Kooth's First Orion Battle: Spring Y170

 My first engagement as an officer on the Orion Heavy Cruiser Deathblow is an education in itself. We are patrolling behind the Lyran front lines, picking off some easy targets from their logistical support network, when we are attacked by two Lyran Police Corvettes. The result is nasty; they simply close and ram us with their ESG fields. It does not look as though they expect to survive the fight, and are determined to do as much damage to us as they possibly can - perhaps they knew there was an Orion in the vicinity, just not which one. ESG fields are not affected by our ECM signature.

The Deathblow is crippled in the exchange, and we take large numbers of casualties among the crew; my mate Zriewk and the renegade Lyran Captain of our ship are both killed. This makes me the newly promoted Captain. In addition, according to the customs of my people, I now carry the burden and joy of Zriewk's responsibilities, so making me effective a member of our Ruling Council, if and when I ever manage to return home. I now have a grudge against the Lyrans.

I order the Deathblow to go into silent running as we make for the local Orion repair facility.

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