GESB: Operation Time-Cops

[Alic]

Alic gives a slight wave as Matthew walks away. She turned a stalk eye towards Myitt once he had disappeared. <How long until we move in? We need to be prepared, we don't know what's waiting for us.> She genuinely worried for the human. Yes, his planet was at risk. But how many of them would risk their lives for a single stranger? The boy had some courage. She hoped that everything would go smoothly for him.

[Luke Skywalker (Ossanlin)]

Ossanlin watches as Matthew drives away, and sends a private thought-speech to Claxter without taking his main eyes from the human's vehicle.  <<Indeed that is a tactically sound strategy, Claxter.  It was my intention to withhold the nature of the device from the human, but he spoke of it exploding before I revealed the device's nature, demonstrating that he already knew the device was an explosive.  I believe Myitt had already told him of the purpose of the device.  My intent in describing the nature of the device was to allay any fears he might have, since he already knew it was an explosive.>>

Ossanlin's tail flicks as he turns and trots back up the ramp, activating the main viewscreen and magnifying the image to watch the situation.  He didn't want to risk the Yeerks detecting even a low-level sensor-sweep.  <Myitt, please come in here, I will need your assistance in determining the correct time to detonate the device.>

[Chad32]

Claxter followed his Prince up the ramp. It was very close to the deciding point of this mission. If they could rescue Tamora, it shouldn't be hard to get Efaen away from Terenia. She would do anything to ensure her sister's safety. Even endure senseless torture.

<I wonder if Zorish is not such an evil Yeerk. If Tamora is voluntary, I assume Zorish is kind to her. Or at least not cruel. Though he could still be a complete loyalist, as even Sukohn seems somewhat civil and is obviously a loyalist. I suppose we should give Zorish a chance to change sides or something.>

[Myitt]

Myitt watches Matthew drive off for a moment more, and then nods at Alic.  "We'll have to monitor them.  I hope he'll be okay." 

She bites her lip and follows Ossanlin into the Mirage, pocketing Matthew's holocube.  "We can track his position and Hadrin's using Hadrin's computer, and the fake Escafil, but Zorish is going to be a bit trickier.  Hadrin was only able to send the position of Zorish's ship, not Zorish's personal computer or communicator.  That's going to be the real trick, here.  Making sure we knock down the one person we really want to knock down."  She watches the screens anxiously. 

[Gumby]

((Ok, this RPG looks very interesting as I REALLY don't want to read 537 pages of the GESB thread, is there any way I can learn what the hell is happening?

[Terenia]

((Sorry about the absence, guys. Work trip took over my life briefly, but I am back. ))


Zorish watches the transaction take place through the ships viewfinder. He adjusts the controls at one point and the image zooms in - the audio is projected over the shipboard communicator.

When Hadrin announces that he has the device a small, wicked smile crosses Zorish's face. He zooms back out on the viewscreen and pulls up the navigational controls.

"Perfect," Zorish says quietly under his breath to Tammy, "now we just have to go pick up that dapsen of a sister of yours."

Zorish brings back up the preset destinations on the computer, selecting the last known location of Terenia - some insignificant planetoid light years away. He clears his throat and speaks to the computer in a louder voice.

"Automatic sequence to preset destination oh-five-one. Engage sequence in two minutes," Zorish turns his attention back to the viewscreen as the computer beeps in compliance. Hadrin was making his way across the morning sand, just now gaining its golden tinge back, and towards the ship. With a quick command, Zorish opened the hatch.

[Chad32]

<This is it. Once Hadrin gets inside the ship, and we have confirmation of Zorish being in the room, we can set the detonator. Things are going as planned, right? In fact since zorish came sooner, that means we have additional time to complete the other end of our mission. Zorish's move actually works in our favor.>

[Myitt]

"Yeah, the only thing is, we have no idea exactly where Zorish is," Myitt repeats irritably.  "Only his ship.  Ah, it looks like Hadrin's on the move.  He'll try and signal us if he can, but it could very well be up to us to decide."  She leans over the control panel, eyeing the holoscreens intently.

---

Hadrin steps aboard the ship, holding the Escafil device in his hand.  "Here you are, Sub-visser," he says, reaching his other hand into his pocket and squeezing two sides of his holocube to send the Apex Mirage an alert.  "I'd say that went rather smoothly, wouldn't you?"

---

"Okay, that's him," says Myitt tersely, barely remembering to breathe.  "Ossanlin, we have to act, now!"

[Terenia]

"It went perfectly," Zorish says, taking the cube as a grin of victory spreads across Tammy's face. He reaches out and takes the faux Escafil Device from Hadrin.

"Computer, close hatch," Zorish orders.

The computer replies with a ding of assent as the hatch shuts. A moment later it announces in a clear, monotone Yeerkish voice, "One minute until preset navigational route is engaged. Please ensure that you are properly restrained."

"Yeah, yeah..." Zorish mutters, taking a seat and keeping the cube on his lap as he straps himself in.

[Chad32]

<The hatch closed. Is that a problem? I guess we can blast it open after setting the detonator. Do it, sir! I'm excited!>

[Luke Skywalker (Ossanlin)]

<There is no problem, the signal is transmitted through z-space as with all transponder messages.>  Ossanlin nods to Myitt and pulls the detonator.  He presses one button to arm the device.  After receiving a confirming chirp back, he holds down a trigger on the side of the pad and presses the green button.


*In Zorish's ship*

Without making a sound, a spherical wave of energy bursts outward from the device, causing superficial arcing to occur along any exposed metallic components in the ship, the wave sweeping over the entire interior and out to a good 50 foot radius around the ship, dissipating to nothingness.


*Back in the Mirage*

In the viewscreen, a strange shimmer accompanied by absorbed electrical arcs appear where the cloaked Yeerk vessel sits.  <It has detonated.  Any humans within the effective radius should be completely unconscious.>  Ossanlin commands the computer to spin-up the engines which Claxter had correctly left warm, and pilots the ship over to the shack near where the cloaked vessel sits.  <I hope you know how to bypass that hatch Myitt, sensors show the ship is spinning up.  Zorish must've started the take-off sequence before I detonated the device.>  Ossanlin quickly re-lowers the ramp from the Mirage and darts down the ramp, galloping toward the Yeerk vessel.

[Terenia]

((Question: in the books when a host is knocked unconscious the Yeerk is still conscious, just paralyzed and unable to do anything with their host. With the EM blast knock Zorish out too, since he is protected by Tammy's skull, or would both be knocked out? Not that it makes much difference to what they can do. ))

Zorish is staring intently at the viewscreen, eager for the desert to be left behind. He has been completely ignoring Hadrin since he delivered the blue box, lost in his own visions of his future as a powerful Visser.

When the blast goes off the ship was only a few feet off the ground. Zorish has no time to react, or even to know that something has gone wrong, with the device in such close range. As the cloaked ship gains altitude, everything in Zorish's world goes black.

[Chad32]

<It's already lifting off! Where is it heading? He needs Terenia, who is back at the bar, so is that where he's going? Blast it! If only she had been here, this wouldn't happen.> Ossanlin had already left the ship, so Claxter couldn't take off after it. And even if he did, could they leave for the bar without dealing with Sukohn? <If that ship gets to terenia, and she hides Tamora away, she'll just leave the bar and we may never see the three of them again.>

Then the obvious hit him. Fire on the engines! His hands flew across the controls as  he angled the ship's weapons towards the engines of Zorish's ship. <Sir, I'm preparing to fire on the enemy ship. Permission to fire?>

[Alic]

Without further word, Alic gallops to keep in pace with Ossanlin towards the ship. She wasted no time following him, at moments almost racing ahead, tail arched and ready for some kind of battle. It couldn't be this easy... <I do hope this worked according to plan!> All four eyes aimed at their destination.

((If I remember correctly the yeerk is conscious but the host is.. Obviously.. Not.. Like you said it wouldn't matter much.. But I don't remember))

[Myitt]

((I think the Yeerk is conscious, at least enough to watch dreams and be able to wait while their host is asleep or knocked unconscious.))

Aboard Zorish's ship, Hadrin just barely has time to strap himself into his secondary navigational restraints before the inevitable.  Justin falls unconscious and all Hadrin can do is wait, hoping they both survive, as the ship rises into the air.

---

A few yards away, Matthew is knocked back onto the desert floor behind the open Jeep door he had been hiding behind.  His head hits a rock, gashing his forehead.  The driver's side door swings back and forth with the repercussions of the energy blast before coming to rest once more.

---

"I can open the hatch if we get the bloody ship on the ground!" Myitt yells, heading toward the hatch but pausing while Claxter maneuvers the shredder cannon toward Zorish's ship.  "I hope you order your cadet to fire!"