Wilson Port, Tewanta - 3305-07-18 18:15, Galactic Standard Time
Captain Fredericks stepped up to the podium in the Official Tewanta Order pilots briefing room and surveyed the assembled pilots. There were about thirty pilots in attendence, including a spec ops wing.
"Our objective for these engagements is simple: we need to cause as much damage to The Buurian Protectorate fleet as possible. They are numerically inferior to us and are stretched to field forces to each conflict zone. Taking out their large ships should be a priority: these will be difficult to replace."
She put up a slide with a picture of two Anacondas.
"These are the Dauntless and the Liberator. Intelligence believe they will be present in the next engagement. Destroying these will deal a mojor blow to the enemy. There is also likely to be one or more independent pilots supporting them. Destroying these will also be a major blow to the enemy. Be aware, they fly heavily modified ships, and utilize unconventional tactics. Here's what we know"
Captain Fredericks walked the pilots through all the intel that had been gathered about the independent pilots in the space of about twenty minutes.
"Launch time is 20:00. Good hunting pilots!"
Conflict Zone near Macomb City, Tewanta - 3305-07-18 20:17, Galactic Standard Time
Jennifer Ng, Spec Ops Wing Beta pilot, took stock as she dropped into the conflict zone. Plenty of ships already engaged in combat. Her wing had dropped in about a minute behind the main force and was about 9km for the center of the fighting. Jennifer cycled through the enemy contacts. No sign of the Dauntless or Liberator, but she did detect two independent pilots: CMDR Tomasson and CMDR Buur, flying a Type-10 and an Anaconda respectively.
"Delta, follow me, and engage CMDR Buur. Beta and Gamma, engage the Type-10", said the Spec Ops Wing Alpha commander.
Jennifer pushed the throttle to full on her Vulture. On the way to the Type-10, there were a trio of enemy Eagles. Jennifer targeted the nearest one and pulled the trigger. Her large gimballed pulse lasers erupted into life. They were heavily engineered and had a phasing effect which allowed some of the energy to by pass the targets shields. The Eagle tried some evasive maneuvers, but Jennifer was by far the more experienced pilot and was able to anticipate the Eagle's every move. In about 10 seconds, the dogfight was over. She then closed in on the Type-10 of CMDR Tomasson and opened fire. The Asp took out one of the other Eagles and continued to work on the last one. An unengaged Eagle could be a right pain: best to get rid of it before committing to the main target.
Her lasers flared on the Type-10s shields. It continued to attack the Viper it was targeting. Two beam turrets and four multi-cannon turrets rained fire into the unfortunate Viper. Continued raining fire on the Type-10. She was doing damage, but slowly. The Type-10 finished off the Viper and then targeted her. The turrets turned towards her and opened fire. The Vulture's shields flared. The Type-10 turned to face her and three railguns discharged in her direction, narrowly missing her.
"Randomius that was close", she said to herself.
Over the course of the next five minutes the two ships circled each other blasting at each others shields. Both pilots used shield cells to reinforce their shields. Both ships were down to the last ring. Jennifer had no idea how the rest of the battle was going. All her attention was needed for this dogfight. Suddenly, the shields on the left hand side of her Vulture flared. Another ship was joining the engagement. She glanced at the Contacts panel: it was another independent pilot, CMDR Bob48, in his Federal Corvette. Her shields failed under the onslaught of the Corvette's pulse lasers and mutli-cannons. The distraction allowed CMDR Tomasson to bring his rail guns to bear. She was in real trouble. She finally glanced at her tactical display properly for the first time in a few minutes. It was a sea of red triangles. Her side were being slaughtered. None of the rest of wing were visible. She presumed they were destroyed.
She boosted away, trying to put distance between the two CMDRs, taking hits from both ships as she did so. She wasn't able to outrun the Corvette, however, and a second Corvette, flown by CMDR LordTyvin joined the pursuit.
"Thrusters offline", intoned her COVAS. "Hull integrity at 25%."
"No, no, no. This cannot be happening."
She tried going into silent running mode. However, the Covettes were too close. They rained fire into her tumbling Vulture.
"Hull integrity critical. Eject! Eject! Eject!"
Judson Station, Mizar - 3305-07-21 21:02, Galactic Standard Time
Jennifer walked down the ramp of the passenger ship in Judson Station. The past few days had been a whirlwind. Her escape pod had been picked up by an independent search and rescue ship that had delivered her to Veblen Hub in Uroarbrunnr. Standard operating prcedure would have been to report back to The Order. They'd send a ship to pick her up and she'd get back into the flight rotation. However, the war against The Buurian Protectorate was not one that could be won, and she knew she wouldn't be as lucky as she was twice. So, she deserted. She got a job as a ship launched fighter pilot on an Anaconda escort vessel for a convoy of Type-9s heading to some place called the Witchhead Nebula. It was well outside the human inhabited bubble of space. It should be quiet and dull: she could live with that for a few months. And if there was trouble, well, she'd be on the biggest baddest ship out there.