Fleet Tournament: Aermoira Cyone vs. Safis'are'nuruodo

[Jorus Merrill]

Spoiler

[member="Aermoira Cyone"] vs [member="Safis'are'nuruodo"]

The tournament simulation is extremely detailed. Every element of your starship, all the void beyond, each gesture and comment of your crew - it all seems real. Your starfleet is drawn from historical designs, the kind that still see use here and there in the Outer Rim. You command:

• 1 x Trade Federation
  Lucrehulk-class Battleship (simplified loadout: 1,500 Vulture droid starfighters, 50 landing ships)
• 4 x CIS Munificent-class Frigates

Your enemy has the exact same starship types. You've given all your ships their own names; naturally, they're better than the names your opponent chose for the enemy fleet.

The scenario is fairly straightforward. You have encountered each other in orbit around a…*gasp*...black hole!

OOC/ The battle will last one week, or until one of you concedes, or longer if both of you agree. If one of you fails to post within the first two days, a new opponent will be subbed in. You can assume that you start within long range of each other. You can also assume that the accretion disc around the black hole obscures sensors and targeting unless you're at close range. Victory/defeat should be pretty straightforward for you to determine between yourselves; I'll pick a winner if both of you feel you've won.

 

[Progflaw99]

-- -- --​

Aboard the CDV Ch'anatomi ​

Lucrehulk-class Battleship​

Location: Edge of Unknown System​

-- -- --​

​

"Ttan'o Vitcehah."​

​

With two words the Captain's commands brought the Battleship to a halt at the edge of the system. Well, not his words, rather the other Chiss men and women serving aboard the vessel brought the vessel to a halt. His orders were followed without question. On his flanks were arrayed a small number of other vessels, four Munificent-class frigates guarding her rear. Three were aligned at an angle off the Ch'anatomi's port bow, a singular frigate in line with her off the starboard bow.

"Scanners are ineffective Sir, but we've detected a massive gravitational anomaly ahead. We'll have to go around."​

​

A young officer spoke up, his crimson eyes fixed on the small display in front of him. *Officer Brast'alo'nuruodo will make a fine commander some day.* thought the Captain. His rank wasn't truly that of Captain but it was his assignment for this mission - the commander of the vessel in question. A step up from his usual reconnaissance assignment, the battleship was large - too large for his liking but he would carry out his duty as all Chiss knew was the most important facet of any mission. Duty over preference.

"Negative - hold position."​

​

Safis'are'nuruodo, also called Saren, raised his voice once more, his eyes narrowing as he looked out towards the viewscreen and then back to the Captain's console. Their sensors were near useless, the gravitational anomaly ahead not only refusing to return any definitive readings but warping the signals so bad that he couldn't even be sure they were actually receiving the same signal they sent. Silently observing the strange dark sphere that seemed to dominate their attention. They would have to avoid it. Even as he went to speak, again the officer spoke up.

"Vit'ecin, adjusting power to the engines, even here we are experiencing the pull of the anomaly."​

​

Manipulating the controls, the young officer carried out his task, the vessel edging away from the black hole. As they reached an orbit point which was safer, he simply nodded towards the Vit'ecin or Captain. They were in a standard holding pattern but the lack of anything in system bothered Saren. His eyes traced once more to the viewports. Looking past the docking clamps on either end of the semi-circular hull, he caught the glint of something.

"Give me a direct pulse, tight waveform - to our front."​

​

His voice grew terse. Saren had an intuition about things, and something didn't sit right with him. He could have sworn he'd seen the shimmer of a hull out beyond the anomaly, almost opposite he and his vessels. As the tight pulse wave transmitted, a garbled response came through - sensors displayed only a fraction of the data one would normally expect, no doubt a result of the black hole they orbited but the Chiss man in command of the battleship knew what a partial scan looked like. In an instant the atmosphere aboard the CDV Chanatomi changed. Saren spoke again, a firm tone carrying his commands to the bridge crew.

"Enemy hull, direct front. Launch a fifth of our fighters, keep them close to our hull. Alert the other vessels - stay in formation."​

​

25 full squadrons of Vulture Droid Starfighters began pouring from the battleship's hangars, immediately forming up as they streaked across the hull of the Lucrehulk. They would swarm, though in a somewhat docile pattern, complex maneuvers controlled for the moment by the battleship itself. Communications were made with the other vessels in their formation, the large battleship turning slowly to starboard. As it began to move counter-clockwise around the anomaly, the frigate that had been to it's starboard bow dropped back to the rear. They'd only gotten a momentary reading but Saren knew that it was unlikely the other vessel would be able to get to his outside edge.

"Get me repeating scans, bearing 240 to 300 Degrees, keep those beams tight."​

Spoiler

1 x Lucrehulk-class Battleship

• CDV Ch'anatomi
  ​Shields 100%
• Weapons 100%
• Systems 100%
• Starfighter Complement - 100% - 1500 Vulture Droids

4 x Munificent-class Frigate

• CDV Tun'isbi​
  ​Shields 100%
• Weapons 100%
• Systems 100%

[*]CDV Cssin's'et​

• ​Shields 100%
• Weapons 100%
• Systems 100%

[*]CDV Csson'vat​

• ​Shields 100%
• Weapons 100%
• Systems 100%

[*]CDV Tin'si​

• ​Shields 100%
• Weapons 100%
• Systems 100%

 

[Ria Misrani]

Asmeru, Quintas both taught [SIZE=11pt]Aermoira[/SIZE] something about space. It was cruel, twisted and took everything from you, if you let it. She also knew that it could be beautiful taking in a deep breath she exhaled and looked over at her officers. “Lieutenant Choi.” The words escaped her lips as she thought about the fighter compliment. “Hold fighters, have them prepare to launch.” The game she was about to play would be dangerous, unlike Asmeru this wasn’t just an anomaly this was Quintas. This was the black hole, and so a question lingered in the back of her mind one that had been asked of her recently by the promotion board: What have you learned?

“Ensign Quentin, have our frigates form around us hold tight [SIZE=11pt]in formation[/SIZE] X-Ray Four.” She said and then looked out the viewport her eyes studied the black hole. There’d be no sliding around this, it’d pull her in and destroy everything in sight. What have you learned Commander Cyone? Nothing is impossible, an idealist wearing the coat of science. Clearly, she had learned nothing since Kaeshana. They were at long range from their opponents on this day, but she knew not the commander and perhaps that was for the better. In the moment Aermoira wished to be back in her Conyers class ship. The one she knew best, but an officer should command whatever was given to them.

A million things ran through her mind, engage defensive screens, interception. None of it would matter, it was all negated by the black hole. In some [SIZE=11pt]regards[/SIZE] the Commander had been in this position before, and in others she had not. There was no repulsor strong enough to allow her to pull the trick at Asmeru here. Quintas ran through her mind again, particle acceleration most notably and once more it would not help. The Luchrehulk sat at the edge of the system with the four frigates closed around it looking like an x-shape formation staying close to the big girl. No fighters had been deployed from the main vessel, not yet anyway the experience would serve Aermoira well, win or lose.

Spoiler

1x Luchrehulk
4x Munificent
1500x Vulture Droids

 

[Progflaw99]

"Vessels to port Sir - almost appears.. no, it's an exact copy of our composition." ​

​

*An exact copy. Surely the odds of such a thing...* Crimson eyes gazed out across the void of space, the blank slate of nothingness between the vessels. A brief glance at his command console granted him some minor insight as to the anomaly. A black hole, for certain, though what exactly were its effects? Certainly the gravitational pull of the thing would be a hindrance in combat but the vessels were an exact copy of their fleet composition? Perhaps there was some other devilry at work here.

"How are they arrayed - could it be a mirror image? A reflection due to the distortion caused by the anomaly?"​

​

A brief pause filled the command deck of the CDV Ch'anatomi. The gentle hum of the engines as they slowly made their way counter clockwise around the black hole's influence. From time to time, the engines would flare, keeping them just outside the sphere's grasp. The officer who'd addressed Saren before raised his voice again.

"Same composition sir, but definitely not an illusion. Should we move to engage?"​

​

"Continue on present course - I mind the anomaly. Transfer power to the port side shields."​

​

With a verbal acknowlegement, the officer turned back to his console, effecting the changes ordered by the Captain. It appeared the other vessels had taken a symmetrical formation, his eyes watching as the support vessels boxed in the other Lucrehulk. An idea began forming in his mind, one that was a gamble - but in combat, nothing could be assured. He'd personally read and watched the holo-recordings of battles past, larger and more competent forces brought to knee by luck, by fate. From where he stood on the bridge of his vessel, Saren breathed in slowly. The how's and why's of what he was witnessing were left behind him in that moment, none of it relevant. They would hold course, at least till he completed the calculations.

"A datapad. Now."​

​

From behind the Captain a young officer stepped forwards, his uniform near bare of any decoration - a cadet by the rank insignia pinned. A Chiss, like the Captain, like the rest of the organic crew aboard the vessel. The boy's hands rose, a datapad finding its way into Saren's as he dispatched the Cadet with a nod. Rapidly touching the screen and beginning to input tactical data from the con, his features drew tight. Their course of action in his mind was set, but he would tarry a moment longer. Timing was everything.

Spoiler

1 x Lucrehulk-class Battleship

• CDV Ch'anatomi
  ​Shields 100%
• Weapons 100%
• Systems 100%
• Starfighter Complement - 100% - 1500 Vulture Droids
  ​25 Squadrons Deployed Along the Hull of the CDV Ch'anatomi

4 x Munificent-class Frigate

• CDV Tun'isbi​
  ​Shields 100%
• Weapons 100%
• Systems 100%

[*]CDV Cssin's'et​

• ​Shields 100%
• Weapons 100%
• Systems 100%

[*]CDV Csson'vat​

• ​Shields 100%
• Weapons 100%
• Systems 100%

[*]CDV Tin'si​

• ​Shields 100%
• Weapons 100%
• Systems 100%

 

[Ria Misrani]

The bridge of the Luchrehulk fell silent as her young commander approached the viewport. Aermoira placed a hand behind her back while the other rested against glasteel, the hum of monitors and consoles was the soundtrack to her thoughts. Every moment that ticked by was a moment wasted, a moment that could be used to their advantage. "Commander," Lieutenant Choi began, "their fleet composition- it's..." His voice trailed off and then silenced. The Coruscanti woman brought a hand up as his nonverbal command, and then it went back down to join the other hand behind her back. She pivoted to her left and looked in his direction and her eyes told him of her thoughts before she gave the orders. "I'll bring you the data now, ma'am."

And then her attention returned to the viewport, "change course, head for the anomaly." And if the bridge hadn't already been quiet, it was now deathly silent. Did they hear her correctly? Steer toward the blackhole? Had she gone mad? "Asmeru while not a blackhole was still a vortex of death and destruction, or do you not recall the costly repairs of the Constellation and the loss of life we suffered at the hands of the Galactic Alliance?" Her voice stung heavy with the memory of their defeat as the voices of Kaeshana returned to haunt her. "If you are not here to take the ris-"

"Commander, with all-"

"Silence!" She stopped the Lieutenant there and approached him with haste. "You will be silent and remember our defeat. We are here to secure ourselves against it, yes I realize, quite so - the exact dangers we face by even treading near the damn thing." A pause as she turned away from him, "I realize it more than you can imagine but we have been here before. We have faced blackholes and anomalies, and if you cannot have faith in yourself to do so... Then trust that I have faith enough in you." Aermoira turned to face Choi again, "now redirect our heading, head for the anomaly, all fighters hold in our hangar. I want the frigates to keep tight but move forward."

[member="Safis'are'nuruodo"]

Spoiler

1x Luchrehulk
4x Munificent
1500x Vulture Droids

 

[Progflaw99]

Saren's fingers moved across the datapad rapidly, calculations being crunched by the device as his eyes narrowed at the viewscreen. A low snarl emanated from the man's throat as his grip on the datapad tightened. The enemy fleet had begun to move - this was going to get gritty. Rather than a roundabout course as he'd expected from an enemy who's strength lied in fighter support as did his, the enemy had forced him to address them directly. It was a bold move, the easy response to simply evade them, travelling around the outside of the anomaly and hope they were mauled as they passed through it. *The easy response.* No - no this was a move to call their bluff and he would respond in kind.

"Set an intercept course, full speed. Get our escorts on our port, echelon."​

​

A minor hesitation came from the officer at the con, his eyes searching for an additional command, a change, and explanation. As he began to realize there wasn't going to be one, his body was forced into motion. Swinging the giant battleship to port, the deck tilted and the CDV Ch'anatomi's viewport traced across its escorts as they too turned towards the anomaly.

"Shields full front, put the fighters behind us on the flank."​

​

The captain's commands were followed, the three support vessels spacing out to his left, the battleship itself turning in towards the anomaly as it raced towards the enemy battleship. They wanted a fight, a fight they would get.

[member="Aermoira Cyone"]​

 

[Ria Misrani]

Aermoira grinned, "c'mon big boy let's play." She said to herself and looked around at her crew, the woman headed through the luchrehulk's command trenches, the anomaly would be indiscriminate. "Angle up, give our flyers sometime." The young woman ordered, she keyed in the coordinates herself the ship however big began to turn her face turning away from @Safis'are'nuruodo's ship. The Imperial Officer knew it would take time to turn, "frigates to the front, defensive screen."

Outside the image of the two beastly ships coming toward one another was a sight to behold. As Aermoira's ship the FIV Tano, (Aermoira's secret crush for the Togrutan Jedi is no longer a secret). Started its turn, the four frigates the FIV Roman, FIV Hastati, FIV Centurion, FIV Praetorian moved forward covering the Tano's turn. Out of the ship's hangar, a fifth of the Vulture droids began to deploy. All the while the black hole continued to swirl and it would pull anyone or anything that dared to get close enough. Like a maelstrom out at scene that churned, and churned without care for who or what crossed its path.

Back inside the Tano, the young Coruscanti woman emerged from the command trenches and walked the ramp toward the commander's seat. Choi informed her of the interception route, "let him come, we'll take them out as they approach." She declared to her officers, not caring for how perilously close they were edging out onto the black hole.

[member="Safis'are'nuruodo"]