[Galaxy] 2161.10.08 - BoC - "An Alien View"

[Anna H.]

//  Vicinity of Cheron  \\
 
 
[Menzoberranzan, Andorian Command Vessel]
 
"What are you /doing/, Kadaj!?" Captain Rakul demanded as the ship did a barrel roll and snapped back into straight and level position -- as much as a ship in space can be said to actually /be/ straight and level.
 
"Evasive maneuvers," growled the startled female, from where she stood at the helm.
 
"Stop it at once," Rakul snapped.  "Don't do that unless I tell you to!"
 
Kadaj did not respond, just twitched her shoulder irritably.  She was, like most Andorian women, taller and more muscular than her male counterparts.  She had risen through the ranks quickly, with skill and intelligence, courage and daring -- just as it should be.  She'd have her own command after this battle was over, Rakul mused, and would deserve it.  But for today, she was still under his command and would do as she was told.  "You are too used to flying fighters, little sister," Rakul continued.  "We are the only Andorian vessel left in this attack group and I don't intend to be taken out -- especially by mistakes at the helm!" Chuckles and snorts from the rest of the bridge crew at the words 'little sister' ... the loudest snort of all coming from the tactical consoles, from Mital, who actually /was/ Kadaj's older sister.
 
Kadaj growled over her shoulder, but did comply and held the Menzoberranzan to unremarkable maneuvers -- holding the ship steady so the weapons masters could level the devastating beam weapon that could slice through a Romulan Bird of Prey like it was redbat fat, once the shields were weakened.
 
Another Bird of Prey exploded in a blinding flash of light, the shock wave pushing the vessels around it into disarray.  A cheer went up on the Menzoberranzan's command level as the enemy ship was sucked back in upon itself right before its defensive self-destruct re-detonated.  What a show.  What a waste! But it was known:  the Romulans would do whatever it took to keep their secrets.
 
"Thirteen left! Target the next in line for destruction and FIRE!" Rakul shouted, almost gleefully, a frightful scowl on his face.
 
 
[Sharash, Denobulan Command Vessel]
 
The graceful colorful ship swept wide, then dropped like a stone, then punched upwards as it dodged the Romulan fighters in its wake, their streaks of disruptor fire surrounding it in a halo of green light.  
 
"Fire!" sang out Captain Larana, her impish face holding back a smile.  After all, this was "Serious Business".
 
The Sharash lobbed small torpedoes like light grenades behind her which spread out in a pattern that the fighters were unable to avoid.  "Got one!" said Turbul, he who had launched the attack.  
 
"Yeh!" Larana said, clapping her hands twice.  She had an almost child-like ebullience, an attitude that had stymied many of those she had met, particularly those of other races.  But her successes could not be denied.  The sweet simple-appearing Denobulan had proven a sharp intellect in battle, and would not turn from her duty despite vicious odds.  On the surface, she appeared to see it all as a game.  But if that was so, then it was a game she intended to WIN.
 
"Oh, look! There's the Challenger!" Larana said.
 
The Helmsman gave a dip of the Sharash's wingtips in a little "wave" -- he didn't need orders, he knew it was coming.
 
"THANK you, Larn," Larana said.  "Look, they're in trouble! Let's go over and help.  Turbul, please dissuade that last Romulan fighter from following us over, won't you please?"
 
"Aye, Captain!" Turbul launched the grenades again, and they were once again /just/ as effective.  
 
"Oh, /very/ good! All right, Larn ... let's go over and play with the Challenger! I like their COMMs officer, don't you, Cheena? And their Tactical man, oh my!" She said all this with her gaze brightly fixed on the scene before them -- the Challenger taking some hard hits as they fought a Bird of Prey one-on-one.  "Join in, join in, Turbul! Let's see if we can get the Romulans to leave our friends alone!"
 
"Yes, ma'am," Turbul said, his fingers hitting the holoscreen on his heads-up display, garnering the weapons he wanted to throw at the Romulans.  "How does this look, Captain?"
 
"I think that will do /very/ nicely," she purred.  "Let's show them that we don't just make good food and produce good doctors, shall we?" 
 
Light arced out of the Sharash, sharp and segmented like digitized lightning, leaping over to the Bird of Prey and hitting it with a crack you could almost hear through vacuum.  The entire ship suddenly glowed bright white, then was outlined in an eye-searing blue.  "Shields down, ma'am."
 
"Lovely! Please continue."
 
The Sharash and the Challenger bombarded the Bird of Prey, diving in for close-in shots, swooping out and away as return fire tried to find them ... but finally the ship was practically cut to pieces.  "Build-up of energy amidships on the Romulan, Captain."
 
"Away!" The Sharash -- and the Challenger, she had learned as well to read the Romulan intentions -- fled from the embattled BoP, reaching safe distance before it blew itself to bits.  "Sore losers!" Larana sang out.  
 
 
[Whispering Death, Vulcan Command Vessel]
 
What a difference it made to enter the Vulcan bridge.  All was calm and relatively quiet.  The crew went about their work methodically, logically selecting targets and flight paths that would allow for maximum effectiveness of the dangerous Suurok-class ship.  Whispering Death, indeed.
 
"SubCommander, there are now 12 Birds of Prey left ... three of those are damaged," said Tlon, from the tactical station.
 
"Pick one," T'Pren said.  "We will hit those three and take them off the chessboard ... so to speak."
 
Tlon looked at her for a split second, but said, "Yes, SubCommander," and did as he was told.  
 
"Helm," T'Pren added, "facilitate Tlon's activity."
 
"Indeed," T'Zan said, her fingers truly flying over the barely perceptible touchpads on her console top.  The Whispering Death dove nose-down, pulled back up facing the belly of one of the wounded Birds of Prey, and Tlon fired.  The Vulcan ship's beam weapon outshone every other weapon on the battlefield, Romulans included.  Like a huge sword made of light, it razored out and hammered the ailing vessel, smashing the forward compartments into jangled metal and sparking power lines.  The telltale sign of venting plasma sparkled against the stars.  
 
"Move off," T'Pren said.  "I believe we can trust in their self-immolation at any moment."  And she was right.  It went up like a nova, with the typical implode/explode after the primary detonation.  "Target the next one," T'Pren said, calm as usual.
 
Inside she was anything but calm.  Despite a formidable meditation regimen, she was still having a bit of trouble keeping Chris out of her thoughts.  Seeing him on the bridge of the Challenger before the meeting had been agreeable, but she wanted to actually meet with him in person.  It was becoming apparent, however, that the desired meeting would not take place until after the battle.
 
She kept track of the Challenger's progress -- the ship's continued safety -- in the back of her mind.  Eleven Birds of Prey left.
 
 
[Freeluzin, Aenar Lead Vessel]
 
The small quick ships dipped and wove around and between the other ships on the field of battle, causing many a gasp of indrawn breath as near-miss followed near-miss.  They had been responsible for taking out almost all of the smaller Romulan fighter ships.  In fact, there were now only two of the fighters left -- and the Freeluzin and her sister ships were luring them to the edge of the fighting.
 
"I do not like these little ships," came the dreamy voice of the PuF -- Person up Front, what we would consider to be a commanding officer, but which was not necessary on an Aenar vessel.  Everyone knew what everyone knew and they just fell into place doing what needed to be done.  But since this person had been the spokesperson when encountering the other races (since she'd been closest to the COMMs port at the time), she was the PuF.  For now.
 
"We do none of us like them," came a reply inside the PuF's mind.
 
"No.  Let us rid our friends of them.  They cause trouble."  The ships flipped over as one, screeching to a stop and throwing up a frontal shield -- somehow, by using their deflectors, or at least that was how it seemed.  The Romulan fighters, not seeing a thing, used braking thrusters when they saw the Aenar stop, but didn't catch on to the shield until too late.  They impacted at what could be considered to be a very unsafe speed.  Then they were no more.
 
"Very good.  Oh.  Look.  It would seem that the 'Others' would like to move away from the scene and return to that little planet."
 
"Yes."
 
"I will tell our friends."  The PuF was once again the one nearest the COMMs -- imagine that -- and so contacted the fleet on the battle channel.  
 
<+>  "Hello.  The enemy appear to be leaving.  We thought you would like to know."  <+>
 
The equivalent of "What?!" "Where?!" "Oh, hell, they're right!" came out of the speakers.  
 
"Is there something perhaps on the other side of that planet? That would be .... bad."  The community that was Aenar agreed.  "Hmm.  We will follow the Archer people and do as they do.  It is fitting."  Agreement along the mental connection.
 
 
[Flaxlatrox Cha, Tellarite Command Ship]
 
 
<+>  "LEAVING? THOSE BASTARDS!" Captain Horzt yelled.  "Can't let it happen! Join up with others of their kind, they will! Then we'll really be in the trough!!"  <+>
 
<+>  "Agreed," came the calm voice of T'Pren.  "If I am correct in thinking that being 'in the trough' is ... bad."  <+>
 
<+>  "DAMN right it is!" Horzt replied.  "I say we follow those #@*&#! Romulans and kick their ASSES!"  <+>
 
<+>  Sasha Spearling's voice rang out over the battle channel.  "Agreed! Group, form up!"  <+>
 
<+>  "Hurry! They're moving off!" added Captain Rakul on the Menzoberranzan.  <+>
 
<+>  "WE'LL TAKE THE LEAD!" shouted Horzt.  "Come on, everyone ... we know them well enough to know that the bastards aren't giving up ... so if it's a trap we're heading into, let's make sure we're close enough to take some of them with us! FUCKERS!"  <+>  Horzt barrelled the Flaxlatrox Cha out in front, firing his weapons at the tails of the receding Romulan fleet.
 
<+>  "We're coming too," came the soft lilting voice of the Aenar.  <+>
 
The Coalition battle fleet drew the lines once again as their wounded brothers made their way back through the nebula to the other side.  If things went really bad, which they probably would, they would be as far from the danger zone as possible.  
 
On the Challenger, Captain Sasha Spearling walked over to Cmdr Vic Hanley (2nd Officer, CAO) and whispered in his ear.
 
=========================
This Alien JL brought to you by Anna.
It was fun!  :)
aka:  
Captain Sasha Spearling
Commanding Officer
FCL-04 Challenger
 
<+>   
 
 
   		 	   		  
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