Regallis Jumppoint Engagement
Regallis Jumppoint Engagement
Arc: None
Summary: While a few of the pilots from the 27th Carrier Air Wing are off playing covert ops, the TCS Majestic is sent to Regallis to ferret out some pirates. Upon jumping in, the Majestic finds three Drayman class transport under attack from two pirate manned Caernaven frigates and some fighters.
Date: 2658.152
Related Logs: None
Participants: Saint-Cloud, Jenthson, James, Paz, Phillip

Junction was the sight of some of TCS Majestic's finest moments, of course. And, her jump from that system might be somewhat bittersweet. Into Regallis, the Bengal-class transitions, having said farewell to her escorts…

Of course, that might lead to the question, upon her arrival at Regallis' jump point…just who in the Christ does this pair of light capital ships belong to?! The frigates are currently engaging a trio of Drayman's, clearly attempting to disable the merchants before they make the jump -into- Junction. A rag-tag collection of starfighters accompany the ancient warships, and with the transition of the carrier, appear to begin to scatter, flying off in -all- directions, beginning to leave their slower friends to their fate.

From his position within CiC, Saint-Cloud's eyes go wide as the first readings start coming in post-jump. The display is a mess of dots, merchants versus the unknown. He swirls around and starts barking out orders. "All flights are to scramble, ASAP! We have unknown unfriendlies jumping on merchants," he calls out as he brings up plots on his screen. "Fuck, bomber tubes are down? of all the times… Just launch whatever we have! Hail the Caps, NOW! if they don't answer, bring us between them and the merchants and fire a warning across their bows."

«<Fuck. You heard them. Alert fighters. GO.»> Pip's voice crackles over the radio from his position with CVW27-1, his personal Rapier. He's been taking a turn as an alert fighter, and of course, it just happens to hit the fan, when he's taken the aforementioned turn. And, for what seems like the millionth time, the old (for a combat pilot) Englishman is shoved back into his pilot's seat as he hits the cat, and is sent into space like a bat out of hell. «<Break into wing pairs, and engage, once you're clear, flight. We're alone, until the rest of the tubes are clear!»> Eyes flicker across his status panels, and he's already preparing to engage.

James braces himself as the kick of the launch kicks him into space. As soon as his fighter is clear of the Carrier he pulls up to get out of the way of any following fighters or the carrier. «<Cutlass away.»>

Ah, sleep…blessed, blessed, sleep. And then, as always, the fit hits the shan. Paz is rolling out of her rack and pelting for the locker room before she's even consciously aware of being in motion. If anyone spots her Wonder Woman undies, they don't have time to comment as they race to set Condition One through the ship. In short order, she's suited up, snagging a mouthful of lukewarm, half sour fruit juice she'd stashed in her locker and climbing into her ship. "C'mon, people, let's move!" she calls hoarsely to the deck gang. Next, she's settled into her launch tube, exchanging salutes with the Shooter and careening like hell into open space. «Majestic, Tizona's away. Flight lead, do we have a vector?»

Being slated for CAP duty post-jump, Iceblade was already set for an immediate launch. "Ugh, God I hate jumping…okay, «Control, Iceblade here, launching now.» As Iceblade's fighter jets out of the tube, he receives the comm from the new XO. "Huh, a welcoming committee, great." Iceblade pulls his fighter around and begins examining his sensors to get a feel for the situation.

«Who the FUCK do you think you are?! This is Tayla's system, you big pig fucker. I suggest you turn around and jump back to Feddie space.»> This is the response from the lead vessel, which is transmitting as Red Death.

The Red Death, and the Black Death break off from the Drayman for the moment, turning about to face the larger Bengal-class, since it is quite unlikely they'd actually manage to flee, considering there is a wing of fighters and bombers aboard her…they've got to cripple her launch capacity…and they seem like they are bright enough, for pirates. The starfighters return to formation, though…it seems to be -really- reluctantly. The merchants just keep spooling up their jump drives, though one appears to have already taken some damage. The rag-tag collection of fighters begin to lock weapons, and launch…while light-am begins to streak toward the Majestic…each of the small frigates seem to be built around a single anti-matter gun.

Saint-Cloud compartmentalizes, pushing the fighters aside in his mind since it isn't his job to control them but just to cover them in the broadest of senses. Another portion of his brain is plotting possible courses, which are the most tactically sound and which are folly. His main task is finding out who these assholes are. And you can't do that if you destroy them outright. Which he will do if he has no choice but.. Intel first and foremost, if possible. Of course when they both decide to open up on the Majestic. "Well fuck you very much!" he growls as he starts tapping on his console, bringing up vector plots. "You want to play that game, fine!" he plots a new course. "Engines full ahead, full shields foreward.." he orders as he directs the vessel on a course between the two lighter capital ships. There is more than enough room, surely, and they can't fire their big guns if the Majestic is between them and for fear of hitting their partner ship. But the Majestic has weapons that can swivel, if not the largest ones. "Baird! Target that one.." he sends the location for the black death to the gunner while he brings up targeting on the Red Death.

«<Watch the capitals, folks. if I recall, they do carry warheads. Caernaven-class…haven't seen them in decades….»> Pip's just full of important information, as his Rapier cruises through a rapidly expanding hotzone of weapons fire. «<Vector, Tizona? We're rather on top of them, I would say. Engage at will, pilots. No time for fancy.»> Amusement tinges his voice as his still-new starfighter turns and burns, firing a burst of his full array of guns in a deflection shot that streaks toward one of the trio of Talons cluttering local space.

«Copy that, Lead.» Tizona replies, voice all seriousness. «Flight, we've got Scims out here, recommend we team up on the bastards after this pass.» she calls, jamming the throttle to the stops and picking up a friend or foe to try and plug the lead Scimitar's engines with. «We all know how damn hard these things are to kill.»

Phillip gets a feel for the current situation and quickly notes that his fellow cap pilot was unable to launch from the Majestic. Iceblade then immediately 'burns start for the enemy. Iceblade switches over to IR missiles and locks onto one of the Scimitars. As his Rapier approaches the Scimitar Iceblade comms, «Time to clean out the trash. Fox one.», as he obtains a lock and lets loose with the missile.

James switches his weapons over to Heat Seekers and maneuvers for a lock on the enemy Orion's engines. Once he has a lock he squeezes the trigger «<Cutlass Fox 2!»>

«<No offense, Feddies. I'm scared of your big bad guns, and all…but I'm fucking -terrified- of Tayla.»> The same pirate Captain from before appears on the Majestic's VDU and offers an explanation regarding their choice to fight. The elderly Caernaven are nimble even. Even with Majestic plowing in-between their formation, it isn't that difficult for them to keep engaging the much much larger ship without fear of hitting one another. As weapons fire is exchanged between the capitals, not much effect is made, with shots ricocheting off of hull plating.

"Sir? Tayla is the name of the big-shot pirate leader in the sector…if these are her ships…she's even better equipped than we believed." This is a report from the Majestic's current Intel officer, who just happened to be situated on the bridge. The Carrier shudders as ineffectual fire begins to impact her large form…she is a hard target to miss, after all.

The furball goes better for the Confed's trained pilots, unsurprisingly, with three of the enemy attackers already crippled, while three of their own take glancing fire. For the moment, everyone retains their current targets.

«<Looks like you've got those Scimitars under control, more or less…»> Pip's response is dry, as he throws Lady Jane Grey into a twisting roll, enemy fire from multiple attackers creasing space, which his Rapier had just vacated at high speed, afterburners glowing. His own fire was off-target of course, but at least he is breathing, still. Finger tightens down on his flight stick's trigger, and his throttle is yanked back for a split second, enough to track his original target for a burst from his guns.

James cheers silently as his missile slams into the Orion's engines though the soundless cheer turns into a muttered curse as he tries to dive below the stream of fire from a Talon but his fighter takes a glancing hit despite his efforts, «<This is Cutlass I'm hit but it's not serious.»> He calls over the channel as he switches his weapons to mass drivers then swings around for another pass on the Orion squeezing the trigger as he settles his gunsight on the Orion's engines «<Cutlass guns!»> He calls before weaving a little to try to disrupt the enemy's aim.

"Dammit!" Paz snarls as her ships shudders from her target's mass driver's assault. Her own missile impacting on a belly bay, but not doing quite enough damage to splash the damn thing. "Figures, third dogfight in a Rapier, and I'm up against a fuckin' Scim." she grumbles, dialing in her new fighters' neutron weapon and kicking hard right rudder to slew her into position for another try at the enemy ship's engines.

Saint-Cloud grits his teeth and nods to INTEL then stares at the screen. "Helm, slow us down and keep us between them. Comms, relay message." he says as he quickly checks his targeting plots. «This is Lieutenant Commander Saint-Cloud. I don't give a damn if this Tayla makes you wet your pants in the deep dark night. I am going to keep firing on you.. my fighters are going to decimate your pathetic squads.. Until you break off your attacks. If you don't stand down or turn tail we /WILL/ bury you. Comms, End Message» With that he brings up the plot and lets fire once more.

Phillip gets clipped at one side with minor damage to his weapons by one of the Scimitars just as Iceblade launches his own missile. As Iceblade pulls away to avoid further damage, he notes the serious hit the Scimitar suffered from his missile. Iceblade jukes for a few seconds more, then he comes back around onto his initial target. Lining up onto the exhaust of the Scimitar, Iceblade opens fire with full bursts from his guns, «Do you feel lucky today, punk, well do ya.»

The response from the Red Death is silence, and then an explosion. One of Majestic's turrets manage to tear into its cargo bay, and it would appear, detonate the warhead stocks that the small frigate carry, ripping the pirate capital ship apart from the inside out, a blaze of fire and light erase much hope for survivors from this particular foe. Its sister ship presses its attack as hard as it can, trying to disable the Majestic's launch tubes(a shame, really…it is unaware bombers can't launch), so it can flee properly. The largest, if not the most dangerous of the enemy interceptors is destroyed by Cutlass, with the Orion's cockpit separating from the rest of the hull, pilot ejecting rather than dying.

James joyfully announces «<Scratch one!»> over the comm channel as the Orion blows apart under his fire. Then he weaves left when he should have weaved right and a burst of fire strikes his port wing. «<I'm hit but I can still fight.»> That said he swings around and locks onto the Talon that has been chasing him throughout the engagement sending a missile towards it «<Cutlass Fox 2.»>

Saint-Cloud doesn't have time to contemplate just how too easy that Cap went up in flames, he has another to deal with. "Helm, bring us about to the coordinates on your screen.." he calls out, sending a new vector. "Maneuvering thrusters full and bring us to face! All Guns, fire when you have them!" and he stabs the execute button on his terminal.

"Okay, that did a whole lot of nothing." Paz grunts as her shiny new lasers fail, not surprisingly, to make even a decent scorch mark on the enemy Scimitar's engines. "Guess we're back to missiles." she notes, selecting her other Friend or Foe and driving as close as she can to her target to jam home the seeker head's lock before pulling the trigger.

Phillip continues his assault on the Scimitar; however, most of the shots miss as Iceblade continues to dodge mass driver bolts from his tailing Scimitar. Iceblade does manage a minor yet destabilizing hit on his target's space frame. The result is the hostile fighter crumbling into multiple pieces with the pilot failing to eject from his hunk of junk. Even with Ice's weaving, the tailing Scimitar manages a glancing plow on the Rapier's nose, but the armor blocks the hit. Iceblade burns forward and comes about for a strike on this Scimitar with a rather nasty IR missile. The lock comes and Iceblade launches the missile comming in a serious tone, «Prepare to join your comrade, rust bucket. FOX TWO!»

"Can't catch me…" Pip's still easily avoiding the attacks from his target, but his own fire is not quite as accurate as it usually is. He manages to clip his Talon, but it is such a glancing shot that the damage is not more than cosmetic. «Nice shooting, folks…we're going to have these buggers dead in -no- time.» A tight weave to avoid shrapnel expanding from the dead frigate, and he's falling onto the tail of a different Talon, and firing a burst of his guns in an attempt to kill the light fighter.

Charging in on the Majestic as the Black Death is doing, one would hope that the damage it takes is more severe than the minor ruin inflicted upon its hull, courtesy of the on-duty gunnery officer. And, attesting to the Minutemen's love of the class, the lone remaining Scimitar manages to eat a pair of missiles without suffering terribly badly. The somewhat indecisive furball continues, with each enemy targeting a foe among the Confederation pilots.

Saint-Cloud curses as his own shot goes wide, but grins as Baird's hits. "Good one. Let's do that again. If they are going to press us, lets press back harder." he says. No order needs to be given. He already laid out his ultimatum and he will follow through with it, so help him. He brings his target to bear and stabs the execute once more.. it is sort of fitting.

Unfortunately James's angle of attack is bad and the missile can't compensate shooting past the Talon into the depths of space joined by a dumbfire from the Scimitar pursuing James's fighter. He swings around for another pass and this time lines his sights up on the Talon's engines before squeezing the trigger «<Cutlass fox 2.»>

Paz can't help but chuckle ruefully as, predictably, her opponent sucks up yet another missile without seeming to do much more than lurch from the impact. A quick kick-roll spins her out of the path of the incoming Talons' gunfire while her fingers set her weapons to full guns, and she works her ship into a position to, hopefully, riddle the Scim's cockpit with bullets. "Playtime is now over." she says, lining up the reticule and squeezing.

Phillip's missile scores a hit, but the heavy Scimitar just takes it and the missile from Paz's fighter. Iceblade then notices his shields flare and begins dodging the incoming shots. His Rapier takes some hits, but only minor damage is done. Iceblade goes evasive, switching to FF missiles. He then comms «OH wow, you managed to actually hit me, well here's your prize.» as he launches an FF missile at the offending Talon.

«<Damn, I miss Victoria…» Pip laments over open channels as his gunfire barely scratches the Talon that he is engaging….those pilots who used to fly under him in the 1087th have to know what the WinCo would do for a dumbfire at this time and place. Weapons control is switched to those fancy image recognition missiles….and he manages to twist and turn on his target's six for long enough to get a tone…«<Far too expensive warhead, AWAY.»> He's always a fan of keeping his wings' expensive fund expenditure to a minimum!

James watches another missile sail past his fighter even as his weapon is evaded by the nimble enemy fighter. James's response is to switch back to guns and boar in on the fighter before squeezing the trigger.

Saint-Cloud brings his fist down on the edge of his console. "FUCK!" he growls. "Keep pressing on them! I want them out of my sky!" Execute!

The enemy frigate across the bow of the Majestic, pumping a barrage from its lone gun at the bridge of the giant target, as it seems to be living a charmed life to be surviving this long against such a target. It is -really- lucky that the bombers can't launch, obviously. Within the furball, two ships are badly damaged…one being Paz's Rapier, and the other being the Talon that Pip continues to pursue.

«<Son of a bitch….Iceboy, why aren't you covering your wingman? Tizona, are you alright?»> Jenthson's Rapier continues to trail after the now damaged Talon leader, dropping off another IR missile in his wake…." That first one did seem to hit the spot…" An annoyed musing within his cockpit, as he maintains pursuit.

She's already cussing as her first attempt to finally KO the Scimitar merely sparkles off the ship's shields and armor plating, throwing her plane into a steep climb to try and brace it from beneath. Then all hell breaks loose. The Talon driver, who's tender ministrations she dodged so neatly before suddenly remembers his basic aerospace combat maneuvering and plants a brace of shells right into her cockpit. Of all the times not to be in a Scimitar! The Rapier's comparatively light shields and armor manage to stave off the worst of the damage, but not enough to keep from punching holes in her roof, a pair of rounds smashing her hand and arm on her right side. With her caution and warning alarms screaming, Paz cries out into her helmet in pain as she squeezes off another burst at her quarry before rapidly vectoring out of the furball. «Lead….T…Tizona…I'm hit….Dunno how bad……Fuck, but I'm leaking….»

In his evading, Iceblade still managed to take some hits from his pursuer. Luckily, the armor blocked it. In all of this dodging, however, Iceblade can't help but notice the beating Paz's Rapier is taking, so Phillip turns onto Paz's pursuer and lets loose another FF. All the while hoping to not get chewed apart as he lines up on this target.

James stares almost in shock as his rounds plow into the nose of the Talon and the fighter comes apart. «<Cutlass scratch 1!»> he calls before boring in towards the cockpit of the Scimitar, which has been after him for a while and unleashes a burst of fire.

«<Funny. I expected that I'd be eating torpedoes by now, Captain.»> The VDU screens flare to life, and an attractive, if rough looking woman is visible. And she's laughing as she continues to dance around the Majestic in her little ship, smacking it around, even. «<Are -you- prepared to surrender?»> She has figured out that Broadswords are not forthcoming, and she's prepared to be a haughty bitch to Saint-Cloud. She also assumes he is the Captain.

Pip's Rapier cuts through the rapidly expanding cloud of shrapnel and body parts that -was- the Talon leader, calling out…«<Splash one, engaging that bugger on your arse, Icecream.»> He drops toward Talon-3, releasing his final FoF missile in its wake, allowing a few moments for the warhead to lock on, properly. «Head for home, Tizona. Flight deck should be clear to land, at least. I'll call ahead for a med-team.»>

Oh-kay, looks like Paz's pursuer just turned onto Phillip and fired a few shots at his Rapier as Ice's FF - having gone past the Talon initially - comes around right into the Talon's tailpipe. Unfortunately for Iceblade, his own pursuer is a little more accurate as shots scrap along Iceblade's right wing. Iceblade attempts to evade just as his pursuer finally disappears from the map. Iceblade noticing this, comes around on this last Talon and opens fire with full guns.

Saint-Cloud stands straighter at his console, composing himself and stares directly at the screen but does not give a single order to stop pressing the attack. «Well, I was really thinking about it Ma'am.» he says in his drawling Duskan accent. « But then I thought, hey, my repair teams need /something/ to do and, really, you aren't worth wasting real ordinance on. I have a complete multisector organization behind me to provide support after I wipe the surrounding space with you. You? You have jack and shit. Just another holovision pirate with a bad facelift. But that's okay, it's what I expect from the small minded. Now if you don't mind, ma'am.. You're not worth the video bandwidth.» he cuts the signal. "Like I said, people, I want them out of my sky. Every gun and every available fighter, on her ship if you please."

«Copy that, lead.» Tizona replies, gritting her teeth as she kicks over and makes for home. «Sorry, guys.» she adds, her tone one of shame and annoyance as she breaks contact. "Fuck! FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK!" she snarls, thumping her good hand against the side of her canopy.

«<Ahh….majestic? You might want to kill that fucking cap-ship. We've got nothing that'll scratch it.»> Jenthson radios. Their warheads will just bounce off its shields, even. It really is down to the Majestic and the Black Death at this point. And, of course, a gangbang on that last fighter.

James watches his rounds stitch the body of the enemy fighter as he the enemy's return fire misses despite his lack of evasion. He swings around before setting his weapon back to missiles and boring in on his target's engines.

Phillip's shots ring right onto the fighter's nose. Iceblade adeptly dodges the shots from the Talon as the Talon is torn to shreds by Pip's missile. «Thanks Pip,» Iceblade comms as he burns pass the exploding wreck formerly known as Talon. Phillip then turns his fighter toward the Scimitar while he switches to FF missiles. Iceblade lines up the shot for a direct hit on the pirate's cockpit. Iceblade calmly radios «Iceblade, Fox three» all-the-while grinning as he launches his last missile.

«Majestic, Tizona…requesting vector to the initial.» Paz queries the carrier. «Only got one good arm, please advise how you wanna play this.» she calls. «The slower the better.» she adds. «Got lucky last time, let's not push the issue.» she says, forcing a chuckle as she falls into the pattern, vectored in by the Majestic's LSO.

The Black Death, quick as she is, makes a final pass across the bow of the TCS Majestic, spitting anti-matter toward the carrier's bridge, before turning off toward the depths of space. The Captain is brave, and likes shooting Confed….but she isn't a total fool. Her escorts are dead, and her prey have jumped out of the system. She's got nothing to gain by continuing a fight that she can't win.

«<Iceboy. Looks like she's prepping to bug out. Once she's clear, you and I are following. -discreetly-. Let's see if he we can't find her nest…for later.»> Pip grins from behind his helmet, as he gives his orders, though he, for the moment, pulls away from the light frigate. Can't let her -know- they are going to try to follow.

James watches the last enemy fighter come apart under a combined strike from his fighter and Iceblade's missiles. Out of missiles he swings around for a mass driver strafing run on the pirate frigate's bridge.

Iceblade watches as his missile along with the others causes the last remaining Scimitar to explode into a hail of shrapnel. «Alright, last one dead.» Iceblade comms before he receives new orders from Pip. Phillip then radios, «Lead, Iceblade, confirming your orders and pulling onto your wing.»

And Black Death lives to fight another day…though she is discreetly trailed by a pair of Rapiers. Fin.