After being repelled by the overwhelming defense capabilities of the Scryer fortress, KDF and allies are looking for the alternative ways to break the stalemate...
--
When: Sunday, May 3, Alpha-1
Audience: Klingon and allies
Event type: Social RP
Starting point: Fleet starbase
OOC point of contact: @gulremal
Spoiler: Mission logShow
[Local] Sadia@gulremal: <FX> Day or two later, on the way back to the SB 151, Sadia calls the holomeeting of the captains...
[Local] Sadia@gulremal: <C> Seems most of us are here. Good. How are you holding up?
[Team] Sadia@gulremal: I plan mostly social rp today, no shooty, but yeah. this will be the stuff for "inner circle"
[Local] B'Atar@anncarise: <C> "We managed to avoid damage from that shockwave of theirs. Luckily San'leth's a lot nimbler than the big ships."
[Local] Egzo@HF_Mudd: <C> Put Hag'lhr in a tumble, but yeah, same.
[Local] B'Atar@anncarise: <C> "Definitely need a way to get past that hull of theirs without triggering that shockwave, though."
[Local] Egzo@HF_Mudd: <C> Yeah...
[Local] Sadia@gulremal: <C> Yeah, I've spent most of the day thinking over it. We must deal with this ASAP, I don't feel it's good to have so many forces locked down away from the Expanse, even with the things calming down.
[Local] B'Atar@anncarise: <C> "Aye. Breen might have their hands full, but somebody else'll find some way to take advantage of that."
[Local] Sadia@gulremal: <C> No power vacuum stays like that for long.
[Local] Egzo@HF_Mudd: <C> *grunts affirmatively*
[Local] Sadia@gulremal: <C> Hom Qawwl' will drop the cloak and head back to wejpuH tul at maximum sustainable warp. I'll be picking up KDF part of the pure neutronium and use the tranwarp gate to head to Qo'nos.
[Local] B'Atar@anncarise: <C> "Planning to use that to make Daramar an even tougher battering ram to smash the station?"
B'Atar@anncarise says with a smirk.
[Local] Sadia@gulremal: <C> I have already scheduled an audience with the High Council to present our "gift" and petition the use of the Imperial Forge.
[Local] Sadia@gulremal: <C> That is the back-up plan. Well, it was kinda original plan to get neutronium alloy plating, but now I will about using part of the stash to commission the small amount of high-yield -
[Local] Sadia@gulremal: - starship-sized railgun ammunition.
[Local] Egzo@HF_Mudd: <C> If we can't track down the alien tech they used, and figgur out some other way t' defeat it?
[Local] B'Atar@anncarise: <C> "That is some valuable ammunition. Though I guess it might be one of the few things that could punch through the hull of that base, seeing as it's got neutronium alloy too."
[Local] Sadia@gulremal: <C> This leaves you folks with the second part of the task - to commission the construction of ship-mounted rail-gun.
[Local] Egzo@HF_Mudd: <C> That was the plan, last I heard.
[Local] Egzo@HF_Mudd: <C> Much as we got one.
[Local] Sadia@gulremal: I believe our OSN and Colonial allies are working on the archeological sites in the local area, and I have contacted S.S, Yemeth, the gorn-led think-tank we recruited years ago, to assist with this.
[Local] Sadia@gulremal: <C> In the meantime, we will work on the alternatives. *to B'atar* That ammo can be easily retrieved after use, considering of what will it be made of.
[Local] Sadia@gulremal: <C> So, the first thing is to secure the big effing rail-gun, something that can be fitted to a bortasqu-sized battlecruiser.
[Local] B'Atar@anncarise: <C> "Good point. And we can melt it down and reuse it. Maybe even get more out of it from scraps of the Scryer's station."
[Local] Sadia@gulremal: <C> Now, we could task our own techs on the wajpuH tul for this, but we are not experts in kinetic weaponry. I spoke with the captain of Fortunate Fate, Alamavian Free Trader's flagship, about the -
[Local] Sadia@gulremal: - rail-guns they use. He says they got their shootas from the Morrs Combine.
[Local] Egzo@HF_Mudd: <C> *grunts again* Figgurs. That bunch is CRAZY.
[Local] Egzo@HF_Mudd: <C> Warp guns 'n stuff. Cool, but...
[Local] B'Atar@anncarise: <C> "Probably overkill for most stuff?"
[Local] Sadia@gulremal: <C> Considering what we face, overkill is exactly what we need. I have contacted Chief Engineer Ittik, he's at his base and will be expacting you.
Egzo@HF_Mudd nods.
[Local] Sadia@gulremal: <C> See if you can commision his services, or find from him who can help us. If you cannot find any local experts, we'll see if the Colonial Fleet can help. But I would fall on that as a last resort.
[Local] Sadia@gulremal: <C> They might be on good terms with OSN, but with all due respect to their skills, I'd keep a good eye on them.
[Local] Sadia@gulremal: <C> Now, before I scurry off to curry the favors from my superiors, do you folks have any other ideas or suggestions I can help with when I am at the center of the Empire?
Egzo@HF_Mudd shakes his head.
[Local] Egzo@HF_Mudd: <C> Nothin' we ain't talked about before.
Lorri@crystyll shakes her head
[Team] Egzo@HF_Mudd: (Egzo might have come up with some things, dropped a few suggestions, but I can't recall now; that's to cover that.)
[Team] B'Atar@anncarise: I think Egzo suggested using a singularity core last time!
B'Atar@anncarise shakes her head as well, "I don't have any better ideas than making a really big gun. And I kind of like that idea too."
[Local] Sadia@gulremal: <C> Hmmm....I wonder...I we can put the micro singularity generator in the neutronium shell casing...
[Team] Egzo@HF_Mudd: Heh. I meant in terms of 'favors from the core'
[Team] B'Atar@anncarise: Ahh hehe
Egzo@HF_Mudd hmms and nods, rubbing his chin...
[Local] Egzo@HF_Mudd: <C> Aw, now ya got me thinkin' like them!
B'Atar@anncarise chuckles.
[Local] Sadia@gulremal: <C> I'll have to contact some reman friends...head of the JSI for the entire Klingon Empire should be on Qo'nos...yes, yes, this could work. Anyway, good idea! Anything else?
[Local] B'Atar@anncarise: <C> "I got nothing else."
[Local] Sadia@gulremal: <C> Tabadi? You've been awfully silent...
Lorri@crystyll shakes her head again, "Still nothing"
[Local] Sadia@gulremal: <C> All right, I'm heading out. I'll contact you when I'm on Qo'nos.
[Local] Egzo@HF_Mudd: <C> Clear skies, boss. Fly safe.
[Local] Sadia@gulremal: <C> Good luck! Cynis out. *comms cut*
[Local] B'Atar@anncarise: <C> "Time to get to the Combine base and ask them for a really big gun, then."
[Local] Sadia@gulremal: Shlaak: Hom Qawwl' hasss dropped cloak and isss sspeeding up.
Egzo@HF_Mudd nods to his Science Gorn, then idly scratches himself and mumbles about needing a drink.
[Local] Plott DeVice@gulremal: <FX> A day or so later, while returning to SB 151, the squadron makes a detour into Morrs Combine space, towards the Morrs Combine HQ, a dilithium rich planetoid surrounded by heavy orbital defenses.
[Local] Plott DeVice@gulremal: You note that since the last visit, defenses were upgraded - another line of defense turrets and minefields are being set up, along with the warp dissipator emitters. You had to leave warp
[Local] Plott DeVice@gulremal: - at far longer distance and had a 15 minute approach under impulse speed, following the specified approach route. Once you beamed on the main facility, you were escorted by two massive humanoids in -
[Local] Plott DeVice@gulremal: - power armor to Chief Ittik's "personal laboratory".
[Local] Plott DeVice@gulremal: You find Chief Engineer Ittik working alone on a similar, bit bigger armor, with two shoulder-mounted plasma cannons, plasma minigun mounted on left arm and some kind of wicked looking claw on the -
[Local] Plott DeVice@gulremal: - right hand.
[Local] Plott DeVice@gulremal: *quickly turns around at the sound of the approaching steps* Ah, klingon-orion friends, welcome!
[Local] Plott DeVice@gulremal: Your Chief said you will be coming, yes-yes.
[Local] B'Atar@anncarise: "That is some impressive armour you got."
Egzo@HF_Mudd spreads his arms wide in greeting. "Chief!" Then, looking past his fellow (slightly mad) engineer with interest: "Whatcha got there?"
[Local] Plott DeVice@gulremal: <FX> Laboratory has a massive transparent aluminum window that looks out on the massive fields of the protruding dilithium crystals covering the lifeless ground of the planetoid. Large central table was -
[Local] Plott DeVice@gulremal: - supposed to be some kind of conference table but was quickly co-opted as a worktable holding all kinds of devices, tools, and machinery.
Egzo@HF_Mudd may say (and even think) that Ittik and his crew take things "a little too far" some times, but they are definitely of a kind.
[Local] Plott DeVice@gulremal: Ah-ah, what I do not have here, is a better question! I am working on new storm-blast armor, yes-yes.
[Local] Plott DeVice@gulremal: Lots of power it needs, but with new micro-fusion generator, it can field twice as strong melta-canons.
[Local] Plott DeVice@gulremal: If anyone tries to steal my things again, they will be melted quick-quick!
Egzo@HF_Mudd hmms and nods approvingly.
[Local] Plott DeVice@gulremal: *looks at the group* Green lizard-thing not with you today?
[Local] Plott DeVice@gulremal: Maybe they want one of these commissioned?
[Local] Plott DeVice@gulremal: I give you good price, yes yes.
[Local] B'Atar@anncarise: "Well I would never say no to toys like that. I'm sure our Gorn friend'll like it too."
[Local] Plott DeVice@gulremal: Good good! I will need their measures - these things must be kustom-fitted.
[Local] Plott DeVice@gulremal: I send one armor for testing, you check and say if you want more, yes?
[Local] Egzo@HF_Mudd: "Sounds good t'me."
B'Atar@anncarise nods, "We got another deal to make though. For a much bigger toy."
[Local] Plott DeVice@gulremal: *nods approvingly* I still have to finish it first, will send it to your base once done.
[Local] Plott DeVice@gulremal: Oh? Big toy, you say?
Egzo@HF_Mudd nods. "Real big. S'why we came t' you."
Egzo@HF_Mudd grins. "You make the /best/ toys."
[Local] Plott DeVice@gulremal: Yes yes, we are best in sector! What do you need? Giga-drills? Matter decompressors? Warp-blasters?
[Local] Egzo@HF_Mudd: "Mass driver."
[Local] Egzo@HF_Mudd: "Sized for a dreadnought's keel."
[Local] Plott DeVice@gulremal: *twitches*
[Local] Plott DeVice@gulremal: *makes some unintelligible noises as he walks to the table*
[Local] B'Atar@anncarise: "One to shoot holes into a really tough station."
Egzo@HF_Mudd looks bemused at his comrades, then moves to the table.
B'Atar@anncarise moves over to the table as well.
[Local] Plott DeVice@gulremal: *takes one of the many bottles at the end of the table, attaches it to his snout-helmet*
[Local] Plott DeVice@gulremal: *there is a weak sucking sound as around half of the liquid is sucked in. The the bottle is detached and put back on the table*
[Local] Plott DeVice@gulremal: Yesyesyesyes...but no.
[Local] Plott DeVice@gulremal: I cannot build what you seek.
Egzo@HF_Mudd 's grin falls.
[Local] Egzo@HF_Mudd: "Why not?"
[Local] Plott DeVice@gulremal: *walks around nervously*
[Local] Plott DeVice@gulremal: I build the best stuff, you said.
[Local] Plott DeVice@gulremal: But I cannot build the best gun you need.
[Local] Plott DeVice@gulremal: Because... the best gun you need already exists. Yesyes, it is already built.
[Local] Egzo@HF_Mudd: "Uh huh. By who? And where is it?"
[Local] Plott DeVice@gulremal: *he swipes bunch of things away, revealing the console, and types something*
[Local] Plott DeVice@gulremal: *large holo at the center of the table lits up, and soon after some flickering, a detailed model of a starship shows up...*
[Local] Plott DeVice@gulremal: https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn%3AANd9GcQQuqCdFLpV_rijCjff0pCalNF7uDul6S_vmekojJ5O5BfXi5FG&usqp=CAU
Egzo@HF_Mudd 's eyes go WIDE.
Egzo@HF_Mudd utters a quiet "no."
[Local] B'Atar@anncarise: "You actually built that?"
[Local] Plott DeVice@gulremal: When I was apprentice to this position, and worked under Chief Engineer Trech, we were approached by Ny-be-ri-tey captain...one named Arkadia. Fierce female, great commander.
[Team] Plott DeVice@gulremal: also, he spelt Nyberrite like the squirrel from Hoodwinked spelled dynamite
[Local] Egzo@HF_Mudd: "You built that. YOU."
[Local] Plott DeVice@gulremal: *waves hands* No no, listen listen good.
[Local] Plott DeVice@gulremal: *by the ship, a picture of an alien female is shown*
[Local] Plott DeVice@gulremal: https://stellaris.paradoxwikis.com/images/7/7f/STNH_NyberriteF04Military.png
[Local] Plott DeVice@gulremal: Her Chiefs did not want to fight, said victory is not possible, but she refused to listen. She got funding from other benefactor, wanted to commision great vessel, and she asked us to build the -
[Local] Plott DeVice@gulremal: - biggest, mighties guns to be fitted on it. *image zooms on two large cannons on the upper part of the ship*
[Local] Plott DeVice@gulremal: https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSZMrk48ujSV3ACSG54OHWefzYao9giUdknjgu2YfR4cj49ybZ8&s
[Team] Plott DeVice@gulremal: yeah, instead of 3 cannons on each turret, there is one big cannon
[Local] Plott DeVice@gulremal: *he then adds an image of bortasqu, as comparison - it's around 30% of the size/length of the nyberrite ship
[Local] Plott DeVice@gulremal: Me and the Chief Trech worked on those cannons for 4 years, until Chief was satisfied. Rest of the ship was built elsewhere, by parties we were not privy to.
[Local] B'Atar@anncarise: "So what happened with the ship?"
[Local] Plott DeVice@gulremal: We know it took them 7 years to build the ship, and by that time, the benefactor that paid for our services brought his payment, hauled by dozens of mega-transports in low warp *he taps the leg on -
[Local] Plott DeVice@gulremal: - ground*
Egzo@HF_Mudd looks down at the deck, then out the big window.
[Local] Egzo@HF_Mudd: "... huh."
[Local] Plott DeVice@gulremal: Ship name was Harr Lokk, "Eternal Spite" in Arkadia's tongue. It cut a swath of destruction through crystal spider fleets, and forced them to retreat.
[Local] Plott DeVice@gulremal: They say it was like a ghost, hitting the enemies with her mighty guns, they disappearing in shadows, only to strike again. I do not know what technologies were used, but it was a thing of terrifying
[Local] Plott DeVice@gulremal: - beauty.
[Local] Plott DeVice@gulremal: But in the end, crystal spiders lured her in the trap of their strongest webs. They pummeled the Harr Lokk with fire, but it regenerated it's wounds, trading blow with blow. It was overwhelmed in -
[Local] Plott DeVice@gulremal: - end, but not before Ny-be-ri-tey fleet arrived, some of Arkadia's Chiefs inspired with her bravery.
[Local] Plott DeVice@gulremal: Arkadia perished on the bridge of her ship, but not before crystal spiders were defeated and forced out of Ny-be-ri-tey space.
[Local] Plott DeVice@gulremal: I...well, I'm not good at stories, but you can find holo-novels in Ny-be-ri-tey space about it.
[Local] Plott DeVice@gulremal: *he takes the bottle again, and drains the rest of it's contents*
[Local] B'Atar@anncarise: "Arkadia's dead, but the ship's still out there somewhere? Since you said these guns exist."
[Local] Plott DeVice@gulremal: Chief Trech retired after that work, said he will never make anything as good as that. *nods and pokes at console*
[Local] Plott DeVice@gulremal: <FX> Console shows the Harr Lokk battleship, suspended above the massive black hole*
[Local] Plott DeVice@gulremal: <FX> As it zooms out you notice a ring or dozen large orbs above the ship, projecting a massive 3d holo of Arkadia*
[Local] Plott DeVice@gulremal: Before they died, the benefactor that paid for the ship recovered it, fixed the outer hull, and made a massive monument at the site of the battle.
[Local] B'Atar@anncarise: "Wait...don't tell me they turned that ship into a..."
[Local] B'Atar@anncarise: "The Hall of Heroes is for honoring warriors. Ships are for battle."
[Local] Plott DeVice@gulremal: Most of the internal systems were destroyed in battle and could not be repaired. Cannons, however, are still there, and as far as I know. Intact.
[Local] Plott DeVice@gulremal: *to B'atar* Ny-be-ri-tey are peace-lovers. Once the war was over, they were far too eager to get rid of the vessel.
[Local] B'Atar@anncarise: "I would've taken them off before I turned that thing into a monument. Probably best they don't think like we do, then," she grins.
[Local] Plott DeVice@gulremal: I agree with you. I wanted to buy the guns back, but they would not hear of it.
[Local] Plott DeVice@gulremal: *starts walking back and forth again* Those guns were my master's life-work! He would want them to be used, not held as an accursed art installation!
[Local] Plott DeVice@gulremal: But those orbs there...they are not just for show.
[Local] Plott DeVice@gulremal: We inquired a bit...they are a defense system to ward of any...interlopers...
[Local] Plott DeVice@gulremal: <FX> Holo turns into schematics...
[Local] Plott DeVice@gulremal: https://i.pinimg.com/originals/82/81/1e/82811e2b3a2f9035d5d1b0cf7ceac59c.jpg
[Local] Plott DeVice@gulremal: *you note orbs are the size of raptor-class destroyer*
Egzo@HF_Mudd looks duly impressed.
[Local] B'Atar@anncarise: "What are those, some kind of drone ship?"
[Local] Plott DeVice@gulremal: We would hire someone to return the guns to us, but no one was willing to deal both with the singularity and the orb-drones.
[Local] Plott DeVice@gulremal: There are no ship patrols there, and visitors to pay respects are rare-rare.
[Local] Plott DeVice@gulremal: There will be no outside interruptions. *he pokes at the computer, puts in a datarod, then after a couple of seconds pulls the rod out
[Local] B'Atar@anncarise: "That's a lot of security for guns they aren't even using. You'd think they'd put this stuff elsewhere. You know, in case they get attacked again..."
[Local] Plott DeVice@gulremal: *hands the rod to B'atar* These are the schematics of the turret, and the instructions on how to remove it from the ship quick-quick.
B'Atar@anncarise takes the rod and nods, "Hopefully with no patrols and few visitors we can get them out before anyone knows what happened."
[Local] B'Atar@anncarise: "Seems like a real waste to have them sit there, where nobody even bothers to visit and admire them. Let alone fire them at anything...which is what they're meant for..."
[Local] Plott DeVice@gulremal: Yes...make good use of them.
Egzo@HF_Mudd nods along to all of this.
[Local] Plott DeVice@gulremal: Now excuse me, I have to think-think.
[Local] B'Atar@anncarise: "Well...at least this'll be more fun than sitting around and waiting for the gun to be made. Maybe faster too."
[Local] Plott DeVice@gulremal: *he moves away towards the windows and stares at the landscape, leaving the team to their own thoughts...*
[Local] Plott DeVice@gulremal: -- SCENE END --
[Local] Sadia@gulremal: <C> Seems most of us are here. Good. How are you holding up?
[Team] Sadia@gulremal: I plan mostly social rp today, no shooty, but yeah. this will be the stuff for "inner circle"
[Local] B'Atar@anncarise: <C> "We managed to avoid damage from that shockwave of theirs. Luckily San'leth's a lot nimbler than the big ships."
[Local] Egzo@HF_Mudd: <C> Put Hag'lhr in a tumble, but yeah, same.
[Local] B'Atar@anncarise: <C> "Definitely need a way to get past that hull of theirs without triggering that shockwave, though."
[Local] Egzo@HF_Mudd: <C> Yeah...
[Local] Sadia@gulremal: <C> Yeah, I've spent most of the day thinking over it. We must deal with this ASAP, I don't feel it's good to have so many forces locked down away from the Expanse, even with the things calming down.
[Local] B'Atar@anncarise: <C> "Aye. Breen might have their hands full, but somebody else'll find some way to take advantage of that."
[Local] Sadia@gulremal: <C> No power vacuum stays like that for long.
[Local] Egzo@HF_Mudd: <C> *grunts affirmatively*
[Local] Sadia@gulremal: <C> Hom Qawwl' will drop the cloak and head back to wejpuH tul at maximum sustainable warp. I'll be picking up KDF part of the pure neutronium and use the tranwarp gate to head to Qo'nos.
[Local] B'Atar@anncarise: <C> "Planning to use that to make Daramar an even tougher battering ram to smash the station?"
B'Atar@anncarise says with a smirk.
[Local] Sadia@gulremal: <C> I have already scheduled an audience with the High Council to present our "gift" and petition the use of the Imperial Forge.
[Local] Sadia@gulremal: <C> That is the back-up plan. Well, it was kinda original plan to get neutronium alloy plating, but now I will about using part of the stash to commission the small amount of high-yield -
[Local] Sadia@gulremal: - starship-sized railgun ammunition.
[Local] Egzo@HF_Mudd: <C> If we can't track down the alien tech they used, and figgur out some other way t' defeat it?
[Local] B'Atar@anncarise: <C> "That is some valuable ammunition. Though I guess it might be one of the few things that could punch through the hull of that base, seeing as it's got neutronium alloy too."
[Local] Sadia@gulremal: <C> This leaves you folks with the second part of the task - to commission the construction of ship-mounted rail-gun.
[Local] Egzo@HF_Mudd: <C> That was the plan, last I heard.
[Local] Egzo@HF_Mudd: <C> Much as we got one.
[Local] Sadia@gulremal: I believe our OSN and Colonial allies are working on the archeological sites in the local area, and I have contacted S.S, Yemeth, the gorn-led think-tank we recruited years ago, to assist with this.
[Local] Sadia@gulremal: <C> In the meantime, we will work on the alternatives. *to B'atar* That ammo can be easily retrieved after use, considering of what will it be made of.
[Local] Sadia@gulremal: <C> So, the first thing is to secure the big effing rail-gun, something that can be fitted to a bortasqu-sized battlecruiser.
[Local] B'Atar@anncarise: <C> "Good point. And we can melt it down and reuse it. Maybe even get more out of it from scraps of the Scryer's station."
[Local] Sadia@gulremal: <C> Now, we could task our own techs on the wajpuH tul for this, but we are not experts in kinetic weaponry. I spoke with the captain of Fortunate Fate, Alamavian Free Trader's flagship, about the -
[Local] Sadia@gulremal: - rail-guns they use. He says they got their shootas from the Morrs Combine.
[Local] Egzo@HF_Mudd: <C> *grunts again* Figgurs. That bunch is CRAZY.
[Local] Egzo@HF_Mudd: <C> Warp guns 'n stuff. Cool, but...
[Local] B'Atar@anncarise: <C> "Probably overkill for most stuff?"
[Local] Sadia@gulremal: <C> Considering what we face, overkill is exactly what we need. I have contacted Chief Engineer Ittik, he's at his base and will be expacting you.
Egzo@HF_Mudd nods.
[Local] Sadia@gulremal: <C> See if you can commision his services, or find from him who can help us. If you cannot find any local experts, we'll see if the Colonial Fleet can help. But I would fall on that as a last resort.
[Local] Sadia@gulremal: <C> They might be on good terms with OSN, but with all due respect to their skills, I'd keep a good eye on them.
[Local] Sadia@gulremal: <C> Now, before I scurry off to curry the favors from my superiors, do you folks have any other ideas or suggestions I can help with when I am at the center of the Empire?
Egzo@HF_Mudd shakes his head.
[Local] Egzo@HF_Mudd: <C> Nothin' we ain't talked about before.
Lorri@crystyll shakes her head
[Team] Egzo@HF_Mudd: (Egzo might have come up with some things, dropped a few suggestions, but I can't recall now; that's to cover that.)
[Team] B'Atar@anncarise: I think Egzo suggested using a singularity core last time!
B'Atar@anncarise shakes her head as well, "I don't have any better ideas than making a really big gun. And I kind of like that idea too."
[Local] Sadia@gulremal: <C> Hmmm....I wonder...I we can put the micro singularity generator in the neutronium shell casing...
[Team] Egzo@HF_Mudd: Heh. I meant in terms of 'favors from the core'
[Team] B'Atar@anncarise: Ahh hehe
Egzo@HF_Mudd hmms and nods, rubbing his chin...
[Local] Egzo@HF_Mudd: <C> Aw, now ya got me thinkin' like them!
B'Atar@anncarise chuckles.
[Local] Sadia@gulremal: <C> I'll have to contact some reman friends...head of the JSI for the entire Klingon Empire should be on Qo'nos...yes, yes, this could work. Anyway, good idea! Anything else?
[Local] B'Atar@anncarise: <C> "I got nothing else."
[Local] Sadia@gulremal: <C> Tabadi? You've been awfully silent...
Lorri@crystyll shakes her head again, "Still nothing"
[Local] Sadia@gulremal: <C> All right, I'm heading out. I'll contact you when I'm on Qo'nos.
[Local] Egzo@HF_Mudd: <C> Clear skies, boss. Fly safe.
[Local] Sadia@gulremal: <C> Good luck! Cynis out. *comms cut*
[Local] B'Atar@anncarise: <C> "Time to get to the Combine base and ask them for a really big gun, then."
[Local] Sadia@gulremal: Shlaak: Hom Qawwl' hasss dropped cloak and isss sspeeding up.
Egzo@HF_Mudd nods to his Science Gorn, then idly scratches himself and mumbles about needing a drink.
[Local] Plott DeVice@gulremal: <FX> A day or so later, while returning to SB 151, the squadron makes a detour into Morrs Combine space, towards the Morrs Combine HQ, a dilithium rich planetoid surrounded by heavy orbital defenses.
[Local] Plott DeVice@gulremal: You note that since the last visit, defenses were upgraded - another line of defense turrets and minefields are being set up, along with the warp dissipator emitters. You had to leave warp
[Local] Plott DeVice@gulremal: - at far longer distance and had a 15 minute approach under impulse speed, following the specified approach route. Once you beamed on the main facility, you were escorted by two massive humanoids in -
[Local] Plott DeVice@gulremal: - power armor to Chief Ittik's "personal laboratory".
[Local] Plott DeVice@gulremal: You find Chief Engineer Ittik working alone on a similar, bit bigger armor, with two shoulder-mounted plasma cannons, plasma minigun mounted on left arm and some kind of wicked looking claw on the -
[Local] Plott DeVice@gulremal: - right hand.
[Local] Plott DeVice@gulremal: *quickly turns around at the sound of the approaching steps* Ah, klingon-orion friends, welcome!
[Local] Plott DeVice@gulremal: Your Chief said you will be coming, yes-yes.
[Local] B'Atar@anncarise: "That is some impressive armour you got."
Egzo@HF_Mudd spreads his arms wide in greeting. "Chief!" Then, looking past his fellow (slightly mad) engineer with interest: "Whatcha got there?"
[Local] Plott DeVice@gulremal: <FX> Laboratory has a massive transparent aluminum window that looks out on the massive fields of the protruding dilithium crystals covering the lifeless ground of the planetoid. Large central table was -
[Local] Plott DeVice@gulremal: - supposed to be some kind of conference table but was quickly co-opted as a worktable holding all kinds of devices, tools, and machinery.
Egzo@HF_Mudd may say (and even think) that Ittik and his crew take things "a little too far" some times, but they are definitely of a kind.
[Local] Plott DeVice@gulremal: Ah-ah, what I do not have here, is a better question! I am working on new storm-blast armor, yes-yes.
[Local] Plott DeVice@gulremal: Lots of power it needs, but with new micro-fusion generator, it can field twice as strong melta-canons.
[Local] Plott DeVice@gulremal: If anyone tries to steal my things again, they will be melted quick-quick!
Egzo@HF_Mudd hmms and nods approvingly.
[Local] Plott DeVice@gulremal: *looks at the group* Green lizard-thing not with you today?
[Local] Plott DeVice@gulremal: Maybe they want one of these commissioned?
[Local] Plott DeVice@gulremal: I give you good price, yes yes.
[Local] B'Atar@anncarise: "Well I would never say no to toys like that. I'm sure our Gorn friend'll like it too."
[Local] Plott DeVice@gulremal: Good good! I will need their measures - these things must be kustom-fitted.
[Local] Plott DeVice@gulremal: I send one armor for testing, you check and say if you want more, yes?
[Local] Egzo@HF_Mudd: "Sounds good t'me."
B'Atar@anncarise nods, "We got another deal to make though. For a much bigger toy."
[Local] Plott DeVice@gulremal: *nods approvingly* I still have to finish it first, will send it to your base once done.
[Local] Plott DeVice@gulremal: Oh? Big toy, you say?
Egzo@HF_Mudd nods. "Real big. S'why we came t' you."
Egzo@HF_Mudd grins. "You make the /best/ toys."
[Local] Plott DeVice@gulremal: Yes yes, we are best in sector! What do you need? Giga-drills? Matter decompressors? Warp-blasters?
[Local] Egzo@HF_Mudd: "Mass driver."
[Local] Egzo@HF_Mudd: "Sized for a dreadnought's keel."
[Local] Plott DeVice@gulremal: *twitches*
[Local] Plott DeVice@gulremal: *makes some unintelligible noises as he walks to the table*
[Local] B'Atar@anncarise: "One to shoot holes into a really tough station."
Egzo@HF_Mudd looks bemused at his comrades, then moves to the table.
B'Atar@anncarise moves over to the table as well.
[Local] Plott DeVice@gulremal: *takes one of the many bottles at the end of the table, attaches it to his snout-helmet*
[Local] Plott DeVice@gulremal: *there is a weak sucking sound as around half of the liquid is sucked in. The the bottle is detached and put back on the table*
[Local] Plott DeVice@gulremal: Yesyesyesyes...but no.
[Local] Plott DeVice@gulremal: I cannot build what you seek.
Egzo@HF_Mudd 's grin falls.
[Local] Egzo@HF_Mudd: "Why not?"
[Local] Plott DeVice@gulremal: *walks around nervously*
[Local] Plott DeVice@gulremal: I build the best stuff, you said.
[Local] Plott DeVice@gulremal: But I cannot build the best gun you need.
[Local] Plott DeVice@gulremal: Because... the best gun you need already exists. Yesyes, it is already built.
[Local] Egzo@HF_Mudd: "Uh huh. By who? And where is it?"
[Local] Plott DeVice@gulremal: *he swipes bunch of things away, revealing the console, and types something*
[Local] Plott DeVice@gulremal: *large holo at the center of the table lits up, and soon after some flickering, a detailed model of a starship shows up...*
[Local] Plott DeVice@gulremal: https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn%3AANd9GcQQuqCdFLpV_rijCjff0pCalNF7uDul6S_vmekojJ5O5BfXi5FG&usqp=CAU
Egzo@HF_Mudd 's eyes go WIDE.
Egzo@HF_Mudd utters a quiet "no."
[Local] B'Atar@anncarise: "You actually built that?"
[Local] Plott DeVice@gulremal: When I was apprentice to this position, and worked under Chief Engineer Trech, we were approached by Ny-be-ri-tey captain...one named Arkadia. Fierce female, great commander.
[Team] Plott DeVice@gulremal: also, he spelt Nyberrite like the squirrel from Hoodwinked spelled dynamite
[Local] Egzo@HF_Mudd: "You built that. YOU."
[Local] Plott DeVice@gulremal: *waves hands* No no, listen listen good.
[Local] Plott DeVice@gulremal: *by the ship, a picture of an alien female is shown*
[Local] Plott DeVice@gulremal: https://stellaris.paradoxwikis.com/images/7/7f/STNH_NyberriteF04Military.png
[Local] Plott DeVice@gulremal: Her Chiefs did not want to fight, said victory is not possible, but she refused to listen. She got funding from other benefactor, wanted to commision great vessel, and she asked us to build the -
[Local] Plott DeVice@gulremal: - biggest, mighties guns to be fitted on it. *image zooms on two large cannons on the upper part of the ship*
[Local] Plott DeVice@gulremal: https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSZMrk48ujSV3ACSG54OHWefzYao9giUdknjgu2YfR4cj49ybZ8&s
[Team] Plott DeVice@gulremal: yeah, instead of 3 cannons on each turret, there is one big cannon
[Local] Plott DeVice@gulremal: *he then adds an image of bortasqu, as comparison - it's around 30% of the size/length of the nyberrite ship
[Local] Plott DeVice@gulremal: Me and the Chief Trech worked on those cannons for 4 years, until Chief was satisfied. Rest of the ship was built elsewhere, by parties we were not privy to.
[Local] B'Atar@anncarise: "So what happened with the ship?"
[Local] Plott DeVice@gulremal: We know it took them 7 years to build the ship, and by that time, the benefactor that paid for our services brought his payment, hauled by dozens of mega-transports in low warp *he taps the leg on -
[Local] Plott DeVice@gulremal: - ground*
Egzo@HF_Mudd looks down at the deck, then out the big window.
[Local] Egzo@HF_Mudd: "... huh."
[Local] Plott DeVice@gulremal: Ship name was Harr Lokk, "Eternal Spite" in Arkadia's tongue. It cut a swath of destruction through crystal spider fleets, and forced them to retreat.
[Local] Plott DeVice@gulremal: They say it was like a ghost, hitting the enemies with her mighty guns, they disappearing in shadows, only to strike again. I do not know what technologies were used, but it was a thing of terrifying
[Local] Plott DeVice@gulremal: - beauty.
[Local] Plott DeVice@gulremal: But in the end, crystal spiders lured her in the trap of their strongest webs. They pummeled the Harr Lokk with fire, but it regenerated it's wounds, trading blow with blow. It was overwhelmed in -
[Local] Plott DeVice@gulremal: - end, but not before Ny-be-ri-tey fleet arrived, some of Arkadia's Chiefs inspired with her bravery.
[Local] Plott DeVice@gulremal: Arkadia perished on the bridge of her ship, but not before crystal spiders were defeated and forced out of Ny-be-ri-tey space.
[Local] Plott DeVice@gulremal: I...well, I'm not good at stories, but you can find holo-novels in Ny-be-ri-tey space about it.
[Local] Plott DeVice@gulremal: *he takes the bottle again, and drains the rest of it's contents*
[Local] B'Atar@anncarise: "Arkadia's dead, but the ship's still out there somewhere? Since you said these guns exist."
[Local] Plott DeVice@gulremal: Chief Trech retired after that work, said he will never make anything as good as that. *nods and pokes at console*
[Local] Plott DeVice@gulremal: <FX> Console shows the Harr Lokk battleship, suspended above the massive black hole*
[Local] Plott DeVice@gulremal: <FX> As it zooms out you notice a ring or dozen large orbs above the ship, projecting a massive 3d holo of Arkadia*
[Local] Plott DeVice@gulremal: Before they died, the benefactor that paid for the ship recovered it, fixed the outer hull, and made a massive monument at the site of the battle.
[Local] B'Atar@anncarise: "Wait...don't tell me they turned that ship into a..."
[Local] B'Atar@anncarise: "The Hall of Heroes is for honoring warriors. Ships are for battle."
[Local] Plott DeVice@gulremal: Most of the internal systems were destroyed in battle and could not be repaired. Cannons, however, are still there, and as far as I know. Intact.
[Local] Plott DeVice@gulremal: *to B'atar* Ny-be-ri-tey are peace-lovers. Once the war was over, they were far too eager to get rid of the vessel.
[Local] B'Atar@anncarise: "I would've taken them off before I turned that thing into a monument. Probably best they don't think like we do, then," she grins.
[Local] Plott DeVice@gulremal: I agree with you. I wanted to buy the guns back, but they would not hear of it.
[Local] Plott DeVice@gulremal: *starts walking back and forth again* Those guns were my master's life-work! He would want them to be used, not held as an accursed art installation!
[Local] Plott DeVice@gulremal: But those orbs there...they are not just for show.
[Local] Plott DeVice@gulremal: We inquired a bit...they are a defense system to ward of any...interlopers...
[Local] Plott DeVice@gulremal: <FX> Holo turns into schematics...
[Local] Plott DeVice@gulremal: https://i.pinimg.com/originals/82/81/1e/82811e2b3a2f9035d5d1b0cf7ceac59c.jpg
[Local] Plott DeVice@gulremal: *you note orbs are the size of raptor-class destroyer*
Egzo@HF_Mudd looks duly impressed.
[Local] B'Atar@anncarise: "What are those, some kind of drone ship?"
[Local] Plott DeVice@gulremal: We would hire someone to return the guns to us, but no one was willing to deal both with the singularity and the orb-drones.
[Local] Plott DeVice@gulremal: There are no ship patrols there, and visitors to pay respects are rare-rare.
[Local] Plott DeVice@gulremal: There will be no outside interruptions. *he pokes at the computer, puts in a datarod, then after a couple of seconds pulls the rod out
[Local] B'Atar@anncarise: "That's a lot of security for guns they aren't even using. You'd think they'd put this stuff elsewhere. You know, in case they get attacked again..."
[Local] Plott DeVice@gulremal: *hands the rod to B'atar* These are the schematics of the turret, and the instructions on how to remove it from the ship quick-quick.
B'Atar@anncarise takes the rod and nods, "Hopefully with no patrols and few visitors we can get them out before anyone knows what happened."
[Local] B'Atar@anncarise: "Seems like a real waste to have them sit there, where nobody even bothers to visit and admire them. Let alone fire them at anything...which is what they're meant for..."
[Local] Plott DeVice@gulremal: Yes...make good use of them.
Egzo@HF_Mudd nods along to all of this.
[Local] Plott DeVice@gulremal: Now excuse me, I have to think-think.
[Local] B'Atar@anncarise: "Well...at least this'll be more fun than sitting around and waiting for the gun to be made. Maybe faster too."
[Local] Plott DeVice@gulremal: *he moves away towards the windows and stares at the landscape, leaving the team to their own thoughts...*
[Local] Plott DeVice@gulremal: -- SCENE END --
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