Betha vs. Delta: Battle of the Wandering Moon

Intro

Round 1

• The Bethans realize the traveling Moon, wandering through the star system common to them and their enemies, will make an excellent gun platform, away from the sun that interferes with other battles in the war.
• They plan a pre-emptive strike, and launch the gunship Satazius to the Moon, suppress Alphan defenses, lands, and carries out that strike against Delta.
• Delta launches a missile attack towards the origin of the Bethan attack, missiles on random trajectories near Alpha. One strikes the Satazius, knocking it out.
• An escape craft leaves the Satazius, and still without communication, lands on Launch Pad 10. Koenig decides to bring it down to the hangar, to find out more about what is going on. On board is Dione, the commander of the Satazius, who says she is the sole survivor of her ship. She demands sanctuary. This is initially denied, but she talks her way into it.
• While she is talking with the command staff, even offering to send Bethan reinforcements to "protect Alpha" (disbelieved by Koenig), a Deltan gunship approaches Alpha, lands nearby, and launches an attack against Delta.
• Betha then launches missiles towards the Moon. The first volley strikes but does not knock out the Deltan gunship.
• Dione tries to charm and wile John, even offering to let the Alphans settle on the planet. He is not convinced, and seems a little repelled by her attempts at charm, though he plays along a little.
• The Deltan gunship starts firing missiles again.
• Betha launches another missile, which scores a direct hit on the Deltan ship, destroying it.

Ceasefire

• Now "back to square one" with the Bethan ship knocked out and the Deltan one destroyed, John decides to try negotiating a cease fire, which Dione appears surprised at. Victor whispers to John (and Helena) they only need about four hours of time before the Moon is likely out of range and of no use to either side.
• Kano establishes contact with the Deltan Supreme Commander, Talos. Koenig convinces Talos to put the request before their Praesidium. Dione, using Kano's equipment, makes contact with Chief Commissioner of Bethan Defence, Theia. She agrees to a cease fire and to discuss terms. A Deltan term is that it be policed, and Koenig offers to do so. Talos also wants to launch a second gunship of theirs into orbit around their planet, just in case the cease fire breaks down.
• The Alphans discuss Dione's offer of settlement on Betha further. John thinks it does need to be discussed, but Helena and Victor are arguing against it.

Round 2

• Dione disappears from quarters, transported to her escape craft, which returns to the damaged Satazius, puzzling the Alphans.
• The Satazius re-activates and launches a new attack on Delta. It was playing possum, having waited for a nearby missile strike and activating carefully-prepared charges on Satazius for some controlled damage to give the appearance of being knocked out, and gain time for a new attack when there would not be enough time for the Deltans to bring a new gunship to the Moon.
• Talos feels Koenig broke his word. The cease fire is ended. Talos indicates the gunship and Alpha will be destroyed, then demands the coordinates of the Bethan gunship, and threatens to bombard Alpha at intervals until the gunship is destroyed or its coordinates are given up. To prevent the latter, Dione threatens a direct strike on Alpha by her gunship.
• Deltan missiles are launched, hitting Alpha and doing damage.
• Koenig contacts Dione and indicates he is coming out to the Satazius, seemingly looking (to Alphan and Bethan alike) that he is abandoning Alpha. When Victor breaks the signal, Koenig tells the Alphans it is a ruse, says that Technical should prepare for action.
• The Satazius launches more missiles at Delta.
• A moonbuggy carrying Koenig drives towards the Satazius, Koenig trying to convince her to stop the attack. She has no interest in letting him on board, but does otherwise seem a little concerned about his well-being.
• Delta launches more missiles towards Alpha. While those are in flight, the Satazius launches more missiles at Delta, continuing the bombardment she hopes will knock out the rest of their defenses.
• Koenig pleads, for the last time, for Dione to stop firing. The Satazius continues firing.
• While Dione again indicates Koenig will not be allowed aboard, the moonbuggy get underneath an overhanging part of the gunship, where the Bethan guns cannot fire. The moonbuggy's passenger's helmet falls off, but there is no one inside. It is an Alphan ruse, and Koenig is speaking from his office in Alpha. The moonbuggy is carrying a powerful weapon, which explodes, destroying the Bethan gunship.
• Alpha contacts Delta to indicate the ship is destroyed, and contacts Talos to request the Deltan missiles still on approach to be auto-destroyed, which is done. The battle is over.

Conclusions

• The Deltan gunship is destroyed with its entire crew.
• The Bethan gunship Satazius is destroyed with its entire crew, including Dione.
• The two alien gunships become additional alien wrecks on the Moon. The Deltan ship's missile battery is later converted to a housing for an Alphan laser(?).
• Numerous exchanges of missiles, often more than one of each of these: Satazius to Delta, Delta to the Moon, and Betha to the Moon.
• Numerous missiles hit all targets, Delta, Satazius, Deltan gunship, Alpha, the Moon in general, and Betha.
• Parts of Alpha are damaged.
• Among Alphans, five cases of middle ear damage, but fortunately no fatalities.
• Alphans lose a moonbuggy and spacesuit, both used in the Alphan's sole direct (and apparently the only truly decisive) strike in the whole battle.