Fleet Command 2.5 : Heaven's Fall.

[Lord Harrab]

Artist's Impression of the Spear of Destiny, based on Covenant Of The Light stories and Temple Carvings

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Here are the ground rules.

- the fleet will consist of 9 ships within the class outlines below.
- Combat posts will be limited to once per day.
- i will have the final say on the effectiveness of all attacks.
-try to write your posts like a story.

Players take the role of a Ship Captain and have control over their ship and any attached Marine or strike craft teams, which they will name and equip according to the class guidelines i will lay out, and will engage other ships and strike craft squadrons.

However: players must first choose a nationality.

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Human Systems Alliance Formed shortly after mankind took it's first steps beyond their home system, the Alliance has spread to hold the largest portion of the galaxy, ruled from their home world of Earth. they were the initial target for the Void-Mother's revenge and managed to disrupt her plans again and again, thanks to the actions and sacrifices of the Legendary 23rd Fleet.

All Marine Transports have a mounted gun for anti-fighter defense.

Alliance players can chose to command a Destroyer.

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Outer-Rim RepublicOriginally know and hated throughout human space as simple Rebels, men and women who had split from the guidance of the council for personal gain, their actions proved to be beneficial when the Void-Mother first awoke, as she then found it impossible to control their loosely bound systems though her agents. When war came to their tiny slice of galactic territory, their Fleets stood united against it

Republic Carriers may equip their pilots with Corvettes

Republic ESM pods start out with the ability to detect cloaked ships

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Covenant of the Light. Originally only know to scholars as part of an extinct race of beings known as "The First Race." The Covenant awoke during the initial stages of the War of the Void, honor-bound to defend all creatures from the Void-Brothers despite their massive casualties incurred during the civil war that decimated their shared race. once the Void-Mother had been defeated, they acted a mediators between the Republic and Alliance, bringing an end to their decade-long hostility.

Although not actually members of the covenant, many humans choose to live under their protection and guidance. Covenant Humans tend to be calm and level-headed.


Covenant ships have the strongest shields.

Covenant ships can replace their Heavy-Cannons with Rail-Cannons. (Shorter range, higher damage.)


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Pirate Kingdoms Attempting to place the denizens of the Armstrong Belt, Jericho Nebula or the Badlands under a single banner is a waste of time, their allegiances shift and break constantly, with new war bands arising and falling just as often. these cut-throats and mercenaries often hire themselves out to the larger powers,(aside from the Covenant) in search of fame, glory and the chance to blow something up and get away with it.

Pirate Fighter squadron sizes are doubled.

Pirate ships are the fastest.

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Ships consist of three parts, engines, hull and hard points.

Engines can be attacked to cripple the ship and prevent it from moving. This damage can be repaired.

Hull is the main body of the ship and will be targeted first unless the player firing the weapon chooses another point. if the Hull is too heavily damaged, the ship will be destroyed. minor repairs are possible.

These are the weapons of the ship, each class has a limited number of these and can equip whatever weapons the captain wants selected from a list. Captains will PM the design to me. if targeted, this can be knocked out temporarily, clearing the path for strike craft of marine transport. Knocked out Hardpoints (aside from the bridge) can be repaired.

Spoiler: Hard points

These are the weapons and main systems of the ship, each class has a limited number of these and can equip whatever weapons the captain wants selected from a list. Captains will PM the design to me. if targeted, this can be knocked out temporarily, clearing the path for strike craft of marine transport. Knocked out Hardpoints (aside from the bridge) can be repaired.


Point Defenses:
These fast-tracking weapons are ideal for destroying fast moving strike craft and transports. but they lack the power and range to damage other ships. (passive, players will not have to direct fire from these weapons, but they must be activated.)

Flack Cannon:
Powerful Anti Strike craft weapon. Inaccurate but will shred any strike craft hit by the blast.

Launch Bay:
Strike craft and Transports launch and re-arm here.

Heavy Cannon: The most common anti-ship weapon. Moderate Range, Moderate power, Moderate Accuracy. Cannot target Strike craft smaller than corvettes.

Torpedo Tube: Powerful Anti-ship weapon, Very long range but it's torpedoes can be shot down by strike craft or point defences.

Ion Cannon (batteships and dedicated Frigates only)(takes up two slots) Extremely accurate Anti ship weapon. limited range, high power. (note) any Frigate with this hard point will automatically assign it's reaming Hard points to cooling and power systems. battleships will assign one other per cannon.

ESM Pod. See below.

Ion Cannon Coolant Pod Has no function, can be destroyed to increase Ion Cannon Recharge time.

Bridge (Will not take up a hardpoint) the command and control center of the ship. if destroyed the ship counts as crippled.

Spoiler: Ship Classes

Battleships: 10 Hardpoints. The heavy hitters of the fleet, slow but it's powerful Ion Cannons can tear smaller ships to shreds.

Destroyers (Alliance only): 7 Hardpoints. Although technically Cruisers, these ships are able to mount up to two, fixed mount Ion Cannons as well as regular weapons.

Cruisers. 6 hardpoints. the middleweight of the fleet, faster than battleships, slower than frigates.

Frigates. 4 hardpoints. the light, hit-and-run main body of the fleet. vulnerable to battleships but can gang up on cruisers.

Strike craft: See below.

Transports: 3 per launch bay. unarmed but fast marine development centers. if docked with enemy ship, the marines inside cut their way through the hull and can try to damage it from the inside.

Spoiler: ESM

ESM Pods are powerful accuracy enhancing tools. At low levels, they allow the ship to link it's targeting data to other ships, forming a "Battle-net" that improves the fleet's overall effectiveness, and at higher levels can detect cloaking fields and launch devastating EMP attacks at hostile vessels.

Captains are encouraged to form a Battle-net at the start of every battle, as any ship not linked to it cannot receive it's benefits.

Spoiler: Strike Craft

These fast, short-ranged craft come in four types, with one type per launch bay, lost fighters can be replaced.

Interceptors (Seven per squadron): Anti-strike craft fighters, extremely effective at destroying bombers and torpedoes.

Strike-Fighter (Five per Squadron.): the Jack of All Trades. able to attack other strike craft or capital ships, but is less effective at either role.

Bombers (Five per Squadron.): Capital ship killers, their plasma bombs tear holes through the Hardened Armour of capital ships with ease, but such powerful weapons leave them slow and sluggish.

Corvettes (Four per squadron, Republic ships only the largest strike craft in space, and the undisputed master of skrike craft. With their two turret mounted rail guns, these gunships can dominate other fighters without needing to return to their mother ship and re-arm, but their size and slow speed means that capital ships can target them with their main weapons.

Story Elements to follow. PM me any intrest.

 

[Lord Harrab]

The year 2240. thirty years has passed since mankind was pushed to the brink of extinction by an ancient being know as the Void Mother, her sudden invasion of the Alliance along with her years of careful infiltration and sabotage catching the Galactic Superpower off guard and would have fallen entirely if not for the one thing the Void-Mother had dissmissed as unimportant.

Mankind's will to survive.

The Alliance managed to rally back, ironically due to the efforts of a fleet originally created to respond to pirate incursions, and although they were defeated, their sacrifice and unwillingness to surrender to the tyrant served as an inspiration to all of humanity, allowing them to hold the line against the assualt.

Then the Sisterhood arrived.

Robbed of her momentum by a foe she had thought as weak fodder, the Void-Mother's fleets were smashed by the counter offensive of Republic, Alliance, and Sisterhood ships, their combined-arms tactics and zealous rage allowing them to even destroy the Void-Serpent, the ship that had destroyed planets across Alliance space.

without her super weapon, she was forced to retreat beyond the edge of our galaxy.

But they say Revenge is best served cold, and there is nothing colder than the depths of the Void.

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Republic Solar Research Ship "Icarus."
Current Objective: Travel to the Sunwell System and Investigate Unusual Sunspot activity.
Secondary Objective: Prep system for Juggernaut arrival.



Captain Jason Walker checked the briefing again, tapping the side of his command chair irritably while beyond the view-screen the tunnel of hyperspace pressed against the hull of his ship.

There was nothing else for him to do, his crew were experienced enough to do their jobs without him pestering them unnecessarily, and ship-to-ship comms were useless until they reached their destination, so he couldn't even chat to his Alliance Counterpart on the his Escort, the Destroyer "Paladin."

he wasn't even certain what the Juggernaut was, or why a civilian research vessel like his had been chosen by both governments, the only weapons he had were aging point-defenses and a squadron of bored Corvette pilots, men and women who had yet to fire a shot in anger.

even the fighter production plant hadn't been used in ten years.

Walker closed the file and turned to his XO, "What's our ETA, Brooks?"

the red-jacketed woman looked up from her PDA, where a game of chess was apparently underway against one of the Engineering crew, Brooks had the decency to look embarrassed.

"We should be there momentarily Captain." she replied, her screen now back to its proper setting and her cheeks flushing red.

Walker nodded, and turned away, Brooks was young, but the best person for the job he had to admit, top of all of her classes at the esteemed West-Point Academy, it seemed strange she had chosen to go into the private sector instead of getting a much better paying job in the Republic Fleet.

Suddenly, the blue tunnel vanished, and the bridge crew of the Icarus found themselves faced with the Dancing Suns, the two stars that gave the system it's name.

Even from here Walker could see something was wrong, the smaller sun; Matilda was dimmer then her partner, and flickered like a light bulb nearing the end of it's life.

"Icarus, this is Paladin. Jump Complete. We're detecting high radiation throughout the sector, doubtless your specialized tech can see the same thing, lets get this survey done ASAP."

"Roger Paladin, we'll double time it over there and get to work, shouldn't take longer then three hours. just watch our back"

"Copy, Weapons primed. Paladin out."

The two ships drifted closer to the stricken star, their shields flaring as the solar radiation brushed their surface, on board the Icarus crewmen went to work, looking for anything that could explain this strange behavior.

Walker just sat in his chair, bored as usual with the techs around him jabbered to etach other in techno jargon, feeding him reports he would read but not understand, and the hours he had promised came and went without an answer.

The paladin crossed his line of sight, the Grey ship drifting slowly closer to the blinding surface below, Jason hit the comm.

"Paladin, this is Icarus, you're sliding out of line, correct or your be dragged down to join that cauldron."

the comm line opened and suddenly the bridge echoed to the sound of incoherent screams, Walker reacted Instantly.

"Brooks get us out of here!-"

"Sir!" she warned, pointing beyond the window,

Jason turned, and found himself staring down the weapons of his escort.

He just had time to see a gaping wound on the side of the destroyer before a beam of energy burned through his shield and removed him from this reality.

 

[Anarchemitis]

Bump

 

[Ultrajoe]

PM is away, while Harrab approves my design and character I might as well unviel the Gloria Futurabus

Source, because not crediting artists is wrong.​

 

[Lord Harrab]

Two days Later
Fort Norton.
Joint Alliance/Republic/Covenant Command.

Group-Captain John Stonewall marveled at the scope of his new command, or rather joint-command, as two others from the rest of the allied governments also had a claim on the massive space station and shipyards that filled this otherwise unremarkable sector of space.

Beyond the window of his office Alliance cruisers deployed drones to help train Republic pilots while Covenant Paladins instructed both in advanced tactics and maneuvers that they had developed over the centuries.

For the First time in human and First-Race history, the galaxy was at peace.

The holo-pad on his desk flickered, and the slightly transparent form of Kelda, the station's fifth generation smart AI, appeared and gave a polite cough.

"What is it Kelda?" Stonewall asked without turning,

"A distress call sir," she replied, in a upper class British accent that he found irritating, "it's from the Paladin, its run into raiders in the Sunwell system, they managed to fight them off but have sustained damage."

"What of the Icarus?"

"No word sir, i assume it's still with them."

"Have you informed Cannoness Storm-Blade and Strike-leader Jameston of the situation?"

on the desk, Kelda folded her arms irritably, as he knew she would, "Of course."

"Do we have any Task-forces ready to deploy?"

"No, but there are a number of unassigned ships still waiting for orders. we can form a new task group."

"Do it, inform them of the situation and have them report to briefing room seven. Get the necessary approval from the other commanders."

"yes sir."

"Oh and Kelda, i have one more question."

"Sir?"

"if they form a new group, what would be their designation?"

"23rd, sir."

Stonewall smiled to himself, "I thought so. Send the order."

Spoiler: UPDATE

Captains may post a little introduction and showcase their ship now. (as well as their caracter/ship data.) We have begun. Anyone else still interested may join at a later point.

 

[Ultrajoe]

Ship: Gloria Futurabas
Class: Cruiser
Nation: Pirate Kingdoms
Loadout: Three Heavy Cannons, Two Point Defence, Launch bay
Launch Bay Loadout: Interceptors

There had been Fury, Logic, Imagination and Tenacity. There had been the five pilots of Raptor squad, self-proclaimed master pilots and widely acclaimed blowhards... but they got the job done, every time. While they stood together, they couldn't fall. While Raptors keened in the heavens, there were angels in the sky... and there had been. While united, they could not die

"Captain on deck" Snarled the duty commander, slowly rising out of the bridge captains seat as he entered. The various bride officers stood in a salute that they were not required to give, because there was no military among this mercenary vessel. There was respect, there was fear, there was love and there was dependance. He was a father. His eyes narrowed balefully as he stomped inside, as they always did, roaming over the wide command deck, passing out of the short window what ringed half of the bridge, opening out onto the length of the Gloria

They had fought, fought and died, and come out of death in the form of brothers. Only the first one, the lord, had survived from the original five, and the 7 that died around him to bring the last five together had been scribed into their minds. He had killed one, and by doing so impressed the lord-leader. They were brothers

The stench of alchohol didn't show as he walked down the brief steps to the chair, because he had long since innoculated himself to it. He passed his eyes over the crew again, before waving for them to stand down and sit. He settled into the chair, grinning wryly as the datascreen suspeded from the roof above him displayed the vitals of his ship, the grin slipping into a frown again as his own infopad began to scroll with updates. His engineers had still not solved his issue with the engines, despite his insistent orders. "Mister Adams, why has the engine not been repaired?" He growled to his second in command.

"Sir?" asked the confused crewman "We've had one hundred percent capacity from the engines in our last seven test burns"

The captain didn't look up, informing him flatly; "Then get them to one hundred and ten"

He had been proud, the Brutality to match the squads honor, and he had been good. But not know. Not marinated in a cocktail of hate, and shame and weight and drink and depression. He had sunk into it thirty years ago, when he had saved his own hide, when he had torn apart his own fighter in penance for the life he had robbed, at the cost of his soul.

"Sir" Adams said "Fort Norton has just hailed us with a deployment request"

"Norton..."

He had fled, and run, back to the beasts of the galaxy he had been pulled from. He had run back to the pirates he was always brothers to, at the cost of his squad. He had fled on the eve of a chance at glory. He fled back to the pirates, and he couldn't stand them, because in them he saw himself.

"Sir?"

"We'll be there"

Captain: Amadeus Volkan, Callsign (defunct): Evil

Spoiler: Ship: In case you missed it the first time

Source, because not crediting artists is wrong.​

 

[Anarchemitis]

Quis
Headed by Captain '"JB" Junkbot'

[img_inline caption="Homeworld 2 Concept art by Aaron Kambeitz" width=400]http://img32.imageshack.us/img32/2015/spacey.png[/img_inline]
QUIS - Junkbots [Pirates]
Status: [Active - Standby for emergency action at all times]
Length: 270m
Beam: 35m
Draft: 12m
Gross Register Tonnage: 68,420 tonnes
(Carrying Capacity)
Displacement: 127,070 tonnes
(Gross Weight)
Linear Max. Acceleration: 1253m/s (~4,000km/h)
HyperSpace Max. Acceleration: 7.2LY/h
Engine Max.Force: 26.9 MN
Model: Higarrian Adonis Mark 3 Carrier Frigate [Stolen & Modified]
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Armament:

• 2 Storreci Model 8 Flak Cannons (9 kills Total)
  [Other Custom, hidden or unregisterable
  implementations of Custom make]

Deployment: 2 Hangar Bays

• 10 Strike Craft (3 Veteran, 121 kills Total)
  10 Bombers (1 Veteran, 39 kills Total)

Strike Craft Make: [Various - Stolen & Modified]
Bomber Craft Make: [Various - Stolen & Modified]

A fringe group of Rogue AI pirates who operate simply off of casually stealing or sneaking away with parts of other ships to upgrade themselves. The Junkbots can disassemble almost anything and build new bodies or spacecrafts from it. They are being able to improvise when picking things apart to create greatly varied devices of attack that are commonly both uncanny in implementation or War-Governmentally illegal. Their ships themselves all are unique from various things each AI vessel pinched and implemented, being able to implement and create vastly different and unpredictable tactics. As Pirates, they do very little to directly attack ships and usually just leech parts off instead. If attacked or provoked, they will relentlessly attack until there is nothing remaining to fight back, either on their side or the attackers. Although having suffered 'complete annihilation' many times, the Junkbots tend to make a comeback. It's enough that one, even if badly damaged, Junkbot survives and makes it to a derelict ship, junkyard or somewhere where it can find material. There are stories of junkbots drifting around in space for thousands of years in suspended animation before finally being picked up by curious explorers. Currently the Quis is the largest amalgamation of Junkbots as of late, due to suffering another 'Complete Annihilation' at the hands of the Void Queen.
Although each unit in the repetoire of the Junkbots is a unique intelligence specially adapted to its self-constructed vehicle, they work together as a decentralized collective intelligence, usually not giving a hoot of what people call it [him?] or what they think of what it does.

Feel free to refer to the AI in control of the Carrier as the central intelligence 'Captain', call it JB.

"Asserting, Aimlessly floating in space is a sure way to get some thinking time in." The JB thought.
Three of the strike craft were a few light minutes away, harassing and butchering some resource drones for an Asteroid Mining mining complex. When they would be finished extracting some fuel and Production resource units, the craft would return and they would exeunt the premises far before any responsible Police force would be able to attend to the scene.
"Pathetic meatbags."
The strike craft returned with their bootleg cargo of richly compressed Carbon-Nitrogen Logs and Deuterium grasped in their claw-like appendages, tacked on the bottom of their craft. The newish engines of the carrier hummed to life with an eager warmth in their seagreen glow.
"And like clockwork, the gacks will broadcast on an open channel that they will be joining us."
"This is the Galactic Authority of Civil Aeronautics Defense. Offending craft stand down and prepare to be boarded." The JB didn't respond. With a slight screech a flare of deep bluish green from the main engines, the Quis sped off into Subspace, putting light-hours inbetween the small mining complex and themselves.
"Foolish Pathetic meatbags. -What's this?"
Inside the mind of the Quis, a notification popped up, from a long neglected intercepted signal, notifying standby ships of the Joint ARC Command. "Standby Ships of ARC Reserve, prepare for redesignation at Command Post Fort Norton. Report for duty immediately."
"Yes I remember this..." it thought. "They promised handsome rewards for converts back at that bountiful Pirates cove station. No harm in trying a contractor if you have nothing to do..."
"We're going to be some hired stooges?" Queried Bomber-4.
"If being a hired stooge grants us a stock new Cruiser, then being in service for two months will earn us more than what we could pillage in two very profitable years. It is the favorable and most efficient outcome compared to whatever it is we're doing now. Setting new course."

 

[Lord Harrab]

The Quis and Gloria Futurabas jumped into the sector at roughly the same instant, the confusion that arose at the Fort Norton jump point as two pirate ships appeared scant meters from each other nearly ending in an exchange of fire before their sensors picked up the watchful signatures of an Alliance Dreadnought and it's escorts. Starting a pointless fight under the eyes of a ship just itching for an excuse to vaporize them wouldn't be the best idea, so they backed down.

Both ships were hailed and sent under guard to the staging area beside the massive station, their escort fighters leaving them with the message that the Group-Captain was waiting for them in Briefing room seven.

 

[Ultrajoe]

"Commence docking procedures" Adams said, not needing instruction from the contemplatory Captain. The Gloria crew snapped to attention, the ugly control consoles of the vessel hammered with commands and data inputs, and the duty helmsmen taking their places at the drive stations. The Gloria didn't have autopilot, nor many of the automated control systems that characterised modern ships. The Cruiser had been affectionately described as 'A lump of thick metal, but one with an engine', the lack of advanced electronics meaning that all functions required specialised crewmen. As this was a vessel crewed by whoever had been willing to serve under the mildly notorius Captain... the crew could be politely described as 'Colourful'.

"Mister Green" Amadeus growled to the leader of his 'Marines' "I'll want you and three of your dogs to accompany me aboard, no weapons". Marines wasn't the right word for the ruthless soldiery that composed Mr Green's pack, who acted simultaneously as escort to the captain and police among the crew. 'Marines' implied a discipline that was not present on the Gloria, a dedication based on training and doctrine, rather than loyalty than respect. And 'Marines' implied a level of restraint. The order to go weaponless would most likely dissapoint the three that Green selected. "As for the rest of you, try not to get jittery staring at all this naval overcompensation. And don't let me come back to find those fucking Junkbugs have stolen my bulkheads"

The Gloria hung in the space beside the docking array, minor flashes of blue rippling along its sides as engine power was diverted into the dozens of maneuvering thrusters that littered the ship. It managed to sinc with the station just as the docking clamps rammed home and the heavy steel door rushed open.

"And this, boys, is what Navy air smells like" Said Evil, as he led the four officers into the waiting station.

_______________________________________________________​

With the Captain gone, the Bridge relaxed and settled in to wait, nervous under the eyes of vessels that only a flimsy understanding kept from blasting them out of the sky. The Gloria Futurabus was not exactly sturdy, its hull consisting of passable steel plates, only broken for the launch bay and other peripherals, like the infamous manuvering thrusters. At the front, however, it possessed a massive, reinforced, mag-strengthened steel head, pocked with battle scars and burns... it would do nothing against the sharks it swum amongst.

"Any particular reason Captain's dragged us into this deathtrap, Adams?" Asked Yron, one of the crew at the helm, as she peeked out of the short window that ringed half of the circular bridge "Or has he just gotten crazier?"

"Watch it, sticky, I don't have a clue why we're here, but obviously something captured his attention. Just... don't get itchy with those controls, eh?" Adams replied, checking reports from the rest of Green's men around the ship. The crew were in good spirits, mostly, they weren't a rabble like many pirate vessels, but they also weren't trained like on a military vessel. Brotherhood kept them together, working together, brotherhood under a man they trusted... one who had said nothing since the request to attend. He was always choleric and reserved when not pursuing a tangible goal, but he hadn't been this sullen since they stumbled across that group of scuttled ships in the middle of dead space.

Gloria Futurabas was an extension of her Captain, and she was uncertain.

_______________________________________________________​

"Green" Evil said, as they stalked towards the briefing room "Something is on your mind, that's not good for it".

"Sir, I simply have no idea why in hounds name we're here" Green addmited, the three other men that formed the escort nodding slightly in confirmation "We were on our way back to the grey station, and after one transmission we're hauling ass into damn Fort Norton, after ten years of avoiding all things Alliance. If you can understand, we're a little curious"

"It's thirty years avoiding the Navy, Green, you've only known me for the ten. And Fort Norton is different, especially considering the nature of the transmission. Besides, we're mercenaries, right? Nobody pays better than Navy"

 

[Lord Harrab]

"That depends on who you ask." A voice from the air addressed the group of pirates, ahead of them a holo-pad beside a pair of double door flickered to life and the projection took the shape of a female Alliance officer, the apparition folded her arms as she continued,

"Any Navy man will insist his wages are too low, but they always say that."

The hologram touched the peak of her cap in acknowledgment, "I am Kelda, Fort Norton's Artificial Intelligence and Central Controller. Allow me to welcome you to ARC Central Operations."

She pointed down the corridor to her right, "They are waiting for you, fifth door on the right. Please, mind your manners and try to make any questions quick and to the point, we're on a tight deadline."

 

[Anarchemitis]

"Excellent. Precisely how I "like" conversations." Said an oily monotonic voice. A holographic apparition of a black sphere with a two horizontally aligned green dots on the 'front' appeared beside Captain Volkan. Volkan looked with slight disdain but more disinterest at the Quis' 'being-interaction' avatar, a mouthless black and green smiley. It began moving in a slow but constant path along the hall towards the door.
"-Forgive our vessels not having an inhabiting crew to represent us.
-Some time you should pursue a "what-if?" situation along the lines of if your vessel was a living thing; do you ever mistreat it, or does it even enjoy you inhabiting it."

 

[Ultrajoe]

"I prefer my machines to speak when spoken to" Volkan said, looking over the two constructs "But the Navy one holds rank, so i'll deal with its protocol first". He took off down the hall, scowling into the distance. He didn't like AI, he didn't trust electronics, and he didn't like them making a mockery of living things... it reeked of an impossible audacity. The scraprat had something worse, a curiosity a machine could not possess; who makes them damn things?

If my ship were 'alive'? He spat inside his head I've had to murder one bird already, and it didn't bleed. Well, he had, and it hadn't. There wasn't some sorry whine as he tore the fighter apart, wasn't an attempt to resist, it had simply come apart along the joints that had always been meant to separate. He considered answering the bowling ball, but decided that encouraging them would likely lead to more questions. Besides, the less the little thieves knew about his Cruiser the better, he should have set a two-fighter patrol to make sure they didn't try to uproot the impulse outlet network.

Fifth door? Good to know we warrant a reception in a cloned briefing slum. Ah, it takes you back. "Green, are you sure you didn't bring any weapons? They get tetchy about that sort of thing"

"Only our fists, sir"

"Consider leaving them behind next time" Volkan said, pushing open the doors

 

[Anarchemitis]

Volkan stepped into the meeting room, being rudely interrupted in his introduction to the people in the room by the slightly pretentious drone of the Junkbot's avatar, as it floated overtop and into the room.
"Greetings, machines of sorts." it addressed.

 

[Kaboose the Moose]

Spoiler: OOC

Sorry for the delay but here it is. Approved and ready for duty

[HEADING=1]The Human Systems Alliance ship: Warstar Anubis[/HEADING]​

Class: Destroyer

Role: Destroyer / Carrier hybrid

Status: Shakedown trials. Commencing Active Service​

*Source: Advent Capital Ship "The Halcyon"; Sins of a Solar Empire.

Specifications:

Length: 579m

Width: 193.7m

Height: 58.8m

Weight: 66.14 million tons

Propulsion: 2x FTL Engines (Hyperspace Core), 8x sublight Ion Fusion engines, 7 individual engine pods, 40x maneuvering engines/thrusters (Clusters of 10)

Crew: Maximum 1400, Standard 700, Minimum 350 [Minimum 300 stationed marines]

CO: Cpt. Alexander J. McNamara

XO: Lt. James Proudfoot

______________________________​

Power plant:

Primary: Pegasus Mk V Ion Fusion Reactors
Secondary/Emergency: Four Deuterium fueled reactors

______________________________​

Vehicle Compliment:

Strike Fighter squadrons

Spoiler: Anubis Strike Fighters

*Source: Advent Capital Ship "The Revelation"; Sins of a Solar Empire.

______________________________​

Armaments:

Torpedo tubes, Heavy Cannon systems, Flak Cannon array, Tactical fighters

Defenses:


Active: Point Defense System, Flack Cannons, Tactical Fighters.
Passive: Polarized Hull Plating, Navigational/Defensive shielding

-----------------------------------------------------​

 

[Kaboose the Moose]

[HEADING=2]

Captain's Log - 113-7​

[/HEADING]

Shakedown Trial Report- 1540 hrs :

Precisely at 0800 hours today, at the Aries Dockyard, the Anubis was declared "fit for voyage" by the Admiralty and officially entered active service.

Words cannot describe the joy I felt hearing that official declaration, finally, after 32 weeks of systems checks and countless hours of testing and calibrations it all came together in a single harmonious synchronization between man and machine during yesterday's war games. I couldn't have been more pleased with the outcome; not merely for the fact that it represented the culmination of the hard work and dedication put in by the crew and the engineers but also that it silenced the critics who doubted the combat capabilities of the Anubis given its unique layout compared to other HSA Destroyers.

Our resounding victory yesterday undoubtedly had an effect on the observing Admiralty, for they seemed to have terminated the extra trials that they had originally planned on conducting with the Anubis. This decision has brought forward our departure date from two months to two hours from now.

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Maiden Voyage Report- 1810hrs

Despite receiving the green light to deploy to the Orion sector and considering that our shakedown trials have been completed, it annoys me to report that our visiting HSA science team is insisting on conducting final telemetry readouts of our recently installed FTL drives before departure. This thoroughness (which is unnecessary given our own engineers assuring that all systems are a go) has delayed our launch until the data is analyzed and a green light is given, until then I have nothing to do but to retire to my quarters and write log ente...

knock..knock..​

"Enter!" Alex said looking up from his screen.

The automatic doors slid open to reveal Lt. James standing by the door frame.

"Captain, the science team has completed their telemetry gathering. They are sufficiently happy with the fuel burn ratio of the engines and the jump calculating software on the FTL drives to give us an all clear for deployment. They have issued a full report for you to go over in this review" he said with a smile as he dropped an ominously large file on the captain's desk

"Well that's nice of them!" Alex began sarcastically brushing the file away. "Bloody nice indeed, that they have the nerve to assume our own engineers are incompetent toddlers and waste everyone's time with...with...this?!". Alex paused to stare at the file, "Is this from the engines alone?"

James nodded silently before responding.

"They are quite thorough you will find, hilariously pedantic but accurate nonetheless!. Regardless of the matter, they have deemed the hyperdrive operational and safe. Chief Dawson is escorting the team off the ship as we speak."

"Excellent!. Secure the airlocks and prep the engines for dockyard separation" Alex said standing up with a childish grin on his face. "I'll meet you on the bridge!" he nodded to James who promptly saluted and exited the cabin. Alex glanced at his incomplete log entry with a smile before walking up to his locker on the far wall. Inside it was his black and grey military uniform, immaculately ironed and maintained with great care. Pinned on the collars were the three stripes of the captain and a name tag that read: Alexander J.

Captain!....Captain Alexander!. What will they say about you as you take command?. A new captain on a new ship, serving with a new crew, only the heavens will tell of our destiny!. Let's hope it is a destiny that it is worth fighting for

Alex's thoughts were cut short as the intercoms came to life.

"Attention all decks, this is the XO!. We have a go for departure from Aeries Dockyard, all external and internal airlocks have been closed and sealed. Maneuvering thrusters are now online, all hands report to your stations for dockyard separation"

Alex donned on his uniform and made his way to Deck 10-Forward, a massive door marked 'Bridge' stood before him, with a deep breath he stepped forward. The doors automatically recognized his presence and opened.

"Captain on deck!" James spun around and called out. The bridge crew got up from their positions as Alex walked up to the command table.

"At ease people!" he said turning to face the crew.

"I suppose you are all expecting some kind of speech from me on these initial stages of our maiden voyage. Well, I haven't got one!. We have been in this backwater sector of space for 8 months testing this bird to the core, that's time enough to find your own motivations. Now is the time for action, not words!. So get to it and do your jobs like you were trained to do!."

"Aye sir!" a chorus of replies erupted from the crew

"Very inspirational!" James whispered to the captain, a grin spread across his face.

"I thought so too, what's our SITREP?" Alex responded without a smile while looking at the information screen at his side.

"Dockyard holding clamps have disengaged, we fired a burst from our reverse thrusters and we are off the holding slip. Currently we are in a holding orbit around the station, awaiting your orders" James replied as he reviewed the ships logs.

"Captain, we have an incoming transmission from the dockyard" helmsman O'Reilly suddenly called out.

"Put it through" Alex responded

"Captain Alexander, this is Rear Admiral Williams" a female voice came through the speakers.

"We have picked up a transmission from Joint Command in Fort Norton. Apparently there is a situation that calls for immediate attention."

"What kind of situation?" Alexander pressed

"It's a bit vague but it seems that they have picked up a distress call from one of our ships in the Sunwell system. Joint Command wants a task forced assembled before going in. The timing couldn't be better for us given that we have a brand new ship just waiting for its first mission, so unless you have any objections I am assigning the Warstar Anubis to rendezvous with Fort Norton. Do you concur?"

"I see no problem with that!"

"Excellent!. I'll inform command that you are on your way. Bon voyage captain and best of luck!. Williams out!"

For a good two minutes only the sound of electrical equipment and scanning instrumentation was heard in the bridge. Alex looked around in surprise at the sudden quiet.

"Well don't all just stand there looking out at space. Ready the FTL engines, set course for Fort Norton" he bellowed

"Aye sir, FTL engines online. All hands standby for hyperdrive!" O'Reilly called out from his station.

"Prepare for jump in

3.."

The engines on the Anubis roared to life breaking the ship's orbit around the Aries dockyard. The maneuvering thrusters fired shorts bursts causing the bow of the ship to turn gracefully and face a new direction in space.

"2.."

From the dockyard viewing deck the commanders of the Admiralty watched the blue glow of the destroyers engines draw further and further away from the station.

"1.."

There was a sudden burst of speed from the engines and in a flash the ship was gone.

 

[Lord Harrab]

The briefing room Evil had stepped into could have indeed been taken from any of the thousands that littered Alliance space, a dozen chairs around a circular table with a screen in one wal for presintations.

It was the occupants who made this one unique.

Group Captain Stonewall turned in his seat to regard the newcomers, as did his Republic Counterpart, Strike-Leader Simon Jameston, stood behind them was Cannoness Storm-Blade, A First-Race woman that towered over everyone else in the room, her black and red amour giving her the commanding presence the Covenant leaders were famous for. Evil's escorts were suddenly very glad they hadn't brought any weapons.

"Gentlemen," stonewall began, with a confused glance at JB's avatar, "I'll get straight to the point, A few days ago one of our probes on a routine patrol detected unusual sunspot activity on one of the Sunwell systems stars and sent a joint team to invesitgate, the destroyer Paladin, and the republic Research ship Icarus."

Images of both ships appeared on screen, along with their specs, after a pause stonewall continued.

"Not long ago we received a distress call, two days overdue. apparently they've been attacked. We need your two ships-"

"Three." corrected Kelda from the center holopad, "We've just received word that the Warstar Anubis has completed trials and has been assigned to us, i thought it best if i assigned it to this new group to keep an eye on... everything."

"Alright." stonewall conceded irritably, Kelda looked smug, "the three of you will be providing escort for the Recovery ship Apollo as it re-establishes contact and assists their repair efforts. any questions?"

 

[Anarchemitis]

"Will there be rewards? -Is it imperative that the Apollo returns in the condition that it is sent?"
At the same time as the avatar responded, the Quis immidiately began warming its engines in preparation for a slightly anxious but slightly bored escort.

 

[Kaboose the Moose]

The seconds ticked by as the Anubis sped through the hyperspace tunnel, the bridge crew maintained diligent watch over the systems and subsystems of the ship while it performed its faster than light travel.

James who was pouring over some star charts turned to address the captain,

"Any idea what would be happening in the Sunwell system?. These charts don't tell me much apart from the fact that it is a binary star system."

Alex noded in a nonchalant manner, "There have been reports of minor pirate activity in the region before but nothing that would require a task force to be deployed. At this point it's anyone's guess really. Maybe the ship is carrying a VIP and it ran into engine trouble, whatever the case maybe we must remain on alert." he paused to stroke his beard

"Did Williams send out an information packet about who we are supposed to meet and who our fellow task force members are?"

James turned to his screen and began furiously tapping at some buttons

"Yes, we are to meet with Group-Captain John Stonewall in briefing room seven at Nortorn. Also it seems that we are the third vessel responding to Fort Norton's request. At the time of our departure from Aries two ships had already docked with the station, the Gloria Futurabus and a vessel identifying itself as the Quis" he replied finally with a raised eyebrow.

"Gloria Futurabus" Alex echoed, "That's Volkan's ship. Who does the Quis belong to?"

"Unknown sir, we do not have a database entry for a ship by that name. William's reported it as an AI construct. So I am guessing its an autonomous robotic ship" James looked at the captain

"Looks like we have a pirate and a bunch of robots for company. Sounds like the start of a bar joke!"

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"We are dropping out of hyperspace, sir" O'Reilly said finally after half an hour had passed.

A tiny rift in space opened out to reveal the Anubis emerging from the hyperspace tunnel. Before the ship lay sprawled the towering metal and composite colossus that is the Fort Norton space complex. Alex and James stared at the behemoth structure through the view screen before commenting

"There she is, our first mission" Alex muttered under his breath as the orbital station drew closer and closer. "Begin docking procedures!. I am going aboard to make introductions, XO, you have the bridge!" he said turning to walk off.

"You are going alone?" James interjected.

"I can take care of myself, besides, it's the Joint Command Center. What could possibly happen here?" he smiled before stepping off the bridge.

"Famous last words!" James grumbled as the bridge doors closed behind the captain.

Within minutes the Anubis had maneuvered to it's assigned docking bay and was secured in place by the stations docking clamps. Remote airlocks extended towards the ships hull and formed a pressurized seal enabling Captain Alexander to step aboard the space station.

__________________________​

The debrief was already in session when Alex stepped into briefing room seven. He quickly noted the presence of Volkan and four of his men along with a curious black and green avatar that was floating in the room.

"Excuse our late presence, gentleman and lady; we were delayed at the dockyards" he nodded politely before stepping into the room.

 

[Anarchemitis]

The anomalous orb turned to face the newly ajoined member of the meeting.
"Greetings, Captain McNamara. I detect a friendly personage, it matches well with your decorative ship."

 

[Ultrajoe]

"Watch out, Shiny" Volkan said, looking the younger captain up and down "The tin cans will make your ship prettier if you let them". He turned back to the rooms occupants, deliberately ignoring the Cannoness and the republic leader, focusing his eyes on Stonewall. A recon, possibility of hostile engagement, certainty they will be expecting us... a small group of untrusted faux-allies... I should shoot myself for even considering it. "Captain I'll need specifics, any ships logs they managed to retrieve, any transmissions of any sort from the ships for the entire time they were in the sector. There are telltales; the type of weapons fire, intermittent static, pirate habitualness." He said with a drawl, reading from an internal speech.

He didn't expect to actually get those logs, either Stonewall didn't have them, or they were classified, or they had already been scanned by the navy or Stonewall knew damn well that Evil couldn't use them for shit sandwiches, but it was protocol, it was about respect. He was a professional, and he expected to be treated as such, so he would treat his employers like employers. He'd think less of them if they gave him the logs.

"Also, why is this a Sisterhood matter?" Evil questioned, turning to look on the Cannoness for the first time. "Were there Covenant crewman on those vessels? Is this sunspot of religious importance?" He said, sneering the word. Mr Green grimaced, wincing as his Captain's great love for the wide and diverse peoples, faiths and robots of the galaxy showed itself. He really didn't care, it was probably standard procedure nowadays to have a member from each of the three powers attend each briefing, but if Amadeus Volkan possessed restraint it had remained restrained for as long as anyone had known him.