Chapter 36 - Space Combat: Charging In, Bringing Pain

"Signal Bruzardor, We're moving to assist." You swing the controls to bring Golden Dancer starboard and low. If the rest of the fighters were caught up with those ships, and the reverse was true, no one else would be able to reach the wounded fighter in time to keep the two larger attackers from destroying it, and killing the pilot. 

"Patching in Captain Nuvair." Zoraida responds as you bring arm the ships turrets and release the safeties. You didn't strictly ask for that, but it does give you the chance to ask for help.

"Eclipse, what are you doing?" Nuvair's voice is calm, professional, but the trace of concern is there.

"Sticking my nose into things." You jest, "I guess? I'm going for the bent bird getting the unwanted attention at, point-" You look at the screen, "Oh-Five. If you've got any more of those heavy missiles, I'd appreciate the cover." 

"Those are a bit indiscriminate. But I can throw some long shots down range. Keep your elevation, and watch your head." Nuvair's voice cuts out as you close in on the gap between the larger conflict and one of the other classes. You arm your cannons and with flicks of your wrist designate targets as you get in range. The first craft is passing 'above' you on your starboard side and is turned away to attack one of the other Vedari fighters. You can see the dull red lines of their impulse drives running along the back 'edge' of the flattened octahedronal body. 

You fire with the front three turrets, two slugs fired from each of them. The forward most turret is aligned just right and shoots into the tail edge of the attacker, the second turret is close enough that it hits dead in the center of the enemy's aft, and you can see sparks and the enemy veers to the side, and your third shot misses. You don't linger, instead you power through.

The next enemy you pass is as high, but to port, and as your turrets swivel their auto-targeting must not have time to settle, because when you pull the triggers, the most you do is alert the enemy to your proximity and hostility. Still, as it turns toward you, its not paying attention to the fighters it was lancing at with its energy beam.

Instead it's after you, and you bob and duck out of the way as your ship rattles from some impact. 

"Minor damage." Zoraida reports. "No functions lost. No Breach." She concludes, and you push the throttles forward to leave charge ahead. Your turrets rotate all forward as you fire toward the attackers chasing the heavily damaged fighter. 


You see bright tracers, each a meter wide, sailing toward the enemy ships. They're wide though, and miss the targets. Your shots aren't any better, but they are close enough to cause the two large vessels to break off, or so you think. As you pass between them, they each fire their lances at you.

"Moderate damage," Zoraida alerts you. "Venting in secondary spaces. Locking it down." You growl and pull 'left' to align with the fighter. You can't fight these things head on, not without someone in at least one of the gunner's seats.... maybe the pilot?

"Can we carry that fighter?" You ask Zoraida, as you start to line up behind the damaged Vedari craft.

"What?!" Zoraida asks, alarmed, or confused you aren't sure. You notice on the sensors that the enemy you missed as linked up with the two who had been chasing the wounded craft to form one of the trios the ships had launched with initially. 

"Do we have room?" You clarify as you check to see if you can queue the ship's 'hangar' hatches from here, you can.

"No." You can guess she's shaking her head. "The wing span is too wide." 

"Shit. Well?" You wonder. "If they ejected...." 

"Sol, that's crazy. We could use the crash nets but we'd have to get the timing perfect."

"Are they better off in a crippled fighter, full of engine fuel and high explosives?" You ask. As you see you the Vedari finish the hostile you'd wounded before regrouping themselves. Zoraida is silent, maybe doing the odds in her head. "Hail them." You order. She complies and you're synced into some paniced audio.

"-across the board, and my computer is telling me to punch out. I can feel the heat through my suit, Ma'am." Her pilot managed to sound glib despite the circumstances.

"SAR is too far away, we can't get to you. Can you get even a few klicks closer?" Nuvair's voice is calm, focused, and assuring, even as her pilot is riding on a time bomb.

"Pilot? This is Captain Eclipse. I'm right behind you. If you eject, I can use my ship's crash nets to catch you in my hold."

"Ecli-" the Pilot startles at your name. "Damnit, I can't even SEE you on my scopes."

"Then you can't see your shitty suitors picked up a third and are swinging back, soon."

"Lieutenant, this is your out, we read those hostiles coming in fast."

"Well.... damnit. I liked this ride." The pilot's voice sounds dejected. "Right, lining up for a pick up."

"Just hold your course." You tell them as you line up over their fighter, lining up their cockpit with the now open hold. It takes you several moments, precious time and just as you're sure you've got them lined up your ship rattles as something strikes it.

"HEAVY DAMAGE!" Zoraida declares, "Venting in engineering spaces. Engine output will drop in thirty seconds!"

"Pilot!" You roar, "Eject!"

"AH hell!" You hear before there's a scream of static and you watch on a feed as your vented hold suddenly has a new occupant, as an ejection pod flies up into yellow and black netting. The doors start to close as the net clings to the pod and starts to lower toward the deck.

"Guide them to one of the turrets, we need eyes in the guns for this." You growls as you bank your ship. You can feel the engine power grow sluggish from the damage. Still, you see a number of friendlies moving your way. You could link up with them and try and fight your three pursuers, or you could head back toward Bruzador. 

Consider your status, what can you do?