Haajinen War Chronicles: Collateral Damage

This is Part 2 of a series. Part 1 can be read here. 

Using locator agents we were able to pin down our assailant in the system of Uemisaisen. Resolved to not fall prey to his strategy we formed a fleet and presented ourselves in full force. The Genetisystems fleet knew it could not stand up to the mercenary’s skills and firepower individually or even in small squadrons. We also knew we didn’t want to be remotely subtle about our intentions to defend ourselves.

The fleet was comprised of a Griffin Frigate for Electronic Counter Measures (my ship), a Jaguar Assault Frigate for close-in fighting and tackling, an Arbitrator drone cruiser for its damage dealing sentry turrets and repair drones, a nimble Raptor Interceptor to pin our target, and finally, a Cerberus Heavy Assault Cruiser designed to kill an enemy at range with lethal precision.

The fleet patrolled from gate to gate and eventually found the mercenary approximately 80 kilometers off the Litiura jumpgate. We tightened formation on the gate to observe him. The mercenary is known to fly many ships, but on this morning he was flying an Ishtar, a very expensive Heavy Assault Cruiser designed for brawling: short range, quick firing turrets and drones.

The mercenary continued out of our fleet’s range, slowly, until he was within jump distance of the Litiura jumpgate. In anticipation, we dispersed slightly. If the mercenary jumped into the fleet, each pilot would target and the Arbitrator would engage with drones. If this garnered a response from the Ishtar, the fleet would open up with all weaponry.

The Ishtar jumped.

Adrenaline coursed through every pilot as the fleet locked onto the Ishtar. The Arbitrator pilot engaged the Ishtar and my Griffin began taking heavy fire. Subsequently, I began jamming the Ishtar and the fleet engaged.

The Griffin is a low tech paper-thin frigate not designed for combat or heavy fire. This is unfortunate as any ECM vessel is such a hindrance to any enemy fleet that they are often the primary target. But, Griffin pilots know their role and the risks. Plus, Griffin pilots benefit from the same cloning vats used by battleship pilots. We can always return.

My Griffin lost all shields and armor when the Ishtar jumped through the gate, breaking off the engagement. The Griffin continued to take damage, despite the Ishtar’s departure. It soon became apparent that I was not being assaulted by the enemy, but by the rampant drones of the Arbitrator.

We immediately began joking that we must have surely confused the Ishtar pilot by targeting not him, but ourselves. But, the truth remained that the fleet was new, inexperienced, and vulnerable.

Sturm Wellington

Morning of the First Day of Hostilities

Haajinen System, Lonetrek