Angry Samaritan
Posted on 21 Sep 2020 @ 9:19pm by Captain Corvus DeHavilland & Lieutenant Commander Roman Kavalar
Mission:
M1 - Emergence
Location: 7th Fighter Squadron 'FIre TIgers' enroute to Obsidian Command
Timeline: MD04 - 0811HRS
2346 words - 4.7 OF Standard Post Measure
The flare of the warp signature of their former home, the space carrier was the last thing Roman Kavalar saw on his fighters display as the Fire Tigers fighter squadron, 12 fighters and one runabout jumped into warp a moment later heading in a different direction. It wasn't your usual deployment but the situation demanded it. Initially their orders were for the pilots, their fighters and support crews to be dropped off at Obsidian Command but the carrier while enroute had been diverted, its attentions were needed elsewhere and time was a priority. The solution to this new wrinkle in the plans was for the fighters to carry on to their destination as intended. It had been deemed they were close enough to release the fighters and the rest of the squadrons company would follow on when circumstances permitted. There had been one exception, some of the support crew would follow the fighters in a runabout. Roman smirked at that as his crew chief had lead that determined part of their support crew, voicing that he didn’t trust strangers touching his fighters.
A flick of a switch and Roman contacted the rest of the fighters, “Fire Tigers this is Roam, we’ve got a long haul to get to our new home, lets keep the formation loose but keep an eye out for one another”. After that auto pilot took over, Roman checked the tactical sensor, there was nobody else around and they were flying in an inverted V formation with his fighter at the central tip. Everything was as it should be he thought as he turned his head around and spoke over his shoulder back to his Tactical Systems Operator or TSO. for short, “Hey Slip establish the squadron network and synch the fighters computers to monitor fighter performance. Without a carriers computer to monitor us we’re on our lonesome out here”.
His TSO. Ltjg. Sebastian Geller with the call sign Slip, was already establishing that network, “On it already bossman, synching established and all birds are green across the board. Hey Roam want something to bite ?”
“Whatcha got ?”, Roman replied now feeling peckish now that the subject of food had come up.
“Errr salt and vinegar potato chips or a tube of something that said it has chocolate in it, I’d take the potatoe chips personally”, Slip said starring dubiously at the tube which he thought may have been in the fighters compact storage area since before he joined the fighter and that was 2 years now.
Roman shrugged in agreement and reached back, “Yeah the chips will be fine”, as Slip lent forward and passed on the sealed chip bag. Opening the bag Roman settled back in his pilot’s seat.
Time passed as they neared their destination and the squadron settled into the routine, their comms burst into life as Slip at first startled by the sudden activity quickly took control of the situation and assessed what they were getting, "Roam we're getting a distress signal off the nearest star system. Message keeps breaking up but it sounds like someones sent out a distress call and they're been attacked".
Roman triggered the fighter comms squadron wide, “This is Roam to squadron, standby alert. Prepare to disengage autopilot and roll up to operational status”, on his display the operational status of the fighter squadron returned all green.
Slip spoke from his rear seat to Roman via their personal comms, a practical consideration as sometimes in the heat of combat, noise due to weapons impact on the fighter could drown out anything said even in the short distance there was between them not to mention if their flight suits were sealed up, “Sensors have a fix but we’re too far out to get a decent tactical picture. We need to divert and drop out of warp then we can get an idea of whats happening”
Roman nodded as she switched back to squadron wide, “Roam to all fighters, we have a situation with a possible attack underway. We are investigating. Slip will send you the new vector, once there we’ll drop out of warp. Bravo flight then hangs back as cover while Alpha and Charlie go in and see whats happening. Lets go”.
In reply only the flight leaders of Bravo flight and Charlie flight responded they were ready, as Roman was in charge of Alpha it was automatically assumed they were ready and they were.
The twelve fighters moved as one as they changed their direction while in warp, a few minutes later they dropped back into normal space at maximum impulse, their impulse exhausts flaring red. Four of the fighters lagged while the remaining eight fighters continued on. The star system didn’t even have a name listed only as 764221-3B, the database star system and tactical information Slip was sending to all the fighters identified it as having a blue giant star with a few planets and two rings of asteroids. At least there was no known threats identified but it hadn’t been updated for 12 years.
As the fighters closed the distances the tactical data became clearer. A small starship, possibly a light trader by the look of its size and possible displacement was being chased by four other ships. These were twice the size of their target of interest and they were peppering their intended prey with weapons fire but it was no easy target. The target was very agile as it swooped and swung about, deftly avoiding fire. Who they all were was anybodys guess as none of them had an active ID beacon and their profiles could have been one of a thousand ship designs and origin. However their volume of weapons fire implied they were heavily armed and could pose the fighters some problems.
All this Roman took on board, who were the players here, was there in fact a bad guy here and there was the fact there had been a distress call. So far the smaller starship was holding its own but to Romans experienced eye it was only a matter of time before they would corner the smaller starship. He was new to this star sector so there might be some considerations he wasn’t aware of, “Slip get me Obsidian Command, advise of the tactical situation playing out in front of us and to advise urgently”. If an observer had been listening the comms passing between the members of the squadron were matter of fact, not raised in voice or charged with emotions but calm and this was the norm.
“On it boss”, came the reply.
And then it happen Roman noted one of the chasing starships tagged the smaller ship and it visibly wobbled for a moment before continuing its swerving dervish like run.
“Slip get a comms to that target ship”
The sound of a voice calling in the distress filled his ears, +..e are under attack, we need help, our coordinates are as follows..+
“This is Lieutenant Command. Roman Kavalar of the 7th Fighter Squadron of Starfleet, we are responding to your distress call, identify yourself”
"We are federation citizens, we are under attack, please help!", their urgency was plain to hear. However Roman noted they did not clearly identify themselves. In any case they did say they were federation citizens so he had to intervene, afterwards he could confirm this.
“On our way, be with you shortly. Keep doing what you’re doing Kavalar out”, he said not using his Roam call sign as it was likely the other end would not understand the aerospace lingo.
“Slip broadcast in the open, lets say hello”, Roman said.
“Your on boss”, the TSO. replied.
“Unknown starships this is Starfleet, you are conducting warfare in Federation controlled space, desist immediately or be subject to punitive force, respond”
The sound of static was the only reply for long seconds then Roman saw two of the chasing starships turn towards his fighters.
Slip said, “They're locking targeting sensors on us!”
Roman spoke into the fighter comms channel, their intent was clear and Roman was not the kind of person who let the other person take the first punch if he could help it, “Weapons free squadron. Charlie pick a target, Alpha on me. Target to disable weapons and engines. Tally-ho”.
The eight fighters split into their flights of fours and attacked their targets. The swirling dance of aerospace combat was quick and semi-autonomous as the sentient being wasn’t always the fastest factor in a dogfight, they still had their place in this tableau of sudden death but as technology advanced it became less and less.
The first thing they learnt after the initial pass, these enemy ships were shielded. Luckily their targeting wasn’t as good as theirs but the readings on their weapons suggested the fighter shields could only take a few hits at best, after that it would be sayonara to that hangar in space. To the fighters favour they targeted them a lot easier but breaking their shields down would take time.
Slip cut in, “Getting something from Obsidian Command”
The feed was a bit staticy but a man's voice came over the comm, "nd-. 7th fi-er squa-. This is Obsidian Command, do you copy 7th Squadron?"
"Clean it up Slip", Roman said as he flung the starfighter about.
"Try it now", came the TSO. reply.
"7th Squadron to Obsidian Command, we read you", Roman's voice remaining calm
"What's your status, Lieutenant Commander?" the man's voice replied, sounding slightly relieved to have gotten a clear transmission in reply.
"We have four unknown starships attacking a smaller starship which has identified itself as carrying Federations citizens within OC's control zone. Am attempting to intervene and stop the attack with limited effect. Do you have any units available to assist?"
"Acknowledged, 7th. Garrison vessel USS Wasp is on the way. Hold on, Lieutenant Commander. Helps coming."
Roman switched comms channels, "Roam to Bravo flight, time to join the fight. Come in fast, we need you asap", switching back once he got a confirmation from the Bravo flight leader.
The spatial ballet continued, intercepted by lances of colored light, explosions of gold and blue and the occasional spray of debris as the two groups battled one another for dominion over the engagement. The vessel that had called for help was trying its best to stay out of the main fight but was still having to defend itself more than it was really capable of. It was clear she wasn't going to make it too much longer under heavy assault. All the attention was on the distressed vessel, trying to stay where the fighters could screen her properly but losing more and more by the second. She took a phaser blast to her aft, dorsal section which exploded in a conflagration of colors, yet the ship was still able to turn the opposite way out of the line of the next phaser burst. As she banked hard to starboard and up, there was a new flash of light that resolved into the shape of a Hornet-class vessel. The USS Wasp. It's arrival declared a fraction of a second later by a rapid sequence of blue phaser pulses that struck multiple enemy targets, or missed by a hairs breadth.
"This is the Federation Starship Wasp, stand down now!" a woman's voice declared across the open comm as the vessel maneuvered itself to shield the distressed one in its baffles. The Wasp wasn't an overly large ship by Starfleet standards, only slightly smaller than a Defiant. But like it's big sister, she packed one helluva punch.
In response the mysterious starships broke off and jumped to warp , still no communications from them to identify who they were or why they had attacked their quarry. For Roman he was both relived but also annoyed, he was relieved the lone starship had seemed to survive but it looked in a bad way. He was annoyed that his fighters hadn't disabled any of the enemy. Yes he'd ordered the fighters to disable which could be a handicap of his fighters extensive weaponry as it was a fine line where too much fire power might blow their targets apart. However these attacking starships were a lot stronger than they looked for their size and he would pass this on to Intel. once he got to base.
The fighter squadron formed back up. this time around the lone damaged starship, "USS Wasp thank you for your assistance, a timely arrival if there ever was one., my compliments to her crew", Roman passed on to the Hornet class starship.
"Always here to help," the Wasp's skipper replied.
Switching to a open comm channel to the damaged starship, Roman continued, "Unknown starship you are clearly damaged if not also needing medical aid, the USS Wasp can assist you in the short term but you will need to accompany us to Obsidian Command", Romans tone was clear with his intention, they had no choice in the matter and they were coming along.
There was a moments pause then a voice replied, "We understand, we have no injuries and we can make it under our own power".
Good enough Roman thought as he then issued orders for the fighters to get underway with their odd collection of a convoy.
The comm crackled once more, this time with the female voice of the USS Wasp's skipper. "Acknowledged. Damaged vessel, please form up under our ventral section and prepare to make warp," she ordered.
The fighters made their preparations as ordered and the damaged vessel adjusted course to line up underneath the Wasp. Once everything was settled, the computer's synched and the ships in position they surged forward for a moment and vanished in a pinprick of light, moving almost as one solid entity. They didn't have far to go, but without a doubt, their arrival would be an adventure all its own.
