| Swarm XI: Sisters of the Swarm |
| Summary: | The ladies of the Fighting Fourteenth take on the Raiders. |
| Date: | 01 Mar 2042 AE |
| Related Logs: | Swarm logs |
| Players: |
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| Space |
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| Cold, black, swarming. |
| Post-Holocaust Day: #368 |
[Harrier-307: Cidra] Flying in Audumbla comes with many natural hazards but it has, if nothing else, dampened the intensity of the Cylon Swarms. Dampened, but not stopped. For as the CAP winds into the second hour of third shift, a pair of contacts appear in the vicinity on the DRADIS. They aren't immediately ID'd in the DRADIS haze you lot are flying in right now but, given the current state of affairs, the natural assumption is that the Swarm has found them again. The CAP planes converge to investigate. By now, everyone is painfully familiar with the drill.
[TAC3] "Toast" Cidra says, "Cerberus, Toast. We confirm contacts, flying out to get a visual. Recommend launch Alert Vipers. I am not betting these are mere DRADIS ghosts."
[TAC3] "Poppy" Khloe says, "Toast, Poppy. I thought I was the pessimistic one. Moving to intercept."
[Harrier-307: Solstice] The buzz that the seems to dim the DRADIS is giving Solstice a headache. Shakes continues to try to work for the clearest signal yet. She draws a breath, confirming the contacts with her pilot. "They don't give up.." She murmurs, remembering the foundry and narrowing her gaze. SHe mutters to herself and adjusts the readout, gearing up a suite as she starts to ready the pulse to jame their signals and operations.
[TAC3] "Sunspot" Helia says, "Toast, Sunspot. Would be wonderful if they were just ghosts, but. Moving in."
[Harrier-307: Cidra] "Alas, I think it shall take more than this mess to keep them off of us," Cidra says back to Solstice, slotting in among the Vipers as she flies out to meet the pair of bogeys. A little slower than the quicker, smaller planes, but she keeps up with them to put herself within range to provide electronic cover. "Steady as she goes, Shakes. Do what you can with the DRADIS, but I will be relying on heavy visuals. This is an absolute fog for our systems."
[TAC3] "Poppy" Khloe says, "Meat, Poppy. Follow my lead, they've taken a liking to Grunt. Grunt, Poppy. We're on your six. Shake 'em loose."
[TAC3] "Freshmeat" Kaitlyn says, "Poppy, Meat. Copy that, I'm right behind you. Let's make sure they regret it."
[Harrier-307: Solstice] "Gladly, Toast…just keep us moving. Hate to be sitting meat, but you already know that." Solstice releases the suite, driving it through the haze and towards the incoming Raiders to help protect the pilots.
[TAC3] "Sunspot" Helia says, "I have a visual, two Cylon Raiders."
[TAC3] "Toast" Cidra says, "Toast, Flight. You all know the drill. Weapons free. Alert Vipers are en route."
<COMBAT> Solstice suppresses Raider1 with ECM. <successful>
<COMBAT> Solstice suppresses Raider2 with ECM. <unsuccessful>
<COMBAT> Cidra passes.
<COMBAT> Raider1 attacks Wilkerson with KEW and MISSES!
<COMBAT> Helia attacks Raider2 with KEW - Serious wound to Cockpit.
<COMBAT> CREW HIT! Raider2 - Serious wound to Right Hand.
<COMBAT> Raider2 attacks Wilkerson with KEW and MISSES!
<COMBAT> Kaitlyn attacks Raider1 with KEW - Serious wound to Left Wing.
<COMBAT> Wilkerson attacks Raider2 with KEW and MISSES!
<COMBAT> Khloe attacks Raider1 with KEW - Serious wound to Controls.
<COMBAT> Raider-3732k has been KO'd!
<COMBAT> Raider1 has been KO'd!
<COMBAT> Raider-7343v has been KO'd!
<COMBAT> Raider2 has been KO'd!
[Harrier-307: Solstice] As the DRADIS lights again with three more contacts as the two are taken out, Shakes looks to Toast, "Confirmed, three contacts inbound. Here we go again girls." She says. Sorry Wilkerson.
[Harrier-307: Cidra] The Cylons seem to have even more difficulty with the radiation fog of Audumbla than the human pilots, as the ladies of the Knights light those two initial Raiders up bright as they pleasure. But they aren't alone. More contacts have started appear in the fog now. Five. Ten. Two dozen. The swarm has come. Around the Fleet, Alert fighters from the Cerberus and Areion fly out to engage, and three more Raiders converge directly on the section in which their brethren just met their end.
[TAC3] "Poppy" Khloe says, "That's how it's done. Toast, Poppy, they've got a hate-on for you and Shakes. We're on our way. Flight, protect the Raptors."
[TAC3] "Toast" Cidra says, "Poppy, Toast. And I always feared I was not popular. Taking evasive action. We shall all have more company soon enough, from the look of things."
[TAC3] "Sunspot" Helia says, "Toast, they are on you like flies on honey. On our way, as well."
[Harrier-307: Cidra] "Hang on, Shakes," Cidra says simply. Before, giving the ECO good reason to, as she starts arcing and dodging in an attempt to shake the trio of Raiders she's picked up. While trying to avoid risk of collision with the Vipers trying to protect her, with the added challenges to visuals in the cloud. Such are the 'beauties' of flying in this area.
[Harrier-307: Solstice] Hanging on is what she does best. Lodging her knee beneath the console to help cement in her pace, she starts to sway with the movements. She uuhs below her breath, swaying a bit to the back as they arc. "Okay, someone get rid of them, its hard to keep my frequencies pinging like this.." Let along in the haze of the nebula. She frowns some, gripping the edge as her gloved hand rakes over the display - listening to the com as she dares not tear her attention away from her console for a look outside.
<COMBAT> Raider4 attacks Cidra with KEW - ARMOR on Controls stops the attack!
<COMBAT> Wilkerson attacks Raider3 with KEW - Light wound to Right Wing.
<COMBAT> Solstice suppresses Raider3 with ECM. <successful>
<COMBAT> Solstice suppresses Raider4 with ECM. <successful>
<COMBAT> Solstice suppresses Raider5 with ECM. <unsuccessful>
<COMBAT> Raider3 attacks Cidra with KEW and MISSES!
<COMBAT> Khloe attacks Raider3 with KEW - Serious wound to Engine.
<COMBAT> Cidra passes.
<COMBAT> Raider5 attacks Cidra with KEW and MISSES!
<COMBAT> Kaitlyn attacks Raider5 with KEW - Serious wound to Cockpit.
<COMBAT> CREW HIT! Raider5 - Serious wound to Right Foot.
<COMBAT> CREW HIT! Raider5 - Light wound to Left Arm.
<COMBAT> Helia attacks Raider4 with KEW - Serious wound to Body.
<COMBAT> CREW HIT! Raider4 - Serious wound to Abdomen.
<COMBAT> CREW HIT! Raider4 - Moderate wound to Right Foot.
<COMBAT> Raider-9023a has been KO'd!
<COMBAT> Raider4 has been KO'd!
<COMBAT> Raider-3227e has been KO'd!
<COMBAT> Raider5 has been KO'd!
[TAC3] "Freshmeat" Kaitlyn says, "Poppy, Meat. Great shooting, but you've got one coming in hot n you. Comin' around to cover you."
[Harrier-307: Cidra] Again, the Viper Amazons make short work of the Raiders. The enemy can't seem to hit the broadside of a Raptor, for its part. All around the Fleet it's much the same tale, KEW and flak from the capital ships cutting through the swarm. Yet it doesn't stop. It continues to throw itself at the Fleet, almost uncaring of the losses it's racking up in the haze.
[TAC3] "Poppy" Khloe says, "Copy, Meat. I'm still on the one I've wounded. Toast, good dodging, keep it up."
[TAC3] "Sunspot" Helia says, "Toast, Sunspot. You still got two of 'em hot on your tail. Keep up the good work."
[TAC3] "Toast" Cidra says, "Poppy, Sunspot, Toast. Copy. I shall do my level best, as always. We are still endeavoring to give you some cover with the jamming suites as well. Hard to cut through this muck electronically. For the enemy as well, thank all gods."
[Into the Wireless] Cidra says, "Poppy, Sunspot, Toast. Copy. I shall do my level best, as always. We are still endeavoring to give you some cover with the jamming suites as well. Hard to cut through this muck electronically. For the enemy as well, thank all gods."
[Harrier-307: Cidra] Cidra's Harrier continues its evasives with all the deliberate speed and agility a Raptor can manage. Which isn't all *that* aerobatic*, but she keeps Cylon fire off the thing so far. "I will try to level out so you can better work the jammers, now we have got a little breathing room," she says to Shakes. Not that she slows much. She still doesn't want to get shot.
[Harrier-307: Solstice] With more blinking onto her DRADIS, Shakes adjusts the range of her jamming signals. "More inbound. Well done around, but it isn't over." she observes and watches as two find keen interest in the Raptor. She coils out the signal and adjusts the frequency once more before releasing the signal. "Thanks, Toast, just a little bumpty today."
<COMBAT> Helia attacks Raider7 with KEW - Moderate wound to Cockpit.
<COMBAT> CREW HIT! Raider7 - Moderate wound to Right Foot.
<COMBAT> Raider7 attacks Wilkerson with KEW but MISSES!
<COMBAT> Raider6 attacks Cidra with KEW - Moderate wound to ECM.
<COMBAT> Raider3 attacks Cidra with KEW and MISSES!
<COMBAT> Kaitlyn attacks Raider8 with KEW - Light wound to Body.
<COMBAT> Wilkerson attacks Raider6 with KEW and MISSES!
<COMBAT> Solstice suppresses Raider3 with ECM. <unsuccessful>
<COMBAT> Solstice suppresses Raider6 with ECM. <unsuccessful>
<COMBAT> Solstice suppresses Raider7 with ECM. <successful>
<COMBAT> Solstice suppresses Raider8 with ECM. <successful>
<COMBAT> Khloe attacks Raider3 with KEW - Moderate wound to Engine.
<COMBAT> Raider8 attacks Khloe with KEW and MISSES!
<COMBAT> Cidra passes.
<COMBAT> Raider-0194v has been KO'd!
<COMBAT> Raider7 has been KO'd!
<COMBAT> Raider-0998 has been KO'd!
<COMBAT> Raider8 has been KO'd!
[Harrier-307: Solstice] The strike hits the Raptor and as Solstice is fixing for another suite and recalibrating her console, the jolt sie gets runs up har left arm. It shoots her back in her seat and she gasps out. Wincing a little, she grits her teeth and shakes her arm a little, trying to get rid of the tingle. "Ugh.." She mutters and then goes back to work, trying to flex her finers to get them to respond appropriately. As she readjusts, she is feeling just a little sluggish. Shakes chances a glance up out of the front viewport and then back down top her controls.
[TAC3] "Shakes" Solstice says, "Flight, Shakes, two more DRADIS contacts inbound."
[Harrier-307: Cidra] More contacts appear on the DRADIS, but they're fewer and farther between now. The Swarm is losing Raiders quickly, and they aren't being replaced with nearly as much speed.
[BlackKnight-1118: Helia] As the Raider she was after is destroyed, Helia flies on through, taking up the spot that her wingman once occupied, as said wingman goes after a Raider that's riding his wing's rear. "Three of them. I am on fire tonight." She smirks. "Here's hoping that doesn't become a self-fulfilling prophecy."
[BlackKnight-853: Khloe] "C'mon you frakker," Khloe says through clenched jaw, still managing to pound her target but unable to finish the toaster off. Upon noticing her DRADIS, though, she immediately flips and burns back around to help her wingmate.
[TAC3] "Freshmeat" Kaitlyn says, "Poppy, Meat. You're free up now, I'll keep an eye out for anymore coming in on you. Smack that frakker outta the sky!"
[TAC3] "Poppy" Khloe says, "Toast, Poppy. You've still two on you. Negative Meat, the one I've been pounding is more or less dead. Go after the other oen that's dogging Toast and Shakes, designation 7191-Sierra. I'll cover you."
[Harrier-307: Cidra] Cidra's Harrier rocks sharply as it takes a hit. It doesn't throw the bus too much, but it's in a choice spot and the controls flutter even more than they were already. "Hang tight back there, Shakes. I will do what I can to compensate for that," she says, starting in on some harried jury-rigging of her systems.
[TAC3] "Toast" Cidra says, "Poppy, Toast. Copy. Took a hit, need a moment to see if I can do some patching. Your cover is much appreciated, as ever."
<COMBAT> Raider10 attacks Kaitlyn with KEW - Serious wound to Body (Reduced by Armor).
<COMBAT> Wilkerson attacks Raider9 with KEW - Light wound to Left Wing.
<COMBAT> Solstice suppresses Raider3 with ECM. <unsuccessful>
<COMBAT> Solstice suppresses Raider6 with ECM. <successful>
<COMBAT> Solstice suppresses Raider9 with ECM. <unsuccessful>
<COMBAT> Solstice suppresses Raider10 with ECM. <unsuccessful>
<COMBAT> Raider9 attacks Helia with KEW - Moderate wound to Body.
<COMBAT> Raider6 attacks Cidra with KEW - Light wound to Body (Reduced by Armor).
<COMBAT> Raider3 attacks Cidra with KEW and MISSES!
<COMBAT> Khloe attacks Raider10 with KEW - Moderate wound to Left Wing.
<COMBAT> Helia attacks Raider6 with KEW and MISSES!
<COMBAT> Cidra treats Harrier-307:
< ECM (Moderate): successful
< Body (Light): successful
<COMBAT> Kaitlyn attacks Raider6 with KEW and MISSES!
<COMBAT> Blackknight-662 has been KO'd!
<COMBAT> Kaitlyn has been KO'd!
<COMBAT> Raider-7910m has been KO'd!
<COMBAT> Raider10 has been KO'd!
<COMBAT> Kaitlyn spends a luck point to keep fighting!
[Harrier-307: Cidra] If one is paying heed to their DRADIS, they will note the number of enemy contacts has stopped increasing. Indeed, some of them are starting to disappear of their own volition, the flashes of jump drives from the Raiders signalling retreats that aren't sped by KEW fire. The Swarm is abating. But it's not over yet.
[BlackKnight-662: Kaitlyn] As another volly of KEW rocks the hull of her Viper, sparks ignite inside- thankfully, none burning her like they had before, and for a moment it feels like she's lost control of her VIper. "Frak!" she yells as she grips the controls, fighting with them, and after a moment, it seems like she has it again. How is anyone's guess.
[TAC3] "Freshmeat" Kaitlyn says, "Flight, Meat, I'm taking heavy fire out here. I'm going to have to make one more pass and sing out if we're not done by then."
[BlackKnight-1118: Helia] Helia sneers as she takes a hit, though she remains with her objective of protecting the Raptor, with her wingman going after the one on her tail. "Mother frakkers. I will frakking kill you all." She hisses this out at the cockpit, shaking her head.
[TAC3] "Sunspot" Helia says, "Meat, Sunspot. You alright over there? No ouchies, right?"
[TAC3] "Poppy" Khloe says, "Meat, Poppy, looks like you're spewing hydraulics from that hit. You're clear of enemies, though. One more pass is all your bird is good for. Keep it together."
[TAC3] "Poppy" Khloe says, "Flight, this is Poppy. Cover the Raptors. Sunspot you've still got one on your six, so keep shaking."
[TAC3] "Freshmeat" Kaitlyn says, "SUnspot, Meat, don't wanna jinx it, but not yet. Poppy, Meat, frak, that would explain the loose controls. Copy that, I'll keep it together long enough to make it out."
[Harrier-307: Solstice] The Raptor is hit again, but the armor keeps this one from affecting her console. As Toast works, SHakes is trying her damndest to keep what is left of the Raiders at bay. She watches some blip off her screen and her eyes narrow.
[Harrier-307: Cidra] Cidra does work indeed, silent and tight-jawed as she tries to do some quick-and-dirty patching to keep her Raptor flying. And it's still flying, though it gets rocked by a couple more hits. "Let us hope Athena and Demeter are jamming for us today, Shakes," she says wry. Though it's definitely not a joke.
[Harrier-307: Solstice] "They are everyday, some days the equipment just fails.."
<COMBAT> Khloe attacks Raider6 with KEW - Light wound to Right Wing.
<COMBAT> Wilkerson attacks Raider9 with KEW - Moderate wound to Right Wing.
<COMBAT> Solstice suppresses Raider3 with ECM. <unsuccessful>
<COMBAT> Solstice suppresses Raider6 with ECM. <successful>
<COMBAT> Solstice suppresses Raider9 with ECM. <unsuccessful>
<COMBAT> Raider9 attacks Helia with KEW and MISSES!
<COMBAT> Raider6 attacks Cidra with KEW and MISSES!
<COMBAT> Helia attacks Raider6 with KEW and MISSES!
<COMBAT> Raider3 attacks Cidra with KEW and MISSES!
[Harrier-307: Cidra] The Raiders continue to take harsh punishment from the ladies of the Knights. And now, it seems, they've had enough. For it's not Viper fire that drives them off, but their own jump drives. The Cylon craft veer away from the volleys of KEW headed their way, and jump away in retreat. It's the same story across the battlefield of the Fleet. The Raiders, just as they did the last time they took the field at Audumbla, are packing it in.
[TAC3] "Poppy" Khloe says, "Cerberus, Poppy. Looks like the Raiders had enough. Requesting permission to RTB."
[TAC3] Hydra says, "Poppy, Cerberus. Confirmed. They bugged out, all ships are reading bingo enemy contacts. Ships'll be moving positions within the cloud again, but we're remaining in Audumbla space. RTB. Let's get out of here."
[TAC3] "Poppy" Khloe says, "You heard him, people. Let's go home."
[BlackKnight-1118: Helia] As the Raiders run off thanks to their jump drives, Helia sneers, flipping her bird around to face the Cerberus. Then, she and her wingman are on their way back toward the battlestar. "Three of 'em. Hah, I am on fire."
[Harrier-307: Cidra] Cidra wheels her bus around and heads back to the garage. "A few more scratches than I would care to return with. But we are whole of body. Thank all gods for that."
For once, there are no injuries to report. For once, everyone climbs out of their bird safe and sound. As Khloe signs off on her post flight, she gives a casual glance around. There are no MPs or medics rushing to birds; there are no smoking wrecks to sift through. Pressing her lips together in what passes as a smile for her, she gives an approving nod, and then goes about her business.
The damage control tech are on hand to see to the birds as they skid onto the flight deck. And while some of them are coming backed banged up, there are as yet no reports of KIAs are grievous injuries. Cidra, for her part, brings her Harrier down to rest in slightly less good repair than it left the battlestar in, opening the doors and starting prompt on her post-flight.
Helia's landing is fairly light and easy. Really, her bird isn't too badly off. A little damaged, but nothing a little TLC from the deckies can't help out. Helia quickly finishes off her post-flight paperwork, before hopping out and pulling her helmet off, shaking her head a few times. That was a pretty great fight, really. She can't help but be a little bit proud of herself.
Climbing out of the Harrier for a moment after they land, Solstice pulls off her left glove and flexes her fingers. Damn jolt from her station. She hooks her glove beneath her arm and takes up her clipboard, starting to go down the postflight as she turns back to check over her console. She rolls a shoulder and then lifts her left hand, shaking out some of the remaining numbness from the jolt.
"You doing all right back there, Shakes?" Cidra asks, handing off her checklist to a tech as she exits the Raptor. "The ride got a bit rough, I do know." Though she offers the ECO the barest hint of a smile. "But we made it back."
"Just a shock, Toast, thanks though." Shakes says. "Be a little numb for a bit, but the suit buffers it." She assures her. She gives the CAG a warm smile, "It seems Athena and Demeter were with us after all." The run down is done and she hands off her own list to the tech before she starts to slide off the wing to the deck floor. "Glad to see no need for medics this time around."
"So say we all," Cidra says simply to Solstice, inclining her head to the ECO as she goes. "Hit the showers, Lieutenant. We shall be sending up a CAP when the Fleet has reached its new position. Still double. If they are going to be running from us, we had best keep in position to make them flee quickly." Pilots more or less dismissed, she takes her leave of the deck.