Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

Long updates!

1 (50%)

Short updates!

0 (0%)

Don't care; just give me hot ship-on-ship action.

1 (50%)

Total Members Voted: 2

[Glass]

Alright, so we can't afford to turn this down. We're presumably gonna get attacked by something from the great beyond regardless of what we do here.

Given the interplanetary consequences, do we have the authority to make this decision?

If so... yeah, we have a deal. Dauntless will lie low for the time being, while the reverse-engineering process begins ASAP. We need to get a secure call in to our superiors and/or manufacturing base, requesting mass factory mobilization towards the production of alien war tech. Find out from Dauntless what kinds of enemy equipment we'll be dealing with, and plan our materiel accordingly.

Also, consider assigning Dauntless a full-time counselor. If our new mega-battleship has that much pent-up emotion from previous service, we'd rather smooth out any potential explosions (metaphorical or otherwise) while she's in dry-dock. At very least, she could probably use the friendly ear.

+1

[Iris]

The Commander pondered his options. By the book, he had the authority to do almost anything short of declaring war on these mysterious Builders himself - Standing Order 16 gave commanding officers discretionary powers to defend the Realm, which this certainly counted as. In these situations, the rule was "move first, cover your ass after".

He really didn't have a choice, did he? The board of inquiry deciding whether he had acted prudently would just have to deal with his actions.

The Commander extended his hand. "I accept. Welcome to the Colonial Fleet, miss...?"

"Dauntless."


The call to his superiors went... well, for lack of a better word. The Commander was instructed to keep an eye on Dauntless, making sure she was emotionally and mechanically in good repair. To assuage their fears and prove herself as worthy of serving in the fleet, she had promised to aid humanity in the fight against her sisters in any way she could. The Lord Engineer would take his recommendations under consideration - provided, of course, he made good his claims of advanced alien technology. What more could he have asked for?

The Commander was interrupted from his reminiscing by Genevieve placing a set of binders on his desk with a loud thump.

"These are the new transfers. I believe they're in the mess hall if you'd like to meet them."

Spoiler: Dossier: Venus (click to show/hide)

Class: Mars-class Aether-dreadnought
Personality/Bio: Venus is the oldest of her three Mars-class sisters, the second generation of aether-dreadnoughts built for the Colonial Fleet. Her main armament is a battery of 12" naval rifles, with a secondary battery of 5-inch guns and racks of rockets for close-in defence. She is propelled by two quadruple-expansion steam engines driving four propellers.

Venus is an active woman and subscribes to a philosophy of 'work hard, play hard'. She enjoys roughhousing when training with other dreadnoughts and maintains that the best way to be ready to battle is to practice regularly. In her free time, she enjoys parasailing. Despite this, she is committed to being a proper lady, as befitting her namesake. In combat, she rolls with the punches and gives as hard as she gets.

She is most remembered for her fleet action in 1884 against the Star Kingdom of Albion.

• Likes/dislikes: Likes training, physical activity, chocolate; dislikes 'phonies', licorice, underachieving

Rank/Stats: B-tier

• Armour: B
• Speed: C
• Offensive Armament: B
• Defensive Armament: C
• Parasites: E

Spoiler: Dossier: Hyacinth (click to show/hide)

Class: Peony-class picket ship
Personality/Bio: Hyacinth is one of many Peony-class fleet support vessels designed to screen for parasites and small ships. While she claims not to care deeply about her place compared to the other ships of the class, this does not appear to be the whole truth. She is slow and armed with several steam cannons and quick-firing rifles.

Hyacinth is shy, quiet, and reserved. Whenever she is not with the fleet, she is reading a book, or off in her own world. However, she is very sharp and observant, even if she doesn't like talking to people.

She has currently not distinguished herself in fleet combat before her posting at Anchorage 3.

• Likes/dislikes: Likes books, reading, stories; dislikes [unknown]

Rank/Stats: A-tier

• Armour: C
• Speed: D
• Offensive Armament: B
• Defensive Armament: A
• Parasites: D

Spoiler: Dossier: Hades (click to show/hide)

Class: Hades-class Light Parasite Carrier
Personality/Bio: Hades is the lead ship of her class, designed to give desperately-needed parasite capacity to the Colonial Fleet quickly. Like most carriers, she is optimized almost entirely for carrying parasite craft; this gives a very min-maxed design.

Hades can come off as frighteningly intense to others because of her tendency to laser-focus on jobs that need to get done. She has been known to forget eating or sleeping in order to get things done. When not focusing on tasks, she swings between cheerful and gregarious and cold and reserved with little provocation. She will often tease and flirt with others, sometimes mockingly and sometimes affectionately. When it is time for combat she seems almost detached while deploying parasites.

Hades has participated in multiple minor sorties, one of which has given her a Medal for Meritorious Conduct.

• Likes/dislikes: [Unknown]

Rank/Stats: B-tier

• Armour: D
• Speed: B
• Offensive Armament: D
• Defensive Armament: D
• Parasites: B

Spoiler: Dossier: Interceptor C10 (click to show/hide)

Class: C-class Interceptor
Personality/Bio: Interceptor C10 is closed off, bordering on hostility. She does not have a true name, but Venus or Hades (neither of them can remember which) nicknamed her 'Sunny' and it quickly stuck. She is propelled by steamjet, and carries both a load of clockwork torpedoes and a repeating gun for slapping things that get too close.

'Sunny' has received a Medal for Damage Sustained in the Service of the Empire. She does not talk about previous assignments.

• Likes/dislikes: Likes [unknown], dislikes weakness, dependence

Rank/Stats: B-tier

• Armour: E
• Speed: B
• Offensive Armament: B
• Defensive Armament: D
• Parasites: E

Spoiler: Objectives (click to show/hide)

Prepare the Fleet for Combat with the Builders

• Debrief Dauntless on Builder Ships and Technology
• Long-term: Reverse-engineer Dauntless
  
• Optional: Ask Dauntless for Advice Against the Builders
  
  

Miscellaneous

• Optional: Meet the New Transfers
  

The Objectives, in this case, are more like guidelines than strict instructions. I provide them so you don't get lost and end up not knowing what to do. You are freely allowed to do something not listed as an Objective.

[Sanyachan]

> Go greet the transfers, starting with Sunny. Ensure to be very upbeat

[Iris]

The mess hall was centrally located in the anchorage and was primarily intended for feeding the human crew of the ships - the ships themselves would take bunker oil in their berths. Nevertheless, it was a vibrant spot to play cards, get snacks and supplies from the canteen, or simply hang out. It was full of the sounds of sailors and machinery and had low, claustrophobic ceilings.

The Commander found 'Sunny' first, who was watching the proceedings from the corner of the room.

"Hello! You must be the new interceptor under my command?"

The ship checked her wristlet, then replied "Listen, Commander. I have no intention of being your friend. My commission, which I hold proudly, only obligates me to follow your orders and those of my captain. So, let's cut all the happy bullshit, will we? Let's come to an agreement: I listen to you, and you stay the Hell out of my way."

The Commander saw how she got her nickname.

[Sanyachan]

That went well XD

>Talk to Venus. Offer her a chocolate as a welcoming gift

[Iris]

The Commander, after seeking out the Venus, decided to offer her a chocolate bar from the commissary.

"Oh, thank you." She accepts it delicately, her face inscrutible.

"Did you have need of me, or is this congenial?"

[Sanyachan]

>"It's a welcoming gift"

[Superdorf]

What's the rank title of a ship selfstate?

"Congenial," we say, with a slight nod of the head, a slight turning of the hands. "I like to meet our transfers first-hand, if I can, and trade talk. Not an old soldier's strong suit, but I do what I can."

(If the Commander himself has any topics of conversation in mind, this would be the time for him to bring them up— I got nothing. Regardless...)

"Maybe you can answer a question for me, <title/name>. I'm looking to get some engineers in here, do some work on our corner of the Colonial Fleet—new vessels, of course, but especially a gift or two for those who've seen some service. You know how to fight, and it's my responsibility to get you fighting at your very best."

"So. You're the dustfarer here, you know what you can do. What sort of 'gift' could you get the most use from in an engagement?"

[Iris]

The title of a ship was a complex question. Usually, it depended on several factors, including her rank and posting. In most cases commissioned ships were given a rank equivalent to that of her commanding officer; in the case of capital ships like Venus that would be a captain. Since the commanding officer of a fixed installation was almost always given a rank of commander, this gave the Commander the unenviable position of technically being outranked by the ships under his command. At least most were good sports about it.

"I'm a battleship, Commander. A brawler. I do my best in the thick of things. Naturally, you're the one calling the shots for any refit I'd undergo, but personally..."

Venus looked away, almost sheepishly.

"I've been having trouble with making hits with my main guns past medium range. If you could give me better fire control, or higher-velocity guns, or anything... it would be very helpful. I'm also worried about my rocket battery. I don't think it's powerful enough to defend me if the screen is broken."

"Don't you have the 5-inch QF rifles?"

"Yes, but they're too slow. They're not good for close-in defense or against parasites."

"I'll take it into consideration," the Commander replied.

"Thank you."

[Superdorf]

Nice, we have a reasonable upgrade request and a fresh glimpse at how aether combat plays out. Might as well keep track of these...

Venus
- something to improve accuracy of main guns past medium-range (fire control, higher muzzle velocity)
- improved point defenses (rocket battery isn't enough; rifle bank doesn't do close range. Better rifle bank?)

Not sure which vessel to address next, Hyacinth or Hades. We should maybe loop back to "Sunny" at some point, we got off on the wrong foot there.

What do we know about parasite weaponry?

[Iris]

Would that be weaponry for or against parasites?

[Superdorf]

Yes.
(What's a parasite, is what I'm asking here. Seems interesting!)

[Glass]

(I’m pretty sure “parasites” are fighters. Not capable of void travel by themselves, so they stay on carriers for transport.
Iris, if I’m wrong, please correct me.)

[Iris]

A parasite is an aethervessel primarily designed for carriage by a larger aethervessel. While this definition does not place any size restriction, due to practical considerations, parasites are almost always significantly smaller than other ships. Most vessels carry at least one parasite as a ship's boat, but they are generally unable to operate them in combat.

They have numerous uses, including personnel transfer, passing cargo between ships, or taking the roles of a torpedo boat or interceptor - going on attack runs, scouting, or screening larger vessels. They are often armed with steam/clockwork torpedoes or single-use 'rocket pods'. Unfortunately, they have a vulnerability to point defence, but their speed and size necessitate a dedicated battery in most cases.

Is this sufficient?

[Superdorf]

Perfect, thanks. Loving the lingo so far!
Which ship do we wanna greet next?