Soval: If this were related to the Vault, we would have heard about it. The Vault does house Borg technology, so it is more likely that our adversaries are after that technology.
(OOC: Sorry I was out of commission there for a while. Had to make a trip to sickbay.)
McLean: Regardless of who's responsible, the people on that station have to be warned.
Thryiss: Agreed. We may not have much time.
Wil: Captain, may I add something?
Thryiss: Of course.
Wil: If your ships integrate Borg technology in any way, I suggest we take every precaution to hide it from sensors. The way things are going, we may not want to advertise our use of Borg components. (To Thryiss) Captain, with your permission, I'll inform engineering to lockdown astrometrix.
Thryiss: Do it.
*Wil nods to the room, and exits.*
McLean: I'll head back and contact the Vault.
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC] "There are three things to remember about being a starship captain:
keep your shirt tucked in, go down with the ship, and never abandon a member of your crew."
- Kathryn Janeway
(OOC: Sorry I was out of commission there for a while. Had to make a trip to sickbay.)
McLean: Regardless of who's responsible, the people on that station have to be warned.
Thryiss: Agreed. We may not have much time.
Wil: Captain, may I add something?
Thryiss: Of course.
Wil: If your ships integrate Borg technology in any way, I suggest we take every precaution to hide it from sensors. The way things are going, we may not want to advertise our use of Borg components. (To Thryiss) Captain, with your permission, I'll inform engineering to lockdown astrometrix.
Thryiss: Do it.
*Wil nods to the room, and exits.*
McLean: I'll head back and contact the Vault.
Ryan: Captains, that Cube destroyed a flotilla of 5 Federation Starships, the majority of them Galaxy-Class and above. Now, the Victorious can handle itself in a fight, but we only have 5 ships ourselves. We need reinforcements.
Soval: I will contact the 41st Fleet and divert ships to assist, but the nearest help is 2 days away at maximum warp.
However, the R.R.W. Marrucious is within a day's travel of us.
Ryan: Captains, that Cube destroyed a flotilla of 5 Federation Starships, the majority of them Galaxy-Class and above. Now, the Victorious can handle itself in a fight, but we only have 5 ships ourselves. We need reinforcements.
Soval: I will contact the 41st Fleet and divert ships to assist, but the nearest help is 2 days away at maximum warp.
However, the R.R.W. Marrucious is within a day's travel of us.
Soval: We are old acquaintances. I am sure he will respond to my request for assistance.
Ryan: Will 1 D'Deridex be enough though?
Soval: Doubtful. We will have to hope the Reman Resistance are able to help us turn the tide.
Thryiss: The Sunstone can pull her weight, but a few more friendlies wouldn't hurt. Unfortunately, I've been somewhat isolated for the past few years. I can't think of anyone who owes me favours.
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC] "There are three things to remember about being a starship captain:
keep your shirt tucked in, go down with the ship, and never abandon a member of your crew."
- Kathryn Janeway
Thryiss: The Sunstone can pull her weight, but a few more friendlies wouldn't hurt. Unfortunately, I've been somewhat isolated for the past few years. I can't think of anyone who owes me favours.
Ryan: Well, I guess we'll have to hope Commander Tomarek can rally enough support.
Ryan: Well, I guess we'll have to hope Commander Tomarek can rally enough support.
Is there anything else?
Thryiss: Nothing here. Captains? *She looks to the others expectantly.*
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC] "There are three things to remember about being a starship captain:
keep your shirt tucked in, go down with the ship, and never abandon a member of your crew."
- Kathryn Janeway
*R.S.S. Victorious, Observation Lounge. After everyone leaves, Ryan walks over to the window, unaware that Captain Marilla "Daya" Saph stopped before reaching the door. Daya walks over to him, putting a hand on his shoulder.*
Daya: You okay?
Ryan: Yeah.
Just worried.
Daya: About Dannover?
Ryan: Partly.
About this crew. It's something I can never get off my mind when I'm thrown into situations like this.
Daya: Because of your parents?
Ryan: Daya...
Daya: You've been living with this since the Academy.
Ryan: How am I supposed to forget the U.S.S. Olympic being destroyed at Starbase 24?!
I saw it on the newsfeed. I saw 5 Klingon Negh'vars destroy a Medical Ship during their unprovoked assault on SB24 in 2407! They didn't even let the Escape Pods survive!
Daya: I know, Ryan! We were in the same class, for God sakes!
Ryan: It wasn't an accusation, dammit!
I just... I don't want to lead this crew to their deaths.
Vranlek: The Borg cube is on sensors again. It's coming to investigate the planet that was just destroyed.
Voporak: How close is it?
Vranlek: At its current speed, two hours.
Voporak: Alright. All hands to battle stations. Maintain cloak.
Vranlek: I believe there is a way to use the Borg to our advantage.
Voporak: Do tell, lieutenant...
*Two hours later. The Borg cube arrives in the system and begins scanning the planet's wreckage*
Mirra: They haven't detected us yet.
Voporak: Good. Vranlek, are you ready?
*The Reman nods*
Omet'etan, hit it.
*The Black Phantom decloaks, and begins flying circles around the cube. The cube attempts to shoot down the speedy Sao Paulo class ship, but only manages to get a few glancing hits. As it goes by, the Phantom makes shots here and there with its antiproton cannons*
Vranlek: Their transwarp computer lockout has been damaged. Accessing the coil now.
*The cube's transwarp coil begins to activate, causing an opening in space to appear*
Voporak: Go!
*The Phantom flies at full speed through, followed by the cube.
In the Alpha quadrant, a few dozen kilometers from the Victorious, visible from the observation lounge window, a transwarp exit forms. The Black Phantom shoots out of it at mind-blowing speed, because less than a second later, a massive green explosion occurs from the exit collapsing on the cube.*
((Sorry i was reading two different things one being this and another being something else and i accidently posted here instead by mistake and was unable to delete))
Vranlek: The Borg cube is on sensors again. It's coming to investigate the planet that was just destroyed.
Voporak: How close is it?
Vranlek: At its current speed, two hours.
Voporak: Alright. All hands to battle stations. Maintain cloak.
Vranlek: I believe there is a way to use the Borg to our advantage.
Voporak: Do tell, lieutenant...
*Two hours later. The Borg cube arrives in the system and begins scanning the planet's wreckage*
Mirra: They haven't detected us yet.
Voporak: Good. Vranlek, are you ready?
*The Reman nods*
Omet'etan, hit it.
*The Black Phantom decloaks, and begins flying circles around the cube. The cube attempts to shoot down the speedy Sao Paulo class ship, but only manages to get a few glancing hits. As it goes by, the Phantom makes shots here and there with its antiproton cannons*
Vranlek: Their transwarp computer lockout has been damaged. Accessing the coil now.
*The cube's transwarp coil begins to activate, causing an opening in space to appear*
Voporak: Go!
*The Phantom flies at full speed through, followed by the cube.
In the Alpha quadrant, a few dozen kilometers from the Victorious, visible from the observation lounge window, a transwarp exit forms. The Black Phantom shoots out of it at mind-blowing speed, because less than a second later, a massive green explosion occurs from the exit collapsing on the cube.*
*U.S.S. Victorious, Bridge. Ryan looks at the viewscreen when he sees the Black Phantom appear.*
Ryan: What the hell?!
*OOC: Sorry, thought the thread had died. Since apparently not...
*U.S.S. Victorious, Bridge. Ryan looks at the viewscreen when he sees the Black Phantom appear.*
Ryan: What the hell?!
*OOC: Sorry, thought the thread had died. Since apparently not...
Let's get back to work.*
*The Black Phantom circles around several times as it slows down from exiting the conduit. Voporak hails the Victorious*
Voporak (over comm): Sorry to show up uninvited to the party, I didn't have much choice. I've discovered something I think you should know about.
OOC: I want to save this plot for sometime later on, so we'll just keep it hidden away for now (since it's waaaaaay far out in the galaxy). Skip past this part (the conversation of what Voporak found is implied) and go right to Ryan briefing Voporak or whatever the heck you want.
*The Black Phantom circles around several times as it slows down from exiting the conduit. Voporak hails the Victorious*
Voporak (over comm): Sorry to show up uninvited to the party, I didn't have much choice. I've discovered something I think you should know about.
OOC: I want to save this plot for sometime later on, so we'll just keep it hidden away for now (since it's waaaaaay far out in the galaxy). Skip past this part (the conversation of what Voporak found is implied) and go right to Ryan briefing Voporak or whatever the heck you want.
*15 minutes later. U.S.S. Victorious, Observation Room. Ryan is walking around the room while Voporak is seated.*
Ryan: I relayed what you told me to Starfleet Command, Admiral. Admiral Smith said he'll get back to me with any information he finds.
Meanwhile, as long as you're here, you can help with our situation.
2 days ago, a member of my crew was abducted by the Borg. She was a former drone, whom we rescued during the attack on Vega Colony 3 years ago. This Cube managed to destroy 5 Federation Starships like they were nothing, and cut a hole in the primary hull.
We've got information suggesting that they're going for the Vault.
*15 minutes later. U.S.S. Victorious, Observation Room. Ryan is walking around the room while Voporak is seated.*
Ryan: I relayed what you told me to Starfleet Command, Admiral. Admiral Smith said he'll get back to me with any information he finds.
Meanwhile, as long as you're here, you can help with our situation.
2 days ago, a member of my crew was abducted by the Borg. She was a former drone, whom we rescued during the attack on Vega Colony 3 years ago. This Cube managed to destroy 5 Federation Starships like they were nothing, and cut a hole in the primary hull.
We've got information suggesting that they're going for the Vault.
Voporak: Because of the Borg tech research done there, I would assume.
I'm not sure if you know this or not, but my ship is equipped with a cloaking device. Please don't quote me the almighty Treaty of Algeron, I've already been over it with the Federation higher-ups. Not to mention the fact that Romulus is no more than some space dust now, so why does that stupid treaty even apply anymore? Pardon my digression, what I was meaning to say is that I can scout out the area for Borg activity without detection. With your approval, of course.
Voporak: Because of the Borg tech research done there, I would assume.
I'm not sure if you know this or not, but my ship is equipped with a cloaking device. Please don't quote me the almighty Treaty of Algeron, I've already been over it with the Federation higher-ups. Not to mention the fact that Romulus is no more than some space dust now, so why does that stupid treaty even apply anymore? Pardon my digression, what I was meaning to say is that I can scout out the area for Borg activity without detection. With your approval, of course.
Ryan: By all means. The Victorious is still stuck waiting for repairs to be finished, so we won't be going in for a while.
Admiral, the R.R.W. Marrucious is on her way here to support us, so if you see a D'Deridex-Class Warbird, don't panic.
Also, I wasn't going to berate you on the Treaty of Algeron. If Imperial incursions are any indication, the Romulans have already violated the Treaty.
Ryan: By all means. The Victorious is still stuck waiting for repairs to be finished, so we won't be going in for a while.
Admiral, the R.R.W. Marrucious is on her way here to support us, so if you see a D'Deridex-Class Warbird, don't panic.
Also, I wasn't going to berate you on the Treaty of Algeron. If Imperial incursions are any indication, the Romulans have already violated the Treaty.
Voporak: It was a stupid treaty to begin with anyway... but anyway I will be going now. Black Phantom, one to beam back.
*On the bridge*
Set course for the Vault, warp 9, time-lapse the core, raise cloak, engage.
*The ship's nacelles glow, but it vanishes from sensors before entering warp. The time-lapse effect (the temporal core pushes the ship slightly out of place with time to increase speed without going transwarp) leaves a barely noticeable few residual chronitons*
OOC: I'm leaving a nice little trail of breadcrumb clues for your characters to follow (the first one being Voporak's seemingly impossible speed to arrive just after Soval during the Great Barrier Particle emergency). This part here doesn't need to be followed up on at all, it's more for my own personal brand of effect.
*Voporak's ready room. He has briefed Mirra on the situation*
Mirra: That was Ryan Allington, wasn't it?
Voporak: You bet a pretty penny that was. Let's just hope things don't turn out the same way. It is a different timeline and therefore can end up differently than that other hellhole of a reality.
Mirra: Hopefully events will change to not go down that route.
Voporak: Indeed.
*Voporak glances at the profile and image displayed on his desk screen, the profile belonging to Samantha Allington.*
Voporak: It was a stupid treaty to begin with anyway... but anyway I will be going now. Black Phantom, one to beam back.
*On the bridge*
Set course for the Vault, warp 9, time-lapse the core, raise cloak, engage.
*The ship's nacelles glow, but it vanishes from sensors before entering warp. The time-lapse effect (the temporal core pushes the ship slightly out of place with time to increase speed without going transwarp) leaves a barely noticeable few residual chronitons*
OOC: I'm leaving a nice little trail of breadcrumb clues for your characters to follow (the first one being Voporak's seemingly impossible speed to arrive just after Soval during the Great Barrier Particle emergency). This part here doesn't need to be followed up on at all, it's more for my own personal brand of effect.
*Voporak's ready room. He has briefed Mirra on the situation*
Mirra: That was Ryan Allington, wasn't it?
Voporak: You bet a pretty penny that was. Let's just hope things don't turn out the same way. It is a different timeline and therefore can end up differently than that other hellhole of a reality.
Mirra: Hopefully events will change to not go down that route.
Voporak: Indeed.
*Voporak glances at the profile and image displayed on his desk screen, the profile belonging to Samantha Allington.*
OOC: Ooh... Nice touch with the reference to the other thread!
*Aboard the Echo of Damnation, a Scimitar class dreadnought, a tired Romulan general is in his ready room. His head is in his hands and his shoulders are slumped. Before him stood his first officer, tactical officer, and security officer. All Three were uneasy, they knew the general was strained but never before had they witnessed a look of such defeat on him.*
General: We have new orders.
1st officer: And judging by your reaction I'm getting a new ship.
*The tactical and security officers look at each other then the 1st officer then finally the general who had a slight gleam in his eye and a smirk*
General: No Rawne I don't think that is your fate. Sadly I doubt you'll ever get your own command. The worst has come to pass.
Rawne: You don't mean...
General: Yes it has happened. I know you said as much when we received orders to tail the federation ever since we received reports of temporal anomalies on Earth. I just never believed our "honourable" benefactors would do this. Much less have us pull the trigger.
The tactical officer spoke up: You question the honour of the Klingon empire?
General: Yes... I do... We have been ordered to engage the federation while they are in disarray from borg abductions and experimentation. We know their destination is the vault.
Rawne: Shall I have the helmsman plot a course?
General: This is why you gentlemen are here save for the ever proud Band'our I know you and Kolkolea to be loyal to me. not the empire me. I need you all to understand that war with the federation will mean our people's extinction. We are sent to the front of every conflict to prove our loyalty to both sides any time there is a skirmish we become more and more an endangered species. Band'our I beg you to understand why I cannot consider myself honourable while causing the deaths of my last remaining kin.
Band'our: Sir! You mean to disobey a direct order?
General: No. I mean to do worse. I mean to Contact the federation vessels and warn them. I mean to betray the empire. This is no longer the IKS Echo of damnation. This is The Alessia. A last bulwark of my people and you will not interfere.
*The shriek of air cooked by disruptor energy shattered the silence and Band'our slumped back into the wall with a look of shock on his face*
Band'our: You.. Have no ... honour
General: Neither does the empire
*Rawne fires again*
Rawne: shall I tell the helmsman we are heading to the vault?
General: Yes... and give me a general hail to the ship. The orion crew have accepted payment and are ours. the nausicaans are tired of being little more than shock troops to the Klingons and have freely offered their support. Kolkolea gather any Klingon crew and determine loyalty, I'm sure at least a few agree with us. It is time for us to begin.
*Aboard the Echo of Damnation, a Scimitar class dreadnought, a tired Romulan general is in his ready room. His head is in his hands and his shoulders are slumped. Before him stood his first officer, tactical officer, and security officer. All Three were uneasy, they knew the general was strained but never before had they witnessed a look of such defeat on him.*
General: We have new orders.
1st officer: And judging by your reaction I'm getting a new ship.
*The tactical and security officers look at each other then the 1st officer then finally the general who had a slight gleam in his eye and a smirk*
General: No Rawne I don't think that is your fate. Sadly I doubt you'll ever get your own command. The worst has come to pass.
Rawne: You don't mean...
General: Yes it has happened. I know you said as much when we received orders to tail the federation ever since we received reports of temporal anomalies on Earth. I just never believed our "honourable" benefactors would do this. Much less have us pull the trigger.
The tactical officer spoke up: You question the honour of the Klingon empire?
General: Yes... I do... We have been ordered to engage the federation while they are in disarray from borg abductions and experimentation. We know their destination is the vault.
Rawne: Shall I have the helmsman plot a course?
General: This is why you gentlemen are here save for the ever proud Band'our I know you and Kolkolea to be loyal to me. not the empire me. I need you all to understand that war with the federation will mean our people's extinction. We are sent to the front of every conflict to prove our loyalty to both sides any time there is a skirmish we become more and more an endangered species. Band'our I beg you to understand why I cannot consider myself honourable while causing the deaths of my last remaining kin.
Band'our: Sir! You mean to disobey a direct order?
General: No. I mean to do worse. I mean to Contact the federation vessels and warn them. I mean to betray the empire. This is no longer the IKS Echo of damnation. This is The Alessia. A last bulwark of my people and you will not interfere.
*The shriek of air cooked by disruptor energy shattered the silence and Band'our slumped back into the wall with a look of shock on his face*
Band'our: You.. Have no ... honour
General: Neither does the empire
*Rawne fires again*
Rawne: shall I tell the helmsman we are heading to the vault?
General: Yes... and give me a general hail to the ship. The orion crew have accepted payment and are ours. the nausicaans are tired of being little more than shock troops to the Klingons and have freely offered their support. Kolkolea gather any Klingon crew and determine loyalty, I'm sure at least a few agree with us. It is time for us to begin.
Rawne: At once General Ibram
OOC: You're doing great.
*I.K.S. Kahless, Qonos Sector. The Negh'var-Class Battleship is holding alongside a Gorn Cruiser.
Brigadier General Torpal, Son of Megh'bar, sits in his ready room, speaking with his Gorn Tactical Officer, S'taal.*
S'taal: ...And the Empire'sss devoting 3 new shipsss to the Federation Front.
Torpal: And our orders?
S'taal: We remain under autonomy conditionsss, General.
Torpal: Very well.
Set course for the Psi Velorum Sector Block. We will investigate this build up of Starfleet Vessels on the Romulan Border.
*I.K.S. Kahless, Qonos Sector. The Negh'var-Class Battleship is holding alongside a Gorn Cruiser.
Brigadier General Torpal, Son of Megh'bar, sits in his ready room, speaking with his Gorn Tactical Officer, S'taal.*
S'taal: ...And the Empire'sss devoting 3 new shipsss to the Federation Front.
Torpal: And our orders?
S'taal: We remain under autonomy conditionsss, General.
Torpal: Very well.
Set course for the Psi Velorum Sector Block. We will investigate this build up of Starfleet Vessels on the Romulan Border.
S'taal: Yesss sssir.
*The interior of the alessia echoes with the sound of Ibram's voice*
Men and women of the echo of damnation house of Duras has ordered us to link with a task force and assassinate several key federation personnel and either scuttle or steal their vessels
*the voices of a few hundred warriors rise through the ship*
We will not do this.
*the voices die down*
Some of you are already aware of the situation others are not. We are already underway to the ambush point. Standing orders are for Klingon personnel to be apprehended or... pacified, until loyalties can be established.
*In the mess hall men and women who were once brothers in arms rapidly turn on each other as a security team lead by kolkolea charges through the doors. Many Klingons die as few surrender.*
We are unsure of how the federation will receive us and we know kdf forces will show us no mercy. We are likely to be outnumbered and out gunned for the rest of our lives. after this day we are ghosts, some of you are worried about your families and followers on the strength. We will attempt to negotiate with the federation to evacuate who we can. Many people you know will die for what you do today even if they do agree. And even the ones that survive will likely be inside federation space. I do not believe there is a creature among us who is not wanted by the federation. The transponder has been changed we are not the iks echo of damnation anymore. we are the alessia and we fight under no banner.
*The sounds of battle through the ship begin to fade*
All hands to battle stations we have a war to stop.
*The dreadnought drops out of warp uncloaked*
The general mutters: If this doesn't work....
Then exclaims: Open all channels we need to ensure they hear this... all of them.
*all channels open*
This is the alessia All federation vessels raise shields and power up your weapons the kdf is on you in numbers prepare to engage ships of the line. I am ge... Captain Vercingetorix and stand ready to assist.
close the channels.
*all channels close*
Get us between the federation and the Klingon attack vector hopefully we can hide their numbers with our bulk and let them get any civilians out.
*The old warship begins moving at combat speed the hull black with age and scars*
*The interior of the alessia echoes with the sound of Ibram's voice*
Men and women of the echo of damnation house of Duras has ordered us to link with a task force and assassinate several key federation personnel and either scuttle or steal their vessels
*the voices of a few hundred warriors rise through the ship*
We will not do this.
*the voices die down*
Some of you are already aware of the situation others are not. We are already underway to the ambush point. Standing orders are for Klingon personnel to be apprehended or... pacified, until loyalties can be established.
*In the mess hall men and women who were once brothers in arms rapidly turn on each other as a security team lead by kolkolea charges through the doors. Many Klingons die as few surrender.*
We are unsure of how the federation will receive us and we know kdf forces will show us no mercy. We are likely to be outnumbered and out gunned for the rest of our lives. after this day we are ghosts, some of you are worried about your families and followers on the strength. We will attempt to negotiate with the federation to evacuate who we can. Many people you know will die for what you do today even if they do agree. And even the ones that survive will likely be inside federation space. I do not believe there is a creature among us who is not wanted by the federation. The transponder has been changed we are not the iks echo of damnation anymore. we are the alessia and we fight under no banner.
*The sounds of battle through the ship begin to fade*
All hands to battle stations we have a war to stop.
*The dreadnought drops out of warp uncloaked*
The general mutters: If this doesn't work....
Then exclaims: Open all channels we need to ensure they hear this... all of them.
*all channels open*
This is the alessia All federation vessels raise shields and power up your weapons the kdf is on you in numbers prepare to engage ships of the line. I am ge... Captain Vercingetorix and stand ready to assist.
close the channels.
*all channels close*
Get us between the federation and the Klingon attack vector hopefully we can hide their numbers with our bulk and let them get any civilians out.
*The old warship begins moving at combat speed the hull black with age and scars*
*U.S.S. Victorious, outside the Haakona System. After hearing the transmission, Ryan jumps out of his chair.*
Ryan: Red Alert! Shields up!
*The Red Alert Klaxon sounds as the lights dim and the red alert lighting comes on.*
Wenj: Red Alert! All hands to battle stations! This is not a drill! Repeat, this is not a drill!
Alpha: All other ships are going to Red Alert as well, Captain.
Ryan: Thank you, Lieutenant.
Victorious to Oxford. Daya, are you picking anything up?
Daya *Over Comm*: We're running the tachyon sweep now. Stand by.
We have 5 targets, cloaked. Inertia profile is consistent with the sizes of 3 Klingon B'rel-Class Birds-of-Prey and 2 Vor'cha-Class Battle Cruisers.
Ryan: So we're talking 5-on-5.
Daya *Over Comm*: 6-on-5, if Admiral Voporak gets back here.
Soval *Over Comm*: All ships, this is Vice Admiral Soval of the Bunker Hill. Assume Attack posture on all targets. U.S.S. Victorious, target the Vor'cha at bearing 284! U.S.S. Oxford, target B'rel at bearing 187! U.S.S. Sunstone, target Vor'cha at bearing 109! U.S.S. Constantinople, target B'rel at bearing 97! We will engage B'rel at bearing 310!
*The Victorious, Oxford, Constantinople and Bunker Hill begin moving towards their cloaked targets.
Aboard one of the Battle Cruisers, the Klingon Captain stands from his seat upon seeing the Victorious approach.*
Captain *in Klingon*: What is she doing?
*U.S.S. Victorious.*
Ryan: Tactical, you'll only have a brief moment of opportunity once they become visible before their shields come online.
Tala: Understood.
Ryan: Helm...
Helm: 10,000 meters.
9,500.
Ryan: What are they waiting for?
Wenj: Probably confused as to why we are approaching, wondering if they have been detected.
Ryan: Great.
Tala, could you hit them right now?
Tala: Not accurately.
Ryan: What if you set a photon torpedo to remote detonation and--
Tala: I see what you're getting at. A depth charge.
Ryan: Exactly.
Tala: One moment.
Helm: 8,000 meters.
Tala: Torpedo ready.
Ryan: Have another one ready to fire as soon as the first torpedo detonates.
Tala: Already done.
Ryan: Fire.
*The Victorious fires her torpedo, detonating near the tachyon-scan signature. A small amount of debris blasts into space.*
Target that debris and fire!
*A second torpedo launches, slamming into the Vor'cha's hull, forcing it to decloak. The Battle Cruiser starts firing its Disruptor cannons, colliding with the Victorious' shields as a firefight ensues.
The other Klingon vessels decloak and engage their respective adversaries.
The Victorious fires a phaser beam from her main dorsal array as she turns to starboard, the beam blasting into the Vor'cha's forward shields as it continues to hammer the Victorious with disruptor fire.
The Oxford nimbly avoids the engaged B'rel's fire, the small Intrepid-Class letting off bursts from her phaser arrays at brief opportunities. The B'rel does manage to catch the Oxford a few times with her turret, but her cannons have trouble hitting.
The Norway-Class Constantinople successfully hits their B'rel with a several quick phaser bursts, however, the B'rel bombards them with disruptor fire and takes down her shields. A torpedo from the Bird-of-Prey slams into the Constantinople's starboard nacelle pylon. The Constantinople answers back with several rapid bursts from her dorsal phaser arrays followed by 2 high-yield quantum torpedoes. The phasers take down the B'rel's shields and the quantums slam into the B'rel's belly, causing it to explode from the inside out.
The Bunker Hill launches her wing of Peregrine Fighters as her B'rel comes in on an attack vector. However, instead of firing, the B'rel takes a collision course.
U.S.S. Bunker Hill, Bridge.*
Sylix: They are on a collision course!
Soval: Helm, hard to starboard! Engage Quantum Shield Bu--!
*The B'rel slams into the Aventine-class' shields, debris colliding with the ship's hull. The Bridge rocks as consoles explode and crew members are thrown from their stations.
The Battle Cruiser targeting the Sunstone begins firing on the Prometheus-Class Escort.*
*The Black Phantom arrives and circles around the battle under cloak*
Voporak (completely calm): Omet'etan. Arm the antiproton cannons. Let's make some fireworks.
Omet'etan: Cannons armed... am I correct in assuming that you know we have more firepower?
Voporak: Oh, I am well aware. I just don't want to alarm anyone too much. Target the second Vor'cha.
*The Phantom turns towards the battlecruiser*
Attack pattern alpha.
*Ships fly all across the viewscreen, engaged in a fight to the death*
Fire.
*In the midst of orange beams and green pulses of energy, the Black Phantom decloaks and unleashes of its secrets, sending a barrage of red blasts into the Vor'cha's hull. Its starboard nacelle explodes and causes the ship to flip over, exposing its bottom. More antiproton energy crashes into the ship, sending it hurtling out of the battle dead in the water, trailing warp plasma.*
Hold fire. If that didn't scare them off, I don't know what will. But for now I just can't further risk anyone seeing more of the antiprotons weapons. That always inevitably leads to them wondering what else we're packing, and then... well you guys get the point. We've been through this before.
*The Black Phantom arrives and circles around the battle under cloak*
Voporak (completely calm): Omet'etan. Arm the antiproton cannons. Let's make some fireworks.
Omet'etan: Cannons armed... am I correct in assuming that you know we have more firepower?
Voporak: Oh, I am well aware. I just don't want to alarm anyone too much. Target the second Vor'cha.
*The Phantom turns towards the battlecruiser*
Attack pattern alpha.
*Ships fly all across the viewscreen, engaged in a fight to the death*
Fire.
*In the midst of orange beams and green pulses of energy, the Black Phantom decloaks and unleashes of its secrets, sending a barrage of red blasts into the Vor'cha's hull. Its starboard nacelle explodes and causes the ship to flip over, exposing its bottom. More antiproton energy crashes into the ship, sending it hurtling out of the battle dead in the water, trailing warp plasma.*
Hold fire. If that didn't scare them off, I don't know what will. But for now I just can't further risk anyone seeing more of the antiprotons weapons. That always inevitably leads to them wondering what else we're packing, and then... well you guys get the point. We've been through this before.
*The surviving Klingons cloak and start to retreat.
U.S.S. Victorious.*
Ryan: Captain Allington to Admiral Voporak. Nice timing, Admiral.
well we're committed now. we can't let them escape. Tona keep an eye on their traces, Tactical get a fire solution for the emission seeking torpedoes. bring those TRIBBLE DOWN.
*The Alessia begins spitting volleys of torpedoes first an es followed by full spreads of plasma knocking the vor'cha back out of cloak, it begins listing to the side with one of its nacelles leaking into the void.*
Rawne: YES! TRIBBLE is dead in the water.
Ibram: Tona?
*Tona looks up from her console shaking her head*
Ibram: Damn, they got away. there will be no one left... lock tractor on the vor'cha don't let them move. Rawne have kolkolea lead a company of marines over round up prisoners. we might need leverage. Last I heard house of Duras had a prodigal son on that ship. I want him alive. If he's dead take the body we may still be able to use it. Now Tona open channels to the feds.
*channels open*
Voporak, soval, you should not have let them escape. our children will die for the warning we sent. do not interfere with our salvage operation, our replicators are getting... unreliable with age. please do not close distance with us or we will be forced to engage the thalaron weapon.
*aboard the vor'cha firefights echo through the crippled ship. The attackers board in sealed suits striking the engineering sections first shutting down lighting, life support and gravity, using the advantage of suits and mag boots they tag and extract the incapacitated crew with transporters. experienced night fighters they have little trouble taking the ship. after extracting over 200 prisoners they turn to cutting away any and all salvageable parts everything from cabling to weapons. As the marauders break the ship down for spare parts they keep the captain conscious with a rebreather and make him watch as his ship is rendered little more than a floating skeleton. While they prepare to leave a female orion pirate slides next to the captain and laughs "the general asked for you particularly we'll be going to see him now" and the teams begin to disappear from the derelict craft.
The last team is in the warp core, they power it down as a nausicaan scratches "if you can fix it you can keep it" in his native language, and they finally beam out. In the darkness of the vor'cha's halls there is nothing left.*
*the captain materializes in the brig he is roughly shoved to the floor of a 6'by6' cell. as he turns around he sees a gaunt faced man with stubble and his hair drawn back, wearing a black leather long coat with two pistols holstered under his arms and a sword at his hip.*
well we're committed now. we can't let them escape. Tona keep an eye on their traces, Tactical get a fire solution for the emission seeking torpedoes. bring those TRIBBLE DOWN.
*The Alessia begins spitting volleys of torpedoes first an es followed by full spreads of plasma knocking the vor'cha back out of cloak, it begins listing to the side with one of its nacelles leaking into the void.*
Rawne: YES! TRIBBLE is dead in the water.
Ibram: Tona?
*Tona looks up from her console shaking her head*
Ibram: Damn, they got away. there will be no one left... lock tractor on the vor'cha don't let them move. Rawne have kolkolea lead a company of marines over round up prisoners. we might need leverage. Last I heard house of Duras had a prodigal son on that ship. I want him alive. If he's dead take the body we may still be able to use it. Now Tona open channels to the feds.
*channels open*
Voporak, soval, you should not have let them escape. our children will die for the warning we sent. do not interfere with our salvage operation, our replicators are getting... unreliable with age. please do not close distance with us or we will be forced to engage the thalaron weapon.
*aboard the vor'cha firefights echo through the crippled ship. The attackers board in sealed suits striking the engineering sections first shutting down lighting, life support and gravity, using the advantage of suits and mag boots they tag and extract the incapacitated crew with transporters. experienced night fighters they have little trouble taking the ship. after extracting over 200 prisoners they turn to cutting away any and all salvageable parts everything from cabling to weapons. As the marauders break the ship down for spare parts they keep the captain conscious with a rebreather and make him watch as his ship is rendered little more than a floating skeleton. While they prepare to leave a female orion pirate slides next to the captain and laughs "the general asked for you particularly we'll be going to see him now" and the teams begin to disappear from the derelict craft.
The last team is in the warp core, they power it down as a nausicaan scratches "if you can fix it you can keep it" in his native language, and they finally beam out. In the darkness of the vor'cha's halls there is nothing left.*
*the captain materializes in the brig he is roughly shoved to the floor of a 6'by6' cell. as he turns around he sees a gaunt faced man with stubble and his hair drawn back, wearing a black leather long coat with two pistols holstered under his arms and a sword at his hip.*
Ibram: So... this is the heir of house duras.
*U.S.S. Bunker Hill. The ship has been crippled by the collision. The Bridge is dark and covered in soot and ash. Soval picks himself up off the floor, a cut on his forehead as green blood oozes out, slowly.*
Soval: Damage report.
Tuk *Over Comm*: This is engineering. Starboard warp nacelle has taken significant structural damage. Shields are gone. Targeting Sensors are offline. Structural integrity is down to 76%.
*Ores picks his head off of his console. The Ferengi crewman looks around, his vision hazy. Soval walks over to him.*
Soval: Lieutenant?
Ores: Admi...
Soval: Bridge to Sickbay. Medical team to the Bridge!
*Ores' vision slowly starts to clear, as he sees 3 sensor ghosts on his screen, as though something were cloaked.*
Ores *thinking*: Cloaked ships...?
The Oxford's Tachyon Field...
Ores: Captain--!
*Outside, 2 Negh'vars and 2 Vor'chas decloak.
U.S.S. Victorious, Bridge.*
Alpha: Captain, they have not locked on.
Scans indicate that the lead ship is the I.K.S. Kahless.
Ryan: General Torpal's ship.
Alpha: Confirmed.
Incoming hail. On speakers.
Torpal *Over Comm*: This is General Torpal of the Imperial Klingon Ship 'Kahless' to Federation and Romulan vessels!
We seek glorious battle against our common foe!
*Ryan looks to Wenj, in shock.*
Ryan: Say what now?
Torpal *Over Comm*: My Battle Group has identified several vessels surrounding the Vault which appear to be Borg Assimilated constructs! Our intelligence has confirmed that your vessels are here to... rescue... one of your comrades! It is our honour to aid in this noble cause!
Tala: 'Klingon Intelligence'? I thought we dismissed that claim?
Ryan: Commander...
Alpha: Sir, I have identified the Klingon vessel that the Romulans captured.
It is the I.K.S. Kang.
Ryan: Ja'rod's ship.
Alpha: Yes, sir.
Ryan: He's either dead... or captured.
Wenj: Ryan, try to remember that we are at war with the Klingons.
Ryan: Ja'rod has helped us numerous times in the past.
Wenj: Really? Name one.
Ryan: The Borg.
Wenj: Name another.
Ryan: Okay, you've got me. But he's an honourable warrior.
Put General Torpal on screen.
*Torpal appears on the screen. He's wearing a grey Klingon Uniform, with a scar across the left side of his face.*
This is Captain Ryan Allington of the Federation Starship U.S.S. Victorious. We... accept... your generous offer.
On one condition...
Torpal: Name it.
Ryan: An officer from each of your ships beams over to each of ours, we shall do the same, in order to avoid any... conflicts.
Torpal: Do you doubt my honour?
Ryan: You wouldn't be the first Klingon to try to shoot me in the back, General.
*U.S.S. Bunker Hill. The ship has been crippled by the collision. The Bridge is dark and covered in soot and ash. Soval picks himself up off the floor, a cut on his forehead as green blood oozes out, slowly.*
Soval: Damage report.
Tuk *Over Comm*: This is engineering. Starboard warp nacelle has taken significant structural damage. Shields are gone. Targeting Sensors are offline. Structural integrity is down to 76%.
*Ores picks his head off of his console. The Ferengi crewman looks around, his vision hazy. Soval walks over to him.*
Soval: Lieutenant?
Ores: Admi...
Soval: Bridge to Sickbay. Medical team to the Bridge!
*Ores' vision slowly starts to clear, as he sees 3 sensor ghosts on his screen, as though something were cloaked.*
Ores *thinking*: Cloaked ships...?
The Oxford's Tachyon Field...
Ores: Captain--!
*Outside, 2 Negh'vars and 2 Vor'chas decloak.
U.S.S. Victorious, Bridge.*
Alpha: Captain, they have not locked on.
Scans indicate that the lead ship is the I.K.S. Kahless.
Ryan: General Torpal's ship.
Alpha: Confirmed.
Incoming hail. On speakers.
Torpal *Over Comm*: This is General Torpal of the Imperial Klingon Ship 'Kahless' to Federation and Romulan vessels!
We seek glorious battle against our common foe!
*Ryan looks to Wenj, in shock.*
Ryan: Say what now?
Torpal *Over Comm*: My Battle Group has identified several vessels surrounding the Vault which appear to be Borg Assimilated constructs! Our intelligence has confirmed that your vessels are here to... rescue... one of your comrades! It is our honour to aid in this noble cause!
Tala: 'Klingon Intelligence'? I thought we dismissed that claim?
Ryan: Commander...
Alpha: Sir, I have identified the Klingon vessel that the Romulans captured.
It is the I.K.S. Kang.
Ryan: Ja'rod's ship.
Alpha: Yes, sir.
Ryan: He's either dead... or captured.
Wenj: Ryan, try to remember that we are at war with the Klingons.
Ryan: Ja'rod has helped us numerous times in the past.
Wenj: Really? Name one.
Ryan: The Borg.
Wenj: Name another.
Ryan: Okay, you've got me. But he's an honourable warrior.
Put General Torpal on screen.
*Torpal appears on the screen. He's wearing a grey Klingon Uniform, with a scar across the left side of his face.*
This is Captain Ryan Allington of the Federation Starship U.S.S. Victorious. We... accept... your generous offer.
On one condition...
Torpal: Name it.
Ryan: An officer from each of your ships beams over to each of ours, we shall do the same, in order to avoid any... conflicts.
Torpal: Do you doubt my honour?
Ryan: You wouldn't be the first Klingon to try to shoot me in the back, General.
*Torpal snarls.*
Torpal: Very well. Stand by.
*The channel closes.*
Ryan: That was easy.
Wenj: What's the human phrase?
*Ryaan turns back to look at him.*
"Don't jinx it"?
*The brig of alessia*
Rawne over comms: Captain more Klingon contacts decloaking. They have not locked weapons on us and are attempting to hail, shall I patch it through?
Ibram: Transporter room beam me to bridge I want to see his face.
*after transmission ends*
Ibram: Hail the kahless and the victorious.
*channels open*
We will assist in the recovery. Captain Allington I'm assuming that with the bunker hill out of commission you have overall command of the federation forces here. I have a plan for bringing your crewman home. Fully half of my crew is made up of a marine regiment. I will take them onto the borg vessel your crew member is on we have enough marauding vessels and boarding shuttles to get 3 companies of 200 aboard. From there we beam in reinforcements in whenever we can get their shields down for a moment. you can trust my men on that part we've done it before. I would have the Klingons fly a screen to keep the extraction vessels somewhat covered. Captain Allington I assume you want to get your boots on the ground as well. I propose that you have your first officer take the chair and keep their torpedoes and probes off the marines, while you ride in my marauder. we secure a beach head, and you will have room to find your man and get out. From there I'm depending on you to cover our reclamation of the marines. Also send us a data packet on the crewman, along with anything useful in tracking her. I have good scouts anything even as simple as a cologne or perfume will assist the search. If you beam to our shuttle bay we can get underway immediately. General Torpal if you have any shock troops I would ask you try to deploy them if it is feasible, preferably somewhere distant from our impact point to keep the borg divided, but do not hesitate to extract them if anything seems odd. also we must speak when this is finished.
close the channel
*channel closes*
Now open one to allington alone
*channel opens*
We will be flying on your wing I cannot trust the Klingons.
*closes the channel*
Rawne you have the bridge, let me know their response and send any data they give us to my datapad and those of the captains commanders and centurians we need to know what we're looking for.
Rawne: so you're leading them personally?
Ibram: Yes these are borg, I'm risking a lot of men to make sure we get that feddie out fast. But anything else would require too much time, she might be gone already.
Rawne: how are we recovering you?
Ibram: when it is time to extract we'll have as many as we can fly the landing craft back, after that beam who you can out. After that it is time to test the modifications to the prow.
Ram at the nearest corner to our remaining marines deploy claws and open the bay door after you make impact give us 2 minutes any longer and we'll be risking losing the ship to nanites. Then disengage and if I'm not back you have your ship.
*Rawne snaps to attention*
Rawne: Live forever sir.
Ibram:Live forever major.
*Ibram turns and runs to the turbolift taking it down to the landing craft bay. All the while the ship rings with the sound of major rawne's voice ordering marines who had just begun removing and cleaning their equipment to don it once again and prepare for full deployment. The dreadnought moves to fall into the left wing of the federation formation.*
Rawne over the loudspeaker: Today the Ghostmaker rides with you. make him proud.
*As the marines fall into lines next to their respective craft Ibram climbs atop one of the marauders*
Alright ghosts we've got someone to rescue instead of kidnap. I figure it's a nice change of pace for you lot. Anyone who signed up for true honour and glory will find it today, anyone who fights for greed you've gotten your pay for the day on the kang. Men, Women, do you want to live forever?!
*the roar of six hundred fighters drowns out every other sound*
*Ibram raises his hand bringing silence to the docking bay*
To your ships
*everyone begins filing in so used to this part that it is easy as breathing*
*Ibram mutters under his breath*
come on allington confirm the plan if the borg have your people time is a factor.
ooc: don't be afraid of controlling my character for some basic conversation pieces if you mean for things to go a different direction
Rawne over comms: Captain more Klingon contacts decloaking. They have not locked weapons on us and are attempting to hail, shall I patch it through?
Ibram: Transporter room beam me to bridge I want to see his face.
*after transmission ends*
Ibram: Hail the kahless and the victorious.
*channels open*
We will assist in the recovery. Captain Allington I'm assuming that with the bunker hill out of commission you have overall command of the federation forces here. I have a plan for bringing your crewman home. Fully half of my crew is made up of a marine regiment. I will take them onto the borg vessel your crew member is on we have enough marauding vessels and boarding shuttles to get 3 companies of 200 aboard. From there we beam in reinforcements in whenever we can get their shields down for a moment. you can trust my men on that part we've done it before. I would have the Klingons fly a screen to keep the extraction vessels somewhat covered. Captain Allington I assume you want to get your boots on the ground as well. I propose that you have your first officer take the chair and keep their torpedoes and probes off the marines, while you ride in my marauder. we secure a beach head, and you will have room to find your man and get out. From there I'm depending on you to cover our reclamation of the marines. Also send us a data packet on the crewman, along with anything useful in tracking her. I have good scouts anything even as simple as a cologne or perfume will assist the search. If you beam to our shuttle bay we can get underway immediately. General Torpal if you have any shock troops I would ask you try to deploy them if it is feasible, preferably somewhere distant from our impact point to keep the borg divided, but do not hesitate to extract them if anything seems odd. also we must speak when this is finished.
close the channel
*channel closes*
Now open one to allington alone
*channel opens*
We will be flying on your wing I cannot trust the Klingons.
*closes the channel*
Rawne you have the bridge, let me know their response and send any data they give us to my datapad and those of the captains commanders and centurians we need to know what we're looking for.
Rawne: so you're leading them personally?
Ibram: Yes these are borg, I'm risking a lot of men to make sure we get that feddie out fast. But anything else would require too much time, she might be gone already.
Rawne: how are we recovering you?
Ibram: when it is time to extract we'll have as many as we can fly the landing craft back, after that beam who you can out. After that it is time to test the modifications to the prow.
Ram at the nearest corner to our remaining marines deploy claws and open the bay door after you make impact give us 2 minutes any longer and we'll be risking losing the ship to nanites. Then disengage and if I'm not back you have your ship.
*Rawne snaps to attention*
Rawne: Live forever sir.
Ibram:Live forever major.
*Ibram turns and runs to the turbolift taking it down to the landing craft bay. All the while the ship rings with the sound of major rawne's voice ordering marines who had just begun removing and cleaning their equipment to don it once again and prepare for full deployment. The dreadnought moves to fall into the left wing of the federation formation.*
Rawne over the loudspeaker: Today the Ghostmaker rides with you. make him proud.
*As the marines fall into lines next to their respective craft Ibram climbs atop one of the marauders*
Alright ghosts we've got someone to rescue instead of kidnap. I figure it's a nice change of pace for you lot. Anyone who signed up for true honour and glory will find it today, anyone who fights for greed you've gotten your pay for the day on the kang. Men, Women, do you want to live forever?!
*the roar of six hundred fighters drowns out every other sound*
*Ibram raises his hand bringing silence to the docking bay*
To your ships
*everyone begins filing in so used to this part that it is easy as breathing*
*Ibram mutters under his breath*
come on allington confirm the plan if the borg have your people time is a factor.
ooc: don't be afraid of controlling my character for some basic conversation pieces if you mean for things to go a different direction
OOC: I was actually hoping to slow it down a little. There are a lot of factors involved in getting to the Vault, after all.
OOC: I was actually hoping to slow it down a little. There are a lot of factors involved in getting to the Vault, after all.
*sitting at the helm of the marauder Ibram keys the comms*
All right everybody this could be seconds or days, we remain on station you know the drill. Ambush protocol 15, Bravo Company will launch first followed by Delta and Echo. Alpha and Charlie companies are the reserve. Get comfortable Ghosts, we're waiting for an opening.
*sitting at the helm of the marauder Ibram keys the comms*
All right everybody this could be seconds or days, we remain on station you know the drill. Ambush protocol 15, Bravo Company will launch first followed by Delta and Echo. Alpha and Charlie companies are the reserve. Get comfortable Ghosts, we're waiting for an opening.
*On the bridge of the alessia*
Major Elim Rawne: Hail the victorious
*channels open*
Hi Ryan i'm Elim. Awaiting your orders
Ryan: Understood. Stand by.
Ops, launch a probe towards the Vault.
Ops: Sir... don't we need the Remans' permission?
Ryan: That's why we're only launching a probe.
Ops: Aye sir.
Sir, the Kahless is helping conduct preliminary repairs to the Bunker Hill so they can return to Starbase.
Vice Admiral Soval has redirected another Starship to take her place.
Ryan: Which ship?
Ops: The Admiral didn't specify, sir. He just said that he's going to be taking command of that ship when it gets here.
((OOC: I'm loosely basing this character on my in-game main char, who, although it doesn't say this in my bio, is an evolved, sentient version of the amphibious "dragons" mentioned in the Star Trek: The Next Generation novel "Greater than the Sum." In the novel, the "dragons" basically play the role of normal animals. However, as we don't know much about them, as they were mentioned only in this one book [as far as I'm aware], I'm taking significant liberties in describing my character. Here goes nothing... Hope I'm ok in this!)
Top speed: Warp 9.99, Quantum Slipstream, Experimental Trans-Warp 6 tech.
CO: Fleet Admiral Kerry S. Freeman
Mission To assist in necessary heavy-weapons deployments and, if necessary, conduct Orbital Bombardments.
Ensign: *calling to Admiral Freeman and shaking him awake* "Admiral??? Are you ok, sir? ADMIRAL! Dang you! Wake up! We've got new orders and I just received a Priority One Starfleet communication for you! I think we've finally got some action on our hands!" Admiral Freeman: *groaning as he sits upright, slowly, in his bed*. "What is it?" *then, threateningly* "You'd better be telling the truth this time... I was having a particularly good dream... If I check my communications and you turn out to be lying to me, YOU, mister, will be TOAST..." *lets that last letter dissolve into a long, low hiss, as if it was uttered by a snake, and a slow, steady stream of black smoke comes from his nostrils*
Admiral Freeman: *walks over to his main console and calls to the ensign after finding out the truth* "Ensign... come here, if you don't mind."
*The ensign, shaking worse and worse as he made his way to the desk, finally realized that show of force from earlier was just a way to make sure nobody was lying. However, he didn't know exactly how his CO's nostrils were able to emit smoke like that. There was nothing burning around, but he had smelled just a hint of volcanic sulfur when the smoke started to emerge. He figured that he had best leave the subject be.*
*Ensign reaches the desk*
Admiral Freeman: *without looking away from the reports*, "Congrats. You're now a Lieutenant, Grade 1,"
New Lieutenant:"Thank you, Sir!"
*The normal shake-take-and-salute routine was done*.
Admiral Freeman: Dismissed, Lieutenant.
*Lieutenant walks out, and Admiral Freeman prepares to come on duty. He enters the nearest turbolift.*
Admiral Freeman: "Bridge. Computer, alert Alpha Shift bridge crew. tell them to report to the bridge."
Computer: "Acknowledged. Shall I order the crew to prepare for launch?"
Admiral Freeman: "Affirmative, computer."
*All bridge crew members and other personnel reach their assigned takeoff locations, and the U.S.S. Kitty Hawk clears Spacedock and heads towards the calculates intercept point with the existing fleet, already underway*.
Comments
(OOC: Sorry I was out of commission there for a while. Had to make a trip to sickbay.)
McLean: Regardless of who's responsible, the people on that station have to be warned.
Thryiss: Agreed. We may not have much time.
Wil: Captain, may I add something?
Thryiss: Of course.
Wil: If your ships integrate Borg technology in any way, I suggest we take every precaution to hide it from sensors. The way things are going, we may not want to advertise our use of Borg components. (To Thryiss) Captain, with your permission, I'll inform engineering to lockdown astrometrix.
Thryiss: Do it.
*Wil nods to the room, and exits.*
McLean: I'll head back and contact the Vault.
"There are three things to remember about being a starship captain:
keep your shirt tucked in, go down with the ship, and never abandon a member of your crew."
- Kathryn Janeway
Ryan: Captains, that Cube destroyed a flotilla of 5 Federation Starships, the majority of them Galaxy-Class and above. Now, the Victorious can handle itself in a fight, but we only have 5 ships ourselves. We need reinforcements.
Soval: I will contact the 41st Fleet and divert ships to assist, but the nearest help is 2 days away at maximum warp.
However, the R.R.W. Marrucious is within a day's travel of us.
Ryan: Marrucious? That's Commander Tomarek's ship, isn't it?
Soval: We are old acquaintances. I am sure he will respond to my request for assistance.
Ryan: Will 1 D'Deridex be enough though?
Soval: Doubtful. We will have to hope the Reman Resistance are able to help us turn the tide.
Trials of Blood and Fire
Moving On Parts 1-3 - Part 4
In Cold Blood
Thryiss: The Sunstone can pull her weight, but a few more friendlies wouldn't hurt. Unfortunately, I've been somewhat isolated for the past few years. I can't think of anyone who owes me favours.
"There are three things to remember about being a starship captain:
keep your shirt tucked in, go down with the ship, and never abandon a member of your crew."
- Kathryn Janeway
Ryan: Well, I guess we'll have to hope Commander Tomarek can rally enough support.
Is there anything else?
Trials of Blood and Fire
Moving On Parts 1-3 - Part 4
In Cold Blood
Thryiss: Nothing here. Captains? *She looks to the others expectantly.*
"There are three things to remember about being a starship captain:
keep your shirt tucked in, go down with the ship, and never abandon a member of your crew."
- Kathryn Janeway
Sheridan: Nope.
Daya: I got nothing.
Soval: I have nothing further to add.
Ryan: Alright. I suggest you all go to your respective vessels and get ready. I have the feeling we've got a long day tomorrow.
*Sheridan, Soval and T'las leave.*
Trials of Blood and Fire
Moving On Parts 1-3 - Part 4
In Cold Blood
Daya: You okay?
Ryan: Yeah.
Just worried.
Daya: About Dannover?
Ryan: Partly.
About this crew. It's something I can never get off my mind when I'm thrown into situations like this.
Daya: Because of your parents?
Ryan: Daya...
Daya: You've been living with this since the Academy.
Ryan: How am I supposed to forget the U.S.S. Olympic being destroyed at Starbase 24?!
I saw it on the newsfeed. I saw 5 Klingon Negh'vars destroy a Medical Ship during their unprovoked assault on SB24 in 2407! They didn't even let the Escape Pods survive!
Daya: I know, Ryan! We were in the same class, for God sakes!
Ryan: It wasn't an accusation, dammit!
I just... I don't want to lead this crew to their deaths.
Daya: And you won't.
Ryan: You gonna make sure?
*Daya smiles, leading Ryan to smile.*
Daya: Right behind ya.
Ryan: Just like old times.
Trials of Blood and Fire
Moving On Parts 1-3 - Part 4
In Cold Blood
Vranlek: The Borg cube is on sensors again. It's coming to investigate the planet that was just destroyed.
Voporak: How close is it?
Vranlek: At its current speed, two hours.
Voporak: Alright. All hands to battle stations. Maintain cloak.
Vranlek: I believe there is a way to use the Borg to our advantage.
Voporak: Do tell, lieutenant...
*Two hours later. The Borg cube arrives in the system and begins scanning the planet's wreckage*
Mirra: They haven't detected us yet.
Voporak: Good. Vranlek, are you ready?
*The Reman nods*
Omet'etan, hit it.
*The Black Phantom decloaks, and begins flying circles around the cube. The cube attempts to shoot down the speedy Sao Paulo class ship, but only manages to get a few glancing hits. As it goes by, the Phantom makes shots here and there with its antiproton cannons*
Vranlek: Their transwarp computer lockout has been damaged. Accessing the coil now.
*The cube's transwarp coil begins to activate, causing an opening in space to appear*
Voporak: Go!
*The Phantom flies at full speed through, followed by the cube.
In the Alpha quadrant, a few dozen kilometers from the Victorious, visible from the observation lounge window, a transwarp exit forms. The Black Phantom shoots out of it at mind-blowing speed, because less than a second later, a massive green explosion occurs from the exit collapsing on the cube.*
Gonna be working on it for a little while.]]
*U.S.S. Victorious, Bridge. Ryan looks at the viewscreen when he sees the Black Phantom appear.*
Ryan: What the hell?!
*OOC: Sorry, thought the thread had died. Since apparently not...
Let's get back to work.*
Trials of Blood and Fire
Moving On Parts 1-3 - Part 4
In Cold Blood
*The Black Phantom circles around several times as it slows down from exiting the conduit. Voporak hails the Victorious*
Voporak (over comm): Sorry to show up uninvited to the party, I didn't have much choice. I've discovered something I think you should know about.
OOC: I want to save this plot for sometime later on, so we'll just keep it hidden away for now (since it's waaaaaay far out in the galaxy). Skip past this part (the conversation of what Voporak found is implied) and go right to Ryan briefing Voporak or whatever the heck you want.
*15 minutes later. U.S.S. Victorious, Observation Room. Ryan is walking around the room while Voporak is seated.*
Ryan: I relayed what you told me to Starfleet Command, Admiral. Admiral Smith said he'll get back to me with any information he finds.
Meanwhile, as long as you're here, you can help with our situation.
2 days ago, a member of my crew was abducted by the Borg. She was a former drone, whom we rescued during the attack on Vega Colony 3 years ago. This Cube managed to destroy 5 Federation Starships like they were nothing, and cut a hole in the primary hull.
We've got information suggesting that they're going for the Vault.
Trials of Blood and Fire
Moving On Parts 1-3 - Part 4
In Cold Blood
Voporak: Because of the Borg tech research done there, I would assume.
I'm not sure if you know this or not, but my ship is equipped with a cloaking device. Please don't quote me the almighty Treaty of Algeron, I've already been over it with the Federation higher-ups. Not to mention the fact that Romulus is no more than some space dust now, so why does that stupid treaty even apply anymore? Pardon my digression, what I was meaning to say is that I can scout out the area for Borg activity without detection. With your approval, of course.
Ryan: By all means. The Victorious is still stuck waiting for repairs to be finished, so we won't be going in for a while.
Admiral, the R.R.W. Marrucious is on her way here to support us, so if you see a D'Deridex-Class Warbird, don't panic.
Also, I wasn't going to berate you on the Treaty of Algeron. If Imperial incursions are any indication, the Romulans have already violated the Treaty.
Trials of Blood and Fire
Moving On Parts 1-3 - Part 4
In Cold Blood
Voporak: It was a stupid treaty to begin with anyway... but anyway I will be going now. Black Phantom, one to beam back.
*On the bridge*
Set course for the Vault, warp 9, time-lapse the core, raise cloak, engage.
*The ship's nacelles glow, but it vanishes from sensors before entering warp. The time-lapse effect (the temporal core pushes the ship slightly out of place with time to increase speed without going transwarp) leaves a barely noticeable few residual chronitons*
OOC: I'm leaving a nice little trail of breadcrumb clues for your characters to follow (the first one being Voporak's seemingly impossible speed to arrive just after Soval during the Great Barrier Particle emergency). This part here doesn't need to be followed up on at all, it's more for my own personal brand of effect.
*Voporak's ready room. He has briefed Mirra on the situation*
Mirra: That was Ryan Allington, wasn't it?
Voporak: You bet a pretty penny that was. Let's just hope things don't turn out the same way. It is a different timeline and therefore can end up differently than that other hellhole of a reality.
Mirra: Hopefully events will change to not go down that route.
Voporak: Indeed.
*Voporak glances at the profile and image displayed on his desk screen, the profile belonging to Samantha Allington.*
OOC: Ooh... Nice touch with the reference to the other thread!
Trials of Blood and Fire
Moving On Parts 1-3 - Part 4
In Cold Blood
*Aboard the Echo of Damnation, a Scimitar class dreadnought, a tired Romulan general is in his ready room. His head is in his hands and his shoulders are slumped. Before him stood his first officer, tactical officer, and security officer. All Three were uneasy, they knew the general was strained but never before had they witnessed a look of such defeat on him.*
General: We have new orders.
1st officer: And judging by your reaction I'm getting a new ship.
*The tactical and security officers look at each other then the 1st officer then finally the general who had a slight gleam in his eye and a smirk*
General: No Rawne I don't think that is your fate. Sadly I doubt you'll ever get your own command. The worst has come to pass.
Rawne: You don't mean...
General: Yes it has happened. I know you said as much when we received orders to tail the federation ever since we received reports of temporal anomalies on Earth. I just never believed our "honourable" benefactors would do this. Much less have us pull the trigger.
The tactical officer spoke up: You question the honour of the Klingon empire?
General: Yes... I do... We have been ordered to engage the federation while they are in disarray from borg abductions and experimentation. We know their destination is the vault.
Rawne: Shall I have the helmsman plot a course?
General: This is why you gentlemen are here save for the ever proud Band'our I know you and Kolkolea to be loyal to me. not the empire me. I need you all to understand that war with the federation will mean our people's extinction. We are sent to the front of every conflict to prove our loyalty to both sides any time there is a skirmish we become more and more an endangered species. Band'our I beg you to understand why I cannot consider myself honourable while causing the deaths of my last remaining kin.
Band'our: Sir! You mean to disobey a direct order?
General: No. I mean to do worse. I mean to Contact the federation vessels and warn them. I mean to betray the empire. This is no longer the IKS Echo of damnation. This is The Alessia. A last bulwark of my people and you will not interfere.
*The shriek of air cooked by disruptor energy shattered the silence and Band'our slumped back into the wall with a look of shock on his face*
Band'our: You.. Have no ... honour
General: Neither does the empire
*Rawne fires again*
Rawne: shall I tell the helmsman we are heading to the vault?
General: Yes... and give me a general hail to the ship. The orion crew have accepted payment and are ours. the nausicaans are tired of being little more than shock troops to the Klingons and have freely offered their support. Kolkolea gather any Klingon crew and determine loyalty, I'm sure at least a few agree with us. It is time for us to begin.
Rawne: At once General Ibram
OOC: You're doing great.
*I.K.S. Kahless, Qonos Sector. The Negh'var-Class Battleship is holding alongside a Gorn Cruiser.
Brigadier General Torpal, Son of Megh'bar, sits in his ready room, speaking with his Gorn Tactical Officer, S'taal.*
S'taal: ...And the Empire'sss devoting 3 new shipsss to the Federation Front.
Torpal: And our orders?
S'taal: We remain under autonomy conditionsss, General.
Torpal: Very well.
Set course for the Psi Velorum Sector Block. We will investigate this build up of Starfleet Vessels on the Romulan Border.
S'taal: Yesss sssir.
Trials of Blood and Fire
Moving On Parts 1-3 - Part 4
In Cold Blood
*The interior of the alessia echoes with the sound of Ibram's voice*
Men and women of the echo of damnation house of Duras has ordered us to link with a task force and assassinate several key federation personnel and either scuttle or steal their vessels
*the voices of a few hundred warriors rise through the ship*
We will not do this.
*the voices die down*
Some of you are already aware of the situation others are not. We are already underway to the ambush point. Standing orders are for Klingon personnel to be apprehended or... pacified, until loyalties can be established.
*In the mess hall men and women who were once brothers in arms rapidly turn on each other as a security team lead by kolkolea charges through the doors. Many Klingons die as few surrender.*
We are unsure of how the federation will receive us and we know kdf forces will show us no mercy. We are likely to be outnumbered and out gunned for the rest of our lives. after this day we are ghosts, some of you are worried about your families and followers on the strength. We will attempt to negotiate with the federation to evacuate who we can. Many people you know will die for what you do today even if they do agree. And even the ones that survive will likely be inside federation space. I do not believe there is a creature among us who is not wanted by the federation. The transponder has been changed we are not the iks echo of damnation anymore. we are the alessia and we fight under no banner.
*The sounds of battle through the ship begin to fade*
All hands to battle stations we have a war to stop.
*The dreadnought drops out of warp uncloaked*
The general mutters: If this doesn't work....
Then exclaims: Open all channels we need to ensure they hear this... all of them.
*all channels open*
This is the alessia All federation vessels raise shields and power up your weapons the kdf is on you in numbers prepare to engage ships of the line. I am ge... Captain Vercingetorix and stand ready to assist.
close the channels.
*all channels close*
Get us between the federation and the Klingon attack vector hopefully we can hide their numbers with our bulk and let them get any civilians out.
*The old warship begins moving at combat speed the hull black with age and scars*
*U.S.S. Victorious, outside the Haakona System. After hearing the transmission, Ryan jumps out of his chair.*
Ryan: Red Alert! Shields up!
*The Red Alert Klaxon sounds as the lights dim and the red alert lighting comes on.*
Wenj: Red Alert! All hands to battle stations! This is not a drill! Repeat, this is not a drill!
Alpha: All other ships are going to Red Alert as well, Captain.
Ryan: Thank you, Lieutenant.
Victorious to Oxford. Daya, are you picking anything up?
Daya *Over Comm*: We're running the tachyon sweep now. Stand by.
We have 5 targets, cloaked. Inertia profile is consistent with the sizes of 3 Klingon B'rel-Class Birds-of-Prey and 2 Vor'cha-Class Battle Cruisers.
Ryan: So we're talking 5-on-5.
Daya *Over Comm*: 6-on-5, if Admiral Voporak gets back here.
Soval *Over Comm*: All ships, this is Vice Admiral Soval of the Bunker Hill. Assume Attack posture on all targets. U.S.S. Victorious, target the Vor'cha at bearing 284! U.S.S. Oxford, target B'rel at bearing 187! U.S.S. Sunstone, target Vor'cha at bearing 109! U.S.S. Constantinople, target B'rel at bearing 97! We will engage B'rel at bearing 310!
*The Victorious, Oxford, Constantinople and Bunker Hill begin moving towards their cloaked targets.
Aboard one of the Battle Cruisers, the Klingon Captain stands from his seat upon seeing the Victorious approach.*
Captain *in Klingon*: What is she doing?
*U.S.S. Victorious.*
Ryan: Tactical, you'll only have a brief moment of opportunity once they become visible before their shields come online.
Tala: Understood.
Ryan: Helm...
Helm: 10,000 meters.
9,500.
Ryan: What are they waiting for?
Wenj: Probably confused as to why we are approaching, wondering if they have been detected.
Ryan: Great.
Tala, could you hit them right now?
Tala: Not accurately.
Ryan: What if you set a photon torpedo to remote detonation and--
Tala: I see what you're getting at. A depth charge.
Ryan: Exactly.
Tala: One moment.
Helm: 8,000 meters.
Tala: Torpedo ready.
Ryan: Have another one ready to fire as soon as the first torpedo detonates.
Tala: Already done.
Ryan: Fire.
*The Victorious fires her torpedo, detonating near the tachyon-scan signature. A small amount of debris blasts into space.*
Target that debris and fire!
*A second torpedo launches, slamming into the Vor'cha's hull, forcing it to decloak. The Battle Cruiser starts firing its Disruptor cannons, colliding with the Victorious' shields as a firefight ensues.
The other Klingon vessels decloak and engage their respective adversaries.
The Victorious fires a phaser beam from her main dorsal array as she turns to starboard, the beam blasting into the Vor'cha's forward shields as it continues to hammer the Victorious with disruptor fire.
The Oxford nimbly avoids the engaged B'rel's fire, the small Intrepid-Class letting off bursts from her phaser arrays at brief opportunities. The B'rel does manage to catch the Oxford a few times with her turret, but her cannons have trouble hitting.
The Norway-Class Constantinople successfully hits their B'rel with a several quick phaser bursts, however, the B'rel bombards them with disruptor fire and takes down her shields. A torpedo from the Bird-of-Prey slams into the Constantinople's starboard nacelle pylon. The Constantinople answers back with several rapid bursts from her dorsal phaser arrays followed by 2 high-yield quantum torpedoes. The phasers take down the B'rel's shields and the quantums slam into the B'rel's belly, causing it to explode from the inside out.
The Bunker Hill launches her wing of Peregrine Fighters as her B'rel comes in on an attack vector. However, instead of firing, the B'rel takes a collision course.
U.S.S. Bunker Hill, Bridge.*
Sylix: They are on a collision course!
Soval: Helm, hard to starboard! Engage Quantum Shield Bu--!
*The B'rel slams into the Aventine-class' shields, debris colliding with the ship's hull. The Bridge rocks as consoles explode and crew members are thrown from their stations.
The Battle Cruiser targeting the Sunstone begins firing on the Prometheus-Class Escort.*
Trials of Blood and Fire
Moving On Parts 1-3 - Part 4
In Cold Blood
Voporak (completely calm): Omet'etan. Arm the antiproton cannons. Let's make some fireworks.
Omet'etan: Cannons armed... am I correct in assuming that you know we have more firepower?
Voporak: Oh, I am well aware. I just don't want to alarm anyone too much. Target the second Vor'cha.
*The Phantom turns towards the battlecruiser*
Attack pattern alpha.
*Ships fly all across the viewscreen, engaged in a fight to the death*
Fire.
*In the midst of orange beams and green pulses of energy, the Black Phantom decloaks and unleashes of its secrets, sending a barrage of red blasts into the Vor'cha's hull. Its starboard nacelle explodes and causes the ship to flip over, exposing its bottom. More antiproton energy crashes into the ship, sending it hurtling out of the battle dead in the water, trailing warp plasma.*
Hold fire. If that didn't scare them off, I don't know what will. But for now I just can't further risk anyone seeing more of the antiprotons weapons. That always inevitably leads to them wondering what else we're packing, and then... well you guys get the point. We've been through this before.
*The surviving Klingons cloak and start to retreat.
U.S.S. Victorious.*
Ryan: Captain Allington to Admiral Voporak. Nice timing, Admiral.
Trials of Blood and Fire
Moving On Parts 1-3 - Part 4
In Cold Blood
*Ibram looks around at his bridge crew*
well we're committed now. we can't let them escape. Tona keep an eye on their traces, Tactical get a fire solution for the emission seeking torpedoes. bring those TRIBBLE DOWN.
*The Alessia begins spitting volleys of torpedoes first an es followed by full spreads of plasma knocking the vor'cha back out of cloak, it begins listing to the side with one of its nacelles leaking into the void.*
Rawne: YES! TRIBBLE is dead in the water.
Ibram: Tona?
*Tona looks up from her console shaking her head*
Ibram: Damn, they got away. there will be no one left... lock tractor on the vor'cha don't let them move. Rawne have kolkolea lead a company of marines over round up prisoners. we might need leverage. Last I heard house of Duras had a prodigal son on that ship. I want him alive. If he's dead take the body we may still be able to use it. Now Tona open channels to the feds.
*channels open*
Voporak, soval, you should not have let them escape. our children will die for the warning we sent. do not interfere with our salvage operation, our replicators are getting... unreliable with age. please do not close distance with us or we will be forced to engage the thalaron weapon.
*aboard the vor'cha firefights echo through the crippled ship. The attackers board in sealed suits striking the engineering sections first shutting down lighting, life support and gravity, using the advantage of suits and mag boots they tag and extract the incapacitated crew with transporters. experienced night fighters they have little trouble taking the ship. after extracting over 200 prisoners they turn to cutting away any and all salvageable parts everything from cabling to weapons. As the marauders break the ship down for spare parts they keep the captain conscious with a rebreather and make him watch as his ship is rendered little more than a floating skeleton. While they prepare to leave a female orion pirate slides next to the captain and laughs "the general asked for you particularly we'll be going to see him now" and the teams begin to disappear from the derelict craft.
The last team is in the warp core, they power it down as a nausicaan scratches "if you can fix it you can keep it" in his native language, and they finally beam out. In the darkness of the vor'cha's halls there is nothing left.*
*the captain materializes in the brig he is roughly shoved to the floor of a 6'by6' cell. as he turns around he sees a gaunt faced man with stubble and his hair drawn back, wearing a black leather long coat with two pistols holstered under his arms and a sword at his hip.*
Ibram: So... this is the heir of house duras.
*U.S.S. Bunker Hill. The ship has been crippled by the collision. The Bridge is dark and covered in soot and ash. Soval picks himself up off the floor, a cut on his forehead as green blood oozes out, slowly.*
Soval: Damage report.
Tuk *Over Comm*: This is engineering. Starboard warp nacelle has taken significant structural damage. Shields are gone. Targeting Sensors are offline. Structural integrity is down to 76%.
*Ores picks his head off of his console. The Ferengi crewman looks around, his vision hazy. Soval walks over to him.*
Soval: Lieutenant?
Ores: Admi...
Soval: Bridge to Sickbay. Medical team to the Bridge!
*Ores' vision slowly starts to clear, as he sees 3 sensor ghosts on his screen, as though something were cloaked.*
Ores *thinking*: Cloaked ships...?
The Oxford's Tachyon Field...
Ores: Captain--!
*Outside, 2 Negh'vars and 2 Vor'chas decloak.
U.S.S. Victorious, Bridge.*
Alpha: Captain, they have not locked on.
Scans indicate that the lead ship is the I.K.S. Kahless.
Ryan: General Torpal's ship.
Alpha: Confirmed.
Incoming hail. On speakers.
Torpal *Over Comm*: This is General Torpal of the Imperial Klingon Ship 'Kahless' to Federation and Romulan vessels!
We seek glorious battle against our common foe!
*Ryan looks to Wenj, in shock.*
Ryan: Say what now?
Torpal *Over Comm*: My Battle Group has identified several vessels surrounding the Vault which appear to be Borg Assimilated constructs! Our intelligence has confirmed that your vessels are here to... rescue... one of your comrades! It is our honour to aid in this noble cause!
Tala: 'Klingon Intelligence'? I thought we dismissed that claim?
Ryan: Commander...
Alpha: Sir, I have identified the Klingon vessel that the Romulans captured.
It is the I.K.S. Kang.
Ryan: Ja'rod's ship.
Alpha: Yes, sir.
Ryan: He's either dead... or captured.
Wenj: Ryan, try to remember that we are at war with the Klingons.
Ryan: Ja'rod has helped us numerous times in the past.
Wenj: Really? Name one.
Ryan: The Borg.
Wenj: Name another.
Ryan: Okay, you've got me. But he's an honourable warrior.
Put General Torpal on screen.
*Torpal appears on the screen. He's wearing a grey Klingon Uniform, with a scar across the left side of his face.*
This is Captain Ryan Allington of the Federation Starship U.S.S. Victorious. We... accept... your generous offer.
On one condition...
Torpal: Name it.
Ryan: An officer from each of your ships beams over to each of ours, we shall do the same, in order to avoid any... conflicts.
Torpal: Do you doubt my honour?
Ryan: You wouldn't be the first Klingon to try to shoot me in the back, General.
*Torpal snarls.*
Torpal: Very well. Stand by.
*The channel closes.*
Ryan: That was easy.
Wenj: What's the human phrase?
*Ryaan turns back to look at him.*
"Don't jinx it"?
Trials of Blood and Fire
Moving On Parts 1-3 - Part 4
In Cold Blood
*The brig of alessia*
Rawne over comms: Captain more Klingon contacts decloaking. They have not locked weapons on us and are attempting to hail, shall I patch it through?
Ibram: Transporter room beam me to bridge I want to see his face.
*after transmission ends*
Ibram: Hail the kahless and the victorious.
*channels open*
We will assist in the recovery. Captain Allington I'm assuming that with the bunker hill out of commission you have overall command of the federation forces here. I have a plan for bringing your crewman home. Fully half of my crew is made up of a marine regiment. I will take them onto the borg vessel your crew member is on we have enough marauding vessels and boarding shuttles to get 3 companies of 200 aboard. From there we beam in reinforcements in whenever we can get their shields down for a moment. you can trust my men on that part we've done it before. I would have the Klingons fly a screen to keep the extraction vessels somewhat covered. Captain Allington I assume you want to get your boots on the ground as well. I propose that you have your first officer take the chair and keep their torpedoes and probes off the marines, while you ride in my marauder. we secure a beach head, and you will have room to find your man and get out. From there I'm depending on you to cover our reclamation of the marines. Also send us a data packet on the crewman, along with anything useful in tracking her. I have good scouts anything even as simple as a cologne or perfume will assist the search. If you beam to our shuttle bay we can get underway immediately. General Torpal if you have any shock troops I would ask you try to deploy them if it is feasible, preferably somewhere distant from our impact point to keep the borg divided, but do not hesitate to extract them if anything seems odd. also we must speak when this is finished.
close the channel
*channel closes*
Now open one to allington alone
*channel opens*
We will be flying on your wing I cannot trust the Klingons.
*closes the channel*
Rawne you have the bridge, let me know their response and send any data they give us to my datapad and those of the captains commanders and centurians we need to know what we're looking for.
Rawne: so you're leading them personally?
Ibram: Yes these are borg, I'm risking a lot of men to make sure we get that feddie out fast. But anything else would require too much time, she might be gone already.
Rawne: how are we recovering you?
Ibram: when it is time to extract we'll have as many as we can fly the landing craft back, after that beam who you can out. After that it is time to test the modifications to the prow.
Ram at the nearest corner to our remaining marines deploy claws and open the bay door after you make impact give us 2 minutes any longer and we'll be risking losing the ship to nanites. Then disengage and if I'm not back you have your ship.
*Rawne snaps to attention*
Rawne: Live forever sir.
Ibram:Live forever major.
*Ibram turns and runs to the turbolift taking it down to the landing craft bay. All the while the ship rings with the sound of major rawne's voice ordering marines who had just begun removing and cleaning their equipment to don it once again and prepare for full deployment. The dreadnought moves to fall into the left wing of the federation formation.*
Rawne over the loudspeaker: Today the Ghostmaker rides with you. make him proud.
*As the marines fall into lines next to their respective craft Ibram climbs atop one of the marauders*
Alright ghosts we've got someone to rescue instead of kidnap. I figure it's a nice change of pace for you lot. Anyone who signed up for true honour and glory will find it today, anyone who fights for greed you've gotten your pay for the day on the kang. Men, Women, do you want to live forever?!
*the roar of six hundred fighters drowns out every other sound*
*Ibram raises his hand bringing silence to the docking bay*
To your ships
*everyone begins filing in so used to this part that it is easy as breathing*
*Ibram mutters under his breath*
come on allington confirm the plan if the borg have your people time is a factor.
ooc: don't be afraid of controlling my character for some basic conversation pieces if you mean for things to go a different direction
OOC: I was actually hoping to slow it down a little. There are a lot of factors involved in getting to the Vault, after all.
Trials of Blood and Fire
Moving On Parts 1-3 - Part 4
In Cold Blood
*sitting at the helm of the marauder Ibram keys the comms*
All right everybody this could be seconds or days, we remain on station you know the drill. Ambush protocol 15, Bravo Company will launch first followed by Delta and Echo. Alpha and Charlie companies are the reserve. Get comfortable Ghosts, we're waiting for an opening.
*On the bridge of the alessia*
Major Elim Rawne: Hail the victorious
*channels open*
Hi Ryan i'm Elim. Awaiting your orders
Ryan: Understood. Stand by.
Ops, launch a probe towards the Vault.
Ops: Sir... don't we need the Remans' permission?
Ryan: That's why we're only launching a probe.
Ops: Aye sir.
Sir, the Kahless is helping conduct preliminary repairs to the Bunker Hill so they can return to Starbase.
Vice Admiral Soval has redirected another Starship to take her place.
Ryan: Which ship?
Ops: The Admiral didn't specify, sir. He just said that he's going to be taking command of that ship when it gets here.
Ryan: Which will be...?
Ops: Tomorrow.
Trials of Blood and Fire
Moving On Parts 1-3 - Part 4
In Cold Blood
Ship Designation: U.S.S. Kitty Hawk, Heavily-Modified Fleet Galaxy Dreadnaught.
Ship Armaments: Fleet Elite Antiproton Beam Arrays, Fleet Elite Dual Heavy Antiproton Cannons, Fleet Elite Tri-Cobalt Device Launcher, Experimental Anti-Proton Beam Lance
Defensive Measures: Classified
Top speed: Warp 9.99, Quantum Slipstream, Experimental Trans-Warp 6 tech.
CO: Fleet Admiral Kerry S. Freeman
Mission To assist in necessary heavy-weapons deployments and, if necessary, conduct Orbital Bombardments.
Ensign: *calling to Admiral Freeman and shaking him awake* "Admiral??? Are you ok, sir? ADMIRAL! Dang you! Wake up! We've got new orders and I just received a Priority One Starfleet communication for you! I think we've finally got some action on our hands!" Admiral Freeman: *groaning as he sits upright, slowly, in his bed*. "What is it?" *then, threateningly* "You'd better be telling the truth this time... I was having a particularly good dream... If I check my communications and you turn out to be lying to me, YOU, mister, will be TOAST..." *lets that last letter dissolve into a long, low hiss, as if it was uttered by a snake, and a slow, steady stream of black smoke comes from his nostrils*
Admiral Freeman: *walks over to his main console and calls to the ensign after finding out the truth* "Ensign... come here, if you don't mind."
*The ensign, shaking worse and worse as he made his way to the desk, finally realized that show of force from earlier was just a way to make sure nobody was lying. However, he didn't know exactly how his CO's nostrils were able to emit smoke like that. There was nothing burning around, but he had smelled just a hint of volcanic sulfur when the smoke started to emerge. He figured that he had best leave the subject be.*
*Ensign reaches the desk*
Admiral Freeman: *without looking away from the reports*, "Congrats. You're now a Lieutenant, Grade 1,"
New Lieutenant:"Thank you, Sir!"
*The normal shake-take-and-salute routine was done*.
Admiral Freeman: Dismissed, Lieutenant.
*Lieutenant walks out, and Admiral Freeman prepares to come on duty. He enters the nearest turbolift.*
Admiral Freeman: "Bridge. Computer, alert Alpha Shift bridge crew. tell them to report to the bridge."
Computer: "Acknowledged. Shall I order the crew to prepare for launch?"
Admiral Freeman: "Affirmative, computer."
*All bridge crew members and other personnel reach their assigned takeoff locations, and the U.S.S. Kitty Hawk clears Spacedock and heads towards the calculates intercept point with the existing fleet, already underway*.