Rubik at Lumien

 We have massed everything we have that is still intact on the Kzinti Front, and head straight for the planet of Lumien, which our forces just failed to take on a previous occasion. This time, though, we are confident in our numbers. Since the Axe Guard is the best escort vessel in the fleet, I am assigned to defend the D6 CV Carrier on the line, along with a much smaller E4E Carrier Escort. 

Our group does quite well, managing to force an enemy Destroyer to disengage with heavy damage. However, our fleet takes quite a pounding, and after destroying our lightest vessels, the Kzinti Strike Carrier Group turns towards us. I've seen what those things can do, and this one is accompanied by a couple of Medium Escort Cruisers. That's a lot of Phaser-1s. Fortunately for us, though, Admiral Ulorf gives the command to retire. I have survived my first battle as commander of my own vessel.

The second battle is equally as tough, especially for the Axe Guard. Our carrier commander has the bright idea of making us take point for the fleet, which means that we attract a lot of drone and fighter attention. There is actually some logic to this, because of course it is exactly what escorts are built to do, but it also leaves us open to direct fire from the enemy ships. The E4E is heavily damaged and our ship is crippled yet again by a Kzinti Battlecruiser Squadron. Our ship is just too light to take that kind of pounding! We drift off silently to the fleet rendezvous while the fleet as a whole retires after taking more damage. I can only watch the rest of the series of events unfold from my view screen.

Admiral Ulorf is the consummate tactician, and it shows; he justifiably has a reputation as the best of our commanders against the Tiger Men. He slowly but surely grinds down their defence, and finally has a superior force that sees off the defenders and takes the planet. In total, this campaign has had five separate major engagements. 

Yet again, though, I take the Axe Guard back to our main Starbase on this front for major repairs. There, I receive orders to take over as Captain of the F5C Frigate Leader Axe Champion, whose previous Captain and First Officer were both killed in action as the ship was crippled. I am honoured to be put in charge of a vessel with such an illustrious combat history.

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