OOC:

I figured I might as well just use one topic.

Scouting

Strapping himself into the pilot’s seat, Dracule ‘Drac’ Mihawk took a moment to review the controls of the starfighter he found himself sitting in, breathing in the slightly metallic tang of the ship’s interior scent. The TIE Vanguard, a reconnaissance ship created off the same chassis as the venerable and much-lamented TIE Starfighter, came off well in comparison with its older brother. First and foremost among the advantages particular to the craft was its sensor gear and the outward-canted solar panels that didn’t limit said gear so much compared to other configurations. Typically TIEs had very short range sensors- there was no point, since most TIEs carried no missiles. However, this craft carried an advanced suite capable of detailed detection and analysis from beyond even the sensor range of most capital ships. This lent the craft its single biggest advantage: distance. Chances were that, on a mission, only an enemy picket might detect the small ship. Even if that happened, though, the Vanguard would likely have the distance it needed to keep well ahead of any pursuit until it could escape.

To assist in that escape, the Vanguard boasted a host of other upgrades. Upgraded thrusters gave it maneuverability superior even to that of the TIE Interceptor, a shield generator ensured it could absorb some damage while still protecting valuable intelligence, and a VE-standard hyperdrive ensured that the nimble craft could undertake delicate scouting operations alone. If things really went south, though, Drac would find himself in trouble. A ship armed with only a single blaster cannon is not much good for dogfighting, no matter the pilot’s skill. A fight could easily mean death or capture.

Drac finished pre-flighting the engines and began to check the sensor systems. At the same time he repeated his orders to himself mentally, You are to do a system flyby of the Virgillia System with the goal of gathering information on the system’s defenses around Virgillia 7, including any planetary shields, orbital defense platforms, etc. Also make sure to record any mobile defenses including capital ships, starfighters, and planetary security craft. Finally, if conditions permit, do a closer pass in order to collect data on population centers and planetary conditions. Once you have accomplished all of that, or are being pursued, depart the system posthaste while following the standard course misdirection procedures. Return to Abrae immediately thereafter.

Everything checked out in the green. Drac powered the starfighter up, then tapped his comm to activate the command frequency, “This is Flight V-26 to Control. Requesting permission to launch.”

A cool voice, almost mechanical and completely genderless, replied, “V-26, Control here. One moment…V-26, you are cleared for launch.”

“Thank you, Control. Flight V-26 launching.”

“Acknowledged.”

Drac activated the release for the clamps holding his starfighter in place, then smoothly accelerated out of the hangar. As his Vanguard dropped into open space below the Atrus, he pulled up and turned onto the course that would take him first to Koda Station and then to Coveway before he would make the final jump to Virgillia. He double-checked everything, thinking, That was definitely a person who’s spent too long doing a job they don’t like. He frowned. Hope they get reassigned soon. That’s a security risk if ever I saw one. He made a mental note to mention it to his superiors upon returning, then pushed the hyperspace lever forward and watched the stars blur into lines and begin to spin together. TIE cockpits really do offer a dazzling display of that… Drac’s gloved hands ran over the smooth, cool control surfaces of the craft once more, checking each piece of equipment, then dropped to the rough fabric of his flightsuit as he sat back to relax.Nap time, he thought idly.

-----

Several hours later…

The dark skinned Mon Cal watched the timer wind down, then pulled the hyperspace lever back and began to scan the immediate vicinity as the stars snapped back to pinpoints. He’d dropped out on the edge of the system, far from the likely locations for picket ships or listening posts. Normally even a reconnaissance ship like his would have to enter the system closer to its star, but fortunately Virgillia 7 was relatively far from the blazing sphere of hydrogen/helium it orbited and didn’t present nearly so hazardous a target.

The area within fifteen kilometers of his Vanguard was void of anything big enough to register on his sensors- meaning nothing bigger than the size of his fist was even close. Before him hung a planet, a brown, blue, and green ball in space with two moons orbiting it. Further away he could see other planets scattered about the solar system, everything orbiting the large, orangish star that peaked over the horizon of Virgillia 7.

Drac stifled a curse and quickly activated his sensors on their highest setting. Lighting them up at that level would light him up on the Virgillian’s scopes as well, but something had already gone wrong anyway. He didn’t know if it was the distance-to-target he’d been given, his calculated travel time, his hyperspace velocity, or some other variable, but he was much closer to the target planet than he should be. There would likely be time for only one good pass before local security forces noticed him and gave pursuit.

With the push of a button the Mon Cal started the recording devices going, each of the three memory hubs detailing different information- one each for static defenses, mobile defenses, and planetary data. He’d programmed each during transit so they’d get an optimal spread of coverage. Grimacing, he deactivated his shield generator and let the energy shielding around his craft die away. He was now as unprotected as any classic TIE Starfighter, but the tradeoff was more effective sensors.

That done, Drac pushed his throttle to the max and began to mentally sketch out his course. One of the two moons, unnamed in his mission data was in almost perfect position off to the side of Virgillia 7, at least from his perspective. He dead-reckoned the course and let the ship have her head, planning to slingshot around the moon to gain even more momentum, finish a quick high-altitude orbit of the planet, and burn his way back out on the same course he’d come in on.

The plan was sound, but it didn’t account for what two of the three memory modules were recording. The static defense module didn’t have much to record, as all Virgillia 7 boasted in that area was several armed space stations and a couple of single-city on-planet shields. There was a complete lack of heavy defenses such as Golan stations or planetary shields, which was in line with what one might expect of an independent planet in a contested area of space.

Mobile defenses, unfortunately, were more substantial. Drac’s scope noted a half dozen ships with combat specifications that grossed in the tonnage to be capital ships. It was a rather impressive group for a lone planet, consisting of three CR-90 corvettes, a Nebulon-B Frigate, a Lancer class frigate, and one of the oldest, most decrepit Dreadnought cruisers the Mon Cal had ever seen. Between them he calculated they could carry an entire wing of starfighters, not to mention what might be on the planet.

It wouldn’t be so bad, except one of the CR-90s and a flight of starfighters, the old Headhunters, were heading toward him at that very moment. Drac did some quick math in his head, smiling as he concluded that they couldn’t catch him before he completed his three-quarter orbit and exit burn. However, that didn’t mean they couldn’t try. His comm crackled as the corvette came across on an open channel, “Unidentified starfighter, please identify yourself and state your purpose, then prepare to be detained briefly for verification.”

Drac ignored them.

“Unidentified starfighter, I say again: Halt and identify yourself. You won’t be given another warning.”

The Mon Cal smirked to himself slightly, taking a deep breath of the humid, ocean-scented air his respirator supplied to his helmet. The briny smell was always a pleasant diversion- not that taunting the locals wasn’t.

A third communication, “Unidentified starfighter, if you do not heave-to immediately you will be destroyed.”

Drac’s smirk grew as he tilted his head to pop his neck, I thought they said they wouldn’t…whoa! He was almost done with his three-quarter orbit, but was surprised to see a second flight of Headhunters coming straight at him. They came around the other side. Smart of them. He glanced down, saw that the memory modules had sufficient data, then flicked them off and split all discretionary power between his shields and engines.

The Headhunters in front of him tried to fire, but the Vanguard’s burst of speed and sudden shielding kept them from landing the kill and they were soon swarming haphazardly around to come in on Drac’s tail. Finally, he spoke back to the Virgillians, “Thanks for the welcome party and gifts, but I’m afraid I really must be going now. Please send my regards to your commander- and recommend that he train his men to shoot straighter. Until next time.”

Two minutes later the TIE Vanguard flickered into hyperspace, leaving a very angry double-flight of Headhunters to wheel back around and rejoin their fleet accompanied by the CR-90 and its now purple-faced Captain. Drac, for his part, secured the memory modules, took another deep breath of that salty air, and settled back for another nap.

OOC:

Word Count: 1578