Re: Dawn - Mentocka holds
2410.1
Zezzis system
Zezzis X...
While still angry, the population realized that rioting and destroying their own facilities was going to do very little to change the situation. Propaganda material developed at the UPC helped, but this was a planet of research. Twenty-five facilities were dedicated to the discovery of new technologies. Dawn scientists arrived and toured the planet. They began to discuss how to improve the facilities, processes and techniques to get more from the effort expended in those discoveries. As reason and logic started to replace the emotional response of being “conquered”, plans were made to improve the Sergetti facilities – starting now.
Meanwhile, the ground combat at Zezzis XI continued as more fighters were delivered. The last Sergetti planet in the system, Zezzis XII was invaded by 36 troops. The facilities on the planet were a mixture of organic facilities and research facilities. The Dawn was getting impatient. The time to end the Zezzis operation was now.
Mentocka system
Mentocka VII...
With the capture of Mentocka VI the ships in the system were re-supplied. Mentocka VII was only one month from completing her own supply depot, then supplies would be abundant. There was a Cue Cappa fleet of eight destroyers and a freighter bearing down on Mentocka VII, however, as the other occupants of the system tried to disrupt the Dawn. Bulldog and Northampton moved into orbit to protect the colony, which had a Hercules V and two Hercules VI weapon platforms to assist the ships.
At Mentocka VI, Cardiff, North Weald and Plymouth were joined by sixty-seven fighters to protect the planet and support ships there. The warp point to Ushphada via Tilikanthua was protected by Vancouver, Northampton and Shelly. Shelly had retrieved and re-deployed the Tripwire IV at the warp point. With a level three anti-proton cannon that had a range of 100km, shields and its own regenerator it was a welcome addition to the defense of the point.
The Cue Cappa fleet kept on course and attacked Mentocka VII. Commander O’Rourke ordered Portsmouth to loop around the right side of the formation, while Bulldog looped around the left. She was giving the enemy a direct and unopposed path to the planet. While Portsmouth nimbly darted in and out of range of the enemy, she had to remember that Bulldog was far less agile, so the turns would be less. She was able to get in behind the enemy fleet, charging for the planet in an arrowhead formation. At 100km from the enemy, Bulldog opened fire on the last destroyer in the formation and burned 50% of her armor away. On the other side of the formation, Portsmouth fired at 90km from her target, and reduced its armor to 65%.
Two of the destroyers fired on Bulldog, including her target, but they never deviated from their course to the planet. Bulldog was able to fire again, and destroyed her target’s armor. The destroyer had its port side ripped open, and lost a point defense cannon as well as its ordinance stores. One of its engines was also damaged. Bulldog took the two enemy hits on her shields, which dropped to 92%.
Portsmouth fired again, but two of her beams missed, and the target lost only a bit more armor. The enemy was not approximately 200km from the planet. The operators on the weapon platforms targeted the lead destroyer.
Bulldog took two more hits, and her shields dropped to 88%. She fired, and the enemy destroyer lost five of its six engines. It could still fire, though.
Portsmouth scored with two hits, and her target had only 28% of its armor left. She was paralleling her target’s course, and out of range of return fire. On Bulldog, Commander O'Rourke ordered a hard turn to port. This would slow the ship and allow the second destroyer that was firing on her to take itself out of range and also allow Bulldog to follow the destroyers into the planet. She took one last shot from her target before her own fire ended its struggles.
Portsmouth fired and scored three hits, removing the destroyer’s armor and slicing into one of the engines. The target’s speed slowed to 11km/sec. More fire from Portsmouth destroyed another engine and a weapon, as she was able to pull ahead of the target and attack its front. The destroyer was down to 9km/sec. Portsmouth fired a third time, and the destroyer lost its second weapon, and began to retreat at 7km/sec. Portsmouth targeted a new destroyer.
By now the five remaining destroyers were within range of the planet. The lead destroyer took ten anti-proton beams and lost all of its armor as well as its weapons. The weapon platforms targeted the next destroyer…
Caught between withering fire from the planet that was effectively disabling their ships with every shot, and a pair of ships on their rear, the destroyers were finished. In less than a minute, the Cue Cappa lost their fleet. One shot hit a weapon platform, and repair was already underway...
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