[001] Welcome to Birach

[shaidar]

Captain Dubois

Anne turns to watch Foix address the crew...and smiles Now, that's the General Foix I've heard about she thinks to herself.

[Leitz]

[1437.003.0939 (Ship Time)] Lady Perelandra, Birach System

Anne and Vee were both aware of the palpable tension in the bridge crew. Seeing Gauvain and the Captain at odds was not helping anyone. Yet the crew endured.

At Gauvain's jest, there was a sense of relief, and encouragement. A chuckle at the humor, and perhaps a blush or two at the thought of being boarded by the Comte. Emotions were high but the tide had turned; everyone was being swept together against a common foe.

Captain Smythe moved to his chair, and nodded to SENS Fevre. "Please inform the Birach Navy that we declare an emergency. An escape pod was launched, believed to have two young children aboard. Rescue operations in progress. Also, please inform them that we are aware of the warship in Birach space, and its attack on lawful Birach authority. Comte Gauvain Foix directs us to assist SLT Lefron with whatever whatever means are available to us. Send our specs and capabilities, and-"

The electronic wail was muted this time. Captain Smythe smiled, and continued. "Lock on her signal and connect her to LT Pike. LT, please establish comms and let SLT Lefron know we are enroute. Do your best to maintain an open comm."

SENS Fevre and LT Pike said "Aye!" in unison, and then they both grinned.

"Helm, hard to starboard, up twenty. Nav, plot an intercept. Department meeting on the hour, we need a plan," Smythe said. "A d**n good plan, worthy of Le Diable."



[1437.003.0945 (Ship Time)] Lady Perelandra, Birach System

"Sir!" SENS Fevre said. "Orders from Birach Fleet."

Smythe nodded, and read the short comm. He looked at Gauvain, and winked. "Comms, ship wide, if you please. Formal, as befits a Lady."

SENS Fevre took a deep breath, and sat up straight. "Attention On Deck: Birach Fleet Command designates the Merchant Ship Lady Perelandra, Captain Jameison Smythe, Commanding, as Call Sign X-ray Two Three. X23 is hereby authorized to bear arms in the defense of Birach and is accorded rights and responsibilities as a vessel of war. X23 is ordered to assist SLT Alba Lefron, Command, Battle Zone One. By authority of Admiral Landra Walker, Command, Deep Space Fleet Alpha."

[joertexas]

[1437.003.0945 (Ship Time)] Lady Perelandra, Birach System

"Sir!" SENS Fevre said. "Orders from Birach Fleet."

Smythe nodded, and read the short comm. He looked at Gauvain, and winked. "Comms, ship wide, if you please. Formal, as befits a Lady."

SENS Fevre took a deep breath, and sat up straight. "Attention On Deck: Birach Fleet Command designates the Merchant Ship Lady Perelandra, Captain Jameison Smythe, Commanding, as Call Sign X-ray Two Three. X23 is hereby authorized to bear arms in the defense of Birach and is accorded rights and responsibilities as a vessel of war. X23 is ordered to assist SLT Alba Lefron, Command, Battle Zone One. By authority of Admiral Landra Walker, Command, Deep Space Fleet Alpha."

Vee steps up next to Foix and speaks in a low voice. "Do we know what shipboard weapons we have, and when do we disembark the noncombatants?"

[SpinwardMarch]

Cmdr. Taheri

She looks back and forth at the Comte and the Captain. Her duty is following Foix, but also to provide perspective from her experiences. Comte, Captain, do we have a functional plan? I am happy to assist with the ship's guns, or wherever you need me. But we need "more plan," and fewer words.

All these fragile egos, it's amazing they get anything done.

[BackworldTraveller]

[1437.003.0939 (Ship Time)] Lady Perelandra, Birach System

[1437.003.0945 (Ship Time)] Lady Perelandra, Birach System

Picking up the comms from on board the pinnace, Rock does a quick calculation. 6 minutes from request to answer. 300k km/s for that long, halved - 54 milion ish. Thats what: Navigator. 54 million km at 4G is about how long?

18-19 hours comes the reply

Well there's an admiral 18 hours out - or much less assuming it took a few moments to find the Admiral and work out the answer, relay it, etc.

And on the cheery side, if that battlewagon picked up their transmission, it might fire on the Lady. I hope that Captain Alba is very distracting.

[Tiglath]

Vee steps up next to Foix and speaks in a low voice. "Do we know what shipboard weapons we have, and when do we disembark the noncombatants?"

Foix replies "We should load the lifeboats before setting off for the cruiser and then have them keep keep station behind Lady Perelandra. This ship is armed - but not well enough. There are four triple laser turrets and six triple missile turrets. The Pinnace and Ship's Boat are also armed but the six 20ton lifeboats are not".

(OOC: That's assuming someone from the Navy had oversight of the armament: the two double laser and six triple missile turrets per the book made no real sense. So per High Guard Fac 6 missiles and two Fac 5 dual purpose laser batteries. The Ship's Boat and Pinnace can use the 86t cargo bays as hangars. The 172t cargo capacity is divided into two halves as per the deck plan).

NB As per the above if the rescue team take the 6G Ship's Boat they can shave some time off their recovery mission.

[BackworldTraveller]

Do the small craft have Missiles or Beams or Point Defence weapons
And why no point defence on the freighter? Its a merchant not a warship
Given Atrea is only TL14 can it build 6-G boats?

[Tiglath]

Do the small craft have Missiles or Beams or Point Defence weapons
And why no point defence on the freighter? Its a merchant not a warship
Given Atrea is only TL14 can it build 6-G boats?

We're in Leitz's hands here but I'd like to arm the small craft with a dual "turret" laser and missile system. Mind you I'd also like to ditch the lifeboats for fighters and install a missile bay weapon instead of one cargo bay! Point defence on "The Lady P / X23" are the dual purpose laser batteries which fire offensively or "scrub" incoming missiles. High Guard stats so nothing more sophisticated/detail by way of smaller defensive ship systems. Small craft are generally TL9 so we're good on Tech Level limits. We are a Star class liner - FASA Merchants B1 for reference.

[joertexas]

Foix replies "We should load the lifeboats before setting off for the cruiser and then have them keep keep station behind Lady Perelandra. This ship is armed - but not well enough. There are four triple laser turrets and six triple missile turrets. The Pinnace and Ship's Boat are also armed but the six 20ton lifeboats are not".

"Two thoughts. One, send the lifeboats and the ship's boat dirtside with the noncombatants. Two, launch a group of missiles with their active sensors down, on low accel, and array them in front of the cruiser. We can command them to attack at an opportune moment, or recover them if they aren't needed. At this range, the cruiser's actives wouldn't pick them up, and, if we place them in the asteroid field, the missile bodies become just more rocks to their sensors. Also, if we decide to board, we'd still have the pinnacle." Vee pauses for his response.

[Leitz]

In the "standard plans" there are two boat hangers, port and starboard. No need to use cargo bay space. The "escape pods" are smaller, and fitted somewhat into the hull, they are not on the diagram, but directly available to the passengers. Lasers are point defense systems, between them and the missiles the point is to make piracy costly enough suggest finding another target. The Lady is a semi-luxury liner that was "commandeered" by Gauvain for his trip. Not a warship, really, but armed enough with basics like more than just a couple hard points. No fighters, sorry. Yet, anyway. Birach does actually manufacture them, if you're in the market.

[joertexas]

Do the small craft have Missiles or Beams or Point Defence weapons
And why no point defence on the freighter? Its a merchant not a warship
Given Atrea is only TL14 can it build 6-G boats?

We're in Leitz's hands here but I'd like to arm the small craft with a dual "turret" laser and missile system. Mind you I'd also like to ditch the lifeboats for fighters and install a missile bay weapon instead of one cargo bay! Point defence on "The Lady P / X23" are the dual purpose laser batteries which fire offensively or "scrub" incoming missiles. High Guard stats so nothing more sophisticated/detail by way of smaller defensive ship systems. Small craft are generally TL9 so we're good on Tech Level limits. We are a Star class liner - FASA Merchants B1 for reference.

We're also an eggshell if we get hit, and anything mounted on a small craft is a popgun to a proper warship. Let's be careful out there...

[shaidar]

there is no way we can survive engaging the warship. In it's current state it would wipe out the DSF-A fleet.

[joertexas]

there is no way we can survive engaging the warship. In it's current state it would wipe out the DSF-A fleet.

If it was fully operational, this whole scenario would be over by now.

[Leitz]

there is no way we can survive engaging the warship. In it's current state it would wipe out the DSF-A fleet.

If it was fully operational, this whole scenario would be over by now.

On the one hand, both statements are very true. On the other hand, given that the scenario is offered, perhaps there are options?

You can, of course, point the Lady to where you think the children's escape pod would be, pick them up, and head to Birach. Hopefully the SLT and DSF-A will figure out something.

[shaidar]

I meant engage as in fight it directly. There are other options.

[BackworldTraveller]

In the "standard plans" there are two boat hangers, port and starboard.

What class is the template?

[Tiglath]

"Star" class as above ... unless that's not what you asked - I may have misunderstood!

ML - A2212132 - 000000 - 50006 - 0 1000tons TL15

Batteries: Fac 5 laser x2, Fac 6 Missile.

Crew 17 Passengers 71 Low Berths 50 Cargo 172 Fuel 220 EP 12 Agility 0 (E Agility 1)

Sub Craft: Pinnace, Ship's Boat, six 20ton Lifeboats, Life pods. Major subcraft armed: beam laser x2 (Fac 3) and single missile rack (Fac 2).

[Leitz]

I meant engage as in fight it directly. There are other options.

I apologize for being snappy; I've let the game become overly personal. There are ways to succeed, and the team has the ability to come out of this alive and well.

[shaidar]

I meant engage as in fight it directly. There are other options.

I apologize for being snappy; I've let the game become overly personal. There are ways to succeed, and the team has the ability to come out of this alive and well.

hey, no worries, it hadn't even registered. Sorry that my initial statement wasn't clear.

[joertexas]

I meant engage as in fight it directly. There are other options.

I apologize for being snappy; I've let the game become overly personal. There are ways to succeed, and the team has the ability to come out of this alive and well.

That's the first bit of encouraging news about the warship to date.