Elite roleplay: Off station

OFF STATION

Your ship, deep space, anything that is not happening inside the Citi Gateway or Ingaba...

General Roleplay Etiquette:

1. Control only the actions of your own character(s). (AKA: God Mode)
This doesn't matter how small the action is, even if it is as simple as scratching their nose or a direct reaction to something else that just happened. This applies to everything from casual conversation to full blown fight scenes. If you'd like someone to do something specific, PM that person, however keep in mind they are completely within their rights to say no. Especially if said action is inappropriate to their character and/or circumstance.

2. Don't brute force your way into another persons RP.
Approaching with a conversation starter is fine, or indeed some other small action. However charging in, guns blazing and disrupting the flow of another person/pair/groups conversation/arc is about as rude as doing so in real life. If something is going on that you'd like to participate in, be subtle about it. Put out a gentle hook for someone to take, but again, be aware that said hook may not be taken. If you fear it was simply unnoticed, PM the person or people it concerns. Or even leave a message in the OOC forums.

3. Good grammar and spelling is preferred.
We're not asking you to be perfect, but please at least demonstrate willingness. no1 iz gna tak u srsly usng txt spk. There's a wide variety of people here, many who speak English as a second, or even third language. There are even some with varying degrees of dyslexia and/or likely other issues that affect spelling/grammar. We accept them all here. However, people who aren't accepted, are those unwilling to accept polite correction. Remember that even a small thing like the placement of a comma, or the wrong use of there/their/they're can completely change the definition of an entire sentence.

4. Accept constructive criticism gracefully and politely.
If someone spots an issue with your writings, they may wish to help you improve that writing. They may do this through PM or even publicly air their thoughts on the OOC forum. If they have taken the time to be polite and explain what is wrong with your writing, the best way to behave is to respond in kind, using the same manner they have approached you with. It means they have taken an active interest in what you have written and wish to see more. Basically, you have a fan!

5. Don't take the actions or opinions of things done IN RP, to be directly relevant to the writers thoughts or opinions.
Basically, if some ones character calls your character a jackass, it doesn't mean the writer thinks you are a jackass. It's a ROLE they are PLAYING. Watch a movie. The argument between the characters isn't an argument between the actors involved. The same applies here.

6. It's not a popularity contest.
Your RP might be bustling with participants. You have 3 people off station in a fire fight, while another 2 are infiltrating the darkest areas of the station, meanwhile a group of 4 others are tracking your movements in an effort to stop you. Good for you, I'm sure it will be a thrilling read! But you know what? Sometimes the absolute BEST work, comes from two RP characters having a simple heart to heart. Both are valid, both are great, but NEITHER is categorically better than the other. Period.


Inara RP Etiquette:

1. Respect the setting and rules of the universe.
Inara is an Elite: Dangerous 3rd Party Tool. The RP Forums are set in the Elite: Dangerous universe. Elite: Dangerous has rules, as any fictional universe does from Lord of the Rings to Star Wars, or Game of Thrones to Star Trek. If you intend to RP within the Elite: Dangerous universe you are bound by the history and rules of that universe. Simply put, this RP forum is bound by the same rules as the game, so if it can't be done in the game, it is not permitted here. This applies to things from a 50Ly Jump Range on a normal, unmodified Sidewinder, to the destruction of entire stations.

2. Respect the characters created by others.
We have a wide variety of characters already here. It's expected that some will be similar, just as it's expected that two characters will be vastly different. Opinions of each persons character will naturally be varied, but all are valid provided they follow the rules of the universe. You are allowed to interact with, or avoid interaction with, any character in the RP forums. But you have no right to belittle others for their creation. You are not an authority figure on writing, nor are you directly affected by another persons imagination. You might not like it, but you MUST respect it.

3. Be caught up on current events before joining in.
You need basic things like character descriptions in order to interact with them. You also need to know what's going on in the surrounding areas. This is simply because the people you are hoping to RP with, might be gearing up to something that you might not want to be part of. Or simply that the most recent post, out of context, could leave a different impression on the goings on than if you gather that context. We don't expect you to read every single post from the beginning of the forums, just enough to get that basic understanding.

4. Either subscribe to, or frequently check, the Roleplay: Q&A and OOC forum.
People may be discussing something relevant to you there, or even discussing you directly. Perhaps someone asked what the general consensus on the existence or non-existence of a certain object. Or we're just chatting about random gibberish. Either way, be aware of it and use it. If you're unsure about something, such as how guns would look and or behave, or even the music selection, use the OOC forum to ask. We don't have all of the answers, but the collective knowledge and logic usually allows us to overcome an issue and come to a decision on what should be allowed. Frontier Developments, and even David Braben himself, don't have the answers to every possible question that can be asked.

5. Large Scale events exploding out of nowhere are a complete no go.
We get it. Everyone wants their character to be noticed and for people to be tripping over themselves to interact with them. In some audiences, an introduction involving you blasting in for landing in a fiery wreckage of a ship, before cart wheeling out and sword fighting 35 Ninjas before whisking off with the local celebrity for a glorious night of passion, is in fact, cool. This is not one of those audiences. It is generally considered better to build your character up slowly over time. Eventually, you might even have a legitimate excuse to fight those Ninjas. Maybe even with other RP participants by your side.

6. Perfect characters are boring.
The point of a character arc, is that it is in fact, an arc shape. One who is morally unquestionable, fully kitted out and an infinite fountain of knowledge, cannot go through an arc. Give your character flaws. Be it a tendency towards befriending the wrong people, or a bad knee that frequently gives out at inopportune moments. It gives readers something to latch onto and empathise with. You can give your character exceptional capabilities at something, but it requires balance. She's a damn good pilot with no equal, but can't drive an SRV for peanuts. It can lead to some very interesting moments between characters, be it heartfelt or comedic.


Other Notes:
It should be noted that there can be exceptions to these points. For example, good grammar when a character is speaking is actually rare. Few people in real life actually speak with perfect eloquence after all. Or previously arranged actions during a fight scene, such as someone stumbling back after a punch. What's key to remember is context.

All in all, remember this is purely for fun. We have some seriously talented writers here, and others whose writing history starts and ends at high school. But many are willing to help out in whatever way they can. All it takes is that you ask nicely.

Also keep in mind that many people who RP here, also have logbook stories related to the character, or characters, they portray. If it looks like there's an "in joke" going on that you're unsure of, it's probably in those.

In fact, some users have even gone to the trouble of creating "alts" to RP with. If you read back far enough, it's usually pretty clear who has and hasn't, and which ones are the "alts". It's therefore not unheard of to see the apparent seizing of control of other characters. If you do spot one, point it out in the OOC section. If intervention is needed, it will be sorted quickly and (hopefully) politely.

Most, if not all RP participants here have Logbook stories pertaining to their character(s). These are for the reading pleasure of anyone who wishes to do so. While it can be useful to read them in order to gain a bit of backstory on a character you wish to interact with, it should not be assumed that your character shares that knowledge. Within the E:D Universe, these Logbooks either don't exist, or are private diaries kept by the characters. Either way, without explicit statements to say otherwise from the writer, your interactions should reflect that your character is in the dark about any information you, the writer/reader, have gained from reading the stories.
Meowers
11 Jun 2023, 10:44pm
Continued from the Docks

Last time I played a distractive move, it... It worked. But at a terrible cost. Now, it's only me and Marshmallow, but, thankfully, only one ship to divert their attention from.

Another jump...

Damn it will be really hard to explain. I may be already late to pick up those modules for our forces, and people may start worrying. I should send them a message that I'm going to be late a bit, due to... Thargoids, why not. I hate lying. But that won't be a lie.

And a bit more jumps... Here we go. Cephei Sector BV-Y B4.

I think I should start with... Let it be a Basilisk. Poor idiot doesn't stand a slightest chance.

When Marshmallow was in repairs, AXDF techs offered me a set of new weaponry, designed while the settlement was under the blockade, Modified Shard Cannons. Normally, we didn't use the shards due to their poor performance at the optimal engagement distance, but these things were a completely overhauled version, made with all pilots' feedback in mind. And... Hell I really liked them! They required a bit more aggressive approach and that was something close to my heart, and, being handled right, were able to deal a massive damage over a short period of time, or provide a nice sustainable firepower: whilst one pair was 'active', another one had enough time to recharge. And, another sweet moment, firing two of them, Marshmallow could stay under the 20% temperature threshold nicely, if not boosting at the same time. And they had way more ammo in total, making long draining fights easier. So... Those big shotguns were right what I needed.

Approaching the first Basilisk, I dropped a heatsink and started pounding the beast with high-velocity shrapnel, turning its carapace into mutilated, deformed mess, and it roared in pain. First two hearts went off surprisingly fast, and I decided to tease the wounded beast, just flying circles around it, out of its firing range. And... An idea of that beast already in pain, and trying to get me, calling for help... Was a bit sadistic, but pleasant. I had to hold myself back anyway, saving ammo and fuel for the final part.
Silvia Sharpe
11 Jun 2023, 10:57pm
Continued from the Docks


'Celeste target a drop point near Marshmallow. We can't expect to hold them off on her own.'

"Yes commander. Drop point targeted."

I hold my breath as I reach the drop zone. As soon as I drop in I see a lone FDL facing off against a basilisk. I waste no time and deploy weapons and go hot. I unleash a burst of bright purple rounds as the basilisk fights to target Ina.

I open a comment line to Ina and call over.

'Hey there. I thought you might like some help. Tell me where to shoot and I'll provide support best I can.'

I deploy a heat sync and roll out of the damn things path. I switch off FA and take a moment to gain my bearings.

'Haven't done this in a while..'
Meowers
11 Jun 2023, 11:13pm
"Ow, Silvia, is that you? On a Challenger?"

Seeing Gauss rounds with purple tracers ripping of some of the Basilisk's flesh, I added more hate from my first pair of Shards, lighting up the third heart and immediately shattering it with a second pair. The Interceptor twitched and roared in pain, helplessly spraying the space with poorly-aimed projectiles.

"Thank you for coming anyway. That thing... Still messes up the Guardian tech, so make sure your maintenance modules are constantly in use. And remember what I said in the bar."

Making a 180 turn after reloading both pairs of cannons, I boosted towards the Basilisk again, spiralling in and dropping another heatsink to mess up its aim. Then, a quick change of direction when I entered the firing range, and a flurry of shrapnel left the beast shieldless. Rotating chaotically, totally confused and trying to aim either Silvia or me, unable to get a solid lock due to our temperature control, the Thargoid hopelessly roared and sent another long burst into nowhere, whilst I've been already out of its sights and reloading.

I tapped the left trigger several times, unleashing another portion of shrapnel. Rounds bombarded the body of a beast, leaving jagged holes, cracks, greenish goo gushing out of the wounds, and its four heart started glowing, exerted, unable to regenerate the damage. Placing my crosshair on it, I tapped the right trigger, turning the Basilisk's limb into a shower of debris. The beast emitted a desperate, pained roar, shocked, seeing its own green blood filling the void around it, and at that moment, I was already a few kilometres away, recharging and checking my module status.

"So, hit the belly when it doesn't glow. When it glows, hit where it glows. And don't be too aggressive, save some ammo and fuel for Creamy's arrival. Activate your open comm channel, he plays music on it: so that you will know when to get more angry."

Last edit: 11 Jun 2023, 11:21pm
Silvia Sharpe
11 Jun 2023, 11:46pm
'Ya. My wife was fighting on the front lines protecting the planetside ports. She had left this beast on Citi lucky enough for me. Otherwise I'd be here in a cutter ramming that damn beast. Can't let a pilot fight on their own.

I roll out of the way again and line up a volley and fire.

Watching closely to Meowers attack patterns I do my best to mimic them following behind her and attacking in an attempt to keep the heat on. Like she had said this was a war of attrition. I needed to conserve my ammunition and watch my modules.

I begin to fall back into the rhythm of things lining up a volley of gauss rounds and keeping temps cool. A few volleys and runs later I managed to expose a heart. I fired off my cannons in an alternating pattern to keep the heat on as it heart erupted I aimed away from the beast and fired off my boosters.

This was much different than fighting against pirates and bounty hunters but for some reason felt much more simple. I get distracted as Melli jumps into a seat next to me and slam into the basilisk. The Challenger begins to spin wildly and a reactivate my FA briefly to correct the spin.

'Shit!'

"WARNING! Incoming caustic attack."

I flip off FA, boost and fire off a heat sync in an attempt to break the target lock. Melli watches and chatters as the thargoid screams out in pain.

Haha die you stupid bug. Melli want to eat you

'Copy that. Switching to open comms.'
Meowers
12 Jun 2023, 12:28am
"Ow, wow, careful there", I responded on Silvia's collision, but, in general, seeing her smashing the last heart was a good thing. She definitely knows what to do, only some rust to shake off. "And, yeah, the heart. That's the way to go!"

Making a sharp booster-assisted turn to finish off the Basilisk, I saw the void of space covering with ripples here and there, and received a frame-shift anomaly warning from my computer. Then, more red dots appeared on the sensors, but I decided to finish off the first Interceptor before checking them, it wasn't that long. Closing in with an arced trajectory, I let the inertia forces drive Marshmallow closer to the beast and gave my manoeuvring thrusters some work to keep it in my crosshair all that time. A rain of superheated shrapnel stripped off Basilisk's already drained shields, thanks to Silvia's thermal vent lasers, and, firing a second pair of cannons, I totally nailed the beast, shattering its body. With an agonising scream, the Basilisk finally exploded, and I was already at the safe distance, recharging the cannons, ready to meet our dear guests.

One Medusa, four Cyclopes. A sugar daddy and his cannon fodder squad. Normally, I tend to attack the largest one, dragging it away from the crowds, but here and now I wanted to give Silvia a crash course, of sorts, observing her, to make sure she feels okay and confident.

"Pick a Cyclops and do the same thing. They're a lot easier. Stay away from the others, and give it all your hate when you're one on one."

And I did the same, picking the closest Cyclops... And, ow wow wow, these guns are really something. Firing them as fast as you can will certainly send you into a long and dull reloading phase, but... Those Cyclopes are really hopeless now, whatever regeneration they have simply can't stand that firepower. Tapping my triggers quickly again and again, I fired all four cannons at the poor bastard, eviscerating it in a mere seconds, until I saw my shrapnel passing through a giant hole in its body. Pure kinetic forces made the show even more gruesome, bending the beast's body inwards and sending its insides flying in a wide cone out of its back. Turning inwards and inside out, the Cyclops emitted a roar that turned into a gurgling, croaking shriek, and fell apart with its limbs still relatively intact.

Three Cyclopes now. Ah, a sinister side of me wants to do it again...

Last edit: 12 Jun 2023, 12:42am
Silvia Sharpe
12 Jun 2023, 12:55am
The sight of the Medusa was intimidating. I still remember the first time I ever saw one. It was during the gnosis event. I had watched as they destroyed hundreds of ships and left us to rot on board. I still have chills thinking about how Venus had come in to provide rescue evacuations and even with her being a skilled pilot nearly lost our ship.

I choked down my fear as Meowers called over the comms for me to single out a cyclops. I picked one of of the group and fired a volley into the beasts center. The roar it unleashed was intense and angry. I flipped on my FA to course correct properly then shut it back off and boosted towards the beast letting my lasers tear into the flesh. I hated having to do this but that hatred was nothing compared to my want to ensure Ina made it home.

Watching me fight a cyclops one would probably question my tactics but the combination of thermal vents, gauss and ramming I managed to expose the hearts. My hull was taking some beating but was still holding strong. I started to understand the creatures attack patterns. After a few minutes I managed to regain my bearing without flight assist and began a strafing circle around it. Upon destroying the third heart I was caught by surprise.

See I had never fought these things before I didn't know what they could do. Venus was the one who was out here fighting them keeping them at bay and pushing them back. I am just a Xenobiologist that happens to have some combat experience. When that heart exploded it unleashed its EMP. I... was too close.

My systems went dark and I began to drift. The terrifying roar of the creature rang through the hull and the once eager demeanor of Melli quickly washed away to fear. Her screams along with the Thargoids sent me into a panic. The memory of watching the Medusa interceptors destroy their targets in the same way ran through my head. Missiles impacted the hull and I thought to myself this is it... this is where I die.

I closed my eyes and prayed to whatever entity was watching over me to help me out. Then suddenly the wonderfully welcome whirring of the ships systems coming back online. I flipped the ship over aligning myself to the creature and boosted towards them. A strange sense of hatred and anger washing over me. I fire volley after volley into the beasts body chunks of it blasting away with each strike then with its final heart exposed I fired off a final volley. I watched as it fell to pieces and its caustic fluids spilled out into the void.

Melli screamed out triumphantly and I could say I had my first solo kill of a thargoid interceptor. While the victory was immense for me there were still threats present. I called over to Ina.

'Which one next?'
Meowers
12 Jun 2023, 1:13am
"You're doing okay, but be a bit more careful", I replied, looking at Silvia's tactics whilst hammering a lethal dose of shrapnel into another unlucky Cyclops. Made me remember my first days in AXDF, phah, with those trainings, and then our first patrols. "Pick another Cy...WWWOOOOOOOOO"

I turned the comms off briefly, avoiding a resonance, as my target Cyclops felt an irresistible urge to die under a rain of shards that ripped sizable chunks of its flesh.

"Yeah, pick another Cyclops. Boost to open space and turn the assist off when they EMP you, the inertia will keep you going and safe. What's your status on hull and modules?"

So, I guessed it was the right time to dance with their leader. Targeting the Medusa, I hit the boosters and G-forces pushed me into the seat as Marshmallow darted across the battlefield, evading some clumsy Cyclops' shots. Dropping another heatsink, I turned my approach trajectory into a wide arc, and then, playing with thrust control, let the big angry beast lose its momentum on trying to turn its face at me. A long burst of alien projectiles whizzed in a few dozen metres off my left wing, and, seeing the distance slowly increasing as inertia dragged me away, I dropped another heatsink and boosted, squeezing the stick in my hand, keeping the trajectory closer to a circle. It took a lot of rounds to expose the first heart, but once it began to glow, I've had enough time to reload and make another attacking run.

Some people say I can't keep a stable orbit around them due to being too aggressive, and I don't argue with that. But, at the end of the day, it's the Thargoids exploding, not me.

And, on another attacking run, it was a matter of a few shots to shatter the heart of Medusa, making it scream in pain and anger.
Silvia Sharpe
12 Jun 2023, 2:15am
Meowers "Yeah, pick another Cyclops. Boost to open space and turn the assist off when they EMP you, the inertia will keep you going and safe. What's your status on hull and modules?"


I take a glance over at my modules at the question.

'Modules not too bad hull is holding at around 85%. Cyclops got it.'

I get distracted for a moment watching this veteran go to work on a Medusa. The very thing I look at and immediately feel fear and panic. I turn my attention back as the remaining Cyclops makes a break towards Ina seemingly in an attempt to flank her.

'Not today you little rat. You're mine.'

I line up slightly advanced of its direction of travel, something I had done a couple of times with human pilots. I Guage the speed and trajectory of the Cyclops and fire. It lets out and ear splitting roar as the Guass rounds tear through its body. It turns it attention to me and charges.

'Right.... let's dance'

I roll to the right as it passes by me I engage FA to stop forward momentum and line back up. I engage my thrusters trying to remember what I had learned from the first kill. I begin a wide sweeping arc, rolling the ship to ensure I keep the beast lined up in my sights. As I fall into a tight orbit I begin the onslaught. I fire a few volleys of guass rounds into the beast and pop a heat sync as my temps begin to climb.

'Easy now Silv.'

I fire off my lasers and wear it down exposing it's heart. I fire a few well aimed shots at the heart and it explodes.

"WARNING! Incoming caustic attack."

I pop a heat sync and adjust my trajectory avoiding the missiles. I begin the tedious process of wearing down its shields. The thargoids shields fall whether that was my doing or the thargoid dropping them on its own I won't know. The second heart goes much the same.

Then I pop the third heart. Celeste issues the warning for the EMP and I quickly toggle FA on the right back off and hit my boost and fire off a heat sync. I dont quite make it far enough away from the shut down field but at least this time I'm moving. The ship drifts forwards as ice forms on the canopy. Mellis cowers in her cage in the back corner of the cockpit.

The ship roars back to life and I correct my trajectory to align with the creature. It lets out a roar and speeds towards me I am far enough away that I begin to fire volley after volley of gauss rounds. I watch as my heat climbs. 100.....120...180...190....200% I fire a heat sync as I engage my booster and fire off another volley.

I yell back to Melli as we approach the thargoid.

'Melli hang on tight. This is going to hurt!'

I slam into the beast at the same time I fire off a volley of rounds. Rangers reinforced hull gives me enough mass to win this impact. I jolt forwards as I smash through the beast. It's guts coating my hull in a caustic goo. In an attempt to survive I fire my cannons and boost in an attempt to raise my temps.

I burn the substance off my hull and charge towards Ina and the Medusa. As a memory of Venus floods my vision.

****

'Remember Silvia you can run from this conflict all you want but you will find yourself in it one way or another.'

'Venus what do you think of when you confront one of them?'

'You..... I think of coming home to you... if you join the fight do not let a pilot face these things alone. Always keep a buddy. You never know when something will happen.'

****

The memory fades as I rip past Marshmallow and fire off a volley of gauss rounds. The rounds impacting the beast causing it to divert its attention to me.

'Shit!'

Last edit: 12 Jun 2023, 3:32am
Meowers
12 Jun 2023, 2:52am
I've been dancing around the Medusa, making boosted turns and short and sharp, cavalry-like attacking runs, keeping the angered beast on the run constantly, either chasing me or running away for a recharge. I have no idea whether or not they have any kind of psychology, but, essentially, what I was trying to do is to show it that it doesn't have a single chance to regain the initiative, being limited only to hopelessly aiming at the blurred picture with a low thermal signature, or to reloading, still feeling that deadly shrapnel hitting it from every possible angle. Three of its six hearts were shattered already, and if they can feel the pain, and I hope they do, it should've been pretty vicious. Wounded beast rushed from one side of our battlefield to another, leaving trails of its green blood on its way, and roared in agony.

Or it was like that, until I saw Silvia's Challenger, already covered in Thargoid goo, and with some nasty hull breaches here and there, dashing towards the beast and firing a Gauss volley; rounds hit the Medusa right in the centre of its hull, making some of its green liquids spill out of the wounds, and immediately after that, my shards lit up a fourth heart. The Interceptor turned sharply to face Silvia and even fired a few rounds at her, also forcing me to pull the sticks aggressively in order to keep my sights on the heart, and, whilst being a standard Thargoid behaviour, it wasn't something I wanted to see. Regaining my aim, I fired a few shots at it, severely damaging the limb, but then inertia forces dragged me away.

Waiting for my boosters to recharge in order to smash the heart on the next run, I activated my comms and said loudly:

"Silvia! Fall back and take it easy! We're still waiting for Creamy to arrive!"

I gave my own tech panel a glance. One of my heatsinks worked intermittently, but everything else was okay, without any reasons to worry. Those pesky swarms were a nuisance though, and I had to reload my Flak launcher several times already, but it wasn't such a big deal.

Keeping my eyes on Silvia's ship, I tilted the stick aggressively, sending Marshmallow into a sharp 180 turn, and hit the boosters, preemptively placing my crosshair over the glowing heart. A few more purple Gauss tracers ripped the void, with some of them ending up piercing the vulnerable limb, and, thankfully, the Medusa still saw more threat in me, being relentlessly determined to attack that steel creature that caused so much pain. In other words, it didn't change its trajectory. And that was exactly what I needed. I opened fire even a bit before entering the optimal range, and the heart exploded, sending myriads of small jagged pieces flying in every direction and a thick stream of greenish liquid shooting out of the open wound. Medusa roared once more, twitching and frenzily rotating, and I pulled up sharply, avoiding a collision.

This made me activate my comms again.

"Don't try to ram it, it's hella tough. That's not the exchange you may want to have!"

Last edit: 12 Jun 2023, 3:00am
Silvia Sharpe
12 Jun 2023, 3:29am
'I wouldn't ram it again even if it wasn't that tough. My hull took a decent bit of damage. I'm sitting right about 60% now. One of my gauss is starting to fail. Where the hell are they?'

As I respond to Ina over comms my sensors start to go on the fritz. Modules start failing and one of my thrusters begins to sputter.

'Sh..... my mo..ul... comms....fail..... go..ng....d....a...a...r.kk.k.k' *static as my comms cutoff due to the damage from the Cyclops' blood eating away at Rangers hull*

I FA boost off into the void while synthesizing more AFMU ammo this time the premium stuff. I hit every single module I can. I watch as all my modules return to full health with the guardian tech on board hitting 100% but immediately beginningto take damage again. I look at my hull percentage and worry if Ranger can hold out long enough. I turn back to the fight and watch as Ina exposes the 5th heart.

'Right you keep the heat on I'll run strafing attacks. How are things looking on your end?'

I boost forwards and fire off my lasers as I approach and fire a volley of gauss rounds as I pass by. I pop a heat sync and disappear from the creatures sights. I rotate the ship over and wait for a boost recharge. As soon as my distributor is filled I empty it again. I fire another volley of gauss rounds. As the rounds strike the Medusa, Celeste warns of multiple threats.

"WARNING! Multiple Frameshift anomalies detected"

'Uh... that can't be good. Damn it Creamy where the hell are you?'

I boost past the Medusa as it's fifth heart is destroyed. It lets out a terrifying roar and releases an EMP as I pass directly behind it. Everything goes dark and I watch upclose the thing dart away from me.

'Damn it that thing it one tough bastard.'

I wait for my ship to roar back to life which this time seems to take an eternity. There is a creepy croaking and groaning sound as it searches for either of the metallic beasts that had caused it soo much pain. Ranger roars back into existence and I pop another heat sync. Marshmallow fires another volley of shrapnel at the creature. Celeste again calls over the in cabin speaker.

"WARNING! Multiple frameshift anomalies detected."
Meowers
12 Jun 2023, 4:14am
"Ah, crap, not again..."

Warning messages made it through droning sound of my EMP neutraliser as I kept my eyes on the Medusa, waiting for its shields to drop at least a bit before attacking the last heart, and, with some luck, cracking the beast open on the same run. More red markers appeared on my sensors, and this time I decided to take a little break. Sadly, no time to make a tea.

"I'm okay, nothing dramatic. Stand down and keep your eyes on whatever might appear. We really need to catch our breath and evaluate the situation. The Medusa is one foot in the grave already, one or two attacks and it's done."

One, two, three... Come get some you shits. Three Cyclopes, Basilisk and another Medusa. Though, even with all that angry acid-pooping crowd around me, I was really happy seeing how much ammo those Modified Shards can hold. Yeah, I'm getting my arse kicked by Mion, but those recordings on my onboard cam are, no goddamn doubt, worth it, as it could give AXDF pilots a lot more tactical options. Call me a researcher, phah.

Still worried about Silvia though. Hate to admit, but this might be a bit over her capabilities.

"Uh. Silv. Hate to say that, but, since I want you to live to fight another day, keep it easy and concentrate on zapping their shields with those vent lasers."

Yup, Medusa's shields at 40%. Time to say goodbye, bastard.

Switching from a circular trajectory to an aggressive charge, I activated a heatsink and a wave of shrapnel stripped the rest of Medusa's shields. Feeling its inevitable death, ugly creature sent a chaotic long burst at my direction, and even hit me once, grazing the right wing, leaving a long scorch mark, but it was nowhere near the massive wave of ordnance I unleashed in return, lighting up the heart and making the beast lose whatever it had for mind completely. Wildly spinning and firing one burst after another at me, the Thargoid desperately fought for its life and called for help, and, deep within my soul, I was glad to be the one who can make them feel the same despair they bring to people.

When my boosters recharged, I rapidly darted towards the incoming Basilisk, slipping past it in a few hundred metres, forcing it to turn around and lose its speed, whilst my cannons were still in the reload. Then, another sharp turn, facing the crippled Medusa, with its last heart burning, tilting the sticks to start the spiral and aiming at the heart.

They certainly sound a bit different when you destroy the last heart. More... Doomed. Hopeless. Unable to resist. And, hell I know what it is, when your life isn't yours anymore. When you're powerless to change a single little thing. When all your efforts are in vain. When, as soon as you see a hope, it's being shattered brutally. And, I'm glad to translate as much of those feelings as possible to them.

Not giving the beast a time to raise its last shields, I quickly tapped both triggers, making my cannons thunder violently, and Medusa's pained roar turned into a loud shriek as the beast disappeared in flames and an acid cloud of its own evaporating blood and insides.

"Now, how do you like that, you shit?!"

No time to cheer though. I was secretly hoping that Silvia didn't pull off anything suicidal, keeping her distance and monitoring the temperature.

"We're getting popular. Watch your distance from everything and zap them with a laser, and we're fine."

Last edit: 12 Jun 2023, 4:33am
Silvia Sharpe
12 Jun 2023, 5:11am
'OK I can do that. I'll try and keep it cold.'

As the Medusa screams its final dying roar I watch from a distance providing Ina with cover from a distance. I wasn't about to say it out loud but I was fucking terrified. These creatures hated us and they werent afraid to show us that. It's really no wonder why seeing as how we have been hunting them relentlessly for the last decade or so.

I watch as the first heart on one of the Cyclops gets exposed. I make my way closer to keep my beams on it. As I circle it keeping a good distance from it and ensuring my orbit doesn't put Ina in the line of fire that damned Medusa blindsides me. I'm sent tumbling off course the G forces causing my vision to go black as I am sucked back into my seat. Try as I might I can't move my arms. I watch as the universe around me spins wildly then my vision goes completely black as I lose consciousness.

****

'Hey there little moon. Time to wake up. Look I even made you breakfast this morning.'

'Huh wuh? *blinks vigorously* Venus? You're here? Does that mean I'm dead?'

'Silvia what are you going on about? You're not dead did you forget we are on our honeymoon?'

I look out the French doors and notice that I am on the beach in the bungalow Venus and I had rented for our honeymoon shortly after our wedding. I look down at the food on the bed.

I blink and the world shifts around and next thing I know Venus and I are walking along the beach. I'm in a blue bikini with a white swimsuit cover up and Venus is in a pure white one piece with a gold ring on her stomach. We are both holding woven baskets and collecting seashells.

'Hey Silvia Raya sent you a message this morning. She has a gift for you but you will need to head to the research station in Hawkings Gap.'

'Did she say what it was?'

'No just that it was a project you two had been working on.'

****

I regain consciousness enough to force a hand to the controls. I hit the FA on button and the ship stop spinning with enough force to throw me out of my seat. I slam into the top of the cockpit then back onto the floor. I make my way back to my seat and groan out in pain.

'That mother fu.... Melli you ok?'

No respone comes from her. I look back and see her head poking out of her cage eyes closed but she is breathing. I take a moment to regain my bearings still feeling dizzy and lightheaded. I target Marshmallow to find where the conflict is taking place. Rushing back to the zone I fire my gauss cannons striking it square in the middle of its body. I resume firing my laser not allowing the Cyclops to take a break to recover any damage.

Last edit: 12 Jun 2023, 5:50am
Meowers
12 Jun 2023, 6:58am
Cyclopes that see me are generally considered unlucky, but there are still some gradations of being unlucky, with 'going to be totally annihilated' as the worst option and 'going to be totally annihilated, but a bit later' as the best. That next one got the lucky ticket: swerving in a complicated trajectory in order to get myself further away from the Medusa and evade a chaotic flurry of shots at the same time, I slipped past that poor bastard too fast to deal enough damage, landing a handful of rounds at its hull in a brief moment of opportunity. The Cyclops shouted angrily as its heart lit up, but I've had too much inertia to lock onto it and engage properly.

Getting ready for the attack, charging the boosters and keeping my eyes on the sensors, I noticed a green marker getting too close to a red one, so...

"Silv... Ffff... Fuckety fuck!"

From a wide variety of targets to collide with, she got hit by the heaviest one, and her Challenger went into an uncontrollable spin, rotating around all three axes and tumbling away, and, what was the most heinous: another Cyclops locked on her ship and engaged, turning straight at her and gaining speed.

Not today, you cheeky little scumbag. Lining up and equalising my speed, dropping a pair of heatsinks to completely vanish from their view, I unloaded all four cannons right at the middle of its sorry arse so quickly that I swear its roar had a slight echo of 'what the heck' in it, and I hoped that the guts he dropped weren't moving fast enough to hit Silvia's ship.

Anyway, even if I thought about removing the Basilisk, returning to the Cyclops with a glowing heart seemed like the optimal idea, and, doing so, I forced the said Basilisk to turn around again in attempt to catch me, effectively delaying its attack. And, shortly after removing the first heart, I saw Silvia's tracers hitting my target right in the middle.

Uh.

"Goddammit! Give me a damage report!"
Silvia Sharpe
12 Jun 2023, 10:26am
'That wee bastard. If I were in my damned ananaconda I'd shove 2000 tonne o steel up its fuckin arse! Fuckin check me like that.... gah you rotten, mangy, pile o' lizard shite in a fuckin swamp!'

At this stage I was right pissed off. I was out here doing what I could to help and that.... thing.... decided I was the weak one and wanted to pick on me. It was at this stage I wished I was in something heavier. May not be as agile but those AX condas were something to be feared. I check over all of my modules and hull. I called over to Ina after giving everything a once over and keeping an eye out for the big one.

'Systems ok, hull is hovering at 58% thankfully shields took most of that hit. Ooo I'd really like for that little blonde fellow to show his arse right about now.'

This is possibly the worst experience I have ever had in my years as a pilot. Shoot even the dashing runs to and from engineers was less threatening than this crap. Sure you fall into a rhythm here but with this many enemies against a veteran and what is effectively a rookie, it's had to keep my arse out of the way.

I knew it was going to be a crap shoot but this..... is so much worse than I had expected. I watched as the Cyclops died at this stage feeling no remorse for its death. Watching Ina, was like watching one of those superheros in the comics and movies. Taking little to no damage, dishing out more hate and vengeance than those damned Thargoids could react to. Then there is me. Watching me is like watching a wee babi trying to take its first steps like it's ma and pa. Uncertain, sloppy, and terrifying for the parents but also exciting in a way.

I was new to this and it was showing but damn it all if I wasn't doing everything in my power to learn from my mistakes. Fighting these things takes a certain level of grace and finesse. I'm learning but it is slow and brutally painful. My only saving grace... is that this ship was designed with one purpose in mind..... to survive and destroy Thargoids.

'Ina remind me to cover your tab at the Galactic for a year after this. I'd be a rat in a house of cats if it weren't for you.'

Last edit: 12 Jun 2023, 10:36am
Vodan
12 Jun 2023, 12:58pm
Back in Inara space

A movement in the contacts list Vodan had been waiting for made him scroll down to see if he recognised the carriers Vengerfield had sent for Creamy. One of the names he recognised at once. Anansie.

"Thats my fuckin boat!"

Of course they sent the Anansie, and that meant Belladonna was here too. She was the only person that had actually captured Creamy in the past. It was that action that had got Vodan demoted, and Bell given his command.

Shortly after Vodan saw the distant flashed of a carriers Witch-Gate closing, ships of all sorts started dropping in to Citi space. It was quite the drag net being sent for one man. A Python and two Vultures headed stright for Creamys Krait as soon as they dropped into Citi Space.

The French voice of Creamys covas infromed him "Scan detected"

"You can shut that fuckin noise you call music off, they are here" Called Vodan trying to get Creamy's attention.

"Creamy Goodness, stand down. There is no where to run, your capture is inevitable. Make it easy on your self, and get in the escape pod now. You have thirty seconds to comply" Said a voice Vodan didn't recognise. There was even an ominous beep counting down the seconds.

"Fuck off cock-sucker, Creamy is mine to bring in. This is Captain Vodan, tell me where the master is now"

Creamy's ship may stand up well to the Thargoids, but it was so much scrap to an experienced capture wing from the Anansi. The only reason Vodan hadn't run the moment the ships started dropping in, is because he knew they wanted Creamy alive.

"Vodaaan you useless ol..." Vodan didn't hear the rest because he had boosted away and activated the FSD.

They had their scan, and the knew Creamy was on board so the station was safe. Well, it'd still be searched for leads in case Creamy slipped through the net, but they knew he wasn't on the station right now.

He looked for the chaff, there was no chaff. He checked for the point defence placement, there were no point defence.

"How the fuck dose this ship survive contact with anything? It doesn't have the basics"

Beam lasers stripped the shields with alarming speeds, and the unmistakable sound for rail gun shots slamming against the hull echoed around the cockpit.

"Are the shields made of wet shit-rag? We're fucked!"

There was an explosion jarring the ship a little off course and the FSD stopped counting down. One of the Vultures was right up the Kraits ass, and that one would have launched FSD disrupters while the other two ships tried to disable engines and FSD permanently.

While Vodan rebooted the FSD, he opened the ship info to see what this pice of crap ship did have. Nothing useful, but it did have a large hold full of limpets. With no chaff launchers on board, make your own chaff.

The guy with the FSD shutdown launchers would be counting in his head about enough time for Vodan to reboot the FSD, before he launched again. Making it look like he was flying evasive, Vodan tried to keep the the nearest Vulture right up his ass and counted to himself as well.

When he got to 1, Vodan dipped the nose pointing the cargo hold at the Vulture, and dropped ten limpets before boosting again and engaging the FSD. There was another explosion, but this time not against the ships hull, and the FSD count down was not interrupted.

Now he was really flying evasive dropping limpets out the hold in a steady trickle. More shots hit, but the shields regenerated real quick. They may have been weak, but there wasn't a lot of down time. checking the integrity, Vodan was surprised to find it was still above 90% given how many shots had landed. This ship must have had a lot of heavy armor.

They were going to need it because now the were about to enter the maelstrom.

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