ST:TTV726 | "Day of Judgement Pt. I"

Stardate 98692.8

The final battle against the Horde begins as the Coalition fights against the greatest odds yet for the very survival of life in the Milky Way galaxy...

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NPC@annpc#557 FX | http://sites.psu.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/9476/2013/03/url-1.jpeg NPC@annpc#557 | Narrator: "This is the Heart of Unity. A symbol of peace and collaboration between the countless peoples and civilizations of the Milky Way galaxy." NPC@annpc#557 | Narrator: "One hundred years ago however, this was a very different place." NPC@annpc#557 | Narrator: "It was known then as the Heart of War, an apt name, for the Sphere was a warzone. Battle lines were drawn here. Thousands of Coalition ships and nearly two million brave people - NPC@annpc#557 - stood against the unspeakable horror known as the Horde. Over half of them never went back home." NPC@annpc#557 | Narrator: "Exactly one century after the Battle of the Heart, or the Day of Judgement as many informally refer to it as, we are here not only to commemorate this moment that changed our - NPC@annpc#557 - forever, but to remember the heroic sacrifices of those who gave their lives in our defense." NPC@annpc#557 | Narrator: "On this special day, we are honoured to have the opportunity to speak with several guests who participated in that fateful battle which marked the final end of the Long Wars which - NPC@annpc#557:- plagued the start of the 25th century." NPC@annpc#557 | The camera fades in to reveal Vusal, the Vulcan Ensign on the Aethon, except he appears significantly older now and is dressed in an unfamiliar uniform with the pips of a flag officer. Text on - NPC@annpc#557 - the bottom left of the screen reads: 'Vice Admiral Vusal, 12th Fleet.’ NPC@annpc#557 | Interviewer: "We're glad you could join us today, Admiral." NPC@annpc#557 | Admiral Vusal: "It is only appropriate that I be here, to ensure that history remembers well what occurred here one hundred years ago to this day." NPC@annpc#557 | Interviewer: "You were not only one of those who participated in the battle, but you served on board the Valley Forge, a ship that was instrumental in the formation of the Coalition and the - NPC@annpc#557 - war effort against the Horde." NPC@annpc#557 | Admiral Vusal: "That is correct. It was a privilege to serve on that vessel under Captain Se'lai." NPC@annpc#557 | Interviewer: "What was it like, being on that ship?" NPC@annpc#557 | Admiral Vusal: "Similar to being on any Starfleet long-range exploration expedition. I am certain you have heard your share of such accounts, of the bonds that form between a crew who spends - NPC@annpc#557:- the majority of their time together in deep space, of the unexpected and often bizarre encounters that occur." NPC@annpc#557 | Interviewer: "Of course, you didn't know you would be heroes back then." NPC@annpc#557 | Admiral Vusal: "We were already a fairly prominent ship within the Deep Space Exploratory Corps by the time of the battle, but serving on the Valley Forge at the time was still far from the - NPC@annpc#557 - prestige of vessels such as the Enterprise or Voyager." NPC@annpc#557 | Interviewer: "How aware were you of the importance of the battle before, and while, it was taking place?" NPC@annpc#557 | Admiral Vusal: "All of us were certainly aware of the consequences that would befall us if our efforts were unsuccessful. But of the importance of this battle in the grander scheme of the - NPC@annpc#557 - galaxy, we only had a few hints. We had known by then that the source of most fallen gods or fallen angel figures in our cultures were based upon the Architect, and that the foretellings of a - NPC@annpc#557:- final battle between forces of good and evil alluded to this battle, but we remained blissfully unaware of its full implication." NPC@annpc#557 | Interviewer: "I could go on about how it ushered in a new era to this galaxy, but I'm sure everyone watching now is aware of the implication today. We're here to commemorate the battle, not - NPC@annpc#557 - the events that followed its wake. Though they may be just as important, they would never have been able to happen without your victory." NPC@annpc#557 | Admiral Vusal nods NPC@annpc#557 | Interviewer: "So, please, tell us what you remember of the battle, Admiral. I'm sure there's many promising young officers, cadets and even children out there seeking to follow your footsteps - NPC@annpc#557:- that would be most interested in a firsthand account from someone who was there from the beginning." NPC@annpc#557 | Admiral Vusal: "Although the fleet engagement did not commence until much later, the battle was set into motion by events beginning on stardate 98687.4..." --- T'Emp@anncaris | STARDATE 98687.4 Keelah@crystyl | Mia and the cadets are in one of the smaller cargo bays, sorting through what is clearly a sizeable new arrival to inventory Keelah@crystyl | Mia: "Ok now, remember everyone; we must keep a very tight record of what we store where as these are all new artifacts for the science teams on board to study! But please make sure you allocate - Keelah@crystyl - yourselves one artifact each for your own study" Keelah@crystyl | Mia giggles: "Though we are certain you will all already have at least one in mind after making such a thorough discovery from the newly opened area of the Sphere Archive!" T'Emp@anncaris | T'Pia: "Aww only one? I want to check all of them out!" Keelah@crystyl | Mia joins her with a smile, "But then you would have no time for the rest of your studies for the year Ms. T'Pia! We promise that you will get to follow the progress and discoveries around all - Keelah@crystyl - you helped recover today. But for your personal analysis, just one will have to suffice" T'Emp@anncaris | T'Pia nods, "That's fair!" She looks around to see if she can find one that looks particularly interesting... Keelah@crystyl | She soon finds a nondescript article that she likely had earmarked from their implied earlier field trip T'Emp@anncaris | T'Pia smiles and sets that one aside for herself before continuing to help sort the rest Keelah@crystyl | Some time passes while the class work, but they are soon done and dismissed for the day T'Emp@anncaris | T'Pia makes her way out with her selected artifact, eager to begin her study of it T'Emp@anncaris | T'Pia returns to her and Keelah's quarters happily with the artifact in hand Keelah@crystyl sits working hard on her console at the table, pausing as the door opens and leaning back with a smile, welcome for the break, "Hello love" T'Emp@anncaris | T'Pia smiles back, "Hey mum! Look what I got!" She holds up the artifact proudly Keelah@crystyl stands and joins her, giving it a curious look, "My my, that looks like quite the treasure" T'Emp@anncaris | T'Pia nods, "It's from the new archive area! We're allowed to take one each to study for ourselves!" Keelah@crystyl:"Historical studies today I see. Well, I might be a little rusty but I could use a distraction from tactical reports for a while if you'd like an assistant?" she smiles T'Emp@anncaris | T'Pia: "I'd be happy to have your help! But I want to do most of the studying myself. Don't make this too easy!" she grins Keelah@crystyl:"I think you're overestimating my skills in this field" she chuckles, "Don't worry though! You get on with your work, and I'll focus on keeping you fuelled" she winks, heading to the replicator T'Emp@anncaris | T'Pia chuckles, setting the artifact on the table, "I'm sure you've picked up at least a few things from dad!" She takes out a tricorder to give the artifact a cursory scan Keelah@crystyl | The pair spend a good amount of time on T'Pia's study until Keelah's combadge chirps T'Emp@anncaris:<C - TQ> "Captain. The Coalition is assembling for another meeting in the Foundry." Keelah@crystyl:<C> “Understood, inform them I'm on my way” Keelah@crystyl stands, kissing TP on the head, "Well it was fun while it lasted. Don't stay up too late studying now" she teases T'Emp@anncaris | T'Pia smiles, "I won't, I promise!" She gives Keelah a hug Keelah@crystyl returns the hug before gathering her PADD's and heading out T'Emp@anncaris | T'Pia turns back to her scans of the artifact Keelah@crystyl | She continues working, undoubtedly for longer than advised, before deciding to call it a night Keelah@crystyl | As T'Pia settles down in bed for a well earned rest after an exciting day of surveying, her contented eyes slowly fall closed... Keelah@crystyl | Through the quiet and dark of her bedroom, a theoretical audience watching this 'scene' would find their attention drawn in - zooming and focusing on the young Vulcans closing eyes... Keelah@crystyl | Just in time to catch a glimpse of a very alien crystalline veiny formation forming from within her closed eye and just starting to spread across the closed lids before the scene annoyingly fades --- NPC@annpc#557 | The Coalition leadership assembles in the meeting room once again, and once everyone arrives, Vora begins to speak NPC@annpc#557 | Vora: "Our original plan was to begin our attack once the latest wave of reinforcements have arrived. They are now here, but...we also have new intel to consider now." NPC@annpc#557 | Vora: "We have more than enough ships to take the centre of the Sphere and oust the Architect from the control station. Problem is, as we all know, he's using the control station to broadcast - NPC@annpc#557 - a continual signal to control the Horde, which is draining the omega reserves. Ousting the Architect means interrupting his current pulse. In order to start a new pulse strong enough to cause - NPC@annpc#557 - the entirety of the Horde to self-destruct, we're going to need to let the Sphere recharge for over a day." NPC@annpc#557 | Issandros chimes in, "That's where the new intel comes into play. We know the Architect plans to attack us with his second fleet. These Borg 'allies' we've got will do their best to delay them - NPC@annpc#557 - and are already thinning out their numbers, but the information they've given us shows the second fleet is almost as big as the one that headed for Vue-En: about six thousand ships. - NPC@annpc#557 - The Architect must've been redirecting most of his reinforcements there, instead of trying to get them in small groups past us into the Sphere." NPC@annpc#557 | Solan: "The Borg presence will help, and by our calculations, they should be able to keep the fleet occupied so we aren't attacked from two fronts. But they cannot hold the Horde forever in a - NPC@annpc#557 - direct confrontation." NPC@annpc#557 | Vora: "And we need to wait for the Sphere to recharge for over a day after we retake it, which means we're going to have to hold out against what remains of that fleet. With the numbers we - NPC@annpc#557 - have now and expected losses from taking the Sphere from the Architect, well...it's going to be tough." NPC@annpc#557 | Supervisor: "The Administration has informed us that they will be able to provide an additional ten Regulator vessels in seven days, but that may not be enough to even the odds." Keelah@crystyl:"What is the current status of the foundries?" NPC@annpc#557 | Unwavering Defender: "They have produced two batches of new Constructs. The third batch will be ready to launch in sixteen of your days. In addition, they can provide some defensive - NPC@annpc#557 - capabilities and drones, but they are shipyards, not battlestations. Risking them as such is inadvisable as they are the only facilities remaining capable of producing more Constructs. Not - NPC@annpc#557 - only is the future of our kind at stake, but additional Constructs are far more tactically valuable than the defenses of the Foundries." Keelah@crystyl nods, "I would not suggest otherwise, just curious where the current production line sits" NPC@annpc#557 | Vora: "Is there any chance of getting the Kratt into the Coalition? Your ship fought alongside them, Keelah, not to mention your famous diplomacy skills." Keelah@crystyl:"They are extremely xenophobic, but..." she nods, "They recognize the threat the Horde poses to them as much as us. It is worth reaching out to them. It is also worth keeping in mind that Starfleet - Keelah@crystyl:- reinforcements are primed to join if we can activate the gateway. It may not help with taking control, but the recharge period perhaps" NPC@annpc#557 | Supervisor: "The reinforcements will certainly help, but it will also make the situation more difficult. The ship gateways also require omega to activate. Bringing them online will provide - NPC@annpc#557 - more reinforcements to hold out, but it will also prolong the time we need to hold out for. The sacrifice may not be worth the gain." Keelah@crystyl:"A valid point. I can have the Latenter attempt to obtain exact numbers from Command, so we may at least make an informed decision" NPC@annpc#557 | Vora nods, "Good idea. In the meantime, we might want to look at getting Kratt help." Keelah@crystyl:"They are elusive, but we know where to find them at least" NPC@annpc#557 | Elder Yaseni of the Lupan Sanctuary speaks up, "There is something you must know about the Kratt, if you intend on persuading them to fight the Horde." Keelah@crystyl:"What is that, Elder?" NPC@annpc#557 | Yaseni: "The Kratt have already been offered the chance to fight the Horde once before, and they have refused." NPC@annpc#557 | Issandros: "By the Lupan, back in the old days before you scattered?" NPC@annpc#557 | Yaseni: "No. By the Progenitors. Our genetic design was the one they settled on to become the Protectors, but we were not the first." Keelah@crystyl:"They attempted the same with the Kratt, I take it" NPC@annpc#557 | Yaseni nods, "The Kratt were their first attempt. With the Architect imprisoned and his followers having transformed into the Horde, they lost much of their skill with genetic engineering. The - NPC@annpc#557 - knowledge was all there in the databases, but the replacements for the Architect and his people were inexperienced. Physically, the Kratt are superior to us. Their claws can apply more force - NPC@annpc#557 - than our jaws. Their shells provide some degree of resistance to residual energy from explosions or glancing shots. They naturally regrow limbs. Among other, less apparent advantages. But they - NPC@annpc#557 - lack emotion completely. They didn't care about the Children and abandoned their duties quickly. Yes, we Lupan have lost our way, but we lost it /because/ of our emotions, and we found our way - NPC@annpc#557:- back to fighting alongside you, or at least those of us here did. The Kratt recognize the threat posed by the Horde, but they don't care. If they're attacked, they'll fight back. If they lose too - NPC@annpc#557:- many worlds, they'll uproot and move elsewhere. They've done it before." Keelah@crystyl:"Good to know, thank you. But it still doesn't hurt to at least send them an invitation to join us" NPC@annpc#557 | Yaseni: "I would not hold out hope, but it is worth a try. We have few other options at the moment." Keelah@crystyl nods her agreement NPC@annpc#557 | Vora: "Then let's see what additional reinforcements we can manage before we commit fully." Keelah@crystyl | Before they can continue, the meeting is interrupted by alarm blaring in the facility NPC@annpc#557 | Several people in the meeting room stand or leap to their feet. Vora taps on her wristcomp, "What's going on?" Keelah@crystyl | As she speaks, Keelah stands as she sees a piece of debris drifting towards the room. The external window is cracked but far too resilient to be threatened by the debris. Debris which bears a - Keelah@crystyl - scorched Starfleet insignia... Keelah@crystyl | Colonial operator: "Supreme Commander, there's been an explosion on the Valley Forge. That's all we know at present" Keelah@crystyl | Damn, where do these annoying fade to black's keep coming from...? --- Lendaria@crystyl | Some hours earlier, after T'Pia went to bed and saw the mysterious growth form from within her eyes... Lendaria@crystyl | TP is made increasingly uncomfortable by whatever is happening to her, eventually waking and feeling that something is wrong Keliaya@anncaris | TP decides to step out of the quarters for a walk through the halls Lendaria@crystyl | Her general mindset and coherence is most comparable to that of someone who is drunk. She staggers around in her sleepwear in something of a daze Keliaya@anncaris | TP continues staggering through the hall, trying to walk it off Lendaria@crystyl | She is soon overcome by the alien presence and collapses unconscious in the middle of the hall. The crystalline growth once again spreads out from her eye, across the side of her face, then...- Lendaria@crystyl - down on to the floor next to her. It pools there before being clear that is now lessening across her cheek while it grows on the floor like it is transferring almost. As the strange formation - Lendaria@crystyl:- gathers mass, smoke begins to rise from it's form. Not from the thing itself, but the floorplate beneath it as it is melted by an apparent acidic contact from the thing. It soon drips and oozes - Lendaria@crystyl:--through the melted floorplate beside TP, disappearing just as internal sensors detect the environmental change and an alarm begins to sound. Who arrives first though to find her...? Keliaya@anncaris | Vusal rushes to the scene, having heard the alarm and been nearby Lendaria@crystyl | He finds an unconscious T'Pia in the middle of the hall and the acidic melted hole in the floor next to her Keliaya@anncaris | Vusal steps over carefully, "Cadet. Can you hear me?" Lendaria@crystyl | No response. She's out cold Keliaya@anncaris | Vusal takes out a tricorder, scanning T'Pia first, then the melted hole Lendaria@crystyl | His basic tricorder shows only that she is alive. There is an unidentified compound around the lip of the smouldering hole Keliaya@anncaris | Vusal taps his combadge, "Ensign Vusal to Sickbay." Lendaria@crystyl | <C> "Meel here. How can we help Ensign?" Keliaya@anncaris | Vusal: "I have discovered Cadet T'Pia unconscious next to a hole that appears to have been melted by a substance my tricorder cannot identify. My scans are unable to tell me more beyond the - Keliaya@anncaris - fact that the Cadet is alive, but I see no sign of injuries. Shall I bring her to sickbay or await medical assistance here?" Lendaria@crystyl | <C-Kazra> “No, stay there Ensign. Help is on the way” Keliaya@anncaris | Vusal: "Understood. I suggest informing Security as well. Whatever was responsible for rendering the Cadet unconscious and producing this substance may be loose on the ship." Lendaria@crystyl | <C-Kazra> “I'm checking now and internal sensors have already registered a warning in your section. I would expect both security and engineering to already be on their way to you" Keliaya@anncaris | Vusal: "Thank you, Doctor. I will wait here." Lendaria@crystyl | Sure enough, both Silvestrie & Keliaya soon come running around the corner closely followed by a pair of response medics who immediately begin tending to T'Pia Keliaya@anncaris looks around, "What happened here, Ensign?" Keliaya@anncaris | Vusal: "I do not know, Commander. I found her unconscious beside this hole, which seems to have been burnt by an unidentified substance." Lendaria@crystyl | Silvestrie is straight at looking at the strange hole Keliaya@anncaris glances to the medics, "Will she be alright?" Lendaria@crystyl | One of them looks up with a slight shrug, "For that we'll have to figure out what happened to her. We're transferring her to sickbay, hopefully Dr. Meel can figure out something more" he promptly- Lendaria@crystyl:- taps his combadge and the medics plus TP disappear into a transporter beam Keliaya@anncaris steps over to Vusal, "Did you obtain any scans of this unidentified substance?" Keliaya@anncaris | Vusal nods and hands over his tricorder and Kelly scrolls through the data, seeing if she can discern the chemical composition of it and if that sheds any light into its origin Lendaria@crystyl | The compound does not correspond to any known origin. As best she can tell, it appears be some form of Orthosilicic acid Keliaya@anncaris:"The readings don't help much with identifying whatever was behind this. It's probably not something we've encountered before," she looks to Silvestrie, "Any rough idea of what we might be dealing with?" Lendaria@crystyl | He pokes cautiously at the smoldering lip of the hole with the tip of his phaser. The weapon nozzle immediately begins to melt as well, though quickly dissipates through limited contact Lendaria@crystyl | Silvestrie: "Whatever it is, it's dangerous" Keliaya@anncaris | Vusal: "T'Pia does not seem to have come into contact with the substance. Neither my scan nor visual assessment showed any signs of burns." Lendaria@crystyl | SIlvestrie: "Be thankful of that. Of all the people for me to have to report to the Captain as being melted to a deckplate, her daughter is pretty much the very bottom of that list" Keliaya@anncaris nods, "She seems like she was just knocked out. I hope she'll be fine..." Lendaria@crystyl | Silvestrie peers through the hole more, "Well I can't see through to the deck below" looking up, "And nothing came through from above" Keliaya@anncaris:"So it wasn't using the acid to burrow and escape..." Lendaria@crystyl | Silvestrie: "You think we're dealing with a... something or someone then?" Keliaya@anncaris:"With what we know at the moment, it could be anything, but it doesn't match any known spatial anomaly." Lendaria@crystyl | Silvestrie: "Well whatever it is, we need to find out and find it quick" Keliaya@anncaris | Vusal nods, "Orthosilicic acid is a silicon compound. The most logical assumption would be some form of silicon-based lifeform, either sentient or non-sentient." Lendaria@crystyl | Silvestrie: "Like a Tholian or something? How the hell would something like that even get on board?" Keliaya@anncaris:"I don't know. My first thought was a creature from one of the Sphere's biomes, but even if it somehow managed to reach the ship, I don't know why our internal sensors never detected - Keliaya@anncaris:- it. The Sphere's biomes only harbour non-sentient natural life, and I may not be a xenobiologist but I'm pretty sure it's very rare for a lifeform to naturally evolve sensor-evading properties." Lendaria@crystyl | Silvestrie: "Which means if that's what we're dealing with, it didn't evolve those abilities naturally. Which means we have a targeted attack" Keliaya@anncaris:"Another one of the Architect's genetic experiments, perhaps?" Lendaria@crystyl | Silvestrie nods, "That'd be my guess" Keliaya@anncaris:"Sound an intruder alert and mobilize security to guard critical areas and start searching the ship. I'll speak with Lennie and her xenobiology department, see if we can figure out a way to detect - Keliaya@anncaris:- this thing and make your work easier." Lendaria@crystyl | Silvestrie nods, "Keep me posted" storming off as he taps his combadge, calling his people into action --- Keliaya@anncaris steps into the lab where Lennie is currently working Lendaria@crystyl is working away quietly at a console, turning when she hears the door, "Well now ain't this a treat! Don't often see ya lurkin' around th'labs Kel, sup?" Keliaya@anncaris smiles, "I'd swing by more, but my work in Engineering keeps me busy. Unfortunately, this isn't exactly a casual visit." Lendaria@crystyl:"Oh?" Keliaya@anncaris hands Lennie the tricorder with the scans of the acid that Vusal gave her, "What'd you think? Vusal believes it's most likely to have come from a silicon-based lifeform." Lendaria@crystyl:"Hm?" she takes a look, "Ooh now where'd y'all find somethin' like this?" she asks, moving to get a better readout Keliaya@anncaris:"Deck Three." Keliaya@anncaris follows Lennie to observe Lendaria@crystyl pauses and turns, "Wait, ya sayin' this were on th'ship?!" Keliaya@anncaris nods, "And whatever produced it hasn't registered on our internal sensors. We think it might be something the Architect's created. Silvestrie's getting Security to scour the ship, but we know - Keliaya@anncaris:- next to nothing about what we're dealing with right now, except that it produced this acid." Lendaria@crystyl:"Goddess... this's bad. Don't s'pose y'all gathered a sample while ya were at it?" Keliaya@anncaris shakes her head, "We didn't have anything on hand that can contain it without being melted through, and I came straight to you from the site of the attack. There's probably some of it remaining - Keliaya@anncaris - if you have something to take a sample with." Lendaria@crystyl nods, scurrying to gather her kit, "Leave it t'me. I'll-a let ya know soon as I learn somethin'. Headin' to th'bridge, yeah?" Keliaya@anncaris nods back, "I'll head to the turbolift with you. Best not to walk alone if it can be avoided, whatever made this is still on the loose." Lendaria@crystyl nods, slinging a case over her shoulder as they head out and pausing at the open door as a pair of security officers rush past, "Damn, this's serious ain't it..." Keliaya@anncaris follows Lennie out, "We have no idea what this intruder is capable of, or if it's a single one." Lendaria@crystyl steps into the nearby turbolift, "Yeah, silicon based life could be anythin' from a virus to a Tholian!" Keliaya@anncaris:"A virus? You think we could be dealing with something microscopic?" Lendaria@crystyl:"No idea, tha's just mah point. It don't work like carbon based life so could be anythin'" Keliaya@anncaris:"That complicates things...you think we should activate the contamination protocol as well?" Lendaria@crystyl:"I'll see to tha'. Ya jus' focus on lookin' after th'ship an' findin' it" the lift door opens at deck 3 and Lennie steps out Lendaria@crystyl | Before the door closes a small rumbling reverberates through the deck, the experienced officers would recognize it as a small explosion beneath them Lendaria@crystyl glances back to Kelly, "An' hurry" Keliaya@anncaris:"You don't need to tell me..." Lendaria@crystyl smiles a little as she turns and heads off Keliaya@anncaris steps onto the bridge as the lift arrives there, "What was that explosion?" Lendaria@crystyl | Vrolmacht growls, "An EPS relay just blew out on deck 6" Lendaria@crystyl | TQ: "I've route security to investigate, and DC crews are already heading that way too Commander" Keliaya@anncaris nods, "I doubt it's a coincidence, not right after we discover an intruder on board," she moves over to the engineering console to check the specific location of the explosion and what's in the - Keliaya@anncaris - surrounding area Lendaria@crystyl | It's about as random and nondescript as the first location Lendaria@crystyl | TQ looks over: "So it's really an intruder?" Keliaya@anncaris:"We haven't seen or detected anything to confirm, but it fits what we know at this time. Any injuries from the explosion?" Lendaria@crystyl | TQ nods solemnly, "One crewman and one Orion conscript. The Orion has second degree plasma burns from the explosion, and the crewman apparently has some acid burn or something" Keliaya@anncaris:"Acid...so it's definitely connected. But there's no pattern to these attacks, just a connection indicating the same thing or things were responsible..." Lendaria@crystyl gets an update at her console, "Security team four reports they've found ceiling and deckplate damage indicating burnthrough on deck 7, section 16" Keliaya@anncaris taps her console, checking what's near that area, if anything Lendaria@crystyl | There's nothing near that section again of consequence, however Kelly can easily see a clear line through the ship from the three reported points now. Starting from where she found TP on Deck 3, - Lendaria@crystyl - it is clearly heading for the active saucer impulse reactor Keliaya@anncaris:"I have something...it looks like it's heading towards the saucer impulse reactor!" Lendaria@crystyl | TQ: "That's not good, is it...?" Lendaria@crystyl | Rianni: "Given what this thing seems to do to anything it touches, I'd say not" Keliaya@anncaris shakes her head, "Get as much security there as possible. I'm sealing off the section with force fields, but I doubt that'll stop it with its ability to use the acid to burrow through decks." Lendaria@crystyl | TQ nods, "On it Commander" Lendaria@crystyl | Vrolmacht joins Kelly, "Any thoughts?" Keliaya@anncaris:"We still don't know what exactly it is, which means we have no idea what it can do and what it's susceptible to. Lennie says it can be just about anything. It might not even be something we can - Keliaya@anncaris:- shoot with phasers, so Security may not even be effective here." Lendaria@crystyl | Vrolmacht: "Keep at it. We need a way to contain this thing before it decides to dig into the reactor" Keliaya@anncaris nods, "Let me know if any Security have eyes on it," she taps on her console and comms Lennie, "Find anything, Commander?" Lendaria@crystyl | Lennie: "Well I got a sample, still breakin' it down in th'lab so not much t'say yet. Wha' I can tell ya is tha' it's definitely a silicon based lifeform o'some sort. Complex enough tha' it - Lendaria@crystyl:- /could/ be intelligent. Maybe not sentient, but... yeah. I dunno though, it's all so different we're pure guessin' 'ere" Keliaya@anncaris:"Any ideas on how we might be able to contain it? Something to neutralize its acid so it can't burrow around?" Lendaria@crystyl | Lennie sighs: "Sorry Kel, but tha's gonna take time" Keliaya@anncaris:"Do your best, we'll try to slow it down for the time being." Keliaya@anncaris:"Have security stay outside the sealed area while they search for the intruder. I'm going to increase the gravity plating and vent atmosphere inside. I have no idea if either will affect it, but - Keliaya@anncaris:- I'm hoping that'll at least hamper it." Lendaria@crystyl | Crystyl: "We've evacuated all sections along the anticipated route. Let me know if we need to do any more" Keliaya@anncaris nods, "I'm leaving the reactor on for now. If there's any sign that the intruder's getting too close I'll initiate an emergency shutdown, but for the time being, it lets us know where it's - Keliaya@anncaris:- headed. Shutting it down is just going to leave us in the dark again, and it might reach its next target before we get a chance to see another pattern." Lendaria@crystyl | Rianni looks up, "Why would it be heading for the reactor do you think?" Keliaya@anncaris:"It could be to sabotage it; warp is too risky inside the Sphere so we rely on impulse maneuverability while we're in here. Though I have a feeling it has something larger planned; maybe its acid or - Keliaya@anncaris:- some other product can be used to cause a reactor breach. It's also why I'm hesitant to shut down the reactor...better an impulse reactor breach than a warp core one." Lendaria@crystyl | Rianni: "But something must be drawing it to the reactor, right? How else would it know where to go? And it did hit an EPS relay first" Keliaya@anncaris:rolls 55 (1-100) Keliaya@anncaris:"That's a good point..." she taps her console. "It looks like it's being drawn by superheated plasma. I should be able to direct its movements through the ship with that!" Lendaria@crystyl | Vrolmacht rejoins her, "Good thinking! But the question is, where can we try to direct it to...?" Keliaya@anncaris:"We still need to learn more about it. We have no idea how to contain or kill it yet..." Lendaria@crystyl | Rianni: "Maybe we don't need to..." Keliaya@anncaris looks to Rianni, "What're you thinking, Ensign?" Lendaria@crystyl | She rushes over to join them, tapping on the MSD in front of Kelly, "It was last seen here, right? And is heading towards the impulse reactor" Keliaya@anncaris nods, "That's right." Lendaria@crystyl | Rianni continues tapping, "Assuming it's progressed further since then, that should put it around... here now maybe" she circles a rough area. "There's an airlock just here" she taps again, "We - Lendaria@crystyl - could drive it towards that and then flush it out" Keliaya@anncaris:"Depending on how it got on the ship to begin with, it could be able to propel itself back in, but let's give it a go. I don't have any better ideas at the moment, not until Lennie can learn more - Keliaya@anncaris:- at least," she taps her console, beginning to direct the intruder towards the airlock Lendaria@crystyl | TQ gasps, bracing against her console before tapping to update their map, "We have an update on its location..." Lendaria@crystyl | The map shows Kelly exactly where it is as of just a few moments ago Keliaya@anncaris checks the map to see where it is Lendaria@crystyl | Pretty much where they expected it to be Lendaria@crystyl | Rianni looks over with a concerned expression, "What is it Tee?" Lendaria@crystyl | TQ: "A fatality this time..." Lendaria@crystyl | Rianni slumps Keliaya@anncaris:"We need to get it off the ship now. It seems to be moving as expected. Make sure the path to the airlock is clear of personnel." Lendaria@crystyl | Crystyl: "Don't worry Commander, we're all over it!" Lendaria@crystyl | Vrolmacht: "Tee, put up a visual feed on that section" Keliaya@anncaris continues using the plasma to direct the intruder towards the airlock... Lendaria@crystyl | TQ nods, tapping and bringing a view of the airlock entrance onto the viewscreen. All is quiet there for a while before they see smoke starting to billow from a ceiling section Lendaria@crystyl | The crystalline formation slithers into view like a web of tendrils reaching all across the corridor as it moves towards the airlock Keliaya@anncaris glances at the viewscreen as she works, "Send the feed down to Lennie's lab, it might be able to help her figure out what it is." Lendaria@crystyl | TQ nods and does so Lendaria@crystyl | Rianni watches in awe, having never seen anything like it before, "Is it... alive?" Keliaya@anncaris:"Everything we've seen points to it being a silicon-based organism. Whether it's sentient or intelligent is a different story, though..." Lendaria@crystyl | The entity approaches, but doesn't seem to progress into the airlock... Keliaya@anncaris:"Not good..." she glances to Crystyl, "The area is clear, right?" Lendaria@crystyl | Crystyl nods, "Clear all around, Commander". Keliaya@anncaris continues trying to direct the entity into the airlock with the plasma to see if it goes in or continues past it Lendaria@crystyl | Sadly the plasma grid only follows the deckplate in the corridor, she can't route it any closer Keliaya@anncaris seals off the corridor once the entity is moving by the airlock and opens it, hoping it gets sucked out Lendaria@crystyl | A surreal screeching sound emanates from the entity, though it seems to burrow into the bulkheads with numerous tendrils, refusing to budge. It is pounded by debris being sucked out Keliaya@anncaris:"It's resisting..." she leaves the airlock open to see if it can only hold on for a limited time Lendaria@crystyl | Vrolmacht: "It's not enough. What about the plasma flow you routed that way? What would happen if you forced an overload?" Keliaya@anncaris:"That might just dislodge it," she gets to work on forcing an overload Lendaria@crystyl | Rianni: "I'm no expert, but that's going to make quite an explosion isn't it?" Lendaria@crystyl | Vrolmacht nods and turns to Crystyl, "Chief, get emergency crews on standby outside that section. Tee, sound the warning" Keliaya@anncaris nods, "It's better than the damage that thing might inflict if it remains on board. At least the section is clear and no one else'll be injured or killed." Lendaria@crystyl | TQ nods and opens her intercom, "This is a decompression warning, all hands brace. This is not a drill, Repeat..." Lendaria@crystyl | Rianni sounds the decompression alarm as well Lendaria@crystyl | Vrolmacht sits in Keelah's chairs and holds tight, "When you're ready Commander" Keliaya@anncaris:"Initiating overload...now." Lendaria@crystyl | The bridge is rocked as the overload triggers. A section of the outermost saucer explodes outwards, the power surge rippling through the ship's systems causing consoles to spark across the ship Keelah@crystyl | Occurring within the atmosphere of the Heart of War, the explosion has more of a kinetic impact than would normally be expected in deep space and so the ship is drifting on the spot - propelled - Keelah@crystyl - into an undignified rotational drift by the blast that still smoulders from the small hull breach immediately surrounding the airlock on the outermost rim of the saucer Keelah@crystyl | The bridge lights flicker and spark as the crew recover themselves T'Emp@anncaris | Kelly groans as she gets back up, looking around the bridge as she does, "Everyone alright?" Keelah@crystyl | Vrolmacht sits up straight, "Report!" Keelah@crystyl | Rianni nods, "The explosion had more to react with within the atmosphere here, so it was a heavier blast" Keelah@crystyl | TQ & Crystyl both recover themselves as well and give the all clear Keelah@crystyl | Crystyl: "DC teams on site report that the emergency bulkheads contained the blast. No internal breach" T'Emp@anncaris | Kelly nods, "That's good to hear. Any indication of where the intruder went now?" Keelah@crystyl | TQ: "Minor injury reports coming in, but nothing more than a few bumps and bruises" Keelah@crystyl | Rianni checks: "I think I have it Commander" she tepas and updates the viewscreen to show a chunk of debris and a lifeless crystalline formation Keelah@crystyl | TQ: "Colonial Operations are hailing us from the facility" T'Emp@anncaris | Kelly breathes a sigh of relief, "At least the threat's gone...put them through, we should update our allies on what happened." Keelah@crystyl appears on the viewscreen, very not amused, "What are you doing with my ship?" Keelah@crystyl is not impressed T'Emp@anncaris | Kelly turns to the viewscreen, "Sorry, Captain. There was an intruder on board, this was the only way to get rid of it before it attacked anyone else." Keelah@crystyl perks a brow, "...'it'?" T'Emp@anncaris | Kelly: "We're...not entirely sure what it was. It's a silicon-based lifeform, a very dangerous one. This one seems to be dead, it's at least off the ship now, but we have no idea how it got on - T'Emp@anncaris - in the first place, and it doesn't register on sensors, so we can't say for sure that it was the only one." Keelah@crystyl | Lennie steps onto the bridge as Kelly speaks and interjects, "That ain't entirely true Kel" Keelah@crystyl turns to Lennie, watching as she joins Kelly in the centre T'Emp@anncaris | Kelly: "You've learned more, Commander?" Keelah@crystyl | Lennie nods and looks to the screen, "Cap'n, I ain't sure how it got there yet. But this... thing. It, well... wha' I mean t'say is..." Keelah@crystyl:"Out with it Commander. Words. Use them" T'Emp@anncaris | Kelly looks to Lennie curiously Keelah@crystyl | Lennie looks up again, not appreciating the attitude, but sympathetic to it, "It's T'Pia Cap'n. I been down wit' Kazra an'... we dunno how, but it looks like it were... in her" Keelah@crystyl goes wide-eyed, arms dropping to her sides, "Pia...?" T'Emp@anncaris | Kelly: "What?" Keelah@crystyl | Lennie nods: "She were found where this thing first appeared. Dunno wha' happened yet, but Kazra's got her still an' she ain't right. There's traces o'this thing in her optic nerve..." Keelah@crystyl tenses, "I'm on my way back... Get the ship back in order" she snaps, promptly ending the comm Keelah@crystyl | Lennie shivers, "Brrr. So rare we see it, I forgot how scary she is when she's pissed..." T'Emp@anncaris | Kelly nods, "Let's see what we can figure out before the Captain gets back. I'll make sure the repairs proceed well. Tee, get Silvestrie to track down Pia's movements in the last few days. We - T'Emp@anncaris - need to know when exactly she came into contact with that thing and if any other crewmembers might be carrying one." Keelah@crystyl | TQ nods and gets right on it Keelah@crystyl | Lennie: "I'll-a get back to th'lab. Gonna try an' get more scans o'tha' thing, but might need t'bring it back if we wanna really learn about it" T'Emp@anncaris | Kelly: "Keep track of where the body is, but don't bring it back just yet. In case it's still alive and just in some form of stasis." Keelah@crystyl | Lennie nods: "Gotcha" and heads off, leaving Kelly to pick up the pieces --- Keelah@crystyl storms into sickbay a short time later, taking in the unusually high activity but making a beeline for Kazra, "Doctor!" Keelah@crystyl | Kazra spots her first and is already moving to TP's bed, "She's over here, Captain" Keelah@crystyl rushes to her side and reaches over, holding TP's cheek and hand T'Emp@anncaris | Kazra: "We're looking into ways to remove this symbiont, or what's left of it. It'll be helpful to know more about what exactly it is." Keelah@crystyl speaks through gritted teeth, "This lifeform is still within her? I thought you blew a hole in the saucer section to get rid of it?!" T'Emp@anncaris | Kazra: "We did, but there's still traces of it in her. Whether it's a full lifeform, part of one or just remnants of it, we're not sure yet, but if it's truly symbiotic in nature, it might not - T'Emp@anncaris - be as simple as just removing it by force." Keelah@crystyl:"How did this happen in the first place? Silicon lifeforms are not exactly abundant here" T'Emp@anncaris | TP opens her still-crystalline eyes, "No, but as your crew will have no doubt already deduced, this one is not exactly a product of natural evolution." Keelah@crystyl staggers back in surprise, "Pia?" T'Emp@anncaris | T'Pia: "Do not worry. Your daughter is unharmed. This is not Horde domination. Her consciousness is untouched. This is a more...crude measure I must resort to due to your defenses." Keelah@crystyl scowls, "Leave her alone!" T'Emp@anncaris | T'Pia: "I will release her on one condition- that you withdraw from the Sphere and return to whence you came. Not the Coalition...just your ship." Keelah@crystyl:"That would make absolutely no difference to the situation here. You are being petty and childish, now release my daughter!" T'Emp@anncaris | T'Pia: "You give yourself too little credit, Captain. Without you, the Coalition will easily fall apart, if not of their own doing, then with a gentle push in the right direction." Keelah@crystyl:"And you give yourself far too much credit. This is but on ship, and the Coalition has the same strength of unity whether the Valley Forge is here or not" T'Emp@anncaris | T'Pia: "Then leave, if you truly believe that. It will make no difference if you are correct." Keelah@crystyl:"You know something, I don't give you enough credit either. You /are/ right about one thing; this Sphere isn't big enough for both of us, but I'm not going anywhere. Now release. My. Daughter!" Keelah@crystyl | Kazra meanwhile has slipped around behind TP and hits her with a hypo just as the Architect moves to retort T'Emp@anncaris | TP falls unconscious once again Keelah@crystyl | As the young Vulcan slumps back into the bed, a final trace of the crystalline formation seeps out from behind her eyelids and falls lifeless on the pillow next to her, though not before leaving - Keelah@crystyl:- an unpleasant acidic burnhole in the fabric Keelah@crystyl braces against the side of the biobed as she watches T'Emp@anncaris | Kazra runs a scan to check if there are more traces in TP Keelah@crystyl | There are no more traces. However her attention is caught by Keelah's tightly grasping hands as the solid biobed frame buckles and warps under her unrestrained grip T'Emp@anncaris | Kazra steps over, "Keelah. He's gone. There's no traces of it left in Pia." Keelah@crystyl remains rigid, trembling with rage, "Get her out of here" T'Emp@anncaris | Kazra nods, knowing better to argue with Keelah at the moment and taking Pia away Keelah@crystyl:"No Doctor. I want her off the ship..." T'Emp@anncaris | Kazra: "To the Foundry? Or somewhere else?" Keelah@crystyl:"The Foundry. You've got 15 mins to evacuate all non-combatants from the ship" T'Emp@anncaris | Kazra: "You're not thinking of..." Keelah@crystyl lashes out with her fist, slamming it into the wall console behind the bed which shatters and showers her with sparks, still she remains rigid before turning a glare to Kazra, "15 minutes. - Keelah@crystyl - I'm ending this. Now!" and she storms out T'Emp@anncaris | Kazra: "...I'll start the evacuation immediately." Keelah@crystyl slaps her combadge as she walks down the corridor, "Bridge, begin immediate combat evacuation and set a course for the Architect's control facility" T'Emp@anncaris <C - Vrolmacht> "But the other Coalition ships have not mobilized yet, Captain." Keelah@crystyl:"Then tell them to get their nacelles in gear. 15 minutes, not a second more. Anyone still on board this ship after that is in the fight, any Coalition ship not on our wing will be left behind. - Keelah@crystyl:- We're ending this. Now" Keelah@crystyl:( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zKvx_wFJLTI ) --- T'Emp@anncaris | The camera fades into the face of a young Trill man. Text appears in the bottom left: 'Dr. Tarlan Meel, Assistant Curator of the Galen Gallery, Memory Alpha. T'Emp@anncaris | Interviewer: "It's a pleasure to have you here, Dr. Meel." T'Emp@anncaris | Tarlan: "Please, just call me Tarl. Kazra was the one who was called Dr. Meel." T'Emp@anncaris | Interviewer: "Your previous host, Kazra Meel, was Chief Medical Officer of the Valley Forge during her famous journey. What's it like, being back here in the Heart of Unity?" T'Emp@anncaris | Tarlan: "It's...it's surreal, to be honest. I- Tarl that is, have never been here, but I have Kazra's memory of the place, and despite all the changes over the years, there's still a sense of - T'Emp@anncaris:- everything being familiar. An-and on top of that, I'm an archaeologist. To be in the middle of an Iconian Dyson Sphere...I feel like a vole in the middle of a cargo bay filled with ration packs," - T'Emp@anncaris - he chuckles T'Emp@anncaris | Interviewer: "You plan on doing some research while you're here?" T'Emp@anncaris | Tarlan smiles, "No doubt about it." T'Emp@anncaris | Interviewer: "So, tell us what you, or what Kazra remembers of the battle that took place here a century ago." T'Emp@anncaris | Tarlan: "Captain Se'lai was the one who decided to initiate the battle, independently of the rest of the Coalition after the Architect briefly possessed her daughter. It's a decision many have - T'Emp@anncaris - criticized over the years. Plenty of historians believe it was too rash, that she let the Architect get to her and make it personal." T'Emp@anncaris | Interviewer: "But you don't agree with them." T'Emp@anncaris | Tarlan: "No, and that's not personal bias. In fact, Kazra had the exact same concerns at the time. My professional opinion as a historian is that waiting wouldn't have helped us. Sure, it - T'Emp@anncaris - would've given us more time to get reinforcements, but it would've also given the Horde the same amount of time, and unless we managed to unite and mobilize every known civilization in the - T'Emp@anncaris - galaxy, we weren't going to match the Horde in terms of numbers anyways. We were always going to be outnumbered." T'Emp@anncaris | Interviewer: "You don't think rushing into battle had any negative effects on the outcome?" T'Emp@anncaris | Tarlan: "Everyone was ready. All the ships, all the people- everyone. The Coalition just wasn't sure whether to commit the forces to the final attack yet due to the presence and size of the - T'Emp@anncaris:- second fleet. In the end though, I think committing when we did might've saved more lives, prevented the already massive battle from escalating into something that involved even more ships." T'Emp@anncaris | Interviewer: "What happened after Captain Se'lai decided to initiate the attack?" T'Emp@anncaris | Tarlan: "As Kazra evacuated all the non-essential personnel, Keelah had already instructed the rest of the crew to prepare for battle..." --- T'Emp@anncaris | The camera fades to Keelah as the lift doors open and she arrives on the bridge... Keelah@crystyl strides purposefully onto the bridge to take her station, cleanup of the minor mess from the explosion and busy organizing from all staff going on through the obscure amber evac alert Keelah@crystyl:"Status?" T'Emp@anncaris | Kelly: "All systems are nominal. The minor damage from the explosion shouldn't have any effect on our combat readiness. No armour generators were damaged and with the armour online it - T'Emp@anncaris - shouldn't matter much. Are you...sure the Coalition's ready to launch the attack, though?" Keelah@crystyl:"I don't care if they're ready or not, we're going" T'Emp@anncaris | Kelly nods and taps her console, "I'll be down in Main Engineering, then. They'll need me there for the battle." Keelah@crystyl nods T'Emp@anncaris | The lift doors open a few seconds later and Vusal steps onto the bridge, taking over Kelly's station as she goes to the lift T'Emp@anncaris | TQ: "We're receiving a hail from the Colonial Fleet Baseship, Captain." Keelah@crystyl:"In my ready room. Vrolmacht, make sure Rianni is ready in the CIC" Keelah@crystyl moves to her office but doesn't even sit at her desk, spinning the screen around to face her as she stands T'Emp@anncaris | Vora appears on the viewscreen: "You're launching the attack now? What about checking with Starfleet for reinforcements or sending the message to the Kratt?" Keelah@crystyl:"The messages will still be sent, but I'm putting an end to this. Now" T'Emp@anncaris | Vora: "We've only got one chance at this, so we're with you if you're committing now. But we're going to have a lot of Horde on our hands as soon as the Borg lines collapse. As soon as we deal - T'Emp@anncaris - with the Horde inside and the Architect, leave your ground team there on the control station to fire it as soon as it's ready, but the rest of us are going to have to try and bottleneck the - T'Emp@anncaris - entrance hatches. It's the only way we'll have a chance against their numbers." Keelah@crystyl nods, "We'll be ready" T'Emp@anncaris | Vora nods, "We'll be right beside you, then." Keelah@crystyl:"See you on the other side, Vora" T'Emp@anncaris | Vora: "Good luck, Keelah." Keelah@crystyl turns as the comm closes to find the door already open and a ruckus outside Keelah@crystyl | Vrolmacht, "You can't just wander in there!" Keelah@crystyl | Sin: "Don't make me explode your head Klingon, now out of the way!" Keelah@crystyl | Sin enters, the door hissing shut behind her as she storms over to Keelah Keelah@crystyl:"Ensi-" Keelah@crystyl | TWHACK. Sin slaps her across the cheek, "You selfish Vulcan brat!" Keelah@crystyl recoils with a scowl, holding a hand to her cheek Keelah@crystyl | Sin: "Just because Pia finally got hurt in this private little war of yours, so /now/ the gloves come off? What about everyone else in your supposed family here? What about- WHAT ABOUT EVA?!" Keelah@crystyl sighs, turning away and leaning into the desk, "You're right" Keelah@crystyl | Sin: "Never mind your excuses, I said-... wait, what?" Keelah@crystyl:"I said you are right, Ensign. This was the step too far, I know it seems like I've taken it personally but this is just drawing a line in the sand" Keelah@crystyl | Sin: "Pfft, please! Don't give me one of your noble Starfleet 'this far, no further' speeches" Keelah@crystyl:"What do you want from me Sin?" Keelah@crystyl | Sin grabs Keelah's shoulder to spin her back around and look her in the eye, "Tell me you're not overreacting! Tell me this is the right decision. And by whatever power in the universe you - Keelah@crystyl:- believe in, you look me in the eye and you make me believe it" Keelah@crystyl lays her hands on Sin's shoulder with a surprisingly firm grip as she stares back through ice cold eyes, "This is the right decision. The Coalition was already prepared to launch the attack, but - Keelah@crystyl:- they were idling, fearful of commitment to the final assault as we all know it will be costly. This is the logical- no, this is the /right/ thing to do" Keelah@crystyl | Sin stares back a moment before stepping back with a nod, "Alright then, you can count on me" Keelah@crystyl moves to step back outside, pausing with a smile, "If you can hit him half as hard as that when the time comes, I believe you" and steps out, leaving the stunned Sin behind Keelah@crystyl takes her station, ignoring the clear handprint on her cheek with the dignity of an officer, "Are we ready?" T'Emp@anncaris | Vrolmacht: "Aye Captain. All non-essential personnel are on the Foundry and we have picked up two additional MACO teams for the assault on the control station." Keelah@crystyl:"Coalition forces?" T'Emp@anncaris | Vrolmacht: "Coalition forces are assembled and ready to advance." Keelah@crystyl:"Signal the Borg fleet to advance on the second Horde fleet. Send in our first wave, stealth ships only T'Emp@anncaris | Vrolmacht nods and sends the signal, "Stealth ships are moving in now." Keelah@crystyl:"As soon as they strike, we make our move. Make sure Rianni coordinates allied forces accordingly, all attack wings are to press the attack and push through the Horde lines. Those who make it - Keelah@crystyl:- through will join us at the control facility for the final assault" --- NPC@annpc#557 | Meanwhile in the CIC, Rianni coordinates the stealth ships as they begin their attack... NPC@annpc#557 | The CIC projection lights up with activity as they clash with the front lines of the Horde, and ships begin flickering out of view rapidly on both sides through the intense fighting Rianni@crystyl 's eyes dart back and forth as she observes, sweeping and swiping her arms through the interface like she's conducting an orchestra NPC@annpc#557 | Rianni's efforts see a number of the attack ships make it through, and another tactical officer in the CIC reports, "78% of the ships have made it through." Rianni@crystyl:"Wave 1 complete. Redirect your assets to evade and recloak, wave 2 is inbound... now" she makes a grand gesture guiding the bulk of the fleet forwards NPC@annpc#557 | The stealth ships' projections change to indicate that they have cloaked while the second wave proceeds in. The Horde forces begin to shift their formation to adjust for engagement with the - NPC@annpc#557 - much larger ships inbound. It is clear to Rianni that the Horde defense line is outmatched for the bulk of the Coalition fleet, but they seem to be positioning themselves to keep as many - NPC@annpc#557 - Coalition ships busy for as long as possible. Rianni can clearly see that they intend to buy time for the second fleet rather than win outright Rianni@crystyl splits the main forces into two groups. First group mainly heavy tanks engaging as many enemy forces as possible while the rest are regrouped into a central spearhead. The stealth fleet is also - Rianni@crystyl:- redeployed to strafe into the Horde line ahead of the spearhead to carve a path, thinning the numbers in a narrow section for the spearhead to punch into NPC@annpc#557 | The stealth fleet successfully carves a path, allowing the spearhead to penetrate the Horde formation while the heavy tanks keep the rest of the enemies busy and unable to interfere! Before - NPC@annpc#557 - long, ships from the spearhead formation begin pushing through past the Horde line Rianni@crystyl splits off the tail end of the spearhead and spreads it back along either side of the Horde line they punched through to reinforce the tank ships while also entrapping the Horde vessels in a - Rianni@crystyl:- crossfire NPC@annpc#557 | The Horde ships begin blinking out quickly as they are caught in the crossfire. However, small groups of stealthed Horde ships launch their own attack, decloaking behind the now spread-out - NPC@annpc#557 - spearhead ships and striking while they are focused on the main Horde line Rianni@crystyl sends their own stealth wing in to engage the Horde stealthers, now that they've done with the spearhead NPC@annpc#557 | A few Coalition ships are disabled or taken out by the ambush, but the allied stealth ships swoop in and save the day, proving to be superior and more numerous than the Horde's stealth wings. - NPC@annpc#557 - Once the enemy stealth ships are taken out and the Coalition ships concentrate their focus on the Horde line, enemy ships begin to go down quickly and the few ships that are able to break out - NPC@annpc#557 - of the crossfire pull back to their last line of defense by the control station Rianni@crystyl directs the fleet to slowly start pushing the Horde fleet in. The large tank ships acting as the main driving force while the stealth wing serve as shepherd hounds, chasing down strays NPC@annpc#557 | The strays are efficiently hunted down and destroyed while the bulk of the Coalition forces push the Horde further and further back towards the centre of the Sphere. It becomes obvious to - NPC@annpc#557 - Rianni that while the Horde under the Architect is more cunning and deceitful than it was before, it's also not as tactically apt; still remarkably well-organized and well-coordinated as always, - NPC@annpc#557 - but the Architect is definitely not as good of a fleet tactician as Rianni despite having access to the Horde's memories Rianni@crystyl focuses more on the more subtle movements while the fleet continues to strangle the Horde line, redirecting support where needed to ships in distress, or pulling them out of the formation - Rianni@crystyl:- completely while directing cover NPC@annpc#557 | Rianni manages to get a good few ships out of trouble with her direction while the battle rages, limiting Coalition casualties significantly. The Horde, on the other hand, are on a continual - NPC@annpc#557 - retreat, slowly but steadily losing ships as they are forced back closer and closer to the control station and the Sphere's sun. Soon, there is nowhere to run and the Horde ships are forced to - NPC@annpc#557 - make a final stand. The Architect realizes it is only a matter of time before his ships inside the Sphere are completely depleted and elects to make a last desperate charge, gathering his - NPC@annpc#557 - forces not in a defensive line around the control station, but forming a spearhead of his own to rush the Coalition with what he has left Rianni@crystyl opens an apparent gap in the Coalition line by having one of the tanks feign damage and fall back, drawing it's support into the safety of its neighbouring tanks NPC@annpc#557 | The Horde ships notice the gap and attempt to take advantage of it, driving the tip of its spearhead formation in as expected... Rianni@crystyl directs Coalition forwards to scatter in what looks like a panicked reaction to the Horde push. However as the Horde draw through the Coalition line, the surround allied forces tighten in behind - Rianni@crystyl:- them while the feigned tank and it's support are promptly redirected back into a defensive formation to box the Horde in NPC@annpc#557 | The Horde ships are quickly encircled and caught in a crossfire again, but this time the Horde press their attack, the ships concentrating fire on opportune targets and seeking to deal as much - NPC@annpc#557 - damage as possible. Horde ships on the verge of destruction, or with too many weapons offline to fight effectively speed up, attempting to ram the nearest Coalition vessel as the Horde throw - NPC@annpc#557 - everything they have left at the fleet Rianni@crystyl deploys all capable ship to restrain or redirect the kamikaze ships using tractors and gravity wells, Kayeri Vaj taking point NPC@annpc#557 | A few Coalition ships go down to concentrated fire and ramming from the remaining Horde ships, but tractors and gravity wells manage to keep the Coalition fleet safe from the majority of the - NPC@annpc#557 - ramming maneuvers. The failing Horde ships are harmlessly redirected away where they are finished off, or in some cases, they are pushed into other Horde ships, further decimating their - NPC@annpc#557 - numbers. Projections of Horde ships quickly flicker away until the field is completely clear Rianni@crystyl redeploys the fleet into its secondary roles; aid and support to those with damage, towing and recovering, retrieving escape pods, or patrolling and eliminating Horde threats that survived --- NPC@annpc#557 | Meanwhile on the bridge... NPC@annpc#557 | Vrolmacht: "No further enemy contacts in range, Captain. Save the Horde-occupied control station, that is." Rianni@crystyl | Keelah: "Scan the facility and have the ground team standing by" NPC@annpc#557 | Vrolmacht: "The facility is teeming with thralls. There are transport inhibitors set up across all except one section of the station. That section is also occupied by a number of thralls, but - NPC@annpc#557 - all the thralls within must be equipped with transport inhibitor chips and cannot be beamed out." Rianni@crystyl | Keelah: "One convenient way in, how courteous of him; seeking to return the favour of Rianni's fleet deployment it seems" NPC@annpc#557 | Vrolmacht nods, "It is almost certainly a trap. There are no hangar bays in this station, but there are airlocks and drone vents, though it will be easy to bottleneck any boarding attempts - NPC@annpc#557 - through them." Rianni@crystyl | Keelah: "Then what about making our own entrance?" NPC@annpc#557 | Vrolmacht: "The neutronium compound makes it very difficult to penetrate the hull." NPC@annpc#557 | Vusal: "There is one weak point in the central bridge connecting the two parts of the station, however." Rianni@crystyl | Keelah: "How weak? What would be needed to break through?" NPC@annpc#557 | Vrolmacht taps his console, "A volley of quantum torpedoes should be capable of collapsing the bridge and providing an alternative entrance. It will also cut off reinforcements to the - NPC@annpc#557 - Architect from the other half of the station." Rianni@crystyl | Keelah nods, "Will that give us a transporter window?" NPC@annpc#557 | Vusal nods, "I believe so." NPC@annpc#557 | Vrolmacht: "And by severing the only accessway between the two halves of the station, it should halve the amount of thralls we need to face to reach the Architect. It will still not be an easy - NPC@annpc#557 - fight, but between the MACO teams and the Chlasi Esoterics who have come to support Sin, I believe we will be able to establish a beachhead for additional Coalition reinforcements to beam - NPC@annpc#557 - in and support." Rianni@crystyl | Keelah stands, looking at the image on the screen of the bridge facility, "Correct me if I'm wrong Mr. Vrolmacht, but the bottleneck weakness of our approach is mostly hindered by the fact that - Rianni@crystyl:- we're transporting our troops in, and doing so blind, yes?" NPC@annpc#557 | Vrolmacht: "That is correct." Rianni@crystyl | Keelah: "What is the span of that bridge?" NPC@annpc#557 | Vusal: "312 metres." Rianni@crystyl | Keelah, "Thank you Ensign" and turns to Vrolmacht with a grin, "Just snug enough" NPC@annpc#557 | Vrolmacht: "What do you have in mind, Captain?" Rianni@crystyl | Keelah: "The beam of this ship is 288m across the width of the saucer. There are airlocks at those points for disembarking are there not" NPC@annpc#557 | Vrolmacht nods and grins as well, "The Architect will certainly not expect /that/." Rianni@crystyl | Keelah: "He may do as soon as we fire our thrusters however, so commence bombardment first across the facility - all vessels. We will target the bridge and immediately beam the first MACO squad - Rianni@crystyl - in to secure our beachhead. As soon as they're away Mr. Fisher, I need you to plug the hole. We'll have to drop the ablative armour locally just to use that airlock, but I want it in place across- Rianni@crystyl:- rest of the ship, Vusal. Will that be a problem?" NPC@annpc#557 | Vusal: "I am able to selectively deactivate the nearby generators in order to utilize the airlock, Captain. It will not be a problem." Rianni@crystyl | Keelah nods and takes her seat, "Then commence the attack" NPC@annpc#557 | TQ nods and relays the instructions to the other vessels. The area lights up with flashes of weapons fire as the facility is hit. Vrolmacht unleashes a precise salvo that hits the bridge and - NPC@annpc#557 - collapses it NPC@annpc#557 | Vrolmacht: "Bridge is down!" Rianni@crystyl | Keelah: "Mr Fisher, time to earn your pay for the day" NPC@annpc#557 | Fisher nods, tapping the helm console as the VF dashes in, "This is going to be tight..." Rianni@crystyl | Keelah: "That is the idea. Just be sure you don't overshoot" NPC@annpc#557 | A few pieces of metal still remaining from the bridge scratches the VF's ablative armour as Fisher navigates them into the stretch where the bridge was, but the VF manages to squeeze in - NPC@annpc#557 - without any major collision! Rianni@crystyl | Keelah: "Open the airlock and put all ground forces down there. Mr. Silvestrie, your teams are to HOLD that airlock under all circumstances. Maintain thrusters at stationkeeping and divert all - Rianni@crystyl:- necessary power to tactical systems NPC@annpc#557 | Vrolmacht: "Understood." NPC@annpc#557 | Silvestrie: "We won't lose that airlock, Captain." Rianni@crystyl | Somewhere in the decks far below them, Rianni stares dumbfounded at her own display, "Well that's new..." --- T'Vek@anncaris | The camera fades into an elderly woman. Text appears in the bottom left: 'First Lieutenant Alice Kruger, Field Medic / Instructor, Military Assault Command Operations (Retired). T'Vek@anncaris | Interviewer: "Thank you for joining us here, Alice." T'Vek@anncaris | Kruger: "Oh, I needed a walk. The colony is lovely, but for someone who spent their younger days being ferried from battlefield to battlefield...no matter how beautiful a planet is, one single - T'Vek@anncaris - planet gets old after a while." T'Vek@anncaris | Interviewer: "I can certainly sympathize. The early 25th century in which you grew up- that was a very different time for the galaxy, wasn't it?" T'Vek@anncaris | Kruger nods, "The darkest time for the spacefaring civilizations of this day and age, I would say. But adversity promotes growth. Without everything that happened, we would've never grown up, - T'Vek@anncaris - become the society we are today. We would've suffered the same end as the Iconians and the Progenitors and everyone that came and went before us." T'Vek@anncaris | Interviewer: "The battle we're here to commemorate today, it's often referred to as the battle that ended war. What're your thoughts on that?" T'Vek@anncaris | Kruger chuckles, "Well it didn't end war, that's for sure. There's still plenty of that across the galaxy even today, on pre-warp worlds, across civilizations unaffiliated with the Union. But - T'Vek@anncaris - it did end the Long Wars. There was still fighting involving Union civilizations after that, I was there at some of them. But never again did we see a battle of that scale afterwards, - T'Vek@anncaris - throughout the 25th century up to today. And I certainly hope we don't see the likes of it again." T'Vek@anncaris | Interviewer: "You were there with boots on the ground during that engagement, weren't you?" T'Vek@anncaris | Kruger: "That's right. I came to the Sphere with Andromeda Company, and our team was one of the two assigned to the Valley Forge during that battle. I wasn't in the company yet during the - T'Vek@anncaris - Iconian War, but half of our team, and many more of our company were involved in that war. After the battle, even they said that they had never seen anything like this before..." --- T'Vek@anncaris | The camera fades to Sin and the Chlasi Esoterics as they transport in. The room is a complete mess, littered with the bodies of thralls. A few security personnel and two MACOs lie on the - T'Vek@anncaris - ground, with medics treating them or tagging them for transport. Some of them are visibly still breathing, but it's hard to tell whether others are still dead or alive. Many more security - T'Vek@anncaris - still on their feet are arrayed throughout the room with a variety of weapons held at the ready, some Starfleet standard issue phasers, others among the stock they received from Vue-En, and - T'Vek@anncaris - a few even using Iconian antiproton projectors T'Vek@anncaris | Silvestrie steps up to Sin, phaser rifle in hand, "The airlock is secure for now, Ensign. The MACO are slowly pushing on ahead, but there's heavy resistance." Sin@crystyl holsters her basic phaser sidearm and grabs one of the discarded MACO assault rifles T'Vek@anncaris | The seven Esoterics with Sin hold traditional weapons at the ready- mostly blades, staves and spears Sin@crystyl tries to get her bearings and a sense of which way to go T'Vek@anncaris | There is only one way forward, and the sounds and flashes of phaser fire clearly emanate from down the hall it opens up to Sin@crystyl starts heading that way T'Vek@anncaris | At the end of the hall, Sin finds the MACOs bottlenecked on the entrance, but slowly pushing their way inside. Daz turns to Sin and the Esoterics as they approach Sin@crystyl:"Having fun Daz?" T'Vek@anncaris | Daz: "There's plenty for us all, but every thall we kill, two more piles in from somewhere else in the station. We can negate their numbers by funneling them through this hall, but-" T'Vek@anncaris | Lieutenant Sh'ivilnath chimes in as she lays down fire, "But we don't have time to play the slow game here! Every minute we waste is another minute for the second Horde fleet to make their way - T'Vek@anncaris - here. We've got to push inside! There's a transport inhibitor to the left of that room. Take it out and our Coalition friends can beam in more forces to support us." Sin@crystyl:"I can do that. Keep them off me" Sin@crystyl looks for opening to make a run for the inhibitor T'Vek@anncaris | Daz nods, "Everyone, cover Sin!" T'Vek@anncaris | The MACOs carve out a path for Sin while five of the Esoterics step onto the front lines, protecting the MACOs in turn and taking out or telekinetically pushing back any thrall that gets too - T'Vek@anncaris - close. Two Esoterics choose to push ahead with Sin. Despite the MACOs skill and effort, the thralls in the room swarm like ants and several manage to close in to Sin. The Esoterics with her do - T'Vek@anncaris - their best to keep them off the group as they advance Sin@crystyl lays down her own covering fire as she moves, lashing out wildly with telekinetic waves if they get too close T'Vek@anncaris | With significant effort, Sin and the Esoterics with her manage to push their way to the transport inhibitor, but it is guarded by a towering Behemoth thrall with a number of smaller ones - T'Vek@anncaris - swarming around it Sin@crystyl drops her rifle and reaches out with both hands, focusing on the Behemoth to lift it off the ground and trying to crush it before at least launching it across the room at the other thralls T'Vek@anncaris | Sin manages to crush the Behemoth and use it to push a number of the other thralls out of the way! The Esoterics use their powers and blades to cut through the rest, giving Sin a clear shot at - T'Vek@anncaris - the inhibitor, though the thralls behind them begin to close in, brute forcing charging through the MACOs' fire with a few of them managing to make it through Sin@crystyl quickly retrieves the rifle and fires a volley into the inhibitor before turning it on the approaching thralls T'Vek@anncaris | The inhibitor explodes and showers sparks all over them. Sin takes down a few of the incoming thralls, but a number of them have decided to use themselves as living shields, blocking the - T'Vek@anncaris - MACOs' fire while the others continue to rush at Sin despite the inhibitor being gone, and only a few seconds of fire makes it clear that her rifle isn't enough to stem the tide Sin@crystyl reaches out with another wall of energy, not so wild this time but just looking to paralyse them on the spot T'Vek@anncaris | Sin paralyzes a number of thralls, momentarily blocking their advance, but the thralls not hit by her energy knocks down those who are and begins scrambling over their bodies like rabid - T'Vek@anncaris - animals. The Esoterics raise their weapons to meet the charging Horde in melee combat, but before the thralls can reach them... T'Vek@anncaris | Transporter signals flare up and Lupan beam in across the room, including a squad right in between Sin and the thralls! They draw their blades, axes and hammers and throw themselves at the - T'Vek@anncaris - Horde, the two sides meeting in a bloody brawl. The first wave of Lupan go down in a blaze of glory, but not before taking out a good number of thralls. As they fall, a second wave follows - T'Vek@anncaris - immediately as even more Lupan beam down. The once quite monotone Iconian room becomes a canvas of colour as it is filled with flashes of energy weapons fire and the blood of both friend and foe Sin@crystyl slings the rifle over her shoulder, inspired to try something, "Cover me" she asks of the Esoterics with her before closing her eyes and focusing herself T'Vek@anncaris | The Esoterics nod, easily keeping away the few thralls that manage to make it through the Lupan, as the added allied presence makes the battle much more balanced Sin@crystyl focuses on the Lupan in the room, delving deeper into the biology of each of them, feeling the adrenaline flow and blood rush. She reaches out as she once did to boil her enemies blood, but now she- Sin@crystyl:- tries to stimulate it in the Lupan; increasing blood flow to their muscles, heightening their strength and speed and optimizing them in their melee T'Vek@anncaris | With Sin's support, the melee quickly turns in the favour of the Lupan, who begin tearing through the Horde masses. Soon, the room is cleared, though very little of the Iconian floor can be - T'Vek@anncaris - seen, with the bodies of mostly thralls but also a number of Lupan covering almost the entirety of the ground. Even more Lupan beam down, joining the surviving ones as they push through the - T'Vek@anncaris - halls and further into the station Sin@crystyl relaxes and retrieves her rifle, eager to push on T'Vek@anncaris | The MACOs and the Esoterics that stayed to support them move through the room as well, pushing ahead with Sin T'Vek@anncaris | Just before reaching the other side of the room, a wounded but not quite dead thrall grabs Sin's boot, seeking to drag her down Sin@crystyl stops and looks down, "Really...?" and fires a single shot through its head T'Vek@anncaris | The thrall's grip loosens as Sin finishes it off T'Vek@anncaris | They progress through the hall, this time with no resistance, only a trail of thrall bodies scattered through it by the charging Lupan. In the room ahead, the Lupan are still engaged in - T'Vek@anncaris - battle, now supported by Colonial Fleet forces who have begin beaming into the hallway T'Vek@anncaris | An Arshai male who seems to be directing the Colonial Fleet forces nods to the Starfleet/Esoteric group as they arrive T'Vek@anncaris | Arshai: "There is another inhibitor ahead. This is as far as reinforcements are able to transport in." Sin@crystyl:"What resistance is there?" T'Vek@anncaris | Arshai: "Two Behemoths, sniper cover from the drone vents and many basic thralls on the ground." Sin@crystyl looks to the MACO's, "How do you want to handle it? Explosives?" T'Vek@anncaris | A squad of five beings in Guardian armour beam in behind them, each well over two metres tall. Even with their helmets on, it is apparent from their build that they are the new batch of - T'Vek@anncaris - augment Lodzki who have been inducted into the Guardians T'Vek@anncaris | Guardian Lodzki: "We've got this. Keep as many thralls off us as you can, especially the phantoms." Sin@crystyl turns, looking up at the giant, "Sure, have at it" T'Vek@anncaris | Daz: "Take out the phantom snipers, or at least keep them busy." Sin@crystyl:"I'm not the crack shot you guys are, but I'll see what I can do" T'Vek@anncaris | The MACO and Colonial Fleet troops move into position, picking off snipers or forcing them into cover while the five Lodzki augments join the Lupan front lines, leading the charge through the - T'Vek@anncaris - swarm of thralls on the ground. Before long, they find the two Behemoths in their way, but this doesn't seem to be a challenge for them, as two break off from the squad to take on one Behemoth - T'Vek@anncaris - each. Despite their large size, the augment Lodzki are surprisingly fast and agile, which plays heavily to their advantage against the Behemoth thralls which tower over even Lodzki T'Vek@anncaris | One augment slides beneath a Behemoth's massive fist and fires a burst into its leg, forcing it to one knee. She swings around behind the Behemoth and leaps onto its shoulder, extending a blade - T'Vek@anncaris - from within her armour and digging into its neck while she rapid fires her rifle point-blank into its head, which even the resilient tank thrall is unable to withstand T'Vek@anncaris | The second augment dances around the Behemoth, baiting its wide swings so that it hits other thralls nearby. Until it has taken out a good few allies and cleared the space, the augment finally - T'Vek@anncaris - decides to put the thrall out of its misery, leaping onto its arm during one of its swings and using that to climb up the thrall, shoving a grenade down its throat. He leaps off the thrall, - T'Vek@anncaris - somersaulting in mid-air and evading its grasp before rolling to a safe distance. The grenade detonates inside the Behemoth, blowing it up into a bloody mess Sin@crystyl:"Remind me never to piss those guys off..." T'Vek@anncaris | The remaining three augments carve their way to the inhibitor and take it out as the other two deal with the Behemoths. A few seconds after the inhibitor goes down, squads of biofluorescent - T'Vek@anncaris - Forli beam down with their new handheld energy shields that they developed from the shield technology they adapted from the VF's shield modifications. They move to cover for the allied forces, - T'Vek@anncaris - bouncing reflecting sniper shots from the Phantoms in the drone vents right back at them. A team of Regulators flash in with their transporters, using dark energy to pull the few remaining - T'Vek@anncaris - snipers out of cover, holding them helplessly out in the open where they are quickly taken out. The fighting in the room is pretty much over by the time additional Colonial Fleet forces arrive Sin@crystyl mostly just enjoys the show, resting herself from the mental exhaustion of the previous room though still helps where she can T'Vek@anncaris | What thralls left in the room are quickly cleaned up and the Coalition forces push on The Architect@anncaris | As they proceed into the next hall, Lexi beams in with a team of her best honour guard warriors beside her Sin@crystyl eyes the Trill with a smirk, "Good to know you haven't gone soft on us just yet" The Architect@anncaris | Daz chuckles, "I thought there was no way you'd miss out on this, Captain Vix." Sin@crystyl | Lexi: "HA! You wish little one! I can taste the blood in the air!" Sin@crystyl | Lexi looks around, "So where's the meat grinder?" The Architect@anncaris | Daz: "The next room is the control room. We can't charge in like we did with the previous ones, we'll risk catching Eva in the crossfire. We need to knock her out with one of the hypo Kazra - The Architect@anncaris - provided." Sin@crystyl:"The Architect will already know we are here" Sin@crystyl | Lexi: "No, he'll know /you/ are here perhaps" Sin@crystyl shrugs and nods, looking to the others, "So what's the plan?" The Architect@anncaris | Daz looks to Lexi, "You have an idea to capitalize on that?" Sin@crystyl | Lexi thinks a moment, "Yeah, we send her in alone" Sin@crystyl:"HEY!" The Architect@anncaris | Esoteric: "Are you sure that is wise?" Sin@crystyl | Lexi boops Sin on the head, "Relax, it's like you said. He knows you're coming so he'll be waiting for you. You can go in and do your whole song and dance routine, get his focus and keep an open - Sin@crystyl:- comm line. When you see an opportunity, call us in with a spoken word and we'll get the jump on him" Sin@crystyl:"So... use me as bait, then" looks to the Esoteric, "I'm sure this is not wise!" The Architect@anncaris | Daz: "It's better than charging in there..." Sin@crystyl | Lexi grins Sin@crystyl eyerolls, "Fine! Fine... I guess in the grand scheme it does make a certain sense..." The Architect@anncaris | Daz: "We'll have your back, don't worry." Sin@crystyl turns to the door, rifle in hand, "Now for the fun part then" snapping a glare to Lexi, "And when I signal, you'd /better/ come running!" before striding towards the door Sin@crystyl gets a sense of any thralls in the room before the door opens The Architect@anncaris | There are far less thralls in the next room than the previous ones, no massive swarms and actual room to move. Most of them are around the centre, where the unmistakable massive telepathic - The Architect@anncaris - signal channeled from the Trident is coming from. There are a pair of regular Brute thralls guarding the door, and a number of other guards across the room too Sin@crystyl strolls in like she owns the place, lazily waving one hand to send the two brutes tumbling aside - nothing like Yoda walking into the Chancellor's office at all, nope. - Then fires a single shot at - Sin@crystyl:- each thrall, ready to toss the rifle aside once they're all down The Architect@anncaris | The other brutes go down quickly, but the phantoms are agile, a few of them dodging her shots with leaps and rolls. Several of the Psionics break off from the Trident, turning to Sin and - The Architect@anncaris - speaking as one The Architect@anncaris:"Cease this. Now. Before you doom us all." The Architect@anncaris | Eva stands among the remaining Psionics by the Trident, still holding the artifact which has expanded to as large as it can stand in the chamber Sin@crystyl:"Hey! That's my line!" Sin@crystyl continues taking seemingly lazy, but actually highly focused shots at the thralls around her, letting her mind guide her aim more than her eyes The Architect@anncaris | She manages to take out the phantoms, who aren't even shooting back at her, and now only the Psionics remain in the centre of the room The Architect@anncaris:"Remove me, and you will assure all our destruction." Sin@crystyl:"No... I'm pretty sure removing you will just assure /your/ destruction, and that sounds like a fun plan to me" she takes a much lazier single potshot at one of the psionics as she approaches The Architect@anncaris | The Psionic she hits goes down, but the rest continue speaking, "Another Horde fleet is inbound. You must know this, as the Borg fleet that tried to stop it coordinated its attack with your - The Architect@anncaris - own. You must also know the size of this fleet, and that your own cannot hold the Sphere against it. Remove me now and the Horde will return to the way they were before, driven by nothing but - The Architect@anncaris - the need to consume. You will not have time to send another signal with the Trident before the Horde overrun you." The Architect@anncaris:"They will open the gateways and spread to all corners of this galaxy, and spell the end of all Children." Sin@crystyl:"So... what you're saying is, we'll be no worse off than we are with you at the helm. Good to know" she begins to slowly circle around the psionics, "And what would you have me do instead, sign all - Sin@crystyl:- the Children of this galaxy up to be your slaves? I'm pretty sure they'd rather die free" The Architect@anncaris:"I do not seek to enslave them. I seek to be the force that keeps them from tearing each other apart." Sin@crystyl:"Oh please! Has it really been so long that you actually believe your own lies now?" Sin@crystyl continues circling, taking a potshot at another of the psionics just for fun The Architect@anncaris | Another Psionic drops dead, "I cannot convince you, but you know I do not desire your complete consumption by the Horde. I would have long since tried to open the gateways, or redirected the - The Architect@anncaris:- other fleet elsewhere. Interrupt me here, and the Horde will have no such reservations." Sin@crystyl:"The only reason you haven't done that is because you aren't strong enough do it without giving up your grip on the thralls minds. What's the matter, scared they'll turn on you too?" The Architect@anncaris:"They will certainly turn on me, and every other form of life in this galaxy. You will not be able to stop the second fleet, even with the tactical geniuses and unorthodox strategies you possess." Sin@crystyl:"I'll be sure to tell Rianni you were a fan. So if you know the situation is hopeless, why don't you stand the Horde down. Call a ceasefire, and drop this facade about doing this for our own- Sin@crystyl:- good" The Architect@anncaris:"And you will allow me to remain here, in control of the Horde, with their forces remaining at my disposal?" Sin@crystyl laughs, "I didn't say I would allow anything. I just told you to give up! But tell you what, destroy the Horde and give back Eva and I'm sure I can convince Keelah to spare you" The Architect@anncaris:"I cannot do that. The will behind the Horde was originally the consciousness of those who I considered my friends, my family, as you consider those on your crew." Sin@crystyl:"Yeah, yeah, I know all about you and your 'family'. so if you won't stand down, I'll take that to mean that you want us to finish this for you. Guns blazing" Sin@crystyl says Lexi's trigger word to call the party in The Architect@anncaris:"If that is how this must end, then so be it. You will regret your choice." The Architect@anncaris | All the Psionics break off from the Trident, leaving only Eva on it. Just as they turn to Sin, the door slides open and Lexi and her warriors enter, supported by the Esoterics Sin@crystyl:"No, my life is too short for regrets. You however, have a great deal to regret Luxus" The Architect@anncaris and his Psionics are distracted momentarily by Sin's use of the name, allowing Lexi and the others to take the enemy by surprise. By the time the Psionics react, it is too late for a few of them - The Architect@anncaris - to use their powers and they are cut down with little resistance. The rest put up a fight, drawing melee weapons and unleashing telekinetic pushes or hurling objects around, but with the - The Architect@anncaris - Esoterics around, they are able to counter the attacks and cut down the thralls. Eva remains on the Trident, maintaining control over the Horde as the fight rages through the control room Sin@crystyl:"Aww, what's the matter Luxus, put you off your stroke?" The Architect@anncaris | With the Esoterics dealing with the Psionics' abilities, their actual melee capability is quickly overwhelmed by Lexi and her warriors, with some Esoterics joining in on the action when - The Architect@anncaris - not countering the telekinetic attacks. As the Psionics go down, the MACOs enter the room and sneak around the melee. Daz applies the hypo to Eva and she slumps over, letting go of the Trident The Architect@anncaris | The Esoteric with the mind prison yells, "Come to me when you have him contained!" His voice is already beginning to drift away however, as the Architect's consciousness begins trying to worm - The Architect@anncaris - its way into Sin's mind... Sin@crystyl starts making her way over before stopping dead in her tracks. She has the sense at least to toss the rifle aside and focus solely on the real battle... The Architect@anncaris | The Architect's presence is strong, but his tricks are still the same as last time, trying to weave an illusion around Sin. With her last experience and her recent training, she is able to - The Architect@anncaris - recognize and counter what he is doing, and perhaps even turn the framework of his construct back onto him as the illusion Sin wants to make... Sin@crystyl tries to do exactly that, creating the illusion that is now in control of her body. That the Children have begrudgingly accepted his role in things, and he now coordinates a much more balanced - Sin@crystyl:- conflict while seeking a way to bring back some remnant of the Progenitors, using the Children as vessels like he planned The Architect@anncaris | Unaware that his own illusion has been turned against himself, the Architect is pulled into the illusion... The Architect@anncaris in Sin's body stands in the control room, surrounded by members of the Valley Forge crew The Architect@anncaris:"My loyal followers. My friends. My family. Welcome back." The Architect@anncaris | The crew cheers for Architect-Sin, who raises her hand The Architect@anncaris:"It has not been easy, separating you from the Horde. But after much experimentation, you are yourselves once more." She makes a grand gesture around herself, "And look how your faith has been - The Architect@anncaris - rewarded. My design has reached its full fruition. We are well on our way to the next stage of our evolution.” The Architect@anncaris looks at her own hands and reaches out to the Trident, "This body is not just capable of mere parlour tricks. We have an army of our Children at our disposal! Soon, we will ascend beyond even - The Architect@anncaris - the need for physical flesh. The Horde and the Children are but pawns in the grand game. I have brought us this far. It will not be long before we supplant the Continuum themselves, and become - The Architect@anncaris - the ultimate power of the universe!" The Architect@anncaris | Meanwhile back in the real world, Sin regains full control of her body with the Architect locked away, and find the Esoteric holding the mind prison waiting for her nearby The Architect@anncaris | Esoteric: "Sin! Do you have him subdued?" Sin@crystyl nods, extending her hand to receive the prison The Architect@anncaris | The Esoteric hands the prison to Sin, "Lock him away for good this time." Sin@crystyl connects with the prison and tries to guide the Architects mind into it ahead of her own The Architect@anncaris | The Architect begins to realize that something is wrong, but before he has a chance to break out of the illusion, Sin is able to transfer him into the prison, where breaking out of the - The Architect@anncaris - illusion will do him no good as he is no longer in Sin's body and contained within the specially designed ark! Sin@crystyl slumps, dropping the ark to the floor The Architect@anncaris | The oldest of the Esoterics on the field steps up to Sin and his fellow, "Is he contained?" Sin@crystyl nods, "It's done" The Architect@anncaris | Esoteric: "Return to your ship briefly. Adjust your implant back to the new frequency so we may verify it is you inside the body and not him. This facility will need time to recharge before we - The Architect@anncaris - can send the signal, and you will need the rest as well." Sin@crystyl:"So that's it. It's over?" she looks down at the ark and nudges it with her toe The Architect@anncaris | The older Esoteric nods, "The Architect is contained. But the rest of the Horde have yet to be dealt with." Sin@crystyl:"Then I will go to rest. Perhaps I can use this Trident as I did once before to help when the second wave arrives" The Architect@anncaris | Older Esoteric: "We will aid you where we can." Sin@crystyl nods again, walking out slowly still clearly drained --- NPC@annpc#557 | Upon returning to the VF, Sin heads into sickbay to get her implant readjusted away from the old frequency she used to lure the Architect in Keelah@crystyl | Sin strolls in, looking around for Kazra NPC@annpc#557 | Sickbay is filled with activity, with the bulk of if not the full medical staff on duty, rushing from bed to bed as they tend to wounded from the fighting. Some of the patients are security - NPC@annpc#557 - personnel or MACOs, but the sickbay has taken on wounded from Coalition allies as well. Sin notices that the unconscious Eva has been beamed directly back ahead of her, and Kazra can be found - NPC@annpc#557 - working beside her bed Keelah@crystyl | Sin heads over, "How is she?" NPC@annpc#557 | Kazra: "Well, her neurology's back to normal, just very overworked, no doubt due to the Architect using the Trident through her all this time. I'm keeping her under until we fully restore - NPC@annpc#557 - chemical and hormonal levels. There's no sign of any memory or personality damage, though." Keelah@crystyl | Sin: "That's good news" she looks around, "I know it's crazy at the moment, but I've been told to come have my implant adjusted so everyone trusts that I'm me and not another her" she nods to Eva NPC@annpc#557 | Kazra looks around the sickbay. A pair of nurses move a deceased Orion in a Colonial Fleet combat suit off a medical bed and Kazra motions her over Keelah@crystyl Sin follows and hops on the bed, watching the activity, "How bad are our casualties?" NPC@annpc#557 | Kazra: "We had one fatality from the attack on the ship earlier and four security personnel were killed in the control station. There's a lot more wounded but most of those are expected to - NPC@annpc#557 - recover, fortunately. I don't have numbers for the rest of the Coalition, all I can tell you is that we've lost two Orion clones, three Lupan, a Guardian and a Gaton in our sickbays." Keelah@crystyl | Sin: "Not exactly good news, but give the size of that battle it could be a helluva lot worse" NPC@annpc#557 | Kazra nods, "We're not the only ones taking on wounded, but it certainly could've been worse. Lie down now, let me give you a quick scan first before I change the implant back, to make sure - NPC@annpc#557 - you're still you. I know the Esoterics have their own thing after but I like to be safe. Don't want the Architect taking over the crew again." Keelah@crystyl | Sin: "It's almost as if I'm not trustworthy in my own right..." she jokes dryly, laying down NPC@annpc#557 | Kazra: "The Architect's a crafty one. Wouldn't put it beyond him to take over your body and continue pretending to be you to slip away unnoticed." She closes the medical bed arch and taps on - NPC@annpc#557 - the bed's interface Keelah@crystyl | Sin: "But I'm just as much a threat as he is. Moreso really. Come on, admit it. I can be scary too, can't I? Pleeeease" NPC@annpc#557 | Kazra chuckles, "You /could/ be, but you're on our side, so we don't have to be concerned about you." Keelah@crystyl | Sin: "Damn, I must be getting soft in my old age if I can't even pull off being cause for concern anymore. So unfair!" NPC@annpc#557 | Kazra taps on the interface again, "Your neurology looks normal too. I'm tuning the implant back now." Keelah@crystyl | Sin nods NPC@annpc#557 | Kazra types away, announcing after a minute, "All done. Now the Chlasi should be able to read your mind and do a final check." Keelah@crystyl | Sin sits up again, "Alright, I'll get out of your way then" NPC@annpc#557 | Kazra nods and one of the nurses sitting on the console taps a button. Almost as soon as Sin gets off the bed, another patient is transported onto it and the nurses that took out the body - NPC@annpc#557 - rushes back in to assist Kazra Keelah@crystyl | Sin watches briefly as she shuffles aside before turning and heading out to leave them to it --- NPC@annpc#557 | On the bridge, everyone is working away intently on their consoles as the VF remains in the gap between the two parts of the station where they collapsed the connective corridor NPC@annpc#557 | TQ: "Sickbay and the Chlasi both report that Sin is uncompromised." Keelah@crystyl:"Where is the Ark now?" NPC@annpc#557 | TQ: "The Esoterics and several security personnel are just storing it within the vault now." Keelah@crystyl nods, "Good. What is the status of the rest of the fleet?" NPC@annpc#557 | Vrolmacht: "67% of the fleet is still combat capable. That is 3% better than the Coalition's initial estimates. Given a few hours, some of the vessels suffering minor damage may be able to - NPC@annpc#557 - restore themselves to a state where they can continue supporting the fleet." Keelah@crystyl:"Put all available resources on support, we don't know how long we have until the Horde counter" NPC@annpc#557 | Vrolmacht nods, "On it, Captain." NPC@annpc#557 | TQ: "MACOs report that both halves of the station are clear and under Coalition control." NPC@annpc#557 | Vusal: "Professor Lycas and his team are standing by to beam down and ready the station for the pulse." Keelah@crystyl:"Get them underway, and I want Sin back down there as soon as she is able" NPC@annpc#557 | Vusal nods, "Understood," he taps on his console to relay the instructions Keelah@crystyl:"What of our condition?" NPC@annpc#557 | Vrolmacht: "No substantial damage. Armour integrity is currently at 12% and dropping. Now that the station is secure, I recommend we move to a more safe distance." Keelah@crystyl nods, "Reseal the airlocks and clear all adjacent junctions into the building. Once ground forces are clear, ease us out and withdraw the armour" NPC@annpc#557 | Vusal and Vrolmacht tap on their consoles, getting to work on their departure. Shortly afterwards, Vusal announces, "We are ready to leave, Captain." Keelah@crystyl:"Alright helm, back us out. Maneuvering thrusters only" NPC@annpc#557 | Fisher nods and begins backing the VF out. There is a slight rattling as some of the metal pieces jutting out scratches the armour, but they are able to dislodge without too much difficulty NPC@annpc#557 | Fisher: "We're clear and set to move to a safer distance at impulse." Keelah@crystyl nods, "Proceed" NPC@annpc#557 | The VF turns around, moving away from the sun and the control station. As they reach a safe point, Vrolmacht deactivates the armour, which shimmers away around the VF NPC@annpc#557 | Vrolmacht: "Armour deactivated. Systems are recharging now." Keelah@crystyl:"Very well, stand down to yellow alert and let's get ourselves back in top form before we need it" NPC@annpc#557 | Vrolmacht nods and the lighting around the bridge shifts as they stand down to yellow alert NPC@annpc#557 | TQ: "We have received an update from the Borg." Keelah@crystyl:"What are they saying?" NPC@annpc#557 | TQ: "The Horde fleet has broken through. The Command Ship has been destroyed and Domina of Borg has transferred to the last remaining tactical cube. Surviving Borg forces are engaged with a - NPC@annpc#557 - small splinter group of the Horde fleet while the main force of four thousand is headed towards the Sphere. ETA is 12 hours." Keelah@crystyl:"Four thousand... and that's after the Borg thinned them out..." NPC@annpc#557 | TQ: "4096 to be exact, but it seems the Borg's initial estimates were on the low side...the Horde were concealing even more forces than expected." Keelah@crystyl:"Remind me to point that flaw out to them the next time we speak" she smiles a little. "Alright, 12 hours to turn this into a defensive stronghold" she stands, "You've all got your focal areas, get - Keelah@crystyl:- a handle on things and put actions in motion. Briefing in 30minutes with the fleet commanders to review our preparedness" Keelah@crystyl then heads out to her ready room --- NPC@annpc#557 | 30 minutes later, the fleet commanders gather in one of the VF's conference rooms, some in person, others calling in. Lycas joins in as well, appearing as a holoprojection behind Keelah Keelah@crystyl looks around, "Thank you everyone for taking the time to catch up, I know you all have your own affairs to attend to. But as I'm sure you have all already heard; the second Horde fleet has broken - Keelah@crystyl - through the Borg lines and will be here in 11.5 hours now, some 4000 strong" NPC@annpc#557 | Lycas: "There is twenty-five hours until the Sphere's omega levels recharge to a point where we will be able to fire the pulse to eliminate the Horde. That means we will have to hold out for - NPC@annpc#557 - 13.5 hours." Keelah@crystyl:"And what time is required if we opt to use that power to activate the gateway to bring in reinforcements?" NPC@annpc#557 | Lycas: "Only three more hours; however, doing so will also increase the time we must hold out for by 3.5 hours." Keelah@crystyl:"A tough decision, especially since we do not even know the extent of those reinforcements" she looks to Mischa, "Unless we do?" Keelah@crystyl | Mischa smiles and nods, "You're learning how this works, Captain. DSEC has 196 starships ready to pass through the gateway. Command has up to 300 more from the other Alliance powers, but they are- Keelah@crystyl - not committing" NPC@annpc#557 | Issandros: "What'd you mean, not committing? The battle here will determine all their fates too." Keelah@crystyl | Mischa nods: "That is true, but the Romulans are still limited in numbers anyway. They are always very non-committal as demonstrated by their support of this initial mission consisting of a - Keelah@crystyl:- single officer. The Klingons will be eager for the fight, but they are also still recovering their numbers from the Iconian conflict which opened up a round of civil in-fighting among the Great - Keelah@crystyl:- Houses. SFI keeps tabs on both powers, and our own estimate puts their commitment to this at around 200 strong" Keelah@crystyl:"Still a long way short of 4000, but 300-500 fresh allied forces is nothing to be sniffed at either" NPC@annpc#557 | Vora nods, "Our projections expect a loss of around 200 ships per hour to this Horde fleet. 300-500 might not be worth the 3.5 hours they cost us, but fresh forces could perform better and - NPC@annpc#557 - hold out for longer. Especially if we take into account your Starfleet tech, Klingon weaponry and battle prowess and Romulan cloaking capabilities. It's a tough call." Keelah@crystyl:"Which is why I do not feel it is a decision for me to make alone. Another consideration is the opening gambit in this. Once the Horde arrive, they first need to fight their way into the Sphere. How- Keelah@crystyl:-long we hold them outside, could be a deciding factor in how we proceed. There is also the Borg presence, though severely reduced they are still in play and must be anticipated to make a move on us- Keelah@crystyl:- as soon as the Horde is gone" NPC@annpc#557 | Vora: "Our numbers'll be reduced too once the Horde are defeated. If they want to take over the Sphere, that's the best time for them to do it. Once we have time to rebuild and bring in - NPC@annpc#557 - additional reinforcements through the gateways, the Borg won't get another chance." NPC@annpc#557 | Supervisor: "I agree. We should be able to open the gateways when we need after 3.5 hours, and doing so at any point will cost us that amount of time. We don't have to do it now, we can see - NPC@annpc#557 - how the battle goes before we decide if we want to open them for additional forces." Keelah@crystyl:"A good point" Keelah@crystyl | Mischa: "And having them off the Horde sensors could provide additional tactical advantage as a cavalry force, rather than a few extra bodies in the Alamo" NPC@annpc#557 | Vora nods, "Holding them back for the element of surprise is a good idea. So we see how long we can hold them back initially before we make the call, then." NPC@annpc#557 | The other fleet commanders across the table nod in agreement Keelah@crystyl:"Very well then. What of the initial defense action now, how can we optimize our strategy to keep the Horde from entering the Sphere?" NPC@annpc#557 | Solan: "The solar beam the Architect tried to use against us- we might be able to use that on the Horde fleet. It won't be as effective because we can't take aim at longer ranges- we're stuck - NPC@annpc#557:- in the middle of a nebula where we can't see anything, but we could use it like the Architect did, take out a few ships on their way in through the hatches." NPC@annpc#557 | Lycas: "We are able to operate the beams from here. Unfortunately, they can only be used once for each hatch before requiring to recharge, but they do not rely on omega energy, only the sun's." Keelah@crystyl:"I'd like to have it primed and ready as soon as they breach the entrance. Is there anything we can do to reinforce it, employ any Sphere defense systems?" NPC@annpc#557 | Unwavering Defender: "There is no time to enhance the durability of the hatches. We can utilize the Sphere's repair drones to reinforce it as long as possible. It will delay the Horde - NPC@annpc#557 - slightly but not significantly. The tractor beams used to guide ships into the Sphere may be of more use. We will direct them to deal as much damage as possible while they are attempting to - NPC@annpc#557 - break through." Keelah@crystyl:"Sounds good" she looks to the OSN contingent, "What about using gravity wells and the like to maintain the bottleneck once they do breach the hatch?" NPC@annpc#557 | Kayd: "Good thinking. We can work with the Colonial Fleet and other ships with capable deflectors to be ready to deploy them at all the hatches." NPC@annpc#557 | Celestina: "I recommend deploying the entirety of our forces at the hatches to keep them in the bottleneck as long as possible. It is our best chance of defense. If needed, we can fall back - NPC@annpc#557 - and reinforce other areas as the battle progresses." Keelah@crystyl:"Agreed. Once the Horde do break through, what is going to be their likely play? Since this is not the Architect now, I do not imagine they will place the same value as he did on the control facility” NPC@annpc#557 | Issandros: "They'll want the gateways. They might be able to crush us and take the Sphere completely, but they know that's not a certainty. They have the numbers, but they're the ones - NPC@annpc#557:- on the attack, and we've got an advantage in holding the Heart of War already. This battle could go either way. But the Horde don't need to take the Sphere entirely- all they need to do is spread - NPC@annpc#557 - out through the gateways. Get far enough away and they'll be out of range of the Sphere's signal, not to mention in totally new regions of the galaxy filled with unsuspecting targets to add to - NPC@annpc#557 - their numbers. So that's what they're going to be after. The gateway controls and the gateways themselves." Keelah@crystyl:"Is it worth then placing some contingency on the gateways?" Keelah@crystyl | Mischa: "You mean destroying them?" Keelah@crystyl nods NPC@annpc#557 | Issandros nods, "There's plenty of gateways in this facility- multiple ship and ground ones. We might not have the time to set contingency on all of them, but we can prepare the ones the - NPC@annpc#557 - Horde are most likely to get to first. If they get too close, we blow them up before they have a chance to go through." Keelah@crystyl:"It's not something I like the idea of, but it is preferable to seeing the Horde use them. Above everything else, we must ensure that not a single thrall gets beyond this Sphere" NPC@annpc#557 | Vora: "There's also one other thing we might have to be aware of. They tried it at Calahadon and they could try it again here. If it becomes clear they can't win, they might go for the sun. - NPC@annpc#557:- Deny us the Sphere if they can't have it, and they deny our only way to wipe out the whole Horde in one move. After that, they'll spread across the whole galaxy eventually. They don't /need/ the - NPC@annpc#557:- gateways if we don't have the Heart of War, but we need the Sphere." Keelah@crystyl:"4000 is a lot to try and contain. I don't know about the Horde, but I was going into something with those kind of numbers I'd be pushing all fronts and gunning for all objectives at once" NPC@annpc#557 | Vora nods, "That's why it's so important we contain them at the bottleneck for as long as we can. The interior of the Sphere's big, with a lot of room to move. Once they make it in, we'll be - NPC@annpc#557 - scrambling to stop them. I don't expect them to keep them there forever, but ideally we'd like to cut them down to a more manageable number as they're trying to get in so we can clean up those - NPC@annpc#557 - that break through with the numbers we have." Keelah@crystyl:"That is why I'm so focused on holding the entrance as well. With the measures already in place we can do a reasonable job of this, and with proper allocation of remaining allied forces to key - Keelah@crystyl:- strategic locations I am confident that we can achieve victory here" Keelah@crystyl | Mischa: "There is one more ace up our sleeves here" Keelah@crystyl looks over Keelah@crystyl | Mischa: "The energy burst you developed and used to neutralize smaller Horde fleets" Keelah@crystyl nods, "It is a consideration, but firing it leaves us vulnerable" Keelah@crystyl | Mischa: "Can we use the same technique from other ships or does it rely specifically on Starfleet technology?" Keelah@crystyl:"It does not, so it may be a measure others can apply" she taps, displaying the technical specs for all NPC@annpc#557 | Supervisor: "It will be difficult for most Coalition ships to utilize and will leave them vulnerable as well, but it is an option as part of a coordinated maneuver." NPC@annpc#557 | Vora: "Our generator ships are basically flying deflectors with a small crew. They're best suited to this since they don't field much firepower." Keelah@crystyl:"Yes, if anyone does attempt this it must be clear how it will leave them vulnerable and should only be used when in a favourable position or at least with support to protect them while recovering" Keelah@crystyl:"Perhaps then we can set up some dedicated wings formed up around your generator ships then. Allied vessels there to provide protection and support to keep those generator ships in play" NPC@annpc#557 | Vora: "A good idea. I've got plenty here to distribute to the different groups we're forming around the hatches." Keelah@crystyl:"Is there anything else to account for in the core strategy at this point?" NPC@annpc#557 | Lycas: "My team and I will need to remain in the control station to operate the solar beams and continue monitoring the omega levels. I recommend Mia and Ensign Ziranar lead a second team - NPC@annpc#557:- outside the gateway connecting to the subspace facility where the ship gates can be controlled from. They will activate the gateways if you determine it is the best course to do so." Keelah@crystyl nods, "That will be a high priority target for the Horde so we'll need to deploy sufficient protection there as well" NPC@annpc#557 | Issandros: "I was just going to say. We'll deploy plenty of ground forces there, along with the control station and other key facilities." Keelah@crystyl:"If there is nothing more then, I suggest we all see to our recovery efforts. Specific deployments can be refined through the CIC" NPC@annpc#557 | Solan nods, "Let's get to work." NPC@annpc#557 | TO BE CONTINUED...