Proving Ground

[Frostpfote]

Proving Ground

"This is prototype battlecruiser Akhetaten. We require assistance in the Magellan system, grid E-2." Rachel would think about the broadcast for a moment, seeing how an experienced captain like Uhmen would hardly rely on assistance if shit wasn't about to hit the fan. She turned around and ordered the jump to be rerouted directly to where the Akhetaten requested it. From what she saw, no ship capable of handling a threat that even a heavy battlecruiser couldn't beat by itself was anywhere near the area, wasting precious time on their way there. The jump would lead the Essex across two entire system, and halfway through the third - not something meant for the third ever activation of a newly manufactured jumpdrive. However, this certain case would most definitely be a valid excuse to stretch the borders of this testing run.

"All hands battlestations, we're enroute to the Magellan system to provide fire support to Commodore Uhmen and the Akhetaten. The jumpdrive will take us directly into the middle of it, so prepare to get your hands dirty." Captain Mikai would address the entirety of the carriers' crew, pressing a few buttons on her control panel which would activate a typical red combat lighting across the entire command bridge, as well as a howling alarm across the ship. At this very moment there would be pilots running to their fighters and bombers, the several Defiant-class Gunboats would activate their engines and begin pre-flight-checks. All high ranking crew would head straight to the CIC, the next best protected area of the ship other than the main reactor. There they would be able to view all of the Essex' surroundings, make decisions for the engagement, and make sure the ship could run at maximum combat efficiency. The carrier's primary engine would ignite, accelerating the massive capital ship to full speed as quickly as safety regulations would let it. "Captain, the jumpdrive is half way charged, all calculations have been made and we're one minute away from being ready to jump.", Rachel was told by the head of the crew operating the new device. "Understood, initiate jump sequence immediately once the chargeup is completed.", she replied, before taking her gaze towards a screen that showed the view that the command bridge currently had. In her head she counted the seconds left until it was go time. Almost exactly one minute later the camera's video feed would begin to appear blurry, as the Essex began to create a temporary jumphole almost at will, ripping space and time apart to warm their gateway to Magellan. The video feed blacked out entirely a few seconds later as the Essex passed right through the jumphole, the carrier's entire structure stretching and compressing, almost making it sound like the ship's entire structure reassembled in the blink of an eye.

The sound of creaking metal turned into an explosion as soon as the Essex passed through the jumpgate. The scanners lit up bright red with hostiles all around the carrier as it, as well as two accompanying Archer-class cruisers arrived in the Manchester system. The captain reacted almost in an instant, giving orders to the high ranking officers next to her which would then further delicate them to their subordinates. "Full power on the shield generators, order the Archers to head to the Akhetaten's location and provide point defense fire, I need all snubcraft and gunboats out there right now!" The scene presenting itself was rather messy. A rather sizable Rogue installation that was protected by at least a dozen Scylla destroyers and several dozen fighters - atleast that was what the Akhetaten had left after serving hellfire to those scumbags. The Essex would almost ram its way through an entourage of wreckages, both big and small as it bolted out of the jumphole at max speed. The prototype battlecruiser was around four kilometers away from them, shields down and some hull damage could already be seen as it was taking fire from all angles. "Akhetaten actual, this is Captain Rachel Mikai speaking from the Essexs' CIC. We're here to assist you in taking out those Rogues!" In the very same second, the carrier's dozens of point defense cannons began to fire upon the Rogue snubcrafts. The bulky hellbore turrets slowly rotated to take the Scyllas under fire, hopefully crippling severeal of them before they could react to the new situation, disorganized as the Rogues usually were. The carrier's shields took heavy fire way faster than anticipated, with several mortar projectiles nearly hitting the Essex' broadside. About half an hour of constant fighting later, the last Scylla of the escort fleet would fall to the Akhetaten's guns. "Akhetaten, status report." The captain's voice sounded tense, as she was genuinely worried for the Akhetaten's crew, seeing that the battlecruiser had taken more than just a few hits and lived through it.

"We're ... alright. We had to seal off a few compartments due to breaches, but we'll see this through. The intel we received was apparently incomplete, there was no mention of such a big fleet garissoned at this bunker base. Anyways, thanks for the assistance." Rachel wouldn't know who exactly answered her, but the male voice sounded awfully familiar. She replied confidentally, promising the Akhetaten any required assistance needed to take down this floating junkyard of a base. Both capital ships turned next to each other, facing the base straight ahead in front of them. While the Essex began to take the installation under long range mortar fire, the battlecruiser went towards the base in a rough 45° angle in order to get its primary weapon on target. The Rogue base was defended by several weapon platforms, launching both rockets and railgun projectiles at the Libertonian warships. However, without a much needed escort, the base would soon be entirely defenseless once the platforms had fallen. Their combined firepower, alongside the Archer's siege cannons made short work of the installation, causing a large explosion of what most likely was the main reactor, taking out the life support shortly after.

Both warships had taken considerable damage during this undertaking, yet nothing that a few days in Norfolk couldn't patch up. A successful display of the heavy battlecruiser concept and perfect demonstration for the usefulness of a personal jumpdrive. Once all deployed fighterwings had returned to the Essex and all escort ships took their position in the small fleet, the carrier would charge its jumpdrive one last time this day to get everyone back to Norfolk Shipyard. A swift journey, and a mere two hours later both ships were anchored down and repair work could begin. However, a meeting of both respective captains would be inevitable after an event such as this.