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Chapter 105[]
Can you tell me where can we start over?[]
Reichsmarine Base Heligoland Station
Outers of Tharkad System
Lyran Commonwealth
3078
Duchess Elizabeth Ngo finished the last of the practical exercise by bringing training Cutter 4 into a docking maneuver that slid the central lock up against the side of the station, then initiating the docking clamps around the airlocks.
She'd been doing this off-and-on for the last decade. Whenever there were a few days she could get away from work and the kids were in safe hands, getting signed off on her 'spacer's Ticket'. The last exam was today-and she passed the Jumpship navigation exam by clearing a twelve second point-to-point with her evaluators sitting in the command seat.
"You're certed." Kommandant Mikel Hoffmann told her, signing off on her last exam block. "Welcome to the guild." he added.
"Thanks." Liz smiled.
"Why the hobby trade, anyway?" he asked
"Old dreams." she told him. If I build it, I can serve in it., she thought.
She almost danced in the null as she made her way to the station locks. There wouldn't be much of an issue with her taking out a ship now. She'd been signed off for Jumpship navigation, engineering, and Damage Control. The kids were old enough to handle a long absence.
Watching Stone's delegation leave at the Tharkad spaceport wasn't much of a problem. "So...what now?" Peter asked.
"Product testing." Elizabeth told him, "We've got the new Frederick Steiner class battleships, and I've got the tickets, I helped write the doctrine." she turned to him, "The kids are old enough to handle a long absence, Patrick's going to Sibko on Sudeten for the next couple years, and Amanda's enrolled in a pre-collegiate academy devoted to sciences, Charles Vanh's doing a great job administrating the Kowloon system. I was offered a promise by your brother back in the fifties. I built the Navy. I'm not sick, and I want in."
"You'll be cutting ahead of experienced and qualified commanders if I give you a battleship." Peter told her.
"I don't want one. I'm ready to take on a Cutter." she told him, "First command slot for every officer in the Navy is a cutter, remember? I'll be assigning myself to one of the squadrons, eighteen month tour of duty, but I'm going."
"No." he said. "I forbid it, which interestingly, I can, Liz. I don't want to explain to your husband why I let you go out in a tin can to get cleated. I will accept a destroyer or Fox , but that's the smallest you're getting."
"Peter, if you're going to run with this operation, it's going to require every capital grade hull we've got." she cautioned.
"Yes." he told her. "I'd prefer to stuff you into an XO's lot on a Fred or a Molly, but I'll let you serve on a Landmark if you really insist. However, you're not going to take a tin-can cutter into the fire, and we both know that's where you want to go."
"But Alicia Li-" began Liz
"Will be ecstatic that I didn't let you commit suicide." he stated firmly. "Liz, you're not good at keeping some secrets. Li and I already worked out where you'd be assigned if you dredged this up..." He reached into a pocket, and pulled out a set of orders. "Report to Second Fleet CINC for assignment, Commander Ngo."
"Aye sir." she took the orders.
Liberation of Terra - Operation Scour[]
Task Force CRONUS
Coalition Naval Forces:
Draconis Combine
Tatsumaki-class Destroyer, DCS The Lair of Mighty Wyrms
Leviathan II-class Dreadnought, CGB Great Bear
Nightlord-class Battleship, CGB Ursus Major
Frederick Steiner Class Battleship, LCS Frederick Steiner
Landmark Class Destroyer, LCS Golden Lake
Landmark Class Destroyer, LCS Twycross Gash
Landmark Class Destroyer, LCS Ogden's Glacier
Landmark Class Destroyer, LCS Bremen Ridge
Sampan III Cutter, LCS Tranh Truk Ngo
Sampan III Cutter, LCS David Trau
Sampan III Cutter, LCS Lina Jennings-Deen
Sampan III Cutter, LCS Sylvester King
Sampan III Cutter, LCS Carlos Vagenharber III
Sampan III Cutter, LCS Dinh Tran Vanh
Sampan III Cutter, LCS Erin Parker-Deen
Sampan III Cutter, LCS Gary Mosovich
Sampan III Cutter, LCS Marion Carpenter
Sampan III Cutter, LCS Phillip Hazen
Sampan III Cutter, LCS Geraldine Mattlov
Sampan III Cutter, LCS Nell of the Pershaws
Frederick Steiner Class Battleship, LCS Hermann Steiner
Landmark Class Destroyer, LCS Ia Drang III
Landmark Class Destroyer, LCS Bismarck Valley
Landmark Class Destroyer, LCS Mount Nevermind
Landmark Class Destroyer, LCS Cold Harbor
Sampan III Cutter, LCS Martha Cordane
Sampan III Cutter, LCS Mary Tamh
Sampan III Cutter, LCS Erica Horvan
Sampan III Cutter, LCS Julia Jade-Falcon
Sampan III Cutter, LCS Dianne Vien
Sampan III Cutter,, LCS Rihanna Ngo
Sampan III Cutter, LCS Trak Trung Nguyen
Sampan III Cutter, LCS William Falco
Sampan III Cutter, LCS Barda Metz
Sampan III Cutter, LCS Golda Deen
Sampan III Cutter, LCS Freda Nguyen
Sampan III Cutter, LCS Nicholas Qua
Frederick Steiner Class Battleship, LCS Viola Steiner
Landmark Class Destroyer, LCS Minsky's Labyrinth
Landmark Class Destroyer, LCS Camranh Hill
Landmark Class Destroyer, LCS Icewind Bay
Landmark Class Destroyer, LCS Fargo Rift
Sampan III Cutter, Class: LCS Robert Vien Senior
Sampan III Cutter, Class: LCS Duc Tanh Singer
Sampan III Cutter, Class: LCS Chelsea Nuevo Pueblo
Sampan III Cutter, Class: LCS Amanda Rigginshaw
Sampan III Cutter, Class: LCS Debra Vien
Sampan III Cutter, Class: LCS Belinda Wade
Sampan III Cutter, Class: LCS Christina Vao
Sampan III Cutter, Class: LCS Jian Levitt
Sampan III Cutter, Class: LCS Gwendolyn Chao
Sampan III Cutter, Class: LCS Michelle Hathcock
Sampan III Cutter, LCS Kenna of the Pershaws
Sampan III Cutter, LCS Reuben Baker Junior
Frederick Steiner Class Battleship, LCS Katrina Steiner II
Landmark Class Destroyer, LCS Heinegen's Rock
Landmark Class Destroyer, LCS Cambreadth Valley
Landmark Class Destroyer, LCS Independence Valley
Landmark Class Destroyer, LCS Dinh Diep
Sampan III Cutter, LCS Truk Richard Ngo
Sampan III Cutter, LCS Patrick Ngo Senior
Sampan III Cutter, LCS Samuel Nghien
Sampan III Cutter, LCS Tera Panh
Sampan III Cutter, LCS Ngoc Levine
Sampan III Cutter, LCS Rachel Truong
Sampan III Cutter, LCS Edward Chao Jr.
Sampan III Cutter, LCS Charles Ang Sr.
Sampan III Cutter, LCS Hans Truong
Sampan III Cutter, LCS Magritte Hasenbrenner
Sampan III Cutter, LCS Dinh Van Vien
Sampan III Cutter, LCS Hernando Trinh
Nightlord Class Battleship, CJF Emerald Eagle
Seahawk Class Cutter, CJF Yesuki Shambag
Seahawk Class Cutter, CJF Ryan Mattlov
Seahawk Class Cutter, CJF Ogden Hazen
Seahawk Class Cutter, CJF Derek Von Jankmon
Seahawk Class Cutter, CJF Myra Sustan
Black Lion-class Battlecruiser, CJF Jade Aerie
Seahawk Class Cutter, CJF Rinn Malthus
Seahawk Class Cutter, CJF Julia Jade Falcon
Seahawk Class Cutter, CJF Liam Pryde
Seahawk Class Cutter, CJF Markus Icaza
Seahawk Class Cutter, CJF David Helmer
BlackLion Class Battlecruiser, CJF White Aerie
Seahawk Class Cutter, CJF Paul Bewley
Seahawk Class Cutter, CJF Hans Chistu
Seahawk Class Cutter, CJF Tess Binetti
Seahawk Class Cutter, CJF Kali Roshak
Seahawk Class Cutter, CJF Shan Jae-Hyouk
Sovetskii Soyuz-class Heavy Crusier, CJF Hawker
Congress-class Frigate, CJF Green Lantern
Aegis-class Heavy Cruiser, CSR Blue Quest
Conqueror-class Battlecruiser-Carrier, CSR Ark Royal
York-class Destroyer-Carrier, CSR Corvidae
Whirlwind-class Destroyer, CSR Drake
Black Lion-class Battlecruiser, CW Stealthy Kill
- Note: Seahawk class cutter is basically a Sampan III that's had the nukes removed, it carries a 10 fighter star and mounts an expanded energy armament with double heat sinks on a 75,000 ton frame with an LF-capacitor assisted 15/30 drive (15 ly on a standard charge, 30 using double jumps) The Seahawk class is employed by the Clan as a measure to deal with enemy Pocket Warships and similar targets in fleet actions, or as a regional patrol vessel in a manner similar to the Lyran use of Coast Guard vessels. Seahawk cutters are named for deceased bloodnamed warriors or warriors who died while distinguishing themselves in honorable battle.
- Note: Seahawk class cutter is basically a Sampan III that's had the nukes removed, it carries a 10 fighter star and mounts an expanded energy armament with double heat sinks on a 75,000 ton frame with an LF-capacitor assisted 15/30 drive (15 ly on a standard charge, 30 using double jumps) The Seahawk class is employed by the Clan as a measure to deal with enemy Pocket Warships and similar targets in fleet actions, or as a regional patrol vessel in a manner similar to the Lyran use of Coast Guard vessels. Seahawk cutters are named for deceased bloodnamed warriors or warriors who died while distinguishing themselves in honorable battle.
- Note on Sampan class naming schema: Sampan class cutters are named for men and women who gave their lives for Kowloon or for the Lyran Commonwealth, between the years 2729, and the present conflict.
- Landmark class vessels are named for prominent map features or locations.
- Frederick Steiner class vessels are named for deceased members of House Steiner itself.
Viewers will note that this is a LOT of flyin' Iron. The Lyran fleet alone contains 4 Battlecruisers, 16 Destroyers, and 48 Cutters, while the Clan Jade Falcon fleet includes 15 of their own, recently procured, (and modified) Cutters in support groups for three of their capital ships.
Nobody was really prepared for how much force was coming in when the Lyran and Jade Falcon contingents hit the Sol system. Least of all, the other members of the Coalition forces. They just...really didn't expect this.