Field Trip
Posted on Friday 29 July 2016 @ 00:31 by Captain John "Apollo" Barstow, M.D. & Captain Melody Jones & Marine Captain Elias Walker & Commander Save'ena (Sav) Tillatix
Mission:
Old, New Ship
Location: Various
Timeline: MD7
2319 words - 4.6 OF Standard Post Measure
ON:
Major Richard Johnson, call-sign Wolf, watched as the long tube and lights streaked passed and ended in the stars and blackness of space. Behind him the Merlin grew smaller as he pulled his Broadsword away from the ship. The man smiled as he switched on his HUD, it had been years since he'd been on a starship, not since leaving the command of USS Orion, "Dragon lead to all Dragons, switch to freq two three and tie in with Merlin Strat Ops and Marine Company," he ordered before switching over himself, "Dragon lead to Lidox and Walker, we'll be on station in five, ready to bring the fire on your direction."
Elias and his two squad of marine's had been on the lifeless rock for some time. They set about the work of setting demolition charges in various areas. Mostly to area's of rubble and soft powder like ground, that way they wouldn't damage the asteroids crust.
"This is Marine Actual. Call sign Bedivere, we copy. Stand by for fire designation." Elias replied. He switched to a different frequency "Lieutenant Lidox, anything in particular you like vaporizer?" he chuckled.
"I don't think you can target and hit my ex boyfriend on Trillius Prime from here" replied Lidox cheekily
"Yes that would be a little hard to do from this distance." He laughed. He tapped his PADD and set the target location to Lidox. "I just sent you the coordinates of the free fire zone we set up for Dragon Flight."
"Dragon lead this is Lieutenant Jones, Lieutenant Lidox has been called away, I'm filling in. Coordinates received and acknowledge. Be advised, we have friendly traffic approaching."
Wolf watched as the information came up on his screens, "copy free fire zone...." he said then paused, "we have an incoming blip, stand by," Johnson said and cued the general comm channel, "unidentified fighter, this is Dragon actual, you have entered an ongoing operation, identify."
The incoming fighter shifted and flew towards a gathering of asteroids, but then went right through the opening as they performed their ballet past each other. Out of immediate danger, the pilot answered the hail. A young feminine voice, with a light lilt and a hint of a 'churr?' in the background, came over the comm, =/\= Dragon Actual, this is Valkyrie Venita, Lt. Tillatix piloting. I am on a parts, personal cargo, and personnel run from the USS Basiliskos for the USS Merlin.=/\=
Wolf pulled up the name his LCARs II display then nodded, "just you, el te?" he asked and adjusted his sensors to scan the craft for any out of place explosives.
Sav shifted more towards the Broadsword fighter. =/\= Yes sir, only room for one personnel, me, unless you count the cargo in the gunners seat as another. Hi, I'm Lt. j.g. Saveena A. Tillatix, a squadron leader for the Uroboros wing, and a Bridge Command Specialist when not in a fighter, at your service. What's the scoop?=/\=
"Alright, Saveh," the Marine called over the comm, "we've been expecting you. The Knights have set up a free fire zone, switch to freq two three for mission channel," he said then throttled back, "Knight actual, strat ops, my designation is now Dragon two, Dragon actual will be Saveh in the new valk, copy?" he asked, deciding since he was only filling in it'd be better for the Lieutenant to step in and get to know her team and let her team get to know her.
"This is Stat Ops, Change in call sign confirmed."
Sav waited for the confirmation, then returned, =/\= Strat Ops, Knight Actual, Dragon Actual reporting, I am a Valkyrie, standard armament, weapon pods replaced with cargo pods. I am carrying parts and personal belongings for Merlin in them, FYI. Strat ops, please send me mission parameters updates, if any. I was sent some on the way over. Knight actual, direct link channel is five four, copy. =/\=
=/\= This is Bedivere, Knight units copy, Welcome to the party. Will keep in stand by mode while you receive mission parameter updates.=/\= Elias replied.
=/\= Thanks for the Copy, Bedivere, and thanks for the party. It's a great day when you can blow stuff up and play chicken with asteroids, seeing as they don't fire back at yah. (Sav's voice showed she was truly happy and not being sarcastic) By the way, I'm Sav when it's not formal.=/\= Sav cut the link and sighed, remembering. She still held the record at StarFleet Academy by more than 10 minutes out in the asteroid belt for the runabout training on capturing all flags with the snag without getting hit on the shields. Of course, she never mentioned it as that would bring undue attention on herself. No, right now, on duty, and flying with Venita, was her happy place for her life.
"Ok Sav. For the sake of expediency, I set you and the rest of the fighters the basic run down of the free fire training. There are two sets of targets in the zone. Two for strafing with phasers and two for bombing with micro torpedoes or standard cluster bombs. Now the bombing and torpedoing can be simulated by considering your armament, but that's your call. The marines will act as spotters during the training." Elias said.
Sav, her mind already engaged with thinking about targets, sighting, and fighters nearby, formed a plan. =/\= Ahh, got it. That was missing from the basic mission parameters. If you don't mind me taking control, here is what I would like to see. Since we have a six v six grouping instead of the typical twelve v six grouping, we will do a close cluster formation with a spread out after run. So, best type of 'incoming run' for Valkyrie support with bombing run is to have a lead Valkyrie to clear the way, then three Broadswords in a one by two arrangement with two Valkyries on either side of the lead Broadsword and outwards of the position of the back two Broadswords. Follow this with the same formation again, and then a Valkyrie to follow behind. The run should go this way, the lead Valkyrie goes for the strafe, the lead bomber coming behind for the bombing, both going forward, then up and away. Following right behind would be the two Valkyries crossing, two crossing before three in front of their bombers, to strafe. Their bombers, two going before three, crossing each other while hitting the targets. These go out and away, left to right and right to left. The next set does an inline, then away, left to left, right to right. The following Valkyrie comes through, strafing to get anything left behind. They peel off according to situation. This would make the best controlled mayhem and also check how each fighter does for targeting and flying. At the end of the run, the lead fighter will join those that peeled off to the left while the follow fighter will join those to the right, making for three Valkyries supporting three Broadswords. Any questions?=/\=
"What about the Raptors?" Wolf asked, not trying to put the new CAG on the spot, but, also wanting to make sure all squadrons went in.
Sav responded, =/\= Well, if they are not involved in Merlin point ship defense for bogeys, let's use them. Change of plans, dragons. We will go in with Two Valkyries leading, then a four man squad of two Raptors flaking two Broadswords, then a three man squad of Two Valkeries flanking a single Broadsword, both bomber groups repeated, and then two Valkeries bringing up the rear. Front Valkyries criss-cross after targeting, left up over, right down over: second position peels away, fast and off centered; third position peel to left, fourth position cross and peel, fifth position peel to right, last valkyries mop up and roll away facing. That will keep the ground gunners guessing, give us multiple chances to wipe the targets, and try to get this done in one swoop. Any questions?=/\=
< TAGs? >
Slightly churring, Sav added, =/\= And, with this formation, the Valkyries only have to use their phasers, keeping their bomb pod and two micro torp pods in reserve. As I am loaded with cargo pods, it fits in for the initial run. This also keeps the Raptors bomb and micro-torp pods in reserve. If a follow up run is needed, I can do simulated with the others keeping track. Dragon's lets line up and report when ready.=/\=
Wolf throttled up and pulled into position, "Dragon two, s-foils locked...I mean ready," he said with a grin, quoting an old movie he liked and reached out to tap the LCARs II screen and change his HUD configuration to air to ground mode.
As Sav lined up in the lead position, she called into the marines on the asteroid, =/\= Bedivere, Dragon Actual, are you ready for us to take out your targets? =/\=
=/\= Dragon Actual, Roger that. Condition is green fire for effect.=/\= Elias replied and turned to Potter a few feet away. "Percival relay to the rest of the knight units it get real small in the holes, the fire is coming."
=/\= Bedivere, Dragon Actual, here we come. Out. =/\= =/\= Dragons, Dragon Actual, commence run. Use sight to follow leads, remember formation, and trust sensors for approximation. Targeting will find the targets, split second decisions key. Let's show this rock why we're considered the best. Hit it.=/\=
Sav hit her power feeds, surging forward and speeding up to high impulse as she moved over and around asteroids in front of her. She knew her Valkyrie would be a little slower and not as maneuverable as normal due to the pods, but she would make up for it by using the compressed air maneuvering thrusters. She glanced over to see that her wingman on her left was staying with her as his fighter showed hot and ready.
They came around the large asteroid, keeping close to it and treating this run as though going into an actual ground mission. Thus, when they came over the ridge towards the targets, they were going high speed. Sav trusted the pilots behind her to keep up and stay close. They would break formation when doing their strafe and bombing, helping to alleviate antifighter guns trying to shoot them down.
Johnson cued his comm, "Dragon two to Bravo flight, get ready to follow the Valks in.....three....two....one...GO!" he called before burring his throttle and bringing his weapons online.
Unknown to those behind her, Sav's eyes were closed as she melded with the fighter, seeing what it's sensors saw directly, correlating that with her spatial sense. She already targeted one strafe target with her pulse phasers, the other one with her forward micro-torps. Her 'simulated' bombs and torps were on standby. She began zigging and zagging back and forth, going up and down in relation to her wingman performing his maneuvers. This type of in would help keep the enemy guessing and lock-on's poor. She double fronted her shields, providing cover for the 2 x 1 Broadswords behind her as they and their Valkyries provided cover for those behind. As she got in range, she suddenly shifted right, her phasers pounding over the first strafe target. Even as the last burst left her barrel, she was already spinning the fighter, using her thrusters to shift left and take a new track, passing between the ground and her wingman doing the same, but left first, then right. As she spun under, her microtorps let loose and crunched into the second strafe target. For having only 'one' crew, instead of two for pilot and gunner, she hit her marks while performing extensive maneuvers.
Her part done, drawing the 'fire' of the simulated ground installations and hitting her targets, she suddenly spun the other way and shifted back right, accelerating outwards, and then dipped down into the horizon instead of up, and then left and upside down to the rendezvous spot. She should arrive shortly into position with other five fighters, two Valks and three Raptors, and three bombers that was to come to the left to join her. She knew on the other side of the Asteroid, another grouping of three Valks, three Raptors, and three Broadswords were to be meeting up.
Directly behind Savs fighter Richard and his flight moved in, all six Broadswords opening fire on his own targets. He watched the fireball come off the surface and quickly dissipate without oxygen, something he found strangely beautiful. The fire in near zero g almost dance as it spread rather then just going strait up in a mushroom cloud. Then without any real smoke all you saw was the flames and their vibrant reds, yellows, blues and oranges, I'm a pyro... he thought to himself as he peeled away, pulling up and shooting away from the asteroid at a 90 degree angle with a grin.
Sav, outwards and away, decelerated and station kept 42 km from the asteroid, on the far side. She was facing the asteroid as she had performed an up and over move while slowing to a stop, waiting for the rest of her group to check in.
Elias checked his PADD and checked off the last fighters as it made is pass. =/\= Bedivere to all units. Targets are now deactivated and the free fire zone is now closed. Well done all. =/\=
Sav grinned, loving the feel of flying and getting the mission done in one sweep. She hit the side com for Knights and Dragons, =/\=Great job, all. I think we obliterated our targets. Overkill party for all on the ship when we get clearance. We are definitely the best. Keep it frosty, Pilots and Marines, keep it frosty.=/\=
OFF
1ST Lieutenant Elias Walker
Marine Commanding Officer
USS Merlin
Lieutenant j.g. Saveena Tillatix
CAG, Uroboros Squad Leader
USS Merlin
Major Richard "Wolf" Johnson (APB Barstow)
TAD Pilot
USS Merlin
