[003 Rescue Operations

[Tiglath]

Foix replies "We are about to leave the vessel. Please send it".

[joertexas]

Foix replies "We are about to leave the vessel. Please send it".

SLT LeFron sends the data packet, which Foix can pull up on his helmet display. The header reads "TNS Caladia, Hawton-class Frontier Cruiser, presumed lost 1209. Last jump from Hinge to Birach, enroute to Fleet base at Alssijn. 405 crew, 70 passengers, cargo: colony supplies."

[joertexas]

Captain LeFron keys up. "Comte, I will need to retrieve that rescue ball as soon as the Lady arrives and I can debark my passengers."

[Tiglath]

SLT LeFron sends the data packet, which Foix can pull up on his helmet display. The header reads "TNS Caladia, Hawton-class Frontier Cruiser, presumed lost 1209. Last jump from Hinge to Birach, enroute to Fleet base at Alssijn. 405 crew, 70 passengers, cargo: colony supplies."

Foix sees nothing alarming regarding the ship data (but then he wouldn't) and forwards the message to his team for scrutiny by Naval experts.

Captain LeFron keys up. "Comte, I will need to retrieve that rescue ball as soon as the Lady arrives and I can debark my passengers."

He replies "Captain, be cautious and do not assume the content of the rescue ball is refugees. Scan the ball well before you retrieve it and be very careful opening it".

He ushers Mother to the hatch "Time to leave".

[joertexas]

He ushers Mother to the hatch "Time to leave".

As Foix and Vee stand in the airlock hatch, where Grimaud is busily locking the inner hatch with the emergency hand crank, a heavy thud reverberates through the hull, followed by a second one. Anne and Taheri, standing on the hull outside the hatch, also feel the thuds through their boots.

[SpinwardMarch]

Taheri

She feels the vibrations in her feet, and looks at Zhenya.

What was that? Damn!

[joertexas]

Taheri

She feels the vibrations in her feet, and looks at Zhenya.

What was that? Damn!

Zhenya happened to have contact with just the guide rope and not the hull.

[Tiglath]

Foix relieves Grimaud and throws himself into cycling the hatch while Grimaud pants exhausted from his exertions. Foix speaks to Mother "Do you know what that is?"

To his comrades he transmits "We leave now! All boats move away from the Caladia!"

[shaidar]

Anne

"What was that? Sabotage or a self-destruct?"

While the others are leaving the ship, Anne will move to a position that let's her see the main bulk of the ship.

[joertexas]

Anne has the best view of what happens next.

A spot the size of a G-carrier glows red, then white hot at the hull roof's center, about a quarter of the way back from the ship's bow. Before Anne can react, the spot blows outward, and her visor darkens to protect her eyes. When it clears, she sees a plume of plasma venting into space, carrying chunks of the ship with it. As quickly as it forms, the jet turns to a spreading cloud of radioactive gas, shooting upward from the hull roof. None of the debris, or the cloud, is headed toward the craft and people at the stern, though.

Anne also notes that the Callista now has a definite pitch moment in response to the plasma jet. She's pitching nose "downward" at a rate of one degree every six seconds.

[SpinwardMarch]

Taheri

She is going to "haul in" Zhenya, and get them both inside the airlock.

[joertexas]

Taheri

She is going to "haul in" Zhenya, and get them both inside the airlock.

Which airlock are you two near?

[SpinwardMarch]

Taheri

She is outside the same airlock where Foix is located. Taheri was following him.

(Player doesn't know exact location)

[shaidar]

Anne

"OK, the ship is venting plasma, something exploded near the bow. It's unclear as to whether it's sabotage or just defective, but I agree with the Comte, let's get going. We don't want to end up in the radioactive plume"

Can Anne try to make an estimation based on the ships motion whether we might end up passing through the plume and also whether we are going to have trouble with the asteroids (I'm not sure if we are still in the asteroid field)

Navigation (1): [_2d6+1]=(5+1)=6+1=7

[The Bindoner]

Khoroshen'kaya!

Zhenya takes a moment to appreciate the venting plasma. There is a terrible beauty to events like that, and she has always loved fireworks.

Feeling Taheri's tug on the tether Zhenya pays attention to her situation, re-orients herself and uses a boost from her thrust-pack to speed back to the others.

[Tiglath]

Foix cranks the outer hatch open and comments "Putain de Merde!"

Concerned that the aft section will tumble through the plasma cloud he then adds "All boats leave now! All those not aboard secure yourselves to lifelines and wait to be winched in".

He switches channel to speak to LeFron "It seems that these maniacs have blown their drives. Relay to the fleet - threat neutralised. You must now be doubly careful of the contents of that rescue ball!"

(OOC: Even if we leave towing folk with us like a string of pearls that's got to be better than getting roasted by radioactive plasma!)

[joertexas]

After a couple of tense minutes of maneuvering, everyone is clear of the slowly tumbling hulk's hull. The team members with vacc suit skills help ensure that everyone is tethered to one of the two ship's boats, and those craft start backing away. Anne is able to determine that they will pass the plasma cloud, which is rapidly expanding and dissipating "up" to the planetary ecliptic. The swarm of asteroids the ship had encountered earlier was well behind them, and there were no other asteroids visible.

Attica still has the outbound rescue ball on her sensors, and SLT LeFron is confident she can track it for another three hours. She also reports that there are no other navigation hazards in their path.

[Tiglath]

Foix says "That was unexpected but perhaps no surprise. Let us get these people aboard The Lady and attend to their needs".

He issues instructions for the Lady's crew to make ready to receive the refugees and that they should be fed, documented and given a further medical review adding that those who are armed should be disarmed as a precaution (given their "independant nature").

[The Bindoner]

We should not let the escape pod leave untracked. It is likely the Master is aboard. If Mother has an android body her counterpart must. Zhenya grins: If it is likely to give us another pyrotechnic display I should like to be present for it.

[Tiglath]

Foix replies "Pyrotechnics are best viewed at a distance".

He raises SLT LeFron on the comm and requests "Do you detect any life signs from the rescue ball or any other sensor returns? Please hand off the lock to The Lady's bridge crew".

Switching channels again he contacts the Lady's bridge "Smythe, mon vieux, dedicate me a battery to the incoming sensor fix from Mam'selle LeFron. Have them lock on and wait on my word".