Fleet Traction (part 10)
Mr Zoat
Dedicated ragequitter
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1st January 2013
20:54 GMT
I sigh as I register the Reach fleet moving into orbit around Karrakan. I might be able to reach them before they kill everything on the surface, but… I… Don't think so. They could do enough damage to make the planet even more hellish than it already is, and if the locals aren't going to cooperate then I wouldn't be able to rescue them-.
Alright, it would technically be possible to seize a ship and put them there, but given the description Thiva gave me I don't think I really want them to get hold of a top of the line warship. Shame about the regular people but I doubt that the Reach are interested in them.
"Orange Lantern to the-."
"How did you manage that?"
"I'm pretty good at this whole Lanterning thing. And because you used your new technique on me, I'm going to be passing on my information into the rest of the Corps."
"You think that you learned more than we did?"
"Bored now, hanging up."
Hung up.
Ring, signal the ships in the flotilla chasing the Ascendants.
Compliance.
And message to Thiva.
"Illustres?"
"Sorry for the delay, they sicced an upgraded Scarab Warrior on me. I'm heading towards your pursuers now."
"How are you able to travel at faster than light speed?"
"I can overpower the Reach's gravity manipulation over a small area. Hard work though, and it's draining my power reserves faster than I'd like."
"Can you move our ships like that?"
"I.. don't think so, and I haven't examined the boundary."
"Then we will-. Do you want our warships to turn around and fight the Reach beside you?"
I take a moment to consider the relatively small Reach squadron pursuing them, and the slightly larger number of ships pursuing me. I don't know whether they're equipped with construct disrupters or not… But even if they are, ships of that size aren't anything like as agile as Scarab Warriors.
"Are the passengers all loaded on the transport ships, or are they just sort of packed in anywhere there's space?"
"When the Reach arrived, we just rushed to get everyone aboard-."
"Then keep evading them."
Communication from Reach vessels.
Good show. Hang up, answer.
Compliance.
"Hello there. I'm the Lantern chasing you."
"Ah. I had hoped that our Beetle was just carrying your rings."
"Sorry, no such skill. So listen, my record at killing Reach ships is really good."
"My record at killing agents of the Darkstars is similarly good."
"Which would be good for you… If I was a Darkstar. Ever killed a Lantern?"
There's no response.
"So I don't know exactly how the Reach handle personal initiative and impossible situations, but as I see it the problem is like this: your objective is to collect samples of Ascendant biology and technology. And I do mean collect, not scan. It's too different to things your people are familiar with for a few long ranged scans to do much good. Now, there are only wrecks left of their habitation platforms and not a lot of advanced stuff on the planet itself. These ships are valuable."
"Yes."
"Except… You can't. I'm going to catch up with you before you're in optimal weapons range. Your own sensors can confirm that."
"Assuming that you can keep up your pace."
"Assuming that I can keep up this pace, and not go faster. So given that you can't reliably cripple the ships you're chasing before I reach you, do you think that you can beat me?"
"Yes."
Hm.
"I've got no reason to fly past you, which means that it's rear-facing weapons only. You're nothing like as manoeuvrable as me, your maximum acceleration is less and you know that my weapons can destroy your ships."
"And?"
"And, if I destroy you, then you won't be able to fulfil your mission. So what I'm going to suggest is, your turn off and fly away, and so preserve your ships and personnel. You'll fail your mission, but once the Scarab Warrior failed to tie me up for longer that was a given. The only issue is whether your ships survive or not. Though I.. suppose that the information your side gathers on my destructive abilities might be worth something. I can't judge how the two things balance for you."
No response, though the channel is still open.
"Now, in other circumstances I might quite like to destroy this fleet. But as I understand it, you're just here for information to help you fight Grayven. I'd actually quite like you to learn more about fighting New Gods, which -unusually- means that it's in my interests to let you go. I wouldn't exactly be choked up about having to kill you all, but it's not my primary aim."
Still no response.
"I'm nearly in effective weapons range. If you want to take the offer, I'm going to need to hear something… Now."
The warp terminates, and… Ah. It's like a weight has been lifted from my metaphysique-. Which raises the worrying question as to whether or not I'd have been able to do this in a thaumically dead system. Or… Whether we would.
I should… Probably get a new medical exam.
"I'm afraid that I'm-"
I form a new giant cold gun.
"-going to need to rush-."
BOOM! INEXORABLE ASCENT!
Uh…
A boom tube has opened in the area of the Ascendants' former base, and I see Grayven's flagship fly through.
20:54 GMT
I sigh as I register the Reach fleet moving into orbit around Karrakan. I might be able to reach them before they kill everything on the surface, but… I… Don't think so. They could do enough damage to make the planet even more hellish than it already is, and if the locals aren't going to cooperate then I wouldn't be able to rescue them-.
Alright, it would technically be possible to seize a ship and put them there, but given the description Thiva gave me I don't think I really want them to get hold of a top of the line warship. Shame about the regular people but I doubt that the Reach are interested in them.
"Orange Lantern to the-."
"How did you manage that?"
"I'm pretty good at this whole Lanterning thing. And because you used your new technique on me, I'm going to be passing on my information into the rest of the Corps."
"You think that you learned more than we did?"
"Bored now, hanging up."
Hung up.
Ring, signal the ships in the flotilla chasing the Ascendants.
Compliance.
And message to Thiva.
"Illustres?"
"Sorry for the delay, they sicced an upgraded Scarab Warrior on me. I'm heading towards your pursuers now."
"How are you able to travel at faster than light speed?"
"I can overpower the Reach's gravity manipulation over a small area. Hard work though, and it's draining my power reserves faster than I'd like."
"Can you move our ships like that?"
"I.. don't think so, and I haven't examined the boundary."
"Then we will-. Do you want our warships to turn around and fight the Reach beside you?"
I take a moment to consider the relatively small Reach squadron pursuing them, and the slightly larger number of ships pursuing me. I don't know whether they're equipped with construct disrupters or not… But even if they are, ships of that size aren't anything like as agile as Scarab Warriors.
"Are the passengers all loaded on the transport ships, or are they just sort of packed in anywhere there's space?"
"When the Reach arrived, we just rushed to get everyone aboard-."
"Then keep evading them."
Communication from Reach vessels.
Good show. Hang up, answer.
Compliance.
"Hello there. I'm the Lantern chasing you."
"Ah. I had hoped that our Beetle was just carrying your rings."
"Sorry, no such skill. So listen, my record at killing Reach ships is really good."
"My record at killing agents of the Darkstars is similarly good."
"Which would be good for you… If I was a Darkstar. Ever killed a Lantern?"
There's no response.
"So I don't know exactly how the Reach handle personal initiative and impossible situations, but as I see it the problem is like this: your objective is to collect samples of Ascendant biology and technology. And I do mean collect, not scan. It's too different to things your people are familiar with for a few long ranged scans to do much good. Now, there are only wrecks left of their habitation platforms and not a lot of advanced stuff on the planet itself. These ships are valuable."
"Yes."
"Except… You can't. I'm going to catch up with you before you're in optimal weapons range. Your own sensors can confirm that."
"Assuming that you can keep up your pace."
"Assuming that I can keep up this pace, and not go faster. So given that you can't reliably cripple the ships you're chasing before I reach you, do you think that you can beat me?"
"Yes."
Hm.
"I've got no reason to fly past you, which means that it's rear-facing weapons only. You're nothing like as manoeuvrable as me, your maximum acceleration is less and you know that my weapons can destroy your ships."
"And?"
"And, if I destroy you, then you won't be able to fulfil your mission. So what I'm going to suggest is, your turn off and fly away, and so preserve your ships and personnel. You'll fail your mission, but once the Scarab Warrior failed to tie me up for longer that was a given. The only issue is whether your ships survive or not. Though I.. suppose that the information your side gathers on my destructive abilities might be worth something. I can't judge how the two things balance for you."
No response, though the channel is still open.
"Now, in other circumstances I might quite like to destroy this fleet. But as I understand it, you're just here for information to help you fight Grayven. I'd actually quite like you to learn more about fighting New Gods, which -unusually- means that it's in my interests to let you go. I wouldn't exactly be choked up about having to kill you all, but it's not my primary aim."
Still no response.
"I'm nearly in effective weapons range. If you want to take the offer, I'm going to need to hear something… Now."
The warp terminates, and… Ah. It's like a weight has been lifted from my metaphysique-. Which raises the worrying question as to whether or not I'd have been able to do this in a thaumically dead system. Or… Whether we would.
I should… Probably get a new medical exam.
"I'm afraid that I'm-"
I form a new giant cold gun.
"-going to need to rush-."
BOOM! INEXORABLE ASCENT!
Uh…
A boom tube has opened in the area of the Ascendants' former base, and I see Grayven's flagship fly through.
Last edited:
Ha! Clever Ring VI.
