NationStates Jolt Archive

IC: The massive Kechan Dreadnought-Class ship known as the KARMAC drifted through Outer Space at great speed. The great ship was followed along by 24 of Kechas' Andromeda-Class vessels.The ships also had with them a compliment of 25,000 soldiers of the Kechan Island National Guard, enough to equal a minimum-sized Corps. Also being carried by this convoy of ships was a large group of Scientists who where carrying with them the equipment to perform a number of somewhat revolutionary experiments. The convoy was operating under Silent Running Operational Procedures, and was heading for the Mirfak System.

The Mirfak system is well-equipped with hundreds of stations and outposts, and the planet itself is shielded and armed with heavy surface-to-space weaponry. There is plenty of activity on and around the planet, little private ships zipping to and fro, and occasional fights breaking out between ships or stations. It's not hard to see why Xanthal left the place to the dogs.

IC: Admiral Aubree Parvati Ylva Nelle had been tasked with commanding this mission to the Mirfak System, the Second-in-Command of the whole mission was Lieutenant General Dagmar Iona Lashonda Roni, CO of the National Guard troops with the convoy. The leader of the group of lechan Scientists was Doctor Stephanie Archer. Dr. Archer was one of the few people who knew exactly what they were going to do upon reaching the Mirfak System.

...I can't do anything until you're in-system. Continue.

IC: Admiral Nelle smiled as she realized the main part of her role in the mission was about to begin. They had just entered the Mirfak System, and were still going on Silent Running. They knew, however, someone would probably discover them eventually. Because of this they stayed at the ready. Dr. Archer, and her associates prepared their instruments, and the National Guard troopers prepared their weapons. The mission was now at the Point of No Return as far as the main participants were concerned.

Several smaller ships detect the vessels as they almost collide with them. Profane remarks about the crews' mothers streams over the comm channel. A larger combat vessel registered to Mirfak glides right past the fleet Dreadnaught, apparently uninterested in the threat approaching its home. As the first defense outposts are passed, a few potshots are fired off at the Kechan fleet, but not enough to even dent the shields of the ships. Nobody bothers to mount any kind of defense as the fleet approaches the planet.

IC: The Kechan ships continued to approach Mirfak II. They seemed to ignore the stations, and outposts shooting at them. Eventually, hoever, they seemed to take notice, as they began priming their weapons while they were closing on Mirfak III:

"Command to Drop Team One. Prepare to make drop in 5. Over"

"Drop Team One. We acknowledge. Preparing for drop in 5. Over"

The Kechan ships moved in closer and stopped, scanning for any large ships nearby.

"This is Command. All units stand by"

IC: The Kechan ships slowly moved into Medium Orbit over Mirfak III, and began scanning the area for any large ships nearby.

There are three battlecruisers that resemble Dreadnaughts in orbit, two of which are dead and one which just sits in place, watching the intruders. There are upwards of a dozen stations in orbit, most of defensive design. If anyone put together a coordinated defense the Kechans wouldn't stand a chance. Fortunately for them, anyone who has been to Mirfak III knows that there's no way in hell that they could ever work together well enough to coordinate breakfast, let alone a planetary defense.

IC: Despite the low(so deemed by Intelligence) chances of any really coordinated defense, the Kechans were cautious. They knew that many a battle had been lost because a force the attacker didn't think could fight, could fight, and had fought very well. They kept a close watch on the large ship nearby. Risking a heavy-duty scanning hit. They also scanned the surface of Mirfak III, looking for anything like a country, such as multipled settlements coordinating, etc...

The ship responds with two heavy scans of the Kechans and a torpedo across their bow. It's clear that those aboard the ship wish to be left alone. The scan reveals little, except that the Mirfak vessel appears to be a heavily modified and enhanced Xanthalian Dreadnaught. Other than that, all seems normal. The planetary scan is slightly more helpful, revealing not only several major cities on the Alpha continent but also the locations of the planet's defense systems. Of the three hundred and fourty-seven ground-to-space batteries and five hundred shield emitters, few are active and none are engaged.

IC:

"Tactical to Command. We've got an enemy torpedo that just shot over our bow. Request permission to designate Dreadnought. Over"

"Command to Tactical. Negative. Do not designate the Dreadnought. We aren't in a shooting-war just yet. Over"

"Roger that. Over"

"Medical to Command. Request permission to stand to. Over"

"Command to Medical. Permission granted. Stand to. Over"

"Roger that Command. Standing to. Over"

After that brief exchange between the different Divisions of the Kechan force, they began scanning for the largest city. Upon finding the largest city on the Alpha Continent they scanned for any communication transmissions.

There are numerous low-frequency transmissions of personal natures being transmitted to, from, and within the costal city of Morass, none of which are important in any official sense. There are two large transmitters that can be detected that have the ability to transmit messages beyond the planet's atmosphere. Both seem to be online, but no detectable messages of an extra-planetary nature are currently being sent or recieved. The uneventful nature of the trip so far is broken as a small personal craft collides with one of the Kechan Andromedas, exploding in a ball of flame quickly extinguished by the vacuum of space. The explosion is not large enough to penetrate the shields, but it definately gives the crew of the victimized Andromeda one hell of a jolt. However, there seems to be no sign of further attack. It would appear that the incident was merely the product of an absentminded pilot in the shuttle.

IC: The Kechan ships finally moved into action. The Andromedas guarded against any incoming fire, and the KARMACs' Central Communications Division hailed 1 of the 2 large transmitters. While doing so they also tried to covertly jam either of the two large transmitters from broadcasting very far outside of Medium rbit of Mirfak III.

A grouchy voice replies to the Kechan hail. "What?"

IC:

"This is the Central Communications Division of the KARMAC. Flagship of the Kechan Armada Royale. We wish to speak to whoever's in charge in your city. Over"

OOC: I'll assume just for the hell of it that the transmittingparty is female, since last time I checked they were still a majority in your nation.

"In charge? Where do you think you are lady? This is Mirfak Three. Nobody's in charge, except for the occasional gang." A faint beeping can be heard over the commline and there is a brief pause. "Would you mind not jamming me? I'm trying to send a message to my son. Of course, I do have control of several dozen GSBs if you care to continue your little charade..."

IC: A soft chuckle can be heard over the line, and a new voice takes over:

"First sign of anything coming at us with hostile intent, buddy, and you're among the FIRST to go. We will stop jamming you. Over"

"Yeah, right. As if I have any control over what the people here with ships do. If some asshole decides to shoot at you it ain't my fault. By the way, what are you doing here? Most ships make a point of avoiding the Mirfak system."

IC: Another laugh.

"That's classified information civilian. By the way. You've just been target designated by our Tactical Division. We did that just in case you decide to do something stupid"

"That's nice. You've just been designated a target for over fifty high-powered ground-to-space weapon batteries. In case you decide to do something stupid. Don't mess with me, Kechan. The more you shoot at Mirfak, the more people will shoot back. That's the way things work here. Watch your asses and enjoy your stay." The channel is cut.

IC: The CO of the Kechan forces had her ships cut all communications, and return to full Silent Running. They then began charting out suitable landing areas. They were about to start. The Kechans also target-designated as many surface-to-orbit weapons as they could find.

Most of the batteries raise shields in response to being targeted, engaging adjacent shield emitters and blocking Kechan access to the planet. A few power up, leveling at the offending vessels.

IC: The Kechan ships slowly slip away, moving just far away enough to try and put the Mirfak III defenses at ease.

OOC: Your people are finally realizing that they can't push here without being pushed back, I take it.

IC: The shields deactivate and the weapons power down, but they stay active, and they are still targeting the Kechan ships, their operators watching closely for any sign of attack.

OOC: Testing the water. Oh, about the situation with New Xanthal Mai die beste Marine, siegreich sein.

IC: The Kechan ships began to move in eratic patterns, and doing their best to confuse the defenders of Mirfak III.

Most of the batteries don't bother to follow the ships around, but a few operators keep a bead on their targets for amusement's sake.

OOC: I wouldn't call them "defenders". More like "people who occupy their time by sitting in ground-to-space weapons batteries". Seriously, those people are only there because they happened to feel like it. It's sad. And what the hell does "Mai die beste Marine, siegreich sein" mean?

OOC: That is sad. A rough translation of the foreign bit I wrote would be "May the best Navy be victorious"

IC: Eventually Dr. Archer began to prepare some of her equipment, and the Kechan ships began launching small groups of 10-20 Slipfighters. These groups would run around, and skirt the Medium Orbit limit of Mirfak III, then go back to their ships.

The slipfighters go unopposed.

OOC: I really hope that you don't plan on initiating a war with another IDI member. If you do, not only will there be grounds to eject you, but the IDI will be required to fight you as well. Granted, I'm sure that some or even most will refuse because of your status, but a few at least will stand by us. Unless you want to see your own nation fall (and probably ours shortly after), I suggest you find some way to keep your ships from firing IC. Rapidly.

IC: Eventually the Slipfighters begin moving somewhat closer, and are sometimes joined by Shuttles.

OOC: A fight will allmost surely break out, and war might ensue. Fighting may not mean the end of Xanthal, and of Kecha. My ships are surelyoutnumbered, but they can cause much damage to yours all the same, and the sheer level of carnage involved in the sort of fight this would be may compell us both to seek peace.

There are a few incidents with Mirfak ships that refuse to yeild, but otherwise the continued probing goes uneventfully.

IC: Dr. Archer finally completed her preparations. Another group of Slipfighters was launched. 20 Slipfighters, and a shuttle. The group made way to Mirfak III.

...

IC: This new group worked differently than the others. While other Slipfighter groups played the role of distraction the Shuttle from the main group tried to slip down to the surface of Mirfak III, somewhere in an uninhabited area, but still somewhat close to the city they had communicated with earlier.

...

OOC: Relax. I'm trying to figure out the proper way to type this. I lost some files. I'll post IC soon.

IC: The Kechan force recieved new orders, and they began scanning around for derelict ships.

One of the Dreadnaughts appears to be derelict, as well as seven stations in orbit of the planet. There are several dozen small transports and countless personal craft and shuttles as well of a derelict nature.

IC: The Kechan ships slowly approach the seemingly derelict Dreadnought, while keeping all weapons, and shields up.

The ship appears to be identical to the active one in orbit, but is heavily damaged.

IC: An Away Team of 100 personell is organized, all armed to the teeth, and taking along engineering gear. The AT moves over to the derelict with shuttles, and searches for a sufficiently intact entrance.

There are two undamaged docking ports, but both are unpowered. One is on the port side of the ship, the other is on the ventral side.

IC: The Kechan are carrying some small Emergencey Generators, but nothing strong enough to power a whole Dreadnought-sized docking port. They head for the one of the ventral side of the ship.

OOC: All it is is an airlock... Any generator worth crap should be able to power it.

OOC: All it is is an airlock... Any generator worth crap should be able to power it.

OOC: Misunderstanding.

IC: The Kechans latched on to the docking Port with a shuttle, and began trying to link 1 of their better Generators to it.

The outside auxilliary power port is easily accessed, and the airlock is opened quickly.

IC: Once inside, the Kechans split up into 4 groups of 25 each. 1 group tried to make their way to the Bridge, another to the Engineering Section. The remaining 2 groups searched the ship in an attempt to find, and activate an auxilliary power systems.

OOC: The power control stations are in Engineering. By the way, you should note that the entire ship is depressurized at this point, and there's no gravity since there's no power. No lights either.


IC: The group sent to the bridge reaches it without incident, though they have to use the jefferies tubes since the turbolifts are obviously not in operation. The command center is dark and dead. A few dead crewmembers float about, their bodies preserved by the cold and vacuum of space.

The group sent to engineering has more trouble. The access doors are blocked by rubble. They have two options: Cut through, which could take almost a day, or find an alternative route.

IC: The group on the Bridge looks for anything they can get working.

The team in Engineering breaks out their tools, and starts cutting through.

OOC: Well, I'll get back to the engineering team once they're further along.

IC: Most of the consoles seem to be intact, but they'll need an outside power source to operate.