Skirmish over P3-X2

Combatants| * Red Wood Industries
* INIC

Commanders| * Unidentified RWI Captain

Strength| * 2 Defender-class Frigates MK.I
	+ RWI Gauntlet
	+ RWI Stalwart
* 2 INIC Corvettes
* At least 50 A-Bot Drones
* Several Fighters

Casualties| * RWI Stalwart
* RWI Gauntlet
* Both INIC Corvettes
* All but 2 RWI crewmen

A **Skirmish over P3-X2** took place during the time of the Colony War between Red Wood Industries (RWI), INIC, and the Green Drone Armada (GDA). All RWI and INIC ships were destroyed, leaving almost no trace of the GDA's presence.

## History

### Prelude

During the later stages of the Colony War, a conflict fought between the Colonist Survivors (CSS) and the Drone Reactionary Force (DRF), the forces of Red Wood Industries began exploring the P3-X2 System for various reasons. One was to locate Captain Jack Roberts, the former RWI officer who led the CSS, and to gather data on the Colonists. Another was to investigate the strange rumors about a mysterious "green-eyed" force lurking in the sector, attacking anyone who came close. Two RWI Defender-class Frigates MK.I, the RWI *Gauntlet* and the RWI *Stalwart*, were dispatched to hunt down INIC forces, an enemy of RWI, who had been attempting to operate in the area for some time.

### The Battle

After some searching, the two RWI ships came across two INIC corvettes. The two factions faced off for a brief time, before the captain of the *Gauntlet* was informed that new unidentified contacts were approaching on the RWI ships' portside. Although the *Gauntlet*'s XO was able to detect the types of vessels - two larger ships escorted by around fifty smaller drone-like craft - they were not able to hail them. Feeling threatened, the captain ordered the *Stalwart* to engage the unknown targets, which were later revealed to be ships affiliated with the Green Drone Armada.

However, as the *Stalwart* moved into position, the *Gauntlet* detected a massive buildup of energy. At that moment, one of the GDA Destroyers blasted the *Stalwart* with its bow-mounted Atlas Superlaser cannon. The *Stalwart* took serious damage and detonated almost immediately due to secondary explosions. At this, the *Gauntlet*'s captain ordered the *Gauntlet* to engage as well. An INIC officer contacted the RWI ship and offered a truce to fight together against the GDA, which the captain agreed to.

It quickly became clear that the RWI and INIC ships were no match for the GDA's superior firepower, and the captain ordered measures to be taken to ensure other RWI ships would soon find them. As GDA fighters strafed the *Gauntlet*, the other GDA Destroyer obliterated one of the INIC ships with its own Atlas Superlaser. Then, the GDA fighters quickly destroyed the second INIC ship as well. The *Gauntlet*'s captain began ordering them to retreat as the *Gauntlet* took more and more damage. Unfortunately, the first GDA Destroyer's laser was recharged and it fired, damaging the *Gauntlet*'s bow, which knocked out their engines and communications. As the captain ordered his XO to get to the engine room, another bridge crew member advised him to order the evacuation of the ship. Before he could, however, the GDA fighters opened fire on the bridge, killing the captain and the bridge crew. Another Atlas Superlaser shot destroyed the *Gauntlet*'s hangar and aft section, leaving the ship dead in space.

### Aftermath

During the battle, one officer, a lieutenant named Chris, heard the mention of the Superlasers. As the *Gauntlet* started to go down, he and his friend Jerrai took shelter in cryo chambers, although their space suits took some damage in the process. As soon as the *Gauntlet* was finished off, the GDA forces immediately retreated, not wanting other ships to know of their presence or strength just yet. However, they did not count on Chris and Jerrai's survival.

Shortly after the battle ended, the Colonist Survivors investigated the wreckage of the two RWI ships and one INIC ship, finding the destruction and death left by the GDA. As they made their way to the *Gauntlet*, Captain Jack Roberts and his men found Chris and Jerrai still hiding in their cryo pods. After informing them that Roberts was "technically RWI as well", the pair informed the Colonists of what they heard and saw during the battle, confirming to Roberts that the GDA had substantially powerful space forces as well as ground forces. Roberts then offered the pair a chance to join their crew, as no one was sure if an RWI rescue expedition would come for them, and they agreed. The Colonists also used their landing ship, the CSS *Pioneer*, and a cruiser built by Commander Craz, to tow the still-mostly-intact wreckage of the *Gauntlet* back to their space station, Watchtower Station, in hopes of getting data off its computers and/or repairing it. The plan worked, and the *Gauntlet* was repaired, although it was ultimately destroyed during the Battle of the Colonies.

Several hours later, a covert RWI rescue operative arrived at the scene to find the *Stalwart* destroyed and the *Gauntlet* missing. He then made his way back to the rest of the RWI fleet in the sector and reported what he found.

## Behind The Scenes

The Skirmish over P3-X2 took place at the end of Episode 63 of 'Space Engineers: Colony Wars' on Captain Jack's POV. A separate video was later posted featuring only the battle, and not the rest of the episode, which can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=\_wl9PczRg4U&t=2s