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Enigma Sector Campaign: Ghorah Khar System
Ghorah Khar A
Barracks, TCS Concordia.
Stingray: Well, if it isn’t Our Hero, Captain Blair…
Maverick: What’s your problem, Stingray?
Stingray: I don’t have any problems… except my pilots’ wings were missing from my locker during inspection.
Maverick: So…?
Stingray: That dead idiot McGuffin had pilot wings in his hand! Now they think I killed the guy…
Maverick: Did you?
Stingray: Get lost, Maverick. You wouldn’t understand how it feels to have people hating you for something you didn’t even do.
Maverick: You’re wrong, Stingray. I’m the only one on board who would understand.
Flight Deck, TCS Concordia.
Angel: Maverick, I have been looking for you! The briefing will be held in my office today.
Maverick: Anything to liven up a dull afternoon. Angel, just why are we hanging around Enigma Sector, anyway?
Angel: The Enigma Sector has some unique properties, Maverick. In other sectors, a ship can only jump from one star system to the next, but here in Enigma, it is possible to cross the entire sector in a single jump.
Maverick: Does this have anything to do with the black hole in the Enigma system?
Angel: Our astrophysicists are certain there is some connection, but regardless of the cause, the strategic value of Enigma is tremendous.
Maverick: We could outmanoeuvre the Kilrathi, and leapfrog into adjacent sectors!
Angel: Or the Kilrathi could do the same to us, hitting Earth and the homeworlds. It is here that we must defeat the enemy, if we are to protect our people. Now, we’d best go and meet your new wingman at my office.
Colonel Devereaux’s Office, TCS Concordia.
Angel: Maverick, have you met Hobbes?
Maverick: I’ve been introduced to the Colonel, Angel.
Angel: Good. You’ll be his wingman today. You’ll fly simple patrol, gentlemen. Touch all Nav points, and then return.
Hobbes: Colonel, I respectfully request a real mission, not busy-work.
Angel: Colonel Ralgha, this is a real mission! The Kilrathi may be launching a major offensive against Ghorah Khar. Reconnaissance data is critical now!
Maverick: I’ll lead the patrol myself, Angel. Just give me another wingman… preferably someone… Human.
Angel: You both are insubordinate! Maverick, I am appalled! Hobbes is a hero of the Confederation. You should be honoured to fly with him! You will both fly the mission, as assigned, and I will hear no more on it! I have assigned you both to Rapiers. The ship is fast and manoeuvrable, with light armour but excellent shields. Be careful, gentlemen. That is all.
Hobbes: Hobbes to Maverick. Inflight comm check. Switch to channel 3-2-7.
Maverick: Roger, Hobbes. Switching…
Hobbes: Maverick, I want you to know I do not share the Admiral’s opinion of you. I have observed your career, even before I came over to the Confederation. Your skill is well known within the Empire, if not among your own people.
Maverick: Thanks a lot, Colonel.
Hobbes: You sound as though this offends you.
Maverick: Let’s say I’m not used to compliments from a Kilrathi. Sir.
Hobbes: Understandable. In any case, I am now your wingleader. I expect you to obey my orders, Captain. Is that understood?
Maverick: Of course… sir.
Hobbes: Excellent. Then my first order is that you take command of this wing. I would like to observe your skills personally, both as a pilot and as a wingleader.
Maverick: But the Admiral…
Hobbes: …is not flying this mission. This is my command, Captain, and it shall operate as I see fit.
Maverick: Yes, sir.
Hobbes: Very well, let’s get under way. Your orders, Captain?
Maverick: Prepare to engage autopilot for Nav 1.
Hobbes: As you wish, Wing Commander.
Sparks: Welcome back, sir.
Repair Deck, TCS Concordia.
Sparks: I heard you had a rough patrol, Captain.
Maverick: It could’ve been worse. That furball is good… very good.
Sparks: Where is Colonel Ralgha?
Maverick: He’s giving the official mission report to Colonel Devereaux. Hobbes toasted 3 of his littermates, I only managed to take down 4 enemy ships myself. And I iced Kur Human-Killer as well.
Sparks: Very impressive, Maverick!
Maverick: I don’t understand this, Sparks. The Kilrathi kill dozens of my friends, and enslave hundreds of worlds… and then there’s Hobbes. He’s one of them, but…
Sparks: I know what you mean. When he first came on the ship, I was a bit uncomfortable myself. But Hobbes has proven himself over and over again.
Maverick: What’s his story? Why did he leave Kilrah?
Sparks: Talk to Downtown when he gets back from escorting that convoy.
Maverick: Downtown? Why?
Sparks: It’s not my business to tell you… just ask him. If he wants you to know, he’ll tell you.
Ghorah Khar B
Bridge, TCS Concordia.
Hobbes: You wanted to speak with me, Captain?
Maverick: I want to know why you wanted to fly missions with me.
Hobbes: You are a good pilot, too skilled to leave on the carrier, Blair, and I have sufficient influence to get you on to the flight roster. No matter what others say, I do not believe you are the “Coward of K’Tithrak Mang”.
Maverick: All right. I have another question… why the callsign?
Hobbes: The original Hobbes was a Human philosopher. Downtown suggested the callsign, as he considers me to be very wise.
Maverick: Downtown! I can’t believe that you and he are friends–
Hobbes: Maverick, I do not care what you think. Your friend, Major Colson, told me of your feelings about my kind.
Maverick: Jazz? He’s hardly a good friend of mine…
Hobbes: Be that as it may. As long as your prejudice does not interfere with our objectives, it is irrelevant.
Pilots’ Barracks, TCS Concordia.
Downtown: Maverick. How are you doing?
Doomsday: I was just trying to explain to Downtown how these spies will bring down the Confederation. We’re surrounded by traitors – hundreds of them–
Maverick: Get real, Doomsday.
Doomsday: You’re right, Maverick. There can’t be more than a dozen spies on the Concordia…
Downtown: I’m just glad you and I weren’t here when McGuffin died, Maverick…
Maverick: It’s a relief to be in the clear… for a change.
Downtown: I’m still worried, though… What if the traitor really is one of the pilots?
Doomsday: Anyone of us could be a Mandarin, Downtown.
Downtown: Have you heard much about the Society of the Mandarins, Maverick?
Maverick: Only a few stories… like that trial aboard the TCS Winterrowd.
Downtown: The Society of Mandarins takes their name from ancient Terran history. The original Mandarins were continuously invaded by the Mongols, but conquered the invaders by converting them to the Mandarin way of life. Our current Mandarins are Human spies working for the Kilrathi. The cats offered the Mandarins high positions in the Empire for their help.
Maverick: How could someone betray his own people? Like Hobbes…
Downtown: Back off, Blair! Hobbes left the Empire, but he’s no traitor!
Briefing Room, TCS Concordia.
Angel: Ralgha and Blair, your assignment for today…
Hobbes: If I may interrupt, Colonel, I request that we be assigned a mission of some consequence.
Angel: Ralgha, you know the Admiral’s opinion. You’re too valuable to risk…
Hobbes: He agreed to let me fly again. He knows I will not risk myself unnecessarily.
Angel: Good. You and Maverick will rendezvous with a Free Trader, and escort it back to the Concordia.
Maverick: Baby-sitting a freighter? That’s an important mission?
Angel: The Bonnie Heather is not an ordinary freighter. The safe passage of that freighter is vital to our operations here. Bring the freighter back via Nav Two to avoid enemy patrols. After this mission, we’ll see about more ‘consequential’ assignments, mes amis. Dismissed, pilots.
Maverick: Free Trader, this is Captain Blair of the Concordia. Identification codes received and acknowledged.
Paladin: Maverick! Hail and well met, lad!
Maverick: Paladin!
Paladin: It’s good to see you again, lad. You’re aboard the Concordia now?
Maverick: Not exactly, James.
Paladin: You’ll have to explain that to me when we’re aboard the ship.
Sparks: Welcome back, sir.
Flight Deck, TCS Concordia.
Angel: What happened out there, Christopher?
Maverick: Hobbes took some damage during combat, they’re looking at him in Sick-Bay right now. I proceeded to the rendezvous point with the freighter. The furballs were already all over her when I got there…
Angel: Paladin mentioned that to me. You defended his ship well. Well, the flight recorder shows that you got 5 Kilrathi and Hobbes took out 4 Kilrathi. Maverick, Paladin is on the O-Deck. He wishes to speak with you. That is all, pilot. Dismissed.
Ghorah Khar C
Observation Deck, TCS Concordia.
Doomsday: Christopher, Paladin brought in a bottle of Sukhar May’ya.
Maverick: That Kilrathi drink? Haven’t had that in years.
Paladin: Have a glass, Christopher. It seems you’ve nae had a good tour of duty here, lad.
Maverick: At least I’m still flying.
Paladin: If it gets really rough… I can always use a co-pilot on The Bonnie Heather.
Maverick: Thanks, but I’d like to stay here. I’m hoping Angel can get me a permanent transfer.
Paladin: She’s a good lass, that one. Beautiful, too.
Maverick: I hadn’t noticed.
Paladin: By the way, did you hear about Maniac? Saved an entire strike fleet in the Deneb Sector, he did. Some say Todd used a brilliant tactic to force two Ralatha to collide, an’ others are sayin’ he was flying on autopilot at the time. Well, that’s me last, for now. I have to talk with the Admiral soon.
Maverick: The Admiral?
Paladin: Och, it’s a small matter, nought of import. I’ll be stayin’ aboard for a few days. We’ll talk again later, Christopher.
Maverick: It’s good to see you again, James.
Paladin: And you, lad.
Admiral Tolwyn’s Office, TCS Concordia.
Paladin: …it looks like we’re in for a scrap, Geoff. Me agents on Ghorah Khar tell me the Empire’s preparing to retake the system. Whether ’tis true, I canna say for sure. But we still haven’t worked out what that destroyed manufacturing site was–
Tolwyn: The Kilrathi thought it was important enough to destroy when they retreated. I want you to continue investigating that, James.
Paladin: Geoff, there’s somethin’ else I wanted to talk to you about. I want you to give Maverick a fair shake. He’s a fine pilot, and a good soldier.
Tolwyn: I disagree. You can’t depend on him. Ask anyone who served on the Tiger’s Claw… if you can find any of them. They’re rather scarce these days.
Paladin: I served on the Claw, Geoff. Ye got him worked out all wrong. In my line of work, if ye canna size up a man’s character, ye dinna last long.
Tolwyn: In your line of work, James, treachery is par for the course.
Paladin: I was an officer like yourself until a few years ago, Admiral. An’ I’ve served ye well since then. You wouldn’t hae captured Ghorah Khar wi’out me and Ralgha. If ye trusted me then, an’ ye did… then trust me now. Maverick isn’t the enemy.
Tolwyn: He’ll have to prove that to me, James.
The Bridge, TCS Concordia.
Tolwyn: As you’ve requested, Colonel Ralgha, I have a ‘consequential’ assignment for you.
Hobbes: Thank you, Admiral.
Tolwyn: Your knowledge of Ghorah Khar has proved useful, Ralgha, but despite the rebellion, the Kilrathi are trying to take back the system.
Maverick: Rebellion?
Hobbes: I was on Ghorah Khar when the local Kilrathi rebelled against the Empire and joined the Confederation. I had some small part in the action.
Tolwyn: The Olympus space station near Ghorah Khar is currently under attack. You and your wingman are to escort two Broadswords on an intercept mission. You will be flying Rapiers.
Hobbes: The strength of the attacking force?
Tolwyn: An indeterminate number of corvettes and enemy fighters. We lost communications shortly after we received a distress signal. Once the enemy is destroyed, report to Olympus Station for debriefing. You will rendezvous with the Broadsword wing at the Nav point. They’re currently guarding a Clydesdale minesweeper. Assist them if the minesweeper is under attack. And finally, Ralgha, if you won’t accept my recommendation that you select another wingman… then I urge you to watch your back. Blair certainly won’t.
Hobbes: Admiral, I must disagree! To question Maverick’s courage…
Tolwyn: Is standard procedure these days, Ralgha. As you were.
Hobbes: Yes, sir.
Tolwyn: What? The Concordia’s under attack! Launch immediately, pilots!
Olympus Station, Ghorah Khar System.
Maverick: Olympus Station, do you copy? This is Maverick of the Concordia.
Olympus: Olympus here, Maverick.
Maverick: We engaged the task force en route to Olympus Station. The entire Kilrathi strike force has been destroyed. I wasted 4 bogies, Olympus.
Olympus: Not bad! And your wingman?
Maverick: Hobbes fried 4 Kilrathi.
Olympus: We’re transmitting the ALS data now, Blair. ALS system will engage on my mark… 3… 2… 1… mark!
Officer: Welcome to Olympus, sir.
Ghorah Khar D
Hobbes: The Admiral’s attitude towards you offends me, Maverick. Perhaps if he flew a mission with you, his opinion would change.
Maverick: It’s hard for some people to change their opinions… like me.
Hobbes: I was the same way, Christopher. I hated all Humans, until I saw the truth… and abandoned everything I had believed in, to rescue a Human child.
Maverick: Downtown.
Hobbes: I could not stand by and watch a Kilra’hra kill him.
Maverick: What you must have done for him–
Hobbes: –was nothing! To do less would be a stain upon my honour! The existence of Human slaves is a shame to the Empire. That is why I joined the Confederation to fight against my own kind. But enough of that. We must prepare for our return to the Concordia. Since we are covering the main jump line! in this system, we must be on our toes.
Olympus: Captain Blair, report to the Flight Deck for immediate launch!
Hobbes: Prepare to engage autopilot for Concordia, Maverick. And remember, Maverick, if we wind up in combat, I want you to take command.
Maverick: Roger, Hobbes. I’ll engage autopilot on your mark.
Olympus: Hobbes, Maverick, do you copy? Olympus is under attack by Drakhri!
Maverick: Hobbes and I will take ’em, Olympus!
Olympus: Thank you, Maverick!
Maverick: Don’t thank us until we get the job done, Olympus!
Sparks: Welcome back, sir.
Repair Deck, TCS Concordia.
Sparks: Heard you had a little delay on your trip home, Maverick.
Maverick: The furballs made a try for Olympus… it was a tough fight.
Sparks: Where is Hobbes?
Maverick: The Admiral requested his presence on the bridge. Probably paperwork!
Sparks: How did you do?
Maverick: I toasted 5 of the bastards and Hobbes nailed 4 of them. All in all, he’s not too bad.
Sparks: Just so you know, everyone thinks Hobbes saved the space station, not you.
Maverick: Can’t say I’m surprised.
Sparks: Don’t sweat it, Captain. You did all right. By the way, Paladin’s looking for you. I think he’s in the barracks.
Maverick: Thanks, Sparks. I’ll find him.
Thrakhath: I have new orders for your squadron, Khasra. You are now assigned to a single task… the destruction of the Concordia.
Khasra: Will you lead us into battle, cousin?
Thrakhath: I cannot. The Emperor has ordered me to the Imperial Palace.
Khasra: You are our finest warrior, my Prince! But it’s been many months since you led us into battle!
Thrakhath: My grandfather will not allow–
Khasra: Your grandfather is old and weak!
Thrakhath: You speak treason, Khasra!
Khasra: No. I speak to the next Emperor of Kilrah. You are our future, Prince Thrakhath.
Thrakhath: It will be many years before I attain the throne, cousin.
Khasra: Perhaps not so long as that, my Prince.
