RP: YSS Aeon [Mission 1.2a] - Rescue at Elysia Novus

Suddenly about 60 NMX fighter pods and 20 NMX Bomber pods jumped into Aeon's vicinity using their FTL burst drives. Immediately, the bombers began launching torpedoes and firing their anti-starship guns at the squadron flagship. The fighters concentrated on the Aeon's AA guns, aiming for the relatively delicate sensor radomes. Other fighter pods began strafing the returning shuttle(s).

"All batteries open fire." Katae instructed Siyun and Trowa. She then grabbed the handset and transmitted to the squadron. "Aeon to all ships, assume triad formation cover the Eucharis with our shields." Eternity notify the shuttles of our status. she sent to the MEGAMI

Trowa froze for an instant as the NMX ships suddenly attacked. Then he heard the order to open fire and snapped out of it. He targeted the attacking ships and open fire. The ship vibrated as projectiles and lasses of energy left the ship and streaked towards their targets. Trowa rotated the Aeon so that both her top and bottom guns would have clean fields of fire. It would also spread out the damage to the ships shields so that one side wouldn't be overwhelmed.

Katae punched up the Power Armor bay, "All Power armor personnel deploy and engage the enemy battle pods."

“Move your arses and get that kit on, it's about to get real!” Haruhi barked at the Mindy-clad crew. “Run checks twice, make sure you're switched outta training mode and on the 'kill it' settings and when you pull that trigger make sure you aren't gonna hit friendlies too.” As it nearly always seemed with combat it came too fast and without enough notice to prepare as you wanted, and the newness of her colleagues created a feeling of uncertainty in the Juni.

Haruhi finished attaching her new equipment and hefted an aether sabre rifle; she checked its charge and condition as she thought out a quick message to the captain. Just the thought was enough though, for as soon as she was about to send it the Taii's voice cut across the armour bay.

“You heard it, out the door!” Haruhi pivoted and bounded toward one of the openings that lead out into space to clear a safe minimum to engage her Mindy's CFS. “Light 'em up; focus on the fighters but toast anything that doesn't smile back if it gets in your way!” Haruhi activated the CFS and burst out of the armour bay, where she cleared the Aeon's and snapped her Mindy towards the oncoming battlepods. The Juni kept her Mindy close to the Aeon for now until the rest of the infantry joined her but it didn't stop her from letting rip with her aether beam sabre-rifle, on rapid-pulse she targeted a handful of the battlepods closest and alternated a few seconds of fire each between them.

Hoshi flew at the Juni's and the Taii's order. Out the door on the heels of Haruhi-Juni and ready to move.

He targeted a pair of Battlepods and unleashed with his plasma rifle. Short bursts of three shots each -- big enough to do some damage, and small enough to let his Armour keep up with the charge for a while.

Trowa was having a hard time keeping an eye on everything. He was trying to keep the NMX ships off the Eucharis so her crew could either be evacuated or repair her. But he also had to keep them off the Aeon. Trowa kept the ship rotating to spread out the damage over the shields.

Tomas having added the items Haruhi ordered, sealed back up and launched, he was surprised because he was out the door and flying up to Haruhi's position before he really gave it any thought. On some deep level, he realized that he could not let his fear control him. He trained his twin Gauss Cannons on one of the battlepods, and followed up with his Aether Beam Saber Rifle, firing on rapid pulse mode. It was with a deep satisfaction that he watched the pod explode into scrap.

Meanwhile the other ships of the 7th were engaging the bomber pods.

A pair of the battle pods changed course and their targeting systems painted Haruhi's armor. They both fired off a salvo at the Mindy 3A.

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On the bridge, Katae watched the battle proceeding. "Yamamoo-Hei, stop the rotation and bring us to within 25 meters of the Eucharis, and prepare to grapple with the graviton beam." She picked up the intercom handset and punched up Engineering. "Usaga, we are getting ready to jump into hyperspace, prepare for and expanded fold to include the Eucharis."

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Shina meanwhile climbed back aboard her shuttle. Looks like none of the Eucharis are coming. She thought.

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Katae broadcast to the power armor team and shuttles. "Aeon to all power armors, and shuttles, you have five minutes to be on board, or you are going to have a long walk home."

She then sent a communique to the Eucharis. "Aeon to Eucharis, we are moving in to grapple you. Cut your engines, and prepare for hyperspace fold in five minutes from my mark. MARK." she instructed Eternity to send a time hack to the other gunship.

Hoshi, still close to the Hangar, stayed in his (relative) position after starting a countdown in his head. He kept making little moves in different directions to throw off fire from the Battlepods, if any suddenly deigned to fire upon him.

He fired his Plasma Rifle and Gauss Cannons at the battlepods targeting Haruhi-Juni, and kept yet another mental check on the ones he had been firing at before hand.

"Haruhi-Juni, I have your back!"

Without warning the NMX battle pods accelerated away using their FTL burst drives. Elsewhere the NMX warships were withdrawing from the system.

"What the...?" Hoshi said, confused.

He shook his head, and since there were no more enemies around he maneuvered himself into the docking bay quickly.

Almost as soon as it had started the battle was over, as the NMX battlepods snapped away from the confrontation. Generally this was either a very good, or a very bad thing depending, and with the Captain's orders to get inside and nothing left to shoot at outside Haruhi complied and flew into the power armour bay at a leisurely pace, keeping her sensors peeled and aether rifle at the ready on the off chance that it was just a feint.

"Aye, aye Ma'am." Trowa acknowledged. He quickly wiped his forehead with the back of his sleeve then brought the Aeon upright, then moved it in position above the Eucharis. He did a quick check to make sure he was stable, then activated the graviton beam. There was a slight trimmer as the beams locked on to the ship. Checking his interments, Trowa nodded with satisfaction. "Ma'am, we have the Eucharis." Trowa did a quick visual scan of the battle above and blinked, not believing what he was seeing. "Ma'am, the enemy ships? They're pulling out!"

Katae looked at the sensor data, there was definitely no mistaking the departure of the NMX. Not wanting to question a change in luck, she laid in the course to Yamatai. Eternity, signal the Kyoten, and have it redezvous with us at Yamatai. she sent to the MEGAMI.

Once the last shuttle was onboard, she signaled the squadron and activated the Hyperdrive. The Aeon and Eucharis were surrounded in a globe of bluish energy, and then vanished from the Elysia Novus system.

"Haruhi-Juni, you and your crew can stand down briefly, once we deliver the Eucharis to Yamatai, we will be preparing for quick turn around. If there is any extra firepower you want to the PA's, get me the list ASAP. We will be pursuing that group of NMX warships. And you can expect to be leading a boarding team."

Almost as soon as Haruhi-Juni landed, Hoshi moved in for a fast and important question: "Haruhi-Santô Juni, may I proceed to the Medibay or wherever the wounded are?"

Hoshi looked intently at the Juni from inside his power armour.

Trowa's hands slipped from the controls and he took a deep breath. So much for my first taste of real combat. He thought. Trowa didn't think he performed poorly, but he felt as though he could have done a lot better. He sat up and began a post-battle check on the ship.

Haruhi entered the power armour bay with less flair than previously though still with a decent amount of speed. As she approached her Mindy's rack she doffed her helmet and flicked out her hair with a short twist of her head, flipping a few errant strands back behind her ears. ”Copy that, Taii.

“We're standing down for the moment, so check and stow your armours,” she turned to face Yukimura while she cracked her Mindy open and peeled herself out of its embrace. “Granted, though not while you're inside that.” The Juni swiftly checked over her armour before she locked it down and pulled on the rest of her uniform; she left her NSP taped to her Mindy for now and swapped her GSP around to her holster.

“Get busy on what you have to do, by the sound of the Taii we're going to be back in it and face-to-face with the NMX again before you can blink.” Haruhi heeded her own advice and made tracks for the armoury to go over what she wished to requisition during the turnaround.

Continued in Mission 2 - Lost and Found