These are the Voyages: Unwelcome Guests Part Two
The Belau made for the gas giant at best speed, and the Akkali were not far behind. But it was enough of a lead to tell, and the pursuing cruiser took some time to enter weapon range. By the time it did the coruscating discharge over the magnetic pole was looming like a cloudfront ahead, the close orbit to the star allowing enough gas to transfer and fluoresce under the bombardment of stellar particles and twisted field lines. Another of its heavy torpedoes hits the aft shields, but the Belau moves into the electrical nightmare ahead of it.
While the currents and charges of the gaseous soup was hardly enough to deal any damage it was far from a clean background for sensor scans, and the explorer seemingly disappeared from view. As over a minute passed without attack Captain Nemo cautiously ordered the shields lowered and a course change on thrusters. The Belau shifted minutely along its axis, just in time for a sapphire bolt to scream by her starboard side, the torpedo plunging into the electrical murk and disappearing from sight. There was a quiet beep from the panel projected by Operation's console.
"Active scans," she reported. "High energy, narrow sweep."
Nemo immediately ordered main systems offline, and the crew waited silently as the Akkali continued to scan the area. But there was no attack, and it seemed that for the moment at least the ship was safe. The plan immediately became moving as covertly as possible through the twisted magnetic field lines that linked the gas giant and the star, creeping away from the planet and towards the primary. Once close enough that the star itself would mask them from sensors the Belau could make an orbital pass and jump to warp quite literally on the other side of the sun from the Akkali cruiser.
It was unfortunate that the Akkali had other ideas. The Belau was barely five minutes into its slow coast on thrusters when a torpedo detonated nearby, an enormous wash of radiation sweeping through the area. While the energy-resistant alloys the made up the explorer's hull protected the crew, that exact effect would highlight her presence if less radiation was absorbed in the area she was hiding in than elsewhere. Normally that alone would have been enough to betray her location, but the sheer electrical chaos of the area dampened sensors enough that more than one attempt was required. Captain Nemo could only watch as a slow chain of torpedo detonations crept towards the ship and her inevitable discovery.
The first option was straightforward enough - the Belau's position was unknown, but the attacks of the Akkali ship meant it was exposed. Creeping out of the edge of the magnetic disturbances would allow the Belau a first strike and tilt the battle in her favor. The other option was in its own way just as risky - instead of fleeing away from the planet, flee towards it. Dropping into the atmosphere of the gas giant itself would render the ship almost impossible to spot but her shields thoroughly useless. Accomplishing that in time would most certainly be detected, but the Akkali would have no option but to follow if they wished to pursue. So deep in the planet's gravity well any substantial damage would be lethal for either ship, and without shields that damage would be expected in any battle there. Chasing the Belau in would be utterly reckless.
[ ] Use the element of surprise to jump on the cruiser.
[ ] Up the stakes and drop the Belau into the gas giant.
While the currents and charges of the gaseous soup was hardly enough to deal any damage it was far from a clean background for sensor scans, and the explorer seemingly disappeared from view. As over a minute passed without attack Captain Nemo cautiously ordered the shields lowered and a course change on thrusters. The Belau shifted minutely along its axis, just in time for a sapphire bolt to scream by her starboard side, the torpedo plunging into the electrical murk and disappearing from sight. There was a quiet beep from the panel projected by Operation's console.
"Active scans," she reported. "High energy, narrow sweep."
Nemo immediately ordered main systems offline, and the crew waited silently as the Akkali continued to scan the area. But there was no attack, and it seemed that for the moment at least the ship was safe. The plan immediately became moving as covertly as possible through the twisted magnetic field lines that linked the gas giant and the star, creeping away from the planet and towards the primary. Once close enough that the star itself would mask them from sensors the Belau could make an orbital pass and jump to warp quite literally on the other side of the sun from the Akkali cruiser.
It was unfortunate that the Akkali had other ideas. The Belau was barely five minutes into its slow coast on thrusters when a torpedo detonated nearby, an enormous wash of radiation sweeping through the area. While the energy-resistant alloys the made up the explorer's hull protected the crew, that exact effect would highlight her presence if less radiation was absorbed in the area she was hiding in than elsewhere. Normally that alone would have been enough to betray her location, but the sheer electrical chaos of the area dampened sensors enough that more than one attempt was required. Captain Nemo could only watch as a slow chain of torpedo detonations crept towards the ship and her inevitable discovery.
The first option was straightforward enough - the Belau's position was unknown, but the attacks of the Akkali ship meant it was exposed. Creeping out of the edge of the magnetic disturbances would allow the Belau a first strike and tilt the battle in her favor. The other option was in its own way just as risky - instead of fleeing away from the planet, flee towards it. Dropping into the atmosphere of the gas giant itself would render the ship almost impossible to spot but her shields thoroughly useless. Accomplishing that in time would most certainly be detected, but the Akkali would have no option but to follow if they wished to pursue. So deep in the planet's gravity well any substantial damage would be lethal for either ship, and without shields that damage would be expected in any battle there. Chasing the Belau in would be utterly reckless.
[ ] Use the element of surprise to jump on the cruiser.
[ ] Up the stakes and drop the Belau into the gas giant.
