Dark Haven 2 - Chapter 11

[crunn]

Chapter 01 (Survivors)
Chapter 02 (Excursions)
Chapter 03 (No Place Like Home)
Chapter 04 (Rising)
Chapter 05 (Politics)
Chapter 06 (Seepage)
Chapter 07 (Getting Back)
Chapter 08 (Set Up)
Chapter 09 (All We Have)
Chapter 10 (Sphere)

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DARK HAVEN 2

Chapter 11 (Fray)


Jubilee


After a tense moment Pierson speaks. "There's the first one. XenM... and another and an N..."

"Do you think they can see us?" Asks Ensign Jareat.

"They don't seem to have. They are moving away from the gate...
Just the three of them." Pierson watches closely.

The Captain leans forward. "Target the N first. I don't want any escaping this time.
Pierson, bring us up, try to keep us between them and the gate."

Pierson Turns the Corvette to face back into the centre of the sector. He strafes up and hits the boosters.
Keswin locks on to the N with the main guns.

Hall concentrates on the screen. "2K, they still don't seem to have seen us.
Wait until we are on top of them before you fire."

Keswin nods.

"Entering firing range."

The three Xenon ships continue slowly away from the gate.
The Jubilee looms behind them, growing closer and closer.

"Now!"

The plasma shreds the Xenon M5.
The two M4's break formation and loop around to attack the M6.
Number one loops upward and enters the firing arc of the Jubilees upper turret.
Number one only lasts a few sezuras.
Number two loops around the side of the Argon ship and fires a few shots. The Corvettes shields are not noticeably affected.

"Roll us clockwise. Try to catch that last one with the lower turret."

"It's ok, it has done it for us."

The final Xenon ship bursts open under the fire of the lower turret.

The Captain relaxes again. "Good. Doesn't look like there are any more for now.
Take us 200 metres behind the gate and drop the satellite."

"Satellite ejected."

"Now then...
Illandas said the Jubilee was to stay patrolling Teladi Way.
No mention of the Discoverer."

'Oh hear it comes.' Thinks Pierson.

"Lieutenant Pierson, how would you like to go exploring?"

'There, what did I say.
And I thought she said she would take the Disco out next time.'
"Exploring?"
'The Xenon sector.'

"The Xenon sector."

"Ah yes that would be lovely." Says Pierson sarcastically.

Hall continues in a very flowery manor. "Good, good. Then it is
settled."

'What is in that coffee she drinks?
Ten miz ago she looked worse than I feel now.'
Pierson stands and drags himself off the bridge.

...


Discoverer (Pierson)


"Preparing to launch."

"As soon as you're ready Lieutenant."

The M5 once again breaks away from the Corvette.

"Dear, oh dear, oh dear.
Off I go to stare death in the face again..."

'Brennan better have a good reason for all this.'

The Discoverer lethargically moves to the gate.

...


Jubilee


"Lieutenant Keswin, take the helm. Bring us out of the nebula then plot a
patrol course meandering around the sector."

...


Discoverer (Olrasin)


'Let's see what's outside this nebula.'

Olrasin pilots the ship away from the gate.
He finds it's only a short distance to the edge.

"That was quick."

'Empty.
Nothing at all.
Scanners show nothing but the gate I just came through.
I don't see any ships or stations. No other nebula, no roids... or
planets.
One sun. Red Dwarf. Very distant.
I must be on the far outer edge of this system.'

'There's something.
Zoom...
A gate to the west.
I think I know where this is leading.'

'Set course. Speed 300.'

...

The almost blinding white is gone in a blink.

'As I thought, a Xenon sector.
The south gate hopefully leads to Teladi Way.
Good news for me, bad news for everyone else.'

'Set course, south gate, speed 300.'

'So what do we have here...
Xenon Trade Station.
Uh Oh. A Shipyard.
Two Solar Power Plants.
A Xenon M1 near the shipyard. A stream of fighters are filling it up.
What looks like a partially constructed M2 in the shipyard.'

'If these are replacements for the ones lost in Teladi Way...
Just a few stazura for one, almost two capitals and countless fighters.
That's not good.'

'Hopefully I can slip past them.'

...

'I'm not even quarter of the way there. They are coming after me.
Four N's, fast. They are moving to cut me off from the gate.'

'I have pushed the speed to 350 but the engines are making a terrible
noise. Vibrations shaking the ship.
I'm having trouble keeping it in a straight line.'

...

'Something has happened. An explosion in the back.
The vibrations and noise have almost gone. But so has my speed. I can only
reach 232 top.
Also, the ship is pulling quite badly to the left.
I'm sure the left engine has blown-up.'

...

'I'm over halfway to the gate now.'

'I can smell smoke coming from the back.'

'The N's are only a few sez away.
I'm going to have to fight. Which I'm not looking forward to in this
ship.
Weapons and shields are good, but the rest of the ship is about to fall
apart.'

'Nearing firing range.'

Olrasin picks a target and fires.
The four N's begin firing.
The Paranid twists to avoids most of the shots. The first of the Xenon ships is not so lucky and takes several hits.
The N turns and starts zigzagging away. Olrasin follows and keeps firing.
The other three Xenon, able to run circles around the partially crippled Argon ship, begin picking away at the shields.

'This is not going well. I've got the first N's shields down to 50%.'

"Navigation Command Software Destroyed."

"Damn!"

"Attention Weapon Energy Low."

"Damn!"

"Rudder Optimisation Damaged."

"Damn!"

'Good, number one destroyed.
My shields are at 20%
Evasive Manoeuvres while I find the next target and let the shields and weapons recharge.'

'There, I have number two in my sights.
Shields back up to 40%.
But they are all over me.

"Rudder Optimisation Damaged."

"Rudder Optimisation Damaged."

"Communications Destroyed."

"Engine Tuning Damaged."

"Ahhhh, this won't end well."

...


Discoverer (Pierson)


'Well here goes.'

Pierson flies into the vortex.
A moment later he emerges into the sector.

'Yup, Xenon sector alright.
Trade Station.
Uh Oh, Shipyard.
A couple SPP's.
One and a half Capitals.
A bunch of fighters, and a Disco?!?'

'It's under attack and loosing.
Moving to assist.'

'I wonder what... how it got here.
... Wait...'

"That looks familiar.
Pierson to Jubilee."

"Go ahead Lieutenant."

"What was the registration number of our original Disco?"

"AM5VV-48"

"As I thought.
I think I just found it."

"Pierson?!?" The Captain exclaims.

"It's under attack. I'm going to help.
I'll call back shortly."

'Engine, hull, rudder damage. Shields at 40%.
He's taken one out.
He won't win this though.'

"Pierson to Monroe...
Can you hear me Captain?...
Well hold tight, I'm coming."

'One miz'

'Shields at 20%
He's having trouble with number 2. It's distracting him while numbers 3 and four get the hits.'

'30 sez'

'Monroe's shields at 8%
Number 2 at 70%'

'What is he doing.
Monroe should be better than this.
Never mind N's, he should be able to take four M's easily.
Maybe L's with some missiles.'

'Well, he has been through a lot today. Miraculously survived it all...'

'Even I could manage four M's...
Well... three.
Entering firing range.'


Pierson charges No.2 and lets loose a large number of shots. That combined
with a few more from the other M5 sees and end to the Xenon ship.


'Monroe at 0%. Taking a little hull damage.
Now for No.3
Target nearest enemy.'


Pierson spins the ship to face the next foe.


'Uh Oh.
Strafe.
That was close, it tried to ram me.
Ah good, Monroe has already got it down to 80%.'


No.3 turns to avoid several more shots which almost hit Pierson as he swings his Disco in close behind the Xenon ship.
It tries to evade him but Pierson keeps it in his crosshairs and hammers down the shields.
A few sezuras later it breaks apart in a small and unimpressive explosion.

Both Argon fighters now turn their attention to the fourth N and with very little effort it joins the first three as debris.


'Ok, time to leave I think.'

"Monroe..."

'Scan the ship...
Plenty damage, mostly engines and rudder.
A few internal systems...
Ah the comms are fried.'


Pierson manoeuvres his ship nose to nose with the other and looks through at the other pilot.


'That's not Monroe.
A Paranid...???'


The Paranid looks back and nods a thank you.

'Back to the Jubilee. We need to talk.' Thinks Pierson, as if the Paranid could mind read.
He then motions his hand towards the south gate.
The Paranid understands and follows Pierson as he accelerates south.
They hold steady at 200m/s.

...

'There is an M moving towards the south gate.'

Pierson quickly calculates speed and distance.

'It will reach the gate before us.
I guess it will go through. The Jubilee can deal with it.'

'Also two L's.
They're too slow. We'll be out before them, just.'

...

'Ok, so the M has parked in-front of the gate, facing us, waiting.
Its sleek metallic shine,
its narrow profile is a menacing grimace.
Mocking, taunting.'

"So we fight."

'The other Disco is in no condition to take on an M4.
And that Paranid is a worse combat pilot than me, astonishingly.'

"So I fight."

'I can take it.
8K.'

As Pierson accelerates forward away from the other Argon ship he tilts his wings side to side as a signal that he is not abandoning the Paranid.

[KiwiNZ]

Very good read, Crunn. I like the funny little thoughts popping up every now and again.

Looking forward to see the next fight. It won't be that easy, even less so with an XL approaching.

Looking forward to the next chapter.

[(/\)arped]

Hmm... So the Xenon are planning another attack, Monroe is still AWOL (And seemingly crazy.) Pierson may not make it out of the sector alive... And the threat of the black ships still looms, especially now that the Argon have almost no fleet left.

MORE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Nice one Crunn.

[therjw]

So there still a threat to the sector
Great read cannot wait for the next chapter

[xxl_and]

Really good man, I think you are a professional.

Keep it coming.

[crunn]

Thanks Folks

[Dragon_Rider]

Just read the whole lot through, very impressed

Can't wait for the next chapter.

Great work Crunn

[Nuwanda]

Where did crunn run off to? Really waiting to see how this series goes but i havent seen him around since last year!


crunn...come back!

[Mastermue]

I emailed crunn yesterday asking about Dark Haven 2, but haven't had reply yet. He could be away. Will let you know if I hear anything.

[SaebeR III]

What happened to this story? Where is crunn? Will he just abandon this story?

[Mastermue]

Unfortunately, I didn't get any reply from the mail I sent ages ago.

Looks like this story is dead!

[Mastermue]

Found crunn's website.

http://www.thacker.plus.com/

Have emailed him again concerning this story....................and about me finishing it. Yikes!

Will let you know what happens!

[KiwiNZ]

Good man!

[joeone]

Just like to say you have another fan..... ME
I've caught up on all you're chapters now and they're all great
keep them coming