RP: YSS Kaiyō Pre-Kaiyō: Hunt by Numbers

[KingTyrant]

Outside the Kikyo Sector, Outer Space
​

Just another day, running an escort mission. This had become the norm for Able, and it was no surprise, seeing as the likeliness of a Kuvexian attack was becoming greater and greater as the days passed. That was precisely what had brought him here, on a scouting operation with the YSS Syzygy, looking for a possible invasion force. Just the sight of 3 or more Kuvexian capital ships on a course for Yamataian space would be enough to spark worry, and a defense would be readied immediately once the ship and their fighter escort were back in friendly territory. However, from neither Able nor the ship's sensors could anything of the sort be found. This area wasn't exactly peaceful, the air, or lack there of being so thick you could cut it with a knife... But the way it stood currently... There was nothing to fret. The only signs of life for at least a mile it seemed, was them.

Able wasn't quick to write off the lack of opposition as meaning that they were safe. After all, he was on the Imperator. He fought the Kuvexians in a battle that would be talked about for quite some time, and he knew what they were capable of, and the drive they had to end Yamataian life. A ruthless bunch, was the only way he knew how to describe what he experienced. Stalling his fighter to simply take in the calm of outer space while it lasted, he put on his radio, hailing the Syzygy for yet another update.

"This is Able... So far, radar indicates no unidentified vessels. No life signs, either." He was starting to sound like a broken record, with these status updates. It was peculiar to think that in an area of space so abundant with the hostile forces in the past, now it was completely dead. This had to be a trap. He knew it. However, in the past couple of hours that they had been scouting, his constant warning of such a thing was beginning to annoy the Taii, so he ceased saying anything else of the sort. In a way, he could see where she was coming from... Perhaps putting the crew of the scout ship on edge like he probably was wasn't the best option. They were alone out here. An ill-equipped scout vessel and a fighter or two weren't suited to engage a Kuvexian destroyer, not even one. The last thing they needed to do was panic.

All in all, despite the lack of action, or anything happening at all, Able was flattered that this was becoming his role in the Yamatai Star Army. Just not too long ago, he was set to become a crew member of the YSS Kaiyō. Up until the ship's long-distance voyage, when he was held back to defend the empire against a threat he was very familiar with. His stint with the Imperator was brief, but it had given him a major push, for his rather low rank. His skill had been noticed, and he was considered valuable enough to be tasked with protecting ships like this. It was an idea he was content with, overall.

The peace was broken when a blip showed up on Able's radar, the android sitting up tall in his seat, looking at it with wide eyes. Immediately getting back on his radio, he hailed the Syzygy once more. "This is Able, I am witnessing one large vessel, directly in front of us. Approaching fast." He said, tone calm, but with an underlying feeling of dread. As usual, his fears had come true. This was indeed an ambush. And with only a scout ship to worry about, the Kuvexians probably knew out of morbid confidence that one ship would be more than enough to deal with the issue. Things were about to get back. Holding onto his control stick with an iron grip, his eyes narrowed and focused out into the depths of space ahead, awaiting the arrival of a ship who had probably seen them much sooner than they realized.

 

[Ametheliana]

YSS Syzygy
Bridge

"Taii Setsuyaku," said the comms operator, "we have an unidentified vessel approaching our fighter on its scouting mission."

"Alert the rest of the squadron to hone in on our position. Send the fleet a tight-beam and apprise them of the situation," said the captain to the comms operator.

"This is NG-X1-553..." the operator began.

Taii Celestia Setsuyaku went on, "Helm, close the gap between Santô Hei Able and ourselves. Fast!!"

Over comms, the captain spoke to the Douryo android pilot, herself, "We're coming to your position! Hold your ground!"

 

[KingTyrant]

Able narrowed his eyes at the voices in his ear, requesting just a little time. Able feared it was time he didn't have. Sitting up nice and straight in his seat, he took a deep breath, craning his neck over to kiss the bandana pulled taught around his upper arm. "You don't have to tell me twice, captain." He addressed her directly, keeping his eyes locked on his radar, glancing up through the glass of his cockpit, simply waiting for the enemy to reveal itself. Closer, closer it came on the radar... Beeping and keeping the pilot on edge. Suddenly...

A bright flash filled the cockpit, the light dying just in time for Able to be met with the golden glimmer of the hull of a ripe Kuvexian cruiser, closing fast on both his and the Syzygy's position. "We've got company! Dead ahead!" He alerted the scout ship, immediately setting his thrusters and pushing forward to meet the opposition. It was a terrifying sight. The ship wasn't much bigger than the one he was escorting, but its sharpness, the damage that he saw it do to the Imperator's fleet... It wasn't something to scoff at, whatsoever. He paused when one more blip showed up on the radar. Then two. Then three. Then four.

Looking ahead, he squinted at the new, slightly greenish dots that flew away from the cruiser's hull. Fighters... "YSS Syzygy, I am picking up four additional vessels on my radar. They appear to be fighters. They're intercepting your position fast. Moving to engage." He said over his comms, rolling his fighter to one side, taking off as fast as he could to flank the small craft on their interception course.

As he shot through the starry expanse of the soon-to-be battlefield, the cruiser's aether beams began firing off potshots at its target, the Syzygy. Luckily, these projectiles missed their mark, but it wouldn't be long before the ship closed in enough to do some serious damage. As this was happening, Able lined up his sights with the leading Kuvexian fighter in the four-vessel formation, letting off a stream of cannon fire, watching as the enemy vessel flew right in the way, the craft exploding in a massive fireball. The other three scattered, unfortunately, now their sights would be on him.

 

[Ametheliana]

YSS Syzygy
Bridge

The shots grazed nearby the ship as the captain called out, "Helm, evade!"

"Aye, Captain," came the pilot's terse reply as she diligently worked at moving around the shots.

"MEGAMI?" Taii Celestia Setsuyaku asked.

"Hai, Taii?" said the MEGAMI of the ship over the bridge's comms.

"Get me a readout on that Kuvexian. I want all possible information on it."

"It is a cruiser that has a waterdroplet-like shape with an elongated cutout section extending from the prow to the mid-section of the ship. Estimates of the YSS Syzygy ship sensors point towards there being a main weapon array housed in this section, utilizing the cutout section as a focusing center."

"Santô Hei," Celestia said to the droid in the field, "Keep clear of the enemy prow's center! It is likely a main weapon!" She looked to the helm, "Same goes for you!"

"Sounds like a plan, Taii!" said the pilot.

 

[KingTyrant]

"I've seen the weapon in action, Taii. If you move within its range, you all are as good as dead. It will carve through your vessel like a knife through butter." Able warned them the best he possibly could. "The recommended course of action is to attack from an angle. The aether beam cannot fire in more than a single direction, parallel with the nose of the ship." He said, busy barreling through space to avoid the fighters on his tail, aiming to give him the same treatment he did their comrade.

Making a large loop that sent him upside-down and back into his original course, he managed to shake the fighters on his tail, one ending up in his line of sights. Waiting for his HUD to lock onto the ship, keeping a stream of aether fire on its tail to keep up the pressure, Able reached down to press a button on the side of his control stick. At that moment, a number of mini missiles ejected from the underside of his fighter, locked onto the heat signature of his opponent, two catching the wings of the vessel, which caused the rest to combust spontaneously. The other missiles launched veered off in multiple directions, exploding all around the original fireball.

Able was satisfied at first. Two down, two to go. However, that satisfaction ended once he realized that the two remaining fighters were nowhere to be found within his vicinity. Rather, they were on their way to the Syzygy. "Taii Setsuyaku, you have two fighter craft, approaching your position on the port side! Exercise extreme caution!" He warned.

Just as he said this, the fighters from before, who had taken the distraction as an opportunity, flew above the scout ship, firing at the defensive turrets and launching torpedoes in an effort to breach the hull. Able watched from his cockpit as this happened, wanting to go an deal with the issue himself, but at the same time realized that the Kuvexian cruiser was inching closer by the second. Seeing the latter as a much larger threat, he changed course and went straight for it, maneuvering to dodge the defensive fire aimed for him, all while looking for a possible weak spot.

He had to give it to the Kuvexians, they built a sturdy starship, and this cruiser was no exception. There was no real weak spot he could see, but there were areas of major concern. Certain spots on the ship that if he took out, would be a major relief to the Syzygy. The first one that came to mind was that center weapon. Nerves causing his body to shake, he leaned down and kissed his bandana once more before getting right in its line of sight. He could see the center beginning to glow a menacing shade of blue, as if charging up to evaporate him and his Mamushi, steel and all. Just a little bit closer, just a little bit closer...