[RP]Prelude-Cydonia Rising [IC: 'Dying Embers']

[sunphoenix]

THREADS -
[RP]Prelude-Cydonia Rising [IC: 'Dying Embers']
[RP]Cydonia Rising (OOC)
[RP]Cydonia Rising (Characters)
[RP]Cydonia Rising [Data: Ship Stats]
RP

[ooc: This is not the actual RP thread merely a chance for the two Loroi characters to get a chance to interact while we wait for the Storyguide { Suederwind } to spin up the actual game! Gives us a chance to 'get to know you'... both ways! Oh and Suederwind.. Arioch feel free to comment or interject if you like.. of course! ]

The ship was dying. She was hulled, holed, lost most of her pressure. The main reactor was wildly fluctuating its containment fields dangerously close to failing... it would not be long now.

The Argent Fire would soon be nothing more than the same hot stardust that all life came from.

Teidar Sezon Sonnidezi "Stormrage" had been hurled against a buckled bulkhead by a secondary explosion from a munitions bay two decks below. The explosion had killed... literally shredded, the two Soroin Pideir {soldiers} and the Tenoin Arrir acting as engineer in the damage control team but had only knock 'Stormrage' senseless pinned beneath rubble. But now she was floating free among the grizzly remains of her repair team for the artificial gravity had failed in this section. A Gaping hole in the floor led down to the munitions bay that was ruined and open to space. The red emergency lights sporadically illuminating the countless floating rubble and body parts of previous crew mates filling the space of the hallway.

Stormrage's awareness returned slowly...painfully, the horror of the ruptured bodies and fluids staining her battle armor and her.. all but untouched save a possible concussion to the head... her thoughts turned to terror, {It was the Deathwind... all over again... !!}

The terror and the painful memories of her previous crew overwhelmed her for a few moments and she wept for her friends and the crewsisters so suddenly dead around her... but it was only a few moments as her pride and Teidar training kicked in... she had to survive and she had a duty to find others who might have survived.

Calling upon her Psionic powers her eyes suddenly glowing she righted herself with telekinesis and took quick stock of herself. She was not injured and her suit was intact... she had only 8,280 solons {2.3hours} of air left... not good. But otherwise she seemed uninjured.

Flexing her telekinetic will Storm moved out of the grizzly cloud of slain crewsisters... the action made her tremble in sorrow, {...rest well sisters, and forgive me.}

Reaching opening her mind to let her Sanzai listen she heard the trembling pain of the dying and panicked... it was too much. Her head throbbed with the strain and trauma {...definitely a concussion. If only Berairodai 'Crimson-Cloud' was here... she would save many with her psychic healing talents...}

Storm tried to listen through the cloud of thoughts to find any she could help... but the pain and strain were too much with so many dying and in pain.. she locked onto the closest she could... a Listel if she recalled.

Speaking in Sanzai {Listel Saszel 'Softsapphire'... I hear you.. I'm coming to help you... are you unharmed? Switch to vocal comms... }

Storm closed her mind and shielded her thoughts behind a will of determination from the painful emotions of Argent Fire's dying crewsisters.

Activating her Armor suit radio, there was... disturbingly very little transmission traffic.. but a lot of static... likely from radiation from the failing reactor. A quick glance at her suit indicators told her the truth.. already the radiation was at dangerous levels for the unprotected. Any not in suits... even if they were in still pressurized sections of the ship were dead.

Speaking into the comm, [ 'Softsapphire', can you hear me? What is your status? ]

[Yiuel]

{If they could just not attack on site, damn Umiak... Anyone, anyone hearing this? Answer swiftly!}

The whole ship got badly shaken. Though she wasn't a great mechanic, she at least understood enough of Physics to know when to fold them. But her thoughts went to her team, and then to the whole crew. Were there any survivors?

She was able to detect a couple of shocked mates, including a couple of her team. Most, however, were dead or, at this moment, dying. This sent herself upon her nerves. She had obviously a couple of times felt a dying mind, but feeling those sisters dying was not a pleasant experience.

A first answer came from Sonnidezi/Stormrage. She was relieved to hear it.

{Yes, I do hear you. I am also sending messages to a couple of people I was able to contact. Why...?}

[ I am shaken, but I believe I am alright otherwise. I am currently in my quarters, and if I understood, I will put on my best armour suit for protection. I will pack all my few belongings and... I suppose we will have to gather into that small shuttle. Also, keep calm and help those I can reach and point to you. I will try to get their locations. Then, when all this is done, come straight to me. You will need my help. No nay-saying. ]

Taking a small bag, she packed her few belongings, including her cherished tools, and left her quarters to meet Stormrage and help with the whole disaster.

[sunphoenix]

[OOC: Monologue/Dialogue conventions... words between [ ] are radio transmitted speech. Words in { } are personal thoughts. I usually italics such. Words in Bold are spoken and within { } are sanzai spoken for others to hear with telepathy. Ok? ]

Storm smiled inwardly, {typical Listel.. always so chatty.. at least she is alive and ... unharmed!}

Storm did not want to consider the prospect of being alone in the now floating grave of her combat sisters...

Triggering her suit comm-link, [ Understood Listel. Get into your Vacc-suit, gather your gear and any technological devices you can easily carry. Stay where you are. I'll look for other survivors. ]

Storm moved with her Telekinetic powers easily through the shattered hallway there was no atmosphere here any she found were dead. Activating her Amplifier she moved heavy rubble out of the way to get to the pressure doorway that lead from the weapons and engineering booms of the, now doomed, Argent Fire to the more central crew sections of the ship. There was no power to the section airlock.

Not an obstacle to Stromrage. Touching the door she stretched out her electrokinetic influence finding the motors, actuators and atmosphere pumps and a surge of power from her abilities lit up the dead panel and she cycled the airlock. Entering and closing it behind her... sealing and opening the inner door with normal fluidity. Stormrage entered the crew sections of the ship... it was no better... though there was atmosphere it was smoke-filled and almost unbreatheable with toxins and CO2 from the burning circuitry and failing... no off-line life support. The air here was only what was trapped and slowly becoming irradiated if her suit's sensors were any indication. the hallways were mostly clean save for the many buckled hull strut supports.

Stormrage began her search... for survivors. There were many already dead and many pressure doors that indicated no pressure on the other side. she found a wrecked hallway blocked with rubble near a pressure door but sensed a crewsister within the twisted metal faintly. Moving the large pieces of bulkhead struts away with her telekinesis was no problem, but she found the crushed and pierced broken bodies of a Tenoin Narrat and a Soroin Pideir who were likely escorting the one live crew sister... a young Mizol Lennai... but she would be going nowhere. A large bulkhead strut had pierced her through the abdomen and pinned her literally to the wall... but she was still alive... for now.

The Mizol was 'Redsong' Storm had known her in passing. She looked up at Storm her eyes greateful and sad... {She knows she's dying...}

Weakly her Sanzai came to Stormrage, {...please. Sister... I don't want to die... alone...}

Stormrage swallowed hard. There was ...so much blood staining the floor and rubble.

Stormrage knelt down and took her hand. Popping the visor on her helm to unseal it briefly she touched her head to the dying Redsong's brow, smiling & gently brushing her dark reddish hair from her face, and sang in sanzai the song of Journeys to her... until she was gone.

{"Guided by a lonely star,
Beyond this world I've traveled far."

"I find far havens fair and clean,
and breazes cross the starlite sea."

"Ship by ship, I say farewell -
To hills and mountains ever blessed."

"The will to lead this lonely path,
I see the starli-iii-ight, my way..."}

Storm stood sealed her armor again, purging the contaminated air and turning away from the wrecked hallway, continued her search, {...I'm not going to cry. I have no more tears.}

Yet still, her suit dehumidifiers worked to clear the moisture from within her helmet...

[Suederwind]

[OOC: Wow... you guys couldn't wait for me? I ran into some technical problems here, I am not at home, my phone doesn't show me the font colour panel and this post might be a bit rushed. So: sorry for any spelling errors. I will fix this post back home, as soon as I can. Edit: Back home, just a moment... should be better now.
On topic: I normally provide some music for my usual RPG group. Some ambient music, most of the time, without vocals and stuff. I tried to find something that could fit here, but the only thing that came up to my mind (and that I had on my mp3 player) was the music I heard while I wrote the first version of this post: "Forever Autumn" from Jeff Waynes musical version of the war of the worlds. Just forget the lyrics and the narrator, its the sad mood that is important. I will also look for a youtube version of that song back home, if you like. Edit: I couldn´t find a decent one, but could add a crappy live version if you like? ]

Soroin Mallas Beinzezei "Copperspear" had no idea what had happened after that last, destructive blast from that Umiak ship, or how much time has passed since then. She didn't know where she is or what surrounded her, as the only thing she could see was that small amount of blood, covering the wall in front of her. She only hoped that the Argent Fire was still in one piece. As she then tried to move, she could feel the pain in her body, but couldn't crawl an inch, as if some evil and powerful metal claw, like from an Umiak hardtroop, pushed her against that wall. There was a cold that slowly spreading through her body. {Is that it?} she thought to herself and her vision faded and turned into some kind of strange, dark black night, out of which blurred pictures and memories arosed into her mind.

The start of the expedition to "humaniti", weeks ago. She always wanted her own ship to command and worked hard for that goal since her adulthood. Finally she made it and what a beautiful ship they gave her. The slender hull of the Argent Fire sparkled in the light of the nearby and deeply red sun, as she saw her the first time. {Perfect, just perfect...} she tought. The ship was as new as its crew, fresh from the shipyard, with her as the only one with any fighting experience on board.
But what a shock this first mission was. Playing caretaker for a bunch of Listel and Mizol, while transporting them to this new allies. "Humanes" they called themself and how foolish they look. {Sending a male to us as an ambassador... What were those humans thinking?} At least this strange creature didn't travel with them.
One of the Listel tolled her that not even the strongest Teidar could break trough his strange Lotai and sense his thoughts or sanzai to him and not even the best faresenser could detect him at all. {What idiots!} she thought. {Even a stupid Barsam could tell how he feels just by looking at his dull face! But no wonder the Listel like him...}. As she thought this, thick tears dropped from the ambassadors sad eyes, he bid them farewell over the large com-screen on Argent Fires command deck. {He, a warrior? Are they kidding me?} she questioned herself, {Only fools could think that... He is nothing more than just a weak male and if thats the best fighter they could send us, may the winds save us all!}.

Strange feelings rushed trough her mind, as if someone was trying to sanzai something to her. But was it part of those memories or real? She couldn't tell for sure.

The only thing she knew was, that she could feel that she had little time left. That strong pain in her head, body and mind, this strange iciness grabbing at her...
Even that face or just the voice of that cursed and arrogant Mizol would be an ease right now for her. She had to grin, as she thought about the countless disputes with her. That witch would have flown her ship through a black hole, if that brought her any closer to those humanes. No time to loose, as she always said. But she didn't care, if the reactor overheated again, crewsisters got injured because of her madness, or even worse...
But this was not her ship and she and her crew wanted that fight, wanted to proof themselves and not play the amusement boat... She and her crew got their chance earlier than expected. The Mizol and her voices grew louder and harsher as they yelled at each other on the command deck, right in front of her young crewsisters. {What was she thinking? Running away from that Umiak destroyer? Is she mad? It waited for us there! How could they know that we were coming?}. The young eyes of her crew were filled with fear as they watched them argue, as that Umiak light ship that suddenly appeared out of nowhere came closer. Even the others that came with her talked insistently to her and, finally, Not even an emergency jump ordered by the Mizol could shake them off. The young Listel on the sensors panicked as she realised this. {Nowhere to run now! Lets show them what we are made of!}.

As that iciness reached her chest, even those memories faded away. There was only pain and the cold now. {No! It can´t end like this! Not yet...} Bur her mind was too weak to sanzai anything. But there, just at the tip of her index finger: a button. She pushed it with all the power still left in her hand and a beep indicated that her radio still worked somehow. Coughing and fighting against the blood in her mouth she tried to say something, but failed. {No...!} A dim hope raised in her as she struggled with herself, as suddenly a scratchy, tear-stained voice screamed out of her in pain:
[He...Hel... Help! Pl... please!...]
Was it her own voice? She couldn´t tell and that was all that she was able to say, as the memories of the past got her again, dragging her deeper in that ice cold and black night.
{I knew that voice once...} Memories of Deinar rushed through her mind. The night of her rite of passage, she as the chief reaching out for the seii of her diral and the terrible pain as she dropped it... and then, finally: silence and darkness.

[Beliskner]

I got mine as well. WIP
thoughts- {}
Spoken words [Bold]
Bold text NPC chars
Meanwhile at Cydonia

SpoilerShow

Ship's log. Date 15/03/2161. First officer, Lt Cmdr Ferox shift 2, acting captain, reporting.
Two months, 23 days and nothing, I guess I should be happy, Humans should be happy that nothing happened.. nothing bad at least...
With Captain's orders we are still orbiting gas giant marked ji-23-12. Captain hopes that we will be invisible for "enemy" sensors and ignored my warning about dumping OUR sensors.
Well good I still have this old telescope mounted on hull. I can quietly peek without detection to neighborhood system whatever good that might bring..
We minimized energy bleeding and heat radiation, some crew members complain about cold walls in their rooms, hard to disagree, temperature dropped to 10-15C degrees...
We received message from ECS-170 Alberta. They are already in route to relive us. ETA 5-6 days. 6 days and finally we will move a bit. Cydonia engines could use some beating the same as the crew...
... perhaps I will make combat drill at end of my shift...
Lt Cmdr Ferox signing off.

Hadrid pressed several buttons on captain console and ship's log screen disappeared from holographic display. He looked ahead seeing empty chairs and consoles. {No need to seat in this glasshouse while sensors can be operated from engineering console} he smiled to himself, zipped his private Hoodie and instinctively rubbed his hands.{I guess it could be warmer here a bit..}

He made casual run a cross all consoles, checking weapons, engines, energy bleeding, sensors, life support, satisfied with result he climbed back to captain chair and started enjoying view of space.
Hadrid lost track of time when several irregular flashes seemed to appear and disappear in local asteroid belt. He quickly recovered and looked again only to see nothing...
He pressing several buttons [Bridge to sensors, Kitty are you there? Do you have something on sensors?]
Several seconds of silence was broken by what could sound like sleepy voice [Of course I'm here commander, nothing on my scans so far only space dust and radiation from sun... IS something wrong?]
[I guess not, perhaps I'm overcautious. Just stay frosty]
[Better you than me, Sir... yea I'm freezing here, Sensors out]
Hadrid stood up and walked to the window. Leaning against the wall he looked toward the asteroids. {Come on.. give me something or stop harassing me...} he thought when familiar light bursts danced again in far far away. {O shit...}. He jumped quickly across room to reach sensors console. He activated it only to receive NO CONTACTS screen and standard energy patterns rapport. {What a hell..nothing there is something out there I sure...perhaps..}
He moved back to Command console and activated old observation telescope. Several adjustments, counter flash mode and Bang! Several images popped at screens. {Rocks.. more rocks... again in infrared} several new adjustments and Bang. New portion of images made it's way to screens. {Sharpen and enlarge variations limits, remove no-heat elements.}


{What a....} Hadrid closed his eyes in shock seeing 2 objects in cold space and what look liked heat blooms all over them. {Here comes my combat drill}
He pressed several buttons on command console to open full on-board intercom option and activated a alarm buzzer. With several sharp alarms Intercom spoken to all crew members all around spaceship.

[GENERAL QUARTERS, GENERAL QUARTERS ALL HANDS MAN YOUR BATTLESTATIONS THIS IS NOT A DRILL, I REPEAT THIS IS NOT A DRILL, UNKNOWN VESSELS SPOTTED WE ARE NOW AT DEFCON 2, CAPTAIN PLEASE REPORT TO BRIDGE ASAP.]

Still some things to fix later ;]

[Suederwind]

For the human side, Captain Blakes turn: (WIP),
I used [] for spoken words and {} for thoughts.

SpoilerShow

{GENERAL QUARTERS, GENERAL QUARTERS ALL HANDS MAN YOUR BATTLESTATIONS THIS IS NOT A DRILL, I REPEAT THIS IS NOT A DRILL, UNKNOWN VESSELS SPOTTED WE ARE NOW AT DEFCON 2, CAPTAIN PLEASE REPORT TO BRIDGE ESP.} the intercom yelled in every part of the ship.
Captain Blake jumped up from his desk, put his steaming cup of tea down and pressed the intercom button:
[Lt Cmdr Ferox, whats going on? Have we been detected? Report immediately!]
[2 alien vessels, frigates... different silhouettes, bearing course 4-7-3, distance apox. 750k they look like the firing at themselves...]
After this short report from Lt Cmdr Ferox, he was on his way to the bridge. Time to look for the things himself.
Entering the corridor through his door, he nearly bang together with Dr. Murasaki, the ships Medical Officer.
[Sorry, captain!]
[Never mind! Lets see what Ferox caught us...] Captain Blake answered as they marched the short way to the bridge.

[sunphoenix]

Stormrage moved through the hallways... there were many dead in the shattered and buckled bulkheads from the secondary explosions... one hallway was charred down to the metal a security door had stopped a breached O2 line from sending a cloud of flames engulfing the whole level ... but beyond the door was a ruin of charred and blackened rooms.. and corpses. The fire had burned itself out but the passage beyond had unbreatheble atmosphere. This was not a pressure door... there was only one door if Storm opened it.. likely this hallway's air would also be contaminated and fouled. No one lived back that way she had come anyways... but still...

Storm looked around for a lift shaft to get her up to the next deck level... when she heard the fiant transmission through tthe static of the bleding radiation fromt he main drive reactor, [ H~...Hel~... H*lp! Pl... ple..se!... ]

She could not recognize the voice... but her suit's radio beacon tracker indicated it came from somewhere forward... near the bridge?!?

It didn't matter a sister was alive.. and Storm would find her.

Triggering her comm, [ I hear you. I'm coming to get you... ]

There was no response... The bridge was not a likely place to find anyone alive.. the Umiak weapons fire had scored a solid hit on the bridge before it was itself destroyed.

Storm had to move quickly if someone was alive ont he bridge.. it would not be for long...

Heading toward the bow of the ship she found the lift cleared away the wreck of the lift floor itself inoperable, and Telekinetically lifted herself up the shaft... not really needed in the zero-g of this depowered section of the ship. Storm knew that ship control had been transferred to the engineering bay after the bridge had been taken out. The engineers were there now desperately... and likely failing to stabilize the damaged main reactor. It could go critical at any moment. Likely the engineering still had gravity if no helm, or weapons control. Time was running out... fast!

Storm was up the shaft and heading up the main crew deck toward the bridge... the damage was even worse here she passed several pressure doors breached the ship was leaking atmosphere here.. badly the temperature cold as it was was dropping rapidly! This section of the ship would soon be completely void of air and pressure.

Storm passed the hall of tribute to the ancient and legendary warrior the ship was named after her painted fresco blacked but not totally destroyed upon the wall in the place of honor. A silver haired Loroi warrior with a hand holding an equally silver fire - all around her screaming faces burning with the silver fire she held in hand, ashes at her feet and her expression one of exquisite triumph!

Never again would the Argent Fire know such triumph... today she died.

Reaching the buckled pressure doors of the bridge it was obvious it would take more force than even Stromrage could muster to pry those twisted doors apart. Fortunately she would not have to... they were breached already by crumpled hull strut supports and she could just slip through the gap in the sundered armored doors.

She was aghast. The dome of the bridge the spherical wall screen had been totally smashed the high domed roof was no longer domed at all but crushed inward as if some titanic giant had stepped on it.. like a discarded metal drink cannister! Glass litters the floor and the wall screen projector's broken guts revealed as the roof. Hull strut supports were bent into a tangle webwork of twisted metal and the 'roof' was now only a little less than her height above the floor... the doomed Umiak destroyer must have rammed the Argent Fire as a last desperate measure. The bridge crew... such as they were, now crushed, broken and twisted in the tangle of metal and flesh. Blood was everywhere floating in gruesome pools and droplets in the zero-g environment. The Atmosphere leak must have been here as the temperature was sharply lower.

{Ancient warrior-sister's spirits! Could ANYONE be alive in that!?!}, Storm wondered.

Her head was pounding from the concussion but she needed to know... opening her Sanzai.. she could sense the faint life within the crushed bridge and knew instantly who it was!

Sending her thoughts, {Soroin 'Copperspear'! I'm here... I'll get you out!}

Storm slipped through the gaps in then the wreakage making her way to the Sorion Command Station...

[Suederwind]

{I will not let it end like this!}
Suddenly rushed through her head. It was not over, at least for now. There is someone, sanzaiing to her. She could feel her, a sister at last!
She tried to reach her with her thoughts, one final effort of will:
{May the spirits bless you! Please help, I can´t move. I... can´t...}
Her thoughts ended as she fell back into that sea of darkness and long lost memories.

As Sormrage worked her way through the bridge to the Sorions Station, she catched a glimpse on Copperspear:
A metal beam of the bridges dome must have fallen right on top of her. Luckily the taller parts of her console saved her from being squished to death, but only the spirits know how long the beam would stay there. She had no time to loose.

[VonWolffe]

Meanwhile aboard the Cydonia -

SpoilerShow

It was a matter of moments between the Lieutenant Commander beginning his announcement before the Marines thundered into the Armory. When a stand-to was called there was no waiting, no worrying about what your hair looked like or concern about whether or not you had shaved; Only a determined and purposeful rush to one's equipment. If this were dirt-side the Marines would have been sleeping with their weapons and equipment beside them, but the nature of the Naval vessel meant that weapons had to be locked up and issued when one's duties called for them.

The posted sentries were waiting as they came through the door as the ranking NCMs shouted instructions to their fire-teams, but everyone already knew what to do. The compact lockers were torn open in a flurry as the trained soldiers laid their hands on their equipment. First they stepped into their armored vacc-suits, strapped themselves in, then checked the man beside them.

1st Lieutenant Wolffe moved among them. They had all carried out these drills hundreds of times. They knew each and every detail about their equipment, even down to the smallest part, it's function, what it was made of and how it worked. Wolffe checked their seals one at a time, moving from one man to the next in the confined space, tugging on the seams and pulling at their vests. It was easy to forget one of the many steps involved with preparing one's equipment, but every last one of them was ready to go. Wolffe was the only one not yet wearing his helmet, it was his responsibility to make sure his men were ready and safe.

The Marines wore a distinct black streamlined vacc-suit which fit closer to the body than the Navy maintenance suits. The suits sacrificed longevity in space for flexibility and protection. Their Tac-vests were already loaded with six magazines of ammunition for their caseless bullpup assault rifles, which were being distributed by the quartermaster. As the rifles were taken into each Marine's hands they were inspected, loaded, cocked, and saftied in several fluid motions. Each man had a loaded sidearm issued to them and then strapped into their thigh holsters with four extra magazines on their sides. Each man also carried four Nine-banger flash grenades and two fragmentation grenades. Their helmets were secured, sealed and powered and their oxygen levels checked and then tested. All of this was carried out with the mechanical motions of those who had gone through this drill hundreds of times before.

"Alright. We're good to go. This is the real thing gentlemen. Until the Captain instructs otherwise, we are on general duties. Assist medical and engineering staff in any way you can and I will update you over the closed comms as soon as I have more for you. I know you are ready for this. To your standby positions."

There was no chatter other than the clipped instructions of the fire-team leaders to their partners as they disappeared down different corridors to their posts. These were not the bloodthirsty berserkers that some civilians imagined Marines to be. They were soldiers, less concerned with murdering the enemy than they were cool-headed professionals who intimately understood the job that they had to do.

The last Marine slipped his helmet over his head before nodding to his partner as it was sealed and he himself was looked over in the very same fashion as his men had been. 1st Lieutenant Eric Wolffe then stepped off and made his way toward the bridge to report to his post; close the the Captain and ready to be dispatched at any moment to respond to any given number of emergency situations. There was no time to think, only the task at hand.

It took only a few minutes to traverse the length of the ship and step onto the bridge. Wolffe's partner snapped to attention beside him as the Marine officer saluted the Captain. He knew that the man was dealing with input from a thousand different sources and readouts, but he also had to know when his men were in position.

"Reporting for duty, Sir!"

Wolffe's presence on the bridge in full kit meant that his Marines were in position and ready for any instruction the man could give. After the salute was returned Wolffe stepped aside and watched the readouts in silence, listening to the chatter of the Bridge crew while quietly relaying any information he could get to his men. Marines were not often in the loop with concern to the general goings on of the ship, Wolffe made sure that was not the case under his command.

[Yiuel]

{Stay where you are, she said. She saw the mess, so it's probably better I stay here and monitor the few minds I can hear crying for help.}

Softsapphire had quickly done everything needed. She might question a Teidar on psychological matters, but she was still better with the whole ship stuff. At least more than she could. Let professionals do the professional's work.

A few moments later, she heard that sad song from the Teidar's mind. Things had been too dire.

Then, a sanzai came from Commander Copperspear.

{Soroin Mallas Copperspear, I can hear you well. Can you hear me. I repeat it as loud as I can. Can you hear me. I will keep on sending you. Stormrage is there, she will help you. Do not give up, and concentrate on what I say. You are not lost, you are with us. Soroin Mallas Copperspear...} (Softsapphire continues like this as long as Stormrage is working on freeing her.)

(While concentrating on the hurt Soroin, Softsapphire keeps on sending messages to whom could hear her. As soon as she gets catch a mind, she will send the same kind of messages, and reassure as clearly as possible the loroi. She can do so with up to nine other people.)

[sunphoenix]

Stormrage moves to Copperspear's command chair not wasting any motion she focuses her telekinesis on the seams securing the chair to the floor. Her eyes glowing brightly, she shifts her electrokinetic psychokinesis & environmental influence boosted by her helmet psi-amplifier over magnetism and holds the pinning metal hull strut in place while Telekinetically crushing the base of the chair with her will. Allowing her to lower the pinned & injured Soroin from under the hull strut and levitate her out of harm's way.

Shifting position Stormrage strains her own endurance to hold the hull strut in place with powerful Magnetic fields - hoping the console it is propped upon holds while she telekinetically floats 'Copperspear' and herself out of the tangle of the bridge ruin before releasing her hold on the strut... just in case it might cause further collapse in the wreakage of the mangled bridge supports.

Cradling the Soroin in her arms she speaks, "I have you my Soroin, We are Unsheathed... always! Fear not.. I need to get you into a vacc-suit. It may hurt.. I am sorry.. but you are not safe unsuited."

Storm looks to the sides of the security doors to the bridge and finds the emergency lockers recessed and concealed in the bulkheads, she removes a Vacc-suit and helm preparing to get Copperspear suited up.

Her head was throbbing with pain.. the concussion was taking its toll and her continued use of power doing trauma to herself.
Triggering her Suit Comm, [ Softsapphire, I have Soroin Copperspear.. she is injured. I need to get her suited up to get her to you. Make your way to the central crew hallway. I'll meet you on the way to the hanger... Argent Fire is dead... we must get off her before we are dust - with her. ]

[Yiuel]

[Understood.]

Softsapphire opened the door leading into the corridors of the ship. It was a whole mess to her. Along the way, she saw the dead bodies. Some of her assembled team, others of the crew, others again of the diplomatic faction. The whole thing was pure disaster.

At last, she joined Stormrage in the corridor. Seeing that the Teidar was physically hurt, the Listel took the Soroin on her shoulders (after some protest from the Teidar), and they ran as quickly as possible to the hangar. As soon as Stormrage had asked her to move on, Softsapphire kept on sanzaiing all the crew to evacuate to the hangar.

At last, they arrived. They saw another survivor there...

[bunnyboy]

{...Can you hear me...sending...will help...concentrate...I...not lost...with us...}
In medical bay, Paiad returns to consciousness. Her head was buzzing from pain and screams of sanzai. A quick glance around revealed, that she had survive the oscillations of the explosions in better condition that her laboratory. Mild horror became on her face, when she noticed that her valuable samples taken from human crew were destroyed and the security was breached. Most of the bacteria was harmless or even symbiotic on humans, but no one could tell, what the organisms on the air she was breathing could do to her. Some serious discomfort on stomach can be at least expected in next days. She put the worries away and focused to survive. The air was too valuable to being flushed on space, so she only put a filtering mask, before she looked on the controls. No signals, but a small hissing sound, who resisted her attemps to pinpoint its location.
Here Paiad on medical lab. I have emergency power, but no contact on the ship. What is situation outside? She asked both sanzai and suit comm.
[ S.fts.pph.rr...h.v..Ssr....pprrsp..r..shhis..n..rr.d. ] She got reply. The lab was reinforced against radiation because of instruments, but the signal shouldn't be that bad. Paiad moved on to door to get better signal and heard.
[ ...n.th..wa..t..the.hanger...Argent.F.re.ss.dead...we..st.get.off.her..efore.we.are.d.st..w.th.her. ]
Hastily she grapped her vacc suit and opened the med bay doors. Half suited she started to run on the corridor leading to the hangar and closed the fasteners at moving.

[Suederwind]

[OOC: Could not make as much progress tonight as I wished, will do the rest tomorrow = the human side. You should check the two new maps and the new NPCs I posted in the OOC thread. I thought it was finally time to introduce someone new to the players...]
Suddenly a strong, harsh and angry thought was sanzeied to the minds of every surviving crewsister on the entire ship:
{...er to any survivor! Come down to the shuttle bay at once! There is no time! We have to leave this wreck! The reactor is going critical in less than 900 solons! This is an order to any survivor! I repeat: Come down...}
There was only one person on board of Argent Fire that was such a strong telepath and could be this harsh and arrogant, even in such a situation. Mizol Parat beganenzit "Twilightsaber" was alive and finally achieved the goal, she had in mind from the start of this mission: she was in command now, as Soroin Copperspear was unconscious and the once proud Argent Fire was a burning mess. There was no one left to challenge her now and she was eager to keep it that way.

[Suederwind]

[OOC: took me a while to finish. You can consider this the second story post. Therefore some ambient music: link. If you like that and it brings you in the right mood, I will keep posting some music, here and there. If not, just say so. The Loroi players might check it our as well.]

Captain Blakes turn, again... thanks to Beliskner for his input!(WIP)

SpoilerShow

With red alert, bridge of Cydonia filled itself almost instantly. Even ensign Kitty Anderson, 24 years old, 175cm skinny brunette with green eyes.
She made her way from engineering room to the bridge almost first only to say: [What the hell is happening?] and sat at the sensor console trying to find something.

[We have 2 contacts. Last known position 750k, bearing course 4-7-3] Hadrid said while instructing arriving bridge officers.
[I have nothing sir.. ] Before she could continue Commander pressed 2 buttons at his console and IR images appeared at main screen. [2 vessels, totally different shapes, in size of frigates or light destroyers]

[If I may be so bold how the hell you found them? You made luck shot with the old telescope?] Kitty said with discomfort, it was her job to look for treats not his and everybody on ship knew Andersons temper.

Hadrid was about to answer when the captain entered with the medical officer. [Attention on deck!] he said, standing at attention and saluting.
Captain Blake and Dr. Murasaki entered the bridge together, as soon as its door opened. An unfamiliar sight, as they normally try to avoid each other.
The ship was on full combat alert, Marines had taken their positions and saluted together with the usual bridge crew as the Captain entered the bridge and walked to his chair and set down.
[At ease, everyone! Report. What is going on right now? And put these ships on screen.] Captain Blake ordered completely calm. Everyone knew he was one of the best and most experienced Captains in the fleet. If there was anyone who knew was what to do, it was him. Everyone on the bridge felt reliefed as he gave his orders.
[There are two unidentified vessels, totally different shapes. Roughly the size of destroyers. 200-250m long. The IR indicates several weapons discharging.] Answered Ensign Anderson.
[The IR? Ensign, activate a Com-link to the nearest probe. Show us what happened there and display the sensor logs from the beginning of that fight. Any form of communication or messages?
Ensign Anderson blushed with shame, she really has forgotten to check these damned probes. After pressing a few buttons, the view on the main screen changed, as she accessed the nearest probes data.
[No communication, sir. Probe sensor log indicates T minus 12.37 minutes as the moment the two vessels entered the system and started fighting in the asteroidbelt. Time selected and go!]
Blurred at first, the view cleared as the probes optical sensors focused on what happened between the Asteroids. Two smaller pictures appeared near the edge of the screen, as the secondary sensors got a lock on those unfamiliar ships, that just had popped out of hyper space.
The first ship looked slender and pointed, almost like a dagger or some form of spearhead. Its hull was colored in silver and green. This, together with its purple engine plumes, gave the ship a beautiful and magnificent appearance.
The second one was a whole different thing. It looked somehow like a giant, yellow scarab, with strange black, white and red markings on its hull and appeared to be a little bit bigger than the first ship. Some kind of large, spindle-shaped object was attached to its lower hull, giving it a strange and eerie look.

It was as quiet as on a graveyard, as Cydonias bridge crew watched the two ships encircling each other in some kind of strange and lethal dance, as they tried avoiding the beams from each others weapons.
Those ships were faster than any ship in the entire human fleet, or anything they had ever seen.
The scarab turned slower and couldn´t accelerate as fast, as the silvery dagger, but this couldn´t save the more nimble ship from being hit several times, as it couldn´t get clear of its pursuer, while evading the Asteroids. Some of the bridge crew gasped as another of the scarabs bright and slightly green beams found its mark, leaving behind dark and burned spots on its opponents hull. The dagger shaped ship returned fire with some form of purple particle beam and even Captain Blake looked in disbelieve on the screen, as those beams were somehow deflected by an unknown force, leaving the ugly ship undamaged.
Beams that would have turned Cydonia into a molten wreck.
Captain Blake felt sorry for whoever commanded that ship, as it was clear to him, who would loose that fight.
Ensign Anderson broke the silence again:
[Captain, you should see this.]

She pushed another button and the picture on the main screen changed to show what was happening at the moment.
Captain Blakes prediction had been right. The once beautiful, dagger shaped and nimble ship was now a drifting wreck. Parts of its hull were missing and it was leaving behind trails of debris, black smoke and flames. That ugly scarab was getting closer and closer, too.

[The scanners indicate that the debris is made of molten parts of the outer hull and some other things that appear to be.... organic...? Wait a minute! Those things are... bodies, sir... Bodies of the crew...] Ensign Anderson said in horror. It took her a moment to snap out of it.
[Ensign...] Blake said slowly and gentle [...we are safe here. Keep calm and carry on.] {She is still young, no need to rebuke her in front of the others.}
[Yes, sir.] responded the Ensign. This had taken her off guard.

[There is something new! Sensor detect several missiles launching from the damaged ship: two, six, eight...] Ensign Metzger shouted from the weapons station.

At the very last moment, just as the scarab wanted to place its coup de grâce, these missiles were clearly launched as a last ditch weapon. And they did their job, were those beams failed. Not a single missile missed the target.
The scarab turned slowly away, as flames broke out of its ugly hull, taking large pieces of debris with them. Suddenly the picture turned white.
[We lost the sensors on the nearest probe, switching to probe "sigma"...]
The picture appeared again and although the viewing angle had changed, it was clear that the "scarab" had been vanished without trace.

[Dragoon]

Rolland Steen

SpoilerShow

Roland Steen sweated out the alert standing ready int he squad bay reserved for the response team. geared up in full combat armor, weapons and kit hey could only wait and listen for the sounds of combat.
He chewed mechanically on a piece of gum, instead of the stub of a cigar, and watched the screen mounted on the far side of the room for updates. He made the rounds of his subordinate marines checking their gear and weapons. For the first time in months they were loaded and had lethal rounds issued.
[Don't sweat it boys, probably just another sensor ghost.] He assured the younger men. Most of them were damn well trained but not much in the way of combat experience.
he stood taller and broader than most, and had the scars on his face, arms and hands, to prove he had seen action. But when all you could do was wait even veterans got a bit anxious for action. so he kept his visor down and sealed and tried to keep his nerves from showing in his movements.

[sunphoenix]

Stormrage fits the nondescript emergency vacc-suit on Copperspear using her Telekinesis to be as gentle as possible unknowing what internal injuries her Soroin may have sustained. The pain in her head from the concussion was growing. She pondered grimly that she would soon have to stop using her psionic gifts less she hurt herself... but the Sororin was far worse. Storm could not bring herself to stop for fear of inflicting greater injury with her untrained medical hands. Checking the suit's seals and satisfied, Stormrage carried the Soroin through the wreaked hallways aft heading as quickly as possible for the hanger bay.

Not far along she met Softsapphire. The Listel could see that Stormrage's helm had suffered a massive impact in the back and was cracked - though the auto-seal gel was visible... she was likely still loosing pressure albeit very slowly.

Stormrage, a matter of pride, made her protest that she was fine and could still carry the Sororin.. but it was mostly stubborn bravado.. the Listel could tell she had suffered some head injury and was .. slow in some of her reactions. But Stormrage did finally relinquish the Sororin to the Listel... and though she would never admit it.. she was relieved to not be burdened with the added mass.

A little bit away from the Hanger bay doors they met Paiad and Stormrage was again relieved.

Speaking - a telle-telle sign her head was greatly aching her that would bleed-over to any Sanzai communication, "Medic Paiad... see to the Sororin.. she may have internal injuries!"

Then the General Sanzai announcement from the... now opportunistic Mizol pounded into her head. Turning a frown the direction of the hanger Stormrage curtly gestured, "...let's go."

She began to led the way to the hanger doors her pace a bit more urgent. It was obvious to the two that she would have some words for the Mizol...

Arriving at the bay the security doors already open Stormrage moves over to the waiting Twilightsaber her tone one of defiance, "Mizol Parat, if you would recall.. we are in a state of emergency! A MILITARY State of Emergency!! When we have something diplomatic to discuss with the space dust in this forsaken corner of space.. trust me you may exercise your authority to the fullest!! Until then, this is STILL a military situation.. and with the Soroin incapacitated, for the time being... an in lew of any higher ranking command officer - I and only I am the superior authority in this situation!! Now. Get your pretty posterior on the shuttle and stay out of my way while I flex my limited piloting skills in hopes we can get far enough away from the Argent Fire - before she adds US to the space dust left of the Umiak!"

[Suederwind]

[OOC: backt to the Loroi side, bear in mind that the Loroi characters do not know of a human ship in that system.]
The hangar doors opened as another group of survivors, lead by Stormrage entered the hangar.
About one third of the crew had assembled there, most of the injured.
A Soroin Paset laid on the ground, pregnant and in pain, a nearby Doranzer tried to ease her pain, but could do little with her small first aid kit.
Parts of the ceiling had crushed Argent Fires "Nistil" class Utility shuttle, rendering it useless. The other, trans-atmospheric, one was intact and was boarded by
some of the survivors. Parts of debris laid on the ground and blocked the way of the shuttle to the gateway that leads to space.

In the middle of this mess, filled with sorrow, stand Mizol Parat Twilightsaber and gave orders in sanzai and spoken words, trying to get some order in this chaos.
She looked at Stormrage and her group with hate filled eyes, that would have even filled the lotai shielded mind of a human with fear.

{Teidar Sezon, know your place and come to your senses! I´m the highest ranking officer on board of this ship. So, I AM in command here and not you. Keep this in mind! The military part of this mission ends with this ship. All we have to do now is bring the survivors to safety. Are you willing to help us all, or do you insist on playing the Soroin´s part here?}

The other survivors looked at Stormrage and waited for her response, the hangar filled with deathly silence. Just as this little moment has passed, the lights of the hangar flashed in bright blue and the emergency siren yelled her scary song.
A loud, computer generated voice announced:
[Emergency! Reactor shielding is failing in less than 300 solon! Immediate evacuation is recommended!... Emergency! ...]

Twilightsaber gazed at Stormrage and sanzaied her:
{Any comments?}

[sunphoenix]

Stormrage lives up to her name and her eyes glow with not only fury.. but activated psi power...

Again refusing to Sanzai.. needing all her concentration, "One comment. Get. On. THAT. Shuttle NOW! Before I pick you up and hurl you on it you annoying pompus fool! This is a military operation until I am satisfied that all hostiles in this system that currently threaten us are neutralized and that shuttle is safely away from here!!!"

"NOW MOVE!"

Skill: Intimidation {Political} Lvl1 = 2d6 + 5 + 2 → [6,4,5,2] = (17)
- [A difficult success... against a static Target number, but most interaction skills are usually resisted by NPC's with a Mind + Resistance + 2d6 roll]
* +5 {mind}, +2 {skill + specialization}, + any bonus for RP and display of power {GM's prerogative}
http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3862193/

Stormrage dismisses Twilightsaber as inconsequential, turning to Listel Softsapphire she draws her Heavy Blaster Pistol setting it to Hotshotted fire, "Get everyone on the shuttle now! I'll deal with the blocked Hanger Bay doors..."

Not waiting for an answer Storm strides over to the rubble at the bay doors and aiming, places very specific high powered Blaster shots to break up the rubble into smaller pieces...

VREE-TOWWW! VREE-TOWWW! VREE-TOWWW!!!

She is not being thorough... just quick and she lashes out with her telekinesis to move the now smaller chunks of rubble aside a groan of pain escapes her as her mind and head injury pushed to its limits fills her with agony briefly. She stumbles a little but won't yield to rest yet...

Telekinesis w/Amplifier = lift 1,000kg {1.2tons} = cost 10 Energy Points

She moves to the shuttle boarding... and grimaces when she realizes there are no conscious Tenoin survivors... likely most were killed at their posts in the battle with the Umiak Destroyer.

She pauses briefly at the door to look one last time at the Argent Fire and though it is painful to do so she sanzais, {Farewell Great Heroine Argent Fire.. may the mistress of the sea of stars receive you into her bosom.}


She waits for the last of the fleeing crew to board before personally shutting the hatch and moving to the pilot's seat.. powering up to leave and signaling the hanger doors to open...

[Yiuel]

"Stormrage, understood. Then you come to me, as I requested."

Stormrage really impressed the Listel. But she focusses on taking all the survivors into the small transport. When done, she turned to the Mizol.

{Mizol Parat Twilightsaber, you may be the highest ranking person still conscious on this ship, but must I remind you that, per our own laws, you are prohibited from taking direct command of a vessel. Now, we have a very curious situation where we have no battle crew left. But as far as the security of everyone on this ship, including the transporter, is concerned, Stormrage is our best bet, she knows how to take care of all this. As for her currently wrecked mind, I will personally take care of it, as competent counsellor, upon her return. However, as to where we will all go afterwards, it will be your decision and you will have to make your choice swift, as I believe this little transporter won't give us much time...}

Upon Stormrage's return, Softsapphire goes onto speech mode to get her speak.

"Are you okay. I do not mean bodily. I mean your thoughts in your mind."