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Outside - The Reflection
:: 01-01-31 ::
Chapter 7: Raiders
“What are they doing?” Kaalel asked. “That must be half of their fleet. Are they insane?”
“Strike craft launching from carriers,” the Taiidan said. “They are coming in, fast, 50 kloms from the station. Ion Array Frigates unfolding magnetic arrays; all ships have weapon signatures.”
Another Taiidan came aboard the station’s command deck. “Thank you for informing Kaalel of the situation. I can find out on my own.”
“Shanal Alo, this is no time for jokes,” Thenar Soban said. He heard Kaalel give orders over the background sounds from inside the tactical display: “GravWell defense, activate. Groups Zeta and Protectors, fire at the group of Turanic carriers at -40° by 70°. All fighters, stay clear of the GravWells and target the carriers. Group Retribution…”
“Command your fleet!” Soban said and then stepped into the tactical room. “Assuming control of group Immortality. Sel-Tan fire…”
Shanal Alo and the instantly appearing Pukna Somtaaw ran into the tactical room.
“Rebel-leader online!”
“Coor-Lan and Naab-Corum fleets responding!”
*****
The first Imperialist interceptors and scouts neared the shipyard in claw formation, their orange trails blazing behind them.
Missile destroyers and Somtaaw multi-beam frigates rushed out to meet the threat. As the fighters approached, firing their mass-driver weapons into the defending ships, a sudden volley of missiles was launched from the destroyers. The missiles fired their engines, propelling themselves into the fighters in kamikaze attacks. Instantly, the first waves were destroyed.
Defenders, Plasma Bombers, Turanic Interceptors, and corvettes moved in on the offensive next. As the Somtaaw frigates fired their ion cannons and Frrern Attacker corvettes closed in on the new threat, the main Hiigaran and Taiidan groups of frigates, destroyers, and cruisers pushed forward to the main attacking wave. Carriers followed, providing support for the capital ships. Meanwhile the strike craft and the remaining wings of frigates moved out to intercept the smaller groups of adversaries that surrounded the station in multiple directions.
Hiigaran Ion Cannon Frigates focused their fire on a single Raider carrier. The Turanic ship responded with its two beams, exploding through the Kushan frigate Retaker of Hiigara, destroying its engines. A pair of Imperialist Heavy Cruisers slowly turned to join their fire. As they did, Republican destroyers fired their cannons at full power at the newly exposed sides of the cruisers, scorching the hulls. By now it was too late for the cruisers to aid the dying carrier, even as its guarding Ion Array Frigates pounded away on the Hiigarans with their powerful red beams. The carrier exploded while the Missile Corvettes fleeing its destruction now swarmed several of the slower frigates.
Over the station’s com channel, a warning sounded. “Somtaaw Explorer warships firing their siege cannons at secondary Raider wave at 160° by -60°. All ships break off and clear the area!” As soon as it was broadcast, the two battleships launched their globes of plasma towards the group of four Turanic carriers. Watching the incoming fire, the carriers began to turn in evasion. Their massiveness, however, betrayed them, and the blasts hit two carriers on the side. The direct hits completely destroyed the two attackers, as well as their strike craft and frigate escorts, while damaging the other two.
*****
“Three Raider Carriers taken out!” Kaalel said.
“ACV wing giving the stragglers an EM pulse - unlinking - firing missiles,” Pukna Somtaaw added. “They took the other two out!”
“Nice, but it will be four minutes before your siege cannons recharge,” Shanal Alo replied.
“…Cruiser lost. Destroyer lost. Frigate lost. Frigate lost…Frigate lost,” the tactical display automatically intoned.
“The Imperial cruisers are tearing us apart!” Soban exclaimed. “Diverting Ion Cannon Frigates to attack from the flank. Missile destroyers firing volley at escorts. Somtaaw, get your Leeches out here onto these Kharak-burning things!”
“Wait. The Bentusi are coming into the battle,” Kaalel said.
*****
The six Bentusi ships seemed out of place in the fierce battle - gliding serenely towards the main Turanic and Imperialist group. The attackers were careful not to attack them yet, to avoid their wrath. The Tradeships moved in front of the most dangerous ships, blocking their paths to the shipyard and the Beastslayer. As the Raiders maneuvered to find new targets and move around the immense ships, the Bentusi broadcast a message.
“Turanic Raiders and Taiidan Imperialists: halt your attack immediately.”
The pirate vessels ignored the Bentusi, continuing to try to come closer to the shipyard. Several Taiidan Ion Cannon Frigates attacked a Kushan Carrier. The Carrier was destroyed in moments.
“It is unfortunate you insist on conflict,” the Bentusi said. “We regret the consequences.” The Tradeships expelled their fighters, all arranging themselves into walls of twenty each. The fighter groups closed in on the largest ships, as the Tradeships fired their destructive ion cannons at the escorts. Then flashes of yellow appeared throughout the battle scene, when Bentusi-designed Super Acolytes fired at full power on the carriers and cruisers, destroying them with one pass each. The Hiigaran and Republican forces focused their fire on the Imperialist missile destroyers, before they could destroy the fighters.
Carrier after carrier fell to the Bentusi; the pirate forces thinned out considerably. Finally several of the Turanic and Imperialist strike craft retreated to the few remaining carriers as well as the Imperial support frigates. The Super Acolytes continues their powerful slicing of the capital ships until hyperspace windows appeared in front of every Turanic and Imperialist capital ship not damaged too much in the battle. The ships were engulfed in a glowing blue color.
In a few moments, they were gone.
The Republicans and Kushan launched their salvage corvettes to salvage whatever was left of their ships that had not make it. Then, they turned upon the stragglers, abandoned by the more fortunate of their forces.
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