Piercing The Veil | Testimonial of Panasu Pirates | Association - Free Port Relations [320 AG]

Extra Canon
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FAV Cascadia’s Vengeance
“Pocket” Class Cruiser
Euripides System
No Nation Affiliation
CDRE Ardani “Lantern” Leafria

Composition

Task Force Blue

FAV Cascadia’s Vengeance | CL-09

FAV Verdant Horizon | CL-01

FAV Outgoing Forge | CL-02

FAV The Winchester System | CL-03

FAV Blaze’s Dream | CL-04

FAV Nobody Can Hear You | FFE-102

FAV Plantiff’s Position | FFE-103

FAV Preponderance of Evidence | FFE-104

FAV Bench Trial | FFG-293

Commodore Ardani is probably the oldest non Admiral still in service, her service record dating back to the early years of the fall of Gaia, serving in the Winchester Commonwealth.

“This our meet n’ greet spot?”

“This was the designated point.”

“Ah, I see CDCOM is playing a practical joke after I turned down the admiralty again.”

“No, apparently our Cascadium sensors picked up a massive explosion traced to a station.”

“Well, not a practical joke then. Yeah, get a condition three on, and prep for an ambush. This is tingling my anti Piracy nerves. Can’t believe we still aren’t going after these guys.”

“Yeah, supposedly the First Mate of Ervin the Menace is coming.”

“Yeah, unlikely, even if we offered Diplomatic Immunity.”

“The documents are right here, Lantern.”

“Seriously? Damn.”

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The destroyer Sengoku was a modern Alarian made ship. It was picked by Ervin Lazarus personally for his first mate, Darin “Snakebow” Stanford to meet the FTA. This whole idea was mad, but it could grant Ervin what he wanted, proper diplomatic relations and contacts.

This is captain Darin Stanford of the pirate ship Sengoku calling the FAV Cascadia’s vengence. We’re here to represent the Lazarus navy and by extent the Free Port of Panasu and give testimony about the irresponsible conduct around cascadium reactors by Daravat. We have a shuttle ready to transfer negotiators to your ship as previously requested. Asking for permission to do so."

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FAV Cascadia’s Vengeance
“Pocket” Class Cruiser
Euripides System
No Nation Affiliation
CDRE Ardani “Lantern” Leafria

Composition

Task Force Blue

FAV Cascadia’s Vengeance | CL-09

FAV Verdant Horizon | CL-01

FAV Outgoing Forge | CL-02

FAV The Winchester System | CL-03

FAV Blaze’s Dream | CL-04

FAV Nobody Can Hear You | FFE-102

FAV Plantiff’s Position | FFE-103

FAV Preponderance of Evidence | FFE-104

FAV Bench Trial | FFG-293

“Go ahead. Awaiting arrival. Reminder that weapons will lead to your detainment and revoking of Diplomatic Immunity.”

Clicking off the communicator, Ardani turns in amusement to her COMMO

“I guess I’m on point for greetings.”

“So it would seem.”

“Helm, once we get them onboad, Full Ahead, bring into course with Helios, Archer’s Eerie, Sigmund’s Rest, Ekota, Acaia.”

“Aye Ma’am, full ahead, Helios, Archer’s Eerie, Sigmund’s Rest, Ekota, Acaia.”

Two Weeks ago

The Association Conference
Planet: Unitas | The Conference Hall
Acaia System
Year: 320 AG

The Conference had heard testimony of a few Mechants who’d passed through Voidgate days later, their CS-2s picking up elevated Cascadium signatures. Summoning Pirates to the stand isn’t unheard of. Before The FTA, the Winchester Commonwealth would often deal with Pirates by making them Privateers. That is, give them silver, tell them to fuck off, and boom, no piracy problem. Problem, is that many people despise the whole “Paying Pirates to leave us alone” thing.

FAV Cascadia’s Vengeance
“Pocket” Class Cruiser
Helios System
No Nation Affiliation
CDRE Ardani “Lantern” Leafria

Composition

Task Force Blue

FAV Cascadia’s Vengeance | CL-09

FAV Verdant Horizon | CL-01

FAV Outgoing Forge | CL-02

FAV The Winchester System | CL-03

FAV Blaze’s Dream | CL-04

FAV Nobody Can Hear You | FFE-102

FAV Plantiff’s Position | FFE-103

FAV Preponderance of Evidence | FFE-104

FAV Bench Trial | FFG-293

With Helios being the battleground it currently is, Navigating it is a task unto itself. But Ardani, lazy, decides to just go through it, because if she gets shot at, she has a credible Casus Beli to go to war with NGOC.

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The shuttle landed in the hangar smoothly. Out of it first came out two bodyguard, unarmed as per FTA request, then came out Darin:

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8c80e3f664f8ad15d058cab1a0dcb98c336×664 36.6 KB

Well groomed, clean shaven, subtle but pleasant perfume, wearing a neat and clean uniform and holding himself like a gentleman. One could not guess he was a pirate.

He approached the welcoming party and shook their hands

Captain Darin Stanford, at your service. Thank you for granting me this opportunity. People usually dismiss Panasu as just pirates but that’s wrong. Although sheltering privateers Panasu is a star nation like any other. Attacks by the Lazarus fleet, which acts as a military contractor to Panasu, are military actions, not pirate raids. Don’t get me wrong there are pirates, but not everyone is. Hopefully this testimonial will help further promoting that view.

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FAV Cascadia’s Vengeance
“Pocket” Class Cruiser
Helios System
No Nation Affiliation
CDRE Ardani “Lantern” Leafria

Composition

Task Force Blue

FAV Cascadia’s Vengeance | CL-09

FAV Verdant Horizon | CL-01

FAV Outgoing Forge | CL-02

FAV The Winchester System | CL-03

FAV Blaze’s Dream | CL-04

FAV Nobody Can Hear You | FFE-102

FAV Plantiff’s Position | FFE-103

FAV Preponderance of Evidence | FFE-104

FAV Bench Trial | FFG-293

Ardani smiles as she greets Stanford.

“Comodore Ardani Leafria. People call me Lantern. Welcome onboard the FAV Cascadia’s Vengeance.”

Ardani chuckles at Stanford’s remarks

“Ah, y’know, back in my day, hundred or two hundred years ago, we’d hire pirates for security in the Winchester Commonwealth. How times have changed, no? Ah, but it’s in the past. Now’s not the time for reminiscing… You have fun trying to talk to these reps, they probably won’t understand what your saying. Good ol’ conference. Don’t die, sweetie.”

Action Information Center

“Contact, small, signature NGOC Lanerunner or corvette. Forerunner for literally any QRF in this system.”

“Swell, get Miss Lantern up here.”

“Set condition one, show on the lane peeps.”

The lights in the ship flicker out before being replaced with a soft blue. The action stations alarm also went off.

Hangar Bay 1
CDRE Ardani “Lantern” Leafria

“Well, that’s me, hopefully some combat, eh?”

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The FAV Cascadia’s Vengeance’s radar flashed as it detected 4 corinthian ships enter sensor range. They ware burning hot on a intercept course.

A message echoed trough space

“Unidentified FTA ship this is Zinon Koskilis commanding the 4th anti piracy squadron. Cut your engines and power down your reactors, you’re being intercepted and searched. Failure to comply will result in hostile actions. You have 15 minutes.”

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FAV Cascadia’s Vengeance
“Pocket” Class Cruiser
Helios System
No Nation Affiliation
CDRE Ardani “Lantern” Leafria

Composition

Task Force Blue

FAV Cascadia’s Vengeance | CL-09

FAV Verdant Horizon | CL-01

FAV Outgoing Forge | CL-02

FAV The Winchester System | CL-03

FAV Blaze’s Dream | CL-04

FAV Nobody Can Hear You | FFE-102

FAV Plantiff’s Position | FFE-103

FAV Preponderance of Evidence | FFE-104

FAV Bench Trial | FFG-293

“This is the Association Task Force Blue, operating within due regard for the system and her space. We will not be powering down our reactors or cutting our drive systems, and engaging our vessels will be taken as an act of war.”

“Fire Control, locking on. WCON Hold.”

This is a normal game of who would blink first. She’d done this same song and dance, especially with Corinthia, it was fun. The ships would fire control, they’d chill around, they’d leave. The ships swiveled their guns over to the Corinthian Ships but remained silent.

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“Zinon Koskilis? I know that name, I’ve been stationed with him while spying in promethia! Can i please get visual on the ships intercepting us?”

The screen in front of him quickly changed showing feed from the ship’s cameras. Darin was visibly unsettled by what he saw.

"This is not a mere anti-piracy squadron. These are 4 Horus-class assult destroyers. They’re top of the line war ships and highly advanced, while i was in Corinthia they waren’t anything but experimental designs just entering active prototyping. They must have somehow got intel that you’re transporting me. I have such a high bounty in Corinthia that you can buy a warship for it. I’d suggest highest caution, captain. "

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FAV Cascadia’s Vengeance
“Pocket” Class Cruiser
Helios System
No Nation Affiliation
CDRE Ardani “Lantern” Leafria

Composition

Task Force Blue

FAV Cascadia’s Vengeance | CL-09

FAV Verdant Horizon | CL-01

FAV Outgoing Forge | CL-02

FAV The Winchester System | CL-03

FAV Blaze’s Dream | CL-04

FAV Nobody Can Hear You | FFE-102

FAV Plantiff’s Position | FFE-103

FAV Preponderance of Evidence | FFE-104

FAV Bench Trial | FFG-293

“Hmph…”

“COMMO, signal us as comms jammed.”

Ardani chuckles softly

“Cut our Comms to any Trade Association Networks. Keep our datalink running.”

“A-Aye Ma’am… Set into standard.”

“What… Are we doing?”

“Helmsman, bring us into heading with those ships. Cut the drive power upon finishing.”

“Aye…? Bringing us into heading with the Corinthian Vessels…”

“Gun Crews, Horus Class Assault Destroyer, Load, Armor Piercing. WCON, Hold.”

“Horus Class Assault Destroyer, Armor Piercing, WCON Hold.”

“Missile Coordinators, SGM-H-241, Hitchhiker, Program, Horus Class Assault Destroyer. Double Volley. WCON, Hold.”

"Double Volley Hitchhikers on the grill!* WCON, Hold."*

“I want our Frigates to begin offensive jamming.”

“Screwin’ with their sensors.”

“Finally, some real combat… This is gonna be a turkey shoot. So Stanford, you think they only saw the one ship, and got tunnel vision and didn’t see the rest of the fleet… Or is he suicidal?”

*

Saying a missile is on the grill refers to the fact they are using programming channels

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“Corinthia has never had the best radar, but this is bad even for them, especially Koskilis, he’s a genius. The man could shoot torpedos without any detection and still hit the target. This could be some sort of trap, but I don’t know what kind. Be careful, Ardani.”

Suddenly the Corinthian ships deploy torpedos. 40 in total. But this wasn’t the main strike

From the other side seemingly out of nowhere 50 torpedos launch heading for the fleet. Radars scream detecting them

“Knew it! alarian stealth missile platforms! The motherfucker precisely predicted our path and set up a ambush!”

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FAV Cascadia’s Vengeance
“Pocket” Class Cruiser
Helios System
No Nation Affiliation
CDRE Ardani “Lantern” Leafria

Composition

Task Force Blue

FAV Cascadia’s Vengeance | CL-09

FAV Verdant Horizon | CL-01

FAV Outgoing Forge | CL-02

FAV The Winchester System | CL-03

FAV Blaze’s Dream | CL-04

FAV Nobody Can Hear You | FFE-102

FAV Plantiff’s Position | FFE-103

FAV Preponderance of Evidence | FFE-104

FAV Bench Trial | FFG-293

“Alrightie–”

Spiker! Deck, Starboard! Spiker! Deck, Port!

“Let’s show these son’s of glitches what a top of the line Point Defense Net can do! RO!”

“Aye Ma’am!”

“Burnthrough Pings, I want Line’o Bearings wherever those Stealth Missile Launchers fired from.”

“Pinged, 1 AU out.”

“Hitchhikers are damn expensive, and we aren’t getting Fire Control on those pings. Drop Countermeasures.”

“Drop Countermeasures, release the Active Decoys. Flares, Chaff, everything.”

“How many Linebackers do we have?”

“Nuclear Tipped? Like Two per Pocket.”

“Assign those missiles to the grill, MWO, clear the damn tubes!”

“Missiles, on the way!”

The VLS-2’s of the Cruisers each fire off Eight Hitchhikers at the Horus Class Assault Destroyers. They begin their burns and stage a few seconds later, each one rapidly closing the distance

“Linebackers are on the grill! Two seconds!”

The SGM-276 “Linebacker” is a Nuclear Tipped, Size Two Missile, with a prox fuse. A few seconds later, those missiles clear their tubes and fly towards a target. Each one explodes in the middle of the formation, reducing their missile counts by 2/3. The rest are mopped up by regular PDMs, 50mm Flak, and 20mm Slug.

“Helmsman, close the distance! Flank Ahead!”

“Closing distance, Flank Ahead.”

The ships begin moving again. The barrels run cold as they patiently await a Fire Control Lock.

“Haven’t had combat this fun since the Commonwealth Navy skirmished in Panasu over a misunderstanding! Ah, this brings back good memories. How’s our Fire Control looking?”

“It’s on!”

“All guns, Free Engagement, after first volley, load AP-I!”

Each gun fires off their salvos of AP, before switching off to Armor Piercing Incendiary, hoping to disrupt any more torpedo launches.

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As fire is directed two more stealth missile platforms reveal themselves. 100 more torpedos. Overkill? Very much, but Koskilis didn’t have many ships to spare and for him this was personal

The horus classes activate all countermeasures and interception. But they couldn’t stop all of them and take multiple hits. One of the destroyers suffers engine failure and decompression, being knocked out of the battle for now. The rest break formation and deploy swarmers.

The radar picks up more ships in the distance, around 10 of them. Most likely reinforcements. Koskilis’ plan did not work, so he needed to improvise

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