Lieutenant Commander Cadfael Peters: The "Cowabunga" Maneuver
Zeph
(( Shuttle Saban, Par’tha Expanse ))
Toryn’s breathing sounded labored, like the sort of intense panting after a workout. However, the sort of focus it would have taken for him to check on his friend wasn’t the sort of focus he had. Liz was seated behind him, still monitoring, presumably. He heard a chirp from his console, but didn’t risk a glance.
Raga: I’m alright….just give me a minute to get the memories to quiet. Didn’ know doing something psionic like that would cause those memories I got from the last mission to get clearer. ::He smiled::
Snow: ::smiles:: You don’t have unlimited strength, you know. ::looking from Raga to down at the tricorder:: Despite what you may think.
She’d been about to reply when an alert sounded from Cadfael’s station.
Peters: Message from the Chin’toka incoming, from Mr. McKnight. Your dad is trying to stare down the Chin’toka.
He just groaned. Unlike the Al-Leyans on the Chin’toka their people were meticulous and calculating. They didn’t half ass something or rush into something without considering every possible outcome, problem or approach. Even in split second decisions. The fact his dad was facing down a Federation ship could only mean that he has enough ships in the area to take on even their Akira class. Toryn had spotted at least ten possible ships in the nebula alone. Who knew how many others were cloaked outside it.
Snow: Your levels are slowly returning to normal, but we’ll chat later about things to make sure you’re alright. ::smiles::
Raga: Understood, Doc.
Rosek-Skyfire: Now that Toryn has severed the connection, adjust course, and just get us to the safest place within the nebula that you can find.
Toryn slowly rotated his chair to face his console again and did a quick check of the sensors to get caught up on the situation.
Levinson: The pocket I mentioned earlier moved slightly. Heading 108-mark-177. 119 meters.
Turbulence struck the shuttle, mild but still noticeable. Less than he expected given the eddies and explosions. But still, it wasn’t nothing.
Rosek-Skyfire: What in the hell was that?
He let Noa do her thing and keep up the brilliant plotting of the eddies.
Levinson: Unexpected turbulence, Commander. Wavefront analysis suggests a distance of approximately 270 kilometers from an approximately singular point of origin. Cause…
There was a pause as Noa’s digits tapped at her console.
Levinson: Pattern is consistent with the detonation of approximately five photon torpedoes, set for a higher yield. Trail analysis suggests the firing vessel is the Al-Leyan lead ship. ::To Raga:: Sending data over for your confirmation, Commander
With a swipe on her console, she sent her data over to Toryn’s console which he quickly reviewed and nodded.
Raga: Confirmed. Looks like six detonations from photon torpedoes. From their pattern I don’t think they actually hit anything. ::He paused:: Correction, there was one confirmed hit. It looks like a torpedo tok out our Reskari probe.
Snow: Response
Dermont: Why in the blazes are they shootin' into a nebula? Where their own ships are? Some o' these gasses as 'ighly volatile! Like we all go up inta cinders volatile!
That was a good question. But if there were, as Toryn put it, "confirming" and "non-conforming" sides, she had an idea why they would.
Snow: Maybe they know we’re out here? Or they’re looking to scare whoever they’re looking for out?
Another chirp chirp from his console got his attention. This time, a message.
Peters: Message from the Chin’toka incoming, from Mr. McKnight. Your dad is trying to stare down the Chin’toka.
Dermont: Why in the blazes are they shootin' into a nebula? Where their own ships are? Some o' these gasses as 'ighly volatile! Like we all go up inta cinders volatile!
Snow: Maybe they know we’re out here? Or they’re looking to scare whoever they’re looking for out?
Just then, the ship rocked a bit from turbulence, as an eddie ignited from weapons fire from the Al-Leyan warship. But what were they shooting at, exactly? He couldn’t see anything except some distorted space, and now an ignited plasma eddie. With adept skill, he maneuvered the Saban into a somewhat straight line, but in reverse, to put some distance between the shuttle and the incoming feud.
Peters: This is going to get just a wee bit interesting, hang onto something.
And another chirp-chirp from the console. Once again, another jolt to the shuttle. He glanced down at his sensors and attempted to plot a course through the interference to get enough distance that they wouldn’t be at further risk.
Levinson: Maybe they have already found some of them. ::To Raga:: Do Al-Leyans usually fire warning shots? Especially those consisting of numerous high yield torpedoes?
Raga: Yes. If they thought it was the best option for the situation. My people are methodical and don’t rush things. But when they settle on a course of action they go at it fully. ::He added:: I get the feeling they might be trying to flush out other ships hiding here.
Isa: =/\= Chin’toka to Saban. =/\=
Peters: =/\= This is Saban, go ahead. =/\=
Isa: =/\= Report your status. Is everything okay over there? Why haven’t you returned to the ship yet? =/\=
Dermont: Shields down ta seventy percent and...holdin' fer now. Nice pocket ya found…
Peters: =/\= Shields to 70 percent and holding. We encountered some turbulence that prevented a straight beeline back to the ship. =/\=
Snow: It looks like things will be stable here for a while, things seem to be rolling away from us for now.
It was mostly the truth, as the exit course he plotted was now fraught with turbulence. The radioactive pockets kept shifting, and the weapons fire from the Al-leyan vessel didn’t help. However, Lael was quick to jump on the conversation, which saved him from a lengthy explanation.
Rosek-Skyfire: =/\= I can hear you and I promise we’ll give a more thorough explanation once we're back on the ship. But I’m not sure how much longer we can stay hidden in the nebula. Are we clear to return? =/\=
Isa: =/\= Now would be the best time, Commander, while the Al-Leyans are busy shooting at each other. =/\=
Raga: =/\= As soon as we can. =/\=
Rosek-Skyfire: ::nods:: =/\= Understood. Rosek out. =/\=
Rosek-Skyfire: Cadfael, get us out of here. Noa, Valin–stay on top of those eddies and the radiation. Help him out.
Levinson: Understood, Commander. ::Looking at her readings:: I believe the shockwave caused the sensors to get misaligned briefly. ::To Dermont:: Lieutenant, could you ensure the sensor yield is maximal at ::Tapping a few controls, sending some data over to Dermont:: these frequency ranges, please? It will help increase the sensor precision for the eddies and radiation. ::To Peters:: In the meantime, Commander, heading 342-mark-21 should be ideal for the time being.
Dermont: On it.
While the two lieutenants worked to correct the sensor resolution, he gave a nod to Levinson. At the very least, he was going to keep them from being blown apart as he replotted his navigation back to the ship.
Peters: :: To Noa. :: Acknowledged.
A soft groan escaped from somewhere behind him, possibly Toryn.
Rosek-Skyfire: Toryn, you need to get looked at.
Raga: I’m fine. ::He muttered::
Rosek-Skyfire: ::scowls:: Your brains were scrambled about by a psionic connection that even I wasn’t strong enough to maintain as long as you did. Let Liz at least take a look to make sure you didn’t do any permanent damage.
Raga: We have to focus on getting out of the nebula. Besides, she was already monitoring me. ::He smiled at Snow then looked at Lael:: It’s not the first time I’ve had a headache.
Despite the fact that Cadfael had been focused nearly the entire time on his flight path, he felt that he had to say something to Toryn.
Peters: You don’t have to focus on that, sir. Leave the flying to me.
Snow: Response
Rosek-Skyfire: ::to Toryn:: You’re going to need meditation to sort through all of what just happened or it could absolutely cause damage. They taught me some techniques on New Vulcan to handle psionic events like this. I really think it would benefit you to let me guide you through them.
Raga: Would that even work? Aren’t Vulcan and Al-Leyan minds different? I know our psionics are different.
Rosek-Skyfire: ::nods:: It’s pretty standard. I use them every day. ::grimaces:: I definitely wish Chythar and I had had these tools when we were first trying to stabilize our psionic bond. It would have saved us both a lot of nightmares and confusion.
Raga: Some nightmares never go away. ::He murmured::
Snow: Response
Dermont: Listen to mother!
Cadfael’s brow furrowed slightly, but it was a momentary oO Mother? Oo as he continued his focus on the flight. Without waiting for an answer to Valin’s words from either Lael or Liz, he shifted the subject.
Peters: Noa, next heading, please.
On cue, Noa had one mapped out for him.
Levinson: Eddy moving in from heading 237-mark-169.
Dermont: Yer own predictive model 'as that four percent further starboard...
That wasn’t a surprise. The minor damage they’d sustained thus far to the shields must’ve knocked a few cables loose and messed with their sensor calibration. The radiation probably wasn’t helping, but then again he had no way of knowing for certain how to check his exposure level. He was hoping that the reskari shielding was doing its job.
Levinson: ::To Dermont:: Lieutenant. Take a look at this data. :: Tapping a few buttons and continuing to speak with Valin. :: I believe it should be possible to find a sufficient concentration of those eddies and let the gravitational asymmetry boost our velocity, if not outright carry us over to the ship. What do you think?
Dermont: Haha! Ya hit it right on the nose! Commander, ::he turned to Peter.:: any chance ya know 'ow ta surf?
While he lived in Shrewsbury, he’d occasionally manage to get out to Watergate Bay, where he first learned how to surf. Three point breaks were his first challenge, and he missed those days. However, applying it to a shuttle ride was something he hadn’t considered, and was mildly curious of the application that Valin was thinking.
Peters: I do. I’m not great at it, but please elaborate.
Dermont: Full power ta shields, small tap o' the deflector, and then we ride almost full impulse right on back ta the ship!
Now that Valin had explained how it could be used, Cadfael grinned widely. He was confident in his ability, and his ever-expanding fruit salad of ribbons for his various aerial stunts were a testament to his adaptability in the pilot’s seat.
Raga: That sounds a lot like gliding in an avalanche.
Levinson: It should be more like going with the flow of a river.
Peters: I like it. Preparing “Cowabunga” mode.
Rosek-Skyfire / Snow: Response
Dermont: ::Talking to Lael.:: But ma'am, what are we doin' 'bout yer dad? Cloaked...shields down...they can't be doin' good. None of these ships out 'ere can be...
Raga: I asked but Aldek didn’t seem too keen on accepting anything offered from me. ::He frowned:: But I doubt they’re doing well if they’ve been here for a prolonged period.
Rosek-Skyfire / Snow: Response
Dermont: ::Slow nod.:: Yes ma'am.
He glanced over at Peters.
Dermont: We 'ave a gravitation eddie sixteen seconds out. Uploadin' suggested flight path and reinforcin' shields. Let's hope we don't need phaser fer the next lil bit. Levinson, we might be passin' through a radiation patch fer about six seconds before exitin' the nebula...tell me it's one o' the kinds we've already modulated shield ta filter out...
Levinson: I believe so, yes.
As they reconfigured the power to the shuttle’s systems, Cadfael guided them deftly toward another eddy. It would take a few moments for the impulse engines to power up to the point where he could make the landing safely with a “ride the wave” type maneuver, but he had confidence in the Saban’s crew to make the necessary adjustments.
Peters: Copy that, executing Cowabunga! maneuver.
They hadn’t needed the phasers thus far, but as the wave carried them off Cadfael punched the button to fire the impulse engines to maximum burn, he felt relaxed. Despite the tension in the small cockpit caused by the fact two officers had fathers on opposing sides of this fight, surfing made the tension for Cadfael all but disappear.
She was a beautiful sight, seeing the sleek silhouette of the Akira class as they darted straight for her. She came into view slowly as the green and yellow nebula cloud gave way to the starlit backdrop of space and their home ship. Peeling away like a curtain to show the Chin’toka. She was always a wonderful sight to behold when they were in trouble.
Raga: Looks like there’s a few ships decloaking and patrolling the nebula. If I know my father he’s probably got them on a rotation to keep them from being exposed to the radiation for too long. I’m not seeing any more detonations aside from those nebula gasses earlier.
Peters: Well, the good news is we’re nearly home.
Dermont: We're receivin' sensor data from the Chin'toka again. Is that...does that data indicate debris?!
Levinson: I believe so. I have taken scans of the scattering pattern and composition as I am certain the ship itself had done.
Levinson: ::To Peters:: Nebular gases will not assist in masking our location this time, Commander. Do you believe we may be able to approach the ship with the inertia we have gained from the gravity eddies, to help decrease impulse emissions?
Peters: Should be able to, yes.
Rosek-Skyfire / Snow: Response
As they drifted towards the Chin’toka, who was moving towards them as if they were about to enter the nebula, they all got an eyeful of what Cadfael assumed must’ve been Ket’s ship, the only visible non-cloaked Al-Leyan vessel in their line of sight.
Raga: Get us back to the Chin’toka, mister Peters. ::He glanced at Snow:: Doc, given our time in the nebula I leave the call up to you if we should report directly to Sickbay or not as soon as we’re landed.
Peters: Aye, sir. Looks like she’s on an intercept course, allowing us to glide right in.
Rosek-Skyfire / Snow: Response
Dermont: Final approach. Lowerin' shields and powerin' down impulse. Welcome home and thanks fer flyin' Saban. ::Glancing at Peters.:: Yer pretty good at this.
As the intercept course was indeed true to form, Cadfael managed a smooth landing within the shuttle bay and noted how much nicer it looked now than after his creative landing tactics during the last mission. It was a wholly different matter landing cleanly than landing creatively, that was for sure. Unlike how he’d interacted with Logan in the past, and the accent reminded him so much of Chythar’s Scots-Irish brogue, he had a sneaking suspicion he’d get along well with Dermont.
Peters: Thanks, mate. You aren’t so bad yourself. oO Why did you flirt with him? You realize that was a mistake, right? Oo
This thought was followed a moment later by a harsh oO Oh, shut up. Oo
END Scene - Peters