18 February 2769
Rim Worlds Outpost #4
Rear Admiral Tanisha Tanaka, commander Task Force Raider shook off the effects from the jump into the Zenith Jump Point. Sensor's quickly came back on and registered the 5 Leviathon Jumpships. She quickly ordered "Launch the 9919th Marine Regiment and secure those Leviathon Jumpships. Once they are secure, we will move for the planet. Get the CAP launched." It would take just over 6 days to reach orbit.
Within the hour, all 5 Leviathon Jumpships had been secured. She ordered a single Marine Battalion left aboard the Leviathons to keep them secured while the remaining fleet, except the 2 Star Lord Jumpships that they had brought with them. Navigators plotted a jump to a La Grange point roughly a day from the only habitable planet and leaving SLS Mighty Lift, Potemkin Transport and SLS Independence, Samarkand II Carrier to escort the mass of Dropships, Rear Admiral Tanaka ordered her LF equipped warships to make the jump.
The SLDF Task Force materialized at the La Grange point and were just starting to move when the 2 Rim Worlds Riga Frigates emerged from the back side of the planet and sensors quickly detected them. Rear Admiral Tanaka quickly ordered "Launch all fighters. We focus on the leading Riga Frigate, not sure why the other Riga is not accelerating, to keep up with the lead, but I will take stupidity any day."
SLS Rhodon, Luxor Heavy Cruiser took the lead, SLS Windego, Whirlwind Destroyer, SLS Dominator and SLS Halthom, Vincent Corvette's swung wide, ready to flank and swarm the oncoming Riga Frigate.
As the SLDF Aerospace fighters closed on the lead Riga Frigate, their sensors detected small craft heading for the rear Riga Frigate. "Admiral, we are detecting small craft heading for the rear Riga. I am detailing 2 Squadrons to shoot them down." Captain Bernard Nelson reported
On his orders, 2 Squadrons of Sabre SB-28 broke off from the large formation of SLDF Aerospace fighters and accelerated to intercept the enemy shuttles. Captain Nelson mentally calculated the closing rate of his fighters and the shuttles coming up from the surface and smiled he came to the conclusion that his fighters would reach the shuttles before they reached the Riga Frigate. He then returned his focus to the leading Riga Frigate which was now launching it's own Aerospace fighters, but he knew he had the numerical advantage on them. He had 24 Aerospace Fighters from the warships remaining and an additional 12 Aerospace Fighters from the Titan Dropship carried by SLS Rhodon.
His smile grew into a evil sneer as the lead enemy Aerospace fighters were identified, 6 Star Dagger, followed by 6 Vulcan VLC-5N. "Ravens, take out the Vulcan's, break, Vulture's I would prefer not to have to watch my tail so please handle the Star Daggers. Falcons, let's hammer that Riga." Captain Nelson called out as he led his 2 Squadrons of Stuka STU-K5b2 in their attack on the Riga Frigate. Raven consisted of 12 Typhoon TFN-3M and Vulture consisted of 12 Sabre SB-28. Before Captain Nelson and the Falcon's reached the Riga Frigate, they targeted the Rim World fighters rushing to intercept them and managed to down 3 Star Dagger and a Vulcan as they blew past them and continued to engage the Riga Frigate.
As Captain Nelson and his Stuka's began ripping chunks off the Riga Frigate, Commodore Barbara Coltrain, aboard the SLS Rhodon, Luxor Heavy Cruiser, gave the order "Weps, you are weapons free at this time. Helm alter course to port to maximize weapons on target."
Before SLS Rhodon began her turn, her weapos officer opened fire with 6 Medium NPPC, 2 Medium Naval Gauss and 3 Naval Laser 55 which reached out for the Riga Frigate. Armor shattered across the Riga's Nose and Front Left but none penetrated. As SLS Rhodon made her turn, her weapons officer loose with another volley, 7 Medium NPPC, 4 NL/55 and 2 Medium Naval Gauss went down range followed a few seconds later by 2 NAC/25 and 4 NAC/30 as the Riga Frigate entered the long range brackett. The first volley tore into the Riga Frigate weakening the armor on her Nose to paper thin until the massive NAC rounds struck, 2 NAC/30 rounds slammed into the Riga's Nose stripping it of the last scraps of armor and burrowing deep into the Frigate causing massive internal damage. Return fire from the Riga Frigate tore some armor from SLS Rhodon's Right Broadside. With the Riga Frigate still holding a steady course, Commodore Barbara Coltrain ordered "Helm, maximum thrust, I would prefer to not get into a close range brawl with that Riga."
"Rear Admiral Tanaka, this Commodore Coltrain, I think I can handle this Riga, suggest you take engage the other Riga."
Rear Admiral Tanaka gave the order and her SLS Windego, Whirlwind Destroyer along with SLS Dominator and SLS Halthom, Vincent Corvette's accelerated to engage the second Riga Frigate which still had not accelerated to engage. She checked the ships plot and saw that the Eagles were engaging the line of shuttles trying to reach her targeted Riga Frigate. Lieutenant Cristy Brandt laughed aloud in the cockpit of her Sabre as the weaponless ST-46 shuttle desperately tried to shake her non stop weapons fire. They had already shot down 4 shuttles and were engaging the last 2 shuttles now. It only took 5 minutes before the last 2 shuttles were destroyed, with them 2/3rds of the second Riga's crew, which had been on the surface for some shore leave. "Shuttles destroyed, Eagles are engaging the Riga Frigate now. Eagles, we can only scratch this thing, so let's focus on the engines."
Aboard RWS Firefly, Riga Frigate, Commodore Jekariti Namukanam knew he was in a dance to the death with the Luxor Heavy Cruiser. His Nose was completely destroyed and her Jump Core was massively cracked. The 750,000 ton warship shuddered as another volley from the Luxor Heavy Cruiser raked his ship. He saw that the last volley had ripped his armor to paper thin all along his Port Side. Their return fire scored the occasional hit, but the crew of the Luxor were vastly more expereinced and landed most of their shots while his could only obtain the occasional hit unless at close range. But no matter what he did, he could not close the range on the Luxor Heavy Cruiser, which managed to maintain the range, all the while slamming massive volleys into RWS Firefly. "Helm, alter course, best speed, let's head for the SLDF convoy, maybe we can rip up their troops."
"Commodore Coltrain, the Riga is altering course and accelerating, they are heading with for the convoy."
"I see it, no way we will catch her, but we can chew her up while we pursue. Helm get on her ass and stay there, Weps beat that Riga down." She ordered
Aboard RWS Dragonfly, Riga Frigate, Commodore Jennifer Harrison had watched 2/3rds of her crew get destroyed by the SLDF fighters now conducting annoying attacks on her AFT section. They could not do any great damage, but they were annoying. But the 3 oncoming SLDF warships were a different matter and with them came a swarm of Aerospace Fighters. While her Aerospace Fighters sat in their launch bays, pilotless. She barely had enough crew to "fly" her ship, much less fight her effectively. "Helm, break orbit, no one else is coming. Weps, your free to engage with whatever you can manage."
RWS Dragonfly began taking hits within an hour of breaking orbit while her return fire was almost useless. Commodore Harrison knew her ship was doomed, but would do the best she could. That moment finally came as a Vincent Corvette came in close and RWS Dragonfly hit it with 3 NAC/25 and a single NAC/30 shell, leaving her a wreck. The moment the shells had raked the Vincent Corvette stripping the armor and burrowing into her internals, Commodore Harrison surrendered her ship to save the rest of her crew, she had done her best with what she had on hand.
20 February 2769
Chasing the Riga Frigate and unable to close the range, SLS Rhodon, Luxor Heavy Cruiser could only engage at extreme range which minimized the number of hits she could score. But she was hitting the Riga Frigate alot more than the Riga was hitting her. Commodore Coltrain, SLS Rhodon, knew her crew was worn out. The constant 2.5g thrust made every task that much harder. But finally, a hit knocked out one of the Riga's massive drives, which would allow them to gain on the badly wounded Riga Frigate, but it would be a slow gain.
Aboard RWS Firefly, Riga Frigate, Commodore Jekariti Namukanam saw the plot change as the SLDF Luxor Heavy Cruiser slowly inched closer with his ship now unable to maintain maximum thrust. He could also see on the plot a Samarkand II Carrier ahead of the mass of Dropships. There was no way he would be able to get past the Carrier and her air wing. It was hopeless, the damage to his ship was too extensive. They had already taken severe damage to the ships internal strcuture, the Jump Core was virtually destroyed and his ship's medical bay was over flowing with casualties. "Helm, being us to a halt. Comm, signal our surrender to the SLDF."
22 February 2769
Marines from the 9919th Marine Regiment quickly secured RWS Firefly, Riga Frigate. Leaving a Battalion abaord, the Elephant Tug transported the last Battalion to secure RWS Dragonfly, Riga Frigate slowly resuming orbit around the planet under the guns of SLS Windego, Whirlwind Destroyer.
24 February 2769
Colonel Calloway and his 3391st Special Forces had accelerated his Dropships once the warship threat was removed and now they grounded 20km from the only city detected during their 2 passes around the planet. Major Sandra Barkley led her 2 Company's of Spector SPR-4F at best speed and under full EMCON followed by Colonel Calloway and his Nighthawk equipped SF troops. The 29th Mechanized Infantry Division would land tomorrow.
The low gravity hampered her advance and speed, but it still only took minutes for her Spector's to begin engaging the few tanks that attmepted to halt their advance. She missed her Thunderbolt, but had to admit these little Spectors were quite fun to pilot. It had taken her and her Mechwarriors a few weeks to get the hang of the little Spector's and their abilities, and being next to invisible was a huge asset to have. It took only two hours to secure the factory complex of any resistance. Colonel Calloway ordered defensive positions to be laid out. The 29th Mechanized Infantry Division could handle securing the city itself. It was nice of them to place the space port right next to the factory complex as she covered a Company of Nighthawk equipped SF troops securing the 40 Mammoth Dropships at the space port.
