Prelude

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InkFox
Lieutenant Commander
Lieutenant Commander
Posts: 69
Joined: Tue Jun 23, 2009 3:13 am

Prelude

Post by InkFox »

When typing this pieces were lost, if there is any error in the flow let me know and I'll rewrite it, I don't think I caught all of the missing pieces.


"Welcome to combat history I'm doctor Mikay and I'll be teaching you for hopefully the remainder of the semester."
The professor moved to the screen at the end of the lecture hall and pressed his thumb into it. It turned on and after displaying a bright Academy of Combat Sciences logo flashed to a desktop screen.

"Who can tell me about the battle of L9 please?"

Around half the class shot their hands up and Mikay pointed to a young man directly in front of him. "Go", he shot simply.

"The Victory of L9 was the first battle to ever use joint tactics between Tesseract ships and our own. It was fought against the Lumerian Command Fleet even though the fleets' flagship was not present. A Tesseract perimeter defense fleet was making its rounds when the Command fleet jumped in; the surrounded and destroyed the Tesseract ships easily due to the inferior Tesseract armor. Admiral Wolfe intercepted a distress signal on it's way to the nearest colony station and jumped his fleet into aid them. Through their combined effort they managed to hold against the Lumerian fleet but eventually began to wain so the admiral had the stations defense frigates jump in along with four Tesseract vanguards who together punched the Lumerian line in two. From their broken position the entire Command fleet was surrounded and massacred before it even made it into our space."

The class turned their attention back to the professor who paused for effect before asking "You called it 'The Victory of L9, why is that?"
The boy looked startled, but stated in an obvious tone "because sir, we managed destroy a force of superior numbers and superior weapons without allowing a single ship to jump away; it was the turning point of the war."
"Computer please provide us with the military definition of a 'victory."
"Victory:" the computer shot back. "A combat engagement where the resources used combined with the assets lost are greater than the spoils achieved."
"So tell me, based on that definition; was it really a victory?" the professor turned to face the class provoking an answer.

"Computer please show us the recordings made by the Tesseract Vanguard Sisurini of the combat engagement at L9"
"Playing file:"

The back wall of the hall lit up and on came a recording of the Tesseract ship's bridge, purple scaly creatures running around busily making scans.
~Sir~ shot one of the ensigns, though most students understood subtitles flashed along the bottom for the few who had not taken Order Linguistics the previous year. ~We have Lumerian Vessels jumping into the area in offensive formations.~ ~send out a distress signal immediately; we aren't equipped for combat but we'll hold our ground till help arrives.~

on the front screen flashed the Lumerian targets, ~How Many?~ inquired the captain sternly, the shaky reply ~thirty targets sir, I don't think we'll-~ ~Hence the distress signal. All ships prepare for contact.~ the captain cut him off.

Image

Quickly things turned from bad to worse, as the ships came out of hyperspace the simply piled on and outnumbered the defense fleet.

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~Sir we're taking heavy fire, We can't hold out against that concentrated fire!~ The captain thought for a second, ~Vanguards prepare to make a short range jump, the Kesh is to jump to coords pos nine ax one and neg twelve ax 2; all other vanguards fall into wall formation off the Kesh.~ A flash went across the screen and the displays showed their change of position.

Image

~Jump successful! but they've already switched to target us sir, we're taking heave damage on the starboard bow.~ ~good, that should leave the smaller ships with some time.~ ~sir they're formation is breaking, we're taking heavy fire but their line formation is breaking up.~

Inspired they dashed about again and hope glistened in the room for a brief moment before the classroom's screen went black.

"Video end", the computer stated simply.

"what... what happened?" called a girl from the back row.

"they were destroyed, wiped out before aid even reached them; probably one of the most valiant captains I ever had the pleasure of meeting died right after his greatest moment. "

"You knew him?" called the boy who opened the class with a lecture.
"Yes, he was Captain Kie, a good friend of my fathers; my family was on vacation on Sec's third moon where we met him and his family. My dad was the one who convinced him to join the armed forces and he ended up being my flying instructor. He defended the outer rims of known space and then got assigned to a perimeter fleet when the war started. He was our first line of defense."

The class fell silent, unsure of what to say, the boy in the front row squirmed and wanted to state that one good captain wouldn't make it a defeat, but before he could muster the courage to say so Mikay started again.

"Computer show us recordings made by the flagship Dreadnought Lazerus at the battle of L9."
"Playing File."

"Sir we're picking up a passing transmission, shall we crack and play it?"
the officer turned to catch the admirals gaze. He only nodded and the speakers came on.

~This is the captain of the Tesseract Vanguard Sisurini, we are under attack from the Lumerian Command Fleet, we are outnumbered and outgunned and request immediate assistance.~

"Orders sir?"
"The Tesseract are strong allies of the order, what do you think you twit? get us moving!"
Without a word the bridge of the Lazerus shot into action, and soon a flash signaled they had entered combat.

"We're picking up multiple vessels both friendly and not! there's a lot more unfriendly though sir!" yelled the first officer over two officer cadets.

"Offensive formations, we have no corvetters or frigates so be prepared to take some hits, artillery stick on the side and lend a hand where we need it; get to those ships and shield them till we can take some chunks out of these punks!"

Image

"sir! I think we're too late they're making another voll-" again the first officer called but this time cut off by a flash as the remaining Tesseract ships went up in flame.

Image

"Admiral...?" an officer beside him asked quietly. "Blow the bastards to hell." "Aye!" A cheer went up across the bridge. "All guns pick your targets and begin firing, aim to the hulls we're blowing them to bits none of this pick and choose crap. I want the missile bays empty, the ammo stores empty, and I want this space empty of all targets. Get to it!" the admiral called in restatement.

"Bring us to the right flank, we'll absorb some fire from there."
"Aye sir."

"sir! they're concentrating fire on the battleships, the lead ship is taking heavy damage and requesting orders." "Shift formation to cluster, cycle the damaged areas to the inside. Move to put us in the line of fire, we can take more hits then they can."

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"Shifting to take the heat."

A lull in the action allowed a few students to blink, but in less than a minute cries began to erupt across the bridge again.

"Sir! were losing the starboard bow, we're having power failures and our engines aren't able to stabilize us." The admiral paused but the worried expression on his face faded when he saw the battleships intact on the screen. "Attempt to stabilize as best you can, if you have to use the wreckages to slow us down. Gun batteries keep firing as long as you have targets."

Image

"Sir we're fighting a losing battle here, without our active support no one will be going home!"
The admiral looked at the screen for a moment. He picked up a hand-held and tapped the screen. "Captain!" his first officer came up to him. "do that." he said simply handing her the device.
"Sir are you-" she started, but go cut off by his stare. "Aye sir."

She stepped down and sat in front of a screen she punched a few numbers. "Orders sent sir."

Confused a lieutenant turned to his superior, "Sir Tesseract and Order commands and formations differ incredibly, it's why they don't do joint-" "Do not question my order LT, I know what I'm doing." The Admiral cut him off authoritatively. "I hope so." the Lt scowled in departure.

"Computer switch to the bridge of the Tesseract Vanguard Taleseris of this date and time." Mikay slipped in.
"Switching video feed."

Image

~Alright All ships hold formation, commence firing of the forward batteries and be sure not to his out order friends, they're the only shields we've got.~

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~Captain, the frigates have begun to take fire, they seem to be holding.~ ~Good, begin heavy firing, all batteries engage.~ ~aye sir.~

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~We've beaten them back sir, all Lumerian formations are nonexistent.~ A cheer erupted in across the bridge and in turn across the lecture hall. The students seemed to be as into the engagement as the officers who lived it. ~Send my gratitude to the captains of the frigates who put their lives before our own. ask them to pass it to the admiral who's quick thinking saved so many lives. Make it known that here marks an even stronger bond between us thanks to that great man; be sure to send it on behalf of me, my crew, and the lives he has saved.~

"Computer switch to the Defense Frigate Flask of same date and time."
"Switching video feed."

Image

"We're getting a direct message sir, from the Tesseract Captain." "Patch it through."
"Well done, we've made a good name for ourselves today. Patch it to the Admiral." "Aye sir."
The lieutenant looked down and tapped the console, but then looked up furiously worried. "Sir we're not picking up the Lazerus anywhere on scanners or on hails." "What!?" the captain exclaimed. "It's not exactly an easy ship to miss." "I know sir but it's not anywhere in the system, no jump on record either." "run a scan through the record to the last known location." The officer tapped the screen again and went white. "The... the Lazerus was shot down at 0947 hours... She's gone sir." "Check for escape pods! we need to know that the Admiral got off!" "He didn't sir... they got cut in half by a concentration shot... it vaporized the bridge..."

"End video." Mikay cut it off.

This time the class was speechless, even the intelligent boy in row one with the dashing hair couldn't say a word.

"So, was it a victory? we lost one of the finest officers in the Tesseract Forces, and the greatest Admiral I never had the pleasure of knowing. This is not the only time he saved hundreds of thousands of people; but it was the last time he ever had a chance to do so. He knew then and there how perfect the Tesseract and Order ship designs were for each other, one with spectacular weaponry the enemy cannot stop, and armor enough to withstand the fire of the enemy's barrage. In that he put himself out into the fire of battle and perished as sacrifice to smother it. Of course his loss was necessary; but can it be called a victory?"

The class did not answer, they were to stricken by their professors true words.

"It only is, if we can train another like him form his example. If we can get a second figure as great as he from his death; only then will I call L9 a victory."

"Class dismissed."

Everyone stood slowly, but the longest hesitation was that of the boy with the fair hair; he stood last and before leaving he turned back to the professor and muttered: "Then it will be a victory."

End of Prelude.
And so I curiously venture into the world of shipbuilding, unsure of what I might find...
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Dingo
Lieutenant, Junior Grade
Lieutenant, Junior Grade
Posts: 20
Joined: Wed Oct 21, 2009 7:38 pm

Well done

Post by Dingo »

I don't know which pieces are missing, it all makes sence & reads coherently to me. Good Effort
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