Log for February 16, 2009

::fade in on Aragon, jewel of the Hazat... golden beaches on crystal waters... beautiful buildings and beautiful people... space traffic moves in and out of the starport, and something about the motion hints at problems finally being solved after a long period of pain... where for months travel was stilted and cautious, now it moves with purpose and a long-missed business... a newspaper is waved by a young freeman, the stack beneath pointing out "St. Bernardo's Globe Recovered!"... we follow a Hazat-liveried runner up the street into a large Hazat city-based fort, where the foyer is bathed in the light of the globe... our heroes sit in council with Duke Enrico and several other high-ranking Hazat nobles in a plush council chamber above::

...and just as we received word of the mustering of the Dulcinea fleet in preparation to make a two-fold strike at Sutekh, we also heard that Duchess Elena is on her way here, presumably still en route for the winter ball.

::mutters:: I've been waiting to dance all week.

Is it possible that she is not yet aware that we learned of her deception?

We made efforts to curtail all the light pulse telegrams in the wake of the raid, but unless her spies are incompetent, I can't imagine she would miss the news.

::nods in agreement::

Then she's either going to attempt a coup, which I'd suggest is somewhat unlikely, or she's got another game to play.

My thoughts exactly, father... the only other option would be that she believes we have insufficient evidence. Don An-hetep-f... do you think she's aware of your source?

Truthfully I don't know. But I don't think we can be willing to risk finding out the hard way. What would be our repurcusions for picking her up from touchdown?

Assuming her highest-ranking family members on-planet are intending to sell her out to save themselves... none immediately.

Then perhaps that is our best course of action. Bring her in as quickly as possible and on the spot. How does our evidence stand as of so far?

We have the testimony of the captured knights and householders binding the globe to the individuals you apprehended, and several that survived have agreed to confess their complicity with the Castenda... With the evidence provided by the Marquesa to shift the blame to only certain elements within the house, the case should be very strong... as strong as any of these things are in a council of peers. We may require the Emperor's judgment, ultimately. The evidence is circumstantial, but extensive. We may not be able to make her pay fully for the plot that claimed so many lives, but we can certainly force her into sequestered retirement like her mother.

The question then becomes, "how would I get out of this?"

Just so I'm completely clear. We believe the plot was to reveal our knight with the globe and use it as a weapon against the Justus? I still can't imagine, even were such a "Frame Job" as it were to work, discrediting us would be enough to cement Castenda rule.

Which is why I suspect she hasn't yet played all of her cards.

Then do we perhaps let the rest of the plan be layed out before us, and hope we are ready to strike? I will take lengths, whatever the decision to retrieve Imperial justice, if this council should see fit as swiftly as possible.

Your help is much appreciated. Fortunately, once we have her isolated, I worry less about how long it will take to bring her to the Emperor's justice. I worry more about whether she still has machinations to enact, and whether she will use them out of spite.

Does that seem in character for her?

She will, I could almost guarantee it. For someone who is as power hungry as she, faced with losing her chance at everything she would play ever last card she had.

I've known Elena for years, but I never would have expected what she has done already. Perhaps the drive to complete what her mother started has driven her mad for want of power. Even at her worst, her mother would have never been so cruel.

Then I fear we should assume the worst. From your sources, have you gotten any idea of what other tricks she might have?

Abandoning conscience and other shifts in personality have their reasons. ::fiddles with nails::

::wracks his brain for a moment:: I can't think of any, truth be told.

::wracks his brain, for the nonce:: If we're here for the reasons ... I've often sensed we are? ::glances at the deacon:: I somehow doubt it's somthing pedestrian and political. ::offers::

Well, I do know what I would do. If I'd spent all my life, and years of planning, stretching for a specific goal, just to have it ripped away at the very last moment... I wouldn't want anyone else to have it either. We've more or less established that she's willing to commit wholesale murder to further her ends. Who does she have to kill to keep from going down for her crimes? Or at least take as many of us down with her as she can?

At this point, the leadership of every other family and everyone else we've told. Because even if she covers up the theft of the globe, others will know the most likely cause of our deaths. She certainly couldn't take leadership of the house without a massive enough force to wipe out all of our forces, as her mother tried.

Then, if we have nothing further to discuss, I suggest we make make what individual preparations we can and wait until she lands.

::And, you do. It's a couple of days later, in your swank Port Isabella hotel suite, when you get the word that Elena's transport is expected today, and has been safely guided in by a quartet of warships::

::gets up first with the lesser ranking people so's not to be standing last. Once the four are alone mentions praying to the deacon.::

::tries to dress well, but not so well that it can't easily be shedded to fit, if any situation arrises::

((heh, good ole' self-effacing Lan... the only member of the party that wouldn't be weird to be seen hanging out with dukes under less strange circumstances))

((It's one of the few discernable ways he expresses calm primary over passion.))

::dresses notably somberly, in a dress that allows plenty of freedom of movement. She checks her sword fairly obsessively throughout the morning:: Do we actually think she's going to attack? Should we have Tollosk get the ship ready, just in case? Would that do us any good?

I'd... rather be on the ground, if there's going to be a fight, but... the Stone is there aboard, too.

Yes, we better. We have nothing to lose for it and in the end it might be not be a bad idea. If a chase ensues.

::dresses in his traditional red, without any of the traditional Avesti symbols. His gun gleams black, and a fresh, unlit cigar dangles from his teeth::

We should run some clothing and supplies down there, then.

We prep the ship. I'd wager we still need that stone for something, and It's not going to do us much good with our feet on the ground.

::goes and prays, with or without the deacon, in the nearest little garden or the like. Then comes back in his synthsilk and basic black, kit slung under arm.::

The Avestites are still rooming in New Barcelona, aren't they? Should we send someone to pick them up? Is it too late? Did we only need the stone the one time, or will we need it now?

If we didn't need it it would be, I think, gone.

I'd rather not need it and have it, than not have it and need it.

I guess I hadn't thought about them not still being with the ship. Duh. ::palms forehead::

Yeah, Tollosk dropped them off weeks ago. He never said why. I guess they weren't any fun to hang out with.

::straightens padre's plain red outfit:: There. No affiliations except the Pancreator himself, eh?

Hell, why do ya think I never used to hang out on Pyre? Besides, we probably don't want them poking around on the ship too much. ::shrugs at Lan:: I may not be a man of the church anymore, but I'll always be a man of God.

No, I don't believe we do. So, I'll call Tollosk have him fuel up, supply up and get on stand by.

We don't need the avestites and the stone?

::turns to An:: Yeah. Are you sure? I mean, if we don't know what she's planning, why not try to be prepared for all eventualities? The stone opens up a lot of options.

Yes we do, and yes it does. ::smiles a big wide smile and turns to make his way to F-ne, phone, communicator, commlink:: I'm calling Tollosk.

::over the phone:: What's up, boss?

You know, if I was that stone, and able to choose where I wanted to be, I'd be hanging out with the Heroes of Aragon.

We are the coolest kids in school.

I don't think it works that way. It still needed the jump engine.

Oh, none of us know how it works. ::jokingly::

Fuel the ship, stock it quick, things might be moving forward. Get "the package" bring it along, leave the flamers behind if you catch my drift. Can you be ready to move on our word?

Been fueled up, I'll check the stocks. Package is already aboard, and I haven't seen any flamers for the better part of a month. We can go any time you get here.

Wait. Confirm which package he's talking about.

Understood. Appreciate it. I'll be in touch. ::turns back to Martel and pats him on the shoulder:: Its all taken care of.

::eyes narrow:: I think I want an explaination An.

Soon. All will be explained soon. But not just yet. ::goes and gets a cup of COFFEE!::

::frowns:: What was that all about?

An's being mysterious. It's actually pretty sexy if you don't take it personally.

::scowls:: Huh. I sacrificed my Goddamned career for us to get our hands on that rock, and he's hiding it from me. If he doesn't have a better reason that "I wanted to look clever" then I'm going to punch him in his sanctimonious mouth. I'll be outside. ::stomps off::

Better that than shooting. Cold compress and... Hmph.

::quietly:: You do look very clever, honey.

::nods and sips his coffee his eyes narrowing slightly::

::about an hour later you get the call to meet at the Hazat fort you were at previously::

::goes along second least mopily::

::goes along as well::

::also goes along, which means who the hell are the three of us going along WITH?::

::goes, taking the other three::

::the large central foyer is filled with witnesses, each in various modes of dress... some somber, some businesslike, and all of various level of fanciness, as if no one knows the exact protocol of such an occasion... The Dukes of Justus, Rolas, Bursandra, and Estancia (Enrico) are present, lacking only the duchess of the Dulcinea. There still has not been an official Duke appointed to the Eduardo. Malena is also present, looking worried.::

::Each face is set off in brilliant colors and lines by the light of the Globe; a painting of the scene would be an impressive historical tableau::

::after a tense few minutes of quiet conversation, a greater hush spreads as word arrives from outside...

::wowed, but manages to keep his cool anyway::

The doors of the room open, and Hazat guards enter, escorting a woman between them. She is unchained, but obviously a prisoner...

::is still in a relatively foul mood, but tries not to inflict it on the guests in polite company::

Her face is, in many ways, similar to Malena's, but several decades more careworn, even with youthening drugs, and long-scoured of even pretend compassion. She is tall and dark, wearing somber traveling clothes with a haughtiness of true contempt for the room... As she gets closer, it's obvious that her eyes, once piercing and insightful, have taken on a sheen of madness that she no longer bothers to conceal.::

Duchess Elena Cindias Victoriana Castenda de Sutek! You have been called here to answer charges of treason most foul in the witness of the Hazat. You stand accused of consorting with the enemies of the house, conspiracy to commit mass murder, and conspiracy to steal rulership of the house through guile. Will you confess, answer your charges with trial by might, or submit to a formal trial?

::tries to rule out any organic disorder as the basis for crazy. Not enough B12 can be really bad.::

::begins a slow, dry chuckle that quickly crescendos into a full twenty seconds of mad laughter:: Oh. Oh, dear. Why, I guess I must confess. If only I had expected your cunning trap, I might have done something...

::thinks the Hazat are crazy if they lets someone "trial by might" their way out of this::

Wait... I'm confessing. I did do something. Plans in motion must carry forward, or we are nothing, after all. I confess to it all, a plan as audacious as it was brilliant, failing only in the weakness of some of those I had to rely upon... I engineered the fall of the Eduardo, it is true. I masterminded the theft of the globe that even now casts its bitter light into my eyes. I worked ceaselessly for years to turn a family that you all mocked and hated into a power despite it all... And I prepared a masterstroke to catapult myself into prime leadership material, for I would have been even greater than my mother. But, alas, now that stroke will go awry, for I cannot trust my Castenda to do what was asked of them... And what was asked of them was to be in position near Vera Cruz to hold off the oncoming Kurgan horde long enough to get much of the planet to safety. It's too bad the Bursandra fleets lay sabotaged on the ground, unable to do much but scramble to flee... But my Castenda betrayed me. So I didn't tell them that part of the plan. And I moved up the timetable, as I was passing through Vera Cruz space... If I calculate correctly, the planet was taken yesterday, and the gate locked to you...

Sadly, when they were dealing with me, the Kurgans would have been content to have only Vera Cruz and Hira, leaving us with our jewels and no further worry of Kurgan attack, turning our sights on other houses' territories... Once they have secured Vera Cruz, they will have many new options for targets of opportunity. I don't expect to see it. But, perhaps you should mobilize the fleets. They may let some refugees through.

::dead silence, save for Elena's hoarse mocking laughter::

I hate being right ::Martel mutters quietly::

::as the guards march out the madwoman, the room erupts into furious talking, and nobles begin darting out::

::looks to Lan:: Can the stone be used to move an entire fleet?

That would be the question of the day, wouldnt it?

It should be interesting to try? ::shrugs:: Likely not, so... maybe we should go in something big.

::grabs the attention of the nearest duke::

::you eventually flag down Enrico::

Too much of a risk, in a battle with a possible fleet it would be easily destoryed.

Duke, we have a solution for this eventuality. Come speak with us, if you will.

It's a tactical advantage with every use at this point, though. Since they won't expect us.

If she's off by even a little, we might still have time to help. We should go now. We should have gone this morning, damnit.

We do try to think of everything. I estimated throwing in with the Kurgans as fairly high up the list of possibilities.

If we can just get there and keep the gate open, after all... ::chuckles:: I knew it all along.

::begins dragging Enrico back to Lan and An::

::the last, to padre across the room::

I'm going to go get letters of authority from the Bursandra.

::she goes off, shoving through the crowd directly for the Bursandra duke, who shows signs of bugging out before she catches him::

Unfortunately, to forstall the worst of this tragedy, we'll need a battlefleet. Lan, An, tell the Duke.

We are in posession of a certain Stone, your Highness.

Duke, I need some form of trust here and a severe amount of discretion.

How quickly can you have the fleet mustered to leave?

You've earned as much. The Justus and Rolas fleets were partially ready already, as well as the Eduardo ships that are ready. I have few of my own. The Dulcinea are at Byzantium, ready to enter Sutekh space. The Bursandra are all in Vera Cruz. Who knows where the Castenda are?

It would be a week and a half before a true force could be at the gate... potentially less than a week for the Dulcinea to move in. But if they've locked the gate, it's for nothing.

And what if we could get the fleet there... now.

And the Dulcinea fleet isn't strong enough to fight Kurgans. Most of it is still tasked to other duties.

An! Getting the fleet there may be out of the question. But.

We could open the gate.

::looks to Lan:: But?

One ship is a given. Your highness. ::deferentially:: We can take one ship to Vera Cruz without passing through the gate.

One ship... might be enough to at least pass through leadership and try to manage the crisis. But one ship wouldn't be able to fight a Kurgan armada.

But could one ship open the gate from the other side?

I suggest that be our course of action then.

A fleet, as big as you can manage, waiting to come through from the other side.

We'll have every available ship up there as soon as we can manage, just waiting for the gate to unlock.

Does this seem like a sound plan gentlemen? ::looks at Lan and An::

::strides back with a stack of sealed pieces of paper:: All set with the authority.

::looks to Martel after repairing the spacebar on his keyboard:: Do you think our ship is small and swift enough to avoid notice?

If anyone can avoid notice, it's my cousin. I think a larger vessel would just provide a larger target.

I imagine it's too much to ask for a captured or simulated kurgan transport of some kind.

Alright, then we move as fast as possible. I'll tell you the rest of the plan once were off the planet. ::looks to the duke:: It how much time do you need?

They may have those on Hira, even Vera Cruz, but not on short notice here.

Too bad. We'll make do. ::smiles blandly::

Would someone here know a precise location?

We'll send out the ships we have in orbit immediatly, but there are a lot on the ground. Realistically, we need ten days, possibly less if things go perfectly.

Got it, that should be plenty of time for us. Our plans may have to be advanced be prepared, the gate could open at any time.

Our ship is pretty well armed and agile, I'd trust it over a dubiously hacked Kurgan vessel that might be identifiable anyway.

Vera Cruz can last a siege of a fortnight, surely?

::shakes his head:: if she wasn't lying, and they could somehow keep the ships on the ground long enough to bombard the bases, they couldn't put up much of a resistance. It isn't our practice to keep too many ships in the air, particularly given that a lot of the fleet is spread out because of the late problems. If the Kurgans sent a scouting fleet in dark, had saboteurs and surprise, they could very well have taken the planet by now and we're only coming back for vengeance.

So... it will have to probverbially be served cold? ::thoughtfully:: I wonder if Keddah will get involved.

I think you find that the vengeance of the Lord will be hot indeed. ::lights his cigar:: Lets go hunt some Kurgans.

The trick is we won't know exactly whats going on until we get there. We'll have to make the plan on the fly.

Improvise? Us? Shocking suggestion there.

::looks to Enrico:: Get with the other Dukes let them know of our plan, but tell noone else. ::looks to his companions:: No time like the present.

::Wastes no time. Not even to look good. Maybe makes eye contact with Malena though, if possible, on the way out::

::nods:: I don't understand. Hopefully you'll tell me after this is over. But the Pancreator speed you on.

Indeed. ::nods at the duke:: Enrico. ::heads out::

::looks to the Duke before he leaves:: One last thing...

::Malena is a study of woe. She notices Lan, but doesn't seem to have any emotions available right now.::

::motions to Malena and says in a low voice:: She provided us with vital information, at danger to her own life and well being, make sure she is protected.

::nods:: Without her, we would have lost all and been ruled by a madwoman.

::nods and makes his way out, calling Tollosk on the Comm-link:: We're on the way.

::you grab your car and tear down the road towards the starport, and the ship is all rolled out and ready to go as you pull up::

::dashes in and grabs her fightin' clothes, hustling into a cabin to change::

Welcome aboard, welcome aboard. What are we doing?

Combating a Kurgan Invasion.

Vera Cruz, plot a location, we're using the stone.

We need to get into the planet in a place we're least likely to be spotted.

I don't actually think it works like that. It goes where it wants to. All I can do is tell it the system. And even that might have been unnecessary.

Right then, well lets tell it a system them and cross some fingers.

An. Something I'm not clear on. Are we going to fool around planetside for ten days before we secure the gate?

Speaking of which ::fishes around in one of the bins in the pulls out a long, thin roll of blanket, handing it to Lan::

Thanks. ::takes it reverently::

We'll see what we can do, mainly we may need that time to find my sister.

::finishes pre-flight checks and starts taxiing out::

::voiceless "oh!" then sits near the front waiting for orbit::

I'm just hoping she saw some of this coming.

::moves out the cabin, outfitted for battle in a Hazat jumpsuit, and takes one of the gun stations, strapping in::

Which is the kind of remark that got you out of a penitent order, padre. Which.... honestly? Suits you.

::heads to the other gun station::

::heads to the third Gun station::

Hey, if someone doesn't do something to fix that penitent order, they are going to be next on the chopping block.

But right now, the entire "Kurgans are taking over everything" takes presidence.

We're not in this for impressing the ladies?

::seated for flight::

I don't need to fend off barbarian hordes to impress ladies. This is just a side gig.

((sadly, i seem to have lost the stats for the ship. suffice it to say, i remember that it was heavily armed.))

((Ha, found it: size 4 escort, fast lander with 2/2 shields a small turret, 2 light blasters, 2 medium blasters, 2 gatling lasers, 2 missile launchers, 2 medium slug guns, and the turret has an EM pulse gun... radar 3, laser radar 1, IR sensors 3))

((It also fires the kitchen sink, but only the one time, and then you can't do dishes))

((I trying to imagine a contrast between that and heavily armed.))

((It was a lot like playing legos in my mind.))

::the retired Hazat death machine, which has slowly had its weapon systems restored, cleaned, and fully powered/stocked under Tollosk's tenure rockets down the runway and makes a break for escape velocity::

((Can neither confirm nor deny the stealing of that line from Stephen for future something))

((oh oh oh... can we name it the Iron Eagle?))

((Didn't you already name it Freedom or something sappy?))

((Yeah... probably...))

((Can we rename it the Fantasti-jet?))

((Redemption, according to the log))

::and in even better time than usual, the blue sky bleeds into the black of space, and Redemption soars into a field of stars::

((Listening to Juno Reactor's "Pistolero"))

Alright, Doc. Would you be so kind as to set up the thingie?

My pleasure. ::warms up hands rubbing together, unwraps gingerly, and starts the connect-up procedure as before::

::the needle of stone is warmer than Lan remembers, and the tendrils find their marks quickly and efficiently this time... including several new tendrils that fling themselves past Tollosk and into the front of the cockpit::

Woah! It didn't need to hook into the nose cone before!

Everything alright up there?

Ah. The stone is getting down to business.

::As the device begins to rotate, Martel's amulet begins to put out an uncomfortable amount of heat, and An feels the soul shard in his pocket begin to hum in tune to the stone::

::You all feel a sinking, still feeling that you're growing accustomed to, as what little movement you could detect from up here... clouds and parallax... ceases in a bubble of frozen time::

::blue streamers of energy flicker from the nosecone to the stone sword::

Ah! Ahaha. F-fascinating.

This thing better not explode. ::winces as the stone heats up::

::after the blue energy starts to flare, the needle begins to pulse in a manner less precise than it started, as if it's having difficulty managing the new energy from the pegasus::

::gets up from his chair and goes closer to the Needle::

Something's out of balance! ::shouting over the nonexistent noise::

::this makes the soul stone in An's pocket jitter erratically; it starts threatening to cut its way out::

An, get over here! ::pulls the scrupulum from beneath his shirt, feeling his flesh sizzle as it passes::

::as it breaches into the open air, Martel's stone is obviously glowing red from the heat, and wisps of blue and gray energy start to bend towards it::

::pulls the stone out of his pocket as he jumps up making his way up to the front::

I think it's drawing energy from your Crystal. it needs my rock to stabalize it.

::the soul stone is pulsing a brilliant blue in time with the device. Strange alien glyphs flicker under the surface, as if it's some kind of think-machine monitor::

Okay! Okay. Phengshay, people.

::makes his way closer to the stone concentrating on it.::

Hey, stone! If you can hear me, we'd like not to blow up, and to be able to save Vera Cruz, if at all possible.

::they seem to be cut off, as if this is just a fragment of such a screen, but An couldn't read them anyway... but he is in touch with the device, mentally, as always::

::the scrupulum tugs on its chain slightly towards the stone sword::

::fires off a quick prayer to the Pancreator:: I'm gonna let them touch. Objections?

::concentrates on their location, and their intent::

::As Martel brings the philosopher's stones within a foot of one another, tendrils shoot out and grab the smaller stone, pulling it in to hand beneath the center of the needle's mass...

Right. No objections then.

the housings of the amulet burn away, dropping the chain to the floor, and then the hot red glow subsides somewhat... the flow of blue and gray light begins to channel through the scrupulum, and the violent spasms quickly quiet, returning to balance, regulated by the smaller stone...

::detached fascination, face lit up by flare::

::looks to Lan:: Why didn't this happen last time?

the crystal in An's hand is almost readable, the ancient Annunaki symbols nearly making sense, and it seems to be taking its cues from An's mind... slowly calculating and counting down::

Tell me when to turn the jumpkey!

Wait for it... ::waits for the countdown::

Ready... ::holds a hand up::

::the crystal seems to make a decision, flashing a very important looking series of glyphs, and stopping on one, significant, blinking...::

::points his hand forward:: Engage.

::twists the key and then clutches the wheel::

::A flash of pure light with tendrils of blue and gray...
Climbing skyward, blue sky fading to black...
Tearing down the runway, breaking for escape...
Tired eyes, pained and emotionless, across a room...
Chaos, noble arguing...
A triumphant madwoman cackling about her plan...
A tense waiting...
An uncomfortable ride downtown...
An argument over coffee...
A new dawn...
A long night, before a confrontation...
A last evening's preparations...
...pure light fading back to a dull glow, a needle of stone settling, unadorned, back to the ground, a fading red stone beside it.::

::above, nightside Vera Cruz with a sliver of sunlight forming around the edge of the planet::

::was about to try and speculate aloud whether this was death::

That gets weirder every time. ::starts punching dials:: That's not right.

::uses a bit of cloth to pocket the scrupulum, then kneels for the thank you prayer::

::it's quite cool to the touch::

::opens and shuts his mouth instead:: Agreed. Our sanity might have a halflife of exposure to that.

::wonders if Frodo can see anything::

::looks to Tollosk:: What? What isn't right?

We've just been given the gift of time gentlemen. Lets not waste it ::says martel, with a hoarse voice::

The ship's think machine calculates the local time based on the stars and stuff. You know, for if you're in relativistic time for a while? It's yesterday. A little over 12 hours ago.

Wait... were in the...

That's the main continent, at about midnight, below us. It should be daytime.

Lan... what are the... implications of this...

The stone takes us where we need to be. When we need to be as well, apparently.

::stands very still as if moving will sudenly make the universe implode::

Uh... twelve hours of extra time to kill here?

Get to the duke. Get the fleet moving.

::blinks:: Uh. Twelve hours to get a pulse back to Aragon.

Does...the shard need to...recharge?

The Duke's back on Aragon, but that's why I got papers! Let's go! We may be in time! I'm not getting any fighting or explosions on the scanners.

Those papers aren't timestamped, are they?

::moves the ship back into atmosphere mode, and begins to descend:: Where to? And should we radio ahead?

::nods and comes out of his stupor:: Get us there as fast as possible. Urgent message to the highest in command we can find.

You know. ::speculatively:: What would happen if we sent a pulse message back to ourselves saying... I dunno what.

The Kurgans probably already have the gate, so it wouldn't get sent.

Don't mess with Causality, it never ends well. I better man the guns. If they have the gate, they'll be on their way here.

Let them know we have urgent word. Am I safe to assume they dont' know whats coming yet?

::goes to man said guns.::

There's no emergency signals or anything. Just the normal late-night chatter. Okay, broadcasting on military frequencies. You want to do the honors, An? ::holds up a comm handset::

::nods:: Patch me in.

::takes the Comm Headset::

If getting fleets off the ground is that time sensitive, is there a point in waiting until we're all the way there to say "get the fleets off the ground?"

::looks to Azo:: They'll believe him right?

If they don't, I'll lie and say the Inquisition said so.

We could talk really rough and pretend to be invading Kurgans?

Attention all personel receiving this message. This is Don An-hetep-f Griffen del Sol Imperial...

Hell, we could actually start shooting. They'd check their ships and notice the sabotage.

::holds up a finger, listens to what An says::

We are on the ship Redemption and bring with us new of a coming invasion. We advise you prepare your fleet for battle immediately. We will be making touch down carrying with us further information. Be advised... We believe many of the fleet to be subject to sabotage and advise a sweep of all ships as soon as possible. May the Pancreator Give speed to your actions. Be swift and there may still be time. ::removes the headset and looks to Tollosk:: Repeat that message one more time and keep our channel open to receive, get us to the largest military station on this planet.

::and then the ship shudders as a blaster bolt thuds into the shields::

::out of the port, you can barely make out, in the diffuse light of a nightside planet, the running lights of an ornate, small warship::

::sits directly down and straps in:: Call out if you're hit!

Evasive maneuvers. You can do it. ::puts a hand ot Tollosk's shoulder and makes his way to a battle station::

::fires back at the sneaky little bastard::

Great! NOW there's combat, when I'm not ready ::yanks the stick and rolls::

OPEN FI... Nevermind... ::smiles and does the same in a terribly sucky manner::

::mainly tries to lay down a field of fire that drives the ship towards Maria or Martels killing arc.::

::the military comms light up, broadcasting across the ship "We caught sabateurs!" "Some of the hangar disabled!" "Shots fired in the upper ionosphere!"::

Oh, I'm sorry, was I supposed to wait?

::you push back into true space, trying to get enough light to see the dark-running ship::

::laughs:: I tell you what.. ::pushes on the fire button:: In furture space battles I give you full discretion to fire at will.

Oh Glee. Permission to shoot at whatever I want, willy-nilly! Pancreator still my beating heart! ::makes further attempts to horribly kill the invader::

There are guns in back too, guys! Someone should get on those! Just saying! Because I'm not turning this thing around until we win!

Oh, nevermind, there's more in front too. Do what you want.

Lan! Get on the rear gun and fire wildly please!

Are you shitting me?!

We have more ammo than armor, feel free to waste it!

::unstraps, scampers back, and examines equipment skeptically but frantically::

Martel or Maria, go back there, you can actually hit a dreadnaught, and while fleeing our rear will be a target rich environment.

((YOUR MOM"S REAR IS A TARGET RICH ENVIRONMENT))

::it's laid out in fairly simple ways. In theory, all the buttons make sense. Like operating a medical scanner. That shoots hot lead.::

I got it! Also, did you say DREADNAUGHT?

::tries to operate it without shutting his eyes::

It was more of an allusion to the phrase... "hitting the side of a Byarne".

::You swear it wasn't there until An opened his big mouth, but, yep, now you seem to have pulled in a much bigger, orbital bombardment-class ship::

::fortunately, you've got to be much faster than one of those... right?::

::fortunately their hulls are made of papier-mache?::

See, this is why I prefer hypotheticals. See if you can peg weapon blisters.

::Between Maria and Martel, you actually manage to take out a couple, and An and Lan's erratic fire is at least making a trouble spot for your pursuit::

Yes, yes. Shoot them often.

::But there seemed to have been a lot of ships waiting in orbit, running dark, listening for the all clear... and they heard your broadcast instead. Not a good way to make friends.::

::two more solid hits thump into your shields, with one of them clipping a turret and slapping the stick into Lan's hand painfully::

::fires the kitchen sink::

Well. That's ridiculous. ::manhandles the thing back:: Ow. Ow. ow.

Hey Tollosk! Would turning into them meybe surprise them enough to give us distance?

::the big fat missile labled "Kitchen Sink" skims past one Kurgan scout and then seems to get tracking data, cruising into the dreadnaught and lighting up its shield::

::cheers:: I can hit a dreadnaught!

We are now approaching relativistic velocities. Turning around right now is not an option. Physically.\

That was a tracking missile, so one would hope so, yes. I'm an Avestite Tollosk, don't tell me the science!

If you don't want coriolis shear to rip your face off, we can't turn while accelerating!

Oh, NOW you've made the padre mad. Look! He's turning all red, it's so cute!

Oh right! Big fan of my face! ::goes back to trying to pick off targets as we play ring around the planet:: Hey An, shoot a message to your sis! Tell her about the attack!

::concentrates really hard thinking of Elena, doesn't go to his blocked placed but just hopes she's listening::

::"launching alpha formation" "launching delta formation" "echo formation disabled" "launching sierra formation"::

::the dreadnaught's big gun lights up and is a near miss as Tollosk jinks out of the way as much as he can at this speed, but even that distance some lights go out... maybe important ones?::

::fires at the cannon::

You know it would really suck if we were stranded up here without comms twelve hours from now!

Well then we better not let that hit us.

::the main guns slap against the dreadnaught's shields in a pretty lightshow::

Return fire with our own EM Cannon.

See how they like it.

It's in the center turret if someone wants to try!

Worth a shot...::jumps to the EM gun:: ...get it? ::fights EM with EM::

::the EM pulse gun doesn't seem to be quite as nasty as the dreadnaught-mounted one... each time it slaps their shield, it flickers out for a few seconds, but Lan's shots don't connect::

Maria! Time your shot! ONe, two, three! ::tries again::

::follows suit too::

I'm up front! Holdon! ::walks quickly, balancing, towards the rear guns, strapping herself in:: Okay, go!

One, Two, Three...::Fires!::

::The shields on the dreadnaught flicker, and Maria puts a handful of blaster shots into it before the shields reform. Lan and An, following Maria's arc of fire, get a couple through as well::

::An even bigger gun along the spine of the dreadnaught begins to light up::

Meson cannon! MESON CANNON! Must go faster!

Oh come on! ::retargets to try to take out the bigger cannon before becoming disassociated particles::

::leans towards the front of the ship as if it will help it go faster::

Meson cannon? Time to shear our faces off!

No! My face! ::firing away studiously::

::wonders if were about to do a crazy Ivan::

Lan, get to the crystal and ask it to move us! Better to be dead because we were crazy than dead because we were slow, right?

::There's a moment where you stop accelerating, no longer feeling the roller coaster push behind you... and the enemy is getting suddenly closer. Then there's a sudden twist, your face does indeed feel like it wants to pull off... and another hard thrust resuming, and you see the dreadnaught pass over you, Kurgans frantically trying to turn around::

::tries desperately to re-aim while his freshly bloodshot eyes get their focus back::

::reaches up and makes sure his face is still on::

::and then, to squawks along the military channels, dozens of red and black-enameled fighters streak past your field of vision, blaster cannons spraying into the Kurgan scout wing::

::out of the radio "Redemption, good job training the wing. We'll clean 'em up."::

Never mind, scratch that, just don't shoot the jhonny-come-latelies!

::puts on a local comms headset:: Damn good to see you boys.

::and, with an actual combat force on your side, Tollosk turns you around more gently to help with the fight. Martel's well-timed EM blasts open up the dreadnaught, and a half-dozen fighters unleash a barrage of slugs into its vital systems.::