Pirate Antics

Posted on Tue Jan 29th, 2019 @ 6:54am by Captain Landon Mabrade

2,306 words; about a 12 minute read

Mission: Pirating Typhon resources
Location: Shipping Lanes
Timeline: Varied.

ON

The S.S. Titus Rage had the final glide pattern of the projected course; the Flight Crew were at their stations. The Captain sat in his chair; a coffee in hand, he was more than happy with the run so far.

Having this ship for the last ten years the Captain had kept this vessel in the top condition for a ship of her years. A slightly modified transport , with a little push The Captain had gambled with an Engine upgrade that was meant for a larger class of vessel and the power ration gave her a better Warp Bubble and thus the faster top speed.

"Heinrich, give me an estimated time of arrival?" The Captain requested of the Human man at the Helm.

"A day out from the marker, still open space but getting closer." Heinrich replied while he checked the system. "Unless you wish me to increase speed a little?"

"I think we can manage to get there on time." The Captain sat back in his chair.

Tensions of being near the end of a run that is time sensitive; they were on course and schedule to make the bonus.

The ship suddenly dropped out of warp; the ship shook as though it ha been grabbed by an unseen hand. Klaxons sounded along with the dowsing of Main Lighting.

"What the Hell!" The captain growled.

"We have lost all power." The OPS officer added. "Some kind of a charge in our path." The report was not through. "Trying to switch over to reserves and get systems..." The ship shook from weapons impacting the shielded hull.

Listing the crew scrambled to keep hold...

[Two days later]

The Star Ship USS Keplar came into the last reported Transponder reading of the SS Tidus Rage; Star Base Typhon would have sent out a Patrol Ship but the Keplar had been transferred to the Station as a Garrison Craft.

Dropping out of warp along the detected flight line; the sensory systems had full detection mode.

"I have where she dropped out of warp." The Sciendce Officer reported. "Reading a massive break in the Warp field; the energy readings register high out put, the warp bubble popped and they are off course..." She continued.

"Keep the eyes peeled." Culver had a bad feeling; ships having their warp fields fail is not good; the fact the Science Officer has not yet reported a wreckage.

The small Nova class eased into a search pattern.

"Prepare a Keplar Probe." Culver decided. "Why not get some good practice and field hours with the design?"

"Acknowledged." The Science Officer nod.

"Preparing tubes one and two for firing." The Tactical Officer added.

Culver hit the Yellow Alert; he did not like the feeling his gut was giving him. The crew kept going with little change, the Tactical Officer is more on alert under this new status.

"I have trace amounts of debris ahead." The Science Officer reported. "Probe is almost ready for launch."

"Belay that order clear tubes for Torpedoes." Culver cut in a bit gruffly. "Dive me a status on teh Phasers?"

The tactical Officer suddenly came to life with his fingers along the console; he is converting the system from scanning to combat ready. It is a good thing the Nova Class is strictly a Science Vessel as her sensory systems are back up to prime levels.

"Working the Torpedo tubes." The status was coming. "Phaser charging."

"Don't keep me waiting." Culver said while he could smell a trap from some distance; question is weather the trap has been sprung or is waiting to be?

"Phasers at the ready." There is a good sign.

"Deflectors have clicked on." The Tactical Officer announced.

"In bound vessels..." Science reported. "Converging trajectories."

"Where is the third one?" Culver asked. "They like packs and that is at least three." The Bridge crew did their tasks but a couple of heads did glance in his direction. "Keep a lookout on the 'Z' axis." He warned. "What I would not give for some rear firing Torpedoes." He remarked.

The Third 'blip' was on the positive Z azmuth and closing from between the nacelles. The best type of attack angle for this design of star ship. The Commanding SHip had done homework.

"Red Alert!" Culver ordered. "Bring us about to intercept the Port side threat and maybe get us out od the Z axis threat. Hard-over Helm. Come to two two three mark seven."

The Keplar did a hard over maneuver seeming to jump out the the target sights of the third vessel. Culver was takig a more agressive posture; eliminating a threat early is the only real way he saw in keeping his ship alive. With the limited firepower Culver had studied the Nova Class and knew just how to manipulate her firing arcs. Her design allowed her to deal with non-capital ships more effectively and those marauders fell into the category of his ship being able to hold her own.

"Lock everything on that one ship, full weapons at maximum power." Culver commanded calmly. "Let's make this a shooting gallery."

The Pirates did not expect an aggressive ship; most vessels try to run when cornered, give a defensive battle while jockeying for an escape. WHile the Attacking vessel was surprised by the maneuver it also expected some fire.

The fact all the weapons were focused on the one target is teh tactical mistake of the Pirates; Culver would take some punishment but in pushing his advantage he would dwindle the capable force early and get closer to even odds. It was a tactically calculated move that could pay off or put him in a spot? The worst case is he would damage the one target enough to hinder it's weapons and attack capability; best case is the ship would be crippled or damaged enough to force a withdraw.


The exchange of weapons fire had the enemy vessel tagged, Tactically the full force did tear into the Pirate ship; precision phaser and the two torpedoes did their job and the vessel exploded before it could retaliate.

The down side was leaving his 'Six' open for the two remaining vessels to attack, because of the range change by the Keplar they were not able to get into the best firing range as the Keplar went through the explosion and had more of an out. The steady stream of weapons fire were targeting the Engines; Culver had put the focus of main power on the rear shields and only enough of teh front to absorb the explosion. The Engines were not hit but the shielding took a heavy toll.

"Now we have some running room." Culver said, but the top speed of his vessel is not that much more than the enemy chasing him.

The shielding held while the enemy pursued the Keplar, he knew that while he had a start the Enemy would eventually over-take them and call for an engagement.

"Do we have the Keplar probe we recovered in the Cargo Bay?" Culver asked. "If so I want the Weapons Ordinance placed on the probe and ready for proximity detonation." He was planning for being over taken in the long run...


[Typhon Station 2 days later]



The USS Keplar limped her way into Typhon's sensory range, only partial warp power restored, one Nacelle totally shot through and useless.

The trail of plasma had been dealt with, the hull breeches patched as best they could while under way, the main Enegizer is cross circuited like a Christmas tree. The port nacelle root had taken a hit and only the emergency integrity fields seemed to be holding it together. The hangar doors were little more than a hole in the aft section, the small craft long ago lost.

The smoke from the initial damage had cleared yet the air recycling system had done a fine job of keeping the damaged smell out of the bridge. scorched areas near the ceiling from the damaged girders and hanging wiring. The visual systems had long since given up for only audio communications.

"USS Keplar to Typhon Base." Culver called over the channel. "We are stating an emergency; medical teams required and request beam outs for non-essencial personnel as our warp core has sustained damage and is not fully stable."

=^= Typhon Flight Control acknowledges your state of emergency, medical teams and support resources will be apprised of your situation.=^= flight Control Officer Conroy replied. =^= We are dispatching garrison ships to aid in the transport of your personnel and wounded. =^=

"We are keeping clear of station due to Core status; I am calling for an abandoning of ship." Culver passed along his plans. "Once the crew are clear we will attempt to jettison the core after the crew are safe, the whole Engineering section has severe damage and the jettison system is in question."

=^= Two Saber class vessels are coming on station.=^= Conroy relayed. =^= We are having Sick Bay Alerted to your wounded. Prepare to transport. =^=

Culver nod to the crew remaining. "All but Engineering man hang about while the rest of you get to the transporters, I will keep the ship together long enough for you all to get away."

His Executive Officer ; who sat at the Ops console, looked his way and without any other word ne motioned for her to move along. She hesitated for about a second or two; seeing the determination in his expression she gave up any idea of staying on the ship longer than it too for transport.

Culver did not watch his crew leaving; he was more concentrating on the Engineer and anything that man had to say; his ship had been in this condition for two days since the battle; he might have slept some if he really thought about it.

The fatigue he felt while ;at the same time he had some adrenaline pumping through him, the ship was at a constant 'on edge status' for the trip back, everyone hoping that the Keplar would hang together for the duration. Glancing down at his arm display he could only just count the seconds until the ship would be clear of personnel and then he might be the last man to depart.

"The jettison system is reading green right now." The Engineer said. "I have one person at the manual controls just in case we might get the Core to jettison rather than losing the whole ship.

"Get the person out of there." Culver said calmly but firmly. "I don't want to have anyone taking more risk than nessarry; this is a bit of metal and such so not worth another life."

The Engineer seemed to think for a moment before he called down to get the person out of teh section.

"Can you get me a stataus on the Transporting process Typhon?"

=^= We are working the crews to their maximum. =^= Conroy relayed. =^= estimates are another forty five seconds to get them all off. =^=

"We will be here." Culver ended and kept a watch on the systems, moving to the OPS console and filtering through the array of digital readouts until he could see the bright red signal from the Engineering relay."

Culver did not hold his breath while the numbers kept fluttering about between the critical and the 'explode' rating. Each time it spiked he wondered if it would be the last sight he ahnd Baker might see?

=^= We are locking on the two of you as the last ones; it will be an extra few seconds between as we are rushed.=^= Conroy warned as Baker vanished.

"Okay My Lady." Culver said as he look around the battered and burnt panels that were all that is left of his clean vessel that the crew had done so much enlightened work to keep in a state higher than the day when Keplar had float off the line. "You did take care of us..." He said while looking again.

The last tingle went through him and he appeared again on the cramped bridge of a Saber Class. in time to watch the bright explosion that followed and the now toppling white shape that was what remained of the Keplar in two pieces; the Nacelle could not not hold after the shock wave of the concussive explosion of the jettisoned Warp core that cleared the hull but not far enough to have no effect upon the ship it had nearly taken with it.

Culver let out that last held breath as he just focused upon the hulk of his latest command slowly spinning away from him.

"Fifty one of the crew are accounted for." The soft voice said from behind him. "Did we..." Culver nod without taking his eyes off the floating vessel. "R-right then, glad we got them all.

"Thank you." Culver said in acknowledgement.

He would at least have the crew left on the ship for closure; there are still three that were 'unaccounted for' and presumed dead.

He finally turned away from the screen. "Will someone get her from spinning before she becomes..."

"It will be done." The Commander in the Center Chair. "Please feel free to utilize my ready room if you would like?"

"Is there anyplace where I might get a ... shower?" Culver was aware the last two days had to be wearing on his hygiene and that he would be expected to.... "Bogger... I will take you up on that Ready Room." Culver moved where the Male Officer gesture, he had lost a ship and some crew, he did not deserve to be well kept at the moment.

He would deal with the Command Crew of Typhon then once his crew were taken care of properly he could again think of himself.

But that would wait til the Saber docked and his crew disembarked.

OFF

Captain Joshua Culver
Commanding Officer
Science Vessel Keplar

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