Private Moff in Distress

[Aurelian Sigismund]

Laine Gowrie
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Shuttle Orpheus, en route to Bastion from Dantooine
Moff of Vandemar

After the visit of the Irveric Tavlar Special Warfare Center, Aurelian was on his way back to the capital. While his thoughts were once more on multiple matters, he send with his arms on his knees, bend over, eyes closed. He was drifting quite far into various topics at the same time, exploring possible new projects as well as wrapping up older ones or brooding over present issues. He was satisfied with the process of the Techwrights, especially the Olympian Houses, even though he would never show it. They needed to be strifing for the impossible or become complacent.

It took the pilot two attempts to gain the attention of his passenger.

"SIR!"

Sigismund looked up, not really annoyed, but expecting a very good excuse for disturbing him. And he got one.

"We are being pulled out of hyperspace, an interdiction field."

The Zakuulan was connecting himself with the shuttles systems and observed what the sensors and scanners would read right after being pulled out of hyperspace. Its computer was not apt enough to alter the course last moment, or else they risked getting crashed, ripped apart. His eyes looked on the information as they started to flood in. They were nowhere near their destination and neither anywhere important at all. Reports of pirates and raiders had increased recently, but nobody expected they would be so bold to attack an imperial shuttle.

But they did. Two corvettes and a large frigate. Core knows where they grabbed an interdiction field generator. Some shaggy starfighters were already approaching them, intending to intercept a possible escape.

"Power down the engines. All power to the shields." They wouldn't be a real tough nut to crack, but at least it would buy them a minute or two. Meanwhile Sigismund sent a distress signal, both on secured imperial lines as well as Vandemarian ones. Would be curious to see who came first. The ruler of Vandemar sitting tight, sealing his helmet on and readying his equipment. Waiting to be pulled into a hangar.

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[Laine Gowrie]

Commander Laine Gowrie​

Spoiler: Fleet Roster

1 x Valiant Class Star Destroyer - NIV Parmellian Warden

3 x Gurkha Class corvettes - Agrippa, Hawk, Golden Spear

Location: Deep space
Objective: Rescue an important politician
Tag: Aurelian Sigismund

It had been nearly midnight aboard the Parmellian Warden When the distress call came through. The night watch of the ship immediately acted and set a course at best possible speed to intercept the Moff of Vandemar and his shuttle and within a few minute, Commander Gowrie, as the duty officer for this shift was at the Comm, still wiping the night out of her eyes. She looked at the tactical readout as the ship breached hyperspace and approached the incident. With Imperial efficiency, the two tie fighter wings were deployed and moved to intercept the Moff's shuttle.

This was a bold move of the pirates, she predicted this was a snatch and grab for puroses of ransom. The interdictor vessel that normally accompanied her patrol had been rendered a mission kill at their last engagement and was limping to space dock. This meant they had to act quickly before the pirates grabbed their prey and reentered hyperspace.

She broadcast a message on all channels, speaking to the pirates but also attempting to reassure the Moff and his staff.

"Attention unidentitifed vessels. This is Commander Gowrie, First officer of the Parmellian Warden you are in violation of Imperial Law, any further hostilities will be dealt with immediately. You have thirty seconds to power down your weapons and surrender."

She cut the comm and while she waited she adressed the fire control team. "Fire control, please target the closest corvette to the Moff with a concentrated fire, shoot to destroy. I dont want the pirates thinking they can snatch this HVT from under our noses."

The thirty seconds ended and there aas no answer as the corvette aproached closer to the stricked shuttle and one of her own vessels began closing the distance to catch it in a friendly tractor beam. A nod was given from the Commander and the cruiser opened fire on the corvette in question. The smaller ship, likely poorly maintained by the pirates had little chance against the heavily armed Imperial vessel equipped with advanced targeting systems. Quickly it was overwhelmed and explosions rocked the small ship, tearing it into nothing more than an expanding cloud of death and debris.

"Comms! Do we have their attention?"

"No commander, the enemy is not standing down or contacting us, their frigate is moving in close to the Moff, but has launched missiles at us" came the reply

"Very well, all weapons, fire at will, Primary target is that frigate.... <<Agrippa, please inform me the moment our HVT is secure and if he is safe for transportation have him transferred to the Warden.>> The First officer gave commands to her own crew and to one of her escorting Frigates. Due to the Combat situation, the Captain of the Parmellian Warden had now been raised and was attending the bridge imminently. But he had faith in his recently acquired first officer and was comfortable of her decisions so far.
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[Aurelian Sigismund]

Laine Gowrie
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Shuttle Orpheus, en route to Bastion from Dantooine
Moff of Vandemar

Aurelian Sigismund was silently observing the arrival of the imperial task force, sitting calmly in the passenger compartment of the shuttle and waiting. He smelled the sweat and nervousness of the pilot, he was quite scared and worried but also sighing in relief when the imperials appeared.

The pirates were also worried about the appearing imperials, a slight sense of panic settling in to be so close to their prey but also fearing to lose it. And to lose their lives. They were hurrying and hastening in their ships, their feeling growing more desperate the moment their first ship was blown up. But the pirates had very little options left now and would not go down without a last try.

Speeding up, the under fire frigate would, instead of stopping near the shuttle, get behind it, their shields barely holding as the imperials poured heavy fire onto it. They positioned themselves right behind the shuttle, placing it between themselves and the imperial forces, their weapon armed and ready to blast its neglectible shields away and taking out the Moff. They kept their interdiction up, so their prey couldn't escape in the meantime.

"Imperials! Your law is failing, do not bolster yourself up with righteousness! Approach further and we blast your Moff to outer space! We have demands. Do you read me, imperials? First Officer Gowrie, do you hear us?! We have demands!"

The pirates responded from their relative safety.
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