Part 37: Looking for Leyte, Sirius System, Sol Sector (Story)

29th December 2668, Sirius System, Sol Sector
Episode 4, Mission 5 - Looking for Leyte

The Firekka is threatened with encirclement by Kilrathi forces and moves to link up with the nearest fleet carrier.

Pre-mission cutscenes:

Obligatory Wing Commander funeral scene - except no three volley salute, bad Standoff, no biscuit. Maybe the TCS Firekka has nobody who can be trusted with a rifle, that does seem rather plausible. Also, Bradshaw is kind of terrible at funeral orations.

Cutscene Video (Youtube)

[oration, if you can call it that]:
There's been so much death recently. We've watched entire worlds obliterated by the enemy. Lieutenant Schroeder is just another drop in the ocean. Why should we care more about this one pilot than about the billions of others? We care because he was on this ship with us. We fought the enemy together. I've known Spoons longer than anyone else here. He saved my life so many times and I saved his. But it wasn't possible this time. All that remains now is to fight even harder, in his memory. Let's make him proud, and let's make sure his death wasn't in vain.

You all knew this was coming eventually (well, you probably did). Bradshaw. Sparrow. Taking advantage of grief-stricken friends you have a thing for, in best Wing Commander fashion. .
Cutscene Video (Youtube)

: It all happened so quickly. He was there, and then...
: Oh William, I'm so sorry. I tried...
: I know.
: You know, it was the first time he really flew on my wing.
: I mean, we'd flown together so many times, but we never really worked together.
: He knocked three cats off my tail today, and I couldn't even...
: Everyone told him his flying style would...he always laughed.
: He said he was immortal. I almost believed him.
: And you, are you going to be OK?
: Yeah, eventually. I've lost friends before. We all have.
: What you did, though...you know what happens to pilots who can't keep a cool head.
: I know...and if it was anyone else out there doing it, I'd ground them just like that.
: Getting out there and just...skinning cats, it actually made me feel better.
: What about you, Sparrow. How are you doing?
: I'm not going to try to get myself killed, if that's what you mean.
: Alright, well, get some rest. When we get to Sol...well, you know.
: William, wait. Stay with me.
: No, Marie.
: Please. Let's just forget about the war and...everything.
: I can't.
: It's all right. Trust me.
[They kiss, fade to black]


There are no e-mail messages.

I could quote some Fleet Action here, but I think I'd prefer to leave the last cutscene seared into your memories. (Also, Standoff and Fleet Action pace one particular reveal very differently, and it'd be difficult to quote Fleet Action right now without screwing that up).

Mission update, um, sometime. Moved house today and yesterday, didn't really have time to record anything. Fortunately I don't recall the upcoming mission being very hard.