Ens Chevalier - Fly, Artemis, fly!
CPT Arianus
(( Bridge, USS Artemis-A, “Present Day” ))
Yellir received a nod from Jaseb, indicating their readiness. In response, she nodded and quickly ran her fingers over the console.
Yellir: =/\= Ready. =/\=
Jaseb smiled upon the viewscreen, looking at the hell to loose they unleashed.
It was… beautiful…
Elain: Welcome to the winning side, Genkos. I’m eager to see you in pers―
As the Empress was in the middle of her sentence, the viewscreen suddenly began to flicker. The cause was immediately apparent - the spreading antimatter had blinded the sensors and disrupted the communication frequency. This left the Empress's fleet unable to discern what lay concealed within the expanding cloud of antimatter and Artemis got their chance to seize the opportunity to break free from her grasp.
Commander Adea stood up from his chair and faced his bridge crew. Jaseb scanned his face for any signs of pride, but even though he saw relief, he could tell that time was of the essence and there would be no praise nor celebration for them anytime soon.
Adea: Right, get us out of here. Chart a windy course - is there anywhere nearby we can hide? I’m thinking nebulae, gas clouds, that sort of thing.
Jaseb had already conceived an idea of what to do next while strategizing on how to disable or neutralize the Empress's armada and had the sensor data at hand. He assumed their stunt would blind both the Betazeds and them. However, he was surprised to find out that their sensors were only partially compromised and not fully.
Kel: There is a gas cloud nearby commander, but it’s highly charged. She won’t see us but….well it’s not ideal.
Chevalier: I can confirm, sir. Our sensors detect only one safely usable nebula for our escape—but it shows its classification as Mutara. There is another nebula available, dichromic class 9. However, if I have calculated the half-life of our antimatter spread correctly, we will still be exposed to their sensors for at least five seconds, even at maximum impulse.
Yellir: Response
Jaseb nodded in their direction and plotted a course to the nebula.
Adea: And thank you - that was a good plan, well executed. Let’s hope it sticks.
Kel: Something is bound to go right eventually sir.
Jaseb's face lit up with a smile of satisfaction and relief as he nodded his head in acknowledgment. Finally, after all their hard work and effort, they received some much-needed appreciation. He turned his attention to the sensors, carefully monitoring the readings and analyzing the values of antimatter dispersion and dissolution. With a keen eye, he calculated the exact time when the Betazoids would be able to perceive their ship once again and compared the data with the time required for them to disappear once more into the depths of the nebula. The results of his calculations looked promising, and his little soul couldn't help but hope that they would succeed.
Kel: Commander, an instability is starting to form in the warp core... We must have taken too much plasma to charge the phasers.
Adea/Yellir: Response
Of course, they needed to bite the bullet when everything finally started to look at least bearable and hopeful. But such is the world, and as his mother used to say - it never rains but it pours.
Kel: If we’re gonna go to that gas cloud we better go quick. In an hour we won’t be able to go to warp.
Chevalier: Understood. Increasing the speed beyond the tested safety standard.
Jaseb increased the impulse engine power into the red zone, causing the engines to kick in their thrust. The ship began to shake, at first slightly and then more noticeably. Jaseb felt uneasy, but he knew they had no other option if they wanted to make it before anything else fail on them. After a few seconds, the shaking eventually subsided as the inertial dampers synchronized with the engine's thrust. At least those still worked…
Chevalier: Entering to nebula…now.
Jaseb briefly shifted his gaze towards Yellir, then turned his attention to Adea, studying their faces intently. They entered the nebula just in time, perhaps a fraction of a second before or after the dissipation of the antimatter spread. Who knows.
Chevalier: We are currently experiencing a loss of sensor readings for distances greater than 100 feet. SCI, we need to increase the dispersion to 500 microns to navigate through the nebula.
Jaseb's forehead was dotted with a tiny bead of sweat, which began to trickle down his face. His and science stations were those responsible for determining the safest course of action amidst their limited visibility. Every direction they could possibly steer their ship in seemed fraught with peril - a turbulent electromagnetic storm, a looming asteroid, a menacing graviton wave, or any of the million other hazards that could crush their vessel as easily as a tin can. Jaseb was reminded of his childhood affinity for the sound of a tin can as he sipped from one, but the thought of being trapped inside one now filled him with apprehension.
Adea/Elain/Yellir/Kel: Response
TAG/TBC