Death of a DropShip

Reports From the Front

by William H. Keith, jr.

On August 18, 3028, the Davion Invasion force under the command of Marshal Eugene Drivers approached Aldebaran V, dividing into two forces and angling into approach vectors aimed at DZs in both the northern and southern hemispheres of the planet. One DropShip, a Leopard-c/ass named Star Tigress, Captain Julia La Verne commanding, was lost during final DZ approach.

The following is a transmission intercept recorded by the DropShip Sky Fang at the time of the incident.

Captain's Log

Star Tigress, FSN-DS 1281
Shiptime 1856:12 hours
Capt. Julia LaVerne, Commanding

Captain: "Ease her in, Mr. Winston."

Helm: "Aye, Captain. Angle of approach, one five point niner degrees, bearing oh one seven. Final orbital insertion burn coming up in 50 seconds

Captain: "Very well, Mr. Winston. Mr. Li, patch me through to the troops."

ComOp: "Channel open, Captain."

Captain: "This is the Captain speaking, men. We're on our final approach. I know you boys can't see a thing down there, but let me tell you, the planet is spread out below us all blue and gold and green and white. The view is magnificent! Our DZs aren't over the horizon yet, but we'll be coming up on them soon. I estimate three minutes to drop. Good luck, boys! Give'em hell!"

Helm: "Maneuver burn, Captain. Twelve seconds."

Captain: "Very well. Execute

Helm:"Final insertion burn in five ... four... three... two... one ... burn! We have ignition. Maneuver controls responding

Weapons: "Captain! Bogey, high port, bearing zero seven niner! On approach vector! Range twelve thousand! No ID yet."

Captain: "Stay with him, Kreuger

Weapons: "Tracking, Captain. PPCs warmed and ready. Lasers and LRMs standing by. We have another bogey. IFF tags him as one of ours. Closing... closing..."

Captain: "Helm! Time to drop!"

Helm: "One minute twenty, Captain."

Captain: "Malfing hell! That's forever..

Weapons: "Positive ID, Skipper! Enemy Thrush on approach, range eight thousand and closing! Friendly Stuka on his tail, same course, same range

Captain:"Hit him, dammit! Hit that Thrush!"

Weapons: "Firing PPCs, Captain."

[interruption of recording due to static

Weapons: "Negative, Captain. Miss. Firing lasers!"

Helm: "One minute five to drop."

Captain: "Steady course, Helm

Weapons: "The Thrush is hit! I'm getting scatter back from a debris trail! He's spilling atmosphere!"

Captain: "What's his heading now

Weapons: "zero three one... damn! Collision course! Range five thousand and closing

Captain:"Helm! Emergency maneuver! Come to course zero five five

Weapons: "Three thousand! Twenty five hundred! Two thousand

Helm:"Coming to new course zero five five..."

Weapons: "He's going to hit!"

[interruption of recording due to static.]

Captain: "Mayday! Mayday! Star Tigress calling Mayday! We have been hit, portside high! Maneuvering control gone! Heim gone! Power at point two one and falling! We're venting atmosphere! Port wing is gone... and most of the power plant, I think! We'll try to jettison our payload... damn! Launch systems inoperative! Those boys are trapped down there..."

(Transmission from Captain Virgil Walters of Sky Fang, a 4th Deneb RCT Leopardclass DropShip nearby

Walters:"Star Tigress! Star Tigress! This is Sky Fang! Stabilize port! You're tumbling

Captain:"No joy, Fang! We're breaking up... we're going in..."

[interruption of recording due to static. Remaining transmission severely garbled due to static.]

Captain: "Losing - - - - three niner- - - control. Hull temp forty five hundred ----- real fireballl out there. We're going in. I say again. This ----- Star Tigress calling - - - - - give'em hell for Star..."

[Transmission ends.]

News from the Front

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