Journey of the Wayward Explorer: Response to Distress Beacon
20 Jul 2020Moses8uno
Date: 19Jul20, 1708 UTCLocation: 51 B Orionis
Current Tasking: Response to Distress Beacon
As the ship moved into action, I took my seat in the captain’s chair and received reports. After getting around the main star, we approached the signal source quickly. Noise dropped to a minimum on the bridge, Suzanne had taken her post in the fighters chair, ready to be deployed as soon as we dropped out, if needed. “Nav, on SC exit, full power to sensors. I want to see what we are dealing with before we get too close. Engineering, we likely have a ship stranded without fuel, but have the repair and fuel transfer controllers ready.”
As we drop out, we immediately flood the local space with electronic radiation. Not only are we looking trying to identify the distressed vessel, but also ensure its not an ambush. “Cap’n, no other vessel signals save for the distressed. It’s an Alliance Chieftain, heavily damaged.” “Thank you Cristina; Pono, reach out to the vessel, establish communications. Dom, ready the repair controller.” As the crew works their respective jobs, the only focus is saving this CMDR. Nav approaches me with a datapad. “We may have a problem sir, look.” I take the pad and scan the results. While not immediately apparent, there appears to be wreckage from a Krait Mk II and a black box from that wreckage…..but no escape pod. And the engineering plant on the Chieftain appears to be going critical very soon. “What about the escape pod from the Chieftain? Why haven’t they launched?” “Here” Cristina says as she touches the corner of the pad. A zoomed in view of the top of the vessel reveals that heavy weapons fire has virtually sealed the external hatch for the pod. I look up in horror. “Are you telling me…” “Yes sir, without a miracle, this CMDR will not survive much longer.” “Sir, unable to reach them on comms, appears their equipment is down. Seems all is lost.”
“Not on my watch. Suzanne, leave the fighter station and head to the cargo scoop. Don your Remlok and tether yourself to the interior and standby for further.” She sprints off the bridge. I bring up my station comms. “Dom, meet Suzanne at the cargo scoop with the laser torch welders and anything that can break a canopy. Meaghan, you know that new stasis pod you just picked up a couple weeks ago? I hope you’ve been reading up on how to use it. Take it and meet Dom and Suzanne at the cargo scoop.”
“Sir, if I may.?.” “Cristina, we can not stand idly by and wait for this CMDR to expire. We, or should I say Suzanne, are going to space walk over there and do everything in our power to save them.” “Cap’n sir, you have an inbound from the Spirit of Lykos” Pono reports and sends it to my seat display. Its my younger sister, Morghana, standing on the bridge of my fleet carrier. “Hey big bro, you going to be much….whats wrong Moses?” “I don’t have much time, but we are preparing for a rescue operation that will get sticky very quickly. I need you to bring the Spirit of Lykos here, to 51 B Orionis. Immediately. Have the medical crew on standby on Pad 3 with fire suppression as well. Love you, got to go.” I cut the link before there is any chance of questions.
“Sir, the plant has started going critical.” “How much time do we have?” “Not two minutes sir.” “Suzanne, how we looking down there?” “Um, whats the plan, exactly” with as little hesitancy as she could manage. One of the few times she’s ever expressed that. “We are going to go over and hack into their canopy before the plant goes critical. Currently closing at 100 m/s, about 4 clicks out. You ready?” “Now I am, thanks for the ‘further’.” I could hear the smirk better than I could see it at this point. “Sorry, I had gotten a call from…” “Sir, the plant!!” I look up in time to see the back of the Chieftain expand as the fuel tanks ignited. The explosion rapidly travels forward and envelops the ship. As I stare, my mouth agape, I see something come hurtling out of the fireball, almost looks like….
“Nav, what was that?” “Locking sensors on,… zooming……….it’s a body, sir!” “I have the conn. Nav, be prepared to deploy the cargo scoop. Suzanne, change of plans, you are going to grab the CMDR adrift. Dom, clear the scoop area. Meaghan, don a Remlok and be ready as soon as Suzanne is inside with the target. Get them in the pod ASAP.”
For those that don’t know, the human body can survive no more than 30 seconds in the vacuum of space. The Remlock extends that as long as the oxygen doesn’t run out. But a crack or puncture, significantly reduces that survival.
I bring the Prevalent Gallivanter to full cruising speed, then begin boosting. They are rocketing away at a 90 degree angle, so I turn the ship to match trajectory. “Nav, target speed?” “150 m/s and holding.” Too fast with cargo scoop deployed. My cruising speed with cargo scoop up is 211 m/s and the scoop effectively cuts that in half and eliminates the boosting ability. James still hasn’t been able to bypass that safety limitation. “Ok. All stations, here’s what we are going to do. We will get the ship 3 lengths ahead of the target, overtaking them on our starboard side. On my mark; Nav, you will deploy the scoop. Suzanne, as soon as you can get clear, you will jump out and to the right and get out in front of them. Guide me with simple up or downs in meter increments, as necessary. As soon as you have them, give the signal. Dom, you will bring them back in as quickly as possible.” “We are two lengths ahead sir” Nav reports. “2.5” “Steady” I say, praying my internal calculations are enough without being too far ahead. “3 lengths sir!” “Mark!”
The scoop deploys and I hear Suzanne’s controlled, but quickened breathing over the comms. This isn’t something you practice, so we are entirely flying by the seat of our pants here. “Up 50 meters.” I comply. “Down 10.” Silence. “Steady, target at 150 meters and closing….fast.” I can literally hear my heart beating. My cargo scoop camera doesn’t have a view of her, nothing does. We live in the year 3306 and I can’t see the side of my ship to save…. “Oooph, shit. I got her sir! Bring me in Dom.” “On it.” Controlled celebration that is quickly muted by a glance from me. We aren’t done yet. I slowly bring the ship to zero thrust. “Suzanne and target onboard, closing scoop now sir” Dom reports with relief. “Excellent, I’m on my way down. Nav, take us up to SC. Radio, establish comms with the Spirit of Lykos, find out where the hell they are.”
I make my way down to medical. “How are they doc?” “She” Meaghan replies with anxiety “is alive….technically.” “Technically?” “Yes, I can’t be sure until I have a more thorough analysis, but if I had to hazard a guess, she has a DAI. A severe TBI.” “I’m sorry, my medical knowledge is limited, DAI?” “Yes, a Diffuse Axonal Injury, a type of Traumatic Brain Injury, probably sustained by her forceful ejection through the canopy window. I also detected severe organ failure, all of which is in stasis for now, but we need the Spirit.” “Cap’n, we are in SC, the Spirit has just arrived in system.” “Nav, get us on deck as fast possible, on arrival, you should be cleared to Pad 3.” “Aye sir.” I look through the viewport of the pod and take in what I can see. Younger lady, caramel to milk chocolate complexion, subtle jaw line, no stress marks or injuries, at least not on the face. But a look of peace almost…. “Sir, you ok?” “Isn’t it interesting, the only times we as humans will ever have that peaceful of a look on our faces is; as a baby, when we don’t know anything that’s going on around us and in death, when thought ceases for us?” “Sir, she isn’t dead.” “Your right.”
“Meaghan, great work getting her in there as fast as you did. Any idea on identity?” “I don’t but I think she does.” Perplexed, I step out into the passageway to see Suzanne practically bubbling with….excitement? “Sir, I think that’s Jordanna!” “Who?” “Jordanna Frost! She’s a low key legend at AXDF and compatriots with my cousin Joely Starck!” “Well great, lets contact AXDF and get the word out.” “On it sir!” I don’t think I’ve seen her so excited before. Of course, the AXDF is probably her cup of tea more so than anything I can offer her onboard. She finds a particular joy out of the prospect of killing the ‘Goids. Well founded, her aggression towards them…
“Well CMDR Moses, I must say my sincerest thanks for your recovery of our CMDR! Based on the information you gave as well as the testimony of your pilot, it does appear you have Jordanna in the stasis pod. My gratitude and acknowledgement to your crew too, that was quite the maneuver you pulled to save her. Well done! I do have one, immediate, request. Could you bring her, with all expediency, to the Titan’s Daughter in the Taygeta system?” “Ummm, yes sir, not a problem. Nav, relay to the Spirit Actual to begin preparations for a jump to Taygeta. And sir, I have one question myself. When we arrived on scene, we noticed CMDR Jordanna in her Chieftain floating amongst the wreckage of a Krait Mk II. There was no escape pod found for the Mk II……” The Post CMDR leaned towards someone off camera and received a report, to which he nodded in confirmation. “Yes, I can not say much as this time on that matter, just know the best possible outcome that could have occurred did and you had a hand in seeing justice properly meted out.” “Very well sir, we are enroute, see you in 20 mikes.” “Hercules out.” I turned to Cristina, “Something didn’t sit well with me about that Cris.” “Yea me either.” “Meaghan, when we hand over CMDR Jordanna to the Hercules crew, I want you to establish a point of contact with someone on the medical team there. How is she doing, anyway?” “Still out like a light. Your facilities here onboard are better than the ship ones, but we need a station to properly do a CAT and MRI scans on her.” “Very well.”
Once we arrive in system, the patient transfer goes smoothly. I shake hands with Hercules proper and attempt to establish a rapport with them. Having an ally as a Xeno Defense Force isn’t so bad. Once we get back to the Spirit of Lykos, I finally get to meet with Morghana, who wants to know everything that happened. “Over drinks, on me” I say as I leave the bridge. I want everyone there to hear the story once and be able to congratulate Suzanne. Where did she go anyway?