Fort Bush takes a pounding

[Drake_Forsyth]

Dateline New York system - Fort Bush Control Zone

The space surrounding Fort Bush and Baltimore Shipyard erupted into a massive firefight earlier today, causing damage to numerous structures and civilian vessels.

A small fleet comprised of Lane Hacker Hellfires and Xeno fighters engaged the Liberty Navy ships guarding the Fort. For nearly an hour, gunboats, heavy fighters and capital ships traded shots across the engagement zone. The pirate raid was led by the Ranseur-class dreadnought HFB Ven'Gyr, displaying a frightening level of firepower in a normally high-security sector. Naval defence command fell to the LNS Hello.Kitty, a Defiance-class Liberty dreadnought.

In a display of almost criminal negligence on both sides, high-energy siege weapons were fired adjacent to local stations, causing severe damage and numerous casualties. Civilian and non-combatant Navy support vessels flew into the fray to rescue survivors, utilising any docking port or open hatch they could find.

Possibly due to interference from their own weaponry, the Ven'Gyr and the Hello.Kitty both withdrew, citing ionic static damage and engine malfunctions respectively. The navy capital ship later returned to Fort Bush (under a flag of truce) to aid in the evacuation of the station's overwhelmed sickbays.

The battle seemed to be destined for a stalemate, due to floundering naval support and superior Hacker weaponry. However, with the arrival of willing freelancers and Junker Irregulars, the raiding party was repelled.
The gunboat HFGBx-Undaunted lived up to its name, requiring a significant show of force to destroy it; six BHG and Navy gunboats. Not to be discounted, the HF's Xeno allies also showed remarkable resilience during the conflict, only disengaging when their capital and heavy support retreated.

"The fight may be over, but we'll be capping breaches and welding supports long into the night" said DSE foreman Ramon Escabar, "...and the only thing keeping the Fort together at the moment, is eight metres of half-slagged armor plate."
Repairs to both the Fort and Shipyard continue.

*Further Coverage*
If YOU were present for the above incident, or have a news story you'd like to contribute, the Post's neuralnet address is open 24 hours a day. Comments and additional perspectives are welcome and encouraged.

*transmission to Editor, Head Office, The Manhattan Post, Planet Manhattan, Liberty*
*standard encryption, EEO (editor's eyes only) PP (pre-publication)*
*message origin - "thesittingduck" / New York public tachyon router*

*pretext*
"Moira, find attached RAW COMBAT FOOTAGE & HOLOS from Fort Bush dated today.
Liberty Navy & civilians engaged Hellfire & Xenos in the Fort's Control Zone! I've never seen so much carnage in such a short space of time! The stations are still on fire, and I think the Fort's reactor is on it's last legs. Might want to send a Live News crew up from Manhattan to cover the aftermath. I'll be around Liberty for a few days, and I've attached a cache of holos to this dispatch. Cheers - Drake"

*attachments decrypted*




*image cache held at Trenton Outpost public server IMAGE CACHE

---