***OOC***
when I mention fighter 'wings' I mean the four ship patrols you usually see flying around gamma and the other systems the corsairs control
***IC***
Omicron gamma, near the Omicron Theta jumphole...
"Lord, the remaining BHG ships are scattering." the sensor officer reported.
Bloodfrenzy glanced at the video feeds from outside the Desolator. Pieces of shattered fighters drifted amongest crumpled, twisted hull plates from the capital-ships.
A corsair Osiris floated past, fires burned brightly through the few intact veiwports left. It's engine section had a massive hole straight through it and the bridge had been blown open.
A second corsair Osiris was also floating inert, though this was because it's crew were desperately fighting off the crew of a BHG cruiser that had rammed into it and then fired it's turret weapons into the crippled Osiris' hull, blasting massive holes into it. The boarders were going to be overwhelmed soon because shuttles of corsair reinforcements from the other two Osiris' were docking with the enbattled ship.
Several cruiser wrecks drifted amongest the expanding debris, some missing engines, others most of the forward gun mount. One had been virtually cut in half and the pieces floated close together, still linked by half melted support beams and twisted armour.
Of the eight corsair VHF wings that had also attacked the BHG fleet only two were still at full strength, three were over half-strength, two had been wiped out and the last wing only had a single, nearly crippled, fighter left.
The BHG fleet had been reduced to roughly twenty odd cruisers which had split up into four and five ship groups with upto eighteen VHF's as escort.
The rest of the BHG fighters had either been annihilated by the missile salvoes launched by the Desolator and the other osiris' as they had closed in. Or by the corsair fighters, which had used the popular BHG tactic of ganging up four or more ships onto a single enemy fighter.
Some BHG fighters had managed to break off from the battle and ran to the Theta jumphole to try and get repairs from Freeport 9. Several didn't make it to the jumphole and others never got out of the asteroid field on the other side due to the high level of radiation that finished off their heavily damaged ships.
"Set course for tripoli shipyard, once we dock have all the damage repaired immediately." Bloodfrenzy ordered "Once the repairs are done we are going to hunt the rest of that fleet and destroy it." He flicked the comm off as the bridge crew cheered.
"I wonder what they thought they could accompolish by attacking the corsairs." Bloodfrenzy muttered softly to himself. "Either they were sent after me in revenge for the assult upon shieffield, highly possible, though very unusual. They could have been hired to wipe out the corsair homeworld, though that wouldn't make alot of sense. They need criminals to make a living. Or they could have been hired to distract either the corsairs or the phantom empire from something else. Hmmm, this will need to be reported."
TO: Phantom HQ
FROM: Bloodfrenzy
MESSAGE:
My lord the BHG have tried to assult Omicron gamma with a fleet of cruisers and VHF's. I think this is unusual enough to be investigated further for the following reasons.
1) the BHG have never fielded a task force of this size.
2) the BHG would not launch such a tactically stupid assult without a VERY good reason.
3) what would the BHG stand to gain from destroying the corsairs, who are a major souce of income for them.
4) if the target was actually me, why not attack me in a system so far from any form of house navy support?
As you can see the reasons behind this fleet are unclear at best, I beleive someone hired them to distract either the corsairs or us from something else they either have planned or are doing.
****MESSAGE ENDS****
"That should get Darkstars attention." Bloodfrenzy said after re-reading the message before he sent it.
"Lord, the repairs are completed and the new turrets have been fitted. We are awaiting your orders." the senior officer reported.
"Corsair recon flights reported that a 5 cruiser element of the BHG fleet was operating in sector 6-D," the comms officer said "There appears to be a station under construction there as well."
"Excellant, plot a course there and inform the corsairs we will deal with both the cruisers and the station alone." Bloodfrenzy replied "We are going to field test the new turrets and another classified weapon."
"At once." the senior officer said before bloodfrenzy cut the link.
I can not see why the BHG would do such a thing either. The worst they could do is kill you, their income, or themselves. We will be keeping watch in case that this is a distraction. I will send a spy to each of the BHG bases to see what we can find.
In the mean time, continue to eliminate the remaining Bounty Hunter ships in Omicron Gamma, then head to our Base of Operations, unless DarkStar orders otherwise.
As you wish my lord, we are about to crush the last remaining cruiser unit now.
Sector 6-D, Omicron Gamma
"The station is in range sir." The sensor officer reported.
"Very well, fire only the new corsair turrets." the senior bridge officer ordered.
The four corsair light battleship turrets swung round and opened up upon the BHG station. The stream of shots pounded the hull plating, melting defense turrets and sensor antenne. The hull armour didn't last long under the relentless barrage and the support beams and interior start to wither and melt.
"Excellant." bloodfrenzy sighed happily "Switch all turrets to automatic, including the missile turrets."
"Cruiser group approaching, five ships strong."
"All turrets are on automatic sir."
The cruiser group was heading in a line along the Desolator's flank, as they reached 1400 metres the missiles turrets started firing at the rightmost ship.
It shuddered and then twisted away from the formation trailing fire and debris.
As the ship died the missile turrets had already locked onto another cruiser and began pounding it into scrap.
The other turrets had now come into range and also began firing, this time at the leftmost ship. It suddenly dipped below the other cruisers and then it's forward gun exploded and took the rest of the ship with it.
The energy turrets also locked onto another ship and drilled a hole straight through it from forward gun-mount to engines, the reactor over-stressed and exploded, vaporising the ship and crippling it's remaining companions.
Ten minutes after the first missiles had fired the five cruiser group was now a small debris field of scrap metal.
"Excellant, set course to Ryuku base." Bloodfrenzy ordered.
"Yes sir."
***OOC***
This was NOT powergaming, I did a mission against 5 cruisers and had destroyed 2 using energy weapons before the missiles had killed 1.
Explaination: NPC's don't use shields because it's cheaper and they can carry twice as many bots :laugh: .
"Excellant, that'll keep the britonians busy for a while. Commander, find me a target more worthy of my guns then the docking ring."
"Sir, scans show a toxic waste transport exiting the tradelane from the dublin JG."
"Lord?" the commander asked.
"You think a transport is a worthy target?" Bloodfrenzy repiled sarcastically "Wait... destroy it, but tractor in as much of the toxic waste as possible. I want a team in the cargo bay to turn that toxic waste into a bomb."
"Yes sir." the commander turned to an aide
"Navigation set plot a course for planet cambridge, that is our next target." Bloodfrenzy flicked the comm off and sat back. 'thank you for that suggestion' he thought softly.
'I am here to safe-guard this ship. If our enemies are too busy trying to save themselves they will not be attacking.'
'Excellant reasoning.' he paused 'How have the new turret systems affected the ship?'
'Energy drain is still within the limits you set. The corsair turrets do not seem to be performing as well as they should.'
'They will be replaced soon, and another two turrets added to your weaponry.' Bloodfrenzy said satisifed 'Any data on the orbital devices deployed by the SF?'
'No.' the voice paused 'However they are probably cloaked defense platforms or devices for detecting cloaked ships.'
'Very well, we will continue to terrorise britonia for now' Bloodfrenzy flicked the comm on again "Commander, you may head to the cambridge system now."
"We are docked with ryuku now lord Bloodfrenzy." the commander said respectfully. "I'll have the repairs started immediately and will notify you once they are done."
The comm turned off and silence again filled the secondary bridge of the Desolator. Bloodfrenzy sighed and shifted slightly in his command throne before extending a fleshy limb and activating a viewscreen.
'Are you injured?'
'No my lord.' the prototype installed into the Desolator's main computer replied 'The damage was greater in the flanks then anywhere else. Two decks were breached and several power links were cut.'
'Very well, you have done excellantly Aridane.' Bloodfrenzy started scrolling through the messages in the dump memory. 'Ra'fel ... '
'You seem ... more upset then angry.' Aridane stopped, after noticing his expression and then continued. 'I would like to see my sisters soon.'
'Of course, I'll have you escorted to them at once. It is entirely up to you and your sisters to decide on our offer, we will respect your decision and wishes.' Bloodfrenzy bowed respectfully as the access hatch to the main computer slid open and Aridane stepped through.
'Thank you.' she answered as the main hatch unlocked and opened. A bodyguard of four phantom marines waited for her.
'Very well. I will arrange for your sisters to come aboard at once.' Bloodfrenzy bowed again as Aridane stepped back through the access hatch.
"Inform the base commander that we will be removing the personnel he has been looking after. Then start plotting a course to gammu, best time and speed, we will leave as soon as the hull repairs are complete." Bloodfrenzy cut the link before the commander could reply.
'Thank you.'
'I need you to send a message to darkstar, highest level coding.' Bloodfrenzy paused, for a moment, before typing his message onto one of the screens surrounding his command throne.
'The message has been incoded and sent.'
____________________________________________________________________
Planet gammu, unknown system
"We will land, then all pesonnel are to disembark, a transport is enroute to pick up you within the hour. Consider this a shore leave, have fun."
"Thank you my lord, it has been a pleasure to serve with you." The commander saluted the comm screen and then cut the channel.
'Have you managed to access the city mainframe?'
'Yes. The robots are ready to embark.' Aridane replied
'Excellant.' Bloodfrenzy opened the bridge channel again "Commander, there will be some robots coming aboard to finish the repairs."
'All robots are functioning perfectly. engines are at optium, power levels are at maxium, course errors 0.00027%.'
Bloodfrenzy leaned back into his command throne and smiled. 'List how much power is being saved, by system and amount.'
'Life-support 46%, crew quarters 14%, crew facilities 16%.' Aridane paused 'Reserve power has returned to 51%. Energy loss due to wastage, equipment failures, damage has dropped to 0.062%.'
'Excellant, I always wondered if the life support was eating most of the energy.' Bloodfrenzy laughed, a long evil sounding laugh.
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