Cmdr. Avander Promontory: No Return to Sender
Avander Promontory
(( Corridors and Lifts of the USS Octavia E Butler ))
oO What just happened!? Oo
Avander Promontory was still reeling from witnessing the self-inflicted murder of the Zet king and the attempt by their other asylum seeker to take over the ship. And apparently, that wasn’t even why the captain had called the red alert.
oO The Zet fleet must have punched through the torpedo shield already! Oo That, or some new emergency from the planet.
The commander briskly trod the corridors to the lift. Once inside, he used the inlayed displays to access the updated mission reports.
Promontory: Bridge!
The lift lurched up as Avander got caught up on the events of the other teams.
oO OK, so it wasn’t just the diplomatic summit that escalated quickly! Oo But they had good crew members in all their key positions. Things were about to get rough, but Avander was sure they were up to the challenge. The turbolift stopped and the doors hissed open to a bridge at red alert.
(( Bridge, Deck 1, USS Octavia E Butler ))
Avander did a quick scan of the bridge. The captain in her spot, Lieutenant Saa assisting from the command deck. Lieutenant Lahl on support. He moved towards his XO chair when a bright light overwhelmed the viewscreen.
Promontory: Whoa, what was that!?
Rouiancet: We may have just destroyed their carrier. Lahl, Saa?
Lahl: Commander, Captain. Readings coming in…
Avander followed along with his console as he tried to play catch up. oO Oh! Oo They had used a shuttle as a near-range ballistic missile. With its exploded warp core, it had completely taken out one of the Zet ships. The rest were swarming angrily.
Lahl: Sirs, the carrier is destroyed…
The swarming resolved into particular positions in formation, an aggressive stance, all now directed at the Butler.
oO Hopefully that will give the ground teams a break! Oo
Lahl: The Zet fleet has stopped Sirs.
Saa: Responses
Promontory: I don’t like the look of this.
Rouiancet: Response
Lahl: Aye sirs. Um…hold on sirs…It’s the Grand Poobah De Doink again.
Avander raised an eyebrow. The Zet titles continued to get more ridiculous.
Saa/Rouiancet: Response
Promontory: Nevertheless, put him through.
Lahl: Channel open sirs.
It was audio only.
Tzarn: =/\= Captain Rouiancet, I must commend your ingenuity. A single shuttle, properly aimed, can do more damage than an entire squadron—efficient, brutal, and now… inspiring. =/\=
While the words had a hint of malice, but no other passion.
Tzarn: =/\= My fleet has already begun plotting collision trajectories. Imagine, Executor-class vessels across the quadrant, refining this tactic, perfecting it. You may have just given the Zet our most devastating weapon yet. But for now, let’s speak plainly—unless you wish to see what happens when dozens of my ships make the same decision your crew did. =/\=
Avander motioned for the hail to be muted.
Promontory: Can he make good on that threat? Surely the Butler’s shields are sufficient.
After all, they had pretty good shields, in several flavors.
Rouiancet / Saa: Response
Promontory: Very well.
He unmuted the channel. They didn’t have long for the captain to respond.
Rouiancet: =/\= Response =/\=
Tzarn: =/\= Response =/\=
Rouiancet: =/\= Response =/\=
While they talked, Avander pulled up Dr. Moydol’s report. Whatever else could be said about the man, he was efficient.
Tzarn: =/\= Response =/\=
Promontory: =/\= The prince is in our custody. The king is dead—killed by the same poison that killed his brother. A fast-acting toxin native to this planet that is particularly deadly to the Zet. They’ve both gone to a place from which no Zet can rehusk. Perhaps you should consider that! =/\=
Tzarn: =/\= Response =/\=
Saa/Rouiancet: Response
Promontory: (quietly) I say, call his bluff.
It was a risk, but Avander was in no mood to be trifled with. A righteous fire of indignation had been kindling within him this whole mission and was approaching inferno.
Saa/Rouiancet: Response
> Tags and Maybe End Act for Avander?
[I suppose we'll see what you all do! ;) ]
[[OOC: I didn't add new Lahl takes since she had the "end scene" tag, but feel free to have her jump in if there's a little more to add!]]
--