>>6038923By this time, Elysium is already heating up the barrels again for the next round of herding. Determined to make up for Albatross-2's lacklustre performance, Stork-1 has been a constant thorn in your light forces' side, dashing in and out of their attack vectors and using its numerous laser mounts to intercept incoming ordinance. “Pull out, we'll go in again from delta angle. Over.”
As the Saigonnese love to say, much to Shanghaian chagrin, “One lone swallow cannot make spring.” Likewise, one Stork cannot keep up the bluff. Soon, the Armitage's gunnery radar detects a pattern in the bird's insufficiently random manoeuvres and gets a lock-on. The next salvo pops the destroyer like a soap bubble. Without its escort, Snapdragon-1 swiftly meets the same fate as Snapdragon-2.
<span class="mu-s">The field is yours. However, time is running increasingly short. Indeed, the window to pass through Hyros unopposed may be entirely closed already. Even so, there's a chance that the Acheron commander has been intimidated enough by your victory to keep clear of your path. You roll 2d100 three times to soothe any premonitions.</span>
<span class="mu-s">You have a few options in the immediate aftermath of the battle. The more you choose, the tougher the next fight. This will be checked against the first dice.</span>
>Salvage destroyed ships. At least turn a profit from the encounter. (DC 50, +10 to next roll)>Finish repairs on your ship. Another hit into that spot will be devastating. (DC 40, +15 to next roll) >Recover Hummingbird-2. Moynihan has detected enough energy signatures to be confident that many systems are still running (DC 80, +20 to next roll)>Call in Thanaret. His fast cruiser should have no trouble catching up to your force later. (DC 60, +10 DC to next roll)>Regroup immediately. Going backwards or forwards, there's no time to waste (-10 DC to next roll)<span class="mu-s">One final decision. This will be checked against the second dice</span>
>Push ahead. Turning back now is no different from admitting defeat (base DC 70)>Retreat. There is no shame in walking away from an unwinnable fight (base DC 20) 