The Sojourners Arrive
Posted on Fri Jan 22nd, 2016 @ 5:00pm by Commander Narayn Ballard & Colonel S'er'in'e & Lieutenant Lynsi Mason & 2nd Lieutenant Scooter Porkinsky
Mission:
By Dawn's Early Light
Location: Main Operations [Deck 12, Starbase 332]
The space outside the station had grown eerie over the last several hours. With the civilian traffic gone, either chased away or ushered into the relative safety of the station, the skies were empty. Even the shuttles traveling back and forth from the station and the planet were grounded. If it hadn't been for the occasional chatter from her fellow pilots, Blaze thought that she would have gone mad from the silence. While some might have took comfort in the solace, Lynsi did not. Deep down in the pit of her stomach, she had a sense of impending doom. Not for herself. She had already come to terms that she could die out there while defending the station. She had lost many friends and colleagues in combat. No, her sense of doom was for the rookies, the nuggets. Most of them had no combat experience, and this trial by fire was going to claim the lives of too many of them, she felt.
But Blaze knew that she couldn't get emotional. Not right now. Not with too much at stake, and too many people relying on them. Not when proximity sensors were lighting up like a Christmas tree. There was only one thing that could mean. And the voice in her headset confirmed it.
"Command, we're picking up something on sensors, moving in at high warp," stated the voice on the other end of the comm. It was one of the younger pilots, evident by the shakiness in his voice.
Mason didn't wait for command to reply. "Location and heading?"
"Quadrant three, bearing 023 mark 086. Heading appears to be the station, ma'am."
Blaze took over for the nugget. "Command, Claymore Lead. We have probable bogeys inbound. Copy?"
"Blaze, Command. Understood I am relaying sensor readings directly to Operations. Assume defense positions inside station shield grid and prepare for additional orders." S'er'in'e immediately relayed everything he'd been given so that a more planned defense of the station could be made now that they knew where the enemy was.
"Copy, Command. Out." Blaze maneuvered her fighter to the adjusted heading, to the preassigned positions. "Claymores, Pythons, Exocets; this is Claymore Lead. Probable bogeys inbound. Report to positions."
Lt. Porkinsky surveyed the numerous vectors spawned on his HUD by the tactical computer. Some commanders ordered rigorous adherence to recommended maneuvers. It was generally useful information, but often times it didn't accommodate more bold (i.e. risky) maneuvers. This was one of those cold, sobering moments where his largely ignored sense of mortality tapped him on the shoulder.
----
Streams of information flooded in to the table as he watched the scene unfold. =^= Operations, CAG. I am relaying latest information to you now on enemy movements." Soon things were going to kick off, you don't bring a fleet to a Starbase for a meet and greet situation, only one side would walk away from this.
Von had been double checking the readiness reports when the call came in from S'er'in'e. "Copy that, Major. We're getting that information now." Von looked over at her strategic operations officer. "What are we seeing, Lieutenant?"
Lieutenant Nvaiden poured over the report coming in from the fighters. "Captain, we have ships inbound, quadrant three, bearing 023 mark 086. No identification, but the warp signatures are consistent with Sojourner ships."
Liarra gulped silently to clear her throat. This was going to be the biggest test of her command ability, but it was so much more than that. They had an entire station as well as the planet below relying on them. "Thank you, Lieutenant. Major S'er'in'e, if you haven't already get your fighters into defensive positions."
"Already done Captain, they are holding position within the shield grid until engagement begins." S'er'in'e answered at he just got the thumbs up that his own fighter was ready for launch.
"Lieutenant Nvaiden, take us to Red Alert and get everyone to battle stations."
"Aye, Captain," the strategic operations officer replied.
The trill captain tapped her communications panel. "Commander Ballard to Ops. They're here."
Ballard was already en route, the final preparations completed to the best of their ability and everyone on alert for boarders. There wasn't much more to be done other than wait for the shooting to start. He tapped his combadge. "Acknowledged."
Von focused on the viewscreen as her officers and crew took their positions. An eternity seemed to pass in her mind and the sense of dread compounded. Finally the viewscreen showed the tell-tale signs of an invading fleet, the bright white flashes of dozens of ships dropping out of warp.
"Magnify," Von stated to no one in particular. One of the officers complied, the viewscreen shifting to a closer view of the incoming ships. As was so common for the Sojourners, the fleet consisted of starships of various makes and models. Von counted ships from at least seven or eight places of origin, but she lost count. It was the ship leading the fleet that held her gaze the most. She would recognize that blood red Excelsior class starship anywhere. Vaishaa clearly felt that this was an important enough mission to lead it herself. But then again, Von was far from surprised. No doubt her nemesis was looking forward to the battle.
Captain Liarra Von
Commanding Officer
Starbase 332
Commander Narayn Ballard [P: Gunning]
Executive Officer
Starbase 332
Major S'er'in'e
Commander, Aerospace Group
Airwing-17, Starbase 332
Lieutenant Lynsi Mason [P: Von]
Squadron Leader, "Claymores"
Airwing-17, Starbase 332
2nd Lieutenant Scooter Porkinsky [P: Steiner]
Pilot, "Exocets"
Airwing-17, Starbase 332
