Lt. Robin Hopper: Creative Solutions
Robin Hopper
((Bridge, USS Jemison))
As the battlefield quickly descended into interference-riddled chaos, Hopper bit her bottom lip subconsciously, trying to follow the flow of things on her holographic display. She was used to analyzing far more static data – astrophysical models, in which the changes occurred over the course of millennia – not this type of rapidly-evolving disarray… oO I’m a scientist, not a tactician… Oo she thought to herself, letting out a sigh.
oO No, Oo she corrected herself. oO Today, you are a tactician. Oo It was time to start thinking like one. She looked over her shoulder to Richards.
Hopper: Report – how are we going with those adjustments? ::Tapping her console:: I’m going to implement a ‘ping’ to warn us of impending pulsar waves. Give us a ten-second warning. When you hear it, brace for impact.
Richards: Adjustments should be completed….Now.
Nadeshiko: Adjustments largely complete to algorithims - we're prioritizing where we're seeing gamma-ray bursts, indicating a surface contact. As a caution, this is why everyone's shields will slowly degrade the closer we get to the pulsar.
Robin nodded – that supported what they were seeing (and feeling).
Hopper: Good. Our warning system is in place too. ::Turning to Nadeshiko:: What are the results of your analysis, Nadeshiko? Any quirks of the pulsar nebula we can use to our advantage – defensive or offensive?
The scientific discussion was interrupted by the pinging of Hopper’s proximity alarm, indicating another shockwave was imminent. She gripped the armrests of her chair and looked to Wil, seeing that he had done the same.
Ukinix: Everyone hold on…
Richards: ::Attempting a Scottish accent:: The sea is a bit rough, Captain.
Ukinix responded in kind.
Ukinix: ::Also attempting Scottish accent:: Aye, ya right bassa.
Robin decided not to inflict her attempt at an accent on any of them – not that she’d have had much of a chance, as a moment later, the wave hit. Flint, once again, managed to aim them ‘towards’ the wavefront, reducing damage – but as they got increasingly close to the pulsar in an effort to attack at the Kitty Hawk, the waves were getting worse.
Ukinix: Report!
Nadeshiko: Sensors affected by the shockwave, recalibrating now.
Hopper: That one whalloped us a bit – ::looking over her tactical display:: but I don’t think anyone was spared.
Flint: ::Flawless Scottish Accent:: Failin’ means yer playin’.
Barberra: ::Pleased tone:: The Kitty Hawk is still taking damage, Commander.
Ukinix: ::To Richards:: How are we holding up?
A glance at her display told Robin they were thus-far, faring well… But the Kitty Hawk’s last response had been a doozy – and it was luck… combined with some fancy flying… that had spared them the full force. If they managed to hit them properly, they’d be feeling it.
Richards: The shields are still holding against the shockwaves, but if they continue to increase in intensity, we might be looking at the Jemison receiving structural damage from the force of the waves alone.
Ukinix: At the first sign of the waves increasing, shunt more power to shields and SIFs, and call it out. We may have to travel out of the winds temporarily if we have to.
Richards: I can attempt to divert more power to Structural Integrity, but there aren’t any guarantees.
Barberra: Commander, I’ve just received word that the Halsey is targeting the Kitty Hawk’s rear shields. That should drain them for us to attack.
Ukinix: Nice. Let’s stick to the plan, keep hitting the Kitty Hawk. Lieutenant Flint, let’s come up behind them. Barberra, fire one Quantum torpedo, and straight after that, target their propulsion with phasers, let’s slow ‘em down and make them sitting ducks.
Barberra: With pleasure sir.
((OOC – These attacks have already been reported in the OOC thread, so they aren’t “new”.))
As Barberra sent phaser fire and torpedoes towards the Kitty Hawk, Robin mulled on the pulsar waves. There had to be something there. Something they were missing. No doubt the Science Officers aboard the Kitty Hawk were working on similar considerations right now – but with her attention split between those considerations and the duties of a First Officer, she felt creatively hampered.
Ukinix: Did we hit?
Barberra: Unknown yet Commander, it takes time for sensor readings to feed back to us in this interference.
Ukinix: Dammit. Alright. Hopper, do we take the chance and keep firing at the Kitty Hawk, or target someone else?
Hopper: ::Shaking her head:: Shifting targets now just leaves the ‘Hawk in the fight longer. If we can deal enough damage that they need to stop and repair, it’ll give us the chance we need to take on the rest of Red Team. ::To Flint:: Helm, bring us around again. ::To Barberra:: Ready another volley.
Barberra: Yes ma’am, with pleasure. ::Tapping at console, quietly to herself:: Oh, I’m loving this.
Flint: Just a moment – the Indy is on our bloody tail. I’ve a feeling they’ve been sent to pester us… but I think I can lose them for a moment in that cloud ahead. ::Over his shoulder:: That’ll take us into Zone 1, Sir.
Ukinix: Rahman’s not going to let us get away with hitting them freely for too much longer. Lieutenant Flint, take us into the zone closer to the pulsar wind nebula, then come out and attack the Kitty Hawk again. Richards, when we do, shunt power to weapons while Annamae attacks again.
Flint: Aye.
Richards: Response
The Jemison high-tailed it towards Zone 1, the nimble Independence-B on a pursuit vector. It made sense. If the Indy was tailing them, the Jemison wouldn’t be able to continue focusing fire on the Kitty Hawk. They’d be forced to break off and take the Indy on one-on-one. They needed a way to counter their agility and shake them.
Flint: The Independence is still pursuing. Damn! Incoming fire!
The Jemison rocked as round after round of (simulated) attack battered the Intrepid Class vessel. Even the simulated damage felt significant, the ship’s inertial dampers putting on a good show for everyone aboard. Robin noticed a puddle on the carpet beneath Wil’s cup of sencha tea – most of it having been sloshed out of the mug during the attack.
Hopper: ::Recovering:: That felt like a bigger punch than the Indy-B can muster.
Flint: We just took a barrage, ma’am, from both the Indy and the Hawk. ::To Ukinix:: I think you got your old Captain’s attention, Sir.
Barberra: ::Fingers poised above console:: Just tell me where and when, Lieutenant Hopper, and I’ll gladly give them the tough love they desperately deserve.
Flint: The Independence is still with us. We could turn and fire on them?
With the Independence keeping watch on them, they must be relaying accurate telemetry to the Kitty Hawk as well – making them an even easier target. They were going to have to do something about that.
Hopper: Just a minute – evasive maneuvers. ::To Nadeshiko:: Science, we need to focus on losing our pursuers so we can stay on the offensive. I’m looking for creative solutions. ::To Richards:: Bolster aft shields in case the Indy tries that again in the meantime.
Richards: Response
Nadeshiko: Commander, I have an idea. Half of our sensors are useless in this nebula, or even in the surrounding zone, due to the extremely high magnetic fields. We can use them as a networked set of emitters to project false images of the Jemison - including the signs of gamma-ray bursts, by projecting certain particle signals. It'll be more effective the closer to the pulsar we are.
Ukinix: Response
Hopper: ::Nodding:: That is creative. I like it! ::To Richards:: How quickly can you implement that?
Richards: Response
Flint: ::Tapping console:: Time is of the essence, Lieutenant. I’m pushing her to the limit here, but the Indy has us beat for maneuverability. It’s just a matter of time.
Barberra: Response?
Hopper: ::To Richards & Nadeshiko:: The second you’ve recalibrated the sensor arrays, get them online.
Nadeshiko: It'll be effective for a bit, but the more we use it, the more the draw on our own sensors, and the more likely the opposing team will spot the weaknesses of the issue. Simulations suggest it'll be about sixty eight point eight seven percent effective.
Hopper: Noted.
Richards/Barberra: Responses?
Ukinix: Response
Nadeshiko: Acknowledged.
Another proximity alarm pinged on the Bridge – another wave was inbound. oO Dammit, that’s just what we don’t – Oo Robin’s own thought was cut off by a wonderful, and wicked, idea. Sure, the waves were a pain in their butt… but the last wave had shown that they were a pain in everyone’s butt – even the Indy-B and the Kitty Hawk.
Hopper: Flint – gun it for the Hawk. ::To Barberra:: Crewman – concentrate all fire on the Hawk’s deflector dish. ::To Richards:: Full power to the weapons.
The Helmsman responded quickly, concentrating on bringing them about and making another attack run on the Kitty Hawk. The Intrepid performed a 180-degree vertical loop, carrying them back towards the Galaxy Class flagship in an inverted position.
At this velocity, they’d hopefully pass the target just as the wave made impact, then ride the wave into Zone 2. If her hunch was right, the combined energy load of the pulsar wave, combined with close range fire from the Jemison, might be sufficient to punch a hole in the Kitty Hawk’s shields – for a brief moment.
She tapped at her console, sending an alert to their Hirogen allies and the Halsey, letting them know of the plan.
Barberra/Richards/Nadeshiko: Response
Ukinix: Response
Flint: Three seconds!
Hopper: ::To Ukinix:: Let’s see if we can poke a hole… ::To Barberra:: Fire!
Barberra/Richards/Ukinix/Nadeshiko: Response
As the Jemison passed the Kitty Hawk, and the wave struck both vessels, concentrated phaser fire struck towards the larger ship’s deflector array. A millisecond later, the flash of a torpedo lit up the display and viewscreen.
Hopper: One more time, Crewman – in case we missed!
A second round of fire shot forth from the Jemison.
Barberra: Response
Ukinix: Response
Hopper: Report – Any loss in shield integrity?
Richards/Nadeshiko/Barberra: Responses
Ukinix: Response
Hopper: And now would be a great time for those ‘sensor ghosts’ – before they have a chance to strike back!
Richards/Nadeshiko/Barberra/Ukinix: Responses
TBC
