STF

Main Sim - Hangar Bay

Posted Jan. 15, 2021, 10:31 a.m. by Gamemaster Wookius Furrius (Gamemaster) (Gene Gibbs)

Posted by Major Krin “Hannibal” Lardel (Commander Air Group (CAG)) in Main Sim - Hangar Bay

Posted by Gamemaster Wookius Furrius (Gamemaster) in Main Sim - Hangar Bay

Posted by Major Krin “Hannibal” Lardel (Commander Air Group (CAG)) in Main Sim - Hangar Bay
Posted by… suppressed (16) by the Post Ghost! 👻
Reggie had forsaken her ‘suit’ for something that was only slightly less formal in her eyes - this being a black body suit that hugged her body that was further cocooned by a flowing trench coat. Calf high dark boots and sunglasses completed the ensemble that clashed with her short blond hair cropped in a slight mohawk and dyed red with color that faded to a rose the further from the crest her hair went. The click of her heels on the flight deck echoed softly in the space; Reggie looked oblivious to her two ‘shadows’, two marines.

Stopping she tapped at her thin comm-padd, sending out a message.

To:
Commander Lardel, CAG
Cadet Foster, Helm
Lieutenant Hugo, Security

Please rendezvous with me at the Hanger Deck, Gamma Bay area for a briefing related to the upcoming arrival at Plouton 9 Mining Station.

Regards,
Regina Tuppens
Security Advisor
Magnus Corporation

Lt. Hugo received the notification while he was working in his office in Security. After informing the officer on duty there where he would be if needed, he crossed through the ship. Arriving at the hangar bay, he wondered if the CAG would be furious with these folks for requesting a meeting in their sacred land where not even Federation officers could set food. He thought about waiting outside the door for the CAG’s arrival, but then recalled that he was Chief of Security and could go basically wherever he pleased. He wondered if perhaps he was feeling a little indignant then sat the thoughts aside.

He entered the hangar bay and crossed to where Tuppens and the marines were, “Ms. Tuppens,” he nodded in treating.

-Hugo, CoS/CNS

“Lt Hugo, I presume,” Regina said, extending her hand. “Call me Reggie. I’ve never gotten used to Regina and Tuppens is too close to tuppence which was a particular schoolyard pranking. I see that you double as counselor. How does that work being a ‘security counselor’?”
- Regina

Lardel was moving towards them from down the flight line. He saw the CoS enter and introduce himself and approached and said “Greetings.” and he looked at the flowing coat worn by the ‘Security Advisor’. “Ma’am, you’ll need to stow the coat. Loose clothing like that has a tendency to get caught on things you don’t want it to get caught on.” and he gestured for one of the Marines to take the garment.

“Now… what are we discussing that couldn’t be spoken about somewhere other than my flight deck?”

Lardel, CAG

Regina angled a thin brow upward Vulcan like for a moment then inclined her head and surrendered her coat with a fluid gesture. “Pleased to meet you too Major. Statistically speaking Starfleet carrier groups not within an operating theatre are underutilized and slow to respond in the event of a situation. The Chimera has not had an engagement in over a year. That could very easily change inside the next couple of weeks upon arrival at the station. Given the possibility of this I thought a meeting here would be .. appropriate to discuss what you may encounter and potential operations to seek your missing ship.”
- Regina

Lardel crossed his arms on his chest and looked directly at Regina.

“This ship may not have had an engagement in over a year, but this squadron hasn’t been here a year. In fact, all of our aviators save three have seen not only combat… but have done so within the past six Earth months. And the past six months all of them have been training specifically for duty aboard the Chimera. And Im still wondering why this needed to be discussed on the actual flight deck. If you are so concerned about my squadrons readiness, I’m failing to see how closing down part of the flight deck that is being used for practice is… how do you all put it… logical.” He cocked his head slightly to the side and then said “What experience do you have with fighters?”

Lardel, CAG

“You are at Warp 6 in a Green Zone. Maintenance crews assigned to this section are currently in a training holo receiving a lecture on updated mechanical configuration changes in the latest adaptation of fighter engine designs. This space was listed as clear. However, since I have evidently ruffled feathers and you show no interest, then I will leave. I had thought that this would be more comfortable for a discussion than a stuffy conference room. Apparently I stand corrected. My apologies for wasting your time.”

With that she nodded to her escort and turned to depart with them.
Regina

“Discussions don’t need comfort, but they do need the proper time and location. My flight deck isn’t either of those. I am, however, interested in what you have to say. Unless you think it’s an actual waste of time, we can take this to my office.”

Lardel actually only had two concerns: the Templar fighters and his aviators. And the fact that this… civilian… had taken upon herself to come onto his flight deck without asking didn’t sit well with him at all. He was fine discussing the upcoming operation… but respect went both directions; and if she wanted it, she needed to give it as well.

Lardel, CAG

Regina stopped and replied, “What I think is not as important as whether you think it is useful. Lead on.”
Regina

Lardel nodded and everyone made their way to the CAG’s office. It was large, with a window looking out over the flight deck. The desk was set at a ninety degree angle to the window so the Major could work and observe, observe and work. Indicating that the escorts were relieved, Lardel directed the CoS and Regina to sit. He poured three cups of coffee out of habit, and set them ob the desk, holding one himself. Taking a seat himself, the Zakdorn Marine said “Now. What is it that you have for us, Ma’am?”

Lardel, CAG

Regina looked out beyond at the flight deck, collected her thoughts and then turned to the others. “There are two issues that you need to be aware of. One will affect your flights and the other will affect the moon of Plouton 9. As you know there was a murder there of the sheriff. The deputy is the principle suspect in this, apparently caught red handed. The trouble is that he is the least likely of anyone to have done it. There has been a number of safety infractions that has grown and we suspect that there is a possible secondary drug occurrence happening here - or that the immunizing effect of the inhibitor is losing its effectiveness. That will be part of what your investigation will entail.”

“However, the flights will need to assist in a shipment escort. The Shogun used to do this and with its disappearance that is left to your group to fill in that gap of escorting the convoy to the transfer station just beyond the Cloud. Transportation within the cloud is limited to a series of corridors with lighter stellar dust concentrations. The region has a pirate issue, lurking mainly in the ‘crossroads’ where the corridors make a turn and the ships need to come out of warp and make the course adjustment. They are the ‘Groyim’, a people who live farther within the Cloud.”
- Regina

Lardel listened and took notes as the woman spoke. When she finished, he said “Shouldn’t be an issue. What kind of pirate activity are we looking at? What kind of ships? Any kind of known leadership? And do you know where they are based out of? As far as the shipment goes, what kind vessels and how many? And what ROE are we following for the escort?”

Lardel, CAG

bump for GM

“The Scar is a place that has its own unique .. culture. Apart from those on Plouton 9, there are a half dozen other star systems that are not unlike old City States in structure. The pirates all are elements of each of these. Most of the vessels are equal to the task of preying on transports or small ships. The Shogun outclassed any three of them, and rarely was it noted that more than two allied together. In this case, there is no honor or unity among thieves.”

Here Regina paused and smiled. “There are rules of passage in the corridors that every race holds to. As ships pass, shields are up, weapons ports are cold and tubes closed. If that does not happen and a warning message is not heeded ..” she shrugged. “.. treat them as hostile. Yes, that is hardly standard Starfleet procedure, though this is not Federation space. Typically where the Shogun went ships, even pirate ships, were polite. I will forward you information on three of the most notable and ‘wanted’ pirates in the region.”
- Regina

Lardel took notes and then looked up. “What kind of resistance do the pirates show? What kind of ships? Are they tactically smart, or do they swarm and hope for the best? And can I get a map of these corridors in advance? Any specifics you can get me on the groups and their leadership will help. And does anyone patrol the corridors? Will I need to coordinate with local flight operations?”

Lardel, CAG

Regina gave a look that might be a smirk that was there for an instant. “The ships are .. variable. The biggest are equivalent to a light cruiser. Most are modified craft, some heavily modified. Pirates are typical for vessels with cargo space first, threatening things next, and the rest are left to the imagination. Local systems will offer escorts for important convoys, and keep any immediate corridors in their space watched, but the Shogun was the only ship to actually patrol the grey zones - those outside of the systems’ space but still in the corridors. There are buoys which denote space corridor borders. Anything within them it is polite to communicate that you are there and why but that is it. “

“Maps and known threats are on this chip. The same is accessible in your tactical systems. That should have been transferred over. ” She thought for a moment. “Here is one example. “Luan’kor is the most reputable pirate known. He has a projected ‘fleet’ of three, maybe four ships, but they have only ever been seen in singly or in groups of two. We know it is him because of the black claw painted on the hull of his ships. If he is hunting he will have his light cruiser that has been modified to carry fighters and another of his modified freighters to keep the cargo. Crews are at a minimum. Typical tactics are to wait in the eddies of the corridor walls where sensor hits are not as reliable and strike out from there. Occasionally they will take advantage of the ‘tides’ where some of the space dust making up the cloud drifts through the corridors - not unlike the age old tactic of putting a tree across the road. They are pirate cunning and know their space.”
- Regina

Lardel jotted down notes after he took the chip and set to the side. “You say sensors are not reliable in the eddies of the walls of the corridors… does that work both ways? Are sensors coming from outside in also not reliable?” A plan was starting to form in the CAG’s mind… one that would work on multiple levels, or not at all.

Lardel, CAG

“There are workarounds. Space flight is not a new thing to the races there and this is their home turf. Some have used comms buoys within the cloud. Some have utilized a kind of sensor probe net ahead of them to navigate. Others, like the pirates have been known to use small sensor probes on the walls of the corridors to detect incoming ships that are approaching. But yes, sensors are unreliable in general without workarounds. One of the races utilizes a kind of mental capacity that can ‘see’ through the eddies. They are rare and protected from what I understand. Magnus has tried to .. hire them for prospecting purposes. Essentially the races simply find the corridors to be the easiest. While they do shift and change, buoy systems move with it to communicate the ‘map’ ahead.”
- Regina

Lardel took some more notes and then said flatly “So are we really escorting? Or are we bait? I don’t care either way, we will still do our job. But in planning it would be helpful to know what is expected.”

Lardel, CAG

“Hardly bait,” Regina replied. “The bait is an unescorted lone ship. Even if you were to escort with a flight that is sufficient to deter a pirate from a regular cargo run. Pirates are predators, but they don’t like to be bitten very hard. Challenged perhaps to see whether you have any sting in you or whether you would scatter and leave them to the carcass.”
- Regina


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