Carpathia IV: Episode 302 - Spacesuit
Dragon Ship
Elsewhere, a different sort of battle took place, Lazmaedia against the dragons. The dragons goal was to send out as many white dragons as possible to drain her demigod abilities. Kuro joined the first wave, targeting Lazmaedia with her ability to make her drowsy and dull her senses. A human, she could put to sleep if she wanted, but as demigods are more resistant, she had to take what she could get. With her job done, Kuro returned to the dragon command ship to coordinate the battle. A dozen white dragons swarmed Lazmaedia in waves, each attempting to make physical contact to drain her abilities with many more to provide support and the two dragon ships providing distraction.
Kuro: Course heading 035 mark 150. Make sure we're still a threat.
Kin: 035 mark 150. I'll make sure we stay on her radar.
Kuro: Keep a sharp eye. We don't want to run over any of our own.
Kin: Right!
Kin continued steering the dragon flagship close enough to Lazmaedia to be a threat but far enough to let the other spacedragons to do their work. After a time, a red light flashed on her console along with a message.
Kin: Kuro, Ryuu is coming in for suit repair. Oh! Another one. Aki is critically wounded and two others are helping her in.
Kuro: Go help Ryuu. I'll get someone for helm and go make sure that Aki gets help from the medics.
Kin: On my way!
Airlock, Dragon Command Ship
Kin awaited Ryuu at the airlock, tail swishing back and forth across the deck. After a minute or so, the light turned green and the door opened. Ryuu stumbled in, struggling to take his helmet off as he went.
Kin: I'll help you with that!
Ryuu sat still while Kin reached up and grabbed the helmet. She twisted and turned it with all her might and it only loosened slowly, just a few millimeters more with each turn. Finally, with a loud pop, the helmet dislodged and, with Kin pulling at full force, sent her tumbling backwards.
Kin: Boy, that was really on there!
Ryuu reached up with his paw and rubbed his now exposed neck.
Ryuu: She hit me right on the neck clamp. I feel a little stiff there.
Kin: Your suit is proper wrecked. You were right to come here. I'll get you a new one. Any other problems you need looked at?
Ryuu: Fortunately, the suit took most of the punishment.
Kin rummaged through the spacesuit locker while still asking questions.
Kin: That's good. How goes it out there?
Ryuu: Aionaptara is a big help, but we have only drained her maybe 12 or 14 percent. Hard to tell, but this is too slow and that teleport ability is a complete pain in the ass. The best method would be to swarm her, but we can't do that. We have to keep spread out to jump on her if she teleports near us. We've already lost Shiro and Blanca. At this rate, we might not even get her down to 50% before we're all dead.
Kin put all the parts for a replacement suit on a cart, helmet, onesie, and boots, on a cart and wheeled it over.
Kin: I know Kuro is working on more aggressive tactics. I'm sure you'll be hearing from her soon. Now put this on.
Ryuu wriggled head first into the suit and had himself comfy inside in a matter of moments. Kin held up two of the four boots for Ryuu to slip his front paws into.
Ryuu: Please encourage her to hurry it up. This isn't working.
Kin helped Ryuu with his second pair of boots and moved to his helmet.
Kin: I'll let her know. You be careful out there.
Ryuu: This isn't the time for careful. Helmet me.
Kin nodded and slipped the helmet over Ryuu's head, giving it a small turn at the end to lock it into place. Ryuu sighed, making a bit of mist appear and quickly disappear on his face mask before heading back into the airlock.
Bridge, NCCS Shadowdancer-A
The battle took a turn when the Carpathian alliance ships started prowling the battlefield in groups. Three more vashta ships destroyed with overall moderate damage to the allied ships. The battle turned again when the Blood Agony became more aggressive, taking more shots at the allies with considerably less regard to their own ships. The vashta took damage from the Blood Agony, but not as much as the alliance ships.
Shadowdancer rocked when another blast from the Blood Agony slammed into the ship. Lights flickered and shattered, wall panels tumbled out of their housings, and the bridge crew ducked to avoid flying debris.
Amenaru: Direct hit to the starboard pylon. Torpedo launchers are damaged. Repair bots are deploying.
Baal: Shields on that section are compromised. Engineering is adjusting the matrix.
Shep: A vashta ship closing fast on our starboard side!
Aire: Helm, evasive!
Joust: It might be too late. Brace!
The vashta ship did not have a chance to fire, however, for the Neptunus swooped in and unloaded a barrage of weapons fire. The vashta ship peeled off in full retreat while the Neptunus circled around off the Shadowdancer's starboard flank.
Alka: Captain Valro! I got separated from my group. I thought I might join yours.
Aire: Happy to have you. Kit, patch the Neptunus into our group.
Kit: Patching in Neptunus.
Aire: Shield status?
Baal: Very weak on the pylon, but improving.
Joust: Teek, prioritize keeping that area out of the line of fire as best you can for now.
Baal: I'm getting strange readings from the Blood Agony. They're launching something. I'm not sure if it's a weapon or something else.
Aire: Viewer.
Aire watched only for a moment as the objects, all resembling lemon juicers, fired out of the side of the Blood Agony. Not much he could tell just by looking, so he asked for readings.
Aire: Scans?
Amenaru: Inconclusive. Not reading any explosive material, but I'm not able to get good scans.
Joust: Keep an eye on them. Whatever they are, they can't be good. Shoot if they come in range.
Shep: It looks like we'll have that chance. They're turning this way. 48 total.
Joust: Teek, evade. Nalma, target those things. Signal Neptunus and Tengu to do the same.
Shep: They're coming in fast!
Nalma: There's too many of them!
Joust: Shoot as many as you can!
Shadowdancer and the other two ships fired at the objects as quickly as they were able but the large numbers and high speed made them difficult to hit. Many made it through the hail of fire and slammed into the Shadowdancer hull.
But they did not explode.
Baal: Strikes on Decks 12, 13, and 14, starboard side amidships.
Amenaru: Captain, I got readings just before they hit the hull. There are people in there. Two or three each.
Trex: We're being boarded.
Aire: Lock down all lifts, handprint access only. Trex, Shep, alert your teams and engage the invaders! Protect the bridge and engineering.
Trex: On our way, Captain!
Trex and Shep both darted for the lift together.
Aire: Kit, shipwide channel.
Kit: You're live, Captain.
Aire: Attention crew. We have been boarded on Decks 12 through 14, starboard side amidships. Arm yourselves and kill any vashta you see. Security is on their way. Aire out.
Kit: Channel closed.
Aire: Everyone, we let Trex and Shep do their jobs. For now, we focus on the battle. Phobos, you're on secondary tactical.
Phobos: Yes, Captain. Activating tactical console.
Before they could engage the next enemy, Aire got a frantic call from Engineering.
Sylvar: Sylvar to bridge!
Aire: Go ahead.
Sylvar: You said we're being boarded? By vashta? You have to know that they are surely special forces, born and bred for exactly this, way more dangerous than the prison guards on the Blood Agony!
Aire: Thanks for the intel. Anything else?
Sylvar: That's it. Just take them seriously!
Aire: Kit, relay that information to Trex and Shep and then the rest of the fleet in case the same thing happens to them. Put an alert on all consoles.
Kit: Yes, Captain.
Aire: No change to previous orders, everyone! Phobos, Nalma, coordinate with Neptunus and Tengu to find us a new target!
Phobos and Nalma: Yes, Captain!
Commissioned art in this episode from:
AvareonArt
Zelbunnii
Less_End
Colourbrand
Falke2009
