*Lanco II Orbital Gateway. 2 Synthesiser Cruisers approach the stricken vessel, weapons armed.
Lanco III, Gateroom. Hammond and Harper have been summoned.*
Hammond: Report!
Lieutenant: An unidentified ship just emerged from the orbital gate!
Hammond: One of Supreme Commander Solara's ships?
Lieutenant: Negative. It's non-Iconian! It looks...
Sir, I'm getting a hundred-year-old Klingon transponder code!
Hammond: Klingon?!
Tell the Synthesisers to stand down before they tear that ship to pieces!
Lieutenant: Yes sir!
B'etara's sensors lit up, "Sir, scanners are just coming online after we finished the jump. We're surrounded. Their weapons are armed! I'm bringing up the visual display."
Maelstrom's jaws were agape a moment.. "Can we scan them?"
"No Captain, they're using technology well beyond ours.. and we left with top of the line equipment from our era."
Maelstrom shook his head.. "Broadcast both audio and video this time." He repeated, "I am Captain Maelstrom Vortex of the KDF Dragon Emperor. We are in distress. Our weapons are offline, do not be honor-less Petaqs by shooting us." The visage of the Gorn captain this time was clearly defined, teeth that looked like rows on a serrated knife, small.. sharp, foreward focused eyes.. a born predator. But he knew against what he stood, his physical appearance would mean little.
B'etara's sensors lit up, "Sir, scanners are just coming online after we finished the jump. We're surrounded. Their weapons are armed! I'm bringing up the visual display."
Maelstrom's jaws were agape a moment.. "Can we scan them?"
"No Captain, they're using technology well beyond ours.. and we left with top of the line equipment from our era."
Maelstrom shook his head.. "Broadcast both audio and video this time." He repeated, "I am Captain Maelstrom Vortex of the KDF Dragon Emperor. We are in distress. Our weapons are offline, do not be honor-less Petaqs by shooting us." The visage of the Gorn captain this time was clearly defined, teeth that looked like rows on a serrated knife, small.. sharp, foreward focused eyes.. a born predator. But he knew against what he stood, his physical appearance would mean little.
*Hammond sees the image before tapping the comm panel.*
Hammond: Fali, tell your people to pull away!
R.S.S. Columbia, move in to investigate the Dragon Emperor. Approach with shields and weapons down!
*Hammond sees the image before tapping the comm panel.*
Hammond: Fali, tell your people to pull away!
R.S.S. Columbia, move in to investigate the Dragon Emperor. Approach with shields and weapons down!
Maelstrom would have smiled, but Gorn have trouble, being reptillians, getting their lips to move. His eye ridges did ease down into a more relaxed state.. they were often the only way anyone could tell, other than his intonations, as to what he might be feeling. He glanced over to Horin and Shakat. "Get our weapons back online, but don't power them up. We don't want to send the wrong message, but if they're hostile. I want options."
He then spoke to his ship, "Dragon Emperor.."
"Yes captain?" Came the utterances that sounded like a female Gorn, a personal modification he made.
"In the event you detect death by unnatural causes on this ship other than caused by user error or mechanical malfunction, dump tricobalt into the warp engines and obliterate everything within a parsec. We may be from another time, but we are still sovereign over this ship."
"Very well, but I really don't like the idea of blowing myself up, could we try to avoid that?" The ship inquired.
He snorted in response.. and began pacing.. waiting to see what these as of yet unidentified entities were up to. They didn't look Iconian, but their ships were also unlike anything he'd yet encountered.
"B'etara, inform me as soon as you have information as to our whereabouts. Let us try.. one last broadcast."
B'etara grumbled over her console frustratedly, "The stars are off by considerable margins. I'm having to reverse engineer the patterns."
Maelstrom hailed the ships again, "Please clarify your intention. We want to advise you, that if you do not harm us, we can provide you useful information as to the operation of this gate."
*Hammond sees the image before tapping the comm panel.*
Hammond: Fali, tell your people to pull away!
R.S.S. Columbia, move in to investigate the Dragon Emperor. Approach with shields and weapons down!
*Fali does see the tension and has the ships back off and power down..*
Fali: I guess they could not tell... Anyway... I have to return to my body...
*As he leaves the virtual link Fali's original body steps out of the tube markings of his people on his body.. He looks at the rooms beyond him which are identical tubes some containing clones, others of gholas of the people that were in the genetic catalog... His people's life line nearly restored. *
Fali: I expect Waff to try and intervene somehow..
Dani: So, one thing I just thought of. Food in a holodeck is replicated, but if the safeties are off, does that mean the food could be poisoned?
Terry: Possible but unlikely.. He would want the money we carry.. He doesn't want to set the trap off too soon and have more agencies breathing down his neck.
Jacob hears more coming up behind him and tosses a grenade while keeping his focus up front.
Pilot: sir i have the admiral but he's insisting we wait for you.
Jacob: I can't make it back it time. Take off now. I don't care what you have to do to him. The info we have has to get off this ship and it's almost back up to full power.
Pilot: aye sir. It's been an honor.
Jacob: besides a still have a few tricks left.
He cuts the channel as his HUD shows the pelican leaving. He types a command into his gauntlet as a suit forms around him.
Jacob: let's dance.
He fires his hand repulsors at the nearest enemy blasting them to vapors. He keeps up the pressure for several min making sure the pelican is clear. As he prepares to jump a large blast throws him down the hall way. Dazing him.
Jacob shakes his head.
Jacob: what the hell was report.
Computer: main thrusters and shields offline. Power down to 25 percent.
Jacob: eject non vital parts.
He soon stands in as semi suit. One more for protection with the two hand repulsors still attached.
Jacob: well there went the escape plan.
Zealot: you will burn in eternal damnation
Jacob blasts it's head off with a repulsor blast.
Jacob: yeah get in line. Computer how many enemy troops are on this ship and what is it's class.
Computer: it is a mainframe class command cruiser crew of 15000. All waking from cryo
Jacob : you are not a bearer of good news. Well where can we make the most damage.
Computer: core room one deck below.
" Now the gate has been unlatched headstones pushed aside; corpses shift and offer room ,a fate you must abide."
Maelstrom began to assume the other ships were simply not going to interact with the Dragon King, but were now simply observing and trying to determine what to do with them. Well, he wasn't known for his patience.
He had a meal in the galley of some freshly slain targ. The hot blood helped clear his mind and get him thinking. He looked around at his crew.. they were stout warriors, but they were on edge. How were they going to get back to the Empire? Did it even exist now? Was there a way back with the portals in their current state?
Maelstrom was rather certain of the latter, but he was wondering if his crew would be as impatient with him as he was becoming with the situation.
In a foul mood, he made his way back to the bridge, at one point literally tossing a lower ranking officer out of his way and about 5 feet down a corridor. The crew both feared and loved him.. it was the only thing that kept him from getting a battleth in his back. He brought them victory.. and made their lives sometimes terribly interesting with the risks he took. "Give way to your captain!" He roared at the obstructing crewman in a very rough northern Gorn dialect. The computers translation was kinder. She always had to soften his tone for him. She too was probably the only reason he didn't yet have a battleth in his back.
The door to the bridge opened, he ordered the temperature up two degrees to the chagrin of his bridge officers. Hot.. steamy, just like a homeworld swamp. That's how he liked his bridge.. and the engineers hated him for it. It had such a deleterious effect on the electronics.
"B'etara, any change in status?" He rumbled..
She just shook her head.
"Very well, then we act first. Horin, turn this ship around. We're going to begin working to re-tune this gate to our uses. We will try to return the way we came. See if we can tap the gate's current power supply, we'll try to store some in our capacitors to use when we leave normal space/time." Belphegor's gate.. it brought them here.. it will take them home.
The Lethean Engineer, Horin, who sat at the helm spun the ship around. Their borg deflector dish activated. It began to assess and route power from the gateway.
Maelstrom began to assume the other ships were simply not going to interact with the Dragon King, but were now simply observing and trying to determine what to do with them. Well, he wasn't known for his patience.
He had a meal in the galley of some freshly slain targ. The hot blood helped clear his mind and get him thinking. He looked around at his crew.. they were stout warriors, but they were on edge. How were they going to get back to the Empire? Did it even exist now? Was there a way back with the portals in their current state?
Maelstrom was rather certain of the latter, but he was wondering if his crew would be as impatient with him as he was becoming with the situation.
In a foul mood, he made his way back to the bridge, at one point literally tossing a lower ranking officer out of his way and about 5 feet down a corridor. The crew both feared and loved him.. it was the only thing that kept him from getting a battleth in his back. He brought them victory.. and made their lives sometimes terribly interesting with the risks he took. "Give way to your captain!" He roared at the obstructing crewman in a very rough northern Gorn dialect. The computers translation was kinder. She always had to soften his tone for him. She too was probably the only reason he didn't yet have a battleth in his back.
The door to the bridge opened, he ordered the temperature up two degrees to the chagrin of his bridge officers. Hot.. steamy, just like a homeworld swamp. That's how he liked his bridge.. and the engineers hated him for it. It had such a deleterious effect on the electronics.
"B'etara, any change in status?" He rumbled..
She just shook her head.
"Very well, then we act first. Horin, turn this ship around. We're going to begin working to re-tune this gate to our uses. We will try to return the way we came. See if we can tap the gate's current power supply, we'll try to store some in our capacitors to use when we leave normal space/time." Belphegor's gate.. it brought them here.. it will take them home.
The Lethean Engineer, Horin, who sat at the helm spun the ship around. Their borg deflector dish activated. It began to assess and route power from the gateway.
*R.S.S. Challenger, Bridge.*
Captain: Report.
Ops: The Synthesiser Cruisers have pulled off, but the Dragon Emperor is starting to mess with the gateway.
Captain: Bad idea. An Iconian Convoy is on its way and it'll make roadkill out of them.
Open a channel.
This is Captain Hanson of the Republic of United Star Systems to KDF Dragon Emperor. We've been assigned to escort you to Lanco III. Do you require any assistance?
Terry: Possible but unlikely.. He would want the money we carry.. He doesn't want to set the trap off too soon and have more agencies breathing down his neck.
A short time later they dock with infinity. Lasky is there waiting for them with medical teams as two of the odst are carried out. Lasky looks to hood
Lasky: where is Jacob ?
Hood: Jacob didn't make it. He stayed behind so we could get away. I need to speak to high com
Set course for jehrico 7.
Lasky: aye sir.
Lasky heads for the bridge as hood heads to his ready room. When he arrives he pulls up high comm.
Hood : hello everyone. I have some bad news.
Admiral yoto: what is it
General black: what is it hood. Please tell us.
Hood : Jacob is dead.
Black: I .... Thank you admiral for informing us. I would like you to return here immediately.
Hood: I've already set course.
The channel closes as hood stands looking out the window he pours himself two drinks. Leaving one on the table and taking the other one looking out the window.
Hood: thank you. Old friend thank you.
He bows his head a minute before taking a drink.
" Now the gate has been unlatched headstones pushed aside; corpses shift and offer room ,a fate you must abide."
*R.S.S. Enterprise, Matt's Quarters. Matt is sat on the sofa, reading a PADD, his face pale with concern. After a few moments, he sets the PADD down and taps his combadge.*
Matt: All hands, this is Admiral Forrester. Can I have your attention please?
At approximately 1700 hours, Earth standard, yesterday, Planetary Defence Force Bases across Eris IV came under attack by terrorist insurgents. The first casualty reports should be coming through shortly.
It's important to understand; this isn't just a terrorist attack. This is a full-scale insurgency. Insurgent Forces have already taken control of the city of Harvest.
Beyond that, information is difficult to come by. All reports will be displayed in the Mess Hall as they come in. Thank you.
Unsc reporter: and now for our breaking report. After a small team of unsc and ONI forces boarder a mainframe ship. We have received word that Jacob Halsey. Director of ONI section 3 has been declared KIA. He stayed behind to ensure that his fellow team could escape with information vital to the unsc. This report has been confirmed by Admiral hood. A memorial is planned for sometime in the next few days. We will give you more information as we receive.
" Now the gate has been unlatched headstones pushed aside; corpses shift and offer room ,a fate you must abide."
Ops: The Synthesiser Cruisers have pulled off, but the Dragon Emperor is starting to mess with the gateway.
Captain: Bad idea. An Iconian Convoy is on its way and it'll make roadkill out of them.
Open a channel.
This is Captain Hanson of the Republic of United Star Systems to KDF Dragon Emperor. We've been assigned to escort you to Lanco III. Do you require any assistance?
"Captain Hanson. How kind of you to finally reply. United Star Systems? We do not recognize that designation. Please explain, but before you do.. I'll explain myself. We just came from a gateway beyond recorded space time.. at a distance at such the universe could only be detected as an expanding spec. We are reconfiguring this gate to jump there.. and then to make a second jump.. from there.. back to our home. You can help us by staying out of our way. You must agree.. that we do not belong here. Proceed now with your explanation." Maelstrom gazed quietly into the view screen, his eye ridges lowered until they were practically linear across his forehead indicating he was in a calm, if not serene state. His normally slitted eyes were ovular, indicating he was not primed to fight, but feeling calm. His stance was relaxed, handlike claws folded neatly behind his back.
As he waited for Hanson he looked over to B'etara and observed the progress of charging the capacitors on the monitors just over her shoulder... then returned his gaze back to the view-screen.
"Captain Hanson. How kind of you to finally reply. United Star Systems? We do not recognize that designation. Please explain, but before you do.. I'll explain myself. We just came from a gateway beyond recorded space time.. at a distance at such the universe could only be detected as an expanding spec. We are reconfiguring this gate to jump there.. and then to make a second jump.. from there.. back to our home. You can help us by staying out of our way. You must agree.. that we do not belong here. Proceed now with your explanation." Maelstrom gazed quietly into the view screen, his eye ridges lowered until they were practically linear across his forehead indicating he was in a calm, if not serene state. His normally slitted eyes were ovular, indicating he was not primed to fight, but feeling calm. His stance was relaxed, handlike claws folded neatly behind his back.
As he waited for Hanson he looked over to B'etara and observed the progress of charging the capacitors on the monitors just over her shoulder... then returned his gaze back to the view-screen.
Hanson: Dragon Emperor, that Gateway is not identical to the one you encountered. It is a two-way connection to an identical Gateway in the Iconian home galaxy. We're expecting a convoy of Iconian Motherships to come through any moment.
Captain, this Gateway, while it may have bought you here, it can't send you back. It only connects to one place.
If you fire the Gateway's capacitors, you risk destroying it and cutting the Iconians in the Milky Way off from their home. The Iconians are vital to our war effort against a superior alien force hell-bent on the extermination of every advanced sentient being in the galaxy. Including the Gorn.
Maelstrom raised an eye ridge, "You are in contact with the Iconians directly? Interesting.. I think I found some of their relics." He waved over to B'etara to shut down the charging process.
"We'll move a safe distance from the gateway so we can talk.. but I don't trust you yet. Going directly to a particular planet is not something I'm willing to have my ship and crew do yet. If we are to stay in this time.. we'll need to know all that you know about the current situation of this galaxy. Would you be willing to beam aboard to brief me? If so, I'll see you in my lounge. Its location is being transmitted to you in relation to its position on this heavily modified vessel. Feel free to bring whatever security will make you comfortable, but I can already tell I am no threat to you. Do be aware though.. we have taken precautions that if any of us are harmed you may not appreciate the consequences."
Bishop stands on the plain of a unsc world in a backwater agriculture he stands on a plain of wheat as it blows in the wind. He feels an old enemy waking. He walks through the field to a small modest farm house.
He sees a woman with a young child and a young man in his early twenties and a man that looks to be in his later 40s.
Bishop: we need to talk.
The older man motions for the rest of them to go inside.
Bishop : most people think your dead.
Sinclaire : well that was the idea.
Bishop: you know what happened.
Sinclaire: I've seen the reports.
Bishop: then you know why I'm here. They need our active help. Not just in dire emergnecies.
Sinclaire: and am I to leave what I have here finally having a peaceful life.
Bishop: if you won't let me take the boy.
Sinclaire: jetran is still young he has no experience.
Bishop: then I'll teach him.
Sinclaire: you can speak to him. If he wants to go he can go with you.
Bishop : thank you.
" Now the gate has been unlatched headstones pushed aside; corpses shift and offer room ,a fate you must abide."
Maelstrom raised an eye ridge, "You are in contact with the Iconians directly? Interesting.. I think I found some of their relics." He waved over to B'etara to shut down the charging process.
"We'll move a safe distance from the gateway so we can talk.. but I don't trust you yet. Going directly to a particular planet is not something I'm willing to have my ship and crew do yet. If we are to stay in this time.. we'll need to know all that you know about the current situation of this galaxy. Would you be willing to beam aboard to brief me? If so, I'll see you in my lounge. Its location is being transmitted to you in relation to its position on this heavily modified vessel. Feel free to bring whatever security will make you comfortable, but I can already tell I am no threat to you. Do be aware though.. we have taken precautions that if any of us are harmed you may not appreciate the consequences."
Hanson: Understood. Columbia, out.
*The viewscreen cuts out.*
Commander, maintain alert status. I'll go over there alone.
XO: Sir, if we timestamped that ship right, that crew still thinks the Federation is their enemy. They'll kill any human--
Hanson: Funny, I thought it said 'captain' on my uniform?
*Hanson walks out.
Within minutes, he's in transporter room 3, ready to beam over to the Dragon Emperor.*
Hanson would find himself in a room with a transparent wall looking into space. He would see Maelstrom gazing out at all the traffic around the gateway and the nearby Columbia. "Welcome aboard. You have a nice vessel. I was aware this may happen when I made the second exploratory jump. I guess we didn't have enough power to make it all the way back to our time. I suppose that's the reason this timline looks the way it does. There'd probably be a great many more warbird variants about if I had successfully made the return trip." He spoke softly, growls and hisses vanishing beneath the translated words chimed by the computer. In his hand was a glass of Gorn home-world 'slarg', a green swampy mixture that had partial algae content, to non reptilians it was typically very unappetizing and had the same kick as Romulan Ale. There was even a rumor at one point the Gorn had plasma torpedoes that were fueled by the stuff.
"What happened to the Federation.. the Empire? Where are the borg?" Maelstrom would turn to ask.
The ship chimed in her soft female voice, "I would like to know what happened to the Borg as well. I have a slight affection for them given a good chunk of my intelligence is derived on their algorithms."
"Oh, sorry.. That's the Emperor, she's self aware and a functional part of her crew." Maelstrom would explain.
The room was hot, humid.. like an everglade swamp.
Comments
Terry: I will have to keep in mind that one.
*Their orders are in.. and within the hour are in front of them..*
Dani: So, one thing I just thought of. Food in a holodeck is replicated, but if the safeties are off, does that mean the food could be poisoned?
Trials of Blood and Fire
Moving On Parts 1-3 - Part 4
In Cold Blood
B'etara's sensors lit up, "Sir, scanners are just coming online after we finished the jump. We're surrounded. Their weapons are armed! I'm bringing up the visual display."
Maelstrom's jaws were agape a moment.. "Can we scan them?"
"No Captain, they're using technology well beyond ours.. and we left with top of the line equipment from our era."
Maelstrom shook his head.. "Broadcast both audio and video this time." He repeated, "I am Captain Maelstrom Vortex of the KDF Dragon Emperor. We are in distress. Our weapons are offline, do not be honor-less Petaqs by shooting us." The visage of the Gorn captain this time was clearly defined, teeth that looked like rows on a serrated knife, small.. sharp, foreward focused eyes.. a born predator. But he knew against what he stood, his physical appearance would mean little.
Colas: Demora.
Trials of Blood and Fire
Moving On Parts 1-3 - Part 4
In Cold Blood
*Hammond sees the image before tapping the comm panel.*
Hammond: Fali, tell your people to pull away!
R.S.S. Columbia, move in to investigate the Dragon Emperor. Approach with shields and weapons down!
Trials of Blood and Fire
Moving On Parts 1-3 - Part 4
In Cold Blood
Maelstrom would have smiled, but Gorn have trouble, being reptillians, getting their lips to move. His eye ridges did ease down into a more relaxed state.. they were often the only way anyone could tell, other than his intonations, as to what he might be feeling. He glanced over to Horin and Shakat. "Get our weapons back online, but don't power them up. We don't want to send the wrong message, but if they're hostile. I want options."
He then spoke to his ship, "Dragon Emperor.."
"Yes captain?" Came the utterances that sounded like a female Gorn, a personal modification he made.
"In the event you detect death by unnatural causes on this ship other than caused by user error or mechanical malfunction, dump tricobalt into the warp engines and obliterate everything within a parsec. We may be from another time, but we are still sovereign over this ship."
"Very well, but I really don't like the idea of blowing myself up, could we try to avoid that?" The ship inquired.
He snorted in response.. and began pacing.. waiting to see what these as of yet unidentified entities were up to. They didn't look Iconian, but their ships were also unlike anything he'd yet encountered.
"B'etara, inform me as soon as you have information as to our whereabouts. Let us try.. one last broadcast."
B'etara grumbled over her console frustratedly, "The stars are off by considerable margins. I'm having to reverse engineer the patterns."
Maelstrom hailed the ships again, "Please clarify your intention. We want to advise you, that if you do not harm us, we can provide you useful information as to the operation of this gate."
Meanwhile
Virgo.
Jacob and his teams have been going through the ship for hours. Finding no bodies or see able damage inside.
*Fali does see the tension and has the ships back off and power down..*
Fali: I guess they could not tell... Anyway... I have to return to my body...
*As he leaves the virtual link Fali's original body steps out of the tube markings of his people on his body.. He looks at the rooms beyond him which are identical tubes some containing clones, others of gholas of the people that were in the genetic catalog... His people's life line nearly restored. *
Fali: I expect Waff to try and intervene somehow..
Terry: Possible but unlikely.. He would want the money we carry.. He doesn't want to set the trap off too soon and have more agencies breathing down his neck.
*Gillian stops*
Gillian: Want to say that again? Brainless idiot.
Jacob: Gamma team report in.
Hood: this isn't good.
Odst: we can go check on them.
Jacob: no. We will head back to the pelican we need to get out of here now.
Lights start coming back on as they head out.
Jacob: this isn't good.
A energy blasts hits one of the odst as they all turn firing at the enemy
Jacob: go get the admiral to the pelican NOW!!!
Jacob pulls out his pistol and fires twice at its head. As another one soon appears he continues to fire.
Odst: we have hostile a blocking our path to the pelican.
Jacob: use your heavy launchers on them and get the admiral off the ship.
Hood: I'm not leaving you here
Jacob: I have authority here admiral. Corporal get the admiral off this ship.
Odst: aye sir.
Pilot: sir i have the admiral but he's insisting we wait for you.
Jacob: I can't make it back it time. Take off now. I don't care what you have to do to him. The info we have has to get off this ship and it's almost back up to full power.
Pilot: aye sir. It's been an honor.
Jacob: besides a still have a few tricks left.
He cuts the channel as his HUD shows the pelican leaving. He types a command into his gauntlet as a suit forms around him.
Jacob: let's dance.
He fires his hand repulsors at the nearest enemy blasting them to vapors. He keeps up the pressure for several min making sure the pelican is clear. As he prepares to jump a large blast throws him down the hall way. Dazing him.
Jacob shakes his head.
Jacob: what the hell was report.
Computer: main thrusters and shields offline. Power down to 25 percent.
Jacob: eject non vital parts.
He soon stands in as semi suit. One more for protection with the two hand repulsors still attached.
Jacob: well there went the escape plan.
Zealot: you will burn in eternal damnation
Jacob blasts it's head off with a repulsor blast.
Jacob: yeah get in line. Computer how many enemy troops are on this ship and what is it's class.
Computer: it is a mainframe class command cruiser crew of 15000. All waking from cryo
Jacob : you are not a bearer of good news. Well where can we make the most damage.
Computer: core room one deck below.
He had a meal in the galley of some freshly slain targ. The hot blood helped clear his mind and get him thinking. He looked around at his crew.. they were stout warriors, but they were on edge. How were they going to get back to the Empire? Did it even exist now? Was there a way back with the portals in their current state?
Maelstrom was rather certain of the latter, but he was wondering if his crew would be as impatient with him as he was becoming with the situation.
In a foul mood, he made his way back to the bridge, at one point literally tossing a lower ranking officer out of his way and about 5 feet down a corridor. The crew both feared and loved him.. it was the only thing that kept him from getting a battleth in his back. He brought them victory.. and made their lives sometimes terribly interesting with the risks he took. "Give way to your captain!" He roared at the obstructing crewman in a very rough northern Gorn dialect. The computers translation was kinder. She always had to soften his tone for him. She too was probably the only reason he didn't yet have a battleth in his back.
The door to the bridge opened, he ordered the temperature up two degrees to the chagrin of his bridge officers. Hot.. steamy, just like a homeworld swamp. That's how he liked his bridge.. and the engineers hated him for it. It had such a deleterious effect on the electronics.
"B'etara, any change in status?" He rumbled..
She just shook her head.
"Very well, then we act first. Horin, turn this ship around. We're going to begin working to re-tune this gate to our uses. We will try to return the way we came. See if we can tap the gate's current power supply, we'll try to store some in our capacitors to use when we leave normal space/time." Belphegor's gate.. it brought them here.. it will take them home.
The Lethean Engineer, Horin, who sat at the helm spun the ship around. Their borg deflector dish activated. It began to assess and route power from the gateway.
Colas: What? I'm not allowed to use your first name anymore?
Trials of Blood and Fire
Moving On Parts 1-3 - Part 4
In Cold Blood
*R.S.S. Challenger, Bridge.*
Captain: Report.
Ops: The Synthesiser Cruisers have pulled off, but the Dragon Emperor is starting to mess with the gateway.
Captain: Bad idea. An Iconian Convoy is on its way and it'll make roadkill out of them.
Open a channel.
This is Captain Hanson of the Republic of United Star Systems to KDF Dragon Emperor. We've been assigned to escort you to Lanco III. Do you require any assistance?
Trials of Blood and Fire
Moving On Parts 1-3 - Part 4
In Cold Blood
Dani: Good.
So, what's the plan again?
Trials of Blood and Fire
Moving On Parts 1-3 - Part 4
In Cold Blood
Jacob: well that was smart.
He slowly gets up. As more enemy troops come rushing in from every direction.
Computer: repulsors down to 5 percent.
Jacob: prepare to put all repulsor energy into one shot
Zealot: you have failed. We will find your friends and kill then as well. Nothing can save you now.
Jacob: oh really. Guess what you can all do.
They look at him somewhat puzzled.
Jacob: go to hell!!
He fires a large blasts straight at the core causing a micro nova destroying everything within 100km of the ship. Meanwhile on the pelican.
Pilot: I've..... I've lost his signal.
Hood: we could just be out of range.
Pilot: no sir I'm sorry.
OOC: He went out like a badass.
*Salutes*
Now the UNSC just have to kick their asses completely.
Trials of Blood and Fire
Moving On Parts 1-3 - Part 4
In Cold Blood
Lasky: where is Jacob ?
Hood: Jacob didn't make it. He stayed behind so we could get away. I need to speak to high com
Set course for jehrico 7.
Lasky: aye sir.
Lasky heads for the bridge as hood heads to his ready room. When he arrives he pulls up high comm.
Hood : hello everyone. I have some bad news.
Admiral yoto: what is it
General black: what is it hood. Please tell us.
Hood : Jacob is dead.
Black: I .... Thank you admiral for informing us. I would like you to return here immediately.
Hood: I've already set course.
The channel closes as hood stands looking out the window he pours himself two drinks. Leaving one on the table and taking the other one looking out the window.
Hood: thank you. Old friend thank you.
He bows his head a minute before taking a drink.
Matt: All hands, this is Admiral Forrester. Can I have your attention please?
At approximately 1700 hours, Earth standard, yesterday, Planetary Defence Force Bases across Eris IV came under attack by terrorist insurgents. The first casualty reports should be coming through shortly.
It's important to understand; this isn't just a terrorist attack. This is a full-scale insurgency. Insurgent Forces have already taken control of the city of Harvest.
Beyond that, information is difficult to come by. All reports will be displayed in the Mess Hall as they come in. Thank you.
Trials of Blood and Fire
Moving On Parts 1-3 - Part 4
In Cold Blood
"Captain Hanson. How kind of you to finally reply. United Star Systems? We do not recognize that designation. Please explain, but before you do.. I'll explain myself. We just came from a gateway beyond recorded space time.. at a distance at such the universe could only be detected as an expanding spec. We are reconfiguring this gate to jump there.. and then to make a second jump.. from there.. back to our home. You can help us by staying out of our way. You must agree.. that we do not belong here. Proceed now with your explanation." Maelstrom gazed quietly into the view screen, his eye ridges lowered until they were practically linear across his forehead indicating he was in a calm, if not serene state. His normally slitted eyes were ovular, indicating he was not primed to fight, but feeling calm. His stance was relaxed, handlike claws folded neatly behind his back.
As he waited for Hanson he looked over to B'etara and observed the progress of charging the capacitors on the monitors just over her shoulder... then returned his gaze back to the view-screen.
Hanson: Dragon Emperor, that Gateway is not identical to the one you encountered. It is a two-way connection to an identical Gateway in the Iconian home galaxy. We're expecting a convoy of Iconian Motherships to come through any moment.
Captain, this Gateway, while it may have bought you here, it can't send you back. It only connects to one place.
If you fire the Gateway's capacitors, you risk destroying it and cutting the Iconians in the Milky Way off from their home. The Iconians are vital to our war effort against a superior alien force hell-bent on the extermination of every advanced sentient being in the galaxy. Including the Gorn.
Trials of Blood and Fire
Moving On Parts 1-3 - Part 4
In Cold Blood
"We'll move a safe distance from the gateway so we can talk.. but I don't trust you yet. Going directly to a particular planet is not something I'm willing to have my ship and crew do yet. If we are to stay in this time.. we'll need to know all that you know about the current situation of this galaxy. Would you be willing to beam aboard to brief me? If so, I'll see you in my lounge. Its location is being transmitted to you in relation to its position on this heavily modified vessel. Feel free to bring whatever security will make you comfortable, but I can already tell I am no threat to you. Do be aware though.. we have taken precautions that if any of us are harmed you may not appreciate the consequences."
He sees a woman with a young child and a young man in his early twenties and a man that looks to be in his later 40s.
Bishop: we need to talk.
The older man motions for the rest of them to go inside.
Bishop : most people think your dead.
Sinclaire : well that was the idea.
Bishop: you know what happened.
Sinclaire: I've seen the reports.
Bishop: then you know why I'm here. They need our active help. Not just in dire emergnecies.
Sinclaire: and am I to leave what I have here finally having a peaceful life.
Bishop: if you won't let me take the boy.
Sinclaire: jetran is still young he has no experience.
Bishop: then I'll teach him.
Sinclaire: you can speak to him. If he wants to go he can go with you.
Bishop : thank you.
Hanson: Understood. Columbia, out.
*The viewscreen cuts out.*
Commander, maintain alert status. I'll go over there alone.
XO: Sir, if we timestamped that ship right, that crew still thinks the Federation is their enemy. They'll kill any human--
Hanson: Funny, I thought it said 'captain' on my uniform?
*Hanson walks out.
Within minutes, he's in transporter room 3, ready to beam over to the Dragon Emperor.*
Transporter Chief: I have the coordinates, sir.
Hanson: In that case, chief, energise.
Trials of Blood and Fire
Moving On Parts 1-3 - Part 4
In Cold Blood
"What happened to the Federation.. the Empire? Where are the borg?" Maelstrom would turn to ask.
The ship chimed in her soft female voice, "I would like to know what happened to the Borg as well. I have a slight affection for them given a good chunk of my intelligence is derived on their algorithms."
"Oh, sorry.. That's the Emperor, she's self aware and a functional part of her crew." Maelstrom would explain.
The room was hot, humid.. like an everglade swamp.