Re: Dawn - Captured
2408.4
Zezzis system
...onboard CDS Toronto...
The Norakian presence in Zezzis was increasing. Two more point defense ships were now in the system. The seven-ship fleet hadn’t moved, but two point defense ships were en route to join them. The spy satellite over Zezzis IV had intercepted their orders and knew both were on their way to join the fleet.
Toronto and Montreal moved out of Zezzis IV’s orbit and made the short two-sector move to intercept the closest point defense ship. The two light cruisers bore down on the Norak ship. It turned to meet the threat, and fired its lone DUC at first one cruiser and then the other. Both cruisers held fire, and as the Norak frigate was turning to open the range, boarding parties from both ships were launched.
Walter Sen was now in command of a boarding party in a war. For the first time, they were going to attempt the capture of a completely undamaged enemy ship. As their boarding pods contacted the hull of the frigate, cutting torches from recessed pockets in the pod sliced into the hull of the target. Sen and his troops assaulted the ship from the port side, while Montreal’s boarders assaulted from the right. The Norak crew were outgunned 4 to 1, and were also engaged with two light cruisers at the time. The battle was quick. 86 of the boarding party were incapacitated, but the ship had been taken. Dawn’s newest member of the fleet took up a position between Montreal and Toronto, and all three ships returned to Zezzis IV.
The arrival of the Norak had other consequences to the plans in Zezzis. Aztec, which was to lay a second minefield at the Zezzis-Lezzari warp point was ordered to Zezzis IV and – if possible – lay a minefield of sixty mines at the Zezzis-Fezzran warp point and stop the Norak incursion. Twelve Norak frigates were now in Zezzis.
Also supporting the move against the Fezzran warp point was Beagle, the cloaked spy ship. Captain Cabrerra would penetrate the warp point, and provide advance notice of what was headed towards Zezzis and remain undetected all the while.
The cargo ship Freightliner also entered Zezzis from Velocitas, but stayed at the warp point under the protection of the mines and the fighters there. The Phong planet Zezzis VII was a tiny rock world with a space yard, supply depot, space port and two research stations. Although she was guarded by a Phong destroyer sporting three DUCs and a point defense ship, the plan was for Manchester and West End, along with fighter support from Zezzis V to take the two ships on and destroy them. Scans revealed the presence of no troops on the planet. The chance to acquire of a space yard in a war zone was too good to pass up...
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