Carpathia IV: Episode 307 - Crystal Falchion
Bridge, NCCS Shadowdancer-A
Teek carved a long, wide arc after coming off the stern of the Blood Agony, getting into view of the starboard dorsal side, the side they just strafed. The Blood Agony moved, though now with a wobble, and ripples in the outer hull with smoke pouring out of the many holes was evident even without scans.
Aire: Damage report.
Amenaru: Blood Agony has taken severe damage. It still has shields, but they're very weak. About 80% of weapons batteries are destroyed. I'm not sure about their main weapon since I don't know how it works. Interesting that one of the hangar doors was blown out. The gap is big enough for a vashta ship to go in and if we could penetrate the shields and get weapons fire in there, it would do even more critical damage.
Aire: So they're still a major threat. What of us?
Amenaru: Moderate damage to ventral shields. Repair teams dispatched. Honestly, I expected more, but I think they didn't expect us to do that.
Aire caught a glimpse of fiery red hair off to his side, which could only mean Baal coming up the stairs from the reception room.
Baal: Got a little bumpy down there. Phobos is away and Ryuu will be fine. He should be right behind me.
Indeed, Ryuu was right behind, followed by Sorchae. Aire couldn't help but notice the thick, white bandage wrapped tightly around Ryuu's middle.
Sorchae: My patient insists on seeing you, Captain. I fixed him up as best I can, but I want him back in sick bay when this is all over.
Ryuu: I'll be there, Doctor. Just a few cracked ribs. Lazmaedia did smack me pretty hard, though. Doc says I shouldn't go back. Baal told me everything. I can help on any station.
Aire: Good to have you here, Ryuu. You can certainly be useful to us.
From behind, the lift doors opened, revealing Joust and Shep.
Joust: Captain, how did it go? Caught Shep on the way up.
Aire craned his neck, peering into the lift until the doors closed, but did not see who he was looking for.
Aire: I expected Sassy would be with you.
Joust: He left and I'm not surprised. He looked really tired after it was over. Could hardly stand up straight at the end.
Aire: I hope we get the chance to thank him fully. The tide isn't turned yet, but we're getting close. Right, then. Joust, back to your chair. Trex still on tactical. Shep on supplemental tactical. Baal, assist Amenaru. Ryuu, help out where needed.
A chorus of "Yes, Captain!" rang out as everyone rushed to their new stations.
Aire: We're not done yet. Let's have ideas on how to exploit the damage.
Shep, arriving at his console, glared with alarm at his screen.
Shep: Captain, the Crystal Falchion is launching escape pods.
Aire: What? On viewer!
The viewscreen flipped to the Crystal Falchion clearly confirming escape pod launchings.
Aire: Get me Admiral Zhang!
Kit: Contacting Admiral Zhang.
Admiral Zhang responded quickly with her bridge appearing on the screen. She did not look up, keeping her head buried in her console.
Aire: Admiral Zhang, do you require assistance?
Admiral Zhang: No, Aire. I'm evacuating all non-essential personnel while I work on triggering an overload in the warp core. I'm going to crash the ship into that open hanger door.
Aire: Understood. We can take you aboard and remote pilot the Crys...
Admiral Zhang held up her hand just long enough to silence him.
Admiral Zhang: I can't risk a remote link being broken. I'm flying it in myself. A skeleton crew of volunteers is also staying behind to make sure we don't lose any critical systems on the way.
Aire hemmed and hawed, searching his head for something to say. Another idea. Something he could use to talk her out of it. With the Blood Agony's shields in place, though weakened, the only thing they had that could punch through was the Crystal Falchion. Anything else would take too long. Shuttlecars could, but they were not big enough.
With depressing certainty that Admiral Zhang had already considered what he now pondered, Aire gritted his teeth and accepted his new mission.
Aire: Understood, Admiral. We will do everything in our power to ensure your final mission is successful. I know I speak for everyone on the ship when I say it has been an honor serving under you.
For the first time since he began communications, Admiral Zhang looked up, directly into the viewscreen.
Admiral Zhang: I appreciate that, Aire. My career has been an privilege because of all of you. Now, I'm afraid I have to return to work. I will make an announcement to the fleet in a moment. Zhang out.
The screen went dark and Aire quickly jumped into action.
Aire: Everyone, the only mission that matters now is getting Admiral Zhang to the Blood Agony at all cost. Our mission is to intercept all incoming fire. Amenaru, divert all the power you can find to the forward shields. We will go first and clear the way.
Amenaru: Understood, Captain. I'll work on bypassing damaged relays. Baal, you draw power from non-critical systems.
Baal: On it!
Kit: Admiral Zhang is addressing the fleet on secure channel.
Admiral Zhang: Attention fleet. The last attack on the Blood Agony blew out one of their hangar doors. We are now triggering a core overload buildup and I intend to fly the Crystal Falchion into that hanger just as the overload peaks. I have transferred all command codes to Commodore Amaranth. You will follow his orders now. Zhang out.
The viewer went dark again, the last time Aire or anyone else would see Admiral Zhang.
Kit: We are receiving orders from Commodore Amaranth. He says to ensure Admiral Zhang's success by any means possible.
Shep: Crystal Falchion is underway at full thrusters.
Aire: Just what we were going to do anyway. Teek, get out ahead of the Falchion and intercept incoming fire.
Teek: Setting one quarter induction to get us into position fast. I'll make sure we take a beating!
Joust: Thank you, Teek, but let's hope it's not too much.
Shadowdancer blasted through the battlefield, ducking and weaving past confused vashta ships.After taking position in front of the Falchion, Teek engaged in disregarding all his training and steered into every shot he could manage. The other Carpathian ships around them did the same.
Aire: Trex, open fire. Let's weaken that section as much as we can.
Trex: Gladly!
Shadowdancer opened fire on the hangar area while Teek continued to steer into disruptor blasts.
Shep: Blood Agony is launching torpedoes!
Joust: Intercept!
Teek took two torpedoes on the nose, sending suddering waves throughout the ship, enough to shatter glass on the bridge and blow out some of the wall panels.
Teek: There's one I can't get to!
Nothing anyone could do but watch until the Sentinel, Commodore Amaranth, streaked by in front of their windows and took a direct torpedo hit to their nacelle, which exploded off of the pylons. Shadowdancer streaked closer and closer until finally it was time to peel away and let Admiral Zhang finish the job.
Aire: Pull up! Put the Falchion on viewer!
Teek took a sharp turn, pulling the Shadowdancer up and away from the Blood Agony. On the viewer, the bridge crew watched as the Falchion soared straight into the side of the Blood Agony, square in the middle of the blown-out hangar bay.
A couple of seconds passed of relatively small explosions until a massive eruption tore our the entire side of the Blood Agony.
Chunks of the Blood Agony flew out into space. Secondary explosions rocked the ship. Power surges shot in all directions. Adell's voice came over the speakers, not that they needed his order on what to do next.
Adell: Attention fleet! Shields are down! fire everything at the Blood Agony!
Aire: You heard the man, Trex!
Trex: Unleashing hell, Captain!
Every able Carpathian ship rained destruction on the Blood Agony, shot after shot tearing it apart.
Joust: Teek, be ready to get us out of here! We have no idea what it will do when it goes!
Teek: Ready, Commander!
The Blood Agony exploded into millions of tiny bits, but the danger wasn't over yet. Teek immediately brought the ship about and it began to shudder before he even completed his turn.
Teek: Strong gravity anomalies! I'm punching it up to full induction!
Shadowdancer barely moved, even with Teek pushing the throttle to maximum. The ship shuddered violently, as though it was sailing over a pile of rocks.
Shep: Gravity anomalies are weakening!
Teek: We're moving again!
As the anomalies dissipated, the Shadowdancer and the rest of the Carpathian fleet finally escaped. The battle, however, was not over yet.
Commissioned art in this episode from:
AvareonArt
Zelbunnii
Less_End
Colourbrand
Falke2009
