Chapter 01 (Fate of the Armadeaus)
Chapter 02 (Portents)
Chapter 03 (Passing of a Fantasy)
Chapter 04 (Fissures in the Dark)
Chapter 05 (Reminiscence)
Chapter 06 (Things that go Bump...)
Chapter 07 (The Rocky Road)
Chapter 08 (Escape Plan)
Chapter 09 (Becoming)
Chapter 10 (And it Begins Again)
Chapter 11 (Flight)
Chapter 12 (Cut-off)
Chapter 13 (Spicy Noodles Under a Blood Coloured Moon)
Chapter 14 (The Dreaming)
Chapter 15 (Room With A View)
Chapter 16 (Clearing the Way)
Chapter 17 (Nasty)
Chapter 18 (The Gathering)
Chapter 19 (Duty Calls)
Chapter 20 (Transition)
Chapter 21 (Countdown)
------------------------------------------
DARK HAVEN
Chapter 22 (Untimely Distractions)
Teladi Way
The vast Xenon destroyer clears the nebula. Wisps of the deep blue gas curl around the rear and along its sides, in-between its turrets, so many turrets, clinging momentarily before thinning and vanishing from view.
The nose of another destroyer reveals itself from within the blue cloud, above the first M2.
A number of fighters speed out past the destroyer and take formation along side the lead ship.
As the second destroyer leaves the nebula we see that even more fighters are flanking it, an equal number of each M3/4/5.
Moments after the second M2's is clear, three M6's lead a Xenon M1 out.
Still more fighters come spewing from the Carrier, accelerating towards the front of the group.
...
Pegasus
"Hmmm, I doubt they are here to help. This could get interesting."
...
Argon One
"Admiral, that seems to be all of them."
"How many?"
"One Carrier, two Destroyers, three Corvettes, and thirty three fighters... thirty four, still launching."
"I'd really rather not get into a fight with them at the moment, we have more pressing matters to attend to."
"General Vos' Titan has just entered the system, moving to join us."
"Excellent, that's all the Argon Fleet ships we can expect."
"The Xenon weapons are armed, moving in on an attack vector.
I wouldn't think running into X8 would help us any."
"No Commander it wouldn't. We'd be trapped between two groups of hostiles, one of which we know very little about."
"I imagine asking the Xenon for a truce wouldn't do any good."
"It's worth a shot.
Comms, try contacting the Xenon."
"...No response Admiral."
"No real surprise there.
Well, I guess we fight.
At least we out number them, all but Corvettes, and that's without the Teladi.
The Rays will put things further in our favour when they arrive.
Open a channel to all our ships.
"You are on."
"This is Admiral Ornov to all allied ships.
You may have noticed a large fleet of Xenon moving to attack us.
We will need to take them out before jumping to X8.
Launch all fighters now, but hold position.
We will let them come to us, give General Vos time to get into position.
Titans, position yourselves slightly ahead of the Carriers.
Jubilee and fighters above and below.
Everyone target the lead Destroyer, we will concentrate all fire on it first.
Once it falls all Boron fighters target the Xenon fighters.
Argon fighters and Jubilee take on their Corvettes.
All Capital ships take the Xenon Capitals, one at a time, nearest first.
All ships turrets fire-at-will.
And let's make this quick, to quote Kyle Brennan 'These are not the only butts that need kicking today.'"
General Vos speeds away from the gate towards other Titan to join it at the head of the fleet.
The fleet turns to face the Xenon, each moving into position.
The bulk of the fighters are positioned below the Argon One and Boron Shark. A little over sixty fighters, mostly heavy and medium, with only a few light fighters. All arranged in their separate formations.
The Jubilee moves upward, above the Argon One and comes to a stop. Several groups of fighters pull along side. To the left are six Eels in tight formation, further left are four Elites and four Busters. To the right are twelve Piranhas and eight more Elites. Two Octopus' pull in beside the Busters and stop.
"Time to firing range?"
"Two mizuras. The General is now in position."
"Good.
All ships ready weapons.
Move slowly towards the enemy, we don't want to be stationary.
Open fire the moment you are in range."
...
Jubilee
The Captain is in her chair, General Illandas at her side.
Pierson sits at the helm, obviously a little edgy never having been in or even see a battle on this scale before.
Sina is at weapons control, also on edge but clearly through excitement rather than fear.
All are ready for battle.
"Three against one, that doesn't sound too fair.
Though I think the forty two fighters, mostly Elites, will balance that out a little."
"Let's hope so Pierson." The Captain replies.
"Match the speed and direction of the Argon One.
Time to target?"
Sina answers.
"One mizura.
Lead Destroyer targeted with main guns.
Turrets on automatic.
Missiles and counter measures ready."
"Very good Sina, but I think I'll manually select the turrets targets from here. I quite enjoyed doing that before.
Unless the General would like a shot."
"I'd love to."
"Be my guest."
"Shall we say a turret each."
"By all means."
"Top or bottom?"
"I'll take the top."
"Thought you might."
"Are you pair quite finished?" Pierson jokes.
"Five sezuras."
...
The Two Titans, being slightly ahead of the fleet get the first shots off. Every one a successful hit on the enemy destroyer.
The Xenon's return fire is no less accurate.
The Jubilee fires a moment later. Its double GHEPT barely missing a Xenon M before connecting with the Destroyer.
Commander Jalat on the Argon One thinks to himself.
'Let's give this Delta HEPT a real test now.'
He hits the firing control.
The electric blue colour of the DHEPT stands out even from a great distance.
It shimmers as it travels fast yet gracefully through space.
It seems... no it is faster than any of the other shots criss-crossing in the ever closing gap between ships.
The DHEPT makes its mark on the shields of the M2, the electricity sparking around the impact area.
'Wow, almost three times the damage of the Gamma.
Pity we only have one.'
The rest of the allied fleet are now bombarding the M2.
Fighters in perfect formations fly past the Titans and open fire on the Xenon ship.
In the opposite direction Xenon fighters begin firing on the allied fighters.
And Elite and two Piranhas fall immediately. Two more Elites and an Eel.
The impacts on the Xenon M2 begin to take their toll. Its shields down to sixty percent.
...
Argon One
"The Xenon are concentrating their fire mostly on General Vos' Titan. his shields down to eighty five percent.
We've lost a few fighters to their Corvettes.
The turrets on their M6's are remarkably fast, they have no trouble keeping up with the fastest of our fighters.
No doubt designed with our fighters in mind."
"How are the shields on the target Destroyer?"
"Forty three percent.
It has lost one shield generator and two BHEPT's."
"Continue firing."
The second enemy Destroyer accelerates quickly downward beneath and out of range of the ongoing battle.
It then turns and starts back up directly under the Titans, firing a number of Hornets.
"Vos, look out below you, incoming missiles.
And pull back a little, you are taking the brunt of the attack."
"Thanks Admiral, countermeasures away."
Starbursts flare out from the underside of the M2. The enemy missiles tracking them, each detonating one after the other. Still, three manage to get past and take the shields down another notch. Sixty one percent.
Enemy fighters are now flying among the Capital ships taking every shot they can at the Titans and friendly fighters.
Turrets start to track them.
"First Xenon Destroyer, shields at five percent, four turrets destroyed.
Second Destroyer, re-entering firing range of Vos' Titan and opening fire.
Carrier now opening fire, again on Vos.
They must really not like him."
"What the Hell is that!!!"
The Xenon Carrier fires an orange beam weapon at the Titan.
Missing momentarily, but it moves down in a cutting motion across the M2, taking the shields down to almost zero.
The beam stops and the HEPT's start their work.
"Scan that Carrier."
"It has one 'unidentified' weapon, nothing like that of a Laser Tower, completely unknown.
Otherwise, a standard compliment of Beta and Gamma HEPT's.
Fifteen Hornets and all fighters are launched."
"'Unidentified'! what does that mean?
Never mind."
The Lead Xenon Destroyer takes its last hit and begins to break apart. Loosing stability it shudders and twists sharply downward. A wing of six Piranhas dart swiftly aside just in time, only to be shot down by a group of seven Xenon L's.
The Xenon L's then turn and target the Jubilee.
"Ornov to fleet, Everyone engage your secondary targets.
Vos, fall back.
Kaar, try to lay down some covering fire for Vos.
Other Capital ships target the Carrier first, I don't like that beam weapon."
The fleet break formation and go after their designated targets.
General Kaar moves his Titan towards the other trying to shield it from the Xenon M1.
A moment later he enters firing range and fires his first volley at the new target.
The Argon One and Boron Shark move forward and begin firing again.
Boron Fighters start to engage the Xenon fighters.
Though they are winning easily against the fighters they receive a great deal of crossfire from the enemy Corvettes.
The Jubilee and Argon fighters move in on the Xenon M6's
The remaining Xenon M2 closes on the Titan, still firing.
"Vos' Titans shields are down.
Taking damage.
The Carrier is firing the beam again."
The beam of orange light cuts into the Titan as it turns to retreat.
It slices deeply into the rear destroying the engine section.
"Fires on all decks, the Titan is breaking apart."
"Have the crew escaped?"
"I'm detecting survivors, some of the crew managed to eject in time, they are slowly making their way here.
Oh hell!, it's going to blow, they won't make it."
An explosion engulfs the remainder of the ship, surging outwards eating up the escaped crewmembers.
"They are all dead, every one of them.
... No wait scanners clearing, there are life-signs.A few have, somehow, survived the blast, some damaged suits, some wounded or unconscious, but alive."
"How many?"
"Forty six."
"Forty six out of five hundred.
Have two of the Discoverers disengage from the battle and go pick those survivors up. Bring them back here."
"Yes sir."
"Boron Shark, their Corvettes are making short work of our fighters, move to assist.
Kaar, launch ten Hornets at the carrier on my mark.
Jalat, prepare ten of our own for the same.
...Mark."
The Hornets streak towards the target. Twenty vapour trails converging.
If the Xenon ship has counter-measures it doesn't use them.
All twenty hit and take the shields down to forty percent.
"Forty percent?
That lot should have killed it.
Keep firing, I don't want to waste any more missiles on it than we need to."
"The Rays have arrived in the sector."
"About time.
Rays, can you hear me?"
"Yes Admiral.
We are here for you."
"Could you engage the remaining Xenon M2 ASAP."
"Yes, of course."
...
Jubilee
"First Destroyer down.
You heard the Admiral, target the nearest Corvette."
Sina acquires the target as Pierson navigates around the wreckage of what was several friendly fighters.
"Firing range in eight sezuras."
"Ready four hornets and fire."
"Hornets away."
Another Xenon M comes to a fiery end at the hands of Illandas' turret.
The General selects another.
The upper turret is inactive with nothing in range.
"You are having all the fun General." The Captain remarks.
The Xenon Corvette fires its countermeasures and the Hornets take the bait.
Sina scans the Xenon M6
"Top speed 246m/s, they can outrun us.
Rudder also better than us.
Maximum missile - Silkworm, we beat them there.
Weapons - 16xGPAC, we have 2xGHEPT + 4xGPAC. They beat us in numbers there.
Their weapons are positioned in pairs, a pair on each face, three pairs on the front. All but the forward firing guns are turrets.
They are very much anti-fighter ships. So hopefuly they won't cause us too much damage, but there are three of them closing in around."
"Firing main weapons."
The twin GHEPT roars silently to the target and hits. Again. And again.
The Enemy ship stops and begins turning to face the Jubilee
A group of Busters swoop down from somewhere above making the most of this distraction and strafe a great many shots along its top side. The fighters turn and soar back upward, but too late, the enemy turrets fire and catch two of the Busters before they leave range. The first is destroyed, the second is disabled and spins out of control, the pilot manages to eject.
The Jubilee continues firing but is now receiving shots from all three of the enemy Corvettes.
Pierson speaks up. "Our shields are at ninety two percent.
Enemy number one's shields are at seventy, number two and three both ninety eight."
Sina. "Argon fighters closing on the Corvette from all angles."
"One of the Titans is about to fall. Some unknown weapon from the Carrier just cut right through it...
There it goes now."
"Survivors?"
"Scanning...
Not many, I count forty six."
Six Elites skirt around the Jubilee and fire on the first M6, each launch a Silkworm missile for good measure.
Once more the starbursts eliminate the incoming missiles, but every AHEPT hits bringing the shields down further.
The Busters make a second run, combined with the further shots from the Argon M6 and the Elites, the enemy's shields are now almost down.
The upper turret on the Xenon ship bursts into flames. An internal explosion sends a chunk of the hull plating flying upward.
Several more shots from the Jubilee and two more passes from the fighters is enough to destroy the first of the Corvettes.
"We've lost six more fighters and our shields are down to sixty percent.
The fighters are already on the second M6, target acquired.
Its shields are at eighty five."
"Two more squadrons of Argon fighters have reached it.
We have incoming Xenon fighters now, seven, all M3's, all targeting us."
"Concentrate the main weapons on the Corvette.
We can take the fighters with the turrets.
Contact the Commander of that Elite squadron there, ask him to give us a hand with these fighters."
"Yes Captain...
Elites are targeting enemy fighters."
The Xenon L's close on the Jubilee. The Group of Elites turn from the M6 and start towards the M3's.
The M3's open fire on the Jubilee, each firing three volleys, forty two shots in total. The mass of green plasma converge on the Jubilee.
"Pierson, hit the boosters now."
The Jubilee jolts forward, all forty two shots miss. The Xenon fighters line up on the M6 again and fire, this time mostly hitting. But they are the last shots they ever fire. The Elites now in range soar up at the unsuspecting L's and deal fatal blows to each.
"Our shields are at forty four percent. Number two at sixty. Three at ninety six.
Five more fighters lost... make that six... seven."
The Admiral is heard. "Boron Shark, their Corvettes are making short work of our fighters, move to assist."
"Good." Remarks Illandas.
The Admiral is heard again. "Rays, can you hear me?"
"Yes Admiral.
We are here for you."
"Could you engage the remaining Xenon M2 ASAP."
"Yes, of course."
The Rays reach top speed near instantly using the boosters.
With the Xenon Destroyer in their sights, they speed towards the battle.
"Ahh, the cavalry." Says Captain Hall.
Sina scans one of the Mark 5 Rays.
"Physical size is less than all of its predecessors.
4x 125Mw shields, less, not much better than a Corvette.
28x GHEPT, more that before. Eighteen of which are forward firing, the other ten are turrets placed all around.
Hornets.
Top speed 646m/s, that is fast.
Acceleration and rudder isn't far off that of the Jubilee.
A fast manoeuvrable heavy attack Destroyer, low shielding and very heavy weapons.
A very unusual ship for the Boron.
I want one."
"A truly remarkable ship." Adds Illandas.
Hall nods in agreement.
A few moments later a volley of high-powered weapons joins the Jubilee's in destroying the second Corvette.
Shark, Jubilee and the twenty-five surviving Argon fighters turn their attention to the remaining Xenon Corvette.
...
Argon One
"The M2 has re-entered firing range of the Titan again. Firing.
Rays will be in range in under a miz.
The Carrier is firing its beam again, it seems to be around twenty sezuras between shots.
Firing at us this time.
Brace for impact."
The Argon M1 shudders as the beam connects.
"Shields at fifty percent."
"I want that thing killed NOW!
Bring us to full speed, continue firing.
Kaar do the same."
The Titan accelerates towards the enemy Carrier. It takes another pounding from the Xenon M2 as it circles up and around behind.
"Very good, the last enemy Corvette is almost down and all the Xenon fighters are destroyed.
Boron fighters, split into two groups and target the M1 and M2.
Shark, Jubilee and Argon fighters, once you are done there, target the nearest and fire-at-will."
"Enemy Carrier is loosing its shields, taking damage."
"Good, keep firing, that thing has much thicker hull plating that we do, it takes a while to get through."
Another Delta HEPT screams to the target. It enters the front fighter launch bay, travels inside momentarily, then strikes something. The plasma impact area melts a great hole through into the ship's interior. A Beta HEPT follows suit and widens the hole, then another.
Power onboard the Xenon ships starts to fluctuate, lights begin to flash on and off. The ship slows and continues to take a pounding.
...
The Xenon M2 pulls in behind the Titan and slows. It begins turning to fire its forward weapons. The Titans turrets and rear guns fire first, but for no noticeable effect.
The Argon One is now between the Rays and their target. They split up. One veers sharply upward, the other down.
A moment later the Rays are directly above and below the almost stationary Xenon Destroyer.
They each turn to face it, weapons ready they accelerate.
They fire as one,
two...four...six volleys each.
Two hundred and sixteen Gamma High Energy Plasma shots hit the Xenon M2.
Once the burst of light from the explosion is gone it is clear that absolutely nothing remains of the Xenon ship.
...
The Shark, Jubilee and fighters take the last Corvette without difficulty.
Only the Xenon Carrier remains, all ships converge on it.
But the Titan gets the kill before the others get within range.
...
Argon One
"This is Ornov to the fleet.
The battle is over.
All fighters return to base.
Will the two Discoverers on rescue pickup any remaining survivors.
Repair crews have precious little time, so work quickly."
"We lost a Titan and many fighters, but we can't stop now.
We must jump right into the next battle.
Into X8."
Dark Haven - Chapter 22
Moderators: TheElf, Moderators for English X Forum
Dark Haven - Chapter 22
Last edited by crunn on Sun, 20. Jul 03, 11:41, edited 1 time in total.
Very good read, crunn. I enjoyed reading through that. Though, I have the feeling the GPACs of the Xenon M6's have a slightly too high impact. But that could be only me. Will be interesting to see how that now crippled fleet stands up against the new enemy. The thicker hull and new weapon of the Xenon could mean they have prepared against those insects already. Looking forward to see how that fight unfolds.
Keep it up.
Keep it up.
Very well described battle Crunn, I have to grudgingly admit that Ornov handled it quite well, (I think). I wonder if the Taladi will make it in time for the X8 battle tho, with recent losses this fleet will probably need a boost, especialy if the alien cap ships get into the fray.
Nice that the Boron defer so well to Argon command I wonder if the Taladi will be so accomodating and willing to follow such orders!
Very good chapter, looking forward to the next engagement, cheers.
Nice that the Boron defer so well to Argon command I wonder if the Taladi will be so accomodating and willing to follow such orders!
Very good chapter, looking forward to the next engagement, cheers.
I had it originaly written as AHEPT's but that would have taken the total weapon power to many times that of the other races Corvettes, so I down graded them and cut some of the big explosions they were causing, but you are probably right, still a bit much.KiwiNZ wrote:Though, I have the feeling the GPACs of the Xenon M6's have a slightly too high impact.
Thanks Kiwi,
forgot to put my usual final reply thing...
Thanks everyone.
Yes Merc, I decided to make the Xenon a tad tougher than in the game,
Upgrades.
Like you say Kiwi maybe they've developed these upgrades against the aliens, or perhaps they reverse-engineered a captured alien, or something unrelated to these particular aliens.
But I'm not going to tell you that just yet.
Moss "especially if the alien cap ships get into the fray"
You are assuming they are not already there, maybe they are just a few miz from jumping into TeladiWay, catch the fleet as they pick their way through the narrow channel in the asteroids.
Woooo, you'll just have to wait *evil cackle*
Wellllll, the next chapter (23) which is the final chapter is on the way.
About half finished (maybe a little over half) looks like it might be the same or a little larger than this chapter.
(I get carried away, they keep getting bigger, suddenly its a week later and three times the size of the previous. That's if the last few are anything to go by.)
So a few more days.
Thanks again folks.
forgot to put my usual final reply thing...
Thanks everyone.
Yes Merc, I decided to make the Xenon a tad tougher than in the game,
Upgrades.
Like you say Kiwi maybe they've developed these upgrades against the aliens, or perhaps they reverse-engineered a captured alien, or something unrelated to these particular aliens.
But I'm not going to tell you that just yet.
Moss "especially if the alien cap ships get into the fray"
You are assuming they are not already there, maybe they are just a few miz from jumping into TeladiWay, catch the fleet as they pick their way through the narrow channel in the asteroids.
Woooo, you'll just have to wait *evil cackle*
Wellllll, the next chapter (23) which is the final chapter is on the way.
About half finished (maybe a little over half) looks like it might be the same or a little larger than this chapter.
(I get carried away, they keep getting bigger, suddenly its a week later and three times the size of the previous. That's if the last few are anything to go by.)So a few more days.
Thanks again folks.
-
Deleted User
