Fiction Friday - Series 3: Chapter 13

Previously:
Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9
Chapter 10 Chapter 11 Chapter 12

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As we materialized in the new system, Nhi'Khuna gave the orders. "Kirith, Seven, warp to Kla, help him out. The rest of us will align and I will fleet warp."

"Roger, warping to Kla'strit," I responded with my heart beat picking up.

"Break break! Local spike!" Seven shouted excitedly. Seconds later he added, "Same corp as target." I checked the local feed of new transponders in system and saw that our Vexor friend had five buddies coming to help. I checked my directional scanner but only saw the Wolf and Taranis of my wingmates and the Vexor of the enemy. The other two gates into the system were beyond my ship's range.

"Keep scanning, I want to know what we're dealing with before we warp in. Fleet on gate, re-approach in case we need to run."

"Kirith coming out of warp," I said in third person to avoid confusion.

Kla'strit broke in, "His tank is something fierce. I gotta warp out, these drones are killing me."

"You run, man. I got a point on him," Seven replied, "and Kirith is here too now." I brought up the combat HUD and targeted the cruiser while booting the warp disruptor systems. "Locked and pointed," I broadcast. Kla'strit's Wolf banked and rolled into a quick accelerating and warped out. My ship closed into a tight orbit on the Vexor while I targeted the Hammerhead drones that were attack the Taranis.

Suddenly Seven Six spoke up. "New targets on scan! I've got a Thorax, Bellicose, Ferox, Incursus, and Brutix! We can take 'em! Warp to me now!"

"Warping fleet. Kla'strit, get back in there. Kirith keep point on Vexor, Kla and Seven get points on the Thorax and Brutix. Primary Brutix, secondary Thorax," Nhi'khuna ordered calmly. I nodded approvingly at the choice to remove the high damage Gallente ships first as their blasters and drones could be devestating. "Lucius," she added, "jam the targets."

The enemy fleet landed first right on top of us and I felt my stomach tighten as the warning sounds of multiple locks was heard. Kla'strit's assault ship arrived as they started firing, but to my relief only the Incursus engaged me as the rest went after Seven's much more dangerous interceptor. "Warp out if you have to guys," Nhi'Khuna said, "We're not here to die."

Our heavy ships dropped out of warp and the battle was engaged.

"Point on Brutix!" Seven exclaimed. Other pilots called out points as well and the night sky was streaked with charges and missiles and engine trails of speeding drones.

"They're targeting me," Mae informed the fleet. "This thing has no tank, I'm going down fast."

"Brutix and Thorax jammed," Lucius reported, "that should help."

"Hostile Brutix is going down, they're trying to break off, spread points!"

The Blackbird and its ECM turned out to be the key to the battle. One by one the enemy ships were destroyed before they could bring enough damage to destroy any of us. We had a close moment when Lucius was primaried and his weak shields were stripped, but they failed to keep a disruptor on him and he warped off while we killed the Thorax. He shortly came back at 50 km from the fight and still continued to jam ships while we went to work on the Ferox. Only the enemy Incursus managed to escape once they realize the outcome was certain.

"Good work team," Jakk Blakk said over comms once the last enemy ship exploded.

"Hey, I managed to get a point on the Vexor pilot's pod. Anyone want to pop him?" Seven Six asked.

"Kirith, as this is your first roam with us, you get the honours."

I balked at the thought. Destroying the ships in a pitched battle was one thing, but to actually take the life of a defenseless human being was quiet another.

Suddenly a text broadcast appeared in local. "You guys are sooooo fukd! I'm part of a big alliance and we're friends with BoB and we are going to war dec yor punk gay ass! We will greif u til u quit! FUCKING GAY FUCKERS!!!!"

I triggered my weapons to fire on the pod without another thought.