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Crisis #09 | Volcanic Skies

Crisis #09 | Volcanic Skies [Attn: Iron Fox, Maverick, Kestrel & Nightmare]

If the scenery had been a bit more pleasant, Hannah von Slaverton would have enjoyed atmospheric flight for a change.

As it were, there was nothing pretty going on outside the canopy of her cockpit. Quite the opposite. It was like hell was spewing out all over the planet's surface, glimmering pyroclastic clouds in the morning sunlight obliterating entire forests and evaporating rivers and lakes. Magma pouring out of of craters as far as the eye could see. The morning skies were turning black, and she knew that all the wildlife and vegetation would either burn to death or dry out. The rising clouds were a serious problem for their engines, as they were vulnerable to damage by fine, abrasive volcanic ash, which could drift in dangerous concentrations hundreds of miles downwind from an erupting volcano. Nightmare had given up counting the bleeding craters she saw.

Oh, and then there were the Reavers. Fantastic...

"Enemy contact," she called over the comm-channel as she spotted the one she had pursued for the last minute and a half, "bearing five-niner-two. In pursuit, over. Where the hell are the others?"

Yet they all knew that there were only four of them, the rest either dead or trying to get aboard the Theurgy somehow. She hoped her fears did not hold any merit, but there was no saying how many would be in the Fighter Assault Bay once they got back. If they got back. The ash was already fucking up their engines, and there were no shortage of Reavers, as if the Calamity had gotten ahold of more of them in whatever year she originated from.

They were more or less flying blind, their sensors gone haywire by the volcanic activity; Reaver emissions like fireflies in a bonfire. So when she pursued the Reaver that had elluded her until she emerged between two columns of ash, she realised her mistake. He was no longer alone, since there were three more of them waiting in ambush. All four in total set a course straight against her, rapidly closing with phasers blazing against the darkening sky. She yanked her stick back and ascended, meaning to get out of their line of sight. Yet she had been too surprised and done it too soon, so she got all four of them on her tail - forming up with ruthless exactitude.

She knew she only had seconds to live. The HUD already screamed at her that they had locked weapons.

[Wolf-One-Zero in need of assistance now, now, now, now!]

Yet she knew that they were too many, and that if she was to survive, all three of her present pack would have to chip in immediately, and that would leave the Triage Centre and the valley completely exposed to the remaining Reavers.

Was the pack more important than the hunt?

OOC: Besides the four on Nightmare's tail, there are an unknown number of Reavers out there. If Nightmare is to be rescused, you all have a creative licence as to how much resistance there is before you reach her, should Commander Renard. I will, however, write the outcome of your actions, both in regards to Nightmare and the number of casualties in the valley.

Re: Crisis #09 | Volcanic Skies

Reply #1 –
[Nathan Isley - Valkyrie]

It was a move that had one shot of success.  failure could have seen Hannah dead, either by enemy hands or his own.  Still, he had to try, or watch her be gunned down by enemy ships.  Three ships was bad odds.  Fore at one and the other two would retaliate, which left only one option; take out all three at once.  Thus, his risky strategy came into play.  Nathan launched a photon torpedo, aiming not for a Reaver ship, but the space between the three, the keystone of their formation.  His aim was to fire his phaser and hit the torpedo when it reached that ideal location, detonating the torpedo and generating an explosion that would take all three ships without harming Slaverton's.

As she ascended, they were in quick pursuit, leaving Nathan calculating velocity.  If he fired, how long would it take to reach them?  Where would they be by the time it was there?  He had to aim where they would be, not where they were.  "Hold your trajectory and speed, Nightmare.  Do not deviate," he said over comms.  If she changed course, it threw off his calculations.  With the math done, he fired, holding his breath like a sniper waiting for his shot.  His plan was to essentially shoot a grenade out of the sky with a single bullet, so steadying himself with held breath wasn't such a bad idea.

Phasers fired.

Torpedo struck.

The explosion sent reaver parts flying, Hannah getting hit with nothing but a shockwave, which would rubble her seat but leave her otherwise unharmed.  "You just can't keep the guys off your ass, can you?" he teased, making it sound like joking banter, though after what happened between them on the planet, there was something more implied by the statement.  It wasn't long ago that the one behind her was him, though she wasn't trying to shake him off.

Re: Crisis #09 | Volcanic Skies

Reply #2 –
Miles cursed to himself as his shields were rocked by a buffeting of small debris from one of the nearby volcanoes.  Dammit that was too close." he cursed as he checked his sensors to make sure 02 was still on his wing grateful that she was and even more thankful that he now had what he wanted under his wings.  This time Calamaty's reavers would face a squadron much better prepared for starfighter to starfighter dogfights and he was sure those automatons would regret it.

Listening to the com signals he nodded hearing Nightmare's pleas for help.  "I see I see ya Nightmare looks like Mav's on their tail."  He watched as the four fighter squad closed in on Nightmare but just as they neared fatal range a bright flash of light enveloped the group of fighters. "Mav, nice shooting but ya got a straggler.  Shit! Two more sweeping down on ya."

Miles watched as he saw the reavers closing in on Maverick.  Seeing their formation he chuckled a bit, "Think spreading out that little will save ya from a cluster; you bots never learn do ya?"  He said to himself as he primed one of his 4 cluster torps by flipping the overhead switches in the cockpit.  "Computer, gimmie manual targeting on the torps, disable lockon, scatter on manual command, and detonation on impact or concussion."

"Maverick, You know what to do.  Execute evasive maneuver: Aero Delta, MARK!"  He said into the mic.  Mav's fighter vector upwards as his airbrakes engaged.  Through the ash in the air the bubble of the ship's shield became visible as the underside of the craft had nothing, but a wide flat dome of shield energy stretched behind the canopy of the fighter.  The fighter caught the wind resistance like a metal kite and the wind itself seemed to push it upwards and back as it slowed to a near stop in the air.

Miles launched the torpedo.  It streaked torough the air and the sides flew open releasing a swarm of the microtorpedos into the air each rocking away from the empty shell of a torpedo tube. Reavers flew right by Maverick unable to keep on the crafty pilot's tail.  They would have quickly turned in pursuit if not for the alert of multiple small objects nearing impact on them.

The first microtorp impacted a reaver. The damage was negligible but the direct impact was far from the real danger.  With that one explosion a concussion rippled through the air impacting the other torpedoes setting each and every one of them off right in the midst of the flight of three reavers.  Of the three, none escaped undamaged.  One was smoking heavily from the massive amounts of damage as another had clear dammage to a wing no longer showing the maneuverability it once did.  The third while appearing no worse for wear escaped looking unharmed.  Unharmed aside from the scorching and scratching on its hull that made it obvious that its shields were no more.  

Miles smirked as he saw them streak from the cloud of fire and right into the lady on his wing's firing line.  "They're all yours."


OOC: Sorry if I took too much control of your character Kuro but all I was needing was for him to preform a maneuver that I am sure they had been practicing in Sims recently for atmospheric dog fights.
I have been waiting on you to respond to my PM on whether or not you were okay with doing this but I felt i needed to go ahead and make the post so that searcher don't have to wait any longer to get her post in.
If you want me to change anything Please send me a PM..  I will be happy to edit the post to change it so he makes the maneuver suggestion or if you want him to say anything over the com.
Basically the extent of the control was assuming Mav would execute a maneuver when ordered to do so and assuming he would do so successfully based on previous practice in the simulators.
The manuever he preformed is a variant on the Pugachev's Cobra in this case using shields to create additional deceleration via wind resistance.
Yes, Maverick is hitting the brakes so they'll fly right by.

Re: Crisis #09 | Volcanic Skies

Reply #3 –
[Nathaniel "Maverick" Isley - Valkyrie]

Aero Delta wasn't his most favorite of formations.  He was about fancy flying, and Aero Delta was more about turning yourself into a sail, allowing the wind to pull you around as it wanted.  Still, if the squadron commander was giving the order, he had to obey it.  He pulled back, his fighter becoming as wide as possible, using the air to thrust him away from trouble, which in this case was essentially a dead stop, from the torpedo fired by his direct superior.  When clear of the blast radius, Maverick flipped his ship back into proper position to return to action, thrusters pushing him back towards his companions.

The ships that were crippled but not destroyed became open targets, Nathan unleashing a barrage of quick phaser blasts against the one with the missing wing, striking several points along the front end of the Reaver until it exploded, the other two kills went to Skye, already on their commander's wing and ready to unleash some hell of her own.

Re: Crisis #09 | Volcanic Skies

Reply #4 –
[Skye Carver - Kestrel]

They'd been in tight situations before but these damn drone-driven Reavers were proving to be more than a pain in the ass.  It was enough that Skye has spewing profanity like she had a case of Tourette's Syndrome.  There was a moment though when she went dead silent, wanting to rush to Nightmare's aid yet knowing she couldn't leave her partner who quickly ordered one of the moves they had been practicing on the holodecks.

"Just can't help showing off can ya, Mav?" she chuckled as the nose tipped up and it was almost like he was flashing the enemy.  They could hear music over the comm, starting off quiet and gradually getting louder with heavy drum beats as she waited her turn in the procedure.  For one who seldom had any patience, Skye was using the song to focus.  Mav executed perfectly and even took an extra shot leaving her only two to play with.

Her Valk made a tight spiral as she shot past Miles, sending a volley to finish off one and screaming "You been ... thunderstruck!" along with the music.  Her attention turned then to the last and it too felt the sting of a woman still pissed from false accusations and finally able to do more than just chew on the joystick as she waited to blow those things to hell.


(Reference song: )

Re: Crisis #09 | Volcanic Skies

Reply #5 –
Nightmare's heart was still beating fast from the close call that she'd had. If it had not been for Maverick's stunt, she would have been shot to smithereens. The manoeuvre that Iron Fox ordered could be executed without her since she was still making a full turn to join the pack. When she pulled close to the other three - after Skye had dropped the last two Reavers visible in the inferno around them - she opened the squadron channel and spoke.

[Wolf-One-Zero to the Pack,] she said, then she had to drop the formality, [If we can have the debriefing Below Decks, the drinks will be on my tab. Maverick, contrary to these holograms, you can have my ass any time you want. Wohoo!]

The small victory was cut short when Thea's face appeared in a small HUD on their controls. She looked worried. [Thea to all Lone Wolves in the air, attention. I cannot take off yet. I repeat, I am still in the valley. Captain Ives is not yet aboard because of unforeseen circumstances and reasons of great tactical merit. Also, for some reason, all systems on the Harbinger are malfunctioning. Reason unknown. I repeat, the Harbinger is also unable to ascend from the valley. They are even unable to evacuate personnel. Therefore, all shuttles in the valley are clamouring to dock with me while the tectonic event is about to wipe out anything alive. While Engineering has managed to raise the shield, there are still Reavers trapped beneath it. They are attacking the shuttles as we speak. You need to return to the valley and minimise casualties.]

It was no longer a question of saving everyone. This was last minute damage control.

[The Dor'GhItlh Squardon is already there, engaged with the enemy. Lieutenant Ravon has informed me that Wolf-06 has claimed a damaged Reaver and is taking off from the Triage Centre area right now. Her sensor designation in your displays is Niner-Two-Delta, and not an enemy. Do not fire upon her.]

It shouldn't have been too much of a surprise that Rawley was flying without medical clearance once again, yet there were worse news to come. [Oracle and Razor are both leading the evacuation of personnel via shuttles, and their operations are under heavy fire, needing your assistance. I am transferring coordinates now.]

Apparently, Oracle was at the aft of the Theurgy, protecting the docking area outside the Shuttle Bays. Meanwhile, Razor was at the east side of the valley, the train of shuttles dispersed to avoid Reaver fire. Both areas were rife with shuttles filled with survivors that were about to get shot out of the sky by the enemy attack fighters. [Synchronize your shield harmonics before going in.] Advised Thea with a crestfallen voice. [You need to get past five Reavers hovering outside the dome in wait for you, and neutralise the ten Reavers that are swarming beneath it and attacking our shuttles. Please, do what you can.]

Given the fact that the valley was going to be covered in pyroclastic clouds in underneath two minutes, what Thea described was nothing short of a suicide mission. There was, however, no alternatives. Who were they to help first? Ravon or Seung?

Nightmare was silent, awaiting orders, yet she could not help but take a few deep breaths to still her nerves. In either case, will our crusade for the truth end here, I wonder, upon Theta Eridani IV? she asked herself. If that is the case, at least we got one last shoreleave...

OOC: Crisis #06 [Shuttle Extraction] & Crisis #08 [Triage Centre] will both continue in this thread henceforth, with all of the Lone Wolves resolving the Reaver threat together via Valkyries, Type-9 shuttles and one damaged Reaver craft. I will end the aforementioned threads and divert them here. I will also be NPC:ing the Dor'GhItlh Squardon and Evelyn Rawley besides Nightmare.

This is the final battle of Part 01 of the double feature "Unconquerable Soul"...which is fought against both enemy and time. All your actions will be determining the number of survivors.

Good luck. You will need it.

Re: Crisis #09 | Volcanic Skies

Reply #6 –
Miles nodded hearing the info.  "Understood Thea, so it's The four of us, what's left of a squad of mark 2s, Two type 9s and a damaged Reaver piloted by the craziest bitch in the Federation verses 15 of these drones?"  he paused for a second.  "Ya know? I almost feel sorry for these photonic pricks."  He then smirked.  "Alright pack You heard the lady.  Ranger, if you can hear me.  Protect Razor and his shuttle group.  We're on our way."

Miles throttled up and vectored the group around heading towards the shield bubble again. "I see them."  He said noticing the dark silhouettes against the brightness of the shield bubble as it flickered in and out.  "Keep visual on them pilots; I'm flagging them on our HUDs as targets 1 through 5.  I'm going to buzz 5 with phaser fire and attack 1 for real with microtorps.  5 should go after me if planed right.  Rest of you Flag a target and go one on one.  Employ nonstandard standoff tactics.  The less it exists in standard Federation piloting books the better the tactic is.  Whoever gets the first kill gets to pull my tail out of the fire when 5 gets on my ass.  Kill them fast so you can cover those shuttles.  Our fellow wolves need us.  Kestral you're with me.  Soon as our targets are fireballs we are covering Oracles shuttle group.  That means Mav and Nightmare you're joining with Ranger protecting Razor's group."

Miles sighed as he saw the closing distances between them and their opposition.  They weren't in range to get a full lock just yet but he could tell that at a distance the Reavers had the advantage in having a more solid ability to lock on.  Luckily as they neared the violently volcanic area the air was filled with so much debris that it would be hard for anything to get a real lock.

The distance closed and he adjusted his sensors to have a lock on the fighter designated 1's engine emission trail.  He sequenced a burst of two micro torp launches one from his main launcher one from his externally mounted extra launcher and fired.  The torps were away as he streaked past the designated fighter 5 sending a glancing set of phaser fire shots into its shields as he cut across its path trying to divert its attention onto him specifically.  as he saw the two torps head towards the other fighter one detonating near its shield barrier the other souring past it and detonating in front of it.  "Damn!"  Miles cursed knowing his shot at surprising it was gone through hoping when he closed the distance he could chew it up with a quick volley of torps and phaser fire.

Re: Crisis #09 | Volcanic Skies

Reply #7 –
Razor had been playing a dangerous cat and mouse game with the Reavers pounding away at his shuttle escort. At some point Thomas was wondering why Thea thought it would be a good idea for him to lead these shuttles to safety. He was obviously not doing all so great as he heard the static after one of the pilots was crying out to Thomas that a Reaver had caught onto his tail after taking out his flight controls. Thomas closed his eyes for a second before he smashed his fist onto the controls, which caused bleeping and several chimes went off. "Damnit!" He shouted frustrated now and patched into the channels of the fighters that were still in the air. "Razor to any friendly fighter." He paused for a second so he wouldn't make the pilots deaf with a loud rant "I've lost two of the four shuttles I was supposed to lead out. I won't be able to hold out long against these Reaver as they now outnumber us with ease. We're sitting ducks, I need that air support NOW!" He closed his eyes now "Razor out." He ended his transmission and had to break hard left as a Reaver went into a head on engagement with him.

Thomas looked over at Lucan now as he tried to line up shots against the hostile fighters as they basically just circled them and strafed them without any mercy. "How's it going doc?" He asked now with a calmer voice, not wanting to put more pressure onto the man. Yet before he could answer him a Reaver had made a sharp turn onto them and had opened fire, hitting Thomas his shuttle pretty good. Instruments went flaring red and sparks and fires ignited in the mid and rear section of the shuttle. The passengers who were strapped in struggled to get out and for some, serious burnwounds were inflicted. They cried in panic and pain as they tried to break free, yet in their helpless state they could hurt more passengers if not hinder Thomas in his struggle on life or death. "Fuck!" Shouted Thomas as he looked back "Doc, I need you to calm those people and tend to them before they manage to hurt more people. I also need those fires to be extinguished or we'll be meeting something way hotter." Thomas said with a clear voice as he redirected power and systems. The shuttle shields started to stutter now as one of the hit systems was apparently the shield generator. Thomas couldn't just get out of his chair to work on damage control so the choice hung with Lucan.

Re: Crisis #09 | Volcanic Skies

Reply #8 –
Shielding his face with his sleeve when the targeting controls flared up with plasma discharge, Lucan bared his teeth in irritation at the irony of being in this life-threatening ordeal. If things had been going according to plan, he would have been aboard the Theurgy along with the rest of the Senior Staff. Yet no, the Calamity A.I. just had to collapse the Triage Centre and force him to act a valiant bloody hero; toiling shoulder to shoulder with his doctors and nurses to evacuate personnel instead. All for the sake of keeping up his impeccable fucking facade. Now, the A.I.s holographic yet sentient pilots were about to kill him. Even though his kinsmen were the ones who had reprogrammed the Calamity to begin with. Bloody irony indeed.

The Junior Lieutenant was not exactly helping his mood either, ordering him around as he were, as if the flesh puppet thought he was a civilian doctor instead of a Lieutenant Commander. Lucan had a mind to relent to the inner voice's inclination to break the puny boy's neck where he sat and slam his slack face to pieces against the controls, yet he needed the whelp to fly the piece of junk he was trapped on. The human was most likely a better pilot than he was, so Lucan released the restraints in his chair and stumbled back to the injured, yanking an extinguisher from the wall on his way there. "Down on the floor!" he called and sprayed the foam upon the roaring flames. He fought to keep his balance as he worked, the inertial dampeners only stilling so much of the many toss and turns that the Lone-Wolf was making. Since he was no longer operating the targeting systems, they were defenceless, and Lucan knew that it was only a question of time before the highly advanced Reavers blew the shuttle to smithereens.

Still, in lack of anything else to do, Lucan tended to the injured, administering his hypospray with sedatives, speaking calmly to the panicked crew members. Yet in his mind, he imagined all the things he wanted to do instead. Since he was joined, he might survive a shuttle crash, so he should have killed them all, every life aboard the shuttle, and then taken care of the pilot after all, just so that he could simulate a crash and make the Reavers less interested in shooting the shuttle out of the sky. The problem was that there was no safety upon the ground either with the pyroclastic surges sweeping in, and death was just as likely there as it was in the shuttle. The chance for extraction non-existent.

He was trapped. At the mercy of the dancing and breathing flesh-sacks around him. And he hated it. For he would never get the chance to avenge Kisane. All that he had ever done. All the killing and deceit, it was all for her. And it would be all for naught.


[ Earlier | AC-501 Mk I Reaver | Future Federation Attack Fighter | Wolf-06 ]

Evelyn Rawley had climbed down though the hole that Ravon had blasted open. She had been careful not to cut herself on the sharp edges of metal that she descended, and as she entered the cockpit, she had to strap herself into the seat while still only wearing her hospital gown. When the holographic pilot had vanished - the emitter damaged by Ravon's shot - it had thankfully left behind the helmet. For without some kind of Through-Visor-Display system, where she would be able to see through the hull of the unfamiliar fighter, she'd not have much of a chance to see anything at all even if she did manage to get it up from the ground.

"Not much use for pre-flight checks," she murmured, thinking that with all the damage, none of the checks would give her a green light. The thing was as damaged as her; hurting all over as she was and fearing that she had caused internal bleeding again from trying to fight off the Reavers with the isomagnetic disintegrator. She pushed down the unfamiliar helmet over her shaven head and tried to locate the controls she needed. There was no joystick, but two slender metallic arm contraptions ending with control gloves. Buttons were located in the palms. "Interesting..."

It took her a few moments to coerce the flickering touch panels before the pilot seat to give her a structural integrity field across the hull breach above her her head. Ash rained into the cockpit, like sediment sinking to the bottom of a glass, yet finally, she had the field steady and forced the clogging thrusters to obey her. She lit her TVD after a couple of attempts, and it was not too unlike the kind they used on the Mk III Valkyries. When she could see, she raised both her scarred arms with the controls, and the Reaver lurched upon the ground, soon to gain altitude. She had opened all comm channels, hearing Ravon and the rest, yet as she had power building in her propulsion systems, she failed to figure out how to respond. She'd have to be silent for the time being. At least they had marked her down as a friendly, and that would have to do.

Having tamed the Reaver she sat in at last, she obeyed the latest orders she'd heard, heading towards Ravon's direction in the hazardous skies. Fuck it felt good to fly again, despite the perilous circumstances. In fact, it only made it better. She did not care her body hurt all the worse, and she ignored the taste of blood in her mouth. In moments, she had skirted the clouds of fiery ash and made contact with two Reavers that were on the leading shuttle's tail. The shuttle was expertly manouvered, marking it to be the one that Thomas was flying, and Rawley opened fire upon the pursuing enemies.

Or she tried to at least. Repeatedly. "What the fuck..." she snarled, jamming her fingers against her palms in attempt to find the...

With a hole one's hull, the sound when you discharged mini-torps was deafening. The ignitions stabbed her eardrums yet still she screamed in elation, dozens of projectiles homing in on the pursuing Reavers. They broke off their pursuit when the detonations cut their shields, yet it was too late. First one tilted over and hit the mountainside, then the other barrelled down towards the valley floor - engines dead.

"This is Wolf-06," she tried again over the comms, testing another switch on the helmet, "If you can hear me, Ravon, I just wanted to let you know that I am keeping this toy to myself. I'll consider it a gift for saving your ass. No worries though, I'll still make good on my other promise."

The final word would not be said on that matter yet. It was something for an hour where they back on the base ship. For as it was, another Reaver shot down from the sky towards both Ravon's shuttle and Rawley - phasers smiting them from above.


OOC: Searcher, Kurohigi and Adakoch, you are all welcome to join in any time. I will follow your lead with Nightmare, Kuro, when you post. Searcher, you and IronFerrox are to assist Adakoch's character, so feel free to take them there with phasers blazing. :)

Re: Crisis #09 | Volcanic Skies

Reply #9 –
"Let's light it up, Nightmare," Isley called, leveling out his Valkyrie and sending it into the fray.  They needed to lay down cover fire, something that Nathan felt more then capable of with his fighter.  She might have been balanced more towards maneuverability and speed, but she could still pack a punch, and with an adept pilot controlling her, he would get more then a few opportunities.  He kept his movements nimble, his shots not always hitting, but he always avoided enemy fire of his own.  This was why he joined Starfleet, not for formation flying, but to really show what he could do inside the cockpit of the most advanced fighters in the galaxy.  No cargo ship could move like his Valkryrie could, and he was set to prove it.

"Hope I'm not making you dizzy back there, Nightmare," he commented, checking to see if she was keeping up with him.  She was his wingman, which meant covering him, but in the chaos of a dog fight, Hannah knew well enough how to look after herself.  If she couldn't at at his wing, then she would keep herself out of danger and always keep him in sight, just to be sure he had backup when he needed it.

Re: Crisis #09 | Volcanic Skies

Reply #10 –
"Only from appreciating your rear end, Maverick," replied Hannah over the intercom, then executed a barrel roll in a westward direction to both dodge enemy phasers and answer in kind - returning fire as she spun.

They had engaged Reavers 2 through 4 on the descent towards the dome. It was imperative that they got decimated them quickly, alternatively getting past them and underneath the massive shield that protected the valley. They could not be followed if they got past, and the people they needed to help were below - ten Reavers there that were killing the two crews. The Dor'GhItlh Squadron and Rawley were already there, which was a slight comfort, and Nightmare hoped the surviving Harbinger pilots were as good as their reputation claimed. They might be flying Mk II:s, but a sword was only as deadly as its wielder.

They soon gained access to the flickering blue field of the shield, and they left only Reaver 4 behind - to be dealt with later or by their fellow wolves. Their shield harmonics were synchronized and they passed right through - entering the valley and the chaos that presided there. Hannah cursed under her breath as she saw that they were late for the party. The downed shuttles littered the valley floor, and sharp profiles of Reavers harried the evacuation process. No time to think. They had their orders.

The HUD showed the Reaver that Rawley had overtaken. She was flying in shadow of the Type-9 shuttle that Thomas Ravon was flying. They came just in time to detect the threat of the descending Reaver - bearing down upon both of their fellow wolves with phasers spewing deadly energy bursts.

"Engaging," she said quickly with her melodic voice and forced more velocity from her clogging engines, swaying out east from Isley's course and then yanking her gears towards herself - ascending sharply to get the Reaver in her manual targeting sights. Her heart racing, knowing the Reaver might change course and lay its fire against her instead, she bared her teeth and opened fire as soon as she could. Phasers, a swarm of microtorpedoes, and breaking off as soon as she could in order to quickly turn her fighter around in case she needed to lay a second barrage against it.

Yet she hit, wore the shields down and scourging its hull, and the Reaver broke its course - the shuttle with Ranger and his survivors saved. Rawley changed her course to pursue the damaged enemy - shooting skywards. Yet neither Nightmare nor Rawley got to the Reaver first.

Four Mk. II Valkyries cut a straight line across the valley, flying at high velocity in a row formation, and the leading Harbinger pilot shot the first volley, then the second fighter continued, until all four of the Dor'GhItlh Squadron had unleshed hell upon the enemy, which detonated in a blinding explosion. By then, the four were already gone, their flying tight and unerring despite the speed. The formation never broke as long as Nightmare had time to observe them before they vanished behind a cloud of ash. It had been like the death train passed by.

[This is Phantom,] said a rasping voice over the intercom to everyone present, and the Wing Commander's head appeared on a HUD before Nightmare - his mismatched eyes seen through his visor. [My squadron will amass by the Theurgy to protect the last shuttles that are still docking with her. Recommended tactic; we all devote ourselves to this purpose. The Harbinger is already off the ground, engaging the last Reavers as well.]

True to his word, through the billowing ash and commotion, the Akira-class ship lurched forth, and with its deflector array, its seemed to collect the fiery air - with all debris and ash - and from the distance it looked like it... unloaded it all against two Reavers in close proximity to the Theurgy. The sound was like a concussion that reverberated in the whole valley.

"Holy shit, what was that?" asked Nightmare without speaking over the comm.

Re: Crisis #09 | Volcanic Skies

Reply #11 –
Help came just in time for Thomas Ravon and his damaged shuttle as the shots of his fellow wolves hit their targets and sent them screeching down. Thomas took in some air as he got some breathing space now and directed power from anything he could spare to shields and thrusters. The friendly Reaver below followed and the other sole surviving shuttle followed him as he led them to the safe confines of the Theurgy. Yet he saw the circling reavers around the Theurgy and slowed down a bit as a loud shot could be heard, thundering through the valley. The reavers got hit by debris and what else and Thomas mouthed something before the realising that the Harbinger had just created a safe passage to the Theurgy for them. He spoke over comms and allowed the other shuttle to land first while he circled around patiently to get approval of flight command to put his bird down. Rawley had already landed her plane into the hangar bay. Whilst circling around Thomas glimpsed back towards Doctor Nicander and he asked "Doctor, what's the sitrep back there?"

Re: Crisis #09 | Volcanic Skies

Reply #12 –
"You got it Foxy," Skye acknowledged Mile's orders, adding a playful bend to his call name.  With his markings made, she called out C and skimmed along close to Miles.  The music was still pumping as she targeted and loosed a volley that severed a wing and sent it smoking downward to crash into the surface.  "One down," she muttered to herself and then banked right.

An explosion rippled over the shield dome as debris from the enemy fighter Miles had designated as A detonated Sheering half of its contents off on the energy of the shield dome as if the dome were a perfectly smooth hemispherical hill.  Miles's fighter tilted upwards vectoring away a enemy fighter trailed him Firing trails of phaser fire behind the SCO's fighter.  Miles rolled his fighter evading the phaser fire desperately evading though it was obvious by the small streaked burns over his fighter that in the time being tailed he had lost shields and had been grazed more than a few times.

"Oh hell no you don't," she growled when the target that had been labeled as B popped up right on Miles' tail and flitting about like the bird she was named for, locked on and fired.  The first volley had a few misses but the second managed to create a nice explosion.  Miles's voice came over the com as his fighter leveled out to the level of on Skye's wing as his shield begun to recharge having taken only minor damage. "Thanks for the save 02.  Now let's throttle up; Oracle's waited long enough for cover."

That seemed to be that for the time being and Skye brought her bird alongside Miles.  "Ready for the next phase," she stated with grim determination as they both flew under the shield dome and spotted Oracle and her little not-so-fan club.

Re: Crisis #09 | Volcanic Skies

Reply #13 –
Miles calibrated the shields as they went under the dome.  "Oracle, We've got you."  Lining up the target he watched as the tone began to ring from a microtorp lock.  Unlike above the dome, down here there was so much debris that the enemy fighters were nearly constantly having their shields buffeted by it and from the shield readings they were much easier to spot, especially if you got an initial sight lock.  Soon the tone became that familiar high pitched whine that meant a full lock and he fired on one of them.  The torp Detonated right against its left nacelle causing it to go into a deathroll.   It spiraled down towards the ground smashing into a mountain side with a thunderous cacophony accompanying the explosion of its on-board payload.

The other Two of the three that were on oracle's tail quickly rerouted their direction evading fire from the two mark threes giving pursuit.  As they begun to evade the shadow of the Harbinger loomed over the two as they fled the mark 3s paying no mind to the ship they must have thought to be crippled.  Little did the two realize how fatal of a mistake that was as a hail of  rock assaulted the two ships causing them to explode as they skidded over the shields of the Theurgy below them.

"Wolves Looks like the Harbinger is back in the fight."   He said happily.  "And to answer some questions I am sure some of you are thinking... I don't know what the hell that was but it looked like Harbinger jerry rigged their Nav-deflector into a God-damned shotgun. And, it looks like our evac shuttles are in the clear.  Let's keep them that way.  Everyone assume Escort roles"  Looking over the information in the status of the firefight and the fighters locations he then added "Oracle, Razor, I want you two in that shuttlebay ASAP and get your asses to the fighter-bay.  I have a bad feeling that the Calamity's gonna be waiting for us in orbit and I want us ready to face her with our full strength."

He looked over some more info looking at the telemetry he was receiving from Rawley's commandeered enemy ship.  "Rawley I want you out of that Reaver right now.  I order you to park it in the Hangar bay."  he said in a forceful tone. 

Rawley most likely knew once again her SCO was gonna go on some stupid speech to her about rules and procedures or some other bullshit she didn't want to hear.

He continued knowing she most likely was about to turn of the com. "And I want you to get your ass in your Valk and out the door.  I'll allow you a 5 minute window to get into some proper pilot gear."

Miles opened a com channel to the Theurgy. "S.C.O. Miles Renard  to Theurgy Miss-ops.  Relay orders to the hangar bay to receive one damaged but captured Reaver.  Prepare the Valkyries of Razor, Oracle, and Ranger as well as all the necessary flight gear. Get all three to ready to launch status and prepare to receive their pilots.  As of this moment I am returning Evelyn Rawley to emergency active duty status.  My reasoning for removal from medical leave is due to her ability to pilot a heavily damaged unfamiliar aircraft.  If she is capable of doing this at the level she is showing currently then she is healed enough to fly her Valkyrie.  Reasoning for suspension of disciplinary "grounded" status is due to manpower shortage and a need for all fighters possible to be in the air.  Renard out."

As he gave out his new orders he watched as the phaser array of the harbinger lit up and set the shields of one of the other Reavers glowing in the dirty air.  Within moments her mark IIs were descending on their prey like a pack of wild animals piercing it with their own phaser fire as it exploded in the air.  Within seconds a new set of information was transmitted from the Harbinger.  It was a shared sensor upload which Miles quickly executed.  He smiled as he saw what had guided the phaser to its target.  "Wolves Execute the file the Harbinger sent and set sensors to read the void areas on the debris readings they sent you.  If they don't have a ship ID reading then mark them for positive targeting data as an Enemy Reaver.  Let's clean up these skies and show them what happens when we're on even turf."

Re: Crisis #09 | Volcanic Skies

Reply #14 –
Soo Young swerved out of the line of fire as one of her pursuers fired another volley of weapons fire at her shuttle. She winced as she heard the sound of screeching metal as the shot cleaved a deep groove in the hull of the shuttle, She coughed as the hot ash in the air filtered in through the breach in the hull making it harder to breath for all those on board. A shrill and rapid beeping sound caught her attention causing her to look up at the dashboard of the shuttle. A red light was blinking above it printed in black bold letters were the words "Weapon Lock.". The sight made her heart drop into her stomach the Type-9 was maneuverable but it didn't have enough maneuverability to dodge a locked on projectile and the countermeasure system had been damaged when she'd collided with the Reaver to draw it's focus.

She shut her eyes waiting for the inevitable but a voice over the communication systems pulled her away, She heard the beeping come to a halt as an explosion was heard followed by a second as the Reaver pursuing her crashed into the nearby mountain. She let out a sigh of relief and transmitted back to Miles and the rest of the squadron. "You couldn't have come at a better time thanks for the assist." Soo Young said. She let out a yelp as a loud bang filled the air the sound stabbed at her eardrums leaving a shrill ringing noise as the sound was magnified due to the breach in the hull. "What the hell was that!?" Soo Young thought looking around to see the flaming husks of two more Reavers falling through the air.

She heard Miles' explanation and listened to his orders she nodded "Orders received reporting the shuttlebay." Soo Young said as she piloted her shuttle towards the open hangar of the Theurgy finding space among the throngs of shuttles trying to find space to land. She put her shuttle down amongst the crowded hangar and pressed the button to open the cargo bay doors. The doors opened and before they could finish Soo Young had unstrapped herself from her safety harness and began jogging through the Theurgy's halls towards the fighter-bay. She passed numerous wounded and shell shocked crew members from both the Theurgy and the Harbinger the medical bay was too packed for this many patients and some of these people just couldn't make it that far.

As she rushed into the Fighter Bay she was taken aside by a few flight technicians who quickly assisted her in putting on her flight suit. As soon as her suit was secured the technicians led her out onto the floor where her MK III Valkyrie awaited, For a moment she stopped in her tracks staring at the craft the damage had been repaired no longer were there burns and scars marring the surface of her fighter, The hull was smooth and untouched, Her callsign had been reprinted onto the side. "Ma'am we need to get you ready for launch ASAP!" The technician called. Soo Young nodded and quickly climbed the ladder set up beside the fighter climbing into the cockpit and shutting it. Beginning her pre-flight check she patched into the comms for the rest of the Wolves. "Oracle reporting, Ready for take off in 45 seconds." She said as she breezed through the flight check having done this very same procedure so many times in the past.

A notification alert displayed itself on her HUD a file from the Harbinger. "Uploading file stand by." Soo Young said as she began to upload the file into her Valkyrie's systems.

Re: Crisis #09 | Volcanic Skies

Reply #15 –
[ Type-9 Shuttle | Circling the Theurgy -> Shuttle Bay]

"Doctor, what's the sitrep back there?"

Lucan was about to inoculate a traumatised crewman with a sedative just then, since the man would not stop screaming that they were all going to die. The Chief Medical Officer made a hushing noise with his pursed lips and lay a tattooed hand over the man's eyes. The metallic hiss of his instrument went off, leaving the man to go limp in the restraints of his seat. Dr. Nicander had already turned away, calling back towards the cockpit while he crouched down before a young woman with a laceration across her forehead.

"Under brittle control, Lieutenant. The fire is out yet people are anxious that you land this bloody thing as soon as possible," he said and smiled briefly to the woman despite the situation before lighting up a dermal regenerator. "Myself included. Then again, I suppose that when twenty people hitch a ride on a flying carpet you are bound to have a rugged experience." Privately, he added for sake of his own amusement, ...and it is clear that the only thing required to become a pilot these days is a good altitude.

From the intercom, the SCO's voice could be heard in the background. [Oracle, Razor, I want you two in that shuttlebay ASAP and get your asses to the fighter-bay. I have a bad feeling that the Calamity's gonna be waiting for us in orbit and I want us ready to face her with our full strength.]

"Good grief," said Lucan and ran a thumb over the woman's treated forehead. He had been quite worried for a while, yet it would seem the resourceful flesh-puppets had found a way to get through the ordeal after all.

Not a minute later, the bay doors of the shuttle opened, and Lucan stepped out ahead of the rest, taking in the situation. Injured were pouring from the other shuttles, and there were throngs of people by the exit that fought to get to their duty stations or to the two Battle Sickbays, which were most probably teeming with people right then. Nicander looked around... and caught the eye of Amelya as she emerged from another Type-9 shuttle not far away.

"Dr. Duv!" he called and raised a hand, making his way over to the Harbinger's CMO. "It would seem apparent that we have plenty to do. Here, come close to me."

Avoiding the shuffle and shoves of people moving about, Lucan reached Amelya and lay his arm around her waist. "Nicander to Thea, I am with Dr. Duv. Requesting emergency site-to-site transport for two people to Main Sickbay, over." Before the acknowledgement came, Lucan appraised Amelya's awful state of appearance, finding it much akin to his own. "Oh, my. You look positively splendid this morning. Did you get a hair-cut?"

[Acknowledged, doctor. Coordinates confirmed. Energising.]

And they were gone, heading to where they were needed the most - brief moments of humour lost much too soon.


[ AC-501 Mk I Reaver | Fighter Assault Bay | Deck 15 ]

To land the Reaver she barely knew the controls of had been interesting, sufficed to say, yet in the end, Evelyn Rawley pushed herself up through the hole above the cockpit. Still dressed in a sickbay gown, she emerged through the damaged hull with her helmet still on - looking around the large area before she jumped down from the wing of the attack fighter. Miles' voice still remained in her mind as she landed on the hard deck, knees weak and mouth tasting the metal of blood.

She had fully expected to be sent back to the medics, and perhaps she ought to have been, yet if her new SCO had decided to return her wings to her, then she was sure as hell not going to object. Consequences be damned. She pulled off the black helmet and set it down on a tool table close by, looking around to get her bearings in the all too familiar hangar. It seemed like there were still a few Valkyries there, awaiting pilots to launch them, yet just as she called for the flight technicians to bring her gear to her, she caught the silhouette of Oracle across the distance of the hangar - seeing her don her helmet and get into her bird in great haste.

It was so eerie to see her alive, having thought she died. To lay eyes upon her again under these dire conditions made it seem like no time at all had passed since that day when she vanished. Evelyn clenched her teeth at the memory of what she had said to Oracle in the Triage Centre, but there was no room for remorse right then.

She snapped her brown eyes away and wrapped her fingers around the hem of her gown, and in one fluid motion, she removed it and tossed it aside - standing bare naked before two technicans that had come rushing over with her white flight suit, her gear and her helmet. Despite how she was covered in ash and scars, it seemed the sight gave the two men pause, making her bare her teeth at them. "Give me that!" she said and ripped the flight suit from the left one's hands, "Show's over. Come back another time, perhaps when we are not about to die."

They said nothing and instead focused on helping her, and soon, she was jogging across the deck towards the bird that she were to borrow since her own had been destroyed when they first met the Calamity in battle. Halfway there, she saw someone else getting ready - a face she had seen around the Triage Centre in the beginning of their week upon Theta Eridani IV. Still moving, she called out to the fellow Lone-Wolf.

"Tess!" she shouted with her helmet in her first, wondering what kind of hell 007 had gone through before she just now managed to get to her Valkyrie, "Are you late for the party too? I sure hope there is still some leftovers. Bet you I get to them first!"

Once in her cockpit, Rawley pulled on her helmet and powered up her engines. "Ranger reporting! Ready for launch!"

And eventually, she left together with the others - thrusters sending them out of the opening bay doors and into the fiery planet's atmosphere.

Re: Crisis #09 | Volcanic Skies

Reply #16 –
[ Type-9 Shuttle | Circling the Theurgy -> Shuttle Bay -> Fighter Bay]

Listening to the doctor first and than to his SCO, Razor responded accordingly and landed the damaged shuttle at the back of the shuttle bay. He powered it down to prevent any leaking or other malfunctions to shortcircuit and cause a fire inside the Theurgy. He jumped out of his seat now and only now took a closer and good look to the people inside the shuttle. They had literally been through hell and they looked like they would carry the emotional and physical scars along with them for a long time to come. "Well done doctor. You did a good job under the circumstances." He said and tapped Lucan on the shoulder when he passed by him on his way out of the shuttle.

He rushed through the shuttle bay towards the fighter deck and caught a glimpse of Oracle as she made her way to the fighter bay as well. Once arrived in the fighter bay it seemed not everyone had been out in the fray just yet. The tech rushed to Thomas to get him in his flight suit and Thomas was impatient and rushed the process along. He hopped into his fighter and started up the systems while the pre flight check list was checked. "Come on, I don't have all day." He murmured with an annoyed tone and when his systems got green lit he looked at the engineers rushing away while his engines throttled up to make a hasty departure. Before him was Oracle and he patched in on comms "Razor ready to rumble." He said on a battle hungry tone and he hoped he could still show some of those reavers what a fair fight was.

[ Type-9 Shuttle | Circling the Theurgy -> Shuttle Bay]

Amelya took a deep breath as the shuttle got placed in the hangar bay and once she stepped outside of the damaged hip she didn't even have time to thank the great pilot for her flight. If it wasn't for her she might have been caught in the hot surges of lava that lay out there. Yet there was no time to think about how things could have happened. The shuttle bay was filled with injured and ash covered patients that needed medical attention and help. She was still unfamiliar with the entire lay out of the Theurgy and she noticed the rush of people towards the presumable  battle sickbays and she was about to make her way to one of those when she heard a familiar voice call out for her. It was Lucan as she saw him waving at her and she made her way to meet him. Before she could react to what he said she could feel his arm snake around her middle and she couldn't help but smirk at the comment about her hair. "Oh, I've never felt better, you look a bit pale though Doctor Nicander. Yet I'm afraid I haven't found the time for a hair cut... Maybe it's the new make up?" She said to him with a humorous undertone as she felt the tingling feeling of the transport rush through her body.

Re: Crisis #09 | Volcanic Skies

Reply #17 –
Character Name: {Tessa [007]} Location: {Fighter Assault Bay| Deck 15} Tag: {Evelyn [Ranger]}

Tessa made her way quickly to the Fighter Assault Bay Deck 15 as she looked over her shoulder as someone called her name, {Tess was doing a quick over look to make sure her panels was good so while she was out kicking butt nothing could go wrong} , as she smiled, "Yeah, it seemed the pack forgot about me." She said with a smile as she started to claim up into her ship. She couldn't help but laugh, "But don't you know it always cool to be the last one to the party because everyone is waiting on you.  Is that a challenge Ranger?" she asked with a smirk.

She had missed this over the past few days as everyone still carrying heavy hearts and worries now day it seemed that the playfulness had left the crew members.  She jump into seat and smiled as she looked over her baby. It was the small things that help Tessa get through the hardships of the days.

As the battle was heating up she slip on her helmet on and smiled as she did a the short system check which she knew could come back and bite her on the ass but they didn't call her 007 for nothing.  It may not be a rest that some of the other pilots would have taken but she took it with a smile on her face. ['Flight Ops are you out there? I like to check to make sure someone can hear me and I can hear them so if I need to do something stupid.']  As she tries to check her communication link she would hate if someone needed her and she couldn't hear them.

As waited she checked her flight controls as she had attack fighter hovering off the ground with a smirk on her face. The soft vibrations of the attack fighter seemed reaching into her soul this time it was not like any other way to say it. When the ship is on she and it are one. She waited for the gate to be open before taking off wasting no time at all. She checked her navigation and astragations systems that seemed to be up and working fine. She knew that she was cutting corners on her normal systems checks list but as things was getting fucking real she didn't have time to really check over everything she need to the sky.  She was still waiting she closed her eyes, "Alright mama help me out here and keep me level-ish." She whisper to the buzzing of her attack fighter.
 
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