Two months ago, I had an agreement with Star in which the both of us would write a story in her universe that involved a spaceship battle. You’ll have to excuse the proper nouns used here, there’s no series bible or anything 😐 I tried to write a more “realistic” dogfight instead of the usual “World War II in space” style, even if the spaceships involved aren’t realistic in the slightest. Also, have a somewhat lengthy blurb on a fictional starship model.
To get you up to speed: Champions follows a bunch of people who are rebelling against the Federation, a federation that has taken over the star system. The Federation is bad for a number of reasons, one of which is their outlawing of sorcery (which many of the characters are able to use).
Ceph Michaelus is not a sorcerer, but he does hang out with them a lot. He’s wandering the system looking for his adopted father, James Erudine.
The Champions universe is like Star Wars, basically, but everyone has magic.
Star
INT. CEPH’S STARLIGHTER – NIGHT #CH-1#
CEPH MICHAELUS, a guy who can fly, is sprawled in the control chair of his stolen FDF Starlighter Mk. 9
[[An aside on the Starlighter series, ’cause it’s kinda relavant later on.
The original Starlighter was a mid-range civilian 2/4 seater personal transport, primarily for shuttling between planet/moon or planet/orbital station. It had above average maneuvering and a respectable accelleration. However, because of the extra room, the four seat version was often converted to a rudimentary fighercraft. It became infamous enough that the manufacturer, Melendez Corp., decided to continue the Starlighter line as a combat vessel.
Despite their size, the Starlighter Mk. 2-4 were considered space superiority fighters. They were found in use by the private sector, as convoy escorts or patrol craft.
Thanks to some political maneuvering, the Starlighter Mk. 5 was approved for use as a patrol heavy fighter for the Federation Star Fleet. It was successful enough that the Starlighter Mk. 6 became the standard issue heavy fighter.
The Mk. 6 was in service for a few years before the Federation/Khelli war. It saw some early combat but was quickly replaced, as fighter technology quickly surpassed it. There are many 6’s still in service, as most survived the war by virtue of being a liability in combat. Used mostly for transport and courier missions, but sometimes as patrol craft and emergency.
The Mk. 7 and 8 were attempts to adjust to the new fighter paradigm, but were fairly unsuccessful – heavy fighters were too big and unmanueverable to be useful despite modern tech.
Melendez Corp. pulled out all the stops for the Mk. 9, and took an extra year to design it. It paid off. The Starlighter now had maneuverability on par with next-gen fighters while retaining the larger weapon loads characteristic of heavy fighters.
Unfortunately, they didn’t get the Federation contract they wanted. The Mk. 9, for all of its effectiveness, is too difficult to maintain and costs the same as two standard fighters. A few are in use, but there are no FDF squadrons that fly the Mk.9 (or any Starlighter) exclusively.]], feet up on the primary console, and is lazily eating a box of instant noodles.
The Starlighter, a top-of-the-line large heavy fighter, is on autopilot and a nearby screen shows its position and course – a direct transfer between two planets.
A red light on a side console abruptly starts blinking, along with a corresponding and annoying ALERT BEEP. Ceph tries to ignore it for a few bites, but the BEEPS drone on and on...
He finally runs out of patience – he groans and slaps the console with the back of his fork carrying hand. It BOOPS and a nervous voice comes through the speakers...
CARGO COMMANDER (VOICE OVER)
Mayday! Mayday! Mayday! Any FDF starships, this is Cargo ship Balcony Delta Five Gamma Two Eight Bravo. Cargo ship Balcony: Melindez Corp. Evergiven MCH-2 mk.4. Cargo ship Balcony is under attack, taking fire. Say again, Cargo ship Balcony under attack, taking fire.
Ceph rolls his eyes and continues eating.
CARGO COMMANDER (VOICE OVER) (CONT’D)
Heading four-six by one one by two oh eight, burning HOH[[HOH – Hard on heading – they’re pushing the engines as hard as they can go in the direction they are pointing.
High G means they’re exceeding the inertial dampeners.
Zero M – not maneuvering.
Point out – firing point defenses.]] high gee zero emm point out. Shields minus five! We need combat assistance!
FDF VOICE ASSISTANT (VOICE OVER)
Message repeats three times.
He bashes the console again – trying to shut it off – but instead...
FDF VOICE ASSISTANT (VOICE OVER)
Replaying all messages.
...he is taking a bite and is forced to use his elbow...
CEPH
(mouth full)
Nope. No. No. Don’t.
At last, he hits the correct button, and the console goes silent.
However, he is only able to take a couple of bites before the ANNOYING BEEPS and light sounds again.
Ceph, severely annoyed by now, reflexively smashes the console and the new message plays, the nervous voice now quite panicked.
CARGO COMMANDER (VOICE OVER)
Mayday! Mayday! Mayday! Update! Anyone! This is Cargo ship Balcony Delta Five Gamma Two Eight Bravo! Cargo ship Balcony has been boarded!
(even more scared)
They have a sorcerer! He’s tearing us apart! You have to help us! Hurry!
This gets Ceph’s attention. He sits up, food forgotten, and starts to work the consoles – bringing up sensor readouts and adjusting his heading – before turning to a tablet sitting on the other console. It’s his, and he has it plugged into the ship.
He taps on it, setting a false FDF identity that could feasibly respond to a distress call of sorcerous nature.
Opening a comms channel, he is about to respond to the distress call when...
@CPT. LAS SERPEN[[Vax Merstappen – Sogan Largent but actually it’s a mix of these two somehow?]]
(VOICE OVER)
This is Captain Serpen of the FDF Rapid Response Squadron Serpentis. Cargo Ship Balcony, come to heading oh-eight-one par plane, we will intercept.
CEPH
(to self)
Oh come on! Really?
CARGO COMMANDER (VOICE OVER)
Serpentis, Balcony! Thank you! Thank you! I think they’re trying to steal our cargo!
CPT. LAS SERPEN (VOICE OVER)
Do not worry, Balcony, we are mere minutes away.
Ceph flicks a few switches to speak over the FDF channel.
CEPH
(fake military voice)
This is Lieutenant Halix Nilbon to RRS Serpentis. I’m SCS[[SCS = Secure Courier Service]] to Silverstone on a SL6 Heater. You got room for one more?
LT. LARLE SECLERC (VOICE OVER)
So, SCS wants to play, huh? Think your old six can keep up with us?
CEPH
Oh, you know it can. I’m tired of BTH[[BTH = Burn to heading, but I think they have FTL so uhhhhh]] runs. Just burnin’ for some action!
CPT. LAS SERPEN (VOICE OVER)
Lieutenant, I’m sending over rendezvous coordinates. You serve in the Khelli War?
Ceph frowns, but SCS pilots are usually older and experienced, so it’s a valid question. He references his fake pilot records:
CEPH
I caught the end of it, saw SCM in a few skirmishes and the battle of Gwydion.
CPT. LAS SERPEN (VOICE OVER)
Were you with the Nine Tails or the Markerlights? Myself, I was in the Corelocks, but at Gwydion[[this should be some battle that ceph was in; preferably one he actually flew a ship in.]], I was stuck on vulture[[Vulture – slang for ‘spaceborne reserves’. Named for the circling pattern they make around the carriers while waiting for a destination to “Swoop into a fight and pick off whoever is left”]] the whole time.
Ceph does not like this guy, having to expend a lot of effort to keep the disdain out of his voice.
CEPH
You missed out. But enough about me. What’s the read?
CPT. LAS SERPEN (VOICE OVER)
Three bandits, three marks[[Get a better slang? Saying there’s three different types of ships – dart / eagle / hauler.]]. Could be those Khelli remnants we’ve been hearing about. Don’t know when to quit, those guys.
CEPH
(forced excitement)
Yes. Let’s get ’em.
INSERT – SPACE
Ceph’s Starlighter falls into RRS Serpentis’s formation. They are decently spaced – far enough apart that no one could tell that Ceph is not flying a Starlighter Mk. 6. The Serpentis are flying five Starshifter-3s, the FDF standard space superiority fighter.
The squadron FLIES by.
END INSERT
A collection of dots appear on Ceph’s scanner – these must the Balcony and it’s attackers.
CPT. LAS SERPEN (VOICE OVER)
Tally three. Challenging.
Ceph knows that unless the three other ships were really, really good, they didn’t stand a chance against the five FDF ships, especially as the scanner shows one is still docked with the cargo ship.
But he smiles mischievously – he’s got a plan to even the odds and perhaps get some revenge for too; even if it was against someone who didn’t do anything.
CEPH
(fake confusion)
Huh. That’s odd.
LT. LARLE SECLERC (VOICE OVER)
What’d you got, SCS?
Ceph taps the control stick, making the ship shudder.
CEPH
There’s something weird with the challenge return.
LT. LARLE SECLERC (VOICE OVER)
Maybe ’cause your ship is old.
CEPH
Yeah, maybe. The computer’s doing weird things.
CPT. LAS SERPEN (VOICE OVER)
Clear comms. Two bandits on intercept.
INSERT – SPACE
The two Khelli ships – a Dart 4 and a Kestrel R8 (The hauler is still docked) – swoop under the Balcony and head straight for the FDF ships!
The two groups are closing fast, but they’re still out of weapons range...
One of the FDF starfighters starts drifting out of the formation – it’s Ceph’s.
END INSERT
CEPH
(false nervousness)
I’m experiencing a fly-by-wire failure here. The computer’s been going haywire since I received that challenge.
CPT. LAS SERPEN (VOICE OVER)
Think they sent a rider? Don’t engage if you’re compromised.
LT. LARLE SECLERC (VOICE OVER)
Don’t worry, SCS. Don’t feel bad if you miss out on all the fun.
CEPH
Let me try a hot restart...
(He waits, shaking the controls)
What? It won’t shut down. Attempting to disengage.
Ceph puts the Starlighter into a spin....
INSERT – SPACE
Ceph’s Starlighter is spinning end over end, while the two groups of ships are about to get into weapons range.
END INSERT
Now he starts waving the ship all over the place, trying to make it look like two people are trying to control it. The ship WHINES and everything shakes!
CEPH
(false panic)
It’s no good! The computer’s compromised! I can’t-
(real yelp)
Ahh-!
He had cut off the transmission at a lucky moment – he was going to fake the yell, but the bowl of noodles had fallen off the console, causing actual surprise.
But now he knows that they know that he’s compromised. There’s not much time- he flicks the Starlighter off axis and opens fire!
.SPACE. NEAR CARGO SHIP BALCONY #CH-2#
Ceph’s Starlighter fires rapid fire lasers from a mount under the nose and EF bolts from hardpoints on the wings! They chew up the wing and engine of one of the FDF Starshifters right as the two groups smash into each other, guns blazing!
FDF PILOT (VOICE OVER)
I’m hit!
Despite all the lasers and gunfire in the head on exchange, no other ships are hit too much – combat pilots learn very quickly how to survive head on engagements like this – but while the FDF ships spin, keeping their noses pointed at their targets, the Khelli ships blast past them!
(They’re out gunned and won’t survive a turnfight.)
INSERT INT. CEPH’S STARLIGHTER
Ceph is focused on controlling the ship, trying to line up the crosshairs with a red square that indicates one of the FDF Starshifters.
CPT. LAS SERPEN (VOICE OVER)
Seclerc, Cainz! Disable the SCS, don’t destroy it!
LT. LARLE SECLERC (VOICE OVER)
I got it. That pilot’s slushied! Do you see how it’s moving? His dampers are gone!
Ceph grins. Starlighter Mk. 9’s are much more maneuverable than the Mk. 6’s, and even the Starshifters.
END INSERT
Seclerc’s Starshifter swoops behind Ceph’s and opens fire...
He dodges and weaves but can’t evade all of them – some of the shots fizzle off his shields or impact off his armor.[[They have shields, right? Not just sorcery?]]
INSERT – INT. CEPH’S STARLIGHTER
Ceph slams the throttle back, full reverse thrust! Then does the same to the control stick!
END INSERT
His ship slows down considerably and Seclerc’s lasers fly past – the computers automatically adjust the zero distance, but not that fast – then flips over!
Ceph is flying backwards! He opens fire on Seclerc’s fighter, who has slowed down to prevent the overshoot...
They’re trapped in a game of chicken! Both ships are pointed at each other, circling to avoid each other’s shots, but the first one to break off will be at a disadvantage – the other can easily get behind them.
INSERT – INT. SECLERC’S STARSHIFTER
Seclerc is wearing a FDF flight uniform and pilot helmet, but we can still see her face: gritted teeth and intense concentration.
LT. LARLE SECLERC
Cainz, assist! I’ve got ’em in a Tug[[Slang for these turnfights where one ship has done the reverse maneuver.
Non-pilots think it’s short for tug-of-war, but this is false. How it went is:
Turnfights used to be called donuts, so reverse turnfights were r-dons, which pilots started calling r-dots because it sounds cooler. At one point reverse turnfights were the optimal maneuver, so it was a common call and shortened to RT, then just T. Tee fell out of practice when the maneuver was less common, but everyone associated it with the letter. The -ug was added because of a general reminder (as the maneuver was less common) to stay under the G limit. Thus, T-ug becoming Tug.]]!
LT. SARLOS CAINZ (VOICE OVER)
Confirm, assisting!
END INSERT
Ceph and Seclerc are still circling, both keeping good speed and distance, and shooting all the while...
Lasers from another direction impact on Ceph’s shields – it’s Cainz! He swoops in from another direction, forcing Ceph to hit the afterburners and zoom away!
Cainz quickly follows on Ceph’s tail, joined a couple seconds later by Seclerc.
INSERT – INT. CEPH’S STARLIGHTER
The panel readouts show that the shields on Ceph’s Starlighter are low and falling. He is frantically trying to avoid the lasers, but there’s two fighters behind him.
CEPH
[vgs]!
A muffled BOOM from behind him causes a number of red warning alerts on the panels.
In desperation, Ceph flicks up a the cover of a red button on the control stick.
FDF VOICE ASSISTANT (VOICE OVER)
Warning. Missile deployment not authorized. Warheads not armed.
CEPH
(mostly to himself)
There’s no way they would know that though, right?
With a CLICK, he presses the missile launch button!
END INSERT
A HSM-2a “heater” missile is pushed off it’s rack, where it subsequently spouts small bursts of flame. The missile flips to face the other way, then speeds off.
LT. LARLE SECLERC (VOICE OVER)
Missile! Break, flares out!
Both FDF starships break off their attack – ‘heaters’ are heat seeking so both need to take defensive action – while launching a short series of small fireballs behind them.
The missile acquires one of the flares, but as the warhead was not armed, does not explode. It keeps going until it runs out of fuel.
With a reprieve from the fighters, Ceph has a few seconds to check on the rest of the battle. There’s one less FDF ship – the dart managed to take one down, leaving three left – Serpen, Seclerc, and Cainz.
INSERT – INT. SERPEN’S STARSHIFTER
CPT. LAS SERPEN
I can’t shake this one! Someone pull ’em!
LT. SARLOS CAINZ (VOICE OVER)
Yeah, I got lock.
CPT. LAS SERPEN
I see you! Crossing!
END INSERT
Serpen pilots his fighter perpendicular to Cainz’s... The dart is following behind, trying to line up a good shot.
Cainz looses a missile! The dart has to break off to defend against it!
Before Cainz can follow the dart, Ceph’s Starlighter zooms in close! He does a half orbit, blasting all the while! Cainz’s shields fail!
INSERT INT. CAINZ’S STARLIFTER
The control panels are all red and blinking. Ceph is close enough that his Starshifter can be seen – it’s small but Cainz can identify what kind of fighter it is.
He realizes that it’s a much more advanced Starlighter Mk. 9. He tries to warn the rest of his flight, but it’s too late...
LT. SARLOS CAINZ
(desperate)
That not a S-!
The ship breaks up in a fiery explosion, cutting him off!
END INSERT
Ceph doesn’t have time to celebrate, as he has to dodge fire from Seclerc’s fighter, weaving back and forth around the laser bolts.
But now it’s three vs. two...
INSERT INT. SERPEN’S STARLIFTER
CPT. LAS SERPEN
[vgs], disengage! We need to call in reinforcements!
LT. LARLE SECLERC (VOICE OVER)
What?
CPT. LAS SERPEN
Disengage and reform at 190-44.
END INSERT
Seclerc has to cut off her attack on Ceph, and he wastes no time in flipping over to chase her instead.
The other fighters let the FDF go – they are here to protect the Hauler and don’t gain anything from destroying two more fighter craft.
Ceph, however, is still chasing Seclerc, his laser blasts getting closer and closer to hitting her fighter...
Lasers fly by – it’s Serpen! He’s looped around to give Seclerc some cover!
INSERT INT. CEPH’S STARLIGHTER
Audible ALERTS go off as some of Serpen’s fire hits the Starlighter!
Ceph grits his teeth and slams the throttle forwards and flicks the control stick to send the ship into a slide...
And pulls the trigger!
END INSERT
Ceph’s ship is spinning around, trying to stay evasive while getting a shot on the attacking fighter... And he has one!
The nose cannon on the Starlighter is gimballed and can shoot off axis, and so a few of the shots are able to hit Serpen’s ship despite Ceph’s nose not pointing directly at his target.
His hits don’t destroy Serpen’s ship outright, but he loses an engine and a wing...
CPT. LAS SERPEN (VOICE OVER)
Engine three is gone! Ejecting!
LT. LARLE SECLERC (VOICE OVER)
[vgs]! [vgs]! [vgs]!
The emergency escape cocoon blasts from Serpen’s Starshifter as the rest of it spins out into space
Ceph stops his fighter’s spin and turns back to the Balcony. Seclerc is too far away to be worth chasing.
INT. CEPH’S STARLIGHTER MK.9 #CH-3#
Ceph is somewhat miffed at letting one of the FDF fighters get away, but before he can calm down, the comms panel chirps.
DART PILOT (VOICE OVER)
Starlighter pilot, this is May. Thanks for the assist.
He takes a deep breath before he responds, trying to release some of the anticipation.
CEPH
No problem. So, uh, just wondering...
(somewhat nervous)
[Question only Erudine would know the answer to]
There’s an awkward pause, and Ceph deflates.
DART PILOT (VOICE OVER)
I’m sorry, what was that?
CEPH
(sigh)
Nothing. Just... Have a good one.
He turns the Starlighter back to its original course.
DART PILOT (VOICE OVER)
Wait! Why did you help us?
CEPH
(dismissively)
I don’t like the Federation.
DART PILOT (VOICE OVER)
We don’t like the Federation either. If you’re interested in fighting the Feds, we could always use a pilot like you.
Ceph chuckles.
CEPH
I appreciate the offer, but I’m looking for someone.
DART PILOT (VOICE OVER)
When you find whoever you’re looking for, find us.
CEPH
And you are?
DART PILOT (VOICE OVER)
You don’t- Why would you help us if you didn’t know who we were? We could be pirates or-
CEPH
Shooting at the Feds is good enough for me.
DART PILOT (VOICE OVER)
Well, then. We’re the Rebellion.
(Ceph, quietly: How original)
When you want to join, tell them that May sent you.
CEPH
(not sold)
Yeah. Sure. Whatever. See you sometime.
DART PILOT (VOICE OVER)
Thanks aga-
Ceph closes the connection and settles in for the rest of the trip. The status panels are still showing spots of red, and occasionally sparks fly from the walls, but the ship still works.
He looks down, to where the spilled instant noodles are splattered on the floor. He thinks for a moment, then scoops them back into the bowl, sniffs it a couple times, then shrugs and resumes eating.