Out ahead of the fleet, the haphazard battle between the mysterious defense platforms and innumerable TIE Devils raged on.
One of the platforms, designated M1 by the Imperials, had been taken offline completely, and no longer posed any threat. Another, however, designated M2, was still a menace at large.
After the first half-dozen Devils impacted with M2, the system must have powered up for an emergency EMP burst. While it was useless against the might of the oncoming Imperial fleet, the fighters, who had already taken a devastating blow, were again shorted out completely. Of those several hundred fighters that had been concentrating on platform M2, dozens upon dozens found themselves plummeting into the 250 m defense system. Because several hundred fighters had been swarming the platform, it only seemed logical that a large number would have been angled towards it when they were taken offline. And so upwards of 4 dozen fighters slammed into the hull of the platform, wreaking havoc upon the craft, soon finding the station ablaze in flames with over half its surface area pounded by the 3 meter, rapidly-traveling balls of destruction.
Needless to say, the second station, M2, was rendered completely inoperable.
Of the fighters that did not slam into the enemy station, many were ripped apart by the stations defenses before it was pulverized, and the rest simply spiraled off into space in a wild array of different directions, fried beyond recovery.
Over a thousand fighters to destroy 2 enemy defense stations… The Empire had
never been caught off-guard like this since…
The Grand Admiral cringed at the thought.
The real problem, however, lay in the fact that, based on the power behind the initial EMP blast, there must be at least 5 or 6 remaining. Perhaps more.
In reality, 2 of the 12 EMPRESS stations were still out of range, coming about the far sides of the planet as quickly as could be managed, and two of them had been taken offline. Meaning a total of 8 were within firing range of the Imperial fleet now.
With any luck, however, the Admirals plan should prove quite effective for the quick death of these pestering defense systems.
“Second EMP blast, sir! All hands brace for impact!”
The voice of Captain Essian rang out through the bridge of the ESD in unnerved anticipation.
Extremely embellished in comparison to the effects of the EMP blast.
The small amount of EMP blast that got past the guarding Reigns splashed harmlessly against the seemingly insuperable shields of the ESD.
The same was the case with most of the TNO fleet, as the larger ships were arrayed in front, directly behind the Reigns, to provide maximum coverage for support craft. In this fashion, the smaller, more vulnerable craft, suffered very little, if any damage from the EMP blast, while the larger ships held the front, absorbing the EMP pulses with their shields while they could.
The New Order would not be caught off-guard again.
However… one of the interdiction pickets, having still been trying to drop back behind the Reigns and into position at the rear of the fleet, was hit hard by the 2nd EMP pulse, its shields dropping under the power of multiple EMP blasts, and its systems temporarily shorting out.
The Captain informed Hyfe of this, and he cursed silently at the Galactic Defense Initiative.
“This is insanity…” the Admiral muttered.
“Sir?”
Hyfe looked to Essian, pondering. “Captain… time lapse between first and second EMP barrage?”
“Uh… 6.45 minutes, sir.”
Six minutes, to be safe, then…
“That’s an incredible recharge rate for a weapon of the magnitude, Captain. Perhaps they are cycling?”
“I certainly hope not, sir.”
“As do I.”
The bridge was silent for a moment.
“The Shrouds, sir?” Essian inquired.
“Ah, yes. Have Alpha group remain in a protected area at the fleets rear. Have Beta group move up to the fore, but remaining under protection of the Reigns. And get me a connection with their commander.”
“Aye, sir.”
“Just to remind you, Admiral, but the superlaser is fully charged, sir.”
“Thank you, Captain.”
Essian nodded.
“How do our Jutraalian friends fare, Captain?”
Essian was silent for a moment, offering a lopsided grin. “They try, sir.”
Hyfe nodded, then, curious, asked: “And how go things at New Alderaan?”
Captain Essian marveled at how the Admiral, in the midst of intense battle, could ask about the happenings somewhere else.
“Hostilities have just commenced, sir. I’ll feed updates to you as they come.”
Hyfe nodded in appreciation.
“How are our Reigns holding up?”
“Fine, sir. Shields down to a 28% average… but no system failure. They can only take one more hit before they start taking the real damage, Admiral…”
“That’s fine, Captain. They won’t be staying up there for much longer…”
“Yes, sir.”
“Plot new directional coordinates: 00.82.39,” Hyfe ordered, then, with a smile.
“Yes, sir.” Essian punched in the coordinates, then looked up at the Admiral stupidly, understanding the reason for his smile.
“At your order, sir.”
“We wait for the next EMP blast, Captain.”
“Aye, sir.”
“In the meantime: lets get some of these ships out of here. This is a waste of resources. More craft taking damage than need to be. I want a full about of all Battle Group II craft, excluding the Venerator and their 3 Reigns. The rest of group II should plot a scattered course back to Imperial territory.”
“Yes, sir,” Essian said, and made it so. Then: “I’ve got Lt. Commander Viirel for you, sir.”
“Good. Get Captain Descartes of the VCD
Morgoth as well.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Time remaining?” Hyfe inquired, in reference to the imminent EMP pulse.
“Just over 3 minutes, sir.”
“Lets get a move on, then.”
“Aye, sir.”
The New Order’s fleet, still in tight formation behind the protection offered by the Reigns, continued towards Ord Mantell and the lethal defense systems that awaited them. Nearly half the fleet, however, was coming about, heading back towards the outskirts of the system, past the Abolishers and Interdiction Pickets, preparing to make a hyperjump. And Grand Admiral Hyfe connected with 2 of his command officers to formulate an ingenious plan in a matter of three minutes.
LOSSES THUS FAR:
The New Order
-1,320 TIE Devils destroyed
-1 Interdiction Picket temporarily disabled
-Heavy shield damage to all Reigns
-light (some moderate) damage to all other ships
The Jutraalian Empire
-several dozen starfighters
-moderate damage to all other ships
Galactic Defense Initiative
-2 EMPRESS systems destroyed
