Battle of Alta

Battle of Alta
World	Detritus
Universe	Skyward Universe

The Battle of Alta took place above Alta Base when Spensa was seven years old. Forty human starfighters participated, against one hundred Krell fighters, the largest force the Krell have ever sent against the humans. Of the participants, fourteen survived and twenty six (including Chaser) died.

History

Prior to the Battle, Alta Base had been cloaked to hide it from the Krell, in an attempt to build up a defense force against the aliens using the machinery that had been found beneath the base in Igneous Cavern.

Chaser and Spensa were in a cave on the surface of Detritus when Chaser spotted dozens of pieces of debris falling through the atmosphere, headed toward Alta Base. He reported it to flight command, and they told him that they had seen the same thing, their radar reports telling them the debris was actually a large force of Krell starfighters.

Flight command told Chaser the Krell were heading straight toward Igneous Cavern, and Mongrel contacted him, telling him to convince Banks and Swing to stay and fight. They wanted to abandon the Cavern, but Ironsides demanded that they stay and fight. Chaser agreed with Ironsides, and said if humans had any hope of having a civilization again, they needed to stay and defend Igneous. Mongrel told Chaser he would beat him to the air and kill more Krell than him, so Chaser sprints toward Alta Base to fight the Krell.

During the Battle, Chaser flew through the debris field that surrounded the planet, leaving him vulnerable to Krell influence. When he returned, he believed his fellow pilots to be Krell ships and attacked them. On Ironsides's orders, Chaser's wingmate, Mongrel, shot him down.

Despite Chaser's actions, the DDF won the battle, chasing off the Krell and saving Alta Base. Following the battle they removed the cloaking from Alta Base and further fortified their position.

Legacy

Chaser's actions led to him being branded a coward. This was specifically engineered by Ironsides as she believed it better he be branded a coward than a traitor. While his flightmates did not know exactly why he had turned on them, Ironsides knew it to be related to his cytonic abilities, known by high level Defiant Cavern officials as the "defect". Her view of the defect changed entirely following the battle and when Chasers daughter Spensa tried to apply for Flight School, she refused her entry, by purposely giving Spensa an exam she could not complete. Spensa was eventually accepted into Flight School, with the help of Cobb, where she was able to rewatch the battle, learning the truth of her fathers actions.

Those who fought in the battle are called the First Citizens, and are given special privileges. This includes special quarters and influence, and their children are given a free entrance into Flight School should they decide to go.

Known Participants

Pilot	Flight	Notes
Callsign: Ironsides	Hope Flight	Flight leader
Callsign: Chaser	Hope Flight	Hope 7, Coward of Alta
Callsign: Mongrel	Hope Flight	Survivor
Callsign: Rally	Hope Flight	Victim to Chaser
Callsign: Antique	Hope Flight	Victim to Chaser
Callsign: Banks	unknown
Callsign: Swing	unknown
Callsign: Broken Wind	unknown	One of the best pilots
Jeshua Weight	unknown
Sousa	unknown
Strife	unknown
Nightingale	unknown
Admiral Heimline	unknown

Notes

This article is still missing information. Please help The Coppermind by expanding it.