Incident at Saris

Chapter Nineteen

Above Mining Platform Two,  Saris Prime

On the Serendipity Sera said, " switching the ship over to Battle mode, Kimmie, River, man your guns, I'll man the big turret at the back, it's got a pulse weapon, and it's our main weapon, but it does drain the power some".
"I'm able to as well Mistress," said Saffi.
"I know," said Sera " but I'm quicker, Saffi guard Master Ren, Kayla you stay here and only fire when Ren or I order you to, Max, you're with me" this was said to the Astromech, Sera vanished, and Max trundled off after her.
Ren nodded "Rik I'm beaming a headpiece over to you, it'll help us handle the Battlemeld better".
"Ok," said Rik, as both Kimi and River opened fire of the T'ron Battlecruiser, they were on the two front turrets, they had less powerful guns than the back turret, the back turret was their most powerful weapon.
Ren could hear Sera issuing commands to the two girls; the shields of the ship flashed as the enemy started firing on them, a starfighter, one of the girls took it out.
"Wow! Kimi is a good shot!" said Kayla.
Ren nodded "I knew she would be, Kayla fire up your phaser bank, ours aren't as powerful as the girls are, and is primarily a barrage, ours are only Grade two, the turrets are 3 and 4, and the Turret on the back is about a 6. Also, we have quite a powerful pulse weapon apparently and some plasma bolts, the pulse weapon is our 'oh Damn' button, and it drains the power the most, we can also draw on the power of the ship itself, but it does drain our power and our shields".
"Grade 2 how strong is that?"
"It can take out a starfighter at close range and damage at long range, the turrets are made for the major damage," Ren said, "Ok on my word hit your phaser bank and we'll cause a barrage at the Battlecruiser, it won't do significant damage, but it will annoy them and slow them down some, let the other ships that are made for this take them out".
Kayla said "Ok."
Ren nodded "Rik you ok?"
"Yep almost there, I took some fire, but I'm good, Ren we need to talk to Gold Squadron when this is finished! If I had known that there was a freelance fighter squadron...." Rik said, " We have been too sheltered!"
Ren chuckled " welcome to the real world then Rik! Think that goes for both of us! Although I don't know whether I would be any use in a freelance fighter squadron!" he then added, " Kayla ready?"
"Ready," Kayla said and together her and Ren working as Master and Apprentice launched their barrage, it took out the last of the Battlecruisers shields that had been taken down by mostly everyone else by now, making the Scorp ship go up in flames from a combination of the Serendipity, and the Crasolian Battlecruiser, a squadron of Starfighters and the station itself.
Kayla winced, not used to the feelings she had gotten "shield!" Ren said " concentrate on the Battlemeld" as he had included her in it as well, she slammed up her basic shielding.
"First thing to remember in a battle" Ren continued "is always to shield! Especially against foes you can feel in the Force, which is pretty much everyone, it is not so easy with the T'ron because of their natural elusiveness, but the Scorps and everyone else...yes".

"Ok," said Kayla.
He nodded and then asked, " River, are you ok?"
"Yes I'm fine, I've been in a few firefights Master Ren," River said.
"Thought you might have been, maybe you can help Kayla a bit," Ren said, " I wasn't sure if the Battlemeld would work on you as well River, I'm mystical and peaceful, but I know when to shield!"
"Ok," said Kayla.
"Remember to always shield in a fight," Ren said, "it can get too much otherwise".
Kayla nodded "I will remember Master Ren".
He nodded and said, " Sera I'm moving in a bit closer, the Bombers can cover us and so can the Starfighters".
"Ok," said Sera "you Ok Ren?"
"Rik needs me," Ren said, "Kayla follow my lead".
Kayla nodded "Ok" she looked at Ren as he expertly handled the ship and said, " you do know how to fly!"
Ren said "I have been flying runabouts and shuttles and ambulance ships for years, I can even fly Rik's Starfighter if I have to, but I'm not fast enough to make a good starfighter pilot, but I do make an excellent shuttle pilot! And flying something like this was only a small step up, I'll be doing most of the flying on this crate! I love piloting! Rik wasn't the only one who yearned to fly..." he smiled at her "I'll teach you too, it is a useful skill and can always come in handy if you're stuck somewhere and are looking for a job. Pilots who can fly things like shuttles are always in demand and if you want to learn how to fly a starfighter, ask Rik to teach you how. You are young, and you have a lot more years to go".
"How old are you and Rik?" Kayla asked, "I'm assuming you're the same age".
"Well...um just a bit over a hundred I think...like this", he looked down at himself "we didn't always look like this, you know, but we weren't even full-grown then I think! We were still...adolescents, when Master Ondrina found us, we were newly well, reborn I guess you could say, seeing we technically 'died' and were reborn, we've been on the Justice all this time, protected, sheltered and probably still naïve in the ways of the world and have a rank we probably haven't earnt!".
Kayla said, "I like you the way you are".
Ren chuckled " we are a little naïve. Master Ondrina has protected us and sheltered us all this time," he paused and then said, "Ok Kayla follow my lead, Master and Apprentice".
"Ok Master Ren," she said.
Ren said to his escort "I'm joining the fight with the battlecruiser, covering the Starfighters on the Stormship, my brothers doing a run in trying to destroy the Stormship and he is going to need cover, so follow me!"
"Ok Commander Ren," said one of the Bomber pilots.
"Sounds good, Golden here, I'm one of Nightwatch Squadron, also known as Gold Squadron, I've gotten Tia to rejoin the Squadron and my sister, Silver, and I will cover you".
Ren nodded "sounds good, Sera, switch us over to battle mode, you guys ready on your guns?"
"Yes," said all three
"Rik I'm coming down to cover you as you go for the Stormship" Ren said.
"Gotcha Ren!" Rik said, " stay away from the storm ship though if you can, the other battlecruiser is almost done its shields are failing and it is taking heavy damage, so's the Storm-Maker but I'm flying in to try and take the Storm-maker out!"
Ren said, "I intend to take care Rik, you too as well, we're still linked, remember!"
"We have got to meet Gold Squadron after this!" Rik said.
"Commander Rik I'm coming to join you, " said one of the pilots and flew to join him.
Ren pushed a few buttons humming as he did so, steadying the ship slightly and the ship glowed as it switched over fully to Battle-Mode.
"Wow, this ship is amazing!" Kayla said.
Ren nodded " that is why they are so rare, we aren't a starfighter or a destroyer, but we can hold our own fairly well".
"You ought to see it from up here," said River " the whole ships glowing".
"It's why it is called a Sunrise" Ren said, " because it glows, it's psionically active, and Sera, she is the ship!" he dove and joined the firefight on the other Battlecruiser acting as support.

Rik down in his starfighter deftly avoided another fighter and took it out, JoJo hot on his tail, he saw a flash above him and noticed the Serendipity acting as support for the fight on the other Battlecruiser (luckily it was one of the smaller, lighter armoured ones) and winced as his enhanced senses reacted and lost focus briefly, he hoped Ren had told Kayla to shield.
"Hope you know what you are doing Ren," Rik said softly, as JoJo opened fire on another fighter, it hit her.
"I'm hit!" she said.
"How bad?" asked Ripper.
"My wings damaged," JoJo said, " and I lost my mech!"
"Well, retreat from the battle then you won't be able to fly otherwise" Ripper said.
"You Ok?" Rik asked.
"Yeah" she replied.
"We'll take over from her," said a voice and a Sarisian light Bomber joined them.
"Ok," said Rik " gosh this is unexpected, we didn't intend to get well um...involved in a dogfight on our first time out".
"Admit it Rik; you love flying your Starfighter!" Ren said over the speaker.
"Are you still seeing what I'm seeing?" Rik asked.
"Yes," said Ren "give yourself over to the Way, and I will guide you".
Rik nodded and closed his eyes letting himself go fully into the Way, Ren had always done this better than he had, he'd always been better at it than he was and he could feel his counterpart close by, he felt surrounded by Ren's healing aura.
**Fly straight ahead** Ren's voice said in his head.
**Very well ** Rik said.
** Feel your way, anticipate what is to come ** Ren urged.
Rik nodded "yes".
Ren continued ** I'm with you, become one with the Way as we were long ago **.
Rik said, " err ok Ren, not as good at this as you are".
Ren said, "I know, just try".
Rik jumped, Ren sounded right behind him he turned and saw Ren's mental projection of himself behind him, Rik hated it when he did that!
"Ren!"
Ren grinned " like I said....try!"
"Whose flying the dam ship!"
"I am! With Sera's help. She's on the third turret; Sera IS the ship remember?"
Rik said "Ok...look stay out of trouble, please...I hate it when you enter combat; it's not where you're supposed to BE Ren!"
Ren chuckled " Rik, you know I can fight as well as you! Be careful, Ok? you always worry me whenever you go into your starfighter!"
Rik said, " yes, but I'm more used to it!"
Ren nodded " so easy ok? you don't have to be a hero, and we're both had a harrowing couple of days" he visibly winced as a Bomber suddenly went up, Rik did too, it wasn't his escort, but they both still felt it.
Jojo said over the Comms, she sounded distressed, " we lost Green 7!" killing the enemy was easy, but when it was their own side....
"Calm JoJo! We all know the risks" said Ripper " Raptor cover me".
"Got you," said Rik "Ren, please go back to the Serendipity" but Ren had already gone, probably worried about Kayla and River.
Rik nodded and said softly "Ren will sing for them" and flew into the Storm-Maker.