Star Wars Intervention: Echoes in Eternity (An Original Trilogy Game; Always taking new players!!!)

IC: Uriel Manteroni
Blood Moon - Draukyze System.
Thought; speech, action, NPC, PC.

"Ok. Captain! You order, I Obeys." Uriel said. Aidan keeps talking and then Skipray makes a micro-jump. Aidan continues:

Hmm ... finally some action.

Uriel accesses the console of shields and realize they were set at full power !!

"No, no, no, it's not how you do it ..."

Uriel in his many decades of experience using deflector shields knew that a system of shields on standby that get in full power is not the most efficient way to protect the hull of a ship.

The system for maximum efficiency should be oriented only in extreme situations, supporting the entire load of opponents vastly superior in firepower. In the current situation where it was not being used, it is excessive waste of energy and resources (both hardware and software) !!

This configuration overloads shields and leave hipercapacitors-generators of ionic field unused, this heats the microcontrollers and ionic accessories, which over time decreases the effectiveness of shields. The bad news is that this usually happens when they are needed most !!

The worst is decrease of energy for the systems of reduction of the coherency of the attackers ray photons, because without use and operating at maximum radiance, when is need, do not function in maximum resonance. Apart of sinks neutrinos who are no use and may even collapse because the generators of quark / anti-quark are blank !!

In other words is the attitude of those who do not want to bother with shields, nor studied the dynamics of energy dissipation by the volumetric energy field of a shield. Ie, even if the ionic structure is perfect, when you need, one good striker of the energy will reach the ship's hull.

Uriel shook his head ... I think I'll have to teach some lessons on how to manage a defensive systems for Aidan ...

Uriel then opens two auxiliary windows on touchscreen of console: 1- To ray shields; 2- To particle shields.

Uriel typing a sequence of auxiliary console commands for configuring the shields 50% and orders the computerized system which maintains the passive sensor increase the power for 100% when surveillance (Evalynne) supposed attack on 5% significance.

"Hey Evalynne, beautiful woman !!"

"I configured the shields for 5% significance according to their indications of risk of attack, ok my darling?"

Uriel regulates in the touchscreen at regions that the ship must be within 100% of deflecting shield, basically the cockpit, the powertrain sector and triggers the transfer of shields for dynamic mode depending on the orientation of the ships in combat. And especially in relation to possible stealthy attackers.

Uriel accesses other touchscreen in the main console screen and requests a technical list of possible weapons of Corvettes and Cruisers. Selects a set of possible weapons in the current situation (except the possible super-weapons) and makes a link with the system of shields and passive sensors, accesses the auxiliary console and he type a command line in computational high-level programming language, making a stochastic correlation of possible combinations of attack with the shield system and the system automatically. Uriel set the systems depending on the energy level, the intensity of shot, frequency volley of shots and especially the type of radiation/particle.

Uriel does all these settings both for beam/ray weapons, as weapons of particles.

At the end says loud: "Ok we are ready to fight.. with saving energy, resources and systems !!"

"Ahaha !! I think the Mercs will hire me !!

I'm already warning you! My working-hour is expensive !! And I want in money!!" Uriel was excited! He liked very much of one good combat!!


TAG: @Intervention, @galactic-vagabond422, @Laine_Snowtrekker, @Tim Battershell

 

IC: Mahaben (Incorporeal & unseen)
Johnny Boy, near hangar doors

[[Medical? Security. Patient Mahaben has been found alive in a body bag beside the hangar doors. From the fact of him being in a body bag in the first place, he obviously isn’t exactly viable. Instructions?]]

{What…happened?}

{ It appears you had a change of heart. You died, but returned to your wounded body.}

{Oh….so, that’s my body. Looks as if it’s ready to be tossed with the rest of the trash. Alive? After all that? How is it even possible. How bad is it?There’s scarcely any light inside it anymore.}

{Your body’s wounds are extensive indeed; and though your life-signs are very low and your body is nearly expired, it seems you are still holding on to life. Something is keeping you tethered to the material plane, Mahaben. Whatever could it be…?}

{ My mission. The Jedi. I must know what becomes of us, what the future holds. We must not become extinct. That’s the mission I inherited from you, Sodalis. There must always be jedi in the galaxy.}

{Yes, and though you no longer call yourself a jedi, you feel strongly about preserving the order, do you not?}

{ Preserve? Perhaps. Though reform seems more accurate. The new order must not make the same mistakes the old one did.}

{ If not attended to, none of it will matter. Your body and your connection to the Force, strong as it is, will not last indefinitely. Without immediate medical attention, your body will fail. You must learn to let go, Mahaben.}

{The droid. It has already called for help. Someone will answer. I’m sure of it! There is still hope.}

{It cannot see or hear you, Mahaben. You cannot interact with the physical world in this state. At least not yet. Hang on as long as you can if you must. I will be here with you.}

{ Thank you, Sodalis. I do see that shadow, not too far off.}

{It is an agent of Bogan. It has come to torment you, but Ashla has sent me to safeguard you and provide safe passage if necessary.}

{Someone will come, you will see…}

{These mercenaries have enough troubles of their own, as you can see. Their actions will determine not only their future, but those of countless many. I hope your trust in them is well founded, for the sake of all.}

{ Well, my life already depends on it, so I have little choice. But… I know you’ve felt it too. The Force is strong with them…so yes, I trust them with my life.}

{ Aye. May it be thus, always….}


Tag: TBC, @Sith-I-5

 

GAME MASTER OOG: I am voiding my own post from Today at 4:36 PM , due to a storyline error. I am redoing the post (in full) below.

---

OOG: The below is quoted from an earlier post in the first game. With that said, replace the Queen's Guards with the Sentinel Corps (description below). Some key alterations to the IC throne room in the post and the one quoted are (due to regime change):

• The carpet is purple
• This throne replacesboth the quoted version as the original and is the current in the IC post below
  • Off to either far side of the throne (the larger steps on the edge before the three gold curls), put this silver throne on the up-most part----top step----on the right side (left side of the picture) for the Queen, while this silver thronewas on the left side (right side of the picture, third step of five steps) for the son of the King
    • This chair replaces the Prince's chair, since Lord Aragaunt has a daughter (Princess) and not a son
  • 6 chairs replace 7 chairs; Fanning out three chairs long to either side of the top larger step (6 total), on the gold floor surrounding the throne immediately, and in a half moon formation curving inwards towards the throne, are 6 of these wooden chairs for the King's top advisers (the last chair furthest from the throne ends just before the stands holding the gold ball...thingies)

The Throne Room was a long rectangular room, the floor clothed in royal red carpet the length of the way, with two large double wooden doors at the nearest end of the Throne Room for entrance and exit. A vaulted ceiling with skylights every other section of ceiling. The walls and floor (under the red carpet) were of white granite; the walls had a total of seven pillars on each side of the Throne Room running the length of the room from doors to far end, each pillar a little removed from the wall (as to be able to walk all the way around it easily) and was also of white granite. The pillars extended to the lower edges of the ceiling (not the vaulted part).

Exotic plants swirled up and around the seven pillars and up to the ceiling. Seven waterfalls, three on each long rectangular side wall spaced out between each other and one directly behind the throne chairs, came out of the walls and flowed gentle crystal blue water along rough rock surfaces in the wall, and then the water collected at a small pool at the bottom where it was recycled and pumped back through a system of pipes behind the wall to repeat the process. Each waterfall extended the height of the wall to where it met the ceiling edges and was as wide as a three pillars side-by-side-by-side.

The Throne Room ended at the far end with a seven step rise to the raised platform where the two throne chairs for the King and Queen were positioned. Behind the two throne chairs and fanned out in a wing to either side of the two chairs (that were side-by-side to each other) were seven chairs on each side where various advisers and other officials sat. The two throne chairs were extended red backed chairs with gold framing and gold designs on the back red seat. The seven chairs to either side were white in color with gold framing.

A single stretch of pure white carpeting, with gold trimming, extended from the double wooden doors all the way down the middle of the throne room and up the seven steps to the two red and gold throne chairs.

The secured wooden door to the Anteroom was to the left and behind of the throne chair to the left. Two Queen's Guards stood silent sentry flanking either throne chair, while two more stood flanking each aft wing of seven white chairs. These four guards worked in rotating shifts around the clock at their positions. Two more Queen's Guards stood rotating shift around the clock watch outside the two large wooden doors that lead into the throne room and two more stood flanking the inside of the doors, also around the clock.

For the Queen's entrance into the Throne Room, one Queen's Guard sentry in front of every pillar, while six more Queen's Guards (three on each wall) stood back up against the side walls, spaced out evenly in between the waterfalls.​

---

IC: King (former Lord) William P. Aragaunt
Throne Room, Royal Palace, Planet of Jod, Confederation of the Sovereign States of Jod


A throne room of evil acted as such. The Queen, Aragaunt's equally evil wife, sat in her throne, lazily reading through reports prepared by the Royal Palace on the condition of the Confederation. She slowly ate an apple. The Princess, Aragaunt's young twenties age old daughter, sat very seductively in her throne, twirling her black hair as she flirted with a servant man, who wore a white tunic with white shoes; a slave collar around his neck, as he held out a fruit tray to the Princess, told everyone he was a slave. Along the seven steps leading down to the common floor below, slave girls (twenties to thirties of age) laid and relaxed on the steps, some holding fruit trays, other drink trays, and some fanned the upper throne with large green leaves; all of the girls' dresses were meant to be seductive, showing off their beauty. Slave collars, however, reminded everyone of their status.

In the days of the Kingdom of Jod, owning slaves was not allowed and was against the law. However, in the days of the Confederation of the Sovereign States of Jod, slavery was promoted and a sign of high social status. These slaves were used for serving food, cleaning, or even the more inappropriate uses by those in power...and whatever else a "owner" felt should be done by his or her slave. Skin color didn't matter, neither did culture or country. All skin colors were slaves, all cultures were slaves. If you were the "elite" in society, you were "privileged" enough to "own" another human being. Slaves came from prisoners of war, political prisoners, former Nobles' households, and those on the lower rungs of society whose luck had turned them into slaves by one thing or another. Those who were vocal against owning slaves were thrown into prison...or worse. The law of the day came from Aragaunt and his goons and no one dare stand up against him.

The common floor below in the throne room, below the seven steps leading up to the golden floor and the throne itself, was filled, as it was everyday, with the hustle and bustle of the Royal Court and their aids and those close to them of the upper class and nobility; food and drink were passed around by white tunic and pants dressed slaves with slave collars around their necks, as they swam in and out of the crowd with silver trays. Today was a day of grand rejoicing, as spirits were high among the ruling class and nobles: the Confederation was succeeding rapidly. If the lower class has to suffer and the working middle class work a bit harder for the glory and safety of the upper class, then that was, by it's definition, success.

It was among this rejoicing when the doors burst open and a man was dragged down the isle towards the throne by two Sentinels, a Sentinel Officer proudly marching ahead of the three. The rejoicing suddenly came to an end as people moved off to the sides as the bloodied and bruised body of a Confederation Soldier was dragged down the isle and dropped to his knees before the throne.

"What," Aragaunt said unhappily, "Is this?"

The Sentinel Officer didn't miss a beat as he stood off to the side and pointed his wooden staff at the bruised man, "Sergeant Major Patrick O'Keith, my Lord!" barked the proud officer, "A man of the elite 5th Corps of the former King's Army! And now a former soldier of the proud Confederation Army!"

"On what grounds is this man to be beaten, dragged before me like this, and presented to be on trial for what crime?" Aragaunt said, always careful to be play the political game among the Royal Court.

"For treason my King," the officer said back, smiling at O'Keith with a predator's grin, "Against King and Country! And against the people of the Confederation! Several of our spies have found him encouraging young recruits to disband with their lawful loyalties to the Confederation and join the Loyalist movement! My men," the officer said, turning to the King with a smile, "Have traced O'Keith's contacts for several months. And we have found their hidden base. Permission, my King, to dispatch the Sentinel Corps and a detachment of Confederation Army to end this Loyalist movement once...and for all."

Aragaunt allowed a small smile of satisfaction as he announced, "Everyone out! Now!" as the Royal Court and their aides and their close friends filed out, even the slaves, Aragaunt looked to his own wife and daughter, "You two, too. Guards, leave us!"

After another moment, everyone had left, leaving Aragaunt a-top his throne with the Sentinel Officer and the two Sentinels standing guard over O'Keith. There was a eerie silence in the room as Aragaunt sat atop his throne for a long moment before walking down the steps, then down the second set of steps to be at the common floor in front of O'Keith's battered and broken body.

O'Keith spit blood on Aragaunt's shoes. The Sentinel Officer hit the sergeant across the face with his wooden staff, spraying blood across the floor.

"I know the truth," O'Keith said as he knelt on the ground before the new King, "The truth as to why your King. You betrayed us to the Beasts you sick ****!"

"Silence!" barked the Sentinel Officer, delivering another hit across the Sergeant's face with his wooden staff.

Aragaunt held up a hand, "No more," he said, crouching to be level with O'Keith and smiled and he spoke softly, "I want to hear this fairytale."

"Vaska Three," O'Keith said, "And the King. The true King! King Alex 'The Just'! I know you killed the King and had Vaska Three sacked by Beast forces! All to dethrone Queen Christina and install yourself in power. And, more importantly, I know who you worked with."

"Who?" Aragaunt asked softly with a patience smile, "Please, let us all know."

"Philip the Wise," O'Keith said, "Later to become Darth Maximums."

"Yes, yes," Aragaunt said, getting up and walking back to his throne and sat down, "Philip the Wise. The man that the King was afraid of. Exiled him and others to that forsaken prison world in the Northern Stretch to rot away for ten years. But somehow, Philip survived and during that time, became Darth Maximums. A dark, powerful man. But yet, not even the highest man yet in our little fairytale. You see..."

Aragaunt said as two Cimmerian Hell Riders appeared out of nowhere, with a green swirl of smoke in their wake, to either side of the Thrones' lower steps. Aragaunt got up and walked down the steps, the two Cimmerian Hell Riders falling into a escort flanking position behind him as Aragaunt walked down the other step of steps and stopped half way above O'Keith. Two more Cimmerian Hell Riders appeared behind the two Sentinel Corps' guards and one Cimmerian Hell Rider behind the Sentinel Officer; suddenly all three Sentinels were dead on the ground in their own pull of blood, Ranger Swords being put back into their scabbards by the Hell Riders.

"...Even Philip the Wise, the great and evil Darth Maximums, is just a middle man! And I'm just a pawn under him. True power, Sergeant Major Patrick O'Keith, true understanding of wisdom, lays hidden in the Unknown Regions waiting, quietly and patiently, to burn this galaxy to the ground. I am simply a man of opportunity, a man who wants the best for his people other then this righteous fairytale that King Alex and Queen Christina were living, and a man who is willing to pick a side. The winning side. The question now becomes, Sergeant, which side are you on?"



TBC

 

IC: Boras Felroah
On board Johnny Boy, Medical

It all happened so quickly. One second, he was standing up after finishing his surgery and he next, the room shook and he was on the ground. Some of the patients had fallen off of their mattresses as well as some of the droids got knocked over. He heard something come from Doctor Cook's office which must have either been Nurse Ulrike or the droid he sent to fetch her. He ran to the nearest patient who had been shoved out of his mattress. The droid tending to Doctor Cook was able to hold him in place so he was alright but the other two on the beds had fallen over. One was already unconscious from before the the patient that had replaced Nurse Ulrike's place was moaning in pain.

Boras got the patient he was helping and ran to the man who fell out of the bed. He called to one on the 2-1B Medical Droids who had been getting up and they both picked the patient up. Droids as well as some of the better off patients grabbed ones who had been thrown out of their mattresses and helped them back on before going to their own.

A voice came over the medical bay and said, "We have intruders on Deck Two! Quick Reaction Force to Deck Two!"

Boras turned to the 2-1B Medical droid that had been standing next to him and told it, "This day just keeps on getting better and better doesn't it."

Boras knew that this was probably going to get worse before it got better but before he could begin giving direction, another message came over saying, "Medical? Security. Patient Mahaben has been found alive in a body bag beside the hangar doors. From the fact of him being in a body bag in the first place, he obviously isn't exactly viable. Instructions?"

Boras was shocked at the news. Who would put someone who was alive in a body bag? It didn't matter, it could have been a mistake or something but today was already weird enough. The man was a Jedi too so who knows what is going through that blind man's mind.

Boras walked to the comm area of the medical bay and told the droid, "If you can attempt to get him to medical than do it as soon as possible. If not, I can try to head over there but I have a lot of patients over here that I can't just leave."

He turned around and looked out over the medical bay. He knew he had to try to get Mahaben either to the medical bay or to attempt to get to him. He wasn't about to let the Jedi die on him but at the same time, he had enough patients in the medical bay that needed his help. He couldn't just prioritize the Jedi but he couldn't lose him either.

Tag: Sith-I-5 greyjedi125

 

IC: Pirate Tech Lotterer, Pirate Commander Chiara (the Black Zeltron), Commander Yavscout, Deputy the Astromech, Katarn-class boarding shuttle parked inside pirate hangar, and sealed door at aft bulkhead of pirate hangar
Location: near Draukyze


From their viewing position in a corner of the bow end wall within the hangar, Lotterer and his two companions watched a fourth craft, bigger than the snubships, float serenely into the bay and land out-of-sight on the far side of the parked Katarn-class boarding shuttle, whose mottled green hulk, along with the vapour fog bank, blocked their view of the intruders, even as a second bipedal figure in a tan-coloured armoured spacesuit of overlapping plates, plunged into the fog bank.

"Bridge, we'll need this fog cleared. Suggest you start drawing atmosphere from the hangar."

"Or, we can drop the magcon field." The captain's voice in his ear counter-suggested.

The thin-faced Lotterer didn't like the sound of that. He'd never admit it in the company of these cut-throats, but having the bay open to space gave him the willies. "No, I think-"

A blaster bolt flashed past Lotterer's head, the tech whipping his head round to the sound of his Nikto' mate's scream, the other's helmet already knocked back by the bolt, faceplate and face a charred ruin rimmed by those little facial horns the species had.

Lotterer felt acid reflux burn the lining of his throat as he gagged at the sight. Perhaps a few seconds late, he dove away from the corpse, which was still on its feet due to the magnetic boots that the Nikto preferred, rolling to create a smaller target. "DO IT!" He shouted into his helmet comlink, referring to the magnetic containment field, "DO IT!"

Red lights started to flash in the ceiling and floor corners of the bay, spinning slowly as visual warnings.

* * * *
Katarn-class Boarding Shuttle

The Black Zeltron was, unsurprisingly, one of the flirty, pink-pigmented humanoids, and her spacesuit was an even more garish tone than she was, the dark monicker due solely to her ferocity in battle.

She sat in the back of the shuttle on the benches lining the walls, with the rest of her troops.
They were the main boarding force, while the BX-series commando droids that had gone ahead, were tasked with softening the opposition up.

"Commander?" Called the pilot's voice from the cockpit up front. "Can you get up here please?"

Grumbling to the team as she pushed past armoured knees to the front, she became aware of a noisy impact sounds to the right of the craft. "What is going on out there?" She pushed into the cockpit, climbing the short steps to come level with the pilot, her elbows on the tops of both his and the empty co-pilot chair to her right.
She quickly spotted the red flashing lights outside.

"Where's the fire!?"

The pilot turned back to her. "We've been boarded! Starfighters have landed in the bay." He pointed past her visor, out the triangular right-side window, "Whatever landed over there is attacking us with groundbuzzers, whilst the starfighters have deployed people."

"How many people?"

"Three, four tops."

She shook her head inside the goldfish bowl of her helmet. "Dunno what they expect to achieve with those small numbers. Return fire on whatever is hitting us. I'll raise the Bridge."

Above the cockpit, a double-barrel laser turret whirred to life, twisted round to face the Speedy Trial, and volleyed crimson energy bolts towards it.

* * * *
Hangar Bay door

Yavscout remained invisible, tapping his foot impatiently as Deputy rolled up, and stuck a metal probe into the wall next to the door.

The elf glanced anxiously at the nearest flashing red lights wondering what in Norrath they were all about. At the very least, the pirates were had been alerted to the Mercs' presence.

To camouflage his sense of fear, he razzed the Arkanian over the established comm channel, regarding letting him fly out by himself: "Where were you man?! We always go on three! We always go on three!"

The fog bank started moving to the exit, picking up speed.

The elf's eyes widened. "Oh sith! They are dropping the magcon."

[Oh, ya think?] Deputy whistled.

"COUNTERMAND!"

The astromech's dome spun so that it's main photoreceptor could regard where it detected his vocals coming from. [Look, I can do the door, or the field, your call?]

Yav jumped at the doorway to anchor himself, which had the effect of re-materialising him, and rolled his eyes while the hurricane of escaping air buffeted at him on its way through the dissipating field, "Do the door! Jeth, Taab, the magcon is shutting off; stay in your ships till the pressure equalizes!"

Beside him, the door began to slide open.

Tag: Mitth_Fisto, Bardan_Jusik

---

IC: Commander Terrel Vacks
Location: near Draukyze

Vacks was a little surprised they had tried a hyperspace jump, even a micro-jump, so near the asteroid, but seeing as they appeared to still be alive, he surmised the rock must have been small enough not to have any negligible gravity.

"Owen, traverse forward for a moment, Evalynne take a quick look through the cockpit door.... There's a for-real space battle going on out here.... Pirate Cruiser versus Corvette, it appears-"

Vacks groaned to himself. How in the Original Light could he have identified a pirate cruiser that fast? What, did they have a Blazing Claw logo all over their hull?

He hoped they did not have another Fress Colias here. If she was still with the Mercs, and someone had not just upped and spaced the slitch, she and Aidan would be racing each other to see who guessed sith first.

"-Terrel, I need your eyes in here, see if either ship looks familiar.... Don't seem to be doing much to each other, though, no fires aboard either that I can see.... Sensor readings and back to watching our aft arc as soon as you can afterwards, please. Lets try to quickly sort out who's who!"

He took a deep breath and rose from his seat to preceed to the cockpit while Owen demured. “Sir, I’ll stay at my station, can’t be too careful.”

Behind him, the Admiral went into one, about the shields. "No, no, no, it's not how you do it..."

Terrel stepped into the cockpit, looking at the larger vessel first. Well, lucky he hadn't said all that out loud; he'd owe Aidan an apology; the Munifex-class cruiser was displaying Blazing Claw tats like they were going out of fashion.

He glanced at the other craft, and stopped dead, his mouth dry. "That...That..." The words would not come. Of course he recognised her. He always would. And every scarlet bolt to impact her felt like a punch to the gut, in spite of his Storm Commando armour. "We have to do something. That's the Johnny Boy. And those, those are the Mercs."

Tag: galactic-vagabond422, Laine_Snowtrekker, Tim Battershell, Uriel Manteroni

 

IC: Aidan Dodd
Blood Moon - Draukyze System.

Vacks enters the cockpit. In my peripheral vision I see him visibly check - and did he suddenly go slightly paler? "That.... That.... We have to do something. That's the Johnny Boy. And those, those are the Mercs."

"Uriel," I call, "Unencrypted, high power, broadcast channel, to my station, please, and try to raise the 'Johnny Boy' Bridge crew; have them paint us as friendly. Don't want any blue-on-blue here today, so keep trying if you don't get an immediate answer."

Now to settle and reassure Terrel. "We will! 'Alsakan Army Knife of a ship', remember? And she punches way beyond her weight! Hmmm.... Class-1000.... Main weapons mostly forward-firing or underslung.... Nice high Command Tower! I think we'll go vertical, above the plane of battle, pound on her bridge and engineering areas from behind and slightly above!"

Whichever of the Snubfighters belong to the 'Johnny Boy' could probably use some encouragement, too, with the way things look. Have to keep it short, though, I used to get given prizes, on Karaoke nights back at Fleet Academy, for not participating - they didn't want the riots!

To the tune of the ancient Agamarian herders' ditty "Tie me Mugruebe down, Chum", I 'sing' (in my mangled and off-key fashion) "Slag them pirate-scums down, Friends; Slag them pirate-scums down!" into the live Comm as I send Blood Moon arcing up-and-over the Cruiser, while making sure to keep well clear of her 'bite'.

Two more things left to arrange. "'Passepartout', a sensor on the weapons' and power core temperatures, if you would, I want maximum, rapid, full-power fire from our main battery consistent with not melting anything. Fire as you bear without waiting for me.... Evalynne, regular reports on this Sithspawn's Shield strength, please.

Now lets see how quickly two Medium Ion Cannons and a Light Turbolaser can bring down this frakker's shields and start melting their way inside!


TAG: Intervention, galactic-vagabond422, Laine_Snowtrekker, Uriel Manteroni.

OOC (1) "blue-on-blue" = 'Friendly fire' encounter/casulties.

(2) "Tie me Mugruebe down, Chum" = 'Tie me Kangaroo down, Sport' - singer/songwriter best left unmentioned nowadays.

 

IC: Uriel Manteroni
Blood Moon - Draukyze System.
Thought; speech, action, NPC, PC.

"Oops !! I'll do it now !!"

Uriel opens the console of communications. Unencrypted and sets up a code (standard STD-123 5SWJB ##%) with high power (9.5 GW at 1233 GHz) for broadcast channel. Uriel throws the signal for Johnny Boy. The communications operator JB responds by opening another channel.

Damn ... phraseology, phraseology of radio ... Damn ... so long ...I forgot...

Uriel looks at Aidan and Vacks, he would ask the name of the ship of mercs, but realized that they were both focused on combat maneuvers. Then he remembers that he did not know the name of the ship that they were !!

Wow ... I'm losing my touch. The main island of one open communications channel appears. In military standard, who always starts the contact is who makes the initial signal then Uriel says:

"Mercs, here Skipray of Captain Aidan and Commander Vacks. We are in a neutral position. Please I ask a direct channel to the commander of the Ship of Mercs. I am transferring signal to the station of captain Aidan."

Uriel did not wait for the response from the communications officer of another ship, has transferred straight to Aidan. And in the intercom alerts Aidan: "Contact closed. I transferred to your station. Just a little question, how is the name of this Skipray?"

Uriel awaiting orders of Aidan and he makes a link to hear the conversation between the captains.


TAG: @Intervention, @galactic-vagabond422, @Laine_Snowtrekker, @Tim Battershell

 

IC: Evalynne Smith
Aboard the Blood Moon

Aidan performed the microjump while explaining about the type of ship and how it's aligned with the Alliance. Seems like there was plenty to learn, including the fact that ships couldn't be tracked in hyperspace without beacons. Evalynne tucked that information away in her mind. "Evalynne take a quick look through the cockpit door.... There's a for-real space battle going on out here..."

Evalynne unstrapped and went to the door. The two ships hung there, lances of light darting here and there, debris scattered around. Oddly pretty, seeing how much death was out there. She nodded at Aidan's order of "Sensor readings and back to watching our aft arc as soon as you can afterwards, please. Lets try to quickly sort out who's who!" and then went back to her console.

Once they were back in their seats, Uriel was doing something at his console. Then he called out: "Hey Evalynne, beautiful woman !! I configured the shields for 5% significance according to their indications of risk of attack, ok my darling?"

First of all, she had no idea what "shields for five percent significance" meant, let alone whether or not that was a good thing. Second, not many people called her beautiful, and third, no one called her my darling. It was almost as bad as Vacks' crack about barmaids and ale. Was this something she just had to get used to? Or could she return it in kind?

"Well, if I knew what that meant, I'm sure it would be okay, sweetheart," she said. No one--especially a former Imperial--was going to talk to her like that unless they could take ribbing in return.

But before he could answer her, the sensors beeped again. "Sir," she called out, "two single fighters not far off, one not moving much. A little off from the ships, in the debris field. These sensors don't classify them as any particular type, so I have no idea whether they're friendlies or not."

The ship moved forward, closing distance between itself and the red-marked pirate cruiser. "Evalynne, regular reports on this Sithspawn's Shield strength, please," Aidan called out.

"Sure thing," she said.

What had she gotten herself into?

TAG: Tim Battershell, Intervention, galactic-vagabond422, Uriel Manteroni
OOG: Sorry I couldn't get the sensor reading about the single fighters into a post faster than I did. I had homework.

 

IC: Uriel Manteroni
Blood Moon - Draukyze System.
Thought; speech, action, NPC, PC.

Uriel looked Evalynne who seemed irritated. Hmm ... like all women, she is sensitive ... Uriel laughed, but before he could explain the meaning of significance, Evalynne focuses on its sensors and says:

"Okay. Girl, we now have a practical lesson. Very well, through your console sensors tracking you must to select the two ships that you found. Okay, when you do this, the systems of shields and your tracking sensors are combined and working together. Acting in with 5% significance."

'What do it mean 'significance'? Student attention!" Uriel say like a teacher!

Uriel looked to Evalynne unable to hide the smirk. Things really have not changed that time ... Uriel was always very cold on critical and dangerous situations. All are about to enter a battle of life and death, and yet he could stay calm enough to play and teach.

"Significance is a statistical term that means the probability of some variable to be within a confidence interval. That is when I say that I set the shields for 5% significance this means that the automatic power system shield will act with a 5% chance of not being within the confidence interval of protecting us."

"Translating a little more clearly: When you select a ship that is threatening us its sensors begin to show for the artificial intelligence system of Skipray that is necessary increase the power of the shield to reach maximum efficiency when a certainty of 95% that the enemy attack will happen, that is to say, there are still 5% chance the enemy will not attack us, but even so the shields are at maximum."

Uriel say like teacher another time: "Cadet then you must ask !! But then because, dont I let a significance of at zero percent?"

"Simple ... because this way your shields will always be at maximum and this will wear the system, and worse spend all the energy that protects us, then that can occur, when we need more ... the shields fail."

Uriel finish the class and looked right into the eyes of that girl who could be his daughter. Gives a big smile and blink.

"We trust his judgment Evalynne!! Who is dangerous and who is not out there?"

hmmm ... is it not that a lot of responsibility for a small girl? Uriel thought. Then looks Evalynne.

No... She can! Uriel trusts in girl ... your instinct never failed ...





TAG: @Intervention, @galactic-vagabond422, @Laine_Snowtrekker, @Tim Battershell

 

IC: Commodore Timothy Stakes
Out-skirts of the Town of Di Legno Castello, Planet of Jod (under the governance of the Confederation of the Sovereign States of Jod) Eastern Region, several weeks ago

A soft rain started falling in the cold Fall months as the sun continued it's downward approach in the gray overcast sky to night in the distance, leaving little light to the land. Seven horses stood upon a small hill, where a road came through it from the forest behind them and lead down to the 15 meter high wooden walled town below and ahead of them; two main gates, the front and the rear, gave the only entrance into and exit out of the town, with watch towers on each of the four corners of a roughly circle wall around the town. The Tiger River ran behind the town, where the town sat upon a hill overlooking the Eastern Region's pride and joy. Aside from the still open gate showing yellow lights in store and house fronts near the entrance, swirls of smoke traveled away from chimneys atop buildings in the town.

"And I thought the place was depressing when I lived here," Timothy spoke softly as he looked through his spy glass a top his horse.

"We better get inside the walls," the leader of the small raiding party said, a rough and tumble former King's Army soldier who wore worn and tattered traveler's clothes with black boots and a brown cloak over his frame; a hood lay flipped back on his back as a hat sat atop his head, protecting him from the rain. Tthe man had a LR-Model 2 Blaster Rifle across his back, two Standard Issue Army Revolvers holstered to both his left or right thighs (and a third one across his torso chest belt), and a Phrik forged survival knife in a brown scabbard across the small of his back. He retained much of his former King's Army uniform's utility belt and pouches. His light skin was weathered, his full beard and mustache was a mixture of dark and gray hair, while his green eyes showed a fire few could dare; he had a full bodied athletic look for a former body lifter in his 40's and stood about 5 feet, 11 inches.

"Yea," Timothy replied as he egged his horse on down the hill after the veteran soldier, "I'm sure some things don't change at night when those gates close."

"No," the rough Army soldier replied, "They just got worse."

The group of seven riders rode down the hill, approaching the town's front gate. They had one mission in mind...


TBC
OOG: Falling asleep here. I will finish this post tomorrow after work. The rest of it is very detailed in nature, I just don't have the energy to give it the credit it deserves right now. Sorry all, that darn DRL is playing catch up tonight after a long weekend.

 

IC: Evalynne Smith
Aboard the Blood Moon

While waiting for Aidan to acknowledge her mention of the two fighters, Evalynne kept her eyes on the sensors. Behind them, the Bantha-class vessel had slowed (and, as Aidan had said, wouldn't know that they were the same ship as before their microjump). The other ship signature kept skittering in and out, scuttling along the edges of the system. In front of them hung the two embattled ships, one marked in red and the other in blue on her screens.

Then Uriel began speaking. "Okay. Girl, we now have a practical lesson. Very well, through your console sensors tracking you must to select the two ships that you found. Okay, when you do this, the systems of shields and your tracking sensors are combined and working together. Acting in with 5% significance. What do it mean 'significance'? Student, attention!"

He looked at her, smirking. The information might be useful, but his delivery was . . . less than desirable. First of all, she had a name, and it wasn't girl or student. Second of all, she didn't know what lay behind that

"Significance is a statistical term that means the probability of some variable to be within a confidence interval. That is when I say that I set the shields for 5% significance this means that the automatic power system shield will act with a 5% chance of not being within the confidence interval of protecting us. Translating a little more clearly: When you select a ship that is threatening us its sensors begin to show for the artificial intelligence system of Skipray that is necessary increase the power of the shield to reach maximum efficiency when a certainty of 95% that the enemy attack will happen, that is to say, there are still 5% chance the enemy will not attack us, but even so the shields are at maximum."

That made sense, though why he was changing the shielding without particular permission still eluded Evalynne. It wasn't his ship, so why was he messing with the shields? Besides, why not keep the shields up all the way, defend against all attacks?

He paused, then said, "Cadet then you must ask !! But then because, dont I let a significance of at zero percent? Simple ... because this way your shields will always be at maximum and this will wear the system, and worse spend all the energy that protects us, then that can occur, when we need more ... the shields fail."

Uriel stopped speaking, looked right into her eyes, grinned, and winked. "We trust his judgment Evalynne!! Who is dangerous and who is not out there?"

Whose judgment? And why was he acting like this was all a joke?

"Obviously the pirates are the dangerous ones, but until the corvette answers our hails, we have to be on guard against attacks from either," she said, keeping her eyes on the reading of the cruiser's shields. It hadn't lessened yet. But that could change at any moment.

TAG: Tim Battershell, Intervention, Uriel Manteroni, galactic-vagabond422

 

IC: Havah Jeth
Enemy Hanger, The Dishonourable Mynock

Hearing the call from the smoke screen about being the center door Havah prepped to make a brake for it. Despite one ship having left the hanger there was still a shuttle here, not to mention the few men that were defending it. The Mando took a shot then as well as the MERC's other Mando resident landed the rescue shuttle in the hanger.

Although once the suppressive fire started he had to nod. Especially when the ground razors didn't target him, as this meant they had some cover. Although not one step away from his ship and toward the middle door and the enemy Shuttle made itself known by firing on their shuttle. "Emperor's Black Bones!" he spat at the situation. . .nearly literally.

He checked his load out as the wind started to pick up. Fusion cutter still on his belt, extra thermal charges, and two cryo-charges on his belt and in pouches. "Wind?!?" he suddenly muttered to himself as the ELF shouted something about staying with his starfighter. Which by now was buttoned up and had it's shield raised in the case of exactly what was happening now.

Tapping a couple buttons his boots mag-locks activated with a physical thud through his body. "Good thing I didn't have time change." he thought to himself as he checked his suites seals. So far air-tight.

Pulling out a thermal detonator, low strength, the small orb would put a one meter sphere of nothing around wherever he set it off. After the prison break he had had to rethink only carrying a heavy detonator and a cryo in boarding actions when it had separated Lasso from the team without killing him. Actually now that he thought of it, he couldn't remember if that was a bad thing or a good thing.

Shrugging slightly he twisted a bit in his suit and raised it to the Mando and shook it in the vanishing air with the silent question of whether or not he try to lob it at the enemy shuttle now. After all, he had no idea if the younger Mando had something up his ships hull other than ground buzzers, and he didn't want to waste one of his few thermals unless needed. After all he might just have to decompress key points into this behemoth to make it safe to loot, or to leave later.

TAG: Bardan_Jusik, Sith-I-5

 

IC: Owen Byrne
On board the Skipray, heading to Draukyze

“Fire as you bear without waiting for me.” Aiden ordered maybe to his droid, maybe to Owen. He couldn’t be sure. His experiences in space travel and combat were on board Star Destroyers and landing craft. He never took the time to learn the Navy jargon. Turning the turret towards the enemy vessel Owen opened fire near the bridge. His training may not have covered ship board gunnery but, heavy weapons training did cover attacking shielded ground targets. Focus fire on one point until the shield fails then the lasers can go to work on the armor. Uriel was giving Evalynne a lecture on what shield significance was and by the end of it Owen still had no idea what it meant.

“Evalynne,” He said looking over his shoulder, “tell me if anything hostile appears on our 6 o’clock. I’ll be focusing on the pirate cruiser in front of us. Our day has been bad enough already we don’t need to be blown to blown to pieces by something I didn’t see coming because I was too blinded by the huge target in front of me.” Owen was uncomfortable in this situation. He couldn’t hear anything coming up behind him and he was trusting his 6 everyone’s 6 to a girl who’d probably never seen combat outside of holo-vids and romantic stories. He sucked his teeth again. The soldier had no choice but to hope that a civilian could handle the stresses of combat, and stay concentrated on her job. Not that the ‘Admiral’ was doing anything to help keep her on task, but there was nothing he could do outside of gagging the man and tying him to his station. Although that thought was entertaining, it would help no one. What would be helpful was getting out alive.

TAG: Laine_Snowtrekker Tim Battershell Uriel Manteroni Intervention

 

IC: Jason Lasso
Bridge, Johnny Boy


In combat, things happened.

And quickly.

"We have intruders on Deck Two! Quick Reaction Force to Deck Two!"

"Droid," Lasso said, "Seal off the bridge. I want three B2 Supers and four B1s at the bridge immediately. Also, send a squad of eight B1s to reinforce hanger bay defenses and another squad to Deck Three; support the Deck Three squad with two B2s. I don't want any pirates leaking past Deck Two's action. Seal off all turbolifts, lock down all access doors. Only the QRF and Command personnel can pass Deck to Deck."

"Roger, Roger."

"Edge to control, Specter's x-wing has been disabled, repeat Specter is adrift."

Lasso could see the stress starting to bread itself across some of the new bridge crew.

This was where a Captain stepped in. This was where leaders were born.

Lasso didn't wait on comms and hit the comm button from the chair, "Johnny Boy to Scorch. What is your twenty? Specter is adrift and we have no resources from the JB. How copy?" Twenty meant location in some old cargo trucking areas on Corellia. Lasso didn't know if it was still used here or not, but he was about to find out either way.

Next Jason looked to Gunnery, "Gunnery, do we have any ship board weapons that can get an angel on that enemy boarding shuttle?"

Otter the Nosaurian nodded, "Yes, Captain. Our starboard single H9."

"Redirect their fire mission, Gunnery," Lasso said, "Take that shuttle out."

"Captain," Otter pointed out, "Our sensors still haven't cleared from that blast. They'll be firing by line of sight. If they miss, they could cause more damage to us. And, once that shuttle is dislodged, it could clatter across our hull and cause even more damage."'

"Gunnery," Lasso said, "Your concerns are noted. Dislodge that shuttle immediately."

"As ordered, Captain," The officer turned to one of the gunnery officers under him, "Give the order."

The officer nodded and spoke into the comm, "Starboard Bridge H9, you have a new fire mission. Priority urgent. Enemy tango has attached to our starboard side hull above the hanger bay, Deck Two. You have clearance to fire without sensor lock. I repeat, you have orders to fire by line of sight. Fire at will."

There was a pause on the other end as the bridge grew quiet to hear the response, then, over the tech's ear phones, everyone heard, "Starboard Bridge H9 copies. Enemy tango attached to Deck Two, above Hanger Bay. Clearance to fire without sensor lock. Repositioning turret for fire mission. Please stand by, firing at will."

In that moment, everyone remained quiet (despite the chaos outside in space), as through the ship's hull, you could hear the gears and other machines rotating the H9 single turbolaser turret. Then the "winning" of the machanical devices ended and everyone waited and waited and---there it was, the muted, but powerful single blast.

The Johnny Boy rocked.

Then another blast, followed by another, and---

The Johnny Boy rocked and Lasso held onto his chair.

Otter was nodding to something being told him via a helmet comm and he said, "Captain, enemy shuttle has been dislodged! Dorsal H9 dual turbolaser turret is engaging debris! As are all quad laser turrets in range!"

"Hull breach Deck Two! Where the shuttle was dislodged! Deploying emergency shields now to cover the breach!" Ronnie the Xexto blurted.

The Johnny Boy rocks and the sounds of metal against metal could be heard out towards the aft of the ship!

"Shuttle remains!" Ronnie said, "No hull breach!"

The Corevette lurched again, this time in the distance, as the shuttle's reactor core blew, but caused next to no physical damage to the Johnny Boy.

"Bridge to Quick Reaction Force, enemy shuttle has been dislodged. Are there enemy tangos from the shuttle on Deck Two?" Lasso asked.

Before Jason got a response, another voice came over the comm, "Mercs, here Skipray of Captain Aidan and Commander Vacks. We are in a neutral position. Please I ask a direct channel to the commander of the Ship of Mercs. I am transferring signal to the station of captain Aidan."

Jason looked at Dak and Dak at Jason. Lasso hit the reply button, "Commander Terrel Vacks? If he's there, put him on!"

There was a moment of silence, then, "What have you done to Captain Taller's ship?"

Lasso breathed a sigh of relief, "Vacks. Good to hear your voice."

"No time for small talk. We'll catch up later. What do you need, son?"

"We're hurting, that's for sure. That pirate ship would sure look prettier with a few less weapon emplacements."

A chuckle could be heard on the other end, "I have a few new recruits for your sorry ole' hide. We'll make the shots count."

"Be aware, Vacks, we have friendly elements on board. I repeat, we have friendly elements on board that enemy cruiser."

"Copy on friendlies. Vacks out."

Jason smiled, "Well, things may just start looking up."

"I hate it when you say that," Dak replied.

Lasso adopted a dramatic hurt look, "Why?"

"Because, crap always hits the fan after you say that."

"Great," Lasso replied.

"You said it," Dak said, "Not me."


TAG Bardan_Jusik (Atin, QRF, boarding pirates on Deck 2), Blood Moon (all on board; you may take out pirate emplacements at will. Please be aware of the ship's weaponry stats.Munifex-class Light Cruiser)

 

IC: Aidan Dodd
Blood Moon - Space Battle, Draukyze System.

"Sir, two single fighters not far off, one not moving much. A little off from the ships, in the debris field. These sensors don't classify them as any particular type, so I have no idea whether they're friendlies or not.", Evalynne reports from the Sensors Station.

I'm a bit busy getting the ship into my selected position behind the Cruiser's Command Tower, so I don't reply immediately; then Uriel starts geeking to her about the improvements he's making to the Shield settings. It sounds highly technical, I'll have to get him to explain everything to 'Passsepartout' later - to me, Shields have two basic settings, On and Off!

It seems that Owen has decided to add the turret's firepower to the attack on the enemy ship's Command Tower, going by his request to Evalynne to add the after arc to her list of 'watched' responsibilities. That's OK for the moment, so long as he doesn't overload her and get us blindsided.

"Thanks, Evalynne! If the Sensors aren't identifying them they're probably enemy, also probably 'Uglies'; that's Navy-speak for ships cobbled together from different ship types. Generally inherit any weaknesses from both sides of the union, but armaments can be whatever's handy, so one mustn't underestimate them. Let us know if they start heading towards us please.. The normal Naval response of 'Very well, keep a sharp lookout' is inappropriate here; not understanding that it is the standard response, she might be offended.

I listen-in on the conversation between Vacks and the Johnny Boy - so Taller's no longer in command, I thought Terrel gave up his name as a throw-away far too easily, back at Algor - and cut in as they pause;

"Johnny Boy, this is Snake, commanding the Skipray. We are armed for bludgeoning, not precision, and the main weapons are hardwired into linked-fire mode. Two Medium Ion Cannons and one Light Turbolaser. Suggest we keep pounding on this frakker's bridge area for a while, so not to risk frying your people by accident.

It's 'ask the question' time for the Pirates. If our fire is enough to nibble away at their aft shields, what do they do when surplus capacity is used up? Reinforce from the forward shields and risk the Johnny Boy getting in some telling shots? Reinforce by redirecting power from their own weaponry and reduce the chances of landing a crippling hit on Johnny Boy or redirect power from propulsion and risk letting their intended prize slip out of reach?

The regular crash of Blood Moon's forward armament discharging into them at full power should be bringing a decision closer with each passing minute!


TAG: Bravo, galactic-vagabond422, Laine_Snowtrekker, Uriel Manteroni, Sith-I-5 (for Pirates).

 

IC: Beskaryc Taab/Atin Taab
Hanger Bay, The Dishonourable Mynock/Speedy Trial

Taab took the warning about the impending possibility of cold vacuum in stride. It seemed this was happening a lot to him lately, at least this time he was somewhere with working gravity. Still, he did have to make sure he was anchored down when the shuttle bay lost atmospheric containment. He quickly considered his options.

There was the boarding shuttle nearby, if he could get aboard that then he could secure himself inside and ride out the storm. That course of action would have the added benefit of also eliminating the current threat to the Trial, and his son. Looking to boarding shuttle as a stray blaster bolt glanced off the X-Wing he was using as cover he saw that was a no go. The hatches were closed, no telling from here if they were locked. If not, he could still board rather easily and take out the crew. But if they were, well he might not have time to effect a dynamic entry. The boarding shuttle was out.

There were other options though, he could try to anchor himself to any manner of equipment aboard ship. Equipment, or personnel. He caught sight of the Nikto he had taken a shot at earlier, the being was clearly dead he could see now, but was propped up by it's magnetic boots. It would provide an adequite anchor point. Taab took another pair of shots at the enemy. The Nikto too was a no go. Taab was loath to anchor himself to something so close to the enemy positions, too easy for them to cut the cord or demag the Nikto's boots. He needed something closer, and more secure.

Another blaster bolt ricocheted off his son's T-65. The boy was going to be very angry when he saw the scorch marks. Taab began to laugh slightly at his private joke but stopped suddenly, the grin dropping from his face. The X-Wing, he should have seen that sooner. Hunkering down behind the aft section of the craft Taab pulled out a length of fibercord whip and anchored himself to the X-Wing itself. He growled up to the droid. "This ship doesn't leave the bay while I'm attached." It whistled a warbling confirmation in reply.

That done it was now time to deal with the threat to his son. His grin returned behind his faceplate as he brought up his other arm, the one with the wrist rocket launcher on it. As was his custom it was fitted with an anti-armor warhead, perfect for taking out the gun now assaulting the Trial. But almost as soon as he brought the weapon to bear, Taab's grin became a frown. The angle was wrong, he didn't have a clear shot. Motion caught his eye and he saw Jeth waving a thermal detonator in the air. Yeah, that should do the trick. Taab lowered his arm and nodded to the Major, giving him the go ahead.

---

Atin was just about to exit the Speedy Trial when it was rocked by enemy fire. Loosing his balance he fell to the deck, cursing before Totter helped him back to his feet. "Guess we're not getting out that way." The ship rocked again, though this time Atin managed to keep upright. Atin's eyes flashed with rage, this was his ship those pirates were defiling.

"Totter, stay aboard and mind the groundbuzzers. I'm going for a walk" He tried again to exit his ship, but another series of blaster bolts prevented him from opening the Trial's hatch. They were pinned down until someone could stop those guns. A message crackled in his buy'ce, but it wasn't from anyone on the boarding team. Through the static he recognized the Captain's voice instead.

"John...... ... Scor... Wha... ..ur twenty? Specter .. adrift ............... no resources ....... he JB. How copy?" The incoming transmission was garbled and broken, probably a result of the signal being blocked by the hull of the pirate ship. Another blast shook the Trial, the blaster shots weren't helping either he was sure. He commed back.

"Johnny Boy, Scorch. Repeat your last, message was broken. I say again, repeat your last." He paused. Should he give an update as to his own situation? Probably. "Am aboard enemy vessel. Meeting heavy resistance. Scorch out."

TAG: Bravo, Sith-I-5, Mitth_Fisto

 

OOG: Editing post from last night, pero OOG conversation with Sith in the Rocketjock regarding a misunderstanding on part of the location of the boarding shuttle. I will add in tag details (from Tim B and Jusik) etc into this redo post.

---

IC: Jason Lasso
Bridge, Johnny Boy



In combat, things happened.

And quickly.

"We have intruders on Deck Two! Quick Reaction Force to Deck Two!"

"Droid," Lasso said, "Seal off the bridge. I want three B2 Supers and four B1s at the bridge immediately. Also, send a squad of eight B1s to reinforce hanger bay defenses and another squad to Deck Three; support the Deck Three squad with two B2s. I don't want any pirates leaking past Deck Two's action. Seal off all turbolifts, lock down all access doors. Only the QRF and Command personnel can pass Deck to Deck. And medical personnel."

"Roger, Roger."

"Edge to control, Specter's x-wing has been disabled, repeat Specter is adrift."

Lasso could see the stress starting to bread itself across some of the new bridge crew.

This was where a Captain stepped in. This was where leaders were born.

Lasso didn't wait on comms and hit the comm button from the chair, "Johnny Boy to Scorch. What is your twenty? Specter is adrift and we have no resources from the JB. How copy?" Twenty meant location in some old cargo trucking areas on Corellia. Lasso didn't know if it was still used here or not, but he was about to find out either way.

"Hanger Bay to Bridge," came a very impatient voice of Ler over the comm, "I have a boarding shuttle in my hanger! What in Corellian blazes do you---"

Lasso cut the comm, "Drama queen," Jason said under his breath, then keyed his comm, "Timothy Waters, location?"

The old man's voice huffed over the comm, "Entering Hanger Bay,"

"Good, you read my mind. Any chance you can dislodge that boarding shuttle?"

Lasso could hear the hanger's workings in the background---and Ler's colorful language about a sorrowful excuse of a ship captain---as the old man keyed the comm again, "With Hank? We could probably dislodge the shuttle. But we're no Yoda."

"Get it done, Timothy. And tell Ler to do something useful like use the hanger's internal emergency tractor beams for incoming hot fighters to balance the shuttle so it doesn't crash onto my hanger floor. And emphasis my last words, please. Bridge clear."

"Dak?" Lasso said.

"Already on it," the droid replied and Lasso had a display of the hanger bay on his hologram floating in front of him.

Lasso watched as a unsure Data stood with full combat gear on and unsure of what to do with his rifle, as the two Jedi---one a Jedi Knight and one a self-proclaimed Jedi Prophet (depending on who's story you listen to)---used what seemed to be invisible powers. At first, nothing happened. From the audio-less feed, the two Jedi looked like they were having a committee session down there, talking in between each other and using hand signals to further communicate. They the two men reached up and used the Force again, this time the shuttle shook a bit. But still the Jedi came away with nothing. A little more talk, a little more hand signaling, and the Jedi tried a third time. This time the shuttle shook with more force and the parts of the shuttle holding it to Deck Two finally gave way---Lasso winching as debris from the ceiling of the hanger and the floor of Deck Two came with it---and the shuttle floated there, not supported by the Jedi, but by the emergency tractor beams (that replaced most common usage of safety nets) on stopping runaway landings. The tractor beams lowered the ship to the ground with a thud that shook the camera view.

Jason watched as the eight Battle Droids sent to reinforce the Hanger Bay quickly took up defensive positions around the Hanger---as did all the Hanger crew---as everyone wondered: did the pirates get off on Deck Two or were they still in the shuttle?

"Quick Reaction Force," the B1 Battle Droid said from the Security Station, "Status on enemy incursion?"

"Johnny Boy, Scorch. Repeat your last, message was broken. I say again, repeat your last." He paused. Should he give an update as to his own situation? Probably. "Am aboard enemy vessel. Meeting heavy resistance. Scorch out."

"Well Sith," Lasso said, using colorful language, replying, "Johnny Boy to Scorch. Copy transmission. Void JB's previous transmission."

"Johnny Boy, this is Snake, commanding the Skipray. We are armed for bludgeoning, not precision, and the main weapons are hardwired into linked-fire mode. Two Medium Ion Cannons and one Light Turbolaser. Suggest we keep pounding on this frakker's bridge area for a while, so not to risk frying your people by accident.

Lasso looked to the communication's officer and nodded; DelPike (a Troig), the Communications Station's Tech, nodded in return as he fielded the call, "Johnny Boy to Blood Moon. Copy transmission. You have an emergency redirect order. I repeat, you have an emergency redirect order. We have a starfighter adrift in space. Sending you data burst now of location. Our Hanger Bay is currently closed off due to a enemy boarding action. You'll have to keep the pilot with you. Johnny Boy clear."


TAG Bardan_Jusik, Sith-I-5, Blood Moon crew

 

IC: Aidan Dodd
Blood Moon - Space Battle, Draukyze System.

"Johnny Boy to Blood Moon. Copy transmission. You have an emergency redirect order. I repeat, you have an emergency redirect order. We have a starfighter adrift in space. Sending you data burst now of location. Our Hanger Bay is currently closed off due to a enemy boarding action. You'll have to keep the pilot with you. Johnny Boy clear."

Personally, I'd have thought us of more use battering the Cruiser but things are probably hectic over on the Johnny Boy. Unless familiar with Skiprays they won't have realised that Blood Moon's maximum speed is a good twenty MegaLights less than that of a modern, or late Clone Wars, fighter. We're in 'Heavy' condition too, with three extra personnel on board and only two Concussion Missiles expended to lighten ship. Still, a rescue is a rescue. We'll do what we can, but I need to let them know in case they have a faster ship available; otherwise we'll have to Micro-jump ahead of the derelict and try to grab its tail on-the-fly to slow it down.

"'Passepartout', put that location up on the PPI screen and try to get a reading on the derelict's speed, please.", I instruct as I back us away from our 'bombardment station'; then I hit the Comm again;

"Johnny Boy, Blood Moon. Copy. Be advised that we max at Eight-Zero MGLT. If your deadstick is doing more than that on residual Delta-Vee, recommend assigning faster ship. We'll do what we can, though it may take some time. Blood Moon clear.... Evalynne, Scan given location, please, tell me what you find."


TAG: Bravo, galactic-vagabond422, Laine_Snowtrekker, Uriel Manteroni, Sith-I-5


OOC: (1) "PPI" = 'Plan Position Indicator'.

(2) "Deadstick" = 'Ship/Aircraft not under power' (but may still be moving on momentum).

 

OOC: Would have been longer, but Boards were down, and I need to go to work!

IC: BX-series commando droids, Pirate Lieutenant Eradic, 'The Radical' Droch-class boarding shuttle, inside the Johnny Boy


Half a dozen BX droids was the passenger capacity of the boarding ship, and all had climbed out of the open hatch, through the rectangle fusion cut through the deckplates, to find themselves at an intersection of short corridors, which had already been made recently worse for wear even before their arrival.

All had dropped to one knee, facing in two or three directions. Three raised their left arms, where a metal box was set into forearms, a door sliding open on the boxes, allowing black spheres, about the size of a cricket ball, to float into the air, level with the droid's heads, and float serenely away along the corridors, looking for signs of life.

Lemon-coloured holographic displays showed above the arms, allowing the BX's to see what the eye-balls, as it were, were seeing.

* * * *
Cockpit, The Radical

Lieutenant Radical totally did not mind, but his canopy on the outside of the cone-shaped craft was in a relatively vulnerable position, putting him in the gunsights of a combat-geared Data on the hangar deck below, as well as the bowcaster-sights of a tall, white vacsuited biped.

Twisting in his seat to glance at the latter, he guessed, from the bowcaster, that it was a Wookiee, though he could never imagine one of them in that get-up.

The Wook' joined several crewmates at the edge of the hangar, whilst two beings, who seemed to have eschewed everyone else's wearing of vacsuits, had entered, waved their hands a bit, and basically bickered.

Whoa! He felt the ship shift from its mount!

"Commando Leader, is someone trying to dislodge the Radical?"

"Negative. Not that I can see." Came back from the lead commando.

"Okaaay," he sent back, feeling a bit dubiously. The ship around him shifted again, sharply, then again, the other way, and then again the other way. He felt like a loose tooth being worried by a dentist.

"Frag this, I'm coming to join you."

"Roger roger."

The pilot hurriedly snapped open his seat restraints, reached down between his knees to hit the black button to open the hatch which would give him access to the passenger area. The surface the button was set in, was also black, so his gloved fingers had to feel about for it.

Clear design fault there, he thought, yellow light illuminating his face and goggles as the hatch opened.

He slid down through the hole into the open area, spun to the wall mount holding three spare E-5 blaster rifles, and power packs on a shelf below.

The floor underneath him continued to shift from side to side as he got a blaster, slapped a pack into it, risked something by tucking it under his armpit while he went for a second gun and did the same, then climbed up the internal ladder to the still-smoking hole above him, getting head, elbows, and a knee up and through before the Radical fell away into the hangar below!

The expected crash of it hitting the hangar floor did not come, but he did not stop to look, concentrating on getting his choob and other leg up through the hole.

Tag: Bravo for personnel in the JB' hangar

 

OOG: Yea, Sith, boards were down last night. I was trying to post too. With that said, I'm assuming you'll respond for the QRF on Deck Two then?

---

IC: Crewmen Timothy Waters
Hanger Bay, Johnny Boy


"Oh no you don't!" Timothy said with focus as he saw the pilot trying to climb through the hole. He would have a leg to grab onto, but that would be enough. Reaching out with the Force, the Jedi Prophet reached and yanked the man down from the hole.

"To that shuttle security!" Ler barked as the Battle Droids swarmed the shuttle; two droids took up flanking positions in rear of the shuttle to look for anyone escaping, while the other six stormed into the shuttle. The other hanger bay personnel remained in their defensive positions, but the white vac suited Wookiee took the liberty of walking around the shuttle and securing the rear with the other two Battle Droids.


TAG Sith-I-5
OOG: Short, I know; didn't want to post the pilot's reaction and risk god-moding.

---

OOG: The post I tried to post last night when the boards went down.


IC: Commodore Timothy Stakes
Out-skirts of the Town of Di Legno Castello, Planet of Jod (under the governance of the Confederation of the Sovereign States of Jod) Eastern Region, several weeks ago


The muddy streets just added dramatic effect to the fact that when the drunken man was thrown out of the bar, splashed around like a fish out of water on the ground, then ran right back into the bar three-fourths covered in mud.

"That uniform looked military," Stakes said, noting the man's uniform had yellow pants, a black torso covering, black boots, and a white belt; his hat was black in color with yellow markings.

"Is," the rough 40's year old soldier grumbled, "Law Cavalry. And over there, too," the soldier pointed, as two such cavalry men were getting a bit too close to a woman and make her feel unconformable, "And there," the soldier pointed out where three soldiers were dunking a older gentlemen into cold horse drinking water outside of a store and laughing wildly about it as they drank their night away.

"And no one stops this?" Stakes asked, seeing his beloved Kingdom unravel before his very eyes.

"Son," the old soldier said, "The Confederation is extremely popular outside of the home world of Jod. Our only support for the Old Way are pockets in the Core, the Five Planets Region, and the Line Region. The rest of the Kingdom has been embracing this New Way, that is interjecting new technology and fresh ideas and thoughts into the outlaying worlds that are not restricted by the magic of this world."

"And so the people reject the Royal Throne?" Stakes replied, disgusted.

"No, son. You know how it works. The Nobles and Royal Court land owners in the Regions here on Jod control considerable land and investments off planet. They want to make money. But also," the old man adjusted himself on his horse as the group came to a stop in front of the dunking of the old man and leveled a pistol at one of the soldiers who was paying no attention, "Honor and Respect has left this younger generation," the old soldier discharged his pistol into the face of one of the soldiers who turned around in a drunken swirl and demanded who they were on the King's Order; the man, now motionless, fell backwards into the horse water, his body floating there for a moment while his two other soldier buddies looked on for a confused moment, while the old man wigged free of their grasp and ran away, "We are here to restore it. Best get to your weapon, Commodore, you'll need it tonight."


TBC

 

IC: Darth Vader
Cockpit, TIE Advanced x1, nearing top-secret Asteroid Base, Moonflower Nebula (Wild Space)


There was no communication. As Vader's TIE Advanced approached, he simply sent a quick data-burst that allowed triggered a system that the allowed the hanger bay doors to open as he approached. The automated defense systems tracked his movements, but did not fire. Soon, as his ship entered the hanger, showing a lone Sheathipede-class Transport Shuttle. That shuttle had been heavily modified with heavier armor and shields, as well as better sensors and communications equipment. It also featured a hyperdrive and had a OOM Pilot Battle Droid and another OOM Pilot Droid serving as a gunner / co-pilot. The shuttle maintained a space black exterior that featured sensor deflecting armor plating. It had been one of Vader's personal project, complete with a medical station, HoloNet communication station, and even a life support capsule for long-duration missions and a small refresher and bed area for shorter missions. The shuttle wasn't Vader's personally, anymore, rather it was a gift.

As the hanger doors closed, Vader's shuttle landed. No welcoming party, as was expected. Instead, the blast door at the far end of the hanger opened, spilling light into the poorly lit hanger bay, as Vader approached. The light was blocked, in an instant, as a droid stepped into the doorway, welcoming Vader.

"Lord Vader," said the CZ-series communication/business droid, "Doctor Van Halfin is waiting for you in his office."


TBC
OOG: I'm personally leaving this short. The last time we saw Doctor Van Halfin, he and Vader had a little project going on in secret at Project Zero, towards the end of our first game. I wonder, I wonder...stay tuned...

 

IC: Aidan Dodd
Blood Moon - Space Battle, Draukyze System.

The one direction the disabled ship couldn't have gone is towards our reversion point, we'd have seen it, but that still leaves a massive volume of space to sift through.

"Uriel,", I call back into the cabin, "Lend me your expertise, please. We have a disabled Starfighter to locate and intercept, with a view to rescuing the pilot. No data on exactly when it was disabled, what vector it took after the incident or the velocity it's carrying. Assumption One; Velocity is likely to be at near maximum combat speed. Assumption Two; It's likely not able to deviate from a straight-line path. Assumption Three; Incident took place within the last five minutes or so. Extrapolating, its travelled around ten MegaLights.... Do you check with my thinking on that?

If so, I propose climbing far enough above the plane of combat to put ourselves outside everyone's Weapons' ranges and fly a circular path at about fifteen MegaLights from datum, where we ought to be able to pick it up on Sensors. If we don't, we spiral out a little and try again. I don't suppose your ship mounts a Tractor Beam, does it?

Owen, 'fraid you'll have to go back to guarding our stern, Thank you, though!.

Evalynne, anything fitting the derelict's description on Sensors at the moment, please?

Terrel any thoughts yourself?

Going relative vertical!" I fire the sublight engines at full power and pull back on the yoke to stand Blood Moon 'on her tail'. I've read somewhere that vertical movements, whether for attack or defence, are difficult to track.


TAG: Bravo, galactic-vagabond422, Laine_Snowtrekker, Uriel Manteroni

 

IC: Havah Jeth
Hanger bay - Enemy ship The Dishonourable Mynock

Seeing the Mando lower his arm and nod Havah gave an understanding head tilt. Blinking at a couple HUD icons he opened a comm channel to his X-wing. "Glove aid in calculations." he simply stated. Within a couple seconds his droid, ship, and suites computers had taken his known throwing ability denominators, wind speed, gravity, and distance and given a rating strength and angle of throw to hit the sweet spot on the enemy shuttle so that the sphere should instantly disable whoever was operating the gun emplacement and open a hull breech into the main shuttle compartment.

Best to kill the boarders before they left or came out to play.

Setting the thermal detonator to an impact delay, that the jarring motion of contact would trigger after button release, which would happen as he threw it he paused. Taking a deep breath he noted the next blast and concentrating he threw at the drifting red mark on his helmets HUD that gauged the spot he needed throw through to it the target perfectly. Following through he twisted his head away as a weak noise sounded before the hanger had a brief flash of light as the detonator went off.

Turning back he lifted his blaster and took in the scene fresh to see if he had done it.

TAG: Bardan_Jusik, Sith-I-5

 

IC: Uriel Manteroni
Blood Moon - Draukyze System.
Thought; speech, action, NPC, PC.

Aidan say:

"Your assumptions are accurate Aidan. Logically perfect."

"The only information that can be challenged is the drift speed of the starfighter."

"If I were you I would turn on the your PPI screen in mode tracking HyperPulseDoppler in uni-directional and I would set up the beam to the maximum aperture of the cone of sight."

I hope that Blood Moon has this conventional and trivial system. Uriel looked suspiciously to cockpit of command.

"In this configuration I suggest you do some acrobatic maneuvers with the Blood Moon. First you should do a Reverse Cuban Eight (http://www.flightsimbooks.com/jfs2/chapter3-2.php) on the bow of zero degrees to the galactic plane. After you should to do another maneuver (reverse cuban 8) with Blood Moon on an azimuth of 45 degrees and make another (reverse cuban 8), finishing maneuver again at 45 degrees azimuth and make another (we already overgrown 90 degrees azimuth) and so on until you complete 360 degrees."

"The Pulse Doppler system (if it exists this starfighter) will capture the degree to which this ship is drifting in (in relation to spatial plane where the Blood Moon is it). It also give the displacement vector, as well as speed."

"With these information, you simply command the PPI to calculate the best route to intercept. And then FULL POWER Captain !!"

Uriel looked at his companions, Owen and Evalynne. Grinned and said:

"Very well ... my pay will have to increase! I will require Aidan, better food than that horrible Gornt Stew !!"

"Unfortunately Capitan, my Vampire has not tractor beam..."

Here's a good idea !! When I go back to the Hutt's black market, I will get one for my ship!

TAG: @Intervention, @galactic-vagabond422, @Laine_Snowtrekker, @Tim Battershell, @Bravo, @Sith-I-5

 

IC: Darth Vader
Cockpit, TIE Advanced x1, nearing top-secret Asteroid Base, Moonflower Nebula (Wild Space)


Vader watched the CZ-series communication/business droid disappear after leading him further into the secret base. Aside from a Noghri Death Commando standing sentry outside the main turbolift heading to the science lab area (forward half circle part of the base), Vader found little evidence of life on the station. A handful of droids went here and there, but other then that, the only sound in the station was the life support air recyclers and other beeps and blinking lights of a space station.

The Death Commando knew full well who Vader was and his crossed arms over his chest relaxed as he bowed in respect. Vader, in rarity to any other being for that matter, gave a small head bow back. The double blast doors opened and Vader walked onto a elevated platform overlooking an abyss of cloning cylinders at least three stories deep (the exterior windows wrapped around straight ahead on the other side of the abyss to give a look of the nebula outside the asteroid base), with walk-ways encircling each level and white-robbed scientists walking in and out of them with data-pads and other equipment in their hands. Among the half dozen scientists were one male and one female human, two female Kaminoans, a Bith, and a Givin. Several GH-7 Medical Analysis Unit droids floated in and out of the levels tending to the cloning cylinders as well. On the approach overlooking the cloning cylinders, another Noghri stood silently off to the side by the railings facing the door Vader had just walked through and bowed to Vader while a older human gentlemen with a cane put up against the railing stood at a console station overlooking the cylinders and was busy typing away.

"Lord Vader," the raspy old voice of Doctor Van Halfin said as he grabbed his cane and turned from his console, "A unexpected visit, for sure."

"Your droid had other news," Vader replied, his hands crossed over his chest.

"Ah, well, yes. But I should always expect the unexpected with you, Lord Vader," the old fragile man said with a raspy old voice in his eighties.

"Enough, Doctor Halfin," Vader enforced, "I have come to check on your progress."

"Yes, yes, progress," Halfin said as he slowly walked with assistance with his cane, "Always progress," the Noghri sentry stayed where he was, while the older Halfin lead Vader to a open canopy turbolift that descended down to the bottom level of the abyss where another Noghri stood silently by the turbolift with his arms crossed over his chest. Halfin opened the gate to the lift and lead Vader back under the elevated platform overhang three levels above and to a heavily reinforced double blast door with a eye and hand scanner with two more Noghri stood guard on either side with their arms crossed over their chests.

Before he entered, Halfin turned to Vader, "Lord Vader, what you see in here---it hasn't been perfected yet. We've had numerous problems with stabilizing her biological and chemical make-up. From her grave on Naboo---"

Vader stared at the man, holding his hand out and grasping at the man's neck "Do not speak of her death, Doctor. Or the freedoms I give you here will quickly come to an end. And so will your life."

Halfin felt his shirt collar loosen as Vader released his Force coke and his arm lowered, "A course, Lord Vader. My apologies," running his finger around the front part of his collar, Halfin turned and proceeded with the security progress. Once completed, the doors opened. Vader and Halfin stepped inside, the doors closing behind them.



The room was empty, other then the sound of computers running. Of the two cylinders, one was empty and not in use, while the other one had broken glass, the fluid inside leaked all outside on the floor, and a trail of blood disappearing behind a corner.

Halfin sighed, "This one too," Vader looked at him and the scientist added, "Lord Vader...when we took samples from your wife, her pregnancy added a new element to the cloning process we did not anticipate. With the addition of her giving birth, we did not have the means to trace the infant's biological development either to see what could affect the cloning process directly. And we were unable to confirm whether it was just one child or multiple she gave birth to. Either way, the infusion of the Force from you to your child, her body being the ultimate medium of that transfer, left remnants of the Force in her body that, then, has effected the cloning process. And the results have left unstable clones and very strong ones at that, especially with the Force."

"Doctor Halfin, are you saying that my wife gave birth to a child? That's impossible! I was told she was still pregnant-looking when taken to Naboo."

"Lord Vader," Halfin said, "All of the reconstruction of your wife's body at the time of her untimely departure point to the fact that she gave birth sometime before Naboo. Now, whether that child or children survived the birthing process, is another story entirely."

"Is there a way to find out?" Vader asked.

"If the child or children survived or not? Without medical records, no, Lord Vader, there it not."

Vader went to Force choke the scientist to death in his anger when he and Halfin turned at the sound of bare feet walking on the floor. There, walking around the corner in a white lab coat wrapped around her body covering a otherwise naked body, stood Padme Amidala.

Vader felt his heart stop. For the first time in 19 years, here, stood his wife. His love and his precious. His Padme. For a long moment, Vader's eyes settled on the form of her, memories of days long past going through his mind.

"Padme..." Vader spoke, his hand reaching out to her.

"Who are you?" Padme demanded, looking at the black suited man up and down.

"Its me, Anakin," Vader replied, reaching to take off his helmet. Vader knew he couldn't survive long without his helmet on, but for the few moments he could, he wanted to look upon his wife with his own eyes and have her see him without the mask on.

With the helmet off the man, Padme stared at the scared and burned face that was very truly that of her husband's.

"Oh my Annie," she said through tears, bringing a hand to her mouth in shock, "What happened to you?"

Vader's smile at seeing his wife dropped, "Padme...I'm...I'm sorry. I didn't mean to----" Suddenly Vader was lifted off of the floor, his own hands reflectively coming to his throat.

"You didn't mean what?" Padme yelled in pure anger and hatred (her voice over burdened with darkness), her eyes turning a yellow-red color of the Dark Side, "You didn't mean what? To choke me on Mustafar? To kill me and our child? WHAT DIDN'T YOU MEAN?"

Vader could feel his throat starting to collapse under the pressure as he reached out with the Force and his lightsaber threw into his hands. In that moment, he plunged it into his wife's chest with a Force throw from across the room, dropping her to her knees. As his wife lost her grip on him, Vader dropped to the floor, gasping for the air he so desperately needed now without his mask on. Halfin was there, putting the breathing unit back on Vader's face. Vader took several long, deep breathes as he reattached his breathing unit (leaving the face mask off). He got up and stalked over to his wife, who still knelt there in shock, her Dark Side anger gone. She looked up in Vader's eyes, her eyes looking so lovely, so beautiful.

"Oh Annie," she said, reaching out to him with her hand, "Oh Annie..." Vader reached for her hand, his gloved mechanical hand touching her's, when just then her eyes rolled back into her head and she collapsed to the ground backwards, the lightsaber still in her. Vader dropped to his knees beside her and held her to his chest as tears rolled down his face...