I knew I'd have just enough time to get half of the journal posted here. I should have the other half hopefully soon.
G’Mar 1
I’m still feeling a buzz of happiness and excitement as I enter the briefing room for information about the next mission. The sensors of the Midway have detected an alien communication relay station that can send signals all the way to the Kilrah system. This station must be taken out for us to have any hopes of advancing further into this system. The bugs have a significant defense for the station, and our plan is to set up an ambush by feigning an attack on the station. I’ve been assigned a Shrike bomber to destroy the transmitter arrays of the station, while multiple fighter wings attempt to provide cover. Once the aliens attack our group at the station, we’ll head for the T’lan Meth jump point to let the TCS Eisen send fighters thru the jump point to spring our ambush trap.
Our group arrives at the communication station nav point, and I let our fighters start their attack against the alien fighter contingent. I see a Stingray getting within close range of my bomber, and go after it on afterburners. One blast from my guns breaks apart and destroys a Stingray cluster segment. A second Stingray section attempts to evade me, but it too falls to a charged mass driver shot. I turn around since my ship has now attracted some attention, and make calls for help so that my Shrike does not end up with a lot of artificial holes. It takes quite some time to get a Manta in my gun sights long enough to try another shot. The blast impact on the Manta takes it out, and I splat another Stingray segment. I’m contacted to head for the ambush point, and I make it to the ambush point with some damage to the rear of my Shrike’s armor. With more fighters for the bugs to deal with, I’m expecting less opportunity for my Shrike to take more hits. Another Stingray falls to a full power shot, and I engage a Manta that almost hit me with its Gorgon guns. That Manta takes two hits before it is blown to bits, and our fighters are whittling down other enemies. I manage to make a lucky hit against a far more mobile Moray, and one attempts to make a direct attack approach. That’s perfect chance for me to show him the error of his ways, and only the communication facility is left. I set my light torpedoes for this attack on the station, and make sure I’m attacking it from the top. It takes six of my torpedoes, and one from another Shrike to shred the station. On our way back to the Midway, there is a bit of a reception committee. I hit a Stingray twice to take it out of action, and a second one makes a foolish direct attack. The mass drivers take it out too, and I get to see a MIRV tracker missile make multiple hits on a Stingray. A group of Stingrays cluster together, and I’m able to break it apart. One of our pilots had to eject after taking fire from those plasma bolts of the Stingray. I squish another Stingray with my Shrike, and finish off the fighters by blasting a Moray. The new fighters from the Wolf Pack squadron are transferred to the Midway for assistance on future missions. Upon approaching the Midway for landing, Rachel tells us she has used scout data to add on new missions on the simulator. She hopes that this new data about the fighting tactics of the bugs will prevent losses of fighters and pilots. Rachel then congratulates me on my performance for this mission, and I’m quite surprised that I got over ten kills flying in the Shrike bomber as well as only the armor damage to the ship itself.
G’Mar 2
I see Maniac in the ready room, and say that it looks like he saw a ghost. Maniac tells me that he lost two rookies to the bugs today. I say that losses like that can happen, and Maniac says that he never had this happen. He continually charges on the attack, and never gets a scratch. I point out that although his luck did not carry over to the rookies, he did the best he could to make the rookies survive. Maniac admits that my words have helped him to feel a bit better, and he makes an awkward attempt to thank me. I return his thanks, and we both go into the briefing room for our next assignment. The CAG tells us that Finley has been able to jam alien communication, so there is no way that other bugs here can call for help. The CAG makes it clear that all remnants of the attack force in this system will be targeted for extermination. Due to the successful attack on the communication station, the bugs cannot contact their primary fleet. The Midway will be moving to block the H’rissith jump point so that no alien forces can slip by to warn the fleet. We’ll conduct a four point patrol sweep for a seek-and-destroy on the alien forces. At the third nav point, we’ll do a visual reconnaissance of the destroyed communication station and deal with any forces still at that point. The CAG again reminds us that we must hunt down every single bug so that no warning can get thru to their main fleet.
Upon launching in Panthers, Anderson says our element of surprise would be lost if any bugs get away. At the first nav point are alien fighters along with an Orca destroyer. I let the fighters get within close range before engaging afterburners to attack and pursue. A Moray is quickly destroyed, and I eliminate two Stingrays. Another fighter on our wing blasts a Stingray bug with a missile, and I score two Morays before Maestro has to eject. Three more Morays are vaporized by my Panther, and Zero helps out with a kill. Four Remoras are taken care of, and one of our bombers finishes off the destroyer. Zero and I each get a Stingray ship, and it’s time to move on to the next nav point. I wipe out two Morays, and one of our pilots has to eject. I see a Stingray cluster and take it apart. I then get two of the Stingray segments, and my fighter quickly deals with two more of the Morays. I see another Stingray cluster, and break it apart before it can turn any of our ships into Swiss cheese. I get a Stingray segment and a few Remoras. I then help finish off three more of the Stingray segments, and there are no aliens left here. When we arrive at the destroyed communication station, there are more fighters along with some Triton transports. Looks like we may have scored on a supply convoy under escort. I deal with two of the Morays, and start looking for Stingrays after seeing some plasma shots. I shoot down two Stingray segments, and I engage more of the Morays. Three are exterminated, and another Stingray segment is shot to shards. One more Moray and a Stingray are dealt with, and only the transports are left. I engage afterburners to quickly take down that very accurate rear gun of the Triton. One torpedo from a bomber is shot down before I can get that turret out of commission. The other turrets on its bridge are blasted, and I head for the second transport. Another fighter and I take down the rear and bridge turrets of the second Triton. The first Triton is torpedoed, and the bridge on the second one takes a direct torpedo hit. There’s nothing left for me to do here except to admire a close view of the defenseless Triton. One of our bombers finishes off the transport, so the bugs can’t use whatever those ships were carrying. At the final point of our patrol are Mantas and Stingrays. I take down two of the Mantas, but we lose one of our pilots for good from Stingray plasma shots. I break that Stingray cluster apart and blast one of its segments. I make a mess of a Manta, and then scuttle two more Stingray clusters. One of our pilots has to eject after taking too many hits, and I finish off a badly damaged Manta. Two more Stingrays and another Manta are taken down, but I have very little afterburner fuel left. I’m forced to use multiple missiles along with my guns to get rid of the final Manta. We head back to the Midway, and Anderson congratulates us on stopping the bugs from alerting their primary fleet. On the Midway, the CAG and Anderson tell me that I’ve been recommended to receive the Confed Flying Cross. I see a shocked look from Maniac, and I suspect he feels that his efforts have been ignored. After I check my performance score and note the large number of kills for this mission, I overhear the CAG asking Maniac to explain why his squadron is performing so poorly.
G’Mar 3
I head right for the briefing room, and the CAG shows us some spy data that we’ve captured on the aliens. Finley shows us a Kraken Ship Killer that appears to be in dry dock for repairs. We then get to see what a plasma weapon can do to a fleet. One shot from the Ship Killer took out an entire contingent of Kilrathi capital ships. With Midway as the next likely target of this Ship Killer, we’ll be launching in Shrike bombers to take it out. The Marines will be coming along in their landing craft in an attempt to help kill the Kraken. The CAG says to expect heavy enemy opposition along with the Ship Killer, and tells us to watch our backs to prevent our own destruction.
Right after launching, one of our fighters picks up a distress beacon from a Confed ship. The ship will be brought back to the Midway, and Maniac is looking forward to our upcoming fight against the bugs. Once we reach the Ship Killer, Maestro encourages me to deal with the turrets and expresses surprise over the size of the Kraken. I ignore his suggestion to go after the turrets of the Ship Killer since there are plenty of alien fighters around to cause me grief if I ignore them. I manage to get two hits on a Moray to destroy it, and I manage to taunt a Moray into attacking me directly. That ship is taken down by the charged mass drivers, and I repeat that success on another Moray. Two Stingray segments make the bad choice of doing a frontal attack, and two shots shatter their aspirations. I tag two more Stingray segments, but my Shrike takes a few hits from a Stingray cluster. The frontal armor is completely wiped out, but I scraped by with minor ship core damage. I blast two more of the Stingrays, and then I have to hit a Moray three times to take it down. Maniac thinks I’m not quite up to his level of skills, but I ignore his comment to concentrate on splashing another Stingray. The Marines have reached the Ship Killer, and the fighters help me out against the last alien fighter. A Devil Ray ship jumps in, and I know I’m no match for it in a bomber. I ask for assistance, and our fighters send that Devil Ray to Hell. The Marines tell me that the Kraken has started up its engines, and I can see it pulling away from the dry dock. I arm a heavy torpedo, and hit the engines of the Ship Killer. Maestro also puts a torpedo up its tailpipe, so the Ship Killer is immobile now. I assist in taking out the bridge of the Ship Killer, and it is now no longer a threat. The Kraken manages to say that we all will perish before multiple explosions leave the Kraken a blasted shell. I take a few moments to look over what remains of the Ship Killer before heading back to the Midway. Upon approach, Finley tells me that they’ve retrieved a Confed distress beacon that may provide more information about the alien forces were are up against. After landing on the Midway, Rachel congratulates me and I get to see that I again got more than ten kills with a bomber.
I head for the Rec room, and Maniac is attempting to explain his voluntary resignation from being a squadron commander to a female crew member. He makes some sort of lewd comment that gets him a drink in his face as his reward. Maniac offers to celebrate this resignation with me, and I state that I thought it was his dream of having his own squadron. Maniac complains that his responsibilities felt more like a nightmare with pilots squawking about their performance statistics and the CAG asking for results. Maniac offers a toast to the ‘free and easy’ life of being a wing commander. I hear an announcement by Anderson on the ship intercom to report to the ready room, and Maniac recognizes that I’ll be receiving an award. I ask if he’ll recover from this setback, and he tells me he did not get his callsign for nothing. Maniac gives me the advice to accept the medals I’m getting, but to not take a position as a squadron commander. I then enter the ready room, and the Captain along with many other personnel are here to give me the Confed Flying Cross. The CAG, Commodore Blair, and other pilots give me their congratulations. Stiletto also admires that I received a promotion to the Midway’s Wolf Pack squadron along with the medal. I say that Maestro, Zero, and Stiletto will be coming along into the Wolf Pack with me and Maestro says it’s time to celebrate.
Meanwhile, at the Wormhole Gate in the Kilrah system a ship known as the Tiamat makes its passage through the wormhole and knocks aside an asteroid with its entry.
Some time later, a new Plasma gun has been installed on the Midway. In the briefing room, Finley shows the CAG and I some data that was captured from the Ship Killer. The aliens created the Wormhole Gate artificially, and Finley says that it took quite a bit of planning to pull this off with their technology. With data from the Confed beacon, the tactical division believes that the aliens that came thru the Wormhole Gate were only a reconnaissance force. The Wormhole Gate itself is being reinforced for a permanent passage. The ‘plumes’ of the individual nodes on the gate may possibly be cooling towers to dissipate the amount of heat needed to keep the Wormhole Gate open. If the towers are taken out, it may cause an overload to destroy the Gate but there is not enough information to be certain. The CAG emphasizes that some way must be found to shut down the Wormhole Gate. I think the Midway’s new Plasma weapon would make short work of the remaining alien capital ships and the Wormhole Gate itself. Finley is not sure if the Plasma weapon will work with Confed technology, and there is a risk that the Midway itself could be destroyed when it tries to use this new weapon. The CAG points out that this Plasma weapon may be the only chance we have to win against the bugs.