Operation - Safe Haven

[Shazbot11]

[OPERATION START: -4 HOURS]

The anticipation in the briefing room was so thick you could choke on it; regardless of the stone-faced gaze that all the pilots wore, carved from countless dogfights in the most unforgiving sectors of space, it would be naive to assume they couldn't feel the electricity in the air. Schiff sure as hell did, he felt like a walking Van-de-Graf generator. The small amphitheater-like briefing room was already filled to capacity, and the telometric holo-display situated at the front glowed softly. It wasn't even more than a minute before the Archon entered; the show was about to start.

"Reasoning with the Corsairs has failed," the Archon started,"after time and time again. We extended our hands in peace, offering them an exit, a solution, to this needless war. Every time we did, they swung their blades at them. There is no other recourse, it is time to give the Corsairs our final argument."

The holo-display sprang to life in that instant, a digital reconstruction of the Omicron Gamma system based off an amalgamation of sensor data gathered from prior forays into the Corsair territory.

"Skull Squadron and Devil Wing will initiate an assault into Omicron Gamma, mustering first within Theta. Target priorities within Gamma include capital-grade vessels, bombers, fighters, and interceptors; hold fire against installations. We want to ham-string their fleet capabilities directly, and send them a message."

The beauty lies in the simplicity, Schiff mused. Destroy their swords, their daggers, the very implements of war. No need to reduce the stations to rubble, it would just galvanize the Corsairs mindset even more.

The Archon continued: "It's estimated that the Corsairs will fully mobilize their forces within 5 to 10 minutes of first contact. This shouldn't be an issue even after they do." A grin crept up on the Archon's face; always gave Schiff the chills. "There is no operational time window for this attack; we will pull out only if all viable targets have been neutralized, the defensive forces have been pressed back to Crete orbit, or our fighting capabilities drop below 20%." With a quick scan from left to right, the Archon looked over every one in the briefing room.

"For Braillia."

The briefing room nearly quaked as a unanimous mass of pilots stood up and echoed the Archon's words.

"FOR BRALLIA!"

Within five minutes, the entire room was empty.


Schiff tapped away on the command console of his Series Z Sabre, each keystroke returning a small 'beep' as the fighter's operating system ran the pre-flight routines; the twin thermonuclear pulse turbines whined sharply and dimmed down in waves, and small bursts of energy blasted out from the vernier maneuvering motors along the edges of the flight frame. His attention was shaken for a second when a faint chime escaped from his helmet sitting on the edge of the cockpit monocoque. He slid it on and patched into the comm channel.

"I just need to find four birds before I fill in my fifth row, amigo."

Schiff looked out to his right to find Enojado patting the side of his Saber, a fine array of tally marks gracing its hull. He leaned over the right edge of the cockpit on his Saber to look at the five tallies he had.

"How about we split it, friends that care should share."

Enojado laughed. "This isn't the Coalition. You chalk up what you earn." He climbed up into his own fighter, easing back into the seat and starting the machine up. "We might be running into some old hermanos, word from the grapevine says that the Outcasts are mobilizing for an attack too."

"Then I can only hope they're more open-minded than the Corsairs are."
"And if they aren't?" Enojado replied.
"You won't have to share your kills with me."

Flipping a switch on the control console, the cockpit canopy on his Saber slid down and sealed with a hiss.

[OPERATION START: +7 HOURS]

[INITIATING TRANSMISSION PLAYBACK]

This is Schiff Toha, Skull Squadron, transmitting the post-mission debriefing.

The operation into Omicron Gamma started at 20:45 SMT today with a mixed wing composed of Skull Squadron and Devil Wings. By 20:53 we had transited from Theta into the Corsair home system; initial pulse scans indicated mass readings greater than predicted. Follow-up observations confirmed that an Outcast force had already commenced battle with the Corsair defensive fleet. After assessing the situation and deployment numbers, flight lead issued a statement to the Outcasts and Corsairs: end the fighting, or the Reapers will end it for you. The comm chatter that followed contained no indication of either side issuing a cease-fire. The order to arm cannons was given, and all pilots launched the attack on an Outcast Sarissa-Class Battleship. It is at this point that multiple comm channels from the Outcast forces came in concerning friendly fire and repeated requests to adjust our targeting suites. Radio silence was issued to us shortly thereafter.
Within the initial attack, two warships were neutralized and left inoperable. Furthermore, two Outcast squadrons IDed as 'ORP' and 'XTF' were forced to withdraw from the system; Outcast combat capabilities had been reduced by a third, with the remaining combatants rallying for a defensive formation. Our target priorities were shifted to the Corsairs, who had started their counter-attack to push the Outcasts to the Theta jump hole. We followed nominal flight protocols from flight lead, neutralizing three Praefect-Class cruisers and one Imperator-Class gunboat. Multiple fighter and bomber targets were also confirmed shot-down before the Corsair defense fleet proceeded to withdraw to Crete orbit; by this point the majority of the Outcast fleet had exited the system. The remaining Corsair forces initiated a series of hit-and-fade attacks Crete orbit, an exchange that lasted for 30 minutes before flight lead issued the RTB order. Within 20 minutes, all pilots had landed and this debriefing was compiled.

For Braillia.

Schiff Toha, Skull Squadron, out.

[TRANSMISSION CLOSED]

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Maybe some day, they'll see a hero is just a man who knows he's free.