Charon System - Wedge009.net

Shotglass: Did you hear, Maverick? We’re pullin’ out of here. I’ll tell you, I’ve never been glad that we’re retreatin’ before. But this time, I am. At least we’ll have a chance to get out of this alive.

Knight: Hello, Maverick. Pull up a chair, sit down. You’ve probably heard that we’re retreating from this sector. I suppose there’s nothing else we can do here. I just hope those Firekka can fight against the Kilrathi on their own. But I don’t think there’s much of a chance of that, really.

Maniac: Hey, Maverick. Did you hear that I’m back on duty? And I’m going to be your wingman! Isn’t that great?

Maverick: That’s really… terrific, Maniac.

Maniac: I thought you’d be pleased, Blair. Listen, I had this idea for a great weapon we can use against the furballs. We can repack our standard missiles with a double load of ESK-5 explosives…

Maverick: ESK-5? But if you did that, they’d explode inside your ship on your first high-G manoeuvre!

Maniac: Yeah, but you’d take out everything within a hundred klicks!

Maverick: Everything within a hundred klicks, including yourself!

Mission Briefing, 11:00 hours, 2655.295. Charon System, Antares Sector.

Halcyon: Pilots, we’re heading for the Vega sector border. There’s nothing else we can do here… we can’t win against these odds. And it may already be too late to retreat. The Kilrathi are close behind us and are pursuing us to the border. But our main problem isn’t the Kilrathi fleet behind us, but a small strike fleet that’s stationed at the Vega border. With the huge Kilrathi fleet behind us, we can’t take the time to detour around the border ships. Your assignment is to clear those ships out of our path. You’ll have to work fast, pilots. Because every minute that we delay here means that those Kilrathi battle fleets are closer on our tail. These are your assignments…

Maverick listens until the Colonel calls his name.

Halcyon: Iota Wing is Maverick and Maniac, with Maverick as wingleader. You’ll fly to each of your Nav points and destroy any Kilrathi capital ships that you encounter. Every minute counts right now, pilots. Don’t screw up out there. Dismissed.

Mission Debriefing – 14:00 hours, 2655.295.

Halcyon: Anything to report, Maverick?

Maverick: I destroyed two Ralari at Nav 2.

Halcyon: Very impressive, Colonel.

Maverick: The Snakeir carrier at Nav 3 is history, sir.

Halcyon: Maverick, I see you bagged 7… Maniac nailed 7. You’re still on Active Duty, Maverick, so stay alert. Dismissed.

Hangar Deck. 15:00 hours, 2655.295.

Halcyon: In consideration of his valorous service to Humanity, leading the forces of the Confederation against the Empire of Kilrah, taking a decisive role in defending our Firekka allies, and leading our forces to victory over the Kilrathi in the Antares sector on or about 2655.295, the Terran Confederation presents the Medal of Valour to Lieutenant Colonel Blair. You will be counted as one of the greatest heroes of Humanity. Well done, Maverick. Congratulations.

Maverick: Thank you, sir.

Charon 2

Shotglass: Colonel! You’d better get to Briefing right away!

Mission Briefing, 16:00 hours, 2655.295. Border Zone, Vega Sector.

Halcyon: Pilots, there are several waves of enemy fighters on final approach to the Tiger’s Claw. We’re nearly across the border, but we won’t get there unless you stop those fighters. We’ll launch waves of fighters one after another – clear the area of enemy fighters, then land immediately. We’ve detected a Snakeir, three Fralthi, and four Ralari on an intercept course. So don’t stray too far from the Claw, we must escape before that strike force arrives. And if we have to leave you behind when we jump out-system, we will. Wing assignments… Blair and Marshall are Upsilon Wing.

The Colonel assigns the other wings quickly.

Halcyon: Prepare to launch immediately, pilots. Dismissed.

Debriefing – 19:00 hours, 2655.295.

Halcyon: I have the numbers from your flight recorder, Maverick. I see you took down 7 enemy ships. Maniac iced 6.

Maverick: What about the Firekka, sir?

Halcyon: There’s no way to know what’s going down back there, Maverick. With luck, the Firekka can hold off the Kilrathi forces until the cats have to return to the war front, but we may never know what happens.

Maverick: I just wish we could do something more for them, sir.

Halcyon: I know, son. We did the best we could… but now everything depends on the Firekka. Dismissed.

Sivar-Eshrad ceremony disrupted:

Meanwhile…

Lkhi Settlement, Northern Hemisphere, Firekka.

The Firekka shout their triumph as the Kilrathi warships leave their planet. The Tiger’s Claw pilots have inflicted enough damage that the Kilrathi must abandon the Antares sector. The Firekka raise their guns in defiance – a proud, brave new ally of the Terran Confederation.

Sivar-Eshrad ceremony proceeded:

Meanwhile…

Lkhi Settlement, Northern Hemisphere, Firekka.

The Firekka stand before their Kilrathi captors as the first slave ships depart with their living cargo. The Confederation forces have been helpless to save them, and now another race has been enslaved… destined to die in the service of Kilrah.

Firekkan Crusade: Charon System

Charon 1

Charon 2