Re: CH06 Battle Log: Loggin’ Into The Danger Zone [D03|1405]
Reply #24 –
[ LT Daniel Havenborn, Callsign: Salvo | Cockpit | AC-307 Mark-II Valkyrie, Gryphon-class “Hellcat” & [ ENS K’Ren, Callsign: Neko | AC-409 Mark-III Valkyrie ] ] Attn: @Nolan, @Pierce, @Nero, @Auctor Lucan
The tactics that Daniel and K'Ren had devised had worked well, between them they had disabled or destroyed a half dozen B'rel-class BOPs. K'Ren had just popped the shields on a seventh and Daniel scored a direct hit on a B'rel-class in it's engine manifold using the last of his torpedoes. The small escort craft split into several pieces after an explosion that managed to scorch his shields dropping them down to seventy-six percent. He could hear Knight behind him cursing as he tried to find spare power from somewhere. He had already turned the fighter's life support systems off and they had switched on their suits life support systems to conserve power.
The battlespace around the Theurgy was intense there had been larger Klingon cruiser that Daniel had meant to target earlier but the smaller BOPs kept presenting themselves as easier targets of opportunity. He knew that K'Ren was low on ordnance as well then an update came from Razor. "Copy Razor, Salvo and Neko returning to base." Daniel said, the two of them hadn't strayed very far from the Theurgy so returning to the FAB shouldn't be that much of an issue, he wasn't sure if the other pilots would be able to though. "Salvo to Neko, form up. You'll land first." Daniel said as he heard a sign of relief come from Knight behind him.
While Cait's were not a species to relish in the kill, defense of one's pride by means of lethal force was culturally acceptable as a last resort. Her time in Starfleet, the combat sorties, all had been times where talk had failed, and while she had blood on her paws, she knew there had been no other choice. She also knew, when her time in Starfleet was over, she'd settle down with her mate Deacon and be a mother, help restore balance to the universe. Her mind for now was focused on the task at hand, the last BoP's shields were down and she slipped into position behind and above Havenborn as he went in for the kill. His torpedoes ran true, and the aft end of the craft erupted in front of them, consuming the smaller spacecraft, it's Klingon crew entering the Gates of Sto'vo'kor even as the two fighters semi-successfully dodged the debris. Havenborn's fighter had taken a hit from some of the wreckage and she could see his craft was damaged, enough she knew they'd have to return to base soon enough, especially as they were low on ammo, torpedo banks were depleted, the fighter's energy weapons reserves were getting low.
She heard Razor's command for her and Salvo to break off and return to the Theurgy. She formed up on Salvo, on his wing, glancing over at his craft, the dings and dents in the craft from debris evident. Even with energy shields some things still got through, and she gave him a thumbs up. She banked in towards Theurgy, the flight path displayed in her helmet display, and even though they were in combat technically, K'Ren was content to let the autopilot handle the last minute of flight, it could correct for any combat maneuvers faster then she could, keep her on course for a smooth landing.
She was getting close to landing, she could see the outer markers of the landing pattern lit up in her visor when she felt what could only be described as is she'd felt something inside tear, something ripped away, a faint word 'Sorry,' followed by pain that seemed to tear her apart. K'Ren gasped, the pain overwhelming, an all too familiar pain. She cried out, the loss of her mate, her Deacon, she was alone again in the universe, her link to the man she loved snapped in an instant. R'Kaltha it seemed wanted to balance the books with blood, the blood of those she loved taken for those she killed. Markus, her cub, and now Deacon, she truly was forsaken, and now cursed.
Daniel heard the cry from K'Ren over the communications link but watched as her fighter coasted into the FAB. He wanted to get into the FAB as soon as he could so he increased his speed. "Salvo to Neko, what's wrong?" He called over their com-link.
K'Ren wasn't focused on the approach and landing, her autopilot was managing the flying for her, which was good as her mind wasn't focused, couldn't focus in that moment. She could barely think, her heart hurt so much, and she barely heard Salvo's call over the open comm-link between them. "Deacon," she said to the voice in her cockpit. "My mate is dead."
Daniel was shocked, he knew that she had taken another mate but wasn't entirely sure of who it had been. He recalled meeting Deacon when they first arrived on Theurgy he was the proprietor of the Below Decks Lounge. "What's your status Neko? Can you handle the landing?" Daniel called back concern in his voice. He'd already lost Meony he didn't want to lose K'Ren as well.
K'Ren was struggling, but she forced herself to focus on her craft, work through the pain, get back to the Theurgy, where she could sink into the pain. "I'm, I'll make it back Salvo." she remarked to her wing-mate. She glanced over her cockpit, she was on final approach and the control tower in the landing bay could finish the flight, but she willed herself to focus, get herself landed. "Final Approach. Theurgy's docking system is active, can guide me in."
"Understood Neko, I'll see you on the ground." He said as he watched as her fighter glided into the bay, he could see the active tractor beams guiding it down. He began the slowing of his craft as well, unlike Neko however he planned to land his fighter manually. It was a matter of pride for him to land his craft no matter the condition it was in, only twice in his career had he not been able to do so. "Knight as soon as we're on the ground take care of the post-flight duties." Daniel said as he heard an affirmative acknowledgement from his RIO.
K'Ren mostly monitored her craft as she came in for a landing, the tractor beams guiding her craft into a hover and into a free space that was relatively untouched by the fight earlier. She felt the bump of her craft on it's landing struts, and out of habit began the shut down procedure, her mind not really on the craft, the combat, all she could think about was the loss of her link to her mate, the feeling of emptiness in her heart and mind. She popped her canopy, unstrapping herself from her fighter, lifting off her helmet. She was just going through the motions at this point, climbing down the ladder, placing her helmet under her arm, walking towards the locker rooms wordlessly, not trusting herself to speak or say anything, trying not to break down in the middle of the fighter bay, not like the first time, the time she lost Markus.
Daniel felt the tractor beams take hold of his fighter as he spotted K'Ren walking towards the locker room. He wished that he could speed up time and get his fighter landed faster. After a few painstaking moment the fighter finally settled into its docking cradle and he opened its canopy., there was a hiss as air refilled the cockpit He unstrapped from the seat but didn't even make a motion to remove his helmet, catching up to K'Ren and making sure she was okay took priority. He'd seen her go through this last time when they had lost Markus and if she had felt the loss of Deacon, her new mate, Daniel understood what she was going through and he knew that she needed a friend right now.
K'Ren didn't really notice Daniel as he followed her to the locker rooms, the grief and pain seemed to make the rest of the world around her a haze. She went into the locker rooms, placing her helmet in her lap as she sat down, leaning her head against the helmet. Tears started to stream down her face, staining her cheeks, and she began to sob, unable to hold on any longer, letting her pain flow freely. "Deacon," she slowly repeated, rocking a little.
Daniel paid little mind or heed to anyone as he rushed through the crowds of people making his way towards the locker room, once he was inside the corridor outside the locker rooms he stopped and pulled his helmet off, clipping it onto his back he entered the locker room and listened for a moment. After a second he heard a word just barely a whisper but said over and over, 'Deacon'. Daniel slowly made his way into the locker room and after a moment he found K'Ren, her head against her helmet, rocking back and forth. He approached her and sat down next to her, placing his hand on her shoulder to let her know he was there.
K'Ren at first didn't notice Daniel come into the room, so focused on her own pain, as she was. Only after he sat down beside her, and placed his hand on her shoulder did she even acknowledge him. "Deacon is dead." she said simply, choking through tears, "Like Markus," she said, "I felt him torn from me, a part of me ripped away." She couldn't explain how she'd felt it, just knew that she had. She placed her head back on her helmet, tears still streaming down her cheeks. "Every time I find something good, death rips it from my grasp."
Daniel had never really understood the link that K'Ren had been able to share with her mates, something to do with Caitian physiology but he didn't really understand how it worked. Daniel embraced her for a moment, then released. "Deacon's death isn't like Markus." Daniel said. "Markus was a pilot, he knew what he was getting into every time he got into that cockpit. Deacon should have been safe on the ship." He said, it hurt him to see her like this. As any pilot can attest to, every time you got into a cockpit and flew into a combat sortie you risked everything. It seemed like Fate was attempting to balance the books.
K'Ren felt Daniel's touch, a friend's brief embrace. His words to her about Markus and Deacon, while true (she knew this in her rational mind), gave little comfort in the moment. The pain was just too raw, too fresh for simple words to assuage the hurt she felt, the anger towards the universe and what she couldn't control. "The deities maintain balance, R'Kaltha brings life to her children, her sister takes life away." she almost whispered through the tears. "I am a foresaken one, p'roash'ngrann, but I am also cursed." She said, "The deities balance the blood on my hands by taking that which I love from me."
Daniel wasn't entirely sure what to say, to him death was just part of life, the price one must eventually pay to Fate. "We'll get through this together K'Ren." Daniel said, casually using her name without her rank, at the moment he cared more about her well-being than about her rank. "Fate and the gods be damned, you're not cursed or forsaken."
K'Ren leaned in against Daniel. He's been her wingmate for pretty much all of her career, he'd saved her ass a few times, he'd known Markus, knew how much K'Ren had loved the pilot, and she knew he knew how torn up she'd been when she'd lost her mate. He'd kept tabs on her, made sure she came through the madness in one piece. She knew the next days would be hard, she need time off to grieve, to deal with the mental anguish she felt, the near insanity her species suffered after their link to their mate broke, the madness her people called it. "And yet Daniel," she said softly, "Those I love are torn from me. I lost Markus, I lost a cub, and now I lost Deacon. Everyone I love around me dies. How is that not cursed?"
As K'Ren leaned against him he wrapped an arm around her. He remembered what it was like the last time this happened and how it nearly destroyed her, he wasn't going to let that happen no matter what Fate had in mind. "You still have me, and Uriah and the other pilots. I'll be here for you every step of the way." He said softly. He would have to speak to Commander Ravon about giving her a leave of absence to deal with the mental trauma.
It felt strange in some ways, but she felt a measure of comfort with Daniel's arm wrapped around her holding her close. She sniffled a little, "I know the wolves are here for me, you and Uriah, and even Liam. I just need space, the madness will consume me for a time, it is the Caet way." She paused, knowing more hardship was to come, she'd have to face Deacon one last time, the shell he once inhabited empty, her mate now before the fanged god. "You will come with me when I see Deacon one last time? Say goodbye to my mate."
"Of course I will K'Ren." Daniel said. "If you need anything at all let me know." He added as he continued to hold her close. Daniel didn't know Deacon that well but he knew that he hadn't deserved whatever Fate had done to him. He would support his wingmate throughout her time of need.
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Topic: CH06 Battle Log: Loggin’ Into The Danger Zone [D03|1405] (Read 7216 times)
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