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Re: Chapter 03: Loyalty

Reply #50 –
[ Krystal "Meony" Tancredi | Hull | USS Resolve ] Attn: Tristan Kendrick, Keval ch'Rayya, Havenborn

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What. The. FUCK!" said Tancredi as she did the strangest hand dance in open space when she felt the ship lurching under her feet. The Resolve was moving. Well, it was her idea to take the furthest pylon, better her than someone else, right? Well, now she had to haul it post-haste and get inside unless she felt like risking it all in the biggest and wildest ride of the century. Not that that wasn't an appealing notion, but Tancredi figured this wasn't one of her preferred ways of going if it was time. She began plucking her feet to move them in the fastest hull walk race. She wasn't too afraid of getting detached from the ship. Her suit's packs held enough for her to maneuver herself if it ever became necessary.

Each painstaking step showed her she was literally the last one left outside. At least as far as she was able to see. She didn't take note of the presence of anyone else, and the ship's movements were making her a little disoriented. If that wasn't enough, the sheer chaos of the base defenders had her frequently looking around. Debris and material were beginning to fly around, moving like deadly projectiles. Deflector shields would take care of them, but Tancredi wasn't about to depend on just that to keep her safe.

She would get to test this fact sooner than expected, when what looked like the husk of a interceptor was blazing towards her. "Oh shit!"

Taking little account into the consequences of her actions, Tancredi leapt clear of the path as the debris smashed and scraped the hull where she had been moments ago. The damage was inconsequential and non-existent, to the ship, but if the young woman had been there...well, she would be meeting the members of her family of the ship that had gone on ahead into the afterlife. Drawing her weapons, the pilot began firing off a few shots at more debris. The shots were also pushing her back a little, though not by much. "Ah'd love ta stay," said Tancredi, "but mah rahd's waitin'."

Turning her back, she punched her suit's thrusters, pushing herself at high speed to the airlock, slowing down only at the entrance, and reactivating her boots' magnets. Shooting into the airlock was fun, but not if one wanted to avoid breaking their necks and other things. The second she cleared, she was racing for the launch bays, clambering into her fighter shuttle. "All raht, sweetheart," said the cowgirl, "let's get ya fahrd up! Dance fer mama."

Her ship hummed to life, and she skipped most pre-flight checks. If Randall didn't do a great job, she'd be toast one way or another, so what did it matter? From what she had seen outside, Tribble Squadron looked like they would have the home field advantage for the time being. As long as those doors stayed closed, the interceptors would have a very limited amount of space, and so shooting around at top speed was out of the question. The fighter shuttles moved with the grace and speed of constipated rhinos, but they were as tough, if not tougher than rhinos too.

She opened a channel to her fellow Tribbles, "Ya'll ready and rarin' ta go?"

When ch'Rayya commed her, she triggered her response, "Aw come on! Ya sure lahk ta take da fun outta everythin'! Fahn, fahn, whatever. Ah got yer back."

She grinned and waited, looking around for Havenborn and his pilots. Though there was a mild touch of envy that he and his fellow pilots retained their Valkyries, those that had lost theirs gradually began to substitute for the shuttles, turning them into the most aggressive transporters the Federation would ever see. She ached to lift off already and get to doing what she was all but born to do. She keyed in a channel to Havenborn, "Darlin', are ya planning ta get going anytime dis millennium?" said Tancredi, then after a moment's thought, she added, "Look, cut meh and mah Tribbles loose first, we got fuckin' turkeys here, and move lahk sleepy hengras, but raht now? Dat's actually an advantage! Them 'ceptors cain't slow down fer nuts, and if dey trah gettin' fresh, well, we'll slap 'em, and ya can mop up."

After that, she quietly sent another message to ch'Rayya, "Hey, big blue? Be careful. Keep our captain, our family, safe."

"All raht, Tribbles! Ya wanna live forevah?!?" Tancredi received a chorus of negatives to that query, and she smiled. They were all nearly as crazy as she was. But hey, they were trained to be fighter pilots. Abruptly, she opened a comm to her squadron, and howled like a wolf, a throwback to her time as a Valkyrie, joined by her fellow Tribbles.

Re: Chapter 03: Loyalty

Reply #51 –
[ Captain Tristan Kendrick | Bridge | USS Resolve ] Atten: All

Kendrick was all too glad to be out of that god damned suit, and practically ran his way back to the nearest turbolift. asking it to take him to the bridge. He was all too aware of the danger that they were in at this point.  With the fighters launched it was only a matter of time before they were ripped apart. The only saving grace was the fact that it was tight quarters the fighters couldn't be as mobile as they wanted, but he had seen what felt like hundreds pouring out to attack this ship.

When he arrived on the bridge he looked around for a moment half expecting the room to be completely gone in his absence. Considering it wasn't he was more than happy to take his chair waiting for A'vura to surrender it before he sat down. "Veradin, where is my tactical report? how many fighters are out there, what do we have that can punch a hole through this station."

Kendrick tapped his com link when the former borg drone asked what she would do next. "Head down to engineering, help our teams get as much power flowing as we can so we don't end up falling apart." He figgured that the former Borg drone would have some expetize that she could use to pull as much power out of that warp core as possible.

"Get us to that door Veradin, and Keval  see if we can't give the aerowing some help and draw some fire. I'd very much like to keep that ship intact."

"Avura, you have Ops." Kendrick took back his chair, a concerned look following him, he was trying and failing to count the number of fighters out there, and at the same time wondering just how long it would take them to rip this ship to pieces.


[ Lt Hi'Jak | Bay 17-C  | Starbase 84 ] Attn: Mathis

"Well I do have two papers on temporal warp drives, but I highly doubt that my theories will lead to the creation of the time drive, it's really just some grounding mathematical work I did for my academy years. A few paradox studies, and mostly theoretical things. I'm only credited on like two practical works." Hi'Jak said partially in defense when she called him the creator of the warp drive. He was not nearly as smart as Zefram Cochrane. Mostly that was why he was out here, his work was considered low priority.

Looking over what she said however she was right, there was a lot of juice in the power-cell of a phaser, looking at the wiring he grabbed one of her two phaser weapons and worked to pull out the powercell never an easy task when one didn't have tools, but a little bit of leverage and he managed to crack it open at the cost of a nail. Working to attach as many loose wires to the power cell as possible he jury rigged the wall's conduit to the powercell.

"Okay so, I've either created a bomb, that when fired upon will explode and crack the hull, or if I did this correctly I've overclocked the consoles power output, and when you fire that weapon it will overcharge and go through the conduit burning out the entire emergency system for this place and with a black out, the powerlocks on that wall will disengage, and the wall will rise in accordance with evacuation. Till the computer compensates for the lack of power and locks it down again, but by that time we will be on the other side... or like i said... vented into space. It's an 80/20."

What he wasn't going to tell Sera was that the 80% chance was them cracking the hull and boiling alive or causing a massive fire. he would however silently cross his fingers, and subtly put himself behind Sera as she got ready to fire.

Re: Chapter 03: Loyalty

Reply #52 –
[ Ens Derik Veradin | Bridge | USS Resolve ] Attn: All

A bead of sweat ran down Derik's left temple, luckily not obscuring his vision, as he leveled the Resolve up from its dive towards the bottom of the docking bay. His focus was fixed solidly on finishing this first maneuver that would at least send them towards relative safety, looping around the bay in a wide circle. A docking pylon he hadn't noticed was coming awfully close to them so he rolled the ship to its side putting their belly towards the station walls to narrowly avoid it.

Derik was relieved to see Kendrick and ch'Rayya both return to the bridge. That meant they were hopefully one step closer to getting out of this crazy situation. When the captain asked him for the tactical report and how many fighters there were outside the ship, it took all of Derik's willpower not to answer with, 'A fuck ton, sir.' Distracted as he'd been by their sudden need to dodge dozens of now-suicide-prone fighters, he'd not been as ready as he'd like to report everything. "From what I can gather, an entire Air Group was launched sir. At least four squadrons in four wings, so around 200 give or take, depending on how many have already crashed. The debris and sheer number are making it hard to get an exact count on sensors."

Derik rolled the ship back to being level with the low floors of the bay, weaving a bit to avoid a few more fighters that had flown their way. "These fighters are built for speed, but not for maneuverability or stopping, so most of them are simply flying around crazy trying to slow down because the bay doors didn't open like they should have corresponding with their launch. As for the doors, a full spread of torpedoes from the inside should be enough to blow them open, but there are still dozens of fighters near the door, it would be one hell of a shot to get them to the actual door."

Derik grimaced as a few more fighters came within a hair's breadth of slamming into their port nacelle, "I currently have us in a wide loop to avoid the cluster of fighters at the door, but they are slowly clearing out. By the time I swing us back around to the door, we might have a better shot potential lined up, wouldn't you say Lieutenant?" Derik asked, looking over at Keval.


[ Sera vers Aldnoah | Shuttle Bay Corridors outside Bay 17-C | Starbase 84 ] Attn: Kaligos, Arista, Auctor

Sera waved a hand dismissively at his talk of paradoxes and papers, "Yes, yes, my point exactly, you are very smart. I know how to use tools well, not how to alter them or fix them." She watched him work nervously, casting glances up and down the corridor, hoping they remained uninterrupted. She thought it strange how more security forces had not yet responded. Maybe they'd taken his threat to heart, or maybe they had been distracted by something more important elsewhere.

When he was done connecting the power source to the console she listened intently to his description. Some of it went over her head, but she got the gist of it. She waited for Hi'Jak to get out of the way before raising her remaining phaser pistol and took careful aim at the power source. "Here we go," she whispered mostly to herself, and fired.

A few things all happened at once. The system did begin to short-circuit everything in the area and the lights began to flicker as the systems all began to shut down. However, the power source also went up in flames, rather large flames that started trailing up the connection to the wall console. Immediately after, a new klaxon began sounding as fire-suppression foam began spraying all around them, drenching Sera and Hi'Jak in it as well as putting out the fire.

Sera stood there speechless for a few seconds, sputtering foam away from her mouth when she did try to speak. "Pyeeh. Well... I think the door locks are at least disabled now..."

Re: Chapter 03: Loyalty

Reply #53 –
[ Lt Hi'Jak | Shuttle Bay 17-C | Starbase 84 ] Attn: Mathis, Auctor,

Most people found it weird when he flaunted his intelligence. Who ever heard of a smart Klingon? One that took pride in his mind rather than his skill with a bat'leth. However Sera simply dismissed him, and called him smart, it was almost a complement, and for a moment it felt rather nice to have someone saying something like that. He closed his eyes as she fired on the power cell, and listened to what was supposed to be the end of the world.

Thankfully they struck a critical and it seemed like it was the 20% option as he opened his eyes. The lights were flickering the entire area was fluxing and.. Fire, oh shit that was a lot of fire. A moment later it became a lot of fire suppressant, so much so that the foam was covering the two of them, He rather sloppily wiped his face with the back of his hand, which really only seemed to spread the foam around as he spat and tried to get it out of his mouth.

"That worked?" He said completely unsure of why that worked. He was going to have to remember that solution, and how he had rigged it up. There was a moment of hesitation as he watched the wall start to rise up, no longer locked down thanks to black out and evacuation procedures. "It worked!"

He grabbed Sera, and in a moment of celebration he pulled her close to him, planting a kiss on her lips, pressing his body against hers as he hugged her, and then after realizing the complete violation of personal space he had just comitted he pulled himself away from her and simply looked guilty for his action. "I mean of course it worked why wouldn't it."

He coughed feeling his ears burn, his face redden slightly. "We should really be on that side of the wall encase it decides to come back down."

Re: Chapter 03: Loyalty

Reply #54 –
[ LT Daniel Havenborn | Airlock > Hangar Bay | USS Resolve ] Attn: Triage, DocReno, Auctor

As the door to the airlock shut Daniel heard Derik's voice over the comm and he quickly grabbed the bulkhead to keep himself steady as the ship lurched.  Derik was a good pilot and Daniel had faith that he'd be able to get the Resolve out of the docking bays.  As the ship righted itself Daniel began to make his way towards the hangar bay.

He was about halfway to the hangar when he received Keval's communication.  "Understood Lieutenant ch'Rayya.  Do standard rules of engagement apply?"  He asked as he exited the turbolift, only a few more meters until he'd be outside of the hangar.  As long as the standard rules of engagement applied he'd have no problem with carrying out his duty, however he didn't want any surprises so he figured he'd find out now.

As he turned the corner he received another message from Ensign Tancredi and shook his head. "Denied Ensign Tancredi, your squadron will launch after the Valkyries."  He said.  He hated that she rarely called him by his rank, out in the field was one thing, callsigns worked better out there but they were still on the ship and he expected everyone under his command to follow Starfleet rules and regulations and give those above them in rank their due.  He'd have to remind her of that if they made it through this mess.  A moment later and he walked into the hangar bay and made his way towards his Valkyrie.

"Chief Randall are my fighters prepped and ready?"  He called out spying the Chief across the hangar bay as he stopped at his Valkyrie, placing a hand on the stylized double eagle artwork as he did before each combat sortie waiting for the Chief's response.  He could see his RIO; Lieutenant Ahern, callsign Knight; sitting in his seat waiting for takeoff.  He'd had his pilots double up as much as they could with the rest cross training with the Tribble Squadron.  They had started out with 36 pilots and after three year he was left with less than half that number.
Defeat, Genocide; why quibble with semantics.

Re: Chapter 03: Loyalty

Reply #55 –
[ Lt. JG. Ejek | USS Resolve, Bridge ] Attn: Arista, Mathis, DocReno, Vystori, FollowTomorrow

In the end Ejek didn't get the chance to brief Lt. ch'Rayya on her impression of security chief Dotnhil, after all. First they were too preoccupied with reaching the bridge - and quickly! - despite the rough flight maneuvres, then the situation on the bridge immediately got the Andorian's full attention. As it should be. They had to escape securely to even get the chance of putting further plans into action. Only the Cardassian counsellor had little to contribute to secure said escape; all she could do was contemplate future actions.

It wasn't before now, when Ejek was standing in relative abandonment near the bridge's entrance watching the scene, that she realised her saviour had gotten injured. Funny, she mused, how self-absorbed fear and survival instinct could turn you. Even now she had more pressing concerns in mind than suggesting for Lieutenant ch'Rayya to see a doctor. As long as he was able to function, he was best for manning his station in a crisis. If he was impaired enough to be a threat to the mission's success, she trusted he'd remove himself, anyway. Thus, voicing concern would only mean unnecessary distraction in a dire situation.

A situation in which Ejek had nothing much to contribute. She was a counsellor, not a pilot or tactical officer. Her station, aside from being occupied by Dr. Parnak's behind, was fundamentally useless at the moment. However, it was still not the time to answer that message in her inbox. Aside from her desire to keep an eye on what was going on, the bumpy ride hadn't ceased.

It was that bumpy ride, and the consequential need to support her stance, that eventually made her cling to the back of her occupied bridge chair.

Re: Chapter 03: Loyalty

Reply #56 –
[ Drauc T'Laus | Aerowing Cockpit | Spacedock | Starbase 84 ] Attn: SummerDawn

Hearing K'Ren, and seeing what she saw in her mind's eye, Drauc came to understand his companion on the aerowing a little bit better. The past three years had taken its toll on her, the same kind of shadow of weariness that he'd seen in the minds of other members of the Resolve's crew. Her weariness had a bitter undercurrent, and that was the loss of her dear Markus. Over the years, having felt the same kind of loss in others, Drauc could not help but feel it as a reflection of his own losses in the Dominion War.

It would be, however, disrespectful to say that her loss was akin to his own, because it would sound like he diminished her grief - as if he dismissed it. Knowing this, he said naught, merely nodding imperceptibly to the Caitian in silent verification of her feelings on the matter. After all, he was not keen on speaking of his brother, even if it might make her understand that he sympathised with the loss of her lover and the family they'd had.

When she spoke of Bradford, this vile human that had been his captor in the Brig since he was arrested, he looked his way, sharing her estimate on their situation. "We'll keep him for the time being," he rasped and looked back to her. "Likely or not, chances be that he will keep a few shots from being fired at us. Poor aid, but better than having nothing to bargain with."

K'Ren spoke of his suggestion to fire on the fighters' nacelles being quite bold, and it was the truth, but as she pointed out, they were not the current priority, so it was better to conserve themselves until they needed to become the wedge, as she so aptly put it.

"I do not wish to die but for my Captain and ship I will glady give my life.

This gave Drauc pause, looking at the spacedock being filled with interceptors and seeing the Resolve avoiding them, flying nimbly around the close quarters of the spacedock. Their helmsman knew what he was about, navigating such a situation. His words, however, were about his motivations. "Since I defected from Starfleet at the end of the Dominion War, I have regretted my life and my choices. Now, I seek redemption, and to do what is right. My people are diminished by their war, and I have learned that there is naught for me there, beyond the Netrual Zone. I have returned, and I see Captain Kendrick's cause as the most righteous one - his crew not stained by whatever has happened to the fleet of this day. If I can salvage what I squandered, I will tread a path in life that I can be proud of, and like you... I would also give my life... as long as I am walking in the right direction."

He reached out with his calloused hand, and plotted a new course for K'Ren, one to be used if the chance presented itself. "Should the doors open, we should get out of here. But until then, we bide our time, hidden here next to the docking wing. I am certain that the Resolve will contact us if the radio silence is rendered obsolete - our role as a decoy not needed any more."


[ Eric Randall | Fighter Assault Bay | USS Resolve ] Attn: Havenborn & Triage

Having been given an ample amount of time to ready both the Grey Wolves' Valkyries and the Tribble Squadron's shuttles, Eric Randall and Liam Herrold stood by the sidelines, watching and delegating the tasks to the deck hands. Liam was shouting for the last of them to get the equipment out of the way, and Eric was reviewing the PADD with the latest modification of the Tribble Squadron's shuttles - the one proposed by Meony. He noted that Tancredi's own shuttle was finished, but two of the other shuttles hadn't been finished in time. It was of little consequence. Whatever they were up against, regardless what the hell was going on, Eric knew they would be ready for it.

“Chief Randall, are my fighters prepped and ready?”

Eric raised his eyes from the PADD and acknowledged the SCO. Aside from K'Ren, Havenborn was the last pilot to arrive. Eric switched the page on the PADD to that of the Grey Wolves' status. "All five are ready, Lieutenant, but Ensign K'Ren is nowhere to be found aboard. I have tried to reach her with no results. With your permission, her RIO can fly her fighter alone. He is more than ready for it."

As he said this, Liam glanced towards Eric with a concerned frown, but he said nothing, focused on the launching preparations. Eric hardly noticed it as he walked up to Lieutenant Havenborn and his Valkyrie. "As for hard-points, we had little left to mount on them... Liam was able to set all five of you up with two Mk Q-IV quantum torpedoes and two EMP ones. Your micro torpedo magazines are fully stocked, but we have no more hellbores or cluster bombs, so you have to settle for the EMP ones we've mounted. Perhaps for the better, because judging by what little I can tell, it looks like we are going up against our own..."

It was just as much a statement as a question. Were they going up against Starfleet, after all these years Should they wait for the Captain to give the final say about launching, given the current situation?


[ Ian Hawthorne | EOC Command Centre | Starbase 84 ] Attn: All on the Resolve's Bridge

While Ian had made his way to the Command Centre, making a site-to-site transport to make up for time, he had been in contact with his kinsman on the USS Chester. The captain on the Defiant-class ship had quickly responded with action, Ian saw, as he stepped into the circular room of the base's central command centre. From there, he and his staff would oversee the destruction of the Theurgy. The Chester's captain had been tasked to take care of that aerowing fighter, but after that was done, Ian had faith that he'd prove resorceful when going up against the Theurgy-class ship.

An errant thought went to his daughter, Lisa Hawthorne, and whether or not she was still alive and on the Theurgy. It hardly mattered any more, since when he and kin were finished, her survival was moot. Curious was it, also, that the Harbinger wasn't present, even if Task Force Archeron had spotted the ship that Cameron Henshaw served on too. Perhaps it was for the better if both his daughters were already dead, so that he didn't have to tell them that he had killed their mother. The reaction would probably be inconvenient.

After Ian had entered the command centre, however, things had deteriorated rather quickly...

The Air Group was trapped inside the spacedock, neither the Chester nor all the other docked starships could launch. The Theurgy was deploying its fighters, and unprovoked, Captain Ives did not fire on the base. Ian narrowed his eyes at the mutivector dreadnought on the viewscreen, and while he knew the futility in the Chameloid's endeavour, he still had to address the threat he posed. When the Resolve managed to undock, hearing Komial's message about it and seeing it on one of the screens, it became clear thatas it was the single starship free of its docking pylon. Yet in a couple of seconds, standing in the middle of the command centre, Ian got his idea, and he turned to his staff, issuing orders to prepare for his plan to be brought to action. Reports of lost fighters came to the command staff's attention, but after hearing what Komial reported to him, Ian knew how to proceed. When he had given his orders, baffling some of his staff, he replied to Komial.

"Lieutenant Dotnihl, seek out any boarding teams and neutralise them before they do harm to our key areas. That is your top priority as of this moment. I will deal with the Resolve and its aerowing henceforth. Hawthorne out," he said to his pet lover, this skin-puppet that he had wrapped around his finger. He trusted her to try her best to get back in his good graces. She was irrelevant, so he soon focused on the task at hand.

"Hail the Resolve now. If they don't open a channel, relay this message," Ian said as he stepped up to the viewscreen. "This is Ian Hawthorne. I have ordered all fighters in the spacedock to refrain from firing upon the Resolve and its aerowing. Captain Kendrick, I do not know what you are up to, liberating prisoners and involving yourself with Romulans. Nor do I know why you oppose my security personnel and have your aerowing opening fire inside the spacedock, but unless you open this channel within thirty seconds, I have no choice but to consider you the traitors to the Federation that you seem to be, and give new orders to our fighters. Yet you will leave me no choice in eliminating the threat you pose in this dire hour, where the USS Theurgy has come to attack this base."

He paused there, before sweetening his threat with an offer the returned Captain couldn't refuse. He let his voice be filled with regret. "My gut feeling says you and your crew may be innocent, that this is some elaborate scheme to make a schism between you and I... So please, for sake of all the civilians on this base and what the Federation stands for, heed this call. Assert your innocence, and you will be able to prove your loyalty to Starfleet. As conflicted as your actions have made me, you and your crew may be our only hope."

And thus, he waited for the Resolve to respond, keeping the thing within from making him grin.

He had them. They had no choice but to take the olive branch he held out for them.

Re: Chapter 03: Loyalty

Reply #57 –
[ Sera vers Aldnoah | Shuttle Bay Corridors outside Bay 17-C | Starbase 84 ] Attn: Kaligos, Arista, Auctor

Sera had still been processing what had just happened with the fire, and the system shutdown, and the being covered in foam when Hi'Jak pulled her into him and kissed her. He had no problem doing so with his impressive strength, and her small yelp of surprise at being pulled in like that was covered up by their kiss. Before she even realized whether she liked it or not, he was pulling away, embarrassed, she noticed a tinge of red coloring his cheeks. He had not asked her consent, which threatened to spark into an angry fire... but then again she had openly flirted with him twice now, definitely intimating sex as a reward for his assistance. Her flirting had obviously worked. Plus, had she liked it? She would be lying if she said she hadn't. Hi'Jak was a bit of a puzzle to her. Smart and inventive, but also strong and fierce when pressed, qualities she valued.

She had grabbed his arms when she'd been pulled in, and one hand still remained on his arm, her thumb idly tracing the muscles apparent underneath the uniform... and the foam. She was feeling torn over this physical attraction to him and it warred with her connection with Melissa. She also still needed his help, they weren't out of this yet. Her grip on his arm tightened as her mind made itself, for now at least. "You did not ask my permission. I almost kneed you in the groin by reflex." Her free hand went to the back of his neck and pulled him in for another kiss, this one a little bit longer than their first before pulling away completely this time.

"There, we are even. Now, come and help me with getting Sabine ready to fly, we're not out of this firestorm yet." She turned on her heel and made her way towards her ship, expecting him to follow. Sabine was there waiting for them. Hopefully, Melissa would find them soon, they were running out of time, and despite her conflicted feelings, Sera didn't want to leave her behind.

Re: Chapter 03: Loyalty

Reply #58 –
[ LT Daniel Havenborn | Hangar Bay | USS Resolve ] Attn: Auctor, Triage

"All five are ready, Lieutenant, but Ensign K'Ren is nowhere to be found aboard. I have tried to reach her with no results. With your permission, her RIO can fly her fighter alone. He is more than ready for it."

He wasn't sure where Ensign K'Ren was, he'd told her to coordinate with security so maybe Lieutenant ch'Rayya had posted her somewhere.  Right now however it didn't matter, her RIO was a good enough pilot that he could handle it alone.  "Tell Ensign Jackson permission to fly solo is granted."  He said as he listened to the Chief list off the current available ordnance.  It wasn't much that's for sure and it was probably lucky that they had made it back to Federation space when they did.

"If that was true Chief, they wouldn't be shooting at us.  As soon as that first shot was fired they became our enemy."  Daniel said as he looked over his fighter, noting the ordnance before he climbed up the ladder and sat down in the pilot's seat.  "All callsigns report in."  He said as he opened a secure communications line to his pilots.

"Knight reporting in." His RIO said from behind him.

"Broadside reporting in." Lieutenant JG Sanders, said over the com. "Hammer ready."  Ensign Caryn, Broadside's RIO, reported in.

"Deadeye here, locked and loaded."  Lieutenant JG Daniels said.  "Clutch reporting in."  Ensign Xander, Deadeye's RIO, said over the com.

"Warhound ready."  Ensign Yurek said.  "Nymph reporting in." Ensign Rodriguez, Warhound's RIO, said.

"Merlin reporting in."  Ensign Jackson said.

Now he waited for Ensign Tancredi and her Tribble Squadron pilots to report in.  One they had he smiled to himself.  "All callsigns, standard rules of engagement apply.  If fired upon you have permission to fire back, check your targets and use your ordnance sparingly.  Launch on my mark."  He did a silent three second count to himself then spoke. "Mark."  He said as he pushed his throttle forward and felt the fighter's thrusters kick in and push his small fighter into the spacedock proper.  It was quite a sight to behold seeing the other starships docked in their berths.  As he maneuvered his fighter around he saw the fighter-interceptors that were coming towards them, only a matter of seconds now until combat began.
Defeat, Genocide; why quibble with semantics.

Re: Chapter 03: Loyalty

Reply #59 –
[Ensign A'vura Zeshryr | Resolve Bridge] Attn: All on the Bridge

Clinging tightly to the Captain's chair, A'vura held on for dear life as Derik began making evasive maneuvers in the otherwise small space of the Starbase's dome. On screen they flew past debris and phaser blasts as well as an array of smaller vessels that zipped to and fro. She held her breath for a long pause, waiting, just waiting for the shields to drop significantly enough for the ship to start taking heavy damage, but when that didn't happen, she finally exhaled, her tension leaving slowly.

As the Captain made it back to the bridge, A'vura quickly stood from his chair and moved back to her post, giving full command back to him. Her feet stumbled beneath her as she made her way over to the computer, teetering each time the ship dipped and turned evasively to dodge another attack. When she did eventually reach her post though, she saw on the computer an incoming transmission. "Captain, there's an inbound communication from the Starbase. Give me a minute to pull it up." Pressing the computer in a few places, she brought up the transmission and played it. It was from Captain Hawthorn.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

[Ensign Six | Resolve Engineering] Attn: All on the bridge and inside Engineering

Six acknowledged the Captain's request and quickly tore the EV suit from her body, quit happy to be out of it and just in her specialized uniform once more. The tight fabric was much more movable than the constricting suit she'd had to wear outside on the hull.

Making her way to the lift she requested engineering, and no sooner had the computer chimed to acknowledge her request did the ship tilt suddenly. Her hands reached out at either side of the rounded room of the lift, trying to catch herself as her feet moved and her knees bent, bracing and preventing a total fall. She knew the schematics of the Starbase, and if they were performing maneuvers inside of the dome still either they had a very stupid pilot, or a very skilled one. When they hadn't appeared to collide with anything by the time she made it to Engineering, she had decided on the latter.

Once the lift opened for her and she was where she needed to be, she quickly moved in place where they felt she was required the most. After several attempts to relay more power to the ship, she pursed her lips, then used her digit implants to link up to the computer more directly and started relaying power flow into more vital parts of the ships as best she could without causing damage or taking too much from other areas like life support. With one hand she flew her fingers across the computer screen, moving power in the places it was needed, and with the other hand, her thumb and index finger were locked into the computer's system, helping to divert the flow of that power more readily.
"You wish to knock over cows? What is the significance of this? Do you derive pleasure from such things?" - Ensign Six

Re: Chapter 03: Loyalty

Reply #60 –
[ Melissa Wright | Starbase 84 | Inside Docking Area] Attn: Kaligos, Mathis, Auctor Lucan, Any Others

Inside her helmet, there was nothing but the constant stream of vulgar expletives while Melissa Wright floated free form slowly on her way to Shuttlebay 17-C. As with all unassisted space movement, there was no real way to correct one's trajectory besides the limited manoeuvring thrusters built into the suit. Mel knew she would have to wait until she was closer to the bay before using that finite supply; So she waited, feeling the sweat of her efforts on the hull of the Resolve cool while she rotated head over heels slowly edging ever closer. She'd turned off her radio as soon as she, quite literally, jumped ship. Now the isolation was beginning to get to her. Well, the isolation and the fact that the Starbase was launching interceptor after interceptor into the docking area.

Pushing aside her worries of becoming a proverbial bug on a windshield, Mel concentrated on the slowly moving Starbase in front of her. Obviously, she knew that the Starbase was in fact quite stationary and it was herself who was slowly doing somersaults but she had to keep her lunch down somehow. Soon the window of vision for 17-C came up. She stared closely into the bay. Luckily enough Sabine, in all her glory, still patiently waited. There was, however, still no sigh of Sera.

"Damnit..." She cursed, using gentler language than before. "Where the hell are you Sera?" Melissa prayed and hoped that her Câroon friend hadn't been caught in the same mess that she had. After waiting what seemed like an eternity, the shuttlebay once again came into view. Each time that blue shielded haven came into Wright's vision, the lack of activity within caused her stomach to sink. That itself wasn't particularly useful when you were spinning in zero gravity. She couldn't wait any longer. She needed to know. NOW. Raising her arm, she pressed the combadge controls on her forearm.

"Wright to... Aldnoah" She paused before saying the name. Did she say it right? Would the computer fail because of her bad pronunciation? "Sera... Can you hear me?" There was no response.

The lack of reply caused Melissa's blood to chill. No, she told herself. You're just saying her surname wrong, or all that commotion on the Starbase has caused her to accidently knock off her combadge. In fact, did she even ever wear one? Melissa pictured the Câroon's chest, trying to remember if she saw that sliver delta but all that caused was a flush of heat to rise up the back of neck and across her cheeks. For once, she was glad to be alone. Without a method to communicate directly with Sera, Melissa struggled to think of a way to let the Câroon know that she was on her way. After another full rotation, Wright once again stared into Shuttlebay 17-C. It was then that an idea clicked. Sabine. That was it. If Sera was laying low on the ship, then Melissa could leave a message and she would be able to get it. If she wasn't, well, Melissa could delete it when she got to the shuttlebay and then work out the plan to find her friend.

"Computer, establish link with SS Sabine." There was a small affirmative chirp to confirm contact was made. "Begin recording message. Mark for attention of Seras Vers Aldnoah." At this point, Melissa took a deep breath before asking herself quietly. "Right, where to begin?"

"Hi Sera, It's Melissa here. Melissa Wright." She started, awkwardly. "I don't know if you're going to get this message, or if I'm just going to delete it when I get to Sabine, but..." Melissa paused, sighing. "I'm going to keep recording, mainly as something to keep myself occupied."

As Melissa talked, more and more interceptors began to fill the docking area. The inside area of the docking area was huge, large enough for multiple galaxy class vessels, but the sheer fact that there were now so many moving parts was terrifying. That and Mel couldn't really control her movements to get out of the way if needed. Swallowing, she decided to voice her concerns. If nothing else, it was something to talk about.

"I'm scared, Sera. Currently I'm floating through the docking area of the Starbase having jumped, literally jumped, off of a moving Starship. And why? Why did I do it? To make sure I got back to you as soon as possible. I don't even really remember how I ended up in the situation. I was walking the security centre when a group of people were surrounding this woman. Next thing I know, I'm aboard another ship in the middle of this big conspiracy against Captain Hawthorne and they needed help with the docking clamps." Mel stopped for a big breath.

"Now you're probably thinking I'm crazy for jumping off of a moving ship, and in some regards, I'll agree with you. What I did was pretty stupid, but you know what? I don't really regret it. Well, I don't particularly like spinning out of control, but what I mean is that after all that's happened. Taking a literal leap of faith has become a defining moment. I don't know if you feel like I do, or if you even want to explore it but I hope you do." Melissa could feel her cheeks redden as the burning flush crept up across the back of her neck. "Even if you don't. At least we'll have something to talk about, I guess, after we are speeding away from this place. God I really hope that you haven't been arrested or killed and are just waiting for me to make it to Sabine before we escape. I wish I could have a sign. As if the fates aligned, Melissa could see a small explosion before two small figures started running across the shuttlebay. Squinting she could just make out the tiny shape of Sera Vers Aldnoah

"Hah!"   She found her laugh came out as a rush of air. A pure joyful moment upon seeing the Câroon move across the bay. "I can see you!" She exhaulted, pressing the activation controls on her suit. Immediately the automatic controls began to right the tall engineer and she began her slow decent to the bay.   "It's good to know you're alright. I guess after all you'll get to Sabine before me. Hopefully I can delete this embarrassing message before you listen to it. In the very least after all this we can finally get..." Out of the corner of her eye, Melissa caught a flash of white and black in the reflection of the glass of her helmet. "...Oh." She said simply, twisting to get a better view. There was no real emotion in her voice, she was too distracted by that sinking feeling creeping back into her stomach.
 
The sharp impact of the interceptor cracked the glass visor of her helmet. After that Melissa Wright didn't feel anything ever again.

Re: Chapter 03: Loyalty

Reply #61 –
[Lieutenant Keval ch'Rayya| Resolve Bridge]
Attn: All on the bridge & Havenborn

Keval picked up Krystal's comment and he opened up a private channel to her. "Krys, there is something wrong with this whole situation and it's got me concerned. You know that I love watching you work but right now my gut is telling me to play it safe and keep you and your's close..something just isn't adding up my dear."

He then looked over at his captain when he asked the Chief of the Helm to give him the tactical report to which Keval couldn't help but crack a smile and say "You know talk like that would make a man jealous there, Tristan."

But just as quickly, the Andorian's smile disappeared and his tone became more grave as he said "I'm already all over it, captain, but those pouncy buggers are flying something new..probably that interceptor series that they were talking about in that last report that I got before we went on our unexpected side trip."

He shifted gears long enough to double check his tactical feeds and opened a channel to Havenborn. "Resolve Actual to Salvo, keep your birds close but I want two covering the Aerowing..I believe that you're dealing with interceptors and they are used to the enclosed area we are currently in. Get Meony and her Tribbles out there to provide point guard defense to counter them."

He then opened a secondary channel and tied it into Meony's comm. "Meony, just like I told Salvo. I want the Tribbles to provide a point guard defense for fighter ops right now because like I informed Salvo, I believe that these are interceptors and we are playing in their playground..don't go teasing the bull when you're stuck in his corral with the fences too high I think would be the proper term to use in this situation?"

When A'vura played the message from the base's commander, something in the man's tone was only making his gut feeling feel worse as something in it was just..grating for the lack of a better word and while he just couldn't shake how incredibly worse this was feeling to him.

"Noyyj'ttat...don't be cruel..." Keval muttered darkly as his mind already started to work it's way around what the dark skinned human was saying but the former special operations officer eyes narrowed and his antenna drooped just a little bit as he focused on what was both being said and *NOT* being said to which there was a lot.

He took his left hand off of the consul and stroked his chin thoughtfully for a couple more seconds as the message ended. "You know for a man who's lied once to us today, captain. I'm actually surprised that he's doing it again." the andorian stated rather flatly and in an unimpressed tone but then he turned his gaze to look over at his captain. "However despite all of that, one can take away the simple fact that we might be able to use this against him..I believe an ambassador to Bajor was once quoted with "Never pay more for an acquisition than you have to." "

Re: Chapter 03: Loyalty

Reply #62 –
[ Captain Tristan Kendrick | Bridge | USS Resolve ] Atten: All

The situation was about as bleak as it could get. They would probably be picked apart before they ever reached the door. While the fighters didn't have the maneuverability inside the station than they'd have outside, the Resolve wouldn't be able to get the doors open while the fighters were covering it. They had the numbers and they would just need time to pick them apart like vultures.

So when the message from Ian came in he was both glad, and disturbed by it. There was no question about what they was going to happen if they didn't respond but this would potentially give them an out. He chewed his lip for a moment weighing the options, and with half his crew still on the Starbase, it didn't make sense not to at least attempt a conversation with the man.

Kendrick gave a nod towards Keval as he spoke taking a deep breath and weighing the options. Keval was right they couldn't really trust them, they were sending them out on a suicide mission in some ways... both fights were bad, but at least outside of the starbase they would have room to maneuver. "He likely doesn't know that we know he is a traitor, his offer  Keval genuine or a trap doesn't really matter in the long run, we have no tactical advantage over his fighters, so if we don't respond we will be picked clean. A'vura Open the channel, on screen."

He took a deep breath, and put on a pleasant diplomatic smile as the channel was opened. He wondered if Hawthorne would be shocked to see Kendrick on the bridge of the Resolve considering that all his sensors would tell the man that he was supposed to be in the aerowing. Not to mention A'vura at Ops. "Hello Captian Hawthorne," he said. "I agree there have been a number of coincidences that have made today a rather stressful one for us both. After this is all settled, I would be happy to sit down with a complete inquisition from Starfleet Command in hopes of clearing both the names of myself and my crew for the events that have transpired." He leaned back into his chair putting one leg over the other. Considering the evidence he had he actually had no idea how that hearing would go.

"Hawthorne, if your asking me to send my ship out those doors to fight the Theurgy, then so be it. I think it's hard to ignore the fact that they are right there, laying in wait as all of these things have played out today. Likely they are the ones behind at least some of the treachery today. But, I'll need my crew back. You still have a few of my crew, including my First Officer. I will drop red alert and my shields so that they can be beamed aboard. My aerowing will also return to it's place, attached to my ship. In good faith, we will return the one member of your crew who managed to sneak aboard my vessel. Once that is done, and the doors are open, my ship will proceed outside and we will fight."

At that he made the gesture to end the transmission. The viewscreen went dark and he turned his eyes to his bridge crew. "Stand down red alert, lower shields, and message the aerowing. Have them beam Bradford back to base, preferably into a brig cell but i'm not picky. Have them, and our fighters dock with us as quickly as possible, and open a ship-wide channel." The channel would reach the fighters just the same as they would the aerowing and the rest of the ship, but wouldn't go back to the starbase.

"This is Captain Kendrick. Hopefully, in a short while, our family will be reunited. This crew has accomplished amazing feats over the time I have had the pleasure to serve with you all. We have survived odds that no starship should have had to deal with, and in a few minutes I am about to ask a lot more of you. Our orders are to go outside of the starbase and attack a ship of traitors that is better armed and fully repaired, lest we be called traitors, and our names black marked by the Federation, likely forever.

"Some of you have not had the choice to choose which side you want to be on. You have from now until we raise the shields again to make that choice. Transporters will be made available for those of you who want to exit this ship. Starbase 84 may not be a good safe haven, but if you tell them that you wish to defect from a crazed captain they will have mercy on you. That said, I ask that you wait to testify against me after this ship has taken the following actions.

"We are going to disobey a direct order. When those doors open, and we are sent outside to fight the Theurgy, we will redirect as much power as possible to the core, and jump to warp as quickly as possible. This is the reason why Lieutenant Keval has relayed the orders for all fighter to dock again, along with the aerowing. This means, that we will be seen as traitors to the Federation and all of it's ideals. Ideals that every member of this crew have upheld a dozen times over. I couldn't be prouder of this ship and it's crew. I'm asking a lot, and to those of you who wish to leave... I give you my wishes for a better life. Those of you who wish to stay... it's once more unto the breach, dear friends. Kendrick out."

With that he cut the channel and closed his eyes, sitting back into his chair. Now, he just had to wait for Hawthorne to respond.


[ Lt. Hi'Jak | Shuttle Bay 17-C  | Starbase 84 ] Attn: Mathis Arista and Lucan

Hi'Jak almost moaned when she returned the second kiss. He wasn't entirely sure what was going to happen between them, he was a little terrified of the immediate future, but he pushed all of that aside and chuckled slightly when she said that she almost kneed him in the groin. Now all the two of them had to do was get the Sabine ready and launched, and looking outside.

Well, that was a lot of fighters. Jack approached the edge, looking in awe at the scene playing outside. He looked and saw what equated to chaos. He could just make out a space suit among the crowded ships. For a moment he had to wonder who exactly was crazy enough to actually jump out into space with everything that was happening. They were on a course for the shuttle bay, and Hi'Jak was almost about to tell Sera to wait, that someone was coming and the person would likely need help actually landing inside the bay.

...and then a fighter whipped their head. Hi'Jak felt a little sick, but he had seen a lot of murder that day. More dead had been collected from around him today than he had thought possible before. He turned to the Sabine and got inside. There was nothing he could do for that person, whoever they had been - the red cloud spreading where the limp body was floating. They were about as dead as a person could be.

Now Hi'Jak just had to figure out what he could do. Sitting down at the Sabine's controlls he chose tactical. He would let Sera drive. "Okay just to warn you, it has been a number of years since I have fired any kind of weapon or flown anything ship related."

Looking over the controls it didn't take him too long to get antiquated with all of the buttons. "Thankfully the academy drills this stuff deep into your core."

There was a message blinking on the dash, but he left it. It was Sera's ship not his, which meant it was Sera's voice mail. Probably private. Instead he focused on flight checklist and getting this thing off the ground. "There is a sea of fighters between us and a closed door... maybe we should hide for a little while... wait till they at least open the door?"

Re: Chapter 03: Loyalty

Reply #63 –
[ Sera vers Aldnoah | Shuttle Bay 17-C | Starbase 84 ] Attn: Kaligos


Out of the corner of her eyes, Sera could see the chaos that was the docking bay of Starbase 84. Fighters swirled around like a kicked hornet's nest with a Federation starship maneuvering between them. She kept her gaze focused on her task at hand, though, and she ran around Sabine making sure there weren't any obvious disabling or tracking devices on her before following Hi'Jak inside the ship. She sealed the door behind her and made her way through the ship, trying to ignore her mounting anxiety at their situation. It was building up in her chest but she kept it at bay because they had to be ready to go. Because of her focus on the ship, she didn't notice the figure struck by the fighter, which was a mercy from the universe even though she was ignorant of it.

Unbeknownst to both of them, Hi'Jak had actually dismissed the message notification for the both of them, so Sera didn't notice anything when she sat down in her seat. She tapped at the controls and began all of the normal startup sequences. "Do not worry. Hopefully, we won't need to do much shooting. Everything with the startup looks good here. We should be ready to go in a minute or two." She then heard him say that the doors were closed, which was odd. They had launched all of those fighters into the bay without opening the door? "Maybe the doors are malfunctioning?" she asked, mostly rhetorically.

Looking down at the sensors she got a better reading on the entire situation, and it didn't do anything for her nerves. She'd been hoping that reaching the ship meant that the hardest part was behind them. That appeared to not be the case. They might die still trying to escape, and she still had no sign of Melissa. "I think you're right. Computer: activate counter-scanning measures and monitor the bay doors. Notify us if they begin to power up." The computer acknowledged her request and the station's security teams would have a very hard time locating their life signs now.

She turned her head to look at Hi'Jak who was looking at the tactical console with a bit of anxiety himself. She made up her mind on how she wanted to pass the time. All of this pent-up chemistry between them combining with her worry for Melissa and the likelihood of their survival was all bubbling to the surface. She needed to release some of that energy, and she needed to do it now. She stood up and unzipped her leather flight jacket that was still a bit covered in the fire suppressant foam from earlier and dropped it to the floor.

She stood there in just her red bra and pants, staring intently at Hi'Jak. "I promised you a reward for helping me escape, but that outcome is doubtful." She stepped over to his seat and straddled him where he sat in the copilots seat. She pulled him in for another kiss, this one with much more fire and passion than the one she had given him in the corridor and she started unzipping and removing the upper part of his uniform. She broke the kiss momentarily and said, "Burn me if I know how this is going to end, but I know what I want right now," before continuing the kiss.

Re: Chapter 03: Loyalty

Reply #64 –
[ Lt. Hi'Jak | The Sabine  | Starbase 84 ] Attn: Mathis

Hi'Jak was doing his best to remember the training he had during the acadaemy thankfully with refits everything was kind of familiar to him as he looked over the system of sabine checking just how many weapons they had, the answer was a lot.

Jack was a little taken aback with the ship, this thing was gun crazy, micro torpedo launchers, four phazer arrays with two additional pulse fire cannons on the wings. This was like a military boys wet dream. He turned to Sera having some questions about where she came across all of this fire power only to notice she had taken off her coat.

He opened his mouth to talk and suddenly he was being straddled and kissed, and the legalities of this tiny gun ship went right out of his mind. His hands landed on her hips and his widened as she seemed to take him completely by surprise, when the kiss broke and she said she knew what she wanted he looked at her for a moment.

"You didn't ask permission... but the answer is yes." He was all too eager to take off his uniform. Forget the 'questionably' legal gun ship forget the husk turned to red mist outside, forget the fact that they had left a security team unconscious outside and that all of this was a really bad idea right now.

Sex...  it was on the menu, and Hi'Jak wasn't about to turn it down. "It's been a long time." He was glad that this was going to be a quicky because he honestly did not know how long his stamina was going to last. Not wanting to waist another second his hands were on her pants undoing the buckles and everything else as he sat their tanned skin and bare chested. "Oh this is such a bad idea... I'm... yes!"

Re: Chapter 03: Loyalty

Reply #65 –
[ K'Ren | Aerowing Cockpit | Spacedock | Starbase 84 ] Attn: Auctor Lucan

Quote
When she spoke of Bradford, this vile human that had been his captor in the Brig since he was arrested, he looked his way, sharing her estimate on their situation. "We'll keep him for the time being," he rasped and looked back to her. "Likely or not, chances be that he will keep a few shots from being fired at us. Poor aid, but better than having nothing to bargain with."

K'Ren sighed. With what little use he was to them as a bargaining chip, it was pity for the man that kept her from beaming him back to the station. Death in this durasteel was the most likely outcome so perhaps the pity was misplaced. But he was here and was going to share their face, no matter what transpired.

Quote
He reached out with his calloused hand, and plotted a new course for K'Ren, one to be used if the chance presented itself. "Should the doors open, we should get out of here. But until then, we bide our time, hidden here next to the docking wing. I am certain that the Resolve will contact us if the radio silence is rendered obsolete - our role as a decoy not needed any more."

K'Ren nodded, watching the tactical readout. Once the resolve got underway, her fighters launching, K'Ren frowned. "I think our way forward is clear now. The Resolve is underway and her fighters are launching. We are no longer needed as a distraction, but our firepower may be of some use. Or at the least, we can divert some of their fire." As she began to maneuver from the relative safety of their perch, she got a good view of the ship she'd called home these past few years. A memory of her mate flashed through her mind and she offered a small prayer to her goddess.

Re: Chapter 03: Loyalty

Reply #66 –
[ LT Daniel Havenborn | Cockpit | AC-307 Mark-II Valkyrie "Grey Wolf-01" ] Attn: Auctor, Triage

Did he hear that order right, withdraw when the enemy was right in front of them?  Since when did Captain Kendrick doubt the abilities of him and his pilots to overcome the odds?  Sure they were outnumbered but that just meant it'd be harder to miss and besides they'd been outnumbered before it wasn't something that they weren't used to by now.  Part of him felt the urge to disobey the order before his training kicked in and told him to follow through.  "Understood Captain."  He said as he shook his head, he didn't quite agree with the Captain's decision but then he always preferred the straight fight.

"Tribble Squadron I want you to land first, Grey Wolves provide cover for them."  He said into the Squadron communications channel.

"Deadye, take my wing.  Broadside, Merlin, Warhound provide escort for the Tribbles, once they've landed get yourselves onboard."  He said into the Squadron comm channel again.

"Understood Salvo, I'm on your wing."  Lieutenant Daniels said from her fighter as it pulled up alongside his. A quick affirmative of replies came back and he watched as the neat echelon formation the fighters had been in broke up.

As the Tribble Squadron finished landing he watched as his fighters took their turn landing and when it came time for his turn, last as was his way, he considered for just a moment to turn and make an attack as he hated retreating but he followed his orders and docked with the Resolve.

As he landed his fighter and the cockpit opened he contacted the bridge.  "All squadrons back onboard Captain."  He said as slowly climbed out of his cockpit. "All pilots report to the squadron briefing room."  He said as he began walked there himself.  He was still frustrated for having to retreat but he decided to make the best of this and review their launch and landing footage to see if they could improve their times anymore.
Defeat, Genocide; why quibble with semantics.

Re: Chapter 03: Loyalty

Reply #67 –
[ Ian Hawthorne | EOC Command Centre | Starbase 84 ] Attn: All on the Resolve's Bridge

After Captain Kendrick ended his transmission, where he had demanded to have both his crew and his First Officer beamed aboard the Resolve, Ian Hawthorne's command staff were loud in their protests and counsel towards the opposite, despite his previous orders. Yet Ian stood there, unmoving, as if contemplating his next move in a game of Kal'toh.

It was mostly just for show, of course, since he had long ago decided what he meant to do.

"Thank you, everyone," he said, and he even looked around to meet the eyes of his closest staff - as if he had listened with great interest to what they suggested. "I think we must opt for a middle-ground in this, where we can still make sure that - traitors or not - they aid us against he Theurgy."

Behind his shoulder, at tactical command, four officers were operating the base's defences, already having opened fire against the multivector dreadnought. They were quite busy, with the Theurgy having utilised its MVAM capability and split into three ships, all three the average size of Sovereign-class heavy cruisers. Yet that was not all, the ship had deployed its fighters and its auxiliary ship too, the scoutship known as the Allegiant.

"Hail Kendrick again," said Ian and squared his shoulders, "and be prepared to follow through with the final offer I give him."

Soon enough, the viewscreen lit up, showing the Resolve's bridge again. Indeed, as Komial had predicted in her message, Kendrick and his Orion Ops officer were there on the bridge along with the majority of his bridge staff. There was one Cardassian that Ian did not recognise, but neither Ensign Six nor Junior Lieutenant Hi'Jak were there, which was a good given what they had come to learn. He could not risk their findings to reach anyone. A'vura, the escaped Orion woman at the forefront on the viewscreen, remained a risk given how she had been present underneath the subspace acquisition grid when he detonated the bomb, but be that as it may, she had only heard one side of the conversation before the Romulan died. In any case, Ian hoped to hear from Komial soon, that she had both of Hi'Jak and Six apprehended or better yet.... neutralised.

"I have convened with my staff," he told them, making sure not to look at A'Vura. "We will beam over your crew so that you might aid in the battle against the Theurgy to the best of your ship's abilities - and prove to us that there is more to your actions than meets the eye. We will, however, keep your First Officer, as a reassurance." He said this without granting an opening for protest, despite any reactions he might see on the Resolve's bridge. "Given the circumstances, I think you understand how that precaution is merited."

Ian paused only to gesture to his Ops personnel to make good on his claim. As soon as the Resolve's shields came down, its remaining crew would be beamed over. The preparations for this had already been made before his first hail to Kendrick. Only the Resolve's XO would remain, as 'hostage', in lack of a more Starfleet-approved term for it.

"Lower your shields, get your crew back, and show Starfleet that you are still one of ours." Ian stepped closer to the viewscreen. "Captain Ives has beamed over boarding parties, infiltrating this base at key insertion-points that jeopardises our means of defence. Already, they have managed to lock all the docking pylons. As you've noticed, they have also sealed all the bay doors in the spacedock. Therefore, we want you to cooperate with Commander Salazar - the CAG for our fighters - and take up arms against the Theurgy. Your ship will be restocked with photon and quantum torpedoes in magazines Zero-Eight and Four-Seven. Your hull is a bit worse for wear, to say the least, but you should be able to generate shields. All we ask of you... is to hold the line together with Commander Salazar until the cavalry comes. In this battle... any time you can give this base and its population can make the difference."

Behind his stoic frown, Ian was smiling in contentment, because he had Kendrick exactly where he wanted him. If Kendrick refused, Commander Salazar would be given new orders, and the Resolve would never leave the spacedock - disabled before it got anywhere. If Kendrick complied, he would either leave his First Officer behind and desert the battlefield in disgrace, with all it entailed, or he would fight. Either way, Ian was still in control.

"So, our transport of your crew should take a minute at most, then you have permission to destroy the bay doors in order to get out there. Just be careful about it. There's a lot of officers out there in the the spacedock... all equally eager to give the Theurgy what's coming for her. Hawthorne out."


[ Drauc T'Laus | Aerowing Cockpit | Spacedock | Starbase 84 ] Attn: SummerDawn

Nodding when K'Ren saw the opening they needed to navigate closer to the bay doors, Drauc kept a cautious eye on the mass of interceptors below them. It was like watching a sea of filled with predators from above, crossing the treacherous waters. Perhaps they would need to fall back on their other tactic and open fire on the interceptors, so Drac made sure to lay in target data for the fighters he saw, but it was difficult when it was so many.

Odd, it struck him after a few seconds, that the interceptors hadn't reacted upon them. They had no kind of cloaking device...

The answer came when Captain Kendrick spoke with them both, his speech suggesting what came next, giving the order to dock with the Resolve. Drauc heard it all and he could not quite fit together what came next and what it meant for the Resolve, but he knew orders when he go them.

"I reckon a deal has been made, and this decoy operation has run its course," he said and turned his eye to K'Ren, waiting for her to dock the aerowing with the Resolve as according to Kendrick's instruction. "You may yet fly with your other pilots. As brief as this turned out to be... thank you for the company."

Having said this, Drauc rose from his seat and moved to beam Bradford back to the base, and while he couldn't beam the human into a holding cell, he opted to do so in close vicinity to the security centre on the base. Meanwhile he did this, he listened to K'Ren and had if Kendrick had any further instructions. It had been pleasant to just share company with one mind besides himself; K'Ren's presence having been agreeable.

As for the current situation, Drauc had ideas of his own... but he chose to not offer them so early on.

OOC: I had wanted more people to post on the bridge of the Resolve with the reaction to the development, but since it's been a while, I have decided to move on and post with Ian Hawthorne again. Kaligos, you can post with Kendrick and have him give the orders, but then I would like for other's characters to act on them, if that makes sense. :)

Oh, and it was super late when I finished this post so pardon any flaws in it. I will move to correct them on the morrow.

Re: Chapter 03: Loyalty

Reply #68 –
[Komial Dotnhil | Starbase 84 | USS Resolve Docking Pylon]Atten: Hawthorne

"Lieutenant Dotnihl, seek out any boarding teams and neutralize them before they do harm to our key areas. That is your top priority as of this moment. I will deal with the Resolve and its aerowing henceforth. Hawthorne out," the orders came across, and the winded Trill nodded, snapping off an, "Aye aye," as the channel died. She had orders that she could follow, orders that she could excel at. It was just like the Cardassian Dissidents, she thought. But this time it wouldn't be Ian saving her. It would be her saving herself, her reputation and rank, her station, and - most importantly - her worth in her lovers eyes.

Komial allowed herself a moment to suck in a slow breath, and turn her gaze back at the now empty docking ring, and the retreating hull of the Resolve. She was surprised at the pain that view caused her. They should have been heroes she thought again, scowling, before turning back to her people. "You heard the Captain. We have boarders to repel, get to it." To punctuate her words, she made a shoo'ing gesture with her free hand, before tapping her commbage.

"Dotnhil to Security center," she hailed Mac, trying to keep all her concerns out of her voice, the nagging worry, the need to now prove herself, and her desire - "Double personnel at all priority locations. I'm sure you know we have boarders - I need you to point me in the direction of the nearest batch of intruders."

Re: Chapter 03: Loyalty

Reply #69 –
[Lieutenant Keval ch'Rayya| Resolve Bridge]
Attn: All on the bridge & Resolve fighter elements

Keval's eyes narrowed for only the briefest of moments but after the captain was done talking to the base's commander, Keval opened a private channel to Havenborn after he made sure to scramble it in a way that the base's officers couldn't understand or break. "Salvo, this is Resolve-Actual. Confirm return order, all TaConn assets to return to the barn but keep everyone in their planes, I think the captain wants to do a Barnstorm launch."

After he was done, Keval kept the channel on ready as he turned to regard the view screen with a critical look when Hawthorne appeared on the screen again and the Chan studied the dark skinned human as his mind attempted to wrap it's self around what *WAS* being said as opposed to what *WASN'T* being said and that was difficult as apparently he was working much harder to hide something..

Keval's eyes narrowed just a little bit more as two very old sayings started from his grandshen started to creep into his forethought-the first one was about how one could have pieces to a puzzle but it did not mean it was the puzzle that one was working on actually.

The other saying..well that one was much more humbling the more that he thought about it and it made the already dark thoughts of the crafty andorian to think some rather interesting directions that made his gut feeling go even deeper into a dark, twisting nether and once the channel was closed with Hawthorne's face disappearing, Keval slowly turned to regard his captain once more.

"There is an old andorian saying which goes don't pus the pink-skins to the thin ice." Keval said in a reflective tone as he leaned back as he brought up the outside tactical plot onto the main view screen. "It's not eloquent but if you look at it from a different direction, it becomes quite..interesting."

The andorian's blue eyes tracked the various markers on the screen and what Hawthorne had told them about what was going on made the twisting nether in his stomach grow even more painful. "I believe your people, captain, have a saying created by a poet I believe.." Keval said as he highlighted the "hostile" elements of the Theurgy. "Something is rotten in the state of Denmark?"

Re: Chapter 03: Loyalty

Reply #70 –
[ K'Ren | Aerowing Cockpit | Spacedock | Starbase 84 ] Attn: AuctorLucan

K'Ren nodded, "It would seem that way." She wasn't quite prepared to power down weapons yet in case things went sour without warning, but for now she stepped down the aerowing's attack posture. The flight back to the ship was mere tens of seconds, the docking procedures would take longer then the flight. Swinging in underneath the Resolve, K'Ren began the lateral and vertical translation into the docking port beneath the ship. The familiar whine of the transporter was brief while their hostage was beamed back to the starbase.

As the automates took over the last seconds of the docking, K'Ren turned to Drauc. "Such as it has been, I have enjoyed our brief acquaintance. Perhaps in time we shall meet under better circumstances telepath." She stood to leave, pausing as if in thought. The thought passed as quickly as it'd came and she cycled the docking port. She had a fighter to catch, her first love, 'her' fighter.

The Jog to the flight deck was mercifully brief and when she entered she could see the fighters landing, pilots disembarking their craft. This day was going from strange to bad to strange all over again. She'd heard the same orders her Captain had given the fighters so she knew the deal but it felt weird to be ordered to stand down in what was by any estimation a tense situation. But Kendrick was her captain and she'd follow his orders no matter the price.

Seeing Liam on the deck near her fighter she smiled and went over to the man, giving him a chaste peck on the cheek. "Long time no see," she remarked playfully.

Re: Chapter 03: Loyalty

Reply #71 –
[ Sera vers Aldnoah | Inside the Sabine, Shuttle Bay 17-C | Starbase 84 ] Attn: Kaligos

Sera mostly ignored his minor ramblings, though they amused her, as she began kissing his neck, behind his ear, and working her way down to his chest. She got a wicked pleasure each time she found a sensitive spot, making his breath hitch or causing him to lose his train of thought in his speech. She took mental note of those spots, in case they survived and had more time for fun in the future. She also, on a thinking level, knew this was a very bad idea. Not only did they hardly know each other, they were in incredible danger. Her fiery passion had always trumped logic her entire life, and it was certainly doing so now.

The scientist had made quick work of the buckles on her pants so she stood and allowed them to fall to the floor. As she pulled her pants and boots off, leaving only her thin red underwear to match her bra, she kept her eyes locked on Hi'Jak, drinking in his surprisingly well-muscled chest and arms. She dropped to her knees in front of him and ran her hands up and down his arms, feeling the muscles there while she began to kiss and suck at his chest and nipples, working her way down slowly, tracing his abs with her tongue as she brought her hands down to his pants and undid them.

She leaned back and drew his pants and underwear down in one pull, freeing his erection in a satisfying motion, not bothering to remove his Starfleet boots and just letting the pants stay at his ankles. She took his cock in her hand and pumped it, feeling the impressive size in her hand and enjoying his reaction. She leaned in and teased the head with her tongue and licked the length a few times to wet it before finally taking it into her mouth. She moaned softly, taking pleasure in the pleasure she was giving him. She relaxed her mouth, and eventually her throat, to fully accomodate it. She'd been complimented before on her skills in this area, it was something she enjoyed, and she took him to the hilt before working him expertly up and down. Getting more aroused, she removed her underwear and bra with her free hand slowly and carefully as she sucked him.

Not wanting to make him arrive yet, she withdrew with a soft pop and stood up to straddle him again facing him, guiding his cock inside her as she slowly straddled his waist. Feeling him fill her slowly like that made her moan again. She kissed him deeply as his cock entered her fully. "Fuck me, Jack."

Re: Chapter 03: Loyalty

Reply #72 –
[ Drauc T'Laus | Aerowing Cockpit | Docked with the USS Resolve ] Attn: Vystori

When K'Ren turned towards Drauc and said good bye in turn, she was back-lit by the aerowing's opening airlock. She paused before she left, and he wondered what was left unsaid, but since Drauc truly had enjoyed the company of a single, pure mind for the duration of their decoy assignment, he felt his face animating in a faint smile. He was not sure she saw it before she left, but it did not matter. When she'd left, he was alone on the aerowing, and he looked down into his calloused hands. His tools, for which he had to find a new purpose.

"Drauc to Bridge," he rasped and rose from the chair, hands slowly dropping to his sides. "Aerowing docked."

Five short words, ending the operation. Since the Resolve had been granted the time needed, Silim Parnak's and his joint effort to distract starbase security had been a success. As it turned out, the situation had changed, and he was without further purpose. Yet he had come to learn things aboard the Resolve, hearing the recording that the Borg woman and the human in the yellow jumpsuit had brought. The traitor was still on the base, and the Resolve was about to go to warp once it cleared those locked bay doors. His new Captain would be rendered a fugitive. A renegade to the fleet that Drauc had deserted from in ire and grief over the loss of his brother. If the true traitor wouldn't be exposed, using that recording, then Kendrick and his crew would never have their names cleared. Drauc, if anyone, knew what it was like to be alone, with no allies and never knowing what he fought for. If he knew anything, he knew that Kendrick and his crew deserved better than his fate. He frowned as a thought came to him, an idea... What was the name of the Borg who had come aboard?

"Computer," he grated as he walked over to the weapons locker in the back of the aerowing. He opened it as he posed his request. "Locate the female Borg aboard this ship and raise a comm-link."

[Ensign Six is in Engineering. Link established.]

"This is Drauc T'Laus, for Ensign Six," he said quietly and picked up a Type III assault rifle, checking the power cell and placing additional cells in a pocket inside his threadbare cloak. "We met briefly in the conference lounge. Tell me, who was the speaker in the transmission? Were you able to establish whom the traitor is?"


[ Liam Herrold | Fighter Assault Bay | USS Resolve ] Attn: SummerDawn, Triage, Havenborn

No more had the Grey Wolves launched along with Tribble Squadron than the new orders came. Liam had looked towards Eric Randall when he learned that the Resolve was about to escape - jumping to warp as soon as they were clear from the bay doors. In the Fighter Assault Bay, they didn't learn as much about what was going on as the people on the bridge, but Kendrick's orders were clear, and soon enough, they saw the Tribble Squadron re-emerge through the bay doors to the hangar, followed by the Grey Wolves.

"All right, people, you heard the Captain," shouted Eric and waved for the deck hands to scurry forth to handle the landing operations on the flight deck - mainly directing the crafts as they taxied or hovered into their positions - but Liam's work was done for the time being. A fact made clear on his PADD as the systems told him the hard-points on the Valkyries were untouched - nothing launched. At least not yet. Who knew, perhaps Kendrick's plan would fall short? Perhaps the interceptors would come after the Resolve if they tried to jump to warp? Liam knew far too little about the Knight-class crafts that were commissioned to the starbase, far too little for comfort. Could they outrun the Resolve in her damaged current state? Oddly enough, as he had espied the starbase's interceptors when he had stepped off the Resolve that morning, he realised that they might not be the most advanced fighter crafts either. Since they had been away for over three years, what kind of crafts had Tactical CONN been equipped with in their absence?

His worried musings were brought up short when he heard the unmistakably familiar sound of a pilot in an exosuit running across the deck, heading towards him. He turned, PADD in hand, seeing K'Ren heading over to him. Relief flooded through his veins at the sight, having been so worried when Randall couldn't get a hold of her earlier. She had missed her launch, her RIO flying solo in her stead, and that was not like her. She had her helmet off, kissing his cheek, and as if the touch of her lips brought him to life, he put his hands on her shoulders.

"Neko! Where were you? I was so worried I... I thought you were caught on the base," he said, and just realised that he had grabbed her, which was something not entirely normal for them. For sake of appearances, he let go, clearing his throat. "Are you all right?"


[ Lieutenant Mackenzie | Starbase 84 | Security Centre ] Attn: Brutus

When the call came, Lieutenant Mackenzie replied without much delay. "Already done, Ma'am," he said, heart beating rapidly in his chest as he looked between the different video feeds from the surveillance system on the base, and in the middle of the center, the internal sensor readouts shown on a big holographic projection of Starbase 84. "Currently we have activity below the subspace acquisition grid and new life-signs detected outside the spacedock control room. No doubt it was the Theurgy that managed to lock all the docking pylons and seal the bay doors in the spacedock. More personnel are being deployed there already. So far, the EOC has not been compromised, but its hard to detect new life-signs since the surrounding recreational dome is still filled with civilians. Nonetheless, the EOC security checkpoint is getting more people as we speak."

Taking a deep breath, Mackenzie addressed the concern closest to Dotnhil. "Ma'am, with the Red Alert, I allocated a lot of available resources to helping the civilian population use the Travel Core. Ensign Six is nowhere to be found on the base, and I had to abort the search for Hi'Jak and the Câroon he was spotted with. Ma'am, he almost killed Rigell and Stavros in the Jefferies Tubes. I am not sure Stavros can be saved based on what medical told me. Junior Lieutenant Hi'Jak even contacted us, telling us to stop pursuing him, and I think he used the moving crowd in order to use the Travel Core. We just got a lead on him, and you are the one closest to his location."

Mackenzie got a head-shake again from one of the operators in the security centre, having been tasked to get a hold of two other officers. "Ma'am, he might have killed Lang and Rodamko not long ago. They were ordered to make sure no civilians tried to get to their shuttles after we sealed access down there, and they are not responding any more. Their last known location was outside Shuttle Bay 17-C, and believe it or not... we are now reading a Klingon and Câroon life-sign in that bay. They've managed to get into the bay. Byt that's not all Ma'am..." he paused for emphasis, because Dotnhil needed to know what she'd be up against, "there is an experimental gunship - a botched prototype shuttle project sitting inside Shuttle Bay 17-C, and Hi'Jak has already powered it up. It is registered as the SS Sabine, and reading the specs... that things has more firepower than most superiority fighters in the fleet. If he launches that thing..."

He trailed off since he needn't say more. Whatever was going on with the Theurgy's arrival, they did not need a thing like the Sabine loose in the spacedock, sealed or not.

Re: Chapter 03: Loyalty

Reply #73 –
[ Ens K'Ren | Fighter Assault Bay | USS Resolve ] Attn: Auctor Lucan, Triage, Havenborn

Neko smiled, glad to be back where she belonged, and near Liam. She'd have leapt into his arms if it'd been a secluded space, or hugged him if she thought she could get away with it but now was not the time and place. She purred though as his hands held her shoulders before he awkwardly let go of her. "I was briefly reassigned to the Aerowing. Apparently, Captain Kendrick needed a diversion for our escape plans, which I guess are moot now that the game has changed." She still wasn't quite sure what the original mission plan had been for her craft but the task was done and she'd walked away alive, better then she could say for the poor souls in the interceptors in the vacuum of space dock.

"I am okay Liam." She said, giving his hand a reassuring squeeze with her paw. "Tho I suspect the battle is not over yet, this is just a temporary lull in the fighting." She leaned in close once more, pecking him on the cheek, "We make it through today alive, I'll make sure you get a good roll in the sheets with me, more than just a quick one in the engine bay. Promise." Smiling at him, leaving him with that thought, she winked and made her way to join the rest of the pilots in the squadron ready room, leaving Liam to think about the evening after they stood down.

Re: Chapter 03: Loyalty

Reply #74 –
[Komial Dotnhil | Starbase 84 | En-route to Shuttle Bay 17-C] Atten: Security Center

Komial let her mind process what Mac had just told her, balancing it against her orders from Ian. The boarders were her top priority, but at the same time, she was the closest security officer to Shuttle Bay 17-C; furthermore, that ship was a clear and present danger to the whole base. Add in that Hi'Jak had killed the Chief Science Officer, possibly two other pursuers, injured another two... and there was every chance that because of the half-breed buffoon (clearly not as much of one as she had thought) that the Theurgy was here now, pounding on their doorstep... Was it that much of a stretch to assume that the dark haired man was responsible for the boarding parties? That he had told them when to come, signaled them somehow? Or the Borg-bitch that was working with him? The bomb. The Resolve. The Theurgy. Infiltration of her starbase.

It all lead back to Hi'Jak.

Fury swept over her, boiling up from a dark place in her gut, threatening to spew forth in a torrent of profanity that she only barely managed to keep in check, her jaw clenched tightly. She ground her teeth audibly, as that fury sparked in her gaze, turning her in to a fearsome, beautiful avenging angel. "I'm on it." She said bluntly, "Lock onto my comm signal; Take myself and the 5 officers surrounding me," she got an nod from each, their weapons primed, "and beam us to the location of the ship. Scramble additional teams if able, to the infiltration points, and get us to that shuttle bay. As close to the ship as you can. We have to stop Hi'Jak from launching that ship." She took a steadying breath, checked the charge on her rifle, and nodded again. "Initiate site-to-site transport on my mark. 3... 2... 1... Mark!"
 
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