The plates of uranium armour coated the exterior surface of the K.I.N. Arthur; its dark dull metallic armour plating seemed to soak up all the starlight that tried to illuminate the surface of the craft. Every now and then a turreted rail gun could be seen protruding from between the plates. The ships design was based on the popular Assaultor hull configuration, but this ship was far from a typical design.
Along its left and right frontal fins were mounted two 100 TW Plasma Beam emitters. Each one capable of delivering an enormous amount of damage within a very limited range and with a slow rate of fire, but when they hit, their damage was tremendous.
The Arthur had entered the Olajva system after a recent incident at the Kitalpha wormhole. The Arthur had been directed to conduct a survey around the Kitalpha to Rutal wormhole when it was set upon by a number of light and heavy fighters. The Arthur had no trouble dealing with the minor nuisances. After destroying a few of the fighters the rest fled through the Rutal wormhole with the Arthur in pursuit.
Having tracked the fighters all the way back to Olajva, the Captain of the Arthur had decided to finally chase down the fighters and finish them off. Moving towards Olajva X, the Captain of the Arthur was confident of a quick and easy victory. All looked like it was going according to plan until the tactical officer called out that the sensors have spotted a large contact moving to intercept the Arthur.
“New contact detected Captain, it’s a corvette sized craft heading on an intercept course, its approaching from the direction of the fighters, it looks like it is trying to head us off.”, relayed the tactical officer.
“Set battle stations, bring weapons online, if it fires on us, engage it, try to manoeuvre around the corvette and bring our weapons to bear on its weakest arc.”, ordered the Captain.
The Arthur accelerated to maximum speed has it hit its top speed the approaching vessel entered into visible range and immediately began to fire at the Arthur. It weapons were clearly not kinetic based as the first few volleys scattered wildly with some impacting the armour plating of the Arthur. Each impact super heated the plates of uranium armour making them grow a faint red. As more shots impact even more plates began to glow and their colour intensified.
“Captain they have opened fire on us! They seem to be using some kind of high energy pulse weapon far superior to anything we have currently.”, announced the tactical officer.
“Close the range helm, get us up close and personnel and try to swing us around their starboard side!”, shouted the Captain, “Tactical, get ready to bring them new plasma beam weapons to bear!”, he continued.
“Aye aye sir!”, replied both men.
The ships closed but the Arthur clearly had the more momentum, its flew past the attacking corvette giving its side mount rail guns a nice few close range impacts on the enemies armour, then began its nose tip turn to bring the ship to bear on the corvette, the entire move took 3 seconds to perform and the end result was the Arthur bearing down of a barely defended side of the enemy ship. Heavy and medium rail guns opened up on the opened side of the ship ripping into it with enormous damage. Plates of unknown armour shattered and tore away from the hull of the enemy vessel. Just as the enemy vessel began to turn to bring its own weapons to bear the Arthur delivered its killer volley… Both plasma beam weapons fired at exactly the same time, its plasma beams surged from the emitters and sheered blacnkened lined of burnt armour plates across the enemies hull. Countless plates of armour were destroyed exposing the hull underneath.
Has the beams firing cycle came to an end the enemy vessel had completed its 90 degree turn and began to hammer the Arthur at close range with its pulse cannons!
“Helm get us out of range of those pulse cannons, they obviously are move accurate at close range!”, ordered the Captain.
“Aye sir!”, replied the helm.
Over the next few minute, both ships continued the erratic dance of trying to out manoeuvre one another, the Arthur was clearly the more mobile and flanked the enemy vessel a number of times. But its armour was quite thick and was withstanding a great deal of punishment being given out by the Arthur.
All appeared to be going the way of the Arthur but this wouldn’t be the case for much longer. Looking at the sensors the Arthur’s tactical officer could see several new contacts heading toward the ship. A detailed scan indicated that they were corvette size contacts. The Arthur was about to be seriously overrun…
“Captain, new contacts, multiple corvette size vessels on intercept, possible enemy reinforcements!”, yelled out the tactical officer.
“Damn it!!!”, cried the Captain, “Helm bring us about, the battle is no longer in our favour, get us the hell out of here!”, he commanded.
The helm yanked the steering controls sharply to the right and started to bring the ship into a deep right turn away from the corvette. As it turned he applied acceleration and began to process of trying to out run his target.
Several corvettes entered visual range and sent a hail of pulse blast towards the fleeing Arthur striking it in the aft. The rear of the ship began to glow deep red as numerous plates of uranium superheated under the rapid pulse bombardment.
“Captain aft armour taking serious damage!”, yelled the tactical officer.
“Helm try to shake them off!”, replied the captain.
“Aye aye sir…”, came the reply.
The Arthur began to swing from side to side trying desperately to shake the attacking vessels and for the most part it appeared to be working, the Arthurs acceleration and mobility was far greater than that of the attackers. The Arthur swung to the port side and shot past the pursuing vessels sending a cloud of rail rounds and plasma beams into the group. The Arthur took a few hit on it frontal arc, but its speed countered much of the enemies’ fire power and most shot missed her.
“Great flying son!”, congratulated the captain, “Now lets see if we can’t out range these sons-a-bitches!”
The helm conducted a number of slingshot type manoeuvres past the attacking fleet looping around and continuing the slingshots until it had built up enough momentum to out run the attacking vessels.
“Excellent work people, I couldn’t of do it with out you all, especially you helm, that fancy piloting saved our asses!”, praised the Captain.
Having lost contact with the enemy the Arthur heading bruised and battered back to the Rutal wormhole. Enroute the captain sit in his personal quarters just off the bridge, on his desk a mini-holocom displayed the image of Jovien.
“That right Governor, we were engaged by multiple hostiles…”, explained the captain.
The blueish image of Jovien flickered as Jovien scratched his chin, clearly seated in his official office on Kordon Prime.
“Captain you have done an excellent job surviving the encounter. I have already been in diplomatic contact with the hostile nation, they were rather impressed with your piloting and the performance of your ship and have offered a peace treaty.”, explained Jovien.
“Really?”, replied the captain.
“Yes really captain, but I want your opinion, do they purpose the Kaidan Imperium a threat?”, asked Jovien
“To be honest Jovien, if it was a straight 1 on 1, I think we’d be ok, but the fact it was 20 on 1, ahh that changed things a lot.”, replied the captain.
“Hmmm, I see, seems they don’t want to fight a battle they might lose. Understandable, I suppose.”, reasoned Jovien.
“To be honest we have little interest in Olajva at the moment, it might be best to simply accept the treaty and just keep an eye on them for any future hostile moves.”, said the captain.
“I will consider that captain, thank you. If that is all you have to report, then forward the navy your official report once it is completed and I will continue my talks with the leader of their nation. In the mean time, stay out of trouble and make it back in one piece.”, said Jovien.
“I plan too”, replied the Arthur’s captain.
“Oh one other thing…”, interrupted Jovien.
“Yes..?”, asked the captain.
“I’ve sent orders for the Kingdom of the Sky to meet you at the Rutal wormhole, she is possibly our oldest ship, but she’s an elite corvette, she escort you home, if nothing else she’ll be good company for you.”, smiled Jovien.
The captain smiled in return, “Much appreciated Governor, I hope to speak to you in person soon then.”
With that the holocom shut off and the image faded from view. The captain got up from his desk and walked to the window. Hmmm he thought, the Kingdom of the Sky is a Kaidan legend, it will be a great honour to fly along with her back to Kordon Prime.
The captain turned and walked out of his quarters, lets just hope we don’t run into anymore unwelcomed ships before be arrive at the wormhole, he thought.
The lights in the captain’s quarter switched off and the room faded to black, the only visible light was from the twinkling stars outside whom light danced across the walls of the room projected through the only window in the room.
And so ended the dance in starlight.
Continue reading Children of Leisure
