RP: Setareh Wing [Mission Three] A View To A Kill

Space Outside of the Dahbi Class Colony

Zoren continued to fire, trying in between waves of missiles to try and provide provide sniper support for the forward teams. As Altair's VANDR was disabled, he cursed. "This is Vaytulri Tarkus Zoren, I am requesting SAR teams for one of my downed pilots. I also request QRF (Quick Reaction Force) on our location ASAP." He requested over the command channel between the colony and the other squads. "Keep up the fire! I am adjusting fire lanes to compensate for our downed comrade."

As everyone continued to fire, they would see their fire lanes expand slightly to compinate for the loss of Altair's guns.

"We can not fail! Launch barrage!!!" He fired another salvo of missiles at the enemy missiles and began firing his sniper rifle at the enemy targets engaging his Wing.

Space Outside of the Dahbi Class Colony

"Fighters, shmighters! I didn't spend all that time being forced to fly stupid drills and wait for assignment for nothing!"

Irfan rushed out with the command to engage, the shots that were near but not quite there not phasing her in the slightest. Lucidity matched her bold nature, the machine and its guidance working hand-in-hand as she exchanged passing fire with one of the machines. Getting in close to give a fatal rake wasn't likely to happen, but the thump of mortars into its path caused the machine to veer out and around in a hard corkscrew. To her credit, Irfan went into a reverse corkscrew away from the craft, looking as if they were performing some void-bound dance. Even with the distances between them, it was a graceful act that showed Irfan knew how to play her target... and one that led her to line up her long-range cannon on the ships flank and rip it with one of the powerful blasts. It wasn't a fatal strike, but the piercing lance drew attention as she continued her nimble and distracting dance. She was trying to line up her comrades, all the while thumping munitions and trying to line up for any of her own shots to fire. She was moving predictably, but she just needed to be unnoticed in her patterns for a moment more to let her Wingmates mop up these goons!

"Setareh Wing to Dahbi, Setareh Wing to Dahbi, do you read? We have a downed frame runner on the colony's exterior - please mobilize emergency services immediately!" Akjit cued the comms. Serving as the back line, he had done his job of intercepting the missiles, but now the other half of their wing was engaged. The Ivuori longed to dash off to their aid, but he knew if he did that, the station would be left vulnerable.

'So indecisive,' Nightmare's voice derided him. Laid out inside the VANDR, he bit his lip a little.

"High Guardian! Do you need us to assist?" he asked Naak. In truth, he felt like twiddling his thumbs.

Space Outside of the Dahbi Class Colony

A familiar voice, Ki Lea’s, came over Setareh Wing’s comms, “Assistance imminent!”

Naak Behea looked to the QRF wings assembling near the colony by her own, spilling out of the opening they had just minutes ago left from.

“Divine presence!” Naak breathily said. “We have help! Those that are near the colony, get yourselves to my position! Let the other wings protect the colony to that degree while we do so in a much larger one!”

Realizing there was little time to waste speaking, she relayed information to Victory and had Victory, in kind, relayed it to the wing.

They would all see the formation she had outlined before replaced with one that still had Karuah flying ahead with Naak and Ishtar close behind, but this one outlined what was to happen after. With Karuah going first, then Zoren, then Ekia, Akjit, and, finally, Irfan, they would all find themselves pushing towards the opening where the missiles were to launch.

One by one, they would lay fire on that which became exposed after it had opened. Naak included some overzealous markings at the point after Irfan had gone, which were instructions to decisively get away from the craft and go back to the colony as quickly as possible, preferably by vector translating. Sanjaya, Ishtar, and Naak would all take care of point defense weapons while they moved in as close as possible to the missile platform to get into it and destroy the warheads before they could be deployed.

While the Setareh Wing got into position, with Karuah in the lead, the missile ordnance began to be utilized by the platform as its belly split into two halves with a central hinge. Its opening up was menacing to Naak as she stared while shooting down the point defense before they could find their mark on the Setareh Wing.

"Remember, seventy five simultaneous launches if we fail to get just one blown apart!" Naak said to the wing in a clear, concise way as she watched the first of the wing that would attack the exposed warheads, Karuah. She spoke once more, "May our dreams keep us safe."

Space Outside of the Dahbi Class Colony

Several things raced through Karuah's head as the situation unfolded before her. The presence of reinforcements was reassuring, she didn't have to worry as much about stray missiles this way. The formation had Karurah leading though, and even though it was her suggestion it still made her nervous, her performance would be pivotal in what options the rest of the wing had for a successful attack.

With a soft breath to relax Karurah reached her desired position and then released a full salvo of nine Regenerative Canister Missiles at the platform. However, they did not simply head straight for the platform to strike it. Karuah had several pre-calculated trajectories to follow, the fire missile detonating early to create an anti beam cloud to protect the rest of the missiles. The next six spread out to different locations around the ship and detonated to expand the anti beam cloud it so it could not easily escape, and so that it's sensors had enough interference to to hide the last two missiles which headed straight for it's missile racks for a direct impact.

After firing the salvo, Karuah quickly pulled up and began a loop to get back behind her formation. She could have taken the time to reestablish locks and fire a second salvo of something else, but her wing was already ready to attack and someone could follow up sooner than she could prepare a second volley so she let them.

Space Outside of the Dahbi Class Colony:

As the the QRF force arrived, a smirk formed on Zoren's face. "Well look who decided to show up. Thought we would have to fight this entire battle by ourselves." He shot over the local NCO channel.

"And let you kill everything Zoren, like hell." The QRF's NCO replied.

Enigma transformed into ARMS mode and rocketed forward towards the formation. The black Raevr following Karuah in. As his comrade had pulled up from her attack, Zoren floored it. "This Enigma, beginning my attack run!" He looked at his displays. "Enigma, overload the Shock Lances again. Divert power from the rear shields." he ordered.

"Aye aye Doc. Don't miss this time..." His VANDR replied.

"I am gonna reboot you when we get back..." Zoren replied.'

"Hey, I didn't miss. You can be mad at yourself..." His VANDR retorted.

Zoren ignored his VANDR as he closed in on his target. He watched his targeting reticule as he closed in. "Come on... almost there... Almost..." Time seemed to slow as the reticule aligned itself. Zoren Squeezed the trigger and he fired out several highly charged sniper shots out towards the target. He pulled up hard. "Enigma returning to formation!"

Space Outside of the Dahbi Class Colony

Naak continued to work on the point defense turrets, shooting them down while directing their fire towards her and not those attacking the colony.

Watching her wing mates with ecstasy in her eyes, Ekia Verha wanted nothing more than to succeed in their wake. Ekia flew forward with Rebirth and flung herself and the Erla 2 towards the opening of the missile platform where those sitting ducks were housed. Shocksting RCPA Cannons rocketed out of her VANDR at 180 RPM, flying through space and towards the platform.

"The NVR will be no more after we're done!" Ekia called out to her wing mates.

"Not so hasty!" Naak called back as she saw fire being laid in Ekia's path. As if out of nowhere, a fighter had targeted and shot out at Ekia. Naak swung to defend her wing mate, but found letting up on the turrets was a terrible decision as their shots began to find their mark on Victory.

"Someone, get that fighter before it gets her!" Naak called out as she vector translated away from the turrets' fire and drew closer to it, slicing it with her VT sword until it was no longer on the ship.

She looked up to check two things; whether or not Akjit had fired after Ekia, if anyone else had alerted to the fighter's presence, and if anyone had destroyed it.

Space Outside of the Dahbi Class Colony

Zoren cursed as he flipped his craft over, "Enigma moving to engage." He replied to Naak, as he moved to intercept the fighter antagonizing Ekia. "Transfer power to the swords." He ordered his VANDR as his craft rocketed towards the enemy.

As he got in close it broke off from its next attack on his wing mate. "You're clear! Go!" He ordered Ekia as he chased the fighter, getting in close and attempting to slice it appart. The others needed to focus on their targets, and he had to trust that his sniper shots would hit there mark.

Coming in after the others, Akjit did his best to follow the plan as closely as he could. The powerful, big and heavy HAIDAN came in, and aiming at the target point, unleashed its far heavier arsenal. The Shockflail particle cannons hammered away as the mortars quickly followed up with a high explosive spread over the point. Pulling away, he quickly cued the comms,

"That thing blow yet?" the frame runner asked, all too worried.

Ishtar's VANDR coasted along under its Shroud as the missile ship split in half opening along a central hinge. In truth it was like an ancient communication device. Yet as those launchers opened, and her VANDR drew close, Ishtar's weapon systems went from standby to ready. Missiles from the four main launchers leapt forth in rapid succession, twelve Star Adder, APaLa Missiles streaked toward individual opened tubes. Canister Missiles, nine from each launcher sprayed thick clouds of charged particles soon after as a means of fouling their scanners and targeting locks. It was akin to a surgical 'Alpha Strike' and Area of Denial attack with how she both attacked, and made to scramble their sensors.

Irfan looked to the display as the grumpiest second-in-command went zooming off to defend Ekia, the Eyr Ranr adjusted to perform her own strafing on the launchers to join in on the assault. In comparison, her own volley was far less considerable in size to those of her allies so far. But this was due to skirting around and preparing for her own VT-strike to set the ages. With her mind set, the gruff voice of her machine kicked up.

"This is a bad idea."
"This is a really bad idea, Song! We're better off staying back and-"

Lucidity didn't get to finish as Irfan dimmed the machine's input out, the girl's course adjusting until she lined up with the launcher and simply flew directly forwards. It was a slow glide, reducing her approach as she angled all of her weapons to bear forward. And then, much like Ishtar's attack, the Haidan began firing nonstop. Mortars, missiles, shockflails, and anything she could grab was being hurtled ahead at the ship and her target. She just had to keep stationary and keep utilizing the massive arsenal of the destructive heavy support and deep-strike VANDR... all the while preparing herself for an immediate VT-slice away once the enemy realized the absurd levels of munitions she was pumping out!

Space Outside of the Dahbi Class Colony

Bursts of flames shot out of the missile platform's belly, pulsing out of it all at once and continuing to cause explosions throughout the craft. Orange and red bursts of heat turned black in the interrupted stillness of space as the components that made up the missiles detonated by way of the well-placed onslaught brought forth by the wing.

Setareh Wing had all translated away and their frames hugged the Dahbi Colony as the platform broke into pieces and melted at the joints, turning into a mass of shrapnel rather than a destructive force of potent power to be reckoned with. The threat was diminished. Setareh Wing and the colony were safe, to the wing's knowledge.

"Setareh Wing!" Ki Lea called over comms to them. "You've done it!

"Thank you," Naak sighed, exhausted from concern for them all.

"What's that?!" Ki Lea spoke out again.

"I said than—"

Ki cut her off, "No! Not you!"

Naak remained silent, as did comms.

After what felt like a full minute later, Ki was talking to them, again. "Head back to VANDR Bay B-5."

"What was that about earlier?" Naak asked.

"There's been a breach."

"Where?!" Naak shouted.

"The colony's been breached. Civilian Bay A-1."

"We can make it there!"

Ki said, "It's better you let those that are less weary than you all are—"

This time, it was Naak that did the cutting off, "No! We can do this, too! What is the situation?"

"They've entered in a cargo transport when civilian ships were being ordered to dock. There are an unknown number of enemies integrating themselves into the colony as we speak."Ki Lea's tone was clipped and to the point.

"Divine presence!" Naak exhaled the phrase and then stated as she moved to the destination for the wing, "To Bay A-1, Setareh! Ishtar," Naak said to the FIOMNI. "How best would you approach this situation?"

Space Outside of the Dahbi Class Colony

Zoren let out a yell of triumph as the missile platform blew apart. "Damn right!" He yelled as he reformed up with his flight. "Good job boys and girls." Zoren said over the team channel.

However, his celebration was cut short when he heard what was said over the command channel. Before Naak had even ordered it, Zoren was pushing his frame to the max. His VANDR rocketing away in it's ARMS mode.

"Come on! We have to save the civies! Get the lead out your asses." Zoren ordered to the others as he took off towards the colony. "Give me more speed Enigma!"

"Roger that doc... go get them." Enigma replied.

With a flare from his engines he took off towards the breach...

Space Outside of the Dahbi Class Colony

The destruction of the missile platform was a relief , Karuah had not realized just how tense she was until she began to relax a little. However, it did not deem like they had the time to celebrate or relax, word had come in that there was a breech. It was true that they probably should rest, but after the wing's clear victory, the opposition would probably not attack from that direction again so quickly.

The Eyr Ranr pilot did not hesitate to head towards the colony, already in motion before she could speak. "Saied, prepare systems for in colony operation."

The intelligence inside the frame gave a confirmation that it was working as it rocketed towards the colony, following after the VANDR that belonged to the wing leader.

As her VANDR floated effortlessly in space, the FIOMNI went over the data recorded from the battle. It was strange. The NVR never expended ships like this without good reason. Even in the battle over Mazerin three years ago they had nearly overwhelmed Bahram Wing and the Mazerini VANDR Garrison. Her thoughts were faster than the speed of light. Having a brain the size of a small moon helped. Conclusions came and went, with one in particular sticking. A feint. Before she could voice her concerns, the Lanranr, the woman piped up.

"Without more data my solutions would vary wildly. However, given the situation commonsense would dictate we enter the colony. This maneuver was a feint, something the NVR is known for. I suggest we contact the colony for further information. If they've entered with Frames, or on foot."

Space Outside of the Dahbi Class Colony

The medics and mechanics alike were quick to bring Altair and his VANDR, Soaring Hawk, to the VANDR bay they had exited from just earlier. His VANDR was not beyond repair, but it would not be in functioning condition for a long time coming. Amazing things, these living mecha. That is, they are until you take a couple of direct missile hits. Altair was extracted from the Soaring Hawk in slow, precise movements as to not crush his small body by accidentally disturbing the crippled frame and it collapsing on him and care was taken to not knock him against some protrusion in the biological craft.

Naak wanted the answer to Ishtar's question to be answered, as well. She wanted to know what they were faced with, what they were about to encounter. She wanted to know how they would win.

"Ki!" Naak said to the missions adjutant operator as she swooped in to Civilian Bay A-1. "Did you hear Ishtar's question?"

"They have entered the colony on foot," Ki said, quick to respond.

"Ishtar, get back to me when I've got a helmet on!"

Naak quickly exited Victory. She hopped onto the floor of the bay and ran to grab a carbine, a pistol, and a helmet. She pushed the helmet over her silvery black hair and comm'd in to her team. "What do you think, Ishtar?" She stood at the ready, waiting for the rest of Setareh.

VANDR Bay B-5

Altair's eyes opened slowly. He blinked a few times. Where was he? He opened his mouth to speak, however naught but a croak came out.

"We need to get him in a prajna immersion tank," A medic called out. "We need him in one, now!"

Several more medics were just coming on to the scene and all but two of them that hung back with a stretcher rushed forward to put their hands on Altair to pick him up.

Altair groaned. "Wha.. What happened? I remember trying to stop the..." At this Altair sat straight up, which probably was not very good for him. "Oh saints the missiles! Did any get past me?"

"Relax," the first medic said to Altair, putting a hand on the ace pilot's chest. "You did—"

Interjecting on the first medic to assist Altair, another looked down into his green eyes and commended him, saying, "You're a hero!"

Altair looked relieved first, then startled. "Oh goo- wait what?"

"Thanks to you, the whole station is safe," she gushed.

"We need to get you on the stretcher," the more stern medic commented. "Do you think you're up to walk, instead?"

"Yes." Altair tried to stand, and promptly collapsed. "No."

"We need to get you to that immersion tank, right away," said the female medic to Altair. "Good thing you were there for the colony," she said as they all lifted him on to the stretcher. The two that had stayed next to it quickly lifted him and it and began walking quickly away from the VANDR Bay and to medical. "Thank goodness the fighting is over," the medic continued as she took Altair's blood pressure while walking in line with those carrying the stretcher. "Or else your wing would be missing out on—"

"Don't you know?" Someone nearly stopped her from talking as they passed the assembly taking Altair to get into a prajna tank. They continued on, "There's been a breach in the colony!"

Altair struggled to move. "What?! I need to be out there!"

"He could help," the girl said to those carrying the stretcher. "His vitals are all where they should be."

"It's too dangerous to let him go," one said, while the other remained stone face.

The girl asked, "Altair? Can you do it? Can you be a hero for the Iromakuanhe one more time?"

Altair stood, with some trouble. "I can do my best. Where am I needed?"

"You would have to talk to your commanding officers," said the man that had stopped them. He looked around, seemingly blind for a moment, before grabbing a helmet nearby and putting it in Altair's hands. "Use this to comm them and get the information you need. Thank you for being here for us all."

"Yes," said the girl, placing a hand on Altair's. "Thank you."

Altair put on the helmet and turned to look at the girl. "Thank you, for getting me out of that wreck."

"I'll be right here when you get back," she said, pointing to Soaring Hawk nearby.

"Thank you again..." He said, blushing slightly beneath the helmet. He then opened a comm channel to Naak.

"Ma'am? It's Altair, I'm ready to help out however I can."

"I'm ready for you to! Get yourself to Civilian Bay A-1 and look out for any potential hostiles on the way! We have NVR on foot entering the colony!"

"Yes Ma'am!" Altair turned to the girl he had spoken to before. "Can you upload a map to my helmet and get me a weapon?"

"There is a map uploaded to your datarod! Use that and the weaponry you store next to your VANDR in the bay!" Naak called out over comms to Altair.

Altair grabbed a laiz carbine and capacitors for it, set his datarod to project the map onto his helmet's HUD and began to dash towards bay A-1.

Civilian Bay A-1:

Zoren's VANDR approached the bay at high speed, transforming at the last minute and firing his thrusters. Enigma hit the deck with a thud and slid to a stop. "Enigma, guard the bay from any intruders!" He said as he rapidly began to unhook himself from his craft.

"Roger that Doc, good hunting." Enigma replied.

Zoren dropped from the cockpit and hit the ground running. He grabbed a carbine, a pistol, and a helmet, and ran over to Naak. "What's the plan Boss?" He asked as he loaded a fresh magazine into his carbine.

Civilian Bay A-1:

Saeid flew in to the VANDR bay, transformed into it's bipedal form so that landing would be much easier. The pilot inside had not waited for landing and prepared for disembark as they approached and left everything to the AI.

Karuah was always a big cautious so she had her helmet for the linksuit on the whole time, it was just a matter of arming herself now. Like always she kept her weapons stored inside the storage compartment on board, just in case she had to land somewhere and get out unexpectedly. With a carbine over her shoulder and her Faelraig and pistol at her hip, she disembarked and readied herself for combat. "Ready commander" She took hold of her carbine, and disengaged the safety, with civilians present now, she wanted to make sure she could quickly dispatch any opposition.

Civilian Bay A-1
Altair skidded around a corner, wincing as his wounds pained him. But there was no time and then he entered into bay A-1.
He saw the two other RAEVR pilots enter the bay in their frames, and disembark. He walked more slowly now. Running all the way here had taken the wind out of him, and he still had a slight limp.

Nevertheless, he approached the other pilots and waved. "Hi guys."