Defending Sereni-Tree and Lift-off from Boros
POSTED BY: TheRealMe
UPDATED: Tuesday, March 14, 2006 04:50
VIEWED: 34789
PAGE 11 of 22
ScorpionRegent goes down several levels of cargo bays under the Sereni-Tree’s Common Room and eventually finds himself at a vault door labeled “Main Engineering”. A camera mounted near the ceiling spins about and focuses on him, seeming to take notice of his presence. Ponderously, the thick metal door opens.
Past the vault door is a huge room full of technological wonders. There are many consoles and control stations, and several floor-to-ceiling marvels that bear a passing resemblance to active engine cores from various starship Enterprises. There are also fusion plants that seem to be of a more conventional design. Main Engineering has the look of a place kept tidy normally, but suffering from recent breaks, spills, shorts, and leaks. Cables snake from console to power plant to engine core, all with a recent, makeshift look about them. Some consoles have their front panels ripped off and exposed wiring trailing off in all directions. A number of tool kits seem to have been strategically placed at various trouble spots.
A man lies on the floor not far away, seemingly unconscious.
But in front of ScorpionRegent is a hovering command chair that looks to be of a fairly sophisticated design. Sitting in the chair is a young woman. She is small framed, with long brunette hair. She is wiping her glasses on her dirty coveralls, while studying a holographic image floating in the air before her. It is a security camera record of the recent fight in the Common Room, mostly featuring SR’s exploits.
“Yeah, looks like you helped out a lot up there. Sorry, I had to check. You could have been an Alliance mole.” She replaces her glasses and studies SR carefully, frowning as she sweeps an errant lock of hair back from her face. “You still could be, I guess, but I really need the help just now.”
The command chair lands and she hops out. She is rather short. “Hi, I’m Bride4. Name’s Jet. I’m an Assistant Engineer here. The Chief Engineer’s gone, don’t know where to. So’s the other AE, and maybe that’s no accident, as they had a thing.” She tosses SR a very thick phone book-sized manual. “That’s the book I call 'Grey’s Anatomy'. It’s the technical specs and design docs for most of what we have down here. Of the whole ship, really. You should realize that all this tech was tinkered together by TheGreyJedi on his own. Nothing down here is standard, and half the stuff runs by some kind of weird techno-magic that even I haven’t figured out… yet, and I've been trying for about a year. But our main fusion plant isn’t too outlandish, and is probably something you could help with right away if you have engineering experience. As it happens, that’s what we need to get going first. Sereni-Tree’s operating on batteries right now.”
She sighs, and rubs her eyes behind her glasses. She as the look of someone who has not rested in a while.
“So? Ready to get going? Oh, and what’s your name?”
Jet, Bride4
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In the Eagle, flying rapidly toward the Sereni-Tree and the two Alliance Cruisers:
TheRealMe smiles as he explains to Jadehand and Monkeytail. “See, I got this shuttle going at a rather tremendous velocity, vectored directly at the nearer Alliance cruiser. By releasing the passenger module, it will continue on this course and impart a rather impressive amount of impact energy when it strikes. By changing the course of the rest of this craft, I can cause it to do the same to the farther cruiser. With any luck, both will be destroyed, or at least disabled.”
Jadehand stares oddly at TheRealMe. “But what will happen to US?”
“Not a problem, Jade, for you see…”
Monkeytail interrupts, pointing at the far cruiser. “Look!”
Quote:
Seryn wrote:
Soundlessly, fire in a hundred different colours erupts along seamlines in the cruiser, spreading out and then receading just as quickly, towers collapse and the bulk of the ship seems to implode. More explosions burst along its bulk, shaking the ship apart, on and on until there is nothing left but a million little pieces, sparkiling and glittering as they spread out from the point in space that the Tripoli used to occupy.
For a short time, all three stare in wonder at the fireworks.
“Huh. Well, that somewhat simplifies the plan.” TheRealMe adjusts the course of the rest of the Eagle to also impact the nearer cruiser, the Killgore. “Our passenger module will likely take out the bridge. Let’s see if WE can hit the engines.”
TheRealMe, First Officer of the Sereni-Tree
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In the Common Room of the Sereni-Tree:
A spot of light appears in the Common Room. It expands, to become a ring of fire around a dark void, perhaps the height of a person. Out of this hole in reality step Jadehand, Monkeytail, and TheRealMe. They drop their packs and other equipment. TheRealMe quickly turns and closes his dimensional portal.
“Well! It’s good to be home!”
He finally takes a look around the devastated Common Room, piled high with broken furnishings and bloody bodies, many human, some yeti.
“Ugh!”
But there are still some defenders standing firm, among them Soul, Kelly, some yeti, Trey, an unfamiliar cyborg, and…
“Washie!”
TheRealMe heads toward ItsAWash, but is intercepted by an exhuberant and affectionate Nugget the Meteor Troll! 
TheRealMe sputters as Nugget's long scaly tongue licks his face.
TheRealMe, First Officer of the Sereni-Tree
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In space around the Sereni-Tree:
Soon after the explosion of the Tripoli, the Killgore is struck by two rapidly-moving objects, objects too massive for the Killgore’s big guns and complement of defensive fighters to deal with. The first strike vaporizes the cruiser’s main bridge. The second causes damage to one of its engines. The great ship seems to drift listlessly for a time, but then re-orients itself and begins to widen the space between it and the Sereni-Tree. Soon, it is obvious that the Killgore is attempting to withdraw, limping away under the cover of its fighters.
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Ooh Green!
*With a triumphant gleam in her eye, Serenity places down her next card: a green Skip.*
Your turn again, Mai! 
"I think so, Brain, but wouldn't the wings get in the way?"
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Quote:
Originally posted by TheRealMe:
In Safe’s ISSCV craft:
Bride7’s complaints trail off when she notices the girl peeking in on the cockpit. Surprised, Bride7 locks eyes with her for a moment, and then sighs. “Oh, this is getting better and better! SAFE! We got us a stow-away!”
"What??" Safe turns and looks back into the passenger compartment. "Well buckle her in, we'll sort it out later"
"Ummm... Safe.."
Safe looks back at Citizen to see him pointing out the pilot's side window, mouth gape.
Safe straightens in his seat and follows Citizens gaze. The Alliance Cruiser Tripoli was coming apart at the seams, and they were too close.
"Sheeit!! Hang ON!!"
Safe cranks the controls to the side and jams the engine to full. They weren't going to make it.
The shock wave tosses the ISSCV like a bit of flotsam on a wave. The ships thick metal plating groans but holds.
"WhaaHooo!" Safe grins as he regains control. He slaps Citizen on the back. "How's that for mititary technology!"
Citizen grins weakly "Ya... great.. just great"
Safe angles the ISSCV for the Tree.
"Captain Seth Franklin, call sign Safe, to the Sereni-Tree, come in please."
Safeat2nd, Chief Handyman of Destiny
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During the rough flight, Bride6 lunges forward with her good hand and grabs hold of the girl to try to keep her safe.
From the craft's aft, Bride7 gets banged around and resumes cursing.
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Quote:
Originally posted by TheRealMe:
In the Common Room of the Sereni-Tree:
A spot of light appears in the Common Room. It expands, to become a ring of fire around a dark void, perhaps the height of a person. Out of this hole in reality step Jadehand, Monkeytail, and TheRealMe. They drop their packs and other equipment. TheRealMe quickly turns and closes his dimensional portal.
“Well! It’s good to be home!”
He finally takes a look around the devastated Common Room, piled high with broken furnishings and bloody bodies, many human, some yeti.
“Ugh!”
But there are still some defenders standing firm, among them Soul, Trey, an unfamiliar cyborg, and…
“Washie!”
TheRealMe heads toward ItsAWash, but is intercepted by an exhuberant and affectionate Nugget the Meteor Troll!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
*Her head whips around to follow the sound of her name in a familiar voice, a big grin on her face as she turns toward him. Washie is just in time to see TRM enfolded in a large friendly Troll-hug-and-kiss more like what Fessig might perpetrate on Inigo rather than Wesley with Buttercup. No kissies drop to the deck as a result, so she figures no amour there, thank Buddha, also no need for her to send a 'Hands...errr...mouth OFFA the man' message to Nugget.
All dressed up with power to spare and nowhere to fling it, Washie manages to bleed off almost half of what she's gathered to her, Riverclone helping disperse and reorganize Washie at a cellular level more approaching what's normal for her. 'Chakra tuning'll be needed after this day's work', she sighs, assured by Riverclone that last time wasn't NOTHING compared to what it'll be like with HER helping out with chakra adjustment.
Washie takes a few paces toward TheRealHim on that thought, patiently waiting her turn, if not for a hug, then a mere touch of her hand along the side of his face to assure herself he's the real him and not a shade like River.
"Good to see ya," she says, catching his eye and smiling as soon as he's free of trollish glee. "You good?"
Wiping a spot of drool off his nose and brushing at more of it on his uniform, TRM sighs and catches Washie's hand in his as it strokes his face. He laughs and kisses her palm, "Took names, no prisoners, effected some mayhem out on the raggedy edge. We're all good. Won't be long now until all there is is clean-up."
He looks about, taking a first officer's thorough assesment of damage done, allies lost or missing, as best he can, at least, in the spotty lighting and massed blood and gore conditions the common room finds itself.
"Heard from you while I was on the Eagle. ESP and TK are phasing off you like steam from a tea kettle, and are those small blue wings down there on your heels?"
Shrugging and nodding, Washie replies, "My cabin roommate's partially responsible for the powers. The wings just kinda (sorta) 'became.' Wish I could tell ya more."
"Later," TRM says, "Time to get a full damage assessment and figure out if we're in the clear now."
TRM feels the deck shiver under him and follows the sensation to a hulking behemoth of metal and man currently taking two steps closer to Washie's side. The cyborg recognizes a command uniform when he sees it and extends a threatening hand toward him. "McQ, this is TheRealMe, Serenitree's First Officer I was tellin' you about earlier. TRM? McQ, late of the Gorram Feds, now friend of the 'Tree."
TRM's gaze starts at the thing's huge feet and travels up and up to the bare chin and mouth to the helmet that covers his (its?) head. "Buy you a drink later, McQ, I'll want to hear your story. For now, let's see what's what. There's business to be done and we'll all be hard at it."Pic courtesy of KellyofLuthien
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*JadeHand steps out of TRM's portal, back into the common room of the Tree. He gazes around at the destruction. Slowly he peals the tag off his chest and his body struggles to become his own again as he stumbles towards the bar.*
"Where's Seryn? Is she ok? Has anyone heard from her?"
Trey places a drink in front off him and slowly shakes her head. "Nothing yet."
*JadeHand grabs the side of head with his left hand and winces at the screams inside. Voices he recognizes, that are not his own, speak to him. He trys quickly do drown them out with the pint in front of him. But the multiple shifts in such a short time have left him exhausted. He slips slowly to the floor, comatose.*
Visit WWW.Marillion.Com for a better way to live
"He's seen too much of life And there's no going back.
The loneliness calls him, And the edge which must be sharpened,
He's losing it. And he knows.
But there's a fighter in his mind and his body's tough
The years have been unkind, but kind enough." -Ocean Cloud (Marbles) -Marillion
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*In the engine room of the Kilgore, now the makeshift bridge, acting captian Commander Matsuoka surveys the damage reports. It is only do to the heroic efforts of the Kilgore's crew that the cruiser is still intact. Even so, fires still run rampant through a portion of the ship, and over half the crew is lost.*
"Ensign Callaway, open a channel to all batteries. Tell them to open fire on my mark. I want those bastards blown out of my sky."
*Flinching as another explosion runs through the cruiser, Matsuoka feels a sense of relief that even if the Kilgore doesn't make it back to port, which the engineers tell him is very likely, she can at least take that damn ship down with her.*
"Commander! We have a priority wave from command."
"Bring it up, Ensign."
*On the screen is Rear Admiral Tao, Commander of Alliance Command, Gamma Quadrant.*
"We just received word that the Tripoli is lost. How's your status?"
"The mission is a failure, sir. We lost most of command when they took out the bridge, and we'll be lucky to make it back home. I'm sending you a report now. But we're about to open fire and take those bastards down."
"Negative, Commander. Tell your men to stand down."
"But sir! That ship nearly destroyed us! You can't expect us to just-"
"That was an order Commander!"
"Yes sir. Ensign, tell the gunners to stand down."
"Very good, Commander. When you get back, I want a full report from the marines. Are you still receiving the signal from our contact inside?"
"Yes sir. The contact just recently rejoined the Sereni-Tree. We expect to get a signal in about five minutes."
"Excellent. Forward it to us when it arrives."
"Yes sir."
*The admiral gives Matsuoka a kind smile.*
"All things considered, you've done well. I expect to see you at headquarters in two days, Commander."
*The screen goes black.
Mastuoka gives the order to retreat. The crew grumbles, but within seconds the Kilgore pulls away from the Sereni-Tree, the fighters returning to their bays. Five minutes later, the Kilgore is just another speck of light to the crew of the Sereni-Tree.*
"Invader's blood marches through my veins like giant radioactive rubber pants. The pants command me! Do not ignore my veins!"
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