A Fleeting Fancy [Geneviève vs. Hecate]

[Geneviève Lasedri]

The void just off the Hydian, between Delta IV and Kira, was about as deep space as deep space gets these days. Not a rock nor cloud of dust in sight. Just an eternal portrait of distant stars, galaxies of stars, and nebulae. It was rather serene but hardly peaceful to Our Captain Lasedri. Something bad could always happen and send some of them drifting about the endless chasm of outer space forever. Yes, Our Captain Lasedri is quite the optimist.

Geneviève sat in the commanding chair of the Echo Ackbar, looking melancholy as ever in her long black coat. Her right cheek rested in her right hand as she observed, through her single functioning eye, her fleet running through routine preparations for a launch into Protectorate space. Every ship was now present; all systems were go. Everything seemed to be in perfect order until a little blip appeared a few dozen thousand kilometers out. Was someone else lurking out here? In deep space? Our Captain Lasedri was not sure, but held off the jump to see what it might be. It could be nothing. Or it could be bad news--really bad news...

[member="Hecate"]

 

[Soell Alberio]

[member="Geneviève Lasedri"]

Indeed something bad could always happen, a certain white haired woman was quite aware of that fact. In truth the Echani wondered what the point was of traveling to such an empty locale such as the space just beyond the Hydian Way. There was nothing in the region, nothing that Hecate knew of anyway. Of course sometimes not knowing of something was the real danger. After all a million things could actually lie in the space between known systems. Hecate often found herself wondering how people had been able to pave all the galactic hyperlanes so long ago. It was a terrifying and impressive concept, for the people of the past to have traversed the unknown back then so thoroughly to allow today's folk the luxury of travel without concern.

Usually that is. Because the first thing that the Echani noticed when her ships came out of hyperspace was that Ashira's Justice had detected a number of other vessels within the vicinity. The Echani officer wasn't exactly certain how to appraoch the situation since she hadn't been expecting anyone else out this far into empty space. "Communications, try and ping whoever else is out here. Keep it brief and to the point and ask them why they're out here."

**OOC: So when do we post ships and how do we start the fight?

 

[Geneviève Lasedri]

Geneviève sent transmissions immediately to all crews to commit to battlestations. Hopefully, there would be no need to open fire, but she had a bad feeling about this.

"They've pinged us, Captain," her commanding officer informed. "They want us to state our business."

"Like heck we will," she retorted, very irritated with this delay. No way were they going to risk losing the advantage of surprise on the Protectorate. "Tell them we're running Operation Redshift." A tactical war game. They could buy that explanation, right?

Of course, it would be just her luck if they had run right into a Protectorate fleet before the jump. How do these things always happen? "Bring the heavies about, keep our portside to their bows. About a fifty-degree angle." Just in case. Better safe than sorry.

[member=Hecate]

 

[Soell Alberio]

[member="Geneviève Lasedri"]

"They're saying that they're performing an Operation: Redshift maam." Hecate blinked her eyes wondering at that. Was it really a coincidence they had just stumbled upon the other fleet out here in the middle of nowhere? Still, the young Echani had some ideas about how to figure out whether or not she was being lied to about the situation. "Well then, communications inform them we'd like to request to participate in the practice scenarios with them. We have nothing better to do supposedly. Otherwise, weapons officer please have every emplacement ready to be brought online on a moment's notice. We wouldn't want to unprepared if they were not being forward right?

The white haired woman smiled as a few chuckles escaped the bridge crew. They weren't fools, they wouldn't just trust some strange naval force they had just met. Some, especially the other Echani who were on board and had joined Firemane with Hecate and previously served in their home planet's militia, were quite versed with a history of combat. While this was a surprising and unusual situation, it didn't mean they wouldn't be sure to approach it properly.

 

[Geneviève Lasedri]

Crap. The commander of the approaching fleet seemed to either not be buying her ruse, or they were biting way too deep. Still, there was a possibility they could be dissuaded from coming too close. "Kill our clock to jump. I want all units to prepare for immediate engagement." Would it be too rash to fire at the mysterious fleet? Geneviève was hardly the conservative type, but if she blundered on the first move, it could have disastrous consequences.

She made up her mind to see if they would call her bluff. "Tell these guys they can keep their asses right where they are and send their fighters over here if they want in." Turning to face her commander, Lasedri ordered, "Have all B and C squadrons launched now. Make sure they know this is not a drill.

"All cruisers - dip galactic south and carry the rest of the fleet. I want our guns to their south doors. Keep Allegiant on our roofs with the Altiers and one of the Nixors." The captain sighed heavily as she watched two of the Audacity Class vessels take position abreast of Echo Ackbar to the portside while Invincible stayed to their starboard. The last cruiser and four other ships lagged behind and came up above the command cruiser's bridge. All the other warships descended to surround Echo Ackbar.

As Geneviève glumly watched the swarms of fighters leave their hangar bays and run an escort pattern about the bulk of the fleet, she was all but certain that there would be shots fired within the next few minutes.

[member=Hecate]


Fleet composition:
Echo Ackbar - Justicar Class Command Cruiser
Inevitable; Irrepressible; Allegiant; Invincible - Audacity Class Heavy Cruisers
2x Nixor Class Cruisers
3x Altier Class Line Frigates
3x Katarr Class Frigates
6x Taboon Class Carrier Corvette
1x Baldr Class Transport

 

[Soell Alberio]

[member="Geneviève Lasedri"]
"Maam response from the unknown force is coming back. They say if we wish to participate to sit back and send our fighters over." Right, there was little else to do by this point. Such a request was unreasonable without compromise. Likely what the other force desired to do was lure their fighter squadrons out and then blow them to pieces before they could react and get into formation within the safety of the larger fleet. Out here in the middle of nowhere wish such a suspicious excuse and clearly composed of enough ships to be of concern if they were to appear over a world, yeah the Echani officer wasn't buying it. "Deploy all squadrons into a fighter screen around our front line and larger cruisers. Bring the entire fleet into formation with the Belsar Cruiser at our center and our own ship on the right flank opposite the other Thuella. Have the Kerrigans on either side of the belsar with the Illyria forming a front line with the Ariane covering the Thuellas. Then space out the Corvettes throughout our forces evenly to counter any fight/bomber strafing runs.

Hecate watched her orders being followed, orders being sent and relayed through her fleet as the ships hurried to carry them out. Adril, Paladin, Knight, Inquisitor, all forms of starfighters were being launched from their hangers along with the extra corvettes the Kerrigan Star Defenders had stashed away. The frigates moved to form a front line, their Silaqui gunships deploying along with the fighters from the other vessels , all joining to form a protective screen. "Now give them their only options. Pull out and head on home or be chased away . . . or destroyed. There will be no other alternatives."

FLEET COMPOSITION:

Spoiler

• 1 Belsar Class Command Carrier [1600] (1600)
• 2 Kerrigan Class Light Star Defenders [1350] (3300)
• 4 Ariane Class Assault Cruisers [530] (5320)
• 2 Thuella Class Cruisers [580] (6480)
• 10 Illyria Class Assault Frigates [285] (9330)
• 4 Blockade Runner Corvettes [150] (9960)

 

[Geneviève Lasedri]

Impatient, Geneviève took charge of talking to the other fleet herself. Holding down the comm button, she spoke abruptly towards whomever was listening on the other end. "We accept unconditional surrender," was all she said. She pointed to her commander and he sent a call on down. Almost immediately, flashes from a hundred turbolasers throughout the entire fleet sparkled amongst the shimmering stars, all guns aimed at the Kerrigan cruiser above and at their portside (to the left of the Belsar) through the Illyria screen, hoping to do some significant damage to the smaller craft should they block the fire intended for the larger Kerrigan.

Turning to her officers, she gave them orders to send on down the line. "Dispatch all starcraft. I want 50% bombers on the Arianes, 50% on the Illyrias--no mercy. Keep one interceptor per three bombers."

Back to her comms once more, she contacted the captains of two of their four Audacity-class cruisers. "Irrepressible and Allegiant, take on the Thuellas high and low, and have the Altiers and two Taboons move up top to try and pick out their blockade runners. Low-to-high, boys! Low-to-high!"

[member=Hecate]

Fleet composition:

Spoiler

Echo Ackbar - Justicar Class Command Cruiser
Inevitable; Irrepressible; Allegiant; Invincible - Audacity Class Heavy Cruisers
2x Nixor Class Cruisers
3x Altier Class Line Frigates
3x Katarr Class Frigates
6x Taboon Class Carrier Corvette
1x Baldr Class Transport

 

[Soell Alberio]

[member="Geneviève Lasedri"]

"We accept unconditional surrender,"

"How prudent, so do we!" Grinning eagerly as she returned the communication herself as well before stepping back, Hecate focused her attention on her bridge crew as she began to issue out her orders. The other fleet certainly acted quick, a barrage of cannon fire spread out from the enemy flagship and from the rest moments later towards one of the Kerrigan Vessels under her control. "Order our frigates out of the line of fire of those barrages and have the kerrigan dip down and behind our Belsar Carrier. Have their shields exchange taking the blows for a moment and come out with a counter attack.

The Echani woman wasn't about to ignore the other movements on the board though. Someone in the Captain's chair in the other fleet was certainly aggressive. Yet the fact the enemy flagship and two of the heavy cruisers were holding back while the majority of the remaining ships moved in was quite the relief actually. A full on assault would have left a lot of terrible casualties trying to counter on both sides. "Deploy all squadrons! Have them intercept the enemy starfighters and engage them in dogfights if needed. Move the corvettes to the points of the line and have a pair of Illyria Frigates and an Ariane keeping the larger ships off them while they pick off the fighters that opt to try and break through our squadrons instead of worry about defending themselves. Command our Kerrigan vessels to move to support the Thuellas, we won't exactly stand much of a chance in a head to head against those heavies coming in. The Ariane with the Illyras backing them should be able to handle those frigates and corvettes of their's, they do have a few more fighters though, have all defense emplacements warmed and blazing at any that get through the dogfights. Have our bombers also make runs on the enemy heavy cruisers trying to engage us.

Gritting her teeth, Hecate hated the fact the left side was left somewhat slow to get in position due to the concentrated fire that had to be avoided earlier. The enemy frigates approaching were smaller in number than the Ariane and Illyria under her command, and the corvettes wouldn't match them in firepower so they would likely be squashed quickly with the bombing runs stalled in the dogfights and the blockade runners keeping close to the larger vessels. The real problem was the Thuella on the left flank not getting support from the Kerrigan fast enough. There were still a pair of Illyria to move, but shifting them from the Belsar would likely prompt an enemy strike on the Carrier itself. Still, the four corvettes dispatched from within the Kerrigans also were quite useful allowing the fighter screens to be diverted from the Kerrigans and Thuella with the corvettes substituting and providing their anti-starfighter abilities. "Pull the Ashira's Justice and other Thuella back slightly, we'll draw their heavies in closer, they'll be caught by us and the Kerrigans and our bombers if they pursue just a bit closer. If they turn on a different target we'll just collapse on them too.

FLEET COMPOSITION:

Spoiler

• 1 Belsar Class Command Carrier [1600] (1600)
• 
  
• 2 Kerrigan Class Light Star Defenders [1350] (3300)
• 
  
• 4 Ariane Class Assault Cruisers [530] (5320)
• 
  
• 2 Thuella Class Cruisers [580] (6480)
• 
  
• 10 Illyria Class Assault Frigates [285] (9330)
• 
  
• 4 Blockade Runner Corvettes [150] (9960)
• 
  

 

[Geneviève Lasedri]

Geneviève quit leaning forward in her chair and transitioned to pacing the bridge, looking on as the initiation of the battle prompted some rapid repositioning of the enemy vessels. The bombers were doing some work on the Thuellas and Arianes, but combat was becoming heated, the unfortunate demises of several pilots being announced over the fleet-wide comm channel. The captain pursed her lips, not exactly thrilled to be hearing of the Protectorate fighter counter.

"They're playing turtle," Geneviève mused, noting the enemy's refusal to fully engage. "We're going to press a little." Aiming her hand at one of her communications officers, she signaled by flashing two and then three fingers that she wished to contact the respective Audacity-class cruisers. "Invincible; Inevitable--burn ahead with two of the Katarrs and a Taboon. Slaughter the Arianes, hit 'em while they're hot."

Echo Ackbar still remained below and behind, a Katarr, a Nixor, and a few Taboons still hovering around it. Lasedri made a fist and waggled her hand at her commander. "Get the Baldr on the move. It's time. Up with Allegiant." Finished with this moment's orders, she watched as the fight centered around the 530-meter Protectorate assault cruisers. The capitals were still hanging back. What are you waiting for me to do? she pondered, staring at the bridge of the opposition's flagship.

[member=Hecate]

Fleet composition:

Spoiler

Echo Ackbar - Justicar Class Command Cruiser
Inevitable; Irrepressible; Allegiant; Invincible - Audacity Class Heavy Cruisers
2x Nixor Class Cruisers
3x Altier Class Line Frigates
3x Katarr Class Frigates
6x Taboon Class Carrier Corvette
1x Baldr Class Transport

 

[Soell Alberio]

[member="Geneviève Lasedri"]

To be truly honest Hecate wasn't certain what she was waiting for specifically. She simply knew that being aggressive in the situation would merely bring about greater casualties on her side. Of course she might have a good chance of victory at swinging full force, and it may have even been quicker, but it wasn't a certain or easy thing to decide, nor would she expect her forces to blindly throw their lives at the enemy with no overarching objective in mind. However, as the remainder of the enemy heavy cruisers made their approach on the Ariane under her command the Echani officer found herself feeling immensely pleased.

"This is a huge chance! Reorient the Kerrigans and Arianes targets to the enemy heavy cruiser along with the bombers, have our frigates maintain their focus on their remaining vessels pressed against us. Have our fighters and corvettes maintain their current duties." Now the battle would be immersed in full, it was bound to become bloody now, but Hecate felt secure in her actions at this point. The enemy bombers had gotten a few salvos in, but only those that escaped being pursued by her strafighters and the anti-fighter guns of the corvettes and larger vessels. Even now flak, quad-lasers, and point defense guns tracked and shot at any missiles and bombers launching them that got within range. Meanwhile her own bombers streaked towards the enemy's large warships, firing off their own supplies of warheads into the enemy ships in concert with the salvos from her capital ships as the Illyria mounted a defense against the enemy's own frigates still.

"Turn the Ashira's Justice and the other Thuella around and have them engage the heavy cruisers with the Ariane and Kerrigan, we'll crush them with overwhelming firepower right away and then turn on the frigates squaring with our Illyria. They should have brought more corvettes and ships of the line, we have more sources of fire and more dedicated craft on our side.

 

[Geneviève Lasedri]

Captain Lasedri watched as the heavies of the enemy fleet propelled towards the center of the conflict, amassing around the defense line of the Ariane frigates. "This is it. This is it!" she shouted, alerting all the bridge crew to prepare for a big shift in the battle. A few frigates and one of the larger Kerrigans began to open up on the Republic battlecruiser. "Full speed ahead. Guns to the belly. I want Invincible, Inevitable, and Irrepresible to clock it with us. All guns to the beast."

Echo Ackbar began to make track for the enemy flagship with her group of frigate guardians, her vertical positioning to the Belsar cruiser being rather advantageous as the mighty Republic vessel's dorsal guns were facing the opponent's vulnerable ventral hull. Three of the Audacity cruisers moved onward from the line of Arianes, passing by the Kerrigans whilst giving and taking heavy fire. The Protectorate ships would not be able to abort their sudden advance quickly enough as the Republic cruisers strafed.

"Irrepressible's shields are giving!" Geneviève's commanding officer informed her.

"Just let her pass." In truth, this was disconcerting news, but Gen kept calm, not wanting to betray any anxiety. "Once we've exchanged places, keep her to the outskirts. Taboons on her."

She snapped her hand towards their Marines leader. "Update on the Baldr!"

"Coming up on one of the near Thuellas. They'll be boarding it shortly."

Gen held her breath and hoped for success. The opposing captain was stressing her out.

Fleet composition:

Spoiler

Echo Ackbar - Justicar Class Command Cruiser
Inevitable; Irrepressible (shields down); Allegiant; Invincible - Audacity Class Heavy Cruisers
2x Nixor Class Cruisers
3x Altier Class Line Frigates
3x Katarr Class Frigates
6x Taboon Class Carrier Corvette
1x Baldr Class Transport

[member="Hecate"]

 

[Soell Alberio]

[member="Geneviève Lasedri"]

To try and pretend the Republic ships manuevers were of no surprise or consequence would be a lie, Hecate had truly believed and hoped they would be committing to the idea of engaging her own fleet's vessels as they had been orienting themselves to do. Nonetheless there still wasn't exactly nothing she could do in response to this, the enemy's warships were plunging into her fleet attempting to gang up on the Belsar Cruiser, perhaps thinking it was her flagship? If so they were greatly mistaken, the Belsar was merely the largest carrier and honestly a big waste with its lack of firepower. The Echani's flagship was and would be the Thuella Cruiser the Ashira's Justice.

"Order all ships to encircle and continue engaging the enemy, order the Belsar to fall back and buy time if they're going to focus on it and they think its our command center let's give them that idea. Have it fire desperately as it pulls away. We'll pursue the enemy and continue hitting them as they engage it. If its shields go down have crew prepare to abandon ship and have it set on course to slam into their following vessels. The white haired woman frowned as all the ships that had been collapsing on the Republic warships continued to do so, but took of course the slight time to turn about as they passed. There also was an annoying pest of a ship trying to close the distance with her own, it stood out being the only one of its type on the sensor suite compared to the rest of the starfighters milling about. There wasn't much of a threat of it though. Once it entered range of the flak cannons, quad lasers, and point defense emplacements it would be minced apart.

FLEET COMPOSITION:

Spoiler

• 1 Belsar Class Command Carrier [1600] (1600)
• 2 Kerrigan Class Light Star Defenders [1350] (3300)
• 4 Ariane Class Assault Cruisers [530] (5320)
• 2 Thuella Class Cruisers [580] (6480)
• 10 Illyria Class Assault Frigates [285] (9330)
• 4 Blockade Runner Corvettes [150] (9960)

 

[Geneviève Lasedri]

"The transport is making its approach, Captain!" her commander announced. "They're picking up flak now."

"Move the Katarrs and the Nixor over to the engagement area. I want every damn ion cannon to open fire on the defense points!" With faith in her frigate crews and a little hope for luck, Geneviève made the call for the Baldr to attempt its forced docking and invade the Thuella cruiser. She was going to throw a wrench into the other captain's plans.

They seemed to have the command cruiser on the run. Captain Lasedri had a choice to make now on whether they would pursue or let it be for the moment. But this was probably what the enemy would expect. The opposing vessels were already making the turn to chase after the Republic cruisers. Allegiant was still within the bulk of the battle, however.

"Reverse course, stat!" she commanded, watching as the conflict got even more jumbled. "Dispatch three squadrons of bombers to destroy the Belsar's engines. We are going to wipe out the Arianes for good. That's us, Inevitable, Invincible, and with Irrepressible to the rear. It's time to make things clear to them." At her signal, nearly the entirety of the fleet focused its guns on the Ariane ships and opened fire. Gen wanted to obliterate the lighter capitals with a concentrated blow that would surely tip the scale to the Republic fleet's advantage should they succeed.

Fleet composition:

Spoiler

Echo Ackbar - Justicar Class Command Cruiser
Inevitable; Irrepressible (shields down); Allegiant; Invincible - Audacity Class Heavy Cruisers
2x Nixor Class Cruisers
3x Altier Class Line Frigates
3x Katarr Class Frigates
6x Taboon Class Carrier Corvette
1x Baldr Class Transport

[member="Hecate"]