Ask Mining Minners

[Malerion]

Asteroid mining was a common business practice in the outer rim, large corporations travelling to uninhabited systems, scanning the asteroid fields for rare materials then harvesting them before any legal enforcement agency arrived. Since the collapse of the Galactic Empire centuries before, more and more of these rogue companies had appeared. The Sith Empire had pushed most of them into the less policed Southern territories, but now with Altair’s coup and failure to hold the old system together they were once again running rampant.

For Malerion that was good, the corporations looking to get fat quickly off the newly independent space had become lax in their security. So it was easy for him and his Mallus-Class Gunship to slip in undetected into the system currently being harvested for its massive platinum deposits.

The Gunship was running quiet, using only manoeuvring thrust to navigate the asteroid field, keeping as much debris as possible between them and the command hauler. “Cyutadakyr, are you in position?” Malerion asked the other Sith he had recruited for this little mission. The Mallus Gunship had the arms to keep the miners in check, but it was only one ship, so escapees were bound to try and make a break for it during the mission.

Once Malerion had the mining ships secured that would be one step closer to the self-sufficiency required of the new Sith Order and his vision of it.

@Xorism

 

[Nevizkas]

Cyutadakyr could appreciate a shiny mineral as much as the next person, but it wasn't exactly high on her list of priorities to go digging for them. That's why it was always preferable to have someone else do the hard work first, allowing you to just sweep in and reap the benefits. For this mission, Cyu sourced herself a nifty little toy that would come in most handy should any of their targets attempt to flee.

The pureblood had taken her TIE carefully through the asteroid field to an angle best suited to avoid detection by their targets. From this vantage position, she would be in an ideal spot to intercept any that slipped the iron talons of the Malleus. With both laser and ion cannons, Cyu would also be able to knock them out without causing so much damage that they wouldn't be able to immediately put to work.

"I am." Their little ambush should hopefully make quick work of the miner types, but there was always the risk of a hidden escort or traps of some kind. For now, she would trust in his plan and execute it to the best of her ability, as long as it worked out in her favour and was worth her while.

@Braden

 

[Malerion]

“Good, we will start our attack now.” Malerion replied before shutting off the Comm. “Once we move out of the field, lock on and take out one of the drone miners. That will get their attention, then move to get target locks on everything with a lifeform.” He repeated again to the crew through the internal comm suite. Once each of them signalled their readiness the Mallus moved out and into the open.

The ship swiftly moved around the large asteroid blocking the miners' sensors, the front right laser turret locked onto the nearest miners, a triple shot of red lasers ripped into the unarmoured unit hitting its reactor core. The resulting explosion sent shrapnel in a thousand directions, as the engines fired up to get them as close as possible to the main mining unit. As they got closer each of the gunners signalled they were locked onto a new target until about a third of the manned craft were under the gun sights of Malerion’s craft.

“Open the comm.” Malerion called to the co-pilot, but before he could say anything the first of the craft tried to escape. It was up to Cyutadakyr to do her part now.

@Xorism

 

[Nevizkas]

With her hunter in position, it didn't take long for their prey to try and scramble like wild animals. The first miner was seemingly unaware that it was flying directly toward her. While the main prize might prove more difficult to crack unless they were able to secure its surrender, the smaller and less well-defended miners were easy targets for Cyu.

The more nimble TIE rapidly began to accelerate from behind the cover and quickly closed the distance. With a short burst of laser fire, each blow causing more damage than the last streaked through the cockpit resulting in both lifeforms disappearing from her sensors. "Target down. If the primary refuses to give up, I can support you with ion cannons until they do."

Truthfully she would have preferred to blow everything up if they resisted, but that would only slow down the mining operations that were planned. No, they would have to capture at least a portion of the fleet to make this work.

@Braden

 

[Malerion]

A crooked smile appeared on Malerion’s lips as he watched bright green lights flash from Cyu’s TIE followed by the combustion of the fleeing Miner. That should hopefully crush any resistance from the miners, but just encase he Cyu would still need to be ready.

“Shall we try again.” He said to the Co-pilot who opened the comm. “Klencel Mining Corporation, this is the Warlord Malerion of the Sith, we have your ships surrounded.” Malerion began, but before he could continue one of the miners shouted back a reply. “Fuck you Sith scum.” With that one of the larger miners began to charge Cyu’s fighter, however this one was armed with a small laser cannon and began spraying red lasers in the direction of the TIE.

“Cyu can deal with that one. Take out another as retribution.” He said to the pilot who signalled one of the gunners to fire. The red lasers from the Mallus Gunship ripped into one of the unknowing manned miners, a brief scream was heard over the open comm.

“Klencel, you try my patience. If any more of you try to flee I will have every one of you killed.”

@Xorism

 

[Nevizkas]

The Sith pureblood watched with sheer delight as another miner attempted to flee, although this one thought so highly of himself if he thought he could hit a TIE at range with the shit that he had at his disposal. Cyu effortlessly dragged the stick to pull her fighter outside the pathetic barrage of laser fire before turning back to show them her own.

Only this time they wouldn't have the mercy of a quick death.

Spiraling to avoid the incoming fire, she waited until her confidence in her aim outweighed the risk that they could avoid it before pulling the trigger. A sudden burst of lasers screamed from her barrels and struck the helpless miner square in the corner of the cockpit window. While it wouldn't immediately disable the ship, it did crater the window and thus within a flash, the occupants found themselves at the mercy of the vacuum of space. And she was all out of mercy.

Zooming past the soon-to-be lifeless miner, and striking another kill to her tally, Cyu circled around waiting for her next victim to move.

@Braden

 

[Malerion]

The TIE destroyed the violent miner with ease, Klencel had now lost four ships and three crew, if they lost too much more this whole mission would be pointless. Malerion needed the Klencel Corporation in its entirety to help keep his aspiring new fleet in the battle, otherwise he might as well just scrap the ships for parts.

After the two exploded vessels finished burning and their debris had long since bounced off each other their shields there was a long silence. Malerion expected there was an internal fight between those who wanted to run and those who wanted to survive, between the Mallus and the TIE they couldn’t cover every route so some would escape but it was impossible for the Miners to be able to confirm how many and who.

“Klencel, I do not come to take your ships or your finds. I come to offer you a rare opportunity. The chance to serve myself and the Warfleet of the Sith.” This would be the first Cyu would have heard of the Warfleet, granted only Tempest outside of his inner circle would have heard of the term.

“You mean slaves to the Sith.” An older man called back over the comm. “No, not only will you be paid, but you will have the protection of the Sith to mine not only the outer rim but the Core as well.”

@Xorism

 

[Nevizkas]

The number of targets was quickly dwindling, as Cyu knew that Malerion had hoped to capture a few intact and would therefore not wish to see them all destroyed. The miners of course had no such idea about where that line existed, for all they knew the larger ship might be the only one to survive.

The pureblood listened closely as the Sith demands were leveled, including the interesting tidbit about the Warfleet. Reluctantly, she kept her thoughts to herself and pressed forward toward the miners in order to make a pass. This time, however, it wasn't going to be a lethal run and instead, Cyu warmed up the ion cannons.

A small miner came into view and flailed in front of her, pointless attacks missing by several deviations as the more agile TIE slipped harmlessly through. Her return fire however was much more successful, the first burst missed, but the second struck true and knocked the vessel out to be collected later.

Now all that remained was to break the morale of the larger ship and run down any stragglers who refused to bend the knee.

@Braden