Battlestar Valkyrie: Operation Bifrost - Operation Bifrost - Shadows within shadows

[Rorx]

"Ok, Bedrock, you witched the power back on yeah? So lets get your prints when we get back to the ship and in the mean time dust the power console, the area around where the black box is meant to be and the astrogation/piloting consoles. Hopefully that might turn something up that doesn't match these bodies, which we better start moving back to the Raptor for transfer to the morgue."

He turns back to the squad, "Nadeep, you've got 5 minutes tops to either get some useful data off that thing or find evidence that it's sabotaged to stop you. Hoto and Brent, get dusting for prints. Smitty and Johnson, break out the body bags, once they are all bagged start ferrying them down to the Raptor, we'll help as the tasks get finished. Everyone keep your coms open, and a weapon to hand."

[CIC BS: Valkyrie]

Admiral's quarters, Battlestar Valkyrie

Originally Posted By: SalmonMax

Callisto considers, then says, "I don't have your experience, but in the experience I do have people are more likely to get hurt or die because of what they don't know than because of what they do."

She meets the Admiral's gaze.

"I'll do this, but unless there's a good reason not to, I think you should tell me who the CFOSI is. I'm already going to be working with one hand since I can't be open about it. Without a name, I'll be working with one hand...and in the dark."

"Other than that, do I have permission to let other people I trust in on this?"

The Admiral sighed but then smiled at Callisto. "You're right, kid. Permission granted. Just remember, this is no official assignment but having an CFOSI Agent on board is reason enough to raise suspicions about virtually everything. The man in Question is one Lt. Everette. Strikes me as a the smart type, better keep watch on your six around him."

The Admiral downed his second glass of whiskey and rubbed his temples. "This strike force has never worked together in this set up. Most Squadron leaders have little real battle experience outside the combat simulators. I need a tight running CAP and absolutely reliable response time between the ships to coordinate in case of an attack. You should be a pain in their asses if it comes down to slacking their jobs. Feel free to replace anyone you think is unfit for the job. I don't care as long as you can keep things running. I suggest checking back with the Chief - the major reason for the delays in launch time has something to do with the Mk IIs."

The Admiral raised an eyebrow as if asking Callisto if there was anything else on her mind.

[SalmonMax]

It wasn't Vipers we needed, it was Raptors, Callisto growls to herself inwardly. Someone's passing the buck.

"Yeah, I'll go talk to her. One way or another, we'll get this straightened out. And that includes Everette. Anything else for me?"

[CIC BS: Valkyrie]

"That's all Captain. Dismissed".

The Admiral saluted and smiled at Callisto as she left his quarters.

[SalmonMax]

Callisto returned the salute and headed out into the ship, lazily turning over the new info in her head as she went. Plenty of time. Valkyrie was a big ship.

CFOSI on board, Admiral thinks he's up to something. No, thinks he might be trying to -sabotage the mission-. As if the mission wasn't as potentially liable to explode as it was, now someone might be TRYING to make it explode. And how did this all plug into the derelicts? Was it coincidence? Or did someone or some faction in the Quorum KNOW they'd been there, and KNOW that the Valkyrie's group would probably stumble into them? Did that explain the CFOSI's presence?

Frakking politics!

It was a relief when she stepped onto the flight deck and paused to look around for the Chief. It took a second, but there she was, looking at something and barking orders to scurrying underlings.

Problems with the MkIIs her ass.

Callisto crossed over to Solas and waited for a second to see what she was dealing with before adding her own chips to the stake.

[Callsign Bedrock]

Bedrock quietly nods, his hand resting on his gun. He stays out of the way and lets the forensic experts dust away.

[CIC BS: Valkyrie]

Originally Posted By: Rorx

He turns back to the squad, "Nadeep, you've got 5 minutes tops to either get some useful data off that thing or find evidence that it's sabotaged to stop you. Hoto and Brent, get dusting for prints. Smitty and Johnson, break out the body bags, once they are all bagged start ferrying them down to the Raptor, we'll help as the tasks get finished. Everyone keep your coms open, and a weapon to hand."

Gemenon Prophet, Armistice Line

Nadeep nodded and started a new attempt to get the data.

Intelligence+Technical Eng.+Military decrypter vs. #9 (1d6+1d6+1d4=7)

The specialist furrowed his brows as the terminal didn’t respond in any way he expected. “Sir… I think we’ve got a situation here. The system is… acting up. It’s like it tries to dodge my attempts at locating the data… which it shouldn’t this is just an ordinary luxury liner.”

“Lt. Bedrock – I could need your help here.”, requested the specialist smiling nervously.

In the meantime Smitty and Johnson bagged the corpses and carried them to the Raptor. “Poor souls – by the look of their faces they never saw what hit them.”, said Johnson as he zipped up the last body. “May the Lords of Kobol guide their souls.”

Colonial Heavy docking process with the Herakeles, Armistice Line

The crew inspecting the Colonial Heavy had quickly gotten in control of the situation. The Marines had the survivors transferred to the med-bay and at least on board of the Herakeles things were running as they were supposed to.

The technicians were running their last routine check-ups before they interfaced the mainframe of the Colonial Heavy with the Herakeles. Jumpstarting an engine like this wasn’t what you learned by the books but it should get the job done without having to tow in the Heavy and drag it to the next shipyard.

“What’s that noise?”, asked one of the deckhands assigned to help out on board the Colonial Heavy. He followed down one of the service gangways and saw a red blinking light around a corner. Just before he reached it to recognise what it was the explosive went off. He never knew what killed him.

The explosion tore the Colonial Heavy in two sending the rear part with the engines twirling aimlessly through space. Several debris accelerated like deadly ammo hit the Herakeles and surveying Raptors. Two Raptors rammed into each other and exploded in a huge fireball as the pilots tried to dodge the unexpected debris. Instantly the comlines were flooded with emergency calls and random shouts of panic.

The Herakeles got rocked by the impact of the explosion and started to roll around its axis as parts of the starboard engines got damaged. Most of the explosion got absorbed by the armoured hull but from the outside one could tell that the damage was significant nonetheless. Repairs would take weeks at least and hopefully nothing of the vital systems had suffered from the explosion.

The CIC of the Herakeles went into red-alert and damage reports filed in from all stations. The crew responded accordingly but waited on Orders what to do next.

Gemenon Prophet, Armistice Line

The explosion was close enough to the Gemenon Prophet to be felt. The bridge rumbled shortly and there was a short blinding flash. Everyone looked at eachother in surprise and then the comms went wild.

[Rorx]

Scarface was just about to wave Lt Bedrock over to Nadeep on the computer terminal, when the Heavy closest to the Herakeles went up.

"Bedrock, check the scanners if they are up, is there any external source for that, or was it more sabotage? Either way I don't see we can do much to help over there, so perhaps you could give Nadeep a hand?"

[CIC BS: Valkyrie]

CIC Battlestar Valkyrie, Armistice Line

Originally Posted By: Jhonen Erasmus

He waits only a moment for an affirmation before he returns the receiver to its cradle. He straightens, takes a deep breath, then returns to the fleet dispersion. Watching the maneuvers of the Phalanx and Heracles as they move closer to the wounded vessel.

The DRADIS constantly updated the situation showing the movement of all vessels currently deployed. Suddenly the IFF-Signal of the Colonial Heavy docking with the Herakeles flared and then disappeared. A few seconds later the comm was flodded with chatter and emergency calls. Obviously something or someone blew up the Colonial Heavy damaging the Herakeles in the process. The CIC went instantly to red alert.

[z-Agrippina Solas]

"You told the XO I wasn't around?" Agrippina asked in a steely voice, then shook her head when she realized that Harris couldn't have done anything else. But his suggestion stopped that shake.

"C'mon Harris - not load the missiles? That's the stupidest thing I've heard. I know we're all struggling here, but it's our job to do what we can to get the birds up and going. Forget not loading the missiles - get everyone standing around with thumbs up their asses working on how to improve loading times," the Chief told the crewman, who was still waiting for a tongue-lashing. She didn't disappoint as she added, "And next time you tell the XO I'm not around, be sure you frakking tell him why, or I'll make sure that all you're doing is changing oil in the deep fryers for the next cycle. We watch out for each other, got it? Now, get your ass to work."

Sensing someone nearby, she turned and looked at Callisto. "Need something, sir?" She was out of diplomancy, and it showed in her hard, terse tone.

[SalmonMax]

Callisto couldn't help but grin at the Chief's tone. It sounded exactly like she'd felt coming out of the Admiral's office. Ironically, seeing Solas so beleagured had done wonders for her own mood. Was she that shallow?

Misery loves company.

"Yeah. Once you've got the deck whipped into shape, we need to talk about what happened down here. See what I can do to help you make sure it doesn't happen again. We're all damned lucky the alert wasn't an attack, this close to the Armistice Line."

"But I don't believe in luck. I believe in being prepared. When do you think you'll be ready for an informal debriefing?"

[z-Agrippina Solas]

Agrippina grimaced. "Sir, I'll never have this deck in that good of shape," she said, crossing her arms. "I need a few minutes to crack a few more heads, and then I can spare some time. Give me... ten minutes?"

It wasn't as much of a question as it seemed; Agrippina needed that time and Callisto would have to give it to her. Across the way, she could see Harris gathering people together, but he didn't yet know how to motivate people. Impatiently, she waited for Callisto's response, eager to get to her job of grinding green recruits into hardened deckhands.

[Callsign Bedrock]

Bedrock was jumpy already, and the rumbling of the exploding vessel didn't help. "Right - right away, sir." He held his commlink close to his ear. "Clear the channels, everyone. Sir, do you want me to check scanners and DRADIS or to help Smitty cart bodies?"

[Rorx]

"Calm down Bedrock, you don't have to sir me. Check the DRADIS if it's operational on this ship for any hostile forces, then Nadeep has requested your help with the computer system. He suspects sabotage in hiding the data we want."

[SalmonMax]

"Ten minutes," Callisto agrees. "Your office. Thanks."

She nods and turns to walk off when the alerts start going off and all hell starts to break loose.

What the...

Callisto sprints for the nearest intercom and reports in.

"This is the CAG. What the frak is happening?! Are we scrambling?"

[CIC BS: Valkyrie]

CIC Battlestar Valkyrie, Armistice Line

“Alert 5 has been launched. No DRADIS contacts so far. We are not sure but it looks like an accident. We’ve lost the Colonial Heavy docking with the Herakeles. 2 Raptors are MIA and not responding to our calls.”, answered Lt. Everette. He looked up to the Colonel expecting further orders. “I’ve got the CAG on the line, shall she scramble more fighters?”

[z-Agrippina Solas]

Agrippina was striding across the deck when the alarm sounded, so she was able to get to the flock of startled techs quickly. Before they could even think about panicking, she said, "Stations, everyone! This is not a frakking drill! Move-move-move!" Her orders jarred them into motion, and once moving, they were able to remember their orders and start to follow them.

Turning, she moved to the first Mark-II and began to prepare it for flight, knowing that the orders to scramble were coming down.

[Jhonen Erasmus]

Erasmus nodded stiffly, his jaw tight. He began speaking in clipped sentences, outlying the actions he wanted taken.

"Scramble all fighters, also tell the CAG I want a full casualty and damage report from our fighters out there. Contact Herakeles, get a DC report and tell her to move back towards the Valkyrie. Contact Nike and order her into close support with Herakeles to provide any necessary aid. Contact the Hermes, tell them I want their deep space scanners fully active and watching. This may be a signal to attack."

He takes a breath and surveys the deployment of the fleet.

"Order any vessels near the remaining Heavy and Lux Liner to keep their distance. Move the Phalanx, Calypso and Athena above the two, but have them keep their distance. I don't want any more surprises."

[Callsign Bedrock]

"Checking DRADIS now, sir." Bedrock all but hops into the lead chair and examines the DRADIS.

[Rorx]

"Calm down son, rushing will just make you miss things. See if there is an obvious enemy that could have caused this rucus, otherwise I'm inclined to put it down to sabotage. God knows how long those who did this had access to these ships. Once you've had a look, go help Nadeep get the computer data we need."

"Hoto, if you've finished with the prints then patch me into the com so we can report to CIC on the Valkyrie."

"Aye Lt, I'm on it."

"The rest of you pack up and head back to the ship. Start a warm up sequence after you have checked the area and the ship for possible sabotage. We'll join you as soon as we can."

[CIC BS: Valkyrie]

Everyone followed Lt. Davies' orders and within a few minutes everything was wrapped up and on its way back to the BS Valkyrie. Communication discipline was re-established and assignments had been issued to recover quickly from the sudden events.

Finis Prologue