Chapter 05: Vertex [ Day 06 | 0810 hrs. ]

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Re: Chapter 05: Vertex [ Day 06 | 0810 hrs. ]

Reply #25 – May 24, 2018, 05:41:01 AM

[ Ens. Faye Lintah Eloi-Danvers | Bridge | Deck 01 | Vector 01 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @CanadianVet @Blue Zephyr @Auctor Lucan @Triton @Triage
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Sitting at the Comm station on the bridge of Vector - 01 (Theurgy's main bridge) was a somewhat new experience for Faye. She'd been working with Selena Ravenholm for the past few days, ever since their flight during the battle with the Savi. A dark cloud had loomed over the young diplomat, whose heart was filled with worry, for her ship, her crew, and her paramour, trapped on another vector and far from Faye's touch. Added to all of that was the ever present fear that permeated the crew (mostly), a sense of dread she could not block out entirely, despite her best efforts.

And she had made efforts, both too shore up her barriers, and to give herself a bit of relief. A quick glance towards the science station early, and the source of said relief - a heated dalliance of convenience and mutual physical interest - confirmed to Faye that she'd had far better luck with the later, than the former. And with the sudden arrival of task for Archeron, that barrier she had erected around her mind was crumbling by the minute.

Alone of those on the bridge, Faye knew the Captains thoughts. While the man was calm and collected on the outside, she could feel the wave of frustration and annoyance that surfaced when someone called Natanua showed up on the bridge. Faye knew next to nothing about the El-Aurian, other than that the woman's mind seemed nigh on impenetrable to Faye. At the moment, that was welcome, as the brunette telepath had been busying herself with handing various and sundry internal calls about the ship. Multiple departments reporting in, and all of them to Faye, who would correlate and reroute requests as need be. All the while, there was this running thread in the back of her mind that she was picking up from Captain Trent.

FuckFuckFuckFuckFuckFuck - needless to say, it was less than inspiring.

"Commander Marquez, we can shelve that for later. Have a beacon prepared, and give me message and launch control when you have that done." Fayes head snapped around at that, her dark eyes going wide. True, the order had been given to Commander Leon Marquez, recently of the late USS Resolve and the new head Tactical Officer of the Theurgy. But a message beacon like that - her station was already configured. And in her harried state, it made perfect sense to Faye to simply take on the task and let the man with the guns worry about rigging up...torpedo mines? Or whatever such thing it was that Trent had in mind for Marquez to deploy against the Archeron and her escorts.

"I've got it, Commander, Captain," Faye called out, letting her eyes sweep the controls. A button here, a slider there. Reroute power, selecting from the bouy stock. Sending to the tubes and..."She's ready, sir. Transferring control." Two more taps and Faye smacked both of her hands down on the edge of the console. "All yours, Captain." She'd felt like she'd finally managed to do something to help.

Re: Chapter 05: Vertex [ Day 06 | 0810 hrs. ]

Reply #26 – May 25, 2018, 05:23:38 AM

Predictably, Sera's sour mood didn't get any better even with an apology and an act of deference. Nodding her head and with a quick “Right, yeah.” she decided to just get to her task. Inspecting the panel and the layout of the vessel, A'vura began to recall whatever she could of the specs of the ship of this design. It was bigger than Meony's Fuzzy Flayer, a modified Type-8 shuttle, and carried a greater payload, cargo space and even crew accomodations. But it was also smaller than a Runabout, which was technically classified as a micro starship. Nevertheless, the shuttle was designed with Federation standard of quality, which meant it had certain distinct advantages and disadvantages that could prove pivotal in a tricky situation-

"Hurry up, burn you!"

“Son of a-!” The Orion lost her grip on her welding torch and only barely managed to catch it back, without setting anything on fire. She yelled back, “On it!”

Fix the panel here, screw in the bolt tight there, and...“All right, done! It's good to go!” I hope...she tested the device, and the scans on her tricorder indicated it was all systems go. She would just have to stick to it like herpes if she wanted to make sure nothing went amiss. She heard Captain Trent's instructions and sighed, muttering softly to herself, “Yeah...awesome. Just stick me with the pissed off Câroon, she's only going to shoot me in the ass.”

Getting up, she put her tools back in the box and walked timidly over to the cockpit. She stood behind the co-pilot's seat, when a thought struck her. “Miss Aldnoah, just wondering, but does the Sabine have a Bussard Collector?”

Re: Chapter 05: Vertex [ Day 06 | 0810 hrs. ]

Reply #27 – May 25, 2018, 04:32:03 PM

Lt. JG Donna ‘Chance’ Petterson | Wolf 07 | Azure Nebula ] @Auctor Lucan @Vox
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What was it she had heard about the best laid plans again? Something about them going awry or whatever. It didn’t really matter at the moment. What mattered was how in the hell she was supposed to do the impossible.

Donna ‘Chance’ Petterson looked down and checked her displays again but saw no changes. There was a ship out there supposedly but so far, she hadn’t seen hide nor hair of it.

“Tank, are you reading anything?” Chance asked her RIO seated behind her. The Rigellan male hadn’t said much since they had deployed from the Dauntless, focused as he was on locating the ship that had killed some of his friends.

“Nothing yet,” Tank replied after a moment. “But they’re out there. I can feel it.”

“I wish I had your confidence,” Chance responded as she thought about how her RIO would react if she succeeded in her mission. Probably not well.

Rechecking her controls, her eyes ghosted over her current weapons status. Besides the standard armaments of her Mk II Valkyrie, she was also carrying ten Mk XXVII Photon Torpedoes in two external pods as well as a pair of Hell-Hound cluster bombs. She had argued for twin mount turrets instead of the cluster bombs but had been denied as the turrets were ineffective against shielded targets.

She had plan in mind on how she was going to do what she needed to do. Several even, but they all hinged on one necessity.

“Wolf-07 to Wolf Leader,” Chance called over the squadron com channel. “Warlock, what are we doing out here again? We’re more likely to blow ourselves up in this nebula than find them if they don’t want to be found.”

Re: Chapter 05: Vertex [ Day 06 | 0810 hrs. ]

Reply #28 – May 25, 2018, 08:54:32 PM

[ Dyan Cardamone \ Sar-unga Neleo | Hallway | Vector 01 | U.S.S. Theurgy ]

It delighted her to be acknowledged in such a way. Even though Drauc was so...droopy, she still sought his attention. She pushed her chest out and shoulders back even farther knowing that her strange, droopy friend would see it. Her tail whipped about.

Her stance changed right away as she realized she didn’t know anything more about the threat, or where to go or what to do. She hadn’t thought that far, she had just figured she’d step out the door and right into the thick of it, again. She tapped her combadge, “PO Sar-unga Neleo to Ryuan Sel, what kind of boarders are we facing and where are they?” She’d wait for a response.

In fact, it was still out here. The ship hummed as she usually did. She didn’t hear any sounds that were out of sorts. She glanced around the hallways, and nothing was happening. Her tail flicked.

Now that she had hyped herself up, primed herself for violence and action, the lack of it was under-stimulating. She quickly found herself...bored.

She picked at her nails, first. They were clean and well cared for, but she imagined there must’ve been something there anyway. Then she fidgeted with her hair. Her tail was twitching on it’s own. It was only a few minutes, but she had run out of ways to entertain her racing mind. That is, until she looked up at Drauc.

It wasn’t really a thought-out idea. She just knew Drauc was droopy, and he was also there. It was only natural he become her next target.

“Hey Drauc,” She started and wrapped an arm around his shoulder, “Looks like we got some time, you feel like hanging out?” She asked, as if there was actually a question. She started twiddling with his hair instead. Far more entertaining, of course. “How come you’re such a mope?” Her intent was nothing more than just to be a pest. She poked his cheeks with her fingers and gently pressed them upwards, in a mockery of a 'smile'. "Do you have facial muscles?"

Re: Chapter 05: Vertex [ Day 06 | 0810 hrs. ]

Reply #29 – May 27, 2018, 06:22:59 PM

[ Lt. JG Derik Veradin | Main Bridge | Deck 1 | Vector 1 | USS Theurgy]
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The cat and mouse game progressed slowly. It had become basically a ‘hurry up and wait’ situation. Nerves were on edge, and Derik listened to the activity on the bridge around him, kept an eye on his sensor readouts and display all simultaneously hoping for something to do and the exact opposite. Having something more for him to do than their current arcing path through the blue clouds would mean they’d been found and were in a world of hurt. A’vura had volunteered to go on the decoy mission on the Sabine and he worried about her. That was such a dangerous prospect, no matter how well armed or maneuverable Sabine was. There were likely entire squadrons out there looking for them, not to mention the task force’s main ships.

He took a deep breath, exhaling slowly as he maintained his forced calm. He listened as the CO and XO briefed someone he didn’t know well enough yet, someone called Natanua. She was some kind of tactics expert or something? He wasn’t sure. His mind went to the other vectors again. Were they gone? Why had they missed the earlier rendezvous? His gut told him they were alive, but was he just fooling himself? Were they all fooling themselves?

Re: Chapter 05: Vertex [ Day 06 | 0810 hrs. ]

Reply #30 – May 28, 2018, 12:32:55 AM

Zyrao Natauna | Culling the Games | It's Go Time | Are You Ready Mother Fuckers? | Bridge]
@Auctor Lucan @CanadianVet

Oh she could read the faces on the Bridge. Shock, awe, entertainment. It was all beautiful. Yes, she was not playing by the rules but when she was bored she tended to do some things that weren't always the most kosher. However, Zyrao had needed to get information and insight on the ship and the crew. The best thing you could do was blend in and she had. Yes, it had been wrong and she knew that in many military organizations she could have been carted off, cuffed, and locked up. But, she knew they needed her, that and at least now the time had finally come for her to actually show what she could do. People seemed to think that she had no clue what she was doing. She wasn't Starfleet, her intelligence could not be that high.

She supposed stealing a uniform wasn't exactly a way to prove intelligence but it had been entertaining and she likely wouldn't do it again. But, it was worth it for the first go. The First Officer reached forward and plucked the pips from her collar. Zyrao couldn't help but grin. She didn't know much about the man that sat in the captain's seat, other than his ineptitude when it came to meeting strange but intelligent women and his distaste for being told he was wrong. Still, she was surprised that he hadn't even looked her way, it was likely part of his ploy. That was fine, he could do what he wished, her opinion of him would not be risen until he proved he was capable of anything other than being a self righteous asshole.

Zyrao tilted her head to the side slightly at the commentary that came forth a moment later. A bit of a grin slid across her lips. “Promises, Promises, Commander.” she winked at the young woman and then turned her attention to her again as business prevailed.

The El-Aurian woman put her cup back on her saucer it was only the dregs at this point and without the grit at the bottom because it wasn't replicated she just felt that it wasn't worth it. There was something potent about the last sips of tea when you got to the part that sat stagnant in the water for longer. The strength only increased as you reached the bottom of the cup. Allowing a bit of a bite to those teas that were more bitter.

“What I know of the Acheron are that they are continually on the hunt for the Theurgy because of the fact that they know you have the truth. The parasitic invasion and who have been infested, including some of the staff from the Task Force.” she said smoothly, she had done her reading and research that Trent had sent her though she had decided that the etiquette lesson was just too much for that day. Afterall, she didn't need to know how to treat those that she respected. She already knew how to do that.

Zyrao followed the young woman as she was lead to the back of the Bridge where the holographic tactical display was located. She put her cup and saucer to the side and watched as Dewitt summoned the topographic images that would allow Zyrao to get a better feel for what was going on. Jennifer could see, in front of her, that Zyrao's demeanor completely changed. A seriousness came over her face. She unzipped the department jacket and shrugged it off her strong shoulders. The muscles underneath her myriad of tattoos rippled as she did so and tossed it over an empty chair not too far away. She was wearing a simple black tank top and the Starfleet issue pants. Leaning down she began to examine the Nebula as it was given to her.

The sensor readings were a few minutes old because they had gone dark so they couldn't be located. Archeron wanted to take them in and of course the Theurgy would likely all go to jail if not be killed on sight. They couldn't chance letting the rumors take hold of anyone with power. So she needed help the Theurgy and the crew. One, because she wasn't ready to die yet today. Two, because she wanted to make a name for herself here. Three, she wanted to prove to the dickhead in the main seat that it was worth keeping her around even if she didn't bend over the desk for him right away. It wasn't that she was against it, clearly, she wasn't, but she certainly didn't think that she could stomach Trent at the moment.

Dewitt then showed her their actual location rather than the sensor location. She gave a nod, and another screen showed the power of the ships that were around them. For a moment Zyrao stood back, shoulders back. One of her thumbs stroked over her lower lip over and over again while she watched everything and then her eyes shifted.

Grey orbs landed on Dewitt. “Well the first thing you need is a diversion, and a heavy one. We need to play hide and seek. Right now we're hiding, and that's fantastic but we need to give them something to focus on or they are going to find us through various processes. There are ways to scan and use sensors that would find us through various avenues. All it takes is an intelligent Engineer to figure it out.” she stated.

“What I think our first order of business should be, would be deploying or sending through the various shuttles that we have, some sensor probes that are actually programmed with our signature. Making it seem as though we are everywhere. Initiate them at different times. Set them up like a timer. One here, then other over there, then other. Flashing all over the place. No two on at the same time. Make it look as though we are warping all over the place, but cloaked. Give them something to mess with, gt them confused, second guessing themselves while we take care of the business we're actually here to do.”

She gave a nod.

“Like what you planned to use the Sabine for, but on a greater scale.”

Re: Chapter 05: Vertex [ Day 06 | 0810 hrs. ]

Reply #31 – May 29, 2018, 09:37:12 PM

[ Lieutenant Commander Jennifer Dewitt | Main Bridge | Vector 01 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Blue Zephyr @CanadianVet @Brutus
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While Captain Trent was trying to implement a torpedo-minefield in the Rendezvous-zone, and Eloi-Danvers was to prepare a warning for the other Vectors with a beacon, Dewitt listened carefully to what the El-Aurian was suggesting. She had refrained to comment on the way the woman reciprocated her throw-away comment, and she tried to keep her eyes from wandering over that tank top whilst she spoke.

The need for a diversion was paramount, and the Sabine was just one ship heading out there to try and act as decoy. It made perfect sense to try and use unmanned technology to create more decoys. They had deployed all their Tovarek-class drones when they'd fought the Versant, so that left them with available shuttlecrafts and sensor probes. The El-Aurian's idea to calibrate a timed projection sequence was inspired... "Computer," she said, thinking fast, "how many class eight and nine probes do we have on Vector 01?"

[Vector 01currently have two Class VIII and four Class IX probes.]

There were nine different classes of probes, which varied in sensor types, power, and performance ratings. All nine types were capable of launch from the torpedo launchers, but only two are specially designed for warp flight and remote maneuvering. The problem was that the subspace signal to them would deteriorate quickly at short range inside the nebula, and the subspace link itself was prone for detection.

"Okay, good thinking," she said to Natauna, tapping her console at the holographic display table. "Just like a tricorder can be calibrated to emit stored life signs, we could theoretically make the sensor probes do the dame thing, only with a sensor reading of the Theurgy. Mister Morgan, are you paying attention?"

"Yes, ma'am," said the Asian man at the Engineering station. He had been looking at the El-Aurian, and Dewitt couldn't truly blame him.

"I need you to calibrate those probes to emit sensor readings. Head down to the torpedo launch room and do it on site. We need those probes launched just in time with our next warp jump, lest their launch might give away our position. Having nebula gas in the launch tubes won't help if they jump to warp."

"Yes, ma'am," said Morgan and ran off, another engineering officer taking his place. Dewitt turned to Natauna, thinking.

"The shuttles themselves have probes too," she mused quietly, "only less capable, and this might be a prolonged engagement. We might need them later on. Let's start with the first six that we can actually control and that can sustain warp flight. Do you concur?"

Then, she looked at the display, pondering the next jump and the launch. "Where do you recommend we jump next, and in which trajectories should we deploy the six probes before the jump?" she asked, coming to stand next to the woman, looking at the last known locations of the present ships. "The sensor emission sequence shouldn't be too hard to make, as long as the four sequences doesn't overlap. Captain, Mister Veradin, recommending a warp jump when these probes are calibrated. If we are to deploy armed torpedoes as mines, as well as a beacon, we need to move about, lest they'll all be too close together, right?"

As treacherous as the situation was, Dewitt actually felt a smidgen of hope in the tactics deployed.

[ Drauc T'Laus | Outside Drauc's Quarters | Vector 01 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @FollowTomorrow
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After Dyan Cardamone had traded brief words with Ensign Ryuan Sel, the waiting began.

Whereas the Asurian next to him fidgeted and couldn't stand still, Drauc just stared down the corridor, as unmoving as a statue. He breathed slowly, evenly, with his bared chest subtly rising and falling. His scarred hands hung loosely at his sides, partially covered by the frayed sleeves of his threadbare robe. He was focused on the pending moment, where there would be word about hostile forces roaming the Vector. Unblinking, his dark eyes stared into the distance, and he let the minds in his immediate vicinity touch his own. None of them were hostile, felt above and below, since there were no people in the crew quarters when Red Alert had been sounded. All hands to battle stations, and he stood there, waiting for word on where the battle might be.

His keen focus was disrupted by the mind and the actions of his companion, feeling her embrace him despite her short stature. He blinked, turning his face down towards her. Hanging... out? he wondered, not entirely certain what the Federation Standard expression meant. She was practically hanging upon him already, despite how he didn't shift his stance, and she even tousled his hair. She began to query him about this and that, and it was about then that he realised that the boredom he'd felt was only partially his own. It was clear that the Asurian didn't handle the suspense well, projecting her frustrations on him instead.

"I am not..." he began to rasp when she pushed his cheeks upwards - forestalling his answer.

Not wishing to hurt her, he slowly wrapped his calloused fingers around one of her wrists and pulled the hand away. "I do," he grated quietly, with neither ire nor jest in his tone, "yet I will not use them when there is no need. What benefit would there be to express things I do not feel? It would be like discharging your weapon when there is no foe in your sights. It would merely be a waste of energy better spent at a more opportune moment."

He tilted his head a bit, focusing on her green eyes. "Yet do no think me absent of emotion. I merely need the incentive... and I will scourge the fields with my anger. You cannot provoke me, however, for you mean me no harm. Quite the opposite... if your thoughts are any indication."

[ Sera vers Aldnoah | SS Sabine | Upper Shuttle Bay | Vector 01 - The Helmet | USS Theurgy ] @Triage @CanadianVet
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With her yellow eyes narrow slits, rubbing her temple with her gauntleted hand, Sera vers Aldnoah listened to the Captain. Blasting poor odds, heading out in a sandstorm filled with nasty fauna, blinded and alone. Sera could understand the sentiment that this ought to have been an unmanned flight, but she'd rather risk the odds than loose her ship. She thought she would serve far better than any autopilot program, in any case, since the subspace signal range would be piss poor in the nebula.

"Understood," she said. "Make the flaming most of the time you get, for this might be a short decoy run if those fighters chance upon us. Sabine out."

She'd say more, but she needed a hypospray with some kind of hydration if she'd to think clearly. When the Orion announced that the emitter was in place, she finished the pre-flight checks and elevated the Sabine from the deck, the craft stabilizing as soon as the inertial dampeners came online. When the Orion woman spoke, asking about the bussard collectors, Sera didn't understand her meaning.

"Of course," she said, suspecting that the question was but rhetorical. Of the two ramscoops were right below the wings. "What's your spark of thought?"

Meanwhile, she punched in the trajectory, and departed the Vector, emerging from the shuttle bay doors and setting a course away from the partial ship. She had yet to jump to warp, not wanting to do so too close to the Vector, instead listening to what the Orion had in mind.

Re: Chapter 05: Vertex [ Day 06 | 0810 hrs. ]

Reply #32 – May 30, 2018, 05:14:19 AM

[ Lt. Jg. Suq Reylin Efreya-Xan | Engineering | U.S.S. Theurgy ] Attn: @chXinya @Stegro88

Something flew past his head as he walked in. It only just now registered that it had happened. He failed to react in a meaningful way though.

"Reman cloak not made for ship this size,” Lorad explained, confirming what Ravenholm said and what he already knew. What a unique voice. If he were present in his own mind, he’d like to listen to it some more, enjoy it a while. Shame he wasn’t present.
“We’re gonna make it Scimitar.” He replied, rolling up his sleeves.

Immediately, he sat down on the floor with the device and started pulling out one of his favorite tools. He called it a seam ripper. It was used for ripping open the panels of walls, floors, ceilings, and other things to get at the wiring underneath. Reman tech was similar to Romulan tech, he assumed, so he set his seam ripper to medium strength and began mutilating the covering of poor, defenseless cloak.

There were wires and circuitry inside. They didn’t look familiar to him, though he had seen Romulan tech up close. With the seam ripper laid aside, he picked through his toolbelt for something else.
“Ravenholm, is everything else set up for the cloak to work? Lorad, cut out the power regulator. Just set it off to the side when you're done.” He handed the Reman the seam ripper he had just been using, a wire cutter, and some gloves. After that, Suq stood up and...ran away?

He was actually running over to a replicator. The average, standard replicator, but he wouldn’t be ordering anything off the standard, given menu. He backs out of the catalog that the console gives him and instead starts entering a custom specification. His brain was not verbally thinking what he was typing, though. It was his hands that did the work. In short: he had no idea what he was doing.

[ Dyan Cardamone / Sar-unga Neleo| Outside Drauc's Quarters | Vector 01 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Auctor Lucan

“So, you’re telling me,” She started, her eyes locked onto his. There was not a drop of fear in her, despite the grip he had on her wrists, “that you don’t feel happiness. Like, at all. And you don’t feel it because...it’s firing a gun at nothing.” Her brows furrowed and her smile turned to laughing. At him, not with him.

“That’s stupid.” She held onto his hands with her own, but her right hand looser than the left. Her sindt was there. It was currently in a defensive position, parallel with her forearm, but it didn’t take much movement to spring it forward into it’s offensive position. With her other hand though, she laced her fingers in his, gripped tight, and pushed her hand against his. She was trying to push him around. There was no aggression behind it, nor was she particularly forceful. The feeling of deep muscle stimulation was soothing.
“Happiness isn’t an energy waster, it’s an energy maker! I incent you to smile!” She grinned, pleased with her mastery of the language. More than that, she had a new challenge, and she loved challenges.

“And I don’t take no for an answer either!”

Re: Chapter 05: Vertex [ Day 06 | 0810 hrs. ]

Reply #33 – May 30, 2018, 09:36:44 PM

[ Cmdr Carrigan Trent, Captain | Main Bridge | Vector 01 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: All

One might think that the tactical situation, when all movement was slow and sensors were next to useless, would be easier than when ships were moving at a quarter of the speed of light, and could see each other at millions of kilometers. But it was not. Oh, certainly there was more time to think, but so did the opposition. And the wait involved between each steps of that lethal dance was simply murderous for some people.

But not for Carrigan Trent. The more time he had to think about his next move, the happier he was. This was a lethal game of three-dimensional chess, and in this case hurrying would be their downfall; deliberate action was the name of this game, and things needed to be precise, and calculated. Like their current pattern of drift, and how to include the ideas given to him.

When mention of the probes was made, he looked over his shoulder to this advisor. That was something he had not considered, and he did spare her a nod before he turned back to face the plot before him even as the computer was reporting to Dewitt what they had for probes suitable for this task. And his hands started moving on the consoles of his armrests, with various portions of the holographic display before him changing colours as he considered courses of action and probe parameters. And the Sabine. "Mister Song," started Trent as he became satisfied with the configuration before him, one that would provide a large area of coverage while not overly constricting his freedom of action as well as Sabine's. "Take the information from the plot to program the probes; they will be launched in fully autonomous mode, without subspace links." That was something he did not amplify on; there was a reason he had ordered active sensors shut down save for the volumetric particle scanners, and instructed the Sabine to be radio silent; because any transmission would point Sankolov into their own direction; and if they were actively controlling the probes, it would be suicide. "Also, make sure that if they come under direct contact, they simply jump to warp on a random heading, then self-destruct. Let's keep the Task Force in the dark as much as we can here."

Having said this, he wasted no time in forwarding that exact same information to the Sabine, and he cued in a comm link to the ship. "Miss Aldnoah, you will be part of a larger deception operation. Make sure you do not overlap with our other decoys while you are out there. "

And now, there were other matters to deal with. Such as Jennifer's own points. "We should only need a few spreads of torpedoes to make Sankolov think twice about using his active sensors too merrily. Worst case scenario, his ships' shields are as good as ours here; at best, his engineers haven't been able to get the right modulation to give them any real protection value. So even a single quantum torpedo will give any of his assets something to really think about. But yes, we will execute two jumps; we will drop half the decoys here, the other half after the next one. Mister Veradin, I will send you coordinates, execute the warp and thrust sequences on my command."

Re: Chapter 05: Vertex [ Day 06 | 0810 hrs. ]

Reply #34 – May 30, 2018, 11:37:13 PM

Oh that's reassuring...A'vura thought as Sera replied to Carrigan. But when the woman answered her own question, she lit up, also showing signs of relief, “Thank goodness. Sorry, it's just that, I didn't want to assume you had everything according to spec. But good, you have Bussard collectors, it's just an idea I had that you could use should it become necessary. I see that this ship also has a plasma ventilation and flush system, so that's going to be really helpful if we get fighters on our tail. I think you see where I'm going with this.” She offered as an explanation, with her eye catching on a glint of courage and reckless boldness. She was always braver and more dangerous when she was acting in the interest of protecting people she cared about, namely the surviving crew of the Resolve, but now, also the other crews on board the Theurgy, even Sera.

She watched as the ship exited the shuttle bay and headed into the vast soup of the Azure Nebula. The place was incredible, and incredibly dangerous, she thought as she heard Carrigan's voice again on the channel. "Miss Aldnoah, you will be part of a larger deception operation. Make sure you do not overlap with our other decoys while you are out there."

Picking up the helmet that Sera dunked in the co-pilot's chair, A'vura settled herself in and began typing commands and inputs for the Sabine's sensors. “Updating your ship's scanners on passive settings for now, but we'll pick up the decoys he's talking about. No active readings though. We don't want them to come for us instead of the task force.”

She finished her work and configurations and leaned back, looking at the Câroon woman, “Take it away, captain.”

[ Lt.Com. Vivian Martin | Main Bridge | Vector 01 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @CanadianVet, @Triton, @Mathis, @Hastata-Nerada, @FollowTomorrow, @chXinya, @Brutus, @Absinthe, @SummerDawn, @Stegro88, @Blue Zephyr & @Auctor Lucan
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After speaking to the captain and addressing everyone within earshot of her, Vivian settled back into her station, her hands dancing over the consoles as she called up whatever readings the Helmet could pick up passively without making any active pings. It seemed the ship's eyes and ears as it were, picked up a fair bit. By adjusting the ship's sensors and deflectors to pick up changes in the radiation and cloud mass around it, she was discovering a great deal of information pertinent to movements of other celestial objects or any solid matter wider than two meters across.

“Captain,” she called out from where she sat, “I'm picking up multiple displacement readings of the nebula's contents within several hundred kilometers around us.”

She turned around then to look at the man, “Primarily the sirillium gas. I surmise our pursuers are on the move. While I am unable to ascertain the exact size of the vessels on a passive reading, the volume of dispersion of the gas contents can give us a rough estimate on that matter. I'm transferring my finds to Tactical and Helm.”

The mass ratio increased and decreased at rapid levels, suggesting ships moving at high impulse, by her guess, quite possibly fightercraft. A few taps on her console forwarded her settings and findings to the helmsman, and the captain's chair consoles, helpfully updating the strategic map with an estimate, give or take a several meters, as to the whereabouts of the moving objects and their rough speed. It was like looking through muddy water, but it was far better than not being able to see at all. She enabled all consoles to get her readings should anyone else wish to view it. Best to collate and share all findings until the danger was past. It was how they did it on the Resolve, and also how they survived.

Re: Chapter 05: Vertex [ Day 06 | 0810 hrs. ]

Reply #35 – May 31, 2018, 02:11:55 AM

[ Ensign Isel “Foxfire” Nix | Black Wolf-08 | Mk II Valkyrie Cockpit | Azure Nebula ] @Auctor Lucan @Stegro88 @Vox

Ensign Isel Nix, callsign Foxfire, eased her Valkyrie back into position off Wolf-07’s wing as they moved through the Azure Nebula in search of the Theurgy. Thus far there had been no sign of the traitor vessel, though searching for a ship in the swirling blue mass of the Azure Nebula was like searching for the proverbial needle in a haystack.

A haystack that moves and messes with our sensors. Foxfire thought as her eyes searched the swirling mists.

[How the hell are we supposed to find anything out here?] Came the voice of Foxfire’s RIO, Ensign Hilda “Bourbon” Gershwin, who had joined the Black Wolves from the Persephone along with Foxfire.

”You just keep your eyes on the sensors and I’ll keep mine on the blue soup.” Foxfire told her. Then, unable to resist a bit of teasing, she added. ”And try not to yakk in your helmet this time…”

[One time! That was one fucking time!] Came the reply, though Bourbon’s feigned rage was spoiled by the fact that she was obviously laughing.

Suddenly Wolf-07 could be heard on the squadron channel, causing Foxfire to tense in anticipation of the Theurgy being sighted.

[Wolf-07 to Wolf Leader. Warlock, what are we doing out here again? We’re more likely to blow ourselves up in this nebula than find them if they don’t want to be found.] Came Chance’s voice over the comms, causing Foxfire to relax, the Theurgy apparently still evading them.

[She’s not wrong…] Bourbon muttered over their personal channel. [We could spend weeks searching this nebula and not find ‘em!]

”Oh, we’ll find them…” Foxfire said, more to herself than to Bourbon. ”We have to.” She had a vested interest in finding the Theurgy.

Chance had made sure of that.

Re: Chapter 05: Vertex [ Day 06 | 0810 hrs. ]

Reply #36 – June 04, 2018, 04:42:27 AM

[Zyrao Natauna | Plans for Deception | Task Force Can Fuck Off | Middle Finger to the Parasitic Federation]
@Auctor Lucan @CanadianVet

Dewitt was on it.

She was glad to prove her merit here. There was nothing quite like proving that she was right. It was something that she truly appreciated being able to do. She had told the asshole in his little ready room that she was worth the effort it took to use her and keep her around. However, he decided to be a pretencious Dickface instead of believing her. Sure, she could look at it from his point of view, but where was the fun in that. Because honestly, he had been a Dick hole. He wasn't even good enough to be the whole rigid member. It was far better that he was just this one painful little part as a kidney stone tried to make it's way out. That was Trent. A fucking dick hole ripped apart by a kidney stone.

Of course, he had a chance to prove himself.

The Vector currently boasted two class eights and four class Nines. Of course, Zyrao knew nothing about what these probes would actually be good for, or what their capabilities were. She had only had enough time to read up on the ship as the stuff that she could get her hands on. But, she had only been on the ship a short time. There was only so much she knew and there was so much yet to learn. However, if Dewitt was worth her weight as a First Officer then she knew the probes rather intimately and Zyrao felt that she would be able to relay on the woman for the knowledge that it would work. Of course, it should work.

Dewitt jumped on the male close by, Morgan, or something. Zy's silver eyes shifted over to the man and caught him just startled out of staring at her. Dewitt got Morgan working on their plan and then turned to give her the attention again. Her sharp eyes shifted up to Dewitt's looking them right in the eye, almost piercing in nature, but she was honestly not thinking less of Dewitt. She actually respected the fact that the woman seemed to respect her, that was all she ever asked out of people. The arm of respect was something that would get it right back. Apparently, the shuttles that they were equipped with also had some other probes that they could use, but the ship's probes were better at the kind of trickery that they were going with.

Zyrao nodded. “Absolutely, we need to have a few ideas up our sleeves. We don't know for sure that Acheron will fall for our plan but then the point is not so much that they believe that's exactly where we are but that they don't know where we actually are.” she reitterated a she brushed a hand through her short hair and looked back at Dewitt. “We save the other probes for later. We might need further decoys but for now we set up these.”

Zy stood up right again and surveyed the map. Crossing her arms underneath her chest she thought about the best points in which to offer positions for their diversion. “We can't just put them out there randomly because, it'll be obvious that we're not going there. Those people out there are also Starfleet. If we're not smart they will figure out our ploy. Thus, I think we need to think about the locations that we could go, that would put more of a distance between Acheron and us. That is what is going to be most realistic.” she stated as she continued to gaze at the map of ships that populated the area that they were in.

She began to touch the map letting small beacons lay in the spots that she saw as the best possible places. Hiding the 'Theurgy' behind other groups of ships. Just as if they were trying to hide. There was no way it would make sense for the Theurgy to be out in the open or too close to Acheron because strategically they would want to get as far away as possible. As she tagged the locations where she thought the probes would be most useful, she heard words from the Captain. He began to give information to someone named Song.

“I think Trent has a good idea. Make sure they are logged with a plan if they are scanned and noticed, we need to make sure they get destroyed. That's smart.” she said standing there as she looked back at the map. Dewitt had asked her where she thought they, personally, should go next. “I think we need to come back here. It's not the furthest point from Acheron, that's reserved for one of the probes, it's the most likely place they will expect to find us. We need to go here. There is a space, just about the size for us, forward of the back line, but far enough away that we can let the probes do their jobs.”

Re: Chapter 05: Vertex [ Day 06 | 0810 hrs. ]

Reply #37 – June 04, 2018, 09:18:42 PM

[ Drauc T'Laus | Outside Drauc's Quarters | Vector 01 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @FollowTomorrow
[Show/Hide]

It was not lost on Drauc how she teased him, toyed with him, trying to provoke him. To what end, he was not entirely sure of, but he was not so easily provoked. He'd endure her, if that was the challenge posed. It was far from him to be playful, but in the current situation, he was bereft of other options than to indulge her. She shifted in his loose grip on one of her wrists, and pushed at him. He stood still, equal to the force she applied to her ploy.

Obviously, despite how their 'dance' was equated in force, they had a difference of opinion, and she'd interpret his words in her own way. What he did, after a few seconds of matching her push towards him, was to raise her hands high, and whilst being careful not to nick himself on her sindt, he stepped around her, so that she ended up with her back towards his bare chest, and her forearms crossed before her chest. He still held on to her arms in the embrace, but now, he could speak directly next to her pointed ear.

"Whether smiling is a waste or not is irrelevant," he rasped to her, not hurting her as he held her against himself. He could feel her tail moving below, but paid it little heed. "For I am in no shortage of energy. Neither on the battlefield nor off duty.... as I presume you noticed last night."

To keep her from trying to unbalance him, he opted for a ploy of his own... and lifted her off the deck. With his arms around her, he kept her suspended in the air. His grating voice continued to speak in serrated vowels. "As far as I can read your mind, you seemed content enough. I didn't have to smile for a moment. We both know any other answer would be a lie."

[ Sera vers Aldnoah | SS Sabine | Upper Shuttle Bay | Vector 01 - The Helmet | USS Theurgy ] @Triage @CanadianVet
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Indeed, Sera understood what A'vura was after, and she glanced towards the Orion over her shoulder.

"Good thinking, th-," he began, but paused, thinking that she ought to move on. She was still pissed like a sand snake in a trap, but she ought to put her grievances behind her. Obviosuly, the Orion was not like the rest of her people, being a Starfleeter, and she seemed resourceful enough. "...A'vura Zehryr. I am sure we can collect plenty of sirillium gas to pass in their faces. Burn me, I'd hate to take a hit against the bussard tanks, though, so let's keep it in mind for the time being."

She waited for any further instructions aside from the sensors and the decoys from the Helmet, the EM band open until the Helmet would make another jump. The EM band was the last line of communication they had, limited as they were to such old fashion method since the enemy scanned for subspace frequencies. The last line to safety deteriorating by the second the further they went. Sera was both afraid and thrilled, just like she had been when they headed for the Coreless Moon.

"Not sure when we might expect enemy contact, and if they find us first, they might shoot us out of existence before we flaming see them. Federation warp fighters are better built than the Sabine for a dogfight too," she said, and bit her lower lip, thinking further. "We'll refrain from jumping to warp, for starters, since we don't need to announce our presence ahead of time. We'll let the Vector jump, and remain here, using that fancy emitter of yours, and jump later on, when we are sure we have that sensor ghost up and running behind us."

Sera paused. The silence lasted for a couple of seconds. Then she sighed. Bored already.

She turned to the Orion officer... and grinned. "Burn me, no point in living lest you feel alive, right? Get the emitter up and running. Course set. Maximum warp. Let's see if we can get their attention. Hang on to your knickers!"

Then, she throttled up the Sabine - blasting through the Azure Nebula.

[ Lieutenant Commander Jennifer Dewitt | Main Bridge | Vector 01 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Triton @CanadianVet @Mathis @Blue Zephyr
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While waiting for CONN to confirm the coordinates and for the Helmet to jump to warp - the probes and torpedoes about to be finished for deployment first - Jennifer Dewitt had nodded in confirmation to Trent's order to divide the assets between two jumps, and then turned to listen to the El-Aurian. Evidently, they were of the same mind in regards to conserving shuttle-based probes for the time being.

The strategist continued to offer her assistance in plotting probe destinations after launch, based on the general disposition of enemy ships in the Rendezvous Zone. Depending on enemy movements since the last active sensor reading, it seemed like a prudent tactic to place them where shown, even if Dewitt didn't trust herself to have the right kind of experience to verify the coordinates. Instead, she put faith in those better abled than her, storing the new data for the launches they were about to make.

As for the Helmet itself... and where it ought to go, she had asked Zy for her input, but Dewittt had no way of knowing if the coordinates the El-Aurian suggested were aligned withthe ones Trent was about to send to CONN. What she did, was to save the coordinates Zy was pointing out above the table, and... "Transferring suggested warp route to fore display area, Captain!"

With a sweeping gesture with her hand, she made Zy's coordinates appear in front of the CONN and Ops station. With any luck, they were close to the coordinates Trent had already been working on.

OOC: Exiting thread with Sera and A’vura and moving it to a separate one, where the Black Wolves will be featured as well. In this thread, I will be posting with Sankolov after the Helmet makes the micro jumps and deplyes both torpedoes and probes, so please, further the story that far with your next post, @Mathis . First, though, @Triton and @CanadianVet should go next. Oh, and @Absinthe , don’t forget to post with Sel here!

Moreover, for sake of building bridges between Zy and Trent, let’s have Trent’s suggested coordinates closly aligned with Zy’s suggested coordinates?

Re: Chapter 05: Vertex [ Day 06 | 0810 hrs. ]

Reply #38 – June 04, 2018, 11:58:55 PM

[ Lt Cmdr Leon Marquez, | Main Bridge | Vector 01 | USS Theurgy ]
@CanadianVet @Auctor Lucan @Triage @Mathis @Hastata-Nerada @FollowTomorrow @chXinya @Brutus @SummerDawn @Stegro88 @Blue Zephyr @Absinthe
[Show/Hide]

Leon obeyed his orders without reservation. With the joint minds of the Resolve aboard, it was clear that the ideas forged in the name of their collective survival were to avoid their discovery as much as hoping no innocent Federation lives aboard were risked, despite things being what they were.

So much for a pre-recorded one-off, even though the notion of beacons and decoys was being taken into effect, accelerating the speed at which it took for The Captain's console to have control over the beacon and launch control. Good Luck, he uttered to A'vura, unblinking as he kept his attention focused on his console, attentively initiating the acting captain's orders.

Bring up the particle sensors, low-power, rotating modulation and a slow, random interval; let's not give any more than we absolutely have to. Task Force Archeron has no restriction on their use of active sensors. I want you to reconfigure quantum torpedoes to be pushed out of the tubes using compressed nebula material.

Marquez commenced the load-out configurations specified and readied the orders to the queue down in the torpedo bay. Trent continued,

They are to remain inactive, on their own internal telemetry, until they detect a Task Force Archeron asset in their immediate vicinity or are hit by active sensors. Only then will they activate their drives and engage. My intent is to force Sankolov to be as blind as we are.

"Aye, Sir." Necessary, but he privately was grateful they weren't the likes of antimatter mines or incendiary plasma mines, the likes of which even the Jem'Hadar learned to avoid if not outright fear.

Down below at the torpedo bay, Tarsi had begun to call up the quantum torpedoes and prepared their warheads and tubes in-real time as ordered before the chief herself greenlit the order from her corresponding tactical workstation, and the tactical readiness blip came to life on Trent's console.

With A'vura out there, Marquez hoped all the more reason she'd make it back alive, lest she wind up like the Neutral Zone incident of 2286. Poor girl wouldn't last under that much heat even with Sera there to keep an eye on the Resolve survivor.

Leon received unexpected help from the buoy station request from a-- the diplomatic officer? Quantum explosives in this environment skirted the thin red line of self-defense and deterrence when it came to the means to the ends of their survival. Leon hoped it was worth it as he reported, "Torpedo stations reporting ready.."

With his report, Marquez initiated the firing sequence, and all aft tubes disgorged full patterns of torpedoes set on their widest dispersal. But they did not go screaming out, courtesy of the linear accelerators in the tubes; instead, they were coughed out by a compressed charge of nebula material, at which point they were left to drift in Theurgy's wake, patiently waiting for the conditions for their activations to be met, and engage in their designed purpose, that of delivering their payload on target with lethal effect.

Leon's response came moments later as even the screen's HUD seemed to run on low power settings. Leon almost laughed when Zyrao appeared impersonating an officer but instead footnoted the image of her taking his advice too literally and being summarily 'demoted' for it.

(Thanks to @CanVet for penultimate paragraph)

Re: Chapter 05: Vertex [ Day 06 | 0810 hrs. ]

Reply #39 – June 05, 2018, 12:26:30 PM

[ Tesserarius Lorad | Vector 01 Engineering | Deck 06 | Vector 01 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Auctor Lucan , @FollowTomorrow , @chXinya
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The small man was strange. And he was dangerous. And he was going to be repairing the cloak for the Apache or building a new one when all this was done.

Lorad hadn't argued when the small man, Suq he thought someone had called him, when Suq had begun to tear apart the cloak. With the Orion female arriving in that ship. Sera's ship, his mind supplied. Dewitt's call to report to Engineering and the way everyone was acting; it was clear to even Lorad that something was going on. Especially if they were willing to suddenly rip open the cloaking device they had so carefully removed.

And Lorad was going to make sure that it or one just like it went back into the Apache or he was going to hang the little man by his ankles and use his claws to remove every hair on his body; one at a time.

"Be sure fix cloak for Apache when danger past," Lorad grumbled as Suq ran off. He looked at the gloves he had been given, woefully too small for his clawed hands and tossed them aside. Picking up the wire cutters, Lorad tried to remember what his sister had told him when she had been fixing the cloak. His fingers traced over parts of the device before he decided on which part should be the power regulator that Suq wanted removed. Being careful, he used the wire cutters to cut the connections to it before carefully lifting it free and setting it to the side.

"It is done," Lorad declared as his eyes tried to find where the little man had disappeared to.

Why couldn’t the ship have been boarded? He was a soldier, not an engineer. He broke things not built them. Grumbling under his breath, it almost sounding like he was growling, Lorad waited for the next instruction.

Re: Chapter 05: Vertex [ Day 06 | 0810 hrs. ]

Reply #40 – June 06, 2018, 06:51:55 AM

[ Lt. JG Derik Veradin | Main Bridge | Deck 1 | Vector 1 | USS Theurgy]
[Show/Hide]

Being a bridge officer involved quite a lot of multitasking, Derik had learned. One needed to pay attention to their station enough not to miss anything or not perform adequately, but also be aware enough of other situations around them so as to understand how their role fit into the larger efforts. Derik was listening as much as he could to the discussions between the Captain, XO, and Natauna person. Derik decided he liked her, very straight forward and obviously competent. Where had they picked her up again? He put that thought out of his head for now and continued listening as they outlined a plan that involved two micro jumps from him.

Micro jumps, or at least precise micro jumps, were no easy feat, especially in a nebula situation like this. Overshoot into a dense gas pocket, or even warp through the wrong area and your ship was toast. He plotted carefully around the sets of coordinates he was given by the Captain. Derik tapped his fingers across the controls of his main console, becoming more and more familiar with the Theurgy controls since his arrival, the ship slowly becoming ‘his.’ As soon as he had word from Marquez that the first sets of projectiles were away, Derik was ready to make the first micro jump. “Aye Captain, jumping in 3, 2, 1.” He punched in the coordinates and engaged the jump.

The stars blurred on the viewscreen as the jump was over as soon as it began. Derik kept his breathing steady as he focused on the task, determined not to fuck up. The second set was away soon after and he did the countdown again, executing the second jump. His display told him both jumps had gone as planned and he began another wide, slow arc through the blue gasses. “Jumps successful, payloads reported away, Captain.” He allowed himself to relax a bit as he waited for the next task.

Re: Chapter 05: Vertex [ Day 06 | 0810 hrs. ]

Reply #41 – June 08, 2018, 10:20:14 AM

[ Ens. Ryuan Sel | Corridor - Bridge | Vector 01 | USS Theurgy] Attn: peeps on the bridge
[Show/Hide]

At the moment before Sel arrived on the bridge she paused and gripped the railing in the corridor. The feeling of jumping to warp when you weren't expecting it was not something g she had really gotten used to, especially when it was a short jump. Of course, she had been told many times that the wave of space sickness she felt was all psychosomatic, but it made little difference. The heavy weight of the massive Accipiter rifle slung over her back grounded her and reminded her that there was a battle coming. She had pulled out a single one of them, her gun, and only given the security team standard phaser rifles. She didn't need them running around with those beasts strapped to their backs, let alone firing them. Sel barely trusted herself with the damn thing, especially in her current condition.

A moment later she stepped onto the bridge.

"Apologies, I had to make sure the security teams were armed and ready before I came to the bridge," she said with a curt nod to the center chair. She didn't especially care who was in it. She made her way to the bridge security console, making a mental note of everyone on the bridge, she didn't know some of them, but she effortlessly sized them up, figuring out how much of a threat they would be.

She relieved her junior from the station and quickly tapped in her personnel code, accessing the ships internal security network. Some key functions were not working and had not been for some time, but it would give her more insight into the current situation.

[ F'Rell of the 12th House | Corridor - Engineering | Vector 01 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: Peeps in engineering~
[Show/Hide]

She moved with Grace and speed as she moved down the corridor toward Main Engineering. F'Rell was undoubtedly a creature of beauty and poise, yet she could be just as frightening to some. She was in a hurry and the recent jump into warp made it clear that she needed to be in more of a hurry.

Her long serpentine body slide through the doors into the engineering department and she moved swiftly total the controls of the central warp core. She did not have time to explain, instead, she began entering in her latest computations and algorithms while running a comparability diagnostic on them. She needed them to not only work, but they had to work the first time and with no wormhole effect, something that would cause infinite problems if was caused. The likely hood was low, but if the warp field was destabilized by her newest computation, it would happen all the same.

The entire goal was to reduce the size of the warp field, to sharpen the knife as it were. But that was easier said than done. The Vector she was on only had a single nacelle with which to generate the warp field and required a precisely calibrated one at that. It had to be perfect.

But she was good at her job.

"Suq!" She called out not looking up from the field of numbers she was entering. "Suq, I require your access code!" Her tone was not altogether impatient, but it was not very polite and courteous either.

Re: Chapter 05: Vertex [ Day 06 | 0810 hrs. ]

Reply #42 – June 10, 2018, 02:21:18 AM

[ Dyan Cardamone / Sar-unga Neleo| Outside Drauc's Quarters | Vector 01 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Auctor Lucan

She seemed to enjoy the ‘wrestling’. Hell, she even delighted in it, being held close to Drauc’s bare chest. Her tail thwapped his legs. It may have been annoying, though ultimately harmless. Her emotions were laid bare both in her mind and in her tail.

Then, she was up in the air. If she was delighted before, it paled in comparison to her joy now. She laughed and kicked her legs about. Her tail thrashed about wildly to keep her body balanced and wound up slapping Lorad’s body. She couldn’t hold onto it, nor was she particularly inclined to stop it anyway. That was her tail, after all, why should she continue to hide it and conceal it?

“I don’t even know what you’re saying!” She spoke between laughs. It was true as far as Drauc could tell. Whatever he meant flew over her head like a poorly piloted shuttle craft. “Aren’t you having fun right now? So why not smile?” After all, what better fun was there than some horseplay between warriors? Dyan could only think of one thing; horseplay between warriors, plus some of that plum-drink her roommate Eliska had.

As he held her though, it wasn’t just happiness and joy in her mind. It was like a normal mind set at high speed, only really half-finishing thoughts before moving onto the next. It was no wonder his words were lost on her.

She did not make further attempt to escape his grip. She knew if she did so, her blade would likely slice something important up. For a moment, she considered slicing him anyways, to show her power. She was only voluntarily held, she wanted him and everyone else in the whole wide world to know that. If she were thirty years younger, she would have too, but she had learned some measure of self restraint. Still, her high-speed mind was rising and rising, and even though she was enjoying the play, bad memories stirred up. Memories that were supposed to be washed away with blood. She could do it, she could control them, but for how long?

“...you should put me down.” She grinned and asked with nonchalance. As if she didn’t know he could read minds, and just wanted to give him a friendly suggestion.

[ Lt. Jg. Suq Reylin Efreya-Xan | Engineering | U.S.S. Theurgy ] Attn: @chXinya @Stegro88 @Absinthe

To say he had intentions of fixing anything other than this situation would be an all out lie, so when Lorad demanded he make the device Apache-ready when he was done, Suq just didn’t say anything. He didn’t have any words in his mind to say, anyway.

His order at the industrial replicator took some time. Custom-replication was not nearly as speedy as the far more popular catalog version. He’d get the parts he needed though. Not a Reman regulator and adaptor, but Romulan built, and admittedly probably out of date by now. Back on the resolve, he used to just keep a box of old Romulan parts, just to tool around with. There was a certain filter that had to be applied to fool the rest of the machine into thinking it was receiving power from a Romulan ship. It took him the better part of the first two years to figure that one out, and he’s pretty sure the filter changed at least four times in that time span.

He heard another voice call for him. He felt the sound go into one ear, rattle around in his hollow head, and fall right out the other. Though he knew F’rell and loved her dearly, this time, he did not respond right away.

It was actually two minutes on the dot before he reacted. He was almost back to Lorad, Ravenholm and the poor mutilated cloaking device with an armful of machine guts, when he came to a total stop and nearly tripped on himself doing it. Command authorization...command authorization…

His eyes stared in Lorad’s direction, but he turned right around and ran back to F’rell, carrying the guts with him. He was spending time they didn’t have to help her, and on some level he knew, but his brain was not here and now. As far as he knew, this was a dreamy, unreal fog. He’d wake up soon and not remember a thing about what happened.

He brought himself to F’rell’s console with his arms full and didn’t think out how to use the console with no hands before this. So he put some of his things directly on the console, keeping with his horrible habit of treating the consoles like tables, and typed in his code.
[Show/Hide]

Then, he scooped everything up the best he could. It was a comedic setup, some sort of board covering his face, some suspicious wires dangling from his fingers down to the ground, near his feet and threatening to trip him. Somehow, he didn’t trip, but he ran back to the cloaking device.

He knelt in front of the device, right next to Lorad, and handed him the entire stack of things. “Great, see if you can install the demodulator and the input plug on the veroboard and solder the wiring together.” He...did not ask, nor order. It was a flat statement. Same as two plus two equals four. Obviously these things made sense. Meanwhile, he was whipping tools out his belt and going to town, working with fast and nimble hands. This was his job, and he could do it even if he wasn’t actually there.

Re: Chapter 05: Vertex [ Day 06 | 0810 hrs. ]

Reply #43 – June 16, 2018, 03:33:34 AM

[Zyrao Natauna | Stratego | Making a Name | Ready to Level the Enemy | USS Up Yours]

It seemed she and the Up-Start Captain had the same idea, their coordinates of choice were similar enough that she felt that maybe he wasn't all idiot. He might have some merit to his education though she still didn't think that made him a good Captain. As her coordinates were taken into the computer system, and her probe destinations were deliberated about, she stood there proud of the job that she had done. She was unsure of her place on the Bridge now that her current job was done. She knew, of course, there would be more for her to do, but at this moment she had to let everything take it's course. At some point the Task Force would make a move and the game would change. The ships would shift and there would be more for her to do.

Standing there, she surveyed the coordinates, the micro jumps were a little disorienting because they were so quick and barely moved them yet they were still a bit off putting. The El-Aurian had been through so many jump, light year traveling, and the like in her long life, yet there was something that still sunk at the bottom of her stomach when quick successive jumps were done. Perhaps it was just the way that she was, a slight apprehension of what was to come. She feared nearly nothing, not even death, she had lived a long life and when it was her time it would be her time she would go willingly and hopefully spectacularly. She feared not, the fact of jumping, it was just the apprehension, she supposed, of what there was to find at the other end.

Here, it was even more up in the air. Would her plan work, had all the cards aligned properly to make the trick happen. Would the Sabine and the probes do their jobs well enough. Would they give enough of a signature off that they would be able to get the upper hand? She knew not, not yet, only time would tell.

But this, the heart of the battle was exactly what she lived and breathed for. While gifted with strategy and tactics she loved nothing more than a good battle. A war, it lived in her blood, battle pumped in her heart, every cell vibrated with the excitement of the fight that was to come. She longed for the blood, the hot liquids hitting her skin as she cut her swatch through the battlefield. She had always lived for this kind of thing, back even when she was on El-Auria. Her home, long gone now, but it had been the home that had always breathed life within her. When she ran into another of her kind she found herself always longing for more of them. Their race was gone, dead, and it would fade out over time. El-Aurians did not seek out each other to breed and repopulate because they had scattered far too distant from one another. They could not return, there was nothing to go back for. The Borg had taken them down, one by one, cut them down, assimilated them, and torn her planet apart.

For that, one day, she hoped they would pay.

Yet for now, she had to turn her battle hardened soul onto the enemies they faced now. The task force had no idea what it stood against.

Re: Chapter 05: Vertex [ Day 06 | 0810 hrs. ]

Reply #44 – June 16, 2018, 04:01:13 AM

[ Cmdr Carrigan Trent, Captain | Main Bridge | Vector 01 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: All

Orders were given, orders were obeyed. In Theurgy's wake, patterns of torpedoes, their single-minded computers waiting for the trigger that would light up their drives and send them on their purposes; probes discreetly heading on their assigned courses before they would start radiating Theurgy's signature. But, there was another tool in Theurgy's arsenal that did not appear on any manifest.

That weapon was information, and how it would be used. According to the news reports, Carrigan Trent had been killed by the Romulan cyber-weapon that disabled Task Force Archeron. Oh, odds are a few people, those closest to Sankolov, knew about it. But he was willing to bet there were plenty who did not know that. Including a certain Captain Marcus Slayton, a man Sankolov could not have possibly owned just yet, unlike the bulk of the sycophants who captained the ships of the task force. And that he could use.

Tapping a few controls on his armrest, he started to adjust the parameters of the beacon's transmission. A delayed, omnidirectional broadcast, of course. But one thing Carrigan Trent was, was an expert in Starfleet's communications protocols; and that meant the message would not just go onto main channels to individual ships; it would be broadcast to every screen and terminal that could pick it up. If he could cause enough confusion, it would significantly broaden their margin of safety.

"Task Force Archeron, this is Carrigan Trent. Reports of my death by Admiral Sankolov and the Federation News Network have been grossly exaggerated. I defected from Admiral Sankolov's command team, because he has been compromised by an alien influence, and I could not simply stand by and help him hunt down the one officer who had the courage to act on their knowledge." Trent took a deep breath, and he continued on.

"Captain Slayton, you have a reputation for being a man of honour and integrity. Which is why I am willing to bet Sankolov did not share with you the true events that transpired when his task force was disabled; you offered us a chance for honourable surrender, and for that I am grateful. But when Sankolov first caught up to this ship, he did not offer terms of surrender; he demanded the heads of everyone on board. He flatly refused to offer any guarantees of even being treated as per Starfleet Regulations and Federation Law. And while you gave us those guarantees in your own person, Sankolov would never have allowed us to have our day in court, to say our piece. We would all have been killed in a 'prisoner uprising', or in equipment failures. Or the ship transporting us to a penal colony, with you on board as his personal representative, would have been mysteriously lost with all hands along the way."

"You have no particular reason to believe me, but ask around from any crewmember and officer you can find. Not just from the recordings as those can be altered. And find out the truth for yourself. Trent out."

And, with that said, he settled back further into his chair. "This is bound to cause some confusion in the ranks back there. Ensign Eloi-Danvers, jettison the beacon, ten minute delay to activation, at your leisure."

Re: Chapter 05: Vertex [ Day 06 | 0810 hrs. ]

Reply #45 – June 17, 2018, 05:40:27 PM

[ Drauc T'Laus | Outside Drauc's Quarters | Vector 01 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @FollowTomorrow
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Remembering how her tail had moved the night before, at some stages, Drauc knew to connect its movements with elation without even sensing Dyan Cardamone's mind. She delighted in the development, even if he felt no joy himself. At least, no more joy than she did, letting it wash against him like the waves against a stone pier.

"I do not believe I have ever smiled. I was never given a reason for it in my youth," he rasped into her ear, his embrace lingering until she eventually asked him to put her down. At this point, her tail mirrored her state of mind again, since it appeared he might have triggered unpleasant memories. Shadows, almost intangible, which he could not quite identify. Something about a Klingon? He was uncertain. Either way, he gently lowered her down to the deck again, and stepped back.

"It would appear we both carry dark memories, yours perhaps more recent than mine. My apologies, for making you think of them again. It was not my intention," he grated to her in a low voice, facing her in the corridor. He was not certain how he could make amends, but at least he could try, for what it was worth.

"If there is any consolation, I wish to thank you," he rasped, and he raised a scarred hand to brush her silvery white hair back from her face. "As disconnected as I am from my own emotions, more so than those of others, you have shown me appreciation, even desire. This is a rarity, and a situation which I am not adept in handling well. Thank you for your understanding, and for making it easier for me to be with you, and seeing past my... lack of charisma. Especially if you were hurt so recently."

He lowered his hand from her, his stare unblinking. "It is my hope that I might have granted you some reprieve too, if not some distraction... from past and present concerns."

[ Lieutenant Commander Jennifer Dewitt | Main Bridge | Vector 01 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Triton @CanadianVet @Mathis @Blue Zephyr @Absinthe
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During the development on the bridge of the Helmet, there was only so much Dewitt could keep track of. On her end, she kept a close eye on the development shown above the tactical holo-display table, seeing how the tactics of Trent, Natauna, Marquez and herself were falling out in this portentous game of hide-and-seek.

Ensign Ryuan Sel entered, carrying one of the five Accipiters on Theurgy, a kind of weapon from the future that they had collected from the Reavers of the Calamity before she came aboard. She ran Security on the Helmet, and she'd come to personally secure the bridge against potential boarding parties. Dewitt inclined her head to the Bajoran woman. "Happy to have you here, Ensign. So far, we have made no direct contact, and fired off a lot of decoys and distractions. We're buying time in hope that the other Vectors might appear, and if they do, we have set up a new RV close to the Coreless Moon."

It was the place where the away team on the Sabine had gone to collect dilithium crystals.

"The gravest risk now is that our warp speed is too diminutive to outrun Task Force Archeron, so we can't risk going to warp and leave a solid warp trail for them to follow. We have been doing micro-jumps, gone to full impulse, then resorted to drift by inertia and rely on the Nebula to hide us. There is no telling how long we can keep doing so, but we have solid tactics underway. We might even have a cloaking device up and running soon, if fortune favours us."

Having given Ryuan the short briefing, Dewitt glanced towards Zy before speaking in Trent's and Marquez's direction - having waited until Trent finished the recording for Eloi-Danvers. "Captain, Lieutenant Commander, the Sabine went to maximum warp and successfully caught the attention from the Task Force. Our passive sensors could only tell us so much in these conditions, but I believe I noticed several warp signatures flaring up in response to vers Aldnoah's stunt. From what I could see, the sensor ghost was working too. I am updating the positions detected now on the tactical display."

The Câroon was either a fool or extremely reckless, in Dewitt's opinion, but she was grateful nonetheless. It was plain that the smaller beacons of the Valkyrie fighters had flared up in response to the Sabine's jump to warp, and a couple of capital ships had stirred too. Yet as to where all the others were? They couldn't know lest they revealed themselves as well.

Then, suddenly, two spikes. Dewitt checked them, accumulating the data.

"We have a sirilium gas explosion far off, bearing Two-One-Nine-Mark-Five. Secondly... a torpedo detonation," he confirmed, "One light-year directly aft of our current trajectory. It's from our location one warp-jump back. No way to tell anything more. Presumably, they triggered one of those we armed. Hopefully, the word will spread to be restrictive with their active sensors..."

With any luck, they were soon be able to cloak and vacate this part of the Azure Nebula.

Would they even be so bold and engage the Task Force? Dewitt was not keen on the idea, knowing fully well that those starships out there were manned by oblivious and innocent Starfleet officers. Officers who might, if Sankolov hadn't told them to not answer any hails or messages from them, hear what Trent had just told them...

As alive as they still remained, she had a bad feeling... that as lucky as they had been so far... their luck was not going to last.

"Dewitt to Engineering," she said, having tapped her combadge, "how is that cloak coming along?"

Re: Chapter 05: Vertex [ Day 06 | 0810 hrs. ]

Reply #46 – June 17, 2018, 06:56:13 PM

[ Ens. Faye Lintah Eloi-Danvers | Bridge | Deck 01 | Vector 01 | USS Theurgy ] Attn:
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Tapping her fingers against the comm stations controls, Faye was whispering into her earpiece. Despite her low tones, the mic pick up was able to pull her words in easily, and there would be no issues with whomever would be on the other side of the call. But she muted the pickup and turned her attention fully to the events on the bridge. She darted her head up, and glanced over at the commander. There was an almost scary sense of anticipation for what was about to come, from Trent.

On her console she saw a new window pop up - a notice that the beacon she'd set up had been targeted for recording. Her eyes went wide that It was time.

Faye had been shocked before, when she'd heard Marcus Slayton's voice com over the comms. She'd never met the man, but she knew him. For a short while, back in the Academy, she'd had a brief dalliance with the mans younger brother. Chris Slayton was a good man. Things had been casual, but enjoyable. And she'd learned a few things about the man. His family, as well. And Marcus Slayton was as cold as ice.

But as Carrigan Trent pointed out, Slayton was also known to be honorable. Hard, yes, but fair. Faye just had no idea if this kind of appeal would work. She'd as his brother, but he wasn't on the Vector. She'd been surprised to learn that Chris had ended up on the Theurgy during her time in stasis. Nothing can be done 'bout that now.

And, with that said, he settled back further into his chair. "This is bound to cause some confusion in the ranks back there. Ensign Eloi-Danvers, jettison the beacon, ten minute delay to activation, at your leisure."

"Aye sir," she turned back and brought up the launch control. There was a tickle in the back of her mind, some sense of dread - she shoved it a side. It wasn't her thoughts, and she wasn't going to pry. She didn't need that right now. Dark eyes darted over a quick course, then nodded and punched a few more buttons. The course was set, and...."Launched."

Re: Chapter 05: Vertex [ Day 06 | 0810 hrs. ]

Reply #47 – June 18, 2018, 02:54:36 AM

[ Dyan Cardamone / Sar-unga Neleo | Outside Drauc's Quarters | Vector 01 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Auctor Lucan

As she was set down, her tail whirled about. It was trying to find balance for her, and until her feet were on the ground it would continue it’s brave mission. Finally though, she was on her own two feet. She let Drauc go, hoping not to re-ignite the dumpster fire that was her brain. 200 miles a minute it went, already leaving her bad memories behind, and the more she was awake the faster it would go. Especially when he touched her face, it was like jumping to warp.

“You have charisma?” She beamed, her sharp teeth showing on purpose. Her new favorite friend. Move over, Heather.
“I mean, you sure as hell were distracting, so yeah, you did do good.” She would not mention anything about the Klingon in her mind. It was long gone, buried beneath a couple hundred tons of...well, stuff. None of it appeared to be any ill will held towards Drauc. Or at least, none that she didn’t harbor towards the rest of the known universe.

She was capricious, the flow of her mind able to reverse in a few moments. It was entirely possible that, if Drauc displeased her, he’d be on her bad side. At least she was easy to read.

“Do you always read my brain? Like, does that turn off?” She reached behind her to hold her tail. The whipping about had finally gotten annoying and this was the easiest way to stop it. However, the action of actually grabbing her tail was harder. She span around a few times trying to catch it before she actually grabbed it.
“Does that mean you know everything about me?”

[ Lt. Jg. Suq | The Floor | main engineering | Vector 01 | U.S.S. Theurgy ] @chXinya @Stegro88 @Absinthe

"how is that cloak coming along?"

“Coaaaak’sh comin’, shorta bishy here.” Was Suq’s reply. He had wires in between his teeth, making his language sound absolutely silly. “Fibe minush.”

He hadn’t been paying attention to anybody else up until that point. The only thing that existed was this cloak, himself, and these stupid wires as he tried to solder them together. Every time he tried, his hands shook. He had no idea why they were shaking, but it frustrated him so badly that he couldn’t do this that his face was turning colors.

He really hated mechanisms and machines. He had no clue why it came so natural to him. They didn’t listen to you when you talked to them and they didn’t care if you were in a rush. So insensitive, really.

Speaking of, every time he needed a part, he’d take it. It didn’t matter if Lorad was holding it. If he was then the Efrosian would just pluck it right out of his hands like the Reman was an extremely fancy end table, with arms. He’d take it and he’d work on it with unusual speed, but these damned wires, he just couldn’t get them. It probably had something to do with the fact that he was burning his fingertips with the soldering gun. It smelt like cooked flesh.

But he was working fast, and he seemed to know what he was doing. He had a board assembled before those five minutes were up and it was already wired into the cloaking device.

“Gotta cycle it. Prepare to plug it in. We’ll either cloak or explode. Ravenholm, you ready?"

Re: Chapter 05: Vertex [ Day 06 | 0810 hrs. ]

Reply #48 – June 22, 2018, 01:49:40 AM

[ Drauc T'Laus | Outside Drauc's Quarters | Vector 01 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @FollowTomorrow
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Judging by the maelstrom that was her mind, Drauc had not upset her, and as fickle as her temper might be, he was pleased to discern that she seemed to enjoy his company. So far, at least. Moreover, she appeared to like when he touched her, despite what his embrace had just caused her to remember. A memory he had not fully seen, because of the alacrity in which her mind moved, and likely her unwillingness to relive it.

Her questions, however, were such that he could readily answer, and he did, watching her unique mannerisms, with her disobedient tail and the way in which she seemed eager to fight and yet had to restrain herself. Asurians were an interesting people, made more interesting by Dyan Cardamone. Or Sar-unga, as her original name had was.

For a moment, before he answered, he considered her phrasing, wondering in what sense she had meant 'turn off', but he guessed - by context - that she was wondering if he was able to restrain and control his ability. "My ability is no choice of mine," he rasped to her, and raised a calloused hand to rake back his hair from his forehead, making the surgical scarring there catch the overhead light, "and if I could, I would welcome the respite of merely having my own mind to care about."

Lowering his hand again, he glanced towards the empty corridor before answering her second question. "I know you intimately," he said quietly, looking into her green eyes, "yet my ability doesn't let me uncover all the years of knowledge you possess. No secrets that's not at the forefront of your mind. My perception is limited to what you think of in my presence, not what you did last month, year or decade. The whole of your life is not laid bare to my inner eye, so your private secrets are safe, as long as you do not detail them in your thoughts."

Having said this, Drauc studied the corridor anew. "It would appear the ship is in hiding, since no Intruder Alert has been sounded. Shall we linger here, or find a sensitive area of the ship to protect once the boarding parties might arrive?"

Even if the A.I. of the ship had been taken by the Savi, the Main Computer Core was likely an area in due need of protection, just like the auxiliary engineering area and the warp core. Then again, he was a civilian, so he had no access to these areas unless Dyan cleared his entry. It was either that, or returning to her quarters in wait for specific orders, and Drauc had no opinion either way.

OOC: I will wait for a couple of more replies on the bridge, then I will post with Dewitt again!

Re: Chapter 05: Vertex [ Day 06 | 0810 hrs. ]

Reply #49 – June 25, 2018, 07:39:26 PM

[Zyrao Natauna | Bridge of Hot Air | Dangerous Affairs | Kindred Spirits | Can We Blow These Fuckers Up Yet | We're Already Criminals]
@Auctor Lucan @Absinthe @CanadianVet

Carrigan Trent.

The most pretentious name she had ever heard. Perhaps it was just that the man behind the horrendous excuse for a name was such a pile of wet, hot, shit, it didn't matter what he was named. He would probably make something much more mundane seem just as elitist. It wasn't even the name, it was the man that sat there penning a message to the Task Force. She really, really wanted to interject some really badass shit in there. He was far too formal for his own good.

I have spent far too much fucking time with the Klingons.

He spoke talking about how someone knew him, and his death wasn't true. Her brow rose. Fake deaths. This sounds like a Klingon opera. she thought to herself staying silent, but it was very hard to when he made it so fucking easy to want to jab and poke at him. Brushing a hand through her hair she shifted her grey eyes over to the map that was showing their strategies. Rereading over the map to make sure that she had picked the best possible spots for the best possible outcomes.

What if I had gone thirty degrees higher, it would have enabled them to possibly accidentally attack one of their own.. no no .. that would make us vulnerable to plan-detection which would be far worse than taking out a ship.

She listened to more of the man's message as she sat there watching the bridge and the map and just trying to decide what her next move should be. Trent out? She literally put her hand over her mouth. For two reasons, one, she could not imagine coming up with something to say that would be nice or supportive. Someone had obviously forgotten to train this asshole in matters of how to close a message or at the very least do it properly. The second reason was so that she didn't laugh out loud for the moment. She could just, not imagine, but then Ives was the Captain.

We have to get them back.

Someone entered the Bridge, catching Zyrao's attention. Everyone that came on board got sized up by the Strategist. There was a great deal you could tell just from watching the way that people moved. The way they carried themselves, and scanned the Bridge, and the way they spoke with other people. The way that she gripped the railing as they jumped into warp caused Zyrao's brow to rise. She put her elbow on the arm of her chair and leaned against it just content to observe the Bridge that was working hard and especially the new arrival. Though what really intrigued the El-Aurian was whatever contraption was strapped to her back. Leaning forward slightly, caught up in her own interest to seem uncaring as normal, she studied it. Looked like a rifle but she had never seen anything quite like it. She was interested in where it was from, how it worked, and of course she wanted to shoot it.

“I just want to state, for the record, I'm not only a strategist but a solider.” she put that out there, raising one finger from her face as her eyes zero-d in on Dewitt who had just finished filling the Ensign with the beautiful work of art on her back in on their current situation.

Dewitt began reporting about the Sabine. Zyrao sat comfortably in her seat but her ear was peeled for any and all information pertaining to the only friend she had on this massive boat. The fact that she had went to max warp was not a surprise, she was out there to lure the TFA to heading out with them. And it seemed that it had worked, though she hoped that the woman would be all right. They had shared a heated night and a nice bed. She didn't want her friend to die. It wasn't easy for her to make any and on a ship that seemed personally affronted by her very presence, she thought it would be helpful to keep all the friends that she could. Besides, Sera was really nice, and though Zyrao could tell that she would like to try another tryst, she knew that it would be good for them to just have a strong friendship.

You got this Sera, you come back, so we can drink some more strong Câroon booze and pass out again.

A torpedo detination came across their sensors. Zyrao let a slow grin take over her lips as she ran her thumb over the lower one back and forth.

It's all coming together.

“Do we have a plan if the other vectors of your ship do not come?” she asked curiously looking at Dewitt. “We might be able to elude the TFA briefly, but we are out gunned here, unless you have weaponry I am unaware of.” she stated calmly hoping to be able to help somehow.