Logbook entry

Preliminary Loss Report



TOP SECRET



Redacted and released for public viewing by: Federal Navy Records Bureau, Adle's Armada.



Federal Agent: Cmdr. Robyn Highart



Agents, Deputies and/or Independent Aides: ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ | ▇▇▇▇ | ▇▇▇▇▇▇ | ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ | ▇▇▇▇ | ▇▇▇▇▇▇ | ▇▇▇▇▇▇ | ▇▇▇▇▇ | ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ | ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇.



Co-operating Governing Body: Adle's Armada (FED)



Sector: Hudson System: Eravate Locale: Proximity of Eravate Hyperspace Beacon



Approx. Time: 19:40 hrs UTC



Federal Navy Losses: [ 1 ]: [F.D.N. Invincible: Railgun Destroyer, Anaconda Class] - Retrieved, currently at Fort ▇▇▇▇▇ for recovery.



Estimated Enemy Losses: [ 2 ]: [Diamondback Scout], [▇▇▇▇]



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Section 1 - Erevate Security Detail



Summary: An Imperial Cutter was seen in Eravate supercruise near Eravate 3, by Cmdr. Highart. ID scan came up as Cmdr. Rioraiden [Deadly]. Wanted status with 1 count of murder, 1 count of assault. Cmdr. Highart, piloting the ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ proceeded to enter the wake into which the Cutter had dropped, to find no ship present.



The Federal Agent notified ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ of Adle's Armada of the Cutter's presence, and requested a quick reaction force to assemble. Outmatched and outnumbered by the 4-ship-strong outfit of the Imperial Cutter, the 3-ship-strong QRF retreated to ▇▇▇▇▇▇. There, Cmdr. Highart assumed command of the F.D.N. Invincible, an Anaconda Class, Railgun Destroyer, as the presence of an Imperial Duke made this a Federal Navy jurisdiction matter. It was assumed and logged that Cmdr. Rioraiden and his fleet of eight ships, four at that time, were Imperial Assassins, posing as privateers.



What followed were three seperate interdictions by the QRF, all failing to bring down the cutter, which forfeited any diplomatic protection by opening fire first. Then an interdiction by the enemy wing, singling out the Federal Anaconda, but failing to destroy it.



At this time ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ made contact with "Invincible" and transmitted that a 6-ship-strong detachment of Adle's Armada ▇▇▇▇▇ Corps, was en route to the system.



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Section 2 - Federal Navy Unit and Adle's Armada Engage The Enemy





Summary: The QRF merged into the main Adle's Armada force at a nearby system of ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇. There it organised into ▇▇▇▇▇ and left for Eravate. The main objective was to destroy the two capital ships of the enemy fleet, however some A.A. units were actively pursuing criminal elements aiding the Imperial convoy, namely Cmdr. Kippesh.



Although the entire force arrived simultaneously in Eravate, it consisted only in half, of veteran operatives. Shortage of men meant that recruits were present on main comms. channels.



Shortly after arrival, the enemy seized the initiative from A.A. and interdicted "Invincible". The Anaconda immediately sent out an emergency beacon, while the well-prepared enemy wings dropped in around it. It faced the Imperial Cutter of Cmdr. Rioraiden directly. However, surrounded by enemies, the Captain gave orders not to activate the ▇▇▇ railguns, and to continue firing shield cell banks, in order to focus all enemy damage on the ship's shields. This was done in order to allow the most powerful shield cells to be available, while the Adle's Armada ships dropped on the beacon. The shields kept up, with damage coming from up to 7 ships. When sufficient numbers of allied ships were present the crew opened fire on the Imperial Cutter. Unfortunately, ▇▇ wings of A.A. pursued an escaping ship, detracting the main force from the "Invincible"'s wing. Stranded with the Cutter and it's wing of four, the Anaconda and two light-weight frigates were outgunned.



The Anaconda's shields were beginning to fail, stow guns order was given. At shield capacity of ▇▇, the "Invincible" endured 2 enemy rams and lost it's main magnetic, and electrostatic sheaths, exposing it to enemy fire. The captain ordered all heat vents and thrusters to be dampened and to fire all emergency coolant canisters to hide the ship's heat signature. No wing-wide retreat order was given. This was due to a breakdown of communications with the main force, who were now out of visual range. A general distress signal was given however and the main force as well as the local wing were called in to help the slowly diminishing Anaconda.



At an estimated ▇▇ hull integrity, the computer mainframe manifold, responsible for temperature regulation had malfunctioned. This had left the crew unable to disengage drive, and vent dampeners, raising the temperature to ▇▇ % of the maximum required for safe operation, and ▇▇ % above the allowable emergency condition temperature. This massive heat-spike caused the Main Fusion Drive, Shield Boosting Array, ▇▇▇▇▇ and Frame Shift Drive to malfunction, coming on and off-line. At this time the captain ordered full retreat, coinciding with the engineers manually disabling the Heat Dampening Override. It was however too late. Although the heavily-reinforced hull-superstructure and ▇▇▇▇▇ coating, were holding up, the enemy ships surrounded the now drifting destroyer and began focusing fire on exposed compartments, mainly the reactor core and drives. This continued for 5 minutes while the allied wings failed to detract the enemy fire. It was logged that an Adle's Armada recruit was seen firing on the "Invincible" in a terrible breakdown of friend/foe recognition.



As the canopy of the Control Bridge began to subside to fractures, a general Abandon Ship order was automatically given by the ship's life preservation system, authorised by the Captain. Cmdr. Robyn Highart, his First Officer and the rest of the commissioned staff on the Bridge were unable to access the main escape pods. All escape pods fired. All escape pods were retrieved within one hour of beacon activation.



The bridge crew, including Cmdr. Highart depressurised the Bridge airlock and used their suits' thrusters to move away from the burning ship. First Officer Hailey was killed by a collision with the hull of the "Invincible", which was spinning on the axis of the bridge and impacted him with an instantaneously lethal momentum. ▇▇▇ of the crew died during the operation, ▇▇ of which due to lack of escape routes caused by ship-wide deformation of walkways and compartments. Full casualty report available via F.N.R.B.C.R#▇▇▇▇▇▇▇.



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Section 3 - Cmdr. Robyn Highart Reprimanded



Summary: Upon being picked up by a navy frigate, Cmdr. Highart took a discharge from Navy duty and headed for ▇▇▇▇▇, in order to retrieve his principal fighter-vessel. He has confessed to seeking revenge for the friendly fire sustained during the "Invincible"'s demise. It was logged that he interdicted a Federal Assault Ship belonging to an Adle's Armada recruit. The black box retrieved from the destroyed ship as well as the Multivac Crime reports showed that the interdicted ship fired first, therefore it was within Cmdr. Highart's rights as a federal agent to dispatch him. However due to Cmdr. Highart's confession that he intended to destroy him regardless, the Federal Navy and the Federal Navy ▇▇▇▇ corps. has temporarily suspended his command for ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇. This was because Adle's Armada is a Federal Organisation and an important peace-keeper in the system and wider sector. That is not to say that it is exempt from Federal law, but firing on a friendly ship during combat, in mistake, however wrong, does not invoke an assault on a Federal Agent charge.



The attacked pilot was retrieved alive, and treated aboard the battle cruiser ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇. However his ship was not refunded by the Federal Navy, in light of his conduct.



This matter is now concluded and the Federal Navy is launching an inquiry into its presence within the sector, to investigate how a premier frigate was lost so easily. Full report classified until: 00:00 hrs. 14.5.3322.



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Sc. 1 & 3 Federal Judge Authentication#: SJAAFED-572803



Sc. 2 Declassification Authorisation#: FNRB-DC296673/2347F



Federal Navy Release Form#:▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇



Federal Navy Records Bureau Ref. Id.: FNRB-ref/234515123-25A





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