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Re: Chapter 04: Supplemental [ Day 06 | 0905 hrs. ] The Reaver

Reply #25 –
[ Devyrie "Dragon" Okhala | Cinsaj's Cockpit | AC-507 Mk I Reaver | Port Auxiliary Bay | The Versant ] Attn: @Stegro88 @Multificionado 
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While Devyrie had no reason to doubt the Reaver in regard to its deadliness, she had never flown one before - the only reason that they were outside the Versant being that the controls were so intuitive. She could just have easily have crashed it into the bulkhead or torn is apart while passing through the closing bay doors. It was only sheer luck that they had managed to get out at all.

Now, Mickayla was telling her that there were alien fighters inbound, and two of them cloaked, leaving her outnumbered one to five, and still well within weapons range of the Versant. Come to think about it, why hasn't the nightmare ship opened fire on us yet? Is it because of the Savi asset of ours? Or do they want to keep this fighter intact for some experiment? I'll consider it a small blessing in any case, she thought to herself, suppressing the image of the blood on the bulkhead from her mind.

"Since that monstrosity behind us might open fire any moment, we'can't stay," she said, checking the sensors herself. "There's defence turrets on every angle of that ship, and we don't have the cockpit space to bring 57 other abductees..."

Her green eyes drifted to the approaching three Savi fighters, the cloaked ones gone, and it seemed like they had no choice. "We leave the Versant's weapons envelope, and try to find the Theurgy, somewhere out there in the Nebula." Setting to it, Devyrie set a preliminary course, and powered up the warp coils. "Some of the abducted said a Continuance Protocol was executed three days ago, and this could be a clue to how we find reinforcements. First things first, though..."

It took her a couple of seconds, in which the three Savi fighters began to fire towards them, before she figured out how to jump to warp. In the last moment, before one of those green graviton beams hit them... they were off. The nebula elongated in the view of her helmet, and through the TVD, she experienced how the Cinsaj left the Versant and its fighters behind. Realising that her companions in the cockpit couldn't tell any real difference besides what the sensors said, she sent the feed from her helmet to one of the HUDs on the Reaver's dashboard, needing only to toggle the view on that screen.

"We're off, but they are giving chase," she said, and pushed the Reaver to go faster. "Warp six... seven... eight? How fast can this thing go?" Incredulous, since the Valravn was considered to be the fasted small craft that Starfleet had, she checked on the Savi fighters, and they were still pursuing them, slowly catching up - a black fighter in the lead. Her browridge lowered over her emerald eyes. "That's the Scion, right? If we destroy that one, perhaps it might deter the others."

Looking at her glove, she saw the thumb-print for the aft phaser array, and pressed it hard. The helmet had eye-tracking, so when she looked at the black Initator fighter, the beams went for it. She tried to hit the pursuing shadow several times, just giving it glancing hits, and she was answered in kind. The Reaver's shields were online, but the ones named TP wouldn't activate again, likely needing to be recharged. The hits they took almost made them drop out of warp, the field nigh collapsing, until Devyrie decided to decelerate. "Brace yourselves..."

Dropping to warp seven, confident they were not going to collide with any Savi, the sensors soon realigned themselves and revealed that they had ended up behind their pursuers. "This is for Lau," she hissed quietly, and then fired off a "transphasic" torpedo against the leader. She then switched to quantum micro torpedoes and fired away at the white fighters just to deter them. It would have gone smoothly... if it hadn't been for the two cloaked fighters, that suddenly appeared behind her again.

"Shit," she said, even as the black fighter at the front of the formation exploded, and then vanished, since it's warp field was compromised. They were taking hits from graviton beams and quantum phasers alike. "Does anyone mind if we try to just outrun them instead?"

OOC: @Stegro88 goes first again, and I figure that this would be a good time to illustrate any regrets or argumentation about leaving the other abductees behind. Remember that neither Mickayla nor Drake knows the Theurgy's real mission, right? Moreover, this situation would be ideal to spot how the the rear exhausts of the Initiators are identical to the Reaver's, which suggests Savi involvement when the future (Infested) Starfleet built the Reavers. Paradox? Yes indeed. :)

Re: Chapter 04: Supplemental [ Day 06 | 0905 hrs. ] The Reaver

Reply #26 –
[ PO1 Mickayla MacGregor | Cinsaj's Cockpit | AC-507 Mk I Reaver | Port Auxiliary Bay | Precept-ship Versant ]
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At Dev’s words describing the situation and their inability to return to the Versant for the others, Mickayla found herself torn. 

“I want to stay,” she thought to herself. “Even if I won’t even admit to myself whether it is to help the others or just for the chance to kill that bastard Agrand.”

“But I also never want to see that ship again, inside or out,” she concluded. “I’ve experienced nothing but misery, or worse, since it found me.”

“But what of Cross, Khorin and the others from the Endeavour?” Mickayla wondered, her thoughts turning to her former ship’s crew and the only other person she knew. “What will happen to them? And can I live with leaving them behind?”

“On the other hand, do I really want to be aboard the Theurgy with half of Starfleet hunting me?” Mickayla wondered. “Pragmatically speaking, Dev is right. This ship cannot stay and fight and it’s a tight squeeze with just us in here. Our best chance is to go for help. Even if it is the Theurgy. But I’ll be back. That I promise you Agrand.” And to herself, reinforcements sounded good.

The Reaver’s jump to warp was very smooth and not the least bit disconcerting to Mickayla although she was grateful when Dev put up a vied on one of the screens for herself and Drake. What followed, even after everything else that had happened in the last few days, was strange.

“If this is her fighter, why doesn’t she know how fast it can go?” Mickayla wondered, although she was reminded of how lost the pilot seemed in flying the craft. “And if this isn't hers, where did it come from? It has the looks of a Federation warp fighter, although very advanced. Every other version I have seen hasn’t had top-mounted ordinance.”

Further thought was abandoned at Dev’s command to brace; an act that sent a renewed wave of pain throughout the Klingon’s compact frame. Idly, she wondered how bad her injury was now but dismissed it due to their current inability to do anything about it.

Watching the screen provided, Mickayla was able to bear witness to Dev’s destruction of the black fighter that her sensors had identified as different. She could only hope that whatever made it different was now very dead. But she didn’t have time to gloat as something else gathered her attention.

“Those fighters and this one, if you ignored the obvious Federation tech, could almost be related in a design sense,” Mickayla thought even as she didn’t understand the thought. “This Reaver is almost completely different to the Valkyries that I have seen.”

“Sir, ma’am,” Mickayla addressed her companions. “I’m just a security officer but is it my imagination or do those fighters and this one share a lot of similarities? Top mounted weapons, the rear exhausts are practically identical and you yourself didn’t even know how fast this craft went. So, either I am going crazy from increased blood loss or this ship and those were built by the same people. And if that is true, are we even able to outrun them?”

Re: Chapter 04: Supplemental [ Day 06 | 0905 hrs. ] The Reaver

Reply #27 –
[ Lieutenant JG Gideon Drake | Cinsaj's Cockpit | AC-507 Mk I Reaver ]  Attn: @Auctor Lucan @Stegro88
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Gideon could understand what Dev had in mind now that they were free. There was certainly no room for the other abductees; they had to find a ship and bring it to the Versant for a rescue. That was why he proposed recording the Versant's coordinates. He managed to recover the coordinates and record them before their little craft went to warp. 

He was somewhat perturbed at the idea of seeking out the Theurgy, hunted by Starfleet as traitors, but he remembered that as a former member of the Maquis, he would've been among those accused of treason against Starfleet, and some of those accusations were somewhat true. 

However, now that they were free, Gideon felt that he didn't care if it was the Theurgy or some other ship they found in the nebula; even a Cardassian flagship would feel welcoming. 

And he wouldn't mind hearing out the perspectives and opinions of the Theurgy’s crew once things settled down. Maybe Dev if there was time to spare. There had to be a reason why they were on the run. Starfleet said it had something to do with the Romulans, but Gideon had an inkling that there was something more; the Maquis do what they do because of their staunch refusal to give up their home worlds to the Cardassians, but strictly not to suck up to them. They were in defiance of the Federation as such. 

He was shook back to reality at the news that they were being chased. He could see that Dev's feed from her helmet was transferred to the dashboards and he set to work. He was amazed at how fast it was. He definitely felt he was back on a Raider...but this fighter seemed to be moving a lot faster. 

He took in the targeting sights. Dev seemed to point out that the black fighter was the leader, a Scion. Well. If there's a Big-And-Ugly inside, it'll be easier to take it out this time. 

Looking at them closely, setting a target, something occurred to Gideon. Was it his imagination, or did the ugly fighters bear a similar semblance to the craft they were in? 

"You got the black one in your sights, Dev," he said. "Let's fry this Big-And-Ugly." 

He braced himself greatly as the Reaver maneuvered. He felt an excellent thrill and let out a cheer as it spun around. He experienced something before; he witnessed a similar maneuver executed by Tom Paris a week before he was captured by Starfleet. And then Dev opened fire and Flyboy Big-And-Ugly was blown into explosive oblivion. 

"Boo-yah!" he said with a cheer. "You got that ugly sucker, Dev! You could give Tom Paris a run for his money." 

But the words barely escaped his lips when the other two fighters had decloaked. He couldn't think how the situation could get any hairier. Then Mickayla pointed out similarities between their craft and the ugly fighters. 

Gideon had to look back at the targeting sensors and took a more thorough look at the uglies. And...whoa. 

Things certainly got hairier. 

"Yeah, sure is," he said, gobsmacked. Then, realizing how much of a loss for words he was, he elaborated. "That is to say, I can confirm what Mickayla is saying. I can see the exhausts. And if they share the same warp capabilities...somehow I had a similar inkling, Mickayla. As they say, 'Great minds think alike.' 

"There's a possibility that we could use the similarities to our advantage," he continued, his spasm of surprise passed. "However, I have a few ideas that come to mind. If these are Antes, I don't know if 'Moby' will like it if we blow them away. We could disable their engines by firing at them. Or if we can detonate a sirilium pocket so it takes them out... we'd have to drop out of warp once we found such a pocket, and then warp away when we 'light the match into the pool of gasoline.' In any case, we cannot kill them unless we have to. They can outrun us and potentially outgun us, but I'm confident we can outsmart them."

OOC:I thought it fitting for Gideon to say something similar to what Six said in an earlier post: "You could give Tom Paris a run for his money." And not realizing someone else said something similar.

Re: Chapter 04: Supplemental [ Day 06 | 0905 hrs. ] The Reaver

Reply #28 –
[ Devyrie "Dragon" Okhala | Cinsaj's Cockpit | AC-507 Mk I Reaver | Port Auxiliary Bay | The Versant ] Attn: @Stegro88 @Multificionado 
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Thoughts darting between tactical options, the words of her two companions guided hers, caught up as she was doing evasive manoeuvres and keeping the Cinsaj from being hit by the Savi fighters that had decloaked behind them.

"This fighter is from a carrier sent from the future," she said, eyes darting inside the visor of her black helmet, and while she was no scientist, it was pretty logical based on what she knew. "Which means those fighters out there have to have been made first. This Reaver is the product of both Savi and Starfleet engineers. Which... Agh!"

The Reaver rocked from a barrage of fire, making them loose their course, but the warp field remained - if barely. Devyrie got the Cinsaj back under control. Initiating a barrel roll in order to try and outmanoeuvre the Savi fighters. She almost lost her train of thought too, but continued to explain. "That carrier was sent by the Infested, which control Starfleet Command, so that means the Savi and Starfleet Command teamed up, at some point between here and that future. Well, they did, before the Theurgy messed up the current timeline."

They were witnessing a paradox, but all Devyrie could think of was getting out of there.

"So if this fighter is more advanced than these Savi ones," she said, and wrapped her hand around the warp throttle, "we might actually outrun them." It was madness, Devyrie having a hard time to accept that the advanced, finely calibrated four nacelles on the Reaver could do more than Warp 8,2. Baring her teeth, she knew it was only one way to find out. She pushed the throttle forward, and the Cnsaj continued to accelerate. It went past 8.2, which was faster than the Valravn could go. When they were at 9.2, the Savi fighters were still on their tail.

"This is insane!" she hissed into the mouth piece of her helmet, and the HUD soon said 9.3, at which case the Savi were not gaining on them any more. Even still, the warp throttle continued to move. "We're at Warp 9,5!"

And at that rate, the Savi fighters were falling behind, unable to continue pursuit. Devyrie checked the systems to see if there were any warnings, but as far as she could understand what the instruments were telling her... it was smooth sailing through the Azure Nebula. The cerulean space and the shooting stars could only be seen in her helmet and on the HUD on the dashboard, but it was a sight for sore eyes. Slowly, she began to think on the next step, looking towards her companions. The first thing she saw was how Mickayla was hurt, bleeding.

"Drake, cockpits usually have medkits. Find it for Mickayla. What I need from you guys now... is to try and go through the computer and find if there is something called Continuance Protocol stored in it. Also, I need eyes on the sensors."

OOC: @Stegro88 goes first again, and I figure that the Cinsaj was also fitted with the coordinate-generator for the Continuance Protocol. I figure your two next posts will be the last ones in this thread, and I end it with a final one from Devyrie. :)

Re: Chapter 04: Supplemental [ Day 06 | 0905 hrs. ] The Reaver

Reply #29 –
[ PO1 Mickayla MacGregor | Cinsaj's Cockpit | AC-507 Mk I Reaver | Azure Nebula ]
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“Medkit, why didn’t I think of that?” Mickayla thought to herself as she shifted herself slightly in the cockpit to try and see if the kit was on her side. “Because you were in a firefight, injured and then squashed into a warp fighter from the future which you are using to escape from aliens that kidnapped and altered your DNA. Why would you think of a medkit?”

Managing to roll on to her side a little bit to see what was beneath her and her heart sank a little at what she found.

“Of course the kit is beneath me. Why would it be anywhere else,” Mickayla muttered silently. Judging by the size of the kit and the available space for her to move around in, trying to get the kit out and opened was going to be practically impossible. “Not that I wouldn’t love a pain killer right about now.”

“Forget about the kit, sir,” Mickayla told the male officer on the other side of the cockpit. “I’m laying on it. I’ll be fine, it’s just a small cut,” Mickayla lied. She was sure that Drake had never seen her get injured by the Scion from his position on top of the Reaver and after that she had faced away from him the whole time. Not to mention it was dark and they were being shot at. Dev might have seen it but Mickayla wasn’t sure. “Just focus on the protocol while I check the sensors.”

Gritting her teeth as she shifted around again, feeling another stab of pain from her abdomen, Mickayla focus on understanding what the sensors were telling her.

“It looks like the Savi fighters are unable to keep up,” Mickayla observed. It was only a few moments later when her assumption was confirmed and the fighters suddenly dropped way behind. “I think they just dropped out of warp. It looks like we are in the clear.”

Re: Chapter 04: Supplemental [ Day 06 | 0905 hrs. ] The Reaver

Reply #30 –
[ Lieutenant JG Gideon Drake | Cinsaj's Cockpit | AC-507 Mk I Reaver ]  Attn: @Auctor Lucan @Stegro88
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Gideon was relieved to hear Mickayla found the medkit. At least it saved him the trouble of having to feel around for it, and being in a cramped space with two women, at least it saved them from potential embarrassment; he was very sure Dev wouldn’t like the idea of Gideon reaching across her to treat Mickayla.

Gideon looked through the computer for information on the Continuance Protocol.  He nodded gratefully when he heard from Mickayla that the ugly fighters were dropping out of warp. He had a feeling that the technological advances of the Reaver would definitely prove advantageous, but he was also inwardly surprised at how fast it was going from Dev’s words.

“9.5? Could it potentially go faster than that?” he said with astonishment. “Does this thing also have transwarp capabilities, too?”

But all the while, he focused on looking up this Continuance Protocol. It took him a while, but he found it.

From what he can gather, the protocol was implemented by Captain Ives before he – or she – was captured by the Savi. It involved the Theurgy dividing its vectors and going off in different directions, to meet up in three different rendezvous points within a certain time slot, and should they all fail to meet up at all three, they push on without each other.

Looking at it, Gideon wondered how all those vectors could achieve such a rendezvous when each vector has limited warp capabilities…unless the divided cores have been modified. Also, he’d hate to consider it, but supposing the possibility that one of those vectors encountered the Borg in the Azure Nebula, particularly the one that destroyed the Endeavour.

He pushed the thoughts aside and resumed working. Dev will the information as soon as possible.

"There's a coordinate generator for the protocol here, Dev," he said. "Let me know of what you need."

Re: Chapter 04: Supplemental [ Day 06 | 0905 hrs. ] The Reaver

Reply #31 –
[ Devyrie "Dragon" Okhala | Cinsaj's Cockpit | AC-507 Mk I Reaver | Azure Nebula | The Versant ] Attn: @Stegro88 @Multificionado 
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When she heard Mickayla refusing treatment, Devyrie turned her helmet in the Klingon's direction. Her concerned frown may have passed unseen, and the only reason she made no comment was that she'd underestimated Klingons before, and it could quite possibly be Devyrie who had the wrong idea about the bleeding.

The announcement that they were in the clear was quite welcome, even if Devyrie couldn't quite shake the feeling that they were abandoning the other abductees. She maintained course, hardly believing they had actually made it.

They had.

Not Lau.

Devyrie could hope her sister was still alive, and that the shadows had played tricks on her eyes. Perhaps it wasn't blood running down the bulkhead, but some fluid from a severed pipe. Who knew what Savi had running through their ships? Devyrie knew it was stupid, that she should accept how Lau was gone. She'd only met her in person for the first time in years the night before... Stop it! Dev told herself, stern and unforgiving towards herself. Keep moving. Keep moving. You can cry when all of this is far behind.

Drake spoke of the protocol, and Dev hung on to the words like an anchor. She raked her brain about the requirement, and keyed up the protocol in her own display after the man found it. "It wants a Stardate, and origin coordinates," she muttered. She tried to remember the day of her abduction. She'd been in her Valravn. She knew the time, and the coordinates were always on display on the dashboard. She tried to remember... "Stardate... 57549.21. Cooridinates..."

She frowned, until she remembered Fury's voice - her RIO - talking to her, and she remembered checking the numbers while he did so. Remembering him helped her, and she reached out, and typed the numbers into the protocol. "Executing."

The navigation systems lit up three spots in the Azure nebula, and a time index next to them. Devyrie's green eyes darted between them. "First one, missed. Second one too. Third one... Are you bloody kidding me?"

It ended at 0900 hrs.

They had missed it with almost thirty minutes.

- FIN
 
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