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Wing Commander Prophecy: H’hrass System
H’hrass 312.3 – Mine the Jump Point
Drake: Very well. If we’re all here. Let’s go over your objectives.
ICIS: The enemy cruiser and its escorts are in pursuit of the Midway and should arrive through the G’wriss jump point within the hour. To slow their pursuit, your Alpha Wing will proceed to NAV 1 and mine the region surrounding the jump point. Stiletto’s Bravo Wing will provide escort. To limit enemy intelligence about this system, you are to destroy any enemy advance forces which attempt to enter through the jump point. When the jump point is mined, return to the Midway.
Drake: You know what to do. Make it happen, gentlemen. Dismissed.
Anderson: Nice flying, Lieutenant! You’re cleared to land.
H’hrass 313.2 – Cruiser Group Assault
Drake: Gentlemen. Let’s get started, shall we? Check your ICIS for the mission objectives.
ICIS: The alien cruiser and its escorts have broken past the mines surrounding the jump point. At their current speed and trajectory, they will intercept the Midway within the hour. Sensors reveal that they have already launched fighters and bombers for an initial assault. Hawk’s Charlie Wing will deploy to provide combat space patrol for the Midway. Meanwhile, your Alpha Wing will escort Maniac’s Bravo Wing as they make a direct assault on the cruiser group. When the attack is completed, return at once to the Midway and assist in its defence if necessary. The Midway is the last line of defence before Confederation space. Your mission is critical.
Drake: Very well, get to it. And be careful out there. Dismissed.
Anderson: Nice flying, Lieutenant! You’re cleared to land.
Failure:
Drake: Lieutenant, I’m beginning to have serious concerns about you. Is there a problem?
Casey: No, sir.
Drake: If Stiletto hadn’t finished the job you were sent out to do, you might not have had a carrier to come home to. Am I making myself clear?
Casey: Crystal, sir.
Drake: Good. Next time, Lieutenant, finish your assignment.
H’hrass 314.1 – Relay Station Insertion
Drake: All right. The rest of you, please be seated. We have a lot of work to do. Here are your objectives.
ICIS: The communication relay station in this system is our only hope of warning Confed HQ about our current situation. Your Alpha Wing will escort a Marine Landing Craft to this station, which is located just outside the perimeter of the H’hrass asteroid field. There, the LC will dock and a shock team led by Colonel Dekker will secure the station. Enemy forces in the area are moderate to strong, and some of the Midway’s fighter complement has begun quick hit-and-run strikes to keep them away from the relay station. With the Midway’s fighters harassing them and the Midway herself as a decoy, the enemy forces should leave the station alone, making resistance fairly light. When Dekker’s team has the station back on-line, he will send a message to Confed command via the main relay transmitter, and return to the landing craft. Your team will then escort the Marines back to the Midway.
Drake: Lieutenant Casey, this is a critical mission for us. After going over the roster, I have decided your wingman will be…
Maverick: Me! I’ll be Casey’s wingman.
Drake: I’m not sure this is such a good idea.
Maverick: You need a seasoned pilot out there. Now, these kids are good, but I’m the best you’ve got.
Drake: Mr Casey, you’ll recap the mission specs with your new wingman. The rest of you are dismissed. Good luck… to you all.
Casey: Congratulations, sir.
Maverick: Don’t congratulate me yet, Lieutenant. It’s been years since I flew my last mission.
Casey: Are you kidding, you’ll be fine. Besides, it’s not every day that a guy gets to fly with a legend.
Maverick: You know Casey, the problem with being a legend is… they always expect you to win.
Casey: Oh, you don’t have to win this time, sir, you just have to try to keep up!
Anderson: Take good care of Casey for us, Blair. He’s still a little green around the gills.
Maverick: Roger that, Midway. I’ll make sure he doesn’t break his training wheels.
Anderson: Alpha Wing: we’ve received a distress call from the SWACS. Communications are being interrupted by the opposition. Watch for… <static>
Maverick: Looks like we’re on our own for now, Lieutenant. Let’s clear that comm station and see if Dekker and the marine engineers can hail the Midway from inside.
Marine LC: We’re docking now.
Dekker: Marine One is docked, Alpha Wing. We’re going in. Watch our backs.
Blair, we need you down here on the station. I think you should see this yourself.
Maverick: I’m going to land, Casey. You wait out here in case we get more hostiles.
Well, now we know why the Midway couldn’t transmit a distress comm through the relay station. It looks like a slaughterhouse down here.
Dekker: Lieutenant, we’ve got the EWR on-line. Looks like we’ve got friendly inbound.
Redeemer: This is the Redeemer. After losing contact with the Midway, we thought you might need a hand.
Maverick: Any word on what’s happened to them?
Redeemer: The Midway is on the run. Refuel your ships here and get back to them as soon as possible.
Dekker: We can get the station on-line in an hour, with a lot of luck. Right now we’ve got another problem: incoming enemy fighters.
Maverick: Hang on, Casey. I’ll be in the air in three minutes. Keep ’em busy until I get there.
Dekker: Casey, play cat and mouse with them until Blair gets there.
Maverick: Dekker, are any of your men on the landing bay level?
Dekker: No, sir. They’re all present and accounted for.
Maverick: There’s something else down here. I don’t know what it is. <static>
Dekker: Hold on… We have a launch from the station’s primary quad: some kind of an alien ship, but we scanned a Human life sign on board. Oh no… they’ve got Blair!
Casey, we have more bogies inbound. We’re trapped here. Want you to break off your pursuit and return to the station ASAP.
Don’t worry, Casey. We’ll get Blair later. But for now, we’ve got more bugs inbound. Keep us clear.
Dekker: Coast is clear, fly-boy. Time to land on the relay station’s hangar and take a breather.
H’hrass 315.2 – Relay Station Defence
Contact Dekker:
Dekker: Bad news, Lieutenant: more enemy inbound, and that’s not all. Not a word from the Midway. Our alien buddies are scrambling all the key frequencies, and the short-focus transmitters can’t step over their signal. It doesn’t stop there: the main relay transmitter’s still inoperative. We can’t send a wake-up call to Confed. You’d better keep the bad boys busy until we can get this baby on-line, all right? Do it!
Drake: This is TCS Midway. We’ve re-routed our comm links and are on the way. Hang in there…
Anderson: …Casey, we’ve launched a wing of Panthers. They’re coming to help you out.
Maniac: Hope you can hold ’em till we get there, ace.
Maniac: Wouldya look at that!
Maniac: That’s the last of ’em, Ace. Hey, where’s your wingman anyhow? Blair didn’t go AWOL, did he?
Dekker: Seems we had some sort of close encounter, Major. Blair’s been abducted. Me and the boys are done securing the station, though, and the transmitter’s on-line. I’ll fill you in back at the Midway.
Drake: <sigh> This is truly a tragic day for the Confederation. Mr Casey, Mr Dekker, your courage will not be forgotten.
Drake: I thought you should know, the Captain has recommended that you be transferred to the Black Widow squadron and promoted to First Lieutenant.
Casey: I don’t deserve it, sir.
Drake: I’m sorry, Lieutenant?
Casey: I said, I don’t deserve it.
Drake: And why is that, exactly?
Casey: Blair…
Drake: No, Blair knew the risks. Your team takes that same risk every time you go out there. There was nothing else you could’ve done. Nothing. Thanks to you, and Blair, the relay transmitter has been repaired and we’ve sent a warning to Confed HQ. Now, Mr Casey, what I want you to do is stow your gear and head to pilot country. You need a break. It’s either that or Medical. That’s an order. Please. Damn you, Christopher Blair.
Maestro: Yeah. Whoo! There you go, just take one of those right there. That’s for you, Capp. That’s for you, Lisa. Go right ahead. And there you go. Enjoy! We’ll just top it off for me. Hey! Casey! There he is, my little boy. Making his mama Maestro so proud.
Casey: Why?
Maestro: Why?! Obviously, you haven’t heard. We’ve been promoted to the highest-coveted Black Widow squadron! Yes!
Casey: Has Stiletto heard?
Maestro: Has Stiletto… Who cares? She’s probably on a pack of ice somewhere. She’s not our boss any more!
Casey: Rachel?
Maestro: Rachel. Yes! Hi, good to see you. How are you? Would you like a drink?
Coriolis: I would love one.
Maestro: Here you go.
Coriolis: Thank you.
Maestro: Join the celebration. Well. To good friends.
Coriolis: To very good friends. Maestro, do you mind if I borrow Casey for a little while?
Maestro: Enjoy!
Coriolis: Come on.
Maestro: Yeah, this man needs a drink. Hi.
Maniac: You know, I don’t get it. I’m a great guy, you know? I’m the best pilot in Confed. People look up to me. So tell me this. Why is it I can never get the girl? I mean, do some guys have all the luck? Or is it just me?
Maestro: It’s you.
Maniac: <splutter> What?
Hawk: Chief, sorry to interrupt. The CAG would like your analysis of the spy eye data that came in from T’lan Meth.
Coriolis: Just when things were getting interesting. All right, I’m on it.
Hawk: All right.
Coriolis: Thanks.
Casey: Spy eye data?
Coriolis: Yeah, from the probes that we launched into the nearby systems in our sector. They’re our eyes and ears right now.
Casey: Can I help?
Coriolis: No, you’re sweet. Besides, you should stay with your friends tonight. There’ll be another time. I’m proud of you, fly-boy.
Maestro: You know what? Here. Bottle’s on me. I’ll see you later.
Maniac: Thanks!