Phoenix Squadron

Posted on Thu Apr 24th, 2025 @ 3:22pm by Captain Malcom Llwyedd & Lieutenant Henry Hamilthon Sky & Lieutenant Jackson Smith & Petty Officer 1st Class Baris Demir

1,436 words; about a 7 minute read

Mission: Mission 1: A Long Hard Road Ahead
Location: Space around DS18

[ON]

The group of eight, four from the Firebird and four from the station, stood in the newly repaired main shuttle-bay that served DS18. Arrayed around them were the eight fighter prototypes they had been able to build in the last six weeks.

Jackson stood before the assembled pilots, his expression grim. He scanned their faces, a mix of familiar and unfamiliar, each one etched with a mixture of determination and apprehension. He knew the odds were stacked against them, but they couldn't afford to falter. The fate of DS18 rested on their shoulders.

"Pilots," he began, his voice sharp and clear, "we've received intel that a Jem'Hadar fleet is on its way to retake the station. We can't let that happen." His tone hardened, the weight of responsibility settling on his shoulders. "They are fierce warriors, and they outnumber us at least four to one. But we have a few advantages. They won't be expecting our new fighters, and they won't know what we're capable of. We need to exploit that."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over the faces before him. How many of these brave souls would return from this battle? The thought sent a pang of fear through him, but he quickly pushed it aside. He couldn't afford to dwell on doubt.

"The Jem'Hadar are disciplined," he continued, his voice regaining its strength. "They fight as a unit, relying on their formations and superior numbers. We need to be faster, more agile. Hit their sensor blind spots, disrupt their communications, and lead them into the station's defense batteries. And above all," he emphasized, his eyes locking with each pilot in turn, "have each other's backs."

"Lieutenant Hamilton reporting, all systems were nominal, ready to get us underway."

Ezzo grinned. "I'm ready to go, Lieutenant Smith. I'm not excited that we have to fight Jem'Hadar, but I am excited to get inside one of these things again."

One of the the DS18 crew spoke. "Sir, we volunteered to be here," he said, gesturing to the other three pilots who hadn't come from the Firebird. "All of us have flown smaller craft of various types, mostly shuttlecraft. None of us has been in one of these things before, and to be honest, we don't know the tactics involved. I'm hoping that you're going to give us some pointers."

Demir crossed his arms, giving the pilots a once-over glance. "You will die if you fight them head-to-head. Speed will not save you from stupid," he said. The fear in their eyes hung like a cloak around them. Baris reminded himself that not everyone had the experience of surviving among the fringes of the galaxy. "Work in pairs. Be agile. Make them chase you to where you want them, and your wingmates will destroy them. Most important, be alive at the end of the figh.t"

"Well said, Demir," Jackson agreed, his voice carrying a note of approval. "But we have another advantage. We know their game plan." He tapped his PADD, and a holographic image of the station and the surrounding space flickered to life between them.

"The enemy plans to knock out the weapon defense system here." A section of the station, highlighted in red, pulsed ominously. "We'll be ready for any saboteurs on the station, but we also need to stop them outside."

"As the main ships engage," he continued, his voice taking on an edge of urgency, "they plan to send two to three squadrons of fighters to take out this section." He looked each pilot in the eye, his gaze unwavering. "We can't allow that to happen."

He turned his attention to the DS18 pilots. "You four will be patrolling this area." He highlighted a section of space on the holographic display. "The enemy fighters will be spotted around here. When we sound the alarm, you'll make your way there as fast as possible. The Jem'Hadar will expect that, but you won't be close enough for them to worry about. They should be mission-focused and head straight for the station's defenses."

Jackson then addressed the Firebird pilots. "As for us," he said, "we're going to use our magnetic locks to attach to the station at these four points." The highlighted spots on the station blinked. "With our sleek profile, we should go undetected. Once the enemy crosses this line," he traced a boundary in the holographic space, "we break off and engage. The surprise should give us enough of an advantage to inflict immediate casualties. The Jem'Hadar will be focused on us, which means you four..." he turned back to the station pilots, "...can come in from behind and mop things up."

He flashed a confident grin. "Piece of cake, right? Everyone understand?"

"Leverages our strengths, and it's simple. A good plan," said Baris. He'd like simple a hell of a lot more if they weren’t relying on a bunch of green pilots to save their asses. His gaze shifted to the DS18 pilots, his tone softening. A bit.

"Listen. Jem’Hadar fight like they’re invincible. They're not. I've seen shuttle pilots cross asteroid fields, ion storms, and distortion fields that most sane people wouldn't touch. A damn good pilot is a damn good pilot. Don’t try to be a hero and you’ll come out of this with stories worth telling." Baris clamped his mouth shut, his dark eyes daring them to believe him.

Ezzo had no intentions of being a hero. But he also wasn't going to let the Firebird or DS18 take damage if he could prevent it. "Lieutenant Smith, this is the first field exercise with these craft. I know there has been a lot of testing, but I also know that each type of spacecraft has its quirks. What have you discovered in testing that we need to know for this fight?" Ezzo asked.

Jackson nodded, appreciating Ezzo's pragmatic approach. "That's a valid point, Ezzo. These prototypes, while promising, are still relatively untested in live combat scenarios. We've identified a few key areas to be aware of."

He tapped his PADD, bringing up a schematic of the fighter. "Firstly, the inertial dampeners are highly responsive, almost too responsive. They can cause a slight lag in pilot input, especially during high-G maneuvers. Compensate by anticipating your turns slightly earlier than you normally would."

He highlighted a section of the weapons array. "Secondly, the disruptor cannons have a wider spread than standard phasers. This can be an advantage for hitting multiple targets, but it also means less accuracy at longer ranges. Engage at medium to close range for optimal effectiveness."

"Thirdly, the shield harmonics are still being refined," he continued, his voice serious. "They're strong, but they have a brief recharge delay after taking a heavy hit. If your shields drop, be prepared to maneuver evasively until they come back online. Don't rely solely on them."

He paused, making eye contact with each pilot. "Finally, and this is crucial: the magnetic locks, while effective, require precise alignment. Practice docking and undocking in a safe environment before engaging the enemy. If you miss the lock, you'll be vulnerable."

"These fighters are agile and powerful," he concluded, his voice filled with confidence. Jackson did his best to smooth over his excitement. His fingers twitched slightly at the idea of flying these ships in intense combat. Jackson calmed himself and continued, "But they require a delicate touch. Trust your instincts, trust your training, and most importantly, trust each other. Any further questions?"

Everything seemed perfectly clear to Hamilton, who nevertheless raised his hand.

"Do we have any reports on the size of the enemy forces or when they will arrive? If things go wrong, what should we do?"

Jackson nodded, his expression hardening with resolve. "Less than an hour," he replied, his voice firm. "And I expect at most ten fighters to make it through the main ships and head our way."

He met the gaze of each pilot, his eyes burning with determination. "We have superior technology, we have the element of surprise, and we have the grit to see this through. We will win this day."

He turned to leave, his movements purposeful. "Let's move out."
[OFF]

Lieutenant Jackson Smith
Chief Intelligence Officer
USS Firebird NCC-88298

Lieutenant Hank Solomon
Chief Science Officer
USS Firebird NCC-88298
Petty Officer 1st Class Baris Demir (NPC by Leed)
Quartermaster
USS Firebird NCC-88298

 

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