RP: YSS Aeon [Mission 5.1.2] Frozen Wings

[Nashoba]

Bridge

Katae had a feeling that things were getting more risky by the moment for her crew members. "Eternity, sound stations. Inform Tsukiki-Hei she is needed on the bridge."

She looked at the sensor data on the Gunship. The storm had layered the ship in 10 to 20 centimeters of ice on all vertical surfaces. Katae's only concern was getting the ice off safely to prevent any damage to their weapon systems.

 

[Caelesetos]

Galley

Alia was reading up on what all had transpired on the ship since her transfer to the YSS Integrity; when the alert sounded. Before she had time to get out of her seat Eternity, the ship's MEGAMI, informed her that she was needed on the bridge.

Alia sent her acknowledgement back and stood while stretching her arms which had fallen asleep while she had read the many reports. She then made her way to the bridge as fast as possible.

Bridge

Alia stepped onto the bridge and quickly dropped into a low bow to the Taisa. "Tsukiki-hei reporting as requested." After the Taisa returned the bow Alia stood up and continued, " Ise-Taisa, Thank you for transferring me back to the YSS Aeon." Before her CO could respond Alia got into her assigned station and plugged into the ship's systems.

"The sensors detect methane-ice build up along the hull." She muttered to herself as the data poured across her vision. Eternity, can you increase reactor output by 1.5%? After that begin pumping all excess heat generated into the Pylon's radiator system. I think that should help with the ice problem. Alia sent telepathically and kept reading through the meager sensor data.

 

[Nashoba]

Katae took note of the change in Alia's appearance from her previous assignment on the Aeon.

"The Engineer is currently routing coolant heat into the ships radiators to achieve that purpose. Tsukiki-Hei. She estimates ten minutes for the hull to be sufficiently warmed to allow you to dislodge the ice safely once airborne." Eternity replied.

Across the bridge the various stations began lighting up as the engineering section brought up the reactor power and started powering up the primary systems. A rush of warmed air blew across Alia's face as the environmental systems started heating the interior to its normal standard temp.

"Hei, once we launch we need to head towards the coordinates for the away team. The situation where they are is deteriorating. Once you shake the ice off our hull, power up the turrets and ensure that all are responding properly. I have a feeling we will be needing them. Welcome back by the way." Katae responded with a smile.

 

[Caelesetos]

Alia was grateful for the warmth across her face, sitting still in the cold had made her muscles a bit sore. Absentmindedly she nodded her head in acknowledgement towards the Taisa, but kept running through the data from the away team as well as the ship's own sensors. Ten minutes is too long, she thought to herself, but how do I shorten that time?

"Ise-Taisa, Eternity reports that Engineering believes ten minutes is needed before we lift-off for safe removal of the ice, however, I believe that we need to move before then or at least have some weapons free to move. As we warm up we will become more and more obvious to thermal scans by enemy forces, and without weaponry or maneuverability we won't stand a chance against an attack." She paused to let that sink in before continuing, " Taisa, the only way I believe we can speed up the process is to send out EVA teams to break the ice up."

 

[Nashoba]

Katae smiled at Alia's suggestion, "Sending the crew out to breakup the ice would actually take longer. There is a lot of exterior to the Aeon. By the time we could have people suited up and heading out. Our original plan will be ready.

We will stay with the original plan. Once we are ready to lift, the hull should be heated enough that if you roll the ship, the majority of the ice will fall away. After that I want you to cycle the turrets to make sure they are clear of ice and able to move in all directions."

 

[Caelesetos]

Alia bit back a retort and simply nodded her head in acknowledgment and checked the progress of the hull's warming. She took a deep breath and then closed her eyes, and began the long wait for the hull to warm.

Ten Minutes Later...

The console played a chirping noise in Alia's mind alerting her to the message from engineering giving her the green light for take off. "Finally," she muttered to herself, "here goes nothing." She slowly activated the CFS and raised the ship out of the planet's icy embrace.

She reported her altitude out loud as the she brought the ship up higher and higher. Eternity, prepare all personnel for an in gravity roll.

 

[Nashoba]

The Aeon resisted moving for a moment as the ice that had formed around the landing struts offered resistance. But with a slight vibration the gunship broke free and rose smoothly. There was a considerable crosswind and a lot of electromagnetic interference.

Katae monitored the ship's progress. She waited for another update from the away team but there was nothing but silence.

"Okay Tsukiki-Hei, let's see some aerobatics to clear that ice off our hull." she called out.

 

[Caelesetos]

"Aye Taisa." Alia said. Then without further warning she tilted the nose upward and accelerated to 320 kph. Once she reached 8,000 meters in altitude she turned the nose back towards the planet's surface and let gravity take the ship back down. As the Aeon was in free fall she rolled the ship, attempting to shake off what ever ice was on her.

When the ship reached an altitude of 2,500 meters she turned the nose up and stopped the decent. "Aerobatics complete, rotating turrets now." Alia said with a smirk.

 

[Nashoba]

As Alia dove the ship, the sound of tons of ice sliding along the hull could be heard clearly in the ship. Some of the ice could be heard striking various protrusions on the hull. However, the ice hitting any of the surface would hardly be a threat. With the execution of the roll the scraping sound stopped.

Upon receiving the command the turrets began to cycle. The non-retracting ones first, once they were moving freely the retracted turrets were extended and cycled. Within a few minutes all of the turret systems were showing green across the board.

 

[Caelesetos]

Alia watched as each of the turrets' systems gave their green lights. "Taisa, we have green across the board for gunnery and hull sensors. No damage detected on any system. However, I would suggest a more thorough check once we are outside of hostile territory." Alia said as she checked the sensor data once more. "I'm not picking up anything from the ground team, though we still have heavy interference. Ise-Taisa, what are your orders?"

 

[Nashoba]

Katae tok a moment, "Take a heading of 090 to the NMX installation. Anything that is not showing Star Army registration, take them out. We got reports of transports. I don't want anythings leaving."

 

[Caelesetos]

"Aye, changing heading to zero-nine-zero." Alia then let her consciousness slip to the ship's control systems. Turning down the safeguards, Alia let the raw data turn into visuals and feelings.

The bridge fell away and in its stead appeared a virtual rendering of the world according to the Aeon's sensors. All around her, Alia saw the barren wastes of the frozen planet; the wind buffeted against the hull, and she felt it against her skin. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She then angled the ship's nose down and east and accelerated towards the NMX base. She "felt" the warmth down her spine and chest of the turrets activating.

In front of her, Alia noticed the exhaust of one of the transports the Taisa had mentioned. She gestured at it with her virtual self and the ship responded with four blasts from two of Aeon's turrets. Alia knew that Eternity had taken care of the calculating of the enemy ship's trajectory from its exhaust trail, yet she still watched for the results of the shots.

 

[Nashoba]

The transports shields flared when the shots from the turrets slammed into them. The energy output of the engines dropped considerably, and the ship's trajectory banked to the starboard.

The target lock was impeded somewhat by the electromagnetic interference. The transport activated a number of turrets on its hull and attempted to return fire. Unfortunately the same conditions that affected the Aeon's tactical systems, did the same to the transport. Most of the volleys missed the Aeon by a number of meters.

 

[Caelesetos]

Alia bit back the pain from the few shots from the transport that had managed to hit her. This reminded her why the safeguards exist, but she took another deep breath and steadied herself.

"Eternity, adjust your calculations from last attack by cross examining the trajectory of the enemy's shots. Hopefully that'll help make more shots land." said Alia. Then she gestured with her whole hand at the craft, and milliseconds later the entire turret bank opened fire.

 

[Nashoba]

The next barrage from the Aeon crippled the transport and its trajectory angled downward towards the surface and accelerated. It slammed into the suface carving a deep furrow in the surface. The burning aft section ignited a pocket of explosive liquid and the resulting blast knocked the ship into a spin. It came to rest upon a rock and ice outcropping.

The sensors showed that there was no generated power on the ship.

 

[Caelesetos]

Alia let out a smirk as she watched the target crash and burn. Yet in that moment, she realized that the Taisa had said transports, plural. She let out a string of curses and began a full sensor sweep of the surrounding atmosphere. "I swear, if that was just a diversion..." she muttered to herself as she looked for any sign of the other transports.

 

[Nashoba]

The atmospheric conditions were still playing havoc with the sensors. The sensors showed two targets. One of them seemed to be moving parallel to the surface at increasing speed. The other ghost image seemed to rising on a vector away from the crash site.

 

[Caelesetos]

Alia gritted her teeth as she watched the ghost images of ships move across her virtual display. Which one? she asked herself. Then with a deep breath she decided.

"Eternity, fire all weapons at the target approaching escape velocity, then immediately realign and fire at secondary target. We don't want any NMX ships to leave the planet."

 

[Nashoba]

"Unable to comply with requested order. Main cannon is not online, nor are the anti-matter cannons. Firing all weapons at the one target within the field of fire of the upper weapons." A series of deadly lances streaked through the atmosphere trying to hit the object.

After that volley, the ship swung the weapons and fired a volley as ordered. However it was soon apparent that the second volley had failed to it a ship. The sensors showed that the weapons struck a solid object far short of the target. "We have lost line of sight on the target. We need to change position it you wish to engage." Eternity replied.

 

[Caelesetos]

Alia mentally kicked herself when Eternity replied. "Of course the anti-matter and aether weaponry are disabled in atmosphere, wouldn't want to accidentally set the atmosphere on fire." She thought to herself. She quickly pushed that thought away and focused on her virtual interface.

The sensors failed to show whether or not the first volley connected with the target, then much to her chagrin the second volley missed in her opinion due to the delay of the turrets maneuvering. Sure, Eternity had accounted for that in her targeting calculations but the moment it took for them to aim gave the enemy enough time to maneuver behind... something.

"Eternity, I know the sensor data is spotty but I need to know if the first volley connected with its target and what the object is blocking our LoS to the second target." Alia said as she tried to plan out her next move.