[End Act 2] Lt. Cmdr Stros - A Rash From Stress, Or This Disguise
Nathan Richards
((In Pursuit of Hovan Stealth Ships, Bridge, USS Independence-B))
Stros: What are they doing…
Varati: Well, it was a boring conversation anyway…
Suddenly there was an alarming trill from Kaito’s console, drawing Stros’ attention.
Moore: Sir! Reactor flare-ups! They’re both putting all power to the engines!
According to the sensor readings, Lieutenant Moore was correct. Both ships had ‘lit their fires’ and were beginning to move. One seemingly towards Uwe II, while the other…
Moore: Hovan Two is coming right at us!
Stros: Evasive maneuvers. Lieutenant Moore, disable that vessels engines, but do not destroy it. The last thing we need is the Hovan people believing we fired to kill.
Varati: Oh yeah, get out of here! Let’s roll sideways out of this situation!
Moore: Aye, Sir. I’ll try.
Stros nodded towards the Tactical Officer. Try is all he could ask. He understood the technological and defensive differences between the Independence and the Hovan vessels was different by a great deal. So all they could do was try.
Moore: Tenille! Get me a good shot!
Stros: Ensign Varati, keep a sensor lock on the other vessel. We musn’t let them reach Uwe II and their intended target.
The helm officer made a valiant effort in trying to evade the incoming vessel, but according to the sensor readouts, the ship matched their heading.
Varati: ::to Stros:: Aye, C’mander! This time we must not let them get away with their confusing games.
Stros still wasn’t convinced that any of it was ‘a game’, but he had to agree that they couldn’t get away. He turned back towards Lieutenant Moore.
Stros: If you can get a shot from here, Lieutenant, disable the other ship as well. Hovan Two being set on a collision course is an act of aggression. ::beat:: And we shall act accordingly.
Moore: Trying Commander, but Hovan Two is giving us trouble. Tenille! Think you can make them overshoot us?
The Ensign’s silence let Stros know that she was, as the terrans used to say, “locked in”.
Varati: ::to Stros:: Are they just trying to distract us again with the ramming attempt? Everyone’s probably beamed over to vessel No. 1.
Moore: We can’t take that risk; Hovans would have a fit if we destroyed the ship and killed their people.
And needless death was certainly not what the Federation needed on their hands either.
Varati: … But do the Hovans know what a tractor beam is? The 10 megawatts should easily be enough to stop one of the ships… But presumably they’ll use the second ship with all their might as a tactical weapon?
Moore: That might work, but assuming they are willing to die to disable or destroy us, then they might just detonate their core when we have them but… Hmm. ::Glancing at the Conn Officer as an idea hit him:: Tenille! I got a bad idea. High-G snapshot—dodge and roll to let me get a shot on the engine block. It’s risky. But at this point, I can’t get a clear shot without high risk of destroying them.
Stros thought over the ideas being thrown around. Using the tractor beam to stop one of the ships, possibly the one on the collision course, could save them the hassle of disabling their engines and potentially avoid a catastrophic collision. The Independence, being a Defiant class, was no stranger to the so-called High-G maneuvering that Lieutenant Moore was suggesting. It was possibly one of the only ships in service that could handle the stresses being presented.
Stros: If it is what needs to be done to avoid further conflict and end this show, then I say go ahead.
Varati: But perhaps there is an even more effective and efficient way to keep the Hovans in check: What if we uncouple the warhead and leave it here to guard the second ship? Equipped with 36 torpedoes, it could provide enough fireworks. And we could even remotely control it from here if necessary… But manned, the warhead could also act as a relay and observer in case someone else sneaks up on us out here. ::to Moore:: Wouldn’t that be a good idea both strategically and tactically?
With a raised eyebrow, Stros glanced over at Ensign Varati. Simply leaving a warhead behind wouldn’t instill much confidence in the “no conflict” nature of what they were supposed to be accomplishing. Plus, a warhead wouldn’t have any relay and monitoring capability. It was simply a device of defense.
Moore: Yes. No. Maybe. I don’t know. One problem at a time, please. ::Calling out to Conn:: Tenille! Sending you targeting data.
Lieutenant Moore seemed to also be “locked in” as he poured over the data and controls on his screen.
Stros: Whatever we are going to do to stop these ships, we may want to do it soon, if not now.
Varati: With a few well-aimed shots from the tractor beam, we should be able to intercept the threat posed by the second vessel. By your order, Commander?!
Before Stros really had time to process what the Ensign was asking, Kaito quickly interjected.
Moore: No! Belay that, D’Cyra—set the tractor beam on repulse and fire on Hovan Two when I say so. No before! They’re too maneuverable.
With his mouth clamped shut, Stros sat back in his chair and waited to see if the shouted commands of the Lieutenant would work. It appeared the chain of command had been lost on the bridge at that point anyway.
Varati: ::raises her hands innocently:: I haven’t done anything yet! Only on your command. ::looks between Stros and Kaito::
Stros: ::Shrugging:: If the effectiveness of Lieutenant Moore’s plan is to the level he believes, we shall continue to follow his direction.
Moore: No time to fully explain, but we need to trick-shot them. Get ready to fire the tractor beam. Steady…
Stros let out a sigh, his arms loosely crossing across his chest.
Varati: Okay?! The tractor beam is ready and set to repulse.
Moore: Now! Fire tractor beams now!
The order was given, and probably not a moment too soon.
Varati: Fire! ::pause:: Tractor beam works and sends “braking shocks” of variable strength.
Almost like a carefully choreographed routine, the Independence dipped down as the thrusters fired. The activation of the tractor beam nudged the incoming vessel enough that there was no hull contact, only a gentle graze of the shields. Gentle being a general term, as the force of the impact did “rattle their cage” a bit.
Moore: Got you.
As the Hovan vessel glanced off of the Independence, they were left exposed. Exposed enough for Lieutenant Moore to get a clear shot on their engines. Even with a low yield from the pulse phasers, there was a magnificent light show as the external engines of the Hovan vessel took direct fire and flared slightly before dying down.
Varati: Ouch… Game over, Hovan 2! Yeah, the manoeuver worked wonderfully and the shots hit the mark!
Stros: We shouldn’t celebrate prematurely. While the… unorthodox maneuver worked, we still have one outstanding concern.
Moore: Sorry about that, Commander; they were being slippery, and we were running out of time. Locking up Hovan One, and ready to fire once we are in range.
The Lieutenant quickly glanced over at the Orion.
Moore: Great idea with the tractor beam!
While yes, a brilliant idea that thankfully worked in their favor, Stros didn’t like the building necessity to speak with the superiors of his current crew.
Varati: ::to Kaito:: Thanks, I’ve always wanted to try something like this in real life. Those who love each other tease each other. And opposites repel each other… or something like that?!
Stros: Something like that.
The Hovan vessel was now adrift, power fluctuating throughout their systems, no doubt. But still in one piece.
Varati: Could it be that they really wanted to use ship number 2 as a battering ram? Or worse? Surely they knew they wouldn’t stand a chance against our weapons and shields.
Stros: It was a distraction. They thought throwing one of their ships at us would pull our attention away from their further progress towards Uwe II. ::Glancing at Kaito:: But I feel it is time that we proved their tactic to be unsound.
Moore: Response
There surely couldn’t have been any other motive behind them throwing the ship at them, could there?
Varati: Well, what I’m actually saying is… what if the ship is used as a bomb? Close enough, and the targeted explosion right in front of our eyes could cause significant damage or trigger a chain reaction…
Apparently Ensign Varati had thought of something he clearly hadn’t.
Stros: You believe they could have weaponized the other vessel?
Moore: Response
Varati: Maybe we should gain distance and set a wide arc to intercept Hovan 1?! There’s not a moment to lose! – Oh! Oh, I guess I need a wet wipe?!
Somehow Varati had injured herself as blood ran from a wound on her forehead. But there wasn’t time to address it as yet another alarm began to sound.
Varati: ::excited:: Uh-oh! Collapse of structural integrity on Hovan 2! Simultaneous strong energy sure and release of the alpha emitter Bismuth… not dangerous in itself, but with other elements it can act as a catalyst…
Stros: There are power fluctuations occurring throughout the Hovan vessel. Structural integrity is surely compromised and we do not fully understand what the Hovan people use in their ships as far as building materials and energy conduits.
Moore: Response
The power fluctuations continued within the Hovan vessel as the Independence moved beyond it, and thankfully the apparently unmanned vessel did not detonate.
Stros: Lieutenant Moore, once we are in range, disable the other Hovan vessel. We will use the tractor beams to bring them back to Hova and return the stolen property.
Moore/Varati: Response
Stros: We can only hope that the Uwezo have not detected anything happening out here. Did we ever get a clear answer on their scanning technology?
Moore/Varati: Response
Stros: Let us get back to Hova as soon as possible. I don’t know about the two of you, but I feel I may be developing a rash from this disguise.
Moore/Varati: Response
End Act 2 For Stros…
Lieutenant Commander Stros
Chief of Operations/Second Officer
Amity Outpost
A239905NR1