Part 55: Next Year in Kilrah!, Sol System, Sol Sector (Story and 'Winning' Ending)

You did see the Concordia firing the Phase-Transit Cannon back in Sacrifice (three missions ago), right? It's kind of underwhelming, I complained in the video as I recall. One of the things I really wish the Standoff team had done more to get rid of is the idea that all weapons in Wing Commander must be roughly-circular blobs. The PTC should really have been a beam.


1st January 2669, Sol System, Sol Sector
Winning Ending - Next Year in Kilrah!

So, the Battle of Earth is over, with the Kilrathi fleets having withdrawn - a narrow Confederation victory, but enough of one that even Commodore Reismann seems to be happy for now:

Cutscene Video (Youtube)
(yes, that is precisely what the video looks like, artifacts and all. Standoff Devs.)
FX: Fanfare
: You're all back! Guess I just...didn't expect to see you again.
: Yeah, I sure wasn't expecting to be coming back.
: I don't think any of us were.
: I was. I ain't going down for no cat.
: So, it's really over now? The cats have pulled out?
: It's over. The cats have turned tail and Earth is safe...for now.
: Captain, I don't think we need to maintain air patrols for the time being, so I recommend you give your folks a day or two of R&R
: Yes, sir!
: And savor it! Because God knows if I have my way, you won't have another break until Kilrah's been reduced to a smoldering rock!

In possibly an even more miraculous turnaround, Bradshaw has realised that his relationship with Sparrow isn't exactly what you'd call functional and even acted on this.


Cutscene Video (Youtube)
: So. I guess we won.
: Oh, sure. We only lost 90% of the fleet.
: See that there?
: See what where?
: There. The Earth.
: Yeah, I see it.
: See how it's not burning?
: But it is burning. (Sections of North America, Europe and north Africa are indeed on fire)
: Not like Sirius or Warsaw, Marie. They thought they'd wipe us out. They're the ones running now.
: We did the impossible today, Sparrow. Yeah, I'd call this a win.
: So what happens now?
: You heard Reismann. We attack. We go for Kilrah.
: I meant with us, William.
: No, Marie. There is no "us".
: Huh. A clean break, huh?
: It's for the best.

Fade to Black, Roll Credits

This ending actually almost made me want to present Standoff's character-driven story as an e/n thread, but I decided I wasn't a good enough writer/familiar enough with the type of material I was trying to emulate to pull that off.

But it seems not everyone is happy:

(this message is meaningful, I'm sure you guys don't need me to translate, right?)

Waaaait, what happened to Earth?
Basically, the Kilrathi cruisers were able to launch some of their antimatter warheads, but didn't have time for the geocide nukes that followed it up. As to why not, well, that's what happens next. Well, once the Firekka gets to Earth for the second time.

Next time on Standoff:
The losing path begins. I might show how we got to where we are as a story update or lump it in with the mission, depending on how long that looks like being.