Star Trek: Theurgy

Re: Day 04 [1100 hrs.] Valravn Flight

Reply #25 – October 18, 2022, 10:16:55 AM

[ Ens. Via "DixeBee" Wix | Wolf-16 | Cockpit] ] Attn: @P.C. Haring @Nero 
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"FUCK!" Via screamed out in anger once she heard Wraith's words. She pulled back on the throttle cutting her Valravn's speed and stopping its forward momentum. "Dumbass fuckin' trainin' exercise...fuckin' bullshit." The pilot said as she sat back in her seat, arms crossed, and pouting angrily. Charles simply looked at her with a worried look on his face which after a second turned sympathetic.

"Ma'am we can always do better next time. I believe the Lieutenant still owes you a drink." The man said with a slight smile.

Via just stared straight and wined slightly. "But my ass wanted to do better now!" Charles sighed in defeat leaving the cockpit filled with silence aside from the various chirps and other noises coming from the fighter's computer systems and propulsion system. It only took a few seconds for Via to get over it as she realized that her RIO was right. "Shit...yeah. Her ass does owe us still. Hmm..." While still not happy Via was content with this prospect and sat herself up in her seat placing her hands on the controls.

After hearing the command to fall back into formation Via pushed the Fighter's throttle forward and moved into position. As soon as she did however all the alert systems on the spacecraft screamed for attention.

"Shitballs!" The young woman quickly rolled and peeled off to the right to avoid the sudden object that was on a collision course with them. She threw the afterburners up on an escape vector and then turned to initiate an orbit maneuver around...

"Klingon Crusier!!" Charles yelled out. "It looks damaged but it is most certainly armed...receiving tactical data from Wolf -13...bloody hell they are about to fire!"

Via took in all the information she had and then acted. She was taught in flight school a fighter's best defense against capital ships was its speed and maneuverability. So when the Lieutenant gave the order to scatter she scattered, pushing forward on her throttle and moving in such a way that the Attack Crusier's weapons systems would have a hard time trying to get a lock on her.

"The fuck are we doin'?" Via asked in general. As much as she wanted to she couldn't just fire on the cruiser as she recalled back during her training majority of cases where combat occurs typically stems from a misunderstanding. Now, in that context, she would've been patrolling a shipping lane and essentially doing police work to secure contraband. The instructor probably wasn't thinking about Via's current situation of being hunted by Starfleet and likely being thrown into combat situations left and right, but old habits die hard...maybe not in this case. Via's first live combat situation became more interesting when the Lieutenant gave the order to engage the cruiser. The young pilot relished the opportunity and smirked.

"DixieBee, acknowledged."

Valravn's were designed for just this situation. Being Strikecraft their goal was to use their superior speed and firepower to overwhelm enemies with significantly more tonnage and GTFO before they could do anything to stop them. 4 Valravns against 1 dying attack cruiser was overkill but at the same time, the Flight wasn't armed for combat aside from the stock phasers. Those should be enough.

"Wolf-16 committin'. Chaos I need ya. Pattern Delta 9. " Via was going to make a run on the forward cannons from the Crusier's port. Delta 9 essentially insured that if Via missed her shot or didn't penetrate with her phaser, her wingmen would be right behind her to finish the job.

When Via flew she knew what she was doing. Hours upon hours of training engrained much within her but her natural talent on top of her tenacity and initiative made her a particularly good dogfighter. As much as she presented herself as an immature child-like idiot to some, when the situation got real it was as if a switch went off in her head making her more than she let herself out to be. It was partly intentional and partly not. Via did actively hide many things about herself from others out of habit. She was intelligent, she knew all the complex calculations and procedures a pilot needed to know in order to be successful otherwise she would've not received her wings and even more. However, part of her was a type of idiot savant due to her rocky upbringing. She preferred people to think she was more on the idiot side anyway as often she was bullied for displaying anything else as a kid. Hiding her intelligence was autopilot for her at this point not even a conscious effort on her part. If asked about it she would certainly deny doing anything of the sort but when life and death came that switch turned on and she didn't play around. 

"Sending target analysis to your HUD now. This should insure a disabling shot." Charles said with a bit of worry in his voice.

"Armin' Phasers."  Via said into comms.

"Approchin' Weapons Envelope"

"Bandit engaged"

"Firin'!"

Two streams of superheated energy exited from Wolf-16 and impacted one of the forward cannons. The shot was precise and accurate. In reality, the followed upshot was not necessary but Chaos did so anyway adhering to the procedures of the attack pattern and ensuring the weapon system was disabled. The attack flight pulled off and Via spoke into comms.

"Wooo! One cannon disabled! Runnin' interference, finish 'm off." She moved back in and gave the Crusier another thing to shoot at so Gemini and Wraith could finish the job with the other cannon.

Re: Day 04 [1100 hrs.] Valravn Flight

Reply #26 – October 24, 2022, 12:37:45 PM

[ Lt. JG Logan Hale, callsign "Wraith"| Wolf-14 | Praxis debris field | Orbit of Qo'noS] Attn: @P.C. Haring @ob2lander961 
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Logan didn't hesitate. When the alarm sirens sounded and the order to scatter came, he pulled his control stick back and pushed the throttle all the way through. He threw the Valravn into a steep left turn and simultaneously rolled clockwise. Within a fraction of a second, the pilot had put enough distance between himself and what was by now clearly identified as a Klingon Vor'Cha cruiser. The training session suddenly became bitterly serious. Logan surveyed the scene and tried to assess the situation. They were in the Praxis debris field. Any communication out or in was hampered by this. There were four of them, their mchines equipped for training, and in the cockpits were pilots who so far knew the Valravn only by sight. On the other side waited a Klingon Vor'Cha class ship, damaged but no less dangerous. These battle cruisers have always been considered very dangerous and this one would not surrender without a fight either. This was a fight he didn't want to get into. He didn't really know who he was flying with and didn't want to take the risk. Logan was going to advise retreat and let the cover it by the boulders of the debris field.

[Valravn flight, this is Gemini. You are clear to engage the Klingon ship. Disabling and defensive fire only. Take out their weapons and then stand down. Acknowledge!], it sounded over the radio. Logan didn't want to believe what he heard and wanted to protest, but DixieBee and Chaos had already confirmed the order. Logan shook his head. "Damn it." he cursed and hit the send button. "Wolf-14, roger that."

As uncomfortable as Logan was with this, and as much as he wanted to do exactly otherwise, he would not, no, he could not let his comrades down. Not again. Not like he had with Liliana, Dev, Haqr, or Vinne. Not like with... Alessia.

In his mind's eye suddenly flashed the images he was trying to suppress. He suddenly realized how much the situation resembled that time. He saw the Klingon cruiser launch a volley of torpedoes, knocking the rocks floating around off course. He saw one of those rocks hit Angel's Valravn and shatter the cockpit. He saw his little sister die again.

Tears blurred his vision. Logan blinked them away as he recognized DixieBee darting past him, death-defyingly heading for the cruiser. "Damn it!" he cursed again. "Damn it! Damn it! Damn it!"

He flipped the saftey switches and felt his valravn pulsing with energy. "Weapons hot. Attack."
Logan followed DixieBee most of the way, but then moved away from her to avoid the cruiser's defensive fire. Along the way, he caught up with Reggie. "There's no point in just taking out their weapons. They're Klingons, they always have an ace up their sleeve. We need to destroy the cruiser asap, Reggie." ...Or pull back and get reinforcements, he thought bitterly.

Blood began to rush in his ears. The cruiser's defensive fire was getting harder to dodge. Logan pressed the firing button on his control stick. Two orange-red lances of light pierced the darkness. One lance slammed into the hull along the Vor'Cha's neck, the other one collided with the sickly green of one of the defensive disruptor beams.

Logan rushed towards the Klingons. The neck was the weakest part of the ship. He made the decision. He was going to destroy the cruiser before they could destroy them. Screw the consequences. He had to save them.

Re: Day 04 [1100 hrs.] Valravn Flight

Reply #27 – November 04, 2022, 09:33:45 PM

[Lt. Regiene “Reggie” Suder, Callsign “Gemini” | Wolf-13 | Cockpit ] Attn:  @Nero‍  @ob2lander961‍


Reggie swung around as the Klingon’s cannons lit up, only to have DixieBee shut one of them down hard.

“Good shot,” she called into the comm. “All righ Wraith lets…”

[There's no point in just taking out their weapons. They're Klingons, they always have an ace up their sleeve. We need to destroy the cruiser asap, Reggie.]

“Negative, Wraith. I’m not killing this ship unless we have to. I think they think there is still a war on…”

Wraith has broken formation, and engaged. Weapons hot.

She watched as the two torpedos flew, one intercepted by defensive fire, the second slamming into the port side of the Vor’Cha’s hull.

“Dammnit Wraith,” she shouted. “I ordered disabling fire only! Stand down!”

What the hell was going on with Logan? She could understand if his ego had taken a hit with her promoted to flight leader over him but for him to blatently defy her instructions like that. If this was how her wing man was going to act, then Valravn flight was fucked six ways to Sunday.

Damage assessment coming in. Severe damage along portside neck. Hull breached, neck not severed. Reading decompressions. Unable to determine casualty count. Chaos has disabled the last defensive turret. Wraith continuing his attack run. Figure out a way to communicate with the Klingons. Intercepting Wraith. Brace for contact,

Reggie rolled Wolf-13 as she angled towards Wraith in what appeared to be a collision course, but at the last second, she broke off narrowly avoiding the direct collision, but causing their respective shield bubbles to scrape against one another effectively pushing Logan off his course.  Within the cockpit of her Valravn, Reggie winced as her lateral control board shorted out.  Given what she had been through in her career, it was little more than a flesh wound to a ship like this.

Both our shields and Wriaths are failing.  Preparing a tractor beam.

The Betazoid threw her fighter into a hard 180 before countering her momentum vectors and heading back the way she had come.

“Stand down, Wraith!  That is an order,” she said throwing as much of her telepathic influence into the mix as she could from distance while she engaged the tractor beam to slow him down.

Re: Day 04 [1100 hrs.] Valravn Flight

Reply #28 – November 12, 2022, 04:24:10 AM

[ Ens. Via "DixeBee" Wix | Wolf-16 | Cockpit] ] Attn: @P.C. Haring @Nero 
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Via with Chaos flew in a holding pattern around the Klingon Vor'Cha, looking out for any possible bogies trying to jump into the fray. Adrenaline was rushing throughout her body, so much so that she had not realized that this was her first real-world combat situation. She had always fantasized about what it would've been like before when she was in training. Since the Dominion war was still fresh in people's minds and TacCONN was formed from the exploits of the Fighter pilots who served during the conflict Via always imagined she was going to be a part of some large gradious fleet battle.  Phasers and explosions all around her, dogfighting in between massive ships and the such, taking out dreadnaughts, that sort of thing. The situation she now found herself in seemed tame in comparison. In truth, she was more terrified of her fantasy than now, she was having fun!

"Wooo!! Yeah!!!" Via cheered which soon subsided when she heard the argument that went on between her Flight Lead and Wraith.

"He is moving for an attack run!" Charles exclaimed as both he and Via witnessed him breaking formation and releasing two torpedoes into the Vor'Cha's port side. When he continued not to listen to Reggie, the Flight Lead went on and flew her fighter directly in the path of Wraiths scraping each other's shields and only narrowly missing a head-on collision. A tractor beam was activated soon after and all Via could muster to say after watching everything unfold was "What in the fuck?" expressed with pure confusion. She did not know what to do other than just keep her fighter in a holding pattern. Whatever was going on with Wraith was being Dealt with it seemed like by Gemini. If she needed assistance Via would jump in as needed but otherwise...

"Uh...beachhead. Keep your ass scannin' for any other brandits. Hmph, let them shits come and fuckin' try..."

"Y-Yes ma'am" Charles stuttered still taken off guard by everything.

Re: Day 04 [1100 hrs.] Valravn Flight

Reply #29 – November 18, 2022, 02:15:50 PM

[ Lt. JG Logan Hale, callsign "Wraith"| Wolf-14 | Praxis debris field | Orbit of Qo'noS] Attn: @P.C. Haring @ob2lander961 
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Logan cursed violently and involuntarily pulled back the control stick. His death blow was averted. The Valravn of his new flight leader collided with his. The shields of both fighters flared with blue energy and scraped audibly against each other. Reggie pushed Logan off his flight path. Both of his fired torpedoes faded ineffectively into Praxis's debris field.

Logan was denied his revenge. He gave an animalistic roar as his helmeted head smacked against the side of his seat. Stars danced before his eyes. His vision blurred. Logan felt cold, salty rivulets run down his cheeks. He wanted to start again. These Klingons had to die. By proxy, they were going to pay the price for his losses. Yomaura, Lea, Dimitry, Liliana, Dev, Alessia... Alessia. Logan never wanted to feel this way again. Every fiber of his body bristled against it. He longed to take this ship out. Nothing could be allowed to stop him. Not even if his own people turned on him.

The pilot tried to blink the tears from his eyes. He reached for his fighter's controls again and tried his attack again. Logan pushed through the throttle and put the control stick in the direction of his target. But the stars did not change position. Something was wrong. The fighter stopped responding to his inputs. He flipped some switches and tried again. Again nothing. Again. Nothing. Again. Again nothing.

Desperately, he pounded on his console, tore at the controls. He was about to restart. Perhaps the collision with Reggie had caused damage the fighter couldn't detect.
"I've locked you out of the controls," sounded from the back seat of his fighter. It was Alith, Hunter. Her voice was emotionless and neutral. Much like one would expect from a Vulcan "You heard the order from Reggie. I resent your...temper tantrum, but I will not stand by and watch you throw away your career, Wraith."

She activated the comm and responded to Reggie's last order while the Fighter was being towed by a tractor beam.
"Hunter here. Standing down.”

Re: Day 04 [1100 hrs.] Valravn Flight

Reply #30 – November 28, 2022, 04:51:16 AM

[Lt. Regiene “Reggie” Suder, Callsign “Gemini” | Wolf-13 | Cockpit ] Attn:  @ob2lander961‍  @Nero‍

[Hunter here. Standing down.]

At first, Reggie felt her own relief, but the anger and confusion from Wolf-14 pervaded her telepathic center.  Hunter was Wraith’s RIO, and for a moment she wondered if the shield scrape had injured Logan.

“Understood, Hunter.  Please advise status.”

She held her breath for the brief moment it took Hunter to reply.

[Superficial damage to shields.  All systems operational.  No injuries, though I have taken control of the craft.]

Reggie sensed no deception from the Vulcan RIO but she knew that for Hunter to have locked Wraith out without him being injured…well that was as close to a mutiny as she’d ever seen. 

A mutiny that might have saved Wraith’s ass.  Probably one of the smartest moves that Hunter could have make on behalf of her pilot.

“Understood Hunter.  I’m disengaging the tractor beam.  Form up and stay tight on my wing.  I’m keeping an extremely close eye on your ship.”

Reggie followed through on her statement, but before she could take additional actions, the Comm panel lit up.  They were being hailed by the Klingons.

I thought their comm array was offline.  Put them through and broadcast to all ships.

An angry Klingon appeared on the small view screen in her console.

[You Honorless dog!  Do you not have the decency to deliver the killing blow to your enemy?]

So, that was how it was going to be.  She would need to dig deep into her limited bag of diplomatic tricks.

“I am Lieutenant Reggie Suder, of the U.S.S. Theurgy and commanding officer of this wing.  To whom do I have the honor of speaking?”

The Klingon scowled. 

“Why have you fired on us, Colonel,” Reggie barked.  It would anger the Colonel but if she was to get anywhere with him, she would need to show no hesitation and meet his aggression in kind.

[You are my enemy, Human.  We stand with House Mo’Kai’s claim over House Martok.  You are allied against us and we do not suffer the presence of our enemies.  If your intent is to capture us, we will not permit that.  I demand an honorable death.]

“My Apologies Colonel,” Reggie replied, trying to keep her cool as best as possible.  “But I will not destroy a defenseless ship, especially when it is not my enemy.  Your information is out of date, Sir.  The Klingon Civil war is over.  Chancellor Martok has emerged victorious, House Mo’Kai is in ruin, and Gorka himself is dead.”

[P’tak!  You lie.  I demand you give us an honorable death!]

Reggie’s mind raced.  There was no reasoning with him from a rational perspective.  She needed to come at him through honor…which she did not fully understand.

When in doubt, wing it.

“I’m sorry Colonel, I can not do that.    There is no combat to be had between us, I will not destroy you while you are defenseless, and there is no battle or glory to be won here.  The conflict has ended.  If you would like, I’m more than happy to call rescue ships to tow you out and return you to your house.”

[You lie and dishonor not only us but yourself as well.]

Reggie sat back in her seat. “What reason would I have to lie to you, Colonel?  My ships are more than capable of killing you all…”

[Then do so!  Honor demands it!]

“Does honor demand you die in ignorance,” Reggie shouted back.  The words were out of her mouth before she realized it.  She couldn't place where the inspiration was coming from, but as she saw the shift in the Colonel’s demeanor she could tell she was finally starting to chip away at him.  “Tell me, Colonel.  Is there any honor a death that is needless in the name of a cause that is lost in a conflict that no longer exists?  Is there any honor in dying needlessly while ignorant of the truth?”

[You have no honor!  You are lying!]

“Then you’re an ignorant fool!”

[P’Tak!] He cursed again.

There was no way she would convince him herself.  His comrades in arms would set him straight if she could find a way out of this.  But to do that, she needed to give him a way to save face.  Then an idea came to mind.

“Colonel, I offer you a compromise.”

[Compromise,] he spat. [A tool of human weakness.]

“You show your ignorance, Colonel.  I am not human.  I am Betazoid.”

The Klingon stopped short there. 

“But it does, Colonel.  If you were wrong about me, can you accept that you might be wrong about the war long enough to hear my compromise offer?”  He remained quiet, which Reggie took as acquiescence. “Provide me the name of whom I can contact to send a recovery team to tow you out.  One you return to Qo’Nos, you can verify my assertions through whatever means you wish.  If you determine I am lying, find me aboard the U.S.S. Theurgy and I will face you in personal combat where we will settle this once and for all.”

[And if you are proved correct?]

“First round of blood wine is on you.”

The Colonel eyed her and the Betazoid could only hope she was showing no signs of weakness.  He was probably concluding that she was an easy kill with the Bat’Leth.  Maybe she had no chance against him, but she certainly would give him a fight.  Still it was an easy compromise to offer as she knew the truth was on her side.

[Very well, Lieutenant Reggie Suder.  We are agreed.  But be warned when I come for you, I will not rest until I find you.]

“I have no doubt, Colonel.  Your wisdom does you honor.”



The screen blinked off. 

“Receiving communication instructions from the cruiser,” Athen reported.

“Very well,”  Reggie replied.  "As soon as we clear the field, contact the Klingons and have them come pick up their missing ship.”

That only left what to do next.  Technically they still needed to undergo weapons testing at the scrap yard, but given recent developments, that was not going to happen.  What had started as an exercise intended to familiarize pilots with their ships, and develop some fellowship between the eight of them, had resulted in an incident of insubordination that had threatened to irrevocably tear them apart.  As a result any progress they had made was wiped away and now she needed to deal with Wraith when they got back.

The road to hell is paved with good intentions.

She switched back to her squadron frequencies.  “Gemini to all Wolves.  Form up and set course for the ship.  We’re heading home.”

-FIN-