NSS Surprise
Time seemed creep slowly as the the three cloaked ships moved into position. Jack felt his own will begin to strain as the intense seconds ticked off the mission timer. He glanced around the bridge at his officers. Master Gunner Warshaw untied her hair braid for the umpteenth time and retied it. Commander Pete Calamy, Jack's number 2 checked the status board again and was mouthing the calculations silently to himself. Lt. William "Poet" Mowett, the pilot, was muttering something under his breath. Poetry most likely, Jack smiled. They were all exhibiting their normal signs of stress. Good, it meant they were ready to go.
"Captain." Mr. Calamy called from where he was viewing the data sensors. Being cloaked there sensors were limited so as not to give away their position but they weren't completely blind. They could see where the Admiral had begun his attack, right on time, and the enemy ships had given chase, according to plan. Well, almost to plan. 3 ships had remained behind, covering the defense platforms. Smart, Jack thought. The defense fleet were playing to safe. But that meant 3 ships the stealth group had to deal with that they hadn't planned on. "Sir?" Jack turned to his number 2 and saw a questioning grin on his face and realized it was a reflection of the grin on his own face. There was nothing Jack loved more than a boarding action. Attacking another ship from within and taking it as a prize. "Not much sport taking a defense platform as a prize is there Pete." Jack said casually to his second. "We have more than enough Marines in our little group to take those platforms, but our boys specialize in taking a ships. Looks like they're going to get their chance."
"Mr. McCain" Jack called out to the Marine Officer who stood by the door. McCain quickly stepped forward. "McCain, I know some of your boys were right disappointed in not being able to participate in capturing the stations. Well looks like they're going to get to see some action after all. All Marines and our sailors who participate in our cutting out exercises will re-form in the hanger into two groups. You will take one group and hit the ship designated "Charly". I'll..." Jack paused a moment. He was Captain now. It would be bad form for the Captain to join a boarding party and leave his ship in command of another. Though he had full confidence in Mr. Calamy, this was his ship and his first command. "I'll take the Surprise and move between ships "Alpha" and "Beta". Mr. Calamy will take command of the second boarders and hit "Alpha"." Mr. Calamy grinned rubbed his hand together. He loved a cutting out expedition as much as his Captain did. "Primary objective, take the ship out of the fight. Secondary, take control of the ship and join it our numbers. Good Hunting."
As the men jumped to head to their new assignments, Jack sent a very brief message to the other 2 ships with him in the stealth squad. He didn't want to risk a long detailed plan being picked up. He just had to trust that both Captains were clever men who could adjust on the fly. He believed they were, though you never really got the measure of some men until you saw them preform in combat. The message read SURPRISE WILL TACKLE SHIPS. FOCUS ON PLATFORMS. GOOD HUNTING.