- This topic has 8 replies, 5 voices, and was last updated 8 years, 2 months ago by
.
-
Posts
-
Personal Log: Lt. Jr. Quinn of the TSN Hydra (CM-008), 2F 4LD
StarDate: 13216-2237Another shift of operating at a breakneck pace. War will do that, I suppose.
Our terminal software was updated, so Aramond and I (as DO and ADO) were running around frantically welcoming a new cadet, making sure all officers were set up properly, and troubleshooting any glitches, all while also making sure my own data pad was ready for action. What a way to start our rotation as Duty Officers.
We ran a couple quick shakedown simulations to make sure everything was working as normal. I hear there were quite a few upgrades to our scanners as well, allowing us more insight on the anomalies and monsters we encounter, as well as showing wrecked ships, which never registered on our sensors before. That means I no longer have to worry about scraping the hull on a derelict I couldn’t see. I’m sure there was much celebration among the engineering teams today, glad they won’t have to make as many EVAs for hull repair.
War doesn’t wait to make sure your software is working properly, however, and we were sent out on patrol as soon as command was sure the update wouldn’t cause a core meltdown. Cdr. Verok got called away before the patrol, though, leaving Lt. Cdr. Del Pino in charge. Fulvus was also out again, with Cadet Blaze back aboard the Hydra filling in for him. It was only his second shift but the cadet is already finding his space legs; it’s only a matter of time before he takes his exam and earns his commission. In the meantime, his curiosity and new perspective are refreshing to have aboard.
Early in our patrol we found ourselves pursuing some pirates near the Matilda Singularity, no doubt thinking they could hide in the nebula there to ambush N’Tani cargo vessels. Luckily the fleet got there just in time to intercept the pirates and protect the N’Tani as they offloaded their goods at A’Aurein station.
The Hydra helped the station security scan the N’Tani ships for contraband, then got rolling to the next sectors. We found USF scout ships near Waypoint 52 Gate that were significantly faster than ships we’ve faced in the past. We defeated them, but their speed helped them to retreat to fight another day.
Del Pino was adamant about catching up to them and destroying their vessels despite their surrender, and the crew was a little uncomfortable following this order. He explained that the USF is not a recognized state, and therefore is not entitled to the protections that traditional enemy combatants would receive. That said, I can’t help but wonder if his fervor was enhanced by his frustration with being the victim of the USF hack…
The rest of the patrol was less interesting, though I’m ashamed to admit to two collisions with asteroids on this outing. It’s been ages since my last collision, and helm officers pride themselves on keeping their record clear of such humiliating blemishes. The Atlantis system is just so full of the damned things! The software update can’t have helped, either. Matsiyan rightfully gave me a hard time about the damage to the hull, but thankfully let the matter drop when he saw how embarrassed I was.
When we returned to Atlantis Command, Cdr. Jemel reported that the Lancer was suspiciously missing multiple shield nodes from her rear shield array. From his tone, I have to assume his crew discovered their absence the hard way. Division Security is looking into all maintenance logs on the Lancer while she was stationed at Atlantis Command to see if they can find anything suspicious, but I suspect the thieves or saboteurs will have covered their tracks. At the very least we might be able to pick up their trail and see if this is related to the suspicious activities aboard the Hydra. To be honest I was feeling a little bit of schadenfreude, being grateful that it wasn’t the Hydra this time. I’ll have to talk to Lt. Jr. Finley to see if he has any theories.
The next part of the shift was a real treat, a reprieve from the worries of wartime. Atlantis Command just got new fighter cockpit simulators installed, and we couldn’t wait to try them out in a fleet simulation. I know other divisions have carriers with fighter wings, but the fact that they’re giving us practice time in the simulator makes me think maybe the 4th Light Division is going to be hearing the pitter-patter of tiny engines pretty soon.
We simulated three carriers, each with skeleton bridge crews to allow for the maximum number of pilots in fighters, myself included. It was hard to get used to at first, with the controls being far more responsive than ships I’ve piloted before. I think I got the hang of it faster than most though, and I have the honor of being the first in the division to chalk up a simulated kill. I don’t think they give out medals for simulated achievements, but I’m proud as hell anyway.
If we do get a carrier, I’m thinking about transferring to join its fighter wing. Hell, maybe they’ll even let me lead it! As much as I love the Hydra, she’s earned her name–she flies like she’s got a dozen heads and they can’t agree on the same direction. It just can’t compare to the thrill of flying a fighter, and being able to help develop small craft tactics for the division is an opportunity I can’t pass up. But I’ll cross that bridge if it ever gets built and transferred to our division, nothing to do about it now.
Lieutenant, Junior Grade Quinn
Helms Officer
TSN Hydra (CM-008)
2nd Fleet, 4th Light Division// Very nicely explained. Moral quandaries, practical issues and politics.
I will confess that the amount of debris you had to put up with in that forsaken sector was crazy and the upgrades had all the controls feeling odd. So yeah I should shut up. If it was just a matter of giving you a paintbrush and a spacesuit, I wouldn’t mind so much. The medbay fixed up Polano’s hairline wrist fracture no problem, but there was still the pain and shock of the incident and it will be a couple of cycles until the regeneration plasm is ready to come off the rather piratical graze on his face. Mind you, he seems to be trading that into rum and sympathy in the non-coms’ mess without too much difficulty.
I don’t think I’ll be ready for the Ensign exam anytime soon. //I’d love to be a Cadet for a while. In all other games, I’ve climbed the (guild) ranks very fast, and now I’d like to take it slowly and get used to each rank, before moving on.
//What’s an EVA?
Ouch. I gotta remember to buy Polano a drink next time I see him…
And Blaze, don’t worry about the exam just yet, you’ve got to log time on each of the stations at least once before you qualify. Enjoy the learning experience while you can!
//Extra-Vehicular Activity, general term for a spacewalk outside the ship, in this case for repairs.
That’s great news, thanks! //I wasn’t sure how up-to-date the Ensign requirements were. Seems they are good.
As someone who spent some time on Lancer, fear not. If it was a case of sabotage and not the result of the system updates derping out, it wasn’t a very bright fellow. Lancer has to engage from the front and has no torpedo tubes, so mines are out of the question, and the only shields to ever take an actual pounding are the front ones, except on very specific circumstances that read as “we’d be fucked either way, so let’s get this over with”. And, for that matter, her shields are so low that, while nice to have, we don’t get the chance to rely on them a lot and usually end up fighting without shields.
Take the exam at your own time, Blaze. You’re doing good, and you manage to avoid the most common mistake of weapons officers: failure to remember the existance of shields before and after combat. Still, as much as I appreciate having you on Hydra, I’d seriously recommend you to join the company of Raven or Lancer for a session or two. Beam havy ships are different challenges for a weapons guy, and you could learn something important there. I took three months before stepping up for the exam (proposing research papers as a cadet was starting to turn into an annoyance, so I prefered to just get my comission once and for all), and it was back when the exam system was being reformed. I was on the first or second batch that used the new system that remained operational even a year ago, but I’m not sure it’s still online. Left the training department some time ago.
About the surrendered ships, it’s not the first time we scuttle an USF vessel. This group in particular was the first idiotic enough not to launch lifepods -which, to be honest, I would have ordered to be kept tethered by a tractor beam rather than bringing them aboard after what happened the last time someone fired lifepods near us. If you’ll excuse my sociopathic tendencies, think of the chase as target practise with the rear tubes. But I must say, I just love high speed combat.
Nice work with the fighter! Keep making our ship proud.
The cadet actually has served with us on the Raven for his second shift. I’m not sure if it could be called a normal experience, as most of our usual crew was gone, though. I was thinking of sending him over to the Phoenix, as it’s always interesting serving under Commander Expree.
Expree is probably the most competent CO of this division when it comes to multi-ship actions. I like to think that I learned strategy and how to work with my crew under Feltes, Gomric taught me to be methodic, Corwin showed me how to understand the limits of a ship and to be aggresive, and Expree was the one with whom I learned to coordinate in a fleet.
Actually, I’ve served on Raven on my first shift, sir. I’ve served on Hydra on a simulation before coming to Raven for the mission.
My second shift was served on Hydra. My third shift is yet to happen.I would love to serve on as many ships as possible, so I have no problem with being assigned to a different ship.
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.