EA Civil War campaign Mission 25 : Policy ---------------------------------- Briefing: ---------- Command Briefing: ( pic from convoy in hyperspace ) Cambrandt : Welcome back alpha squadron ! You are free to land on the Khalbenum. We have to discuss the current situation. (b25.1) Shadow : Roger Khalbenum. We are coming in. (b25.2) Mission Briefing: Cambrandt : Gentlemen, you know our supplies are nearly depleted. We have no energy left to open a hyperspace vortex on our own and we don't have enough fuel to leave this region. (b25.3) Shadow : And unfortunately Dillenger knows that. (b25.4) Spawn : Right. And with his Drazi contacts he poses an even greater threat. (b25.5) Cambrandt : I heard you ran into this sunhawk before ? (b25.6) Balrok : Yes captain. Back in EA space. Apparently Dillenger is one of the top pirate leaders in the whole quadrant. (b25.7) Cambrandt : That's sad news. But there must be a place where we can go ! The only safe direction is Jux Prime from here, but that's also where our pirate friend will expect us to go. (b25.8) Shadow : With the fuel we have left we could also head for Corillan or Shamba, but I suggest we shouldn't fly in circles. We don't know how many associates he has in this region of space who are advancing on our position. (b25.9) Cambrandt : So. We set course for Jux Prime, deeper into Centauri territory. Seems to be our only option. (b25.10) Balrok : Too bad. We are driven against the borders of civilized space. I wonder what's going on in League space right now. (b25.11) Spawn : What do you know about Jux Prime ? (b25.12) Balrok : Originally Jux Prime was a Narn world. In May 2259 the Narns secured the system and deacitivated the hyperspace beacon leadin to Quadrant 17 in order to slow down counterattacks from the Centauri. (b25.13) Cambrandt : Could we also deactivate the jumpgate ? (b25.14) Shadow : No. We don't have the equipment and we don't have the time it takes to deactivate a jumpgate. (b25.15) Balrok : The Centauri took the system later , but the frontlines were crippled by a third-party assault from the Corillans. The Streib also attacked various targets here in this region. Well, I think we might encounter a small Centauri battlegroup patroling the system. A light battleship and 2 or three fighters perhaps. Jux Prime is far off common trade lanes. (b25.16) Cambrandt : We have no choice. Thanks for the information. We have evacuated the narn and drazi convoy ships and pumped all their fuel into our ship. We leave the vessels behind, but their fuel will take us to Jux Prime. We'll arrive there in 27 hours, then our fate gets decided. May the great maker protect us. (b25.17) The Mission: ---------------- Setting: - Brakiri Avioki Khalbenum - alpha squadron ( 4 Zephyrs, you , Shadow(INV), Balrok(INV), Spawn(INV) ) - CRS CENTAURUS ( Centauri Primus ) - REP-1 wing ( 4 Sentri , ? waves (STB)) - REP-2 wing ( 3 Rutharian , ? waves (STB)) - Centauri shuttle "Dorvani" - Raider Battlewagon "StarlaneFever" - SKULL wing ( 4 Zephyrs ) - Drazi sunhawk "Vek Na'Nak" - Ray wing ( 3 skyserpents , 2 waves ) - Vorlon transport "Vahk" - Vorlon transport "Varash" - Vorlon Dreadnought "Suidia" - Zoi wing ( 3 vorlon fighters , ? waves (STB)) - Ju wing ( 3 vorlon fighters , ? waves (STB)) - Vorlon transport "Vuul" - Vorlon Dreadnought "Yaragi" -- The mission starts. You arrive via jumpgate together with Khalbenum. Centauri Primus -- CENTAURUS is right ahead in front of you, at 5-8 km (leave it STB) , NEUTRAL Cambrandt : We have jumped and entered the Jux Prime system ! Scanning the sector.... Oh NO ! A Centauri Primus ! (25.1) Shadow : What do we do now ? Turn around and jump out ? (25.2) Cambrandt : We are empty, I'm afraid we won't go anywhere, Commander. (25.3) CENTAURUS : This is the Centauri Republic Battleship CENTAURUS to unidentified vessels. Stand down at once and identify yourselves. (25.4) -- CENTAURUS launches REP-2 wing , they are still neutral and stay near the Primus. Cambrandt : This is Captain Cambrandt from the Brakiri Avioki cruiser Khalbenum. Captain, we are a civilians fleeing the chaos of the shadow war. We have over 300 escapees on board. (25.5) CENTAURUS: You have no clearance for this sector. I order you to leave Centauri space at once. (25.6) HALE : Damn it. Lets stay near the Khalbenum , we don't want to provoke them further ! (25.7) Cambrandt : Negative CENTAURUS, we are out of fuel and we cannot leave without supplies. We were trying to escape the recent firstones attacks and now we are hunted by pirates. If you force us to leave you'll condemn us to death ! (25.8) -- Nothing for 15 secs. REP-2 wing heads for the Khalbenum. CENTAURUS : CRS CENTAURUS to Avioki Cruiser KHALBENUM, do not change your current position. Our fighters will now scan your vessel. Stand down. (25.9) -- Avioki stands down Balrok : Centauri fighters closing in on our position. What do we do ? (25.10) HAKE : Nothing. Absolutely nothing. Fighting a battlewagon is one thing. Fighting a battlewagon in a Zephyr is another thing. Fighting a Centauri battleship in a Zephyr is ..... the ultimate climax of arrogant stupidity. (25.11) Balrok : Danny, you wise man, you do almost sound like Geezer. (25.12) -- The fighters get near the convoy and stop. After 10 secs they head back to the Primus. -- 10 seconds after they began to head back the CENTAURUS the Centauri change to IFF -- friendly: CENTAURUS : Alright. If the universe wasn't going mad at the moment we would seize your vessel. However, our scans seem to confirm what you said. We will provide a minimum amount of fuel so you can join the other escapees at Anfraa or Selchat. (25.13) Cambrandt : Thanks a lot captain ! In the name of the families onboard, may I express my gratitude. (25.14) Shadow : Yeah, I also thank you captain. (25.15) CENTAURUS : No problem. Set course for navbuoy 113. We'll rendezvouz there. (25.16) -- Navbuoy 113 appears 1 km away from Primus. Khalbenum heads there. Cambrandt : Roger that, CENTAURUS. (25.17) -- When half the way there the Raiders jump in. The Battlewagon and the Sunhawk , both -- in firing range of the Primus. They release fighters. So does the Primus !! Dillenger -- starts to speak as soon as he arrives Dillenger : Good morning gentlemen ! We still have some open bills, don't we ? I have made plans how to arrange your ... your .... oh ! (25.18) CENTAURUS : Targets in range. Fire at will ! (25.19) -- All Centauri forces attack the Raiders now. Alpha wing should go along. The Primus -- fires at the Battlewagon ( and at Sunhawk if it can fire at multiple targets ) HALE : Let's get rid of this Raider! (25.20) Spawn : Wrong place at the wrong time, Dillenger ! Hahahaha ! (25.21) Dillenger : Alright. You won this round. Alpha squadron, you should pray you never cross my path again ! (25.22) -- The battlewagon jumps out . Spawn : I can't believe it ! Dillenger jumped out ! His battlewagon must have modified jumpdrives or something like that ! It takes time to reload them after a jump, but this guy comes and leaves just as it pleases him ! (25.23) HALE : You say it , he's gone. Focus on that sunhawk . (25.24) Balrok : Dillenger left 4 Zephyrs here , and the Sunhawk has launched skyserpents. They'll try to escape via the jumpgate or outrun us till the jumpdrives are fully loaded again. Lets try to bring'em down as fast as possible ! (25.25) -- Atually it doesn't play a role if the Sunhawk escapes or not. We won't see it again. -- When Raiders are destroyed or have escaped : Spawn : We are clear! I think we won't see Dillenger again for a long time. (25.26) -- When the Khalbenum has reached the navbuoy Cambrandt : CRS CENTAURUS, we have reached the navbuoy. (25.27) CENTAURUS : Stand by. We are initiating the resupply operation. (25.28) -- After a while (STB) a Vorlon fleet jumps in at a distance (STB). the Vakh, the Varash -- and the Suidia. They are neutral. They launch fighters that head for the Primus. Shadow : The Vorlons ! Here in Centauri space ? (25.29) Balrok : What the hell do they want here ? Perhaps they belong to a larger fleet. (25.30) Shadow : Vorlon fleet, I am Lt.Commander Derek Jones, EarthForce Resistance. Uhm... Please state the nature of your mission. (25.31) CENTAURUS : They are headin for us ! I fear we cannot take the time to resupply you, we have to jump out ! (25.32) Balrok : The CENTAURUS is loading its jumpdrives ! (25.33) Cambrandt : Wait ! Captain, please , just a sec ! Vorlon fleet, break off your attack ! This ship helps us to escape the shadow advance ! (25.34) Vakh : ...... Vorlon policy for Centauri ideology ....... (25.35) Balrok : I guess that means NO. (25.36) Shadow : CENTAURUS , could you at least launch a single shuttle with some fuel before you jump out ? We're trapped here otherwise ! (25.37) CENTAURUS : And you think the Vorlons let you refuel your vessel ? (25.38) Cambrandt : Then we have no choice , we must come with you on your ship ! Start a shuttle transfer, captain ! Jump out when you have to but you have to take as many of us with you as you can ! (25.39) -- Centauri shuttle "Dorvani" launches from Primus and heads for the Khalbenum which -- should be nearby. Vorlons turn hostile. Remember, their main target is the Primus. CENTAURUS : Confirmed. Captain Rafkin to all wings. Defend the CENTAURUS against the enemy fighters to buy us more time for the evacuation. (25.40) Balrok : Hey Danny, you wise man, what is fighting a vorlon fleet in a Zephyr ? (25.41) HALE : Most definitely the last thing you do in your life. The centauri fighters are vastly superior to our Zephyrs. Lets try to stay behind them and to intercept vorlon fighters headin for the Primus. (25.42) -- Dorvani docks with Khalbenum , stays docked for 1 minute (STB) and then flies back -- to the CENTAURUS. Dorvani : Shuttle Dorvani here. We have the first escapees shipment on board. 58 persons. 234 left on the Khalbenum. (25.43) CENTAURUS : We won't have enough time to get them all out of there before the Vorlon capital ships come into firing range. I think we can make 2 shipments, 3 at most. (25.44) Shadow : God damn it. (25.45) -- Dorvani flies into CENTAURUS hangar. after (STB) it launches again. Then it heads -- back for the Khalbenum. Once again the same thing. Dock for a sjort while and head back -- for the CENTAURUS. Dorvani : Shuttle Dorvani here. We have the second load onboard. Another 58 persons. 176 left on Khalbenum. (25.46) -- When shuttle Dorvani has landed it doesnt launch again : CENTAURUS : That's it. We got 116 people evacuated. There is no time for more. All units prepare to jump ! (25.47) Shadow : Captain, I think we can make a third shipment. The Vorlons capital ships are still at a fair distance ! (25.48) CENTAURUS : That's too close for me. I have a crew of over 800 I am responsible for. You have to undertand.....(25.49) -- Vorlon transport VUUL jumps in directly behind the Primus. Shadow : Attention all units ! A Vorlon transport has jumped in right behind the CENTAURUS ! (25.50) -- The transport fires at the Primus , hitting it hard. (down to (STB) %)The Primus returns -- fire , but the transport jumps out again. CENTAURUS : *you hear alarms sounding in background* Rafkin to all units ! All primary systems damaged ! We can't open a jump vortex ! All units , turn around and head for the jumpgate ! (25.51) -- After 20 secs Vorlon ship VUUL jumps in again via the jumpgate. Together with Vorlon -- Dreadnought Yaragi. They both hold position there. Shadow : Oh no ! Vorlons at the jumpgate ! They cut off our means of escape ! (25.52) Vakh : ...... Your fate will fulfil no matter your efforts ....... (25.53) Spawn : We are done for ! (25.54) -- nothing special for 30 seconds (STB) Then you hear an extremely loud signal. -unknown- : *loud and unknown signal/noise over stellarcom* (25.55) -- after 10 secs -- Vorlon fleet suddenly jumps out Shadow : What the hell... ? They jumped out ! YES ! Oh thank god ! (25.57) CENTAURUS : That was an extremely powerful tachyon signal with vorlon signature. Interferometry says it came from somewhere in the Coreanna system. (25.56) CENTAURUS : Incredible.........*breaths*... Great maker ! Alright , looks as if we are clear. We will reinitiate the fuel transfer and get both ships out of here. All fighters, stay on patrol. Alpha wing , this will take about 25 minutes. I suggest you fly a hyperspace patrol to watch over the Vorlon retreat and to warn us if they come back. if we don't get our jumpdrive repaired in half an hour we will all leave via the gate. (25.58) Shadow : Acknowledged, Captain. We will see you in half an hour. Alpha wing out. And thank you for what you did today. Alpha, lets head fot the gate. (25.59) -- Mission ends when you jump out through the jumpgate. Debriefing : ( hold by Rafkin ) ------------------------------- Lt.Cmdr Hale. Welcome aboard the Centauri Republic Battleship CENTAURUS. I want to inform you that the Brakiri Avioki cruiser Khalbenum has safely reached the Selchat system where it met the other escapees. We haven't heard any more of this pirate you told us about. Neverthelees our friend was right with his guess. We have analysed our sensor data and could verify 2 independent energy signatures on the Raider vessel "StarlaneFever". We believe it has two jumpdrives installed. The energy consumption must be incredible but the ships's ability to make 2 jumps even within seconds is unique. We will investigate this matter further. We wil bring you to Babylon 5, when we reach the vicinity of the Epsilon system we will drop you in hyperspace, till then you'll stay aboard as guests of the Centauri Republic. That is all for now. We still don't have confirmed reports on the events in League space, but rumors say the shadows and the vorlons have left the galaxy. Well, we will see. (db25.1)