Imperial Fringe Online Game Chat Session Log 16.02.2003
20:41:04 - Methuslah: I'm ready when you are. All right, last week you managed to defeat the Zhodani on board the AHL, but at the cost of all the senior officers' lives. You are now in command of a fleet carrier.
20:41:50 - Kraiger: Hey Kit, what do you recon this baby would fetch at a pawn shop?
20:42:42 - Kit: That ain't funny. Really! I need a couple of men to help me gather the wounded and set up sufficient bunks for them in emergency medical.
20:43:38 - Kit: Round up all available personell and have teams scout the ship, collecting wounded and dead and assessing the worst damage to the ship.
20:44:03 - Bailey: Our big concern is the war with the Zhodani.
20:44:28 - Bailey: If they sent forces here, there are probably more two parsecs away, at Glisten.
20:44:43 - Bailey: That's *the* strategic point around here.
20:44:48 - Kraiger: (I will tend as best I can to my Marines, making sure I have notes of names, and commendations to propose)
20:44:56 - Kit: And prepare lots of space to secure our prisoners. We have meny of them. See if Silvaa is awake again, we may need a translator to deal with the prisoners.
20:45:08 - Kraiger: Stewart, is the ship secure from outside attack now?
20:45:25 - Methuslah: Given the service they showed under fire, most of them have probably earned citations.
20:45:31 - Bailey: We need to convene a meeting of the section heads as soon as possible to discuss this, and other things.
20:45:52 - Kit: Someone get in contact with the other warships out there.
20:46:11 - Bailey: I'll send word out to get this meeting set up ASAP. What other ships are with the AHL>
20:47:32 - Kit: (I#ll recruit the members of team Henry to assist me in setting up more medical equipment, then send them in two pairs off to scout the ship for injured adn any serious damage.
20:47:35 - Methuslah: Two Kiniuir class ships, the Luuru and the Adamdun.
20:48:11 - Bailey: That's good. Our fleet should be able to do Jump-4, as good as any Zho fleet.
20:48:35 - Kit: Kraiger, I need as many men as you can spare to make a complete sweep of the ship to collect the wounded of both sides.
20:48:48 - Bailey: We should also all have black globe generators fitted, right?
20:49:28 - Kraiger: Kit, these men were just in a pretty heavy firefight - they need to rest for a bit - lets round up some crew who didn't fight to sweep the ship...
20:49:34 - Methuslah: You do all have black globes fitted.
20:50:08 - Bailey: What about fuel status? How soon can we jump?
20:50:49 - Methuslah: Your ships will all need to refuel. The log indicates that the reserves were used up getting to the system so quickly.
20:50:50 - Kit: They are a bit winded but those of them who are not injured should help to collect the wounded first. Anybody available, not just the marines. Any more lag in time might endanger lives.
20:50:55 - Methuslah: The ship seems to haev survived without much serious structural damage, aside from the loss of thebridge, but your teams report conisderable internal damage. The sickbay is filled with casualties, either from the Zhodani or the gravitational shifts. You have taken nearly sixty prisoners from amoung the Zhodani.
20:51:42 - Bailey: How many fighters and fuel shuttles are left?
20:52:29 - Methuslah: You have nearly forty casualties, and fifty dead on board. The extermnal communications system is coming on line, and you have external sensors back. All the fuel shuttles are intact, and you have twenty fighters remaining.
20:52:49 - Kit: We should coordinate with the other ships before we even consider a jump. This ship needs some heavy fixing before I'd forde her through another jump.
20:53:10 - Bailey: Holy cow, that means that we lost *forty* in the battle. The Zho kicked our butts!
20:54:01 - Bailey: I believe that our priority is returning the fleet to Glisten as soon as possible to either relieve the Imperial forces there or reinforce them against a Zhodani assault. Thoughts?
20:54:01 - Methuslah: You won - and they lost. But it does seem to have been a very close thing. The commander of the Luuru is hailing you.
20:54:07 - Kit: How many injured and how many people stil in working shape?
20:54:30 - Kraiger: What is the Zho presence in the sector? We should really thinl about liberating Trane orbital before we go anywhere else...
20:54:43 - Bailey: Luuru, this is Commander Stewart Bailey, commanding the Azhanti High Lightning.
20:55:08 - Bailey: We can relieve Trane while the shuttle refuel.
20:56:04 - Kit: (com to Bailey) I don't think we have enough marines left to retake the station.
20:56:31 - Bailey: There should be no Zho presence in this subsector. We're 12 parsecs from Zho space.
20:56:41 - Methuslah: Forty dead, fifty injured, 530 remaining. All but five pilots survived, but the casualties were heaviest amoung the marines.
20:57:01 - Bailey: We can detune the meson guns, giving the entire station an incpaacitating dose of radiation, then move in.
20:57:36 - Methuslah: One of the ensigns working at the comm station pipes up.
20:57:49 - Methuslah: "The Commander of the Luusu is trying to get through, Commander."
20:57:54 - Bailey: Ensign?
20:57:56 - Kit: Bailey, before you start to haul out the big guns again, would you please talk to the other ships and let our people get a rest?
20:58:10 - Bailey: Put him through, Ensign.
20:58:54 - Bailey: Kit, remember that we're at war now. Any delay on our part could prove fatal to our other forces.
20:59:27 - Kit: Yeah, but any uncoordinated attack might be even worse!
21:00:09 - Bailey: We should have lots of time to rest, while we refuel, for example. Without fuel, this flete is useless.
21:00:12 - Kit: We should at least gather what info we have, sit back and take a breath, evaluate what we have and know about the enemy and plan a good strategy, before simply rushing in guns blazing!!
21:00:45 - Methuslah: "Lieutenant Commander Greyson here. To whom am I speaking? Where's Vespura?"
21:01:39 - Bailey: Commander Greyson, this is Commander Stewart Bailey, commanding the Azhanti High Lightning.
21:03:34 - Methuslah: "Hello, sir. How bad is it over there?"
21:04:41 - Bailey: "We're effective, Commander. We've lost two-thirds of our fighters, but our other weaponry seems to be intact. 40 dead, 50 injured. What's your situation?"
21:05:30 - Kit: Maybe you should mention our prisoners, especially the one we brought with us from trane!
21:05:43 - Methuslah: "Pretty bad. We got beaten up by their heavy fighters."
21:06:22 - Kit: And "effective" isn't what I'd call the condition of this ship!
21:06:58 - Methuslah: "We are ready to fight, sir."
21:07:11 - Bailey: "How's the Adamdun? We do have a senior Zhodani officer as prisoner. He may be able to provide us with intelligence concerning the Zho intentions."
21:08:04 - Kit: (whispering to Bailey) hey, can i use the decoding equipment for a while?
21:08:09 - Bailey: "A spinal meson gun that can destroy an entire planet, particle weapons that can do the same, batteries of missiles? This is not a scout ship. It's designed to destroy the enemy."
21:08:20 - Methuslah: "They were hit worse than we were. I got through to Lieutenat Vilix, the ship is effcitve, but it could do with a week in dock."
21:08:26 - Bailey: Kit, please do so.
21:09:05 - Bailey: "Commander, how soon until the Adamdun and you can jump?"
21:09:26 - Kit: OK (heading for equipment, finding some private room, then pulling out the disc and indulging in my curiosity)
21:10:04 - Kit: (after organizeing a cup of coffe for me that is)
21:11:17 - Methuslah: Are the others with you?
21:11:50 - Bailey: I believe that Kraiger's with his marines, Kit just stepped out.
21:12:00 - Bailey: Oops, never mind.
21:13:07 - Methuslah: Alright, Kit. You load up the disc, and the computer stops. It asks for a retinal scan of a senior naval officer.
21:14:25 - Kit: Do we have any seniou naval officers left aboard?
21:14:54 - Kit: Or would Bailey suffice?
21:16:05 - Methuslah: Bailey would do.
21:16:34 - Kit: Bailey, can you spare a second to clear this?
21:17:31 - Bailey: I'll be right there. (then back to the bridge to deal with the naval stuff again)
21:19:56 - Methuslah: The computer asks for a retinal scan, to confirm an 'Top Secret' Communication.
21:20:40 - Bailey: I'll put my eye up to the device to confirm it.
21:21:10 - Kraiger: (Finding the others) need my help?
21:21:47 - Methuslah: A white flash of light blidns you for a second, before blinking 'Retinal Scan Confirmed'.
21:23:48 - Kit: Hi Kraiger, want some coffee?
21:24:31 - Bailey: Well, Kit, what's the Top Secret information?
21:25:08 - Methuslah: The message begins. You recongize the face of the Trane station commander.
21:25:09 - Kit: That remains to be seen. (activating the reading device.)
21:25:49 - Methuslah: "Hello. If you are viewing this message, I am dead or incapacitated. This message is of vital importance to Imperial security - encoded upon it are files that must not be allowed to fall into the wrong hands."
21:26:16 - Bailey: Oooh. It looks like you stopped by at a good time, Krainger.
21:27:50 - Methuslah: "CSB has learned of a plan to catch us 'on the hop' with a two-pronged attack on the Marches. One will be through the standard route from coreward, but the other is through Trojan Reach. These are centered at various key targets, of which this is one. Since lanthanum deposits were found on the ocean floor, this planet is of prime straetigc importance, which is why I had the carrier group sent here in a hurry. Sorry I spolied your leave."
21:30:02 - Bailey: That's strange. There are four naval bases within four parsecs of here. What were they thinking?
21:31:56 - Methuslah: "The other target to watch is Berengaria. We have learned that another carrier group is planning to make its way throug within the next three - four weeks. You must stop them, John. It is essential. There is a group of three accompaning this message - make use of them. You can report to the Starport Customs Officer at Berengaria when you havev finished - he is one of our agents - though I'm hoping I'll still be around to debrief you! Everything is cleared with the Admiralty - you are on independant assignment as of now. Oh - one more thing. Apologise for me to those three. And above all, stop the damn Zho's. If they get a chance to dig in, this war could be over before it starts. That fool Santo will throw everything to the wrong side of the sector, when he should be defending the coreward border. Good Luck, old friend. Take care."
21:32:11 - Methuslah: (Phew - my wrists hurt after typing all that!)
21:34:16 - Kit: Too bad the intended recipielnt of this message is dead and can't apologize. Though I wonder what he is to apologize for?
21:34:31 - Kit: (can we extract the files from the message?)
21:35:08 - Bailey: Kit, Kraiger, any idea where the Zho came from? They couldn't just appear this far inside Imperial space.
21:35:54 - Bailey: Kit, what's the date on that message? Three or four weeks from when?
21:36:11 - Kit: Well we do know there is some kind of alliance between the Zho and BT. With their help they might well have sneaked in this far.
21:36:47 - Kit: I believe the date is only a few day ago (am I correct)
21:37:06 - Methuslah: The files are a collection of coded documents, classified 'Ultra Secret' - only an Admiral could read them. A few are of lower level's of classification, and are a selection of budgeting reports for this subsector army and naval assets. There are also banking statements for several senior officers, many of which you recognize.
21:37:58 - Bailey: Banking statements? Maybe there's some sign of suspicious payments from BT to some of them?
21:38:07 - Kit: um, not BT but MC
21:39:14 - Methuslah: It seems that several have evidence of large deposits and transfers to accounts, some of which appear to be BT. A few seem to be from outside the Empire.
21:39:29 - Bailey: Either might us an idea of whose side thay are really on.
21:41:07 - Kit: Maybe the commander will recover enough to shed some light on this. (Any hope for this Meth?)
21:41:19 - Bailey: Are any of the suspicious payments to officers that are currently on the AHL, Adamdun, or Luusu?
21:41:45 - Methuslah: Some - he is in a light medical coma, should be reviable in two-four weeks. But he will live.
21:41:55 - Methuslah: Only one - Vespura's name is prominent.
21:42:40 - Kit: Well since he was among the casualties, there is one less suspect around.
21:42:39 - Bailey: Great. Who's paying him, I wonder...
21:43:27 - Kit: MF?
21:43:27 - Bailey: Is it one of those out of the Imperium, or more obvious?
21:43:33 - Methuslah: Large pay-offs are indicated to several extra-Imperial persons.
21:44:48 - Kit: We know McClarren factors is involved in this, as might be BT. Trouble is there is only one person left who might clear this up for us, and he is in a coma.
21:45:02 - Kraiger: Well, it sounds to me like we should turn this ship over to the Imperium, and grab that X-boat to Berengaria as soon as we can...
21:46:18 - Kit: And stop a group of Zho carriers all by ourselves? We must get this information to someone who can make use of it. What about the commanders of the other ships?
21:47:40 - Bailey: We could get to another naval base. Maybe Romar. We might have enough time to send a force ahead of the Zhodani.
21:49:20 - Methuslah: (Some info: Berengaria is six parsecs away. It has a small naval base, basically only a fighter wing and a couple of patrol cruisers.)
21:50:19 - Bailey: (Romar's on the way, isn't it?)
21:50:41 - Kit: (six parsecs? My map says seven. Mhhh. Must have a different one than you do 
)
21:51:07 - Bailey: (Effects of the Virus?)
21:51:31 - Kit: (all my maps are pre-virus)
21:51:57 - Kit: (maybe it has to do with them being from Gurps Traveller)
21:52:12 - Bailey: (No!)
21:53:38 - Kit: (anyway, if the GM says it's six parsecs, I'm willing to believe him)
21:53:59 - Bailey: (But the base at Romar is on the way, isn't it?)
21:54:06 - Kraiger: Why not - we stopped an entire Zho invasion here! Sounds like we're working for CSB now, and if they wanted to send a squadron, they will...
21:54:24 - Kit: I don't think berengaria can stand up to several Zho carriers without some reinforcements.
21:54:41 - Bailey: We might have been working for them all along...
21:55:09 - Kit: Uhm, WE? stopped a Zho invasion? We did have the assistance of several imperial warships, or did you miss them?
21:55:11 - Methuslah: (er...yes. Seven. Romor is on your way. Computer library reports it is a small depot - several mothballed vessels and a Kiniuir squadron,.)
21:55:53 - Kit: (ah, must not redraw my maps after all 
)
21:56:35 - Kraiger: Right - but I don't think the CSB ever planned us to take on the Zho head to head - that was bad luck. If we can expose who is aiding the ZHo, then we'll do a lot more than a squadron of carriers could..
21:56:51 - Bailey: We can also send xboats to the other bases: New Rome, Glisten, Bendor, Egypt, and Mille Falcs.
21:57:19 - Bailey: That could get naval forces converging on the Zho in a few weeks. That might take care of them.
21:57:27 - Kit: Somehow that does not sound like much help either. But Romar does have a scout base, meaning a pickup for an xboat, should we take that route.
21:58:37 - Kit: Dammned, how I miss my Bucephalos.
21:59:13 - Bailey: I'll bet you call all of your ships that.
21:59:17 - Kit: We should certainly send this info to as many naval bases as we can.
21:59:41 - Kit: No, I have only one Bucephalos, and I've grown quite fond of him.
21:59:54 - Bailey: Exactly. The sooner news of the Zho intentions gets out, the sooner the navy can organize to drive them back.
22:01:06 - Bailey: What do you guys think? Do you want to jump out as soon as possible, or stay and help with stuff here?
22:01:22 - Kit: Suggestion: We gather what info we can here (maybe from prisoners or captured data), compose a report and send it, via Romar or from here, to all naval bases in range.
22:02:01 - Kit: I could probably help here for the next 4 years, but I have a nagging feeling, that we may be needed even more elswhere.
22:02:14 - Bailey: How urgent is us moving on? The naval people can do these things also.
22:02:40 - Kit: I say we rest a day or two, gather what info we can, collect some equipment and than jump to Romar and from there to berengaria.
22:03:27 - Kit: I'd also like to secure some safe place for Silvaa.
22:03:34 - Kraiger: I think we've been all the help we can here - and I bet the Navy won't even recognise our assistance officially - I think we get out of here as soon as we can, otherwise we're going to find ourselves so deep in red tape we'll never see the end of it!
22:03:56 - Kit: I do hope the agent at berengaria will be able to give us some more info.
22:04:19 - Kraiger: What is the status of Trane orbital - I've still got some belongings there that I'd like to pick up. And where abouts is this X-boat docked?
22:04:39 - Bailey: That should be enough time for the fleet here to refuel. That needs to be one of the highest priorities of all. It's just four shuttles flying.
22:04:44 - Kit: Then I suggest we take Silvaa along. I may be able to secure passage fro him to someplace safe from Romar.
22:05:16 - Kit: Yes, Trane orbital. henry is still there. Dammned Zho.
22:05:20 - Methuslah: The Xboat is on station in far orbit - it'll take six hours to get out to the tender in one of the ships. Trane orbital, as far as you know, is under Zhodani control.
22:05:25 - Bailey: Do your things on Trane have new guards?
22:06:07 - Bailey: What do we know about survivors of the attack on Trane orbital?
22:06:13 - Kit: New Guards?
22:06:28 - Bailey: Zhodani.
22:06:54 - Kit: I hope they don't harm henry.
22:07:47 - Kit: Everything else I left on Trane can be replaced. It wasn't much luggage anyways.
22:08:17 - Methuslah: You didn't haev a chance to find out. You could be there in five hours, at full accleration.
22:08:43 - Bailey: Wasn't much? Weren't you the guy with several trunks of stuff?
22:09:08 - Kit: Maybe we can check for communication with the station?
22:09:25 - Kit: No, I had one suitcase with me, no more.
22:09:51 - Kraiger: I did have a couple of trunks... only vital equipment though 
22:10:35 - Kraiger: Well, lets try and raise Trane orbital then...
22:10:51 - Bailey: OK, I'll head back to the bridge and check with communications to see what the status is. (heading back...)
22:10:52 - Kit: We should chekc the communication option first.
22:11:02 - Kraiger: (comm to Trane) Trane orbital, this is Lt Commander Kraiger. What is your status?
22:11:55 - Methuslah: (Swapped services, Kraiger?)
22:12:00 - Methuslah: There is no response.
22:12:41 - Kit: Long range scanners operative?
22:12:43 - Kraiger: (OOPS! 
)
22:12:44 - Bailey: (Once you've seen the firepower of a spinal weapon, those PGMPs seem like toys. I think it's wishful thinking.)
22:13:31 - Methuslah: Long range scanners still inoperative.
22:13:42 - Kraiger: Well, I'd be happy to swing past Trane and pick up Henry...
22:14:09 - Kit: We could take the Sliver for a little hop back to trane to see what's happened. Which might just get us back inti the jam we barely escaped from.
22:14:50 - Kit: And anyways, I really could use a few hours sleep now. I've been awake ever since we took those Zho for a littel Aquatic Safari.
22:15:40 - Kraiger: Stewart, you seem to carry some weight around here - want to check if we've got any fresh marines on the other ships?
22:17:39 - Bailey: Sure, the Kinunir class ships also carry a full platoon, I believe.
22:19:34 - Bailey: (raising the other ships) "What's the status of your ship's troops? Any casualties?"
22:21:13 - Bailey: (to the other ships) "Our long range sensing is down. What can you tell us about the status of the Trane orbital facility?"
22:24:21 - Bailey: Hey, Kraiger, maybe you can make up for the loss of your equipment from the stuff that the Zhodani no longer need.
22:28:16 - Methuslah just entered this channel
22:28:22 - Kit: Try to find out as much as you can, I will start to compile a report of the data we have so far that we can send out to the imperial bases.
22:28:50 - Kit: (ah we lost the gm, that explains the silence)
22:29:16 - Methuslah: Adamdun and Luusu both inform you they have no casualties to ship's troops.
22:29:27 - Methuslah: The Luusu repsonds...
22:29:36 - Methuslah: "Hello, sir. Anything I can do for you?"
22:30:22 - Bailey: "Our long-range sensing capability is down, and we need to know the situation on the Trane orbital station. What can you tell us?"
22:31:02 - Bailey: Kraiger, both of the cruisers have full platoons.
22:31:12 - Methuslah: "Seems to be in normal operation, sir. Why?"
22:31:54 - Bailey: "What can you tell us about the Zhodani presence there?"
22:32:50 - Methuslah: "Zhodani presence, sir?"
22:33:05 - Kit: (I#ll start compiling all the data and rumors we have encountered so far into one report, scout style, that should be pretty much routine for my character. I will also compile, and encode in the "family code" a full report intended for my cousin Duke Aledon to be send on it's way via xboat as soon as possible. I think i already told you about that some while back. The should keep me busy foa a while and I will include any further information as it becomes available)
22:33:28 - Bailey: "Are there any Zhodani forces in or near the station?"
22:33:51 - Methuslah: Very well.
22:34:03 - Methuslah: "Not that we can see, Commander."
22:35:05 - Kit: You do remember that the Zho had local help.
22:35:12 - Bailey: Kit, Kraiger, did you hear that? No know Zhodani presence in or around Trane orbital.
22:35:26 - Kraiger: Stewart, I'd suggest they send a marine troup to secure the station. Then I agree with Kit,
22:35:31 - Kraiger: we should take a little nap!
22:35:31 - Kit: Then why aint they replying to our hails?
22:35:32 - Bailey: Yes, but nothing like a platoon of marines.
22:36:48 - Bailey: Fair enough. "Commander, how soon can you send a marine force to secure the station?"
22:37:57 - Kit: What happened to the five Zho ships? Were they destroyed, did they flee or what?
22:38:06 - Methuslah: "I can load it on our shuttles at get it off at once, sir. Be there in seven hours."
22:39:09 - Bailey: "Start the operation as soon as posisble. Make sure the marines have adequate support in case any Zho ships show up."
22:39:21 - Bailey: That should give us time to sleep.
22:40:26 - Kraiger: (ZZZZzzzzzzzz......)
22:40:27 - Kit: Tell them to pick up henry if they run across him.
22:41:51 - Kit: I'll finish my report, make one last check in medical and engineering, and if no major problems require my immediate attention, I'll find a free bunk somewhere to catch some sleep.
22:43:48 - Methuslah: This seems like a good time to call it quits for the night - do you mind if we stop - I've got a bit of a headache.
22:43:51 - Kit: 
22:44:31 - Kit: I don't mind. I just hope I get henry back next time. It's really the only piece of my equipment that I have some personal attechment to.
22:45:13 - Methuslah: I'll see what can be arranged.