Bespin Escape

[UlicHorn]

"That is, if they're still there," he said as he switched off the comm. Ulic pushed the ship farther, "Blast it, the shields aren't gonna hold much longer. Too bad making a micro jump isn't do able, just hold off those fighters and pray." If there was some all powerful force in the galaxy like his father belived, then Ulic hoped it was with them now.

[UlicHorn]

Ulic tried the hyperdrive again and was met with the same whine. The fighters were gaining speed and Afton and Karn were doing their best to hold them back. Sib looked over at Ulic from the co-pilot seat, "Ulic, we're running time, try it." she finished, with a pleading look. "No, thats the last option, I don't even know if I still can." Ulic knew she was refering to his limited touch to the force, the limited touch he didn't even like to acknowlegde. "The last option" he repeated.

Not a moment later second Destroyer lumbered out of hyperspace. "Well we just ran out of options," Sib said almost nonchalantly.

[Krytos]

Karn's sensor screen lit up with the contact of a second Star Destroyer.

"Oh, for the love of . . . Ulic, there's no way this ship or my frigate could get past one Star Destroyer let alone two. We need an idea, and quick!"

 

But what could be done? Behind the freighter was an onslaught of TIE Fighters and infront of them were two Star Destroyers ready to release even more fighters on to the battlefield. There was no-where to run except empty space, and without the hyperdrive working that would be a short trip.

 

Just then, the Nova Dream's Comm unit came online with a familur voice.

"This is Captain Biree Kre'nel of the Reckless Wonderer, contacting the freighter about to be overwhelmed - do you need assistance?"

[UlicHorn]

"You're a little late to save us from being overwhelmed, Captain, but we could use some help. This hunker is about to fall about and-." Ulic paused and kicked the side of the cockpit and a few lights came back on. "If you wanna help I'd launch a couple of fighters and get ready to move out of the area, I'm gonna try to make a microjump."

[Krytos]

IC (Kre'nel):

 

In her usual stern face, Kre'nel replied in a matter of fact voice.

"Unfortunately, this frigate doesn't carry fighters - however, we do have a plan."

 

IC (Karn):

The frigate which appeared in a high orbit from behind Bespin's moon began to accelerate to greater speeds than the modified ship could travel by its own engines, of course! She's using the moon to slingshot the Reckless Wonderer. At those speeds and the angle she's coming in at, the ISDs wont be able to fully engage the friagte! She'll be able to break the blockade and reach us.

 

"Nice thinking Kre'nel, though this tactic does kinda remind me of something I pulled off a few years back - don't tell me that I actually inspired you?"

 

IC (Kre'nel):

 

Karn's on that ship! Kre'nel thought, almost allowed.

"Good to hear from you sir, and the tactic may have been influenced by your manouvre over Trevlour IV." She replied, with a grin the untrained eye couldn't spot.

[UlicHorn]

The fighters were begining to catch up. "Ok," Ulic said, "If this works then we're in the clear." He said looking forward. "And if it doesn't ?" Sib asked. Ulic looked over, said nothing and closed his eyes focusing. He felt the ship around him and those on board it and felt something in the back of his mind click. That was it. "Ok, let's try this again. Rebellion ship, this is Ulic Horn, I'm gonna make a micro jump and try to emerge at your flank."

[Krytos]

IC (Kre'nel):

 

"Affirmative Nova Dream." Whilst this changed things, it was for the better. Her original plan was to break the ISD blockade and try to force themselves out the other side of the fighter screen.

This way, if the Nova Dream emerged behind them it would allow the Reckless Wonderer to alter their course to an exit point in system while retaining their sling shot speed.

If this worked, they would be home free.

"When you emerge behind us, we will lock our tractor beam onto you and tow you to the jump point where you can dock with us . . . Oh and, you might want to dile down your compensators - it's going to be a big jolt when we tractor you."

[UlicHorn]

"Let's hope this works, or we're gonna be taking a short trip to oblivion." Ulic said as he entered the coordinates of the jump. He braced himself and hit the switch. Stars streaked around the cockpit for only a moment before the space around them returned. "Haha!" Ulic said, he embraced Sib, "Look like I kno-" he stopped as the ship jottled in the tractor beam, Ulic splayed on the console. "Ow." was all he cound manage.

[Krytos]

IC: (Kre'nel)

 

Kre'nel's teeth clentched so tight it gave her a slight headache as the Nova Dream was caught in their tractor beam. Silently she prayed that the freighter could withstand the strain that the ship was enduring as it was renched from one vector to another at great speeds.

"Helm, change course to the exit point," Kre'nel called out from the command chair on the bridge.

Standing she walked over to the sensor post to observe what the Empire was doing. Scrambling additional fighters to come after us. Dumping rubish. So, the if the Empire can't catch us before we jump then they'll try to come after us.

"Naviagations, prepare co-ordinates for a second jump once we exit the system. We'll need to do some planet hoping to loose the Empire."

 

Mere minutes later, the Reckless Wonderer had reached the jump point outside the planet's gravity well.

"Disable tractor beam," Kre'nel once again ordered. Opening a channel to the Nova Dream Kre'nel got in contact with the freighter's captain.

"The tractor beam is offline, quickly dock with us so we can get out of here."

As she cut the comm link, a person at the sensor post spoke up.

"Inbound enemy fighters, 2 squadrons a head of . . . of a LOT more! ETA, 35 seconds on the 2 squadrons an 5 minutes on the bulk."

35 seconds! The freighter wont dock in time!

"Weapons online, fire at anything that isn't friendly. Sensors, where'd those fighters come from? We had a good 5 minutes lead on that fighter screen!"

"Ma'am, a pair of Carrack's just dropped out of hyperspace behind us and dropped their fighters off. They're over two minutes out of firing range."

Well, at least we needn't worry about the light cruisers.

[UlicHorn]

"Oh, what now?" Ulic said, "Ok we're coming to dock, just give us some time." Too bad we don't have any left, Ulic thought. Fire was coming down around them again but the TIEs were better organized now and avoiding was becoming a hassle. As Ulic brought the frieghter in he sighed. "Ok, I gotta go check the hull for serious ext. damage."

[Krytos]

Ulic docked his freighter with Karn's frigate under heavy fire. Before the freighter had powered down Karn was running for the door, and out of the ship. It took Karn less than a minute to reach the bridge.

"Sit Rep people!" Karn called out.

"Major, we are preparing to make the jump to hyperspace."

"Good, where to?"

Before Kre'nel could answer him, the stars in the forwards view port streaked into white lines before a burst of blue threw them into a spiriling tunnel of light. Infront of Karn, his console told him his destination - the Kalroon space station above Sump, well known for its pirate activities.

"Why me? Kre'nel, get Ulic to the bridge now!"

[UlicHorn]

Ulic ended up on the bridge being shoved in by two troopers. "What's the big idea, shoving me in here? I got work to do on my ship!"

[Krytos]

The bridge door opened as two of Karn's guards pushed Ulic in, I'll have to talk to them about that.

 

"Sorry about the inconveniance Ulic, but we've got a big problem. We're about to drop out at a well known Pirate's Space Station near the planet of Sump.

"I'm hoping that you've got some contacts, or some knolledge that's going to save us from being jumped by Pirates and those pair of ISDs that are trailing us."

 

Before Ulic could respond, a small alarm sounded on the bridge - 30 seconds until the ship dropped out of hyperspace. . .

[UlicHorn]

"Oh great, I seem to work better under extreme pressure." He groaned. "Ok, I need to know a few things. What's our shield status, how fast can this thing scramble back into lightspeed and how long is it gonna take for those Star Destroyers to emerge behind us?"

;

[Krytos]

"Our shields are full after recharging after the engagment with the TIEs. We can hold off against fighters, small craft though anything the size of a frigate or larger and things get problomatic. Bombers and their payload are problems as well.

"This frigate was designed to hold off fighters from larger warships. It's been modified to have faster recharging shields, able to to keep up with any stock Corvette and some small craft as well as adding four warhead launchers - two fore, two aft.

"The hyperdrive will be ready for another jump in roughly a minute, though we need to travel to the nav point first. That will make us vanurable for around 10 minutes.

"And as for those ISDs, we can estimate that if the chose to follow us, that i would take them a minimum of two minutes for minimum safe jump range. So, we're guessing between 2 and 8 minutes."

Rantar paused to swollow.

"In other words, we're far from out of the woods yet. And, I havn't seen Afton since jumping in the turret of your ship. I'm getting my personel to bring her up here, she seems to have a knack for getting out of tight spots."

[UlicHorn]

Ulic sighed and put his hands on his head. "If this was a smaller ship, I could get out of this, but with a ship this size and given the amount of time we have." he sighed again. "We're done, I've got nothing, maybe we could...I don't know broadcast that we're an Imperial ship or something and then make the jump and set up a hot zone for the Destoryer."

[Krytos]

OOC: Hey Ulic, I'm going to hold off posting for a bit, hopefully Jess will come around and post again to "save" us

[UlicHorn]

OOC: Ok, someone PM that girl, stat!

[UlicHorn]

OOC:Did anyone get a hold of Jess yet?

[Krytos]

OOC:Did anyone get a hold of Jess yet?

 

I sent her a message a while back, a week I think, and no reply yet

 

Maybe we should wait a week or so? Most Uni's and TAFEs have just started up this week, otherwise we can just finish up

[Krytos]

OOC: OK, it's been over a month, I think we should rap this up. Your thoughts?

[UlicHorn]

OOC: Go for it, I think we lost Jess on this end.

[Krytos]

OOC: Here we go, the beginning of the end . . .

 

IC: Before Karn could send his gaurds off to find Afton, warning klaxons blared throughout the ship.

"Inbound ships! Multiple contacts dropping out of hyperspace behind us,"the sensor tech yelled in paniced voice. "Confirming targets . . . 2 ISD Mk IIs, no support vessels though they're beginning to deploy fighters."

 

"Well, so much for our plans. At least the locals havn't picked us up yet." As always, Karn spoke too soon as two comm channels came to life on the ships bridge.

"This is Captian Nizer of the Imperial Star Destroyer Impervious, powerdown your vessel and you shall be spared."

"What fool dare challenges the power of the Chasnier Pirates? You wont live to regret this."

 

Karn rolled his eyes, as he spoke. "Oh great, so now we not only have those Imps baring down on us, though we've managed too tick off the local pirates as well. What next? We manage to find the mythical Katarna fleet as well!" Quickly moving to the centre of the bridge, Karn began to order his crew to respond to the threats.

 

"Shields up, engine's full foward. I want to get as much distance between us and those Destroyers, those we can out run - the fighters is another story."

The orders carried across the bridge, and the ship lurched forwards in space. Karn continued to watch the sensor board, as more and more contacts began to light up both in front and behind them. From the current speed, the Imperial fighters would be on them in less than a minute, though the pirate fighters and Corvettes would take significantlly longer. Good, at least we will only need to focus on the Imperials for now.

 

Karn's focus was brought back to the Imperial side of the sensor screen as an entire wing of Imperial fighters closed into firing range.

"Helm, break to starboard and bring all guns unline - give them a broadside to breakup the fighter screen and then we'll pick the remainders apart."

Silence was the only reply that Karn got as the ship began to bank. The high manouvrablity of the frigate allowed it to bring it's starboard guns to bare before the fighters had a chance to open fire with an effective salvo. Batteries of lasers and turbolasers opened fire at the incoming Imperial fighters. The high powered energy bolts tore apart the weakly armoured fighters before the had a chance to avoid the incoming fire, though that would be the last time that tactic would work effectively. Now the fighters began to break formation, keeping with a wingmate, while attempting to open fire on the frigate. In smaller groups, the highly manouvrable TIEs were nearly impossible for his gunners to hit unless they came in at a constant vector.

While the TIE Fighters were only armed with blasters designed to fight other fighters, there were more than enough of them to inflict heavy damage on the frigate's shields if they had the chance to open fire for long enough. Karn wouldn't allow it.

"Helm, begin manouvres, start shacking those TIEs up. Set all guns to fire at will, supression fire - we're not interested in kills. And prep the rear warhead launchers with mines, that should keep the TIEs away from our engines at least."

As the 200 metre long frigate began to manouvre, the sensor officer called out again. "Sir, new contacts from the ISDs. Sensors are painting them as an equal mix of fighters and bombers."

"Crap," was the only responce that Karn gave.

"Ah, sir, that's not all - there's an advanced fighter screen coming from the Pirate position. Approximately 2 squadrons worth of fighters, warbook designates them a mixture of Z-95s, Starchasers and an unknonw - most likely an ugly."

Sweat rolled down Karn's face, and the headache he'd picked up earlier in the day came back. Is that all you've got?

"Continue manouvres and course heading. Concentrate on the Imperial fighters, if we're lucky the pirate's will take the opputunity up to tackle the Imps first while they're at the disadvantage. Oh, and activate our Rebel transponder, it might aid them in picking us as nuetral."

 

Karn guessed right about not engaging the pirates first. In their first pass, they didn't break formation while plwing through any fighters that got in their way. The second wave didn't work out to well for them though, the devided their forces up and sent half on an attack run on the Wreckless Wonderer and the rest to deal with the fighters. Though now the Imperials were more than ready, they broke off a squadron of fighters to deal with the pirate threat. In a single pass, the pirate advanced fighters were cut in half, and never got a chance to engage Karn's frigate. Now the TIEs were breaking off and to engage the prirates.

"Good, some breathing space. Shields, angle the deflector shields towards the Bombers when the fire. Weapons primary targets are now set to warheads and fighters are now secondary, and start to deploy those mines and prep the forward launchers with high yield warheads. After the bombers make their first pass, we'll launch some missiles up their flank.

"Sensors, give me an update."

"Sir, the ISDs aren't chasing us, there vector has them lined up for the planet. All Imperial fighters are headed for us, as well as a small flotilla of Pirate vessels. The majority of the pirate units are staying at the planet to defend against the pirates - they wont last long. Other than that . . . wait, long range sensors just picked up fighters . . . two squadrons jsut dropped out of hyperspace. They're hailing us sir!"

Karn looked at the sensor officer with a confused face.

"Ah . . . k"

"Wreckless Wonderer, this is Leutenant Reece of the Rebel Alliace, looks like you guys could use a hand."

"Thank the force . . . any help would be appreciated, just get us to that jump zone!"

"Will do."

Karn quickly swung around to Ulic, "Looks like we've got a fighting chance now - wanna take the Nova Dream out and give those Rebel fighters a hand?"

Karn waited for Ulic's responce as the Rebel X-Wings and Y-Wings plotted an intercept course on the Imperial bombers.

[UlicHorn]

"Doesn't look like I've got much of a choice. Ill get out there as soon as I can." He turned and headed down to the hanger, hopefully the ship would hold together long enough to get out of this.

[Jess]

OOC:

Ok guys I got on but I must be quick. I still wont to write but I have not got the time. I started writting but the computor played up so I only have time to say that I will continue at a later date, hopefully in the next few days.

I have not deserted you and I will be back.

Bye for now.