PBEM Turn 10.6 *********************************************************
My deepest apologies for seeming reticent lately. especially I
apologise to those of you who asked to join the game, just as mail
service was disappearing. Send in a brief character sketch, and
whether you want to be R-alpha native, Aslan, or Alcyon crew. (If
the last, we'll talk the CO into using a "frozen watch" or something.)
I promise not to apologize any more for taking so long. Let's just
say there are lots of extenuating factors. Because of this nonsense,
you probably will notice that this turn is a little short, and not
many people are talking. Could be for many reasons.
Hope this turn sort of makes sense. I've taken some really big liberties
with a few of your characters, but tried really hard to keep it in
character. I did this to keep the story line consistent, and have it
all start to make sense. If you don't like it you can chew me out
publicly or privately. :-)
Don't mail in your next turn-action right away. go ahead and prepare it,
but hang on to it. I still don't have mail completely sorted out at agora,
or between agora and my machine at home. I've been slipping into work at
night and clandestinely putting the turn together there (and work just
moved across town). When I get the mail working (right now I think a new
set of old-style address aliases will do the trick), I'll send you all mail.
THEN you can send in your next turn.
Richard
**************************************************************************
Part 1: Somewhare in the Uncharted Depths of Space...
"Aiwi. Wake the others and ensure we're ready to depart jump." The cool
Aslan reflexively licked the back of his paw as he scanned the ship's
system holos. A deep purr-growl spontaneously and quietly emerged from
his throat as he thought of a real discovery for the Clan. "Let's see
where we are now."
In the darkness, a sudden blue flare appears briefly, and then changes
color and dims, fading through the spectral colors, the outline of an
exploration vessel appearing as its grid loses the last of its charge.
The only visible companion to the ship is a yellow-green star, about two
weeks journey away. No other bodies appear on any of the scans, but there
is a strange neutrino flux, seeming coming from almost every direction in
the ship's forward arc.
"For the glory of the clan!" Akhou roars. "Find us some food and
some fuel, and let's see what makes this star flicker."
**************************************************************************
Part 2. Aboard the Alcyon
<recap>
The Alcyon has gone to general quarters. The bridge crew is busy
trying to set up a comm link and verifiable sensor readings. The
armory overflows with volunteers packing powerful sidearms. The
engine room is recharging jump caps and bringing up engines as fast
as possible. The Aurora has opened it's outer hatch and is preparing
to receive Anton for emergency medical treatment.
Outside, a large force of apparantly Imperial (somebody's Imperium)
vessels has jumped in and is rapidly slowing, probably to turn and
approach the ships rendezvoused for transfer. This fleet is now
about 2 AU away, and heading the wrong (or right) way -- away.
Snowball is spraying hydrogen in an enormous swath between the Alcyon
and the incoming fleet. This is playing havoc with your (and their)
sensors. Anslinger is maneuvering erratically, spraying neutrinos in
all kinds of different direction, and all kinds of different energy
levels. The "scout" is presently on a collision course with one of
the larger ships, at a closing speed that is becoming relativistic.
<turn>
====================
In engineering, Kimball Redd settles in and begins to monitor and
adjust fuel flow and pressure. He looks around to verify just who is
in engineering right now and where they are. He spots Abuko giving
instructions to Aaron and Fitz. Slide, the new guy seems to be
settling in nicely on the corrsponding panel on the opposite side of
the control room, and Ralf seems to be helping him out, or at least
wondering what's gonna happen next.
Some of the physical scientists come in, look around and head toward
Johann. One of the new guys, who is it? MT? Yeah, MT head directly
for the open overhead panel and starts to latch it into place. Ah, a
real engineer in there with those gravitron-weenies.
Where's Zben? Did he make it in? Oh yeah, on the bridge. Good, now
rf they decide to shut down internal radio links, I know who I'm working
with anyway.
One other thought - If we get boarded, how many people in engineering are
armed? - Mine's in my cabin, not that I fancy taking on Imperial Marines
with a HEAP snub pistol, but you never know. And does general quarters
include vac-suits? - I never heard an answer to that one. I notice
some of the folks here have 'em on and some don't.
We sure haven't had any time for training. Hope everything is
holding together OK. "Slide, you haven't had long to get to know the
layout - you managing OK?"
"No problem. Nicely laid out."
The numbers here would astound a non-engineer. Nothing to full fuel
flow in under 30 seconds. Wow! Let's see, 500 tons per minute,
that's ... 114,000 plus liters per second at full flow. Rate of
change is over 38 kl/s/s. I can hardly wait to see those pipes when
we get out of this one.
=======================
Rigo Edmondsen slowly opened his eyes and shook his head as a jagged
pain thrust itself from one temple to the other. Ouch! What happened?
He had been sitting at the desk in his stateroom, enjoying a snack and
reading "Lord Alderon and The Rebel Fleet", an old favorite of his,
when... what?
The alert! That was it! Ignoring the pain Edmondsen rose to his
feet in one fluid motion and checked the wall clock. Five minutes!
He had been unconcious for almost five minutes. As he quickly
tapped his percomp for a transcript of any messages recieved during
his unconciousness, he looked around the stateroom and tried to
reconstruct how he had been knocked out. When the jump alert had
sounded he had jumped for his bunk and carelessly knocked over his
snack. Then, when the call for action stations had come, he had
jumped out of his bunk, placed his left heel squarely on the
sandwich, gone over backwards and neatly knocked himself out on
the bunk edge...
As he zippered up his vacc suit and grabbed the life support
unit he felt his ears grow red. Good thing no-one back home would
ever know this. The hero of the Groober Block Riot felled by a
ham sandwich! He gave a small sigh of relief as the comp told him
that no messages had been directed at him. He buckled on the stun
pistol and, after a short hesitation, his gauss pistol,
automatically checking the load and charges. As he left his
stateroom he gave a small prayer to Snafu, god of fools, rogues
and cockups, that no-one would ever demand an accounting of him
for those missing minutes.
Falling instinctively into the deceptively fast lope of the
urban sniper-hunter, incessantly checking in all directions for
enemies, he thumbed his communicator onto the generalist's band.
"Whitfield? Edmondsen here. I can't fill any crew post except
communication, so I'm on my way to the armoury. Unless you countermand,
I'll put myself under Farouk and help as a guard. Edmondsen out."
<Mac> "I've got no problems with you working with Farouk. Good Luck."
As he comes around the corner, Rigo is pulled up short by a beehive
of gauss and energy pistols leveled at him. Stopping, and speaking
verrrry slowly, he says "Need any help? I'm qualified on all infantry
weapons, but best with an ordinary rifle."
===================
On the bridge, Zben turns to his panel. "Computer, re-align main radio
and laser arrays to position of incoming bogie traffic. Calculate speed
and [...etc] (synaptic I/O must be good for something)."
A few moments later, Zben turns to Etienne. "I have established full
high speed data links with all attached ships (actually, it was part
of the whole communications set-up), so all you have to do is call it
up."
Etienne glances at Zben then looks, somewhat suspiciously, at the sensor
console.
"Ahem...Computer...Please display all sensor data from Scout ship Aurora
in Sectors 50 to 100 of the Alcyon's main Holodisplay. Apply all data
manipulations currently running on the Alcyon's sensor data to everything
from the Aurora...[long pause] Thank you."
The computer quetly goes about it's work, setting aside one section
of the holo for the requested information. "Sir," it speaks "I have
taken the liberty of also adding all available sensor information,
from all available sources, to the main holodynamic view." The display
clears somewhat, as Alcyon's computers start muscling the data now
arriving from four sets of sensors. The additional information, and
the attendant information gained by parralax starts restoring color
and depth to a display that was rapidly deteriorating.
<Etienne> Without looking up from the sensor controls... Cursing in
French, under his breath. "Never heard of an airlock with no safety
overrides!"
"Charyn, help Zben with commo. You maintain the links with the Anslinger,
the fuel barge and the scout. Zben can handle communications with the Imps.
If any."
"Zben, don't transmit anything without Commander Ger's orders, but let us
know what they're saying, as soon as anything reaches us."
<Charyn> "Aye aye, Sir." Charyn uproots one of the movable acceleration
couches and replants it at the Comm console, edging Zben over to the right
a little bit (Charyn is apparently a leftie).
"Hi Zben, I'm Charyn Robins. Pardon me while I muscle in on this half
of the console."
She pauses for a moment, studying the layout, then makes and brief poke
at the console. It instantly reconfigures the panel to standard Vilani
mercantile Comm display layout. Her hands fly over the panel with
deliberate and practiced motions, as if from memory, with a few clever
twists of inspiration. After 15 seconds her rapt concentration relaxes.
Most of the data has been rearranged into a setup a little different
from the standard layout. She pulls a strand of hair back from her
face, leans back a little; a pleased, detached smile drifts across
her lips.
"Links with Anslinger, fuel barge, and scout are open and functioning...
Internal ship communications active."
She efficiently opens a small window in the corner of her half-panel on
Navigation, Sensor, Engineering, Security, and other ship functions, so
she can scan the status of all bridge functions secondary to Comm. She
pays a little heavier attention to the Nav and Sensor displays. Then
she reprograms her commdot to place her on all appropriate ship
frequencies.
<Zben> "We now have laser hookups with the sensors from the scout,
the Anslinger, and the Snowball."
Now the holo truly clears with the adidtion of the information
gleaned from the other side of the gas cloud. Eleven ships are
visible. Three seem to be of a typical 2000T Imperial cruiser design.
One is a tender of some kind. Three are fuel barges, much like
Snowball. Two are 500T escort vessels, and two are fast pickets.
These last two already are peeling away from the rest of the fleet
and preparing to engage the Turskaad scout. The display indicates
weapon range for those combatants in ~6 minutes. About 4 minutes
remain before you might hear any initial signals from the Imp fleet
(or them from you), and about 24 before any round-trip signals.
<Etienne> "Niishu, will we have jump coordinates by the time
engineering is ready? By the way, any idea yet where we're heading
on this next jump?"
<Nishu> "The nav computer is working on those coordinates now. It
shouldn't take long; all the equipment on this ship is state of the art.
If we do have to jump, Engineering's charge time will be the limiting
factor."
"I'll report when it's done and try to figure out where we're going."
========================================
Upon getting the word from Lazer to man the laser turrets on
the 'Talisman, Thul runs to the central Fire Control station about
his ship and
1) Lifts the safety cover off a switch
2) puts it in the Bridge Station Overide position.
satisfied with this, he pell-mells to the 'Talisman's bridge and
throws himself into the pilot's position. Thul grabs a card that
he has stashed under the FC panel and methodicly goes through the
checklist that his previous gunner provided him. A red enunciator
indicates "Fire Control Panel Active". Grabing a square device
with three buttons on it, he presss the left button. On a screen
a table of selections pops up and he follows it down through the
choices
"Fire Control" ---> "Sensor Source" ---> "Passive All" -->
"Process" ---> "All" ---> "Computer" and releases the button.
This set of choices in an instant sets up the following conditions:
1) Only passive sensors are being used in conjuction with the
fire control system.
2) All sensor input is processed through the ship's computer
to sync up the fire control.
3) Disables all but navigational active sensors.
He then selects
"Sensor" ---> "Process" ---> "MTI" (Moving Target Indicator)
Thul then selects
"Compute" ---> "Firing Solution" ---> "Passive" --> "Contacts/All"
On another screen, (right ref?) the firing solution on all bogeys
is displayed with a confidence level for each. (Pretty mediocre
considering the sensors being used.)
On a computer console he types "load gunnery 6" "load auto/fire"
"load auto/target" "load select 5"
Lastly he selects
"Weapons" ---> "Lock/Soft" ---> "Safe"
This downloads the firing solution to the turrets for the targets
and awaits target selection.
Over the security circuit he reports in to Lazer.
"Lazer, Thul here, the 'Talisman's fire control system has
firing solutions for our bogies. Weapons are in soft-lock and
safed. Using passive sensors only. CIWS activated. Awaiting orders"
================================
Dr. Limner on the medical channel:
If we can recover Anton's foot, we might be able to reattach it. Of course,
this would involve re-growing a great deal of flesh. Anton would be out of
action for quite some time, and we can't be certain of whether the cloned
nerve tissue would take. I remember researching this area some many years
ago. Let's see... No, I'd have to go back to my old notes. I could be of
assistance if you want to pursue this course -- after I check them, though.
If you decide to use prosthetics, it would still put Anton out for a while,
but as you know would be a bit more certain.
Let me know what you think is best. Until then, I'm going to try to get to
some of my equipment to see what the devil could be going on outide.
Limner, out.
Joachim's voice comes over the medical channel:
Ian, I'm scrubbed and preped in sickbay. Where is the amputation? If
there's no chance for recovery of the missing part, what do you
recommend for a prosthetic?
Christian, we can handle Anton here. There's no need for you to rush
over if your current work is more important.
<Alliara> Is there anything I can help with?
<Ian> (Panting) "I'm almost to Aurora now." Puff Puff "Not really
anxious to start running again." Puff Puff "Doc, where do we go?!"
<Doc Van Der Merwe> Bring 'im in now! Joakim, Limner, get here on
the double! The medical facilities aboard the Alcyon are adequate,
but all of the really important stuff is aboard the Aurora, where the
main Surgery is.
He's coming to the Aurora for three reasons: that's where the equipment
is, I'm CMO (& prob. the best skilled & a surgeon), and I have special
expertise in bionics anyway.... Besides, I was just doing some routine
checklists...
Joachim on the medical channel:
Anton's going to be out for a while no matter what we do. Even with
time modification these things take a while to recover from.
I'm a bit skeptical about rejoining a freeze-dried foot, but then
vacuum medicine is hardly my specialty. 'Vouf certainly has some
interesting, ... um, err ... hands. Think we could something like
that for a foot?
We have to stabilize Anton first. Prosthetic decisions can wait until
the current major crisis is concluded.
Joachim, out.
================================
bsck on the bridge...
<Niishu> "Etienne, I have that information now. Jump is layed in,
waiting for engineering. We should arrive 1.115 AU from this star
here." A pip on his holo brightens. It's 5 parsecs away, no known
planets, and has a very rhythmic brightness oscillation. I'd say
*that's* R-alpha.
"If we jump within the next seven minutes, it should be much, much
harder for the fleet to trace our ionization trail."
<Ger> "Etienne, jump as soon as engineering is ready. Are we still
in Imperial space?
<Etienne> "Aye, sir. Just barely. This is the last location
clearly claimed in the latest set of charts."
=================================
Back in engineering, Slide is watching the fuel disappear at an
appreciable rate. "Nav, Slide. How much fuel is needed for the next
jump?"
<Niishu> It's a 5 parsec jump Slide. That's about all I've got right
now. How 'much longer till you're charged?"
<Slide> Caps say 73% charge now. Probably 5 minutes and we'll be
ready. Just get us there. Out."
Now, let's see, ... yeah. we've got enough hydrogen. Hope we don't
misjump. We sure don't have enought for a second. What the ... !!!
Slide gasps as he sees the fuel flow in number 4 conduit suddenly
skyrocket and and the pressure plummet.
"Engineering. Emergency! Overide this bank! Break in number 4
feed!" Slide immediately sets to work re-balancing the load to the
governors and capacitors while Redd gets to work on the fuel
routings.
At that instant, as Daniel Sylvmain crosses from Abuko toward the
rear of the control room, the overhead panel bursts open and
inundates him with supercooled hydrogen, freezing him in mid-stride
like a baroque statue, and lowering the temperature in the
compartment rapidly.
MT, the second nearest person, is splashed and knocked accross the
control room, sliding to rest not too far frm the front door,
unconsious, and in serious hypothermia.
Engineers and scientists begin donning helmets and gloves, as a
flashing amber beacon cast macabre shadows across the control room,
now glazed with frost.
With practiced hands, Redd secures the feed through the number 4
conduit, bypassing the break, and Slide's panel. Alarms begin
sounding again, and the air-tight doors close. Lets see.. gotta
reroute pronto or we're in deep guano. Ah, number eleven - bypass
through Talisman's fuel hookups and hope she holds.
"Slide, I've got it sealed, hope your maintaining balance.
Abuko, Redd. Got it bypassed through Talisman, and secondary on
Paladin. Hope they hold together."
Then, stopping to get his gloves and helmet on, Kimball notices the
frostbite forming on his fingers, and on the spot on his lip where
he'd been biting. "Oh shit" he mutters quietly.
<Abuko> "Somebody get over there and prop him up before he falls
over and shatters."
"Sickbay, Engineering. Stand by for hypothermia victims."
"Leadfoot, get onto that break STAT!"
Glancing at his portable panel repeater, Johann studies the fuel
flows for a minutes, then switches to the piping diagrams for the
interconnects.
"Redd, Slide, give me 110% on the conduits 1,2, and 3; then back off
Talisman's feed to 70%."
"Bridge, Engineering. We've had a fuel flow casualty. We'll have to
postpone jump .. 2 minutes. That gives us.. about four minutes to go
before the caps are charged, emergency fashion -- if it holds. Or,
if you prefer, we can do it in .. eight minutes very safely."
===============================
<Ger> "Engineering, Conn. Give us a 6.5 minute charge; a little margin
of safety, but not a lot."
Turning to the assembled queue of non-bridge personnel, "Now,
gentlemen, we either vaporize ourselves, convince the natives, we are
NOT dinner, or escape with very little trouble. In any case, you
have yourself a story, (gesturing toward Adrian) and you have
yourself some information about your competition (talking directly to
Jett). Better get us some legal precedent quickly. IT won't take
those guys very long to figure out where we went."
=================================
<Abuko (and the rest of engineering)> "Whew. Thank God for small
breaks. Redd, reduce fuel flow to 100% on the primaries and 50% on
the backup.
"and somebody shut off that alarm."
=======================================
In the number 1 passageway:
"Engineering, Ian. {puff} Almost got Anton to sickbay now. {puff}
Be down there in about two minutes. {puff puff} Anybody at the armory
got any first aid, {puff} or available to {puff} run down the hallway
with a body? {puff, click}
"Doc {puff} I got Lucan here. {puff} Can you send Dulinor down {puff}
or do you need him in Sickbay {puff}?"
Ian, Anton, and Lucan scoot through the Aurora's air lock as Dulinor,
the second medbot literally flies out the door and down the
passageway, siren blazing. Docs Limner and Tabor jump aside as it
screams by, and then Tabor turns around and starts following it to
engineering.
<Doc Van Der Merwe> "Great. Plug Lucan in there and we'll start
feeding him the new programs while the others fetch the folks from
engineering. Ian, walk *WALK* down to engineering and help out."
The two doctors then carefully put Anton into a stasis module and
begin working.
=================================
The bridge's main holo display flickers slightly and its image gets
a little poorer.
<Niishu> "Sir, the Snowball just jumped."
<Charyn> "The anslinger wishes us luck. Recommends we detonate the
hydrogen just prior to jump to simulate an on-board explosion."
<Niishu> "Anslinger is gone, sir. Now the scout, too."
<Ger> Very well. "Lazer, slave a single HE missile to the
Talisman's turret. Thul, on my signal, blast the hydrogen cloud with
laser and the single HE. ... Once.
Maybe we'll get a fireball to remember on our way out of here."
<Lazer> Roger.
<Thul> Locked and loaded.
=====================
Abuko silences the engineering alarm and opens the main control room
door. Dulinor flashes in and grabs MT and Daniel, and hauls *ss out
of engineering toward the Aurora.
A moment later, Ian appears with a first aid kit, and a *very* large
thermos. "Who wants chicken soup?"
A chorus of voices is heard.
=====================
<Niisu> Got a green board, Sir.
<Etienne> Ready for jump sir.
<Ger> "Fire. Engage."
The Alcyon literally sighs as the lights blink, then momentarily dim,
in their pre-programmed pattern for jump initiation. Outside, space
becomes bluish, and suddenly brilliantly white, just as it
disappears.
<Niishu> 99.99995% discharge sir. We're gonna come out of this jump
within a few hundred meters of our programmed point.
*********************************************************************
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