ADM. Reshmar
Directorate Officer Fleet Admiral SJC 3rd Fleet
A calm wind blew over the plans of the third moon in the Kyrikal system. Like every day on this little known world Life trudged on, mining continued around the clock and the wealthy looked down on the poor. Not much different than any of the millions of worlds in the Corsica Galaxy. This world sat near the edge of the galaxy with other worlds of its system. Its population striving to survive in a galaxy or turmoil and strife. It was one of the lucky worlds as were the others of the Kyrikal system. They were practically forgotten and lost when it came to the grand schemes of the galaxy and its Waring factions. It sat much to far off the beaten path to have much importance to any of the major players on the galactic scene. Not much strategic value on the edge of the galaxy had a part in the fact that the world had not seen much in the way of conflict. Though it had rich mineral and advanced technological value, its place in the galaxy and the fact that a thousand worlds far richer in technology and resources were much closer to the rest of the galaxy kept the system secure for the most part. In addition the hard to traverse Hyerspace route into the system helped maintain this security as well. For the Ithorian and Mon Calamari leadership of these worlds few problems arise they themselves can not deal with. The rare pirate or smuggler stumbling into the system and corporate infighting are the biggest problems they have had to deal with in hundreds of years, until today.
Kyrikal 3 orbital scanning station Fox 12
"Good morning Jorta" said Tiired, the Mon Calamari commander of first shift on Fox 12, as his second entered the room. "Morning" said the other man. Jorta took his seat at the console and began his morning system diagnostic. "Anything interesting happen last night" ask Jorta knowing nothing did, nothing every happened. He had been stationed on Fox 12 for nearly seven years and besides the asteroid nearly hitting the moon four years ago nothing ever happens. He had served on a patrol gunship before his promotion to major. He was then reassigned to Fox 12. He had thought it a great opportunity at first. Better pay, home every night, Time with his family. Now the days just drug on as he watched space and time stand still. Minutes to hours, hours to days, days to years, He watched and never seen a thing. At least on the patrol gunship he would occasionally see a smuggler trying to bring illicit contraband into the system. His previous XO even told him of pirates accidentally making their way into the system some years back. He longed for action, something other than monitoring shuttles and transports to and from mining platforms or between moons.
After his initial login and diagnostic, Jorta began his morning system scan. The moons were still here he thought to himself as he watched the data scroll over his console screen. The asteroid belts were still a bustling hive of activity as always. Mining craft worked diligently around the clock to feed the industrial machine. The shipyard, small as it was, still sat like a behemoth over the moon repairing, building, and maintaining the various craft of the system. The small orbital military platform lay on the edge of Kyrikal 3 orbit with the patrol gunships docked ready to deploy if needed. Another day in the Kyrikal system it seemed.
" Jorta, watch the console I am going for a bit." said Tiired. It was midshift and Jorta himself was getting hungry. Tiired walked to the door and out of the monitoring room into the small kitchenette of the orbital monitoring station. The man looked through the selection of food available from the small dining machine. he was about to pick something when Jorta called him over the stations intercom. "Tiired, you better come back. I have some reading on the long range scanners. I think the system is messed up again." said Jorta. This was not the first time this had happened. Jorta remembered the first time, he got excited that maybe someone was coming into the system. Few ships other than those of the systems commercial shipping company, ever came in or out. It had been a system glitch as had the other dozen or so false reading over the years. Tiired walked back into the room and sat in his seat and briught up the data on his console.
"That's odd." Tiired said looking over the data. The display was telling him a large vessel had exited hyperspace near the edge of the system. "Why would one of the big freighters drop out there?" he said magnifying the view as much as possible. Jorta sat quietly as the commander investigated the new contact. Excitement swelling in him. Something happening for once, a ship on the edge of the system, was it damaged, did it need assistance?
"Jorta, open a channel and ask them what they are doing out there" sad Tiired. Jorta opened a com channel over the systems commercial and military channels. He knew the Military station would be monitoring and give them a head up if needed. "Unidentified vessel, this is Kyrikal control. Please identify yourself and transponder code. Are you in need of assistance?" Jorta said awaiting contact with something or someone new. He could not wait to get home and tell his wife and son about his day. Something to actually tell them for once. He was a buzz with anticipation at the prospect. Then the long range scanners alerted him to another contact. then another. "um sir, I have four new contacts entering the system." said Jorta, his excitement waning a bit. The group of five contacts now began moving deeper into the system.
"Jorta, whats their heading?" asked Tiired as he began to identify the starships now making their way into t he system. "Outer ring asteroids sir" said Jorta. as he watched the ships move towards the fourteenth orbital ring. The five craft had no transponders operational and had now been identified as enemy combatants by the IFF systems. A chim from the communications system broke Jortas concentration.
"Fox 12, This is captain Hanig of orbital security, What is going on with this contact." said the commander of the systems military station. Tiired answered with a brief pause. "Captain, we have five unidentified craft moving in on the outer mining field. It looks like they are heading for the shipping hub. We have queried them with no response. IFF now has them tagged hostile." said Tiird as he continued to monitor the situation on the long range scanners. It was nearly three billion kilometers to the outer shipping hub from Fox 12, The scanners were sending back data that was at least a minute old.
"Very well, Inform system command we are sending out the gunships to investigate" said Captain Hanig. The mans voice cut out as he cut the comm channel. a moment later the gunships docked at the military station deployed and began speeding out towards the outer system.
..........
Kyrikal outer minding hub
"Hey Byryn, what are those idiots doing out there?" as a miner as he noticed the five incoming ships in the distance. He watched as the plums of light from the sips thrusters slowly turned into small solid dots as the ships grew closer. "Hell if I know. probably some dumbass commercial fleet off course or something." said the other miner. a second later a flash of light struck out at the outer perimeter defense satellite Byryn watched as the defense battery exploded in a ball of fire. "Oh frak, lets get inside" said Byryn heading for the outer hatch of the mining skiff. The five ships moved into weapons range then began bombarding the shipping hub. Barrage after barrage struck the platform making short work out of it. Its shielding collapsed in minutes under the sustained fire of the unidentified ships. Moments later the hub exploded taking three ore haulers with it. the outer system defense monitor Lichen moved into position to defend but was too late. the small vessel had been to far away to engage the ships before the shipping hub was destroyed. It had also been far to small for what it discovered once in range to scan the vessels.
Captain Olivr watched from the bridge of the Lichen as the hub exploded in the distance. the five ships now close enough to scan and see clearly on the monitors screens. "Sir, is that what I think it is?" said the ships XO. Olivr looked at the image in disbelief and turned to speak just as bolts of energy spammed into the monitors hull. a second later a barrage of assault missiles slammed into the small vessel overpowering its shields and obliterating it in an instant.
............
Kyrikal 3 orbital scanning station Fox 12
Jorta watched as the outer asteroid hub exploded then moments later the outer defense monitor succumb to fire from the enemy vessels. the next hour was a continuation of the carnage as the systems defense craft engaged the enemy near the outer shipping hub. The footage from the battle would be watched and scrutinized for weeks before the second attack came then a third. By the forth attack the system was left defenseless against the invaders who had now taken up residence in the outer systems asteroid belt and began mining operations there. Sporadic attacks on the shipyard and military station kept the systems military from recovering from the brutal attacks leaving the system a hostage to these invaders. shipping lanes were closed, any ships attempting to leave the system were destroyed. The Pirates had left the inner system alone so far limiting their mining to the outer belt but everyone in the system knew and feared the inevitable. It was a last ditch plan to get word out that brought Jorta to his new assignment, find help at all costs.
The governments of each moon and the military managed to scrap together one last gunship. it was old and beat up but the lad ship was fast. That is what they hoped for anyway. They needed to get out of the gravity shadow of the gas giant and jump blind. Jorta had said his goodbyes and reserved himself to never seeing his family again. All these years he had hoped for action. Longed for something to do. an enemy to fight. Now he had one and he longed for the days when he sat at his station staring at nothing.
The twenty men and women of the crew stood silent and still as the ship launched for space. The moorings on the moon had been kept secret and well hidden and the ship had made it to orbit and nearly half way to the edge of the gravity ell before the pirates noticed it. "Helm, give her everything you can" said Jorta watching the moon and his home shrink on the forward monitor. The image was replaced by two small craft now moving to intercept them. The small gunship moved with purpose towards the edge of the Gas giants pull. Two fighters moved into range and began firing on the vessel as it cleared the gravity well. Bolts of energy scored the hull as the weak shielding failed to hold up. every watt of power had been thrown into the engines in a gamble to get out of the system before the ship was destroyed. A proton torpedo slammed into the gunship a moment later opening up a starboard bulkhead to vacuum. The ship shook under the leaching of the hull as the warhead tore it open. The auto doors closed sealing the section of the ship but not before three of her crew were taken by the vacuum, sucked out to their deaths as their blood boiled in their bodies and their skin froze slowly.
"Fire Chaff now. Spin us forty degrees rimward and jump" said Jorta as the realization that three of his crew were gone sank in. The gunship unloaded the chaff it had been loaded with before launch and re-positioned itself just before a second torpedo slammed into the chaff. A second later the gunship was gone. Hyperspace engulfing the vessel as it jumped blindly towards the core.
Kyrikal 3 orbital scanning station Fox 12
"Good morning Jorta" said Tiired, the Mon Calamari commander of first shift on Fox 12, as his second entered the room. "Morning" said the other man. Jorta took his seat at the console and began his morning system diagnostic. "Anything interesting happen last night" ask Jorta knowing nothing did, nothing every happened. He had been stationed on Fox 12 for nearly seven years and besides the asteroid nearly hitting the moon four years ago nothing ever happens. He had served on a patrol gunship before his promotion to major. He was then reassigned to Fox 12. He had thought it a great opportunity at first. Better pay, home every night, Time with his family. Now the days just drug on as he watched space and time stand still. Minutes to hours, hours to days, days to years, He watched and never seen a thing. At least on the patrol gunship he would occasionally see a smuggler trying to bring illicit contraband into the system. His previous XO even told him of pirates accidentally making their way into the system some years back. He longed for action, something other than monitoring shuttles and transports to and from mining platforms or between moons.
After his initial login and diagnostic, Jorta began his morning system scan. The moons were still here he thought to himself as he watched the data scroll over his console screen. The asteroid belts were still a bustling hive of activity as always. Mining craft worked diligently around the clock to feed the industrial machine. The shipyard, small as it was, still sat like a behemoth over the moon repairing, building, and maintaining the various craft of the system. The small orbital military platform lay on the edge of Kyrikal 3 orbit with the patrol gunships docked ready to deploy if needed. Another day in the Kyrikal system it seemed.
" Jorta, watch the console I am going for a bit." said Tiired. It was midshift and Jorta himself was getting hungry. Tiired walked to the door and out of the monitoring room into the small kitchenette of the orbital monitoring station. The man looked through the selection of food available from the small dining machine. he was about to pick something when Jorta called him over the stations intercom. "Tiired, you better come back. I have some reading on the long range scanners. I think the system is messed up again." said Jorta. This was not the first time this had happened. Jorta remembered the first time, he got excited that maybe someone was coming into the system. Few ships other than those of the systems commercial shipping company, ever came in or out. It had been a system glitch as had the other dozen or so false reading over the years. Tiired walked back into the room and sat in his seat and briught up the data on his console.
"That's odd." Tiired said looking over the data. The display was telling him a large vessel had exited hyperspace near the edge of the system. "Why would one of the big freighters drop out there?" he said magnifying the view as much as possible. Jorta sat quietly as the commander investigated the new contact. Excitement swelling in him. Something happening for once, a ship on the edge of the system, was it damaged, did it need assistance?
"Jorta, open a channel and ask them what they are doing out there" sad Tiired. Jorta opened a com channel over the systems commercial and military channels. He knew the Military station would be monitoring and give them a head up if needed. "Unidentified vessel, this is Kyrikal control. Please identify yourself and transponder code. Are you in need of assistance?" Jorta said awaiting contact with something or someone new. He could not wait to get home and tell his wife and son about his day. Something to actually tell them for once. He was a buzz with anticipation at the prospect. Then the long range scanners alerted him to another contact. then another. "um sir, I have four new contacts entering the system." said Jorta, his excitement waning a bit. The group of five contacts now began moving deeper into the system.
"Jorta, whats their heading?" asked Tiired as he began to identify the starships now making their way into t he system. "Outer ring asteroids sir" said Jorta. as he watched the ships move towards the fourteenth orbital ring. The five craft had no transponders operational and had now been identified as enemy combatants by the IFF systems. A chim from the communications system broke Jortas concentration.
"Fox 12, This is captain Hanig of orbital security, What is going on with this contact." said the commander of the systems military station. Tiired answered with a brief pause. "Captain, we have five unidentified craft moving in on the outer mining field. It looks like they are heading for the shipping hub. We have queried them with no response. IFF now has them tagged hostile." said Tiird as he continued to monitor the situation on the long range scanners. It was nearly three billion kilometers to the outer shipping hub from Fox 12, The scanners were sending back data that was at least a minute old.
"Very well, Inform system command we are sending out the gunships to investigate" said Captain Hanig. The mans voice cut out as he cut the comm channel. a moment later the gunships docked at the military station deployed and began speeding out towards the outer system.
..........
Kyrikal outer minding hub
"Hey Byryn, what are those idiots doing out there?" as a miner as he noticed the five incoming ships in the distance. He watched as the plums of light from the sips thrusters slowly turned into small solid dots as the ships grew closer. "Hell if I know. probably some dumbass commercial fleet off course or something." said the other miner. a second later a flash of light struck out at the outer perimeter defense satellite Byryn watched as the defense battery exploded in a ball of fire. "Oh frak, lets get inside" said Byryn heading for the outer hatch of the mining skiff. The five ships moved into weapons range then began bombarding the shipping hub. Barrage after barrage struck the platform making short work out of it. Its shielding collapsed in minutes under the sustained fire of the unidentified ships. Moments later the hub exploded taking three ore haulers with it. the outer system defense monitor Lichen moved into position to defend but was too late. the small vessel had been to far away to engage the ships before the shipping hub was destroyed. It had also been far to small for what it discovered once in range to scan the vessels.
Captain Olivr watched from the bridge of the Lichen as the hub exploded in the distance. the five ships now close enough to scan and see clearly on the monitors screens. "Sir, is that what I think it is?" said the ships XO. Olivr looked at the image in disbelief and turned to speak just as bolts of energy spammed into the monitors hull. a second later a barrage of assault missiles slammed into the small vessel overpowering its shields and obliterating it in an instant.
............
Kyrikal 3 orbital scanning station Fox 12
Jorta watched as the outer asteroid hub exploded then moments later the outer defense monitor succumb to fire from the enemy vessels. the next hour was a continuation of the carnage as the systems defense craft engaged the enemy near the outer shipping hub. The footage from the battle would be watched and scrutinized for weeks before the second attack came then a third. By the forth attack the system was left defenseless against the invaders who had now taken up residence in the outer systems asteroid belt and began mining operations there. Sporadic attacks on the shipyard and military station kept the systems military from recovering from the brutal attacks leaving the system a hostage to these invaders. shipping lanes were closed, any ships attempting to leave the system were destroyed. The Pirates had left the inner system alone so far limiting their mining to the outer belt but everyone in the system knew and feared the inevitable. It was a last ditch plan to get word out that brought Jorta to his new assignment, find help at all costs.
The governments of each moon and the military managed to scrap together one last gunship. it was old and beat up but the lad ship was fast. That is what they hoped for anyway. They needed to get out of the gravity shadow of the gas giant and jump blind. Jorta had said his goodbyes and reserved himself to never seeing his family again. All these years he had hoped for action. Longed for something to do. an enemy to fight. Now he had one and he longed for the days when he sat at his station staring at nothing.
The twenty men and women of the crew stood silent and still as the ship launched for space. The moorings on the moon had been kept secret and well hidden and the ship had made it to orbit and nearly half way to the edge of the gravity ell before the pirates noticed it. "Helm, give her everything you can" said Jorta watching the moon and his home shrink on the forward monitor. The image was replaced by two small craft now moving to intercept them. The small gunship moved with purpose towards the edge of the Gas giants pull. Two fighters moved into range and began firing on the vessel as it cleared the gravity well. Bolts of energy scored the hull as the weak shielding failed to hold up. every watt of power had been thrown into the engines in a gamble to get out of the system before the ship was destroyed. A proton torpedo slammed into the gunship a moment later opening up a starboard bulkhead to vacuum. The ship shook under the leaching of the hull as the warhead tore it open. The auto doors closed sealing the section of the ship but not before three of her crew were taken by the vacuum, sucked out to their deaths as their blood boiled in their bodies and their skin froze slowly.
"Fire Chaff now. Spin us forty degrees rimward and jump" said Jorta as the realization that three of his crew were gone sank in. The gunship unloaded the chaff it had been loaded with before launch and re-positioned itself just before a second torpedo slammed into the chaff. A second later the gunship was gone. Hyperspace engulfing the vessel as it jumped blindly towards the core.
