Page 89

[Mjolnir]

No warship wants to spend 10 minutes after each jump working out which side of the local sun it ended up in! To that end, I can imagine that there are some "sweet spots" in each system that are easier to jump to. Silent listening posts could be set up near these locations to monitor hyperspace traffic.

Spending 10 minutes to determine your location is nothing, it'll take nearly as long for someone an AU away to notice your arrival, and days to weeks to get across the system wherever you ended up. A bigger problem would be your fleet/task group getting spread across a volume that might be tens of light-minutes across.

[manticore7]

hm, I guess Laughing out loud is not uniqe to Beryl. I've always wonder what kind of humor the Loroi like, considering they are a warrior society some gallows humor would probably amusing or maybe some vaudeville, play me off johnny.

[icekatze]

hi hi

I'm still hoping that Alex will end up saying something poignant, even if it is just a sentence. ((even a simple "rest in peace," would probably do.))

Also, if we assume that the Umiak had been intending to destroy the Bellarmine from the beginning, as in shooting it 4 times with a plasma focus, then perhaps Commander Tiktik's little speech may have been a bit of reverse psychology. Allowed them to save some munitions themselves.

[Ktrain]

hm, I guess Laughing out loud is not uniqe to Beryl. I've always wonder what kind of humor the Loroi like,

Dick jokes.

[Karst45]

The men and women of the Bellarmine had journeyed more than an hundred light year and were so close to making peaceful contact.. The loss was sudden and terrible, and for their families, the grief is heavy. Our nation shares in your sorrow and in your pride. And today we remember not only one moment of tragedy, but seventy-nine lives of great purpose and achievement.

To leave behind Earth and air and gravity is an ancient dream of humanity. For these seventy-nine, it was a dream fulfilled. Each of these astronauts had the daring and discipline required of their calling. Each of them knew that great endeavors are inseparable from great risks. And each of them accepted those risks willingly, even joyfully, in the cause of Humanity.

but i suppose this nice speach would be interrupted by a torpedo...

[Mjolnir]

Also, if we assume that the Umiak had been intending to destroy the Bellarmine from the beginning, as in shooting it 4 times with a plasma focus, then perhaps Commander Tiktik's little speech may have been a bit of reverse psychology. Allowed them to save some munitions themselves.

Spending a dozen ships to save a torpedo doesn't seem like an effective strategy for conserving resources.

[Voitan]

The men and women of the Bellarmine had journeyed more than an hundred light year and were so close to making peaceful contact.. The loss was sudden and terrible, and for their families, the grief is heavy. Our nation shares in your sorrow and in your pride. And today we remember not only one moment of tragedy, but seventy-nine lives of great purpose and achievement.

To leave behind Earth and air and gravity is an ancient dream of humanity. For these seventy-nine, it was a dream fulfilled. Each of these astronauts had the daring and discipline required of their calling. Each of them knew that great endeavors are inseparable from great risks. And each of them accepted those risks willingly, even joyfully, in the cause of Humanity.

but i suppose this nice speach would be interrupted by a torpedo...

Suddenly reminded of Carl Sagan. Decided to watch this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7C8lG9L4 ... re=related

[Cy83r]

Yes, The Pale Blue Dot!

From a pale blue dot, you came to the stars seeking peace. You found instead an instant of loss and war, though you were no strangers to it; humanity never has been. Those left behind will remember you, like we have those lost before you. I give my word that you, the crew of the Bellarmine, will have justice. May you rest in peace among the winds of the stars.

[manticore7]

now called unto eternal rest, we comit these bodies to the deep (as in deep space).

[Solemn]

Since the Bellarmine's mission was to make contact, establish relations, and gain military intelligence, I'd think "We did it, guys," would be in order.

I kinda think Alex might put his foot in his mouth here, but I have a bit of faith in the guy. After all, he did a pretty good job of winging it when coming up with some last words while his brain was shutting down from oxygen starvation.

[Razor One]

I think I managed to find something perfect.

Let me hear the battle cry
Calling on the wind
Let me see the banners fly
Before the storm begins

Let me feel the spirits soar
Destroy the enemy
Striking at the evil core
For all the world to see

This day will last forever
Deep in the hearts of men
Courage and victory
Remember, remember

One Shot At Glory
In the crossfire overhead
Fate stands before me
Words have all been said

One Shot At Glory
Driving hard and seeing red
Destiny calls me
One night of fire
One Shot At Glory

Fighting on with dignity
In life and death we deal
The power and the majesty
Amidst the blood and steel

I still hear the battle cry
The call goes on and on
I still see the banners fly
The battle's always won

I kid, I kid

More seriously

Tho' much is taken, much abides; and though
We are not now that strength which in old days
Moved earth and heaven; that which we are, we are;
One equal temper of heroic hearts,
Made weak by time and fate, but strong in will
To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield.

For something that isn't cribbed from greater minds than myself...

"Farewell my friends. We carried each other further than any humans have come before, through space that no human has set eyes on, beyond stars that we have yet to name. Your courage, your sacrifice and our mission shall not have been in vain. May you rest peacefully amongst the stars from whence you came. Farewell my friends... farewell."

[Tamren]

Since when did the Tempest have ventral medium blaster turrets? Or is this just the first time we have seen them?

[Arioch]

Since when did the Tempest have ventral medium blaster turrets? Or is this just the first time we have seen them?

They have always been there, but they have changed position and appearance slightly.

[Some Useless Geek]

Hmm. Sorry to be so crude, but I think my take would be a lot simpler:

We're gonna get some, guys. You watch from above while we do it.

[icekatze]

hi hi

I don't know how spiritual of a fellow Alex is, but I figure that a salute and some personal declaration might also work in a pinch. Perhaps "I won't forget," or "I won't let the mission fail."

[Mayhem]

"Farewell my friends. We carried each other further than any humans have come before, through space that no human has set eyes on, beyond stars that we have yet to name. Your courage, your sacrifice and our mission shall not have been in vain. May you rest peacefully amongst the stars from whence you came. Farewell my friends... farewell."

I like the feel of this.

My variant:

We have gone where no man has gone before,
to do that which no man has done before,
the price has been high,
the task is not yet complete,
but your sacrifice will not in vain.

Rest in peace my friends.

[TheUnforsaken]

I'm sure the TCA military would have something akin to the Ode of Remembrance that Commonwealth nations use...It shouldn't be too hard to paraphrase something along those lines even without much in the way of warning.

[Count Casimir]

"Remember Bell."

New battle cry of the TCA.

[Imbrooge]

I'm really curious as to what their reactions will be to the way he says whatever it is he is going to say. If he has too many ums and ahs in there it might leave the impression that he didn't really care that they died, or he really cared alot because he said that those sounds mean't he was thinking what to say.

Also there was a shot of a torpedo firing and not a beam, so i am curious as to how that will reflect on Alex. Quite possibly dissapointment that he was unable to confirm the colour of the beam and hopefully that won't stump him.

[fredgiblet]

Also there was a shot of a torpedo firing and not a beam, so i am curious as to how that will reflect on Alex. Quite possibly dissapointment that he was unable to confirm the colour of the beam and hopefully that won't stump him.

...did you forget the big battle we just saw with all the beams going back and forth?