On The Job Training – Battle joined
by HoD Ro' Matlh & Crewman Recruit UKnown Uknown & Sogh Germite Ephilom & Ne' Michelle "Mike" Young & Soghla' HIchop Matlh & Soghla' Jared

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Title   Battle joined
Mission   On The Job Training
Author(s)   HoD Ro' Matlh & Crewman Recruit UKnown Uknown & Sogh Germite Ephilom & Ne' Michelle "Mike" Young & Soghla' HIchop Matlh & Soghla' Jared
Posted   Wed Feb 17, 2016 @ 3:36am
Location   IKC FHew Bridge
The ship was following the patrol lines dictated by the exercise. The crew were alert, knowing that they were about to be out-gunned by their opponent. They couldn't afford any errors.

"We are approaching the Tau Cupa system," Brue reported.

"Stand ready," Ro' warned, "If I were to pick an ambush point, it would be here. The Emissions nebula could mask a ship from sensors, and we have to pass close to it to avoid the Asteroid field."

"Unlike real life, we are expecting an attack, so be ready, and keep your eyes on the nebula. At the first sign of trouble, they will be expecting run for the asteroid belt where we will have maneuverability on our side."

Jared spoke from his position, "I have had a look at the tactical analysis of the Miranda, and there is nothing we can use for our advantage. It was decommissioned because of the build cost. More advanced and economical designs, such as the Nebula, simply displaced it."

"I know the feeling," Ro' growled.

"However," Jared continued, "our best bet might be to consider the rules of engagement themselves. If we behave in a manner that appears to break the rules, the recruits will struggle to adapt."

Ro' glanced at the Vulcan observer, "I have noticed a strict adherence to policy has been drilled into these recruits."

Germite glanced down at his workstation. He looked up, but something drew his eye back to the readout. There it was, an approaching vessel. "HoD!!! There is a vessel closing on us." He paused. "Bearing 290 by 70."

Ro' didn't waste time asking how it had snuck up on them, "Raise shields, bring us about! Helm, I want an intercept course that will shave the paint of them as we pass!'

Air grinned. THIS was why he had become a pilot, "How much paint?"

"Germite, load the aft photon torpedoes with a full spread designed to target us," Ro' yelled. "Fire on my mark."

He nodded, then looked down at the workstation and toggled the switch to load the torpedoes. He then set them to target the Fhew. He'd done stranger things in his career, he just couldn't remember when. "All set."

"They have weapon's lock," Hichop reported from the XO station.

"Return disruptor fire, but pick your shots."

"They are firing photons."

"Helm, evasive maneuvers. Fire aft torpedoes as they pass. The explosions should mask their launch."

The Fhew spun and danced like a Targ on a line and most of the torpedoes passed them.

"Two direct hits... No damage," Cha'a' supplied with surprise from the engineering station.

"No damage?" Ro' queried.

"Confirmed," Jared supplied. "The computer program recorded no explosive payloads int he weapons."

"What are they playing at?"

"Maintain course and speed," Ro' ordered.

The Fhew was now on a direct ramming course for the USS Prospero. As if that wasn't bad enough there was a spread of ten of their own photon torpedoes tracking and closing in on them. Fortunately, they would be much more likely to die in the collision with the bigger ship first.

Synic sidled up to Hlchop and Germite, "I wonder if the purpose of the exercise has been lost on the captain?"

Germite raised an eyebrow, "The purpose of the exercise, is the same as the purpose of any battle. Either we win or we die gloriously."

Synic replied, "It may surprise you to know that the Federation believes the purpose of battle is to resolve a conflict with the minimum of casualties."

"And that is why they loose," Ro' called. "Germite, stand by to drop shields!"

The FHew tore through space as the gap between the Prospero, now turning to try and avoid the collision, and the Torpedoes behind them both closed.

"Drop Shields!"

Germite stabbed the button and the FHew shields vanished. A moment later she hit the shields of the Prospero and ran along the ventral line before spilling out into her Impulse wake.

The computer on the Propsero registered a significant hit to the shields, taking them off line automatically at the same moment that the spread of torpedoes that had been trailing the FHew impacted the Prospero. The FHew's own shields, being lowered as they passed, had not registered the impact and raised again now as the FHew came about.

"Report!" Ro' barked.

Hichop looked down at his screen, "Damage to RCS thrusters, lower defensive shields, starboard pulse phaser and a hull breach on decks 7 and 8. Without shields to the lower decks they will have to close off floors 6 down which will slow down repairs."

"Good. Bring us about for a second run and keep us on the lower starboar..."

The ship shuddered. Another ship appeared out of the emission nebula and began opening fire on the FHew.

"I've lost attitude control," Air called. "We are venting drive plasma."

"Shields are at 72%."

"ON screen."

A Cardasian Galor class vessel filled the viewer. It fired another volley which caught the FHew.

"Shields at 43%."

"Return fire!" Ro' barked.

"Our weapons are set to fire harmlessly for the training exercise. We can't unlock the permissions."

The bridge shook again.

"No weapons, shields and engines failing," Ro' ground his teeth. "Suggestions!"

"Today is a good day to die!!!" Germite smiled. "I say we ram them."

Hichop pushed down firmly on Germite's shoulder in affirmation of the suggestion, "Or we could use the Prospero as a shield by putting them between us and that Denib QatlH until we get our weapons back on line. Helm Make It HAPPEN!!!" Hichop was not much in the mood to wait around for suggestions or death.

Air didn't need to be told twice, The ship rolled and span but he managed to get it to move towards the cover of the Prospero which was adjusting it's angle to give them greater protection.

This engagement reminded Hichop of the last time they were taken off guard by Cardasians and how a specific Cardasian was after something from Ro. "Germite, Check that Cardaian ship. Is it Gal Iver's?"

Germite scanned the ship, then cross referenced the known ships database. A moment later, it was positively identified. He nodded his head. "Yes, it is Gul Iver's ship."

"Iver," Ro' snarled. "Open a channel!"

The face of a Cardassian Gul filled the screen. "Captain Ro'? What a surprise. I assumed you would be dead, but here you are still moldering along in your garbage scow."

"What are you playing at, Iver?" Ro' barked. "You are in Federation space. They will not take you firing on their ship's lightly. Nor do I."

"The Cardassians are nothing, if not considerate of our allies," Iver oozed smug arrogance. "In fact we were just in the area when we saw one of our Federation Allies being fired on. Naturally we ran to allow assistance. How unfortunate that the sturborn Klingon captain insisted on dying rather than surrendering. Oh, well such a tragic loss."

The screen went dead.

"Get me the Captain of the Prospero," HIchop barked.

"Communications are being jammed," Jared replied.

"Then they cannot broadcast the release code to end the simulation and reactivate our weapons, nor can we signal it to them," Ro' surmised. "Iver wants us dead, and has so since his famous defeat at my hands. I will not give him the satisfaction."

"How do we fight him with two ships but no weapons? We can't hide behind the skirts of the Federation forever."

Hiccup turned to Jared, "Does Jeeves need the codes to release our weapons?"

Jared confirmed, "Unfortunately, yes. It is a safe guard to avoid any "cheating" that the codes can only be released by the opponent, except in moments of critical failure, such as the destruction of the other ship."

Hichop continued "No matter. This simulation will end when either the Prospero or the Fhew are destroyed. Captain, rather than leaving that to the Cardasians to choose, we could attempt to take down the Prospero by aim at their Warp Core. However even with their lower shields down it would probably not do enough damage to give us the win. Alternatively we could give our Federation friends a little tap with disruptors and an open shot with our shields down. They are currently acting as our shields anyway so we should not incur any real world damage from Gul Iver'. If the Federation is paying attention we will both be weapons ready in minutes and be able to defend ourselves with perhaps Federation support."

Ro' thought as Air struggled to keep distance from the Galor ship.

"It relies on a crew of Recruits understanding our strategy, which I do not trust. Germite, we can supercharge the Disruptors with a short burst of raw drive plasma. It is an uncommon tactic because of the risk of Warp Core breach, but the process is in the computers. Set the weapons to charge, it may give us what we need."

Germite didn't sign on with Matlh for survivability, it was actually the opposite. He nodded and set about charging the disruptors, "It is ready."

The systems began to show the charge building but Ro' seemed in no hurry to fire and release the pent up energy.

Synic suddenly realized what was happening, "Ah! Your weapons are modified so they do not actually fire, therefore you cannot actually overcharge them. However, because the procedure is documented in the system, the computer can modify the simulation parameters to approximate the effect. You are creating a simulated Warp Core Breach to destroy the ship, end the simulation, and reset the weapon and shield modifications."

Ro' glanced at Jared, "Is that what I am doing?"

Jared nodded and smiled, "Unintentionally, I suspect."

"In that case, Computer, prepare to cloak as soon as the Warp Core breaches."

Three was a sudden flash of light and then the bridge went into dark mode. Jeves the computer intoned, - I regret to inform you that at 11:18 hours the Warp core detonated destroying the ship. All hands were lost. The Simulation has ended. Normal functionality has been restored and we are now cloaked. -

"Such a shame." Mike said, twirling her equipment in her fingers. " Never got to test the effect if this stuff on a Klingon. Could have been rather interesting for my notes...."

On the screen the USS Prospero was making use of her returned tactical functionality. The Cadets were unleashing a payload of weaponry that made the crew secretly glad they had not been the target of. Within moments the Galor class was crippled and held by their tractor beam.

"I suspect Gul Iver's reputation will not be improved by being caught off guard and defeated by a group of Federation recruits," Ro' grinned broadly. "Damage report!"

"We are being hailed by the Prospero. They are arresting Gul Iver and inviting us to a debrief. They seem to have been able to see through the cloak."

Ro' grinned, "Clever. Drop cloak and acknowledge the invite."