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Re: Chapter 01: Protectors of Truth [ Day 03 | 1507 hrs. ]

Reply #25
[ Lt. JG A'vura Zeshryr | Conference Lounge | Deck 01 | Vector 01 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @steelphoenix
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A'vura let out a surprised yelp when she felt strong arms wrap around her by the waist, and the memory of what happened on Starbase 84 flashed into her mind and she flailed momentarily before remembering the only person in the room with her was the Kzinti, and he didn't strike her as someone prone to assaulting women. Still in his grip, she tilted her head up to look at him, and saw his bared fangs. But at his statement, she blinked in confusion, “Wha...?” then she looked at the console again, and noticed the sparks coming out of the manual release console she had been reaching for. If Deacon hadn't grabbed her...

Her knees went weak and wobbly, but as he let her go, she balanced against him for a moment to regain her footing and composure, “Th-that...was terribly close,” said A'vura, and she looked at the Kzinti, “thanks...I owe you one. Guess that'll teach me not to be distracted.”

She approached the controls and leaned a little forward, but kept a safe distance, squinting at it. She took out her tricorder, and began scanning to power relay, and made a soft clicking noise, “No wonder...” she looked at Deacon and offered an explanation for his benefit, “A lot of ships have independent power supplies and reroute points during times of crisis or when systems are compromised.” She gestured at the still sparking console, “Unfortunately, system redundancies can sometimes overlap and cause power to be rerouted all into one place, where they gather, build up and, well, overload, like this one. We could force the doors open by hand, but I happen to know a handy trick I learned from Suq and Sinead.”

Glad for the habit of being almost fully geared as if going on an away mission all the time, A'vura withdrew a small but versatile phase cutter and a PADD from her person, she disconnected the PADD from Thea first, “I'm not sure why Thea's not responding, but we won't find answers in here. I'm going to reroute the excess power into the replicator, and lighting briefly. Just long enough to open this door, then we get out, fast.”

She knelt by the console, tracing the plating on the wall with her fingers and used the cutter to peel open the wiring inside. Selecting various wires and attaching them to the receiving ports on her PADD, she began to input commands, and the console above stopped sparking, and the door hesitantly hissed open, straightening up, the Orion quickly darted through the doors, saying, “Go, go, go!” After a while, the doors closed again, and she smiled at Deacon, now they just had to get out of here and to the lounge, while A'vura went to check on what was going on, but the turbolifts, and other doors all had the same problems as the first. “Dammit!” A'vura thumped her fist in frustration against the doors of the turbolift. She glanced over at Deacon, “Fancy a climb through the jeffries tubes?”

Re: Chapter 01: Protectors of Truth [ Day 03 | 1507 hrs. ]

Reply #26
[ Lt Simon Tovarek & Ens Cameron Henshaw  | Main Bridge | Deck 01 | Vector 01 | USS Theurgy ]

After receiving his orders from Martin, Tovarek installed him at his station. He gave the instructions on how to reach the nearest airlock to the ensign on the hull. The coordination was running smoothly as the Andorian and his work buddy were guided in with ease. The looming thread of the Asurians still present, yet at this point it wasn't a major concern for Simon.

As he tried to open comms with ch'Xinya once more to confirm that they had entered the airlock, the systems seemed to black out. "Tchyo za ga`lima..." Tovarek muttered behind his station after numerous failures to make contact with the man. He he whacked the side of the station as it still gave no signal. The arrival of the unknown ship seemed to have brought theirs to their knees. Thea's cries felt like they would go through bone and marrow. It was rather uncomfortable to say the least. Simon chewed on his lip for a second before he tried to reroute everything he knew to get his station back to work. All efforts failed however which only made the lieutenant more aggravated. "Ma'am" he addressed Martin "Last I heard, Mr ch'Xinya should've made it to the airlock. I can't confirm however that he's made it safely aboard the ship. There's no way I can communicate with him... Unless I'd use the intercom, which I believe should only be used for emergencies. With your approval however, I could try and check for myself if he made it?"

Simon realized that it'd be quite the descend as he'd have to make a downwards climb through the tubes to reach Shall's last known position. Yet it was a risk and exercise the officer was willing to make considering the feeling of not knowing if the other was safe gnawed at him. "If need be, I can remain in contact with you and the rest using a low band frequency." he concluded as he looked up at his female supervisor.

Cameron in the meantime had looked in horror at Thea as she had gone through her knees and screamed in agony. Her eyes darted over to the captain and the large presence of the hologram in the middle of their bridge. Fear quickly quipped aroundh er heart as she felt her heart rate accelerate to an unhealthy rhythm. He knees shaking while she sat at her blank station. Trent however brushed off some renewed hope and sense of duty as the XO remained calm as ever. He already seemed to have found a way to bypass the much needed communication issues and started dealing out orders.

Henshaw complied and aided where she could. She heard the problems in the hangar bays as the doors and field emitters had been brought offline as well. She listened to the Wolves ready up and finally a ray of good news reached her earpiece as the newly appointed SCO announced that they were swarming out. "Commander, Wolves have confirmed launch, shuttles are delayed. Do I need to patch any new orders through to the wolves?" she asked in a remarkable cool and calm fashion to the man standing up besides her. It wasn't that the fear she felt had gone, it was more the sense of doing her job that took over, almost guiding her on auto pilot.


OOC: Hope this works for everyone, if not let me know and I'll edit where needed.

Russian for beginners:
Tchyo za ga`lima = Fuck off

Re: Chapter 01: Protectors of Truth [ Day 03 | 1507 hrs. ]

Reply #27
[ Captain Ives | Main Bridge | Deck 01 | Vector 01 | USS Theurgy ]
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The cacophony of voices and running feet raised the tensions on the bridge, though everyone did their best to try and handle the situation. Yet for all the activity on the bridge of Vector 01, it was quickly evident that the computer cores of all three Vectors were affected by what these 'Savi' were doing. Though one of the Asurians had called them the 'Sheromi', which was a word Jien had heard before. They were, as far as he knew, the past tormentors and current benefactors of the Asurians, though there was no time to dwell on what that might mean. Thea's three hulls were about to be exposed to the Azure Nebula, so Jien looked back towards the bridge crew to make sure there were no measures missed. That was when he heard O'Connell's voice.

[Operation Manta Ray is a go.  Repeat:  Operation Manta Ray is a go.] The Allegiant's computer core, available through the hard-wire ODN network. Jien's oaken eyes widened and then sought the helmsman's - Derik Veradin. "Can you reintegrate the Vectors?"

"Negative, Captain. No access to RCS thrusters," said the Trill at the CONN station, voice tense. "The docking clamps would not even work if I got out and pushed the hulls together."

Meanwhile, Faye Eloi-Danvers had approached the hologram. "Do you not care, that what you are doing will harm the inhabitants of this ship? You claim to be looking for specimens for research. Surely then, it serves no purpose to irradiate them, before you can collect any of worth? Is that morally acceptable to your people? To cause such wanton harm without regard to the sentience of the...curiosities you observe? Are not we just as alive and free thinking as the Asurains that you hold in some apparent regard? As you yourself?"

The impassive, tall figure of the Savi turned its white head slowly towards the speaker - as if surprised that a rodent in a lab experiment was trying to communicate with him. His face twisted slightly in a cruel grimace and he seemed inconvenienced, but spoke nonetheless, looking away from her. "We can explain it to you, but we cannot understand it for you," he said quietly in his strange voice, the derisiveness barely heard over the chaos on the bridge, "Your quietude would be a better option, giving us the mere 'impression' that you are inane, rather than speak... and remove all doubt. We have seen the rise and fall of the empires, and yet you think we have not foraged for our research before."

Behind him, Viel Erion stepped closer to the screen. "Send the word when you are done, Sheromi," he snarled and slammed his hand down - cutting off the feed. Next to him, Hara added, "Remember, the Captain is ours...." Then, both halves of the viewscreen showed the Azure Nebula, and the hologram of the Savi narrowed his eyes at the light. When Echtand, as he had named himself, spoke again, it was as if he was speaking to himself.

"These Asurians must have a very high opinion of themselves... if they think they are our equals," he said, and then frowned, as if he read something off-screen, in whatever ship he was on. "They did not mention that you were an Aspect-Maker, Captain 'Jien Ives'."

Jien frowned. Was he talking about his race? Could he buy time? "I'm Chameloid. Wh-"

"Cultural semantics have no consequence," said Echtand, who still hadn't unfolded his arms. "We foraged your kind, yet in your lasting captivity, your ancestors caused us a Cataclysm. Since then, our Archive has been compromised, and we have lost relevant data on the Aspect-Makers. Your matrix will be made a new project, one of re-discovery. Retaining lost knowledge. Perhaps you will think it preferable to death at the hands of the Asurians?"

It didn't sound like the Savi cared one whit about his opinion, already looking past Ives and upon Thea's tormented projection. "Though this ship hold something even more... unique. Unprecedented," said Echtand and actually took a couple of steps towards the projection that laid on the deck plates - tilting his head as he met her gaze. "This artificial life-form... has once been organic in nature, making it an impossibility of existence. Its memory banks hold the code of actual memory engrams, formed in a human brain. After this occurrence, the memory retention of its program has changed in nature, making it operate as if it was still organic. There is... nothing of the kind... in our Archive."

When Echtand finally released Thea with his black-eyed stare, he walked away - turning his back to the gathered bridge crew. "You would do well to not oppose the extraction teams we are beaming aboard. Save your strength for the Asurians, and let us collect the positronic brain, the craft you name 'Cinsaj', and the Omega device. Perhaps we will speak again, Aspect-Maker... aboard the Versant."

Mid-step, the hologram of the Savi flickered out of existence - leaving the bridge in a darkness only lit by the Azure Nebula.

And before them... stretching across the entire width of the viewscreen, something immense seemed to be decloaking. A ship that dwarfed the Theurgy, large enough to make Thea look like a shuttle. It was of such magnitude in proportion, so other that it didn't fit within the realm of comprehension for a Federation crew. White and black, almost insect-like in form, it appeared like it could hold over fifty thousand souls or more.

Seeing it, Jien had no words to offer in regard to its sight, much less any means to fight it, when Thea was still crippled. Moreover, time was up, the radiation shields gone, and with a sinking feeling in his stomach, Jien knew that he had mere moments before he would be beamed off the bridge - just like the Savi had said. They had no means to stop it. The inevitability felt like defeat.

"Listen to me!" he called while he still could, rounding on the present officers and overriding the chaos. He met their eyes, yet already, lights began to lick his mimicked uniform - the alien transport protocol issued. Thea was vanishing too, the mobile emitter also being collected. "Execute the Continuance Protocol! Protect the truth at all cost!"

In his peripheral vision, Jien saw someone barrelling towards him - seizing him before he vanished off the bridge. It was only plain to the bridge crew who was missing, for it had been Sinead O'Riley who had made the leap, and she too was gone.

Already, the Savi extraction teams were aboard... One likely in the Fighter Assault Bay, and the other in the Upper Computer Core...

...yet where was the third?

Either way, the Continuance Protocol could not be executed without the computer cores back online.




OOC: The Savi extraction teams are beamed in since the things they are to collect are either too big or not isolated enough for a beam-out. The nature of the extraction teams will be revealed in upcoming posts. The seven Asurian Overseers remain on standby, circling the Theurgy's three Vectors. Also, all hybrid species characters will be beamed off the Theurgy and out of their fighter cockpits in New Pack, Old Teeth. More info on this will be provided when the Sabine arrives too.

Suggested Posting Order:
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The Continuance Protocol: [Show/Hide]

Re: Chapter 01: Protectors of Truth [ Day 03 | 1507 hrs. ]

Reply #28
[ William Robert O’Connell | Main Engineering | Deck 25 | USS Theurgy ]  Atten. @Nolan , @Triton , @Brutus, @Top Hat , @Hastata-Nerada , @FollowTomorrow , @Triage , @DocReno, @chXinya, @CanadianVet, @Auctor Lucan.

Meanwhile in main engineering on Vector 03’s Deck 25, a shout rang out from Petty Officer Tenchi Koizumi.  “Boss, we’re losing our shields!” the young human called out.  He was stationed along the portside outer wall just aft of the chief engineer’s office and the hatch leading into the Jeffries tubes.  “Radiation levels are climbing!”

“Okay folks, git ready to git those shields up!” Master Chief William O’Connell shouted back from the optical data network relay junctions.  “Everybody hang onto your butts!” He called out before hit the last manual switches. 

All of the lights dimmed before returning on nighttime luminosity.  Taking a deep breath, William O’Connell turned and gestured to Chief Petty Officer Lavar Manfredi as he marched back around the warp core back towards the master system display table located in the aft section of the chamber.  “Speak to me Arex,” he grunted to the Bollian hunched over the MSDT.

“The system is reconfiguring Master Chief,” Petty Officer Zil Arex from Bolarus IX replied.  The blue skinned petty officer seemed to have acquired an eerie calm considering the stakes.

Although O’Connell tried his best to match the Bollian’s nerve, the seconds seemed to stretch on like days.  Operation Mantra Ray may have been Billy Bob’s idea, but it was the first officer who had figured out how it could be done.  What if Trent had gotten his schematics wrong?  Or simply hadn’t finished planning a secondary computer and optical data network?  What if the master chief and the engineers serving under him simply hadn’t followed his instructions properly?  What if the fight they had at Starbase 84 compromised the new network?   At least the umbilical ports to the Allegiant were intact:  All they needed was the scout’s computer; the rest of the yacht didn’t need to be in mint condition for this to work.

“Boss, the system is rebooting!” Petty Officer First Class Eetak Zol from Ktaria VII chirped from her console facing the wall portside to the master systems display table.

“Radiation levels are in the danger zone!” Petty Officer Koizumi called out like a chief.

“Don’t jest stand there like a hung up hologram, git those shields up!  Git ‘em up, and make sure they extend out far enough to cover all three vectors!” Billy Bob roared in his ‘drill instructor’ voice before muttering to himself quietly.  “Koizumi’s like a Ferengi salesman, he just don’t know when to stop.”  Seeing his people in main engineering struggling to fill his orders, O’Connell came to an epiphany.  “O’Connell to Vector 03 battle bridge,” he called out to the ceiling but was disappointed when there was no response.  Quickly, he pushed Arex aside and activated the communications system from the master systems control table.  “O’Connell to Vector 03 battle bridge,” he repeated. 

[ This is Lieutenant Commander Dewitt, ] a woman’s voice replied to him.  [ I don’t know what you did, but we’re awfully grateful. ]

“Thank you ma’am,” O’Connell acknowledged.  “Beggin’ the commander’s pardon but we need you to get the shields up and spread them over the other two vectors ASAP, over the entire ship yesterday that is.  My people are good with a wrench but they weren’t exactly trained on deflector shield operation.”

[ We’re on it, ] Dewitt’s voice replied.  [ But it’s a stopgap measure.  With the exception of Chief Warrant Officer Tarsi sh'Zhan the people I have on this bridge aren’t exactly seasoned. ]  Translation:  We aren’t the bridge crew of the Voyager or the Enterprise-E so don’t expect us to pull off any miracles if the bad guys start shooting.

“Yes ma’am Ah’m uh workin’ on that,” Billy Bob assured her.  “Ah’ll git back to yuh jest as quick as Ah can.  O’Connell out,” he added before he ended communication.  “Nice girl, but about as sharp as a sack of wet mice,” he muttered before activating the ship’s intercom.  “Chief Petty Officer Richard August, Chief Petty Officer Shannon Duffy, Chief Petty Officer Harrison Jones, Chief Petty Officer Jeff Kowalski, and  Chief Petty Officer Jack Turner report to the lower shuttlebay on Deck 21 immediately!” he bawled in his ‘drill instructor’ voice.  “Git yore festering behinds to th’ shuttlebay an’ each of you enter a shuttle immediately!  O’Connell out.”

“Are we abandoning ship Boss?” Petty Officer Arex asked him.

“Not now Arex; Ah’m busy,” O’Connell waved him away.  “He’s gotta mouth like a cannon, always shootin’ it off,” he muttered before contacting Transporter Room 4 on Deck 12.  “Engineerin’ t’ transporter room; come in Mister Kiiz.”

[ Ensign Kiiz, ] a masculine voice replied.

“Mister Kiiz Ah need yuh t’ transport th’ folks from the main bridge in Vector 01 tuh th’ battle bridge in Vector 03 pronto,” the master chief instructed.  “Duh yuh think you kin handle it?”

[ Master Chief, the transporter doesn’t have enough memory to transport all of them at once, ] the transporter officer from the planet Trill apologized.  [ I’ll have to transport them out one or two at a time at most. ]  

“That’s why Ah ordered, Ah say ordered five transporter chiefs to the lower shuttlebay sir,” the master chief drawled.  “The Theurgy may be crippled an’ th’ Allegiant’s computer might be overloaded but last time Ah checked each o’ them shuttles had a perfectly functioning two pad transporter, and from the last report Ah received, most of ‘em are workin’ fine.  T’aint nothin’ wrong with their computers.  You jest dew what yuh can and coordinate with the others,” he instructed.  

[ Master Chief, I’ve got Chief Warrant Officer Gimli Luff on exterior sensors, ] Kiiz reported.   [ He’s in freefall.  Mister Luff has left Vector One and does not seem to be able to control his trajectory. ]

“Luff’s in freefall?” O’Connell asked in disbelief.  “Whut’s he doin’?” 

[ About ten klicks. ]

“Hang on there Kiiz, Ah’m uh gonna see if Ah kin contact Luff,” O’Connell reported as he fiddled with the controls before him.  “The computer in his EV suit should be workin’ an’ it’s not lahk we gotta git a signal through the hull… Do yuh hear me, Mister Luff?  Kin yuh read me?”

Luff’s booming baritone was quite audible as a matter of fact it was almost deafening.  [ I SAID ‘LUFF TO THEURGY, MAN OVERBOARD!’  WHAT’S GOING ON WITH YOU IDIOTS MANNING THE TRANSPORTER ROOMS ANYWAY?  ARE YOU TOO BUSY PLAYING WITH YOUR GENITALS TO RESCUE ME?  BEAM ME BACK ABOARD YOU STUPID DONSELS! ] 

O’Connell switched his communications back to the transporter room before he went deaf.   “Kiiz, Ah reckon yuh better test th’ transporter on Luff afore we try anythin’,” O’Connell decided.  “We kin gauge how tough it is t’ beam one Tellartie aboard afore we try anythin’ crazy like beamin’ the main bridge crew around.  If Luff leaves th’ shield, he’s dead dodo anyways.  By my reckonin’ he’s got nothin’ tuh lose.”

[ Aye-aye Master Chief. ] Kiiz replied.  [ Energizing now. ]  There was a long pause.  [ We have him aboard. ] the ensign reported.

“Thank you Mister Kiiz, standby.”  Billy Bob acknowledged.



OOC:  If the Continuance Protocol malfunctions, there is always Plan B.  I’m making the assumption that intership communications has gone from TNG to TOS, although signals from individual combages can still contact each other.  The problem is that a heavily shielded duranium bulkhead could block the comm signals if they aren’t picked up by interior sensors and routed through the ship by the main computer.


Re: Chapter 01: Protectors of Truth [ Day 03 | 1507 hrs. ]

Reply #29
[ Lt JG Nator 159 | Primary Computer Core | Deck 02 | Vector 01 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @chXinya et al

Power interrupted and resumed, last safe backup loaded, runtimes restored and routines coming back online. It wouldn't be clear how Thea was holding up until the boot sequence completed, however - and given its complexity there weren't a great number of tests that could accurately be performed in the pre-operative stage. S/he just had to hope. It wasn't a feeling with which s/he was comfortable. "She's coming back up, Warrant."

Nator sat back on hir haunches as s/he watched the limited LCARS readouts scroll inside the inspection plate. S/he turned to enquire as to how the warrant officer was doing with raising some extra firewalls when hir nose twitched at the odour of ionising air, coinciding with the distinctive sound of a group of annular-confinement beams discharging in the room. Before s/he could turn to see who was transporting into the ship's nerve centre, a hand grabbed hir shoulder and threw hir bodily across the chamber.

The backs of hir legs hit one of the ring of consoles, sending the svelte Hermat tumbling to the deck. S/he wasn't badly hurt, though s/he suspected s/he was going to have some wicked bruises come the morning. If we live...

There was less than a minute before the warp cores shut down, give or take.

Swearing as s/he slapped a forearm onto a console to lever hirself back up again, s/he saw seven humanoids in the room with hir and Ravenholm - mostly identical in configuration to the projection that had spoken on the bridge. They all wore helmets with respirator apparatus in their faceplates, and the seventh - the one closest to the centre of the room, the one that had thrown hir over here - appeared different to the one that had appeared on the bridge. S/he could make out tetrocular features and what looked like an exoskeleton through the transparent mask, and it was tripedal, to boot. "Intruder alert, primary computer core!" s/he called as s/he slapped hir badge, though with Thea still coming around s/he wasn't sure where the message was going to go.

[Remain where you are. The Vigilant of Sa have no interest in you.] The voice was higher-pitched than hir own, but an order or two of magnitude louder. It rang off the hard surfaces in the compartment.

"Balls to that," Nator muttered to hirself.

In the mean time, then, it would be down to the two of them to fight on Thea's behalf. Seven on two... well Hell, maybe I get to pay down that debt early.

Due to the room's dual function of computer core and flag bridge, there was a weapons locker present near the door to provide the officers within a means of defence if Security were unavailable. Nator lunged for it, quite ignored by the aliens, and pressed hir thumbprint into the patch next to one of the rifles. A pistol would have been lighter, but s/he was no SECOFF and rifles were easier to aim; there was also the bonus that the energy density was higher with the rifles compared to the pistols.

By default it was set on heavy stun; the Hermat saw no immediate need to escalate that just yet. Taking careful aim - because Ravenholm was on the other side of the alien group from where s/he stood by the door - s/he put a bolt into the spine of the nearest biped 'Vigilant'. With dismay, s/he watched the impact zone warm to a lambent orange before dissipating harmlessly. The alien spun on the spot, levelling a weapon in hir direction. S/he threw hirself to the deck as an aquamarine beam speared the bulkhead; Nator instinctively threw an arm over hir face to guard against the inevitable spatter of sublimated alloy, but none came. Instead, a neat round hole had been drilled in the composite, with no heating around the edges evident.

A puzzle for later.

S/he crawled a couple of metres along the deck, staying below the tops of the consoles around the edge of the room, dialling up the setting on the rifle as s/he went. Right, s/he determined, popping up out of cover to deliver a maximum-setting blast at hir attacker. The beam caught it high in the shoulder, prompting a puff of gas and ablated suit reinforcement to erupt from the impact point. The alien stumbled, going to one knee. "Ha!" s/he growled.

As one, every other bipedal intruder turned towards hir, raising their weapons. The tripedal one ignored hir still, leaning over Thea's exposed column.

"Oh."

On the plus side, they'd all have their backs to Ravenholm for a few seconds at least. On the other...

The Hermat hit the deck for the third time in the space of half a minute as the bulkhead and console were shredded by more turquoise beams. Now that s/he let hirself take a closer look at their effects, in hir adrenaline-fed, paradoxically fast/slow motion dilated perception of time, whatever they touched seemed to twist in on itself and be torn asunder. Certainly, the consoles weren't up to such abuse. Several of the beams perforated the computer stations quite handily.

One of them scored a line across the back of hir shoulder, and s/he had a prime opportunity for some First-Hand Science to occur.

Most of what s/he got was pain, however, as hir flesh found itself torn apart by gravimetric shear. S/he felt hir tunic grow warm and sticky with hir blood as s/he swore like a Nausicaan pirate, convulsing on the deck as s/he strove to get out of the line of fire. Between the legs of a chair and a neighbouring console, s/he watched as the alien s/he'd wounded regained its feet and added its own fire to the suppression tearing its way through hir cover. "Oh you have to be joking," s/he snarled through gritted teeth.

Nator wormed hir way back across the deck, hir journey lubricated somewhat by the bright scarlet blood pouring from hir wound. Hir one saving grace was that the injury wasn't quite debilitating despite how much it hurt.

"Ravenholm!" s/he called, voice tight with pain.
Nator 159: "I accept no responsibility for the ensign's manifest stupidity. Sir." [Show/Hide]
Ranaan Ducote: "A ship is a home; its crew a family." [Show/Hide]
T'Less: "Your odds of prevailing against us are... slim." [Show/Hide]
Valkra: "Come! We will shake the gates of Sto'Vo'Kor!" [Show/Hide]

Re: Chapter 01: Protectors of Truth [ Day 03 | 1507 hrs. ]

Reply #30
[ Deacon | Conference Lounge | Deck 01 | Vector 01 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Triage, @Auctor Lucan 

Deacon worked to calm himself as A'vura went about her duty, interfacing with the controls for the door in order to discharge the risk of electrocution.  Electrocution.  Not burning, not collapse.  Why was he worried about these other things?  There was the faint smell of ozone, sure, but no smoke and the structure around them seemed sound enough, current circumstances not withstanding.  This... whatever it was... he wondered if it was something he could handle alone.  Hallucinations?  Delusions?  Whatever they were, they were becoming progressively worse as they days and stress rose.  Maybe he could speak to K'Ren about them?

His thoughts came round once more to A'vura as the electricity seemed to dispel from the panel, redirected to other nearby systems as she'd indicated, and the door slid open.  "I could have forced the door," he admitted, realizing that while his strength was more the adequate to the task, his mind was clearly preoccupied.  If he could convince her to provide what prompting she needed, that might be enough to maintain his focus.

They rushed through the door and out into the corridor that separated them from the remainder of the deck.  Beyond a single wall, lay the bridge.  He should be there with his captain, his instincts told him, but that was not the way of a Starfleet vessel.  Here, he would just be in the way, and a good Black Priest knew when his presence was unnecessary.  The conflicting dialogues raced through his head, one reasoned and well practiced, echoing the orion's recommendations to seek safety; the other an incoherent mixture of rage, fear and needful insecurity.

He turned to follow A'vura as she suggested a trip through what he understood to be the arterial system of the ship, giving a nod of ascent.  Focus.  She was helping to give him focus.  One simple task at a time and he would get through this.  Somehow, he would get through this and maintain what little shred of dignity he'd managed to create for himself here.

At least, these were the thoughts that he was using to comfort himself as an uncomfortable sense of weightlessness seemed to wash over him, the corridor being replaced around him by someplace else... "Lieutenant?"

And then he was gone.


OOC: I trust I'll learn just where I got beamed to next time :)

Re: Chapter 01: Protectors of Truth [ Day 03 | 1507 hrs. ]

Reply #31
[ Sinead O'Riley | Main Bridge | Deck 01 | Vector 01 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Nolan, @chXinya, @Top Hat, @Brutus, @Doc M., @FollowTomorrow, @Triton, @DocReno, @CanadianVet, @Hastata-Nerada & @Auctor Lucan
[Show/Hide]
Moments before Jien Ives was taken...
Sinead felt her heart turn to ice, and she glanced over towards the Savi, or Sheromi, as the Asurian giant called the monstrous alien. And she rose fluidly to her full height. And for an instant, she felt like she was racing across time and space, yet remained exactly where she was, her mind seeing something that wasn't there, and she saw her people, the Bringloidi, blinking and looking at her in surprise, their hands on tills and threads as they worked on the farms within the caves. “Sinead O'Riley!” said Danilo Odell, the leader of the Bringloidi, “Ye came back! How?

Her lips parted to speak, when Brenna Odell suddenly appeared, standing before her, fists planted on her hips, “Ye canna be back already, lass,” said Brenna, “ye haven't done what ye supposed t' be doin', now get goin'! don't ye be showin' yerself roun' 'ere, till it's done.

And she was back on the Theurgy, unsure what she had witnessed and what all that meant. Until it was done? And she suddenly understood. Echtand of Sa's words rang in her ears. All her fears were realized; they were going to take Jien Ives away. There was no more time, and there was only one choice left to her on what to do. But what should she say to poor Suq? He seemed to hate surprises, especially ones that got people in danger. She wasn't entirely sure how fond he was of her but she knew she cared for the man. Kneeling back down and facing the Efrosian, her intense gaze demanding his complete attention, “Listen t'meh!” her voice a sharp whisper, “I canna say much, there be no time, bu' if I do no' return, take care o' yerself, ye hear me? Ye get home, t' friends, and t' family. I must protect the captain this time. I must. I won' fail again. Ye are a good friend, Suq-Reylin-Efreya Xan.”

She turned her shining silver eyes on Morgan, and gave him a pained sorrowful smile. He too was going to hate what she was about to do, but there was no more time left, and the captain was issuing frantic final instructions before he was taken away from them, something about a Continuance Protocol. It was going to happen, she knew. She stood up, taking Suq's head with one hand, clasping the back of his silvery hair gently, and she placed a kiss on his forehead. An attempt at reassurance for a dear friend, because immediately after that, she bolted, leaving the PADD in Suq's hand, and with a flying leap, she threw her arms around the captain, not intending to let him be alone, and at the tender mercies of whatever awaited them in that horrific ship ahead.

Sinead felt the sensation of being beamed and she knew she was being taken along.

Jien Ives' survival and well being was all that mattered.

All that mattered...


[ Lt. JG A'vura Zeshryr | Conference Lounge | Deck 01 | Vector 01 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @steelphoenix, @Nolan, @chXinya, @Top Hat, @Brutus, @Doc M., @FollowTomorrow, @Triton, @DocReno, @CanadianVet, @Hastata-Nerada & @Auctor Lucan
[Show/Hide]
Something was off, besides the obvious, A'vura realized, and turned to look at Deacon. It was him, somehow, and the expression on him, which worried her. She wasn't worried for her safety, but his, and what more, this sudden seeming sixth sense she developed, that foreboding she had...oh, no, that wasn't sixth sense, that was common sense...but she was still certain there was more to it, and as they set out to get to the access point for the Jeffries tubes, that feeling grew stronger. Then she heard the Kzinti calling her by her rank, and his voice sounded odd, disjointed, and fading. She knew why as soon as she turned and saw him vanishing in a transporter beam.

“OH MY GOD DEACON!” A'vura rushed towards the spot where he was but micro-seconds ago, and stared in horror. How did he get beamed out? Where was he? Was it Thea? She shook her head frantically and raced back towards the bridge, and used her access and password, and she rushed in, noticing immediately that something was very wrong here as well. Fear and dread began to set in her, even though she managed to keep herself from sounding like a blubbering wreck. She didn't know what was going on, and she was this near to absolute panic.

“Deacon...the Kzinti, he was beamed away! I don't know where...wh-where's Captain Ives?” her eyes darted around, looking at who was and wasn't there. Wasn't Sinead supposed to be on duty on the bridge?

Re: Chapter 01: Protectors of Truth [ Day 03 | 1507 hrs. ]

Reply #32
[Selena Ravenholm | Main Bridge | Deck 01 | Vector 01 | USS Theurgy]

Watching the coordinated attacks on Thea’s computer systems, Selena could only gape in sheer admiration.  Attack programs of a level she’d only dreamed of were running rampant through the networks wreaking all sorts of havoc.  From the way it was acting it looked like it was a highly-variable program of a kind that had long been theorized, but never seen outside of papers.  Some new program was nestled in the communication system and it was continuously spawning daughter programs and processes of whatever type the situation warranted.  With every passing second dozens of worms slithered out of this core and made its way through the library sectors, fattening themselves up with data.  Disruptors ran wild through command functions, preventing tasks from being carried out in every system.  As soon as any attempt was made to go after the core program blockers would quickly snap into existence to keep it from direct attack.  It was genius, and Selena couldn’t wait to get it into quarantine and take it apart byte by byte.

Working furiously, the cyborg’s brow knitted together in concentration as this damned virus shrugged off everything she was throwing at it.  She was far from giving up though, there were plenty of tricks up her proverbial sleeves.  She imagined herself plugged in directly, fighting this titanic battle in virtual reality at the speed of thought, but for now this screen and the speed of typing was the best she could do.  Unusually for her (and as a testament on just how good at hacking this Savi are), Selena tuned out everything around her.  For the next several moments her universe consisted solely of the screen, the virus, and her memories of what she and Thea did last night.

[Remain where you are. The Vigilant of Sa have no interest in you.]

The loud, high pitched call caught the woman completely by surprise, pulling her out of her titanic cyber-clash in an instant.  Cybernetic eyes went wide at the sight of the septuplet standing in front of Thea’s core, but especially at the bigger one with three legs.  A quick mental command flipped on her recorders, the Captain would want to see this.  Fighting her instincts, Selena did nothing but observe for the moment, she thought to ask some questions, maybe they’d be willing to talk face to face before something even more drastic happened.

That was when Nator shot one of the intruders.  “Ah shit…”

The situation instantly dropped into the toilet and Selena dove behind the nearest console, not that it would provide much cover thanks to the base’s open design.  Crouching into a ball on her feet, she was able to pull her pistol out of her leg compartment thanks to the Savi’s current interest in Nator.  There were still six of them looking in her general direction so she held her fire for the moment, instead she held the pistol in a two-handed grip and watched for a threat.  Nator made another move, this time doing some damage.  That induced a pretty serious response from the enemy as all but the big one whirled around and opened up on the Hermat.  Her VISOR picked up something odd about the Savi’s beams as they chewed up the console s/he was hiding behind, something to be filed away for later study.

With all of their backs to Selena, she lined up a shot on the closest one.  It was a bit too late though, Nator started screaming in pain from hir cover, and with the distraction the wounded Savi stood up like nothing had happened, to both their surprise.  Knowing it was going very, very badly for them and in dire need of some more even odds, she pulled the trigger.  A bright white bolt slammed into the back of the closest intruder, dropping it to the deck with a puff of air and vaporized material.  Augmented hands already shifted her aim to the next one before it could turn to her, punching a hole through its suit as soon as her virtual reticle went green.  Catching it in the elbow this hit was far more effective.  At its highest setting her pistol punched right though fabric and flesh severing the arm clean off at the joint.  The alien actually looked surprised at this, but of course this meant Nator was no longer the one they were interested in. 

Five rifles swung around before Selena could get another shot off and both console desk were torn apart by those blue beams in a hair more than an instant.  Only her augmented reflexes got Selena out of the way in time, feet pushing her into a fast somersault behind the next console.  Snapping a wild shot off as soon as she stopped spinning the cyborg could see Nator bleeding out on the deck across from her, indecision stopping her for the briefest of moments.

That was all the Savi needed.  An aquamarine beam passed right through her right bicep, gravimetric forces ripping the synthetic materials apart with gravimetric sheer.  Red warnings erupted all over Selena’s vision, implant diagnostics appearing in full view, accompanying an explosion of pain through her entire arm.  The force was enough to spin her around and to the deck as well, the impact knocking the wind out of her lungs keeping her from screaming.  Sparks spat out of the severed machinery before she could shut down power to the stump, scoring her vest.  Flopping over to see what was sure to be her impending death, to her surprise the aliens had stopped shooting and joined the seventh member of their team.  The one who hadn’t lifted a single finger to attack.

Eyes widened in horror when Selena realized why that was.  While the six kept the pair occupied, this tripedal beast had opened up an access panel in the central console and was reaching for the connections that linked Thea to the entirety of the ship.  “NO!!!!!” she screamed, unable to keep the pain and fear out of her voice.  “Take me instead!”

Re: Chapter 01: Protectors of Truth [ Day 03 | 1507 hrs. ]

Reply #33
[ Lt. Jg. Suq | Main Bridge | Deck 01 | Vector 01 | USS Theurgy ]

Sinead was his comfort. Throughout the blacking out, the holographic small alien, the power losses, he'd occasionally glance over at her, brush his elbow against her, find little ways to assure himself that she was still here. So when Sinead's whispers met his ears, he felt his stomach drop. He held her  PADD in his hands, letting Morgan focus on the console. Words like transport inhibitor and mobile emitter flew in one ear and out the other, or so it seemed. His face showed no reaction, his hands were shaking only at their usual amount.

Take care of himself. You're a good friend Suq. She kissed his forehead and he reached out to hold her arm and hand, and he soon felt her slip right out of his already loose grip. He wished he was fast enough to think of something to say before it happened. He heard her movement, some wind, and just knew they were gone before he could see it happen. He had become oh so very alone, and yet, was he really surprised? This was Sinead. This is who she was, what she did. To stop her would be to ask her to go against her very nature. Her Spirit, so to speak. It didn't stop him from feeling so newly emptied though.

He took a deep breath, inhale and then exhale. It was as if his own family was falling apart right before his eyes. It stung the first time it happened, with his blood family. It stung even worse now. How could he get home to his friends and family when this was his friends and family?

“Right.” He announced to nobody in particular, and then he tapped his combadge ” Ensign Carla Abner, Lt Suq. Switch over to auxiliary computer core, and drop it's environmental by 30 degrees. Increases efficiency. Wire emergency power to the computer core. You'll know you're doing it right if the emergency floor lights turn off. And arm yourselves, we have company. Use collectors charged on plasma or electricity, fire extinguishers, anything. Keep yourselves safe down there.”

As he spoke, he was aware of boarding parties. After all, the little grey man just straight up told everyone there would be some. On top of that, there was the Asurians from earlier, and he figured they'd probably have to come aboard to do anything substantial with such tiny ships. He activated the PADD and stared at the only perfectly functioning computer in the room. It would be useless to try and use it as a transport inhibitor now, and he couldn't use it to remotely reboot the computers without running the risk of infecting the PADD as well. However, the most useful thing he could do right now is capture some data. His fingers flew across the screen.

He was ignoring Morgan, but not purposely. He was far too focused on what he was doing, and simply assumed the other would know enough about the ship and situation to make decisions on his own. With the PADD, he created a virtual computer inside the actual computer within the PADD, then allowed the virtual computer to hook up to his still defunct console. He allowed the virtual computer, but not the real PADD to collect data. The limited abilities of the virtual computer meant the virus only collected useless data. The bare-boned basics of code that allowed the virtual computer to work. Before he could then disconnect the PADD, his console went dark and disconnected for him. The computer reboot was finally taking place.
“We'll have our computer systems back online in a moment. Try not to overload the computer core with commands when it first comes up, everybody.” He reached up to wipe his face, which felt wet. When he pulled his hand back, it was soaked in tears. More had soaked his scruff. A few damp spots had appeared on his chest.

When did that happen, he wondered, and filed the virus away for later study.

Re: Chapter 01: Protectors of Truth [ Day 03 | 1507 hrs. ]

Reply #34
[ Lt. Cmdr. Natalie Stark & Ens. Faye Lintah Eloi-Danvers  | Bridge | Deck 01 | Vector 01 | USS Theurgy ]
Attn:  [Show/Hide]

In front of Faye, the Alien avatar delivered his insult and ultimatum, accompanied by what might almost be considered a friendly warning, if it were not for the fact that the being was informing the crew that he was about to perform a lobotomy on her starship. The only thing keeping her alive. With shields failing and radiation imminent, it was almost impossible to block out the fear that swept across the bridge crew. Fear even in the mind of Captain ives, prevalent enough that Faye herself could feel the spike of concern.

Urgency swept the bridge as the avatar of the Savi vanished from the fore-bridge. Motes of light began to dance as Natalie's gaze was pulled away from her flickering, failing console in time to see her captain order the initiation of the Continuance Protocols. Fear gripped Natalie's heart, even as next to the Captain, Ens. Elio-Danvers staggered back in shock. The Betazoid stared, dumbfounded, as the CO was beamed away along with the figure that struck across the bridge and latched onto him, last minute.

What in the hells is the Continuance Protocol? she all but asked, her mind searching her own thoughts to no avail; but she sensed a knowledge of them in the minds of the senior staff. Those thoughts flickered about like fireflies dancing across a field of flowers, blinking her and there amongst other, more pressing matters. Between attempts to focus on restoring Radiation Shielding, or rerouting power, bypassing compromised network connections, Faye gathered that the protocol entailed spreading the various vectors of the Theurgy in different directions, under independent command.

And one such commander was even now valiantly trying to wrestle control of the battered ship back to her console, well aware that all aboard the vessel, crew were being beamed off and intruders were being deposited. Little flickers of warning lights, an intrusion in the computer core - the flag bridge - Thea, poor sweet Thea - Natalie couldn't think about that, couldn't let herself get lost in the moment, the fear. Ives was gone. Ives was gone

And apparently so was Deacon, the ...bartender?

Faye saw Aruva rush onto the bridge and moved to try and help the girl, feeling the fear and confusion cutting through the thoughts of those around her like a beacon. This wasn't what Faye did. She sat in front of tables with diplomats and hashed out problems. She didn't watch as people around her were whisked away by alien abductors.

"Who?" The betazoid asked, gleaning bits and pieces, images, but nothing stable. She pulled the Orion away from the  bridge access as the ship rocked and surged under them, a new hum shaking the floor and nearly sending both women to their knees.

The lights on the Operations console flared, brightly, casting Natalie in an ghastly, up-lit countenance . Her eyes went wide, and then her face formed an almost feral snarl of anger and triumph. Fingers flew across the controls before her, routing, changing, updating, coercing and out right forcing. More and more across the bridge, systems surged into life once more.

"Commander!" She cried back over her shoulder. "They've done it. The Cores are rebooted." Nator and Ravenholm, bless them she thought as she brought the rest of the purged systems up. Sweat ran down the back of her neck as the viewscreen seemed to stabelize and the emergency bridge lighting was replaced by something more familiar. It was too little, to late to keep Captain Ives and Thea's projector - Thea herself - from being stolen. Nator and Ravenholm....oh, god

Her next action forced a com call out across the vectors. With the computers restored she was able to summon the full force of the ships comms array and send out the following orders without waiting to be asked. "Bridge to security, Intruder Alert. Boarding parties in Upper Computer Core and Fighter Assault bay. Repeat, Intruder Alert, boarding parties in the Upper Computer Core and Fighter Assault bay. They are to be considered Armed and Extremely Dangerous."

Message sent, she swiped her hand across her brow and turned, "Warp power confirmed to Vector 01. Thank you very much Mr. Suq" She hoped she'd gotten the Efrosian's name right. "All systems restored, Commander." Message delivered she turned back, starting prepping for what she knew must come next. Not ready, no ready she thought, for just a brief moment, before angrily dashing those traitorous impulses to the depths of her mind. She was a Starfleet officer. They had no place in her head now.

"Lt. Zeshryr!" She snapped out, looking and finding the woman being propped up by the Diplomatic officer that had sadly failed to make a positive impression - or even slow down - the Savi leader that had been projected onto the bridge moments before. "I'll need a hand here, Lieutenant."

[ Lt (jg) Sarresh Morali | Science Labs | Deck 7 | USS Theurgy ] Attn:

[Show/Hide]

Despite its separate power converter and dedicated ODN Line, and all the protections and firewalls put in place around it, the consoles in the corner of the Upper Science Lab that belonged to Lt. (jg) Sarresh Morali, Temporal Affairs Officer were sparking about in the same damaged, haphazard fashion as the rest of the ship. Perhaps to the frustration of the invading computer virus, however, the protections themselves, the anti-viral security programs were proving to be at least something of a match for the Savi-induced worms. Bits of code, traps put in place by the Lieutenant himself - and then subsequently erased from his own memory by the hard coding in his brain - waged a valiant effort against the Vigilant of Sa.  While the man that created them - with no memory of such - raged about at the assault on his work.

"I don't have time for this bullshit," he spat as he dropped to his rear, slid into his back, and wiggled under a console, ripping out cables in an effort to reroute power. He reached over to grab another when his vision was impaired  by tiny motes of light that grew and grew. "Wait....no...NO!" He screamed, before the transporter beam swept him away.



OOC; Powers on kids. Time to get the ball rolling

Re: Chapter 01: Protectors of Truth [ Day 03 | 1507 hrs. ]

Reply #35
[ Ens. Derik Veradin | Main Bridge | Deck 01 | Vector 1 | USS Theurgy ]
Attn: 1) @chXinya 2) @Triton 3) @Nolan 4) @DocReno 5) @Hastata-Nerada 6) @CanadianVet
[Show/Hide]
Like the rest of the bridge crew, Derik Veradin hadn't been able to do much at all about the situation as it developed, but he sat closest to Natalie Stark when she announced that the reboot of the computer cores was successful. He had expected to die from radiation poisoning, but as his duty station lit up, systems coming online, he could see what 'Manta Ray' had been all about. From Vector 03, and with the aid of a few fighters out there, the crew had been given radiation shielding after all. He mouthed his thanks to those in Main Engineering to have saved them while the cores were rebooted...

Pushing all the implications of the development from his mind, trying to not look at the monstrosity of a ship sitting out there, he was just about to announce that he had helm control when he saw an incoming hail with a longed-for signature. Stark was still preoccupied with the reboot of all systems, so he took care care of it - the blip on sensors a sight for sore eyes. "Incoming hail!" he said, and looked towards the rest of the bridge crew, centring on Keval at comms. "It's the Sabine! I'm patching it through to you, ch'Rayya."

All they could hope for was that the away team had been successful, and that they were bringing back enough dilithium to make a tactical retreat... because they were not seriously considering attacking that thing, were they?



[ Sera vers Aldnoah | ETA 1 Minute | SS Sabine NX-59846 | Docked with Goldeneye's AC-409 Mk III Valkyrie ]
Attn: 1) @Doc M. 2) @Blue Zephyr 3) @Kaligos 4) @Havenborn 5) @Triton 6) @CanadianVet 7) @Triage
[Show/Hide]
In the cockpit of the Sabine, Sera vers Aldnoah had been cursing fire and ashes over the decrepit Starfleet communications tech that was clearly inferior to the Azure Nebula, but she knew that neither Havenborn nor Lance had been able to reach the Theurgy either.

The strangest thing was, however, that it had looked like the Theurgy simply vanished for a minute or two, making them wonder what the hell had happened, but now, finally, they were getting through. She had both the fighter pilots tapped into her hail as well, since she had been the one to finally get through the interference.

"This is the Sabine to the Theurgy, over? What the fiery skies is going on over there? Our ETA is one minute now, but we can't make any sense of the sensor readings. Burn me, what in the flaming sands is parked next to you?" According to the sketchy sensor readings they got, it was something big, and it looked like there was smaller craft launching from it. Sera had a very bad feeling about what she was seeing. "Mission accomplished, for what it's worth. We are not all present and accounted for... but we have the crystals just like I promised you, Ives."

Next to Sera, in the co-pilot seat, sat Eliska Bremmer, and just behind their chairs stood Zyrao Natauna. The Human next to Sera was the only one aboard who had experience with the kind of docking situation they were currently in - with Lance's fighter mag-locked unto their hull. Sera trusted that the Human knew what they were supposed to do when they reached the Theurgy, because she sure as fire had no idea. Further back, in the aft compartment, were the ill Heather McMillan, and Officer Mariner that was taking care of her at the moment. She had no idea what to say about Jack, however, since he was still locked up in the cargo hold, and as for ThanIda zh'Wann... Sera didn't know if the situation was right to tell them why the Andorian wasn't the one to contact them.

What's happening? Is the Theurgy under attack? Sera wondered, unaware what they were arriving to in less than a minute.


OOC: The Versant is now deploying its Initiator fighters in droves, since the Theurgy has restored power and control, and the fighters are heading straight for the Theurgy. The seven Asurian Overseers remain on standby, circling the Theurgy's three Vectors, but likely wondering whats going on since it was supposed to be their kill. Also, second reminder, all hybrid species characters will be beamed off the Theurgy and out of their fighter cockpits in New Pack, Old Teeth. Lastly, here is a suggested Posting Order, but the order can be adjusted, of course, especially in regard that Triton can post before chXinya too. Leaving mere suggestions within the brackets: [Show/Hide]
Sabine + Escort Posting Order next. Yes, we're also posting here in this thread, since the away team is supposed to distribute dilithium crystals to all three Vectors. No set Posting Order here! Just a suggestion on the development:[Show/Hide]

Re: Chapter 01: Protectors of Truth [ Day 03 | 1507 hrs. ]

Reply #36
[ Ens. Cameron Henshaw | Main Bridge | Deck 01 | Vector 1 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Brutus @Triton @CanadianVet

Whilst the Savi continued to talk to Eloi-Danvers and the captain, it seemed that their efforts to negotiate with them had come short. Perhaps their decision already made long beforehand as turmoil started when the Captain and Sinead were beamed off the ship and left the bridge without a captain. Cameron had been busy with coordinating the various spacecraft yet as her peripheral vision saw the shimmers of a transportation beam, the last the she saw was the beaming sequence as they were beamed off the bridge. A sense of defeat and fer had nestled itself in her throat as Ives' last command was to initiate the continuance protocol. Henshaw knew far too well what that meant as she looked up at Carrigan Trent as he was now the one to call the shots on the bridge.

Moments later though the screens and consoles flickered back to life as power got restored and systems came back online as they should have. The risk of being radiated to death averted and the ships outside the vectors had bought them seemingly enough time. A sigh of brief relief escaped Cameron's lips before she patched herself in to the full network of communications.

"Wolf 01, be advised, systems are coming back online. You are free to disengage the shield formation." she informed the SCO who replied seconds later "Confirmed Theurgy, be advised, I have several birds flying dead stick as the pilots seem to be gone... Any chance to recover them? In addition hostile ships launched from the mother ship. How do we proceed?" Another two seconds passed by before Ravon's agitated voice reached Cameron's ear "Scratch that last, hostile ships have opened fire, we are engaging for defensive purposes. Ravon out."

Henshaw nodded before confirming as she passed the message through to the bridge "Wolves have commenced engagement of hostile fighters. Miss Stark, We have several dead Valkyries with no pilot it seems, could there be a way to tractor beam them back to Vector 02?" she asked as the bridge would soon enough burst in activity before the designated personnel would be beamed off to their respective vectors for the continuance protocol. That is if the Sabine would make it back in time with the much needed Dilithium.

Re: Chapter 01: Protectors of Truth [ Day 03 | 1507 hrs. ]

Reply #37
[ Lt JG Nator 159 | Primary Computer Core | Deck 02 | Vector 01 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @chXinya et al

Hir slow progress around the circumference of the room was chased by the scintillating blue beams of the alien weaponry as it chewed through the consoles and deck plates around hir. Given their level of technology, they couldn't be trying to kill hir; they'd already have done it. They were toying with hir, keeping hir suppressed and out of the way. The realisation, along with the adrenaline from the pain and the situation, woke something in Nator. How dare they treat hir like some stripling? S/he was a predator!

The Hermat's pupils dilated, hir breathing deepened, and the claws on hir fingertips began to extend before s/he made a conscious effort to halt them; they wouldn't be useful when trying to control a rifle, let alone been any use against the Savi encounter suits. An icy calm descended over hir features, even as the heavy smell of blood (no matter that it was hir own) triggered the saliva glands in hir mouth.

Time seemed to dilate - everything running at triple speed and in slow motion all at once. S/he could hear the tiny sizzle as sparks from the wrecked consoles landed in the swathe of bright scarlet blood s/he was smearing across the deck. Another weapon discharged across the room; Ravenholm. Immediately, the weight of fire heading hir way lessened - and Nator allowed hirself the smallest sigh of relief as s/he made a tight roll to get hir feet under hir again.

Popping hir head up over the console, s/he saw that the group had fanned out somewhat around the central area of the room to avoid being clustered. Most of the Savi were firing on the warrant officer's position - one of them lacked an arm from the elbow down - except for the one Nator had shot before. That one still very much wanted to return the favour, apparently.

Hir rifle spat a reply, more by luck than judgement sending the beam dancing across its faceplate. The uneven heat load shattered the transparent glass-analogue, sending the thing stumbling back again in reflex. An arm came up to shield its face; at first, s/he thought a shard had punctured or cut its skin, but there was no other injury that hir dilated perception could make out. Even as it recovered its balance and obeyed some unheard command to return to its leader, it kept its arm over its eyes.

Able to see the whole situation again as s/he was, it didn't take long for Ravenholm's cry to direct hir attention to the relevant place. The tripedal alien was hunched under the central console, and in the process of ripping out the intervening circuitry and feeds. S/he watched as Thea's positronic core jostled in its housing, then gently descended through the base of the upper surface of the console. A couple of seconds later, the larger one stood - a spherical lump tucked under one arm. Thea.

Predatory instincts weren't just bloodlust and intent, as some might think. They also included some fairly dispassionate mathematical processes - the targets to select that would give the best chances of success with the lowest chances of injury, and who of a pack to leave behind for the good of the whole, to name a couple. In the space of a second, a run of calculations flashed through hir mind:

Both groups were injured, but the Savi held the weight of numbers; attrition alone would kill the Starfleet representatives present. The Savi leader hadn't lifted a finger to aid its subordinates, concentrating instead on its objective, which it now held. The ship could function without this component. Given the aliens' actions so far, it was unlikely that the ship would be allowed to escape with only this boarding party having come for Thea. There were hundreds of people at risk, right now, and this was an enemy they had neither the circumstances nor the equipment to fight effectively with this little warning.

And just like that, the fire left hir. And to think, a few minutes ago I was ready to throw my life away in some pointless gesture..

"Stand down, Warrant," s/he called. "Let- let them go."

The Savi dissolved and disappeared, beaming back to their vessel. It was very quiet in the compartment, as Nator slowly pushed hirself to stand and face the (now, once again unfamiliar) form of WO Ravenholm.

"Are you alright?" Nator enquired, ignoring how hir new posture pulled at the edges of hir own wound.

S/he let the rifle fall out of hir grip to clatter onto the console behind which s/he stood, before reaching up and tapping hir badge, sighing heavily.

"Nator to Bridge. They have Thea's core."
Nator 159: "I accept no responsibility for the ensign's manifest stupidity. Sir." [Show/Hide]
Ranaan Ducote: "A ship is a home; its crew a family." [Show/Hide]
T'Less: "Your odds of prevailing against us are... slim." [Show/Hide]
Valkra: "Come! We will shake the gates of Sto'Vo'Kor!" [Show/Hide]

Re: Chapter 01: Protectors of Truth [ Day 03 | 1507 hrs. ]

Reply #38
[ Lt. Cmdr Leon "Striker" Marquez | Main Bridge | Deck 01 | Vector 01 | USS Theurgy ]
[Show/Hide]
Attn: @Nolan,@Triage, @chXinya, @Top Hat, @Brutus, @Doc M., @FollowTomorrow, @Triton, @DocReno, @CanadianVet, @Hastata-Nerada & @Auctor Lucan

The Theurgy's Chief Tactical Officer could only growl as his LCARS went off line. Lt. Commander Marquez listened in on the exchange between the Asurians and later, their Allies? Caste-members? Leon privately had but hid his restrictions on a member of the crew leaving to join the Asurians, but he was in no position to protest, not even a glance to anyone or anything besides any screen or datapad. Using his personal datapad, Marquez prepared a message to his department officers that would be immediately transmitted once a solid uplink had been reestablished.

During the blackout, instead of panicking or vainly making any inspections of the screen or EPS conduits, Marquez simply had to find a way to get in touch with Tarsi and Klex, his weapons experts in both Torpedoes and Phasers, respectively. His message called for a standby on weapons, but not to enact upon them without explicit orders. Knowing his people of course, the seasoned Dominion War veterans were manually preparing to load the torpedo pod launchers in response to the situation. Only if their Vector officers had given them specific orders or approval to do so. Marquez growled to himself again, keenly listening to the XO's immediate response.

All engineering stations, emergency switch of all systems from computer to local manual operations.  Now! Stark! Access the PA system this way, from below your station. Order the evacuation of all nonessential personnel to shelter stations deep within the vectors.

Leon accessed the manual controls that gave him a low-band channel and he could use the notes on his PADD to relay the orders more swiftly. "Marquez to Tactical: Be advised -- Thea has been compromised. Say again, ship's AI compromised, unknown entity scanning our computers. Conduct operations with minimal computer reliance. Warrant Tarsi, Chief Klex: When you receive this, Stand by to enable the jamming field. Prepare to load torpedoes and stand-by phasers. Tactical personnel: await further orders pending the situational development, but prepare for a fight. Say again: keep calm, foster calm. Repeat: Await further orders from the your local bridge. Marquez out.". And may your deities help us all.

Tense moments passed on the bridge as the Alien vessel eclipsed the tranquil eternity of the Azure Nebula;  there simply was nothing in Marquez's (or anyone's) tactical playbook to compare this colossus to. The aliens' spokesperson's matter-of-factly sense of racial superiority was extraordinarily insulting, but Leon was already going through any and all options in and outside the proverbial 'box' on how to give that particular creature a personal lesson about humanoid defiance. Perhaps a calculated cascade-effect detonation of the Azure Nebula, or some sort of computer virus of their own, or a joint-boarding action and surgical strike once he could run thorough scans to find a way to find a way past the defenses of this monstrosity. His line of thought was about to undergo a momentary shock.

Marquez hadn't known Ives for a week yet but had a debt to hir, to repay for saving his crew, and looked on with determination to get hir back upon the revelation that the creatures intended to abscond hir and who knew how many other crew, more than likely some from the Resolve. Then... it... happened: "O'Riley! NO-O!!! Leon's bellow stopped short of a brief roar once he saw the unmistakable look in Sinead's silvery eyes just as she left her post and made a blind leap of faith into the Captain's transporter buffer. His teeth bared at the transporter beam's activation, but he stayed at his station. It was very unknown of him to react in such a manner by anyone who'd served with him.

Leon reacted with renewed vigor to Lt. Commander Stark's announcement that systems had been restored. In rapid succession Marquez monitored that the radiation shielding was back online, averting that threat. In another screen, he diverted what sensors he could to getting as concentrated a tactical analysis on the alien vessel, which would take several moments to appear on the holographic console for all to see.

Per his own orders and in response to the power and lines of communication being restored, he brought all weapons online on the Vector from his station, with the CIWS kinetic weapons suite already having been armed at Commander Trent's prior order; Marquez was all too ready to use it, despite the all-but-hopelessness of the situation. The grizzled CTO kept his attention in his earpiece as his computer was already showing indications that the Theurgy was arming her defenses on all three vectors while several melodic-sounding affirmative chirps rang off his console in sequence confirming his orders sent earlier had been received-- along with those accursed buzzing warning hums that instinctively reminded him of the Dominion War: Intruders.

As Stark reported the arrival of their 'guests', Marquez's station was already alerting him to the threat; His monitors were already detecting phaser and... unidentified small arms fire-- on Vector 01, Deck 01?! Leon wished he had a sidearm on his person that particular moment, ready to be the first one to defend the bridge.

In response, and in the hope to get out of transporter range of the behemoth, the Chief Tactical Officer accessed the maneuvering database to convey them to now-LtJg Veradin on what he hoped was an uncompromised channel to the Resolve's capable helmsman and lifesaver of many-times-over. "Helm: They may have accessed the maneuvers database. But they haven't accessed you." Marquez directed an encouraging claim at the helmsman. "Reccomend Evasive Pattern Beta 1-4-0.". That was when Veradin reported some much-needed good news. Leon looked Keval's way, sensing he would be the one to contact the shuttlepod to deliver much-needed hope in this situation.


Lt. Commander Leon "Striker" Marquez
Chief Tactical Officer, USS Theurgy
"No one left behind."

Ensign James "Jimmy" Mariner
Security Officer, USS Theurgy
"Showtime!"

Lieutenant (J.G.) Alessia "Angel" Garcia
Valravn Fighter Pilot, USS Theurgy
"You're not the only one with a gun,"

Re: Chapter 01: Protectors of Truth [ Day 03 | 1507 hrs. ]

Reply #39
[ Lt. Keval ch'Rayya | Main Bridge | Deck 01 | Vector 01 | USS Theurgy ]  ATTN: @Blue Zephyr @Doc M. @Kaligos  @Havenborn @Triage @Triton @CanadianVet and @Auctor Lucan

Keval heard Derik's words and quickly brought up the Sabine to hearing the request for information of what was going on from the smaller ship's owner. "This is Lieutenant ch'Rayya and a lot acutally, Miss vers Aldnoah." the chan said into the channel. "However the captain is currently a prisoner of the owners of that big honking ship that you see out there which belongs to a race called the Savi and they're the ones who helped the Asuirans to find us and now we've got more then a little bit of trouble."

Keval quickly looked over the information that was starting to come across his boards as the ship's systems slowly started going back to normal. "The situation is as follows also we have possible hostile forces on board the ship since they have beamed not only the captain but also some others off of the ship as well, Thea is currently offline, and we're restoring systems as we go so it's really good news that you have gotten the crystals."

A steady beeping got the chan's full attention which made him make a strange little clicking noise with his tongue as he heard the accompanying comments from behind him. "Also apparently they are yanking people out of the fighters as well and the Wolves are out in force with a wave of hostile fighters inbound.." he continued before quickly inputting a series of commands into his console. "We need you to land in the shuttle bay but also do a head count, make sure that all of the people that came with you is there as well."

"Pilots Lance and Havenborn, we need you in the air so once the Sabine is in the bay, report to your fighters at once and join your pack because it's going to be a very long day." Keval continued as he waited for the reply.

Re: Chapter 01: Protectors of Truth [ Day 03 | 1507 hrs. ]

Reply #40
[ William Robert O’Connell | Main Engineering | Deck 25 | USS Theurgy ]  Atten. @Nolan , @Triton , @Brutus, @Top Hat , @Hastata-Nerada , @FollowTomorrow , @Triage , @DocReno, @chXinya, @CanadianVet, @Auctor Lucan.

In the meantime, Master Chief Petty Officer William Robert “Billy Bob” O’Connell was attempting to restore full computer processing power to the stardrive vector of the Theurgy known as the stallion.

“Okay, Operation Manta Ray is a bandage but do we got a computer expert aboard the stallion?” the master chief asked. 

His answer came from the bridge.  [ Bridge to Engineering, main computing power is being restored, we are canceling Operation Manta Ray. ]  Commander Dewitt’s voice announced.

“Ah reckon the answer is ‘yes’,”  He muttered before tapping his combadge.  “Acknowledged, Bridge.  Anythin’ else we oughtta know?”

[ Communications from the Helmet have informed us that they are dealing with hostile boarding parties. ]  Commander Dewitt’s voice informed him.  [ You have permission to arm your people. ] 

“Ah had, Ah say Ah jest had tuh ask!” O’Connell brayed in frustration.  “Thank you ma’am, Ah’ll  git raight on it.  O’Connell out.”  What a revolting development this was.  Arming the crew was standard practice in wartime, but not knowing the loyalties of who you were handing a phaser to was mighty disconcerting.  The incident with the Devoted still stung and so did the losses those idjits had inflicted.



[ Tessa May Lance, callsign:  Goldeneye | Cockpit | AC-409 Mk III Valkyrie ]  Attn: 1) @chXinya 2) @Triton 3) @Nolan 4) @DocReno 5) @Hastata-Nerada 6) @CanadianVet, @Auctor Lucan.

Zrinka was gone.  Again.  It just didn’t seem real.  Would she come back to life again with some incredible story only to die again a few days later.  Tessa was still trying to wrap her head around Honey Badger being alive and returned to active duty and now she was gone again.  It was as if the last few months had all been a bad dream. 

Three Valkyries and the Sabine had been sent on a mission to an abandoned Klingon mining outpost to replenish the Theurgy’s dilithium stores.  It had been a disaster.  Horrible, spiderlike creatures had tried to eat them.  Biologist Heather McMillan had turned out to be some kind of alien called a “Radiant” who’s first contact with her people was with a supercomputer nearly a thousand years old that was as species supremacist as the Romulan Empire and Tessa didn’t have a clue about what attacked Lieutenant zh’Wann’s party and gave Lieutenant Hi’Jak such bad burns that he wanted to have his limbs amputated just so he wouldn’t have to feel how much pain they gave him.  Then, for no reason, they were fighting Klingons.  Weren’t the Klingons supposed to have abandoned that mining station?  Or had Starfleet put out a Be On the Look Out alert for the Theurgy and anybody affiliated with her?  But how had they known they had anything to do with the Theurgy?  Did they mistake them for pirates or smugglers or something?  Comm chatter revealed that they had picked up a passenger, a woman who had exited a Klingon raider and then proceeded to kill as many Klingons as she could.  Were they supposed to trust this person?  How did they know whether or not she had one of those space parasites in her that was tricking the Klingons into attacking them and then murdering as many Klingons as she could to frame the Sabine party?  Oh well, when that ancient Radiant superweapon destroyed the Klingon carrier the whole point was moot.  Tessa still thought they should have offered assistance to the Klingons who had made it into the outpost’s hanger instead of shooting them though.  They needed fighter pilots and they could afford to be choosy.  As if to prove her point, once they were in warp Tessa noticed that they were short one Valkyrie, Honey Badger's.  She hoped that Zrinka had gone back to the Theurgy to tell them about the Klingon carrier but the way things had been going she doubted it.  If this was a dream, Tessa was eager to wake up.

Speaking of dreaming, her mind was wandering.  The Sabine was dropping out of warp, and since Tessa’s fighter was sharing a warp bubble, that meant that Tessa had to do the same.

Checking her sensors, Tessa noticed that the Theurgy wasn’t alone.  That was almost never good.  It’s just that there was something that weighed almost as much as an Orunal-class space station.  What could be that big?  Worse yet, it wasn’t alone.  There was numerous other warp capable spacecraft of various sizes, from full sized starships, to what could be shuttles or fighters.  It was as if somebody’s starbase and its attendant fleet had somehow transported themselves into the Azure Nebula just to mess with the Theurgy.

It did not compute.  

The Theurgy was still there.  That was a good thing.  Maybe these people came from a highly advanced society that had been hunting the creatures that had taken over Starfleet Command since time began.  Maybe they were here to help.  

But if that was the case, why were their ships arranged in a “we have you surrounded, don’t try to go anywhere” formation and why was the Theurgy still separated into three stardrive vectors? 

And why were they still heading towards them?  And why was the Sabine breaking communications silence letting the newcomers know there were a few overlooked small craft to destroy if the mood struck them?

The Theurgy sent a reply to the Sabine that Tessa could overhear, and the report was predictably nightmarish:

[ This is Lieutenant ch'Rayya and a lot acutally, Miss vers Aldnoah,  However the captain is currently a prisoner of the owners of that big honking ship that you see out there which belongs to a race called the Savi and they're the ones who helped the Asuirans to find us and now we've got more than a little bit of trouble. ]

Who in the name of Zeus’ bellybutton are the Asuirans?
  Tessa thought.

[ The situation is as follows also we have possible hostile forces on board the ship since they have beamed not only the captain but also some others off of the ship as well, Thea is currently offline, and we're restoring systems as we go so it's really good news that you have gotten the crystals. ]  There was a pause as a steady beeping was heard over the channel.   [ Also apparently they are yanking people out of the fighters as well and the Wolves are out in force with a wave of hostile fighters inbound… We need you to land in the shuttle bay but also do a head count, make sure that all of the people that came with you is there as well.  Pilots Lance and Havenborn, we need you in the air so once the Sabine is in the bay, report to your fighters at once and join your pack because it's going to be a very long day. ]

“Nerts!” Tessa exclaimed in frustration.  “I mean roger that Theurgy, I copy.”

Re: Chapter 01: Protectors of Truth [ Day 03 | 1507 hrs. ]

Reply #41
[Zyrao Natauna | Sabine | Boredom is a Bitch | The Road to Chaos]
@Auctor Lucan @Doc M. @Kaligos @Havenborn @Triage @Triton @CanadianVet @DocReno


Four hours could seem like an eternity.

Zyrao was currently was sitting on the lower bunk.  Back pressed against the bulkhead behind her, her long legs were out in a relaxed way, boots on the deckplating below.  Grey eyes watched everyone around her, for a while.  Moving, milling about.  Listening to conversations that shifted around her.  Those that were worried for their fellow crew members.  She could tell, the family like feel, that they had here on the ship.  Not just those in the tight knit group that had only just fought together but also the people that were currently on the much larger ship. 

Her destination.

She was an outsider, not an entirely new feeling to her.  She was uninterested in small talk and conversations that had little pay out.  What she was doing, was collecting data.  She had her eyes closed, arms crossed underneath her chest, and she had regulated her breathing somewhat.  She knew that she looked asleep, the reasons for this were two fold.  One, people didn't dare bother her; while they didn't fear her; they didn't know her but knew what she could do.  Two, she was able to listen and take in the people around her without having to actually look like she was paying attention. 

She had collected information though.  Some personal information, a few people that had significant others or even people that they screwed.  She listened to the hubbub, the pulse and beat of the crew around her.  She could hear the tension in the voices that weren't exactly friends and she could hear the pleasurable tones in those that did.  She was used to collecting information by listening it was one of the very best ways to assure you got it from the source.  Other information she had learned was that the dilithium crystals that the Sabine was carrying were something that the Theurgy itself needed.  Which would explain what they were doing on a secret moon base.  Without the crystals, the Theurgy and her 'vectors' could not go any faster than Warp 3.  Which in the world of warp, was a child's pace.

Once they were close she began to hear the chatter from the cockpit.  Over the comm unit came the voice of someone, judging by the name, he was likely Andorian.  Though, people tended to name their children oddly he could have been Klingon for all she knew.  The El-Aurian finally allowed her grey eyes to flicker open slowly.  With a smooth movement she ducked and shifted her body off of the bunk where she had spent the last while.  Even though she had not slept resting with her eyes closed had added a little more energy and vigor into her system.  She kept her ear on the comm unit and what was going on ahead.  Weaving through those that were standing around the Sabine listening the same she was she made her way to the cockpit thinking about all the developments that Andorian Man did not know about.

We cannot transport with that woman in the transport buffer.  They need the crystals though.  Theoretically we could flush the woman from the buffer and have the ability to transport the crystals to the vectors for use.  I doubt that option will be high in opinion but then, the greater good is more important than the dead Andorian woman.  Sacrificing thousands of crew members would be less sound than just the one woman that has given her life to the cause already.  Zy's mind was a constant moving ocean of ideas and thoughts.  It hardly stopped moving even when she was resting as she had been before. 

Perhaps instead, we could package the crystals and they could beam them off our ship and onto the proper locations.  That would frankly be easier and, truthfully, the more acceptable option for this crew.  They seem rather attached to the Ida woman.  She leaned forward, a hand resting on the back of a seat as she looked outside the cockpit windows to check out the scene in front of them.  She had, in all her travels, never come across a ship like that.  She had no idea what race could possible be in there, but then, that was unsurprising, the universe was massive.  To think you could have run into all the races or even half was pretentious.  It wasn't even just the ship it was also the fighters that one could tell had come from the larger ship.

For a moment, Zy just studied the scene.  There is no way, even knowing the Theurgy's powerful armaments, could they fight that ship right now.  Especially, not separated as they are.  It would be suicide and then, what are we here for. 

Taking a deep breath she let it out for a moment as she got a rough estimate of the amount of fighters in the area before she decided to respond.  She knew that she should likely let someone else answer because she was not actually one of the crew.  However, she had been in wars, battles, trained as a solider, held captive, saved lives, and lived a very long long time.  There was no way that these people likely knew more about strategy and available options than her.  Zyrao needed to take the reigns or the children that stood around her would make decisions based on emotions.  It's what the young did.  It was no slight against them only that they were young and, for the most part, had not learned how some sacrifices were necessary to move life forward.

It's time to do my thing.

“Lieutenant, this is Zyrao Natauna.” she stated in El-Aurian, hoping of course, the Universal Translator would pick up her language through the comm unit again, though she had to stop herself from identifying herself as Klingon.  It had long since become habit.  “We are incapable of transporting the dilithium to you directly.  Currently, we have ThanIda zh'Wan in our transport buffer so I inform you what your options are.”  her tongue twisted around the Andorian name, she had never been very good with that language.

Of course, the poor Lieutenant wouldn't know who she was, but it mattered very little, he would have to take it on the hope that the people of the Sabine had allowed her on there.  She was probably trustworthy, for the most part, she was not about to let herself died.  She had sacrificed much to be here, killed those that she had once called friends, all to sway the tide in the favor of the Theurgy.  Drex had been making absolutely idiotic decisions it had been time to leave.  Luckily for her, a better opportunity came along.

“I do not believe there is time to dock the Sabine, before you are in too much danger.  The Theurgy and all her vectors are in danger.  You are overwhelmed and out-gunned.  Without the Theurgy being complete it is not enough of a threat.  A retreat is your best option, however, you cannot do that at a Warp 3.  You will perish.  Thus, if you wish to save your asses and my own, our best option is to have us separate the crystals into three crates, and you will beam them onto their perspective vectors allowing them to achieve the level of warp for escape.  We will dock as you load the crystals and prep for warp.”

She knew this would be an unpopular decision.

“I understand your crew and people are disappearing, however, I do believe we will benefit from a tactical retreat and revisit.  It is the best we can do not to lose everyone.” she explained.  “I will prep the crystals with another, we will inform when ready.”

She turned from the cockpit and located Mariner.  She walked over to him. “Help me separate the crystals and crate them.  Prep them for transport.  The Vectors can get their crystals ready while we dock and book out of here.” she stated as she began to work.  Hands grabbing the crystals and finding some empty storage crates to prep them in.  Three vectors, three crates.

Re: Chapter 01: Protectors of Truth [ Day 03 | 1507 hrs. ]

Reply #42
[ PO2 Eliska Bremmer | SS Sabine NX-59846 | Heavily contested space ]

Sabine, closely towed by Goldeneye's fighter, dropped out of warp.  And while Bremmer's experience as part of a Bridge watch was strictly limited to being called there as a guard once in a while.  But she hardly needed to be an expert to tell that things were a mess around Theurgy, both through the viewport and on the screens before her.  And when they were hailed, information was made available. 

The Captain and others were gone?  There were boarders on the ship?  Well it certainly was a good thing that Eliska had spent much of the ride back making herself busy using the Sabine's replicator to manufacture the quick-connect housings used to quickly change the power cells of pistols that had been lost on that blasted moon and replicated parts she used to replace the burnt-out and destroyed components of her exo-suit.  Oh, she was no engineer, but she was a qualified Mistress-at-Arms and she could do maintenance on her suit and weapons. 

But with those news?  It meant they would be heading into a real mess. 

But once their El-Aurian passenger spoke, another voice came onto the channel.  It was quiet, but its calm was slightly strained.  And she knew it.  It was their XO. [Sabine, this is Commander Trent.  Divide up the crystals within 3 crates, but you will perform a combat landing in the upper shuttlebay on Vector 1.  And whoever you are, you will refrain from dictating orders to this crew or to myself.  Trent out.]

With those words spoken, Bremmer looked around.  "Looks like we're heading into a right mess.  I'm going to suit back up.  Mister Mariner, I take it you won't mind if I grab what rifle cells we still have when we dock?  Looks like they could use our help when we get in."  Oh, Bremmer knew she was a better shot with a rifle, especially in confined quarters.  And particularly in the mess of a contested boarding.  Or counter-boarding. 

And only then did she had aft, where once more she stripped out of her uniform, and slipped into the familiar, protective confines of her armoured suit.

Re: Chapter 01: Protectors of Truth [ Day 03 | 1507 hrs. ]

Reply #43
[ Lt. JG Hi'Jak | SS. Sabine NX-59846 | Cargo Hold] Attn: @Blue Zephyr @Auctor Lucan @Triton @Triage @CanadianVet @Havenborn @Doc M.
[Show/Hide]

Sleep it was litterally all that Jack wanted. to crawl into a bed, and take the next few days off, however Bremmer had tied him in such a way that even in his current state he could not manage to find a restful sitting position or anything of the sort. He was stuck for four hours bound in such a way that he could honestly feel like his back was breaking. The last time he had been this tied up it had been a lot more fun.

Thankfully Bremmer had never searched him he still had the adrenal drug hidden on his person, but even that could only keep him standing for so long, and with his good arm bound he couldn't get to the drug to use it to alleviate the tiredness he felt. Even if he managed that however he had no idea what phase two of the plan was. After getting to Theurgy Ives would just have him executed.

Survival seemed grim at this point. "Should have just let the blue bitch shoot me." He shook his head for a moment. Every time he tried to think there was nothing he could come up with. Four hours and he couldn't even figure out how to get out of his bondage so that he could at the least lay down and sleep.

With the doors closed he couldn't hear the com chatter on the bridge, and thus had no idea what was going on outside of his small makeshift prison for that last four hours of his trip. He had come to terms with his fate for the most part. He had no illusions that he was going to live through this, he had four hours to make peace with his fate, and if there was a single regret in the wake of his countless mistakes it was probably that Sera's look of betrayal on her face.



[SS Sabine NX-59846]


As the Sabine was dropped out of warp, the scans that had affected the Theurgy would find themselves going over the small gun ship, opening her main computer and blocking any further chatter to the Theurgy as it scanned over the Sabine and found anything that could have been deemed scientifically useful to the Sabine. Screens on the bridge of the Sabine were slowly turned off, and started scrolling through every function of the much smaller ship.



In the hold Jack was a little too tired to realize that his world was twisting, away, he just felt his arm being eased from the restraints, as he was pulled from one set of captors to another. The half breed let out a long sigh as he closed his remaining eye and sighed letting out the only phrase he felt appropriate. "Not again."

Re: Chapter 01: Protectors of Truth [ Day 03 | 1507 hrs. ]

Reply #44
[ PWO Heather McMillan | SS Sabine NX-59846 | Docked with Goldeneye's AC-409 Mk III Valkyrie ] Attn: 1) @Triton 2) @Auctor Lucan 3) @Doc M. 4) @Blue Zephyr 5) @Havenborn 6) @CanadianVet 7) @Masorin
[Show/Hide]
As her light shone unabated, while her body turned its energy to fighting the painful virus coursing through her veins, the suit and even her photonic shielding was beginning to suffer strain from heat exposure. Throughout the physical battle, Heather dreamt. She dreamt of Carrigan Trent, she dreamt of the Theurgy, and she saw the cosmos beyond known space, a world that was isolated and yet so perfectly and strategically placed, lost to the stars, but a beacon of light. An assurance that hope remained. Hope, and courage.

“You cannot perish now, Alata,” said Shä'Nyél, and Heather's eyes shot open, “get up.”

Obediently, Heather, free of pain, sat up, and realized she wasn't on the Sabine any longer, but on a world somewhere. The Radiant couldn't remember the last time she'd set foot on a planet, unless one counted the Coreless Moon. The grass was a vibrant green, the skies were clear and bright, almost Earth-like, save for a strange assortment of colours that existed just at the edge of her vision no matter where she turned. A bubbling brook fed into a shallow stream nearby, heading on towards a crystal lake. Birds sang melodious tunes, a rainbow-hued hamster scampered amongst massive dandelions and unusual purple and pink flowers. “Where am I?” said Heather, asking Shä'Nyél, not even questioning how it was that the Gîl Naur was there, or that the Sabine was no where in sight.

Shä'Nyél's back was turned to Heather, and faced the setting sun, a staff with a crooked top and hanging crystals was in her hand. Each crystal shone in a different colour. “This was...is...our birth home.” said Shä'Nyél, “I had only once set foot on its soft ground, when I was but still a stripling...”

She turned to look at Heather, tears in her eyes, “See this and know, Heather McMillan, though you bear an Adhartim name, you are a child of the Alata and Gîl Naur both. Rememberer, Loremaster and Wisdom, are all what you must be, and to hold on to our cause and purpose, until you have dispatched that which we were made to protect the gods from.”

“Who or what are we supposed to protect the gods from?” said Heather, “Am I really here, even? Or am I going barmy?”

Shä'Nyél laughed softly, and knelt down beside Heather, reaching out with one hand to stroke Heather's chin tenderly. The Gîl Naur's every movement was gracefulness personified. “My child, you are as much here, as you are yet on the Adhartim vessel. I am as real, as much as I am long since dust in the ground of this world. Heed my words, and heed it well...our time grows short, and the light of the Alata wanes, but for you, and yet, you must not fade until Gùl Mor is destroyed.”

“Gùl Mor?” said Heather.

Shä'Nyél's face twisted in displeasure at hearing the name, “The once nameless darkness, now given name. You will know them when you have found them. In your soul, your lifeblood, you will know. You need only be near one in full manifest. They hide themselves in the gods, like cowards, they fester as a disease inside. You will know, and you will feel the fury, the full, unbridled might that is the light of your soul, demanding to be unleashed, and you must unleash it, for that is what you were made to do. What all Alata were created to do.” She looked away, towards the skies, and she made a strangled sound, “I feel them! Through you, I can feel them! Wake now, my child! Wake! The Darkness is upon you! Unleash your light, protect the gods!”

Heather watched in horror as Shä'Nyél began to turn into dust, even her staff, starting from her fingertips, and parts of her face began to crumble and cave inwards, “Shä'Nyél, d-don't go...I don't know what to do!”

“I cannot leave you, my child,” said Shä'Nyél, “for I am your ancestor. You are a part of me, as I am a part of you...always...” her last words were like whispers on the wind as the last of her form turned to dust and she faded from sight, and Heather's vision obscured, and she was gazing at a plain wall inside a power suit, on board Sabine. Her light shone unabated from within the suit, but thankfully it served its purpose of containing her soul flame, and protected the gods from being blinded. Jimmy was still tending to her by her guess, or someone else was occasionally shifting her to check on her status.

The virus still hurt her body, and her headaches continued. The dream felt real, but she didn't understand the final warning. Suddenly a roar of emotion filled her and she felt an emotion she couldn't even begin to understand. She felt...a burning anger...but she had no idea what it was nor had she ever felt something like it in her life. She reached around blindly and found a hand, probably Jimmy's, and she squeezed it gently, as if thanking him, and then she let go. Sitting up, she clumsily reached for her case and managed to open it after fumbling a few times, and spoke in a croaking voice, calling for attention and revealing the dilithium that she had collected from the city.

That furious emotion continued to grow and she made a growling noise. Rising unsteadily to her feet she kept her faceplate fixed in the direction away from everyone, to protect them from her light. But she pointed without looking in the direction of the massive ship beyond, then she felt nauseaus, and then she was gone from the armed shuttle, taken by a transporter beam.

Re: Chapter 01: Protectors of Truth [ Day 03 | 1507 hrs. ]

Reply #45
[ ENS James "Jimmy" Mariner | SS Sabine NX-59846 | Docked with Goldeneye's AC-409 Mk III Valkyrie ]

The ride back to the Theurgy was much bumpier and less cozy than the flight in on account of being latched to a fighter, like glorified cargo. During this trip, Jimmy unwittingly  took on the roles of both quartermaster and combat shrink as he instinctively took a protective attitude towards his new friend, Heather McMillan. For whatever else she was to others aboard, Jimmy saw her as a girl who needed help, lest she succumb to some alien disease (which he partially feared could vaporize him and his fellow humanoids... best to tame that). Part of his officer candidacy on the Hornet saw him undergo how to negotiate and handle crises; many problems could be solved without drawing a phaser.

Taming Heather with PaDD games wasn't helping her condition, and when it didn't work out, he had something that had varying degrees of success with his units, and occasionally, the enemy. Jimmy produced and clipped his padd on her belt and handed her an earpiece synched to the PaDD, which had music files for a variety of moods, with at least a terabyte's worth of handpicked music for just about any genre or mood. In Heather's case, he knew just the type, having spent some time of the ride to SuD Lang preparing something for her to keep as a mission reward; He learned firsthand from Marquez how to give morale-boosting rewards to colleagues as mementos of their shared enterprises. "Here ya go, Luv, try this."
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"Keep it. I made a playlist just for you, thought it'd put a smile on you again. Heaven knows what a bright smile like yours can do." Jimmy himself smiled assumingly as he pressed 'play', mouthing along the lyrics in synch, hoping the song and its ensuing playlist would sooth the Radiant, like a first time sailor fixing their eyes on the horizon. After giving her the padd, Jimmy made idle conversation with McMillan. As he did so he kept neutral, but wary eyes on Zyrao (who seemed content enough just to take naps or pace about), and occasionally the prisoner.

Jimmy hummed along some of those songs and tunes as he produced Ida's phaser for tune up and maintenance.  While Jimmy wouldn't turn down a seat in the cockpit, he had Heather to take care of, and incidentally, his damaged helmet to repair, lest his attempts to calm the Radiant's symptoms failed. At least he was familiar with his Security-Exo suit, whose helmet had since been replaced, except for some superficial combat nicks on the metal framing. The HUD-Visor, now-repaired was put on to complete the outfit he kept on the entire trip. The bronze-colored suit had taken no critical hits, but the helmet was another matter; a matter soon enough handled with the application of a welding tool and some soon-replicated spare parts. He also had the time to reinforce and polish the yan sword he'd secured. Now -that- was something he would take particular care of. He blew off some of the excess dust off the polished blade and was even able to get a rudimentary leather scabbard. Tarsi would be envious.

Having secured his prize in the arms locker, Jimmy approached Zyrao, and beckoned her to join him for a trivial but possibly valuable chore that would take some time off their minds.

The ensuing purchase of attention elsewhere had Mariner working opposite Zyrao. He kept his Phaser handy (though not in plain view), ready to use it in an instant on her, or the prisoner whose treason she exposed. Still, he didn't act like he didn't trust her, not when he could've given her something to do and farm trust, should she be a powerful ally. "You handled yourself well back there, Zy." Jimmy acknowledged her while he produced the set of Klingon disruptor pistols he'd policed from their previous firefight and which deliberately rendered inert without their power packs. Mariner just knew Bremmer would lose a brick, but despite her transparent disdain for him, she fell in line, and furthermore he actually knew what he was doing. It was better to be on good terms with a stranger than to radiate bad karma like others would've.

Mariner's friendly nature of course concealed his aura of neutrality, but from his conversations, he was able to learn that she was an El-Aurian, but he didn't debrief her fully, only making idle conversation about combat history, maybe tactics, but it was just harmless verbal sparring. Of course it wasn't until the subject of Ida's presence in the buffer was raised. "If Cap'n Scott could come out of a transporter buffer and beat the odds, so can a survivor like Ida. Doubt if Gollum there could."

It was when Jimmy returned the weapons to the arms locker and changed the password when he heard the voice of another ex-Resolve security officer. Keval! "About bloody time-- WHAT. The... Bloody hell is... " Mariner strode to the bridge, where his smirk of relief vanished at the sight of, "...That?" He wondered but didn't dwell at the sight of the largest bloody vessel he'd ever imagined; merely uttering in a whisper as he listened in... Crikey! Asurian creeps. That bloody Savi ship was, just a wee bit intimidating... not enough to make him leave his exo-suit to use the head. Inhabitants clearly compensating for something he thought, wearing a challenging smirk.

Now it was a bloody good idea that he'd taken the initiative in replenishing their arsenal and his own gear, with particular care. His glory-hounding had its advantages "Why collect trophies, she asks," Jimmy muttered, wasting no time in rounding up and dividing the dilithium crystals he'd secured, including some extras he took along for good measure when he and Sera were on their way out; pity he didn't steal--- secure, for evidence--- more of the stuff at the refinery. He stifled a laugh at the XO's snarl to the Sabine's passenger. Even if she had a point, there was no questioning who was in command.

Mariner could afford a heartbeat of cheekiness, "Help yourself, Petty Officer. Mine's gonna sit this fight out.... just save your lip for the Hornies." referring to the Asurians (and yet unaware what a Savi even looked like to coin a shorthand moniker), Mariner thumb-gestured to the arms locker where all weapons, active or spare parts, were stored. "The new password's 'Downtown, Victor-Tango-Niner." he informed her, having changed the password. Fortunately the Sabine had spare crates for Theurgy's transporters for Jimmy to divide the dilithium crystals with and send accordingly. With the crystals secured, Jimmy locked in the crates and planted one apiece transporter beacon patched to separate beacons on the three vectors for the transporter chief(s). Jimmy was still in his suit after its repairs were made. He could shower later and he didn't need to use the head yet... even if he was just a notch intimidated by that huge honking ship outside.

"What's my obsession with gear, they wonder." he continued griping mockingly under his breath, feeling vindicated at his notion to round up additional firepower and prepared to return a disruptor to Zy, but instead he found himself holding Heather's hand one last time. She was just his friend; he didn't want to get involved with anyone else, not when Meony was the unspoken motivator for his safe return. Still, for peace of mind, Jimmy cast one last smile at Heather McMillan, as if to let her know everything was going to be okay, giving her hand a light squeeze before tapping his comms.

Mariner got the opportunity to contact his former department chair and longtime friend, "Mariner to Keval: Deputy ThanIda is in our transporter buffer. She took a disruptor bolt on the mission." Jimmy reported. Jimmy was all too eager to deal with the traitor. "There's more, Leftenant. Hi'Jak set us up, Klingons ambushed us on his information. He's wounded but he managed to hypostim Ida with something before she got placed in the transporter buffer." It was then when the Ensign felt he lost complete control of the situation, though he wasn't aware of it right away, not until the interior of the ship got intensely bright, as if a sun just appeared in the room; Jimmy blocked his visor as it occured.

"Recommend Security prepare a holding cell--- What the.... Unknown transporter beam --Heather! ... Sir, she's... they got her, sir." Jimmy had no idea what happened, having felt Heather's hand in his grip just moments before. Something was wrong. The cockpit's screens had gone haywire, just like the ones in the aft compartment, flickering and showing gibberish code, flashing as if they were under outside control. The bridge might not have picked up that last bit he said. He could but hope the words carried through.

Reactively, Jimmy set his Helmet's polarization to full, to keep his eyesight, and got back on his feet only moments later, eyes leaving the cockpit. Still in disbelief, Jimmy raised his sidearm and began a search of the compromised ship, starting with the cargo hold. There were maintenance panels back there, and Hi'Jak might have come out of his restraints...

Fire in his eyes (though hardly anywhere near Sera's level of intensity), he opened the sealed door with a manual release since the code wasn't working. "Allright, Gollum. Where is she, where's the preci-- Bugger me, Where are *you*!?" Jimmy's eyes widened in anger, spotting only the constraints Bremmer had so thoroughly fixed to their prisoner, but no sign of their occupant. "He's gone! They're both gone! Say again, WO McMillan and traitor Hi'Jak status both MIA."

In stunned disbelief and apparently quite angry, not sure what might have happened to Ida in the transporter buffer since the computer was hacked, Jimmy had made his report to the shuttle's non-functioning bridge. There, he saw the welcoming view of the Theurgy's vector outside; He wished Lance would just step it up and get them aboard already. His song for Heather was still stuck in his head as he uttered to himself, "Everything's waiting for... you... Downtown.".

At that point, sorrow firmly turned into determination, reflected in the form of Jimmy getting his Yan secured to his back holster and his phaser pistol charged and armed, its battery packs secured to his person. He stood by the hatch, bathed in flashing lights from the monitors, ready to dispense disruptors to any onboard who would join in on the party. It was decidedly not the best start of the ensuing battle...
Lt. Commander Leon "Striker" Marquez
Chief Tactical Officer, USS Theurgy
"No one left behind."

Ensign James "Jimmy" Mariner
Security Officer, USS Theurgy
"Showtime!"

Lieutenant (J.G.) Alessia "Angel" Garcia
Valravn Fighter Pilot, USS Theurgy
"You're not the only one with a gun,"

Re: Chapter 01: Protectors of Truth [ Day 03 | 1507 hrs. ]

Reply #46
[Lt. Commander Wenn Cinn | Corridors | Deck 02 | Vector 01 | USS Theurgy]

Scowling hard enough to turn through the duranium hull, the Theurgy’s chief of security hustled to the Flag Bridge.  Flanked by two deputies (the first that happened to cross his sight when the intruder alerts started blaring) and phaser in hand, the only sign that they had been running just a few moments ago was the slightly ragged breath coming from the Coridanite on his left.  He made a mental note to send that deputy to the gym when this insanity settled down.

In truth, just three security officers racing to a large group of hostiles was not the best of odds, but they were stretched pretty thin.  Sickbay was under some sort of internal assault, not a lot of news came out of there before the comms were cut off.  Luckily Varder and Sel were already on site having escorted Maya there for her physical.  Most of the force was spread out around the ship in case more of the Devoted tried anything so there were very few concentrations.  that meant that when the call came out Cinn could only grab the first few he saw and call for back-up.

As they raced up from the Security Center on deck 7 Commander Wenn thought about the initial reports: three different groups of intruders, but they were not in the typical places for anyone to try to disable a vessel.  The hangar was full of support craft and whatever fighters they couldn’t launch for whatever reason.  Then there was one down on Deck 15 moving slowly.  If he didn’t know better he’d say there were looking for something, but there’s nothing of any value on that deck or nearby.  The most pressing was the Flag Bridge, it only had one occupant: Thea herself.  Cinn took that one himself and sent other groups to the other two.

Nearing the objective, Cinn used his free hand to give some commands to his deputies: standard breakthrough formation, deputies flanking the door while Cinn scopes it out.  Furious weapons fire echoed off the bulkheads giving the security team their first clue of how bad it was.  As soon as they reached the door the flashing lights from phasers and whatever these Savi were using made it look like a rave was inside.  The screams told a different story though.

Pressing himself up against the bulkhead next to the frame, the Coridanite mirrored him on the other side and his other deputy stood ready just behind.  He could hear Selena shouting something over the noise but he didn’t quite catch it.  Leaning just enough to see, Cinn could see six figures arrayed around Thea’s core and a seventh, wholly different alien doing something to it.  Both crewmembers weren’t visible, probably cowering for cover while the six kept them that way.  Holding up a hand, Cinn counted down from five with his fingers.  As soon as he hit zero, they rushed in, Cinn in front with the deputies one step behind.

They were too late.  Cinn nearly shot the main screen, not expecting the Savi to beam out so suddenly, trigger half pushed as soon as he had a clear line.  “Damn it!” he yelled.  Slapping his combadge, “All security teams, report in!”

[Selena Ravenholm | Flag Bridge | Deck 02 | Vector 01| USS Theurgy]

All she could do was watch as that three-legged monstrosity pulled Thea out of her housing and beamed away with its goons, not even giving her cries a moment of thought.  It acted like she was nothing but a bug, and it didn’t even bother stepping on her.  Laying there on the deck all she could do was choke back sobs.  Were they frustration, pain, fear?  It didn’t matter.  Thea was gone.

One simple command would shut down the simulated pain signals coming from her severed arm but she couldn’t do it.  The pain was a focus, the only thing keeping her locked in the moment.  She could see security showing up, late as always, but she didn’t really register it.  Nor did she react to Nator.  All she could do right now was to soak in the pain and aim it at the severed arm the Savi left behind.  Flesh and blood unlike her own, pale skin peeked out from inside a wrapping of armor and fabric.  It was just an arm, but it was her only link to these Savi.

[Ens. Irnashall “Shall ch’Xinya | Airlock | Deck 16 | Vector 01 | USS Theurgy]

Each airlock had a small locker room attached so that EV suits could be donned, and right now there was only one person occupying it when there should have been two.  Having managed to manually recycle the airlock Shall was back inside the ship, safe and sound.  Standing in front of the suit locker he’d used just an hour earlier he looked into the faceplate of the helmet currently in his hands like it was a window.  His eyes could see the back of the inside of the helmet, but his mind could see Luff spinning through the Azure Nebula, fried by the intense radiation scant minutes at best after passing through the shields.

He knew EV suits had to be handled with care, its wearer’s life depended on the integrity, but for the moment all he knew was rage.  Slamming the helmet down onto its shelf as hard as he could, the bang echoed loud enough to get his antenna buzzing.  Quickly stripping the rest of the outer layers off the Andorian just tossed each portion into the locker in a heap.  It was a surefire way to get a reprimand but what did it matter?  Luff was gone.

As it so happened, when Lt. Tovarek showed up Shall was still standing there wearing nothing but the under suit.  His antenna had drooped so low it was practically hiding in his hair, and the only reason his blue skin wasn’t shivering was his Andorian tolerance for said cold.  Hearing his superior enter he looked up and over his shoulder, brain slowly rebooting from the shock.  “We got the emitter installed, but I guess it’s too la-“ The chan’s brief report was suddenly cut off, the man disappearing in a transporter beam without warning.

Re: Chapter 01: Protectors of Truth [ Day 03 | 1507 hrs. ]

Reply #47
[ Lt Simon Tovarek | Airlock | Deck 16 | Vector 01 | USS Theurgy]

The descent to deck 16 from deck 01 was a tedious if not tiring climb as the lifts had been disabled by the alien presence. With several curses and insults towards the ones responsible for the all out system failure, Simon finally made it to the deck he had wished to be on. Once he opened the access hatch, he crawled out into the corridors and straightened out his uniform vest before he made his way rather hastily to the airlock where Irnashall had supposed to be at. It took him a while to arrive at the designated airlock but he was pleased to see that the manual controls for the airlock had been unhampered with.

He put most of his strength in it to open up the heavy bulkhead door and eventually slipped through the opening to see the Andorian officer alone in the airlock. The lack of his second man and buddy was sufficient data for the lieutenant to realize that he hadn't made it. The blue-skinned ensign began to report to his superior officer about the emitters they installed... before he got interrupted and an aquamarine beam effectively made the Andorian vanish from sight. The human lieutenant remained alone in the airlock, mind reeling at the implications. Then, when he walked further to the viewport, he could see the Versant in all her glory.

"Yebat..." he muttered under his breath as he instinctively tapped his combadge. Realizing that the systems would probably still be down, he started cursing again before it hit him that the badge had actually chirped. Were the computers back on? "Tovarek to Bridge." he said with a rather present annoyance in his voice. Not only because the trek downwards had been utmost useless yet also due to the abduction of one of his fellow science members. "I arrived at the airlock where Mr ch'Xinya was supposed to be. He informed me that the emitters have been programmed before he got... Beamed away..." he said the last part with a slight hesitation as he looked at the ship in the distance, one that clearly outclassed their starship. "The transport beam, was not one of ours... I'm led to believe that whatever that thing out there is, it's beaming our crew aboard. Tovarek out." He paused once more as he pursed his lips together.

He moved himself out of the airlock before he tapped his badge once more. His mind gnarling at his way of thinking as a radical idea started to form in his mind. "Der'mo... Tovarek to Bridge..." he started as he looked up at the ceiling of the corridors of Deck 16, almost as if hoping to glance towards the bridge crew on Deck 01 through the layers of deck plating "If that ship is carrying part of our crew, I would opt to not let those blyats escape." He closed his eyes. "I think the use of Tovarek drones might have a purpose here. The idea might sound radical and probably insane... but I suggest we launch our drones and have them set to a warp collision course to the aft engines of the unknown vessel. Considering most of their engine power will probably be focused there. The damage should be sufficient to cripple the ship and prevent it from going anywhere else, which in my book is perfect should we return to save our crew. Tovarek out." He opened his eyes once more. He didn't mention that if the drones would miss their target, the damage to the structural integrity of the ship would be substantial.


Yebat = Fuck
Blyat = Whore
Der'mo = Shit

Re: Chapter 01: Protectors of Truth [ Day 03 | 1507 hrs. ]

Reply #48
[ Lt.Com. Vivian Martin & PO1 Morgan Song | Bridge  | Deck 01 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @
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Chaos erupted around Vivian. And, to make matters worse, crewmen appeared to be being abducted at random. No, wait, not at random, there must be a pattern, something which would make the Savi interested in their abductees. To complicate matters further, the Sabine just arrived from her away mission, and both Suq and Stark appearing to be overburdened with other tasks. The burden now fell to herself and the remaining engineer at the bridge's engineering station

"Hold on Suq, I've got this, just make sure that the vectors are up and running when the time comes!" She shouted across the bridge, hoping to be heard in the din around her. Immediately afterwards she raised the Sabine on comms and announced to them, "Lieutenant Commander Martin to the Sabine, we are going to transport the crates of dilithium off of your vessel and into the various vectors, please stand by." She hoped to keep the edges of fear out of her voice just like at the battle of the starbase, and, hopefully, she had succeeded.

Immediately after she notified the Sabine, Vivian raised her head and gave orders to the tall engineer who appeared to be in the process of sorting the ship's power flow. Now that Sinead was gone, Morgan was starting to panic a little bit. After what they had done the day before, he had come to appreciate her and suddenly she was whisked away by some transporter beam before he could even blink. But suddenly he was wrenched from his thoughts and panic as Vivian shouted an order at him from across the bridge. "Mister Song, please contact Mister Kiiz and the other transporter officers and instruct them to transport the dilithium crates to these coordinates!"

Vivian sent the coordinates and directory of where each crate should be transported just as Tovarek's transmission to the bridge reached her ears. Martin felt a brimming pride in her assistant chief, clearly he had put his work as chief before her time to good work. The idea with the drones might just work out in their favor. Of course there was danger involved, if the drones missed their targets then catastrophic damage might be dealt to the enemy ship, but it was a risk they would have to take. In the meantime, Morgan was busy ensuring that the dilithium was transported to the proper locations aboard the Theurgy, and when he was satisfied that the proper officers had been notified, he reported his findings to Vivian, and hoped that they managed to get them to the proper place in time.

Re: Chapter 01: Protectors of Truth [ Day 03 | 1507 hrs. ]

Reply #49
[ F'Rell of the 12th House | Main Nacelle | Vector 01 | USS Theurgy ]

The can had been going well. The power readings within normal limits and all was well. And then came the buildup of power as the nacelle shifted to it's deployed position. F'Rell felt the shift in inertia as the nacelle moved and very quickly realized what was going on. Her long serpentine body moved quickly down the length of the nacelle toward the hatch that led back to the jefferies tubes which would lead her into the ship proper, by the time she reached it the air in the nacelle was already getting beyond uncomfortable hot and bordering on dangerous. She was able to activate the hatch remotely with her new translator's link to the onboard systems, had she needed to touch the panel she likely would have severely damaged and appendage. And as soon as the hatch had opened she moved through it and into the cooler air of the jefferies tube.

But this was not the time to relax or even check herself for injuries from the super heated air. Very clearly something had gone wrong, why else would the nacelle have been deployed and activated. She checked her translator's uplink with the ship's computer and found the link was severed, more evidence that something had gone terribly wrong.

So she moved swiftly through the maze of jefferies tubes until she reached a hatch that would lead her to one of the central corridors, only it was in a state of emergency sealed. She checked it's readings and it looks like there was vacuum on the other side of the hatch. Indeed something was going on and she was beginning to piece it together.

She had not yet tied her new translator into the ship's comm system yet, so using it as a a communicator was ruled out. No, she would need to navigate this puzzle on her own, at least for now.

So with purpose she made her way through the jefferies tubes. She would travel in the enclosed space as she knew it best and there was less risk of running into any intruders if the ship was under attack, as her guess was, and she would make her way as close to the bridge as she could manage. From there she would likely be able to find out something more.

 
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