“The Final Mission” —
| “ | "Little wins here and there will not hold us together. We need more than that. Something big."
"You have something in mind?" |
„ |
| — Chrisjen Avasarala and Roberta "Bobbie" Draper | ||
The Rocinante's boarding of the Azure Dragon was a brief yet strategically significant engagement between the independent frigate Rocinante and the Free Navy spotter ship Azure Dragon. The mission objective was to board and capture the Dragon to obtain all information pertaining to further asteroids that were a threat to Earth, thus ending the Bombardment of Earth. The engagement was a decisive victory for the Rocinante and, by proxy, the United Nations and the Martian Congressional Republic, resulting in the capture of the Azure Dragon, elimination of its crew, and acquisition of vital strategic data.
Prelude[]
While investigating rumors of Free Navy ships in the Belt, the Rocinante discovered an asteroid with a fusion core and drive cone; this asteroid was one of many that, over a six-month period, was fired at Earth by Marco Inaros. Within the guidance logs for the engine were references to an "Azure Dragon"—these references, once paired with a triangulation for the engine's activation signal, revealed potential locations for a Free Navy spotter ship that could direct the asteroids. If this ship were to be eliminated, Inaros' ability to terrorize and harm Earth would be abolished.[1]
Upon reciept of this intelligence, Secretary-General Chrisjen Avasarala tasked former MMC Gunnery Sergeant Roberta "Bobbie" Draper with operational command of the Rocinante's mission to intercept the Azure Dragon. She transferred to the Rocinante from a UNN supply ship, and, with UN signals intelligence discovering the exact location of the Azure Dragon, the crew set underway on an intercept course.[2]
The battle[]
The Rocinante gives pursuit to the Azure Dragon.
Initially remaining undetected behind the Dragon's drive cone, the Rocinante proceeded towards the ship under RCS thrust only. However, the frigate was detected in short time, and the Dragon began an escape burn at high velocity, the Rocinante quickly giving chase. The Dragon attempted to escape, making sharp maneuvers with its drive plume burning away at the Rocinante's hull. Despite this, the Rocinante maintained its pursuit, and aligned with the Dragon enough for Draper to leap to the other ship. Successfully landing on the Dragon, Draper activated a localized electromagnetic pulse (EMP), temporarily disabling the Dragon's engine.
Draper engages the Free Navy crewmen (and it's not even close).
Following this, James Holden—captain of the Rocinante—Amos Burton, and Clarissa Mao joined Draper on the hull of the Dragon; Clarissa disabled the Dragon's engine for good with the help of Naomi Nagata over radio as Holden and Amos approached the ship's dock for boarding action. Three of the Dragon's crew engaged Draper and Clarissa with small arms, but all were killed by the marine and Clarissa's modifier. Holden and Amos breached the Dragon's airlock, and killed the last crewmember as he was transmitting a status report of the Dragon's capture to Inaros.[2]
Aftermath[]
The Azure Dragon's intelligence is unearthed to Holden and crew.
With the Azure Dragon captured, its intelligence on Inaros' asteroids was quickly ascertained and forwarded to Secretary-General Avasarala. With the full knowledge of future asteroids headed for Earth, the Sentinel network had newfound acquisition of the threats; the UNN fleets defending Earth were quickly retasked with bringing the fight to Inaros, and they departed Earth. Inaros was also made aware of the defeat at Ceres Station through the Dragon crewmember's transmission.[2]
Media[]
References
- ↑ The Expanse TV Series - Season 6, Episode 1: "Strange Dogs"
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 The Expanse TV Series - Season 6, Episode 2: "Azure Dragon"