New Japan must have wondered just what was hitting it. Warning klaxons sounded nearly continuously as wave after wave of Kaptain Karls 19th Fleet jumped into the Pollux system.
As Kaptain Karl warned them during their layover in Tiber, the attack on the core world of Pollux was not going to be a quick and easy guerilla action. Nor would it be the (now routine) 3-wing action for the fleet. Success was important, but not at the expense of foolhardy loss of life or ships. Operation Surfs Up would employ the combination of deadly fire with conservation of defensive shields ... and ideal tactic for the speedy and elusive pirate vessels.
Surfs Up would demand precision flying and constant care to peel off the attack well before ones shields were gone. Twenty percent of your ships shielding is the only cushion you are allowed, insisted Karl. No matter how close you are to finishing off the HC defenders, if your shields down to 20%, peel off and let the following waves do the job. I dont want heroes; I want warriors -- intelligent competent warriors.
Take advantage of your speed and maneuverability to make them miss with their ballistic weapons. Target one HC ship at a time: acquire, fire ... acquire, fire. ...And lets ALL make it to the party on New Japan...!
The Point has always been a position of high honor in KKs actions. That it is the most dangerous is a given -- but it also sets the tone for the rest of the action. And none of KKs warriors were surprised to see Karls small squad take Point on the Pollux mission...
KKs Drake and four escorting ships jumped into New Japans near space. An HC Freedom and two Skyhawks quickly headed right for them.
All five ships in Karls squad must have had the same primary target. At least a dozen LRBMs went home on the Freedom in the same several seconds. But even before the Gunstars could bring their swivel cannons into the act, they -- closely followed by the two Corvettes -- were banking away from the fray to allow their shields to recharge. The Scourges shielding was not yet in danger.
In the blink of an eye Dirks Strafe and a dozen other pirates swarmed into the attack. As Karls Scourge was zooming out of the heat of the battle, he could not help but admire the artful juking and jinking of Dirks first squad. The HCs normally disciplined gunnery seemed rattled by the evasive pirate ships.
...The fourth wave was almost in range.
(Just as KK was thinking how perfectly the plan was working, two of Dirks Gunstars were disintegrated in a flash of green. Five Lancers also disappeared in rapid blinks. The HC gunners were fast learners....) Stick to the plan, you lubbers! yelled Karl. Keep an eye on your shielding!
As the sixth wave of pirates spiralled in, the Freedom appeared to ... wobble. Then it lost steerage. Then, almost in slow motion a series of explosions rolled from the center of the ship to both ends. Then the hulk simply went dark -- dead in space. With nearly a dozen HC Tigersharks also killed, the tide was starting to turn ... or was it?
By now New Japan was pouring wave after wave of its own ships into the battle. The only difference seemed to be the HCs tactics were not the same as KKs Surf's Up plan. The HC defenders just kept coming -- a sort of Damn the torpedoes! Full speed ahead! attitude.
Kha Zel, Master Gunner on a Corvette from Commander Kotovs pirate wing, was reminding his tri-photon turret crews to stick to the basics. Acquire and fire, people! Acquire and fire! Dont worry about your mates on the command deck. Theyll get us out of here before the shields fail; you just hit what you can while were here and the Kapns planll work.
Zel keyed up his mate, Balistics Chief Sweek. (Comm protocol in the 19th Fleet is ... less than formal.) What news, Sweek?
We got two kills. Shields 37%! Good, so far. blurted Sweek. (At almost that same instant, pieces of a pirate Vette just off the starboard beam clattered off their hull. Just like that over thirty of their mates no longer existed.) Hang on, Zel! Shields are 19%. Were heading for the rear....
Karls Drake was now part of the eleventh wave of Surf's Up. The momentum was definitely in favor of KKs fleet, but victory would not be cheap for the pirates. Many warriors life stories were concluding at Pollux.
By the time Pollux surrendered -- with more pirate waves stacking up to re-enter the fray -- the defense fleet was down to one Skyhawk, two Destroyer 7s and three Tigersharks. Savvo, the ranking (and only surviving) HC Captain realized -- as the old saying goes, resistance is futile. She knew the defenders would keep fighting if she ordered, but additional fighting would be the equivalent of ... sacrifice. It would serve no purpose.
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. . . Encoded Message for Lord Asriel of the Pirates . . .
Mercenary KKs compliments: We give you joy of another victory! Pollux now adds to the glory of the Pirate holdings. The 19th Pirate Fleet prevailed.
Enemy Killed:
1 . . . . . Freedom
1 . . . . . Skyhawk
10 . . . Hammerhead
27 . . . Tigershark
2 . . . . . Destroyer 7
30-45 . assorted Singray/Swordfish/Skate fighters (preliminary count)
Surrendered enemy ships (to be outfitted for Pollux Pirate Defense Fleet):
1 . . . . . Skyhawk
2 . . . . . Destroyer 7
3 . . . . . Tigershark
Surf's Ups tactics were very effective -- but our losses were still too high. The Kaptain believes zeal for battle caused too many of our warriors to disregard the crucial monitoring of shield status. Our Fleet Commander colleagues should be encouraged to enregetically reinforce the importance of this element of Surfs Up, should they employ this tactic.
19th Fleet losses:
12 . . . . . Corvette
8 . . . . . . . Gunstar
18 . . . . . Lancer
** Kaptain Karl also requests reinforcements ASAP. **
- Zaz Geppa, First Officer of the Scourge
. . . End of message . . .
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This is Kaptain Karl. You have fought well, my warriors. I know you need rest ... and youll have it. But not yet. You know the routine at this stage of things.... Be ready to pull out in ten hours. Wilk Out.
Pollux is now controlled by the pirates
KKs 19th Fleet:
4 . . . . . . . Drakes
10 . . . . .Deborahs
95 . . . . Corvettes . . . (-12)
84 . . . . Gunstars . . . . (-8)
127. . . Lancers . . . . . (-18)
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Courage stands halfway between cowardice and rashness, one of which is a lack, the other an excess of courage." ... Plutarch
