Maj. Didrik Stennes — Both sides now
Yogan Yalu
(( OOC: This sim commences Act 1 of our mission. ))
(( Mess Hall, Deck 3, CIC Desdemona ))
The round trip to Casperia and back was long and exhausting, but at least it was productive, too. Didrik and Yogan were given information that might level the playing field between the Commonwealth and the Shint. Their fresh intelligence set the stage for a dangerous mission which Desdemona’s crew would undertake.
As he stood before the senior staff to brief them on their mission, Didrik reflected on how excited he and Yogan had been to come back home to Desdemona. But he hadn’t anticipated coming back alone.
Rather than dwell on the loss of Major Yannick—everyone had lost too many loved ones, friends, and crew mates to count—he focused on the mission. With a few gestures at the holographic controls, Didrik activated the display at the front of the room. A schematic of a pyramidal device rotated slowly in the air.
Stennes: We’ve all seen what this thing can do. But after years of mystery and rumors, we finally get to look at it. The intel scientists working at Casperia call this a “prismagon.” It’s the key piece of technology in the Shint reality weapon.
Didrik started an animation of multiple prismagons buried deep within the bowels of a Shint warship, with directional arrows highlighting connections to the weapons systems on its exterior hull. Shint conventional weapons were bad enough, but the reality-warping properties of the prismagon had turned a war of attrition into a one-sided wipeout.
Stennes: The energy field this thing generates can fragment reality at the quantum level and then collapse it around its target. When directed at a ship, or a planetoid, or—— ::beat:: a person, the prismagon’s energy essentially forces them out of reality, particle by particle.
Didrik turned to MacKenzie, his expression grim.
Stennes: Colonel, we’re going to steal one.
MacKenzie: response
Stennes: ::nods:: That’s true. Prismic shields have been a colossal failure at the size and scale we’ve been using them. Commonwealth starships are just too big for the shields to work properly. But, they’re very effective at shielding small craft and—
Didrik changed the display to a schematic of two humanoids, each wearing an armband with a hockey puck-sized control.
Stennes: Individuals. ::beat:: Well, at least the testing they’ve done on individuals has been very promising. ::tosses a data chip to Adea:: Colonel Adea, here are all of the schematics and data that Intel has on prismic technology. We need shields that will allow us to get aboard a Shint vessel and remain undetected by their prismic scanners.
Adea: response
Didrik considered the qualifications and specializations of every person in the room before he continued. All of them possessed skills hewn by war. Those who graduated from the Commonwealth Fleet Academy held formal commissions, but a diploma and a ribbon made little difference when in the heat of battle. Informal education—the gritty, dirty, depressing kind—counted just the same, if not more.
Stennes: Luana, Lux, Kuva, and Gila, assist the colonel. We need enough shields for a shuttlepod and a small team.
Yellir / Lux / Kuva / Thevn: response
Didrik glanced across the room at one of Desdemona’s relative newcomers, an Edo called Jovenan. With the war all but lost for the Commonwealth, the Edo had generously decided they’d start offering limited assistance. One of the few remaining independent polities left in the Quadrant, Rubicun III was a bastion of pre-war normalcy in an otherwise devastated galaxy. Didrik wondered if Jovenan had any idea of the horrors the rest of them had seen.
Stennes: Jovenan, any assistance you could provide would be most appreciated.
Jovenan: response
Didrik turned to the others to present their tasks.
Stennes: Vik, Flint, you need to find us a suitable target. The space between the Celendi and Azure Nebulae is crawling with Shint. To maximize our likelihood of success, we need a ship with at least 3 prismagons aboard. Cruisers or larger. Devise a suitable approach for the shuttlepod, and attack and escape plans for Desdemona.
Olivera / Kader: response
Stennes: Ares, Savel, Harry, you’ll put our heist together, with the Colonel’s and my assistance. ::tosses Dakora a data chip:: We’ve got updated holo-schematics of Shint craft and weaponry. Work with Vik and Flint and use the Sim Centers on deck six to anticipate contingencies.
(( OOC: Sim Center is this universe’s holodeck. ))
Dakora / Savel / Sato / MacKenzie: response
Didrik took a step back and looked at the entire senior staff. Pep talks weren’t his strong suit, but he tried his best.
Stennes: You’ve all seen the projections. Even the most optimistic forecasts show that the war will be lost within a year. This may be a suicide mission. But it also might be our first, last, only opportunity to defend ourselves against the Shint. Maybe even mount an offensive of our own someday. ::long beat, sighs wearily:: What questions do you have?
Any: response
Tag / TBC
Major Didrik Stennes
Acting Executive Officer
CIC Desdemona RNS-601
D238804DS0