RP: YSS Eucharis [Mission 7.1] At War - Battle of Nataria

Re: [Mission 7.1] Universe at War - Battle of Nataria

Ramiro jumped as all of the lights exploded. He hadn't expected that to happen. After realizing he has his sidearm drawn he slowly slipped it back into it's holster and looked around. Through the window he could see lights popping up in the ship the rest of the crew was in, then the line of SMX ships. "Taisa, if I may, whatever we're going to do shouldn't be done here. It's only a matter of time before those enemy ships come over here and destroy what's left of the ship. Taisa, both us and the away crew have a functional ship and if the Paradise has a functional hyperspace fold drive than we can evacuate both ships into a safe location and deal with the problem there."

Re: [Mission 7.1] Universe at War - Battle of Nataria

"That is an excellent idea. Send the Paradise a tight beam transmission requesting the ship computer get an update from the away team and relay it back to us," Hanako ordered, feeling a little bit better since she now had a new way out of this deathtrap situation.

Re: [Mission 7.1] Universe at War - Battle of Nataria

Junko looked up as the red lights kicked on. One of the main displays had died entirely and another was flickering on and off every few seconds. Not wanting to spend time replacing whatever component had overloaded, she raced to the auxiliary systems station and reconfigured its displays – all, by some miracle, still working perfectly. In doing so, she noticed one of the bugs, completely untouched, moving along the station. Suppressing a shriek, she swatted it away with all the force she could muster and watched it sail through the air before impacting on a thick power cable. She looked up, catching Blueberry’s eyes, with a sad smile. “Thank you, Nito Juni,” she said before turning back to the displays. Where moments before the displays had shown green nearly across the board, the crimson telltales of damage now abounded. Though it was hard to tell from the amount of red on the boards, the ship had miraculously come through without being rendered inoperative. Indeed, their fortune had been great enough that all primary systems appeared to be functioning, even if a little less efficiently.

For that, Junko was immensely grateful; they had taken a huge risk, but luck was on their side today. But at the same time, she felt every wound to the ship as her own. Several back-up and even a few primary capacitors were down; one of the air recyclers in the cargo bay had completely overloaded; all across the ship, sensors had been blown out and minor systems were inoperative; in a few places, entire power runs had melted down. The computer systems had stepped in as designed, switching to secondary systems and rerouting power without authorization, as per emergency protocols. Even still, she felt a strong compulsion – magnetic almost – to leave her station and begin physically fixing the ship. But Junko knew that it would take a lot more hands-on management of the ship’s resources to bring them through the engagement. So she stayed and, hands flying across input panels, began making the adjustments that would allow them to continue to fight and survive.

Re: [Mission 7.1] Universe at War - Battle of Nataria

Nika gripped her seat as the ship went into 'live wire' mode for that few seconds, which felt like minutes to her. However, its enough to send many of the bugs hidden within the bridge to crawl out of their holes in the attempt to escape the high electrial charges; most of them brain fried. Those that survived managed to crawl out in a ver disorganized manner, which were easily picked off by scalar rays as demonstrated by Hanako with her pistol.

The neko too got up from her seat and helped out, pulling out her own pistol and started 'frying' at those still moving and twitching bugs. At one time she actually prodded one, which rolled into a ball out of defense while waiting for the system to power back up through its secondary systems.

The ship finally rebooted itself and Nika scrambled back to her seat, quickly pulling the ships status up on the screen. Much of the systems were still down, but communications were up.

"Engineering, this is Bridge. How soon can the Eucharis resume operations? Pioritise on engines and shields if possible."

Re: [Mission 7.1] Universe at War - Battle of Nataria

Junko was a bit startled when the message came in; she had been fully consumed by her work and it took her a moment to process the question. “Bridge, all primary systems are operational at the moment. The emergency protocols have activated and all necessary resources are being allocated to weapons, engines, and shields. From a risk management standpoint, it would be best if we could avoid over-taxing those systems; they are online at the moment, but pushing them too hard could be disastrous,” she said briskly. The formal exchange had allowed her to slip back into the coldness of professionalism. “If we have to, I may be able to get the STL engines to withstand sustained overboost, but it will drive up the risk of catastrophic failure. But as far as offline sensors go, the damage sustained is too substantial. It will take physical replacement to get them working again. I’m sorry, but what you have running at the moment is all that is going to be available.”

Re: [Mission 7.1] Universe at War - Battle of Nataria

Ramiro got on the communications server and connected the ship with the Paradise. "Hamada-Taii, Eucharis bridge. Please report with an update on the current situation. Be prepared to leave the area via hyperspace fold, coordinates pending." He took off his headset and placed it on his console with a sigh. "Taisa, where should I set a course for if we decide to evacuate the area. The sooner we let the others know where we're headed the more prepared they'll be for an emergency departure."

Re: [Mission 7.1] Universe at War - Battle of Nataria

Black-hei... me, I guess Tasuku thought as he went to work at the engineering console.
Tasuku hurriedly initiated a set of internal systems scans, and watched the results as they each popped up on the screen.

Drive systems online, power systems online, environmental systems online...

"Taii, All Paradise systems are online and appear operational, awaiting commands."

Re: [Mission 7.1] Universe at War - Battle of Nataria

"Our CFS system is our most electrically robust system, so we should be able to move at top or nearly top speed when we need to; hopefully, we can leave the area soon. Set course for Yamatai. Also, notify command that we have a quarantine situation and cannot dock. When we arrive, we will probably have to leave the ship for a while, during which time the ship will be scanned and decontaminated until all bugs are gone, and then repaired by Ketsurui Fleet Yards technicians."

The Taisa looked forward to the downtime. "We can visit the planet and be tourists or see relatives if we like. I know I could use some time to relax after this, especially before we take off on another combat mission."

Re: [Mission 7.1] Universe at War - Battle of Nataria

Sune shifted back to the Monitoring Station, the screen there flashing.

Bioscan Complete
Lifeforms detected
* Nekovalkyrja
* Yamataian

Warning: Unidentified Lifeforms Detected
Phylum: Armadillidiidae
Genus: Unknown
Origin: Unknown

Click to expand...

Turned to Shizu, "Hamada-Taii, bioscan of the ship shows only the Away Team and these bugs, the system has never seen anything like them."

Re: [Mission 7.1] Universe at War - Battle of Nataria

Misaki turned the speaker back on to her armour, "Let's make sure that happens. Helm, prep course home, until we're given a proper vector by command assume we'll drop from FTL outside of the system proper, to avoid infection. Modify to where command directs us. Communication, make ready to inform them of our situation, include the scans of the life forms in the data and our success in destroying with them thus far." While Misaki had repelled boarders before, that was something she was not accustomed to.

"Do we have that sitrep yet from Paradise?" The XO asked, breathing out. There were a lot of things she needed to do, and she hated the bugs a little more for making sure they'd be stuck in quarantine on top of the debriefing they were to expect (especially Hanako and herself) from command.

There were so many things that made her feel alive, though. She was bred for what they were doing, more or less. As much as any Nekovalkryja could claim. Of course, the real problem were the other things she shared with her sisters, and what the hurry up and wait battle had reminded her.

"Try to find out the situation with our other ships, once we're clear, communications." I hope they're all right. Damn, I hate this!

Kurusu turned to look at Hanako, for a brief few moments, fixing a gaze on her. The Chusa hoped it would be enough until things were settled.

Re: [Mission 7.1] Universe at War - Battle of Nataria

Sune noticed one of the indicators on the system monitor station blinking. I need longer arms, if I am going to man two stations. he throught as he shifted back to that station. He accessed the system the indicator was for, and activated the comm system. After listening to the signal he reported to Shizu.

"Hamada-Taii, incoming transmission from the Eucharis. They are asking for a situation report."

Re: [Mission 7.1] Universe at War - Battle of Nataria

"Aye Chusa!" Ramiro pulled up the navigation charts and started plotting a course back to Yamatai, which wasn't difficult since they were right by it and there was a direct spacelane from Nataria to Yamatai. "Course set to Yamatai, pending response from the Paradise."He quick typed a paragraph and as he was about to send it out he realized he didn't have any information on the life form. He sighed, sent the message and reported, "Message sent to Yamatai command." He got on the comm and dialed unto the medbay. "Medical, Bridge. If able, can you send any information you have on the life form so we may send it to Yamatai command and the SSS."

Re: [Mission 7.1] Universe at War - Battle of Nataria

Shizu took a position in front of the captain's chair. She didn't sit - the power armor was a little bulky for that, she thought - but she did watch the display on the main screen. With the external sensors online, the blank black panel had been replaced by a remarkably detailed view of the space around the ship.

Far out on the edge of the ship's visuals, she took note of a very calm space. Aside from the debris floating everywhere, there were now no explosions - no flashes of light on the horizon. Space was a vast, soundless mass of cold inactivity.

There was nothing to say to either of her ad-hoc bridge crew, so Shizu simply nodded and gave an "Aye," to all of their reports. The situation was curious, to say the least. It made her feel a little bit like someone was watching her.

Internally, the cogs of her consciousness were ticking away.

"Return this to the Eucharis," Shizu ordered Jalen-Hei, "That we have taken control of the Paradise, and that we have found that there are... bugs on-board with us. We are not sure exactly what it is that they do, but all systems are online, and we are in posession of the codes and security clearance card for the self-destruct mechanisms. Awaiting orders."

Shizu turned the card over in her gauntleted hand, carefully walking it up and down her fingers.

"End transmission. Black-Hei, Jalen-Hei. Here is what I would like you to do, now. Jalen, access the ship's logs. There should be backlogs of the same scan you just did, and I want to know how long the bugs have been on this ship. Even mothballed ships are supposed to run these things. After you have found this, run another scan. I want to know if anything changes."

The Taii turned slightly, regarding Black-Hei through the faceless mask of her helmet.

"Black - I just put the ship into a regular operating condition. Take it back down. Put all non-essential life-support systems and auxiliary systems completely offline. Depower the whole ship. I want everything except this bridge, the shuttlebay, and whatever I ask you to check to be dead metal. Deader than dead. Put the emergency systems in those areas offline as well."

---

Well, a lot of bugs were crispy.

Ignoring the potential damage to systems - the Eucharis was, apparently, a very robust sort of ship - the faint chirrupy noises had mostly stopped. Every once in a while there would be the lonely chirp of one little bug that had been spared from its fate by happy chance. Other than that, the Eucharis seemed to be doing alright.

The EMP discharge had, however, shown up on the sensors of the Paradise, several kilometers away, and it had certainly registered on the sensors of the cloaked, black starships that had almost engaged their FTL drives.

One of them turned around.

Re: [Mission 7.1] Universe at War - Battle of Nataria

"Awaiting orders?!" Hanako shouted. "Get everyone out of there and back to the ship with the card now." Mishhuvurthyar were stealing ships by the second. She had already counted at least fourteen ships disappear into hyperspace during the wait for the away team.

"Warning," Charisma's crackling voice announced on the bridge. "Type 31 Electronic Warfare System is no longer operational."

"There goes our stealth. Fire up the shields and engines. Ramiro, get ready to fire in a spread pattern. We can shoot until we hit something."

Re: [Mission 7.1] Universe at War - Battle of Nataria

Shizu's power armor stood stark still as the response to her message bellowed over the intercom. When it had faded away, she removed the card and stepped down from the command position.

The Taii slung her weapon back down off her shoulder.

"Belay my last, gentleman," she offered, "Forget all that. I want every scrap of information on this ship downloaded onto something - anything you can find to hand - and we're taking it with us. Quickly, please."

She looked at the forward display, where the Eucharis was now clearly visible, floating in a sea of debris. Its main cannon began to glow.

"No pressure."

Re: [Mission 7.1] Universe at War - Battle of Nataria

"Propulsion operational. Shields are regenerating." Nika announced as she flipped through the status windows on the console, "Main cannon operational, however charge time increased to prevent overload." The neko leaned into her seat, trying to stay focus at the job on hand, while her mind was running through the events that had passed.

"Its a blessing that the anti-matter drives were not affected by the EMP blast..."

Re: [Mission 7.1] Universe at War - Battle of Nataria

Sune considered Shizu's order, and took a mental inventory of what he had with him. He didn't really see any data storage media around, and while the medical scanner had some memory, it was not up to the challenge of handling ship sensor logs.

He entered the commands into the console to pull up all the bioscanner logs for the Paradise since she was mothballed. Sune then established a link between the AIES in his Mindy and Paradises's MEGAMI. He then initiated the download. It took a minute or so to download the data. Once complete he turned to Shizu, "Taii, I've downloaded the data from the Paradise's Sensor logs into the AIES of my Mindy ma'am."

Re: [Mission 7.1] Universe at War - Battle of Nataria

“Damn it!” growled Junko as the Type 31 EW system failed. She might have spent much of her time with a deep-seated and repressed annoyance with the rest of the world, but seldom did she actually lose her temper. At the moment, though, the mounting pressure had finally broken through her cool; she snarled as she slammed her hand onto a bare panel. The force of the impact stung quite a bit, and she shook her hand ruefully before starting back into her work. Screens flipped wildly across the displays in a desperate virtual fight to force a few indicators on the main displays back, ever so slightly, towards the green. After a few more minutes, and a minimum of success, Junko broke off with a sharp nod and opened the intercom. “Bridge, Engineering. We’re a little low on back-up capacitor allocation, so I’ve lowered some of the Auxiliary systems priorities. In a pinch, you can step up the main cannon recharge rate to normal, but that will put a fair dent into our ready power reserves.”

Re: [Mission 7.1] Universe at War - Battle of Nataria

Tasuku looked back surprised, "I'm on it, Taii" he quickly initiated a transfer of the engineering logs to the datapad embedded inside his armor, thankfully despite its current use as his armors main computer it was origionally designed to do just that. "I have the engineering logs; the Paradise is still completely operational..." Tasuku agitatedly added the last bit, the idea of running through the ship again just to leave it weighed on his mind.

What the hell is going on we have a perfectly operational ship right here and now were abandoning it! I swear not one of these officers must have a single gram of common sense... he thought to himself still agitated.

Re: [Mission 7.1] Universe at War - Battle of Nataria

"Copy. Keep a hold on the transmission until we're sure that we're clear." Misaki ordered.

"She was sitting on the bridge, improvising her orders?" Misaki grunted at the end of her question to Hanako. It made her worry more about the junior officer's ability, with more concern than she had at how upset Shizu seemed to be at her presence, It was only natural after all.

We'll need to talk to her. She thought for a moment at Hanako, stealing another glance. Normally, the officer would've said something, but there was an old rule about disciplining people in charge of others in front of them, if you could help it. She felt like the other blue-haired woman could go either way on it, but hers was the way of example. No need for that now. Come on Taii, get back!

Somehow, Kurusu hoped a private thought could reach her across that small, but wide expanse of debris cluttered space.

The main gun is ready, good. The woman nodded at Nika, "Be ready for anything. Never relax at the end of a battle or you can be erased before the next." She told the bridge crew.

"Copy Engineering, drop down environmental system in non-occupied and non-essential areas to push our essentials through the capacitor. If you can't get the EWS back online give us every little bit you can with the rest!" The XO barked. The sensors were still giving them nothing. Once she was sure everyone could see them, she brought the scanners back to battle-level active to sweep the firestorm the system had become for their wayward enemies.

The chirping had stopped from being too bad, but if they didn't have their away team back and the depot didn't explode, they'd be late to Yamatai and she wasn't sure she wanted to see if the ship could take another sweep like that.

By the Empire, be good to us a while longer.