Quoted By:
"One: despite being a very minor kiith, Buujan has contributed materials to <span class="mu-i">Naqam's</span> construction: the basic framework was made using their composites. For that alone, we owe them a debt of gratitude. Two: for all the training and practice we've had, it will never make up for real combat experience and this is our chance to gain some before we depart Hiigaran space. And three: according to the request, the attackers are Taidan."
This certainly gets a reaction from everyone. A low, hateful, bloodthirsty murmur.
"Imperials this deep into Hiigara's sphere?" someone throws out.
"It's most likely a raid group," the reply comes from Erinja, one of the veterans and your current Navigation officer -- you provided the vets and the bridge crew with a copy of the request a few hours before the meeting. "Some strike craft with a support frigate to use as a mobile base, intended to disrupt resource gathering, trade, and shipping."
"Cowards!" someone spits. "Attacking unarmed vessels is all they can do!"
This is met with a growl of assent.
"How do we know it's just a raid group?" someone else asks.
"Heeshk class support frigates can carry up to ten fighter craft and four corvettes into a hyperjump," Erinja replies calmly, "and sensor data from Buujan indicates none of the attacks launched against them ever crossed that threshold.. Besides," she smiles humorlessly at the man who asked the question. "If it was a bigger force, like say a carrier group, Kiith Buujan would no longer exist. Based on the information provided, even two raid groups working together would be enough to break through their defenses."
"Kiith Buujan have made their home in a large asteroid within the Vaneda Field," you jump in with an explanation. "They made this decision after bolstering their kiith's numbers with Kadeshi repatriates and defend the asteroid with reverse-engineered Taidan drone technology fused with Kadeshi swarmer tech. However, while the drones are sufficient to fend off attacks against their base, their limited operational range leaves their mining operations vulnerable to harassment."
"Barely sufficient," Erinja corrects gently. "The Taidan are using multi-gun corvettes that can shred through the drones. Buujan are barely able to keep up with manufacturing new ones and each attack comes closer to punching a hole in the defense grid for bombers to come through and deal critical damage to something important like a power plant or life support. And given the kiith had to suspend all mining operations, they will eventually run out of resources to replace lost drones."
