Would you like to hear a story of luck, good and bad? How about a story about the evils of the auto scout? Or would a story about heroism and trials by fire? Well then. . . hear the tale of my first victory on normal mode!
The Federation had fallen, without a doubt. The rebels had destroyed each ship, blocked each route. But one ship escaped, its hull holding stout. It was the Star Sapphire, which pulled its way out. Her crew was named Star, Sunny, and Luna, but each had but the skills of a floppy tuna.
Star did not have the piloting skill that she would prefer, but there had to be a reason the ship was named after her.
Sunny was not at all a good shot, causing the rebels to think her ship was not a cruiser, but a yacht.
And finally, the quiet engineer named Luna, whose skills caused the ship to flop about like a tuna.
But only they could prevent the Federation's cruel fate, they just had to bring vital information to sector 8! But the rebels soon ceased their laughter, for they realized there was one more ship they had to go after.
The Star Sapphire found the first few sectors rough, fighting many enemies who were far too tough. The rebels sent auto scouts, which were far too powerful if you asked me. One had cloaks, missiles, and a burst laser three!
And yet it didn't stop there; they soon ran into a rigger with three heavy lasers and an attack drone mark one. With only two shields,it was a miracle the girls' journey was not done. It did not help at all that Sunny had such horrible aim. Missing six lasers and a rocket at every other ship filled her with shame.
But much to the rebels' frustration, they could not make the girls dead. Their ship sped through sector by sector, with its hull often deep in the red. The girls made some additions here and there; new weapons and drones, paid for with scrap taken from fallen foes' bones.
But there was more! The Star Sapphire's crew were dead fish no longer; their journey had made them far, far stronger. Star could now able to dodge almost all lasers and rockets; after all, each hit was money out of her pocket! Sunny often missed shots here and there, but she shot so quickly something had to strike fair. And Luna's skill with the engine made the FTL roar, for when ships with three rocket launchers approached they had to go very, very far.
Eventually, the girls reached the last sector, but their journey was far from done. The rebels were coming, in particular one. The flagship would reach the base in three jumps, maybe four! but the Star Sapphire bested many; there was time for one more.
When they found the flagship, the captain hailed. He said he would succeed where his auto scouts had failed! But Star, Sunny, and Luna did not lose heart. They shot up the flagship, but that was only the start. The cowards went running; their courage was stunning.
The Star Sapphire chased after, seeking to end it. But the flagship's captain was beaming, "Hello again, girls!" he greeted. The Kestrel fired the first shot, but the flagship's captain was smug, as if he had a nasty plot.
And then the Star Sapphire's crew learned why he was so merry. He cheated. He cheated so hard, in fact, that his actions deserve no prose, rhyme, or salutation.
The power surges came back to back, the drone spam did not stop. The Star Sapphire went from full hull to almost none. The cloaking went down, then the medbay and shields. There was a boarding drone on the lose, breaches all around. The Star Sapphire's weapons went offline, one by one. And the air was getting thin; it was soon before there would be none! In short, things went to hell. But in the end, the Flagship could take three more hits; the Star Sapphire only one.
It was all down to Sunny, now, for her last weapon fired three shots! But she'd have to hit all of them; if she missed one her trip was for naught.
In the end, however, she shot true. The Star Sapphire defeated form two! And with not much time left, mind you. The girls were bleeding out, and Star's face was turning blue. Just one more attack from the flagship would have surely been the end. It's hard to be the hero when your dodge chance is zero.
But the plucky trio had some unfinished business to attend. It was up to their repair drones; the damage did they mend.
The flagship was damaged and burning, over his missions' success was he concerning. But surely he left that kestrel, behind, for it was limping and dy- NOPE! It jumped in, ready to throw him into a bin! So he did what he was best at, and cheated again! He turned on the ship's zoltan shield, which broke several rules. But unfortunately for the captain, the Star Sapphire had the right tools. The ion bomb blasted it down, and the girls went downtown. By the time they were finished, the flagship's crew numbered one. And soon enough. . .
They had won!
The Federation was saved, all thanks to them. Now, don't you think this story was a gem?
(tl;dr, I scored my first normal mode victory by snatching victory from defeat.)