Forums » Sci-Fi Roleplay » Drifting out (sci-fi rpg OPEN)

(You got kicked out for telling someone they god modded? Damn.

By the way, I think I forgot to say in my last post that the shields can change frequencies, making them resistant to certain energy weapons for a time. Again, it's inspired by ST.
we should get back to the rp before the OP gets mad at us lol))

(right, right! I'm on it!)

"Damn! They've slipped passed us..." Vladimir said, slamming his hand on the table. Very well. They'd just alert their escort, the Battle Barge Arrogence and the Imperial Destroyers Floyd and Waters, as well as a few others. All in good time. He was sighing in his chair when he noticed a little beep. He looked down, and saw the computer console.

Getting up, he checked it again, and looked around. No one had noticed it. Bah. A little nuisance. But an annoying one. Flailing his arms around and turning about, he asked "Anyone here who knows how to deal with this computer? Seems to have met some nasty friends! Hello?"

[yay for cybernations! ]

It was the shortest, most confusing battle the Dawn had ever been in, and she'd seen more then a few. Sadly after all the years of drifting with her crew in hibernation, many components had deteriorated without maintenance, the main power junctions and particle cannon control systems among other things.

Luca and the bridge crew where in the dark and zero-g. All of the sudden action combined with system anomalies caused by the fleeing ship's unusual slipspace drive had blown out the main power junctions and effectively shutting the ship down. Floating there on the bridge with her arms crossed and legs folded up she sighs "Somebody tell our Dreissen to come grab a engineering team and those on the Sun to begin pushing it towards us for salvage operations. Then get out on the hull with a signal light and see if the Enterprise is ok. If they are, request permission to cross-deck nonessential personnel off until the main junctions are repaired. Only way we'll find out if anything else fried is After that's done.'

After the main computer had been taken care of, the malicious software purged, and the general cleansing of the CPU was enacted, Vladimir sighed. This was an interesting encounter. True, the ship was smaller than them, but it provided him with an interesting piece of information. Earth was not a force that was to be taken lightly. But they had a few lessons to attend to.

"Major, get your fighters, bombers, gunships, whatever, back in now. Lieutenant, charge up the shield generators. MGS, get those guns, missiles, and torpedo tubes reloaded. Captain, I want your boarding parties ready for an encounter. Two squadrons of Imperial Guardsmen SS troopers, heavy infantry, and one squadron of Space Marine light infantry. This should be a very interesting encounter with them," Vladimir ordered, and grabbed a cigar out of the box to light it. He thought about it for a second, and smiled. Yes, this would be good. But not like his victory cigars. He lit it anyways.

"Oh, and I want the engineers at the ready. Tell them that two ships will be sent to hanger bays... 11 and 12, the empty ones. Open up a communications channel with the Dawn, if you can." Vladimir again ordered, and took a puff of his cigar. What a day. "And send out a few towing drones, in case they need it,"

Luca's mood grew worse as more news comes in from engineering, including three of her girls injured when the main junction blew out. The only good news so far was that the Sun's was still intact and seemed functional. She figured most of the equipment on board it was, aside from the various scars, dent, bullet holes and other such things the the only critical damage was the missing bridge, port wing and the jagged scar down the hull left from the round that took off the port wing.

With a sigh she floats towards the forward viewport "Have the a Dreissen begin pushing the Sun back here." about that time her comm unit sqeels in her ear as a non crew communication comes in along with large doses of static thanks to her ship's particle dispersion., causing her to pull it from her ear before responding "Enterprise this is the Dawn Our main power junctions blew out during that...whatever it was. I can't even *static* it a fight. We have *static* injured on board. Requesting permis- *static* -deck non-essential personnel while *static* repairs." as she says this she looks over at Tamily, who had slipped into a survival suit. She gets back a thumbs up that makes her smile slightly despite everything.

The exit rift was opened over the planet Plato, in the Athena system. Plato was the center of operation for Battle-fleet Pi, the newest fleet, and though not as experience and powerful as the Battle-fleet Alpha that was charged with protecting Earth and the core-worlds, Pi was able to stand against most threats. Like every other Earthen battle-fleet, Pi had roughly 10,000 ships within it's ranks, each with a different function.

Robert looked forward as the a starbase began to peek around the edge of the planet. Starbase 243 was an impressive sight. Gleaming white as light emanating from the system's twin stars, the crowning jewel of the planet's Orbital Defense Network. As the Liberator drew closer, Robert ordered comms to be opened. "This is the captain of the UES Liberator, requesting an audience with Admiral Hatchet."

* * *

"You got us into deep shit, Captain." Admiral Hatchet said disapprovingly.

"I know, sir."

"And your proposing that you return there with other ships to try and settle this dispute peacefully?"

"Yes sir, we have no way to contact their governments, so they're the only option."

"Very well. I'll assign two light cruisers to escort you to carrier group Pi-7, after the link up, you and the group will head back to where those ships are and try to negotiate and see what sort of reparations you have to make. Understood?"

"Yes sir."

"Then hop to it."

"This is the Enterprise. We read you. Sending out towing probes. Your ships will dock in bay 11 and 12. I'll be there. Full medical assistance will be there, if needed," Vladimir said, and ordered the bay doors opened, and the medical crew to get themselves ready. He didn't know if they were going to be needed instantly or not, but he hoped whatever they were needed for wasn't the worst thing.

After ordering the signal to be sent to the nearby escort ships, Vladimir got up out of his chair, stretched, took one last puff of his cigar, and walked off the bridge. After all, he was needed in the hanger bays. There was a ship that needed repairs. Two, actually.

"Rodger Enterprise. Thank *static*" having taken care of that, she was on her way back to engineering to check on the injured. Upon arrival she had to step back out in order to compose herself. She'd known pain and death, she was a soldier after all. But seeing three of her own, girls she'd served with for decades, injured as they where, felt like a being stabbed in the heart with a blade made of ice.

The one closet to the junction had caught most of the shrapnel, her armor catching some of it, though several of the pieces had found the exposed sections of the armor. The other two fared only marginally better in the small engineering section. By the time Luca got to engineering all three had already been injected with biofoam but it was still a ugly, bloody sight. Time to get to work "Get them to the docking hatch immediately! I want them off this ship for medical care as soon as possible. We'll be under tow soon. Tell the bridge crew to signal the Dreissen to kick it into high gear." About that time she felt the ship shudder as a call came down through the ship via runner "We are now under tow Ma'am!"

With that she points to the forward portion of the ship "Everyone to the docking hatch and out of here now. I'll clean this up." Reaching into a supply locker she removes a rag and a bottle of cleaner. She'd have to greet the General after she'd looked after her crew.

Vladimir had made it out onto the docking bays fast enough to watch the last of the fighters, bombers, and gunships docking. They were fast and efficient in what they did. After all, they were HRA. After they had been docked, the engineers began rushing to repair, refuel, and rearm the vehicles. They worked just as fast, and sparks could be seen flying from the welders.

A few sirens began blaring as the bay doors opened and the shields began strengthening and recalibrating. Some oxygen escaped, but the shields had readjusted before they could be suffocated. The tow bots began to move in, and soon they docked the ship that they were towing.

Even more engineers began running in with titanium plates, bolts, cables, and more. They instantly began looking at the blueprints and reattached the parts that needed to be reattached. It was such a scene. The medical team got there as fast as they could, and began their field operations. Vladimir waited for them to come out.

60 light-years away, three holes were suddenly ripped into space-time, and the Liberator and her escorts, the UES Lincoln and the UES Hangzhou emerged from the multiverse. 200km away, Carrier Group Pi-7 was waiting. The group was made up of 7 vessels. The flagship and crown jewel was the UES Union Jack a Praetor-class Carrier vessel. Unlike most Spacefleet ships, the Union Jack was completely devoted to combat. No science labs, advanced sensors, or any other technology designed for scientific study or exploration was found on board. The group also had three Battlecrusiers, sisters of the Liberator, that were named, the UES Impi, the UES Leningrad, and the UES Shiva. The group also consisted off two figates, the Machu Pichu and the Argo.

Almost immediately, the Union Jack hailed the Liberator.

"Ah, Captain." Admiral Hicks of the Union Jack addressed Robert. "We're standing by for you to lead us to our destination."

The injured came out first through the docking hatch and straight towards the medical team, all non-life supporting armor stripped away and escorted by the Dawn 's two medics. Next came the ships remaining engineers who set to work on the ship along side those from the Enterprise, their augmentation abilities helping to fit repairs to the ship and stripping away the damaged hull plating.

Tamily comes out with the last group,stopping to ask where the ships commander was. Pointed in the right direction she runs up to the General, giving a quick salute "The captain is still down inside engineering if you wish to see her immediately. I'm not sure what she is doing though." she smiled softly as she looks up at the General, even among a all female crew she was on the short side at just 4'5"

"Very well. I'll go aboard. Captain, give these women a rest and food. They need it more than I do at the moment." Vladimir said, and began walking towards the ship. He didn't know what to expect when he walked inside, and he had to say, he was surprised. It looked... Different. Made for something different, like an older technology.

"Hello? Its Vladimir,"

Luca's voice came filtering in from down inside the engineering compartment, not too far from the docking hatch where she was down a ladder to the main junction room, still cleaning the blood and shrapnel from the small room "Down here General. I am sorry I cannot properly greet you just yet. I must think of my girls first. It would not do for them to be reminded of what happened in this room. It was my decision to throw everything to full in order to defend this ship, so I shall be the one to clean it." she peers up from down below "They'll be back I'm sure..."

Outside the Dawn and Sun's Dreissen had pushed the wreck to waiting tow drones and entered into the hanger bays, the pilots climbing from the cockpits to join in the salvage and repair of their home. The Dreissen, while new at the time of their introduction over two decades ago, looked...old...thanks to the hanger bay they now stood in.

"Field Marshal. General is my old, old rank. I haven't been called that in years," Vladimir said, climbing down the ladder towards where she was. It was never a pretty sight, seeing an old injury to a ship, or even seeing where someone close went down. He knew what it was like when a crew member died or got injured. And, sadly enough, he knew what it was like to loose a ship. Many ships.

"I know what it's like, knowing that something you did hurt a friend, or family. Your crew is your family, I know that. It's natural on every ship. Your ship? It's like a spouse. Suddenly, when you aren't there, it doesn't work the best it could've, and it never likes abuse," Vladimir said, running his hands on the walls. A good ship. Worthy of his efforts to fix. "I... I have 100 crew members on here who were on my last ship I commanded, an old heavy cruiser. I have 5 crew members who were with me ever since my first assignment. And I have 2 crew members who were on the Battle Barge Bismarck when it went down, not too far from here.

"That's why I was here. To give those two crew members closure. I wanted them to say goodbye, and perhaps, even, recover an old friend's body. Captain... I was inboard two ships, escaped from five, and destroyed two of my own ships. Each one I commanded. It hurt to see them go down, one by one. That's why I call the Enterprise my last girl. Because if she goes down, it's all over. That's why I want you to know that I will catch the person responsible for this, and I will make him pay,"

Nodding as she stands she waves a hand, her tone filled with thoughts of the past "This ship...my home...Do you know how old she is? if the calender is correct she's just shy of her eightieth. She's older then her crew by a good two decades. While I know she looks like a antique, she is one, but she's tough and has a mind of her own. She's as much part of the crew as she is the ship. She's saved us as many times as we've saved her." with the room now cleaned up she puts the bottle of cleaner up and toss the rag in the trash.

Without a thought she holds out her dirty hand "Field Marshal Lenin, Luca Vanko, I wish we could have done this in a less messy situation, but we can't change things now. Thank you for helping us and taking care of our wounded. If there is anything we can do to help your ship tell me now and I'll have some of my girls get to work on it." she gives a smile that looks almost...insane "Don't worry about making them pay. The girls will want blood now. I'll make sure they get it. They hurt my girls and my ship...They will die. Of course, if you want a turn with their captain I'll be glad to let you have at him as well." it was clear she was upset at what had happened, but for the most part she had her feelings clamped down.

Outside her engineers had begun to pull parts from the Sun and set them outside the ship for transfer to the Dawn's hanger bay. While it was not known if the enemy would return, they wanted to get their ship back to working order. That way if the enemy returned, they would pay dearly.

Outside

Just as the Carrier Group was about to get underway, space was flooded by a communication.

"Sir, a widespread fleet communication with a priority-1 signature has been detected."

"Let's hear it." Robert said.

After several seconds of static, an voice burst forth. "This is Fleet Admiral Xi. A Centurion supership has been detected near Primus-IV. We are at DEFCON 1. All available, combat capable vessels are to transwarp to Primius-IV as soon as possible. This overrides any other mission. End of transmission."

Robert felt his blood run cold and could see something similar with the rest of his crew. Centurions were a race of 20km long and 10km high sentient ships that desired to either capture or enslave any organic or semi-organic being. Those that were enslaved had any trace of individuality sponged from them and became a mindless drone for the Centurion.

Robert opened a channel to the Union Jack.

"Did you get the transmission." Robert asked.

"Yep." Admiral Hicks looked grim. "Prepare to transwarp to Primus-IV and go to Red Alert."

"Yes, Sir." Robert replied. Within minutes, the group had entered Transwarp and were headed to confront an apocalypse incarnated.

"Luca, you'll get your turn at the ship. If you want, I'll let you destroy it. But ten new ships, my escorts, will be within range in an hour. These are ten of the finest ship, a ship from nearly every class, that will be escorting us to this new threat. One of them is as old as yours is... No, older. It uses metal plates as armor, not shields. Very old." Vladimir said, shaking her hand with a smile, and extended his hand out towards the ladder. "Up?"

If the enemy returned, he'd make them wish they were fighting Tyranids instead. He didn't like making a bad impression on anyone, and never liked being late. These Earthers did that in one stroke of violence. Yes, they didn't damage them, but the Dawn? She was hurt. And like all captains, Luca wanted revenge.

Vladimir got up the ladder, and stared out into the hanger bay. There these two ships were, resting neatly in a row, safe. For now. This massive ship would be their little cradle, a safe haven. He knew that if the Liberator wanted those ships, they'd have to go through nearly 500 million tons of titanium, steel, and adamantanium.

"Luca, do you think that we can finish that party after your girls have rested, healed, and feel up to it?" Vladimir asked, wondering. "My men haven't had a good time in years."

Then his comm system sparked to life, and he could hear a voice in his ears. A familiar voice. One of the Captain that ran the ship. "Vladimir, Warp hole opened. I just got a signal. It's our escorts."

"We are Centurion Val-de-in. Lower your shields and surrender your ships. We will add your own to ours. Resistance is futile" The Centurion's message ringed in Robert's ears as the Liberator and her carrier group returned to normal space over Primus IV.

"Sound battle-stations immediately and take up position with the fleet." Robert ordered.

The orbital space of Primus IV was swarming with Spacefleet vessels. At least four battlefleets were their with elements from the other ninety-six fleets arriving every second. Even civilian ships had joined or were drafted, every gun was needed to repel the invader.

Humanity had first encountered the creatures that would become known as the Centurions roughly three-hundred years ago. As the fledgling United Earth Federation expanded and colonized regions closer and closer to the outer rim of the galaxy, it encounter a relativity small Centurion, roughly 15km in height and 40km in length. The Centurion immediately attacked the ships and began assaulting Outer Colonies. By the time the new Spacefleet was mobilized, the Centurion had captured and assimilated over a dozen worlds and was creeping closer towards Earth.

The First Centurion War had begun.

The Spacefleet soon found itself outmatched by the superior technology of the alien, especially after the Battle of New Saratoga in which 60% of the Spacefleet was destroyed or assimilated by the single Centurion. The Federation's leaders soon realized that they could not hope to win the conflict with frontal assaults and fleet actions and set another plan in motion while tasking the remnants of Spacefleet to delay the Centurion, whatever the cost, from reaching Earth.

Eventually, tens years after the start of the war, the surviving forces of Spacefleet lured the Centurion to the Manchurian Nebula where a hastily constructed particle accelerator awaited. The Humans sent the Particle Accelerator into overload as the Centurion arrived, causing the accelerator to implode, leaving a black hole in it's wake and the Centurion was sucked into oblivion. The final years of the war was focused on the reclamation of planets overrun with the Centurions drones, cybernetically altered and mindless things that use to be free humans.

Seventy years later, a second, larger Centurion appeared, ready to succeed where it's predecessor had failed. However, shortly after the Centurion began it's apocalyptic campaign, the UEF activated the Divine Fury Project, a mega-laser that was built on a sun and unleashed the fury of a star on the Centurion. The Second Centurion War was ended in one shot of super-charged star power.

The third war followed a roughly similar path as the second, with the Divine Fury's predecessor ending it.

The fourth, however, was the first war in which the Human fleet, advanced rapidly by technology salvaged from the wrecks/corpses of two Centurions, managed to directly confront the Centurion incursion with super-weapons. In the Battle of Augustus, the Human fleet, despite heavy causalities, defeated the Centurion. As it died, the Centurion sent out a bone-chilling message that Robert still remembered from the history vids he watched as a child.

"Remarkable, it had said. We have never encounter such stiff resistance from an organic species. Very well, you have now garnered the full attention of our people. Be warned, for more shall come, and eventually you will become one with us."

Ever since then, the government had been working feverishly to prepare for the next incursion. Massive military build-ups, the glorification of a career in Spacefleet, and the development and deployment of the Centurion Early Detection System, or CEDS.

And now, it was time to see if they truly were prepared. If humanity failed to stop the Centurion invasion at the galaxy's doorstep, then it would be likely that the vibrant civilizations that called Milky Way home would become the emotionless and mindless slaves of the Centurions.

Robert pondered this as his ship took position with the fleet as the hull of the Centurion, now off in the distance was creeping closer and closer to the defensive line

Climbing up the ladder Luca speaks "With a full crew, the ship would be boarded. We are girls, but that doesn't mean we can't take a ship. Everyone of us on the Dawn are...called Tier one assets back home. That's also why we are the way we are. to have so many heavily augmented individuals spread out was a strain to logistics. So they put all of us on one ship. Seventy five percent of our special forces are female."

Holding out a hand to the Field Marshal she giggles "My, she must have seen a lot of action.Dawn was at all but one of the major fleet engagements back home. The one was due to being refit to her current self." Stepping out of the docking hatch she looked momentarily stunned, not from the size of the ship she was in, but at how her ship and it's sister looked. "I believe that a party would be for the best." she then just stands there watching as her girls pull things from the Sun to replace what had gone out on the Dawn. "Th-thank you for everything...and please keep me and my crew up to speed with my injured? You know as well as I do that know our comrades are going to be ok."