Beyond the Horizon

[dumbluck]

quote:

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Originally posted by Dracus:

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Raven Darkwater and Amber Rain are trademark Characters of Cosmic Inc
and Cosmic Inc stories.
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So, does Cosmic Inc. have a website?

[Dracus]

*********The engagement******************
Vincent takes a quick look across the command deck.
"Bring all weapons Online. load the tube. Signal the fleet we are going in."

The engines of the Stingray come to life and the fleet start towards the planet.
"We are not detecting any defense systems and the scans of the satellites are not revealing any real information. Sir!" report the comm station."
"Johnson!" orders Vincent "as we pass over the planet, take out the power stations and knock those satellites out of the sky."
No sooner then the Last order was given, the comm officer yells out: "We have power surges on the planet and the satellites in orbit! We have incoming!"
"damn it! Break formation! Break formation! " screams Vincent, as the first missle slams into the port side of the Stingray. The explosion rocks the ship knocking a number of the crew onto the deck.
A second missle zips across the ship but does not make contact as it heads toward the scattering fleet. The remaining missles start to fizz in the wake of the retreating fleet. No other ships are hit.
"It appears sir that the range of their missles is about 12,000 miles above the surface of the planet."
"The other ships are requesting instructions." the comm officer reports.
Vincent turns toward Johnson; "Can we get into range and take out those missles launchers? "
Johnson responds. "We can use a single escort to set up target Coordinates and move the frigates to the edge of their grid; we just might be able to take them out. It will be more of a hit and run, Dipping in and out out as they fire."
"That is the most screwed up idea that I have ever heard of! So screwed up that it just might work. Order the Friendship to move in. As soon as those launchers fire up again put all missles in the water. "

+++++++Aboard the Friendship+++++++++++++

Capt. Rolen turns to the flight officer, "report!"
"The Stingray wants us to set up targeting info. They are convinced that they can take out the launchers a max range."
Alright! we have our order people! Let's rock!!" commands Rolen.
As the Friendship moves into the grid pulling away from the other 9 escorts, missle raise from the surface.
The 7 frigates return the favor.
All missles from the surface fail to make contact with any of the ships.
2 minutes later, the The first of the planet bound missles strikes it target.
A small outpost goes up.
++++++Aboard the Stingray+++++++++
"ALL incoming have failed to hit sir, Our first missle as taken out it's target."
"Get the tubes reloaded!" Vincent Yells, "As soon as all missles hit, I want a full report."

+++++++++++++++On the planet++++++++++++
A young Fazah male looks up at the dome Just as an incoming missle tears it apart.
As the air quickly begans to escape, He truns and runs for the pressure doors leading to from this dome to the main dome.
Just as he reachs the junction and the doors close behind him, a second missle hit the dome.
In an instance, The homes of 10,000 is reduced to rumble.
Just three days before, he and his friends had attended a gathering to support the war. Now his own planet was under attack.
He hated humans' yet he had never seen one. The leaders say they are demon creatures speading across the stars like a virus and must be distroyed. One more year and he would join the miltary.
Now his friends are no more. The Humans were no virus and they would not be so easy to distory.

++++++aboard the Stingray+++++++++++++++
"All 7 missles have hit sir, but only one missle launcher out of 5 were distroyed. We also took out a dome complex due to two of the missles missing their target. "
"take us in for another round." orders Vincent.
"all 7 missles in the water sir. 2 minutes to impact."
"We have incoming, moving out of the grid."
All missles have hit their targets sir. All launchers wave been taken out."
"Good order all ships toward the planet."
As the fleet moves toward the planet, the 12 satellates orbiting the planet once again began to show a power surge. All of a sudden escort 003 (still unnamed) get ripped to shreads by cannon fire.

+++++++Aboard the Stingray+++++++

"Sir, one of our escorts is taking on heavy fire from those satellites. They appear to be housing cannons. They are reporting engine damage. We must do something."
"Order all ships to target and take those damn piles of **** out of my sky!" Yells Vincent.

+++++++++Aboard the Friendship+++++++++
John quickly looks at the scans coming in from the satellites. He turns to Capt. Rolen; "Those things can only target one ship at a time, They appear to be linked together. If we can get a ship to draw their fire, the rest of us can take them out."
"Order escort 004 to move play the duck and let's take them out!" Rolen replies.

The escort 004 moves in to draw the fire. But before they get into position. The satellite array fires again.
Escort 003 goes up in a flash of light.

The friendship moves into range and fires two shots. They both hit their mark and one of the sats is blown from the sky.

Escort 004 is hit right in the command deck by cannon fire and all systems go dark.

Friendship fires again taking out another sat. The other escorts quickly blow apart the remain sats.

********Aboard the Stingray****************
"Capt. The Friendship reports the sky is clear. We lost one escort and another is not responding."
"Move us into orbit and send a shuttle to being rescue operations. Send a message to High Command that we control the planet and are awaiting the transport."
As Vincent walks off the command deck, He makes one Last comment; "And keep an Eye on thos enemy ships."

++++From the logs of Capt' Vincent Cooper+++ +++++++++ The Stingray+++++++++++++++++++++++

The battle went well. We do feel the loss of the escort and it's crew. Still unclear on how command plans on taking the planet, I guess we will see once the transport arrives.
Power to escort 004 has been restored and they are heading home for repairs. I just hope that is the Last ship we lose in this mission.

*********************************************
Next time ---- beta Fleet enters Z'trop.

[Dracus]

quote:

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Originally posted by dumbluck:

So, does Cosmic Inc. have a website?

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In time.......it is not ready.

[Dracus]

I am stuck taking a test and gettign the Last of the term done at school. I will return to writing this story as soon as I can. Thanks for understanding.

[Atrocities]

Please do, as it is a very nice read.

[Dracus]

-----In the cabin of Raven Darkwater --------
--------aboard the Spitting Cobra------------

Raven sits in the dark; he has been unable to really sleep since he Last set eyes upon her. Why did they leave so much un-spoken? He should have demanded that high command send another to lead the mission. He should have said something.
It has been 9 days since Amber led the sweepers into Z’trop and there has been no contact with them since. The plan was for us to wait for some contact before going in. If no contact is ever made, then we are abort our mission as it is likely the minefield is still intact. We are all that stands between the survival and complete destruction of our people.
The shipyards were completely un-prepared for supporting a full-scale war so the arrive of new ships is slow.
Raven turns to the recorder and prepares to enter a log.
“Stardate 2411.8” Raven begins; “Beta fleet remains at post near the Z’trop warp point. We still have not received any word if the minefield has been taken down. Two more destroyer class ships have arrived; bring our fleet total to 14; 5 escorts, 6 frigates, and 3 destroyers.” Raven pauses for a minute and then continues; “First I would like to request that the crew of the Little Thunder be given full honors for their actions and be increased in rank. Second, I would like to request that Steve Rain, the older brother of Amber Rain, have his rights restored and be allowed to leave the prison colony on Wayland III. He record is to be cleaned.
Third, My crew and those of the other ships in beta fleet are not to be held responsible for following my next set of orders.”
Stopping the recorder, Raven rises from the chair and moves to the view port. Looking out toward the warp point, “Damn you, Damn you all to hell!”
Raven quickly turns and head out into the corridor.

****On the command deck of the Spitting Cobra****

The comm. Officer reports “We have just received word from High Command that Alpha fleet has gained control of the skies over Alkalurope IX. They lost one ship and another took a lot of damage. 139 crewmen were killed. They also report that 3 ships of unknown firepower are heading toward them at high speed. Alpha fleet reports that they will not retreat and plan on standing holding the planet. They also inform us that we are to remain at station.”
Vic Dodge replies, “Inform the Capt.!”
“He is not in his cabin.” Responds the comm. Officer.
Just then the door slam open and Raven enters the command deck.
Vic starts to report, “High Command says…”
Raven, paying no mind to him, turns to the comm. Officer; “Any word from the sweepers?”
“No sir!’
“Prepare the fleet” replies Raven.
Vic stops mid report and says,
“You are not about to do what I think you are about to do? “
Raven continues giving orders “All hands on deck!”
“Sir, All ships are responding, do you wish an open comm.?”
“Yes”
“Comm ready sir!”
Vic says, “High Command will not like this.”
“**** High Command!” Raven quickly snaps.
“Attention all hands! We have not heard from the sweepers since they went in. It is time we bring them home.” While still on open comm., Raven turns to his own command crew; “Any problems with that?”
Not one person said a word.
“Good, then all hands, battle stations!”
“Helm, As soon as the fleet is in position, take us in.”
Raven then quickly moves to his jump chair as the ships of Beta fleet prepare for what lays on the other side.

==================================================
Next ----
Is Amber still alive or has the sweepers been blown away?

________________________________________________
side note:
I am hoping that my attempt to develop my main characters and give you a sense of how they are is playing out well.

[ 02 December 2001: Message edited by: Dracus ]

[Dracus]

+++(flashback 9 days)+++

Amber turns from the video monitor to address her crew. "We have recieved our orders. Line them and lets go." The Sweepers take up the standard convoy type formation and head for the warp point. Amber takes one Last look at the warships of beta fleet and then gives the order.
Little Thunder enters the warp point, One by one the sweepers dis-appear from Sigma Draconis on a heading that just maybe then gates to hell.

********************Death all around*************

"How long have we been in the warp stream?" Amber asks. She has gone through a jump a hundred times and still she loses track of time.
"Seven hours. " is the reply; "we should be existing within the next hour."
"As Soon as We are out, bring all weapons Online and scan for those mines."

(20 minutes later)

"We are exiting the Warp point in 10.....9....8..." Reports the hems officer.

There is a quick flash and Little Thunder enters Z'trop. As soon as the ship enters normal space, an explosion rocks the port side causing the outer hull to cringe. Before anyone can respond, a second explosion hits the starboard hull causing it to buckle. Steam from the heat transfer pipes began to pour into the corridor. A crewman passing by is Hit full force from the steam as it burst from the pipe instantly killing him.

"Full stop!" Yells Amber, Were are those sweepers?"
"They are 5 minutes behind us and there are more mines moving toward the ship!"

Little thunder quick comes to a full stop, right in the middle of the mine field. The first two mines were in the direct path of the ship. Now that it has stopped, The mines are homming in on the metal hull. Little Thunder is a sitting duck. If they move forward, they will run into more mines, if they move back, they will slam into the emerging sweepers.

"How long before those other mines hit us?" Ask Amber.
"3 minutes and 4 mines will collide with our port side, 6 minutes and 10 more mines will blow us out of the sky!" Snaps the comm officer.
Amber could heard the fear in this man's voice; She too was scare.
"A--LL hands bbbbrace for Impact!" Amber says.

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To be continued........

[ 07 December 2001: Message edited by: Dracus ]