Breaking Foundations: Raiders and Transports (complete)

[Ben Gharmon]

"Smile, it only gets worse from here"...Somehow, I found it pretty hard to follow my own advice. Two days was a long time in hyperspace. Even longer when you're bored sick and missing your family. Just this one last job, and it would be a mad rush home to see them. By the force, kids grow up too quick, even quicker when you arent there to watch it. But work is work. Kyrinos' climate left alot to be desired. Word had it the colonists there were having a real tough time. These supplies would do well to help 'em out. Who knows, maybe I'd get that warm fuzzy feeling about this job. Would help to justify a little.

A shudder went through the hull of The Slugger as he dropped from hyperspace. The old Corellian shook worse everytime. Hopefully, after all this is over, I wont have to worry bout it anymore. Gotta keep my mind on the job for now though. Im not exactly thrilled about being escorted by snubs, but its better than goin in alone. The TIEs would be here any moment now. No use draggin this out any longer than it already is....

[Wraith]

Space was a cold and dark place, the man thought as he watched The Slugger come out of hyperspace and head towards Kyrinos.

"Maintain radio silence." he said into his radio, making sure his wingmen had their cloaking devices on, then his own. He knew the technology was working, but it never hurt to double and triple check.

His comlink crackled again as the Imperial TIE Fighters appeared on their radar.

"Mister Gharmon, welcome to Kyrinos," the voice came over the comm as four TIE Fighters began siding up to the battered Corellian Corvette.

"We'll be escorting you from here to Kyrinos...nothing too major going on here. Should be smooth sailing...what the?"

The man smirked as he turned his cloaking device off and powered his engines up.

It was time...Wraith didn't even nod as he fired upon the first TIE Fighter.

[Ben Gharmon]

"What the frell! Where did...who....!!!!" The snubs arrived, and we got attacked. Ive never seen the other ships before. Im not expert, but I know enough, and I know ive never seen that before.

A TIE immediately blew up beside me. The rest of em started to scramble now, trying to get into position on these things. I wasnt about to sit around and look pretty though.

It still buggers me. Where the frell did those things come from. They didnt show up on my scanners. They just....showed up....Either way, im not completely helpless.

I switched on my targeting computer and took aim on the first one that came up. It locked on and immediately, a rear turbolaser cannon opened up on him...

Id come this far, and I had my wife and boy waitin at home. I wasnt gonna let some newfangled starfighters stop me now...

[Wraith]

Wraith flew his fighter through the wreckage of the TIE Fighter, barrel rolling and dogding the Corvette as it fired upon his group of fighters.

Two of his wingmen continued after the rest of the TIEs while the last one accompanied Wraith as he attacked the Corvette.

The cannons his fighter was using tied in directly into his engines, allowing him to have a faster recharge, unlike the TIEs who had to allocate energy from one section to another.

"Mayday...Maday!" one of the TIEs said as it tried to run from the fight.

"We are under attack! Bring hel_"

The pilot was cut off as his fighter turned into dust from an attack by one of the raiders.

Wraith smiled and targetted the corvette. He switched to missilles and let two heavy rockets loose, watching them fly towards the old freighter...

[Ben Gharmon]

The missiles rocked the hull as they hit. "Frell...Where in the frell is the Balmorran Empire??? Why is my escort trying to escape!!!" I grabbed my comlink as I saw a second snub get vaped..."MAYDAY MAYDAY....This is The Slugger...Im under attack....I repeat...I AM UNDER ATTACK..!!"

"Keep together ol buddy. They cant dance around us forever." Turbolasers from my old corvette tore at the fighters. These guys are good....Damn good...They're dancing around here like im not even firing. The old warhorse could take a beating, but they're eating away at my shields pretty fast....If I could just....

Another blast rocked the ship...."FRELL FRELL FRELL!!!!!!"

[Wraith]

Wraith remained calm as he heard the distress call come out.

"Mayday Mayday...this is The Slugger..." the rest of the transmission was static as Wraith's gloved hand pressed a button, jamming the signal.

Wraith's emotions surged as he targetted The Slugger with his heavy rockets again. His computer chose the main power relay on the old corvette and he let another two rockets go into space.

[Ben Gharmon]

I stared blankly at the comlink for a moment. They were jamming me. Just then the lights flickered on and off in the bridge, as the hull was rocked by two more missile shots. This cant be good. So far, all my turbolasers had done was piss these things off. Kyrinos would have to wait. I swivvled my chair around and began running the coordinates to Tamaren. The navicomputer started running through hyperspace routes. I swivvled back around and and hit the ignition for the hyperdrive. The hull lurched momentarily and.....

Nothing!?! That last hit must have messed up my hyperdrive!

I quickly reached over and turned up the juice to the Turbolasers. I would put me at risk of burning them out...Oh, who the frell am i kidding, I was at risk of melting them completely. But If they screw up, I want the hit to count.

With the targeting computer going crazy trying to hit these boys, no use hoping for a miracle. I dashed out of the bridge, grabbing my toolbox on the way. Maybe I could get the hyperdrive fixed...

[Wraith]

Damage to the freighter at 75%. Estimated another 3 rockets should do it.

Wraith smiled as his onboard computer gave him the latest damage report from his attack. It wouldn't be much longer now.

Wraith rarely allowed himself to show emotion, something his instructors had marvelled at...his cold and calculating nature. Added with his ability with a fighter, he became feared by those in his class. It was something he prided himself on regularly during his private moments.

His wingman sent another rocket into the side of the freighter and Wraith watched as one of the rear engines exploded.

"Break off your attack," Wraith broke radio silence, ""This one's mine."

He got double clicks from the other fighters acknowlodging the order.

[Ben Gharmon]

I was thrown across the room as one of my rear engines hit. I dont think I broke anything, dont really have time to worry about it. I ran back to the brig. Hopefully they'd let me go. Hopefully they were only after my supplies.

I dashed back up to the main brig and hit a button. Rather than it being a distress signal, it was a signal that I surrendered. I powered down my main reactor, shutting off my engines, to further show that I surrender. Life support systems were running off a back up generator, which also ran one more system. I opened the hangar to allow them to board with me, as I dashed over to my escape pod....

[Wraith]

Wraith slowed his fighter to a stop, watching as the hangar bay began to open. The freighter operator was a fool, as most on this route were. He wouldn't be a loss to the galaxy.

The pilot waited until he saw the bay door completely open, then he fired one of his last rockets. The hangar went up in flames.

The next rocket went towards the main reactor of The Slugger. A wall of green and white flame came from the doomed freighter as it began to explode.

[Ben Gharmon]

As the slagging continued, I jumped into the escape pod and hit the release. As I floated away, I saw them finish off my ship. A tear welled up in my eye. "Im sorry old buddy...". The old Correlian had got me through alot. I shoulda stayed with him to the end. But he woulda understood. I removed the picture of Maddie, my wife, from my jacket pocket and kissed it lightly.

The Slugger had went out fighting, as the explosion rocked one of those bastards for a loop. It didnt destroy him, but it was enough to shake him, give em hell ol' boy...

Kyrinos was fairly close, and I had enough consumables for the trip. Maybe another transport would see me, if not then itd be a long trip to Kyrinos. Either way, at least I get to see Maddie and Benny again...

[Wraith]

Escape Pod released...targetting...

Wraith stared at the floating escape pod as it began to drift. Then he switched to space bombs, releasing one into space.

The bomb had no driving mechanism and thus was dependent on Wraith's speed to go anywhere. That speed would come soon.

Wraith toggled his afterburners, thrusting the bomb away from his ship and towards the slowly moving escape pod.

[Ben Gharmon]

"What the frell, hes turning this way"...They got what they wanted. Why is he. No.

The ship flew at me. I awaited the inevidable. At first I thought he was turning around. Thought maybe he just wanted to shake me up, like the Sluggler had done to him. Then I saw the bomb.

Im shaking. This is it. I love you Maddie. I love...

The explosion came, then a flash of fire....Then everything went dark....

[Wraith]

The blast from the bomb hurtled Wraith forward away from the exploding freighter.

Looks like you got another one, Wraith." one of the wingmate's said over Wraith's radio.

"Keep radio silence...or I'll show you what happens to that 'pent up' anger you guys talk about all the time."

A double click told him his message came across.

Attack completed in 7 minutes. That's 5 minutes shorter than the last attack.... the compute screen read.

Next time we're going for 4 minutes. Or else I'll push myself even harder and harder.

"Prepare to cloak and go into hyperspace...on my mark. Mark."

The fighters disappeared in a flash of purple and white as the ships cloaked and went into hyperspace, leaving behind not a trace of their existance.

Only the wreckage of The Slugger.