michael figured, big time.
Attacking a base, was foolishness. But taking it, was absolutly suicide!
He definitively needed a bigger ship.

Edited by - Nickless on 28-07-2003 19:26:09

Edited by - Nickless on 28-07-2003 19:27:54

*Roger saw Quigley run past him with pretty high speed, but didn't stop him. Instead he went to see Danson about ship repairs*

O'Connor: How are the repairs going?
Danson: We got lifesupport back online and hull is been fixed, we have to buy somewhere a shield generator and thats epensive.
O'Connor: Well I found this second capactor that Froan made and you should be able to hook this up with shields. By the way waht are those guys doing with that fighter?
Danson: Erm... we are installing a torpedo launcher.
O'Connor: To that? It's nearly impossible, but if you think you can pull this off be my guest.
Dason: Remeber when we stole Vengance? Well they decleared this ship to be destroyed too. Waht about pirates they might of stole the other one?
O'Connor: Very unlikeley because why did they try to stel this ships plans. Allthough this ship has been heavily modified since then.
Danson: Yes, your right. I'll see what I can do about the capacator.
O'Connor: Don't you not even once miss being in the Navy? I mean you were in high-command this time.
Danson: No, revenge can change humans to something else, It already has changed me and i don't want to go back there again.

*Roger leaves and goes to bar to get something to drink, but notices that everyone lse are leaving... Usually he dosen't have this kind of effect before he is drunk. He grabs a glass of water and follows the rest of the gang.*

*When he found out a plan about taking a base, he first stared laughing but realising that they were serious he'd told others that it'l be hard as hell, but doable*

O'Connor: Ok, only way to conquer the base is to distract base defence. Plan is as it follows: 2 fighter squads embark. 1 squad, designation Alpha will launch first and sneak other side of the base. Cruiser will jam their sensors and radars. Other squad designation Delta consists of heavyer fighters and will start an all out frontal attack on my command. Cruiser will then come into range and start disabling turrets. Alpha will mainly take care of fighters while Delta will attack turrets. Rest will be just making a hole in the hangar door and getting in and the hole part can some of us do very well (looking at Michael). Well gentlemen choose your squad and lets move out. I'll go with Alpha, but Echo 2 and 3 will help out Delta squad. If you don't like the plan then tink of something better.

----------------------------------------
Knight who wears White
www.thestuffnetworks.com
/ Demi God / Officiall Spammer
Edited by - White Knight on 28-07-2003 19:48:27

"Yeah right O'Connor", that was what Terranova was thinking as O'Connor was speaking. You distract them, I go in: wham blam thank you ma'am, I grab the weapon and dissapear. But he had to keep up the apperance of being a good guy.

Terranova: Sir, Excellent plan Sir! I'd like to have Lutz on my team, Sir! We will enter the base as soon as the defenses are down, Sir! Do I have your aprroval?

O'Connor: You sure have! You are Delta squad, the rest is Alpha. Now, time to get some R&R. Last briefing before attack: tomorrow at 1200 hours! Dismissed crew!

Psawhn (Thinking Man, how did I get myself into this? One moment I'm bored, looking out at stars... next thing I know is I'm part of an assault on a pirate base, launching off an independent cruiser.

*That particle cannon was something, though. Psawhn had only heard rumours of them being in existance. Anyway, upgrade their armour? That would only increase their resistance by, what, 15%? I'm sorry, but I'd rather take the slight speed advantage I get without armour, because if that hits my hull, I'm gone no matter how much armour I have.

*As he started thinking about maneuverability, however, he wondered about the Drake that was chasing Danson. Ever since the Vengeance showed up, he seemed to have disappeared.

*Shrugging off the thought, he returned to planning for the battle ahead. He made arrangements with the mechanic to fill up on shield batteries, replacing nanobots if he had to. It didn't matter that these pirates might not have a working particle cannon - he didn't want his shields to be down for even a second during the fight to come.*

--------------------------------
Why make your own mistakes when someone else has already made them for you?
-Learn from the skeletons floating in the piranha pool: NO SWIMMING!

Michael was one of the first to enter the bar. They were really gonna do it. And worse, he was gonna be part of it! O'Connor didn't say it with a lot of words, but that look said enough. He had to go into that base.
Not that he was a coward, he'd fight the toughest, as long as it made any sense, or chance.
And Terranova. Why did he want Lutz on his team so badly. Probably to keep an eye on him. Makes you wonder if he might actually have read Michaels mind back in the bay.
He was sure to watch Lutz's back through out the mission and he promised himself again to keep a good look out for Terranova. At least Terranova and Lutz were on the same team as Michael.

Arrigoni came standing next to him.

Arrigoni: Bothered about the mission mate?

Michael got used to being called mate, pal and friend by everyone he did and did not know, or didn't want to know. But something in the way Arrigoni said it, made him feel better about himself.
He started to feel stupid for the things he said earlier at New Harlem.

Michael: Yeah, a bit. Terranova worries me more. He's after that third gun y'know. I can feel it. And I'm sure he knows that I know. It's the way he looks at me.

Arrigoni: Oh, c'mon. Lighten up Michael.

Michael: No, I'm certain. And he's after Lutz aswell.

Arrigoni: Now you're realy talking rubbish there mate. Look at them, (Arrigoni pointed at the bar where Lutz and Terranova had a drink together) They're practicaly friends allready. Come on, lets join 'em, I could use a good drink.

Michael: Yeah...

But he still didn't..."Ahh, Lighten up!" he said to himmself. "I'm thirsty aswell".

Michael and Arrigoni sat down next to Lutz and ordered their drinks.

Terranova: So Michael, you're up for this? You're looking a bit pale there friend.

Michael: I'll be allright, thank you.

That came out nastier than he wanted to. Michael wanted to hide the feelings he had against Terranova, after all, he still needed to fly a mission with him.
On the other hand, he wasn't really sure if he, or anyone else here, could hide anything from him.
At least the beer tasted good on this pile of rust. And as he enjoyed his drink, he finaly calmed down a bit.

Michael: Guys, I gotta check my scanner. It's been busted ever since I entered the New Harlem system. See you later.

*Michael wonders off to the repair bay*

Mech: Hi there hero, checking up on your ship?

Michael: Hero? Not without my scanner mate.

Mate? oh man, it must be contaigus.

Mech: busted scanner ay? let me see.

The mechanic fumbled a bit with the scanner.

Mech: Tippicaly a crosswire problem friend, who ever mounted this one should be discharged. I'll fix it for you and since you're kinda part of the crew here, i'll cut you a nice deal. Just sit back, this will take only a few minutes.

*thinks* I'd better stuff up on my mines and bats/bots.

Michael: Before I forget, where can I get my H-fuel refilled?

Mech: At the refuel station ofcourse, where else?

Was he making fun of him? It looked like it, but when Michael turned around he saw a large fuelpump at the waal just behind him.

Mech: it's self service, just hook up your Pass.

Edited by - Nickless on 28-07-2003 22:27:28

The flight group gathered around the cruiser, the Vengance. New armour plating stood out a mile away, clean and shining against the old matt black of the original plates. Space dust and debris would quickly discolour it though, it was unavoidable on a ship that size. Punishment on board a cruiser was often deck cleaning, and they didn’t mean the deck you walked on inside…
The idea of the second lighter armour was a good one should they run into the other Defender-xs if it was fully armed. Whilst it wouldn’t stop the initial blast at all it would remarkable help reduce a spread of the molten metal. The fact that it was partially mesh, thus reducing surface area would greatly assist. In theory it was similar to a twin hull, and a less dense armour meant that it would take longer for the particle beam to have as good as an effect. Lutz was praying that the second Defender-xs wasn’t armed though. He still only had 10 batts, and he’d need them all, because if his shields droped it'd be game over...
Drifting into formation he fell in behind the Vengance, Terranova at his side, Michael just in front. The idea was that all the fighters at the front of the battle group, Wings Echo and Alpha, would engage any fighters in the area, leaving Lutz, Terranova and Michael to fly straight through to attack the main doors of the base. The flight group flanking the Vengance, Delta Wing, would distract the base turrets and Arrigoni was stationed directly below the cruiser, flying upside down so that the hull of The Camel and the hull of the Vengance protected each other partially. That Dromedary of Arrigonis had a lot of turrets that would be handy, and although he’d not spotted it Lutz was sure there was a torpedo launcher on it somewhere. He’d spotted Arrigoni eyeing up a couple of torps on Hunter base, a bit of an oddity for someone supposedly without a torpedo launcher.
The formation moved swiftly from trade lane to trade lane, the flanking fighters pushing forward, as the Vengance barely fit. On his scanners he could see the odd ship outside of the trade lane. All flashed up red, but the trade lane was never disrupted. No wise man disrupts a flight group with a cruiser like that in it.
New Harlem was suddenly looming before them, the docking ring open and ships were flying out both ways. It must be a busy time of year thought Lutz to himself.
O’Connor: “OK, this is where we ride all the way in. Cruise engines only, keep in formation. I’m plotting a way point on your neural nets. The base is located on the “dark side” of New Harlem. We’ll be cruising round the planet and go forward. There’s a low density asteroid field there, nothing much, but it’ll cause the Vengance and The Camel a few probs. If you see an asteroid heading our way please don’t be shy with the guns. I'll be joining the fray when we arrive. O’Connor out.”
The ships regained formation, the cruise engines of almost a dozen ships fired up and the battle fleet moved out. Lutz gazed out across the void to his left, seeing the odd ship that was Terranova’s. He liked that man. He didn’t trust him. Hell knows, he trusted virtually no-one. But he had style and charm. He would be an interesting partner that’s for sure. The asteroids were clear now, coming up fast. As the main ship of the fleet the Vengance dropped her a engines, and all the other ships did like wise, all falling in perfect synch with the Liberty cruiser. Ahead was a huge asteroid that had been partially terraformed into a base. It loomed before them and fighters were pouring out of it. The two wings of ships at the front of the Vengance streamed ahead, the wing at the side tore off to by pass the main group and aimed for the base.
Terranova: “OK guys! Lutz, Michael… lets roll!”
Michaels Falcon blasted along side the two of them, swinging to the left of the Liberty cruiser, whilst Terranova’s ship went above, and Lutz channelled his Defender-xs below, flying between the Vengance and The Camel. As they flew past the front the rejoined, Michael in the middle, getting ready to knock on the front door so to speak. All around them explosions were rife. According to the current results 4 pirate ships had already been taken down, and none of the “allies” ships were down at all. But there was a lot, and a large group had cruised in way over to starboard. Delta fighter wing had made it to the base and had started the assault. Two of the main cannons were damaged when Delta 1 shouted over the comms:
Delta 1: “The main hanger has got a shield over it! A big one as well! We’ll see what we can do.”
Terranova: “Damn it! How’s Michaels Falcon gonna get through that? He needs to smash down the doors!”
Delta 1: “We think we can do it, but it’s designed to be mobile, so it’s a lot stronger than you’d think! I’m not sure it can be taken down!”
Terranova: “Lutz, would your trick work, twin missiles, punch a small hole?”
Lutz: “Not if he’s suggesting it’s as powerful as a planetside shield. However if we overload the generator, hit it as hard as possible from as many sides as possible we’re in with a chance.”
Terranova: “This is Terranova, I’m taking command of Delta wing. All fighters break off, split off and pick your own side of the shield. All ships fire on my mark. Hit it with everything you have.”
Fighters flew in a complex myriad of shapes as they broke off, and spun back around to face the shield. Behind them the Vengance and the other fighters were giving and receiving hell. It was all out war.Many acts of bravery went unseen. An Alpha ship was badly damaged, limping home to dock with the Vegance. A missile sreamed after it and he was out of flares. Radioing for help Echo 2 had rammed the missile with his ship, crippling his own shields. Three pirate ships, damaged beyond hop had kamakazied into the Vengance in an attempt to pierce the hull. Mercifully they didn't succeed. The mesh-like light armour was flexiable, and robbed the suicide ships of much of their speed before they crashed into the hull. The Vengance was still taking a beating though.
Back near the base all fighers reported in ready to Terranova.
Terranova: “OK, go to max, and at 700 metres let them rip!”
5 ships jumped forward, the 3 ships of Delta wing on the edges, Terranova in the centre and Michael on starboard. Lutz flew just below and behind Terranova, the particle cannon charging. At 800 all hell broke loose. Cannons of all types opened up, colours of the rainbow slammed home into the shield, and at least 7 missiles impacted upon it, before an explosion within erupted like a blooming flower. The shield generator was down. Aside from Terranova and Lutz though the other ships were badly out of position.
Lutz: “Hold on to your seats…” Lutz fired the particle cannon, full power at the doors of the base. The sheet buckled and sheared under the pressure. Enitre chunks of metal fell away into space. A massive molten hole appeared in the centre as the 5 metre thick tungsten blew away into space, the extreme pressures of air at work. The beam poured on and on, the hole was enormous now and all around the edges the very rock that it set into was boiling like lava. The beam was tearing into the inside, ripping up the cannons and buildings placed behind the entrance
Michael: "You were only supposed to blow the bloody doors off Lutz!"
Terranova: “Ride Lutz! Get in there, we can take out the fighter bay!”
The two ships flew straight into the hole into a large cavernous bay, full of buildings and landing pads; most were empty, the odd wolfhound was here and there, a few shuttle type ships were zipping around, trying to get pirates to the remaining stationary ships. And at the back was the Defender-xs.
Lutz: “I see it! At the back! I’m charging the particle cannon!”
Terranova moved quickly, now was the moment… He started the scan, gathering as much info as possible.
Terranova: “Not yet! The thing is shielded! Hang on a moment.”
Blue light slammed into the Defender-xs as Terranova’s shield rippers tore into it. The shield held, waved and then dropped.
The scan complete, Terranova gave the all clear. He turned around, taking out the enitire front sectin of a wolfhound that had just loomed in front of them. Once again the particle beam on the Defiant fired, hitting the Defender-xs and spreading all over it. Less than three seconds later and all that remained was a few pounds of slag.
Terranova shock his head… such power. And he had it. Pirates would soon fear his name where they tread… He grinned to himself. It was all coming together thanks to that fool Lutz. How easy it had been to deceive him. Needs must though, he thought, and needs must once again…
Terranova: “Yeah! Well done Lutz! Now lets get outta here!”
As Lutz spin his ship round to go back into the fray he mumbled to himself.
Lutz: “Well, it was ally after all…”

--------------------------------

OCC: That’s it for now. We have a rather space battle out there!
Laters everyone.


Edited by - Lutz on 29-07-2003 09:23:39

*More and more ships flew in from no-where*

O'Connor: Damn this is getting out of controll, Delta did you destroy your objective?
Lutz: Yes we did, time to head home... whereever that is.
O'Connor: Finally, they are kicking my ass in this fighter, I think I'm hurt but I don't know for sure. All squads return to waypoint 4.
Denson: This is Vengance there is someone behind us, he has shot the engines. Cruise engine is jammed.
O'Connor: Ok, Alpha, Delta go! We will meet you on Wp5. Echo lets get this ship out of here in one piece.

*all ships exept Vengance and Echo squad powerd up cruise engines and scrambled*

O'Connor: Holy... Theres some weird ship going out of that fighter bay, Delta destroyed. I'm gonna put a tracking device on it. Oh, and u know that button under the autopilot swich?
Denson: Yes?
O'Connor: When you have turned the ship around hit that button. Thats the only way of getting out of here in time.
Denson: Yes, sir.

*Roger flew after the weird ship. Vengance had turned around and Denson pressed the button. Vengance droped 2 high explosive mines and auto thuruster started working. Thus getting Vengance out of the blast radious.*

O'Connor: Now only if my cruise engines would work... why do I alway get a defected ship.

*As a matter of fact his cruise engines didn't work and he was way inside the blast radius. The explosion was seen to New Harlem*

Edited by - White Knight on 29-07-2003 01:43:37

OOC: Sorry for not participating for a while, but I´ve been away a couple of days. It´s great to see what you guys have done with the story !

Here goes, again:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Connor, who had been part of the massive assault on the pirate base by drawing away enemy fire from the main assault group, was checking the status of his damaged ship. A few flashing red lights, indicating severe problems with shielding and weapons system, had him worried for a minute, but he soon saw his ship´s hull was still pretty intact and so his ship will hold if nothing else bad is going to happen. The pirate base´s turrets heavily damaged his ship, but luckily no vital instruments were hit and in the end, the assault group prevailed, mainly because of Terranova and Lutz. Currently they where en route, in cruise mode, to waypoint 5, but with absolutely no idea where to go.

*Connor opens group communication channel*

Connor: “ Pfew, now that´s what I call ´pretty intense´ ! Those pirate thugs gave us a fair beating, but we made their instrument panels lit up like Christmas trees, before sending them to meet their makers. My ship is beat up quite badly, but she´ll hold. How´s everybody else doing ? "

Terranova: “ Heh he, I couldn´t be more fine than this Connor ! *Terranova releases a slightly evil laugh* My ship got a few hits, but nothing serious though.

Arrigoni: “ Ship status fine, thanks”

Michael: “ Ok I guess, but what a ride ! “

Lutz: “ My ship could be in better shape, but I´m more concerned about where we should go from here. Anyone got an idea ? “

Terranova: Well, *he checks his scanners while the group is nearing waypoint 5*, my scanners have picked up Ferrel Security Station, and I happen to know that there´s a pretty remote planet, called Novitano, at the far side of the system. As I said, Novitano is pretty remote, so it´s easy to lay low for a while. I know we are supposed to meet O´Connor and the Vengance here at waypoint 5, but we have to leave this place, before Ferrel Station picks us up on the scanners. "

Connor: " Jesus...., yeah I remember Ferrel Station. Let me tell you guys, Ferrel is a true hellhole for guys like us. The station is packed with Liberty Security, Navy and Police Officers, so it´s pretty needless to say that we don´t want an encounter with these guys. You don´t have to be geniuses to know what would happen if they spot us. I´ve also visited Novitano before once and it wasn´t pretty. The atmosphere is pretty thin, but the planet has a few domes which are scattered around the planet´s surface, with very old and rusty systems to create an artificial atmosphere within these domes, connected to numerous ventilation shafts . The inhabitants of this planet and its visitors, live inside these domes in order to survive the planet´s harsh environment. The planet is a barren wasteland, with questionable inhabitants and even more questionable vistors. The domes are filled with all kinds of illegal activities and has been overrun with murderers, fugitives and other sinister individuals.*Connor laughs sarcastically* So we should fit in fine. But seriously though, Terranova is right when he said its the best place to lay low. Its such a dark and gloomy place full of dangers, that Libery forces don´t dare to show their faces around there. Besides, we don´t even know if O´Connor and the Vengance will make it.

Terranova: " Either way, we have to make a decision and quick. Right now we still have the option to get the hell out of here, but I don´t know for how long... Come on guys, what do you think ? “

*At that moment they all heared a ruckus, and after a few seconds the Vengance was closing in on the group……*

Edited by - Eraser on 29-07-2003 17:36:16

Quigley felt his vision start to gray as he fought to keep his ship in a tight turn. The missile klaxon was blaring in his helmet, and Quigley was doing all he could to stay in front of the missile.

Early in the battle, Quigley had seen a Bloodhound making a run for it. He had raced after it, fearing it might be going for reinforcements. He'd caught up with just as it went between two weapons platforms. He'd quickly dispatched the fighter but forced go evasive. Whenever he tried to break for it, the platforms would fire slavos of missiles.

Quigley turned back toward the platforms. He slipped his thumb onto a button juryrigged on the side of his throttle. Lining up with the nearest platform, he watched the range dwindle down to one klick and depressed the button two times. The Cerulean Dream jumped, shook, and vibrated as Danson's handywork spit out two torpedoes. The gianatic missiles thundered towards their target and dentonated, turning the platform into a minature sun. Quigley roared into the expanding ball of gas and shrapnel, using it to mask his position. He killed the light fighter's engines, whipped around onto the second platform, and sent off pair of torpedoes. The second platform disappeared in a similiar manner.

Out of danger, Quigley throttled up at turned back toward the pirate base. He was awe-struck when he saw the destruction. The base had been ripped apart. The Vengance and the others had left. Quigley tried to raise them, but his comm had been damaged in the fight with the platforms. Feeling that he had been spit out of the group, he surveyed the wreckage and tractored in any valuable loot. He was doing his when he saw something he didn't expect on his scanners, a lifepod.

Bob Hope

1903-2003

A great American, none more honored.

So that was it. It actually turned out to be a hit 'n run job after all. Appart from O'Connor, Psawhn and Quigley, everyone had made it back. Michael had seen Quigley chasing a pirate, he probably didn't make it back when everybody else left. But he hadn't seen O'Connor, or Psawhn leaving. They didn't show up on his scanner either. But they were both excellent fighter, surely they would be allright. One of them probably had engine problems and the other two stayed behind for protection. He could only hope the navy wpuldn't find them first. Ferrel Security Station was uncomfortably close to the battle zone and they had probably send out a few fighter wings to check it out. If the cruiser hadn't alerted them, the mines that the Vengance had dropped certainly would.

He was not glad that he missed the entrance to the base, he wanted to distroy the weapon himself, or at least be there to see if Terranova had looted it by any chance.
But that shield needed a lot of beating before it fell and Michael passed it just as the shield failed.
That had left him with the rather unpleasant job of cleaning up the area. Actually, unpleasant was an understatement, it was like hell out there. Bloodhounds, Wolfhounds just popping up like out of nowhere. It was like they were expected or something, because, had the pirates all been in that rock, the sudden decompression would have taken care of most of the fighters and people inside. But they weren't inside the base, very convenient. But then again, it could be just a coincidence.
But still, they had to bail out, Michael bet that noone expected that.

At least his scanner worked again. that mechanic surely did his work. He even increased the scanning range to 5k.

They were on their way to planet Novitano now. Like New Harlem, just another chunk of rock not worhty of a second look, but it was the only place close by and save enough for the "battle fleet" to be at this moment. Good thing that Novitano was on the far side of a dense copperfield, therefore blocking the planet from any scanners.

Michael targeted The Defiant and The Camel wich had both linked up with him and selected a secure channel.

Michael: Some fight it was huh?

Arrigoni: You can say that again, my ship took a good beating and I'm all out of bats, but I got through. I guess my camel is holding it better than I thought it would. How did it go inside you guys?

Michael: I wish I could tell you Arrigoni, the shield wasn't down as I passed it, so I was completely of course when Lutz blasted through that door.

Lutz: doesn't matter anymore Michael, the Defender and the particle gun are one big molten heap of scrap metal now, thank god. If they got that weapon operational, who knows what they might have done with it. No Battelship can take a blast at 100% at it's bare hull from this thing. As soon as we 've got the other gun, we better destroy them both.

Michael: I'm with you on that one Lutz. We now know what this thing is capable of. Within a second after you fired, even the rock was boiling. But how do we get to that other ship? We can be sure that Terranova is keeping an eye on us. He too knows there is another one and with the one that the pirates had now being destroyd, He's probably after that third gun aswell.

Lutz: I think we better worry about that later. First we 've got to get to that planet savely and restock. I just hope it's cheap down there, I'm down to my last creds.

Michael: I've got a reserve Lutz, so if you need I can lend you the credits you need. I hope we can get out of this system soon, so I can get rid of this gold and cash in. That was my plan before I stranded on New Harlem.

The message that came over the group comm. channel, overruled their secure channel.

Danson: Ok, we're here guys. Land and recover a bit, then we'll figure out a way of getting you guys savely out of here. In the mean time, I'm hiding on the dark side of this planet so the scanners of any patrol that might pass here won't pick up the Vengeance .

It took a while, but eventually everybody had gone down to the surface. Terranova leaded the group to a remote landing pad on the nightside of the planet.

Terranova: Set down here everybody, It'll be night for another 10 hours or so. That gives us more than enough time to regroup and celabrate our victory.

(OOC: Sorry about the inconveniance guys, I hope this is better now. I was in a bit of a hurry, so I forgot to read the previous posts carefully *Bangs his head against the wall* Won't happen again)

Edited by - Nickless on 30-07-2003 09:23:36

OOC: I hate to be rude Nickless, but where did O'Connor came from all of a sudden ? As far as I know, he's still back at the destroyed base's location. The Vengance (with Danson onboard) managed to jump out savely and dropped 2 mines before doing that. O'Connor was about to jump out, but was caught in the blast radius of the mines dropped by the Vengance. Somehow O'Connor probably managed to survive, because Quigley picked up a lifepod on his scanners which probably holds O'Connor. So how could O'Connor be at the other group ? (Lutz, Michael, Connor, Terranova, Arrigoni etc.)

Psawhn was getting very dizzy.

Somehow his ship managed to take a missile to his engine during the one second his shields were down. Just one single second during the entire fight, and he was crippled.
It didn't help that his comms were down, either.

He still couldn't quite get over that battle. It was intense. Explosions constantly rocked the ship, and laserfire made it near impossible to see. Psawhn had managed to take out two pirate bloodhounds. Caught up in the battle, he failed to notice his neuralnet's warning that his shields were almost failed. Then in less than a second everything was over for him. With thrust and maneuvering gone, he was no longer a threat. He tried hailing the group, to tell them what happened, but his comms were down. He could only watch helplessly as the battle group, having finished the objective, cruised away.

The explosions from the mines the Vengeance dropped didn't help, either. They sent Psawhn spinning off in some direction at a great speed. He wasn't damaged too much, as his still functional shields absorbed much of the blast.

At least he still had some luck. The remaining pirates, after having their base destroyed, ran away in some other direction and left everything behind. He shuddered at the thought of what would happen if they found him.

Nope, he was stranded with full shields, an almost complelete intact hull, full weapons, nominal life support, and every other system except for comms and engines. Sheesh! And nanobots couldn't help, either, because they can only repair hull and not systems.

Still, might as well give it a try... He started programming a module of nanobots to repair the engine. It won't be the best job, but at least he could limp to the nearest planet.

OOC: Why can't anybody spell Vengeance correctly? (And, since it's a ship, proper custom is to italicize it, btw. Same with every other ship (ie: the Rusty Camel, the Seer , the Cerulean Dream , et cetera...))

Edited by - Whasp Commander on 29-07-2003 19:55:47

OOC:

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Why can't anybody spell Vengeance correctly? (And, since it's a ship, proper custom is to italicize it, btw. Same with every other ship (ie: the Rusty Camel , the Seer , the Cerulean Dream , et cetera...)

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@Whasp: I was asking myself the same thing, but everybody else spelled Vengance, so I did that too. Pretty lame excuse, I know, but I'll use Vengeance the next time
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*At that moment they all heared a ruckus, and after a few seconds the Vengance was closing in on the group……*

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@Nickless: Well, the Vengeance ( @Whasp) arrived at the group's location, but O'Connor wasn't on the cruiser. After the pirate base's destruction, the main group (Lutz, Arrigoni, Michael, Connor, Terranova etc.) hit their cruise engines and head for waypoint 5 (as O'Connor instructed them), but the Vengeance stayed behind (with Denson controlling it) and O'Connor in a fighter. A mysterious fighter was trying to escape the scene and O'Connor was going to chase it on his own, but meanwhile instructed the Vengeance to go ahead and leave for waypoint 5. So the cruiser fired its cruise engines and dropped 2 mines at the same time. So the cruiser left, but O'Connor was still there, chasing the mysterious fighter in his own fighter. Unfortunately his ship was caught up in the blast radius of the mines just as he wanted to fire his cruise engines. Quigley found a lifepod a while after that, so....

So you see Nickless...the Vengeance did show up in time to go with the group to planet Novitano, but without O'Connor.