Devastator (Individual Soyal-class WarShip)
Sarna News
| Devastator | |
|---|---|
| Vessel Profile | |
| Type | WarShip |
History
The Devastator was a cruiser-class WarShip in service with the Free Worlds League Military as the FWL Devastator during the years following the collapse of the Star League.[1]
The Free Worlds League launched an attack against the world of Hesperus II in 2789, intent on capturing the planet and the vital factories there despite the destruction of the orbital shipyards there by WarShips from Draconis Combine in 2787. The Devastator and another cruiser, the FWLS Skulker, were the two largest WarShips assigned to the fleet tasked with capturing Hesperus II.[1]
The task force approached Hesperus II from an unusual vector, intent on not repeating the mistakes made by the Draconis Combine and the Federated Suns during the first and second battles for Hesperus II. Unfortuantely for the League task force, the Lyran Commonwealth Armed Forces had bolstered the garrison at Hesperus II just days before by assigning two cruisers to the system, the veteran WarShip LCS Granite and the LCS Endeavor under the overall command of Fleet Admiral Oscar F. Dewey.[1]
The Endeavor and the Granite targeted the two League cruisers, exchanging furious broadsides with their opponents in a fashion akin to the blue water naval battles of old on Terra, but after several broadsides it became apparent that the more modern Devastator was swiftly getting the upper hand against the much older Granite. From his position aboard the Granite it became apparent to Dewey that he was faced with the potential loss of the entire battle, and as a consequence Dewey took a desperate step, ordering the Granite to ram the Devastator. The Lyran cruiser drove its prow deep into the bowels of its opponent, pushing both of them out of orbit and into a spiral towards the surface of Hesperus II while the Endeavor and the Skulker continued to battle each other.[1]
When Dewey became aware of the rapid descent of both ships towards the planet he had the Granite pull itself free of the Devastator using its manuevering drive, the two ships finally seperating as their hulls began visibly glowing from the friction of atmospheric entry.The venerable Granite fought for several minutes to remain above the atmosphere, but it became apparent that she could no longer maneuver effectively and Dewey ordered his crew to abandon ship. The Endeavor vanquished the Skulker and swiftly recovered the crew of the Granite, and with both League cruisers vanquished, the League fleet no longer had a clear advantage over the Lyran defenders and retreated.[1]
The Devastator and the Granite burned up together in the atmosphere of Hesperus II, the last remains of the two ships crashing violently into the surface close to the vital factories over which they had been fighting.[1]