Project Ares Gold Edition

Chapter 14 - Crash landing

Asteroid cluster near the Dathomir System

Following their successful rescue mission on Zygerria, the newly promoted Admiral Tarkin sent Blue Team to provide security for a group of R.S.A. engineers that were analyzing an unknown warship found near Dathomir. The group consisted of forty engineers/scientists along with Blue Team. This detachment was stationed on the Precurse, an Arquitens-class cruiser that had been outfitted with additional workshops and server rooms to accommodate its crew.

The ship that they were analysing was unlike anything the engineers had seen before. Theorizing that it was probably a prototype warship of the Old Mandalorians before their collapse, the researchers struggled to dig deeper into its secrets. From the small amount of data that they could decrypt, the team learnt that the ship's name was the Pillar Of Autumn and was meant to be the flagship for the Mandalorian fleet but was scuttled before it could see any action.

Coming in at 1.4 kilometres in length, 300 metres in width and at its largest part; 400 metres in height. The ship did have some shields but the engineers reported that it wouldn't last long in an engagement with modern ships. However, what it lacked in shields it made up for in armour. The outside armour plating was an estimated 3 metres thick and composed of a mixture of chromium, dura-steel and beskaar. To add to this, each interior wall also had a 45-centimetre layer of this alloy to provide additional protection for the rooms further in.

In typical Mandalorian fashion, the ship's armament rivalled that of any battleship known to the galaxy. Outfitted with 18 heavy tri-turbolaser batteries, 4 ultra-heavy turbolaser cannons, 78-point defence turrets and 30 light turbolaser batteries. Though the heavy and ultra-heavy batteries required a gunner for each cannon, the point defence and light turbolaser guns were fully automated and targeted any nearby hostile vessel when activated. In addition, the Autumn also came with a wide assortment of missiles, rockets and torpedoes to bolster the already powerful arsenal.

As Master Chief walked through one of the few pressurized corridors of the ship, he passed a group of technicians replacing their external breathing apparatus. When the Old Mandalorians had scuttled the ship, they had opened up all hangar bay doors, hatches and internal blast doors to let all the oxygen out. They also disabled the shields and reserve power generators, making re-pressurising the ship a tedious and time-burning process. At the moment, the majority of engineers and technicians were draining the Precurse's breathing modules as they moved through the Autumn's most vital spaces to restore life support in those areas.

Thankfully the research team managed to find the ship's main reactors and were currently figuring out how to get the main power back on. Just as 117 entered into the engine room he received a transmission from Fives on the Precurse. "Chief, I got good news and bad news, which do you wanna hear first?"

"Good news?"

"The good news is that Blue Team have successfully repressurized the bridge and are slowly restoring power to some of the minor systems. The bad news is that the Precurse is picking up several ships heading straight for us." The ARC trooper informed, asking what the ships were, Chief was told that there was a Munificent class frigate being chased by a trio of Gozanti cruisers. Fives theorized that the Separatist were ferrying some looted treasure from a nearby world and were being attacked by pirates. "Fives, give the order that all personnel return to the Precurse. If the droids discover the Autumn, they'll call for reinforcements and we'll be severely outgunned."

"Copy that Chief, I'll give the order to evacuate the Autumn. Do you want me to scramble Blitz and Streak?" Fives responded, the clone pilots had each flown a V-wing alongside the Precurse on the way to the system as a protective convoy. Dathomir was well known for having a high pirate presence, hence why the escort was deemed necessary. "Do it, get them flying a protective patrol around the Precurse at around 60km out. If any droid fighters or pirates come near, they have clearance to engage."