ic Incursion: Opportunists and Opposition

[Thevshi]

Aboard the Nomad
The edge of the Lor Republic
19 Hours After Destruction of Lor-Van

Aya K'zan, also known as Corona, had received a transmission about the attack on Lor-Van far too late for her to be able to try to get there aboard the Nomad. After learning of the destruction of the capital of the Republic at the hands of some new enemy called the Communion, she had contacted two of the few allies she had made since her arrival on Earth, a human Emily Stenford, also known as Mechanized; and another off-worlder, Memorial, formally of Belran. As it turned out, Memorial knew a good deal about the Communion, making it an even easier decision for Corona to bring her along.

The three had been heading to try to rendezvous with the Lor fleet on the Nomad when they had received a transmission from Lor Fleet Command. With the chaos the Communion attacks had brought, and the Star Knights shifting their forces to help address the threat, large sections of space had been left unpatrolled or defended. Reports had come in from systems just along the spinward boarder of the Republic about increased pirate activity, capitalizing on the chaos and absence of Star Knights. Command had ordered Corona to alter course to investigate the activity and deal with it, noting that it was the sector assigned to one of the Star Knights that had died trying to defend Lor-Van.

Corona had also been directed to make a stop to pick up an additional passenger from a system along the way, a Tempestian known as Galvanic, who had been known to provide help to those in need since leaving Tempest. Now with Galvanic aboard, the Nomad was well underway towards the sector of space that had seen the worst increase in pirate activity.

[horngeek]

Memorial tapped her feet as she waited aboard the Nomad.  Normally, she'd be flying on her own.  Normally... heh.  Nothing'd been normal about her life for centuries.  God.  It'd been so long.  If everything had gone to plan, the Communion would've been known about for all those years.  People would have been prepared.  

 

Instead, they'd hit with a sucker-punch just as she'd been woken up.  Either the Fateweaver had a sick sense of humor, or he wasn't the only one weaving the thread of events.  

 

Small mercies presented themselves, though.  It looked- looked- like the Communion was waiting.  As much as that didn't make sense to Memorial...

 

"Dammit.  Nothing makes sense about this, but at least we've got the opportunity to actually get some order here.  We're going to need everything we have to hit the Communion and hit them hard, or the entire galaxy's going to end up..."

 

...she hoped Belran hadn't been assimilated.  She knew it wasn't likely, but... even if her homeworld had blown itself up, or something, it was better than being part of the Communion.  

 

Kyla sighed.  She didn't know why she'd spoken out loud.  She didn't think anyone was listening, after all.  And she didn't need to inflict her brooding on the rest of the crew.  Especially not Aya.  Kyla had been isolated, somewhat, from the full impact of Belran's destruction, but it was probably still fresh for the Lor officer.  

[Raveled]

It had been not quite a full day since Aya K’Zan, also known as Anya Corazon, also known as Corona, had received a message that she was to travel to a particular sector in the outer edges of Lor space and enforce law and order. Nineteen hours since she had picked up three passengers who stood outside the boundaries of Lor law and Lor order. Nineteen hours since her entire universe had been upended, everything she had counted on as being solid and immutable turning to dust and waves under her feet. Nineteen hours since she had locked herself in the cockpit of her starship and not emerged.

She had been all but utterly cut off from her passengers, answering their increasingly-infrequent inquiries from the ship’s intercom with curt monosyllables. Her hands moved over the control panel, rechecking their position and heading for the nth time. It was a useless action, but it kept her mind at least superficially busy, which was infinitely preferable to staring outside the front viewport and letting her mind provide the worst images possible of the destruction of Lor-Van.

So the proud officer sat in her chair, armor gleaming dully in the starlight, and worked through her calculations again and again. Anything was better than stopping for a moment and imagining.

Edited November 10, 2014 by Raveled

[souffle_girl]

Once again, Emily checked the condition of her armor in the storage area. The arms, legs and weapons had been dismantled and laid neatly on one side of the room, along with a crate of fuel and ammo for it. She was currently busy cleaning the firing chamber of her Force Cannon. The thing required an unholy amount of maintenance, and she was thankful HAL was there with her to help out.

 

Working on her armor kept her mind from spinning. She had barely learned that man wasn't alone in the universe - even if she'd never guessed aliens were actually fellow humans spread throughout the galaxy - when her colleague Corona asked her to join her and Memorial on a patrol mission hunting for pirates.

 

Apparently, a people known as the Communion had sprung a surprise attack against the main galactic civilizations and Corona's people, the Lor, were in full retreat exposing their territory's flank to raiders of every kind. Assuming the Lor command knew what they were doing, whatever was going on on the frontline must have been really tough to call for such desperate measures. From what little she'd understood, civilian casualties had been high. Things looked bad, and she was frankly happy she wasn't in Corona's shoes. No wonder she looked so angry and worried. She wondered if she had friends, or family, among the dead and missing.

 

She finished putting the weapon together and walked back to the passenger quarters, finding Memorial lost in her thoughts. Something about this war was worrying her.

 

"Hi. Can I join you?" she asked her, "it just dawned on me I don't even know your name. The real one, I mean."

[horngeek]

"Kyla.  Kyla Han'denor."

 

Memorial sighed as she looked out the window.  "And yeah.  I could do with some company."

 

She looked at the door to the cockpit, still sealed.  "I know how she's feeling.  Best thing to do is give her some time, I suspect."

 

The cyborg heroine picked up her long, white scarf off the table next to her, wrapping it around her neck with care.  Almost hugging it at one point.  

 

"Anything in particular you wanted to talk about?  Truth be told, I'd be fine with playing some chess or something, just pass the time.  Not much else we can do until we get there."

[souffle_girl]

"Emily," she replied, "Chess would be wonderful. I'm surprised you know how to play, didn't you spend just a few weeks on Earth?"

Emily looked at the ship's hull nervously.

"You know, I've never been to space before. Only a handful of people from my planet did, in fact. At least now. If what you said is true, then we had to be able of travelling between planets in the past. It's scary to think all that separates me from certain death is a this wall."

[horngeek]

"I don't actually sleep.  So, I browsed Wikipedia a lot during those few weeks.  I might be a bit rubbish at it at first, mind you."  Kyla grinned at the other woman, happy to forget the events going on if only for a moment.  "I also don't have a chessboard."

 

She glanced at the hull as well.  Oh, right.  It might be a bit scary, knowing that was all that separated you from... well, hyperspace.  Going through hyperspace unprotected was not pleasant, even if she could do it fine.  "Eh, the Lor've been doing it for hundreds of years, you don't have anything to worry about.  Not sure about Earth having had space travel in the past- we always knew we didn't come to Belran on our own, we were seeded by another race."

 

Kyla shrugged.  "Either way's possible, of course.  And I suppose I forget a bit about that part- I don't actually need a ship to make the trip myself, especially now my internal hyperdrive's been repaired."

[souffle_girl]

[OOC: we really need an OOC thread for this game. Opposed INT check to see who wins?]

"Internal hyperdrive and no sleep?" asked Emily, raising an eyebrow. Then she caught herself before saying anymore. Was this woman a robot or what?

"Well, I don't have a chessboard either, but my laptop has chess on it. Just let me grab it. I guess I have to warn you, though; I have super intellect and I used to be good at this back in high school..."

She came back moments later and rested the computer in her lap, turning it on.

"By the way, what's up with the woman we picked up along the way? Is she even human? And I must assume she doesn't speak English, which might be a thorn in the side of team coordination."

Edited November 10, 2014 by souffle_girl

[horngeek]

{{We can just say Mechanized takes the lead.  Memorial's more doing something to pass the time/learning how to play anyway}}

 

"I don't mind answering the question I know you just pulled back from- I'm not a robot, but given how extensive my implants are, the difference is more a matter of starting point than anything else."

 

Kyla hummed as Emily switched on the laptop.  "No, she's not.  And if it comes down to it, I can translate- the Lor and Belran tongues are remarkably similar, enough that I can catch the language.  There's probably a translator if you need one, though, you should..."

 

She glanced at the cockpit.  "Well, ask Corona once we get there, anyway."

[Ecalsneerg]

A door whooshed, and a short blue woman strolled into the passenger area. She wore a golden coat with long tails, buttoned tight across her chest and with the collar pulled around her neck. Big clumpy orange boots of a strange sort of leather clumped on the floor. Chlo'zel Elzak looked over at the two women looking over some kind of portable computer interface. They were also speaking a language she'd never heard of before.

 

"Hi, people givename me Galvanic," she said tentatively, in accented Lor. The Tempestian smiled a wide grin, little flickers of blue sparks faintly visible in her teeth. "Chlo'zel Elzak is familyname, though." She looked down at the screen. "Unfamiliar with your language, forgivegrace." The woman gestured at the door, and frowned. "Is shipcaptain..." She struggled with the words, not out of using a non-native tongue, but from not knowing how to put words on the grief the captain must feel right now. "Is she alright on her selfalone?"

[horngeek]

Kyla translated Galvanic's words into English for Emily, then paused for a moment, speaking first in Lor, then translating for Emily.  "I know what it is to lose a home to this foe.  She'll... pull through, I think.  If she keeps this up once we arrive, I'd be more worried, but right now... right now, some time to come to terms with this is the best thing we can give her.  She knows we're here when we're ready to talk."

 

She sighed.  "It's a pleasure to meet you, Chlo'zel.  I'm Memorial, and this is Mechanized.  Or, to use our birth names, Kyla and Emily."

 

Memorial smiled, slightly weakly.  "Even if it could be under much better circumstances."

[Ecalsneerg]

Galvanic nodded. "At the least we can aidachieve in some way..." She turned to look at the hull, pondering the vastness of space outside of it. "Pirates? At a time like this, the worstlowest." She gave a small, rueful smile. "We need to shieldprotect what's left."

 

She turned to the two women. "Do we know our time of arrival?" The Tempestian quickly jerked her head towards the cockpit. "Not a friendally of the captain, didn't feel it my place to disturb."

[Thevshi]

While the three passengers aboard the Nomad continued to talk (with Memorial providing translation) and play chess, the stars out in the void continued to streak by at incredible speed. The Nomad was not the fastest ship in terms of interstellar travel, but it was fast enough to get the makeshift group to where the needed to be.

Up where she had locked herself in the cockpit, Corona checked the heading and position yet again. This time the results helped provide the Lor officer with something else to focus on, at least for a few moments. The Nomad had reached the edge of the sector that she had been ordered to patrol and investigate pirate activity.

[Raveled]

Aya stared at the blinking display for a moment before her mind managed to kick her out of the rut her thoughts had worn into her brain. She blinked and reached out for the intercom, her movements smooth and slow and robotic. “We have --†Her voice cracked and croaked and Aya stopped, surprised in a slow, dumb sort of way. She swallowed hard and began speaking again. “We’re at the edge of the sector,†she said, speaking in Lor. “I’m going to begin scanning. Prepare for contact at any time.†She shut down the intercom before any of the other women could respond and set the computer to scanning space.

Aya stood and stretched. She’d been sitting for nearly a standard day, and her muscles were tight and screaming for release. The thought wandered through her head that she should go back and talk to the other people on the ship; after all, she might have to fight alongside them soon! She turned and reached for the door controls.

Adrenaline crashed through her, cutting through the cotton she had wrapped around her mind like a blade. Her fingers started trembling, and then her hand, and then it spread to her entire arm. Aya gasped and grabbed her arm, holding it against her body until the panic attack passed. She collapsed back into the pilot’s seat, trying to get her breathing back under control. Maybe… maybe she wouldn’t talk to them just yet.

[souffle_girl]

Emily curiously studied the blue woman, trying to guess what she could do. Judging by her codename, something that had to do with electricity. Communicating was difficult, but Memorial had been as helpful as possible.

 

"Pleased to meet you, Galvanic. Memorial mentioned Corona might have some translators at hand for us, so we can communicate better. I have a powerful combat armor, so I guess I will be the muscle of the group," she said, waiting for Memorial to translate.

 

When Corona's voice announced they'd arrived, she hastily shut down the laptop and stood up.

 

"I'm going back to the storage to get the armor ready. I just hope I won't have to fight outside, because I didn't have time to make it void proof."

 

Waving a goodbye at the two women she walked back to the storage, where her ever faithful pet drone watched over her suit.

 

"HAL, help me get the suit ready, we're going in," she said, picking up one of the suit's arms and resting it across her shoulder. HAL gave her a concerned string of bleeps. "No, HAL, we as in the others and me. I'm not bringing you into combat, you're not outfitted for it. Maybe one day I'll modify you into a combat drone and you can come along, but not today."

Edited November 11, 2014 by souffle_girl

[Ecalsneerg]

Galvanic burst into motion as the captain announced their approach. "Oh. Getting preparedready." She didn't have to do much, simply leaning down to tighten the tops of her boots, and check the fastenings on her tailcoat. She glanced up at the two women.

 

"For tactical purposes, genemutant Tempestian." She held out her palm, letting a small flicker of lightning crackle between her fingertips. "Usual racial capabilities, absorb and redirect electricity. Also, genemutant abilities, possess ability to fly, and greatenhanced durability and physical strength." Galvanic glanced down again, checking her uniform wasn't loose and liable to hinder her in combat or flight. "Lack great skill, graceforgive, but level of physical capability compensates."

 

She stood up, and crossed her arms. "Ready," she said simply, confident in her abilities to carry the day without complex equipment or preparation.

[Thevshi]

As Memorial, Mechanized and Galvanic all prepared themselves for possible contact, Corona began scanning nearby space as she calculated a new course to sweep through the sector. While the Nomad had powerful sensors, there was a lot of area to cover.

For a little over an hour, the Lor vessel made its sweep through part of the sector, passing a system with inhabited worlds, which answered Corona's hail and confirmed that there had been a recent pirate sighting a few systems away. Corona had altered course after that contact, moving deeper into the sector as she continued her scans.

Then as the Nomad neared the next system, Corona picked up a transmission.

"Any friendly vessels, this the merchant ship Aphelion, we are currently under attack by pirates, requesting immediate assistance. Repeat: we are under attack by pirates and require immediate assistance. Please respond."

[horngeek]

After continuing the translation, Memorial spoke up as she wound her scarf around her neck.

"I'm happy to translate either way. You might want to pick up on Lor, Emily. Or if you built a translator, perhaps? You're smart enough to do it, and you could probably download some language files from the ship."

She shrugged. "Anyway, I've been… heavily enhanced. My systems are pretty damaged- mainly a lack of power- but I can still handle most of the rest of the heavy lifting. And any blasting that needs doing."

She looked at the cockpit door again. "Emily, as far as the Black goes, I think the ship has spacesuits and breathing gear you might be able to modify. It'll hinder your movements a bit, but from what I remember hearing of ship combat, you'd want something at least. If you want, I can help you get it on. Again, I'd… suggest making your suit proof against the Black. This fight won't be a quick one, so you should have some opportunity to do so."

Edited November 12, 2014 by horngeek

[Raveled]

Aya focused on the scans, interpreting the data, tweaking the specifics of the sensor sweep (and tweaking it back a minute later) and collating it all according to, unconsciously, the specifications of the Republic Investigative Patrol. It was all needless busy work, but that's what she needed at the moment and so that's what she did. Until an actual distress call came through to the shuttle, though.

She listened to it carefully before activating the intercoms. "We've picked up a distress call," she informed the other women. "A civilian merchant ship is under attack by pirates. We are moving to help them." She paused and added, "Prepare for immediate contact with hostile forces." The Lor turned her attention from the command console to her hardsuit, running it through its basic diagnostic checks.

[Ecalsneerg]

Galvanic scowled at the revelation they'd already found the pirates. She was not a fan of opportunistic scavengers. She quickly turned to nod curtly at her fellow passengers, then spread her arms wide and turned into pure electromagnetic energy, in a crack of ozone and -burst of blue lightning. She stood, a flickering blue approximation of Chlo'zel's solid form, hovering inches from the floor.

 

"Going to enterboard enemy ship. Disable reactor, leave without fuelpower to be dealt with." She smiled brightly somehow, a white slash in an electric face. 

[Thevshi]

As everyone aboard the Nomad prepared themselves to engage the pirates, Corona altered course towards the harried merchant vessel. It did not take the Lor vessel long to arrive to the scene of the pirate attack.

The Aphelion was a long, narrow vessel, reaching a total length of just over 300 meters. Its design was such that it had several large cargo pods attached underneath and on the sides of the main hull. At the rear of the vessel were several large engine pods, easily twice as wide and tall as the rest of the ship. Over all, the design made vessel rather slow and decidedly unmaneuverable. Not at all what one would want to be in when being pursued by pirates.

The pirate forces consisted of a small collection of vessels, of various shapes and sizes. Furthest back, and following after the Aphelion, was the largest pirate vessel, a small military class frigate. For the moment it seemed intent to stay in the background, and was not firing its weapons, clearly not wishing to just destroy its prize. Two smaller spacecraft, about the size of the Nomad were closer to the merchant vessel, one having taken position above it, the other, below and slightly off to one side.

A trio of single person interceptors were streaking around the Aphelion, which showed signs of damage, slowing it even further as it tried to run. There were also a pair of what looked like shuttle craft in the process of docking with the merchant vessel, very likely carrying boarding crews.

[horngeek]

Memorial winced as she looked at the group of pirate vessels through a viewscreen.  "I don't think just disabling one ship's engine will do the job, Galvanic.  That frigate's too large, and once you disable one ship, they'll be on guard for the same trick again."

 

She frowned.  "This all depends on how they operate, I think?  If they're nasty enough, they might hold the merchant hostage, threaten to blow them up if we interfere.  Or they'll just do it out of spite."

 

The cyborg thought for a moment, before looking up at Galvanic.  "Corona's probably the best one here with tactics, but you'd need to disable the entire ship at once- and it'd need to be the big one.  I can probably take out the smaller ships... maybe.  Depends on whether I can keep up with them or not.  And Emily, you might have to help with boarders."

 

Kyla translated her words into English for Mechanized as well, before pausing.  

[Raveled]

Aya K'zan sat in the pilot seat of her shuttle, golden armor all around her, watching the pirates tear into the civilian vessel. Her starship wasn't half the size of ever the smallest raider -- hells, she didn't even have a single weapon on-board her ship! It was designed for experimentation and observation, not battle, but it was a battle she was throwing it into. Aya's duty was not officially to protect the Republic, not anymore, but grief had thrown her back years and she talked like the seasoned RIP officer she had once been.

She keyed the widest possible frequencies the shuttle's comms could transmit on and spoke to the pirates. "This is Officer K'zan of the Lor Republic," she said beaming her voice into space. "This is Republic space, and by the authority of the Investigative Patrol I hereby order all craft to stand down and prepare to be boarded." She lips twisted into a snarl without her truly realizing it. "This is your only warning. Stand down or you shall be destroyed!"

[souffle_girl]

"Help with boarders. 'Kay, I was about to suggest it too. But I'll need someone to warn the Aphelion crew I'm coming, or they'll think I'm an enemy. Once on board I'll have no way to communicate with the crew. The pirates - well, if they can't understand the meaning of 'heavy armor, gun pointing your way' they're in the wrong line of work."

 

Emily finished donning her spacesuit, then sqeezed herself inside the armor. Her voice crackled through the sheep's intercom.

 

"Computer, boot everything. Weapons... Servos... Jump pack... All green. I'm ready, girls. You might want to find a way to drop me off as close to the Aphelion as possible. Somewhere with gravity would be appreciated."

[Ecalsneerg]

Galvanic shrugged. "Once in ship, can overpower crew and get into main reactor. Damage couplings, overload fuelpower, incapacitate engineers..." She trailed off. "Outnumbered. Fairstraight fight is awful idea, one ship not ideal but showy gesture likely more successful than straight fight."

 

She glanced at Mechanized. "Can we contact Aphelion? Could make flyby with open cargo holds, gain entry?" The Tempestian glanced at a viewscreen. "Merchant ships have large cargo holds, makes safe landing possible, if risky."