Tides of Change

[qwertypp7]

The form of a bastet fighter slid silently through the scrap filled debris field. Slowing as the vessel approached an isolated satellite, the pilot began to tap in commands to create a link with the satellites onboard computer.

A beeping distracted the pilot's attention.

"What the hell," captain Leigh said to himself, turning to his radar display.

A red dot was closing quickly on his bastet's position. As it neared, a Bounty Hunter IFF popped up on the radar display. Leigh quickly broke the link with the satellite and activated his cruise engines, firing countermeasures as the bounty hunter fighter entered cruise disruptor range. A red light flashed, registering cruise disruptor launches from the enemy vessel. Launching more countermeasures, Leigh took evasive action but a jolting impact followed by sudden decelaration told him that his countermeasures had failed him.

Cursing, he activated his bastet's thrusters and began to make for the nearest jump hole as blue bolts of particle weapon fire begain to flash past his cockpit.

Turning his vessel at extreme angles and never flying in a straight line, he spoke hurriedly into his comm link.

"This is captain Leigh requesting immediate assistance," he said, "I've got a hunter fighter on my arse and I'll bet he's got friends lurking nearby."

There was a crackle of static before the mission controller replied.

"Negative captain, we don't have any ships spare to assist."

Before the captain could react to the news there was an urgent tone from his controls and a jolt as his shields were downed and particle fire stitched its way across his port-side wing, blowing ragged holes as it went. He jerked the control stick to the left and rolled around a large piece of debris, attempting to get out of the hunter's crosshairs. Looking in the rear camera, he saw that the hunter was on his tail once again.
Weighing up his options, the captain cut his engines, letting his ship continue on its current path as he hauled the control stick round to bring his guns onto target. Flying backwards with the hunter directly in his sights, he pulled the trigger and let rip with his ship's reapers just as the hunter fighter opened up again.

The two ships pounded eachother mercilessly as debris and sparks flew from the impacts of the powerful energy weapons. Oblivious to the damage his vessel was taking, captain Leigh adjusted his aim and raked the bulbous cockpit dome of the hunter fighter with his guns. With an explosion of glass and flash frozen gore, the hunter's cockpit exploded and the vessel took an abrupt and violent turn into the floating remains of a stations cargo pod where it embedded itself, smoldering in the wreckage.

Breathing a sigh of relief, Leigh checked his ships systems. The vessel had taken a beating and coolant was leaking from several holes in the hull but the cruise engines were still functional.

"Control, this is captain Leigh," he said into the comms, "situation has been resolved but my ship is in bad shape. I'm heading back to Minor. Have recovery on standby in case my ship falls to pieces along the way."

With that he activated the cruise engines and began limping back towards Zone 21.

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Dublin Miner: I am Gallic admiral earning money in Bretonia.

True story...