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Hosted Projects - Standalone => WoD Forum Game => Wings of Dawn => WoD Forum Game: Generation 1 Archive => Topic started by: Admiral MS on July 15, 2013, 11:20:40 am

Title: Forum game: RP thread
Post by: Admiral MS on July 15, 2013, 11:20:40 am

Quote from: Enioch on July 15, 2013, 12:32:53 am

I am currently sitting in the porch of my manor in Novoye Ligovo with my staff, cursing the REMFs who delayed the supplying of the fleet and instructing my beautiful secretary / executive officer on the proper procedures for exiling them to the crystal mines. I am not in my flagship bridge, as it is currently inoperable, thanks to the aforementioned REMFs' reluctance to properly maintain ships of reserve fleets. Where is the Motherland headed to, I ask you?

I am also drafting a letter to my good friend and academy schoolmate, R.Ad. Georgiy Kuznetsov, informing him of the unforeseen delays, imploring him not to get himself killed until I can reinforce him and requesting his assessment of the front-line situation.

The Nova is buzzling with life as everyone prepares for combat. Looking at the main screen I can see barrels of large anti capital guns and some 2nd generation fighters flying along...
"What's the meaning of this? Don't we have anything else than those old rusty things you call fighters? No wonder morale has hit an all time low!"
Silence falls over the bridge. It is full with officers of different ranks, some from the Nova, some from other ships of 2nd DD. Still no one dares to say anything out of fear of getting sent to the crystal mines.
"Just what happened to the Motherland? This attack wasn't exactly unexpected. Yet the only thing I managed to do was moving the fleet a bit closer to the frontlines. Getting permission for such a small move during peace times was already hard."
Silence.
"Alright! While our fighter screen may be a bit lacking but we can make it up with anti capital firepower. I want these cannons *pointing out of the window* at peak performance. We are going to use barrage more than once in this war and I don't want to see one of them failing over firing constantly. That's all!"
"Yes Sir!"
While everyone is getting to their individual meetings I'm walking back to my cabin. Once inside the display switches on and shows the arrival of one new mail. Seeing the sender "Ivan Dimitrievic Kalazonitov" actually puts a smile on my face for the first time today. It was a nice time back in academy...
Reading it sent my smile down the face and if it wasn't a holographic display I would need a new one now.
After some minutes I wrote my answer informing him of the frontline situation with two Nordera fleets of unknown size approaching. This war is very likely to start with some very intense battles and neither of the two LSF fleets already close to the front is likely to hold for itself. I hope he will arrive in time and sent some of these incompetent REMFs to the "reeducation camp". Until then I will try my best to prevent the Nova from getting pulverized by overly motivated suicidal Nordera.

Title: Re: Forum game: RP thread
Post by: Lepanto on July 15, 2013, 01:37:25 pm

Thanks, Spoon. Derp, forgot about Stranded.

------------------------------------------------------------

Rear Admiral Carlos Santiago was not having a good day. Taking another swig of Harcon coffee, the only thing which would be keeping him awake for the next few days, he leaned back in his comfortable ready room chair and took another look at the strategic map displayed on the holotank. He had been quite content with the 4th's Starlance exploration duty on the western fringes of League space. Now, his 4th Fleet was moving at full speed to the galactic east, spurred into action by reports of a massive, unexpected invasion by unknown species. At maximum safe speed, he knew it would take three to four days for the 4th to reach the front. That is, unless the front had collapsed before they arrived.

That seemed unlikely; with four allied fleets in engagement range of the enemy's two opening thrusts of two fleets apiece, the League forces should hold the line until all reinforcements had arrived. Fragmented initial reports indicated that the "Cordi" and "Nordera" invaders' tech levels were on par with or inferior to most League units' equipment, so the opening engagements looked roughly even. Underestimating the enemy, though, would likely be a fatal mistake.

The League command situation, though, was another story. His orders from Commonwealth Fleet Command had been confused and contradictory, and the LTW's decentralized military model made it impossible for any one entity to exercise effective control over all League forces. The individual fleet commanders had seemingly been left to their own initiative. It was already obvious that the LTW could not count on immediate, large-scale Cyrvan military support in defense of its territory. Victory or defeat, then, would likely depend on all Terran factions' fleet commanders' ability to smoothly coordinate an effective defense.

Santiago did not love war, but this was a clearly justified war of self-defense, and he would do his duty to Crown and Country. The 4th Fleet CRF personnel under his command, fortunately, had responded to their orders with characteristic zeal. He only hoped that such dedication would be enough. The main cannons on the Warrior and Inflexible had both unexpectedly shorted out during firing tests, and the flagship's mechanics had reported elevator trouble. Hopefully, repairs could be made en route. He was mostly proud of the performance of the men and women under his command, and was confident that the 4th would distinguish itself in combat once battle had opened.

Whispering a quick prayer to St. Michael for valor, he gave the order for the St. Louis to engage jump drives. The battlefield beckoned.

Title: Re: Forum game: RP thread
Post by: X3N0-Life-Form on July 15, 2013, 03:51:27 pm

Day 0, Champion-class carrier Swift, Sol Force 2nd Fleet, Polaris system

"Broadcast message to all second fleet elements, priority Alpha: prepare for urgent transit to the Aldebaran system through Formalhaut, overrides previous orders. Starlance jump at 2000 hours. Go to Enhanced Readiness status. Switch to wartime loadouts when necessary. More details at 1800 hour." The CIC remained silent for a whole 5 seconds after the Rear Admiral finished dictating his message, then the captain started distributing orders: "Comm, recall any bird still out there. Chief, place the ship in Enhanced Readiness condition. Engine room, warm up the starlance. Gunnery control, prepare for weapons and shield check in 15 minutes. Helm, move us away from the station, there's gonna be a lot of activity here for the next few hours." As the ship came to life, eyes kept drifting towards the Admiral, looking for some sort of answer. Wartime loadouts, load as much ordnance as you can. Wartime loadouts, that means that wherever you are being send to, expect to see combat. Don't worry, you always know in advance when the higher ups are planning a training exercise involving being fully loaded.

"Sir, the Legend, Ram and Fearsome are all reporting ready for action."
-"Captain, the ship is at Enhanced Readiness."
-"Incoming friendlies, the Raptor, Peace Lily and escort fighters are preparing for emergency resupply."
As the traffic around the flagship increased, a series of tactical reports came in from Force HQ, sealed for the time being. Rumors of war with the Cyrvan began to spread accross the channels, until Rear Admiral Fremont's second broadcast.

"To the officers and crew of the second fleet, I regret to inform you that humanity is once again threatened by an outside force. The aggressors are two unknown species, designated Cordi and Nordera. The exact reasons behind this invasion are currently unknown. What we do know is currently being transmitted to all ships. I recommend everyone to get familiar with these tactical reports before we hit Aldebaran. Pay extra attention to files regarding the Cordi, as our fleet is being moved to counter their advance.
Preliminary reports indicate that the technology displayed by both these species is qualitatively inferior to ours, forcing them to use swarming tactics. Stay alert, and prepare to show why we are Humanity's Iron Wall. Today, we fight to win. And show the LSF that the SF is the best. Message Ends. Captain, take us to the Formalhaut Starlance."

As the the flagship and its escort prepared to make their intrasystem jump, the Admiral thought "Man, why do I always have to fight the creepiest dudes in the galaxy? Must be some kind of cosmic joke."

That's it for now. I'm thinking about sprinting to the front line. This is exciting :)

Title: Re: Forum game: RP thread
Post by: Torchwood on July 15, 2013, 07:14:23 pm

My, my, looks like everyone's all fired up about this. That makes me happy.
Ahem, back to character.

Day 0, Task Force 765, currently in transit towards Ruba Pegasi
"This is Rear Admiral John Harkness speaking. Unknown hostiles have been sighted entering our space, and we have been ordered to move to Ruba Pegasi at best speed.
All ships, set course for the Rubi Pegasi starlance. Assume fleet formation. Cavaliers, form the vanguard. Dukes, set up escort positions around my carrier. Helm, all head full."
As the Temeraire and the Dauntless moved to guard the Lord-class carrier Senhime, crews all around the Third CRF fleet continued running last-minute drills in preparation.
Fighter pilots are drilled on fleet maneuvers, beam capacitors and magazines are checked and double-checked.
The gunners are eager to fire, well-prepared for the fight.

Title: Re: Forum game: RP thread
Post by: mobcdmoc3 on July 21, 2013, 05:17:24 pm

Flagship Sovereign
3rd Sol Fleet
Lyrae System
Day 0

*Sigh*

So it begins.

The admiral looked up from his monitor at his crew scattered around the bridge. Would everybody be ready? They'd been in skirmishes before, but from the looks of it - This was far beyond anything they had done before. What were these ships? The first set looked... Primitive, and the second; bug-like. Nothing in the recovered footage regarding their strengths or weaknesses.

What did they know? Only that whoever, or whatever they were, were capable of silencing an entire Terran garrison in a matter of hours.

"Comms, open up a fleet-wide channel, and get it on speaker."

"Roger that, standby... Alright, you're live in five... four... three... two... one..."

"To the pilots and crew of the 3rd fleet, this is Admiral Soryu speaking. As of right now, we are in a state of war - There has been a simultaneous attack on the systems of Crux and Kardoen of unknown origin that have managed to wipe out all that stood before them. Aside from their general ship count, we know next to nothing regarding their strengths or weaknesses.

Regardless, it is our honorable duty to stand among our allies before this new foe. As far as I'm concerned, the lot of them deserve nothing less than a face-full of explosive firepower. If they want our systems,our resources, our homes, our families - They can pry em' from our cold, dead hands. We're bringing the fight to them - We depart immediately.

Helm, engage subspace drive."

Title: Re: Forum game: RP thread
Post by: Veers on July 21, 2013, 09:34:41 pm

I had already made plans to reinforce the 1st LSF, and hoping that another fleet moves down to reinforce the 2nd LSF at Odin. I can move there as well however, but Vega is more of a priority for me right now due to it's higher rating. We need to hold her longer (assuming we get pushed back)

Let me get this post up and I'll have another look at what you are saying, makes sense. But I stll want to ensure Vega is definitely secure first.

Flagship Silver Arrow
1st Commonwealth Royal Fleet
Ruba Pegasi System

"So that's it then..." one of the Captains uttered as the command screen flickered out. To air seemed to hang heavy not just in the room, but also upon their hearts. "No warning. Krux and Kardoen have already fallen and we have no idea if there are any survivors that managed to retreat." Their mood seemed very somber at best.

Veers stood up, "Less than 30 minutes ago, we and the entire Terran populace entered into a state of war against these new invaders. Right now each faction is raising their reserve fleets and we will do no less. Command is already preparing the 3rd and 4th Fleets and we shall see them supplied and ready for action soon." He paced around the table as he spoke, stopping only to bring the viewer back on-line again.

This time, the viewer appeared showing the galaxy as a whole. The hostile systems identified in red and friendly systems still marked green. "Intelligence will provide us with more information upon these hostiles within the next 24 hours. Until then Command has authorised the deployment of both the 1st and 2nd CRF fleets to combat the invaders, and we shall meet them head-on in battle."

The viewer zoomed in on the 2nd CRF Fleet in Virgo, "As you know, 2nd Fleet is commanded by Rear Admiral Lorric, with 3rd and 4th Fleets being commanded by Rear Admirals Harkness and Santiago respectively. They will be deployed as soon as they have been supplied. But however, We will not be joining Admiral Lorric at this time..."

Veers paused as the viewer changed to Vega and a symbol denoting the 1st LSF Fleet appeared, "We will be moving to Vega to reinforce the 1st LSF Fleet under Rear Admiral SpardaSon. We have not established direct communications with the 1st LSF at this time, but will do so as soon as we enter Vega."

"They however have been informed of our arrival".

"Gentlemen, return to your commands. You have 4 hours to ensure your vessels are combat supplied and ready, run your drills and we shall depart Ruba Pegasi at 0500. Dismissed." The Officers exchanged salutes and departed towards the hanger, Veers remained in the viewer room with the Captain of his flagship, Captain Fel. It was not much longer before Fel departed as well, the Silver Arrow needed his attention.

Veers however, stared deeply into the map and thought of what was to come.

---- 0500 ----
---- Ruba Pegasi + Tamy Starlance ----
---- 1st Fleet - Commonwealth Royal Fleet ----

The Fleet had rallied at the Tamy Starlance and quickly assumed formation, "Communications, give me a fleet and system wide band please..." Veers said, "Video on-line as well. Captain, with me if you please."

The Comms Officer acknowledged and a few moments later everything was on-line. The bridge fell silent..

"This is Rear Admiral Veers of the 1st Commonwealth Royal Fleet, New Britannia. Broadcasting from the Silver Arrow, Ruba Pegasi." He paused for a moment and quickly glanced around the bridge, everyone had fallen silent and their eyes were turned to him.

"As you already know, New Britannia and the other Terran powers have entered into a state of war against these foreign aggressors. I am here to inform you, here and now. That We will prevail in this conflict, We did not ask for this fight but it has been thrust upon us. As citizens of New Britannia I know we stand together as one people, one force against Tyranny, against Hostility."

Again He paused, barely noticing Captain Fel shifting behind him into a full salute to the Royal Family, "One Force, that through loyalty to ourselves, our friends, family, Loyalty to our crew and our ships, and loyalty to the Crown. It is through loyalty that we shall prevail!"

The comms officer had slowly begun to feedback some return audio from around the system, one thing that citizens of New Britannia were known for was their steadfast loyalty and patriotism to the Crown. And the silent cheering from the speakers nearly echoed throughout the ship. "We shall soon return, having made our borders safe from foreign aggressors again." Veers also shifted into a full Royal salute as well, "Through Loyalty, Victory!" He shouted.

The crew shouted as well, several nearby screens showed other vessels and settlements within the system in the same patriotic rush that they were all experiencing. With their live feed now reduced to only the fleet Veers have the order,

"1st Fleet into the Starlance, we are moving to Vega, Captain Fel" as they turned together and grasped arms, "The Silver Arrow is yours, take her into the lance."

Edit: Order adjustment made, good idea and I can still decide where to go next turn.

Title: Re: Forum game: RP thread
Post by: Lorric on July 22, 2013, 10:19:22 am

Personal Log

   This is a black day for humanity. When the news broke, I could physically feel the cold rush of fear ripple through the whole fleet. An alliance of two alien races launched a simultaneous assault on the fringe systems of Kardoen and Crux. They took what meagre forces we had posted there completely by surprise. The systems were conquered with brutal efficiency. Where have they come from? How could they get so close without being detected? What are their capabilities? The latter question will soon be answered. By us. We are as close as any fleet to Crux, and we will be moving to Aldebaran to prepare a defence there against any further alien incursion. We are here. So it’s up to us. It’s just that simple. There is no doubt in my mind they will come. This is obviously a full scale invasion. I am absolutely certain we’ll have to fight.

   Our fleets are spread out across our space. Why wouldn’t they be? We can only hope we are strong enough to hold out until the reinforcements come. But as I told the fleet to earlier, I spit out this fear of the unknown. We are just as unknown to them as they are to us. We did not train for this role just to cringe in fear of an enemy we’ve never even tested ourselves against. What would those who fought the Cyrvans, a race known to be vastly superior technologically to us, think of us now, after the shining example they set for the whole of humanity in the face of such odds? By the time I and my fellow officers were through, the fears had turned to cheers. And I intend that when this is over, it is these aliens that will fear us.

   Now I must make ready for the coming war.

   Lorric shut off the console and exited his quarters, which were built right in next to the bridge.

   “Admiral on the Bridge!” The nearest man shouted crisply.
   “At ease, people.” Lorric said calmly, as he made his way around to his command chair and sat in it.
   “Bring up the main communication line.” The order was smartly carried out, giving Lorric an open channel to every member of the crew of his flagship.

   “This is Rear Admiral Lorric to all personnel aboard the Soaring Spirit. You all know the situation. We leave for Aldebaran in the next three hours, and there we will engage the enemy. The Soaring Spirit is more than soulless materials crafted into a warship. It is the beacon which all ships in this fleet follow. It is the rock, the foundation on which this fleet is built. It serves as an inspiration to every man and woman that flies with the 2nd CRF. Consequently, we will not be sat behind the rest of the fleet directing the movements of our forces like some orchestral conductor. This ship will be where the fighting is thickest. Where it is needed. Where it can set an example to every man and woman in this fleet and live up to it’s proud name and legacy. Anyone who is not comfortable with that is free to leave now. In fact, anyone who is not comfortable with that, I order you to leave now, because you’ll just weigh the rest of this crew down as we wade into the enemy forces. The finest men and women in this fleet have been placed on this ship and I will see that all your abilities are utilised to the fullest. And if there’s anyone who got here by pulling some strings or because they were owed a favour, you do not belong here. Get off my ship. As for the rest of you, take care of whatever business you need to, and say goodbye to your loved ones. Make sure you do that via video link. Look deep into their eyes when you bid them farewell. Fix the image firmly in your minds. Because that’s what you’re fighting for. We do not fight for land or ideals or conquest. We fight for our homes and families. We fight for the very survival of our human race. Lorric out.”

*4 hours later*

Personal Log

   We are now heading at all speed for Aldebaran. I checked the duty roster. Not one person left the ship. It makes me proud to command such a fine crew. Everyone is in remarkable spirit under the circumstances. And it’s not just the crew of this ship. It’s the whole fleet. All the ships in the fleet are sending messages of friendship and good fortune to each other. Morale is extremely high. All personnel are carrying out their orders with dedication and conviction. I could not ask for more. I hope I can make them think the same of me and bring them home safe.

Title: Re: Forum game: RP thread
Post by: Jellyfish on July 22, 2013, 01:05:47 pm

"Greetings, crew, airmen, and personnel of Sol Fleet Warship Firelance. I am Rear Admiral Jason Windforce, CO of this ship and of the newly formed Battlegroup 11. You may have heard the rumours about what's happening in the far systems. Before I go on, let me remind you of some history:

The first ships to travel the cold, hostile space between the stars were Sol Fleet.
During the turbulent times after the UNU fell, order was maintained by Sol Fleet.
The Cyrvans were pushed back and brought to the negotiating table by Sol Fleet.

Those are but a few of the events in our history. A history which you are now part of. You are Sol Fleet, the most powerful war machine known.
The rumours were true. Alien species are invading both Cyrvan and Terran space.
They may be endless in number. They may be savage and bloodthirsty. It matters little. We will show them what it means to anger the children of Sol!

We will depart in a few days. I say again: you are Sol Fleet. I know you will make your home proud."

Title: Re: Forum game: RP thread
Post by: Lepanto on July 22, 2013, 09:50:05 pm

TL;DR RP post incoming:

========================================================================================

"...Look deep into their eyes when you bid them farewell. Fix the image firmly in your minds. Because that’s what you’re fighting for. We do not fight for land or ideals or conquest. We fight for our homes and families. We fight for the very survival of our human race. Lorric out.”

Santiago smiled as he closed the GalVideo feed of Lorric's speech, which he'd played for the whole ready room, that had been quickly leaked onto the 'Net by some anonymous 2nd CRF crewman. "He's always had the 'Zeal Speech' down pat ever since our War College days, and honestly, I think he means every word of it." The CRF's intense, legendary martial valor always made Santiago proud to be a Britannian, especially in the modern age, where such valor was hard to find among Terrans.

"You sure he's not just posturing for his autobiography?" Lt. Commander Aubrey Scott chimed in. Santiago's quick glance over the faces of his assembled coterie of officers showed that most of them silently agreed with his silver-haired, bespectacled fleet gunnery chief. Everyone knew that her vision was 20/20 and she only wore fake glasses for the librarian look; Santiago only let her get away with her constant eccentricities and snark because 4th Fleet's drill accuracy had increased by 27% under her supervision. Some felt like she was half-Cyrvan.

Still, a friend's reputation had to be defended. "You haven't known him for... well, nearly a decade, now. Trust me when I say that Lorric's a CRF man through and through. Not to mention, his strategic coordination is the only reason that the Terran fleets are operating on a coordinated defensive plan. If it weren't for him taking charge, without a pan-Terran central command, we'd all be running around like headless abavians."

"Point taken." Scott said, and took a sip of her Harcon coffee.

Captain Ronald Jellicoe, the 3rd Division's black-haired CO, spoke up. "I met him back when I was captain of the Excelsior, during the Ruba Peg Crisis four years ago. If it weren't for his 2CRF bailing us out of the Kurohagen Pirates' trap, we'd have lost a lot of good people." Jellicoe was an unremarkable but trustworthy commander, and anyone who knew him would trust his eyewitness reports.

Santiago fondly remembered his and Lorric's joint anti-pirate campaign in Ruba Pegasi, or at least as fondly as he'd ever remember a combat operation. "Heh, Lorric's never let me live that one down. Anyone willing to take a 10-credit bet that we'll be returning the favor by the time this war is over?"

Scott shook her head slightly. "Gambling on the outcome of military operations, thanks to your personal rivalry with a fellow commanding officer? I'm shocked, shocked, by such a flagrant breach of fleet regs by a flag officer. Make it 20." Santiago nodded. Someone chuckled.

"Need I remind everyone that we have more pressing business to attend to?" Even if Santiago hadn't been looking at him, he would've immediately recognized the dour voice of Commander Percy Beresford, the 4th's blue-haired, long-faced chief of logistics. Santiago respected Beresford's ability and dedication, but never liked dealing with the territorial logistics chief's constant complaints about overuse of fleet resources and the semi-informal atmosphere of 4CRF's staff meetings. Nevertheless, he nodded to Beresford to proceed with his report.

Beresford didn't disappoint, as he shifted the table's projector to display rows of images and statistics. "As you can see, we are in no condition for sustained combat for two days at best. The Inflexible is fully operational, but we'll need to get a whole new cannon assembly installed on the Warrior, and that won't be completed until tomorrow evening. Lt. Conagher reports that he's probably fixed the flagship's elevator trouble, but he'd rather replace the entire assembly just to make sure." Probably? Santiago groaned under his breath. From his experience, carrier launch systems had an unfortunate tendency to fail during launches just before combat began, leaving one strikecraft wing out of three sitting on the deck until the problem was fixed midway through the fight. Generations of Terran engineers had failed to iron this tendency out of successive carrier designs, dubbing it the Mi Shoon-Ballance Effect.

Beresford continued. "Captain Armuir of the Cadence has confirmed that his earlier reports of Cordi shapeshifter infiltration among his crew were, in fact, baseless." Santiago sighed with relief. "If I had my way, that database officer of his would be in the brig right now for spreading baseless rumours, but I understand that shipboard discipline is each Captain's business. Anyway, Captain Arthur of the 53rd Sabers reported that his pilots need another day of training to properly transition to the Excalibur. Asplund Tech keeps over-engineering their 3rd Gen strikecraft, and retraining our pilots has caused no end of trouble."

Santiago had had enough of his loquacious subordinate. "Beresford, that's enough. This meeting isn't your personal soapbox, either. Just tell me if there's anything that needs our personal attention, and I'll trust you to do your job."

"Sorry, sir." Santiago thought his subordinate was at least partially sincere, but chose not to press the topic. "Only that we can't depart for Ruba Peg for at least two more days, not if you want the fleet in fighting shape. Oh, and Commander Dashwood of the 20th Thunderbolts wanted you to sign a leave form so her squadron can see the local air show before we depart."

"Permission denied. We've too much to do for our personnel to be slacking off like that. Some LSF units might get away with that kind of lax discipline, but not in the CRF." He surveyed the assembled officers, most of whom had remained silent throughout the proceedings. "Everyone, just do your job. There will be another staff meeting on the day of our departure, at 1400 hours. Until then, ladies and gentlemen, you are dismissed."

As the assembled officers filed out of the ready room, Santiago was inclined to indulge himself in at least a momentary respite. Nobody would see or disturb him in here for at least half-an-hour, he hoped. Dialing up the fleet's free HoloNet (naval service had its practical advantages) on the table's projector, he leaned back in his memory-foam chair, took a sip of his darjeeling tea, and allowed his body and mind to relax as his favorite show's catchy opening jingle played.
========================================================================================

How many references to various stuff can you spot?

Title: Re: Forum game: RP thread
Post by: Flak on July 23, 2013, 09:02:08 am

Meanwhile, somewhere in Virgo

"Boss, we hear more and more of random chatters from CRF public channels, looks like this new bug alien threat is real afterall. Are you sure it is a good idea to receive that contract?"
"It is already signed, Gavriil. I don't think it is a good idea to back down now unless we want to sully our reputation. Besides, we are not the only group of hired guns the UGC ordered to support them."

The Silver Falcon and the Thunderhawk along with the escorts are on their way to the Aldebaran starlance after a resupply in one of the mercenary orbital platforms in Virgo. Baron Markus is still sitting on the bridge, enjoying his mug of Phoenician coffee.

"Anders, Gavriil, don't you two want some? You both looking unusually serious. Why don't you cool off a little."
"I have to pass for now, boss" Captain Anders replied. "I am not in a mood for a drink with so much things hanging on my mind."
"Me neither, I guess I'll go check the other guys."
"The alien bugs again, Anders? Or was it something else."
"I don't know for sure. Perhaps just because I don't what to expect. Or maybe I was just wondering how those bugs looks like."
"At least I am glad we are not fighting those dang elves again, my uncle told me they were quite a handful. They and their plethora of beams and missiles, a very impressive and deadly light show he said, very hard to get even close without getting torn to ribbons."

Meanwhile, Commander Gavriil retreated to the leisure room.

"You are still on the game, Jerry? Was it Firespace 4 again?" Gavriil said, as he approach one guy who apparently has been sitting in front of the computer for hours.
"Of course, never get enough of this. Good for practice too. Though somehow I am itching to try those experimental Sodesuka and Berkut fighters that the Dynasts gave us for payment. Can't believe they just handed over their experimental fighters like that, and not just a few of them"
"Sure, looks like we all do. Nevermind that, they probably already have them mass produced somewhere we don't know. Those Dynasts are never very open with everyone else anyway."
"Considering the rest of their fleet appear to be flying pieces of junks, I am not sure about what they are doing.
"Right, anyway, as long as it kills, who cares if they are pieces of junks anyway."

Meanwhile back at the bridge.
"Boss, we have a large fleet ahead of us. It appears to be the CRF, the second fleet by look of it."
"What? Why are they leaving their post. And that, well isn't that the Soaring Spirit? Admiral Lorric's flagship."
"No idea, maybe we should ask them about the situation?"
"Don't bother, they will hail us soon enough. They are probably just as confused as we are seeing two modified Elephant class carriers out of nowhere."
"Looks like they do, one of the ships is hailing us"

One of the bridge officers patched the communication and the holo screen flares up "Attention unidentified vessels, this is Captain Jackson of the CRF Cruiser Edinburgh We have potential combat situation in Aldebaran, please identify yourselves and your intentions."
"We are the Nightmare Raiders mercenaries. We are going to rendezvous with the UGCR fleet from Tauri. But why is the second fleet mobilizing, is there an alien invasion going on?"
"Im afraid there is, I suppose the UGC you are going to meet can tell you more. They just lost contact with their outposts in Crux."
"Anything else about the enemy we should be aware of?"
"Alien bugs as you may have heard. They were first encountered by LSF scouts not a week back. The rest of the reports are sketchy at best, so we can't tell you much more. Allright, if there is nothing else, please form up behind our formation, the starlance is going to be congested so we have to avoid uneccesary accidents."

"So the alien bug monsters were true."
"Yeah, at least we know what we are dealing with."
"But losing those outposts that fast, I have a bad feeling about this."
"The garrisson are probably just meant to fight off pirates and rioters, they are not large enough to fight off an invasion, so that isn't highly surprising."
"I guess we have to see it to believe it."

As one by one the ships enter the starlance, silence suddenly fall on the bridge of the Silver Falcon. Anders gazes into the distance, as he watches the drive plasma of the Soaring Spirit flickers and disappears into the starlance, he utters to himself, "It is only the beginning.".

Title: Re: Forum game: RP thread
Post by: Lorric on July 23, 2013, 12:46:40 pm

Lorric stood tall before the main view screen overlooking his fleet, as his image was projected out to his subordinate officers throughout the fleet.

   “This is Rear Admiral Lorric to all ship captains of the fleet. To all fighter squadron leaders. To all wing commanders. Soon, we will engage the enemy. For many of you, this will be a new experience. It has been some time since the 2nd CRF has seen action, and not since the war with the Cyrvans anything remotely on this scale. Most of you know my style of command, but for you new people, once the battle is joined, I trust you to manage your section of the battlefield. I will be managing my section, which I promise you will be the most crucial point. While I will still be there to offer a guiding hand if you ask for it, it will be up to you to issue your orders to those under you and manage your section of the engagement. And this may be a new experience for many of you in a combat situation. Trust your instincts and your training. Trust your first impulse. You may well find yourself second guessing yourself after giving your orders. What if it’s the wrong choice? What if there’s a better plan? What if, what if… Ignore it! How are those under you going to have any faith in your ability to lead them if you’re second guessing yourself? If you give orders then retract them soon after? They will lose confidence in you and be confused, and this will be more damaging than whatever compensation your new plan may offer even if it is better than the original. I’m not saying stick with your original plan all the way, if it becomes obvious the plan is failing, then change it. But otherwise stick with it. Free your mind for reading the battlefield and ensuring the plan comes to fruition, not second guessing yourself. Trust in yourself and your men. Stand tall and exude confidence and it will spread to your men and they will be confident also. We are the 2nd CRF. A band of brothers and sisters, united in vision and purpose and will. And our enemies will see that. And they will be afraid.

   Lorric turned from the screen and strode to his quarters to prepare another entry into his personal log.

Personal Log

   We are as ready as we’re ever going to be now. I’ve done my best to motivate everyone, and that’s all I can do for now. Going against a completely unknown enemy, how can you plan for such a thing? We will therefore simply engage the enemy by the standard doctrines of the CRF and go from there. It seems we’re going to be working with Xeus L. Fremont of the 2nd SF and Andrew Bradwater of the 1st UGC in Aldebaran. We will put a wall of humanity together in Aldebaran and deny the aliens passage. I am pleased to be working with the SF. The SF are second only to the CRF in terms of dedication, courage and strength. It will be an honour, and I am most pleased that the entire SF will be heading to the front in this area of space. To see the entire Sol Fleet deployed, now that will be a truly magnificent sight to behold. However, the 1st UGC is another story. True to form as a UGC fleet admiral, Bradwater has called up a whole mess of mercenaries into his ranks. I hate mercenaries. How can you trust men who fight for money? Especially now, they still insist on fighting for money when our very survival as a species is on the line? Mercenary scum. They’d probably stab their own mothers in the back for a few bottles of beer. They'll probably all jump out just as soon as we start taking a few losses. This puts me in mind of the Kurohagen Pirates' Campaign. That whole farce got started because of mercenaries. Mercenaries were hired to clean up the pirates that had been striking at the rich pickings available in the area. A little too rich. The mercenaries cleaned up the pirates easily. But after they crushed the pirates at their base, they got to see how much booty the pirates had been taking. And so they decided to stop being mercenaries, and start being pirates. The powers that be, in their wisdom, had dealt with a fox around the henhouse by bringing in a tiger. A tiger which then sent out a fake distress call about uncovering a major pirate base and being pushed back, and then pounced on the unsuspecting 4th CRF who answered the call…

   Speaking of which, my old friend Santiago is going to be like a caged tiger over in Ruba Pegasi. Roaring and clawing at the bars which hold him. And anyone who slows his escape from that cage is going to be like a man locked in a cage with that tiger. Going by the reports, his fleet could well be the last to engage the enemy. But I’m sure it’ll be worth the wait when he finally arrives. It’s not all bad though, from his position in Ruba Pegasi, he will be afforded a strong tactical perspective. By the time his fleet gets underway, he will be able to see exactly where his forces are needed, and from that location, get there expediently, no matter where it is. And there’s no admiral I’d rather have more than Santiago making that decision. And certainly no admiral more than Santiago I’d rather have coming to my aid. However, I intend to see that he won’t need to come to my aid…

Title: Re: Forum game: RP thread
Post by: Flak on July 25, 2013, 02:26:11 am

Aldebaran system, one day later.

"It was just yesterday we arrived here, but somehow it felt like a month." Commander Gavriil said, as just he walks into the bridge of the Silver Falcon. "How is Jaxon and the others in the Thunderhawk?"
"Same as us it seems." Baron Markus answered. "They just seemed as excited as we are. Hey Jerry, you have been hanging around the bridge in the last few hours. Already bored with your little games?"
"Not at all, I am just a little uneasy with those CRF guys around. I can't see them from here, but I can feel their cold gaze even through these walls, looking at us as if we are traitors of the Commonwealth, it is just chilling me to the bone. Most of us are Britannian citizens, and looks like they know it."
"Uncomfortable working with the UGC this time, Jerry? At least we are still on the same side as the CRF this time. My position is much worse if that is the case. I am not just one of their citizen you see, I am a noble. That 'Baron' in my name isn't a nickname or even the 'Red Baron' kind."
"Hah, never thought that was the case. Better than being a pirate then. Guess we still have to earn their trust by our actions it seems." Jerry turns around, seemingly wishing to get back to his computer, suddenly something appeared on their radar."
"Another latecomer. A Lord class? Who else owned one of those things outside the CRF?"
"That must be Duke Nightwing. Yes, he is a Britannian noble like me, at least I am not the only one in these mercenary business you see. Unusual for him to be late though."
"That explains how he get one of those cool Britannian war machine. You think Commodore Jameson is going to chew him out for coming late?"
"You bet."

Meanwhile, on the Golden Dawn.
The holo communicator flares out, then a man in dark officer's suit appears on the screen.
"You are late, Duke Nightwing. Unlike the other sellswords, I thought you Britannian nobles prided yourselves in punctuality."
"It cannot be helped, Commodore Jameson. We have some difficulty finding some spare parts for our ships back in Fomalhault and then..."
"I am not interested in your fanciful excuses! By accepting the contract for the UGC, you are to follow your contract to the letter. Did I made myself clear?"
"But at least we didn't miss any of the actions."
"Can't you idiots at least have some sense in you? We are not dealing with some petty pirates or union busters this time. We are dealing with some aliens we have never seen before. When the missiles start flying, the last thing I want to see is some of you running around like headless ducks you are. I need all of you sellswords to be present during the tactical briefing. I trust those noble ears of yours hear that clearly enough."
"Yes, Commodore Jameson, very clear."
The communicator clears out. Everyone in the bridge seems a little riled up.
"They don't pay us enough to put up with that asshole."

Title: Re: Forum game: RP thread
Post by: Lorric on July 25, 2013, 06:53:39 pm

Report from Rear Admiral Lorric to Queen Amalia Victoria

We are all very honoured by this message of support, Your Majesty.

Two enemy fleets entered the system, one comparable to the size of our own fleets, the other 1.5X larger. We were the first into battle, and engaged the larger of the two fleets, conducting ourselves in the finest traditions of the CRF, buying time for our honoured comrades of the Sol Fleet to also be in position to defend Aldebaran. But a new threat has emerged heading for Tauri. Somehow, the enemy has the ability to bypass the starlance and Aldebaran completely. Our fleet took significant damage in the engagement with the much larger enemy fleet, and that combined with out location leads me to believe it will be prudent to relocate to Tauri, where we will regroup our forces and create a strong defence, as space in Aldebaran is freed up for our honourable brothers and sisters of Sol to deploy and display their martial prowess to the enemy.

Tauri is our richest system, and beyond Tauri is an open path to Sol itself. This threat must contained at once, and as a knight of the CRF, I will ride to defend the innocent from harm and co-ordinate a defence with support from the 4th SF, who are also rushing to assist. I have made my wishes known also to the 2nd UGC, who I hope will also assist in the creation of this second front. This is an absolutely vital point of engagement, and we must act now to secure it. There is no greater duty for a knight than protecting the innocent.

Rear Admiral Lorric of the Soaring Spirit and the 2nd CRF.

Title: Re: Forum game: RP thread
Post by: CommanderDJ on July 25, 2013, 06:54:07 pm

Rear Admiral Iera stood on the bridge of the Hand of Absolution, scrutinising the reports of the conflict going on in Aldebaran.
"Comms, inform the Swift and the Garuda that the 1st SF will be joining in the fight to assist them."
"Sir!" The comms officer immediately set to her work, and looked up from her terminal a few seconds later. "Message away, sir."
"Good. Now get me a fleet-wide channel."
"Done."

The Rear Admiral stood up a little straighter, hands clasped behind his back.
"To the valiant men and women serving on the ships of the 1st Sol Force Fleet: this is your admiral speaking. You all know the mission, and what is at stake. In a short time we will be joining our brothers and sisters in the fight in Aldebaran, and if the situation remains tenable, we will push through to Tauri to intercept an as yet unknown enemy."
Iera took a deep breath before continuing.
"You all know what you must do. You all know who and what you're fighting for, and I have faith in every single person on every ship in this fleet. We are the iron wall of humanity, and always have been. We will not fall. We will not break. If we are pushed back, we'll simply come back stronger. We shall send our enemies to the depths of hell, where they belong."
The channel closed, and the Rear Admiral wasted no time.
"Helm, coordinate with the fleet and set a course for Aldebaran. I want the Hand spearheading our fleet into combat. We're going in."

Title: Re: Forum game: RP thread
Post by: Torchwood on July 25, 2013, 07:55:56 pm

Day 1, Task Force 765
As Rear Admiral Harkness was studying the intial reports of engagements against the enemy, he heard the distinct sound of a subspace exit notifying him that his fleet has arrived in Ruba Pegasi.
The situation looks troublesome - from what has reached him enemy fleets are vast in numbers, and more and more of them keep pouring in. His gut feeling told him that is but the tip of the iceberg. To make matters worse, LSF reports indicate that one of the enemy fleets possessed a hitherto unknown FTL capability. "This will be an uphill battle both ways", he ponders in the solitude of his quarters. Harkness could not show his worries in public. As a leader, he had to appear confident at all times in front of his subordinates, lest troop morale suffers.

Ruba Pegasi is calm for now. Even though engagements are reported across multiple systems, the battle is nowhere to be seen. To those looking at the SitReps from afar, the alien threat seems so distant, almost unreal.
But very soon, this would change. In time, everyone would feel the war.

As Task Force 765 is making its way to Tamy, Harkness takes some time to address the fleet on the vidscreen. A speech is broadcasted across all ships in the Third Fleet.
(http://deepforest.qlookblog.net/d_uk-4.png)
John Harkness:
"Ladies and gentlemen of the Royal Navy, we are facing the greatest threat humanity has ever encountered."

"Crux and Kardoen have fallen under alien control. While the League Star Forces and Delest advance fleets have battled the savage Nordera in Draco and Hydra, our brave brothers and sisters in arms of the Second Royal fleet have joined forces with the First Sol Fleet in Aldebaran to fight the Cordi."

"The valiant fighter corps of our Second Fleet harassed targets of opportunity whenever they could while warships struck their carriers with heavy beam fire. Faced with a large number of enemies, they fought against the aggressors with valour and perserverance, inflicting considerable losses on them."

"These men and women are a prime example of Britannia's finest. Their courage and devotion is an inspiration to us all. Soon, our time will come to hold the line. We will face an enemy faring the stars in search of an easy conquest. They seek to plunder our star systems, and they shall find a wall of steel to greet them. It is our duty to keep the citizens of Britannia safe. We will bring honour to our Navy, our Queen and our Country!"

"Wherever the enemy may go, our fleet will meet them. Our cannon will answer those who threaten our home! No matter the price, we shall defend our homes. Through iron and steel, we will force the enemy to yield or die!"

"We are the Third Royal Fleet, and we will fight for Britannia! For Queen and Country!"

Cheers and applause resonate across the fleet. Shouts of "For Queen and Country!" are heard throughout the Senhime.
Rear Admiral Harkness flashes a warm smile, visibly pleased with the courage and devotion of the men and women under his command. No matter what happens, they will be ready.
While his XO urged him to rapidly move the fleet into Odin to reinforce the defenders in Hydra without delay, Harkness insisted that battle readiness. A weapon, he explained, is useless without an iron will behind it.

Title: Re: Forum game: RP thread
Post by: Lepanto on July 25, 2013, 08:44:42 pm

As the members of his brain trust could not be present together in the same place, thanks to their busy schedules, Santiago was forced to handle this impromptu staff meeting via holo-conferencing. He'd called up an emergency meeting to discuss the initial battle reports from the Northern and Southern Fronts, and see how the data from those reports could be used to improve the 4th's fighting chances for when they did enter battle. Admiral Harkness's 3CRF had already left the system and headed for Ruba Pegasi, ready for battle. The 4th, though, still had another frantic day of preparation to go before being battle-ready.

Lt. Commander Scott had been speaking from a hologram "sitting" at her usual place on the briefing table, exasperation leaking into her tone. "...blasted little bug ships! I've seen a 45% drop in our combined turret/fighter hit ratios when we ran the provisional Cordi simulator from HQ on our most recent drills. And, no sir, I don't think it's just the stress we've all been going through these past couple days." Santiago knew that the frantic schedules of drills and logistics he'd set had been driving his personnel to their limit; after getting complaints from five senior officers about unacceptable stresses on their men, he'd restored the usual R&R periods. "I've got Mackie from engineering re-calibrating our fighter primaries to better track Cordi fighter movements, but he's calculating that he'll only have provisional solutions by the time we reach the front."

Santiago nodded. "It's better than nothing. Do what you can, but remember the extra workload you're putting on our engineers." Scott was good at her job, but her territorial, melancholic nature meant she sometimes needed to be reminded that people outside her department existed.

"You can say that again," Beresford's hologram commented from across the table. "Her proposed re-calibrations will increase our flight crews' daily workloads by 19 percent."

Santiago moved to head off another clash between his most temperamental officers. "Making sure our pilots can actually hit Cordi fighters, if we end up engaging them, is a top priority. The re-calibrations are approved. Next order of business?"

Jellicoe had been listening in silence from his position on Santiago's left, but quickly spoke up. "Lorric."

Everyone knew which incident he was referring to. The fleet's rumor mill was already ablaze with the news that 2CRF's admiral had disregarded Queen Victoria's instruction to hold fast in Aldebaran. Controversy was fierce over whether Lorric had made the right decision.

At Santiago's reluctant nod, his raven-haired commodore continued. "With all respect to Her Majesty, from a military standpoint, he clearly made the right call. The 2nd was battle-damaged, and his decision to rotate out and resupply enabled the fresh 1st SF to be rotated into the Aldebaran engagement."

Scott chimed in. "You can say that again. Her Majesty would do us a favor if she stuck to giving speeches and left the strategy to the professionals. With all due respect, of course," she backpedaled after a few glares in her direction."

Santiago shook his head. "Aubrey, would it kill you to learn some basic tact?" To her credit, she looked mildly sheepish. "But never mind that right now." Taking a deep breath, he continued. "I'd be inclined to agree, but you're all aware how much damage this dustup is already causing to our morale. I don't want to release a fleet-wide public statement condemning Lorric for using his common sense, but I don't want to publicly insult Her Majesty, either. If no one has any pertinent objections, I'll make no statement and hope this whole dustup blows over somehow."

No one raised any objections. "Next item of business?" No one had anything to offer. "Then, meeting adjourned."

We did NOT need this.

Title: Re: Forum game: RP thread
Post by: Jellyfish on July 25, 2013, 09:11:18 pm

Initial reports of the battle didn't look good. The enemy was more numerous than expected, and Aldebaran, Algol, Draco and Hydra were contested.
Rear Admiral Windforce analyzed the forces stationed in Aldebaran. The 1st UGCR, 2nd CRF and 2nd SF: Rear Admirals Bradwater, Lorric and Fremont, respectively. Windforce knew they were peerless tacticians and leaders. "What kind of kind of enemy has them stalemated like this?"

The answer made itself known as more reports came in. They were engaged with a race christened the 'Cordi': insectlike beings that overwhelmed their opponents with immense numbers. They weren't alone, a second race, the 'Nordera', assaulted Draco and Hydra, engaging the 1st LSF, 2nd DD and 2nd LSF. 1st LSF reported heavy damages.
There were also reports of a third race in Algol.

And all Battlegroup 11 could do is roam around Librae like a caged lion.

"Are those damn intersystem drives charged yet?" Windforce demanded to know.
"No sir" replied an engineering officer, "it'll take three more days for us to be able to jump to Tauri"

The Rear Admiral considered moving to Algol and leave Aldebaran to the capable hands of the 1st UGCR, 2nd CRF and 2nd SF, but he was receiving requests from 2nd CRF to cover their retreat to Tauri and coordinate its defense against the third race, moving in directly from Kardoen. Those events forced a dramatic change of plans.

"Hold on, guys. Hold on just a few more days. We're coming"

Title: Re: Forum game: RP thread
Post by: CommanderDJ on July 26, 2013, 07:27:25 am

Rear Admiral Iera watched from the bridge as the 1st SF arrived in Aldebaran. All ships were accounted for and had their orders, and the fleet was at full readiness. However, it would still be some time before the fleet would make contact with the enemy. Iera turned to his XO, Arnaya Regulle, a pale, blonde-haired woman who looked like she was chiselled from ice instead of born.

"Captain, the Hand is yours. Be ready for anything. I am not to be disturbed unless it is urgent." She snapped off a crisp salute, which the admiral returned.

"Yes, sir."

Without another word, the admiral strode off the bridge, headed to his quarters for some sleep. He had a feeling he wouldn't be getting much in the next few days.

OOC: Thanks, Jellyfish.

Title: Re: Forum game: RP thread
Post by: Enioch on July 26, 2013, 08:44:52 am

[initiate wall of text]

---------------------------------------------------------------

The door to the briefing room opened with a soft hiss and a faint grinding of metal and two troopers bearing the insignia of an Admiral’s Guard took positions next to it, their expressions blank. A sergeant stepped into the low-lit room and saluted crisply.

“The system Governor has arrived, Sir!” he snapped.

Rear Admiral Kalazonitov tore his eyes away from the holographic displays he and his staff were poring over and returned the salute.

“Very well, Uryadnik. Lead him in, if you please. Ladies and Gentlemen, that’ll be all, for now. Tanya, Dmitri, please stay. Captain Urumov, I will see you on the bridge.”

As the staff officers saluted and shuffled out of the room, the admiral settled back into his chair with a faint sigh of relief, taking care not to snag his ceremonial blade in the armrests and laying his walking cane across his lap. He very pointedly did not reach for the half-full glass of vodka on the small table next to him, although, by the Empress, he needed the drink.

“Is everything ready?” he asked the slender woman who slid to parade rest next to his chair with the practiced ease and silence of a shadow, her hands clasped behind her back.

“We did cover every issue in the schedule, Admiral,” she replied “and everything seems to be working out as best as one could hope, under the circumstances”.

“And the circumstances being what they are, one should not hope for much,” Kalazonitov said crossly. “But what I meant was, is everything ready in regards to our guest?”

“Absolutely, Sir,” his aide said, producing a dataslate reader and a small container, filled with data storage crystals.

Kalazonitov nodded and turned to the other person still remaining in the room, a Fighter Command Captain standing at attention near the end of the long briefing table.

“Sit, Dmitri, please,” he said, gesturing toward a chair next to him and the FCC covered the distance in a few brisk steps and sat with the promptness of a well-trained dog. “I didn’t want to raise the issue during the briefing, so as not to further impact morale, but I assume there are no good news on your front?”

“No, Sir!” Dmitri Grishenko replied crisply, leaning forward in a way that radiated keenness and concern. “Not really. I am afraid the absence of any 3rd-generation fighters in the system supply stations has been confirmed. We have had the opportunity to top off our logistic vessels on 2nd-generation spare parts, thankfully, but we will be flying rust-buckets, sure enough.”

“And any 3rd-generation fighters will have to be transported to the front lines from the Core worlds, after lots of bureaucratic nonsense and delays, while the 1st and 2nd Fleets are getting torn apart,” Kalazonitov mused darkly. “Oh well, the Tenants do say we must do with what we have.” He shrugged and smiled bitterly. “But that doesn’t mean one must not strive to acquire more,” he concluded. “As I will now demonstrate. Tanya, make sure the discussion is recorded.”

The door opened again and the two troopers escorted a man into the room. The newcomer was dressed in civilian attire, perfectly tailored to hide the beginnings of a paunch and decorated with the crimson sash of a high-ranking government official. He oozed confidence from every pore, and gave Tanya an appreciative one-over as he entered, not bothering to hide his grin.

“Ah, Governor!” Kalazonitov said, his tone jovial. “Welcome! Please excuse me for not standing to meet you, but … old wounds you see.”

The Admiral knocked on his left knee and a hollow metal sound rang out. “Lost it three years ago in a shuttle accident. Please let me introduce myself. Rear Admiral Ivan Kalazonitov, at your service. This is my aide, Lieutenant Commander Tanya Skivlana and my Flight Commander, Dmitri Grishenko.”

“A pleasure, Admiral,” the Governor replied, with a slight bow. “May I ask how I can be of assistance?”

“Ah, yes.” Kalazonitov gestured towards the chair opposite to his and Governor Di Xin settled into it like a fish slipping into a pond. “Please excuse my summons, but I am afraid there are some issues which have to be addressed before my fleet leaves orbit for Silva.”

“This should be interesting,” the Governor said, leaning back and radiating concern. “I wonder what issues those are, that must be discussed with me and not with my subordinates.”

Kalazonitov also leaned back, and Skivlana placed the dataslate reader into his outstretched hand. “First of all, Governor, I would like to thank you in person for the swift assistance and the quality supplies you provided my fleet when we arrived in-system.”

“No thanks are required,” Di Xin said with a magnanimous wave of his hand. “I did only my duty and, after all, I am just a co-ordinator.”

“If you say so,” Kalazonitov nodded. “Nevertheless, I feel I had to thank you. No doubt, the delivery of faulty spare parts as part of the supplies was a regrettable mistake.”

The Governor’s expression froze.

“And the plasma conduits with expired cooling gel packs for the energy batteries of my Grashdanin cruisers must have been mistakenly redirected by some careless official,” Kalazonitov continued, in a pleasant tone, glancing towards the dataslate. “My technicians inform me that they were long past their expiry date and in the brink of catastrophic failure. Even disposal in a proper facility would be hazardous.”

The Governor sat bolt upright. “I…”

“I am absolutely convinced that those incidents that might very well have been considered criminal negligence or even wartime sabotage by other commanders were not due to any lack of attention on your part.” Kalazonitov concluded with a smile that very obviously did not reach his sunken eyes.

“I … assure you, Admiral, that those responsible will be identified and properly chastised for their negligence,” Di Xin said, his voice steady, but his complexion slightly pale.

“Very good!” Kalazonitov exclaimed. “I can ask for nothing more. That said, and with the pleasantries out of the way, I must tell you that there are things that concern me. For instance, are you aware that your supply depots are sorely lacking in supplies?”

“What?” The Governor seemed genuinely taken aback. “I assure you that they operate well within official parameters.”

“Not so,” the Admiral stated, slotting a new data crystal into the reader. The screen flashed an alarming shade of red. “You see, despite satisfying amounts of 2nd generation fighter spare parts and capital ship ordnance being available, you are unable to supply my fleet with any 3rd generation units.”

“That is hardly the fault of my supply officers!” the Governor protested. “No such units were delivered!”

“Quite so,” the Admiral agreed. “However, it is the circumstances under which no such units were delivered that concern me. You see, it appears that, while the fighters scheduled to arrive here were diverted to the 5th Core Fleet, your supply officers did, somehow, acknowledge receipt of them and have continued to draw amounts from BuFunds for those vessels’ maintenance. Essentially, the Dynasty fleet is somehow maintaining those fighters both in the Core Worlds and here.”

Kalazonitov lowered the dataslate and stared at Di Xin like a cat looks at a broken-winged bird. “Tell me, Governor, do your men travel through six starlances and back, once per month to check on those fighters? I thought not.”

The Admiral leaned forward. “But I would be willing to overlook this, if your people’s meddling with the official records had not resulted in them clearly stating that a fleet’s worth of Spirt-Voz and Ray platforms were available here and if I, therefore, hadn’t counted on them being available. Imagine my surprise when it turned out they weren’t.”

“I will not stand here and be insulted because some lowly officials decided to embezzle funds of the military!” the Governor protested. “I can hardly be expected to be aware of every small-time crook’s efforts. My responsibility reached as far as approving the diversion of the fighters to 5th Fleet and this I did precisely according to regulations. This is clearly the fault of the bureaucrats at your funding department, who failed to notice the embezzlement earlier!”

“And trust me, they are currently under investigation,” the Admiral stated coldly. “My people did some investigating themselves, however. It seems that your people's money laundering pipeline was not as secure as they thought.” Kalazonitov slid the dataslate on the table, toward the Governor. “Can you explain how almost sixty percent of the embezzled funds ended up in bank accounts owned by you or members of your family, Governor?”

There was silence for a few seconds, which seemed like ages. Then Di Xin opened his mouth to say…something, but the Admiral cut him off with a sharp gesture.

“You have lined your pockets with stolen silver, Di Xin,” Kalazonitov growled, leaning back into the shadow of his chair, his gangly limbs remindful of those of a spider sitting in its web and feeling an interesting set of vibrations. “And not only this once. You have squeezed your system dry, always taking care not to leave any trace. And you would have succeeded in getting away with it if not for this war. You see, there is military law now. And as senior military leader in this system, I could – and did, order investigations using more thorough means than those available during peacetime, especially if I suspect sabotage or treason.”

The Admiral’ s hand reached for the glass of vodka next to him almost by itself, but Kalazonitov jerked it back with a tic-like gesture.

“Again, I might have overlooked it,” he sighed. “But thanks to your efforts of the last five years, I have to go to battle with a fleet that is barely combat-worthy, especially compared to its potential on paper. The conscripts, enlisted men and officers you have provided me are frankly, useless. While they were civilians you bled them dry and now their morale is abysmal, as they think they will have to risk their lives for the sake of your wallet’s safety and not the Empress or the Motherland. I’ll have to drill them hard while advancing, I’ll have to somehow lift up their spirits and I’ll still have serious doubts that they will not prove unworthy of their uniforms. All in all, Governor, you have made my life very difficult indeed and I am not pleased at all.”

Di Xin’s eyes darted around the room, but the stone-cold expression of Lieutenant Commander Skivlana and Captain Grishenko’s murderous glare offered him scarce comfort.

“What you are probably thinking, right now, is ‘why am I not mining crystals yet?’” Kalazonitov continued mercilessly. “That is mainly because I can still use you. You have contacts, you have your slimy tentacles spread throughout the system and change of authority at this point would only cause further delays. However, do not misunderstand me.” Once more he leaned forward and his eyes were as cold as the tundra of Siberia IV. “You are, by any definition of the words, a criminal, a traitor and an all-in-all waste of oxygen and if I ever hear a peep of complaint out of you or because of you, I will have you in front of a military court in a heartbeat.

“You will become the most ardent of supporters of the military. You will spend a gracious amount of your own wealth to keep my men and women flying and fighting and you will use your considerable political clout to divert as many assets to the frontlines as possible. I want you to work miracles, Governor, because, frankly, it is a miracle you retained your position.

“And do not waste any breath praying for my death on the field. I have taken measures to keep you on a short leash even if the war claims me.”

The Admiral leaned back and drank his vodka with a swift flick of his wrist. Then he pressed the intercom button on his chair

“Send in Boris.”

The door opened and a giant in a Chief Petty Officer uniform entered the room, snapping to attention with a thud that shook the floor. His face was scarred with burn marks, common to foundry workers and he saluted the Admiral with pride almost resembling hero worship.

“Governor, meet CPO Boris Karcharoff,” the Admiral snapped. “He will be your liaison and bodyguard from now on. We cannot have anything bad happening to you, can we?”

The giant smiled and the Governor had a brief mental image of a bear baring its fangs.

“I must warn you,” the Admiral said with a wintry smile “that he will be reporting your every move to me and that it is his reports that will determine whether I will continue to prop up your little house of cards. Rest assured that he will be accurate and impartial. The fact that he was unjustly re-assigned to a position of lower responsibility by one of your corrupt employees who wanted a scapegoat before he joined the Fleet and I discovered his many talents should not affect his judgment too much.”

“Now get out Governor. I have a Fleet to run.”

Not long after the door had closed after the hastily retreating Di Xin and the satisfied Captain Grishenko, Kalazonitov sighed and thumbed on the holomaps of the briefing table.

“We can probably hold them, Tanya,” he said softly. “But I do not think any of us will see the end of this war. Those early months will be brutal and we are going in under-prepared and unsupported. Look at those early reports! Our allies are getting pounded. The LSF 1st Fleet is almost half gone, and they are still far from safe. And now it’s Georgiy’s turn and I am still here, my fleet as lame as myself!”

His voice had gradually risen to a growl and he pulled himself together with difficulty.

“You never heard me say that, Lieutenant Commander,” he sighed. “Empress help me, but I need to get a grip. If I am not self assured, how can I expect to lead my sailors?”

His aide did not reply, but her presence next to him was reassuring as Kalazonitov turned his eyes toward the starmap glowing in green, yellow and ominous red and wished that he could will his fleet to the aid of his friend.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

OOC: Well, that took a bit longer than I thought. I'll probably keep those shorter from now on

Lorric, you made me laugh. Shame on you. :P

Title: Re: Forum game: RP thread
Post by: Flak on July 26, 2013, 10:30:25 am

Baron Markus stares into the sky from the bridge window of the Silver Falcon. He hardly blink as the skies of Aldebaran flashes and flickers in the distance, lighting up the bridge and the windowed interior of the ship. They can barely see the actions of the 2nd CRF dishing it out against the unknown invaders. Everyone else seemed to fall silent.

"The battle reports are coming through. Looks like we got some data about the enemy." Captain Magnus Anders suddenly flares up from across the bridge. "Looks like some kind of bug monsters, not powerful but they are highly manueverable, and there are always bound to be a crapload of them at any one time. Shall we run some kind of simulation just to test our combat readiness against this new invaders?"
Baron Markus turns around, seemingly waking up from his trance. "Great, Angelo, can you make up something out of this data? Perhaps there are some use in Jerry's favourite game afterall."

"That should be easy, boss." Lieutenant Angelo answered casually. "Jerry actually did us a service by installing his Firespace 4 game to almost every computers in the ship, so it should be installed here. Good thing he also has also installed this Winds of Dusk mod, it does nicely because it has fairly accurate data of every known Terran and Cyrvan ships. This open source design should make it easy to just inject this flight data into... there it goes, nice and easy. Now all that is left is just upload it into the central server, and the simulators can just download it for there."

"Good!" Baron Markus smiled. "Now I want to give this a try, I wonder why Jerry and that new guy Sanjay, can spend hours in this thing, the control appears to be similar to our fighters anyway."

"I guess I'll try to" Angelo smiles as he turns to the nearest computer.

The new flight data however, appeared to have turned the game inside out, and filling it with loads of 'Goddamned Bats'.

"Man, what are these things. They don't hurt much for sure but they are dang too many of them, and they can just 'pew pew' you as they slide sideways. Hopefully our pilots can get used to fighting these."

Suddenly, the relative silence was broken. The alarm roars which made almost everyone jumped from their seats.

"We got hostiles incoming!" shouts Anders. "Two capital ships on our starboard flank. Two more in a distance straight ahead! They are launching strike crafts, or was it bugs? I don't know."
"Everyone to your stations!"

The decks rumbles as everyone rushes to their positions. Baron Markus tries his best to keep everything under control. "Helm, get us into position! Activate point defenses! Prepare to engage with our broadside! Alpha and Charlie wings, stay close to the Silver Falcon, don't get pulled too far!"

A short distance away, can be clearly seen from the bridge of the Silver Falcon is an ominous lilac glow appearing by the sides of the Golden Dawn, before igniting into a blinding light that sears the skies. The bright violet beams tears into one of the so called Motherships directly in front of the Silver Falcon, skewering it as it erupts into a fireball.

"That's one hell of a weapon." Baron Markus said as he stares in amazement. "That's Duke Nightwing for you, he didn't lie about his toys after all. "

Nearby, the Thunderhawk already begun pummelling one of the Motherships with torpedoes, and as it gets in range of the main weapons, the broadside beams and railguns impales the ship, turning it into space dusts. Meanwhile, the Golden Dawn is charging the large beam weapons again, and took out the next mothership. The holocommunicator suddenly opens up, and there appears a tall brown haired man with toothbrush moustache in a white suit. The man smiles just as Baron Markus is looking up into the communicator, and he raises a glass of red wine in his right hand. "I'll leave the last one for you, Markus." The communicator disconnects before he could say anything in return.

"Allright, you hear it, let's make sure we score the kill on the last one."

As the last mothership is getting in range, the Silver Falcon fires with all her broadside weapons and guts the mothership inside out.

"Fighters, head out, finish off the remaining strike crafts but ignore the retreating ones."

"That was quite a bit of surprise wasn't it, but they stood no chance."

"Gavriil, Marvin, how are you guys holding up out there?"

"We are not used to these kind of enemies, but we held up fine, I got ten of them it seems. I think Junichi got sixteen." Gavriil's voice is heard from the radio, his heavy breath can be felt in between his words.

Anders took a deep breath, then he looked at everyone in the bridge "That appeared to be a scouting party wasn't it.".

Baron Markus turns around from the front of the bridge, and answered "More than likely, considering the other fleets are already engaged."

Anders then looks at the fresh fleet messages in one of the bridge computers. "We've just got some reports, from the UGCR scouts. Looks like another fleet just arrived in Aldebaran, and it looks like they are heading this way."

"Are we going to meet them head on?"

"I don't know, they didn't mention anything else. Unless they decide to reinforce their fleets already engaged with the 2nd SF, and 2nd CRF, this is the only flank left open for them."

Baron Markus looks into the distance again, and muttered "Then we better prepare, have some rest if you are not on duty, you are going to need it. And let's pray Duke Nightwing's fancy guns don't let us down at the time we need them most, I don't know how reliable those experimental weapons are."

Title: Re: Forum game: RP thread
Post by: mobcdmoc3 on July 26, 2013, 02:28:23 pm

Flagship Sovereign
3rd Sol Fleet
Virgo System
Day 1

Admiral Soryu stared hard at the holographic nodemap projection. Friendlies in Aldebaran were already taking a beating from the bugs, and rumor was that one of them was already wanting to back out to resupply. Meanwhile in Draco, the 1st LSF fleet was pitted against two fleets in Draco, and also taking a beating. The 1st CRF and the 1st DD were moving in to Vega, and the 1st LSF was pulling out.

The 1st LSF are goners if we don't get in there. Looks like the 1st SF can cover whoever needs help in Aldebaran. I never liked dealing with bugs anyways.

"Helm, set course for Vega. No time to delay."

"Yes sir!"

"Gunnery control, load plasma cores and missile batteries. Start finding weakpoints on the enemy ships from what data we have, and calibrate the targeting computers to account for them."

"On it!"

"Comms, I need the following message relayed to the admiral of the Silver Arrow, 1st CRF fleet, and the admiral of the Aurora, 1st DD fleet:

There's no doubt they're going to bring in reinforcements on our front - In that event, I'll be more than happy to blitz them at their rally point and keep them busy. It might be a bit early to be planning this, but I'd rather say this now than later. Otherwise, we can just buy the 1st LSF the time they need to get back in the action.

Thoughts?"

"Recorded, encrypted, and sent, admiral."

He looked back at the nodemap - There was... something out there jumping into Tauri. There was also another unidentified fleet in Algol, no doubt ravaging the poor souls there.

"Sir...?" spoke XO Lynne Naya.

"What is it?"

"The Reyuu reported some problems with their fighters. We're fighting with outdated equipment - It might be a better idea for us to serve as rear support for the 1st LSF and set up a defensive position Aquarius. We have no idea what else could show up."

"Hmm... I see. Staying in Aquarius would also give us an angle on Virgo, just in case the other front starts taking losses. Not a bad idea, but that's a bit too conservative for this stage in the war. If we lose ground now, we may not be able to recover it."

"Understood. It was merely a suggestion."

"Naya, the ship is yours for now. I'm going to run inspection of the ship and talk to the crew."

"In person, sir?"

"It'll be good for morale. Besides, my ship isn't going to be all nice and clean after we get in the fray. Better enjoy it while I can."

"As you wish."

"Naya?"

"Yes?"

"You've never been in a full-scale war before, have you?"

"I don't imagine dealing with pirates counts, does it?"

"Heh, 'course not. This'll be good for you. Working with inadequate resources against a superior enemy is as challenging as it is impressive if you manage to pull it off. Don't worry about our equipment - Worry about the strategy."

Admiral Soryu turned his back on the nodemap, and stepped into the elevator while it still worked. Naya threw him a salute, and he returned the gesture. The elevator doors slid shut, and he began his descent into the body of his ship.

She's right though. I'd definitely feel a lot better with 4th Gen fighters at our disposal. Wonder if we'll ever get any. Hope we're not overextending by meeting the enemy head-on.

No matter. Nobody ever fought a war without taking losses.

EDIT: Fixed terribad misidentification

Title: Re: Forum game: RP thread
Post by: X3N0-Life-Form on July 27, 2013, 12:27:06 pm

Day 1, Champion-class carrier Swift, Sol Force 2nd Fleet, Aldebaran system
Briefing room #1

"... as well as the Peace Lily are in need of repairs. The Raptor was lost to concentrated gunship fire, but S&R was able to recover two third of the crew. The Red Lobster and Blue Sky report damage both sustained damage to their power plant to concentrated EM bombardment from Cordi Warriors, and can't operate their beam weapons at the moment.
- Thank you Lieutenant, that will be all for now", said the Rear Admiral. "CAG, what's your take on this engagement?
- The initial assesment of the enemy's fightercraft maneuverability was severely underestimated, caughting our Caliburn pilots off guard. The Ray III proved somewhat more successful at engaging enemy fighters. Still, I would not recommend engaging large Soldier or Warrior swarms in the open.
- Agreed", said the captain of the Legend over the vid-com. "Having our fighter escort closer would also diminish the threat of close-range gunship jumps."
The admiral glanced again at the tactical map for another 30 seconds before speaking.
- "Lieutenant, bring us the strategic situation and fleet movements."
- "The 1st and 2nd Nordera fleets moved into the Draco system and engaged the 1st LSF fleet with overwhelming alpha strikes. Rear Admiral SpardaSon was able to repel their initial attacks, but lost a significant number of ships in the process. Meanwhile, a 3rd Nordera fleet moved into the Hydra system while a 4th Cordi fleet entered Kardoen. Garrison units in Algo have reported the presence of unknown alien vessels in the system. LSF listening posts have also detected ... something moving faster than light towards Tauri, bypassing the Starlance network entirely. Rear Admiral Lorric of the 2nd CRF has already made preparation to rotate his fleet into Tauri to resupply and take defensive positions.
- CIC to admiral. Message from the Hand of Absolution. Admiral Iera is preparing to move into the system and engage the Cordi's 2nd fleet.
- Copy that. Tell the fleet to prepare for defensive action." The admiral got up from his chair, then highlited civilian installations on the tactical map. "Alright, we are going to take position around the logistical lanes, draw their fire, then try to take a shot at their motherships. 1st fleet will then come in and hopefully finish the job. If the enemy decides to launch a counter-attack, we'll rotate out of the system to resupply after fending off their attacks. If they decide to take the fight to our buddies, we'll push the fight to them. I also want strike teams ready to jump to the Aglol entry point, in case our unknown guests decide to pay us a visit. Gentlement, you have your orders. Be ready to give them hell, and good luck. Dismissed."

EDIT - to match the actual actions being taken

Title: Re: Forum game: RP thread
Post by: Lorric on July 27, 2013, 05:55:02 pm

After Action Report by Rear Admiral Lorric of the Soaring Spirit and the 2nd CRF to all Terran Fleets and Systems

Our fleet was the first into battle in Alderbaran. The first Cordi fleet, significantly larger than ours, entered the system first, followed by two more fleets of comparable size to ours. We engaged the larger fleet, while the second fleet manoeuvred into position to engage the 2nd SF. The third Cordi Fleet and the 1st UGC have not yet entered battle. The speed of the Cordi vessels is impressive. Their fighters are a match for our own. What they lack in durability and firepower compared to our own ships, they make up for with a truly impressive speed and agility that we cannot match, and a proficiency in swarming tactics. We were taken by surprise by the speed of the huge swarm of these fighters, and the fact that they left the protection of their fleet and engaged us, confounding our gunners and fighter pilots and breaking up the cohesion of our formation to allow the enemy fleet vessels to close in and engage us. On the enemy capital ships, the main mothership vessels, while of surprising durability, lack the firepower to stand before our own vessels. However, we encountered trouble from a smaller gunship-type vessel that also was with the enemy fleet. These shadowed the mothership vessels, then moved in close, settling into blindspots of our capital ships and firing away with an I have to say impressive volume of turrets. The vessel however is fragile, and will succumb to a missile swarm from a single wing of fighters. While our capital ships were able to handle the mothership vessels ship to ship, the gunship vessels caused us much grief. And the swarms of Cordi fighter vessels made it very difficult to free up fighters to strike them. These gunship vessels are not to be underestimated, their manoeuvrability at close range allows them to circle our vessels faster than they can turn, strafing away safe from our powerful frontal weaponry.

Recommendations:

We made the mistake of treating the Cordi Mothership vessels as the greater threat. This is not the case. Unless they still contain fighters, I would suggest prioritising the destruction of the gunship vessels if possible before they get close where they can do their damage. I imagine our frontal weaponry will shred their thin skins like tinfoil. The computers have been working on formation tactics for individual capital ships to cover each other against these gunships.

On the fighters, training is needed on small, fast targets for both our fighter crews and pilots to hone their reflexes. A small, fast, agile training drone with an advanced AI would be a good start for a training tool. It is unfortunate the Cyrvans are not here. Their razor-sharp reflexes and agile ships would be ideal for dealing with the Cordi fighters. Fighter pilots are recommended to watch each other’s backs to protect against and break up the Cordi swarming tactics. The Cordi weapons are weak, and if the fighters can be split up they find it hard to deliver significant damage to our fighters singularly.

Overall early analysis indicates that we are technologically superior to this race, but not by a great deal. All their ships are a threat to ours, and should be taken very seriously. It has always been no secret that our forces do not perform well against a mobile enemy, the war against the Cyrvans taught us that. The mobility of a Cordi fleet affords them a tactical advantage. Taking a formation that allows maximum firepower to be brought to bear on a Cordi fleet before it can close is advised.

We have taken significant damage and are now pulling back to Tauri to regroup and prepare to meet the new enemy approaching the system. It is my hope that this information will serve us all, in particular those who will be taking our place on the front lines in Aldebaran against the Cordi. Good luck out there.

Rear Admiral Lorric

Title: Re: Forum game: RP thread
Post by: CommanderDJ on July 28, 2013, 10:55:06 pm

"They're pulling back! They're retreating!"

The shout rang out across the bridge of the Hand of Absolution, and was met with cheers.

"Discipline, people! Discipline!" yelled Captain Regulle, then turned as she heard the rear admiral's voice behind her.

"Sitrep, Captain."

"Our combined attack with 2nd Fleet has driven many of them out of the system. They've retreated back to Crux."

The admiral gave a nod. "What's our status?"

"Relatively minor damage, sir. However, 2nd Fleet took the brunt of their counter-attack, and have taken major losses."

"On screen, please."

Iera steepled his fingers as he surveyed the details.

"Comms, get me a channel to the Swift."

"Open, sir."

The Rear Admiral stood a little taller and took a breath before beginning to speak.

"Rear Admiral Fremont, this is Rear Admiral Iera, 1st Fleet. I wish to thank you for the large part you played in today's victory. I and all aboard my ships are in your debt, and we will remember the sacrifices your people made today. If you should wish to retreat and resupply your forces, let us know and we'll cover you."

"Message away, sir."

"Good. Alright, people, enjoy your victory today. I'm certain there's a lot more to do. Two enemy fleets still remain in the system. Whilst the 2nd SF will likely need to retreat and resupply, between us and the 1st UGCR, we have more than enough firepower to not just route, but destroy a Cordi fleet." The admiral clenched a fist as he emphasized the word. He turned to Captain Regulle.

"Push the attack, Captain. Target their 1st Fleet. Coordinate with the 1st UGCR if they're willing to work with us, and send my compliments to Rear Admiral Bradwater. Let's drive these aliens right back into their holes."

The Captain stood taller, emboldened. "Yes, sir!"

A salute was exchanged, and everyone aboard the Hand of Absolution set right back to work.

Title: Re: Forum game: RP thread
Post by: Lepanto on July 28, 2013, 11:57:13 pm

"Helm, you are clear to exit the Starlance."

"Roger, sir." The St. Louis's helmswoman complied, and the familiar blue vortex of the Starlance corridor was replaced first by a white flash, and then by Ruba Pegasi's starfield. Santiago thought he detected a palpable air of relief as the massive carrier dropped back into realspace. Starlance travel had long been a safe mode of transport, but men and women had never quite lost their fear of the etheric realm. Santiago repressed a shudder as he remembered the documentary on the loss of the Horizon from Dr. Townsend's Subspace Physics class.

The fleet's leading elements had already arrived ahead of the flagship, and more CRF vessels streamed into the system as the carriers deployed their Combat Aerospace Patrol wings. The 4th was still well within League territory, but Santiago was taking no chances. If an enemy fleet had slipped behind Allied lines, a sneak attack on an unprepared reinforcement fleet would have been disastrous. Also, it kept the pilots sharp for when the 4th would have to jump into a contested system.

Leaving the bridge to Captain Kerr, Santiago began his trek to the briefing room. He'd judged that now, approximately two days before battle, was the best time to bolster his crew's morale with a "Zeal Speech." The Rear Admiral knew that most foreigners stereotyped Britannia as a nation of backward romanticists playing knight in shining armor. In fact, Santiago knew that just as the CRF's anachronistic-looking plate armor was actually a vacuum- and puncture-resistant polymer-alloy combat uniform, a keen understanding of military psychology informed the CRF's glittering ceremonies and talk of knightly valor. FireSpace: Green Planet (it was a deep and informative study of subspace war and military psychology, so playing it was an intellectually justified use of the Rear Admiral's time. No, seriously.) had realistically described soldiers' psychological stress and its consequences in a prolonged war. As long as men and women still manned humanity's warships, mental health would be a key component of any front-line fighting force. Britannia's cultural focus on martial heroism, with all its pageantry and knightly imagery, imbued its citizens with an honest psychological stability which Santiago thought other nations lacked. Hence, the CRF could rely on enthusiastic and courageous recruits, who would be further refined by the crucibles of military training and service into soldiers whom commanders could rely upon to risk death, follow orders, and remain on the front line without cracking under pressure. The War College had taught Britannian commanders to reinforce and efficiently use their subordinates' loyalty, using the most effective techniques and theories which modern psychology could provide. Of course, no system could operate flawlessly under the strain of human error; the dissension in 2CRF following Lorric's retreat against Her Majesty's wishes was proof that even Britannia's morale could be strained by scandal. The CRF was, nevertheless, a model of carefully-promoted martial valor with no equal in Terran space.

One classic CRF morale-raising technique, in use since the dawn of history, was the dramatic rallying speech. CRF admirals, to no one's surprise, could deliver excellent ones. Santiago's study of Spohn's Rules of Warfare had taught him that such speeches, even to a CRF crew, could only be used effectively about once every three days, or else their effect would be cheapened. The Rear Admiral mounted the podium in the main briefing room, glancing over the assembled crowd of officers. He knew his speech was also being simulcast fleet-wide, and whether or not he wanted it, someone would be putting it up on GalVideo for all Terran space to see. The three members of his brain trust and a few aides sat behind him, and above them was a massive holo-projection, presently showing the CRF insignia. Santiago had always lacked Lorric's sheer charisma in delivering speeches, but knew how to tug his men's heartstrings with carefully-chosen words. He cleared his throat, checked the mic (counting his blessings that one piece of equipment in this fleet worked right) and launched into his speech.

"Men and women of 4th Fleet, this is your Admiral speaking. We will be entering battle in approximately two days. Sadly, our enemies will not accept any peace besides submission to their cruel empire, which is no option at all. To flee, or even to flinch, is to leave your Queen, your country, your loved ones to the mercies of a merciless foe, and to die bereft of your honor. Hence, we will fight. You will be called to meet and perhaps exceed our military's exalted standards, and you will do so, because true zeal burns in your hearts, and because all of you simply have no other choice. If you are confident in our victory, that confidence will reinforce and justify itself with victory; if you despair to face our alien aggressors, your despair and cowardice will become a self-fulfilling prophecy. If all officers and men of 4th Fleet do their duty without flinching, Britannia will see tomorrow, even if many of us will not. This will be our Tours, our Lepanto, our Vienna. The survival of our civilization will hinge on our performance in the field, and upon the will of Almighty God. Britannia expects that every man and woman will do their duty. Dismissed."

The crowd erupted in a standing ovation as Santiago left the room. One Zeal Speech down. Let's hope it sticks.

============================

A few hours later, Santiago was alone in his quarters, dictating a message to his friend and fellow admiral.

"Lorric, I'm sorry for the losses which 2CRF suffered in the First Battle of Aldebaran." No doubt, it would not be the last. "I still remember having tea with Captain Kewell of the Glasgow. At least he and his ship died covering the Soaring Spirit, with the dignity befitting CRF officers." I only hope they went to a better place.

"Also, be aware that I personally support your decision to withdraw from Aldebaran, even against Her Majesty's wishes. The lives of your crew and the strength of your fleet were more important."

"On a more cheery note," Santiago gave a wry smile, "check GalVideo for my Zeal Speech. You know I've always gone for short and sweet. Let's see whose can get more views."

Slipping back into his serious tone, he finished succinctly. "Lorric, if you need me, I'm coming. Computer, end message and send."

Title: Re: Forum game: RP thread
Post by: Lorric on July 29, 2013, 01:27:19 am

To Rear Admiral Santiago

My dear friend.

I must apologise for not being able to speak to you sooner, but the situation has simply not allowed it up to this point. Now, finally, I have a quiet moment to take for some reflection and to reply to your kind words.

Yes, Captain Kewell. He was covering the left flank, which took particularly heavy damage from the gunship vessels which as you know we sadly did not realise the threat they posed and those on the left flank were the first to learn that. If it wasn’t for his iron will holding it together, the left would have collapsed completely. He was a true hero and a good friend, as were every man and woman on his ship, he saved so many. I will miss him. It makes me value our friendship even more now that he is gone.

I was doing some thinking. At first I was thinking that I wish you were here with me. You know how well we work together, how our different styles mesh together. But then I got to thinking that if one of us had to be right on the front, and one of us had to be right at the back, I’m glad that it was this way. You know me, a CRF Admiral in the old style, inspire the men and lead them into battle. And that’s what was called for here, that’s what plays to my strengths, and that’s what I did. I had hoped to perhaps break right through their formation, but their numbers were simply too thick. But we did stop the enemy’s surge and hold them, bought enough time for the reinforcements to arrive. But I know you’d have been out of your element in such a situation with no information to use, you need information and time to reflect and plan. And you’ll have it in abundance by the time you get to the front, and then you’ll be able to work that magic that only you can, and after what happened to Kewell I can’t wait to see it. I know if it was me in your shoes, while I’d certainly do better with the information than without it, like stopping what happened with the gunships, I’m not the calm planman you are. It would frustrate me so much watching people die while I was stuck out of the fighting. I wouldn’t be able to reflect on and use the information as well as you. Small mercies, eh? I do hope we can eventually join together again. With me leading our attack and you co-ordinating it, nothing will be able to stand before us. The sword and the shield.

Your support means a lot to me. It seems her majesty has consented to the decision, but unfortunately it still deflated the crew’s morale around here. She meant well, we all know that, she was trying to inspire us, nobody could have predicted what is about to come in Tauri. I would liken it to pumping air into a balloon only to end up letting it out again. You can physically see the deflation. I pumped up the crew, then her majesty pumped up the crew, we were all ready to stand and fight, and then we’re retreating. It just cut off all the momentum we had gained. Oh, the crew is still in good spirits, don’t get me wrong, but I would say it’s akin to the level of when this whole thing started. I hope I can get them pumped up for the next battle. The enemy will be upon us soon. An enemy that can bypass Starlances. I have to say, that makes me nervous. I need to keep the men busy. It’s not something that it does any good to dwell on. Even the Cyrvans can’t do that, or they’d have bypassed our jump blockades during the war. But with a strong defence, and the support of the 4th Sol, we will prevail. We have to. It’s still only one enemy fleet coming into a fortified system. If we can’t win such a battle, then what hope would there be for any of us?

I have good news too. I must say, it does my heart good to see all the rich resources of these systems being co-ordinated to bring our fleet back up to full strength before the enemy arrive. And it’s gone very, very smoothly, there’s a reason these systems are so rich, you should see the work ethic in these people, unbelievable. I reckon there’s a thing or two we could learn about running a tight ship here. We’re almost at full strength already. Just a little more then we’ll be at full strength, and then we’ll be able to turn our attention to tightening our defences.

I saw your speech. I found it inspiring, different style of course, but inspiring all the same. The ovation was thunderous, just about brought a tear to my eye, that’s got to be some of your best work, if not the best outright. It was the sheer conviction in your voice rather than the words you chose. You make me proud to have you as a friend. Unfortunately, the friendly contest you have in mind won’t be possible. This scandal has introduced the name of Rear Admiral Lorric to a galaxy-wide audience. And everyone wants to get a look at the man who disobeyed a Queen. The hits on that thing shot through the roof. Hey though, at least it’s something nice for them to be watching. Better than those news reports, have you seen some of that horse****? Sensationalist bull**** in the middle of an alien invasion for crying out loud, it makes me sick to my stomach…

Anyway, I don’t want to get talking about those parasites, you know how I feel about them. I am concerned about the disposition of our forces, that the North is short on ships. If my request to be reinforced goes unanswered, then I will gladly accept your offer. But don’t let your personal feelings or anything else get in the way of your judgement, that is your greatest strength, and I want you to use it to decide where you are most needed. And if it isn’t by my side, then you must do the right thing, as much as I’d love to fight alongside you once again.

Good luck, my friend. Good luck to us all.

Lorric

-

OOC: I enjoyed the rest of your post as well. I really liked the play on words with “Spohn‘s Rules of Warfare”, that was a great touch, that got a smile out of me. Poking the fourth wall. I really like the way you fleshed out and legitimised the practices of the CRF, really good stuff. It’s already making me feel loyal to the faction I chose! :)

Title: Re: Forum game: RP thread
Post by: Flak on July 29, 2013, 04:58:19 am

"Get over here Markus, I need your two large ships to cover my flanks!" the man in the communicator shouted. "I had to remove some of my point defenses to make room for the experimental beams and my escort cruisers can only do so much. Together we will destroy more of them that way. Still, it is glorious isn't it, Markus."

"We'll see to that. Just like old times they said." Baron Markus replied, in a sarcastic tone. "Jaxon, we are forming up on the Golden Dawn, get the Thunderhawk to to cover the left flank, we'll cover the right. Gunnery control remember, Gunships first, full Motherships second, empty Motherships last."

"But boss, how do we differentiate between the full and the empty motherships?" one of the bridge officers ask.

"If it's been out for over 15 minutes, then you know it is less loaded than one that just appeared 1 minute ago. Still, don't worry too much about that, the Gunships are of the highest priority. That is what Admiral Lorric's reports said anyway."

"All of the fighters have been launched, Captain."

Outside, the battle rages as a Cordi fleet meets the 1st UGCR head on. The pilots, UGC regulars and mercenaries alike, struggled to keep up with the highly maneuverable Cordi fighters.

"Seventeen! Is there no end of this? Eighteen!" Commander Gavriil shouts as he takes on a wing of Cordi Warriors that attempts to bomb the Silver Falcon.

"We are 74th Vaqueros, and we are not going to let some upstart guns for hire with shiny fancy fighters outscoring us. Thirty Two!" The familiar voice of what sounds to be Captain Albrecht von Jakob is heard from the radio. Just as some Kaze-B and Leopard fighters seemingly appeared on the scene out of nowhere.

"Great, this is going to make it very interesting." Lieutenant Jerry Chen replied. "I'll never outscore one of you guys, but I can at least ramp it up in quality rather than quantity. Sanjay, can you cover my back a little?" Just as he said, Jerry's dark blue painted Lastochka fighter made a beeline into a mothership that just jumped behind the Golden Dawn, Sanjay black Berkut fighter followed loosely as it can barely keep up with the speed while they swat the Cordi fighters that tried to intercept. Suddenly, Jerry's fighter rushes into the vent above the Cordi Mothership. "Sixteen... Seventeen, now it's the time. Allright chums, let's do this LEEEEEROOOOOOY JEEEEENKIIIINSS!!"

"Twenty Three... Twenty Four. What in the hell are you doing, Jerry?" Shouts Gavriil as he sees Jerry attempts his stunt.

Sanjay who had a better view, was also quite surprised. "What? I am not following you in there."

"You don't have to, Sanjay. Just keep my exit clear." Jerry replied. Several seconds later, the engine of the Mothership visibly went dead, and Jerry's Lastochka came out of the vent shortly after. The Mothership erupted in a fireball after that.

"That still only counts as one!" yells Captain von Jakob just as the Mothership blew up.

"Fine, so that was eighteen." Jerry replied "But you can never deny that I just blew up a capital ship alone. There, another Hiveship just appeared. Your turn, Angelo, I and Sanjay will cover you. I thought you actually managed to pull that off many times in Green Planet: War in Hell mod"

"It is a lot scarier to do that out here, but I'll try." Angelo replied. His dark red with gold trim Berkut fighter then pulled alongside the Cordi Mothership that just jumped in right below the Thunderhawk. He entered from the lower vent, and likewise, the engine of the Mothership blew out. Angelo's fighter then reappeared from the top vent seconds before the Mothership goes up in flames. "That thing was sort of blew up didn't it, what a crappy construction. So was that twenty one, or twenty two, I had sort of lost count."

"You want to try that on the next one, Sanjay? Or maybe you, Junichi?"

"Forty Two! Oh, what was that, Jerry? One of them Hiveships you mean? Nah, I am content of swatting the small bugs, especially if that Albrecht guy said it 'still only counts as one' and I don't think my fighter will fit on the vent. I'll try one of the Gunships maybe. Was that Forty Three?" Junichi replied. Despite being a heavy fighter, Lieutenant Commander Junichi Nakamura's white and red Sodesuka gracefully dances in the sky while tearing the Cordi fighters left and right. "At least I will try to beat von Jakob. Is there no end of this?"

"Hahaha, come on." Captain von Jakob's voice suddenly echoes in the radio. "I thought you want to win, why do you wish for this to end so quickly?".

Meanwhile, in Golden Dawn bridge, it seems like everyone is filled with more bloodlust than concern. There is a wicked grin in the face of Duke Nightwing as well as Captain Anderson just as another Mothership gets torn apart by the Golden Dawn's beams.

"Come on, you worthless bug scum!" yells Duke Nightwing as he brandish his officer's sabre in a menacing gesture. "You want death, we'll give you death! You want to be vented to space as your life waste away in vacuum, we'll arrange for that too."

Title: Re: Forum game: RP thread
Post by: Veers on July 29, 2013, 05:10:42 am

The 1st Commonwealth Royal Fleet was truly a sight to behold, the jewel of New Britannia. 1st Fleet was not just home to some of the most advanced technologies available, but home to some of the youngest and brightest minds and soldiers in Her Majesty's Service. Despite what some say, the best are CRF!

They had arrived in Vega some time ago and taken up patrol and defensive positions, after communicating at length with Admiral Ralwood of the Delest Dynasty and Admiral Soryu of the Sol Force, as well as the local garrison, Veers believed they had finally reached a plan of action. A plan designed simply to ease their fleets into their first battle, and eliminate an enemy fleet. Their target is Draco and the 4th Cordi Fleet.

Rear Admiral Ralwood had already moved his fleet into position near the Draco starlance, and is still making his final preperations before the attack. As apart of the plan, Veers was organising several scout and support elements to enter Draco with the initial Delest advance, this way they could establish a beachhead quickly around the starlance and the bulk of the 1st CRF would follow closely behind.

Then they would immediately join the fray by reinforcing the Delest Fleet and assaulting hostile positions throughout the system, the initial support and scout groups would also help identify positions that the 1st CRF could deploy to upon arrival.. while also allowing the 1st Delest some breathing room after the first counter-attack.

"Comms, signal The Aurora, 1st Delest Fleet. Inform Admiral Ralwood that our support elements are ready to deploy and are waiting his signal. Captain Fel, I give you the Silver Arrow. Let's bloody the nose of our enemy and display to them, the mighty Commonwealth."

Veers strode over to a nearby viewport and gazed out into space..., several small fighter patrols flew on by in the distance. Flying in perfect formation, discipline, honour.

This is what would lead the CRF to victory, their unwavering loyalty and honour. It burned like a fire within each citizen of New Britannia, civilian and enlisted alike. He snapped out of his thoughts for a moment just to overhear Captain Fel being informed that the latest Intel upon the Cordi Fleets was being distributed to the fleets, He strode back to the Comms Officer...

"To the pilots and crew of the 1st Commonwealth Royal Fleet. To my brothers and sisters, In the name of Her Majesty we are soon departing for Draco. Once we arrive we shall reinforce the 1st Delest Defence Fleet and then assault the system together." He motioned for Fel to step over to the station,

"You have all been briefed and trained for this moment, our latest intel reports are being distributed as we speak and some minor adjustments are being made by our technicians."

"Draco is only defended by one enemy fleet, we shall be engaging the Cordi in close combat. Here in Draco, we. Soldiers of Britannia, shall join forces with the Delest Dynasty and the Sol Forces, to bring our first overwhelming victory of the war. Here in Draco, we shall annihalate the enemy and send a strong message to them, that we are no push overs. This war that they have begun will be their complete and utter undoing."

The message was only being broadcast in audio at this time, which allowed Veers to signal something to Fel, who quickly turned to the Comms station.

"Through Loyalty, We shall have victory. I an honoured to be leading New Britannia's finest into battle today, fight well, fight together. And we cannot be defeated. Captain Fel, if you please...."

The Captain called out a Royal Salute, the fleet echoed in response. Mere moments later, the fleet fell silent as the theme from the Royal Fleet Academy began to grow louder... Fel spoke, just loud enough to be heard over the growing music. "Live from the Academy initiates... for the hearts and ears of the 1st CRF and Commonwealth Loyalists everywhere..."

(Just assume the New Britannia theme is being played. Otherwise I'd go with the British Grenadiers theme.. but I am really really biased towards it right now :) )

Title: Re: Forum game: RP thread
Post by: Jellyfish on July 29, 2013, 06:24:54 am

4th Sol Fleet 'Battlegroup 11''s flagship Firelance
Rear Admiral Jason Windforce's personal log, day 18 since deployment from Sol.

Here at last. Tauri. The soon-to-be frontlines.
We've joined forces with the 2nd CRF and entrenched ourselves here, abandoning the initial plan of rushing to Algol in light of intelligence suggesting an unknown species may attack here, bypassing what we believed was the enemy's entry point, Crux, and Aldebaran. They aren't using the starlances for interstellar travel. I can only pray intelligence can keep tracking them regardless.

I heard news from, and about, the 2nd CRF. They said Lorric retreated against his Queen's wishes, after she 'requested' him to remain in Aldebaran. Apparently, disobeying the Queen... let's just say it isn't a good thing to do in New Britannian society. His crews won't fight with the fervor that characterizes the New Britannian knights. It matters little, surely their morale will shot up back to their awe inspiring standards after this unknown enemy falls before us.

The Queen. Versed in many fields as she may be, military strategy and tactics is not one of them. Lorric is. His decision to retreat was sound. She should leave control of his fleet to him.
I can only hope he, or any of the other CO of the other CRFs never read this log. They'd have my head for speaking ill of their Queen. But I digress.

The enemy is coming. Let them come. We'll show them why we are the Iron Wall of Humanity. They shall not pass.

A zeal speech from 4th CRF. They sure know how to do those. Never been a particular fan of speeches, as I found out the weapon systems on the Firelance are better at oratory than I am, but I can still appreciate an uplifting speech when I hear it. It's now set to fleet-wide comms. It certainly breaks the monotony.

Title: Re: Forum game: RP thread
Post by: mobcdmoc3 on July 29, 2013, 02:54:02 pm

Flagship Sovereign
3rd Sol Fleet
Vega System
Day 2

Well, here we are. We gotta hold em' here. If they get into Aquarius, they'll be able to jump unfettered wherever to the front, or into the heart of Terran space.

The 1st LSF made it out, as did the 2nd CRF. Only two days in, and two fleets are already in disrepair.

And yet, there's more coming.

Admiral Soryu's gaze drifted off the floor back to the nodemap. He didn't like what he was seeing - There were bugs at his doorstep, and there was an unknown fleet sitting at Kardoen with a damaged fleet sitting next to them.

Algol was no more, as expected. There was nothing they could've done to save the poor souls in there.

He put them out of his mind, and pulled up what they knew on the 'Cordi,' the species that insisted on using bug-shaped ships. They had to assume that they were going to be stronger than them, given previous engagements with them.

What did they know? They're a pain in the ass to deal with. Fast, numerous, and small fighters, paired with gunships and other nasty anti-warship assets.

But they were alone in that system, and there were three here in Vega - The 1st DD fleet, and the 1st CRF. Even better, they had just perfected their blitz strategy. They'd definitely have the jump on em' if they decided to strike now.

Admiral Soryu shook his head - He couldn't get over the fact that his opponents were bugs. Really big, and really mean bugs. He clenched his fist, and turned his head toward his requisitions officer.

"Officer Ra'an, I've got an order to place."

"Now? We're a long ways away from Sol, sir..."

"I don't care, just make sure it gets here one way or another."

"Very well. What did you want?"

"Get me a few cargo containers filled with Raid-tipped missiles, or with whatever is the leading brand in bug-spray."

"Uh... Bug-spray tipped missiles?"

"Just do it."

"... Yes sir, right away, sir..."

Now he could actually concentrate on figuring out what to do, with his guts at ease. He didn't give a damn that half of the crew on the deck was giving him strange looks.

"Admiral Soryu...?"

"Not now, Naya. Comms, I need another message sent to the admiral of the Silver Arrow, 1st CRF fleet, and the admiral of the Aurora, 1st DD Fleet:

There's three of us, and one of them. I can blitz them to give us the advantage, but I'm no going to do that unless you guys want to jump into the fire with me. The only thing we'll have to worry about is that unknown fleet in Kardoen crashing the party. If you guys will commit, I'll lead the charge."

"Done."

"Next, I need a channel opened up to the rest of the fleet."

"Channel open. You're live in five."

"Ladies and gentlemen of the 3rd Sol Fleet this is your admiral speaking. We may be blitzing into Draco with our comrades in arms within the day. You all know the drill - Overload engines to 130% once out of subspace, and bypass firing safeties.

Our target - The 4th Cordi Fleet. They look like bugs, they fight like bugs, and if I had to venture a guess, the Cordi are actually bugs. And for that reason, we're going to crush them beneath our heels as bugs. Unfortunately, we don't have the time to squish every single one of them, so I've ordered some special provisions for us.

Bug-spray tipped missiles. I'm sure that if one of those gets inside their ships, it'll knock em' on their backs regardless of whether or not they're actually bugs. Enough noxious gases inside a ship can't be good for the crew. They won't arrive for a while, but it'll be something to look forward to.

Assemble into combat formation, and prepare to depart at a moment's notice. Dismissed!"

"Admiral..."

"Ok Naya, what?"

"Do we seriously have bug-spray tipped missiles?"

"Don't know, don't care. It'll be good for morale to literally characterize our enemy as bugs, and we'll get a few laughs if we do end up with those missiles on our hands at some point."

"All this was for a pre-battle speech and your personal entertainment? I'd have never thought of that."

Admiral Soryu brought his XO close, and whispered into her ear.

"Between you and me, I just hate bugs. I'm sure you and most of the crew will agree with me on this matter."

"Right..."

He knew what Naya was doing - She was recalling the time they got a cargo container filled with bug-infested food. They had to quarantine the ship for several days before the exterminators arrived. That was almost as bad as being shot at.

"Don't worry about the upcoming attacks. We'll be fine."

She nodded, and stepped into the elevator behind them. As the elevator doors slid shut, Admiral Soryu relaxed into his chair, trying to enjoy the last moments of peace they would have in a while.

Alright you oversized bugs - Get ready for the wrath of the 3rd.

Title: Re: Forum game: RP thread
Post by: Lepanto on July 29, 2013, 04:21:02 pm

From: [email protected]
To: [email protected]
Subject: Re: Condolences and greetings

Lorric,

I've been remiss in keeping contact myself. Between managing the 4th's return to combat readiness and savoring a few rare moments of relaxation, I've had little time to compose a proper message. You don't know how many technical and personnel problems we had to fix in Harcon. Beresford, my logistics chief, was tearing his hair out by the end of our stopover. Now that we are finally en route to the front, we've been able to partially relax our schedules. It's given me some time to stop and think about our broader war plans, and I've come up with a plan that might swing the course of the war in our favor. You wanted a calm, reflected plan, and here it is.

Captain Kewell, and many more like him across the front, died as heroes. I'm afraid we have little time to mourn the dead. All that's left for us, as officers, is to win this war as quickly and decisively as possible, to spare as many lives as we can. I'm naturally reluctant to advocate a forceful counter-offensive, but I think such a course will save more lives in the long run and liberate our systems faster. Quoth the master, "There is no instance of a country having benefited from prolonged warfare." Instead of trying to hold the enemy on both fronts and fighting a war of attrition, a war we might not be able to win if the enemy keeps throwing more fleets into the fray, I'm advocating we aim for a concentrated knockout punch in one sector, namely the south. You mentioned that the North was short on ships, but I think that concentrating in the south gives us a decisive strategic opportunity. If we can recapture Kardoen, we can hold one bottleneck system much easier than with our current multi-system defense. The northern front would have to hold until our counter-offensive can secure at least a partial victory, but I think that if we concentrate our forces and execute effectively, the gains will be worth the risks. We have three inbound fleets which can be deployed to the southern theater, plus the 1st LSF once it resupplies, and unless the enemy sends massive reinforcements into Kardoen, we would have localized force superiority in the south. If all goes right, the three fleets in Vega should be able to shatter the 4th Cordi in Draco by tomorrow, and then we can finish the enemy in Hydra and press into Kardoen. If all goes well, we can keep a reduced holding force in the south and then shift units north once the south is more-or-less secure. It's basic concentration-of-force. Our enemy has ignored this basic principle and committed to two separate invasion corridors, a mistake reminiscent of Hitler's Barbarossa; this gives us an opportunity to counter their numerical superiority with some adroit strategic maneuvering.

I would have rather deployed to the north, fighting alongside you, but you will understand that I must go where the 4th will be most effective. Please, give me an honest assessment of my plan, and quickly; time is of the essence. If you approve, I'll contact the relevant fleet commanders and request their co-operation.

Your assessment of our respective strengths and weaknesses is spot-on, as usual. When the invasion started, the Terran fleets needed your ability to coordinate an immediate, local defense. But now that the front has semi-stabilized, I think it's time to start a unified counter-attack. If the Terran fleets had a unified command structure, able to coordinate and execute an effective war plan, we wouldn't need to rely on this ad-hoc coordination between individual fleet commanders. But they don't, and we've had to make do with what we have.

On a local scale, I've been drawing up impromptu fighting instructions based on the information we've gotten from the front, your briefing included. All told, we should be much more ready to fight the Cordi or Nordera than the first-responder fleets were. The unknown fleets, though, are what really worries me. The enemy should have a good picture of LSF technology and tactics by now; if they commit unknown units to a decisive engagement, it could prove disastrous for us. But, well, fog of war; we'll just have to act as the situation develops.

You'll be facing some of the worst of it, I can see. If the enemy fleet attacking Tauri can bypass Starlances, their tech levels are likely beyond ours and possibly even the Cyrvans'. Perhaps these are the rulers of the enemy Hierarchy, which I've heard rumours about. I only hope and pray that the 2nd and the 4th SF will be able to hold Tauri. Even with the recent scandal, I trust your men will fight effectively; we'll have to see if that's enough.

I'm pleasantly surprised by how well the repair and resupply efforts in Tauri and in other systems have gone. Not long before, the Terran systems were divided against each other by petty proxy wars, and now that they are all threatened, they have come together as one. If you had asked me if Terran fleets could efficiently resupply in each other's systems on a moment's notice, I'd have laughed and thought it would have been an impossible logistics nightmare. But a common enemy has always been a powerful centralizing force, and now we're seeing Terran unity on a scale unprecedented since the T-C War. I just hope it lasts, possibly even beyond this war.

Why, thank you for your compliments on my speech. When I heard the applause in my briefing room after I'd finished, I was worried that my men were only applauding out of politeness. Your approval, that I trust. You've never been one to let my failures pass unnoticed.

Point to you on the video contest. Last I checked, yours had cleared 19 mil. I will remind you, though, don't let your 15 minutes of fame go to your head, especially not when you're famous because you disobeyed the Queen. It's our job as commanders to squelch the rumour mill to promote discipline, not feed it for our own aggrandizement. You should know that, but I just thought I'd remind you.

On the topic of the news media, I'm also disgusted by their lies and sensationalism, especially with a war for the fate of our civilization ongoing, and you being on the front lines. But, here's a piece of advice from me: don't take their accusations so seriously and personally; they aren't worth it, and we don't have time to play politics. Just treat it as a joke; "giggle at the ghostie" if you will. You have to admit, that one in the Guardian about you being a shapeshifting Cordi infiltrator was simply hilarious.

Pax vobiscum,
Santiago

======================================

CommanderDJ, I'd be open to that. Do you have any ideas?

Also, everybody who could head south, do you think OOC that massing to the south would be a good idea?

Title: Re: Forum game: RP thread
Post by: Flak on July 30, 2013, 12:54:59 am

Cordia System
Supply Depot Foxtrot

Since the alien invasion, the depot has been more busy than ever. Requests of weapons, ammunition, and other provisions seems never ending.

Quartermaster Branson has been sitting on his table for hours and is looking at the latest request for the fleets. The door of his office opens, and there appears Corporal Kent Ramsey.

Corporal Ramsey sits down in the chair in front of the Quartermaster's desk and deliver a few sets of papers and holodisks. "As usual, even more request, sir. The 1st LSF has ordered a large batch of VX-02a and the 4th SF has ordered a large shipment of Spiritus Lucis to be sent to Librae. Other than that, it is all the usual requests for capital ship spare parts, and food supplies."

"Good, though I am getting worried of our supplier's ability to get all these things in time. How is the order of VX-153 coming through?"

"It's not here yet unfortunately, both the Heinkel & Krauss and Kobra companies claimed they are backordered. Looks like they have been flooded with orders themselves. Do we have any alternatives so we can get them earlier?"

"Unfortunately no at this moment. They are the only ones who have the equipment to manufacture them in this area. However, the last I checked, they said they were busy about making something they claimed we also requested a couple of days ago."

"Did we sent any odd requests back then, sir?"

"I actually didn't read any of it I think. Too many request you know, if I try to read every single one of them, I probably won't have any chance at completing any of the necessary work. I just sent in through, it must be all the usual anyway if it is from the fleets."

"Actually I am worried they asked something odd, sir. Maybe we should check that one out if we still had any of the copies?"

"Now that you ask for it, I am now thinking of the same thing. Let's see the archives, that one's nothing and this one. There it is. The only request we sent was the one from the 3rd SF. I doubt there is anything strange in there. More VX-153 no doubt. Do we have to tell them the manufacturers can't handle that number of requests?"

"Are you sure it is just plain VX-153's sir? We should open it up I think, I am quite curious. The Kobra company managed to deliver the request of VX-153 from the 2nd LSF in time."

"I am opening it now. Hell no, it is not VX-153 at all. Wait, this doesn't make any sense."

"What is it, sir? Did some hackers just messed around with the mail?"

"Not at all, it is from Rear Admiral Soryu himself. They requested something like, Bug-spray warheads?"

"And the companies are producing them?"

"There is only one way to find out, I should get in there and check the crates that just delivered from the Kobra company yesterday."

Later, in the shipyard

"These crates have poison warning labels slapped right next to the Kobra company logo."

"I don't think they are smuggling anything if they have all the necessary safety labels. Let's take a look"

Corporal Ramsey then carefully opens one of the crates, revealing missiles with what apparently odd chemical warheads in them.

"Oh my God, am I dreaming at all?"

"Isn't this bug spray?"

"Didn't the Kobra company think this is a mistake in requests?"

"I think Admiral Soryu contacted them himself, otherwise they will at least ask us again for confirmation."

Title: Re: Forum game: RP thread
Post by: X3N0-Life-Form on August 01, 2013, 06:13:45 am

Day 2, Champion-class carrier Swift, Sol Force 2nd Fleet, Aldebaran system
CIC

"Mothership Epsilon is retreating. Message from the Cleaver: they have successfully engaged and destroyed their primary target and are now finishing off enemy gunships and fighters.
- The Legend's shields won't hold for much longer.
- Swift to Ram, engage mothership Zeta. Drive them off the Legend. Batcat, move your wing to assist them.
- Message from our scout group: the Fox has found another Cordi rallying point. The are also picking up massive fleet movements from the other two Cordi fleets in system.
- Alright, time to call in the cavalry. Give Admiral Iera the greenlight and send all known coordinates of 2nd Cordi fleet assets. To all ships: push the attack. We're going to try and draw more enemy forces, keep them away from the 1st Fleet while they strike vulnerable cordi elements."

Later that day ...

" Fearsome, you've got more Warriors inbound on your port side.
- Helm, turn our broadside toward these gunships. Divert power to starboard shields.
- Sir, we've lost contact with both the Cleaver and Peace Lily
- Jockey to Swift: the Cleaver is gone. PL's engines and coms are down, requesting -
- Jockey, we've lost your signal! Hang in there.
- Send the Fox and their escort to investigate.
- Two more gunships jumping in underneath us. Moving to engage the Legend.
- Sir, the Arcturus's main reactor coolant system has been damaged. It will go into meltdown within 40 seconds unless they power down.
- Tell them to power down and abandon ship. Tell the Legend to move above us.
- 1st Fleet is reporting major successes. The Cordi won't be able to hold for much longer.
- Neither are we. That plan worked a little to well. We are getting wasted out here and they are taking shots at my ship. Sir, we can't risk the Swift any further.
- Agreed. All ships prepare to withdraw.

... Even later that day ...

...
Wall - status unkwown, search in progress
Cleaver - lost, 47% of the crew rescued
Peace Lily - lost, 85% of the crew rescued
Plank Walker - lost with all hands
Fox - major damage, unfit for combat
Arcturus - abandonned, unsalvagable, 92% of the crew rescued
Legend - major damage, unfit for combat
Ram - moderate damage, unfit for travel, repairs in progress
Fearsome - moderate damage
Swift - minor damage

The Rear Admiral finished reading the Fleet Status Report, feeling bitter. He had expected the 3rd Cordi to jump to the rescue of the 2nd, but he assumed the 1st would be busy launching a counter-attack on the 1st UGCR. Between the loss of important fleet assets, talented pilots and entire crews, the only thing keeping the moral to be bottom low was 1st Fleet's success.
" Admiral to Captain.
- Go ahead Admiral.
- As soon as the Ram's drives are repaired, have the Fleet prepare to make the jump to Virgo. 1st Fleet will be covering our retreat."

Title: Re: Forum game: RP thread
Post by: Flak on August 02, 2013, 11:49:30 am

Aldebaran System

Commander Gavriil takes a look around his fighter, his hands are still breaking some cold sweat. "This sudden silence, it is maddening is it not. Six hours ago we are heavilly engaged, and now, nothing."

"They are retreating, but why?" Junichi who was still on the same predicament asked. "Maybe they are too afraid after seeing Jerry and Angelo just blew up some of their Hiveships without any anti capship weapon? And then that Captain von Jakob managed to score one too after he got tired of watching their stunts. Or was it those big beams on the Golden Dawn?"

"Somehow, I don't think so." Gavriil said. "This is just one little front, and they were retreating fleet-wide."

"That was a little harder than Winds of Dusk, or even Shadow Revelation..."Jerry exclaimed casually "but I think I am starting to get used to this."

Back on the Silver Falcon bridge. The bridge officers are having a holo communication with some of the other ships.

"Wasn't it glorious, Markus?" said Duke Nightwing, with a big smile on his face "Just like old times when we together kicked those pirates' backsides. None of our ships get severely damaged on top of that."

"Right." Answered Baron Markus, "But somehow I presume this is part of the tactics of theirs. After their retreat from this area, we just got report that the 2nd SF is getting hit hard."

"At least you 'Black Knights' do live up to your reputations." said Commodore Jameson. "Captain von Jakob just told me that you all did well out there. He even reported some kind reactor weakness in the Cordi Motherships that one of your pilots found and he had even proven it for himself. A risky tactical consideration, but it does work given the chance. Oh what was that?"

Commodore Jameson pulls back to the allied communication network computer and reads the latest notice put up by allied command. Shortly, he returns to the holo communicator on his ship.

"Forgive me for interrupting our little 'break', gentlemen but we just got an order from allied command. We are to cover some elements the retreating 2nd SF. Your group just happen to be the closest one, so I'm afraid they just requested the closest element of our fleet to get in there and give them some cover."

"Not a problem, Commodore." answered Duke Nightwing, "Me and my men are still wishing to get even more bug blood in our hands. And so is Markus and his men I believe."

"Then I'll leave you to it. I believe I can trust Black Knights a little more than other kinds of sellswords. Here is the coordinate, be sure to come back here when you are done, otherwise you guys won't get paid."

Later on, they reached the designated area. There was a damaged Crusader, being escorted a Challenger, and a Skirmisher, along with some fighter escorts.

"New contacts on radar. Three battlecruiser or carrier class vessels, and three cruisers."

"They have Britannian IFF, but I thought the 2nd CRF already pulled to Tauri?"

"There a Lord class and two of what looks like somewhat modified Elephant attack carriers, two Duke cruisers, and oddly, a Grazhdanin."

"They must be some mercs then, probably the Black Knight type with their Britannian IFF. Odd that they trust mercs to do escort duties. In some large ships no less."

"I thought that is what they do best, Captain? Escorting VIPs or other things is what they usually do."

"I just hope they don't run away if the shooting starts again and leave us to our fate. They are hailing us."

"This is Captain Anderson of the Golden Dawn. We have been ordered to you cover. Can you give us the sitrep?"

"This is the SF Battlecruiser Ram, our engines are damaged during the last battle and is in need of repair. We just need some cover until we can pull out. Most of our damaged ships had already retreated."

"What happened? I thought you just sent one their fleets running."

"No idea, after we routed one of their fleets, the last thing we know was two large fleets suddenly converged on us in a pincer movement. We were caught off guard. The rest of the fleet probably already caught up with the 1st SF by now, but my ship is no condition to move."

"How much longer is the repair going to take?"

"Probably 30 minutes, maybe more, but we are trying as fast we can."

"Okay, let's launch our fighters. Hopefully they will be long gone before the bugs come back."

Title: Re: Forum game: RP thread
Post by: mobcdmoc3 on August 03, 2013, 04:30:44 pm

Flagship Sovereign
3rd Sol Fleet
Vega System
Day 2

The last few hours were spent with XO Naya, discussing battle formations and tactical opportunities. There was also the message from Rear Admiral Lorric, of the 2nd CRF - Apparently he thought that blitzing into Draco was perhaps not a good idea, and that the effort and time it would go into such an attack could be better use.

"How the hell did he catch wind of our plans anyways? I didn't ask for anyone to broadcast our plans, did I?" muttered Soryu.

"He probably just tapped into a report or something, everyone does it," replied Naya.

"Yeah, fine. So what do I tell the crew then? This was a drill?"

"Isn't that the usual crap?"

"I bet I can get away with it. Not like the crew can do much other than complain anyways."

He took another look at his holographic displays. The fleet's ship roster was ready across the board, and everyone was blitz-ready.

A shame that their preparation was for nothing. Well, they'll just have to deal with it.

"Naya," said Soryu without looking at her. "Could you tell comms to get the fleet-channel ready?"

"Of course. Was there anything else?"

"No. You're dismissed. Thank you."

Naya shut the door, and for a few seconds there was nothing but the gentle hum of his displays in the air. His gut was churning back and fourth - He could feel the node getting closer by the second, despite being deep within the cold metal confines of the Sovereign. What was he worried about? He just couldn't tell. His men? His ships? His pride? No, none of that. The crew was prepared as ever, and his ships were at their finest.

There was the unknown fleet sitting in Kardoen, but he had no reason to believe that one fleet could wipe out three of theirs.

He took a breath, interrupting drone of his monitors, and got out of his warm chair. Whatever it was he was worried about could wait - The crew was waiting for his address.

Once at the deck, he cleared his throat, and signaled his comms officer.

"To the pilots and crew of the 3rd Sol Fleet, this is your admiral speaking. I'm proud to announce that you've broken the record for the best blitz preparation by 32.3 seconds."

Through the metal floors, he could hear his crew cheering and congratulating each other - 30 seconds was quite a significant improvement.

"However, I regret to inform you that this was just a drill. Re-prepare for a standard breakthrough into Draco we'll be making the jump shortly. Rear admiral Soryu, out."

The cheering was silenced nearly immediately. Perhaps not because of the fact that it was a drill, but because of his remark regarding their imminent departure to Draco.

"Admiral, you might want to see this," called officer Ra'an. "It's about those missiles you ordered earlier."

"Bring it up on my monitor."

"You got it."

A window materialized before his eyes, quickly revealing a shipping manifest, dated several hours ago.

No way. I don't believe this.

"Seriously? Are you sure this manifest is valid?"

"The encryption codes check out and their firewalls are still intact, so I believe so," replied Ra'an.

The bug-spray missiles were on their way. The weights that were on his chest vanished, having been replaced by the urge to laugh and a sense of excitement.

"That's... Outstanding. Give Kobra company my personal regards."

"On it."

I could tell the crew right now that those things are on the way... But I think I'll let their arrival come as a surprise. They're still some time out anyways.

Soryu could barely believe it, but if the manifest was indeed valid, then they'd have a weapon hopefully as effective as it was entertaining on their hands in the foreseeable future. That news had dispelled his worries - Whatever was waiting for them in Draco or Kardoen, they'd be ready to tackle with no fear.

@Flak - That post about the supply depot brought such an enormous smile to my face. :p That was such a glorious post. Kudos to you for making my day.

Title: Re: Forum game: RP thread
Post by: Lepanto on August 09, 2013, 09:06:47 pm

1123 hours, St. Louis IX Ready Room, Ruba Pegasi-Tamy Node, Ruba Pegasi

"Now, gentlemen, could one of you please explain just what happened out there?"

Neither of the two officers communicating with Santiago via hologram volunteered an answer at first. Santiago kept his tone even, but both Commodore Tryon and Commander Markham could detect their commander's displeasure. The undercurrent of tension was almost palpable, even through holograms. The Admiral had called this private holo-conference to personally get answers from his two subordinates, without the stress or the disruption of a full military tribunal. Hopefully, it won't come to that, Santiago thought.

Lloyd Tryon, a blonde minor baronet with a slicked-back hairstyle whose svelte form hardly showed his thirty-eight years, finally spoke up. "My command was conducting our standard close-quarters maneuver drill outside the Harcon node from 1000-1100 hours. I had considered our present situation and ordered a final round of maneuver drills, as we would likely be engaging Cordi or Nordera vessels at point-blank range, and avoiding collisions would be vital in those battle conditions." On this point, at least, Santiago found Tryon's logic mostly sound. "At 1021 hours, my flagship Thunderchild and Markham's cruiser Camperdown were scheduled to approach each other at flank speed and turn hard to starboard just before impact."

Santiago felt his headache intensify. Commodore Tryon's elaborate maneuver drills were well-known in the 4th; before the war began, the constant drills had kept the restless crewmen of his 2nd Battle Group in top form. But now, with the fleet deploying for war and bound for Tamy at 1400 hours, Santiago had already regretted giving his flamboyant subordinate leave to conduct another exercise. This incident had clinched it.

Tryon continued, keeping his noble's composure fully intact despite the interrogation. "As our vessels approached, the Camperdown's top starboard maneuvering thruster blew out, preventing her from making her turn." Santiago could see Markham's brow furrow at that comment. "Though we both attempted emergency evasive action, and avoided a full-on collision, the Camperdown's bow scraped the Thunderchild's port side. The inertial dampeners held, and there were no fatalities or major damage, but five of my crew and 13 of the Camperdown's suffered various minor injuries from the force of the impact. They are all expected to make full recoveries."

Santiago narrowed his gaze; Tryon did not shrink. "Who, in your professional opinion, was at fault for this accident?"

Tryon replied, obviously choosing his words carefully. "I do not believe there was any criminal negligence by either party." Markham was visibly disturbed, but did not speak up. "According to the simulations, the planned maneuver had a 99.94% chance of success. All units of 2nd Battle Group had drilled this pattern multiple times. I had confidence that our crews would perform the maneuver as planned."

Once Tryon had finished, Santiago turned to Commander Roger Markham, a shorter, dark-haired and bearded man in his early forties. "You have permission to speak freely, Commander. Is your superior's version of events accurate?" Markham was silent for a few seconds. Reading his face, Santiago presumed that Markham disagreed, but he was reluctant to shame his commander.

Finally, Markham cleared his throat. "On most points, yes." Markham's voice was deep and slightly raspy. "I do, however, wish to point out that the Camperdown's maneuvering thruster only failed because the Commodore's maneuvering drills had forced us to skip our most recent maintenance cycle." There, he said it. Tryon raised an eyebrow. All three officers were well aware that skipping regular maintenance cycles outside of emergencies was a major violation of Fleet regs. Santiago tapped on his console, and a quick look through 2nd BG's recent reports confirmed Markham's statement.

Santiago took a few seconds to weigh his options; now that he had all the information, he needed to make his next call carefully. Finally, he spoke. "Thank you, gentlemen. Commander Markham, you are cleared of any responsibility, though I will request that you report such violations of maintenance regs, even if it means going over Tryon's head." Markham visibly exhaled. "You are dismissed." Markham made a cutting gesture, and his hologram flickered and vanished. What happened next was between Santiago and Tryon.

Next, Santiago leveled his gaze at Tryon again. He saw the Commodore tense up, almost imperceptibly. Getting a read on Tryon, beneath the man's omnipresent mask of poise, had never been easy, but Santiago had experience at reading other people's body language. "Tryon, I shouldn't need to spell this out. Your exercises had their place, but by continuing them at the expense of important maintenance, you made an error in command judgment. Be thankful that you didn't get anyone killed. I can't afford to court-martial one of my top subordinates this close to a combat engagement without good cause, but if this happens again, I won't be so lenient next time." Santiago thought a few well-chosen words would be sufficient to get his point across.

Tryon, himself, took a few seconds to formulate a reply. "Crystal clear, Sir. On my word, it won't happen again." He'd said those ten words more earnestly than Santiago had ever heard him speak in their three years of acquaintance. "You could've ended my career right here. Thank you, Sir."

"I didn't do this for the sake of your career. You're a good officer, your attachment to your little ballets notwithstanding, and I don't want to lose you. Please, don't make me regret this. Dismissed."

Tryon quickly cut the holo-feed and winked out.

Santiago, now alone, got up and left for his quarters. A nice, hot cup of darjeeling tea was sounding lovely right now.

Title: Re: Forum game: RP thread
Post by: Veers on August 12, 2013, 08:53:06 pm

Silver Arrow
1st Commonwealth Royal Fleet
Draco System
6 hours after initial incursion

Several replies could be heard from across the bridge, "Standing down from Condition Red", "The third battlegroup is reporting minor losses with total victory against their objectives", "Our advance scouts distrupted an enemy rally point, stand-by for SITREP"

Admiral Veers flicked off the direct line to the bridge, the reports would still arrive to his terminal but the audio was only temporary, Captain Fel had everything under control. The Draco system spun slowly before him, displaying every site of friendly and hostile forces, their engagement locations and how the entire assault had progressed in the last 6 hours.

The overall reports coming in were of overwhelming success, all three fleets appeared to have suffered minor losses while the 4th Cordi fleet were caught completely off-guard, they were met at every turn by Allied reinforcements that were vectored in by the advanced scout forces. Disrupting and destroying counter-attacks and rally points before any coordination could be established.

Everything had gone according to plan, perfectly according to plan...

Veers changed the view, bringing both the Draco-Vega Starlance and the Draco-Kardoen Starlances onto the screen. Last report, the CRF were moving to hold the Kardoen Starlance, while the Delest Dynasty held the Vega lance.

The Draco-Hydra Lance was being monitored by several scout wings, but the Allied Fleets in Hydra were keeping the enemy occupied, in their latest report anyway.

The room suddenly flashed red and battlestations was sounded throughout the ship, the communications buzzer was flashing wildly, Captain Fel was on the line, "Admiral, we are receiving scattered reports of Cordi vessels approaching Allied positions throughout Draco..."

"They appear to be surrendering..."

"I'll be right there Captain, defensive formations for all units. Do not engage", Veers grabbed his jacket and headed towards the door. Intel had so far been helpful with some sort of a translation device, but nobody had expected it to work.

Title: Re: Forum game: RP thread
Post by: Flak on August 12, 2013, 10:54:38 pm

Aldebaran System
Golden Dawn bridge

"Thanks for the cover, Duke Nightwing was it." The man in the communicator said, seemingly letting go of the pressure that hung heavy on his mind. "We were honestly worried that you mercs are going to leave us to our fate as soon as that hunter killer group arrive to finish us off, but you really wiped them all out."

Duke Nightwing calmly approaches the communicator "That is not a problem, Captain. Afterall, we Britannian mercs aren't called Black Knights for nothing. Besides, I don't think my men would like to miss any of the action."

"Well, if there is nothing else, we'll be on our way." The Captain of the Ram gives a salute as the ship begins to move. "We'll get the necessary repair, and perhaps we will meet again in the battlefield some day. Give my regards to the Prince for me." The Captain turns around, seemingly forgetting to switch off the communicator "Signal the Fearsome to move out as well."

The communicator flickers, then Baron Markus appears on the screen. "That's it then, we should get back to the UGCR fleet immediately. Commodore Jameson just informed me that we are going to coordinate an assault on a Cordi fleet, and they are already on the move."

Duke Nightwing gestures at Captain Anderson on the other side of the bridge. "You heard the man, let's go."

Captain Anderson then uses the ship's PA "All personel, take the necessary break if you need to, but get back to your stations as soon as you are done. We have more battles ahead of us."

Title: Re: Forum game: RP thread
Post by: Lepanto on August 15, 2013, 11:20:01 pm

From: [email protected]
To: [email protected]
Subject: Bound for the front

Dearest Helena,

Forgive me for not writing sooner. My schedule's been insane these past few days.

4th Fleet and I are bound for the front, to engage the enemy. We will do our duty and conduct ourselves with dignity. Let me be blunt; I may die in battle, and this may be my last message to you. I think it unlikely, but in case I do die, know that I died as a Catholic and soldier, without regrets. The Lord gives us life, and He takes it away as He wills. Do not grieve for me long. Raise our children in the Faith, and always keep your love of life.

I'll write to Anthony and Felicity shortly. Marco, I support your choice to follow me into the military, now more than ever. If fortune smiles upon us, this war will be over in time for me to attend your Academy graduation. Stephen, I wish you well in your college aspirations, and trust you will find some way to use your gifts. Angela and Mary, remember that the best years of your life are still ahead of you. Thomas, I trust you will find your vocation eventually. Also, for Mommy's sake, please don't set your room on fire again. Sarah, Daddy loves you, but please just admit that Sunlight Shine is obviously best pony.

I would write more, but I am needed on the bridge shortly, and I trust I have said all I need to. If Providence wills, I will write again before long. Perhaps, when this whole business has finished, I can finally introduce you and the kids to Lorric. I think he and Marco would get along famously. Then, we can all read this letter again, and get a good chuckle out of it. I trust you all are praying for me. Farewell, dearest.

Pax vobiscum,
Carlos

Title: Re: Forum game: RP thread
Post by: Flak on August 16, 2013, 11:57:31 am

Aldebaran System

New enemy ships just appeared on radar. The specs seems similar to the report of the 4th SF.
While the fleet was already engaged the Cordi, they are joined by a fleet of another race. "

"Incoming long range missiles" shouts Gavriil as lock warning alarm flares up in his fighter, "Prepare for evasive action!"

"Wait, those large missiles can be shot down." said Jerry, just as he noticed he 'accidentally' found the flaw in the enemy weaponry "I thought those missiles are going to hit me in the face for sure."

As the enemy fighters close in, Jerry just noticed something odd on a few of the hostile fighters. Everyone else however, appears to be too busy fighting to bother. "Hey, did anyone saw that?"

"Not this time, Jerry we all need to focus here." Gavriil replied, seemingly annoyed by the distraction caused by one of his wingmen. Suddenly a familiar voice flares from the radio "Yes, I saw that." The voice immediately rings a bell in Gavriil's head. "Captain von Jakob, since when you arrived?"

Despite the chaos and destruction around them, the Captain replies calmly "I and my squadron has been here all the time, you guys just too busy too notice. And I believe that mouse saw that too, I can't get a lock on that either, now where was it."

"Junichi, behind you!" As soon as Jerry shouted his warning, Junichi immediately moved out of the way. "That was close, but you are not going to get me that easily, lizard. Damn, he is good, he just disappeared again."

"A stealth fighter, now this is getting interesting. Tell you what, if I or one of my wingmen destroy that thing, you guys should buy me and my squadron a drink. If you win, we'll do that for you."

"Deal, Albrecht." Gavriil immediately agrees to the challenge "I don't care who gets him, but I just want to see that lizard's tail on a platter when we are done."

Title: Re: Forum game: RP thread
Post by: niffiwan on August 18, 2013, 06:51:11 pm

Inevitably Successful in All Circumstances
2nd United Guilds of Commerce Regulars
Formalhaut System

The UGCR officer strode rapidly down the ships corridor. The rank bars on her shoulders advertised the rank of Captain, while the light blue rock & circle emblem denoted membership of the Combined Financiers Guild based in Lyrae. Coming to a halt in front of the Admirals office, she pressed the chime & said, "Ah Luc, you have something to discuss?". "Yes Juanita" came the rely, "please come in". Entering the spartan office she took a seat at the desk & considered the short bald man opposite her. With a perpetual smile crinkling the corners of his mouth and eyes that sparkled mischievously he looked more like a smiling Buddha than the Rear Admiral in charge of a fleet of warships. However, having served with him for almost a year she knew that the Admiral was used to being underestimated, something he had used to great effect in negotiations.

"Juanita, I've been examining the intel we have on our new enemies. Each new race we've encountered here seems to be stronger than the last, with the Zy being equal or better than the best of us. With a further two unknown fleets signatures reported in Kardoen, I am concerned that they may be races vastly superior to us and that humanity is seriously overmatched in this conflict. Therefore, I want you to devote the majority of our ELINT resources to intercepting & breaking the strategic communications between the Zy, Cordi, Nordera and the newcomers. I want to know what the extent of their co-operation is, what the political structure of this Hierarchy is, who is in charge, and I want to find if there is anything we can exploit to drive a wedge between them."

"I'll see it done. However, you're painting a pretty grim picture. Our current projections show that we can handle everything they've thrown at us, and the fleets in Draco & Hydra are pushing back the enemy advance."

"We've handled everything so far, yes. But lets imagine that both the unknown fleets have advanced technology similar to the Cyrvans. The war with them was won though attrition, I don't believe we'll have that option when facing five races rather than one."

"Fair enough, although with no disrespect intended, I hope you're wrong."

"So do I, Juanita, so do I. Anyway, to something less grim, lets review our plan for the attack on the 2nd Cordi..."

Title: Re: Forum game: RP thread
Post by: mobcdmoc3 on August 18, 2013, 11:09:11 pm

Flagship Sovereign
3rd Sol Fleet
Draco System
Day 3

"They're doing what?!" roared Soryu.

"Offering to surrender... Sir," replied his comms officer.

"Double check that message! That can't be right!"

"I double checked it before telling you, it's valid."

"Hmph. Very well. What do the others want to do about it?"

"There seems to be a general consensus on accepting their surrender."

"Blast. If I'd have my way..."

"They'd be wiped out, right?" laughed Naya.

"Damn right."

Soryu shot a look at the damaged Cordi flagship on the monitor. As much as he wanted to get rid of them, their surrender would probably serve them more than blowing them into the void. Just a few warheads into that ship, and they'd have a glorious fireworks display on their hands. But that wouldn't be anywhere near worth the amount of intelligence they could extract from them back at Sol. Though he might hate himself for it later, it made more sense to let them live.

"Well, what'll it be?" asked his gunnery control officer.

"... Let them be."

There were several gasps through the bridge, followed by several stares.

"What the hell are you guys looking at? Get back to your stations - We've still got incoming from Kardoen!"

It took them a quick moment, but they quickly returned to work. Soryu definitely didn't like what was happening. They didn't get to finish them off, AND they had even meaner company on the way.

On the other hand though, maybe they'll experiment on some of them to make us EVEN BETTER bugspray.

Naya tapped his shoulder, signalling him to meet her in the staff meeting room. He let her leave the bridge first, before leaving the ship in command of his helmsman. The cold halls greeted him just as they did before the fighting started - The serenity of space was nerve-wracking. They were fighting an unknown enemy again, and they were in more or less a worse position than they were to start out. It wasn't like the Cordi had inflicted serious damage, but scratches could easily become gashes, and even the smallest of thorns could become spears.

"Took you long enough, I thought you'd never come."

"Yeah, yeah, what'd you need?"

"It's about Kardoen. I think we should pull back and resupply."

"Sure, but that'd leave the other two fleets we're with here to burn if both of those unknowns showed up."

"It's your call, sir."

Naya's last words from that conversation would ring through his head throughout the night. Stand and fight, or retreat and resupply?

Title: Re: Forum game: RP thread
Post by: CommanderDJ on August 18, 2013, 11:44:25 pm

Personal Log, Rear Admiral Dovorek Iera

The fleet has been severely weakened. A combined assault by the 3rd Cordi and the 1st Zy fleet decimated our ships, and many lives have been lost, but we have held Tauri, and the 4th SF was able to retreat and resupply. We have achieved our objectives, but at cost. The Hand of Absolution's bridge took a direct hit during the fighting. Captain Regulle is in critical condition, and Lieutenants Uli and Palaa were killed. Whilst the crew knows nothing, I have been informed that it is unlikely that Regulle will make it. I've known her for six years. The Hand was always hers. This grieves me, and written words will do little to stymie it. Further, it has hurt the crew's morale, especially since I was uninjured. Arnaya was highly respected, far more respected than I. I will need to select her replacement with care. Fortunately, I will have ample time to do so; it is likely that we will be relieved in Tauri and be able to retreat to Librae to resupply, though I must coordinate with the other admirals.

In other news, I have heard that our allies have accepted the surrender of a Cordi fleet. How they let the bastards live after what the aliens have done to us is beyond me. I have not released any official statement on the matter, however. Morale is more important right now, and hearing of conflict between allies will likely demoralise the crew further.

Enough. I must visit the medbay.

Title: Re: Forum game: RP thread
Post by: Jellyfish on August 19, 2013, 02:20:27 am

4th Sol Fleet 'Battlegroup 11''s flagship Firelance
Rear Admiral Jason Windforce's personal log, day 24 since deployment from Sol.

First contact (and engagement) with the alien race now known as the Zy went... poorly. Their ships wield formidable firepower and their fighters greatly outperform our own.
The fact that they outnumbered us immensely didn't help matters either.

I am not ashamed to admit I retreated. My fleet does better service to Sol and Mankind falling back to fight another day than as heroic clouds of vapor.
Even so, the retreat was proving to be a disaster, when the Zy came after us. Only timely action from the 1st SF prevented us from being destroyed. I am now indebted to Rear Admiral Dovorek Iera, whose fleet I hear suffered too at the hands of the Zy and a new Cordi fleet.
After a quick replenishment at Librae, we'll go back into the fray, possibly covering his retreat as he covered ours. The situation in Tauri looks grim.

Fortunately, the situation elsewhere is going better. Several Nordera and Cordi fleets were destroyed wholesale, and one Cordi fleet was made to surrender. They are now on their way to Sol.
Yet another two species jumped into the fray, both hostile: the Hertak and the Fur'angle. They, like the Zy, are proving formidable enemies. Even so, plans are being put in motion to counterattack them.
The day where we launch our strikes into their systems, wherever they may be, is not far. And Sol Fleet, as it always did, will be at the forefront of the assault. I'll make sure of that.

UPDATE: our allies the Cyrvans are joining the fight under the command of Admiral Yaiceca. Her racist statements never fail to bring a chuckle or two out of my personnel. With that said, I don't envy the human fleet that fights alongside her. I'll make sure to send that commander my sympathies...

Title: Re: Forum game: RP thread
Post by: Veers on August 19, 2013, 07:20:18 am

Admiral's Log
Rear Admiral Veers
Flagship Silver Arrow of the 1st Commonwealth Royal Fleet

En-route to Aquarius via Vega
-------

The capture of the 4th Cordi fleet went very well, they were extremely cooperative and appear to be very similar to us in many ways. While we of the 1st CRF did not engage with them for long before they were shipped off to Sol, they appear to serve in a similar matter to our own Commonwealth. Being utterly dedicated to a King or Queen.

Our morale has certainly risen with this event, and I understand that several captains have also distributed information to the ranks about the Cordi and what information we know about them, it certainly has appeared to calm them and help us all understand about our enemy.

Hopefully those eggheads in Sol will treat the Cordi with some respect and not use them as lab-rats, this would certainly upset morale...

(Pause Log)

(Resume)

We've arrived in Vega, I've distributed orders for us to reorganise and count our losses while we transit the system. As we've already cleared the lance we'll be taking a breather here before continuing to Aquarius to replenish and rest our forces.

I've chosen to fall back to Aquarius not only for it's security away from the front lines, but also it's nebula environment. It is very calming and I hope that our forces will rest well during out time here, other than that. It is also our gate-way back to our home systems and the Northern Sector which from reports,

The fleets there have been facing a force known as the Zy. And while we were engaged by the races now designated as the Fura'ngle and the Hertak, I feel comfortable with not having taken the 1st Fleet into action against these warriors. The Cordi and Nordera are certainly interesting combatants, they were not terribly strong on their own while the Zy appear to surpass even our most skilled pilots. The Hertak however, are on a different scale all together.

The 1st Delest Dynasty under Admiral Ralwood was set upon by the Hertak fleet when it entered Draco, I am hoping to discuss these new fleets with him shortly however we are both focusing specifically on ourselves right now. As we each took heavy losses in the enemy counter-attack.

I will be commending the fleet when we reach Aquarius, while we did not engage major elements of the Hertak fleet, we did engage in heavy fighting with the 3rd Nordera and the 1st Fura'ngle, one of the newest races to appear.

Several techs are combing over data as I record, to present to myself and the command staff so we may distribute further information through Allied channels. It appears that our energy based weapons were less effective against the Fura'ngle.., and their ship designs appear to be remarkable but almost in violation of the laws of our universe...

Again, we shall have more data soon.

(End Log)

----------

Veers closed his log and signalled the communications officer, "Prepare a secure channel for me to the 4th Fleet please, I will have a message for Rear Admiral Santiago ready shorty", a short reply was all that was needed before Veers turned his attention back towards his newest message.

"""
Admiral Santiago,

I understand you are preparing to assault Draco as I speak, I just wanted to pass along a few words to you about your upcoming battle.

First, please find attached all the data I have available at this time about these two new enemies, the Hertak and the Fura'ngle. I hope you will find it useful before you have to deal with their vessels. I beseech you not to underestimate them, the Nordera and Cordi are both strong and difficult in their own way, but the technology of the Fura'ngle is complete foreign to anything in Terran or Cyrvan Space.

The Hertak are even more powerful, they engaged Admiral Ralwood and the 1st Delest fleet directly and inflicted heavy losses. However, he managed to bloody their nose very well, even while in retreat. The Commonwealth will expect nothing less of yourself when you move to engage them.

God Speed Admiral, You have the advantage to halt this war here and now.

Rear Admiral Veers,
1st CRF Fleet.
"""

Veers closed the message and sent it, Santiago was a strong leader. Very fit to lead the 4th Fleet into battle..

and out the other side. If the Hertak fleet is allowed to move to gain tactical and strategic momentum, they could face not only the collapse of their front lines, but the possible invasion of Vega. A heavily populated system, it was bad enough that untold thousands if not already millions had not survived this war already but it could not be allowed to escalate any deeper into the heart of Terran space.

"Captain Fel, signal the Fleet..."

"The moment we enter Aquarius they are to begin taking on supplies and repairs. We are here to repair, resupply and were possible.. relax. We cannot allow our allies to take all of our glory"

"Of course Admiral..." Veers noted something hanging off Fel's sentence for just a moment, "You have not sent a message to your wife since we left Ruba Pegasi. I would suggest, a short note to her..."

He chuckled at the comment, Fel was not only the captain of the Silver Arrow, but a close friend to many.. not just himself.. It was one of the qualities that would, one day. Turn Fel into the finest Admiral in Terran Space.

"I can always count on you to remind me, I assume that is an order then?"

Title: Re: Forum game: RP thread
Post by: Flak on August 19, 2013, 11:17:15 am

Virgo System
Virgo Orbital Station 2

The station is filled with various crew and mercenaries taking their time off or just waiting for their ships being repaired. After the 1st UGCR pulled back from Aldebaran, Hans' Internet Cafe on the platform is more crowded than usual that there are very few empty seats left. Many of the pilots especially, are excited that a new version of Winds of Dusk has just been announced and is under development, especially that some of the workings are happening right there.

Jerry gets up from his relaxed position on his chair upon seeing a new broadcast appearing on the computer in front of him. "There's the data we've been waiting for, the information on those Fura'ngle and Hertak ships. The Dynast fleets are sure that slow at sending their reports."

Angelo who was sitting next to him smiled, he was apparently glad to finally had his chance to give some contribution to the Winds of Dusk mod. "If that is the case, we can start getting to work. Even if this programming part is done, I think that texture package the combat recording computers give out needs some improvement."

"Agreed, if that is the case, we can start polishing these too." someone answered. Angelo turns around to see who it was, who turns out to be a member of Captain von Jakob's Vaqueros squadron, at least by his uniform. "I wonder where the Captain is. No matter, you guys should concentrate in the programming, I and my friends will do what we can with these models. Hopefully that Kent guy in Cordia will finish up the new launcher pretty soon."

"Sure, it would be better if all is finished together, don't want to keep everyone waiting." Angelo then gets back to his seat and continues his programming, while Jerry tries to make some sense of what Angelo is typing in the programming sheet. He may be a veteran in the game, but he is not exactly familiar with programming. Suddenly the entrance door slams open and walks in Captain Albrecht von Jakob.

"You don't have to be that rough, captain" one of the Vaqueros commented. "I don't wish to be rough of course, if I am not carrying all these...well" . The man then looks up, only then he noticed that Captain von Jakob is carrying 2 trays full of various drink cans, one on each hand. "Help me with this will you, Johnny." "Oh, sorry Captain." the man replied after noticing, then he immediately got up and pick up the tray from the Captain's left hand.

"Just hand that to the others, Johnny." The Captain then continues to where Angelo is sitting. "As promised, you got that lizard, I'll buy you a drink. Don't worry, I already given Commander Gavriil and the others in the leisure deck their share." Captain von Jakob then put down the tray on the table behind Angelo. "Oh, and where is the hero, the one that scored that killing blow?"

"You mean Sanjay? He just ran to the toilet I think." Jerry answered. "But I don't think you need to buy us this many."

"I figured you guys going to stay here for a while for your whatever programming, just like some of my boys do so I suppose I can give something more to lift up the spirit." Captain von Jakob then turns around and walks back to the door. He then waves at them when he is near the exit. "Lastly, give Sanjay my regards. That lizard scum would have killed me if it weren't for him. I need to have a word with Commodore Jameson, so I won't be staying for long."

"Oh great. Which reminds me now, how do you program a stealth fighter that can lose its stealth if it gets damaged up to a certain threshold?"

Johnny walks up to Angelo's computer and did showed some settings in the editor. "There it is, easy. Just add the threshold in the condition."

"Great, as soon as you guys are done with the modelling, we can start some of the proper simulations. Then soon we can let the other people here their first experience with the new version."

Title: Re: Forum game: RP thread
Post by: mobcdmoc3 on August 19, 2013, 04:01:18 pm

Flagship Sovereign
3rd Sol Fleet
Draco System
Day 4

"Get me a sitrep, now!" ordered Soryu as he stormed onto the bridge.

"Unknown fleets, identified as the 1st Hertak and the 1st Fura'ngle along with the 3rd Nordera jumped in at 0325 hours and splashed the 1st CRF and the 1st DD! Both fleets sustained heavy damage!"

"Damn... Put it up on the monitor!"

After planting himself in the command chair, he nervously wiped his brow and took a look at the holographic map.

There's three of them, and three of us - Why didn't they come for us? Are they trying to demoralize us? MOCK us? They might as well have just focus-fired on fleet and taken one of us down.

Wait... What the hell?

Soryu gestured open several windows carrying what little info they had on the Hertak ships. He flinched he glanced over their estimated strength compared to their own. Not only were their capital ships outrageously difficult to get rid of, they were complimented by fighters mounting beam cannons. No wonder they were able to do almost just as much damage as the Fura'ngle and Nordera fleets combined.

"Admiral, the fleet is ready standingby, awaiting your orders," reported Naya.

Without turning to look at her, he nodded, and closed his eyes in thought.

The 1st DD and the 1st CRF can't retreat unless they're lucky and don't end up getting shot in the back. Even if we wanted to retreat, we'd be giving the 1st Hertak and the 1st Fura'ngle time to recover - Can't afford to do that unless we want to keep dealing with them. We also need to cover the others, if they plan on retreating.

We might be able to wipe out the 3rd Nordera, but that's not likely to do us much good in the long run.

We could shoot up the Fura'ngle fleet since they're weaker than the Hertak fleet, but we'll have to deal with the Hertak possibly wiping out one of us.

That just leaves us with the best option being...

Soryu gulped before opening his eyes to address the crew.

"All hands... Prepare to engage the Hertak."

Title: Re: Forum game: RP thread
Post by: Lepanto on August 19, 2013, 05:31:19 pm

2235 hours, St. Louis IX Bridge, Hydra-Draco Node, Hydra

The bridge was a nexus of quiet intensity as the bridge crew ran through their last-minute checks and preparations for the jump to Draco. The Admiral occupied his usual elevated chair, seated behind Captain Kerr and sparing an occasional glance for the crew below.

"The 20th Thunderbolts have landed, sir," one of the comm officers was saying. "The Cadence reports ready op. We have no response from the 3rd CRF." But, if they're following the plan, they'll be here in a matter of hours.

"Good," Santiago responded, his mind already drifting to the battle ahead. He trusted that his subordinates could handle the 4th's assembly at the node without his micromanagement. If everything went as planned, by tomorrow, the strongest Hierarchy fleet in the war would be crippled by the combined firepower of the 4th, 3rd CRF, and 3rd SF. It was a risky plan, moving two fleets through contested space and leaving only one fleet holding Hydra. Santiago, though, had accepted that any plan for counter-attacking the numerically-superior Hierarchy would entail major risk.

With everything seemingly under control on the bridge, Santiago opened a conference call to several of his subordinates for a last-minute informal status report. The bridge didn't mount a full holographic projector like the ready room had, so communication was restricted to video/audio feed. The white-noise field around the Admiral's chair ensured that their conversation wouldn't disturb or be disturbed by the bridge crew around them. Screen after screen flared to life around him; he was happy to see the faces of Scott, Beresford, Tryon, and Jellicoe.

"So, lady and gentlemen. Any more last-minute problems that require my urgent attention?"

One of his personal aides spoke first. "Your message to the 2nd DD commander has been delivered."

"Good luck, but now we're ditching you to fight the Hertak," Scott paraphrased. "Yeah, that'll make Kuznetsov so thrilled."

"I know," Santiago responded. "But it's better than nothing. Tryon?"

"2nd Battle Group is on schedule," the blonde commodore replied, his smooth mask of formality firmly in place. Santiago hoped that the trust he had placed in Tryon would be validated in the upcoming engagement.

"3rd BG has assembled, and is awaiting the order," Jellicoe said. "All captains have reviewed the briefings on the Hertak and Fura'ngle, and the simulations project that our massed volley fire should be sufficient to bring down an Armageddon's shields."

"I'll say one thing about those big red crab ships, they sure are easy to hit," Scott chimed in. "The only problem is getting enough firepower on-target to bring them down in one or two volleys. Even with the advantage of surprise, I'm projecting that we'll only be able to take down five in our initial shock-jump, max. After that, it's open season for our local band of Space Control rejects."

Santiago had presumed as much. "That's what the 3rd CRF and 3rd SF are there for. If we do our job, I trust that they'll do theirs. This isn't the smoothest of plans, but it's all we've got. Comms, put me in touch with Admirals Harkness and Soryu at their earliest convenience. We need to go over our battle plan together." Santiago's personal aide nodded, and began trying to establish an inter-system comm link.

"One last thing." The Admiral lowered his voice a notch. "The Hertak used inefficient tactics in their initial attack on Draco. They could have wiped out any one of the Allied fleets in a single attack, but left the 1st CRF and 1st DD alive. Now, I'm no expert on Hertak psychology," not that we have any such thing, "but it was probably a morale-breaking ploy. They want us to know they can wipe us out, and show us their firepower, so that those left alive are terrified, and spread that terror. We will recognize this tactic, and refuse to let it affect us. We are CRF." Nothing more needed to be said.

"Dismissed."

Now, all Santiago could do was pray, and wait for the dawn.

Title: Re: Forum game: RP thread
Post by: CommanderDJ on August 19, 2013, 08:42:05 pm

Iera stood on the auxiliary bridge of the Hand of Absolution, hands clasped behind his back. The main bridge was still being repaired from the fire it took. Even here, he could feel the absence of Captain Regulle's presence, and he was sure the crew could feel it too. She had passed away peacefully but a few hours before, and he was sure the news had leaked already. Nevertheless, it was time to address it.

"Comms, get me an open channel."
"To the fleet, sir?"
"No. Just to the Hand."
There was a momentary pause.
"It's open, sir."

Iera cleared his throat and took a deep breath before beginning to speak. His voice did not waver.
"Men and women of the Hand of Absolution, this is your admiral speaking."
He paused, and those on the bridge with him saw him bow his head.
"I have unfortunate news: only a few hours ago, Captain Regulle, our executive officer, passed away from the wounds she sustained during our duel with the Zy. She died peacefully and without pain. She was known, respected and loved by many of you, and I share your sorrow at her passing. She was a dear friend to me, and a fine officer; a bastion of humanity."
Another pause. The admiral signalled to the comms officer to open the channel up to the entire fleet.

"My fellow warriors, you have all witnessed the opposition we face. The Zy are nothing like the Cordi we first fought and continue to fight. They are fierce and have taken many of our fellow men and women away from us. However, in spite of all that they have done, all the sorrow and grief that they have inflicted upon us, we have held. We have held. We have held. Tauri is not yet theirs. This system and those who reside in it have been spared a horrible fate by your actions. The iron wall of humanity still stands, and will continue to stand. Even as I speak, our allies, whether their allegiance lies to Earth, to Queen, to Dynasty or to commerce, are fighting just as we are, and though they may not be alongside us, they are certainly fighting with us. For despite our origins, we all fight for the same thing. And we will achieve it."

Title: Re: Forum game: RP thread
Post by: niffiwan on August 23, 2013, 03:01:16 am

Inevitably Successful in All Circumstances
2nd United Guilds of Commerce Regulars
Albebaran System
---

Ah Luc sighed & turned away from his viewscreen. It wasn't that the attack had been a failure, on the contrary the 2nd UGCR & 2nd CRF had set aside their historical emnity and co-operated in excellent fashion to completely neutralise the 2nd Cordi. No, the problem was the lack of counterstroke from the 2nd Zy & 5th Cordi fleets. He must be missing something, and that was highly annoying. Still, he wasn't going to let their inaction lull him into a false sense of security.

"Adjutant" he called.

"Yes Admiral" came the robotic voice.

"I need a staff meeting scheduled for 0600 to review the plan of attack on the 2nd Zy. Then chase up the current status of those mercenary contracts, I want them ready to join our fleet the 1st chance we get. If the combat bonus accruals are complete, bring that in for my review & signoff. And finally, I need letters to the next of kin of our combat losses, ready for my signature & approval."

"As you wish Admiral" came the reply and Ah Luc settled back in his chair. Only a few letters today thankfully...

Title: Re: Forum game: RP thread
Post by: Admiral MS on August 23, 2013, 04:34:45 pm

Hydra - Day 4
2nd DD Fleet
Flagship Nova

Admiral's Log (private):

The atmosphere on the bridge has definitely changed during the last 3 days. At the beginning of the hostilities everyone seemed to be discouraged and unmotivated for various reasons. The most important
one being the lack of modern fighters followed by the fact that a great part of the crew consists of conscripts. From the beginning many expected the DD fleets, which are considered to be the weakest out of all the friendly nations, to face heavy casualties and have very little impact on the actual fighting.

Still, sitting around and waiting was no alternative and I ordered the fleet to move to Hydra and support the 2nd LSF. Fortunately we arrived before hostilities commenced. While there was insufficient firepower available to outright destroy the 3rd Nordera we could expect them to retreat if hit hard enough. After consulting with Rear Admiral Augustus Corvus we agreed to send them an unmistakable message and use everything we have including our barrage and their combined arms capabilities.

The battle was short and it seems the Nordera had a hard time organising a defense. This kept our losses low with only a few fighters destroyed and some damage to the capital ships. It was disturbing to see their fighting spirit go up with every loss they faced as if that's their life goal. In the aftermath of the battle two Nordera fleets arrived from Draco after they forced the 1st LSF to retreat. Nonetheless the 3rd Nordera pulled back into Kardoen. Many of the crew were relieved that they didn't end as cannon fodder. There were reports of other more powerful hostile races appearing but these were withheld from the crew besides commanding officers. Instead everyone was to focus on the matter at hand: More fighting against Nordera fleets. We had to keep everyone in high spirits. It was decided to maintain the pressure and do another combined attack on the smaller of the two Nordera fleets.

Following some hours of hasty preparations we were able to start another successful attack inflicting heavy damage while keeping our losses at a minimum. While our attack was still running we started preparations for their counter offensive. Sadly with these alien races our intel is negligible and there was no indication which fleet will be their target. Afterwaiting for hours at highest alert we received a message that the 2nd LSF was shock jumped by both hostile fleets and received heavy losses within a few minutes. Before the fleet was ready for an emergency jump to their position the attack was over. Additionally Admiral Corvus was was wounded and several of his command staff killed when a dying Nordera Battleaxe rammed their flagship. Their fleet was in chaos and it took them almost half a day to organise an ordered retreat to Odin. At that point everything we could do was give them cover during their retreat together with the newly arrived 3rd CRF.

As usual we shared tactical data with the 3rd CRF and decided that finishing the weakened 2nd Nordera was crucial. If they were able to retreat and resupply our last battles would be for naught. Rear Admiral John Harkness also told us that 4th CRF under Rear Admiral Carlos Santiago is also on the way but won't arrive in time to support us during the next battle. That means we got two Britannian "We all die soon in shiny armor and with knightly behaviour for Queen and Country!" fleets around. I don't really like them but I do envy the CRF admirals for their motivated crew and their ability to push the morale even higher with zeal speeches. The only thing that prevented our "resolve" and "loyalty" from going to the bottom of the scale were the crystal mines. Maybe I should copy them sometime in the future and write a speech urging everyone to fight for Lady Yu Ki Kohakuren and the motherland?

The next day together with 3rd CRF the 2nd Nordera was destroyed. They had no chance and were pretty much space debris before realizing what happened. They were barely able to scratch the paint on our fighters and that means something considering our ancient 2nd generation flying cans. The cheers on the bridge after the last visible Nordera ship went up in a pretty fireball were overwhelming. It was our first major victory and so far fleet performance is far above my expectations. Scouting flights showed that the remaining Nordera fleet moved close to the starlance to Kardoen and made no attempt to prepare for an attack. Everyone was eager to celebrate and there was no risk of an unexpected attack. Since I didn't want to miss out this chance to raise fleet morale the whole crew got 2 hours of free time after doing all necessary field repairs.
While everyone was having fun I wrote my report covering the combat events of the last 3 days and sent it to the central government. Maybe the empress has mercy and finally sends us some of the 3rd generation fighters stockpiled in the core systems.

--------------------------------------

Admiral Kuznetsov closed the log and saw that he got several encrypted messages in his inbox. After decrypting them at least one of them seemed to be overly formal. Before he had any chance to read them the communication system came to life:
"Yes?"
"Sir, could you come the bridge!"
"I'm on my way"

Admiral Kuznetsov stood up from his comfortable chair and stretched himself.
"I really need some exercise in the fresh air" he muttered to himself before leaving the room.

Located directly besides the bridge he had to walk only a few seconds from his quarters until he stood before the automatic door to the bridge. When it slid open he was caught by surprise. The complete bridge personal was standing in a neat line saluting him. After staring at the scene for some seconds Captain Aleksei Chirikov approached him and broke the awkward silence:
"Congratulations on your promotion, Vice Admiral Kuznetsov"
He finally got his composure back and saluted.
"Thank you! Stand at ease!"

After the bridge crew went back to their stations he sat into his command chair, Aleksei still at his side. They knew each other for many years since academy and served in the same fleet. Starting at the same rank he ended up being always one or two ranks above Aleksei.
"God this was awful. I should have read my mail before coming. At least my rank difference to you is bolstered up again."
"Well, the look on your face was priceless - so good I'll gladly accept being of lower rank."
Both couldn't resist grinning.
"On a more serious note: Are there any other news I have missed? Anything about the fleets in Draco? With this "Hertak race" controlling fleets with more than twice as much firepower as we have I can hardly sleep easy. One sneeze of them and the Nova will probably fall apart."
"While I share your concerns, there is some good news. We will receive a complete shipment of 3rd gen fighters within the next days. I'm sure our pilots will appreciate it. They have been training for them in the simulator for several months."
"Thank you! The Motherland hasn't given up on us!"
He continued to speak louder.
"Communications officer - sent a message to all carriers that they will receive new complement of 3rd gen fighters within the next day and should prepare for it. It is important that they keep the old fighters ready for battle. We might fall under attack before the shipment arrives."
"Yes sir! ... uh ... there is a message from Admiral Santiago. It's on your display."
...
"He could have just written <Good luck, but now we're ditching you to fight the Hertak> instead of talking around the fact. Let's hope their shiny armor and queen worshipping protects them well against Hertak beam weaponry."
Everyone knew he wasn't too fond of Britannia to say at least. So no one felt any urge to respond and continue with this topic.
"If they decide to leave us alone we can't risk attacking the remaining Nordera fleet. All fleet elements should cover the CRF movements so they don't fall under attack.
Captain, I'll leave the bridge to you. I got some more paperwork to do that comes with the promotion. Let the crew prepare a barrage just in case."
Aleksei rolled his eyes when Georgiy said the word <paperwork>. Nothing's more fun in Delest Dynasty's bureaucratic and partially corrupt military.

Title: Re: Forum game: RP thread
Post by: Lorric on August 23, 2013, 06:15:51 pm

THE 2ND CRF
(http://i1054.photobucket.com/albums/s490/kingspoon/WoD%20Forum%20Game/CRFlogo_zps8acd49ef.png~original)
Fleet Admiral: Lorric

Fleet Anthem:

Fleet Motto: Tireless. Fearless. Peerless.

Fleet Flagship: CRF Soaring Spirit, Lord Class.
(http://i41.tinypic.com/2nbhcvl.jpg)
Fleet Vessels
CRF Unbreakable Tenacity
CRF Boundless Confidence
CRF Earnest Intent
CRF Defined Purpose
CRF Faith and Valour
CRF Honour and Duty
CRF Moral Courage
CRF Righteous Wrath
CRF Honest Effort
CRF Serene Mind
CRF Firm Resolve
CRF Calm Composure
CRF Passionate Fervour
CRF Valiant Heart
CRF Labour of Love
CRF Brave Soul
CRF Burning Passion
CRF Guiding Hand
CRF Enduring Faith
CRF Selfless Benevolence
CRF Iron Will
CRF Driving Force
CRF Towering Presence
CRF Burning Inspiration
CRF Vehement Determination
CRF Undaunted Courage
CRF Undying Loyalty
CRF Steadfast Commitment
CRF Tireless Persistence
CRF Firm Conviction

Title: Re: Forum game: RP thread
Post by: X3N0-Life-Form on August 25, 2013, 01:46:08 am

Champion-class carrier Swift, Sol Force 2nd Fleet, Virgo system[/color]
Flag officer's quarters

Rear Admiral Fremont, the Swift's captain as well as the XO were reviewing various reports regarding the war effort.
-"So, the big guys decided to show their faces in Draco", said the XO, "their ships are insanely big and powerful, but the fleet admirals there believe that they wouldn't be able to resist being ganged up by half a fleet.
-Sir, I've taken the liberty of having our fighter be equipped with kinetic weaponry, seeing as both the Fur ... Faran'g ... the crystal dudes and the Zy armor have high reflective properties. We'll lose some effectiveness versus cordi crafts, but I believe it to be worth it.
-Excellent. Our last two capital ships are due to arrive within the next half our, dragging along a transport carrying fresh pilots and fighter crafts. As soon as they are integrated with our fleet, start making preparations to jump back into Aldebaran. XO, how's the moral holding up?
-The crew is eager to get back into the fight. I know they'd rather get back at the Cordi, but they understand the threat posed by the Zy.
-Good. Captain, make sure the crew know how the battle will plan out. With the 2nd CRF moving to Tauri, LSF elements and our own ships will have to cover the 2nd UGCR's retreat. We owe these guys and I don't want us to mess up a chance to repay our debts. Also make sure they understand that we will be rotated straight into the UGCR's combat zone, and to prepare accordingly.

Title: Re: Forum game: RP thread
Post by: Lepanto on August 25, 2013, 03:36:51 pm

4TH CRF
(http://i1054.photobucket.com/albums/s490/kingspoon/WoD%20Forum%20Game/CRFlogo_zps8acd49ef.png~original)
Fleet Admiral: Rear Admiral Carlos Santiago

Fleet Anthem:

Fleet Motto: Honor in Omnibus (Honor in All Things)

Fleet Flagship: CRF St. Louis IX, Lord Class.
(http://i41.tinypic.com/2nbhcvl.jpg)
Fleet Vessels

1st Carrier Battle Group
CO: Admiral Santiago

Flagship: CRF St. Louis IX (Lord, CO: Captain Walter Kerr)
-129th Tigers (Esquire, CO: Captain Charles Beatty)
-33rd Order of the Golden Fleece (Esquire, CO: Commander Dhruv Anshari)
-117th Hussars (Ray IIIM3v, CO: Lt. Commander Stanley Wodjakowski)
-20th Thunderbolts (Kaze-Page, CO: Commander Rainley Dashwood)
-9th Crazy Pixies (Kaze-Page, CO: Lt. Commander Roger Sarno)
-495th Vampires (Kaze-Page, CO: Lt. Commander Fenway Scarlet)
-53rd Sabers (Excalibur, CO: Commander Arthur White)
-90th Berserkers (Excalibur, CO: Lt. Commander Ellis Einzbern)
-203rd Annihilators (Hazel, CO: Lt. Commander Richard Deckard)

CRF Warrior (Duke)
CRF Inflexible (Duke)
CRF Excelsior (Duke)
CRF Swiftsure (Cavalier)
CRF Relentless (Cavalier)
CRF Bellerophon (Cavalier)
CRF Undaunted (Cavalier)

2nd Carrier Battle Group
CO: Commodore Ronald Jellicoe

Flagship: CRF Dreadnought (Champion)
-2nd Firebrands (Esquire, CO: Captain Langley Sorenson)
-89th Hospitallers (Esquire, CO: Lt. Commander David Rutherford)
-25th Banshees (Ray IIIM3v, CO: Lt. Commander Mordecai Bar-Ezra)
-49th Riders (Kaze-Page, CO: Lt. Commander Stacey Matthews)
-148th Guardians (Kaze-Page, CO: Lt. Commander James Deighan)
-180th Parthians (Kaze-Page, CO: Lt. Commander David Thule)
-54th Steel Rain (Excalibur, CO: Commander Aldrick Borrel)
-235th Iron Fists (Excalibur, CO: Lt. Commander Matthew Hastings)

CRF Warrior (Duke)
CRF Invincible (Duke)
CRF Iron Duke (Duke)
CRF Cadence (Cavalier)
CRF Ocean (Cavalier)
CRF Ramilies (Cavalier)
CRF Orion (Cavalier)

3rd Carrier Battle Group
CO: Commodore Lloyd Tryon

Flagship: CRF Thunderchild (Champion)
-83rd Maids of Orleans (Esquire, CO: Captain Guy de Jocelyn)
-20th Wizards (Esquire, CO: Lt. Commander Paul Wilson)
-171st Beta Guards (Ray IIIM3v, CO: Commander Holley Macaulay)
-121st Golden Scythes (Kaze-Page, CO: Lt. Commander Kyle Macintosh)
-232nd Sturmwind (Kaze-Page, CO: Lt. Commander Roger Hartman)
-97th Kataphraktoi (Excalibur, CO: Commander Roger MacGuire)
-195th Silent Warriors (Excalibur, CO: Lt. Commander Thomas Yarnell)
-101st Protectors (Excalibur, CO: Lt. Commander Stephen Wood)

CRF Camperdown (Duke, CO: Commander Roger Markham)
CRF Colossus (Duke)
CRF Queen Victoria (Duke)
CRF Agincourt (Cavalier)
CRF Splendid (Cavalier)
CRF Royal Oak (Cavalier)
CRF Repulse (Cavalier)

1st Strike Division
CO: Captain Johnathan Shadwell

Flagship: CRF Lion (Duke)
CRF Vanguard (Cavalier)
CRF Sovereign (Cavalier)
CRF Neptune (Cavalier)

2nd Strike Division
CO: Captain Arthur Wilson

Flagship: CRF Indomitable (Duke)
CRF Monmouth (Cavalier)
CRF Minotaur (Cavalier)
CRF Renown (Cavalier)

Title: Re: Forum game: RP thread
Post by: Flak on August 26, 2013, 01:15:06 am

Virgo System
Virgo Orbital Platform 2

Baron Markus and some of his crew are still waiting for the repair of their ships. The news reel are still filled with news from the front.
"The 1st UGCR is leaving for Polaris soon. Are we going to rejoin them in Fomalhaut?"
"I doubt it, those lizards gave our ships quite a beating. Jaxon also just told me that the Thunderhawk's secondary reactors was wrecked, so we are going to wait for the replacement."
"Right, I almost forget about that part. Oh, and about our payment?"
"Commodore Jameson is going to contact me soon, his battlegroup will be staying here anyway since the Fomalhaut shipyards are full."

While they were conversing, Commodore Jameson walks into the lounge.
"Great, speak of the devil. So, I suppose our payment is ready?"
"Yes and no." the Commodore said, still maintaining the big smile on his face. "I have two options for your for now actually."
Baron Markus puts down the glass of cocktail in his hand, and replied calmly "So it is not ready is it?"
"Let me finish with that. We can pay you with what we have right now, and then give you the rest in a few days, a bit more than your contract agreement of course. However, there is something else that you might be interested in."
"And what that might be?"
"You see, my superiors have decided to give some special rewards to mercenary groups that have given their best performance in battle. Duke Nightwing didn't want it, so I suppose it can be yours."
"Well, what kind of reward is that?"
Commodore Jameson walks to the window and points outside "Sure, see that Rhino over there, if you are content to accepting only half of your payment, it is yours."
Baron Markus freezes in disbelief for a moment. "So you are giving me......a cruiser, are you serious? That is way more than our payment."
"I said it is a reward, not payment, at least part of it. Don't ask how the brass get it, it is their business, not mine. And may I remind you, just the ship, crew not included."
"All right, you win, you just gave us an offer we cannot refuse. But I just can't take another cruiser and expect the Britannian customs to leave me alone can I?"
"I already handled all the paperwork and got through all of your Britannian rules. I have to admit it wasn't easy, but it is done regardless. There you are, here is the certificate of ownership, just sign these papers, and we are done."

As soon as Markus signed the receipt, Commodore Jameson bolts through the door. Anders still thought it was a joke somehow, but suddenly realized that the UGC rarely ever failed in their payment.

"Great, I was actually saving up to get another ship for us, and it suddenly gets thrown into my face."
"But that also means we are going to stay here for a couple more days?"
"Right, we don't have enough people to man it right now."
"And why did they pay us with that?"
"A way to keep the spirit up for the mercs perhaps? Some of the hired guns aren't exactly easy to keep around. And give Ortega a call for me, tell him that we have his toy somewhat early, and we need his crew here immediately."
"Right away, Captain Ortega and his crew are starting to get tired of being a reserve, that should make him happy."

Title: Re: Forum game: RP thread
Post by: Lepanto on September 01, 2013, 08:59:24 pm

1217 hours, St. Louis IX Combat Information Center, Allied Rallying Point 3, Rallying Point, Draco

"Admiral, 3rd Fleet and the 3rd SF are reporting ready op." Santiago nodded to acknowledge the orange-haired comms operator. The dim interior of the CIC was lit by the glow of screens, as the operators finished their last-minute preparations and steeled for battle. Santiago himself stared at the holotank, which projected a system-wide map of Terran and Hierarchy fleet dispositions.

Finally, it was time.The 4th and their two allied fleets were gathered at their rallying points. Allied recon fighters were holding position just outside the Hierarchy's staging points, and transmitting up-to-the-minute reports on Hierarchy movements. The Hierarchy fleets were ill-positioned to reinforce each other, but Santiago was sure that the 1st Fura'ngle and 3rd Nordera would jump in to reinforce the 1st Hertak after the Allied fleets' initial attack. Allied casualties would inevitably be heavy, but such was the price of victory.

Yes, so many will die, and all because you're not as good as you think you are, a familiar voice of self-doubt whispered in Santiago's head. Ever since Ruba Pegasi and the near-slaughter of the 4th CRF, he'd had a niggling fear of failure, as much as he tried to quash it. Your fancy subspace chess games won't be enough. You'll slip up, and they'll pay the price.

A voice broke through Santiago's thoughts. "...Sir? Are you alright?" Startled into alertness, Santiago checked his comms panel. It was Commodore Jellicoe calling. As the Admiral tried to think of a response, Jellicoe continued. "It's Ruba Pegasi, isn't it?" You know me all too well, friend. "What'd Lorric say if he saw you moping like this just before an operation?"

Santiago smiled wanly. "He'd tell me to stop over-thinking things and just attack already." Buoyed by a new surge of energy, he felt his angst leave him. "Thanks. Copy your previous report?"

Relief was evident on Jellicoe's face. "2nd Battlegroup reports ready op."

"Good. Comms, tell them that 4CRF reports ready op."

The operator nodded.

Jellicoe continued. "The men are ready, Sir. Let's do this."

A counter in the corner of the holotank display was counting down, "T-10, T-9, T-8..." The 4th's units were arranged in formation, guns ready to fire.

St. Michael, St. George, pray for us.

"T-2, T-1..."

"Mark! All units, engage drives!"

====================================================

The 4th CRF's battlegroups flared back into realspace directly on top of the 1st Hertak, lit by the rays of Draco's sun behind them. The red-black vessels, as imposing and diabolical as they looked, had been caught off-guard. All around them, more luminous subspace vortexes signaled the arrival of the 3rd CRF and 3rd SF. The starry blackness was lit by greenish-blue trails of Terran fighters, and the gleaming white shapes of CRF capital ships. The St. Louis IX herself had jumped in perpendicular to one Hertak ship designated Target One, ideally positioned for a dorsal laser barrage.

"All ships, weapons free!" Santiago barked. The CRF warships let loose brilliant volleys of plasma into the flickering-red rear shields of Hertak Armageddons. Fighter squadrons started their attack runs, as Excaliburs and Kaze-Pages blasted the Ravager screen into debris with massed cannon and missile salvos. The St. Louis added to the pounding with its dorsal batteries. Target One's rear shields held against the initial barrage, but began to flicker and fold before the brilliant light of massed CRF cannon salvos. St. Michael and the devil.

One of the sensor operators called out, "Shield penetration on Target One! Confirming armor spall!" The lumbering Armageddon was turning around to engage, firing its broadside beams, but it was too little, too late.

"1st, go for terminal engagement on Target One!" Smelling blood, 1st Battlegroup pulled up closer to the ailing monstrosity. Target One was hemorrhaging drive plasma and armor plating under the withering fusillade. Scott's gunnery drills had done their job, as the 4th's gunners were hitting hairline fractures in the Armageddons' hulls with lethal effect.

"FIRE!" As one, the ships of 1st Battlegroup fired an overwhelming volley of brilliant plasma, smashing through the Armageddon's flickering starboard shields and piercing its reactor core. The monstrosity exploded with a great flash of light, a shower of debris, and a soundless roar. A cheer went up throughout the CIC, and, Santiago was sure, throughout the whole ship. Turning from the viewscreen to the holotank, Santiago saw that four other Armageddons had fallen under the 4th's assault, and the other two fleets had claimed several more. The once-fearsome 1st Hertak had been reduced to under a third of its former strength. Santiago felt a momentary thrill of hope, that perhaps the allies could claim victory and end the war.

====================================================

Those hopes were shattered mere seconds later, when more subspace vortexes in the distance heralded the arrival of the Fura'ngle and Nordera. The enemy reinforcements fell on the 3rd CRF with a terrifyingly-effective fusillade, bolstered by the remnants of the 1st Hertak. The 3rd CRF was on the other side of the battlefield, too far away for the 4th to reach before they were crushed. His capital ships' drives were still cycling, and he'd committed all his reserves to the initial attack. There was nothing the 4th could do to avert the slaughter.

Nevertheless, Santiago had to try. "All units, regroup and make best speed to assist the 3rd!" He was tempted to send his strikecraft ahead of the capital ships, but he knew the enemy ships' point defenses would catch his fighters in a fire pocket if they attacked alone. The green holotank symbols of the 4th turned around and started moving slowly, too slowly, towards the pocket of green surrounded by a mass of red.

But it was too little, too late. As light after light winked out, each taking a capital ship and hundreds or thousands of CRF crewmen with it, Santiago saw that the deed was done. He dropped to his knees and whispered a quick prayer for the deceased; "O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of Death. Lead all souls into heaven, especially those in most need of Thy mercy."

He sat back in his chair, just as the red lights representing the Hierarchy fleets began advancing toward the remaining Terran forces. The allied fleets were outgunned, and no good would come of dying here in a pointless last stand. "All units, fall back and plot jumps for Rally Point Four. Fighters, screen our warships in case they launch an attack wave. We're done here. All fleet units, damage reports!"

The 4th's warships turned tail and ran. Some in the CRF might have regarded any Britannian retreat from a battlefield as shameful, but Santiago knew that it was folly to cling to a warrior's pride in such circumstances.

After a few tense minutes, as the Hierarchy fleet inched ever closer on the holotank display, the comms operator called out, "Admiral, all jump drives are charged!"

"Roger. All ships, engage!"

As the starfield of realspace disappeared into the comforting blue glow of subspace, Santiago listened as the damage reports rolled in. It was time to lick wounds, recover any survivors from the 3rd, and fight again tomorrow. At least, now, he could tell the voice in his head that he had done what he could.

====================================================

(mobcdmoc3 and Torchwood, if you'd envisioned this battle going differently, I can edit my post.)

Title: Re: Forum game: RP thread
Post by: Lorric on September 03, 2013, 07:02:02 pm

To: [email protected]
From: [email protected]
Subject: Re: Condolences and greetings (http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php?topic=85262.msg1702854#msg1702854)

Again my friend, I must apologise for the lateness of my reply. So much has happened. A frenzy of activity and emotion. Any free time I’ve had has been simply spent sleeping.

Speaking of which, it all began with me just lying there in bed. I was troubled. Something was not right. I just knew something was not right. We were missing something, all of us. And then it finally hit me. How could we all be so blind! The incoming enemy would be able to open the system to reinforcements from Aldebaran. To this day I still do not understand why no one realised, and why it took me so long. I believe there are many reasons. Most of the admirals will have had their minds focused on their sector of space. And we’ve all been sent reeling by this invasion. But the most prominent reason is probably the fact we have all been conditioned with the rigid truth that a Starlance is required to enter a system, and were not thinking beyond that. That is until the alien race known as the Zy showed us that the impossible is possible.

Off flew the bedcovers, and it’s just been a whirl of activity ever since. Realising that the battleground was no longer confined to Tauri, I made a quick decision that the forces in Aldebaran needed to be struck a heavy blow. While it was a coincidence, and our colleagues in the Aldebaran fleets took a great deal of the workload, I can’t overstate what a morale boost it was for us to jump in and finish off the 1st Cordi fleet. We were the first fleet to engage the enemy, and that fleet hammered us in that engagement. How fitting we would return and deliver the final blow. The cheering was thunderous. It reverberated right through the ship. I don’t think I’ll ever forget it, I’ve certainly never got a reaction like that to one of my speeches.

We have the measure of these insect aliens now. We have since destroyed a second of their fleets and driven a third off the front lines with severe casualties. And in your area of space, a fourth such fleet was taken down, this time with some prisoners being taken. I have heard from the 1st CRF that these insect aliens seem to share many similarities to us. Queen and country, loyalty, devotion… this is most interesting. I hope to find a calm moment to contemplate this as well, I feel there may be something in this…

I have now had time to see the plan in action. Truly you and your fellow fleet Admirals have fought Admirably. It fills me with pride to be fighting alongside such men and women.

Which brings me to what happened to the 3rd CRF. Wiped out but for a few fighters, who have now joined your fleet I understand. They fought to the highest standards of the CRF. They could not have fought better, not have been braver. And still they died. But the scariest part to me is I know that could so easily have been you. You were there. You watched them die. Only a quirk of fate stopped it from being you. I feel bad thinking that way, feeling relief that others died instead of you. But I can’t help it. We’ve been through so much together, the thought of losing you now makes me feel sick…

For all this though, the Southern fleets are still pushing the enemy back, and I still believe in the plan. However, there is one flaw, and I thought this the moment I read your message and still do. You speak about the enemy’s strategy and compare it to Hitler’s mistakes, as if we’re dealing with a human aggressor, as if a human mind and a human hand is controlling the forces ranged against us. This is a mistake. We cannot presume to think like aliens. Alien intelligence may be able to see things we cannot see. The Zy have already proved this when they jumped into Tauri and showed us that what we thought was impossible is possible. And the numbers keep on coming. Hitler stretched himself too thinly. We have no idea what reserves these aliens have, and unfortunately, I suspect all we’ve seen is the tip of the iceberg…

Of course, you will already have received my approval of the plan on the secure channel.

As for the Cordi and Nordera, your prediction is indeed correct, as proven by our successes against them now. What you say is worrying about the other races having knowledge of us. Indeed, I am absolutely confident that that is why the Cordi and Nordera were sent in first. To test us. To expose our capabilities, then hit us with their better fleets.

Indeed, I thought the very same thing. When we first detected the imminent arrival of the 1st Zy fleet, I thought they might be the masters. A race that could bypass Starlances? And when they arrived that didn’t change. Their military might is greater than ours, they could rival the Cyrvans. But then, the Hertak arrived. And there is no doubt in my mind that we’re looking at the masters here. The naked power… it is obvious why these other races have fallen under their control. Even the Zy and the Cyrvans pale in comparison. We don’t have a fighting chance against them except in the one instance we have shown: Superior numbers. Concentrating greatly superior numbers against them is the only way.

This also fills me with pride. It has continued. Every man and woman on the resupply teams has been working themselves into the ground. Even when servicing the fleets of factions they would have once distrusted. My feelings would have been the same as yours, I would have laughed. I would not have trusted human nature to be able to leave these petty squabbles behind, my surprise is total, but oh so pleasant. If we win this war, I now feel we can transcend this petty fighting, jockeying and politicking and come together as one species, one species in a galaxy that just got a lot more crowded.

Indeed. And speaking of which, I’ve seen the footage of the battle with the Hertak. Never have I been prouder to have you as a friend.

Ha ha, now this is a lighter note. Oh man, the sensationalist press. They soon shut up when the Zy and the Hertak arrived, didn’t they? Soon started licking boot when they realised that we’re all that stands between them and slavery… slimy parasites.

Oh and yes, I couldn’t stop laughing at that Cordi Shapeshifter article. Who writes this garbage?!

Take care my friend. This is the time. This is our calling in life. This is what we were born to do, what everything we have done up until this point has been building towards. We are the dam before the flood, and we must not fail.

Lorric

Title: Re: Forum game: RP thread
Post by: Enioch on September 07, 2013, 12:06:31 pm

Gunner First Class Olga Ilieva was not a happy woman.

She was not a happy woman because she had been taken from her well-paying job in the Novgorod III shipyards and drafted into a fleet, where everybody seemed to have it out for her and which was about to reach the frontlines.

She was not a happy woman because she was quite fed up of being yelled at by Gunnery PO Petrovich and of endlessly training with the aiming terminals of her gunnery station and – most of all – spending eight hours every day standing next to a plasma bottle. She had been told (and she had no reason to doubt that brute, Petrovich) that, if it failed, it would do so explosively and take out a quite respectable part of Katyusha with it.

Gunner First Class Ilieva was not happy about standing next to a contraption that could turn her into her component atoms if it stopped working. Especially since she was pretty sure the Enemy would be doing their best to assist it in failing. With their terrible beams. And missiles.

She had been tracking the forces retreating from Draco as they dropped out of the Starlance and into real space and had paled at the ugly, red, blinking damage readings her targeting computers had flashed. Very few ships had escaped the battle unscathed; most of them bore meter-long gashes in their hulls and some still streamed atmosphere from damaged bulkheads. A CRF cruiser had been towed to safety not ten kilometers from Katyusha: it had been hit amidships by something that had ripped through armor like a hot knife through butter. It was a miracle the cruiser had been stable enough to navigate the Starlance; most of the CRF ships had not been as lucky.

“Stop gawking at that screen, Ilieva,” Petrovich snarled behind her, and Olga barely managed to not jump out of her seat.

“Yes, sir,” she said.

“If you have time to be scanning our allies, run some diagnostics on the power couplings.” Petrovich leaned over her terminal and she noted, absent-mindedly, that he did not smell like vodka. While other PO’s left their stations at the end of their shifts and got roaringly drunk at the first opportunity, Petrovich was known for spending his free hours gutting terminals and splicing circuitry around his gunnery station. “I do not trust you rookie maggots with my baby and if I see any power spikes during combat, I will drop the lot of you out the airlock in your underpants.”

“Yes, sir.”

The diagnostics came out clean, which did not guarantee anything, of course. Katyusha, like most 3rd Fleet ships was a good ship on paper; however, the time she had spent mothballed in reserve had not been kind to her systems. Even after the extensive refitting, the delays and repairs she had gone through, it was not unheard of for subsystems that had seemed to be working perfectly to fail without notice.

Gunner First Class Ilieva was not happy about that as well.

“Power distribution and flow are nominal, sir,” she said and quickly flipped through targeting modes. “All subroutines seem to be working as well.”

“Mammoth ****,” Petrovich snarled. “There was at least a half-second delay in the mode cycling. I’m betting on faulty capacitors in the redistributor circuits. Here, get up and help me with this.”

Ilieva groaned under her breath and got up, unbuckling her safety harness and ignoring the faint grins on the faces of her fellow gunners. She knelt next to Petrovich, who unscrewed an access panel and began ripping out circuits with gusto, giving them a cursory examination and laying them on a neat pile on the floor.

“Sloppy,” he murmured. “You let things like that get by you, Ilieva and they pile up and you get to the same situation that got this fleet into the **** we’re in. Maintenance!” He probed a circuit with his multi-tool and snorted. “Maintenance is key! You don’t wait for things to break down, when your life depends on them, you actively look for things that might break, before they do. Got it?”

“Yes, sir.”

“No, you didn’t, but I didn’t expect you to, so you can crawl back to your station.” Petrovich snorted triumphantly, holding a circuit board to the light. “See? Told you. Busted capacitors. Bloody second-grade materials are gonna be the end of us.”

Gunner First Class Ilieva was about to secure the last buckle of her harness, when the intercom screens over the door of Epsilon Starboard Battery snapped into holographic life. There was a short fanfare and a ghostly Delest crest flashed into existence.

“Sailors of the 3rd Fleet, attend! Sailors of the 3rd Fleet, attend! This is a Fleet-wide announcement! This is a Fleet-wide announcement!”

Olga heard Alexei Dimitrievich curse softly next to her.

“This is it, this is it, this is it…” he muttered.

The Delest crest was replaced by a shot of the Admiral, sitting at his desk in his dress uniform. There was a beat before he said anything, and Olga realized that she could hear the softly chiming of her terminal: the ship was deathly still. She felt the hair on the back of her neck standing up.

Kalazonitov reached forward and picked up a dataslate from his desk, and Olga heard the beep of a file being opened.

“Sailors of the Third Fleet,” Kalazonitov began, his voice raspy, “I have received orders from both the Ministry of War and the other Delest admirals to ensure the neutralization of all Hertak forces in Draco. As such, at ten hundred hours tomorrow, I intend to lead this fleet through the Starlance to Draco, from which I do not intend to return unless all Hertak forces are annihilated.”

He laid the dataslate on his desk and stared at the holocam.

“I realize that many of you are afraid of what you perceive as your first action. Do not be. Lay down your fear and realize who you are.

“This is not the first time you will fight for your life. This is not the first time the universe throws what it thinks is an unstoppable force at us. But we are Delest. We have become such a force ourselves. We are soldiers from the first time we are assigned a position. We fight for our lives every day. Whether you come for the frozen wastes of Siberia IV, or the inhospitable peaks of the Ural moons, or the searing forges of the Archangel foundries, you know what it is like to fight, for we fight every day to carve our place among the stars.

“This is all that I ask of you.Think of who you are . Think of the spirit you have shown as Delest citizens and show that spirit tomorrow, as Delest sailors. Think of all the hardships you have encountered and overcome and think of tomorrow’s action as nothing more that another obstacle that we will brush aside. Stand by your posts and let them come and let them try to grind us down; we are Delest and when you try to grind down a Delest man, you only hone his spirit.

“For the glory of the Empress and the honor of the Fleet, Kalazonitov, out.”

There was a short fanfare again, and the holoscreen went dark.

Silence.

“Ilieva, will you buckle that harness, or will I have to kick you across the Battery?”

Olga tore her eyes off the dark screen and snapped her belt closed. “Sorry, sir,” she said breathlessly.

The spirits of her mates were subdued during the rest of the shift. She realized, however, that the atmosphere was subtly different from that of the earlier days. And she also realized that she felt different herself. Gunner First Class Olga Ilieva was not happy, but she did not feel that ill at ease next to the plasma bottle anymore. It was still a dangerous thing, true, but it wouldn’t kill her any worse than a faulty plasma torch, or a fusion burner in the Novgorod shipyards.

When the shift was over, she rose, stretched and went to follow her mates to the bunks; then she saw Petrovich taking out his multi-tool and bending over a mass of cables next to a tracking terminal and paused.

“Will…” She hesitated. “Will you need help with that, sir?”

Petrovich looked up and his lips twitched.

“You any good with a titanium solder, Ilieva?”

==========================================================================================

“This is a mistake, sir,” Fighter Command Captain Grishenko sighed, following Kalazonitov through the corridors of Katyusha. “At least from the point of view of a fighter commander. We have new fighters right there!”

He pointed vaguely to the outside of the ship.

“Right there! I only need a few days to transfer them to our capital ships and shake them down. We could attack with Rays sir!”

“Yes, Captain,” Kalazonitov sighed, as a blast door slid to the side with a soft hiss. “We could attack with Rays, in a few days. The Hertak will not wait for us to do so, you can depend upon that. Right now, they’re in disarray, after chasing our retreating allies through Draco. If we allow them to reorganize, they might resupply. Or get reinforced. Or worse, retreat.”

“Why would that be bad sir?” Grishenko said, stepping through the door. “If they do, we just smash through their allies and re-take Draco”.

“Because, Captain, Draco is as good as ours already.” Kalazonitov said, his cane tapping a rhythm on the floor. “The point is, that we should achieve our goals with the least amount of casualties on our side and the maximum amount of damage inflicted on the enemy. Tell me captain, what is better: to get mixed up in a war of attrition with the Hertak thralls, while their First Fleet resupplies behind the lines and prepares to counterattack, or kill them off once and for all and then deal with a demoralized Fur’angle and a battle-damaged Nordera fleet?”

They had reached the door to Katyusha’s bridge, and Kalazonitov paused before entering.

“Don’t worry, Captain,” he said, smiling. “I assure you, you will have the next-generation fighters available immediately after our clash with the Hertak.”

“Sir, we will have to retreat again, if we are to transfer them to our carriers.” Grishenko pointed out, evidently unhappy.

“Not at all,” Kalazonitov said coolly. “I intend to take them with us.”

“Sir?”

“The fleet tenders that carried them here have been generously donated to the Third Fleet by system Governor Di Xin.” Kalazonitov said. “They will accompany us in Draco, where we will complete the fighter transfer. Then they will return to Vega, where they will stock up on heavy ordnance and join us again, this time working as logistics vessels.”

“You will take unarmed transports into a warzone?” Grishenko gasped, as the door opened and Kalazonitov stepped into the bridge. “…sir?”

“Yes, Captain,” Kalazonitov said, collapsing into his chair, calling up the tactical network and, as an afterthought motioning the crew that had snapped to attention back to their terminals. “I intend to give you your fighters as soon as possible. After we destroy the Hertak, we very well may have to retreat, and leave the mopping up to our allies. If we do, I want your fighters to cover our retreat and I want you to have the best tools for the job that we can give you. Dismissed.”

Captain Urumov, the commanding officer of the Katyusha handed Kalazonitov a dataslate and the Admiral spent the next few minutes perusing inventories and lists.

“Good,” he finally said. “Are we ready, Captain?”

“As we’ll ever be, Admiral. The crew is rested, all systems are functional. She’s ready to go.”

“Very well, then.”

Kalazonitov called up the Fleet Command network and images of his division commanders flashed into existence on the holoscreen before him.

“Gentlemen,” the Admiral said, “at this point you should all be familiarized with our battle plan. I expect each of you to lead a division of warships against a Hertak Armageddon battleship and I expect you to dispatch your targets with extreme prejudice and efficiency. Conserve the lives of your men, but ensure that the enemy is destroyed before they can re-organize. Our allies in Draco will provide us with the latest intel when we jump and you will have to jump again immediately, to make the most of our advantage. Again: rapid assault, overwhelming power to a point.”

The officers signaled assent and Kalazonitov nodded in return and cut the transmission.

“Well, Captain,” he addressed Urumov. “She’s yours. Take us through, if you please.”

A few minutes later, the Starlance closed on the last of the fleet tenders, following on the wake of the 3rd Delest Fleet.

Title: Re: Forum game: RP thread
Post by: Flak on September 07, 2013, 01:19:19 pm

Virgo Orbital Station 2
Virgo System

Commodore Jameson moves around the orbital decks briskly. Some on the leisure deck already starting to notice him walking pass them several times already. He appears to be searching for someone or something. He apparently has search every room in the station. After about an hour of searching, it looks like he was about to give up and took a seat on a chair in the leisure deck.

"Did you guys saw Duke Nightwing, or whatever he is called?" he asked to a group of people playing poker on the table behind his chair. They looked around at each other in confusion before one of them stood up. "Duke what? I am sorry but I don't think I know anyone with that name".

"I mean did you see a rather well dressed man, he has brown hair I think."

"You mean that man over there?" one of them points at someone across the room. Commodore Jameson turns to take a look, only to see it was Baron Markus, who was sitting next to a round table. "No, I mean another one, he has a toothbruth mustache I think, you can't miss him."

Suddenly the men knew who Commodore Jameson was looking for. "Yeah, I saw him. He was around here. But come to think of it, that was two days ago. I haven't seen him again ever since." Commodore Jameson shakes his head, then he turns around and walks up to Baron Markus who was also in the room.

"Ah, Commodore Jameson, what can I do for you today? More merc contract I presume."

"Of course, for Rear Admiral Yuen this time. But before that, did you saw Duke Nightwing or any of his guys?"

Behind them, Gavriil who was carrying 2 mugs of drink answered. "I saw him of course, but not today." He puts down the mugs on the table and peers out of the window. Only then he noticed something was missing from the scenery. "Now that you mention it, the Golden Dawn is not here anymore. I swear it was there some time ago. His cruisers disappeared too."

"So he is gone, did he followed the 1st Fleet or something?"

"Probably, but I am not sure. But I presume someone in the first fleet is going to inform you at least if he was with them. I heard they haven't decided to hire the next batch of mercs. Knowing him, if not hired by anyone, it is more likely he is with one of the CRF fleet than anywhere else."

"Damn, now I need to find another group. I wanted to watch that ship of his in action again. That makes you to be the only Black Knights group around here. I somehow don't trust those insane Berserker mercs from Harcon. They have problem following orders."

"I haven't seen Captain von Jakob either."

"He is on leave, he said his squadron need some rest."

Commodore Jameson stopped for a minute, something has apparently sparked in his head. "Wait, he usually don't do this. I don't think the Vaqueros are going for a holiday. Now where did they go."

"Going with Duke Nightwing perhaps?" Baron Markus said, but somehow he felt that it was the truth, even though he didn't know it. "Perhaps some secret mission they are going to take."

"If what you said is true, I wonder what kind of mission that is."

Title: Re: Forum game: RP thread
Post by: Enioch on September 13, 2013, 04:44:35 am

In times of peace, the Wyvern comet debris field was a beehive of mining traffic, extraction operations and ore shipping. As the Hierarchy Juggernaut had pushed the desperate defenders back to the neighboring systems, the field had been abandoned, left to continue its highly eccentric orbit around Draco.

It was currently at aphelion, almost twenty Astronomical Units to the Galactic North of the system plane; and for the first time in months, it was seeing activity.

One would need to know what to look for, because the Delest ships were operating at maximum stealth, their power emissions kept to a minimum and their heat dispersal systems blasting the excess heat away in tightly focused beams, aimed away from the known locations of enemy forces. But, if one could somehow visualize the complicated network of tightbeam communications, short-range traffic and stealthed fighter patrols, the whole Wyvern belt would light up like a dew-covered spider’s web at dawn.

=====================================================================

“There, you see?” Admiral Kalazonitov leaned back on his chair and nursed his glass of vodka like a firstborn. “I told you you’d get to use your shiny new fighters.”

“They weren’t Rays, though,” Captain Grishenko grinned like a schoolboy that had been offered a new bike. “How, in the name of the Empress, did you get Spirt-Voz and Sodesukas, sir? I thought they were only issued to Home Fleets.”

“As much as I would like to thank the good Governor Di Xin for this as well, I must render unto Ceasar what belongs to Ceasar,” the Admiral smiled and swirled the vodka around before taking a sip. “We have our contacts in the Ministry to thank for that. After Vice Admiral Ralwood and I notified HQ about our plans to hit the Hertak, they were kind enough to review some of our long-standing doctrines and authorized the wider distribution of home-produced strikecraft.”

Grishenko nodded, but his smile faltered. “On that, subject, sir, I must express my concerns regarding the pilots we picked up from the 1st Fleet. I know the reasons for which we must keep a total communications blackout outside the field, but I must ask: is there no way we can find out what happened to the Fist of Silva? Our own men and women are in high spirits after our victory, but the stragglers we picked up are understandably worried about their shipmates.”

Kalazonitov sighed, downed the vodka and poured himself another glass. “No, Captain, no news I’m afraid. We know it wasn’t good. We haven’t picked up any emissions from the 1st, so they are either hiding, or have retreated, or they are ... gone. However, this doesn’t change anything. We had contingencies for such a case. The 1st and 4th CRF are standing by to relieve us and, while I am not happy about having to work with the damned limeys, I grant you this: they fight like they’ve got hydrochloric acid splashed on their asses.”

Both officers looked up, as the door to the Admiral’s quarters opened and Lieutenant Commander Skivlana entered with a parade-ground salute.

“May I, Admiral?”

“Stop that, Tanya,” Kalazonitov rubbed his forehead in exasperation. “There is nobody to impress with our military pomp here. Come in, have a drink, and tell me what is going on.”

“Sir, our patrols ran across the wreck of the Aurora.”

There was silence for a few seconds.

“We are doing our best at keeping the information from reaching the rest of the crew. The pilots who discovered the hulk are held incommunicado and I think we can keep a lid on it for the time being. But I thought you had to know as soon as possible.”

Kalazonitov leaned back into his chair and, once again, the low lighting and his lanky limbs extending from inside the shadow of his seat made him look like a gaunt spider.

“Good work, Tanya,” he said, finally. “Dmitri, go and check on them, reassure them, and let them know why we are doing this. This must be nerve-wracking for them. Let them know that they have done their job admirably, that I am personally grateful to them for their diligence and the information they have provided us and that they will receive glowing reports and recommendation for advancement, but they need to wait for a bit before we let them talk to anybody. Tell them we trust them with the secret, but they might let something slip and we cannot afford the news to get out or morale will skydive. Got all that?”

“Yes, sir.” Grishenko rose, emptied his vodka glass in one shot, saluted with a grim look and left. Kalazonitov waited until the door closed and called up a map of the system in his desk’s holoprojector. The tactical display cast a dull red glow around the room.

“This narrows our options,” the Admiral mused, motioning Lieutenant Commander Skivlana to the same chair Grishenko had vacated. “I had originally planned to smash through any resistance the Hierarchy would throw our way and retreat to Vega under the cover of the 1st Fleet, but now the situation has changed. We must avoid action, if we are to give our allies time to reinforce us. Damn that 2nd Hertak! I never thought they’d leave such a gaping hole in the southern front to neutralize one of our fleets.”

“They sacrificed their strategic advantage for a tactical one, sir,” Skivlana said, her voice cold. “Hopefully, they will come to regret it.”

“Yes, it was, probably, a long-term error,” Kalazonitov said, softly. “But we are here, nonetheless, and they have some awfully big guns staring us in the face, and they are not as damaged as the 1st Hertak was and the fleet that was supposed to cover us is gone and, honestly, Tanya, right now, I am not particularly concerned about us winning the war in a year, I am concerned getting my fleet out of this mess, in which the enemy enjoys a tactical advantage.”

“Yes, sir.”

There was a crooked grin in Kalazonitov’s face. “Do I detect a hint of reproach, Lieutenant Commander?”

“Never, sir.”

“Sorry for that outburst, nonetheless.”

The Admiral rubbed his jaw in thought. “Is the fleet resupplied, Tanya?”

“Fully, sir,” Skivlana nodded. “Some of our capital ships cannot repair the damage they sustained, but we have a full fighter complement, including the fighters we picked up from the first, and we have more than enough heavy ordnance for our weapons. Re-arming is almost complete as we speak.”

“Good,” Kalazonitov said. “Do we have any manufacturing capability? I’m thinking small, simple metal things. Lots of them. Can we churn out something like this in short notice?”

“Of course, sir,” Skivlana said, raising an inquiring eyebrow. “We can get the hydraulic presses onboard the fleet tenders to stamp out something.”

“Very well. Here’s what I have in mind…”

============================================

Senior Gunner Olga Ilieva was quite happy, in a dazed and non-believing kind of way.

She had experienced combat and the adrenaline rush had been something she would remember for the rest of her life. The frantic activity onboard Katyusha as the flagship had led her sister-ship, Anastasia and the cruiser Volga in the hunt for straggling Armageddon battleships, the cold sweat that had run down her back as they had emerged from subspace directly behind a crippled giant, escorted by another, fully functioning Hertak ship, the thrill of her wielding the massive beam battery like a sword against the enemy.

The Admiral (and Ilieva had to exert an effort of will in order to think of him as ‘the Admiral’ and not ‘the Old Man’) had pounced on the chance and the ships had attacked immediately. Ilieva still vividly remembered the almost balletic maneuvers Captain Urumov had coaxed the ship into performing, straining the inertial compensators to the limit, pinning his sailors against their safety harnesses with overwhelming g’s and allowing Ilieva and her shipmates clear shots at the Hertak engines.

The Tzar Antimatter warheads Katyusha and Anastasia had sent up the enemies’ tailpipes had given Draco two more suns, short-lived, but brilliant.

And after the cleanup was done, after the fighter jocks and the Volga's point-defense crews had contemptuously swatted the last enemy fightercraft from the sky, there was work to be done. There were repairs to be made, and guns to be recalibrated, and casualties to be ejected in ballistic trajectories toward the sun (thankfully fewer than Olga had feared there would be and none from her station).

And after lugging warheads to the missile batteries and repairing an overloaded power relay and re-charging the power gel packs of the battery terminals and doing a thousand and one other chores, Ilieva was standing in one of Katyusha’s cavernous hangars and doing her best not to grin, as the Captain himself – the Captain! – pinned shining metal insignia on her collar and saluted her.

She staggered back to the ranks, as another sailor took her place and fingered the new addition to her uniform. It was a small thing, not bigger than her thumb and without the ribbons and frills she always thought medals came with; but it was a medal nonetheless and it was her medal. A small depiction of a Hertak Arageddon, with a snarling dragon curled around it. The Admiral had given a speech, about how they were heroes, about how they’d all earned it and how it wasn’t official to anybody but him and them, but it was still something they could take pride in and Olga had liked what she’d heard.

The Knights of Draco

She had liked that. A lot.

(http://img812.imageshack.us/img812/3434/kda2.png)

Title: Re: Forum game: RP thread
Post by: AdmiralRalwood on September 13, 2013, 05:14:28 am

The door slid open (quietly; in a hospital like this one, unnecessary noise was to be avoided at all costs), but the silhouette on the other side hesitated. After waiting a sufficient amount of time for the interloper to work up the nerve to enter on their own, the room's single occupant spoke up.

"This is most irregular; I hope you know that."

The silhouette twitched, startled, but finally stepped through the door, allowing it to slide closed again. Once inside, it was clear the silhouette had belonged to a young man in the uniform of a Delest Dynasty Lieutenant... a uniform that seemed ill-fitting to its occupant, upon consideration of the fact that the (far older and more experienced) man he was here to see would normally be wearing the uniform of a Vice Admiral.

"My apologies for the intrusion, Sir... I did check with Doctor Demikhov before arranging this interview."

The Vice Admiral nodded. "Yes, I know. That wasn't what I was referring to; a newly-minted Lieutenant does not usually seek out a flag officer with a request to become said flag officer's Flag Lieutenant. One might accuse the newly-minted Lieutenant in question of overstepping his bounds."

The accused didn't even bat an eye; clearly, he did not suffer from a lack of self-confidence, at least when it came to his reasons for being here. The Vice Admiral stared at him thoughtfully for a few moments, then shrugged. "I'll be blunt, Lieutenant: my previous Flag Lieutenant died onboard the Aurora. What makes you think you can fill her shoes?"

The Lieutenant flinched at that, actually taking a half-step backwards, his composure shattered, and a glimpse of pain was plainly visible in the tears he was barely restraining. The Vice Admiral held up a hand apologetically. "I'm sorry; that was both unfair and disingenuous of me. Of course I recognized your last name, Lieutenant Kollari; Susan was never one for discussing her personal life, but on the rare occasions that she did, I heard nothing but pride directed towards her younger brother."

"I..." Lieutenant Sergei Kollari was no longer able to restrain the tears, but the pain in his eyes had faded somewhat, although his voice was husky. "Thank you for that, Sir."

"Still," the Vice Admiral continued, "the core of my question still stands: why do you want to leap headlong into a posting where the most likely outcome is that you'll die before the month is out?"

"With all due respect, Admiral Ralwood, if we fail to stop the Hierarchy, death could be the least of our concerns; I couldn't live with myself knowing I'd done anything less than my utmost to stop that from happening."

Vice Admiral Jason Ralwood gave a crooked smile and gestured at the bandage still covering his right eye. "And you really think standing on the flag bridge of an admiral that got his entire fleet shot out from under him is really doing your 'utmost'?"

Sergei smiled. "Yes, Sir, I do; not least of which because Susan never once complained about what an idiot her boss was while assigned to the Aurora. I can think of no greater assessment of the competence of a superior officer."

If Lieutenant Sergei Kollari had not known such a thing was flat-out impossible for such an exalted personage, he would have sworn the Vice Admiral actually blushed at that. "Well, Lieutenant, if you're sure... if the Admiralty should see fit to assign me to a new fleet, I think I know whose name I'll be putting forward as my new Flag Lieutenant."

"Thank you, Sir." This time the tears streaming down Sergei's face were ones of joy, rather than pain.

Title: Re: Forum game: RP thread
Post by: Lepanto on September 15, 2013, 02:27:58 pm

0931 hours, Admiral's Quarters, CRF St. Louis IX, Docked at Farsight Station, Vega II Orbit, Vega

BRRRRP! BRRRRP! BRRRRP!

"Comp, cancel alarm." Santiago dragged himself out of bed, as much as his exhausted body still wanted to keep sleeping until dinnertime. The past week had been torture on his sleep cycles, and the 4th as a whole probably felt the same way. The battles in Draco had put them all through a punishing series of long watches, attacks, feints, and ultimately retreats, as the 4th and allied fleets played a deadly game of subspace chess with the Hierarchy. The 4th was taking a much-needed rest in Vega while it licked its wounds and re-provisioned, under Commander Beresford's watchful eye. But, duty still called, and they would be back in Draco by the end of the day. While Admiral Kalazonitov of the 3rd DD would probably be loath to admit that he needed any help from Britannian "limeys," his fleet wouldn't last long without the 4th and 1st CRF's prompt return to the fight.

The Admiral's quarters, while much larger and better-appointed than any enlisted man's or junior officer's, was hardly opulent. Still, Santiago had sometimes reflected, Onboard a spaceship, empty space is the greatest luxury of all. He had installed some faux-19th-century carpeting, a few Catholic devotional icons, and a bookshelf near his bed. He'd always had an affectation for paper books, admittedly a quaint anachronism in the modern world.

After a quick morning prayer, Santiago hurried through the rest of his morning routine, devouring a breakfast of instant noodles with a messiness that would have been scandalous in public. Checking his terminal, he read a heartening report from Beresford, telling him that the 4th's repairs and restocking was proceeding on schedule. Seeing no other messages requiring his immediate attention, he decided to follow up on his correspondence until he was due on duty at 1030. He called up his mail program and noticed two messages marked for his attention, neither of which he had answered.

"Comp, begin composing reply to Veers's most recent message." It had been two days since the 1st Fleet's commander had contacted him, but better to reply late than never.

=====

Communique:

ADM 4FLT to ADM 1FLT

Forgive my late reply. I was busy with my duties, or I would have replied to your thoughtful message earlier.

The battle in Draco is already over, and I am uncertain whether or not we came out ahead in the grim calculus of war. Certainly, as much as I would have wished to, we did not win the war. You've heard what happened to the 3rd and the 1st DD. We retrieved the 3rd's surviving fighters, but Admiral Harkness is still MIA. As the situation stood, given the Hierarchy's massive firepower in-system, we had to risk heavy counterattacks if we were to destroy the 1st Hertak. We brought down the Hierarchy's strongest known fleet, but at the cost of two of our own. I am uncertain if the Allied forces can survive this rate of attrition. We don't know how many fleets the Hierarchy still has in reserve. As it stands, loath as I am to admit it, we have no opportunities on either front to inflict a decisive blow. Unless we find such an opportunity, it seems we'll have to bleed them dry before they can bleed us dry.

I am looking forward to working with you when our fleets link up in Draco. The situation in Draco is currently too volatile for us to form any plans, but we should have our senior staffs and the 3rd DD's begin coordinating our counterattack as soon as possible.

Your data on the Hertak and Fura'ngle helped us immensely, and I thank you from my heart. With your scans on Hertak shield harmonics and armor composition, my gunnery chief was able to put together some new gunnery instructions that improved our damage-per-shot against Armageddons by 23% total. They are attached.

Nevertheless, even though we caught them off-guard in our initial attack, the battles in Draco have taught us to respect the Hertak's firepower. Their beam cannons are simply more powerful than any weapon in the Terran and Cyrvan arsenal, and we have no effective way to disarm their warships if they shock-jump our capital ships. We can only defeat Hertak fleets with localized numerical superiority, and that leaves us vulnerable to a counter-attack, like that which destroyed the 3rd. The 4th and 3rd conducted themselves well in the Draco battles, but we are simply outmatched on a ship-to-ship level, and the Hierarchy has shown that they can and will punish us for leaving any openings. If the Hertak commit more fleets, I do not know if we can win the war without massive Cyrvan support, and to be blunt, I don't think the CSA will be arriving en masse.

I wish I had better news to report, but the war still hangs in the balance. Nevertheless, we will fight for as long as we have a chance of winning. Hail Britannia!

Peace be with you,
Admiral Santiago

=====

"Comp, finish and send."

Santiago had always respected Veers, though he hardly knew the 1st's admiral personally. Hopefully, the more Santiago communicated with other admirals like Lorric and Veers, the more likely he'd be to hear or stumble upon some new strategic or tactical insight that could change the course of the war. It wasn't likely, but a good commander had to investigate all acceptable and possible advantages.

Not to mention, their fleets would be working alongside each other when they returned to the Draco meat grinder, and Santiago knew that inter-fleet coordination would be necessary in the upcoming battles. Privately, he briefly wondered if better coordination with allied forces in Draco would have spared the 3rd from destruction, but he quickly quashed that self-destructive line of thinking.

Next on the list was Admiral Kalazonitov of the 3rd DD. Santiago hoped it wasn't too late to forge an effective working relationship with the Delest commander, despite the well-known animosity between their respective nations. Santiago mused on how to open his message to the Delest admiral. From what little information he'd called up, Kalazonitov was a straight shooter, though quite adept at the political games and backstabbing which plagued the Delest government. Best to keep his message short and to the point.

=====

Communique:

ADM 4FLT, CRF to ADM 3FLT, DD

Admiral Kalazonitov,

The CRF 4th and 1st Fleets are inbound to reinforce you, ETA 1745 hours today. Requesting an update on your fleet disposition and supply situation, and all intelligence you have on Hierarchy deployments in Draco. We will be bringing a small supply convoy with us, so if you have any critical supply shortages, please inform us now.

I know of your animosity toward the CRF, but I hope to establish a smooth working relationship with all our mutual allies, at least for the duration of this war.

Pax Vobiscum,
Admiral Carlos Santiago, CO, 4th CRF Fleet
=====

Now, Lorric. This would be a long one. Santiago checked the time out of the corner of his eye. 1002. I've got time. Taking a sip of darjeeling, a cup of which had been provided by the automatic dispenser, he called the mail program back up.

=====

To: [email protected]
From: [email protected]
Subject: Re: Condolences and greetings

Lorric,

I certainly respect your dedication to duty, and I've also been working myself to the bone, but just remember to take a break whenever you can. Almost nobody can work at 100% for days on end without breaking down eventually, and you've had it worse than I, being at the front lines since day one.

We certainly underestimated the Zy's technological prowess, but at the time, no one could have been aware that an enemy race could have had the capability to circumvent Starlances entirely. What concerns me, now, is why the Hierarchy only used their nodeless drives to send one fleet on a flanking attack. I can only hope that the cost of producing and/or using these nodeless drives is too prohibitive for mass-production, and that their range is too short to strike deeper into our territory, else they could slip multiple fleets past our defenses and ravage our rear lines. Our enemies are powerful and well-equipped, but they are not omnipotent; for the most part, they still work within the same strategic constraints we do.

I haven't read the most recent reports from the north in detail, but I can only congratulate you on the 2nd's combat performance. Not that I expected any less, of course. I must admit, though, that, the current situation has me worried. An unknown device blocking your route to Aldebaran, and five Hierarchy fleets within attack range? I had thought that the north was in a stalemate; it appears I was wrong. I pray that by the time you receive this message, our fleets will have contained the situation in the north.

The recent discoveries about the Cordi have also piqued my interest, and caused me to question how strong their loyalty to the Hertak truly is. Though they all fear the Hertak, I suspect our enemies are not a monolithic front. They have their own motivations, and some careful diplomacy on our part might possibly sway some of them into switching sides, or at least abandoning the Hierarchy. This suggestion might sound absurd, but we should always look for a diplomatic solution where possible. We have blunted the Hierarchy's initial thrust, and whether or not we can win this war on our own, we have at least proved to all concerned that the Hertak and the Hierarchy are not invincible. The 4th Cordi was willing to take our surrender; they are not fanatically loyal to the Hierarchy, unlike the Nordera. If any of the Hierarchy races, like the Cordi or the Fura'ngle, are only on their side out of fear of the Hertak, now may be the time to offer them a chance at freedom.

The men and women of the 4th, and of all the allied fleets I've served alongside, have met and exceeded the call of duty in our recent engagements.

Though the loss of the 3rd was a tragedy, and I still sometimes ask myself if I could have somehow prevented it, we had to risk a heavy counterattack if we were to strike the 1st Hertak. Now, we've lost two fleets just to take them down. The calculus of war is grim, as always, and I can only hope this trade-off was worth it in the end.

I was well aware that by taking the 4th into battle, I was risking all our lives. Once the Hertak arrived, we've all been risking death every time we take the field. I recognize this, and accept it. Before the 4th arrived in Hydra, I sent messages to my family, in case I died in the upcoming battles. You must have steeled yourself for the possibility of death, as well. I could hardly bear to lose you, but I know I cannot let the fear of loss cloud my mind and my decision-making. All we can do is fight, and pray we make it out alive. If we both survive the war, let's get together and play a round of. . .that one game you used to like. I'm sorry, but I can't remember. . .it hasn't been that long since the Academy, has it? What was it again?

As for alien psychology, to be honest, I believe our species are more similar than you might think. All living beings think, feel, and act in similar ways and for similar goals. The Cordi share a loyalty to Queen and hierarchy like Britannia's; the Hertak seek to enslave all races under their rule; the Fura'ngle fear death; and, if I remember the report from your first engagement in Tauri correctly, the Zy requested your surrender, which shows they place a certain value on life. Any human admiral, if they had access to nodeless drives, would have used them for similar outflanking strategies. I think most Terrans, like the Cordi-hating Admiral Iera of the 1st SF, only see the Hierarchy races as an unknowable enemy to be destroyed. I hope that we will eventually find a common ground of shared aspirations between all our races, and that that common ground will be the foundation of a future peace. Call me a sentimental fool, but I believe that if we ever find an opportunity for an honest peace, we must grasp it. I admit, that would likely require breaking the back of Hertak power with our force of arms, before they are willing to end the war. Still, this war cannot go on forever, and even if we win, we must strive for a better future than merely the extermination of our enemies.

I must confess that there was a certain genius to the Hierarchy's double-corridor invasion plan, which I did not initially grasp. Send in the expendable Cordi and Nordera, who gather intel on us and open a broader front, while keeping their best fleets in reserve. With our fleets fighting in multiple systems, then finally commit their best units. Still, their strategy seems somewhat inefficient; why have they deployed their reinforcements piecemeal, instead of, say, massing three Hertak fleets in one sector and punching a hole in our defenses with localized force superiority? I only hope they don't have many more surprises in store for us.

I have faced the Hertak in battle, and I can confirm that their vessels are so superior to ours that we can only defeat them with localized force superiority. Even a combined attack by three fleets couldn't take down one of theirs. In the battle, you could probably see from the reports that I deployed the 4th in an all-in attack, much riskier than my usual conservative strategy. Even then, we only managed to destroy five of their battleships. To be honest, I do not know if our forces can hold, either in the south or the north. The war's outcome is still very much in doubt.

I know. My men and I will remain steadfast. We will fight, for as long as we have a hope of victory. All Hail Britannia!

Pax vobiscum,
Santiago

=====

"Comp, finish and send."

Time to head to the office. No rest for the weary.

Title: Re: Forum game: RP thread
Post by: Lorric on September 15, 2013, 10:15:23 pm

To: [email protected]
From: [email protected]
Subject: Re: Condolences and greetings

Hello, old friend. I hope you are well.

Well, whether I like it or not, I certainly have a chance for a break now, twiddling my thumbs here in Librae. It’s relaxing though, orbiting the planet. Look, here’s a couple of shots I’ve taken, aren’t they beautiful?

(http://i41.tinypic.com/2qiw96q.jpg)

(http://i44.tinypic.com/2n1th6x.jpg)

But yes, I hadn’t thought of it before, it was just about proverbially putting one foot in front of the other, but yes, I have been up at the front, so I guess it’s a good thing for me and everyone else to get a break from this physically and mentally grinding down process.

Since the Zy left behind this… thing…, and performed that jump, perhaps they are a special unit assigned with special equipment. I have actually hypothesised that this fleet is the command fleet for operations up here in the North. Their intelligent and unpredictable movements, use of special equipment, and the simple raw fighting prowess of this fleet put all other Hierarchy fleets we have faced up here to shame. Even the 2nd Zy. I hope they are a special case rather than the norm. The 2nd Zy arrived in normal fashion. They would have jumped in with the 1st Zy if they could, wouldn’t you have thought? We know nothing about this technology of course though, it’s completely, no pun intended, alien to us. It all rests on what the Zy have left behind. We still have the strength to control them if we can get this X-factor out of the way. The fighting up here has been very fierce, with the advantage shifting from one side to the other repeatedly.

It was under control until the Zy made this move and split us up. All we can do is wait, but very soon now, the 4th SF will begin their investigation of the object. I won’t be able to relax until that is done, knowing the Zy were able to plant this because of my plan. It could of course be anything, it could be the contents of their garbage disposal somehow mocked up to look like something else, just to stall us. Maybe we could try planting something fake sometime if we have to leave a system, to delay the hierarchy’s advance. Barring something cataclysmic in Tauri, I think we can bring things back under control again.

Oh I agree. Once you win a war, you have to win peace. You could drop bombs on conquered enemy planets/cities, or drop food. I think the latter would work better, at a fraction of the cost. These other races are slaves. If we set them free, surely they’d be grateful? But that’s in the future. We should be talking to the 4th Cordi now. It is foolish if you ask me to take them all the way back to Sol, we’re wasting time here. They should have been taken a couple of systems back from the front lines and the investigation begun immediately. I have been tempted to try and talk to these aliens, but I don’t know what to say. Would you like to try? It might be harder for you with the Hertak masters around, but you’re the one who is better cut out to be a diplomat. It shouldn’t be down to us anyway, high command should be trying to make such a move.

One reason I was in favour of investigating the thing in Tauri is we know the Hertak are taking slaves and building an empire. I would be utterly shocked if it was some sort of doomsday device, placed in one of the most valuable systems we have. I also wonder if, though I don’t think the chance very high with how strongly the 1st Zy have resisted us, that they could be taking the opportunity to secretly reach out to us in a non-hostile way. We’re going to need to try and find some allies somewhere, because this can’t continue forever, we’re fighting 5 races, and two of them are superior technologically to us, one ridiculously so.

Same here. This is what it looks like when a species fights for it’s survival. I wonder how these others fought that have fallen into slavery…

I don’t think there was any way to prevent it. The Hertak are just too strong. I hate seeing brawn defeat brains, but that’s going to happen with such a disparity.

As far as my own death goes, by now I’m mentally prepared for the possibility. Oh, I don’t want to die, and the prospect scares me if I allow myself to dwell on it, but it was always something you had to be prepared for to take this career. But you know me, once the fighting gets started, such things go out of my mind. But as you say, it’s the decision making process where the doubt must not be allowed to worm it’s way in. I haven’t had to think about this much since I’ve been thrust into battle from the start and it’s been a frenzy where you have to live in the moment. Now that I’m waiting in Librae that will soon change, we only have some minor Resupply and repair to take care of, and then hopefully, a long, long, deep sleep. But then, it will be the waiting game… ah yes, game, Free Space, of course!

It probably falls somewhere between the two. There’ll be times when they behave as we would and times when their behaviour is literally totally alien to us I would think. But on the Zy, rather than a certain value on life, I think it’s more like a certain value on slaves by order of the Hertak I’d say. Nothing sentimental about that in my eyes. These other races are slaves, not aggressors, except for the Nordera. And if we could free them, maybe there’d be three more friendly species in the galaxy. If we could get just one, that would be great.

I have a hypothesis on that. Our scientists have been looking through the data gathered on UFO sightings over the past centuries, and the Cyrvans have been doing the same, to see if there’s a match linking anything to the vessels of these races. Nothing. No matches. We never even had any inclination that the systems these aliens arrived from existed until they jumped in. I think that this may have been a scouting operation rather than an invasion. They have plenty of fleets, but you’re not just going to jump into an unknown system without the ability to defend yourself, are you? The Hertak can send the expendables in first, and then if they find something, start directing the real forces into battle. I think that’s why the enemy have been showing up piecemeal. And I think that also means eventually we will be hit by the kind of invasion force you’d expect for an alien invasion. I could imagine them massing such a force now, while they send in the forces they had in the local area to keep us busy. Another possibility is the Hertak didn’t come first because they don’t know our power. If they commit everything, and it’s not enough, they’re finished. And finally, as powerful as the Hertak are, they are slave masters. Why fight when you have slaves to do it for you? They may well be sending just enough Hertak to keep their slaves in line, and relying on their slaves to do the job for them. The Zy are superior to us, and the Fura’ngle and Cordi are dangerous. They don’t need to commit to battle themselves.

And we thought the Cyrvans were bad, pfff… well, at least the Cyrvans are with us now. Soon they will enter battle alongside you. That will be a historic moment in the history of our two races, the first joint Terran/Cyrvan operation against a common foe.

Indeed. Hail Britannia! Strength and honour! Good luck and good hunting, my friend.

Lorric

Title: Re: Forum game: RP thread
Post by: Lorric on September 16, 2013, 06:47:56 pm

"...James Davis there with that report on how things are proceeding on the front lines. And now, still with our coverage on the alien threat, something very different. Over to our reporter on the ground for more..."

“Thank you. I am Naomi White at XYZ news with this report. Now, people have reacted to these alien incursions in a variety of ways, some strange, but perhaps none more stranger than the Insect Society On Earth (ISOE) faction, who want us to embrace the Cordi as our new masters, and who have been gaining surprising momentum over the past few days. We're here with their spokesman, Blake Roberts, to hear why he would want insects to rule over humanity. Tell me Mr. Roberts, why would you want an alien race of insects to rule over us?”

“Well Naomi, humans have proven over the centuries to be unfit to rule. History shows that, a trail of death, blood, greed, egos, petty politics and incompetence. Frankly I’m amazed we’ve come this far. Now compare that to insect societies right here on Earth, tiny creatures working selflessly in perfect harmony to achieve their goals. Building skyscrapers on their scale and fighting their enemies. Working tirelessly for the common good, laying down their lives without hesitation for the betterment of their societies. This has all been accomplished by creatures with brains the size of a few grains of salt! We as humans can only dream of this in our own societies! But together with the Cordi, that dream can become a reality! We as a species have somehow shambled along to get this far, but the Cordi can take us to the next stage of our evolution! We must accept them as our new masters, and rise to new heights as a species! The Cordi are our saviours and we must embrace them!”

“But from what we understand, the Hertak are the masters here, not the Cordi. We wouldn’t even be able to do what you want.”

“It is a small price to pay! We just need to learn from the Cordi and embrace their ways. Maybe we can even be left to the Cordi to manage as willing slaves. As a species we will rise to new heights despite it all! Please, join us! Join ISOE, and together, we will build a build a new Utopia for all of humankind under the direction of our glorious insect masters, the Cordi! Join us now, and let us build a new future! Help us to build our dream, and make it reality for the good of all! The time is now for us to rise!”

“Well uh… thank you, Mr. Roberts. Naomi White from XYZ news…”

(http://www.coolest-homemade-costumes.com/images/coolest-praying-mantis-costume-2-21587545.jpg)

(http://www.coolest-homemade-costumes.com/images/coolest-praying-mantis-costume-3-21588038.jpg)
Members of ISOE campaigning for support.

(http://tsanda.files.wordpress.com/2010/03/mantis21.jpg)
Cordi Artwork commissioned by ISOE, with member of ISOE worshipping on her knees before it.

(http://lh4.ggpht.com/-nwNVQuLexaY/Trf137L5gDI/AAAAAAAATjo/-0bcKYSY6kY/111107_keystone_protest_ap_283_regul%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800)
Members of ISOE calling for the Cordi to take over Earth

(http://www.butterflyboutiqueoc.net/store/media/toys_sp0001_1000/sp0001_pray_mantis_lr.jpg)
Cordi plush toy made and sold by ISOE.

Title: Re: Forum game: RP thread
Post by: CommanderDJ on September 16, 2013, 07:33:44 pm

Iera sat at his private terminal in his quarters. It had been a long day, but the fleet was at last once again ready to make way and brave the dangers of the cosmos. His mind drifted to the investigations of the 4th SF in Tauri, and his weathered and lined brow furrowed as concern for his fellow soldiers came to the forefront of his thoughts. By current estimations, the 1st SF would be reinforcing them around the same time that they were scheduled to complete their investigation. None of the scenarios he envisioned of what the Zy could have left behind made him feel any better. Enough. Action, not thought. He rubbed his eyes briefly with a hand. There wasn't much he could do to help, not until the fleet actually arrived in Tauri, but he could at least let his fellow admirals know that he supported them. He had, of course, communicated and worked with Admiral Windforce before, and knew him to be a capable and intelligent man, quite worthy of the fleet he commanded. This Lorric, however, was an anomaly. Though Iera's crew had fought alongside Lorric's once before in Aldebaran, Iera didn't know much about the man himself. Nevertheless, the 2nd CRF would be remaining behind to guard Librae during the investigation, which could prove to be important should the object provide a backdoor into the system to the enemy, and by all accounts he had heard, they had been valiant soldiers in the war effort so far, despite the controversy early on in the war relating to their Queen. He decided to send a message to both fleets. No such thing as too many allies. He called up his messaging program and began to type.

From: Rear Admiral Dovorek Iera, Hand of Absolution, 1st Sol Force Fleet
To: Rear Admiral Jason Windforce, Firelance, 4th Sol Force Fleet

Admiral Windforce,

I trust that your investigation is proceeding soundly. I merely wish to convey my salutations and my compliments on your efforts in the war so far. When the 1st SF arrives in Tauri, do not hesitate to let me know how we can be of best assistance if the Zy object turns out to be a less-than-pleasant surprise. As the iron wall of humanity, we will do what is necessary to vanquish any threat to our race.

Good hunting,
Rear Admiral Iera

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: Rear Admiral Dovorek Iera, Hand of Absolution, 1st Sol Force Fleet
To: Rear Admiral Lorric, Soaring Spirit, 2nd Commonwealth Royal Fleet

Rear Admiral Lorric,

My name is Dovorek Iera, commanding officer of the 1st SF; a pleasure to make your acquaintance. My compliments to you and the crew of your ships; what I have heard of you speaks highly, and I always respect fellow defenders of humanity. In addition, whilst we did not have personal correspondence then, the reports I received after our fleets, together with the 1st UGCR, annihilated the 1st Cordi were all very favourable. Your choice to remain behind to safeguard Librae during the investigation of the object left in Tauri by the Zy was an intelligent one, and I look forward to continuing to work with you as we push back and defeat the enemy that threatens our people.

Best regards,
Rear Admiral Iera

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

There. It was done. Just then, he received a report from the bridge indicating that all ships had reported in and that the fleet was ready to mobilise. At last. Back into the maelstrom. Iera got up and strode quickly out of his quarters. The war wasn't going to win itself, after all.

Title: Re: Forum game: RP thread
Post by: Lorric on September 16, 2013, 10:10:07 pm

From: Rear Admiral Lorric, Soaring Spirit, 2nd Commonwealth Royal Fleet
To: Rear Admiral Dovorek Iera, Hand of Absolution, 1st Sol Force Fleet

Greetings Dovorek Iera.

The pleasure is all mine. Thank you for your kind compliments. I have passed them on to the fleet and it has provided a much needed boost to morale in these tense moments.

I have the highest respect for the Sol Fleets and the martial prowess, professionalism and ideals practiced by the personnel of said fleets. It is always a pleasure to work alongside the men and women of the SF, as it was when with your help we destroyed the 1st Cordi fleet.

We have also already worked favourably alongside Rear Admiral Jason Windforce of the 4th SF, where we joined with him in a successful attack on the 3rd Cordi where we dealt major damage, forcing their retreat from the front lines, and when we co-ordinated a textbook retreat together from Tauri.

And in the very first engagement, where we met the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Cordi, while we engaged the 1st Cordi, alongside us in the line, the 2nd SF engaged the 2nd Cordi.

We of the 2nd CRF are all watching, and wishing you good fortune in Tauri. We have your back. We will be ready to respond to the situation in Tauri at a moment's notice. If we are needed to defend here in Librae, we will. If we are needed in Tauri, we'll be there. Hopefully we'll be able to press forward through Tauri into Aldebaran with our fresh fleets, and plough through the enemy ranks together.

Again, thank you for your kind words, my fellow Admiral.

Rear Admiral Lorric.

Title: Re: Forum game: RP thread
Post by: Spoon on September 18, 2013, 09:35:38 pm

Tauri system, Zy device

"Caaaaptaaaain..."

A slow, almost whiny voice, reached the ears of Wing Commander Alexander 'Scoundrel' Blackgate. He yawned, stretched himself, rubbed his eyes and looked at the incoming video communication from his wingman. 'I really hope she's done this properly', he reached for the comm panel, cleared his throat and asked

"Are the scans done? Please tell me they are done."

"Weeeell..."
She looked like she was about to tell him something he didn't wanted to hear "The scaaans... They aren't picking up aaaanything..."

Alexander involuntarily raised an eyebrow. "Are you saying that none of the scans are showing anything?"

"I've scanned eeevery spectrum, including subspace. It's like there is nooothing there..." She tilted her head a bit and added "Buuuuut, the sun has been acting reaaally strange this past hour... I thiiiink the device might be related to that somehow..."

"But we have no way to be sure of that..." Alexander rubbed his chin and pondered what else he could do here. Their orders are to determine what the purpose of this device is but right now the only thing he could report is that there is nothing to report!
"Clara" he was probably the only one who refused to call her by her nickname 'Cow', "Time to go weapons hot, let's find out if we can at least interact with this thing in some way"

"Okaaaay." Her Caliburn started to turn to face the big black reflective sphere. "Firing particles..." a single flash of purple errupted from the Caliburn's top mounted primary bank. Seemingly with little effect. The particle bolt simply came out on the other end of the sphere, having apparantly passed through it with no effect.
"Well... cycling to plasma..." The green flash of hot plasma dissipated before it even reached the sphere.

Alexander cursed under his breath, "some fine piece of technology those lizards left us. By jove, do I hope we find out what this thing is before it is too late..."

"Shooould I try firing a missile..?"

"Might as well give it a try."

"O-kay, putting one duuuumb fired Darty in this thingy." The Caliburn unleashed a single mighty Dart missile... and both pilots witnessed it pass through the sphere with no loss of velocity...

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tamy system, 2nd Delest Dynasty Homeguard Fleet

Xiau Yi Delest right now is feeling at the top of the world. He has the finest of the Delest navy under his command and the most beautiful of ships in his fleet. Xiau got up from his chair and started walking around the bridge, his long cape trailing his every step. The young admiral had eagerly jumped at this chance to get into the action. His first assignment was a cakewalk, his fleet was to hunt down a few Nordera stragglers that had somehow made it far behind the front lines. There was pretty much no risk involved and it was a good chance for him to gain some easy glory.

"Admiral, we have the Nordera raiders on sensors." One of the bridge crew reported.

Xiau returned to his chair, and with a flair for dramatics swiped his cape in the air as he sat down. He raised his right arm forward and loudly proclaimed
"We will now commence Operation Ragnarok! Deploy all fighter wings, sally forth and destroy the Nordera!"
Ragnarok really was an over the top name for a small scale operation to mob up a small band of low tech aliens but nobody on the bridge dared comment on it.

A long slender old man, his uniform decorations indicating the rank of commodore, took his place standing next to the chair Xiau was sitting on. He leaned slightly forward and asked with a soft voice. "Sire, if we send out all our available fighter wings, our fleet's fighter cover will be spread dangerously thin. This may not be wis-"

"NONSENSE!" Xiau interrupted loudly "There is nothing here that could possibly threaten us." He was determined to score an overwhelming victory here and if there was any caution to be had, he would throw it to the wind.

"Of course sire, it will be as you wish." The old commodore slowly backed up and stood rigidly next to the command chair.

A small twenty minutes passed and the first reports of the fighter wings started coming in. Overwhelming victory, of course. Xiau smiled to himself, exactly as he had envisioned it. His thoughts already started drifting off when suddenly one of the bridge operators reported with a distressed voice,

"A-Admiral!"
Xiau's head jerked up. "What is it?!"
"Five full wings of hostile fighters just decloaked on our right flank! We only have one patrol wing out right now!"

Xiau clenched both of his fists as he stood up from his chair. "Intercept them! Don't let them get close!" He could feel the old commodore's stare in his back, he knew exactly what he was saying by not saying anything! The Zy had used the Nordera as bait and he took it, hook line and sinker. All he could do now was watch this disaster unfold on the big viewscreen infront of him.

A few minutes later the Zy fighters had withdrawn, wiping out the little air cover the fleet had, inflicting heavy damage on several ships and outright destroying two.

Xiau slumped back in his chair... what should have been a glorious easy victory turned into a huge embarrassment. There was no way he could return to Delest space like this. He slammed his fist on his armchair. He pondered how he could damage control this...
Suddenly he got it, what he needs right now is a scapegoat! If he can pin most of the blame on someone else he can still save face. And he knew just the person...
That old geezer from the 3rd Fleet! It has been bothering him immensily how recently that man had been slowly but surely securing more and more influence.
He turned to his Commodore. "Send a message to the 3rd front fleet, inform them that they are to rendevous with us in Aquarius at once!"
"As you wish, Sire" came the stoic reply from the Commodore, who was wise enough not to question about the why and how.

Title: Re: Forum game: RP thread
Post by: Veers on September 19, 2013, 09:22:51 am

Vega System
Rear Admiral Veers
The "Silver Arrow", Flagship of the 1st Commonwealth Royal Fleet

His Fleet message screen flashed again, reminding Veers of the several new arrives he still had to check. He rubbed his eyes and stood up, stretching for a moment while his eyes admired several patrol fighters cruising in the distance.

Communique:

ADM 1FLT to ADM 4FLT

"""
Your dedication to your duties, Admiral Santiago. This is what will win us this war, dedication, determination and the Strength of Britannia.

Your dedication brings warmth to my heart...

Thank you for your data files regarding the results against the Hertak 1st Fleet, and the resulting combat which consumed the 3rd CRF. Do we have any word on any additional survivors?, Surely we have confirmed if Admiral Harkness survived the engagement?

Forgive my haste, I am due for an audience with the Royal Family and our Military Council back home soon. To report on the progress of the war I presume, They will wish to know his fate..

Unfortunately my time is short, I look forward to speaking with you at length soon.

Hail Britannia Admiral,
Alq Veers - 1FLT
"""

Veers reviewed his message after sitting back down and sent it away, the 4th CRF was continuing the battle in Draco, with the 3rd Delest Dynasty Fleet also in system. However a communication was flicked through the Vega terminal berely hours ago bound for the 3rd Fleet. It bore the seal of the 2nd Delest Homeguard, while Veers did not know much of the Delest's military due to their partial removal from any military co-operation, but the Homeguard Fleets were known as their elite.

Their Elite...

"Admiral?", Fel at quietly slipped in through the door, brandishing his reason for arrival clearly in his hands. "Come on in Captain, are these our latest reports on our final resupply? How has everything proceeded?

Fel placed several papers onto Alq's desk, in-addition to a datapad and several data cylinders. "In short, we are back to 100% operational efficiency. But that's not why I am here...", Veers had been eyeing the additonal items before flicking his gaze to Nick. "Hmm?..." Alq acknowledged in response.

Nick began to open several of the data cylinders on the main screen, "I have taken the liberty to bring the Fleet to Status 2, Intel has provided us with some pressing information. The Zy will be here in Vega within hours."

Alq choked for a moment, "The Zy?!, give me that!" He statched the datapad and raced over to the larger screen. "This appears to be the same technology they used to assault Tauri with.." He glared at the screen, and scrolled through the datapad, reading Intel's reports.

"And that's not all Admiral, the Northern Forces have withdrawn Crux, and both the 2nd and 3rd Zy Fleets are missing, Intel suggests they will both arrive here shortly." Nick loaded a different cylinder onto the screen, "However they believe these sensor adjustments may help as detect their entrance points"

Alq studied the screen for a moment, "Utter rubbish Nick, look at the system wide chart. It looks like the Hertak will make a strong push to gain control of the Southern Front." He pointed towards the incoming Zy Fleets, as well as the massed Hertak fleets apparently in Kardoen.

If Veers kept the 1st CRF in Vega to combat the incoming Zy, the assault in Draco would falter, and especially since the entire Southern Sector was now very volatile, giving more of an advantage to the enemy would be beyond disastrous.

"Get back to the bridge and get these orders out Captain. The Vega Defence Fleet is to begin full scale evacuations effective immediately. Outlying areas, women and children first.. you know the drill.", A spark clicked in his head"Deploy as many of our wings as possible to assist the Vega Defence Fleet, but sortie additional wings for live training sessions with their fighters immediately."

"Bring the Fleet to full alert and get us underway to the Draco Node. Apply these sensor adjustments and commence scanning, but keep our combat settings handy. I'll be with you shortly" Veers was already tapping keys away back at his desk, bringing up several new communication channels for use

"..As ordered Sir" Fel quickly departed, efficient and effective as always. He knew when was the time for chit-chat, and when was definitely not.

Alq dragged up one communication, he set it for receivership to any Allied Fleets within a two system jump from Vega. That was about as far as the emergency signals would carry in this specific case.

"""
Message to all Allied Fleets, Condition One.

This is Rear Admiral Veers of the 1st Commonwealth Royal Fleet to all Allied Fleets.

We have incoming Zy Fleets into Vega, I have ordered the local defence force to evacuate all civilians while the 1st CRF prepares to leave for Draco. I am requesting immediate reinforcements to Rally in Vega.

My fighters are covering the Vega retreat at this time and providing combat instruction to as many Vega forces before we assault Draco. We are passing all intelligence to the Vega Defence Force who are waiting for your arrival.

Message repeat
"""

Second message - Save File - Deploy to message beacon

"""
This is Admiral Alq Veers of the 1st Commonwealth Royal Fleet of New Britannia

To unknown Zy Fleet.

Welcome to the Vega System. We are away from the front lines here, Please open communications with me so we may understand each other and end the bloodshed of our two great nations.

I await your response,
"""

Alq stormed out of the meeting room, heading directly for the bridge.

Title: Re: Forum game: RP thread
Post by: Flak on September 19, 2013, 11:00:28 am

Virgo System
Virgo Orbital Station 2

Captain Jaxon rushes to the hangar where the Silver Falcon is being docked. Baron Markus was still waiting for the last repair of the ship. He looks at his watch, getting worried that they won't leave in time to join up with the 2nd UGCR, but suddenly extinguished that thought out of his head.

"There you are, boss. Why did we have to wait longer?"

Baron Markus turns around and faces Jaxon. He gives a smile. "I just got some interesting experimental technology, perhaps it will prove useful in our next battle."

"I was not informed that you or Anders purchased any modifications for our ships. Where did it came from?"

"There is a shipment delivered to us, it is from Kobra Corporation."

"From Kobra? They made all the awesome goodies all right, but I don't think they give these kind of things for free. I understand these things costs money to build."

"They said it is from Duke Nightwing, the Kobra courier didn't mention anything else. I am not sure what kind of contact Duke Nightwing had inside the company either."

"Well, what kind of equipment is that?"

"Some kind of jump drive by the look of it. Just as Kobra standard, it is made compatible to our ships, like some kind of plug-and-play device."

"And all these 'presents' just dropped from the sky for us?"

"Not that we'll complain about it. It's just like Christmas isn't it."

"Great, everyone is ready at least. Ortega is happy with the new ship too."

"We better be. We'll leave as soon as all our ships ready. Don't want to keep Admiral Yuen and the others waiting."

Title: Re: Forum game: RP thread
Post by: Droid803 on September 20, 2013, 01:36:04 am

17:42, Bridge, CSA Ataraxia, Odin-Hydra Starlance, Odin System

The combat bridge of the Ataraxia was filled with the quiet-yet-serious atmosphere one would come to expect of a Cyrvan Star Armada flagship in preparation for battle. Every station was manned dutifully, patiently, thoroughly, yet efficiently by a Cyrvan officer - no corners cut, no unnecessary steps taken. The air reverberated with the continuous flow quiet beeps and clicks of auditory feedback from crew input into the multitude of holographic displays the dotted either side of the room that depict the various running systems of the ship as well as information on the accompanying ships of the fleet - all presented and managed to near-perfection. The consoles cast a pale blue-green light that mixed with the fixed dim white lighting, creating a clean, soothing atmosphere. Even the most obsessive-compulsive inspector would be hard pressed to identify a single element of the bridge, and in fact, of the entire ship, that could be criticized.

That is, with the complete exception of the Admiral, who sat hunched forward in the commander's chair facing a holographic overview of the war, face planted firmly in the palm of her hand, her long, flowing silver-white hair partially falling forwards and obscuring the half-scowl on her face, all the while mumbling some sort of gibberish to herself. Her lazily-put on uniform, misaligned badges, and uncombed, untied hair stood in stark contrast to the clean, organized rest of the ship - a solitary coffee stain on a pristine-white dress shirt.

"Admiral Almereya..." the dark-haired, bespectacled adjutant spoke softly as she bent over and gingerly reached toward the Admiral's shoulder while clutching a semitransparent datafolder to the side of her chest in her other hand, "...the fleet is assembled ready to jump on your orders."

At the touch of the tip of the adjutant's fingers on her shoulder, Freyalis Elsperth Almereya straightened up, turning to look at her perceived assailant while tossing her hair over her shoulder in one smooth motion. "Very well then, I was just about to die of boredom~! Let us depart!" The expression on the admiral's face changed instantly changed to a beaming smile as she turned toward the adjutant, who now wore a complex expression that could best be described as a mixture of "I'm never going to get used to her, am I?" and "Of all the commanding officers in the CSA, I had to get -this one-!?".

"Yes ma'am." the adjutant replied as she stood up to address the bridge, "Comms, open a channel to all ships of the fleet."

"A-hem~ This is your lovely admiral speaking. All captains, the 1st CSA shall now be departing through the starlance to Hydra to assist the cute-n'-feeble Terrans in their efforts against the Hertak Hierarchy. All vessels, follow us out! Helm, engage subspace drive~!"

20:44, Bridge, CSA Ataraxia, Hydra System

Looking over the tactical information of the system's battlescape provided by the Terran forces already present, Freyalis cracked a small smile as she mused quietly to herself. "Looks like they've come quite a ways from when all they could do is throw sheer numbers at their enemies. Not quite far enough, though."

"Admiral Almereya, but the fleet is in formation as per your orders. Preparations for combat are complete. The Terran fleet elements are awaiting our confirmation to initiate the combined offensive." The adjutant speaks as she returns to her post by the admiral.

"Oh! Wonderful~" Freyalis again smiled as she turned towards the adjutant, "and Meia, you can just call me Freyalis, you know? No need to be so uptight~ That's what pretentious people do."

"With all due respect, Admiral. You seem to fail to realize that nobody here shares your blatant disregard for rules and expectations. I'm pleased to find it works for you, but I doubt I could function under similar circumstances."

"Tche~"

"The fleet awaits your commands. Channel is now open." Meia says as she gestures forwards towards the comms console which had replaced the tactical overview.

"To all captains and flight squadron leaders, this is lovely admiral Freyalis Elsperth Almereya speaking~. We will now assist elements of the 2nd DD and 2nd LSF Terran forces in a combined strike on the enemy. Some of you might not have shot at things for a while, but worry not, it shouldn't be too hard to convince them to explode~ Let's give these bloody corderas a taste of our Burning Love! Try not to make the Terrans look too bad, okay~? Operation Fluffcats, Commence!" Freyalis stands up and sweeps her right arm forward, fingers spread, striking a pose as she finishes addressing the fleet. As the comm channel closes and battlescape reappears on the holoprojector, she sits back down and stares at the tactical overview with what could be described as 'the Gendou pose'.

"To be honest, I'm rather surprised anyone actually follows your orders." Meia remarks with a smile while observing the antics of her commanding officer.

"Me too." Freyalis replies, glancing back briefly with a smile before returning her attention to the developing battle and assuming her previous pose. "That's why you're here. Someone's got to run this ship properly."

"Thanks..."

[ooc: plzdon'tkillme]

Title: Re: Forum game: RP thread
Post by: CommanderDJ on September 20, 2013, 02:55:10 am

Admiral Iera stood on the bridge, awaiting the arrival of his new executive officer. It had taken longer than what would be considered reasonable for him to make a decision as to who would replace Arnaya Regulle, especially in a time of war, but he had finally made his choice. As the door to the bridge slid open, steady footsteps walked in perfect rhythm towards him. Iera turned to see a thickset man with dark black hair and a neatly trimmed beard and mustache. The man snapped off a salute.

"Admiral Iera. Captain Leonard Fernandes reporting for duty, as ordered." He spoke with a heavy accent that was once associated with the continent of South America.

Iera returned the salute, and the man dropped his hands to his sides and clasped them behind his back. Iera fixed him with his gaze.
"Captain Fernandes, I hope you understand the gravity of this assignment."

Fernandes nodded. "I do, sir." He replied simply. Iera needed no more convincing; he had had plenty before now.

"Good. The Hand of Absolution is yours, then. The fleet is taking up defensive positions around the system while UGCR fleets push into Crux. I expect to be informed when preparations are complete."

Fernandes nodded once more. "As you wish."

The Admiral turned and strode off the bridge.

Title: Re: Forum game: RP thread
Post by: Enioch on September 20, 2013, 11:14:12 am

The guards posted to Admiral Kalazonitov’s quarters were born and raised in the Irkutsk Orbitals, where one’s manliness is quantifiable and measurable, based on one’s vulgar vocabulary.

After the Admiral’s outburst over the mysterious message his aide had delivered him, they had both decided to forever revere him as a shining example of masculinity and foul-mouthness they could aspire to, but never hope to equal.

=======================================================================

“I will kill him,” the Admiral said, matter-of-factly, dabbing at the water he had spilled all over his desk while catapulting his drinking glass through the room. “Slowly.”

“That may be considered treasonous talk, Admiral,” Lieutenant Commander Skivlana said almost expressionlessly, while soaking up part of the spilled water with a napkin. “Therefore, I must inform you that I heard nothing.”

“What is he thinking?” Kalazonitov raged, slamming his soaked handkerchief in the waste disposal bin, leaning forward and burying his face in his hands. “What is he doing in Tamy in the first place?”

“I would not care to assume, sir.”

“Open a subspace reception channel, Tanya.” Kalazonitov said, rubbing his temples. “Keep it as low-intensity as possible, but see if you can piece together any information available on the TacNet that might explain this полный пиздец situation, pardon my NuBritish.”

“Yes, sir. Pardoned, sir.”

“And send out tightbeamed messages to all division commanders,” Kalazonitov added with a defeated sigh. “We are moving out as soon as possible. Empress help me, but we are abandoning a fortified position in an advanced location, to an inferior enemy force, because that silly little Пердеть decided to take his fleet for walkies.”

“Yes, sir. Admirable summation, sir.”

=======================================================================

Communique:

ADM 3FLT, DD to ADM 4FLT, CRF.

Admiral Santiago,

Thank you for your missive.

I assure you, nothing could be further from the truth than calling me prejudiced toward the CRF. I am sad that you would think so, and I am very distressed, because I will be unable to prove my good intentions to you by fighting alongside you – at least for the time being.

I have been ordered to evacuate Draco and retreat at my best cruise speed to Aquarius, there to await further orders. I understand that you will not be overjoyed to hear this; I can assure you that my ire at this ill-thought order is no less than yours. However, I do believe that the following information will be of assistance to you:

I have established a defensive perimeter in the Wyvern belt, which is sure to be eventually discovered by enemy forces, but which will probably be of great use to any allied fleets mobilizing in Draco. There, I have abandoned a sizeable force of automated defense platforms and large amounts of supplies, all of which are compatible with alliance weapon systems. Find enclosed the access code to the perimeter’s defensive grid and a thorough list of the supplies available.

<<Attachment included / WARNING: ENCODED ATTATCHMENT – LEVEL ALLIANCE_NEUTRON – FOR ADMIRALS’ EYES ONLY>>

=======================================================================

Communique:

ADM 3FLT, DD to HQ, DD Frontier FLT.

Honored Ministers of Defence,

Please find enclosed a copy of the communiqué addressed to me (delivered at Date <<CODED TIMESTAMP>>) to my flagship and sent by High Fleet Admiral, His Excellency Xiau Yi Delest.

I wish to make formal my disagreement with the orders directed to the 3rd Fleet which, in my opinion, would dramatically weaken our hold on the Draco system and jeopardize the Alliance’s front integrity. However, given that the order is not illegal, I am prepared to carry it out, as is required by the Articles of War.

Sincerely Yours,

R.Adm. Ivan Kalazonitov.

<<Attached note / Addressed to Head of BuFleets, V.Adm. Y.Kurz>>

Yuri,

This is ridiculous. I have no idea what is going on and I am getting paranoid. Is the kid out to get me, or is he just stupid?

Delay the official protest I sent the Ministry. This might just be a misunderstanding and, if that is the case, there is no reason for me to ruffle any feathers in the Ministry – or the Court, for that matter. If you do not hear from me soon, file it, and make the greatest ruckus you can.

Thanks,
-Ivan

=======================================================================

“Get the son of a *****!”

Olga’s fingers danced over the touchscreen of her terminal and she squeezed the trigger of her control stick. Epsilon Battery lashed out at the Nordera fighters and two of them spiraled out of formation, only to explode a few hundred meters further away, their reactors failing.

She quickly glanced to the tactical display and saw the rest of the enemy squadron light up in orange, as the point defense turrets of the division cruisers marked them as hostile and acquired a lock. Ten seconds later, the last Nordera strikecraft corkscrewed into Katyusha’s port armor and glanced off, exploding in a spectacular fireball. The enemy patrol having been dispatched, the 3rd Fleet adjusted its course towards the Vega Starlance. Ilieva felt the slight tremor, as Katyusha’s engines gave an extra bit of thrust to the flagship.

“Good shooting, Ilieva,” Petrovich snarled behind her. His hand found her shoulder and she smiled grimly.

“Nothing to it, Chief,” she said.

Petrovich nodded, satisfied and turned to the rest of the battery crew.

“Good job, folks. I might make a gunnery crew out of you yet. SERGEI ANDREYEVICH, YOU HORRIBLE MAN, WHO GAVE YOU PERMISSION TO TAKE OFF YOUR HARNESS, GET THAT THING SECURED NOW OR I’LL SMASH YOUR SKULL IN WITH A WRENCH AND CALL IT AN ACCIDENT AND NOBODY WILL CARE BECAUSE YOU ARE SUCH A HORRIBLE MAN!”

=======================================================================

“It’s possible, sir. It wouldn’t be possible in any other system, but the Aquarius nebula is known to really mess up sensors.”

Kalazonitov nodded, his mood having considerably worsened after Tanya’s reports and the response he’d received from BuFleets.

“Sergei, is the maneuver feasible?” he asked Captain Urumov, his finger drawing nervous circles on his desk.

“Easily, sir,” Urumov answered with a shrug.

Kalazonitov sighed.

“All right then.”

He turned to the holoscreen and to the video links he had established with all his division commanders.

“Ladies and Gentlemen, you all know what is at stake and you know what I propose to do about it. I believe the orders we have received might lose us the war and I am not going to stand by and let that happen. Some might consider the actions I am planning to be treasonous, although you are all aware that we will remain firmly within the letter of the law. If somebody has any objections, please, do not hesitate to speak up. I assure you that I will not fault any man or woman who voices their disagreement with my proposed plan of action.”

There was a short silence. Then, Captain Alisa Petrovna of the Amour spoke up.

“We are with you, sir. Always will be.”

“…Very well,” Kalazonitov spoke sadly. “We sum up the plan then: All ships will transit to Aquarius by divisions. After the realspace transition, you will immediately veer to the Galactic North, and go to silent running. Every ship will fire a Zerkalo ECM missile along the course that we would be expected to follow to the rendezvous. The missiles will squawk the launching ship's IFF codes and will emit a power signature similar to it.”

Kalazonitov leaned back into his padded chair.

“I sincerely hope our princeling is not planning any … hasty action, but if he does, we will be able to record his attack on the warheads and retreat to Tamy under cover of the nebula. If he does not attack, which I am almost positive will be the case, we will jump to him and see what he wants to…discuss.”

“Uh...Sir…?”

Kalazonitov gestured his assent and Captain Afanasyi Miloslav of the Mikhail cleared his throat before continuing.

“If, as you say, the High Admiral does not intend to … engage us, how are we going to explain our … ruse? I am sure that he will not appreciate meeting ECM birds in our rendezvous point.”

“According to the message traffic that Lieutenant Commander Skivlana managed to remotely extract from the Tamy ComNet records and the 2nd HomeGuards’ official orders, there is some enemy activity in Tamy and, possibly, Aquarius. We will simply claim that we attempted to hide our Fleet’s movements from the enemy until our rendezvous. Any other questions?”

There were none.

Title: Re: Forum game: RP thread
Post by: Jellyfish on September 20, 2013, 11:54:48 am

4th Sol Fleet 'Battlegroup 11''s flagship Firelance
Rear Admiral Jason Windforce's personal log, day 38 since deployment from Sol.
Our return to Tauri and engagement with the 3rd Cordi fleet alongside the 2nd CRF was successful, which allowed the 1st SF to retreat. Thus is my debt to RA Dovorek Iera repaid.
The Cordi themselves retreated to Crux.
However, it was a day of mourning for Terran forces. Task Force 765 was destroyed. RA John Harkness' fate is unknown. I can only hope he still lives, he's too great a man to just die like that.

The loss only made RA Lorric's men fight with increased fervor. I can only be thankful they are on our side.

Day 45 since deployment from Sol.
We had to retreat again to Librae. As it turns out, it was an unnecessary action, as the last remaining enemy in that system, the 1st Zy, had retreated back to Aldebaran. We will hunt them down in due time.
They left behind an artifact, and I have given orders to return to Tauri and investigate it.

The 1st DD was lost. But not all is bad news. VA Jason Ralwood managed to survive, and the 1st Hertak fleet was destroyed. We've shown these invaders they'll have to bleed for whatever they want to take from Humanity.

Day 55 since deployment from Sol.
The device is forcing Tauri to go supernova. We do not know how, we do not know when. I have given orders to evacuate Tauri, to move to Virgo immediately. The 1st SF already started their jumps towards Aldebaran. I can only hope the 2nd CRF in Librae gets through before the supernova destabilized the lances.

Title: Re: Forum game: RP thread
Post by: Lepanto on September 20, 2013, 11:19:14 pm

Communique:

ADM 4FLT to ADM 1FLT

Admiral Veers,

Forgive me for not mentioning this earlier, but RA Harkness is still MIA. Neither our sensor scans, nor the reports from 3FLT's pilots, indicated that he was either alive or dead. As the CZ was occupied by the enemy, we had neither the time nor the opportunity to perform SAR. He may have yet escaped; I hope Harkness's reputation for immortality still holds. But, as of the present, we have no trace of the Admiral. If he is dead, Britannia has lost a loyal and talented officer, but we have little time to mourn.

You've undoubtedly heard that the 3rd DD has been recalled to Aquarius by some Delest family member, so they will not be assisting us in Draco. Just between you and me, and no undue offence meant to HM the Queen, but are our politicians deliberately trying to lose us this war?

In an unexpected but welcome turn of generosity, RA Kalazonitov of the 3rd DD sent me the location of a well-supplied defense outpost he has erected in Draco's Wyvern Belt. Apparently, the bad blood between Britannia and Delest does not run as deep as I had once thought. The coordinates are attached.

At Vega, we acquired one of the T.A.L. Mk. I prototypes. I believe we will have the opportunity to field-test it against the Nordera, as they are fond of boarding attacks. I can only hope the T.A.L. lives up to its reputation. Those things still scare me, even though they look innocent enough.

If we are fortunate, the Zy supernova device in Tauri and this massive Hertak attack in the south are the limit of the Hierarchy's strength. If they have few or no more reserves left, a victory here may allow us to win this war, albeit at great cost; with the firepower the Hertak have mustered in Kardoen, I project that we will lose more than one fleet in beating back their attack, and that's the best-case scenario. In any case, whatever the future may bring, we must win here, or lose the war.

All Hail Britannia!

Pax vobiscum,
Rear Admiral Santiago

<<Attachment included / WARNING: ENCODED ATTATCHMENT – LEVEL ALLIANCE_NEUTRON – FOR ADMIRALS’ EYES ONLY>>

=======================================================================

Communique:

ADM 4FLT, CRF to ADM 3FLT, DD

Admiral Kalazonitov,

Please accept my honest thanks for your generous gift, and my apologies for my stereotyping. We'll need all the help we can get, if we're going to beat back that Hertak attack. If God smiles upon us and our men do their duty, we will ensure the 3rd DD still has a front to return to. Once you have returned, I would be honored to fight alongside you and your men. I've heard some inspiring stories about your gunnery; I shall hope they are accurate.

Indeed, your orders are patently absurd. To be blunt, our leaders shouldn't be interfering in military matters, not with the survival of our civilization at stake.

May we cross paths shortly.

Pax vobiscum,
Rear Admiral Carlos Santiago

=======================================================================

To: [email protected]
From: [email protected] [email protected]
Subject: Re: Condolences and greetings

As well as usual, comrade.

I've heard some rumours about upcoming promotions for our admirals. If anyone deserves a promotion, it's you, and believe me when I say that's not just flattery.

At our stopover in Vega, we acquired one of the T.A.L. Mk. I prototypes. I believe that we will have the opportunity to field-test it against the Nordera, as they are fond of boarding attacks. I can only hope the T.A.L. lives up to its reputation. Those things still scare me, even though they look innocent enough.

Those pictures are truly beautiful. I have had little time to admire the beauty of space; looking at stars and nebulae was one of my favorite pastimes, back when the 4th was Starlance-searching, before this war started. Deep space has its own strange, but true and ordered beauty. More evidence, I believe, for the fact that we live in a universe constructed and ordered by a Creator. Here is one of my favorite illustrations of the Universe's beauty, the "song" of Jupiter. The complex interactions of charged electromagnetic particles from solar wind, planetary magnetospheres, etc. create vibration "soundscapes" like this. I hope you will appreciate it as I have.

Even in defeat, the Zy commit black deeds. I can only hope that, somehow, by some miracle or turn of Fate, Tauri is spared from destruction. If not, I fear that the civilian death toll will be catastrophic. Why would they do something so despicable, to a species which has done them no harm? Both because it disrupted your pursuit, and sheer spite against their enemies, most likely. Against such beings, who commit evil so readily, I fear that all we can do is defeat them before they bring more harm to others.

I only hope that the 4th Cordi are being treated humanely. I believe that many Terrans now hate the Hierarchy races, and would be happy to see them dissected and executed, solely out of revenge, and to gain a military advantage. Given the speciesist attitudes of some Sol officers, I fear that the Earthers will do just that. Not the ISOE, though; let's just say that they have a different problem.

I've sent some feelers out to a few contacts in Parliament and the Foreign Office, to see if the government might be receptive to asking the Cordi or Fura'ngle for separate peace talks. I doubt anything will come of it, though; the government is in full war fever, and even if anyone felt like asking for peace at this poing, I frankly doubt that either alien race would actually agree. I suppose we will probably have to break the Hertak's chains by the force of our arms.

Right now, as for why the Hierarchy invasion seems so un-coordinated: I think it's probably a combination of the Hertak's reluctance to personally risk their own fleets, and a sudden decision to invade, like you suggested. Perhaps the Hierarchy had accidentally stumbled into our space, and launched an invasion on the spur of the moment, without gathering their fleets beforehand. If their fleets were streaming into the theater from throughout their own empire, like ours were at the beginning, that would explain their piecemeal deployments. I can only hope that all the forces we've faced so far aren't merely a vanguard for the real invasion; if your hypothesis is true, only a miracle could save the League now.

As for the Cyrvans... Operation Fluffcats. I hope their combat strength is superior to their military professionalism.

Let me wrap this up; I've got a Zeal Speech at 1330, and I need to rehearse. All Hail Britannia!

Pax Vobiscum,
Santiago

Title: Re: Forum game: RP thread
Post by: Lorric on September 21, 2013, 06:38:25 pm

To: [email protected]
From: [email protected]

Hello again old friend.

Hmmm, yes, I’ve heard the rumours too, but I’ll believe it when I see it. Same for these recent rumours that John Harkness is alive. I’ll believe that too when I see the man himself. But thanks for the compliment, I know you don’t do flattery, so that means a lot. Really, I can’t think of a reason NOT to promote any of the CRF Admirals. Everyone has fought valiantly. And while you’ll know better than me since you saw it unfold with your own eyes, even John Harkness’ 3rd CRF should come into that if the man does indeed live, there was nothing he could do about the loss of his fleet, only go down fighting, and they did, no one turned their backs to the enemy. You need a real leader in charge for that to happen.

Um… refresh my memory, because either I just can’t remember, or have not heard of these, but what are the T.A.L mk.1 prototypes?

Ah yes, I have heard the “song” of Jupiter before. It stirs something within me.

The Zy device makes no sense for an enemy that clearly want to take slaves and carve out an empire. Tauri is one of our richest systems, and I see no strategic value to destroying the system. This may be an example of unfathomable alien intelligence. Of course, this could be a purely psychological attack. I don’t know what it will do to me if that sun goes nova. It was my plan to leave Tauri to the Zy. I am afraid. I haven’t been able to relax since the news it is doing something to the sun. And we’re also going to have to pass through the system to get to Aldebaran…

I agree that this should not be used as a stick to beat the Cordi with. Even the Zy could simply be under direct orders from the Hertak. It all comes back to the Hertak. But at the same time I suppose we should not think just because they are enslaved, these races will be “good”. One bunch of barbarians is quite capable of conquering another bunch of barbarians. We’ve already seen the Nordera, the Hertak’s willing partners. If “barbarian” doesn’t describe them, I don’t know what does.

I will be livid if our forces have gone to the trouble of keeping those Cordi alive just for those back on Earth to slice them up. As far as ISOE goes, it wouldn’t surprise me if these stupid rumours about Cordi shape-shifters got started with these idiots running around got up in costumes...

I do think these two races are our best chance if any. Especially the Fura’ngle who clearly do not want to fight. The problem of course is they’re more afraid of the Hertak than they are of us, so they will fight. It’s a good thing they are so fearful, our projections of their strength show they would be formidable indeed if they fought with the fervour of the Nordera or Zy. Neither they or the Cordi seem like natural warmongers if you know what I mean. Unlike the Zy, there’s definitely a hard edge to them. I can’t see there being any peace, but maybe we could obtain some information. As you say, defeating the Hertak is the only way. If we could plant the seed of doubt into the minds of these aliens, make them think “What? They’re winning?!” Maybe we could get some of them to defect to our side. Or at least stay out of the fighting.

If they do show up in massive numbers, I think the only thing we can do is surrender.

I have seen that Cyrvan Admiral on her bridge. All the other Cyrvans seem to be totally professional, then I look at the Admiral, and I’m just like of all the people on that bridge, THAT is who they picked as the Admiral?! Still though, the Cyrvans have always had that relaxed nature about their military. There must be a reason why that one was chosen as the Admiral, I’m sure they didn’t just throw darts at a bunch of pictures on a wall or something to choose her. She must have something about her. But then look at that fool over in the DD 2nd homeguard… She played her part okay in that mass attack on the 1st Nordera, but anyone could have done that, even that moron with the DD 2nd home guard. Time will tell how she performs when the chips are down. They can call their operations anything they want as long as they are successful as far as I’m concerned.

Hail Britannia! Hail to the Queen!

Lorric

Title: Re: Forum game: RP thread
Post by: Flak on September 25, 2013, 01:14:17 am

Aldebaran System

"Got it, chipped its tail! The stealth's gone!"

"That's it, send em to hell, ladies and gentlemen!"

The Spectre pilot suddenly realized that one of the hits scored on the fighter has disabled the stealth field. The Spectre immediately turn tail and attempts to retreat to the Zy battlegroup formation with some fighters in hot pursuit. "I'll buy a drink to whoever got that bastard."

Gavriil, Jerry, and Angelo continues to give a chase as the Spectre just ran outside the point defense range of allied ships. There is some ripple in the radio, showing that the Zy ace is calling for help. Angelo just managed to get a missile lock on the fighter and fires a pair of missiles. The Spectre, noticing the missile, turns sharply to evade it. However, the Zy failed to notice a Berkut coming from another direction.

"You are mine, lizard!" The Berkut comes from above the Spectre and unleashes a flurry of VX-153 and Spiritus Lucis missiles, turning it into a fireball. Captain Manuel Ortega and everyone else on the bridge of the Fuego Sagrado, who had a good view of the action cheers like football hooligans. "Very good, Sanjay, Very good!" said Gavriil in the radio, "You got two Zy aces in your frag list now.".

--------------------------

Nearby, the Silver Falcon and Thunderhawk just focused fired on a Zy warship and sending it to oblivion.

"That's the last of the escort ships. Only the carrier left."

"Coordinates sent, boss. Shall we signal go code Enigma to the other ships?"

"Wait until we get into firing range, we need to make sure that carrier don't escape. I hope this experimental jump drive really worth the trouble putting them in."

"We are in firing range, boss."

"Very good. Do it now! We are going to gut that monstrosity like a fish."

"Attention all ships, action code Enigma, I repeat, action code Enigma."

As the Silver Falcon begins to fire away at the Basileus designated Gecko Three, the Thunderhawk and Fuego Sagrado jumps to its port and starboard side respectively and starts to engage with their broadside firepower. Moments later, the Claymore and Tranquility jumps behind it and focus their forward firepower on the engine. In a last desperate attempt, Gecko Three launches all its remaining fighters, which only get shredded quickly by the escort fighters and point defenses. The carrier didn't last very long under the combined firepower and finally reduced to a blue fireball.

"Thank God those experimental drives worked. But is that all of them I was expecting more."

"Reports from allied command, boss. It looks like they are retreating."

"I was honestly expecting them to be a little....braver?"

"At least they are not stupid, boss."

Baron Markus then picks up the mug of coffee on the table and drinks what remains of it. He then takes a look at the messages from the UGC command in one of the bridge computers.

"Interesting, they wished to hunt down the remaining Zy into Crux."

"So no rest for us?"

"A little maybe, they also need to be prepared if they really wish to go that far."

Title: Re: Forum game: RP thread
Post by: Enioch on October 20, 2013, 07:45:01 pm

A soft hum followed by a flash of light told Xiau Yi that his fleet had left subspace and entered the Aquarius system. He left his chambers and made his way to the bridge, his cape billowing in a most satisfying way behind him. His mood had drastically improved during the last days and it was quite obvious from the swagger in his step. He smiled widely as the bridge doors opened and every crew member on the bridge immediately stood at attention.

Respect. Excellent.

He gestured for them to continue with their work and sat down on his chair, crossing his legs in a comfortable lounging pose.

"Sire, we're picking up the IFF of our friendly fleet. They are already at the rendezvous point."

Xiau Yi nodded.

Good, that old geezer is at least obedient. Though I'm suprised that he managed to get here before my fleet did. I may have to consider taking harsher disciplinary measures when the supposed ‘Delest Finest’ are being outdone by frontline fleets.

"Prepare to jump! We're meeting up with them right now."

One brief subspace jump later, the DD 2^nd Home Guard had arrived at the designated rendezvous point: an unremarkable point in the Aquarius nebula. It would have been slightly less unremarkable had the 3^rd Frontier Fleet been there to greet them.

Instead there was a whole load of nothing, gas and…

…dummy missiles?

Xiau Yi's smirk melted off his face "What is the meaning of this?! Where are they?"

"We... we don't know sire! We're detecting the proper IFF codes but... these appear to be decoys!"

Xiau Yi’s good mood was well and gone. He turned to face his Commodore who had been stoically standing next to his chair this whole time. "Go to battle stations! This has got to be a ploy, a plot! A conspiracy! That old fool is after my life!"

The Commodore had to suppress his urge to slump his shoulders and sigh.

Idiot.

"As you wish, Sire, but I do not deem it likely that Admiral Kalazonitov would commit himself to something that foolish."

"I will not take a gamble with my life just because you do not seem it likely!"

Sigh.

"Of course, Sire."

Shortly after, the fleet reported combat ready, all the shields raised, all the energy weapons charged and every missile tube loaded.

==================================

Admiral Kalazonitov leaned back in his chair, on the Bridge of Katyusha, steepled his fingers and sighed.

“Well, if he was planning to attack first, he would have done so by now,” he said, eyeing Tanya, who was standing next to him in her usual place. “I don’t mind telling you that it would have made things easier if he had.”

He shifted around in his chair for a bit, adjusting the ceremonial sword he had strapped to his side

“Messier – but easier. Now I’ll have to dig up the court lackey persona, which I absolutely despise. Oh well, needs must.”

He turned to the ship’s chief sensors’ officer, a grey-haired lieutenant.

“Lieutenant Pavlov, can you confirm that they have powered up their weapons?”

“Aye, sir!” came the answer. “All sensor platforms we seeded into the ECM warheads report live weaponry!”

Kalazonitov’s sigh was that of a disappointed schoolmaster. “So, Tanya – here’s what we have to deal with. A commanding officer, who finds himself in a position that he suspects might be a trap – and stays there. He powers up his weapons, telegraphing that he suspects trouble, but he doesn’t jump out and he doesn’t shoot down our platforms. For the Empress’ sake, he’s like a scared child, standing frozen in the middle of a dark room and turning around quickly in the hopes of not being surprised by the bogeyman! Meanwhile, if we were Hierarchy – or any enemy, for that matter - we’d be enjoying continuous sensory information on his formation and tactics, because he doesn’t shoot down our sensors!”

Deep breath.

“Oh, damn it, rambling again. Sorry my dear.”

“Quite alright, sir.”

Kalazonitov keyed up the frequencies of his division commanders and watched as their faces blinked into existence over his chair’s holodisplay. “Ladies and Gentlemen, engage Blink and Dazzle at time 0120. Weapons are to be live, but locked, I repeat, locked. If any ship fires without being fired upon, I will have its commander’s head on a platter and I will engage decimation protocols for its gunnery crew. I’ve never had to do so before, Ladies and Gentlemen, do not make me do so now. Make sure that all navigation systems are synchronized and double check your jump plans. Empress be with you, Kalazonitov out.”

After the see-through heads had acknowledged their orders and after the last of them had blinked off, Kalazonitov slumped back, his dress uniform’s cap grating against the back of his chair. His fingers drummed a quick nervous rhythm in the armrest, as he watched the digital timer counting down to the fleet’s jump time.

“What am I going to do with him, Tanya?” he asked softly.

“Teach him, sir.” Skivlana whispered. "If he'll let you."

The counter reached zero. The fleet jumped.

==================================

And entered realspace again in a single blinding flash, its formation impeccable. The 2^nd Home Guard was suddenly faced by a wall of capital ships, some of them visibly wounded by the fight against the Hierarchy and yet taking up their place in the fleet order. As one, hundreds of thrusters fired and the ships decelerated, coming to a relative stop and turning, taking up places in what, in the DD navy, was called ‘The Empress’ Wall’.

It was a parade formation – meant to allow Admirals (or the Empress) to inspect their fleets – and it was done with such precision and care that only the obsessive – compulsive Captain Urumov could have organized it.

==================================

Xiau Yi nearly fell backwards into his chair when the whole of the 3^rd fleet jumped in, right in front of him. His first reflex was to order his ships to open fire but before he could find the words, one of the bridge crew exclaimed "Sir, incoming transmission from the Katyusha!"

Xiau Yi paused and took a deep breath to try and found his composure again. "O-Open a channel."

The holoscreen flared to life, and the prince came face-to-face with Admiral Kalazonitov, in his dress uniform. The Admiral saluted crisply, his face expressionless.

“Greetings your Highness," he said. "3^rd Dynasty Frontier Fleet, reporting as ordered."

Xiau Yi tried his best to look calm and 'majestic' but to any observant eye it was clear that he was a bit shaken.

"Rear Admiral Kalazonitov, what is the meaning of this?! Why have you set up this... this theater?"

Kalazonitov's calm expression did not change - with the exception of an eyebrow that rose an infinitesimal fraction of an inch.

"A theater, your Highness? I am not sure what you mean. If you are referring to the ECM missiles I sent along the obvious path of my fleet, they were a necessary precaution. TacNet held records of your forces engaging Nordera and stealth Zy units behind our lines - but no records of those forces actually being destroyed. According to the data available, there is at least one Zy carrier operating as a raider, with stealthed fighters available - how could I risk my fleet being attacked in transit? Or even falling for some sort of decoy at our rendezvous point? I sent the missiles ahead to draw any enemy fire and jumped in as soon as I had confirmation of your presence here."

The Admiral's head tilted slightly to the side.

"As to the formation my fleet is in, I thought it fitting, considering your Highness' rank. I thought you might want to inspect the 3^rd before issuing your orders. By the way, would you prefer to do so via a secure channel, or would you like us to meet personally? My communications officer reports that he can set up a secure two-way connection in a few minutes. You are, of course, welcome on board Katyusha at any time. I would respectfully request, though, that you come to a decision as soon as possible - I need to have something to appease the Alliance CIC and the sooner I get my orders, the sooner I can brief them and have them stop flooding our government's and my own inbox with outraged demands for your head. You know how they can be."

Xiau Yi just stood there for a moment, overwhelmed. He was not gaping like a fish, but he felt quite close to it. This was not how he had imagined things would go. He was going to chew this old man out, and make sure that all the blame of the Zy behind the lines was firmly pinned on him. But Kalazonitov had fully taken the initiative here and made him look like a fool.

"Yes. The carrier," he finally stammered "I must speak to you face to face about this. Be on board my ship in one hour from now."

He had barely finished his sentence when he cut off communications. He dropped back into his chair with an audible sigh. He needed to gather his thoughts. He had completely underestimated his 'opponent'. Behind him, his Commodore looked at him with eyes full of pity.

"Sire, shall we end combat readiness?"

Xiau Yi jerked up from his chair and, as he rushed out of the bridge, said "Prepare the welcome hall for our guests. I'll be in my ready room. Inform me when they are here." The doors closed behind him before anyone could reply.

Sigh.

"I'll take that as a yes."

=============================

Elsewhere on the flagship, a young pilot went over several items on his desk.

"Sakura, Dimitri, Hyun... I'll make him pay, I swear." he whispered to himself as he started putting several grenades in his pockets.

"All my friends... gone just like that... I'll kill that bastard... I will murder him." He holstered his sidearm and checked his watch. "In just sixty minutes..."

==================================

“No, Dmitri, you may not escort me,” Kalazonitov snapped, as he strode down the corridor, his cane tap-tap-tapping along with his single boot and prosthetic leg. “I need you and two of your best pilots to fly escort for the shuttle – not to babysit me on board my superior officer’s flagship.”

“Superior officer? Hell, sir, we both know that…”

Kalazonitov froze in his tracks and spun around, his cane whipping up and landing lightly on Grishenko’s solar plexus, like a fencing blade.

“Be careful what you say, Captain,” he admonished. “No matter what else he is, he is still my commanding officer and a member of the ruling dynasty of our Motherland. I do not ask that you respect him, but I do ask that you respect his rank and refrain from any comments that might be misunderstood as treacherous – or as lesé majesté.”

“Yes, sir,” Grishenko stepped back, looking sheepish. “But I still don’t like you going over with just Tanya with you.”

Kalazonitov snorted. “You’ve never studied Tanya’s file, have you, Captain?” he asked, making for the hangar door at the end of the corridor.

“Can’t say I have, sir,” Grishenko admitted, moving to keep up. “I only check the public files of my commanding officers – and the men under my command, obviously. Anything else seems...really indiscreet.”

“Commendable,” Kalazonitov said, gently. “But still – had you done so, you would have known that our dear Lieutenant Commander Skivlana is an active Spetsnaz GRU agent, openly posted to the 3^rd fleet as an observer and as an intelligence officer. Believe me, the fact that she has three years of anti-dissident field action on her record and that she can drive her fist through a man’s gut and out the other end does not detract from her skills as an aide.”

“боже мой! What…I never new!”

“That is the point, Captain.” Kalazonitov was smiling. “It’s no secret – while I do not doubt that the GRU has posted other agents to the fleet as well – agents I do not know about - , Tanya was assigned to me at my own request – and at her own, as well. I knew her father, you see, and I also knew that she is someone I could rely on. So I pulled a few strings. And here she is, one of the best bodyguards I could ask for, right when I need one. Truly, the Empress works in mysterious ways.”

“Yes, sir. She does.”

The blast doors whooshed open, and Kalazonitov stepped through, snapping a quick salute to the honor guard that framed the way to the shuttle. He negotiated the craft’s hatch with the practiced movements of a veteran spacer, although his prosthetic leg, his cane and his ceremonial sword did give him some trouble.

“I expect you on my wing, Dmitri,” he called through the closing hatch. “Show us some nice flying!”

“Will do, sir!” the Flight Commander called back, saluting smartly.

The hatch closed with a hiss and a clunk of securing bolts. Kalazonitov dropped into a chair next to Lieutenant Commander Skivlana, who returned his glance coolly.

“I feel it necessary to inform you, sir, that I consider this to be a very bad move,” she said. “I hope you understand that we are putting ourselves completely at the mercy of this man.”

“I doubt that he will try anything,” Kalazonitov replied, leaning back and snapping his security harness on, as the shuttle shuddered and silently glided out of the hangar, riding a soft burst of its thrusters. “If he has any brains, he is probably thinking about what I meant by everybody wanting his head – and once he finds out, I hope that he will realize that doing something stupid to us will not help him in the least. But, then again, that might be giving him too much credit – and that is why I am bringing you along.”

“Yes, sir. But that is what I mean – I am good at what I do, but we’d need a full Spetsnaz GRU strike team to get you out of there, if things go south! I want you to understand that I am making no guarantees. In fact…”

“Enough, Tanya,” Kalazonitov said calmly. He was actually astonished. That had sounded almost like nervous rambling. “I understand. I am still glad you’re coming with me, though. Thank you for agreeing to accompany me.”

“It’s my job, sir.”

“Hm.” Kalazonitov sounded disappointed. “And here I thought you were going along with a friend.”

=========================================================

The air onboard the 2^nd Home Guard flagship Chongmingdao was cool and clear, quite unlike the slightly stifling, infinitely recycled atmosphere of Katyusha. Tanya was the first to disembark from the shuttle, aiding Kalazonitov in turn. The Admiral smoothed down his dress uniform, adjusted his grip on his walking cane and only then returned the salute of the tired-looking Commodore who waited for him at the end of the line of guards.

“Permission to come aboard, sir?” he asked.

“Granted. Welcome aboard, Admiral,” came the answer. “I am Commodore Hitachi. I have been asked to show you to his Highness, as soon as you arrived. If you would follow me?”

“Lead on, Commodore,” Kalazonitov said, falling into an exaggeratedly labored stride next to the other officer, Tanya following behind him like a shadow. “I am looking forward to meeting his Highness. Looking forward to it indeed.”

The walk was a short one, but Kalazonitov had the time to look around surreptitiously. He saw shining brass and buckles, perfectly pressed uniforms and statue-like guards. What he didn’t see was any indication that the Chongmingdao was a warship and not a fancy hotel.

Before long the group was standing before a pair of excessively large and decorated doors. The doors were but a prelude to the even more excessively large and decorated hall behind them. In the center of the room was an excessively large and decorated table, half of it filled with various foods and drinks. Far, far away, almost hidden behind the mountains of fruit and wine bottles, at the end of the table, Xiau Yi was seated.

"Welcome Admiral! Thank you for coming the long way from the front line at my summons. Please, take a seat."

"Thank you, your Highness," Kalazonitov said, with a click of his heels and a small bow, before settling in one of the chairs. Tanya stayed on her feet, moving behind him in a relaxed parade rest. "May I present my aide, Lieutenant Commander Tanya Skivlana? She handles most of the administrative protocols and helps my XO keep the 3^rd into something resembling an organized fleet. Please do not hesitate to speak in front of her - her security clearance is the same as mine."

In fact, it is considerably higher than mine, but there's no reason why you should know that yet, pipsqueak, the Admiral thought wryly.

The Admiral balanced his cane at the side of his chair and leaned forward, putting his hands on the table.

"That said, I am at your disposal, your Highness. In what emergency can the 3^rd Frontier Fleet assist you?"

Xiau Yi gave a slight nod toward Tanya, thinking to himself that he should make an effort to get her transferred to his command after this, before he turned to Kalazonitov. He had been sitting in this chair, pondering on how he was going to do this. But every scenario he ran through his head came up short. That is why he had finally decided to use his old true and tried method. Power abuse.

"Admiral." he paused for dramatic effect "I'm going to be blunt with you." He again paused for a moment.

"For the sake of my honor I'm going to have you take the blame for the damage suffered to my fleet." he raised his hand in a 'wait, I'm not done talking yet' gesture and continued with a smug smile on his face "Now the first thought that is probably going through your mind is 'that's not fair!' and I would have to agree with you. But, you see, life isn't fair. I could end your career with a single call. I could overrule any and all protests you could possibly muster."

Aaaah he loved this part. Why would he need to scheme and manipulate anyway? This is how it should be! He was a member of the most powerful family known to Terran space. His will was absolute!

"So please be a nice old man and cooperate willingly."

==================================

He was fast approaching the last corridor leading to the grand hall. Normally pilots like him weren't even allowed to walk in these corridors without special permission. He was determined, he wasn't going to turn back now... He wasn't going to let the death of his friends be unavenged.

==================================

"Ah." Kalazonitov nodded, leaning back. "I see. Well, I'm not particularly surprised. Since you've been this direct with me, your Highness, I will return the favor."

He steepled his fingers and focused on them, seemingly in deep thought. "While I have no doubt that during peacetime you would most definitely succeed in your endeavors, your Highness, I regret to inform you that this is war and, as such, the conditions are subtly but definitely different. For instance, at this point, it has certainly become obvious to all persons in positions of authority - including the senior military chiefs and, in all probability, the Empress - that you are an inexperienced commander, prone to making bad mistakes. Digging out the actual facts of what happened was easy for my intelligence people in Draco - doing so will be much easier for the analysts back home. You placing the official blame on anybody else will not change that - they will still know. You could save face with the public and everybody of importance could act as if they are fooled - nobody who matters will be, however. I believe that, given the option to choose between a proven commander of a veteran fleet and an irresponsible youngster that tries to shift the blame, they'd back the former. I'd probably get a slap in the back of the hand and sent back to actually win some battles - while you'd be called back quietly to be assigned some position of minimal responsibility.”

“How…how DARE y…”

"If you were an important member of the Dynasty,” Kalazonitov continued, as if Xiau Yi had said nothing, “you might still get away with it, even in wartime. You are not, however. If you were, you'd be back home, lobbying and jockeying for a better position in the court games. Instead, you are here, placed in command of a Home Guard fleet. You have been given a shiny toy, your Highness, and shown to a side room to play, while the grownups do the important talking.

"Again, you might have managed to pull this off. Military command is a classic way for a low-ranking member of the Dynasty to gain glory and renown. However you screwed up - which is not as bad as you think, given your inexperience - and then you panicked and dug your own grave. You tried to shift the blame, which is understandable, but you did so as an absolute ruler would. You called me back. You called my fleet back, to personally slap me in the face. Big mistake.

"You see, your Highness, for the duration of this war, we are part of an Alliance. You are not an absolute ruler; one might argue that not even the Empress is, any more. Everything the joint fleets of the Alliance do is supposed to go through the Joint Command HQ - and the actions of each fleet reflect upon their nation. When you called me back from Draco, you essentially ordered me to leave a gaping hole in our front and to abandon our allies, leaving them essentially unsupported. You can be sure I reported exactly why I left and exactly whose orders I was following, both to our own HQ and to the Joint Command as well. Your Highness, for the last days, every Allied government is bombarding the Ministry of War with demands for your head. With a single order, you made an enemy out of every human and Cyrvan commander this side of Old Earth - and you made our fleets look like forces that would happily leave our allies hanging.

"So, please, go ahead. Make that phone call. Whom will you call? The War Minister? Some of the Crown Princes? The Empress herself? What do you think they'll say? Do you honestly think they'll pick an incompetent, irresponsible and pretty much expendable brat who thoroughly embarrassed the Motherland over one of the only two remaining veteran commanders and the first Admiral of the Alliance to defeat a Hertak fleet?"

Kalazonitov smiled thinly. "Go ahead, your Highness. Your move."

==================================

Behind Kalazonitov, Tanya's wristwatch beeped discreetly. The Lieutenant Commander glanced at the display and blanched.

Active plasma explosives in the area? They're after the Admiral!

She placed a hand on the back of Kalazonitov's chair, ready to drive him to the floor if necessary and, with the other, she thumbed a small contact on her dataslate. There was a barely audible click and part of the dataslate slipped out, dropping a single-shot mini fleshette pistol into her palm. She glanced anxiously toward the door, listening attentively for any hint of might be going on at the other side.

==================================

Two royal guards stood guard in front of the grand doors. Both were excellently trained in all sorts of martial arts and were excellent marksmen with every possible gun you can imagine.

However, no amount of training can save you from a plasma grenade with one second left on its timer being thrown at you from around the corner. One could argue that the heavy ceremonial armors that CRF knights wear would help but this was not a CRF ship.

A quick flash and explosion later both guards were incapacitated. Dead, actually. Turned into a thin dust cloud and two blackened silhouettes on the wall.

While the big doors were heavily shielded from sounds to prevent eavesdropping, no soundproofing can cancel out the noise of a plasma explosion. And nothing but a forcefield can shield something from a graviton grenade.

A graviton grenade followed the plasma one.

With an odd whirling sound, the doors briefly crumpled up into an implosion before exploding outwards with a massive burst of energy.

=================================

Xiau Yi jumped up from his chair and slammed his fists on the table, knocking over his wine glass in the progress

"My move you say?! Irresponsible brat!?! ADMIRAL, YOU ARE WAY OUT OF LI-"

He was cut short by the two doors flying into the room, followed by a cloud of dust and smoke. He was not given much time to grasp the situation as a single beam of light pierced through the smoke and burned a hole the size of a lemon in his upper chest.

Tanya reacted immediately. Kalazonitov was on the ground the moment the doors started to buckle. A good thing too, since a big chunk of those doors would have had a meeting with the old admiral's face otherwise.

==================================

Kalazonitov did not see the princeling die, because his face was pasted onto the floor, one of Tanya's knees pressing down on the small of his back. He did hear the blaster shot, though, and he could very well imagine what that meant.

Tanya had turned toward the door the moment Kalazonitov was down and had taken up a kneeling firing position over his body and behind the upended chair. She did not see the princeling die either, because she never took her eyes off the cloud of smoke that covered the entrance to the room.

She did see the shot that killed him, however. The same dust cloud that obscured the shooter made the blaster beam stand out like a firework. She calmly tracked the beam back to its source and her fleshette gun barked once, a single low cough that sent a hyperelocity rod toward the assassin before Xiau Yi's body had time to hit the floor.

The shot found its mark. The unseen assailant was hit squarely in the forehead. He staggered for a moment before slumping down. Xiau Yi still stood there dumbfounded for a moment, before he fell backwards into his chair, dead.

Only a few moments later did Commodore Hitachi storm to the scene with several guards in tow. He quickly assessed the situation, barked out a few orders to the guards before turning to the Admiral.

"Sir, are you alright?"

Kalazonitov stood a bit shakily, looking mournfully at his cane, which had been cleanly cut in half by a piece of flying debris.

"Hello, Commodore. Yes, I'm fine. The prince looks ... not fine, though."

One of the guards had, by then, reached the body of Xiau Yi and he wasted no time checking for lifesigns. Nobody with that big of a hole in him could still be alive. He looked back at the Commodore and Admiral and shook his head.

"Great," Kalazonitov sighed. "Just what the Motherland needed right now. An assassination of a Delest and a leaderless fleet, one system away from the front lines. Could this have been a political assassination? Does anybody know the assassin?"

"I think I do, sir," a sergeant volunteered, with a nervous glance to the Commodore. At a nod from the officer he continued. "He was a Delta wing pilot. The only survivor. I think he was ill during the attack of the Zy and couldn't fly. The whole wing was shot down."

"That simplifies matters, sir," Tanya volunteered. "Revenge assassination. He probably suffered survivor's guilt and blamed it all on the prince."

"Makes sense," Kalazonitov agreed. "However, this would mean that, on this ship, an unsupported man that gets a bit cranky can walk in with two specops-issue grenades and take out the fleet commander on a whim. Tanya, please have a talk with the security chief, if you don't mind."

"Oh, yes, sir. Absolutely."

"Right. Tanya, you will also need to find every GRU agent on board this ship. Get them here - I don't give a flying трахаться about their cover identities. Have them witness this; let them examine the room and the bodies, take testimonies. Tell them I am at their disposal, if they need to question me. Set them loose on the ship. I want absolutely no ambivalence about what happened here. Then, write a report - clear cut and concise and send it back to the Ministry. They need to know what happened.

"Next..."

He scowled and turned to the Commodore.

"Commodore Hitachi, I am not in the line of command of this fleet, but I am the senior ranking officer present in-system. I need to know what your contingencies are, at this point. From what I see, there are two options:

"Firstly, you can choose to assume command of the 2^nd Home Guard yourself, as Prince Xiau Yi's XO. In a way, that would make things easier for me, because my hands are already full. If you do so, you will be required to take full responsibility for your fleet's actions, both here and back home. I must also tell you that, during that time you will only be an acting Admiral - your promotion will have to be ratified by the Ministry. Until that happens, I will still be considered senior to you and, as a commander of a fleet, I will have the authority to give you and your force orders. Be advised that my first order will be for you to take your fleet to Vega and, when there, to assist the Alliance forces in dealing with the incoming Zy forces. The 3^rd Frontier Fleet will follow you there, of course.

"Your second option is for you to formally request the amalgamation of our two fleets. If you do that, the 2^nd HG will cease to exist as a unit and will be absorbed into the 3^rd FF. It has not happened often, but there are precedents and nobody will criticize you for it. If you do that, the responsibility for the actions of the joint force will rest with me and me alone. You can expect, however, to be assigned the command of a major task force of your choosing and you will find me a reasonable commanding officer in regards to my people taking the initiative. On that subject, if you choose to relinquish the command of the 2^nd HG, I will immediately expect a comprehensive list of each vessel's and commanding officer's performance under Xiau Yi. I will also accept recommendations for the forming of a detachment that will be ordered to seek out and destroy all Zy units on our rear. Let me be frank, Commodore: I expect you to point fingers and I want every sneak, every sycophant to be on that detachment. If you keep command of the 2^nd, you can do as you will, but I am only taking people I can trust to fight like demons through the Starlance - not boot lickers. I realize that those will probably be almost half of your fleet - I can live with that.

"So, Commodore, what's it gonna be? Will you hitch your wagon to mine, or take command of this circus? Or maybe you have another suggestion? Either way, you need to decide quickly. The Zy will not wait and we have much work to do.”

"Hmmm," The Commodore rubbed his chin in thought. "Sir, may I suggest that you discuss this with the Empress herself instead? She needs to be informed of what happened here as soon as possible and I do not think I am qualified to make a decision of this scale. We have a direct emergency line with the royal palace on this ship. I can set you up with a direct line of communications within five minutes."

==================================

Hitachi was better than his word - it was actually four minutes before the emergency line was up and Kalazonitov was before a holoscreen, bowing deeply before the image of the Empress and praying to God his leg wouldn't give out on him.

"Speak, Admiral," the Empress said curtly, her voice cold as ice.

Deep bow for the Empress aspect. Three seconds pause. Deep bow for the Goddess aspect. Leg creaks. Bugger

"Your Imperial Majesty, I have the sad duty to inform you of the violent death of his Imperial Highness, prince Xiau Yi, at the hands of a madman, not ten minutes ago. I was present during the assassination and only narrowly escaped death myself, thanks to the actions of one of Your Imperial Majesty's GRU agents. The same agent executed the assassin, but not before he had the chance to shoot his Imperial Highness, the prince. I wish to address to Your Imperial Majesty my heartfelt condolences for this sad loss."

"Hoo? Little Xiau died did he?" A sly smile appeared on Emperess Yu Ki Kohakuren's face. "What a shame."

If there was any sadness to be had, she showed nothing of it.

"But what a convenient timing! Wouldn't you agree, Admiral? It's almost as if someone planned this." Her almost fox-like eyes met Kalazonitov’s with a twinkle that might have been a bit of noise in the hologram. "You see, there has been a constant stream of foreign requests that we commit more forces to fight this alien invader and, with the recent destruction of one of our front line fleets, it may seem like we are weak... or plotting something behind their backs."

She chuckled briefly, as if this last thought might not be all that far from the truth.

"Admiral, I must admit to having a liking for your type. You hate the politics and bureaucracy that inevitably come with your position because they get in the way of your job. You'll curse them when only a few can hear you, yet you do not shy away from them. Instead you know exactly how to deal with them. You are a rough-around-the-edges, crippled man yet there is strength, wisdom and experience in you."

She paused for a moment and it might have been hesitation instead of a dramatic pause.

"Ivan Dimitrievic Kalazonitov, I hereby decree that you take command of the 2^nd Home Guard along with your own fleet. And since the rank of Rear Admiral is unworthy for someone with such a large force under his command, I bestow on you the rank of Fleet Admiral, effective immediately.”

She smiled, then, a short but brilliant smile, something that one might see in the face of a mischievous girl.

“I may have given you several new political enemies with this as well and I'm sure this will lead to many more entertaining moments for me to enjoy. Don’t disappoint me, Fleet Admiral Kalazonitov."

And with that said, she cut the communications - not even giving the Admiral the chance to protest or utter his thanks.

In all truth – he didn’t know which of the two he would have done, anyway.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

OOC: Well, here we are. A week's worth of RP messages, condensed into a mammoth post. Enjoy.

And yes, I just got double promoted and got a cool fleet that I intend to ram down the throats of the Zy. Can you say '50+ Base Capital Damage'?

Title: Re: Forum game: RP thread
Post by: Enioch on October 24, 2013, 04:27:30 pm

The following is an excerpt of Boris Davidoff's 'The Reformation Period's Military Songs: Tunes of our Soldiers' published in XXXX, Novgorod III.

==========================================

Few songs of the period are as well known as Katyusha. The simple melody, over-the-top sentimentality and morale-boosting encouraging tones of the Katyusha made it an instant classic and a sort of unofficial anthem for the Delest navy. One can trace its origins to the workers of Archangel Prime, press-ganged into service in the 3^rd Frontier Fleet (the well-known 'Knights of Draco').

Katyusha gained in popularity especially after the defeat of the 1^st and 2^nd Frontier Fleets, when the sailors of the 3^rd found themselves the only active Delest force in the front lines. The 'distressed mother', who asks for news of her son was a very harsh reality at the time: the casualties suffered by the 1^st and 2^nd Frontier Fleets were atrocious and the sailors of the 3^rd were, understandably, concerned that their own families would think it only a matter of time before they too were killed. Unfortunately, they were partly right: the 3^rd was to suffer many casualties as well before the war was over. Nonetheless, the Katyusha spread like wildfire among the sailors. It is said that Ivan Dimitrievic Kalazonitov, a Fleet Admiral at the time, had the song written down and framed behind his office, although no actual evidence for this exists.

For those who have not heard or read the song, the most common version follows:

Cold and harsh the northern wind was blowing
and the forges burned like dying suns
they were casting the weapons of Katyusha,
they were forging Katya’s mighty guns.

“Put away, your hammers all ye workers,
lay them down upon the foundry floor!
For you are now the sailors of Katyusha
and you’ll sail with Katya off to war!

“Say goodbye to families and lovers,
think no more of home or of your friend!
For you are now the children of Katyusha,
and you’ll sail her ‘till the very end!”

Cold and harsh the stars did shine around her
as she sailed away to foreign skies.
“Have you heard any news of the Katyusha?
Do you know, perhaps where Katya flies?

“For I had a son aboard the Katya
and I don’t know if he’s still alive!
Have you heard any news of the Katyusha?
Do you know if Katya still survives?”

Fear ye not, our mothers and our fathers!
Fear ye not, our husbands and our wives!
For we still are the sailors of Katyusha,
know ye well, that Katya proudly flies!

She has made our flesh as strong as iron!
She has turned our souls to finest steel!
Raise the banners and follow the Katyusha!
Bring the Homeland’s enemies to heel!

Title: Re: Forum game: RP thread
Post by: mobcdmoc3 on October 30, 2013, 12:45:48 am

Hydra System
3rd Sol Fleet
Flagship Sovereign
Day 8

The past few nights had been restless and unforgiving for Admiral Soryu, commander of the lone fleet holding Hydra. His ships were barely in fighting condition, rations were running dry, and morale was low. To make matters, worse, they were outnumbered 3:1 in terms of raw fleet firepower - The 2nd Hertak, the 1st Fura'ngle, and worse-yet, the Hertak Flagship armada were lurking.

He took a sip of his bitter coffee, and flipped through his fizzling communications terminal.

From the barely-legible static on his terminal, he determined that the Cyrvans and the 1st CRF wanted to destroy the 2nd Hertak. They could theoretically do it, but someone would have to stay behind.

Soryu looked up at his crew running around the combat information center, and sighed in discontent. Most of them were running on less than 4 hours of sleep, trying to get everything back in working order. He himself hadn't eaten since before the last battle, and had been running up and down the ship trying to lend a hand and keep morale from dropping. Several bulkheads had been blown clean out of the walls, and most of the monitoring stations were lacking power or inoperable due to system damage.

"Bad news, isn't it?" came Naya's voice from behind him.

"Does it show that much?" sighed Soryu.

"Your voice kind of gives it away, as does your quivering body..."

He looked down at himself. The quivering must've started recently, because that definitely wasn't happening several hours ago. Or at least, what felt like several hours ago. The passage of time was lethargic and nerve-wracking. Every hour felt like three, and his heightened senses were logging everything that was happening around him. Soryu could clearly recall almost everything that had happened since they were attacked.

"Well, what's your take on it?"

"First, I think we should get you to your cabin. You look exhausted..."

"I'm fine, I just need -"

"To get out of that chair and out of this room," interjected Naya. "There's no telling when the next wave of attacks will come, so we need you at your best if we're to have any hope of getting out of here."

Soryu stirred in his seat, and took another look around the mess of the CiC before eyeballing his comms officer.

"Comms officer Karse," addressed Soryu.

"Officer Karse, reporting for duty, sir!" scrambled Karse.

"How much sleep have you gotten?"

"6 hours."

"When was the last time you've eaten?"

"Two hours ago."

"The ship is yours. Naya and I have something to discuss. Drop whatever you're doing, and take break in the command seat."

"Yes sir!"

"Now that that's settled, help me up, Naya."

Naya took his cup of coffee and placed it on a counter several meters away before returning. She took his arm, and pulled him up. He stumbled a bit, but was on his feet. Without even asking him where they were going, Naya pulled him out of the room.

The metal doors leaving the CiC slid shut, giving life to the first moments of near-silence Soryu had experienced in... Beyond longer than he could remember. But they didn't stop there.

"Where are we going? We can discuss the news here," said Soryu.

"We're going to your quarters, where you can actually rest for a while," replied Naya in a peculiar tone.

Soryu stayed quiet for the rest of the walk up to his quarters. He knew that Naya wasn't going to let him have it any other way, judging by the tone in her voice. If he tried to put together a cohesive argument, chances are she could have him relieved of duty, citing incapacitation or something along those lines. In other words, he wouldn't be there to oversee what may very well be their last battle.

The door into Soryu's quarters slid open - His room was more or less in good shape, minus a few objects that had been knocked over by weapon impacts. Naya finally let go of Soryu's arm, and Soryu collapsed on one of his comfortable armchairs in relief. He was more tired than he thought he was, even under the influence of coffee.

"So, what's the news?" asked Naya as she started cleaning up displaced objects.

"The Cyrvans and the 1st CRF will probably show up to try to finish off the 2nd Hertak, and they need our help," muttered Soryu.

"There's more to it, isn't there?"

Soryu paused for a moment.

"... Yes. Someone has to stay behind. Whoever does that, faces certain destruction."

Naya's face turned pale as she quickly realized what Soryu was thinking.

"... That's gonna be us, isn't it?"

"So it would seem, yes."

"We could ask someone else to stay, but if we wanted to minimize casualties and maximize remaining firepower, we're the best option, as much as I hate to admit it."

There was another period of silence. Neither of them liked the idea, but both of knew that it wouldn't be fair to ask anyone else. It wasn't just their lives that were on the line - It was the fate of millions of civilians.

Naya crumpled into a chair beside Soryu, and sighed.

"I guess this is it," said Naya blankly.

"If you're scared, don't worry. So am I. No matter how much we try to come to terms with death consciously, we fear it by nature.

At least it should be quick, and relatively painless. If we get spaced, we should be dead in a matter of seconds. A beam to the bridge is instant-death."

"You're not making me feel any better, if that's what you're trying to do."

“Fair enough. Do you remember when you first stepped foot on the Sovereign?”

“Sure I do. What of it?”

“If memory serves me correctly, you were the happiest thing in the world. You wanted to be a part of the force defending our homes.”

“And I still am. I’m just… Not happy about becoming a listed casualty of that force.”

“Neither am I, but we still have a job to do. I’m sure you didn’t pick this job because everything is fine and dandy all the time, did you?”

“I picked it so I could lead this ship with you.

… Or in this case, for you. You’re not leaving this room for a couple hours.”

“Says you and what army?” laughed Soryu as he stood up for the door.

“Just me,” replied Naya as she wrapped her arms around him.

Soryu flinched at the touch of her warmth against his body. His leadership position literally made him untouchable – He could barely remember the last time anyone had laid their hands on him in this fashion.

“Y’know,” smirked Soryu. “Fraternizing is punishable by discharge from this ship.”

“We’ll be discharged into the void of space anyways. Now would you please give up and rest now? Just for a couple hours?”

As much as he hated to admit it, he was tired. If he were to lead his crew into battle, he’d be half-conscious at best. If he was going to die, he wanted to be wide awake to see it. To top it off, he’d die with a slightly irritated second-in-command at his side if he didn’t.

“Fine. Two hours, no more,” sighed Soryu. “The ship is yours.”

“See, that wasn’t so hard, was it?” laughed Naya as she let go of him and started for the door. “I’ll see you in two.”

Soryu watched her leave, and then flopped backward onto his cold bed. Now that he had consciously acknowledged that he could rest, his body was shutting down on its own. Within minutes, he was out cold.

As stated, he woke up a couple hours later to the sound of his ever-so-annoying alarm clock. He sighed, and dragged himself into the CiC. Naya nodded as she saw him approach, and left the command chair.

“Admiral on the bridge!” called Naya.

“Did you already –“ started Soryu.

“Give them a final speech? Yes. It’s what you would’ve done.”

Soryu nodded in approval, and sat firmly in his command chair. He was awake, and his crew was motivated. It was the 3rd SF, the CSA, and the 1st CRF against the might of the Hertak – Today would be a good day to die.

Title: Re: Forum game: RP thread
Post by: Lepanto on October 30, 2013, 06:06:22 pm

1407 hours, Nordera Battleaxe HuQ-Arta Bridge, Draco I Orbit, Draco

The bridge of the HuQ-Arta shuddered as a volley of Painbringers detonated on the hull, but the entire bridge crew remained firmly gripped to their stations. Nordera ship design had never spared any thought for frivolities like inertial dampening, as Nordera crews' hardened musculature allowed them to weather shocks which would have killed Terran or Cyrvan crews.

"Fire back, you idiots!" bellowed the Captain, who was easily identifiable by his massive frame, towering over even his muscular Nordera crew.

Another friendly icon winked out on the bridge's crude tactical holo-display; the Ag-URut had been vaporized by a volley of Cyrvan beam fire. There were few Nordera ships left ; the combined Terran and Cyrvan fleets had crushed the 3rd Fleet-Band with their sheer firepower advantage. In this situation, a Terran or Cyrvan commander would retreat or surrender. But, Nordera commanders and crews were never known for their survival instincts.

"They've knocked out all our main guns!" shouted the gunnery officer. Sure enough, his tactical display was covered with flashing warning signs.

The Captain took a moment to think, scanning the holo-display. How best to die? The attacking Terran heavy fighter squadron had peeled off, and there were no ships between the HuQ-Arta and the CRF's main battlecarrier.

"Ramming speed! Target the Lord-class! We bring them down with us!" His helmsman eagerly heeded the command, pushing the Battleaxe's engines even further past their safe speed. The massive, ugly hunk of metal lurched forward, bound to its doom, one way or another. Many of the Nordera crew, their duties now pointless, abandoned their posts and started a last war chant.

But even if they had been attentive, they would have probably missed the jet-black, stealth-coated boarding torpedo that the St. Louis had launched at them. Closing on the Nordera bridge, the silent missile readied its breaching system. It broke through 17 meters of the HuQ-Arta's armor plating, caving in the bridge's ceiling and coming to a stop right above the crew's heads.

The Nordera bridge crew's thoughts quickly jumped between fear of imminent fiery death, confusion that the missile wasn't exploding, and practiced battle instinct when the missile's tip irised open. They quickly drew their weapons, a motley assortment of melee weapons and slugthrowers, and began firing on the missile. But, before their volley vaporized the missile, a small form dropped out of it, weaving through their weapons fire, and jumping onto the holotank in the bridge's center.

The Nordera crew spun around to overwhelm the lone Terran boarder, but were momentarily perplexed when they saw what the CRF Terrans had deployed onto their ship. "Wait, that's just a-"

[TARGET ASSESSMENT - NORDERA CREW, 11. REACTION TIME, INSUFFICIENT. THREAT LEVEL, 4/10. ENGAGING TARGETS IN ORDER OF THREAT.]

The Nordera sensors officer's confusion was cut off by a railgun slug directly to the brain, with four of his companions falling in quick succession.

[6 HOSTILES REMAINING.]

Three of the closest vibroaxe-wielding crew members charged their much smaller assailant, who dodged all their swings and sliced off their arms with wrist-mounted vibroblades in a dance of precise, elegant lethality. The Nordera, as one, let out howls of anguish and fell to the deck.

[MELEE ATTACK SPEED INSUFFICIENT. 3 ACTIVE HOSTILES REMAINING.]

Only the Captain and his two personal guards were left standing, amid a shower of blood from their fallen comrades. They opened up on the . . . monster that had slaughtered their crewmembers with roars of fury and a barrage from their slugthrowers, which perforated the control consoles on the other side of the room, filling the bridge with smoke and sparks. Their target backflipped over their line of fire too fast for even their well-trained eyes to follow, attaching itself to the floor with magboots and deploying a shoulder-mounted grenade launcher.

[GR-077 GRENADE LAUNCHER DEPLOYED AND BRACED. REMAINING HOSTILES WITHIN HE BLAST RADIUS. LOADING HE AMMO. FIRING.]

Before he was consumed by the grenade blast's raging inferno, the Captain let out one final scream; "Da-THar curse you, spirit-"

[ALL HOSTILES NEUTRALIZED. DISENGAGING BATTLE MODE. ENGAGEMENT RESOLVED IN 21.0352 SECONDS.]

After the fury of activity and blast of fire, a grim silence descended on the room. Time for the intruder to finish its mission.

[HELM CONSOLE DETECTED AND STILL ACTIVE. PENETRATING SECURITY MEASURES.]

Its hands flew rapidly over the primitive Nordera helm console.

[SECURITY MEASURES PENETRATED; TIME TO COMPLETION, 2.9103 SECONDS. SETTING NEW THRUST VECTOR.]

With a heave and shrieks of protest from its hull, the Battleaxe banked upwards. CRF crewmembers on the St. Louis allowed themselves to finally exhale as the Nordera warship barely cleared the Terran carrier's hull, careening off into space.

[PRIMARY MISSION: COMPLETE.]

The thundering tramp of boots shook the deck, as more Nordera crew rushed to the bridge to investigate the firefight. The T.A.L. Mark I would be waiting for them.

[ENGAGING BATTLE MODE. THREAT ASSESSMENT COMPLETE. PROBABILITY OF VICTORY: 92.78%.]

==============================================

When the HuQ-Arta was boarded three hours later by a transport of CRF regular marines, they found the remaining Nordera crew gathered in a huddled mass at the airlock, their spirits broken and many sporting severe injuries. Their acting commander begged to be allowed to surrender, "as long as you take your vile spirit away from us!" Admiral Santiago accepted their surrender by comm-link, grateful that some of the Nordera had the common sense to not fight to the death. The T.A.L. Mark I was retrieved and returned to storage, its first combat deployment a clear success.

Title: Re: Forum game: RP thread
Post by: Flak on October 31, 2013, 02:38:47 am

Weapon fire and explosions fill the sky in Crux. The 1st and 2nd UGCR chased the Zy fleet into Crux and catching them off guard while they are busy fixing their damage from the earlier battle in Aldebaran.

"VLS battery reloaded, ready to fire!"

"Target Crocodile Four, fire!"

"Target is burning, Crocodile Four is going down."

Baron Markus' expression hardly changes as he watches the battle raging outside the ship. The way that another group of mercenaries nearby are fighting however, really caught his eye.

"What a rowdy bunch, I wonder how these guys can get organized in the first place."

"I have to admit, despite their 2nd Gen Fighters, those Berserkers still kick those lizards' tails real good."

"Any new order from allied command?"

"No, other than just destroy anything and anyone with a tail, and make sure none of them escape."

Captain Anders switches his communicator to the Fuego Sagrado. He gets put off by the way they start to get carried away by the Berserkers' bloodlust. He shouts at the display once it connects. "Damn it Ortega, stay in formation."

Baron Markus turns around and calmly pulls him back. "There ain't any particular objective here anyway, Anders. Let them have their fun."

Suddenly, the radar display shows something big is jumping ahead of them, in the middle of the Zy ships formation. A familiar Lord class ship jumps into the fray. A Duke and a Grazhdanin cruisers follows afterward. The cruisers immediately charges up their newest weapons and skewers an unfortunate Zy cruiser.

"Did they just rigged those beams into those cruisers?"

"Apparently they have"

The holodisplay opens and shows a familiar man.

"I hope you guys didn't miss us too much."

"Where have you been, Duke Nightwing? You just left without saying goodbye."

"Sorry, I had some appointment with Director Martyn of the Kobra Corporation, and some arrangement with the Prince. At least they paid me well for my services, as you can see. I assume you already received our little present as well. They ask only for performance data once you play with them."

"Right, the experimental drives. Are you sure about this?"

"Worry not, the Prince paid for everything."

Suddenly, the radar bleeps, the Zy flagship just launched from the docks, and apparently trying to escape.

"We can't let that thing get away."

"Have no fear, Markus. You see, I also brought some....friends."

Before Duke Nightwing finish talking, a pair of Cyrvan cruisers jumps just in front of the Zy flagship, along with a wing of Aestivals. They begin engaging the Zy flagship and the escorting fighters. The second communicator turns on and appears a blonde, slender, long haired man with very obvious pointed ears, in what looks like a Cyrvan captain uniform.

"Me know right you terrans no can do right with no Cyrvan guidance, so me follow Duke Nightwing."

"Elves? Here? What are they doing."

"Me am Deepseeker. We patrol skies, look for informations. But ze guns is better use for shooting Zy zis time, no?"

Despite the somewhat smug comments made by the Cyrvan, his somewhat poor grasp in Terran language brought some chuckle in the bridge crew. Though they are still wondering what they were doing in Terran space.

"Interesting choice of friends you have, Duke Nightwing. "

"Indeed, I was on Aquarius under order from the Prince. Admiral Santiago informed him that one of the Dynast fleet had to leave him in the front lines for some odd 'excuse' he said, he was worried that it was some internal political turbulence. I was there just to gather information, and ensure nothing bad happen to the one legged old man. He can't afford to let the CRF directly involved, so he sent me."

"And then?"

"Turns out he was alright. Instead, I met these guys on the way out. Their advanced intelligence gathering equipment also recorded all the Prince wanted to know, and they were happy to give the recordings to me as long as I let them tag along."

"And you trust them?"

"Well, what choice do I have. The Prince was happy, and these elves didn't look that bad do they. At least I didn't have to pay for them."

Baron Markus shakes his head. For once he thought it was just a dream, but neither he could complain about it.

"Fancy beam weapons, and now those elves, what more could we ask."

Title: Re: Forum game: RP thread
Post by: Enioch on November 25, 2013, 06:03:58 pm

“I’ve got a lock! I’ve got a - *Crackle*’

Idiot, Grishenko grumbled, as the Гамма squadron leading fighter evaporated in a cloud of cooling plasma. The enemy Azure’s turrets were lethal in anything resembling a fair one-on-one dogfight, and that’s what his dead comrade had foolishly engaged in.

“Альфа Two and Альфа Four, I am painting a target. Go multivector, товарищи!”

His wingmates peeled off formation and slid into their attack vectors with practiced ease. Grishenko himself pulled his fighter in an inner-ear punishing thirteen-gee maneuver, straining his inertial dampeners to the extreme and screamed in a side approach. The Azure banked into an intercept course; its turrets swiveled to lock onto Grishenko’s fighter; and then the Zy interceptor vanished in a mighty fireball, as Альфа Four unloaded half his missile banks into it from the other side.

“Got ‘im!” the pilot cheered in the wing frequency, his Ural accent thick as syrup. “Anodder of ‘em lov’ly stickurs for me fuselage!”

“Quit that and form up, Misha!” Grishenko barked, clawing his fighter back into a vector suitable for a bombing run on the nearby Basileus.

The four Delest fighters screamed past the enemy warship, not more than fifty meters from it outer hull, emptying their secondary bays as they went. Turrets went up in flames; the Zy ship’s bridge was hit by no less than five high-yield warheads. But what dealt the death blow was one of Альфа Three’s missiles that corkscrewed wildly into a turret’s magazine. By some quirk of chance, the automatic blast doors of the wounded Basileus did not respond in time, and a plasma explosion ripped halfway through the ship. The Basileus fell out of formation, still in one piece but dead-in-space.

Альфа Three died fifteen seconds later, when a Zy capital energy lance speared through the fleeing squadron.

====================================

Olga swept her sleeve across her brow to wipe away her sweat and gripped the controls once more. Petrovich’s hand gripped her shoulder like a vise and she could hear his labored breathing.

“Fire,” he ordered, and Epsilon Battery roared to life.

The Zy carrier that was warping in was hit amidships. Its engines stuttered, almost failed; then they screamed defiance and pushed it fully into realspace. Its weapons came online and it started spewing fighters; Olga cursed, as her HUD blossomed with targets.

Alexei, in the crash webbing next to her hissed like a snake between his teeth and let his own weapons join the fray. Point defense clusters swatted some enemy fighters out of the sky as they sought to close with Katyusha; Alpha and Gamma batteries joined in; but it was not enough. This required the specialized point-defense weaponry of a Grazhdanin cruiser; an unescorted Volya capital ship was almost defenseless in that respect.

The first Zy fighters were entering close-range and Olga’s platforms were screaming desperate warnings into her ears when the sky lit up in apocalyptic flame. A firestorm washed over the Zy fighters; it lasted for only a few heartbeats, but when Katyusha’s sensors came back online, the enemy fighters and the Zy carrier were…gone. No debris big enough to register was left.

“What the…?” Alexei muttered.

“Ha HAAA!” Petrovich jumped to the ceiling, came back down and started dancing like a madman, legs kicking forward, hands crossed in front of his barrel chest. “Yrа! Yrrrrrrа! They did it!”

“They did what, sir?” Olga stammered, turning in her seat.

One of Petrovich’s flailing hands snapped forward with the speed of a snake…and dope-slapped her into her console.

“Ilieva, you horrible, horrible, STUPID woman,” Petrovich said, his grin almost splitting his face in two, “they managed to set up the bloody FTL TAG system! That was a long-range antimatter barrage, you idiot!”

“Uh…?” Alexei obviously was lost, but he didn’t want to risk a slap of his own. He got one nonetheless.

“Do you see any other missile platforms around, you fool?” Petrovich screamed into his ear. “Those were capital missiles – and they came from the 2^nd Home Guard group! Comms sent them targeting information – and they just dropped a score of antimatter missiles from subspace right into the enemy formation! It worked!”

He straightened up – and Olga could hear muffled cheers from all the nearby stations.

“May the Empress freeze my balls off – but I love them shiny new toys!” Petrovich concluded, his grin a predatory white crescent in the battery’s low light. “Now – git up! We’ve got maintenance to do!”

====================================

“My compliments to Admiral Veers, and he is to get the hell out of Draco!” Kalazonitov dictated to the frantic communications officer, as he pulled up a starmap on his holo-display. “I pray to the Empress he won’t be attacked in Vega by those godforsaken Zy, but if he stays in Draco he is Hertak food.”

“…uhhhh. Yes, sir!”

“Next, my compliments to Admiral Sparda and he is to form up with our fleet. Captain Urumov will handle the attack plan.”

“Yes, sir!”

Kalazonitov gave the officer a curt nod of dismissal and returned his attention to the display. A list of damaged ships flashed by; a suggested field promotions list (most of them immediately accepted); a casualty list. A report from his supply and logistics vessels, which were rotting uselessly in the rear, having no way to brave the Aquarius nebula now that the 3^rd Zy were there, also came in.

Kalazonitov grunted.

“Fleet-wide Admiral’s call,” he instructed his communicator and, after a few seconds, intercoms sprung to life throughout Katyusha – and in every other ship of the fleet.

“Sailors of the 3^rd Fleet,” Kalazonitov said, his eyes fixed in the small holo-cam that had risen in a stalk from his console and hovered a couple of feet in front of him, “we are about to do what we do best.”

He paused and grinned – and in every corridor and hall and battery of every ship in the 3^rd Fleet, from the shining bridge of Chongmingdao to the smoke-filled engineering stations of the Amour, there were sailors who grinned back.

“In four hours we will transit to Draco, where we once killed a Hertak fleet. Once there, we will kill another Hertak fleet. And once that is done, we will keep killing enemy fleets. If they leave us free rein, we will kill them. If they hit us, we will pull back, resupply, and then kill them. If they run, we will kill them. If they stand and fight, we will kill them.

“You are the largest fleet the Motherland has ever sent to war. You are the best fleet the Motherland has sent to war. You are the Knights of Draco and you will be fighting in Draco and you will be piling them up until the Starlances are choked shut with the hulks of their ships and I will be right there at your side and Empress forgive any officer or sailor who spares himself or his ship when there is still Hertak to kill – because I sure as hell won’t.

“To my old comrades-in-arms: remember what I told you last time we jumped to Draco. To our comrades of the 2^nd Homeguard fleet: this is where you prove worthy of that insignia you painted onto your ships when you joined us. Enter Draco as sailors; claim Draco as Knights.

“For the glory of the Empress and the honor of the Fleet, Kalazonitov, out.”

====================================

The Hertak’s armor was gone; atmosphere leaked from hundreds of gashes along its hull; yet it still fought like a demon, its beam emplacements savaging the Delest ships. Katyusha rolled to starboard in a desperate maneuver to avoid the incoming fire but it was too little, too late: the Hertak beams hit the flagship near the centerline, wiping out Beta and Delta batteries and carving a trench dozens of feet deep into the starboard nacelle.

Plasma exploded out of the damaged compartments. Secondary explosions ripped out two main thrusters and sent the ship spinning uncontrollably. And yet, the Hertak Armageddon finally died, Anastasia stabbing finger-thin, hyper-focused beams into its reactor cores. The resulting explosion wiped out half of the Hertak strikercraft in the area; Volga, staying by her bigger sister’s side throughout the fight like a faithful bodyguard blasted the rest out of the sky in a matter of seconds, its point-defense turrets overheating to the point where they glowed cherry-red.

A light-minute away, closer to the star, three Elephant capital ships of the 1^st LSF and their entire fighter complement were savaging two more Armageddons. And further away, the Chongmingdao was leading a trio of Grazhdanins in a mad dash toward a fully-operational Armageddon, the Delest capital ship shielding its smaller brothers from the fire of the Hertak, its superior armor soaking up hits that would have left the cruisers damaged beyond repair.

“In short, a glorious mess!” Kalazonitov cursed, dragging himself back to his chair, as the Katyusha managed to stabilize. His comms panel was blinking red with dozens of incoming calls. Every nearby captain wanted to know the status of the flagship.

“Still in the fight,” Kalazonitov reassured them. “We need to restructure the division formation, though. Captain Fiodorovna, Anastasia takes point. I don’t know what you did to your energy batteries, but keep it up.”

“Aye, Sir!” came the reply, and the ships ponderously shuttled into their new positions, Katyusha hiding her wounded flank behind the screen of the Volga. Kaspia, still untouched by enemy fire remained to cover Anastasia.

It was the worst possible moment for an Armageddon to jump in. Two did.

The first one came from below, its frontal cannons firing with pin-point accuracy. Volga died instantly, its armor vaporized like tissue paper in a furnace. Anastasia was hit, thankfully not badly, although one of her turrets jammed and remained inoperable.

The second was a cripple, running from a joint force of 3^rd DD and 1^stLSF capital ships. It was only barely making way, most of its thrusters having been destroyed, and its pursuers jumped in almost immediately, in hot pursuit. The LSF Concordia and Alliance led the way, their forward cannons firing almost continuously; the 3^rdDD Amour was limping behind them, its energy batteries gone but its missile launchers in rapid fire.

There were hits and the Armageddon died before it could fully emerge from subspace – but not before it had the opportunity to fire once. It hit Katyusha and the flagship once more failed to respond to her helmsman’s desperate commands. Instead, it drifted back into the first Armageddon’s firing arc.

Which charged up its frontal batteries – and got a faceful of Anastasia’s beams for its troubles.

Beam emplacements blew. Secondary explosions ripped along the Armageddon’s ‘claws’, claiming hundreds of Hertak lives. But the ship itself was largely unharmed and its thrusters were fully operational. It maneuvered ponderously, ignoring the almost unarmed Amour who approached it from above, and turned to present its broadside batteries to Katyusha and Anastasia.

That was a mistake.

The Amour was a constant metaphorical albatross around the 3^rd DD’s neck. The ‘Limp Warrior’, as it was called, was wounded, slow, had only limited anti-ship capability since the day of his launching and was a pain to resupply and repair. But his captain had always insisted that one day he would prove his worth.

The Amour was never meant to fight toe-to-toe with other capital ships.

It was a planetary siege unit.

Poor armor and poor anti-ship energy emplacements he had, true; but his long-range missile launchers were awesome in the volume of fire they could unleash. Still, that was not his main weapon. That would be the six static planetary-siege laser emplacements strapped to his ventral side. The ones that could output more energy than three standard Volyas. The ones no sane captain would dare use in a ship-to-ship role, as they were bound to the ship and impossible to target by any other means than by turning said ship as a whole.

That is, unless one’s target was a massive Hertak Armageddon, maneuvering in place, directly below one’s ship.

Amour fired. Once.

And all was quiet in the Draco front.

====================================

All but the Nordera that is.

Title: Re: Forum game: RP thread
Post by: Flak on November 27, 2013, 12:58:47 am

Sol System
Kobra Darkmoon Factory Alpha, Europa

"Good day, gentlemen." Director Martyn walks into the meeting room. Professor Heinkel and Chief Engineer Mark Gardner were already waiting inside. "I trust the latest improvements have been working well for our factories."

"Of course, Herr Direktor." Professor Heinkel replied, in a rather excited manner. He takes off his lab coat and hang it on the back of the chair, before sitting down. "If zere are no other problems with ze new production lines, ze other factories can start using ze new methods."

"Though, we have some bad news as well, Director.", Engineer Gardner said, though oddly there were no negative feelings in his words.

Director Martyn only smiled at upon hearing the statement "Well if there is any bad news, then lets hear it."

"You see, Director. Some representatives of our leaders, both from the Sol council and even Her Highness herself, expected us to share our technology with other companies. They want better supply for the front line as a whole."

"That is a hardly a bad news. In times of war, we have to put aside our competitive pride sometimes, like we weren't already making profit from this war already." The Director then turns to Professor Heinkel "You also sounds somewhat excited, Professor. Anymore interesting experimental weapons, or any report about that bug spray missiles of yours?"

"I already told him, Director. I was sure that Admiral Soryu meant it as a joke, so that this war doesn't sound so hopeless. He chose to went through with it anyway."

"As you can already see, Herr Direktor. Some of Ze Cordi surrendered after some display of its power. I have tested on some of ze captured Cordi ships, vhen aimed right, it can flood ze internal of ze Cordi Gunship. Ze bad part however is zat ve need to take down ze shield before zey can be used effectively. Vhile not as effective as, say, destroy ze ship outright, however, ze effect is, demoralizing"

"And I've heard you also were somewhat successful with that new beam weapons of yours, professor?"

"That actually has been successful quite sometime ago, Director. What we lacked back then was willing subjects. Those experimental beams sounds a bit like putting bombs on their ships. But as you can see, it was successful."

"And ve actually managed to design smaller versions of zose beams. I originally designed it for ze Duke and Challenger 2 cruisers. But, as you can see, ve have successfully mounted it on a Grazhdanin cruiser as vell, vith some modification."

"So Duke Nightwing indeed allowed you to mess around with his ships as well. I guess I shouldn't had expected less from Britannians, or even Black Knights."

"Yes, as you already knew, he was very satisfied back then when we mounted the C-436 beams on his ship, even though we need to remove some of the point defenses to make room for them. And then, just a while ago, when we showed him the smaller C-434 beams, designed for smaller vessels, we didn't even have to ask. He was happy to be our guinea pig, I mean test platform. He first ordered it installed on the Duke cruiser, the Sparkfist or whatever it is called. Then we saw his other cruiser, the Khrizantema. I don't know how he got one of those Delest cruisers. So, we got it installed on it as well. Their ship design is rather modular, so we have no trouble installing it."

"And ze test report from ze front line has been promising as well. Zey tested them against ze Zy in Aquarius and ze last time I heard vas in Crux. Ze most important part, is zat it is as reliable as most capital ship weapons ve have. If zere were nothing else, it can be mass produced even sooner."

"The last message from Duke Nightwing was from Algol. I personally can't wait to see how it fares against those Hertak scum, as well as the Frangle, Furyangle, Furgangle? How to say that, nevermind. The new beams did great job against the Cordi and Zy for sure. Last I heard though, someone saw bigger beams in some of the Delest ships, maybe their rumored Siege Laser, they haven't been that open with their technology."

"Probably a planetary bombardment weapon? For long time we used Nuclear or Antimatter based weapons for that purpose, though its use in anti capital ship purpose is limited since the shielding technology improved significantly in the last few decades. Looks like those Dynasts have another idea for planetary bombardment. I can only imagine how large can that be."

"Seeing how large those Hertak ships are, using planetary bombardment weapons do make sense actually, if it is a beam based weapon that has no problem dealing with the shields."

"Zhen perhaps zat experimental jump drive ve develop from ze Zy technology can help zem for zat purpose alone."

"I almost forgot that part, professor. How are the tests for the jump drive coming along?"

"Ve have yet to be able to replicate ze Zy ability to bypass starlances. But at least, ve can derive some of zheir technology for our drives, allowing a short range jump with very fast recharge time. Ze reports from ze front line indicates it has ze tendency to breakdown after around 3 jumps, but can be fixed with some minor repairs."

"That's pretty good news, and a little more homework for us. You still don't want to be rushed for repairs when you really need to escape."

"Unfortunately, we haven't managed to get our hands on one of the Volya class ships, so compatibility is still unknown. We may have to design something special for them, if they ever considered using our technology."

"That's for another day to discuss. I guess I'll leave you guys to it, I need to have the arrangement with the other companies."

Title: Re: Forum game: RP thread
Post by: Lorric on November 27, 2013, 03:55:19 pm

Vice Admiral Lorric is deeply moved by the loss of the 4th CRF.

I'm sure some of you will know where the edited voiceover comes from.

Title: Re: Forum game: RP thread
Post by: Hartzaden on December 14, 2013, 07:21:01 pm

(ooc: owing to spoons offer to allow me the third CRF fleet, i throw my hat in here)

the camera snaps into focus on a young woman, one fans and on lookers quickly identified as lady Hilda Alcott, vice admiral and the CRF. the room fell to dead silence as she approached to podium, a look of pure focus and drive etched on to her every expression. whispers faded into murmurs and then silence as she held up her hands to the onlookers.

"to day i am here to announce that you have no reason to fear, the loss of the men and women of the third fleet was a sad footnote for new Britannia. today, i give you the blade that will cut away the shadows of dispare!"

in that instant with military precision, 8 warships jump into view behind the viewing dome the microphone stand was set up in front of.

"today i introduce you to the warships of the rebuilt third Commonwealth Royal Fleet, these warships stand as a testament to the our strength of will and our resolve of mankind's continued freedom in the face of the hertak oppresses and there minions, the will of the men and women crewing the finest ships of mankind stand before you unshakable, and we will be victorious."

with the end of that sentance the lead ship flew over the viewing dome, its massave 2.8km hull eclipsing the son and sending minor shutters through the station as it and its 7 attendant warships and several of its fighters flew by in parade formation.

"now my government has authorized me to respond to some questions but i caution you that i may not be able to answer all of them."

*Alcott rests her hands at her sides taking a deep breath for the questions to follow

(ooc: so yea spoon told me that he had a slot open with the 3ed crf as he was not able to get in contact with the player who had it before and at the time of this posting that was unchanged, so given the freedoms to fluff up my fleet as i will i whent for small in numbers but hightech and well armed(my 8 ships is lower than the 20-30 that i was told made up a normal fleet) keep in mind that this is all fluff and the stats are still the same, but i felt i should throw my hat into the ring along with my avatar for this forum game with some style so here it is. the questions that she stated you could ask are ment for you the players, to build some background lore and build in character interaction

Title: Re: Forum game: RP thread
Post by: Lepanto on December 14, 2013, 11:09:22 pm

A thin male reporter with glasses and slicked-back black hair stands up. "Rear Admiral Alcott, this is Paul Heathcliff for ETN. Given the rumours of recent Delest political intrigue involving Rear Admiral Kalazonitov of 3rd Fleet, and the fact that they held back their Home Guard fleets until late in the conflict, do you believe that the Delest Dynasty is a reliable and fully committed ally in the war effort?"

A barely-audible murmur of unrest swept through the room. ETN was well-known for its editorial jingoism, but few of the attending dignitaries thought that their reporter would make such a politically incendiary remark.

All eyes turned back to Rear Admiral Alcott.

Title: Re: Forum game: RP thread
Post by: Hartzaden on December 15, 2013, 12:16:32 am

*rear admiral Alcott looks at the reporter and begins to speak not missing a beat.*

"the decision of the Delest Dynasty to withhold its home guard fleets was a sound tactic, it avoided overcommitment and the chance that there elite forces would face a enemy completely unprepared, there delayed deployment allowed them the time and opportunity to have the enemy tactics studied in detail and proper counter strategy developed. my own government had done something similar with the delayed deployment of the CRFS hood, warspite, and renown which allowed them to have there armaments and systems tuned to face our enemy.

although your accusing tone about our allied forces to mankind's survival in such a time when we all stand united is utterly sickening and bordering on sedition. you should be ashamed of yourself for attempting to stir up decent for the sake of ratings."

*Vice admiral Alcott looks back towards the gathering*

"any further questions?"

Title: Re: Forum game: RP thread
Post by: Spoon on December 16, 2013, 11:10:21 am

This time a burly man stood up, while his appearance gave off the impression that he was living in a cardboard box under a bridge, the badge on his chest revealed that he was a qualified reporter. Mark Southriver, This man was a known critic of the royal house.

His deep voice rumbled through the area, without even bother introducing himself he started "Admiral, you speak of not overcommitting forces. But isn't the CRF under committing here? A mere eight ships to make up a fleet? It looks to me that Arc Victoria is holding back a whole lot more forces and resources than the Dynasty is doing. And why has the CRF still not given any details concerning the fate of Admiral John Harkness?"

Title: Re: Forum game: RP thread
Post by: Hartzaden on December 16, 2013, 10:03:26 pm

Alcott looks over at Southriver, a look of annoyance yet slight amusement grips her face.

"who are you??? OH its you, figured you where lurking around here, but to my shock you present 2 valid questions for once."

*Alcott looks at the ships in the distance*

"i can see what you mean, its hard to judge scale properly in space, and your also right for once, if the 8 ships here had been of the same make as other terran ships you would stand correct that this is a under commited ploy, but these are not normal ships. ton per ton there the most advanced, well armed, and defended ships mankind has ever made. each of them is capable of going blow for blow versus anything in its weigh class and winning outright. our flagship is more than a match for any vessel in space. even the hertac should fear her. these facts alone put the reformed third fleet to be at the very least equal to any other fleet we have fielded. they are the future, and a end to our enemy's"

*Alcott turns around to face the gathering again*

"as to the fate of Admiral John Harkness. i cannot comment on that at this time."

*Alcott looks to the crowd with a slightly bored look on her face. dealing with the press never did anything but waste her time*

Title: Re: Forum game: RP thread
Post by: Veers on December 17, 2013, 12:40:59 am

1st Commonwealth Royal Fleet
Virgo System
Supply Platform 3

Spoiler:

Admiral's Log, Stardate.... lulwtf no

Sitting just behind the front lines currently in Aldebaren, the 1st CRF was taking on desperately needed supplies, and her crews receiving a much needed rest. Alq didn't even recall their last break, it seemed so long ago, not to mention the recent engagements had not only punished the CRF, but the entire Allied War Machine.

Our losses had been severe and yet we continued to fight, as true Knights of Britannia, we held the line even against all odds to avenge our lost brothers and sisters, to protect those we love, but to allow our Allies to succeed where we could not. Virgo was only a temporary respite from the war, which Alq would soon have the 1st CRF rejoin. Their last offensive annihilated the 3th Her'tak, the combined firepower of the 3rd Delest and 1st League Star Forces provided the punch needed to bring the Her'tak down, with the 1st providing support and assistance when the Her'tak tried to gain momentum during the battle.

Draco remains contested however, regardless of the sacrifices made there, the enemy was still probing into the system and the Battle for Hydra resulted in a withdrawal against the impervious Doom Stack, a fleet with enough raw firepower to annihalate any Allied Fleet with a single attack. The Commerce Guilds stuck hard and deep into the enemies supply lines, buying valuable time for a general retreat from several allied fleets, however their attack into the stronghold of Kardoen, has drawn the full attention of the Her'Tak Flag Fleet.

Alq threw down the reports and began to pace,

"How long until we are fully resupplied?"

Captain Fel looked up from his data-pad, "Well.. the last of our reinforcement vessels are transitioning the lance as we speak, we could be ready to move on the offensive again in..." He paused for a moment..., "36 hours. It will take that long to fully equip everyone to full combat status, not to mention the upgrades we are receiving are taking more time than anticipated"

"36 hours is too long Nick, you know that. We are receiving many luxuries here, time is not one of them..., look at the state of our fleets." The map rotated slowly, it's three dimensional form expanded to take up the entire room. "The 4th SF is holding Aldebaren by the skin of their teeth, and the Nordera are trying to chase the 1st CSA into Tamy while the 3rd Zy continues to wreak havoc amongst our rear lines in Aquarius and Vega"

"Also, tell me again why our long-range comms are down?"

"System upgrades, elements from the 2nd Sol Force are nearby and they are relaying any intel to us as it comes through", Fel said calmly before tapping something else out.

---------------------------------

Fleet-Wide Message to the 1st CRF

" Attention Knights of Britannia, This is Admiral Veers.

We have fought well in our last engagements, the destruction of the 3rd Her'Tak has brought the enemy a step closer to defeat. The 3rd was the command source in the Draco Sector, and enemy resistance has since collapsed, at long last. Draco will finally be liberated, all thanks to your dedication. Our brothers and sisters will be remembered for their sacrifices, and they shall not have perished in vain.

Our current reports suggest we shall be combat-ready within 40 hours, we may be entering into combat before this however due to the enemy breakout from Crux into Aldebaren. All vessels currently able are to stand at alert and assist in the resupply of the fleet and training of the Virgo defence forces where possible.

Once we are ready to march again, we will receive our orders from Allied Command. The war is now in it's closes stages, and we shall soon be victorious.

Hail Britannia"

Title: Re: Forum game: RP thread
Post by: Lepanto on January 19, 2014, 12:24:52 pm

=====

To: [email protected]
From: [email protected]
Subject: Stand Fast

Lorric,

Tomorrow, the reconstituted 4th CRF will engage the Special Fleet. Our new warships are operating at near-peak fighting efficiency, thank the Lord. We both face the Hierarchy's strongest champions. I trust that we will both stand fast, and do our duty. If we both make it out of the war alive, let us stand on Earth's surface, remember our fallen, and toast our victory.

Perhaps, then, I can be happy again.

All Hail Britannia!

Pax vobiscum,
Santiago

=====

1217 hours, Bridge, CRF St. George, Docked at Luna III Station, Earth Orbit, Sol

The bridge of the St. George, Britannia's newest carrier, still retained its air of factory-fresh cleanliness. The surviving veterans from the original fleet, almost all of whom had stayed on with the reconstituted 4th CRF, missed the lived-in feel of the St. Louis IX and her erstwhile compatriots. CRF officers clung fiercely to their traditions and habits, even though they now served on cutting-edge warships which, ship for ship, easily outgunned their predecessor designs twice over. But any crewman who'd seen footage of the Hertak Special Fleet's savaging of the 2nd DD was well aware that, as powerful as the CRF's new warship designs were, the Special Fleet's Aluyerian weapons could vapourize them with ease. Though the CRF's fighting spirit had held firm in every battle to date, every crewman on the bridge, veteran or not, went about their duties with a hushed air of fear or resignation. Many otherwise-agnostic men and women had been seen visiting the ship's chapel in recent days, ever since the orders to engage the Special Fleet had come down. The CRF had come to Earth, a sight many would have thought unthinkable. They came, not to make war on their erstwhile rivals in Sol, nor to gaze upon the majestic sight of their homeworld, but to shed their blood in its defense. A few of them, including the freshly-minted Admiral Santiago, had already passed through the fire when the 4th CRF had been shattered in its last engagement, merely to march straight into the inferno.

The bridge doors calmly whooshed open, and Admiral Carlos Santiago quickly strode onto the bridge of his new flagship. The new crewmembers, most of whom were fresh from the academy, didn't notice, but Captain Kerr noticed the subtle changes in his commander's mannerisms. Santiago's eyes no longer met each bridge crewman for more than a second; having served with Santiago since the Kurohagen campaign, Kerr guessed that his CO saw still saw the St. Louis's ghosts manning the bridge stations now filled by fresh-faced ensigns and lieutenants.

The Admiral acknowledged his Captain with a nod, took his seat, and spoke in clipped tones. "Patch me through to Jellicoe and Tryon-" he hesitated for a second, barely averting a sob- "no, Hewitt and Saunders." The faces of Santiago's new battlegroup commanders appeared on his screen; neither of them tried to hide the anxiety on their faces. "Battlegroup commanders, report ready op."

"2nd BG reports ready op. Our engineers have fixed the Lion's fire control issues; she is now fully operational."

"3rd BG reports ready op."

"1st BG is ready op. Comp, patch me through to the fleet." The St. George's auditorium was still incomplete, so Santiago elected to give his pre-battle address from the bridge.

"Men and women of the 4th CRF, this is your Admiral speaking. We are all that stands between the twenty-four billion citizens of Sol, and the wrath of the enemy's mightiest weapons. We have blown the horn of Roland, and our allies are on their way to relieve us. But, make no mistake; like Roland, we will likely be cut down before Charlemagne and his host can arrive to save us. I know that many of you have never seen combat before, much less against the mighty foe which we face today. Nonetheless, I have confidence that you are all CRF, and that you will stand fast. Our mission is clear, and our cause is just. Our deeds today, for good or for ill, will go down in the annals of the CRF's history. All of humanity is watching us; still, your true courage will be known only to you, and to the Almighty. We shall not be found wanting. Admiral Santiago, out."

The bridge erupted in a ragged cheer.

The Admiral got up from his chair, as quickly as he had sat down, and headed to the turbolift. He had tried to inspire his men; now, he could only fight the battle, and hope in Providence.

St. George, pray for us. St. Jude, Patron Saint of Impossible Causes, pray for us.

==========================================================================================

Spoon, if you're reading this, and it's not too late, I'm switching my Attack order to Defend.

The RP thread's died. With the finale on the way, how about we revive it?

Title: Re: Forum game: RP thread
Post by: Lorric on January 19, 2014, 06:12:41 pm

Quote from: Lepanto on January 19, 2014, 12:24:52 pm

The RP thread's died. With the finale on the way, how about we revive it?

Yes.
--------------------------------------------

To: [email protected]
From: [email protected]
Subject: Re: Stand Fast

I apologise for my silence. I know you too have been very busy old friend, but much has happened that you do not know of, and I know I can trust you to make sure no one else does.

When Tauri died, I was overwhelmed with emotion. My blade was a blur of speed, and just centimetres from my throat, but thankfully so was the rock hard fist of my XO, which was just a little bit faster in reaching my jaw first. I owe him my life. Again.

My plans for the immediate future were already known at that point, so the ship was able to carry on without me for a bit. Tauri will haunt me forever, but it was just a surge of emotion. Do not worry, I have no intention of ending my life now.

It took me a while to recover enough to be fit to return to duty, though there was also the internal enquiry to deal with. The rest of the senior staff needed to be sure of my ability to lead the fleet, but it did not take long to let them see that the Lorric they know is back.

The arrival of the special fleet has brought me a strange peace of mind. I’ll never be free of Tauri, but seeing what destroying the system meant to the enemy has helped me. You see, we all wondered what it was, psychological warfare? Some sick game? Did they just want to kill us all? Now we know. For victory. A play to win the whole war by striking at our heart with their very strongest. The peace of mind comes from knowing how important this objective was to the enemy. From that, and from seeing what we’ve faced, there is no doubt in my mind that they would have somehow blown up the system, or another suitable system at some point, that we would not have been able to stop them, as we never knew they wanted to do that, and I very much doubt we’d have been able to prevent it even if we did.

I am telling you all this, as this could very well be my last battle. The whole fleet is saying goodbye to their loved ones. I want you to know that it’s me you’re talking to. I’m not suicidal, I don’t have a death wish, I’m not looking for repentance. Simply someone must stand here before the enemy, and we are here. As is the same situation for you. I have no intention of dying. I have every intention of escaping alive with as many men as possible if further resistance becomes impossible. If I die, it has nothing to do with Tauri, I will simply have fallen in battle. Our darkest hour is now upon us, and all that is left is to simply engage the enemy as true knights of the CRF. Stand Fast indeed, my friend. Good hunting.

Lorric

Title: Re: Forum game: RP thread
Post by: Lorric on January 19, 2014, 07:59:21 pm

Quote from: Veers on December 17, 2013, 12:40:59 am

The war is now in it's closes stages, and we shall soon be victorious.

This is Fleet Admiral Lorric to the bridge crew of the CRF Silver Arrow. Please could someone give my esteemed CRF colleague and fellow Fleet Admiral, Veers, a slap for me? Thank you. ;)

Title: Re: Forum game: RP thread
Post by: Flak on January 20, 2014, 01:23:41 am

Virgo System
Virgo Orbital Station 2

The shipyard has been busier than ever. It is filled by military personnel of various origins, supply workers, arms dealers, volunteers, and many others. Virgo has been a stopping point for sending supplies for the front lines.

Baron Markus was on a lounge looking at the various battle reports on a laptop. Various other mercenaries were also taking a rest there. "How was that, just like old times." said a man with familiar voice. Baron Markus looked up to see the usual 'culprit'. "To hell and back they said. Coming face to face with that Hertak monstrosity and return to tell the tale, what more could you ask".

"Unfortunately, my ships are badly damaged. The Silver Falcon and Thunderhawk won't be seeing action anytime soon. The Tranquility and Fuego Sagrado also needs repairs. Can't believe that Captain Ortega chose to ram that Adasya that got in the way. I wonder how he got that idea."

Duke Nightwing lies back on his chair, a big smile on his face, clearly showing that he enjoyed watching the action. "From the Berserkers no doubt, they like to do that just like you have seen. At least his ship survived. I would love to see those pansy Fura'ngle's faces when they saw a ship literally flying right into them."

"He made a correct decision, I'd give him that."

"By the way, those Kobra guys contacted me earlier. You see, since your ships won't be going for a while, they wanted to ask you if you want their experimental weapons on your ships. Not that 'new', just like the ones in my ships."

"And why would they do all these for free?"

"Suffice to say back then they needed more of....ahem.... willing test subjects, or rather test platforms. This time however, it looks like they want to use you for 'advertising'. Don't worry, you and me aren't the only ones, I just heard it in the Cafetaria that some Berserkers and Corsairs are getting it as well, looks like they really went heavy on the marketing this time around. You see, the SF and CRF higher ups are often skeptical when it comes to purchase of new weapons, especially in times of war. They need a more persuasive approach."

Baron Markus paused for a moment, though he finally agreed "All right, better than sitting around in this pile of space junk and waiting for doom to come."

Meanwhile
Sol System
Kobra Darkmoon Factory Alpha, Europa

In the central control room, Chief Engineer Gardner looked at the report of the tests of the experimental drives. "Looks like the problem is just blown capacitors on drives' internal computers. Who the hell ordered crappy parts like these?"

Foreman Edwards answered him "Sorry sir, I thought it was just experimental equipment meant for testing, I supposed we could cut the price a little"

"You should have told me at least before you do something like that, save us a lot of time instead of doing all these goose chase."

Suddenly, an explosion rocks the scene. The alarm flares up and the emergency warning lights lit the scene with flashing red glow.

"What the hell? I hope we didn't pushed our machines too hard."

Foreman Edwards who was in the control computer however, noticed nothing wrong. "All systems are working properly. Unless there is a system malfunction."

"I personally don't think so." Professor Heinkel said. "Zis looks like an orbital bombardment."

"All non-combat personnel to the shelter! Activate the shield, hopefully it is still working. Call for help."

"Already done, the DD fleet is coming to help."

"Edwards, can you check the camera outside?"

"Yeah, it is right here. Patching it up to the main screen now."

The footage showed some Hertak ships, but they are accompanied by a new kind of fighters that didn't look Hertak at all. Everyone stared in fear and amazement. Director Martyn enters the control room and carefully watches the scene.

"Heaven forgive us, what the hell are those? I have never seen those ships before."

"Damn it, I swear I have seen one of those fighters before, or at least something that looked like that. I just can't remember where."

Title: Re: Forum game: RP thread
Post by: Lepanto on January 27, 2014, 11:07:02 pm

=====

To: [email protected]
From: [email protected]
Subject: Re: Stand Fast

Lorric,

I am thankful that you're still alive. You can trust that I believe you are ready to fight again, and that I will share none of your secrets, unless I find that I absolutely must. Tauri was a hard blow for me as well, but I have resolved to mourn all of our losses later. We cannot let our souls be crushed by the weight of our enemies' evil, that for which we are not ourselves responsible.

We have faced the Hertak's special fleet firsthand, like you have already faced the Flag Fleet. My men performed well; though they were inexperienced, no amount of battlefield experience would have saved them from the power of those weapons. We had no time to set up proper defensive perimeters, whether or not that would have been effective. As CRF, we die standing. Fortunately, allied reinforcements are on the way, and I have confidence that our numerical superiority will eventually wear the Special Fleet down. We will win the victory, or so I hope.

Fight honorably and well, old friend. Somehow, I think you'll make it out alive.

All Hail Britannia!

Pax vobiscum,
Santiago

=====

1722 hours, CINCSOL's Briefing Room, Luna III Station, Earth Orbit, Sol

"So, Admiral Santiago, let me get this straight." The haggard voice of Vice Admiral Manuel N'Mani, commander of Sol's Garrison Fleet, was tinged with a faint note of bemusement. "You want me to evacuate AND sacrifice this base, and risk my entire remaining fleet, to distract a hostile fleet wielding the most powerful weapons ever seen by humanity, so you and your CRF chrome-boys can escape Sol and leave us to die?"

The two admirals sat at a mahogany desk in N'Mani's ostentatiously-decorated briefing room, flanked by their senior staff. The hologlobe in the center, displaying known fleet positions in Sol, looked rather incongruous against the room's classical stylings. A magnificent chandelier hung above their heads; for a moment, Santiago thought back to his country estate and his family, but he refocused himself on the task at hand.

Santiago's face and tone remained impassive as he responded. "Mostly, yes. However, Admiral, trust me when I say that I have no intention of sacrificing even a single SolForce ship in Operation FALLING ICE. If your fleet pretends to be massing for a final stand in front of Luna III, the Special Fleet will attack this base with their Aluyerian-technology-equipped battlegroups, leaving the Lyrae Starlance unguarded during our departure. We've run our plan through the latest Hertak commander psych simulations; they won't resist the opportunity to smash your fleet and your main base with a massive show of force, even if they lack reliable intel on our fleet movements. If Luna III is mostly evacuated, and your ships withdraw immediately when the Hertak fleet arrives, you should suffer no casualties-"

"IF? Psych simulations? Mostly evacuated?" N'Mani's eyes were bloodshot, and his breath came in gasps; the casualty lists and sleepless nights had caught up to him. "Even if we wanted to bail you Britannian idiots out, and I personally don't, your. Plan. Is. Simply. IMPOSSIBLE!" Even N'Mani's own staff were taken aback at their CO's burst of temper. "We can't move twenty thousand men off this station in two days, no matter how many civilian ships we requisition! We don't have intel on the Hertak fleet, and neither my ships nor my men have the coordination to pull off your insane gambit! I-"

The haggard admiral took a deep breath, and rested his forehead on his hands. "I- I'm sorry. It's just that- it's just that I can't risk the lives of my boys on a plan full of half-baked assumptions. Not on the word of a CRF admiral. They're not warriors, Santiago. When we signed up for the Garrison Fleet, we thought it'd be all fancy uniforms and cushy naval reviews;" he gestured to the ornamentation around him; "not . . . not fighting these monsters! I can't go in front of my men and ask them to risk their lives just to save Britannians. They all just want to give up and die. I just want to give up. I know that you're trying to do right by your boys, and that help's on the way. I'm sorry, Santiago, but we're just not the heroes you're looking for."

The tension was thick in the air. Both sides turned expectantly to Santiago, awaiting his response. N'Mani's aide fetched him a glass of water; the worn-out SolForce admiral gulped it down.

Santiago paused for a few seconds, collecting his thoughts, and muttering a quick prayer. When he began to speak, he chose his words slowly and carefully, speaking with as much gravity as he could muster. "I know. I can't order you to cooperate with us, and I won't try to guilt-trip you. Convincing you won't work, so now I'm begging you. The men and women of 4th CRF are at your mercy. All I can do, N'Mani, is ask you to trust us. Please, ask your men to trust us. I'm not expecting to wipe away their decades of mistrust in a few days, but . . . please, try to make them see that we can accomplish so much more by working together. I . . . "

At that moment, Carlos Santiago let the weight of a hundred burdens, from a hundred and one days of war, crash down upon his shoulders. "I understand what you're going through. We're all at the end of our rope. I've had my men die around me, helpless to save them, because I threw them into the meat grinder. But I'd do it again, if I knew that it would save even more lives. We're all paving the way towards a brighter future with a trail of our own blood, and I'll ask you to share humanity's burden for just a little while longer. Please, on behalf of the CRF, and of humanity . . . save my men."

Santiago fell silent, his own emotional floodgates spent. He brought his eyes back up to regard N'Mani, and waited for an answer.

Title: Re: Forum game: RP thread
Post by: Lorric on January 28, 2014, 06:06:37 pm

To: [email protected]
From: [email protected]
Subject: Re: Stand Fast

And I you, my friend. And thank you. I was able to mourn Tauri while I was unfit for duty thankfully, so that’s a weight off my shoulders. There’s enough responsibility on there as it is. But the wheels are turning. Even with the enemy in Sol itself, it is turning our way. We held here. We held against the odds. The anvils stayed in place, and the hammers are now ready to fall on these warmongering animals.

You know, I was reminded of a story I read once. Where a group of unlikely heroes rose up to defend their kingdom, where they fought their way through the goblins and monsters and other assorted nasties that came against them. But they knew these were just puppets having their strings pulled, and of course the confrontation eventually came with the puppetmaster. That moment, the moment where the dragon reared up from it’s pile of treasure, where the heroes looked into the eye of the dragon, and understood the malevolence of the creature before them and the magnitude of the task ahead of them. I ended up thinking of that staring at the Hertak Flagship. The same colour as the enormous red dragon in the story, the scale of the flagship compared to the scale of our own ships. And when the lead protagonist pointed his blade at the dragon and screamed “You are the one we must kill!”

I nearly did the same. I imagined myself doing it anyway. It’s certainly how I felt. I’ve been leading the fleet into battle against slaves, and now I finally got a chance to take a shot at the masters. It would have been confusing for the crew though since this was not a pitched battle if I’d done that. The Hertak Flag Fleet is powerful almost beyond comprehension, but it is slow and clumsy. We played cat and mouse with them until our reinforcements could get in position, but still lost well over half of the fleet. There are so few ships left now that were here at the start of this war. Not as bad as what happened to your fleet, but I’m starting to know how you must feel now.

The 2nd SF fared much worse. It was almost completely eliminated at the hands of the 4th Hertak and 1st Fura’ngle. A lot harder to stall against a combination like that. I’m showing you a shot of the Swift. It’s all that’s left of the 2nd SF and a handful of fighters. Just look at it… I’m amazed it’s still in one piece. I think if I were to brush it with a feather it would break apart. And I thought I had a set of balls on me... Fremont must be the bravest SOB we‘ve got. You should have heard him screaming his defiance the whole time. Not one step backwards until we got the word that we’d held the line long enough. Just another chapter in the glorious history of the Sol Fleets. I’ve had a lot of experience fighting alongside the men and women of the SF now and I am very impressed. Who could have imagined we’d fight alongside each other so seamlessly, especially with the jockeying that was going on between the SF and the CRF right before this invasion. Of course you know what I think of such petty posturing, but maybe the Admirals of the SF feel the same. It’s the politicians that were driving that after all.

We've done our part now. Now it's time to rest, and mourn those lost. Now, it's up to the others...

-----

OOC: I made the story up, before anyone asks if it was a real book. Also, that there is a red dragon being battled by heroes in the picture of the Youtube video of the music I picked is an amazing, incredible coincidence, but a most delightful one indeed. I thought of the story first, then started thinking about music. I’m not sure if it’s the best of choices, but I’m definitely sticking with it with that dragon there. I’ve never even played the game, it’s just a single track a friend sent to me that he thought I‘d like.

Also, X3N0-Life-Form, if there’s anything you don’t like about what I wrote about your admiral, changes can be made.

Title: Re: Forum game: RP thread
Post by: Enioch on February 03, 2014, 01:44:36 pm

When the Nordera Battleaxe jumped in, a few hundred meters to Katyusha’s starboard, Olga knew she was going to die. It wasn’t the deafening collision alarms that blared throughout the ship, nor the screams of her fellow gunners, nor the wild heaving of the ship, as Captain Urumov, wounded and bleeding, wrenched his crippled darling in a desperate and futile evasive maneuver; or it might have been all that, put together: it was a deep-seated certainty, personal and clear, that turned her blood to ice and her hands to leaden weights. She couldn’t move, couldn’t think; her eyes were frozen on her targeting displays and the world around her had faded into a blur

So it came as a surprise when Petrovich’s ape-like arms reached over her crash webbing, grabbed the firing controls and pressed them home.

Katyusha’s broadsides were damaged from the fight against the Hertak, but Epsilon battery was still up and running, having been miraculously spared. Now it blazed to life, its single energy emitter focusing hellfire upon the Nordera vessel, while its three missile launchers went to rapid-fire.

It shouldn’t have made any difference. It wouldn’t have made any difference, if the incoming vessel was anything but a Nordera patchwork job, a lump of metal held together by spit and hope. It was too close and moving too fast for a single battery to be of any use in destroying it.

Thankfully, whether by design or accident, Petrovich hadn’t aimed to kill. Katyusha’s beam carved a long gash along the side of the Battleaxe and the follow-up missiles encountered much less armor than they were designed to penetrate. They went through the wounded Battleaxe like knives through butter and detonated a few dozen meters from its port thrusters. The resulting explosion was devastating in its own right, claiming the lives or more than fifty Nordera and turning their vessel into a barely-navigable wreck. It also blasted the warship away from a direct collision course. What it didn’t do, unfortunately, was silence its weapon emplacements – or blast it completely out of the way.

The Battleaxe came in screaming defiance, its weapons in rapid-fire. Epsilon battery’s emplacements died immediately – and a single missile launcher’s magazine went up in an apocalyptic fireball.

Olga had turned around, to gawk at Petrovich and maybe ask him if his fire had been aimed to hit as it had. She never got the chance. The exploding magazine had tripped every existing safeguard (as it should have) and blast doors were closing between the fireball and the ship’s interior but it was too late for Petrovich. There was a low, bell-like whoooonnnnnnnnnng as the expanding plasma hit the inner bulkheads and, in a fraction of a second, the ceiling of Epsilon battery bent inward like tinfoil stricken by a giant’s fist. It held, bending and stretching like the engineers had planned, and the flaming plasma on the other side never got the chance to reach the cowering sailors in their crash webbing.

But Petrovich was upright, having unlocked his own webbing to reach Olga’s controls. As the ceiling came down, it smashed his skull in and brought him low in bloody ruin.

There was a single moment of silence, the sailors staring aghast at their dead PO, and then the Battleaxe hit Katyusha’s ventral side like a sledgehammer, grazing along the engine nacelles and ripping the armor plating apart like butter. Katyusha heaved, flipped over and over and the lights died.

======================================

Some time after that, when Olga woke up and realized that, beyond all hope, she was still alive, the lights were still out. Olga’s suit had wrapped her head in emergency monomolecular film, allowing her to breathe out of the hyper-compressed nano-canisters on her belt and had tightened around her body, sealing any leaks. So there were definitely some problems with the life-support: the suit would only take such emergency measures if the atmospheric pressure fell under a certain threshold. It wasn’t enough to ward off total vacuum – but if a ship’s compartment sprung a leak it could allow sailors to work for a while and repair it. The point was that if she didn’t get into a compartment with functional life-support soon, she’d die (horribly), high-tech suit or not.

“Alexei…” she said, her voice rasping. “Georgi? Elena? Anyone?”

“Olga?”

There was an explosion of light next to her and she raised her hand, in the verge of panic. Her eyes adjusted quickly though, and she made out the pale face of Georgi, two seats away, lit by the screen of the wrist communicator he insisted in bringing to the battery, despite the rules to the contrary.

“Are you all right?” Georgi asked, his voice shaky.

“No,” Olga replied and tried to get up. Her left hand didn’t move, and for a moment she panicked, thinking she was wounded, but then she realized that it was simply caught in the crash webbing. She fought it and pulled and writhed like a snake, and then she was free and panting heavily, standing in front of her ruined seat.

Georgi stepped up behind her, and put a hand on her shoulder. “Calm down. You’re wasting oxygen.”

Olga forced her breathing to return to normal and glanced around in the dim light. “You’re right. Let’s…let’s check the others.”

They stepped around the ruined body of Petrovich, and reached Alexei’s and Elena’s seats. It was immediately apparent that Alexei was beyond saving. Even if his suit’s indicators weren’t in the deep red, no man could be expected to live with a broken steel bar running through his torso like that. Elena, on the other hand, was alive, although her medical indicators did flash a concussion diagnosis when queried. She was unconscious and didn’t look good at all, having smashed her head against her console. Some blood was pooling inside the film covering her face, although she didn’t seem to be bleeding anymore. When nudged, she only groaned and flailed weakly.

“Great,” Georgi grumbled. “Now what?”

“Well, the ship must still be partly operational,” Olga mused, running her hand along the hopelessly bent hatch. “We’re still getting a gravity field, so the engines are running. So, we should see if we can get out of here and move inward, to where the light and warmth and air are.”

“Can we call for help?” Georgi asked, thumbing the intercom to no avail. “Because I really doubt we can get through that door.”

“No, it’s a solid inch of titanium alloy, and we have no heavy cutters,” Olga agreed. “What about that communicator of yours?”

“It’s a civilian model,” Georgi shrugged. “It can’t link to the military frequencies – and it doesn’t have any reception if it could.”

“What good is it then?” Olga snapped. “Why on Old Earth did you insist on bringing it with you?”

“It’s got ‘Angry Cordi’,” Georgi answered sheepishly. “I like to play when bored.”

“Oh great,” Olga groaned and bumped her head lightly against the wall. “We’re saved from boredom. Hurray!”

“Uh…”

Olga looked up at Georgi’s tone and saw him staring at the communicator strangely. “…What?”

“Do we have any tools?” Georgi asked, his attention riveted onto the screen.

“What, with Petrovich around?” Olga scoffed. “You name it.”

“Oh, good,” Georgi scanned the room, gulped, and moved to Petrovich’s side. Quickly (and without looking, Olga noticed), he removed the PO’s omni-tool and ran back to her, sitting close to the wall.

“What are you doing?” Olga asked, her interest piqued

“Well, we have wireless intercom arrays in here, don’t we?” Georgi asked, removing his communicator and laying it across his lap.

“Sure,” Olga answered, sitting next to him. “Three of them. All useless – they don’t have any pow…oh. Oooooohhhh.”

Georgi held up the communicator’s battery pack. “Can you set up a Class C power transformer?” he asked.

Olga grinned. “You’re a genius.”

“Say that again after they get us out.”

======================================

“We got them out, Sir,” Urumov reported, kneeling next to Kalazonitov. “This makes it three hundred and forty-six dead, with all missing personnel accounted for. One way or another.”

Kalazonitov grunted in reply and waved off the pale-faced medic who was trying to stem the superficial bleeding from where the Admiral’d forehead had encountered his holoscreen frame. “Good. Get out of here, girl, go do some actual work. There’s actual wounded around here, go and find some.”

As the medic departed hurriedly, Kalazonitov staggered back to his feet, leaning heavily on his cane. He looked around Katyusha’s bridge mournfully. It wasn’t pretty. The entire sensors’ station had collapsed upon its users, killing three of his best officers and severely weakening the bridge’s structure. The room looked like a collapsed harmonica, crumpled up and twisted into something out of Escher’s darkest nightmares. It was a miracle its integrity hadn’t been compromised.

“What’s the verdict, Sergei?” he asked, darkly.

”She can fly, Sir,” came the answer, and Kalazonitov stared at Urumov as if he’d declared hard vacuum to be a nice place for a picnic.

“You’re joking.”

“No, Sir.” Urumov looked insulted. “Engines are still at 80 percent efficiency, our fuel supplies are untouched, we still have three missile launchers online and our subspace core is operating at nominal levels. Life support and gravitics were touch-and-go for a while, but they’re back up, at 63 percent efficiency. If we isolate non-essential areas of the ship, we can up that to 82 percent. She can fly.”

“Captain,” Kalazonitov leaned forward and lowered his voice, “we are standing in a bridge that was crushed like a tin can, we have lost all but one of our starboard thrusters, all our energy emplacements and a third of our crew. We have no sensors, no tactical uplink and only one fighter catapult. We only have a single shuttle bay operational, and we need that to get our people off this wreck.”

“Don’t call her that, Sir. Please.” Urumov looked devastated. “I didn’t say she can fight, Sir, just fly. She can, trust me. I can fly her. And we can have the tactical net back up in a couple of hours – communications are still operational.”

“Wait,” Kalazonitov snapped and raised a hand to silence Urumov. “Wait. Can you steer her?”

“Yes, Sir!”

“Can you give me back my tactical net?”

“Yes, Sir!”

Kalazonitov glanced at the ruined holoscreen on his ripped-up Admiral’s Chair, still splattered with his drying blood and grunted softly.

“So there is some life left in the old girl, eh?” he asked, with the barest hint of a smile. “Very well. Captain, contact the rest of the squadron. All wounded that can be moved will be transferred to Katyusha. If she can’t fight, she can still care for our sailors. Until we can get her repaired, she’ll serve as a hospital ship. And if you get me that tactical uplink working in eighty minutes, I will consider not transferring my flag to Anastasia or Chongmingdao.”

“Yes, Sir!”

Kalazonitov snorted. “A hospital ship as a flagship. Ridiculous. What else are we going to see before this war is over?”

======================================

The Delest fighters re-formed, like an explosion happening in reverse, clustering from a disorganized cloud around the Basileus’ hulk, into a quintet of wedges, aiming like spear-points toward the incoming Zy strikecraft. It was an impressive display of skill for the 2^nd Home Guard pilots, given that a few weeks ago they were as green as raw recruits. And, what was even more impressive, was the fact that they held their attack vectors, depleted secondary banks and all, as the Zy interceptors closed.

The Zy pilots were very much aware that they would not be leaving Vega. The combined force of Sol, League and Delest fleets had smashed the 3^rd Zy to pieces and their capital ships were being hunted down and destroyed before their eyes. They were dead anyway, and these enemy pilots were challenging them! No Zy would dream of rejecting such a fight.

So, when the two Grazhdanin cruisers Yangzhe and Songhua jumped in, right on top of the Zy assault vector and opened up with the entirety of their point-defense batteries, the Zy could not help but feel disappointed that they were being denied the fight.

A couple of seconds later, they were all dead, however, so no harm done.

======================================

“Kill them! Kiiiiillll theeeem! Wu Dong, you son of a pig, show them our broadsides, or I’ll have your head! I swear by the Empress’ ponytails, if you let that beat-up scow Anastasia gather more kills than us, I will have every member of the bridge crew out the airlock in the nude, myself included! Then, I won’t need to explain to the Admiral why we’re still being outperformed by his rustbuckets!”

The Chongmingdao’s bridge officers buried their heads in their consoles, unsuccessfully trying to hide their grins and the gunnery officer redoubled his efforts. Who would have thought, a couple of weeks ago, that the cool, composed Commodore Hitachi would turn into a berserker during combat? They knew better than to take his threats seriously, but there was something about his enthusiasm that made them wonder why the grizzled old man hadn’t shown this much fire before.

They liked him more now.

“Ha HAAAAA! Take that, blue lizard scum! Your mother was a Godzilla fart and your father was a one-balled newt! DIE, filthy reptiles!”

======================================

Virgo was a new sight for many of the sailors. The Aldebaran front had been a far-away place for most of them, as they’d been fighting in the Draco cluster since the early phases of the war. There were alien stars here and alien sights and the promise of some well-deserved R&R.

Heaven.

======================================

The man in the Lieutenant Commander’s uniform was very young; that was the first impression he gave. The second impression he gave was that of a rather tired young person. Kalazonitov couldn’t fault him; shuttling what amounted to two Battlegroups of capital and support ships into the front lines with only skeleton crews, to make up for the 3^rd’s material losses would normally be a Rear Admiral’s job. Still, Kalazonitov had to give the young officer his due; the reports he had received were completely satisfactory.

“Lieutenant Commander Xi Dao, reporting, Admiral,” the officer snapped, crisply saluting and standing at attention.

“At ease, Lieutenant Commander,” Kalazonitov grumbled, getting up and moving toward his drinks cabinet. “Have a seat. Will you have a drink?”

“Thank you, Sir. No, Sir – I don’t drink.”

“You don’t drink!?” Kalazonitov turned, with a sparkle in his eyes. “You Core Worlders! No wonder you’re so skinny. Vodka is good for you, you know.”

He chuckled, as Xi Dao did his best not to stare at his own gangly physique. “Just joking, Lieutenant Commander. Very well, no vodka then. Some Tamy eau-de-vie, then? Despite the name, it’s non-alcoholic.”

Xi Dao relented and Kalazonitov poured the drinks. He then returned to his chair and collapsed in it with a sigh.

“So, I hear you’ve brought me more ships, to feed the meat grinder, then?” he asked, twirling the ice in his glass.

“Uh…yes, Sir,” Xi Dao replied. “Twenty MK.III Volyas, with escorts and a full fighter complement. Three thousand sailors. A thousand pilots, some of them veterans of the northern front, who re-applied for service. And three фабрика factory ships.”

The doors behind the Lieutenant Commander opened and Tanya Skivlana, now bearing the insignia of a full Commander entered. She hesitated for a beat seeing that the Admiral was occupied, then at a glance from Kalazonitov approached the desk.

Xi Dao turned at the sound of the door and froze. For a second, his mouth hung open and then he visibly shook himself back to the there-and-now – but not before Kalazonitov saw his reaction and smiled.

“With your permission, Admiral?” Tanya asked as she approached.

“Of course, Tanya,” Kalazonitov said. “May I introduce you first? Commander Tanya Skivlana – meet Lieutenant Commander Xi Dao.”

Tanya raised an eyebrow and extended a hand. “Really? Very pleased to meet you, Lieutenant Commander. My congratulations on the stellar job you’ve done! Admiral – this is what I wanted to talk to you about: I just came from the supply docks and everything looks as perfect as we could have hoped for.”

“Er…yes,” Di Xao stammered, standing up and trying to decide what to do with his dataslate. He eventually decided to leave it on his chair and shook hands. “Thank you. Pleased to meet you.” He waited for her to take a seat and then sat down himself. Thankfully, the dataslate was made of hardy stuff.

Kalazonitov smiled. “Commander Skivlana is my Adjutant and Logistics Officer,” he said. “She will be liaising with you during our stay here.”

“If I can be of any assistance, please do not hesitate to contact me,” Skivlana said with a smile.

“Of…of course,” Xi Dao replied. “It’ll be a pleasure. I mean…”

Kalazonitov’s lips were twitching. “You know, Tanya?” he interrupted, “why don’t you take the afternoon off? Go grab a bite on the station, or something. The Lieutenant Commander can escort you and you can discuss things without me standing over your heads and shoving my nose everywhere. After all, you’ve earned some rest yourself.”

“Well…” Tanya hesitated for a moment and then locked eyes with Xi Dao, who looked like something between a rabbit caught in headlights and a moth that just noticed a nearby candle. “Yes, why not? Thank you, Sir. Can I count on the pleasure of your company, Lieutenant Commander?”

Xi Dao remained frozen for a moment and then got on his feet like an automaton. He gave a courtly bow, surprisingly elegant. “Of course, Commander Skivlana. I would be honored. Can…should I wait for your message?”

“I suppose so,” Tanya answered, slightly hesitantly. “Give me half an hour to see if there is anything urgent to attend to and I will message you.”

Kalazonitov took a sip from his glass and grinned into it. Oh how fast they grow.

Title: Re: Forum game: RP thread
Post by: Flak on February 11, 2014, 12:54:51 am

"Breaking news at this hour, yesterday we have many rumors related to the communication blackout of Sol. Today the communication has been partially restored and indeed it was confirmed that a Hertak invasion fleet was indeed in Sol. The Sol Union held a public conference earlier today in Cordia addressing this new threat."

--------

"How can we expect we can survive if we cannot prevent such powerful fleet from reaching Sol in the first place?"

"I assure you this threat is being handled. While we were not expecting that they will attack from a portal created from the Tauri supernova, the Alliance still have it under control. Our garrison fleet has been scrambled just in time to protect our settlements and important industrial facilities from destruction by this new threat."

"We have heard rumors that the Hertak is packing not exactly unknown ships and weaponry, but rather a nightmare out of UEU's secret projects. Can you confirm the truth in this matter?"

"I can neither confirm nor deny such reports at this time, but I can confirm that our archivists have found some old UEU document with photographs of similar ships."

"So it is true, can we confirm the origin of such ships?"

"I'm afraid not. All that we have found so far is just bits and pieces of data. Whether or not it is part of a UEU secret project remains to be seen. As you already know, the UEU burned most of their controversial documents and archives when they fell. So for now, it is still remains a goose chase for us in this area so that will be concern for another day. The more important matter right now will be dealing with the threat."

--------

"That was an excerpt for today's interview. In another news, there has been a rising concern of the Alliance ability to deal with the invasion as such, there are are reports of so called cultists hitting the streets in Earth that wished for us to surrender to the Hertak."

--------

"Same news all day isn't it? Hey, Olaf, are you listening?"

"They still need to calm the populace somehow, and that is one way to do it."

"While good people fight and die for everyone's safety?"

"Hahaha, don't make me laugh, Francis. Aren't you guys used to be pirates? Why would you be concerned with 'everyone's safety'?"

"Not anymore, besides, not having those SF and CRF guys hunting your tail is a better life I suppose. After that Ruba Pegasi incident anyway, and instead some of those idiot mercs choose to turn to piracy instead. What a waste, I mean when they can be heroes. I guess my time as a villain is over."

"Good call, you should have been a berserker like us in the first place. Kick those alien bastards' asses real good and a have a good drink together right after. There is no better life if you ask me. My dad and his boys also kicked those smug elves in the ass to hell and back he said."

"Fighting head on like that just isn't my way. I rather let them have it when their pants are down. Except we are not the villain this time. I like to do it efficient and save if I can help it."

"I see you still be hanging on your pirate ways. Yaaarrrrr."

"Stop that, space is not an ocean."

Title: Re: Forum game: RP thread
Post by: X3N0-Life-Form on February 15, 2014, 03:06:55 pm

Doom Day, Champion-class carrier Swift, Sol Force 2nd Fleet, Aldebaran system

Briefing Room #3, time-to-contact: 5 hours 20 minutes

- "... At this point, the Warhounds will take over the Cordi hunting job while rearm and patch our fighters as best we can. Now, on to phase 2. Reviewing past engagements, we can expect single-Armaggedon strikes against our patrol group while three-Armaggedon teams confront our main battle lines." The briefing room was quiet as a crypt. No pilots whispering to one another, no snarky comments from the usual loud mouths. Nobody wanted to discuss what would happen in a few hours. The squadron leader continued, "The 56th's job will be to screen our patrol groups against Hertak drones and fighters while the capital ships prepare to jump to another group's location. The idea is to focus our firepower on one Dreadnaught at a time. Once the 22nd jumps in, we'll escort them on their bombing run." Still not a noise other than the ship's ventilation system and the briefing screen.

- "What happens if we get jumped by more than one Big Red?" asked one of the senior pilots, "a dual drone strike would shred our screen before we have time to react.

- Caliburn kill teams packing heavy anti-fighter missiles will be rotating through the patrol groups to provide anti-fighter support when necessary. Now, phase 3 of the battle plan is going to prove a bit tricky ..."

As the briefing went on, someone at the back of the room started crying as quietly as he could. This wasn't what any of these pilots signed on for. If they were to fight hopeless battles, at least they should be fighting them in sol, defending their loved ones with all their strength. Dying for a piece of space far from home, ravaged by a seemingly unending warfare seemed meaningless.

The squadron leader lets out a sight "This is gonna be tough one" he thinks, "too bad I suck at making motivational speeches. I'd open up the ship's unofficial porn stash, but the admiral said he'd have someone's head if he ever heard about it again. That is if the female pilots don't kill me first. Oh well, we're all gonna die anyway ..."

CIC, time to contact: 3 hours 17 minutes

- "Tell the 56th their squadron leader will be out of the brig in time for the battle." The CIC was buzzing with activity; the atmosphere was tense, but everyone remained professional. "Tactical, order our scouts to break radio silence as soon as the Hertak fleets start moving against us or the 2nd CRF.
- Fleet-wide speech scheduled in 5 minutes, sir. The Ram and the Entropy are requesting permission to start harassing Cordi elements.
- Denied. This operation needs to be carried out by the numbers. No unit is authorised to initiate combat before the Soaring Spirit gives the go code.
- Message from Deep Striker 6. The Cordi's main force is taking defensive positions around the Algol starlance. The 1st DD wants to move in before they have time to regroup.
- Alright, let's move up the time table a bit. Coms, prepare for fleet-wide broadcast. Inform me the moment we receive word from our allied fleets.
- *Call, call, call. Swift, big bird, fleet-wide, priority Flail* Fleet-wide broadcast ready sir, you're on.
- Gentlemen of the 2nd Sol Force. Officers, crew and pilots, we move today towards a grim fate. The Hierarchy has our backs against the wall. Sol is under attack while we are on the frontline, facing a foe that has decimated entire terran fleets. Under my command, I have asked a lot from you all. As a fleet commander, I've had to knowingly send men and women to their doom, sacrifice entire ships to alien invaders out of concern for a hypothetical counter attack, made gambits that paid off, made others that cost us dearly, sometimes having to act on sketchy intel.

Today, there is no doubt, no illusion or misinformation about what goes on into this system. No question about our duty. We are humanity's Iron Wall. We have all pledged to keep Sol safe, and this is what we'll do. The 2nd Delest fleet, 4th CRF and Sol garrison are going to have their hands full while our brethrens scramble to fight off the invaders. Our job is to make sure the monsters we are about to face don't make it further.

Today, we stand tall in the face of death, because our lives and the 2nd CRF's will stop the Hertak's advance. Because our sacrifice will buy time. Because we will make the Hierarchy pay for every meter they make towards Earth, and remind them that humans do not bow down before alien invaders, not yesterday, not today, not ever. This is our last dance, let's make it our most memorable. Let it be said in generations to some "this was Their Finest Hour."
- Message from admiral Lorric: Cordi Hunt is go. Security, put all personel currently in the brig back into active duty. Yes, even the drunk one. Flash her brain with stims if you have to.
- Duty calls, ladies and gentlemen. Operation Bug Squash is go. Operation Finger of Doom comes right after it, so let's get to work. Fremont out.
- Flash, flash, flash. Swift, Ram group. Priority Shield. Start operations; join up with 1st DD elements at T + 400.
- Tactical: All Patrol Groups, Jump Teams and Kill Teams report ready for action. Second wave scheduled at T + 900. No report on Hertak movements. Secondary battleline will be ready in 3 minutes. Main battleline ready for defensive action, preparing offensive action. ETR 30 minutes.
- Update the timetables, tell Deep Striker 5 and 6 to get ready for combat action at the Algol starlance.
- Report: Flying Shark ready for action ... Flying Squirrel ready for action ... Pacifist Hand and escort engaging Mothership 3x15 and escort ...
- Deploying bomber squadrons, time hammer the nail in the Cordi's coffin."

Ram Gunnery Control, time to contact: 2 minutes

- "Gunship 3x50, shield failing, standing by for magnum salvo to finish her off.
- Mothership 3x35, hull integrity dropping, detecting possible opening to ship's reactor. Re-aligning main beam.
- Somebody tell our birds to knock off that warrior swarm before their fry up an emitter.
- Gunship 3x50 off the threat board.
- Soldier wing 3x35x5 down. Tactical, requesting target priority.
- The Entropy's getting pounded, switching guns to anti-bomb defence.
- Man, can somebody remind me why we can't have pee bags or something during big fights?
- Because most of us have learned since kindergarten that you should go to the bathroom *before* entering major battle. Warrior wing 3x36x4 down. Could someone knock off that mother ****ing mothership's forward turret.
- Preparing magnum salvo on Gunship 3x54. Entropy's focusing their fire on the mothership. Tac says they can finish her off. Forward beams on the gunship, port beams on the mothership."

Ram Tactical, time to contact: right about now

- "Scratch one gunship and one mothership. Great job everyone, all Cordi targets are down, prepare to -
- Stand by, new contact at 97, 150, Hertak Armaggedon; new contact at 30, -80, Hertak Armageddon."

Entropy CIC, time from contact: 18 seconds

- "Alright, time to play cat and mouse. Nav, plot a jump to rally point Gamma 3. Engine room, I want our drives to cycle as fast as possible after our jump, turn down weapons if you have to.
- Standing by for synchronised jump with the Ram. Pilots, you might want to jump now if you don't want to get caught the Hertak fighters."

Swift CIC, time from contact: 2 hours 3 minutes

- "OK, so now they're in front of us. We've got incoming drones. Sir, these Dreadnaughts will tear us appart if we stay here. The 22nd should be ready to back us up and make a run for their main guns -
- Negative, it's time to bring the fight to them, close and ugly. Get ready to make a tactical jump, 5 kilometers off our bow. Then send in the 22nd and recall all our patrol groups.
- Un-understood sir. Flash, flash, flash. Swift, main battleline. Priority Flail. Tac jump then engage at point blank range. Swift, 22nd, prepare to pull back for support action.
- Report: secondary battleline has been engaged by Fura'ngle Pincer Team."

22nd squadron leader, callsign Curtain, time from contact: 2 hours 4 minutes

- "Holy ****, break off, then reacquire. Swift, next time you give us jump coordinates, don't slam us into a warship. Delta, see if you can take out that engine.
- Roger that, moving on Big Red's butt.
- Did the Bullseye just jump into an Armaggedon?
- They're doing a quick and dirty jump to engage the Big Reds at point blank range, what did you expect? Watch out, inbound beamers.
- Hahaha, that all you got Hertak ****bags?
- Was that the admiral?
- Yes. Engine down to 20%, Alpha 2, finish it off. Delta, pull ack towards the battleline to regenerate your shield.
- Scratch one Armageddon. I've got drones on my tail, could someone -
- Buckner? You still with us? Buck ... **** second beamer wave inbound. Let's draw them to the Calies.
- Incoming jump signature. IFF indicates 2nd CRF strike team Charlie.
- Now we're talking. Would you kindly ram a few torpedoes into their main beams?"

Swift CIC, time from contact: lost track

- "Report: secondary battleline met up with 2nd CRF elements near rally point Nu 7. Hertak Armageddon pulling out.
- Wereabouts of the Flagship unknown. Deep Strike 2 is down. 56th Squadron has been annihilated. Entropy out of action, attempting to retreat. Clock status: phase 3 begin in 280 seconds. Diversionary strike against Fura'ngle target scheduled at T + 80, will required additional forces.
- Our fighter screen is holding well, but the Swift's taken a few bad hits, I we should schedule field repairs.
- We'll be alright for another engagement. Time to regroup our battlelines. Lorric's gonna lure the Flag fleet away while we engage the flying rocks.
- Report: secondary battleline engaged by Hertak and Fura'ngle forces, requesting backup."

22nd squadron, time from contact: way too long

- "OK, I'm calling this off. Curtain to Swift, the battleline is toast, we're pulling out before we join them. We banged the fura pretty good, so they're probably not gonna cause use further trouble today.
- Copy that Curtain. We are regrouping with the 2nd CRF's flagship for one last stand.
- Coordinates received, jumping now ... Holy mother of -
- That's right you sons of *****es, it's party time! All remaining fighters, I would advise you to escort us while we blow these Hertak maggots to smithereen."

Swift CIC, time to ship wide breakdown: not very long

- "Outstanding, pilots. Form back on the Swift.
- Three Hertak Armageddon jumping in on starboard. Jump drives still recharging. Incoming drones. Fighters jumping in from above. The Soaring Spirit is moving away from the Hertak warships.
- Bring us alongside. Let's see if we can give them one last jump. You getting frustrated yet Slavers?
- Sir, may I remind you that you are still broadcasting on a fleet-wide channel?
- What fleet? There's only us and the Ram
- Ram out of the escort list, Ravagers are now engaging our fighters. Picking up escape pods warping out. Drones inbound, targeting the Swift.
- Damn. Looks like they're gonna finish us off before the 2nd CRF. Lorric, you better beat the crap out of them once we're out.
- Critical hit on deck 16, plasma duct rupture ... Gunnery Control has been hit as well, turrets are down. Main reactor hit, shutting down. Secondary reactor working at 120% capacity, meltdown expected in 90 seconds.
- Lorric, you better jump out if you can, 'cause we're dead within the minute.
- They say they'll wait until then.
- Jump drives recharged.
- Alright then, let's get the hell out, then shut down the reactor and see what happens."

22nd Squadron, time to ship wide breakdown: has somewhat already happened, but not as bad as everyone thought

- "30 minutes mark, I don't think they're gonna come.
- 2nd CRF scouts confirm that enemy fleets have pulled out and blockaded every way out of the system.
- Sounds like we're gonna have a Blitz op if we want to get out of then system. Say, is it alright if I don't land on the Swift 'til then. It kinda looks like it's going to break appart if I sneeze ..."

Swift cafeteria, time to OMG WE'RE STILL ALIVE

Alterations to onboard rules:

Usage of the ship's plumbing (showers, flushing the toilets, etc.) now require special authorisation from the Chief Engineer or the Command Staff.
NO SNEEZING in red sections.
NO RUNNING in red sections.
NO FIGHTING in red and orange sections.
NO SEXUAL ACTIVITY of any kind in red and orange sections.
As a rule of thumb, don't engage in any other activity than breathing, reading, walking or talking without explicit authorisation of the Chief engineer or Command Staff.
The CIC is not to be referenced as "the mother of all trash".
Nor the main reactor room as "main oven".
It is forbidden to eat food cooked in the main reactor room. Medbay is already overcrowded, let's not make things worse.
Due to the rec rooms being out of order, Briefing Room #1 has been repurposed as a cinema.
Any person caught with a copy of the so-called "ship's unofficial porn stash" will face disciplinary actions.

Title: Re: Forum game: RP thread
Post by: Lorric on February 16, 2014, 09:35:26 am

Personal Log

I have become quite proficient with the organising of resupplying it seems. However, with the shortages due to the central organisation in Sol being messed up thanks to the alien invasion, our efforts are still proceeding slower than they would have done normally, so I need every bit of the experience I have gained in this field to get us back into combat readiness ASAP.

It has however allowed for a rotation to be put in place for our surviving veterans to rotate between helping with the resupplying, whipping these new rookies and kids into shape, and some very well deserved shore leave. Though even when on the job, as hard as we are working to get back up to speed, it seems like a break compared to the extended action we participated in in Aldebaran. My colleagues have been through a lot, and it will be good for them to wind down and for now not to have to worry about engaging in battle after all they've been through and all the ships and people we've lost in our holding action. And once we get some more hands on board, the veterans won't need to get involved with the donkey work at all.

In addition, I plan on working with some of my senior staff to put together a dossier on battling the Cordi. With the fact we have almost exclusively engaged the Cordi up to this point, that knowledge needs to be shared, even though there are currently no known Cordi fleets in our space, this enemy has been by far the most numerous of the races we have faced, and we will probably have to face them again sometime.

My fellow CRF Fleet Admiral, Veers, of the 1st CRF, has captured some Fura'ngle and Zy. I am hoping to hear from him at some point about this, particularly the Fura'ngle, as our area of space is now swarming with them. I'm not sure how you even go about capturing Fura'ngle, as they are the ships. And I certainly wouldn't want to have to control 2 meter tall 4 armed lizards who see us as prey-animals...

At the start of our battle in Aldebaran, morale throughout the fleet was at the highest I've ever seen it, and throughout the entirety of the action, and even now, that level of morale has been maintained, despite everything. It is a great honour just to witness such magnificence, such dedication, let alone to command these men and women in battle.

It seems we have become informally known as the "Bug Busters" throughout Terran Space. I am having a batch of "Bug Buster" medals commissioned to be supplied to all crew members who have been with us from the start, and those who have come later and distinguished themselves in battle. I placed the order with a local company here in Formalhaut, who should have the medals ready before we are scheduled to depart. I am the only one who knows about this. I plan on presenting them right before we depart, to boost morale, if that's possible, and to let all the new people see the standard set by those who have come before them, which will hopefully inspire them to follow that example.

Meanwhile, the battle goes well on all fronts now. In the South, there is currently but a single Nordera fleet remaining, which should soon be mopped up. In Aldebaran, I fully trust in my fellow Admirals to take over the battle until we return into action, and in Sol, while it was most worrying for a while, and we are still sustaining heavy casualties through several fleets, the alien fleet has been isolated and sealed in the system, and is being worn down by the combined might of several fleets.

The portal which brought it has also collapsed in on itself, meaning the threat to Sol from further incursion through the backdoor is also ended, which of course is a great relief, but especially to me personally.

It is strange that further enemy reinforcements seem to have stopped coming. It is obvious that what lies before us is not the extent of the Hierarchy. I wonder what could have caused the absence of further enemy fleets? Perhaps this was simply the extent of the forces sent against us, they thought it would be enough? Maybe they overextended their supply lines? Or any other number of possible reasons, political turmoil, re-evaluating the whole campaign after the fight we've put up, fighting other races we don't know about, who knows. Perhaps our new captive Fura'ngle and Zy should be quizzed about this, they were the last fleet to arrive, so if anyone would know...

This may be the only chance we have. We have a surely temporary advantage, and we must press it home.

Title: Re: Forum game: RP thread
Post by: Hartzaden on February 24, 2014, 02:57:17 am

Hilda sat on her flag bridge, her mission today is simple. drive the hertac out of sol at any cost. she had a nigh imposable task ahead of her. crushing the hertac under her heel would be one of the hardest things she and her novice crew would ever do. it had to be done. taking what time she had to think as the drives recharged form the jump into the system. looking around she could see and feel the fear of her crew. and who could blame them for the being afraid. they knew what she was about to ask,

Hilda Alcott stood up and keyed fleet wide communications

"sons and daughters of terra, proud knights of Britannia, today is the day of our trial by fire, today we go headfirst into hell."

*Hilda paused for a moment*

"i know what your feeling. i ask you to put aside any lingering doubt about what is to happen today. for i can tell you all right here and right now the outcome of our struggles. today we clear the blue skys of our beloved earth from the monsters who would try to snuff out the flames of hope in our hears. we will destroy them, we will drive them form Sol, we will push them form Terran space, we will push them out of the stars themselves. we will chase them down until there is no place left for them to run to. we will extinguish them, every last one of them.

Hilda pauses for a moment again.

"third fleet, we will be the light that drives out the darkness. now onward, helm set a course for sol, all hands shock jump stations"

the 3ed fleet arrived at sol moments later, ships barely even making it out of subspace before opening up with all weapons batterys.

Hilda opened up the coms on all known hertac com channels.

"I'm going to give you one choice, you will die, if you run i will chase you down to the ends of time itself. i will find where you hide. and i will kill you, your children, and the rest of your misbegotten race."

Hilda looks up at the overview of the battlefield and rests her hand on her sword and screams*

"So make this quick and die!"

with one quick motion she drew her sword, pointing it at the lead hertac ship. moments later the fleets main beam cannons roared to life.

Title: Re: Forum game: RP thread
Post by: Veers on March 03, 2014, 09:11:38 am

------------
System: Fomalhaut
Time: T-2 to 2nd Fura&Zy Assault
------------

Alq watched the unfolding formalities from his quarters, the shuttle had touched down and the honour guard of 1st Fleet Marines were taking their positions to escort the arriving Officers and Dignitaries. Why they had bothered to come now was beyond him, Alq secretly hoped however...

That they had even the smallest idea what they were getting themselves into.

He opened his last message, setting it to play as he straightened out his uniform. Alq pondered over his choice of the standard command uniform against his elegant dress uniform that such situations usually demanded, but dismissed the thought quickly, focusing on the visuals that were unfolding from his latest message from Admiral Lorric, 2nd CRF.

While there was a message, everything was more focused towards a certain image. Hard to describe.., but it was somewhat comical. Two little figures, both appearing to wear an adaptation of the CRF Command uniform, in deep discussion.

The conversation appeared and faded quickly in little bubbles until a quote appears that both characters looked at. The quote even detailed who originally said it so Alq didn't even have to remember it himself, before one of the little figures turned around and slapped the other silly, before storming off.

The loop began to play again before it was abruptly stopped, "Bloody Lorric again..., that was a 1st Fleet only communique, damnit" He muttered, running his hands through his hair. "It's all good and well that we don't hide anything from each other, but if he isn't careful we won't be hiding the fact we can listen to pretty much everyone else as well for much longer".

He grinned for a moment, it was mostly due to Lorric's unique... personality that the Allied Forces had encountered such success with the war, his insight on both tactical and strategic plans had been invaluable with coordinating the frontier defence against the incursion. But at least his humour remained within the CRF, Alq didn't want to imagine the press fallout he'd have to deal with if someone else took offence, completely accidentally of course.

He spun on his right heel and headed out towards the briefing room to meet the arriving staff and to inform them of the upcoming actions the fleet was to be involved in.

------------
System: Polaris
Time: T+3 to 2nd Fura&Zy Assault
------------

The reports were flooding in, the 1st CRF lead the assault into Polaris against the 2nd Fura&Zy fleet, and it was so far proving to be a success. The initial incursion went well, against stiff defencive resistance but the moment the 1st and 4th Sol Fleets transited into the system and the engagement, the enemy began to break apart left, right and centre.

"Battlegroup 3 is achieving gains against the flagship, her compliment is dwindling!"

"Compliments from Sol!" roared across the comm as two Fura vessels fractured before the SF flagship Hand of Absolution and the Silver Arrow, their compliment craft scattering and falling to the combined forces.

Their combined might overwhelmed all the defensive positions the Fura and Zy had erected in Polaris, the sheer amount of vessels and firepower they could bring to bear allowed them to pick and choose the entire course of the battle, and as a result, the enemy continued to fall. Eventually retreating deeper into Polaris, but essentially giving control back to the Allied Forces.

Time lost meaning for Alq after the initial incursion, all that registered now was the capture of the remaining Fura and Zy forces. They had failed to engage the subspace missile launch, but a heavy attack against the vulnerable fleet brought them to their knees.

Pondering the thought again, there was never any response from the 1st Zy when they some how arrived in Vega. Intelligence was able to report that the Zy were powerful, and could have been very similar to the Knights of Britannia regarding their loyalty and bravery. At least in Alq's mind anyway. He had hoped this would have allowed conversation between them then, and while it was much, much later in the war than originally wanted.

They were speaking now, with the remnants of the 2nd Fura&Zy being captured, Polaris returned to Allied control. The CRF handed over the transportation and security of the non-combatants to the 1st SF who were preparing to take them away from the recent combat zones and into more secure space. Allowing Alq to turn his attention towards Sol.

The Battle of Sol was barely beginning to turn in their favour, the surprise arrival of another 'super' fleet was bad enough, but slipping completely behind the front lines and attacking Sol directly, nearly completely unopposed was a demoralising shock to the entire Human species. The rushed defence resulted in severe casualties, but bought time for reinforcements and a concentrated defence to occur.

"Helm, take us towards the Sol lance." Nick said while grabbing a report from engineering. "We are to rejoin formation and cycle our drives at the lance."

"Nick, send the 2nd Battlegroup through the lance ahead of us. They will prepare initial flight ops and establish communications with Allied Forces as per our briefing. 1st and 3rd groups will then join them" Alq said as he joined Nick by the Helm, exchanging glances quickly, "It's fine Nick, Vice Admral Iera has the situation under control. We've been through enough capture operations already to know how it pans out, but we need to focus our attention on Sol now."

Nick seemed to grumble a little, his face said it though, not his words. They both walked to the side, just out of earshot of the nearest crew."With respect, you know I would have preferred to complete the operation ourselves, exactly like we have done before,... before shipping them off to Intelligence."

"Whether you trust Intelligence to treat them appropriately or not is of no help Nick, you know I was vocal when we were forced to release the Cordi to them. And while we have received valuable intelligence and knowledge since then. You know full well that we found out more while they were with us, and they were better treated!" he clenched his fist, nearly thumping it against the cold metal of the wall. "This fleet in Sol, it is cut off from reinforcement. It's our chance to bag the big guys. We are the only Fleet with the experience to pull this off, and these reports of 'new' technology... it is not something we can afford to miss."

Helm engaged the Silver Arrow's drives and they proceeded towards the Sol Lance, the soft vibrations were louder now. Such was the evident difference between Peace and Wartime pleasures.

------------
System: Sol
Time: +7 Hours after Special Fleet forced from Earth Orbit
------------

The lights slowly came on in the briefing room, neither Alq or Nick felt like speaking.. silence was golden, if only for a moment. The Silver Arrow and escort were orbiting Sol, while the rest of the Fleet continued engagements against the Her'tak.

"Sol took a beating didn't they, Sir?" one of the junior Officers pipped up. "They weren't very appreciative of the situation".

The map floating in front of them changed as Alq swiped his hand, "This was the strength of the Sol Defence Force prior to the incursion. This fleet had more pride than all of their front line forces together, and this is them now." the projected ships pretty much vanished, there was little left compared to before. The pride of Sol, their strongest and best. Held in reserve to portray the image of peace and security..." Alq paused, his hand removing his hat and scratching the back of his head, "resulted in this massacre." completed Nick.

The Sol Defence Fleet were little more than recruits against the Her'tak, sure the Sims were training. But it was nothing against the real deal, the Her'tak were wiping the floor until reinforcements arrived to challenge them and even the veteran fleets suffered heavy casualties in the initial challenges, just trying to stall the enemy advance even for a few moments so something resembling defence could be organised.

They pulled together in the end, and with the Her'tak suffering from being cut off from supplies and reinforcements, were forced away from Earth.

The door slid open, "Admiral!" shouted the Lieutenant, storming into the room before saluting those before him, "I think you need this Sir", handing Alq a report marked urgent.

------------
From: Wing Commander Novak, "Glittering Angels", 2nd Battlegroup.
To: Captain Ward, 2nd Battlegroup
Priority: Urgent
Subject: Rear Line Engagement

Sir,

Recent engagements successful. Her'tak fighters from harassing rear line units were force to withdraw or surrender. Proceeded with Capture Protocol H-031 as per Standing Orders.

Unable to complete mission, Surrendered units destroyed by Allied fighters from 3rd Fleet. Refused to accept my Stand-Down orders and all surrendered combatants were lost.

Sir, request Immediate confirmation of our Standing Orders and update regarding Treatment of Surrendered Hostiles, Status of 1st, 3rd and 4th Fleets orders and action regarding Violation of Fleet Protocols and Orders.

Wing Commander Novak
"Glittering Angels"
------------

The message was then passed to Nick, and Alq.. appearing calm. Departed the room. The Lieutenant shook his head back and forth, obviously lost for what he was supposed to do next, Nick addressed him a few moments later. "Thank you Lieutenant, that will be all... I have a feeling it's under control now".

Not long afterwards, the message indicators began to flash. Signalling the arrival of a new message. It did began to flash not only for both Vice Admirals Alcott and Santiago of the 3rd and 4th CRF Fleets respectively, but also to the attention of all ranking Officers within Sol.

Title: Re: Forum game: RP thread
Post by: Lepanto on March 03, 2014, 11:41:06 am

1132 hours, Admiral's Ready Room, CRF St. George, Docked at A Qaua Bo Orbital Fortress, Mars Orbit

". . . sed libera nos a malo." Yes, deliver us from evil, Lord; people just keep making more of it.

Finishing his quick prayer, Santiago forced himself to take deep breaths. When he was as calm as he could manage, he looked back at the comm interface in his ready room. The incoming reports regarding 3rd Fleet's . . . activity were still very much real and present, even if he would have preferred to wish them away. Though he had a mountain of digital paperwork to go through, regarding the T.A.L mk. II's service record against Hertak marines and trying to find a dockyard in Sol capable of repairing his battered ships, it could wait for now.

Time to try and set things straight.
=====

Communique:

ADM 4FLT to ADM 1FLT

Admiral Veers,

Rest assured that when I heard the reports of 3rd Fleet units firing on surrendering enemy units, I was as shocked as you were. The 4th has been strictly following RoE and accepting all enemy surrenders; any personnel who have violated RoE have been summarily disciplined. I don't know what Alcott's playing at, but she's crossed the line. I know that, over a long period of conflict, soldiers will likely grow to hate their enemies; it's been a truism since the beginning of history. Still, that's no excuse for her conduct. We've been keeping records of our contact with 3rd Fleet units engaged in these slaughters; if Alcott gets court-martialed for this, and I personally would welcome such an outcome, the court will have plenty of evidence. My staff have reported these incidents to the top brass, per regulations, and are awaiting a response as I write this. The CRF won't lose its dignity like this, not when we've won the war, and at so much cost already.

Peace be with you,
Admiral Santiago

=====

Communique:

ADM 4FLT to ADM 3FLT

Admiral Alcott,

If you've forgotten which side of the war you're serving on, I'l be happy to remind you.

I've heard the reports; murdering defenseless, surrendering enemy soldiers? I don't know what notions were swirling through your head when you gave that order, or what your self-justifications might be, but you're violating both basic human decency and the code of honor which the CRF stands for. If you rescind that order immediately, before your men commit any more war crimes, you might save what's left of your career.

Admiral Carlos Santiago

Title: Re: Forum game: RP thread
Post by: Veers on March 04, 2014, 07:43:19 pm

------------
System: Sol
From: Fleet Admiral Veers, 1st CRF. Ranking Allied Officer in Sol Theatre.
To: Admirals and Officers 1st, 3rd, 4th CRF.
Priority: Urgent
Subject: Rules of Engagement
------------

To the Senior Staff, CRF, stationed in Sol,

The Unprovoked invasion of the Hertak into our space is nearing it's end. Our front-line fleets are mopping up the remaining units in Aldebaren and the fleet we are currently fighting here in Sol is at it's end, with her power dwindling and no chance of escape remaining.

I would like to remind you of your standing orders:-

- All Sol Forces are to defend population centres and civilians against any expected retaliation attacks, and to assist in the blockade of the lance to our core systems. At the discretion of the CRF.
- CRF Forces are to continue blockading the lances to Polaris, Lyrae and our core systems.
- CRF Forces are to continue attacks against the Hertak fleet.
- All surrendering forces are to be taken into custody and transferred to 1st Fleet.

As per Directive RoE-S-03 and Directive H-031, all surrendering forces are to be taken into custody and to be transferred over to 1st Fleet until further arrangements are made for their secure transit to Intelligence.

I would like to remind you all, that we are Knights of Britannia, we are not some rabble of mercenaries or mindless soldiers. Your loyalty is not only to the Crown and to the Fleet, but to the Oaths you have taken. You fight with honour, and through that honour we find victory on the field of battle. The isolated reports I have received, regarding the... lack of loyalty within the ranks by firing on surrendered and captured craft is most...

Disturbing.

Ladies and Gentlemen, I'll be frank. If we have the opportunity to capture any Hertak craft, the opportunity of any Hertak technology. We will take it, who knows what benefits we may gain from studying their technology and what intelligence we can gather from prisoners. But as you know, the Hertak are unlikely to surrender at all, and any opportunities that present themselves must be taken.

Any soldier who engages surrendered or captured craft will face a court-martial, any officer who orders such an attack will also face a court-martial. This will be provided by a CRF Military Court, may I remind you.. that this will not end favourably for you.

Clear your heads of this red mist, you are Soldiers of the CRF. We are the unwavering rock when all others fail, We are the first into the fray and the last to retreat, We are Soldiers of the Commonwealth. Start acting like it.

Fleet Admiral Veers
1st Commonwealth Royal Fleet
Ranking Allied Officer - Sol.

------------
System: Sol
From: Fleet Admiral Veers, 1st CRF. Ranking Allied Officer in Sol Theatre.
To: Admirals and Officers of the Sol Defence Force
Priority: Urgent
Subject: Rules of Engagement
------------

To the Senior Staff stationed in Sol,

The Unprovoked invasion of the Hertak into our space is nearing it's end. Our front-line fleets are mopping up the remaining units in Aldebaren and the fleet we are currently fighting here in Sol is at it's end, with her power dwindling and no chance of escape remaining.

I would like to remind you of your standing orders:-

- All Sol Forces are to defend population centres and civilians against any expected retaliation attacks, and to assist in the blockade of the lance to our core systems. At the discretion of the CRF.
- CRF Forces are to continue blockading the lances to Polaris, Lyrae and our core systems.
- CRF Forces are to continue attacks against the Hertak fleet.
- All surrendering forces are to be taken into custody and transferred to 1st Fleet.

As per Directive RoE-S-03 and Directive H-031, all surrendering forces are to be taken into custody and to be transferred over to 1st Fleet until further arrangements are made for their secure transit to Intelligence.

The Battle for Sol is nearly over, we will have time to debate, argue and place blame of how this could have been avoided later. But realise this, we cannot change what has happened but we can learn from it. So let's do so for the future.

Each of you fought bravely against an overwhelming attack force, bent on the destruction of Earth. Had you faltered in your duty, we would not be having this conversation now, I commend your dedication to your duty. If it was not for your defence, the fleets we rotated in and out of Sol would have been unable to weaken the Hertak to their current position, which we shall soon defeat.

There will be time to remember our fallen after the battle, until then. I expect all to remain at their stations and to carry out their duties.

Thank you,

Fleet Admiral Veers
1st Commonwealth Royal Fleet
Ranking Allied Officer - Sol.

Title: Re: Forum game: RP thread
Post by: Lepanto on March 04, 2014, 10:04:31 pm

Communique:

ADM 4FLT to ADM 3FLT

Admiral Alcott,

I apologize for sending my last communique in undue haste, before I had fully investigated the situation. If you had no responsibility for your men's actions, than I am deeply sorry, as a CRF officer and as a human being. Nevertheless, I would request that you keep an exceptionally tight watch on your men, to ensure that no further atrocities occur.

On the other hand, if your men were acting on your orders, than I reiterate every statement I made before. If I find any evidence confirming that you ordered any massacres of surrendering enemy combatants, then I will immediately report it to the very top.

Admiral Carlos Santiago
[/quote]

Title: Re: Forum game: RP thread
Post by: Flak on March 04, 2014, 10:56:05 pm

"Citizens of Sol and the neighboring systems of Grens and Lyrae were relieved after the bloody fighting with the Hertak fleet near the Earth orbit finally comes to an end. The Britannian forces finally brought the once massive fleet that also carried a large number of mysterious fighters and frigates armed with never before seen weaponry to their knees. The survivors of the fleet have surrendered and are being brought in for questioning under supervision of CRF's Fleet Admiral Veers."

"There were also unconfirmed reports of some CRF units firing at surrendering Hertak vessels. Some suggests that there were miscommunications between the fleets, so far the CRF have neither confirmed nor denied the allegations."

"Another uncomfirmed reports from undisclosed sources also indicated that the Admiral of the 1st LSF had apparently gone missing, leading to the question of who or what is giving them the orders, especially after their recent successful operation against the Nordera in Vega. The LSF authorities have not issued a statement."

"On a related news, archivists in Sol thought that they uncovered a highly controversial UEU secret project that was apparently once based in Luna. Evidence suggests that the project had something to do with the mysterious ships brought by the Hertak fleet that invaded Sol. The UEU apparently did genetic engineering related surgeries on some selected individuals that apparently going to operate similar vessels. How the UEU managed to get their hands on such advanced vessels however, remains a mystery. Researchers in Kobra Corporation and Heinkel & Krauss GmbH have expressed interest in research of the captured vessels."

"The battle still continues around Aldebaran where the combined Alliance forces are hunting down what appears to be the fleet leading the invasion."

"From the Sol Union Network Studio, this is Tony Crimson."

Title: Re: Forum game: RP thread
Post by: Lorric on March 08, 2014, 06:50:33 pm

Communique:

ADM 2FLT to ADM 1FLT, ADM 4FLT

Greetings my fellow Admirals and friends.

I have long been trying to put this out of my mind, the 2nd CRF is now back up to full strength and readying to return to the Aldebaran meat grinder once again, and I’ve been trying to focus on that and what’s in front of us, but I just can’t shake off thinking about events in Sol, so I’m going to have to get some thoughts off my chest about this before going back into battle.

This is not how the CRF handles business. My colleague Veers of the 1st CRF is a perfect example of how the CRF conducts business when faced with a beaten enemy, and has enhanced the reputation of the CRF with his fleet’s conduct, but now there is a threat to that reputation, and maybe our very humanity if this is allowed to spread.

At this stage we can’t know who gave the order. Or even if there was an order. I personally am absolutely confident if I tried to give such an order, each and every person in this fleet would tell me where to stick it. Certain things you just do not do, even if your CO is telling you to do it.

But the 2nd CRF hasn’t been through what the 3rd CRF has been through. Even the 4th CRF hasn’t been through what the 3rd CRF has been through. Both fleets were destroyed at the hands of the Hertak, but the 4th CRF was better prepared for it, while every vessel was destroyed, the casualties were a lot lighter, and Admiral Santiago survived. The 3rd CRF, it was a bloodbath. And how long was it before we even learned of their fate, before those scattered survivors were picked up? They lost most of the people they knew, along with their beloved admiral, and had to watch as more were killed in front of them, and had to float around in their escape pods for days on end unlike the members of the 4th CRF who were quickly recovered.

What would that do to those who survived? I’m not saying this couldn’t be Admiral Alcott’s work. Perhaps she gave the order, and those under her were all too willing to carry it out. Some of what I’ve seen reminds me of a mob mentality, when ordinary people can be incited, when the mob wants blood, and it can only take one person to start shedding that blood to set the whole mob into a frenzy of death and destruction. Even without the Admiral, all or nearly all those who survived will have been in the senior positions of the new fleet.

I had hoped that by waiting it out, the information would come to light about what really happened, and my input would not be needed, but we’re out of time, my fleet needs to be primed and ready for battle, so I had to bring the subject up. I trust both of you to do what needs to be done if this situation escalates. Admiral Alcott’s silence is suspicious and worrying, but perhaps she simply doesn’t know what to do. Before this happened, I would never have even contemplated that such a thing could occur from within a CRF fleet. Naturally I would attempt to stop it immediately, but war makes monsters of even the finest. This is all profoundly disturbing to me, and I don’t know where it is going to lead. I wish you both luck. Thankfully it looks like the “Special Fleet” has been all but eliminated as a threat, now down to mopping up last pockets of resistance. So soon you should be able to turn your full focus on this newest development.

It’s one thing knowing how I would deal with the problem if it was within my fleet, but with someone else’s fleet, what to do? Will we have to fire on our own, to protect those who came to slaughter us? Potentially even worse, what if there is an incident between the 3rd CRF and one of the Sol Fleets? A big part of me when I saw the battle dying down in Sol wished we of the 2nd CRF were there too. Just imagine it, the spectacle of the entire CRF in one place, and not just any place, orbiting Earth, defending our home World together… it was such a beautiful image I had held in my head… now, it suddenly has taken on a much darker appearance. Suddenly I’m glad the 2nd CRF isn’t there anymore. Suddenly, I’m glad for the battle ahead, for the simplicity of it, even if it is anything but easy. For the distinct black and white, for the clarity, the righteous certitude of what we must do, instead of the ugly shade of grey in Sol. What had once been such a clear distinction of light and darkness, right and wrong, has now turned to an obfuscating grey fog of uncertainty.

Good luck my fellow admirals and friends. Remember always what the CRF, what we, stand for, and you surely can’t go far wrong.

Fleet Admiral Lorric, 2nd CRF

Title: Re: Forum game: RP thread
Post by: Hartzaden on April 22, 2014, 11:01:03 pm

Communique:

ADM 3FLT to ADM 1/2/4FLT

Ok so it seems like there has been some issue with my actions regarding the destruction of the hertak fleet in sole. the orders to wipe them out to the last man where mine. i had given them the option of a unconditional surrender or death when i arrived in sol and thay did not take the offer that would have spared there lives. so i carryed on with what i had told them i would do. i would hunt them down and destroy them, i did so. my men where not at falt for there actions. thay where all following my orders to the letter. what bothers me more, is your insistence on extending human compassion to dogs who have shown our own people none of the same. i can not, and will not, let the actions of the hertak go unawncered. to let them live after all they have done, is something that in all good conscience allow them to live after the crimes thay have committed. take this as you will.

also, not a single enemy ship, broadcasted to any of my fighters, that that had surrendered. as much as it feels wrong to say this, thay did die fighting like soldiers should. had they begged for there lives, which thay dident even as the last of them died, i would have recended my kill order. if thay did i can only say my men where to efficient in wiping them out before they had a chance to make it apparant.

as my logs record it, i had only learned of there "surrender" after the cessation of my combat operations, as for my long absence, i am not at liberty to discusses it with anyone below epsilon clearance.

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