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RP: NSV Furi'ken [NSV-Furi'ken] Prologue - Into Darkness We Go!

NSV Furi'Ken

Olffa just stood with a rather prickly expression for a moment, making an L-shape with their ears, and gave the crimson-haired fox a visual once-over. Kinda self-evident that other people just plain made them paranoid. At least, here and now, anyway. All of these city folk acted odd to the short tribalistic hunter.

"I don't see why not. It's only a routine patrol." Ears inverted direction, eyes narrowing and voice going deeper, even though what they were saying was technically friendly. "Just... Erm... Don't tell anybody I let you, please? I don't want to look like a coward... To the other security guards, I mean."

"Besides, if you come with me, I can keep an eye on you!" A sudden, befangled smile. The misplaced pride was enough to jangle the datapad around on it's sling. "You can tell me which parts of this great vessel are mission critical, too!"

Hands on hilts again, they gave Micalio a moment to get ready by standing just outside the door.
 
Micalio smiled warmly at her new friend, "Don't worry I won't tell a soul and it's probably a good thing having someone watch me in case I fall asleep again I really wasn't expecting a quick nap to go that long." The crimson haired fox brushed themselves off once more for good measure and collected her own equipment from where it had been neatly laid out on the bed and reequipped herself moving out into the hall.

"As for mission critical it's really a matter of perspective." She said waving her hand around in a mocking manner making a face, "Obviously we want the engines to stay running or all the systems will shut down when auxiliary fails, if this has auxiliary that is. I was actually stationed in ground ops before this and it's my first assignment to a starship." Micalio spoke with a friendly tone as though she'd known the little security officer her whole life.

@Primitive Polygon sorry this took a while, got caught up in some IRL stuff
 
Chi'ka Office

"No ma'am. I will have my security recommendations ready for you to review once we are aboard ship. I'll strive to find a balance of security, and efficiency. ..." Her voice trailed off as she observed the activity on the holodisplay.

She pondered the activity, if these were simpler times it could be just a military exercise. But these were not simpler times, so the only rational reason for behavior such as that was trouble. She brought up her communicator, and selected the flight control channel. She wanted to listen to what the control facility was making of this. Especially if they were declaring an emergency. She also opened a channel to the ship, and sent a series of queries to determine the ship's readiness to launch and or respond to the situation.
 
Chi'ka's Office

The contact continued to blip in and out of the display, every time it would drop below a particular altitude. For the two officers, they would initially get rather vague chatter from the flight control center, although one controller did seem to be paying attention:

Flight Control Center Traffic said:
Flight Controller 1: NSV Novamashe, please ascend to 4000 feet...

Novamashe: ....

Flight Controller 1: NSV Novamashe, respond to my query. Ascend to 4000 feet, you are too low and in violation of safety flight rules.

Novamashe: ....

Flight Controller 1: Novamashe, respond at once.

Novamashe: ....

Flight Controller 1: What the hell is this ship doing? Hey, you getting any response from the ship?

Flight Controller 2: Nothing, either their communications gear is offline or they are part of an exercise.

Flight Controller 1: Except we'd have been told, check the logs to see if there is anything for them listed.

Flight Controller 2: Checking.... checking.... nothing, they aren't listed on any low-altitude patrols either.

Flight Controller 1: Novamashe, you are ordered to respond at once!

Novamashe: ....

Flight Controller 1: Damn it, get base security on the line and scramble fighters. Contact the base commander and advise him of the situation.
Click to expand...

Chi'ka leaned back in her chair, reading the text log on the screen that was being auto-generated as the traffic controllers spoke. "I think we all know what is going on here," she looked at the two officers. "What are you thoughts? Is this merely a communications problem or is it something more?"

A series of messages would appear on Def'leor's communicator:

Def'leor Communicator said:
Reactor Test Status: Progressing as planned, initial results are favorable.
Emergency Launch Status: Reactor Test can safely be stopped, primary reactor can be brought online.
System status:
1. Turret Status: Online
2. Point Defense Systems: Online
3. Shield Status: Online
4. Armor Status: Excellent
5. Crew Status: Only 34% of the crew has reported to the base, 14% have boarded. The remaining crew are still en-route.
6. Supply Status: All supplies fully loaded.
7. Vehicle Load Status: Ground Vehicles are 55% loaded. Currently no fighters are loaded and awaiting final inspection on orbital ring before deployment.
8. Overall Status: Ahead of Schedule.
Click to expand...
 
NSV Furi'Ken

The short fox leaned forward into Micalio's personal space as the engineer exited the room, apparently misunderstanding the body language and following that wayward hand with her arching nose. They seemed disappointing when it stopped, and turned out not to be holding anything...

"Mine too... First time on a ship, I mean." An expression momentarily frozen, upper front teeth exposed and nostrils twitching. "First time in a proper city, actually."

A sideways turn, keeping the odd grimace, clutching their obsolete-looking datapad close. A sign of self restraint? Why were they so tense?

"Checking out the cafeteria and infirmary next. Then we need to go down a level and check out the cargo hold." A wafting hand, tail bunching up and down whilst they looked the unfamiliar Shukaren Daur over yet again. "Oh, and bring a flashlight for yourself..."

Several paces. The ship was quiet enough to hear the panels creak. Not looking at them anymore. Focusing back on their job.
 
NSV Furi'ken

From one of the ships many large windows, the two foxes would notice a group of fighters move through the water, coming up close to the ship briefly and then moving away and toward another ship that was also in the underwater dock. Shortly after they left, another ship - bigger than the starfighters and painted completely black, eased up to the window and sat there - bloating it out. It sat there for awhile, and then it too also moved off, as and it did so it revealed a She'tan'ora Class Vessel, also painted completely black, gently moving out of it's mooring and heading toward's the port exit.

Elsewhere on the ship, Engineering

"Yes yes yes yes YES!" shouted a rather happy, yet rather short Daur. "Ninety percent! This is excellent!" they jumped around as they watched a detailed readout of the prototype reactor's testing. "Normal reactors have to shunt almost 80% of their powers to the ships systems during load. But once we get the all clear from RnD, this new reactor will only shunt thirty percent of its power on load, that'll spare seventy percent for combat operations and the likes! Oh man I am so smart!" the fox nodded to themselves, all the while the other engineers in the room just stared at the person in disbelief.

"He's crazy," one could be heard saying."

"He's a scientist.. of course he's crazy," spoke another.
 
Chi'ka's Office

With a hand on the desk, the Agent continued to look to the screen and the RADAR blip. Flight Control had tried repeatedly to open a communication line to the vessel with no success. Brow furrowed, Ay'indri tapped a nail on the desk itself at the question. "If their communications equipment is damaged or offline, they have other means to contact flight control. Handheld communicators are a reasonable option, or if the vessel is carrying escape pods or shuttles they could have used their systems."

Pushing herself from the desk, Ay'indri frowned. "Any engineer or communications officer would have suggested these things or advised the commanding officer to return to their prior dock. The fact they are flying without working systems is sloppy and dangerous." a familiar tingle clawed its way across her mind. "They would have had many opportunities to respond with the aforementioned solutions of they have them or simply remained docked." with a shake of her head, jet-hair spilling over a shoulder as her frowned deepened.

"This is highly suspicious."
 
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NSV Furi'Ken

Micalio noticed the somewhat strange behaviour of her crewmate but said nothing passing it off as nerves, she was certainly feeling her own with the departure looming ever closer. "Oh you've never been to a city before? Where did you live before if you don't mind my asking." The red haired Daur spoke in a friendly tone as she checked her person to ensure she had all her equipment, inculding the mentioned flashlight.

Nodding enthusiastically at the plan laid out she got out her own light and flicked it on to check it was working, satisfied it was performing well she clicked it off and replaced it turning back to her new friend. "Sounds like a plan to me, lead the way and I shall follow."
 
SNV Furi'Ken

"Forests 'round May'nale." Olffa answered matter-of-factually, hiding their emotions on the subject by pausing to recheck the ship layout on their datapad. Her hands were more like large furred mittens under closer inspection, claws clicking clumsily against the screen even when using the stylus. "Yes, my family, they are... At little insular..."

"Where did you live? What's your family like?" Eyes were on the dark and empty unstocked cafeteria area, darting a flashlight around, but her voice had genuine interest. The short swordfox had literally no idea what it would have been like growing up in the rest of the world. "How did you learn about machines?... Family or some kind of apprenticeship?... You must be pretty smart..."

Infirmary next. It was stocked to the gills, with all sorts of unpacked boxes, but nobody was about to attend to it. Also looked pretty creepy, lit only by the dim green hue of the security officer's pad. Required Olffa to turn the lights on, just to make sure that labcoat hanging on the wall wasn't a giant face-eating intruder-ghost-moth.

After that, an odd look towards Micalio, gulping a little and trying to make themselves look a little taller.

"This area is secure." Professional-sounding, holding those hilts again, maybe a little embarrassed. They didn't particularly like the implication that the city dweller was apparently both more intelligent and bigger than them. Olffa had decided they'd score top marks for bravery instead, but that felt kinda dumb too, playing the concept back in her head. "Time to move down a floor... This one might take a while, that is where they keep all the real boxes and guns and stuff..."
 
SNV Furi'Ken

As they wandered around the ship Micalio had studied the slightly shorter fox with intrigue, she appeared to be acting as professional as she could but there was little telltale signs here and there, she wanted to try and put her fellow crew mates mind at ease but didn't quite know how. When the questions about her own life came up she smiled warmly at her companion, "Truth be told I don't remember where I was born or grew up, we moved around a fair bit until the rest of my siblings were born and soon after that I joined the youth corps. What I do remember of my home life was that for a while it was just me, then suddenly there was 10 others and things got much busier."

Micalio rubbed her head and gave a sheepish grin, forgetting early life probably wasn't something to be proud of and she had tried desperately to remember what she could but nothing came to mind every time she tried. "As for machines I guess i was just born interested in them, the way they worked with so many intricate parts, it was a mystery I wanted to unravel. Through special training in the youth corps and my own studies I became an engineer, well combat engineer, guns are technically machines too."

When they got to the infirmary Micalio noticed once again a slight unease coming from Olffa, only confirmed further as she had to double check the coat on the rack with a slight air of nervousness around her. As they were leaving she caught sight of her shorter friend trying to stand a little taller and wondered if her own height was intimidating the other fox, giving her a big smile Micalio moved over and gave her a soft pad on the head. "I've noticed you seem a little uneasy there friend, seemed like you might be concerned at the height difference and trust me you'll grow soon enough and will probably even pass me, just gotta be patient."
 
SNV Furi'Ken

"I'm twenty one!" Olffa made a scrunched up indignant face, raising their nose and exposing some teeth again. "D-Don't make f-fun of me!"

They weren't really angry, but if they were really honest, Micalio's easygoing and immediately warm manner did make her cautious. They had thought casual smiles on the street were a preparation to ask her for free favours. Here, on a vastly important warship with a skeleton crew, a random crimson-framed waif with a distinct smell of engine parts was enough to make her have a panic attack.

Proper warriors and tribe leaders earned their respect and niceties! This interaction just didn't feel right!

A shrug, before wafting a hand for them to follow once more.

"Come on. We still have work to do."

Turned the lights on immediately upon entering the cargo hold, ears twitching whilst they listened for anyone (or anything) reacting and running away. It was a real maze down here, absolutely packed with supply boxes for the long mission ahead. It made the floodlights cast large areas of shadows despite their best efforts, though it was almost disturbing how clinically clean all of the meticulously sterilised and sealed freight was. Didn't smell of anything at all.
 
SNV Furi'Ken

Micalio smiled back at the indignant faced fox, "I wasn't trying to make fun of you, just making a joke to ease the tensions. You should try to relax a little more and not be so on edge, I'm hardly going to bite you." The crimson haired fox said as she followed the security guard to the cargo hold, upon entering and looking around at the various piles and piles of boxes Micalio couldn't help but let out a low whistle.

"Lookls like we have enough here to last an army for a year, wonder why it isn't st-" Her words were cut short as a shadowy shape passed through her wandering torch beam near the closest wall to the pair. Going rigid she turned to the security officer and lightly tugged her jacket, "h-hey did you see that?" Micalio asked keeping her eyes glued to the spot where the shape had appeared.
 
SNV Furi'Ken

Leading their face with their ears, Olffa made a confused glance towards Micalio, and then towards the indicated direction off to one side. It was awkward leaving the conversation with their red-haired companion hanging, but if this turned out to be a serious threat, then... Well, the swordmaster was already regretting turning the lights on.

Couldn't smell anything. Couldn't hear anything. Their left hand bid the engineer to stay behind them for protection, whilst the right unbuttoned one of her waist holsters and slowly freed her Seta'sis blade from it's sheath. Minuscule squeak of scraping carbon fibre might as well have been nails on a chalk board in this environment.

One foot in front of the other, bowling her feet to reduce the padding sound of footsteps.

"Ship security! Please identify yourself!" Olffa barked, heart blazing along at a double time. Using the corner of some boxes as cover, distinctly prepared to parry. Distinctly prepared to give chase. "Produce your ID and state your business!"
 
SNV Furi'Ken

Micalio stood behind the smaller fox holding her flashlight with both hands like a sword and shaking like a leaf in the wind, it appeared neither of the two foxes were all too eager to face the potential of a face eating mega moth. "W-what if it's some kind of stowaway waiting to rob us! Or worse..." The crimson haired fox shuddered not knowing the definition of monster of hers would be so different to the thoughts of her more tribal companion.

"Hey should we investigate it? It would probably be best to make sure there is no uninvited guests on the ship." Inwardly Micalio was getting more freaked out by how scared the security officer looked than the prospect of an intruder while outwardly she tried to remain calm for the both of them. "You're security right? I'm a combat engineer so we should be able to take care of this little thing by ourselves right?"
 
SNV Furi'Ken

"Well they aren't answering... It's my duty to see what is going on..." Olffa narrowed their eyes and showed their fangs, not daring to take their attention off of the empty space before the corner, not even for a single second. Sword was still out, now wielded in both hands to stop it shaking along with Micalio's sympathetic nervousness. "Just... If I get killed or shot or something, sound the alarm, will you?..."

Yes, the short fox had to do this. Not to prove that she was brave, but to pay respect to those that had trained her.

A short, sharp breath, followed by a hefty pounce. They landed in a parrying pose just out in the open, ready to stare down whatever hideous freak or criminal miscreant it was that had unjustly defiled their domain.
 
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Chi'ka's Office

Def'leor looked at the Ship Mistress. "My instinct says this is not a communication issue. Vessels have multiple redundant systems, and if there were a malfunction, a member of the crew could use their personal communicator to send out a distress. That leaves only one possible conclusion. A deliberate act of recklessness, and or terrorism." She glanced at the data regarding the ship's status. "I advise that we get to the ship and at least take the ship to a defensive posture since the main reactor is still offline."
 
SNV Furi'Ken

Micalio watched Olffa steel themselves in preparation of an attack which did not come before bravely going on the offensive, the crimson haired fox watched her with a new sense of respect at her bravery in such a spooky situation only realising she too had weapons and could actually be helping. Drawing her sidearm the second fox moved out in a crouch checking the ceiling for any signs, and then it happened.

A large moth like creature, about the size of a palm fluttered towards the pair and around Olffa's head being the tallest object at the time causing a gasp from Micalio as she tried to shoo at it with her hand. "Thank goodness it was only a moth right? Are you ok?" The crimson haired fox stood up and put a reassuring hand on her shoulder giving her a warm smile.
 
Chi'ka's Office

The officer smiled at the recommendation, she tapped on the display, showing the target's current distance to the base and estimated time of arrival. As the information was about to be displayed, the holographic projection suddenly shook violently - as a rumble, followed by a roar, flowed through the building.

Chi'ka's ears perked up as she saw cascading flashes of blue and yellow lights strobbing off and on against the office's walls, causing her to turn in her chair to notice that the origin of those lights was from a nearby substation that was now on fire, thick black smoke billowed into the air. "I don't think our enemy is going to give us the chance," she said as the lights in the room suddenly flickered off, for a few seconds everything was dark - not a problem for them of course given they could see just fine in the darkness - then the emergency lighting flickered, casting a dull red hue into the room. "Strange," Chi'ka muttered and turned toward her console and tapped it, causing a new display to appear - this display however wasn't steady as it fizzled in and out. "There's no reason the base should've lost power, it has its own dedicated generator," she tabbed through the information that scrolled across the screen. "Looks like our mission starts early," she glanced out the window, she calculated that the ship they were just tracking was probably no more than five or ten minutes out, so long as didn't take the 'obvious' routes to the base.

She rubbed her chin thoughtfully before the comm's crackled.

Code: 
"Contact! Enemy contact!"

"What the hell?! How the hell did they get in!"

"This is Alpha Squad, Sublevel J, we have enemy combatants, we request reinfor-"

Chi'ka pulled open a drawer and took out a pistol, clipping to her belt. "And here I was hoping our enemy would have the common courtesy to at least wait until we were in the air. Let's get moving, we need to find out why that generator went offline and get it back online," she closed the drawer and then pointed toward the far wall, which opened up to reveal an assortment of weaponry - from rifles and pistols, to blades and even some heavy weaponry as well. "Take what you can carry and use, meet me outside of the office," she walked over to the door, which hissed open, and stayed open - not closing at all.

Drydock, Furi'ken Cargohold

Thing's were quiet in that hold, in fact, too quiet. Where was the sound of moving machinery? Why is it that no one was loading up the vehicles that still needed to be loaded? And why wasn't there anyone guarding the boarding ramp....?
 
Chi'ka's Office

Ay'indri in the meantime allowed her hand to the grip of the pistol at her hip. It paid to be prepared at all times. Quickly she checked over her belt. Pistol, knife, extra power crystals, and cartridges. Walking to the small armory, the Agent pulled a matte-black sword from its cradle. Hefting it, Ay'indri took a moment to swish it in front of her a few times to gauge the weight and adapt to it accordingly. After a moment's hesitation, she also took gathered up a flashbang grenade.

Satisfied, she stepped out of the way for Def'leor to gather whatever she wanted. It took but a moment to clip the sword belt to her waist. Everything secure, the black-clad Agent pulled her pistol from its holster. There had been simulations like this including live-fire exercises. The fact she was now facing one in the truest sense of the word had made her a little giddy with a gentle fluttering in her tummy.

She was prepared for this eventuality, and now it was time to put that training to use if need be.
 
SNV Furi'Ken Cargo Hold

Olffa might have been short and uneducated, but their reaction time was on point. Micalio caught them half way through instinctively trying to chase the large insect, snapping at it with their teeth. Probably would have kept doing it, too, if the hand on their shoulder didn't make it awkward to safely put their sword away.

Damn bug! Who'd they think they are? If they saw it again, they'd bite it's head off for sure! Doesn't matter what it tastes like! Nobody disrespects a hunter of Klo'den!

Coiling their tail and bunching their toes with agitation, it was only after several seconds that Olffa remembered that they were in the presence of another person. They had to seal away their burning instincts, in order to remain friendly with the city-dweller. Yes.

"...What are they even doing in here!? Isn't the clean up crew doing their job?" A raspy growling voice, clearly venting. Got worked up over nothing, and now they feared the red-haired engineer making fun of them. "As soon as this shift is done, I'm going to-..."

Olffa cut off her own sentence mid way, twitching their ears at the empty air for a minute, before darting a serious look back to the backlit form of Micalio standing over them.

"...You know, when I'm done, I'm supposed to hand over this patrol to the next officer..." A tense expression. Their hands pulled a needle pistol out of a waist pocket, before their eyes nervously glanced back and forth again. "So where is the next officer? I haven't seen anybody apart from you..."

"That's... kind of weird, isn't it?..."
 
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