Smugglers run: Part 2 the escape.
The alarm wailed in the bridge as the pirate Valkyre, The Black Hawk, punched its way through atmosphere and back into space.
Im detecting multiple hostiles. Shouted sensor operator Kerry Daniels over the noise of the alarm and the roar of the after burners. Identify. Said captain Jack Garrison in his calm and measured tone. Three Fed Destroyers, one a heavy missile variant. Replied Daniels. Im also detecting a Fed Carrier, its already launched its fighters, six of them closing fast on the starboard bow.
Garrison used the intercom to hail Jamie Smith, chief engineer on the ship and also the best gunner, in the engine section of the ship.
Jamie this is Garrison, man the Quad L.T.B .
Yes sir. Replied Smith.
The captain turned to his co pilot Paul Steele. Steele, take control of the ship, bring the forward shields up and switch the medium blaster turrets to automatic.
Daniels. said Garrison Set a navigation course for the alphara system, and begin calculations for a hyper space jump, this shipment is too valuable to gamble in a fight so get us out of here A.S.A.P. then weapon target the nearest destroyer.
After Affirmatives from both the officers the orders were carried out.
Sir. Smith radioed from the turret. The fighters have changed course, looks like theyre coming in from behind theyll most likely try take out the engines.
Garrison turned again to Steele. Get me radar missile lock with the nearest enemy Anaconda, do it quick or those missiles ll rip the engines apart.
Yes sir. Responded Steele.
The ship was still heading directly towards the Destroyer blockade but they were still however a long way off.
On board the U.F.S Brittanica , The Federation Carrier, Commander David Howe stood on the bridge surveying the battle on a holo-display device that delivered a smaller, live, 3D view of the battle.
He watched the Valkyre make the turn. He spun around and ordered his comm officer to open a channel to the heavy missile variant destroyer, the comm officer opened the channel. This is Federation Destroyer 289 what are your orders commander? Launch your EMP torpedoes and ionize the Valkyre to prevent their escape. Ordered Howe. He cut off the channel and returned to surveying the battle. He knew that the EMP torpedoes were slow and turned badly, the Valkyre would easily out manoeuvre them normally but he hoped that distracted by the fighters they might not see them coming until it was to late or at the very least if they did see them, they might be reluctant to take extreme evasive action in case of opening up a good attack angle for the fighters.
Howe sat down in his chair and smiled, he was confident that the smugglers wouldnt get away, the three Destroyers had taken up blockade positions so they were at 11 o clock, 1 o clock and 12 o clock in relation to the Valkyre. His Carrier (the Britannica) was away to the right of the Valkyre ready to move in behind when it had gone past. Pinned in, the missiles from the Destroyers and the attacks from the fighters would finish the ship off. The destruction of this shipment would be a vital blow to the activities of the terrorist organisation Armetis, who had until recently been laying low. Intel from the Bureau suggested that the Armetis were rearming and resupplying for a wide range of terrorist attacks across Federation space. This meant stopping these supply runs by smugglers were now top priority.
Well. Thought Howe. This is one shipment they wont be receiving.
He turned. Move into position, tell the Destroyers to prepare to engage. The heavy missile variant Destroyer fired its EMPs, two fat missiles sped from the firing tubes with a huge boom that echoed around in space.
Sir weve got incoming and its not good. Said Daniels.
What is it. Asked Garrison.
Two EMP torpedoes closing head on. Replied Daniels.
Stand by to take evasive action.
The pilot of the lead Viper persuing the Black Hawk watched as the ship barrel rolled untill it was upside down and then dived down fast with its after burners flaring. The vipers immediately dived after it closing with every second, Smith in the turret watched the vipers edging closer gaining on the Hawk even with afterburners on full.
The pilot in the lead Viper saw something out of the corner of his eye, he glanced up and froze. The EMPs that the Destroyer had fired were locked on the Hawk and they were also diving down, they were on an unavoidable collision course with the Viper squadron. The lead Viper pulled his ship up and away missing the torpedoes by inches the second Viper was not so lucky. It collided with the torpedo and unleashed the deadly nuclear explosion. Almost all the Vipers and Anacondas were destroyed immediately and those that werent were disabled by the EM field that was emitted.
The Black Hawk still sped away from the much slower Destroyers with ease. The familiar beep signalled they were a safe enough distance away to perform a hyper jump. The ship slowed and then disappeared with a white flash and a sonic boom.
Commander Howe watched bitterly as the Black Hawk vanished from view into the safety of hyper space. His fighter squadron was destroyed or disabled and the smugglers had escaped with 20 tons of missiles. There would be a next time and he would not fail again.
