THE PBP GAME | Star Frontiers

Day One (Part One): 09/11/2399 at 1830 Hrs. Earth Standard Time: Sol Sector Hyperspace Gate (SHG) <div align="justify">The Colonial Space Fleet Exploration Cruiser C.S.S. William Logan: SCC-725 (<a href="http://www.starfrontiers.us/node/6813">http://www.starfrontiers.us/node…;) arrives on schedule at the designated holding zone to begin it's final preparations for departure to the Vega System. Anchorage Space Station flight control operators and their Edon counterparts at the Sol Hyperspace Gate's (SHG) confirm that everything is clear to proceed with today's jump gate transit event. Throughout the crew there is a sense of anticipation that fills the air with an excited anxious energy. Technicians and scientists scurry about the control rooms cross checking every detail for this historic FTL flight. As the final hour passes the crew of the William Logan anxiously await final confirmation authorizing the ship to proceed into the jump gate. On the 'Logan's bridge the crew watches on the command station's overhead view screen as the swirling nebulous event horizon slowly begins to visibly take form inside the jump gate's driver ring. Only moments before the launch order is given, an unauthorized jump point is detected forming inside the Sol Hyperspace Gate's restricted fly zone. Seconds later, the unmistakable dark crescent shaped form of a Xin Taro Class Command Cruiser pierces through the dark curtain of space with a blinding flash of light as it transitions from hyperspace into normal space. Captain Bishop Crane stares at the surreal scene in complete disbelief as the dark warship takes form silhouetted against a glimmering background of stars. An agile and graceful predator, the Taro Class command cruiser (<a href="http://www.starfrontiers.us/node/6256">http://www.starfrontiers.us/node…;) represents one of the most sophisticated warships fielded by the Xin Confederation. It's very presence in the Sol system without authorization is a grevious violation of the Typo Accords Treaty. A mutual treaty of peaceful co-existence granting sanctuary to Xin refugees and prohibiting unauthorized Xin military technology from entering the Sol Sector. At two hundred thousand kilometers away the alien warship appeared on the magnified viewer to float in space with the innocence of a child's toy. However, all the souls on the'Logan knew the horrible significance that this harbingers' presence brought on their lives. The deep crimson color glinting mencingly in the ambiet light from the elaboratly decorated lines of its hull revealed the vessel to be warship of the Fen Clan. The Fen, had long been recognized as a black sheep among the Xin people. Conceived and engineered solely as warriors for their Shi'an masters, the fen represented the most aggressive of the five clans. It was no mystery to anyone that the Fen mistrusted the Xin alliance with the Humans and longed to return to their old way of life. While they supported the other four clans during the uprising against their Shi'an masters the Fen never agreed that it was the correct way to gain their independence. "Commander Grant, what the hell is that bird doing in my sky!", Captain Crane shouted over to his equally shocked First Officer. Before First Officer Amelia Grant could utter a reply to the Captain's inquiry something cought her eye on the screen above her helm station. A beautiful but brief chain of brightly flashing pale blue lightning that danced across space towards the 'Logan and the Hyperspace Gate. It took less time for Grant's mind to recognize the inbound blasts of disruptor fire then it did for her hand to slam down on the master alarm. Flashing strobe lights and chiming alarm bells filled the C.S.S. William Logan's command bridge shaking the stunned crew back into the present moment. "All hands report to battle stations, this is not a drill, we are under attack!", Commander Grant shouted into the ship's communications panel. Barely able to believe the words coming from her own mouth, "Captain, what are your orders?" Captain Bishop calmly looked at the view screen, any of the lingering spectre of shock was now banished from his face. "Lt. Commander Rojan, activate repulsor shields, set all batteries for defensive suppression fire, keep that vulture off our six'." "Aye Captain", answered Ky Rojan as the stoic mechanical featured Ganai rushed to his seat at the ship's tactical console. "Target is 195,000 kilometers and closing on a direct intercept course." Out of habit Ky reached for the capacitor shield primer but then remembered that it would not function this close to a hyperspace jump gate. Something about the properties of the gate's mechanics overloaded capacitor shields in every simulation that was tested. Ky shook off the trained instinct remembering that every first year academy cadet knows that overloading a "Cap" shield is a recipe for epic disaster. Ky moved his hand deliberately away from the primer with a deep sigh. Ky knew that the ship would sorely miss the damage soaking power of the "Cap" shield if this ended up being a prolonged engagement. To push the urge of training out of his mind Ky turned his attention to his periscope like tactical scanner to get a better look at the approaching enemy. "Captain, it's definitely a Taro Class Cruiser. Energy signatures indicates she's running with both weapons and shields fully charged. Fortunately, we are still outside of her weapons range but It won't be long before she closes the distance." Captain Crane leaned over the communications panel next to Commander Grant at the central command station. As the Captain depressed the transmit key the look on his face told Grant that this was not the message he wanted to send but had to. "Mayday, Mayday, this is the Colonial Space Fleet Exploration Cruiser William Logan. We are under attack by an unknown Xin warship. We require immediate assistance from any able vessel." A torrent of deadly disruptor blasts rained down from the Fen warship as it began to close in on the 'Logan. As the warship grew larger and larger in the bridge's magnified view screen the crew knew that it would not be long before the Taro's cannon blasts would enter a lethal range where they were no longer diffused across the distance of space. However, even at the their currently depleted strength, the crew could still feel the impact of every feint blow on the 'Logan's shields. Suddenly, the command bridge's view screen filled with the brilliant gleam of another starship's hull as it passed so close to the exterior camera that the ambient glare filled the bridge with a radiant glow. The C.S.S. Aspire (<a href="http://www.starfrontiers.us/node/6189">http://www.starfrontiers.us/node…;), an elegant and nimble Mercury Class frigate raced past the 'Logan and pitched the back of its hull forward like a medieval shield in front of the besieged spacecraft. "Crane to Simms, Come in Simms..." The Captain shouted urgently into the open channel of the communications panel. "What the hell are you doing out there?", Captain Crane's voice echoed the graven expression of concern chiseled on his weathered face. "Simms here, Captain Crane, well...hello there handsome" The sultry female voice replied over the open audio channel in an almost playful manner. "If you haven't noticed Bishop, I'm trying to save your ass. I suppose a thank you is out of the question?" Simms words danced from the open comm channel as the 'Logan's command crew watched her ship on the view screen fire a blinding salvo of missiles and laser fire towards the approaching Taro. A collective surge of hope filled the hearts of the 'Logan's crew as they witnessed Captain Simms' small starship shielding them from the unending blasts of pale blue lighting burning from the Taro's cannons. "This is hardly the time to show off Karyn. Your ship is in no position to stand up against that Taro so get out of there before you get cooked.", Crane scolded with an almost frantic parental tone borne from a long career filled with too many experiences with the horrific events of space battle. "Why Captain Crane, If I didn't know you better... I'd say... you were getting soft on me." Simms jabbed back with a now less convincing bravado as the sound of her frantically opening panels filled the pauses between her words. "Besides, you really should get out of here Bishop, your ship is filled with colonists, mine is filled with leather necks, you know we love this sort of thing." The words barely escaped Captain Simms' mouth when the channel suddenly went dead. The crew of the 'Logan watched the view screen in horror as the Taro's four disruptor cannons ripped through the Aspire's hull. Gutting the small starship like a fisherman's prize trophy. The scene played out before their eyes as if it were some kind of slow motion replay at a sports game. In the quiet darkness of space the structural integrity of Simms' ship collapsed forcing large chunks of debris, flaming plumes of atmosphere, and the expelled bodies of the dying crew from the doomed ship. "Oh Dear Lord, No. Not Simms", The Captain's shocked pleading gasp of a prayer barely escaping his lips. Crane knew he had to hold it together right now and maintain his composure. Now was not the time to mourn over lost friends, the very lives of his crew depended on his leadership. The crew of the 'Logan watched helplessly as the Taro gave the ruined Aspire a final parting shot from its aft cannons and continued to move forward on its original course. Several nearby scientific observation craft, not much larger then a cargo shuttle, attempted to flee in hopes they may slip by the prowling monster unnoticed. A wave of pale blue lighting reduced the craft to smoldering hulks in a single blast. The Taro's commander seemed bent on laying waste to any living soul in his path as his ship paused momentarily to scan the burning wreckage as if he were admiring his handy work. In a flash, three gleaming Colonial Corsair patrol ships (<a href="http://www.starfrontiers.us/node/6919">http://www.starfrontiers.us/node…;) streaked past the 'Logan and engaged the crescent shaped crimson war machine. The smaller Corsairs darted around the large command cruiser in all out assault. It seemed that the tiny warships had stunned the ravenous beast like a swarm of angry bees. Challenged by this new agile foe the Taro released its four wing mounted fighter craft to deal with this new nuisance as they continued to advance on the 'Logan's position. Captain Crane knew that news of the attack must have reached the rest of the fleet by now and that it would only be a matter of time before the mighty colonial battle-cruiser Hyperion would arrive from its perimeter station near Mars. The only real question was, could the 'Logan hold out long enough against the vastly superior Xin command cruiser that was bent on their annihilation. Lt. Commander Rojan emitted a self-satisfied growl as the Logan's fire control linked laser batteries reduced one of the Taro's attack fighters to burning embers and sent another fleeing back to its mothership. Crane managed a brief smile at his tactical officer's success but knew that his ship was far from in this fight. Status reports flowed in over the communications panel indicating that the gunnery crews were close to bringing the 'Logan's main cannons and torpedo launchers online. They had seemed excessive to crew during a non-military mission; an oversight the Captain swore to himself never to repeat. Moments later the Taro destroyed one of the Colonial Corsairs and disabled the other two with several fierce volleys of battery fire. The 'Logans' crew could feel the ship shutter with each successively closer disruptor blast wearing down the ship's repulsor shields. A few brief seconds later, the command crew collectively felt the very moment when the shields failed and the ship rolled violently to one side after a direct hit from the Taro's disruptors . The only thing left now between the crew and certain death was the ship's thick reflective polymetal reactive armor and the defensive fire of the 'Logan's laser batteries. Fortunately for the 'Logan the Taro's commander had over confidently decided to try to cover more ground by dividing his cannon fire between the exploration cruiser and the hyperspace gate. Chief Astrogator Mike Bell urgently shouted, "Captain, the warship's attack on the gate is destabilizing the event horizon!" Captain Crane slowly surveyed the faces of his valiant command crew. "Options?", he barked in an urgent yet supportive tone. </div>

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