Part 65: The Last Flight of the Sunrider

It’s all fallen apart.



Now, here at the end, we have only our two remaining pilots and a freed prisoner to defend the Sunrider



Also some gunboats and for some reason three Mining Union frigates? I’ll be honest I’m not a hundred percent sure why these are here. Something that you can do that I haven’t taken advantage of is purchase additional units to be in your fleet. There’s a hard cap on how many of each you can have and if they get blown up you have to pay for a replacement, sort of like the torpedoes. MU frigates and gunships are just some of the purchasable units. I don’t think I ever actually bought any, but yet here they are.



They have an ability to weaken shields … but as we saw earlier the Alliance doesn’t put shields on its ships, instead relying on specialized shield cruisers to cover an entire fleet.



Anyway, Kryska happily murders a whole ship full of her former countrymen.



RIP Mining Union frigate #3. We hardly knew you, or why you were even here.



The torpedo carrying the Tactical Paradox Warhead is being carried by a specialized Alliance ship just off the map; our goal is to get the Sunrider through its escorts and to the far side of the map. The Alliance will continue to throw units at us until we do, including this carrier.




Should have come in from a different direction.



For a few turns I actually clear the map of all enemy units. Also pictured, the much slower Paladin being left behind as we dash for the other side of the map.



Having learned the folly of lining up in front of the Sunrider’s vanguard cannon, the next Alliance forces come in from two different angles. Unfortunately for them this means they can’t block us as we simply pick a few off and proceed to our objective.

And just like that the final battle of the game is over.



I have the cruiser carrying the TPW on sensors! 100,000 kilometers, dead ahead! There are … still a lot of Alliance ships between us and them.
All ahead, flank speed! Prepare to fire the vanguard as soon as we get in range! With luck we can ...
Incoming torpedo!




Close by …



Ah shit, looks like a torpedo got through their defenses. They took a pretty bad hit. How are you doing, soldier boy?



WARNING: LOW AMMO

…
Better than you ever could, mercenary. Want to take cover behind me?
No! … But I probably should, you know. Just so you won’t worry. Ugh, this was the worst job I ever took!


Meanwhile …



What a bunch of idiots! Did they really think I was gonna stick my neck out for them? Heh ... I'll just slip outta here while everyone's too busy trying to kill each other. They might have blown my fleet up, but I can still rebuild! They haven't seen the last of Cosette Cosmos, the terror of the stars!

Anyway, she’s gone.



*cough* … Report!
Torpedo impact to the starboard bow. Multiple hull breaches … we’ve got compromised armor all the way back to midship … the hanger is open to space and we lost the ryder bays on the starboard side ...
Status of the vanguard?
…
Destroyed. We’ve also expended all of our missile and conventional cannon ordinance. Without the vanguard …
That’s it, then.



Kayto, we can still ...
The Sunrider is lost, commander. Get everyone to the lifepods and keep them safe. I’ll take it from here.
Captain, my place is on the bridge.
That wasn't a request, Ava. All hands, this is the captain. Abandon ship. Repeat: abandon ship.
…
It’s been an honor, commander.
…




Are those what I think they are?
Yeah. The Sunrider’s launching lifepods.



PACT signatures incoming! I think … they’re targeting the lifepods!?
Bastards.
We’ve got to stop them!
…

WARNING: AMMO DEPLETED

… yeah.



Move, people! Ensign, I’m going to make one final sweep. Hold that pod for me; if you leave without me I swear I’ll haunt you the rest of your natural life!



… !
(The door mechanism must have been damaged. That prototype … Lynn … she’s gone. Nothing I can do about it now. It’s time to go ...)



We’re between those PACT ships and the lifepods, but … I’m pretty low on ammo. You?
Out.
Heh. Well, I guess we’re not even going to be a speedbump for them.
…
You know, when we got up this morning … this really isn’t how I saw this day turning out.
Pfffffffff. Hahahaha.
Heh. Hahaha.
Hahahahahahahaha …
Wait, shut up a second … new contacts, incoming!



Boy are you all lucky we checked the holo one last time before leaving the system!
My idea.



Irrelevant! Seraphim, start taking potshots at those cruisers, draw them away. Paladin, Phoenix, let’s start gathering up these lifepods. Alliance forces were already starting to fire on the PACT ships in the system … we’re going to be caught in a crossfire before not too long. The captain has a plan, right?
Umm ...



…
This is Captain Kayto Shields of the assault carrier CSFS Sunrider. Last surviving vessel of the Cera Space Force.



We traveled the stars, finding allies across the galaxy, with the hope of liberating our home world.








It was a journey filled with trials …





… but not without its triumphs, and moments of happiness.





We were hopelessly outnumbered … our mission was nothing but a longshot gamble against impossible odds. And finally we’re here, back where we started. Let it be remembered that on this day, we did not abandon Cera. Today, the Sunrider stood her ground! We did not falter in our defense of our family!



Today, we gave the last full measure of our devotion to save our home!



I’ll see you soon, Maray.