>>5789957The rest of the regimental commanders are already there, standing around Fabian and the holotable, which now displays the split republic fleet coming closer together. If you didn’t know any better it would almost seem like they were entering a new formation. Captain Tyro observes your entrance, then walks into the middle of the central platform, turning to an officer in the bridge pit.
“Helmsman, begin.”
The entire ship shakes, and you hear a muffled rumble from somewhere far away. And then, through the windows, you see the horizon start to tilt. You feel yourself instinctively brace as your centre of gravity shifts, even with the artificial gravity of the ship activating. You see a new signal appear on the holotable, a small blinking triangle that’s slowly ascending from the planet as it heads to the upper atmosphere. Looking out the window again you see the clouds start to thin out and disappear, and soon the pale blue atmosphere of Cato-Neimoidia fades away to reveal the dark upper reaches of space. And, directly in front of the ship, you can see a field of small grey shapes moving about with many sudden flashes of light between them. The Republic Fleet that lay siege to Cato-Neimoidia is now destroying itself.
Captain Tyro, now satisfied that the take-off is successful, walks over to your group with a grim look on his youthful face. “Gentlemen. The battle’s begun. We’ll be entering the main field of fire in a few minutes. I’ve turned our transponders off in the hopes that nobody will notice us and leave us alone, but that’s only a slim chance. We’re blockade running in an acclamator, and they’re not built for that work. Wish me luck.”
He pauses, then gives a brief salute before returning to the central platform.
“Shields to maximum! Divert all power from weapons to the engines! Give her all she’s got!”
The bridge crew is bent double as they stick to their stations, eyes peeled to the screens in front of them that relay all the ships data and received signals. There’s shouted reports which Captain Tyro receives, and then quickly responds to. Even from here you can tell that he’s sweating. Soon enough you can see through the bridge the outlines of starships, Venators and Dreadnoughts pouring fire into each other while their shields flash and fail. Fighters are everywhere, ARCs and V-Wings pursuing each other and being pursued, many falling out of formation trailing smoke and flame. You even see the wreckage of several ships already, the front section of a venator slowly falling to the planet below. Someone’s tuned in to the local comms, and you can hear the reports from some of the fighters as they identify targets and incoming enemies, redirecting their fire or screaming as they get hit. It’s a slaughter out there. And you can’t even tell the sides apart. You only hope that you can somehow escape to safety in all this chaos.
<span class="mu-s">Roll 1d100 to escape unnoticed. Bo3.</span>
DC 85
