FTL: Flight of the Kestrel (IC)

[Harbertia]

there was a little kestrel he was very sad
he couldn't see to hunt his eyesight it was bad
he couldn't see the rabbits or the mouse and vole
everything was blurred the poor little soul.
- William Worthless, Kestrel

It is a time of civil war, a Federation that has stood for nearly four centuries has lost it's hold on the known galaxy. Even now only eight sectors remain under Federal influence and even then these sectors lack a true federal presence- pirates, and member world powers hold sway here- and such powers have largely consigned to the notion that the Federation is no more.

Some even now prepare to give to the will of the rebellion, while others plan to take this chance to grasp at their own sovereignty. Amids this turmoil drifts a lone vessel, the Kestrel. A ship on a mission that can save the Federation, and begin a push to reclaim the known galaxy. Having moved ahead of the Rebel Armada it is now pursued for what it holds, and must now make a choice- three FTL jumps are open to the ship- one to a store operated by free merchants, another to unknown space and a dead end that will lead back to this point, while the third option will bring them closer to the next sector and thus closer to the Federal Armada that is amassing to push the rebels back- or make a final stand depending on the success of the Kestrel.

[Revlona]

Captain Kurk flipped a switch to broadcast to the entire ship.

"Alright, everyone had been brief and everyone knows how important this mission is to the survival of the federation, I want shields and weapons at full charge and sensors constantly sweeping. We will be taking the shortest route out of this sector, prepare for FTL jump. Kurk out"

[Bingellia]

Victorian Becker

“Check, Check, Check, Check..,” Victoria quickly ran through another count of the medical supplies in order to be sure they had everything they may need before the Kestrel passed what may be their last potential opportunity to fully stock back up. To her surprise and relief, nobody had used or stolen anything since their escape from the Federation Base. Despite the the stocks of the Kestrel having everything she could wish for, including a two experimental nanobot injectors, she prayed that it would be enough. The journey ahead would be long and dangerous and the fact that their route may eventually take the Kestrel through Mantis space was no consolation for the colonist. For now, Victoria stays in the med-bay, humming quietly some tune or another to break the monotonous wirl of the engine.

[The Land of Golden Blobfish]

Uoro Iv' Tyvur

"Yeah, yeah" a voice muttered within the sensors room. The pilot was right, well, mostly right. With their intel, there would no doubt be Rebels after them. So the ship would have no choice but to get back to the Federation as soon as possible. However, the slug questioned just how fast was necessary. After all the closer they got the more dangerous it would be so it was vital for the crew to stock up along the way. To conserve whatever they could, and speaking of which...

The slug pushed a couple buttons and within seconds, the entire sensors system went offline.

[Harbertia]

Pal 9000: Sensors Offline.

Pal 9000 was the Kestrel's onboard computer, presently set to 'low awareness' it served only to update the crew and master of the ship on the Kestrel's status and enemy condition should the Kestrel engage in combat.

[Revlona]

Looking in surprise when Pal 9000 informed him that the sensors had been disabled Kurk opened a channel to the sensor room, then closed it.

He reasoned that the slug was strong enough that the kestrel didn't need the sensors active, he then reopened the comms link to the Sensor room, "When we come out of FTL i want an immediate report on whats out there." He said

[Harbertia]

Pal 9000: FTL Successful. Warning: Sensors Offline. Three Beacons transmitting FTL; Left of Bow indicates a nebula is present, beacon is isolated. Right of Bow is relaying a distress call. Advised: Beacon is linked to another beacon. Forward beacon relaying no information of note. Advised: Forward beacon shall bring us closer to the next sector.

[Kylantha]

Bent over his station, Sammy worked proficiently, his hands fluttering over the various screens and buttons in front of him. He heard the Captain's orders clearly, yet remained equally focused with his work. Having processed what he heard, Sammy paused for a moment, then started taking on other processes concerning the ship's different faculties. Some components of the ship would likely have to be powered down or at least given less power for the jump.

In his mind however, Sam was a little vexed by the situation. The Kestrel was only second to the smallest ship he had ever served on. His main worry was not being able to conduct himself properly and stand to what was expected of him since he was not familiar with the Kestrel's class. Nonetheless, he was determined to give his best. And, realizing that he was drifting from focus, he shook his head and succinctly muttered to himself under his breath.

Back to work then. He inhales quickly and allows the screen to take hold of his full attention once again.

[Revlona]

Kurk

"Pal, set course for the beacon to the right of the bow, how many jumps from this next beacon to the exit of the sector is there?" He asked

Before getting an answer he flipped on a comm channel to the entire ship, "This is the Captain, once we enter the FTL i will call General Quarters, be advised, there is a possibility of combat in the next sector"

[Harbertia]

Kurk

"Pal, set course for the beacon to the right of the bow, how many jumps from this next beacon to the exit of the sector is there?" He asked

Before getting an answer he flipped on a comm channel to the entire ship, "This is the Captain, once we enter the FTL i will call General Quarters, be advised, there is a possibility of combat in the next sector"

Pal 9000: Course set. There are three beacons from the next to the exist with the third being the exit beacon. Three jumps succeeding this one will bring us to the exit. FTL Charging.

[Zjaum]

Pokoyim didn't bother listening to the captain's orders or the crew's checks. He was busy running his own independent drills. He stood in the hallway outside his target room, practicing as he rerouted his energy, opening the doors into outer space. He relaxed, shutting the doors back again and waiting for the oxygen to flood back into the compartment. Excellent! He was now prepared to deal with fire, intruders, or unlikeable crew.

From the corner of his ear, he heard the captain's statement and Pal 9000's announcement of the jump to hyper speed. Pokoyim yelled over to the captain. "Wait a sec, I need to strap myself in!" He first grabbed a food pack from the nearby food station. He then hustled over to the appropriate seating and promptly took Victorian Becker's seat. "All right, I'm ready!"

[Bingellia]

Registering the Captain’s orders right as she had finished using the crew restroom, one could say Victoria was in a little bit of a hurry back to the med-bay. That, however, would be an understatement. Having served on a ship previously, she was well aware of the force generated from entering a FTL jump. That being said, the Kestrel was a much smaller ship than her usual postings, with a proportionally more powerful engine to boot. Running through the mess and a common area, she was dodging chairs and bins, and she even resorted to vaulting over a table or two.

This effort was all for naught, and, to her shock, her seat was occupied by another crew member. The fact that it was the Zoltan who rejected the normal humanoid form of his race was slightly was slightly less surprising. Realizing that she’ll have time later to deliver exaggerated threats and “what ifs” in a once she was safely strapped down, Victoria strapped herself in and briefly glared at the energy being behind her desk.

[Harbertia]

PAL 9000: Initiating FTL in 3... 2... 1...

The Kestrel, to any observing, seemed to blink out of existence- meanwhile at the receiving beacon it seemed to blink into being from nothing.

Before the Kestrel is an uninhabited world being orbited by a space station. The station seems to be- firing upon it's self.

Pal 9000: We are receiving a transmission.

"This is station K-7 to approaching vessel, our station's defense computer has gone haywire. Our teams are attempting to rectify the situation though we continue to be targeted. We are in need of assistance!"

[Revlona]

"Weapons hold fire unless those defenses fire on us, Communications, send them a message stating we are trying to figure out a way to assist them. Just go ahead and broadcast to the entire ship if you have any ideas, I want to here them so go ahead and send them"
Kurk broadcasted to the entire ship

[Kylantha]

By now Sammy was used to the process of the jump. He quickly got back to work as soon as the Kestrel came out the other end. What greeted him however, was a little more than bizarre. A space station. One that was essentially destroying itself, albeit slowly. The voice coming from the station sounded urgent, although Sammy remained calm. What a strange thing to happen. he thinks to himself. Hearing the captain, Sammy glances over his shoulder, analyzing the situation. "Permission to speak, sir." he first says, and upon being given such, he continues. "Seeing as this is a defense computer, sir.. I believe that in order to draw its attention from its host station, we should give it a legitimate threat. Perhaps a decoy. Or if that doesn't work, a well-placed electromagnetic warhead."

[Zjaum]

Pokoyim shuffled out of Victoria's seat, acknowledging the plan to create a diversion. He pressed the comms button. "In all honesty, sir, I think the computer would just work on eliminating the weaker 'threat.'" He supplied power to the coffee machine (or alien equivalent thereof) and watched the coffee drip downwards. "Now, that said, I think the EMP might work. I can supply power once the station loses its own power supply." He took a sip. "Actually, it probably would be best if you just take me down to the station now. They probably have some sort of life support that got turned off, if the defense computer is worth it's salt. That's what I would have done anyways."

He finished his coffee (or alien equivalent thereof) and set down the mug. He pressed the comms button again. "Actually, does anyone have a high-quality rifle? I don't think I brought a good enough one with me, and I don't want to die. Let me rephrase that: you don't want me to die."

[Bingellia]

Unstrapping herself, Victoria sprung into action to quickly ready the med-bay for any wounded that may come aboard from the station or from the crew’s own intervention. After she shuffled back and forth between the various cabinets of supplies, taking basic supplies for treatment wounds and burns and setting them down on the counter below the line of cabinets.

She turned back to Pokoyim and quickly checked if the comms was shut off and, thankfully to her, it was. “I’m not sure I should say this to... well anyone... but you’ll likely get more use out of it. I’ve actually got a cut-down rifle that I am willing to loan to you if you are interested.” She said to him in a rapid, hushed voice. After sitting back down in her chair and quickly getting back to work, she added, almost as an afterthought, “It’s in the little supply closet next to the bathroom in here, propped close to the door between the left wall and a shelf.”