Carpathia IV: Episode 284 - Final Plans
Ready Room, NCCS Shadowdancer-A
Aire spent the last day flitting around between the departments, hardly getting any sleep, only naps every so often when he had a chance. He could sleep later, after the mission. The rescue team, however, he ordered to do as much resting as much as preparing.
Aire sat at his desk, drumming his fingers on the shiny veneer, and scrolling through his reports. The reports he had meticulously assembled since the kidnapping, the rescue plan, the hiding spot, all the details, to present to Admiral Zhang. Not for approval, but to get additional feedback on anything they might have missed. Finally, a message appeared on his display, incoming message from Admiral Zhang, secure channel. Aire tapped accept and her face appeared on the screen.
Aire: Good to see you, Admiral. I'm looking forward to getting feedback on our plans.
While Aire prepared to share the highlights of the plan, Admiral Zhang adopted a somber expression and held up her hand.
Admiral Zhang: I'm sorry, Aire, but I'm going to have to stop you right there. I have your new orders. The Admiralty has determined that we won't be able to stop the Blood Agony before it reaches New Berengaria. Your orders are to return to Polaris Deep immediately to finish up the evacuation there and to continue on to New Berengaria. Several tokki ships along with our own fleet will be assisting. With any luck, we'll be able to get most of the people out.
Aire listened in shock
Aire: But Admiral...
Admiral Zhang: Minister of the Navy's orders. Return to Polaris Deep immediately. Zhang out.
Aire panicked, and shouted at the screen before Admiral Zhang could terminate communications.
Aire: Admiral, wait!
To Aire's relief, Admiral Zhang stayed, eyebrow raised, not looking to happy about the outburst. Leaning forward, Aire took a deep breath and chose his words carefully.
Aire: Admiral, do you remember what you said to me after I conducted my last rescue mission in Tokkastran space?
Admiral Zhang's face soured even further. She knew where this was going already and her voice came out in a low growl.
Admiral Zhang: Captain...
Aire: You said that if I ever pulled a stunt like that again, that I should at the very least let the Admiralty know that the Shadowdancer was not actually missing. Consider this my notification. Aire out.
Aire slapped the end transmission button before Admiral Zhang responded. After allowing himself just a second or two of quiet reflection, he bounded from his chair and made straight for the door. He had no time to waste.
Bridge, NCCS Shadowdancer-A
Aire hadn't even made it halfway down the stairs when Kit, his face scrunched up in confusion, called out to him from the comm station.
Kit: Captain, you're getting another call from Admiral Zhang.
The confusion was understandable, considering that Kit had just relayed Admiral Zhang to his ready room less than ten minutes ago.
Aire: Ignore all calls from Polaris Deep until further notice.
Kit: Erm... Yes, Captain.
Joust, in the command chair, swivelled around and looked on with his wings spread wide, but he said nothing.
Aire: Nalma, do we have our hiding spot yet?
Nalma: We do! The plan is to hide in the upper atmosphere of a gas giant that the Blood Agony will pass near to. They won't be able to detect us. We can launch our mission from there. Commander Joust has already relayed coordinates to the helm and we're on our way.
Aire: Excellent. Keep a watch for Vashta ships.
Nalma: We believe they're all still docked in the Blood Agony, but I will keep a sharp eye out.
Aire: Very good. The bridge is yours, Nalma. You can supervise monitoring.
Nalma: Yes, Captain.
Aire: Everyone on the rescue team, head to the shuttle bay. Joust, stay with me for a moment.
Kit: Captain, can I have a word first?
Aire: Of course. What's on your mind?
Kit: I've been monitoring the signal from Sylvar's earpiece. I mentioned before that, since he got onto the Blood Agony, we're getting a 20-meter radius scan everywhere he is, including crew movements.
Aire: I recall, yes. It's been very useful for our planning.
Kit: For the last few hours, the signal occasionally goes very erratic. If it were a regular comm signal, I'd say it was a power surge. What's important is in all that mess, I get little glimpses of the scans from over 300 meters away from Sylvar. They only last for a few milliseconds. I'd like for someone to help me go through the saved scans and try to piece these fragments together.
Aire: Absolutely. That could be very helpful. Amenaru, you'll help Kit with this after the briefing. Now that the car is finished, get Phobos to help.
Amenaru responded with an expected level of exuberance.
Amenaru: Gladly, Captain!
Aire: Report to the shuttle bay. Joust and I will follow shortly.
After Amenaru and Kit gave acknowledgement, both darted to the lift.
Aire: Nalma, I'll send up Ramei. He should have some insights on engineering challenges of hiding in a gas giant.
Nalma: All insight is useful, Captain.
Aire: Joust, I think that's enough time. Let's go.
Joust: Lead the way, Captain.
Aire stepped to the lift door, the one opposite the one Amenaru and Kit took, and pushed the call button. A few seconds later, the door opened and they stepped inside together. After hitting the button for Deck 10, the lift started to move, but it handn't gotten very far before Aire changed plans.
Aire: Computer, halt lift.
The lift slowed and came to a stop.
Joust: I'm pretty sure I know what this is about.
Aire: I figured you would. Not a word to anyone about this until the rescue is complete.
Joust: Understood.
Aire: Minister of the Navy's orders. We are to abandon the rescue and return to Polaris Deep immediately. After assisting with the evacuation there, we will be evacuating New Berengaria.
Joust: I see. For the record, it's about 12 hours to the gas giant where we are totally not going to hide and absolutely not launching a rescue mission.
Aire gave Joust a grave, but knowing, nod.
Aire: Make sure you get plenty of rest. I want everyone at their best and not worrying about my captaincy.
Joust: I'm not worried at all, Captain. We'll get this win and get ourselves some positive momentum.
Aire: That's what I want to hear. Computer, resume lift.
Shuttle Bay, NCCS Shadowdancer-A
Arriving in the shuttle bay, Aire found the rescue team assembled and waiting. Behind them was the car with all the new modifications and a holoprojection of the Blood Agony's deck plans near the brig, with several lines passing through the labyrinthine corridors. Joust took his place with the rescue team while Aire approached Ramei first.
Aire: Thank you for your hard work here. Nalma needs you on the bridge.
Ramei: On my way, Captain.
Ramei rushed off while Aire turned his attention to Trex and Shep, standing near the holoprojection.
Trex: Welcome, Captain! Shep and I were about to go over the potential infiltration routes. Would you like to say a few words first?
Aire: I would, Trex.
The gathered crowd parted, allowing Aire to walk through and join Trex and Shep at the front.
Aire: This will be one of the most difficult missions any of you will ever undertake, but I know that each of you is up for the task. I'll let Trex and Shep handle the tactics on the Blood Agony. You have 12 hours until we get to our hiding spot in the gas giant and another three hours after that. For the next 15 hours, your orders are to study the plan, rest, and stick to the low-residue diet that Dr. Teagan prescribed. I have faith in you all. The Vashta think we're pushovers. Get over there and prove them wrong. Now let's go get our people back.
A chorus of "Yes, Captain!" rose through the rescue team as Aire stepped away from the holoprojector to let Trex and Shep proceed with the plan. To his surprise, it did not start with the schematic on the holoprojector, but with a grapefruit-sized metal ball that Trex pulled from a box.
Shep: This is a sunstone grenade, filled with a concentrated gas that we collected from the Sunstone Nebula. It will eat through all systems that it comes into contact with, just as it did with the old Shadowdancer. It is a last resort weapon. If you use this, run away from it as fast as you can and you'll have to find an alternative route to your target. There will be a box of these in the cargo compartment.
Aire stood back and listened. Though he wasn't going on the mission himself, he wanted to hear all the details so that he knew what was going on at all times. There was much to take in, and despite how much he tried to concentrate, he couldn't help but wonder, a niggling little doubt in the back of his mind, if he was sending his crew to their doom. In that sense, a scolding form Admiral Zhang if he were to return successful sounded like an absolute breeze. Only time would tell.
Commissioned art in this episode from:
AvareonArt
Zelbunnii
Less_End
Colourbrand
Falke2009
