Aim, then Fire

[The Storyteller]

Aim, then Fire

A sizable bounty has been placed on some small-time pirate raiders hitting cargo ships along the Hydian Way, and as good citizens of the galactic community, we're set to collect. Oh yeah, you heard that right; we're actually the good guys, here.

Take a squadron of starfighters and escort a merchant fleet stopping to refuel. Chances are an attack will come while the fleet is vulnerable. When they do, blow them out of the skies. And please, don't hit our clients this time. Remember; aim, then fire.​

Historically speaking, the Hydian Way has always teetered back and forth from being a massively lucrative super-hyperspace trade route and being what was practically free real estate for excessive piracy. In spite of the relative peace that has surrounded the galaxy now, pirate attacks have neither ceased, nor even declined.

Fortunately, this pursuit of crime has become a great source of income for those with the means. A large caravan of haulers and cargo ships are making their way down the Hydian Way, and with such wealth comes a great target. And this is exactly what is hoped for.

Escorting the traders fleet is a squadron of Decualian starfighters clustered within. Pirates always targeted fleets when they were most vulnerable and least able to retreat back into hyperspace. With the traders fleet now docked to refuel and resupply for the rest of their respective journeys, it is practically inevitable that an attack will come. And when it does, it'll be the last these pirates ever launch...

 

[Uhtred Wardruna]

It had been some time since Uhtred had piloted a Rytingur-class starfighter. In fact, it could easily be said that in the past months, he was more often a passenger than a pilot. Even when on his own, Uhtred had taken a particular liking to the Sceadugengan. But, his ship was far from battle-ready, and here battle wasn't just an inevitability, it was a true expectation.

Random bits of chatter filtered through Uhtred's headpiece, as scattered conversations and updates in Deucalic broke the occasional silence. It was an insignificant trip, with most of it being long waits in hyperspace along the Hydian Way, with breaks diverging them when stops of necessity required it. With such a large merchant fleet, supply needs were an almost constant, and with each stop, Uhtred and the rest of the squadron of Deucalian fighters went into action... by inaction, ironically enough.

Large fleets were always in danger, especially the closer one ventured away from the Core Worlds and deeper into the Outer Rim Territories. But what really separated the safe from the vulnerable were escorts. With their squadron present, the Deucalians could hardly have expected watchful pirates to strike a guarded fleet. But one that was unguarded? Well, that was another matter.

And it paid off.

"ᛞᛖᚢᚲᚨᛚᛁᚨᚾᛋ! ᛖᚾᛖᛗᚤ ᚠᛁᚷᚺᛏᛖᚱᛋ, ᚲᛟᛗᛁᚾᚷ ᛁᚾ ᚺᛟᛏ!", Uhtred yelled.

Not even an hour after the merchant fleet had docked did hostile fighters make their approach. Uhtred actually had little-to-no doubt that the others saw this, but he made the alert all the same.

"ᛁ ᚹᛁᛚᛚ ᛏᚨᚴᛖ ᛏᚺᛖᛁᚱ ᚠᛟᚲᚢᛋ, ᛏᚺᛖ ᚱᛖᛋᛏ ᛟᚠ ᚤᛟᚢ ᛈᛁᚲᚴ ᛏᚺᛖᛗ ᛟᚠᚠ", Uhtred said, accelerating ahead of the others.

It was a plan that almost guaranteed that he'd receive some fire, and that soon proved to be a reality. As Uhtred accelerated forward, diverting available auxiliary power to his engines, an array of laser cannon fire erupted, lighting up his cockpit. At once, Uhtred fell into evasive maneuvering, weaving through the vectors of hostile fire, but not before some of it grazed his fighter.

Checking his systems, the damaged appeared to largely be superficial, but his armor was now beginning to be compromised. Continued fire would surely reap more serious damages. Hopefully, this sacrifice would be worth it, but either way, Uhtred was ready now to go onto the offensive, as he hoped the others were as well.