[RP] Operation: Deep Strike (IC)

[TheUnforsaken]

Donna nods at Kam's words, "Good work Lieutenant. Can you cut the time down to 2.5 hours? That ship is our best chance of getting out of this system any time soon and we have no idea how much longer it will hold together."

[sunphoenix]

Kam smiles, "Aye Captain. Set and loaded in...we're on our way..."

He turns to look at Donna and in a softer tone he says, "Donna, it will be some time before we're there... I might suggest you try to get some rest in the mean time. If something happens... you'll be informed immediately, Ma'am. You'll need to be fresh and sharp... we can handle this for now."

[TheUnforsaken]

Donna considers Kam's suggestion before speaking, "Perhaps you're right Kam. Though I'll have to leave resting 'till after the conference." She gives a small, weary smile, "Thank you for the suggestion."

Donna's muscles protest, tense with recent stress, as she stands, "Lieutenant Lynn," she says with greater formality, "You have the bridge."

After leaving the bridge Commander Ptak traverses the DeSoto, speaking with crew members, offering words of encouragement and helping to wrestle one particularly unruly piece of equipment to where it is needed. Eventually she makes it to the ship's Medical bay to speak with the injured crew. Before entering a thought crosses her mind If there's time before the conference, once I'm done here, I think I'll go to the galley...see if I can get a drink or a snack. Donna is a little surprised by the thought, she certainly doesn't feel like eating after the day's events, but she guesses that her body knows what it needs better than her mind does just now.

[sunphoenix]

Kam ... is... a little stunned. He never expected to be placed in 'temporary' command of the ship...

But his shock is short lived as his expression shifts to a stern and serious demeanor.
Kam Salutes and solemnly replies, "Aye Captain, I have the bridge."

Turning to 'Tex', " 'Cowboy'... the helm is yours."

Kam stands and moves to the captain's chair and begins sending requests for a collated damage reports to be routed to him so he can arrange all the data for the captain before her return and for her conference. He also orders the ship's stores be inventoried to determine how much if any stores were spoiled by the radiation blast that struck the ship and entered the hull life zones.

To all he seems to take his 'temporary' post EXTREMELY seriously... and works twice as hard as any piloting he has done this day.

[icekatze]

((hi hi))

The enemy target pushes forward in spite of its wounds, unwilling to give up its prey so easily. It lists back and fourth as if tacking against some unseen wind, drifting slowly to the side then flipping itself over and drifting back. The inability to fly in a straight line only making them seem more determined. It doesn't take it long to match speeds with the DeSoto and soon enough it begins closing the gap, but just as it seems like they're moving in for a quick kill, their engines go quiet. Still closing on the DeSoto, though much more slowly now, the enemy target seems content to conserve its fuel. It does however, manage to match any attempts by the DeSoto to go around, like a sheep dog herding its flock, the target moves to block her path at every step of the way.
----

Lt. Chu remains hard at work trying to patch a comm channel through to the Pure Wind, stopping only to switch out oxygen tanks on her vacuum suit. It is apparent that someone on the Pure Wind is trying to contact the DeSoto, but for over an hour, there is little being picked up by the radio but static. A few segments of voice audio, but not enough to even parse together a whole word, let alone a sentence. Eventually though, the crew of the Pure Wind must have managed to repair one of their transmitters and the recievers on the DeSoto pick up a solid signal.

The voice on the other end is soft and unsure, as though she does not expect a reply. It doesn't sound like Captain Red Salt or even her second in command.
"*Chhshhzhk*...alling DeSoto, please respond. Repeat, this is the Pure Wind hailing DeSoto, we have sustained heavy damage and require assistance. Engines dead, chance of recovery unknown, life support dangerously low. Please advise on your status, will you be able to intercept? This is the Pure Wind hailing DeSoto, please respon. Repeat..."

The light speed lag between the two ships is not yet very long, and Lt. Chu jumps at the chance to respond, speaking in reassuring, measured tones.
"Pure Wind, this is DeSoto, we are moving to assist you... Hang in there! We've lost our weapon systems and our engines are damaged but still functioning, it may take a little bit longer to rendezvous than we'd like but we are coming. We've still got to deal with that gunboat, but we're working on a plan now."

Lt. Chu switches channels to the bridge staff in order to relay the news.
"I've got the Pure Wind on the comm! What should I tell them... and what information do we need from them?"

[sunphoenix]

Kamielle responds over the comm, {"This is Lt. Kamielle Lynn 'pro-temp' Captain on the bridge, Captain Ptak is resting right now... I'll have her informed immediately. Find out if the 'PURE WIND' has any weapons functional or if their interceptors have been recovered. Tell them the gunboat 'seems' to have lost half of its engines due to its erratic maneuvering but it is closing to weapons range and our weapons are non-functional."}

{"Lt. Chu... we need weapons, get the engineering crews on that stat! I don't care if we burn the damn focal array out with overheat... we have to be able to fire back or were not going to save anyone... most of all ourselves!"}

Kamielle turns to one of the bridge security personnel, "Go find Captain Ptak, she 'should' be in her quarters resting... but she may not be. Comm lines to the living quarters have been cut. Tell her she is required on the bridge ... there have been new developments."

Kamielle then turns his attention to the tactical display, "Helm, display the approaching previous maneuvering of the closing gunboat..."

Kamielle is using tactics to determine which side of the gunboat its favoring... to determine if port or starbard engines are out...

SpoilerShow

Tactics : 5d6 → [5,6,3,2,4] = (20)
http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/search/881225

Kamielle gets on the comms again, {"Flight Deck, we need some more of those probes readied. Place them in their tubes and link their telemetry to the bridge... we'll feed them 'firing solutions' when needed."}

Thinking {Those probes may not have warheads... but I'll bet they do a hell of havok smashing at full-thrust into the largest heat source they can detect... the engines! Hell of a bullet!}

Then to 'cowboy', "Helm, bring us to course 280.45 by 123.56 at full thrust. Lets see if they can match our ability to maneuver... when they can't turn right. Make them burn fuel anyways..."

...the course set is an aggressive determined attempt to close with the PURE WIND.

Over the General comm Kam announces, {"Attention all crew, this is Lt. Lynn, 'pro-temp' captain on the bridge the enemy gunboat is attempting to match velocities with us... we are making evasive maneuvers going to red alert, battlestations."}

[Karst45]

righty-o cap'tain.

by the way... it Probe not probes as in singular. there only one left. i tough it would be good to keep on handy, in case we needed to survey a planet for us to land, said Earl as he typed new coordinate into the DeSoto nav computer.

SpoilerShow

Piloting 9 (rank 5 + reflexes 4)
9d6 → [3,2,4,4,2,6,5,1,5] = (32)
http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3153888/

Even if we launch it, i doubt it would be quite efficient, they are barely 2G acceleration so a lone probe is likely to just be destroyed or dodged.

You may want to ask the Pure wind to try anything to slow them-self down so we can catch them up before the gun boat catch us.

[TheUnforsaken]

{"Attention all crew, this is Lt. Lynn, 'pro-temp' captain on the bridge the enemy gunboat is attempting to match velocities with us... we are making evasive maneuvers going to red alert, battlestations."}

Donna was still in the Med Bay when the vibration of the ships drives increased as they went to full power and an uneasy feeling caused by the DeSoto's artificial gravity failing to compensate entirely for rapid maneuvers washed over her. Kam's announcement over the comm simply confirmed the situation. Donna sighs, "No rest for the wicked, I see." Putting her helmet back on Donna leaves the Med Bay and hurries back forward to the bridge. She activates her comm, "Kam, what's the situation?"

[sunphoenix]

Kam straps himself into the Captain's chair his gaze never faltering off the forward displays as the vector information scrolled updating data.

Answering 'Cowboy', "Good point Cowboy, I'll call down to the flight deck and see how many probes, if any, they recovered... oh and dial the Inertial Compensators back up 'Tex' ...no need to get 'creative' this time, that gunboat is not as maneuverable as it use to be...", thinking, {"...and neither are we for that mater...why rattle this bucket o' bolts apart before we need to!"}

Getting on the Comms, {"Flight Deck this Lt Lynn, how many of our probes did you manage to recover? I can confirm from our telemetry that we had two confirmed torpedo kills..."}

At this point Captain Ptak's personal comm-link chimes in...

{"Aye Captain Ptak. We have established communications with the Pure Wind... and they are requesting assistance. We are currently at 76% of available 'safe thrust'. The Gunboat was attempting to match velocities with us and herd us away from rendezvous with the 'Pure Wind'. Not sure their purpose... but two come to mind... and easier targeting solution on us or a preempt to a boarding action, neither desirable. When they cut their drives coasting I fired us up and put the DeSoto on an aggressive vector to intercept the Pure Wind... I expect the gunboat won't like that. Orders?"}

[TheUnforsaken]

Donna thinks hard as she moves as quickly as she can along the second deck's passageway, seeking to avoid the clutter filling much of the one on the first deck: Although the difference isn't that great. She can feel the effects of fatigue clawing at her thoughts but she pushes on. "Ok Kam, let's keep it at 76% for now, and see how much slack they're willing to give us. If you can, try to make it look like we're pushing our limits...having 24% extra thrust as an ace up our sleeve could come in handy if they're not expecting it." Donna pauses as she reaches the forward lift, punching the call button she continues, "Have we picked up any signals? Are they trying to comminucate with us or the planet?"

SpoilerShow

Leadership Roll

[sunphoenix]

{"Understood ma'am... that was my intention... 'when you wish to attack seem weak, when you wish to defend seem strong - appear where you are not expected'."}

Kam scans the sensor returns trying to gauge what the Gunboat's reaction will be by its maneuvering.

SpoilerShow

Leadership [6] : 6d6 → [6,2,5,2,3,3] = (21)
http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/search/881884

"Sensors... get me a damage assessment on that gunboat! Are its weapons powering up and whats its reactor power output? I need to know if its taken any crippling hits we can take advantage of!"

Going back to Captain Ptak, {"Transmission to the planet? Uncertain ma'am. The Gunboat has made no transmissions to us. We'll get right on it...", 'Lt. Chu... see if you can find out if that gunboat is transmitting or receiving any transmissions from planet-side.' "Anything else ma'am?"}

The tenor of his voice is very professional, as Kam has always been... though his methods may be unorthodox. But weather Kam is just his normal "pilot's" cool underfire or Ptak's calm words of Command have inspired him - Kam seems well in control and handling the situation. Or at least he seems to know what he's doing for his demeanor is one of confidence and determination.

[TheUnforsaken]

Arms crossed and fingers tapping, Donna waits impatiently for the lift to arrive, the few seconds of delay seeming interminable in the current situation. The hatch finally opens as Kam finishes speaking and Donna replies as she steps in, "That's all. I'll be at the bridge shortly." She gives the first deck button an enthusiastic poke, hoping to impart a sense of urgency to the lift's computer.

[sunphoenix]

Kam replies, {"Aye Ma'am. I'll keep this channel open to you so you can hear what going on..."}

Then Kam ponders the tactical displays again.

Then he calls up the Security Chief, {"This is Lt Lynn 'acting captain', Chief - could you assign a security Officer on the flight deck? There will likely be a drop-shuttle op to the Pure Wind on the deck."}

Kam then calls down to medical, {"This is Lt. Lynn 'acting captain', Lt. Docter Callis - I need a single medical person assembled on the flight deck for the eventual rendezvous with the Pure Wind. I'm sure they have injured over there, we can't really spare you... but its your call."}

Kam then routs a call down to the engineering Chief, {"Lt. Lynn 'acting captain', Lt. Commander Ferox, I need an engineer made ready on the Flight deck for a drop-shuttle trip to the Pure Wind, I know you guys are working over time...but anyone you can 'spare' would be appreciated."}

And finally Kam calls down to the flight deck, {"Lt. Lynn 'acting captain', Flight deck I need one of our drop-shuttles prepared for take off. A rescue team is being assembled for a trip to the 'Pure Wind'. It will still be some time before we are anywhere near them... but stow the assembling team's gear on the shuttle and tell them to stay on standby should the mission prove viable when we are close."}

With that Kam sits back in the Captain's chair brooding over the tactical displays... trying to figure out what the Gunship commander's response will be based on his previous actions...

SpoilerShow

Tactics [5] : 5d6 → [4,6,6,4,2] = (22)
http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/search/882376

Kam asks, "Tactical Officer, given the flight characteristics of our drop-shuttles on a full load of fuel - at a 60% burn of the shuttle's total available fuel, how close do we need to get for the shuttle to be able to reach the 'Pure Wind'?"

Kam ponders outloud, "If the DeSoto proves a bigger target... perhaps the gunboat will pay more attention to it? I'm pretty sure I could avoid the token attacks made on the drop-shuttle long enough to reach the 'Pure Wind'. The enemy previous engagement showed the gunboat Cptn directs his efforts against the biggest threat first..."

[icekatze]

((hi hi))

Lt Cdr. Gupton's voice is gravelly and weak, but amplified over the comm system, it is understandable all the same. Laying uncomfortably in the medical bay, tubes and monitors hooked up to her body, she is steadfastly refusing the doctor's orders to sleep by keeping an eye on the tactical situation as best she can through a pocket computer.

"The gunboat is missing most of its starboard side, the unbalanced weight is causing it to drift to port. Its only got a single cluster of engines along its center of mass, so if he can score a hit with... well anything on that exposed side, I think we've got a chance."

Her speech is interrupted by a bout of intense coughing and a medical technician can be heard faintly in the background telling her not to speak.

"I'm fine, leave me be... Anyway, the trouble is going to be getting her to turn that side to face us. I doubt they'll to it unless we can force them somehow. Unless someone's got a trick up their sleeves though, we might have to just try for a lucky shot on their port side. Pure Wind tore that armor up pretty well before..."

She coughs again, this time a deep and wet cough as though she's coughing something up. The med tech can be heard sternly telling her to turn off the comm, after that the line cuts out.

As Donna leaves the med bay herself, Parvati Gupton gives her a pained look. She tries to move her hand to salute, but doesn't make it all the to her forehead before the med tech stops her, suggesting instead that if she won't sleep, she should at least type her messages out to avoid straining herself.
----
Lt. Chu's voice is frantic as she opens a comm channel with Cdr. Ptak.

"Well, I've been a little bit busy sir, so I'm can't say for sure that I didn't miss something. I mean, I've got the computer crunching the readouts too, but our sensors are damaged and its hard to make out a signal through... Well, what I mean is yes, they've been communicating a little bit with the planet, but nothing like the burst of information we got earlier. At least, we haven't picked anything like that up. I just don't know. But I'll keep looking!"

Kam's question about the gunboat's status is answered promptly by Ensign Bernard.

"They haven't powered up yet, if anything, their movements are getting more tentative. If I didn't suspect this was some kind of a trap, I'd almost say they're running out of gas... But naturally, I would be wary of accepting such an obvious ploy."

((Going to try to post more tomorrow. Out of time though.))

[icekatze]

((hi hi))

Lieutenant Commander Leonardo Rodriguez sounds out of breath as his voice crackles to life over the comm link.

"Bridge? This is engineering. I'd, uh, really like to know what's going on up there. We've been getting a lot of requests down here for things that'll require extra vehicular activity, but we can't perform EVA work while at battle stations. You know how it is, being outside the inertial dampening field during high G maneuvers tends to be hazardous to ones health." He pauses for a moment, then as his voice returns his breathing is a little more even and collected. "Look, I know its a cold equation, but we simply cant repair the laser turret or make modifications to the drop shuttles while we're underway. If you can find a way to give us some more time, that'd be great. I like the plans too, but if not, we'll just have to make due without."
----
The stance of the enemy target appears to be one of patience and waiting. Gradually drifting unpowered towards the DeSoto, but lighting their engines to match any attempts to go around, they seem content to let the DeSoto react to their movements rather than take the initiative. With the advantage of acceleration in their favor, they seem confident in the DeSoto's inability to escape. The Gunboat is poised to spring into action as soon as its prey draws close. Her two remaining beam weapons still emit a glow on the IR scanners indicating that they are powered up and ready to strike at a moments notice.

[Beliskner]

Responding to Kam call
This is Ferox I will go with away team, my team will join chief engineer team. Suddenly there was big disorder and curse language in background .....female voice (what?? He is kidding, we are on run like hamsters in spinning-wheel...) Silence!!! I command here, I want you to check FTL drive and superstructure integrity level. turning toward camera Heading out toward shuttle bay, Ferox out.

[sunphoenix]

Kam considers the tactical displays and sighs.

Kam speaks, "Tactical get a sensor lock on those two IR signature... the gunboat's weapon mounts. Get me a targeting solution."

Glancing, 'cowboy's' way, "Helm, maintain course. Shut down all drives, no maneuvering."

Switching the comms to engineering, {"Lt Cmndr Rodriguez, you have an hour... get out there and get me a laser back on-line. This will be a real damn short fight if we can't fire back! You don't have to worry about the drop shuttle let the flight deck personnel do that... it is their job!"}

Kam thinks ruefully {Who is this guy?}

At a break in the comm from Engineer Chief Ferox, Kam smiles, {"Acknowledged Chief!"}

Thinking {Good, someone with their head screwed on right!}

At the sound of the bridge door opening and the arrival of Captain Ptak, Kam stands and salutes, "Captain on the bridge!
I stand relieved ma'am, do you need a current sit rep?"

[TheUnforsaken]

Donna returns Kam's saulte as she quickly looks around the bridge, getting a feel for the situation through the crew's demeanor. "That would be helpful, Lieutenant."

[sunphoenix]

Kamielle nods an Captain Ptak takes her seat.

"As you know the enemy is closing on us. But they seem to be trying to preserve their fuel or their confident they can catch us."

"Tactical has informed me that their port side is nearly sheared completely off and vulnerable. They are relying on only a small portion of their central hull drives. They can't turn right without flipping over. If we can hit them there we will likely cripple them entirely or even destroy them. Also, their two remaining weapons ports are powers and ready to fire, Tactical is trying to get a lock on those weapons arrays and get some targeting solutions ready for the eventual conflict."

"I have issued orders for a drop shuttle to be prepared and an away team assembled for the eventual rescue of the PURE WIND."

"Currently, we are not under trust on the same vector for the PURE WIND. We are going to have to fight to get past that gunboat and the engineering team says they need time to go EVA and repair at least one of our lasers. Can't do that while were under thrust."

"Should I go down to the flight deck and coordinate the reading of the drop shuttle? It will be several hours if not days before we can catch the PURE WIND... but its best to be ready, Ma'am!"

[TheUnforsaken]

Donna listens carefully as Kam makes his report but shakes her head at the last. "Not just yet Kam, besides, I'm going to be busy soon and you've done a good job here on the bridge. And, if the crew readying the shuttle need help, Cowboy would probably be a better choice since he'll likely be the one who'll be flying it."

Needing to find out how the ship's resources are being used, Donna activates the comm.