Assault on the ICS Jefferson Davis

[flykiller]

Just Another Ref

"Alright." The boy moves out.

You move through the hatch at (F) and look around. Another dimly-lit deck, creme white paint. To your right are a damage control locker and a ladder going up. The sign says "Forward Lifeboat Deck". You dog the (F) hatch.

Away aft stretches row after row of fuel tanks. Each one has "Caution" stencilled on it. Far away at (G) things seem brighter.

A hardwire display appears in your helmet - a non-breathable atmosphere warning. The corrosive and explosive warnings are not lit - you don't know if they're damaged or not. You check your in-suit air, and it indicates one hour remaining. It should indicate several hours, you must have a leak. Pressure in the system is high enough, you still have something. You head aft.

The temperature warning lights off - great cold. You haven't seen that one since boot camp. As you approach (G) you see that everything is covered in frost, getting thicker as you advance aft. You can feel the cold beginning to seep in, and your suit responding to maintain temperature.

At (H) you see two bodies on the deck, frozen together, a shotgun between them. Neither is in armor. A hole is in the tank forward of them. A ladder leads up, but you can't read the sign. The rubber soles on your boots are very rigid. Frost lays thickly over everything. You continue aft.

You find the hatch at (J). As you grip the dogging wheel through the frost you feel your suit gloves stiffen up, and the cold overcomes your suit's equilibrium system there. Your hands feel like they're burning. You yank the wheel and the hatch opens, but suddenly the dogging wheel simply snaps off. You toss it aside and open the hatch, stepping in. The far side still has its dogging wheel. The low temperature and non-breathable atmosphere warnings clear.

Several bodies are at (K). One is face-down in civilian combat armor, a Starways logo on his back. Surrounding him are several dead gunner's mates from your assault boat. Empty shotshells are everywhere. The Chief MAA is laying there also, his legs and right arm shattered - but he is looking at you. He touches his lips to indicate silence, and points aft with his remaining good hand.

At (L) you see a Starways engineer on the deck, thoroughly lasered and still smoking. Next to him lays a three-foot torque wrench, half-way burned through.

At (M) you see another person in Starways civilian combat armor, back to you. He's trying to simultaneously hold his left arm as if it is broken, hang on to something in his right hand, and work on the control panel in front of him.



Alejandro Dominguez

Dom scans aft. He was unsure if the man in the Starways combat armor was what the Chief MAA had been trying to indicate. If he didn't see anyone else, he'd attempt to maneuver into a position to get a good shot on him.



Just Another Ref

You see no-one else immediately from your location at (K). The Chief MAA is trying to shield his face from the cold air coming through the hatch.

The hijacker is at (M). You have a clear, if limited, shot from (K). You may also describe a maneuver route from (K) to somewhere else, using the numbers in the graphic.



Alejandro Dominguez

Dom tried to quietly close the hatch behind him. He couldn't take the chance of dogging it and making too much noise. He took aim at the hijacker (M) and squeezed the trigger. He then immediately began to move forward (L), so that he could continue to fire on his target even if he tried to take cover.

 

[flykiller]

Just Another Ref

Your ACR rattles off half a dozen shots that impact the terrorist about the head and shoulders. The civilian armor is not well designed but many of the shots seem to skid off. One seems to penetrate. The man wheels around shocked, a hand laser up, playing it wildly in your direction. It swings across your armor, leaving a black tracery appears where it touches. It lingers at your left chest to one side, and your laser damage indicator shifts instantly from green to blinking red. You feel a sudden heat at your side.

You seem still able to move, and you charge forward. The terrorist is falling back towards (17) and ducking down.



Alejandro Dominguez

Dom didn't hesitate to pursue the man. It was aggression time and often times, in combat, the winner was the one that was more aggressive. Dom took as direct a route as possible to continue firing at the man.

Dom was gonna be hurting in the morning, if he lived that long.



Just Another Ref

You move past (12) and turn the corner. He's there on the deck trying to reset something on his handlaser. You begin firing and he responds. The rounds from the ACR work on his armor. He fires. The handlaser emits a short burst, and suddenly you can't see.

No, you can still see your in-helmet hardwire indications. Your faceplate is damaged and opaqued. You empty your magazine in the hijacker's direction.



Alejandro Dominguez

Dom fell backwards and away from his attacker as he popped his faceplate open. He hoped he could use his body as a shield to cover his now vunerable face. He quickly rolled to the side and tried to reorient himself on his attacker. His handlaser couldn't have much juice left, and Dom need to end this quickly. The moment he saw the man again, Dom would be squeezing his trigger.



Just Another Ref

You reload as you roll. When you risk a glance at the hijacker you see him throwing down his weapon and trying to scramble to cover. You unload another magazine on him and something seems to get through. He sags to the deck, the armor rattling on the tiled plates.



Alejandro Dominguez

Dominguez, as he has been taught, does not assume the man is dead, but instead closed the distance to make sure of it, by placing a few more rounds into his chest from close range. He swept the room quickly to ensure that there were no other enemies and then returned to where the hijacker had been working to see if he could figure out what he had been trying to do and if he had been successful.

 

[flykiller]

Just Another Ref

Except for the Chief MAA and a female engineer hiding in a corner there seems to be no-one else alive on this level. Ladders lead up, presumably to engineering upper level where you first entered. Checking over the panel the terrorist was working on it seems to be a life-support control panel. The control interface has several messages in the nature of "do you really want to do this?" and asking for confirmation of several commands. You don't understand the panel or the system, but you see lots of green lights that are lit and lots of yellow and red lights that are not lit.



Alejandro Dominguez

Dom searched the downed MAA's for an operable radio. The Chief would be needing medical attention. Once he was able to get someone on the horn, he went to see if the engineer could check the systems. He wasn't about to just start hitting buttons.



Just Another Ref

None of the gunner's mates seem to have comm systems. The Chief MAA does. You try a few general channels with no answer, but then Petty Officer Pataki, your support team comms man, responds. "Corporal Dominguez, we thought you were blown up or something. Where'd you go?"

The engineer needs coaxing, but she gets up. When she sees the bodies piled up near the entry she freezes for a while, but she eventually turns to the panel and tells you she can restore it. She just stands there rigidly, pushing buttons, sniffling occasionally.

"Corporal Dominguez? Are you there?" A voice over a speaker. You can't quite pinpoint the source at first, but eventually you notice a pocket communicator laying on the deck near the life support panel. As you get closer you recognize the voice. It's Antoine Prise.



Alejandro Dominguez

"I'm down in engineering. The terrorists had threatened to blow t or something. Looks more like they were messing with life support. I think we've got a coolant leak, or maybe a breach, so don't send anyone back that's not in environmental armor. We're gonna need a medic back here. Chief's banged up pretty good. I have a tech working on the systems. Standby."

Dom glanced over at the communicator. He grabbed it up and keyed it. "You rat-****ing bastard, we had a deal."



Just Another Ref

The communicator has a small graphic display and you see Prise's face. He seems to be on some kind of small craft. The picture quality is mediocre. His happy face gives way slightly to theatrical shock and a hurt look. "But Corporal, I fulfulled my end. You asked for the hijackers' numbers and disposition, and I obliged fully, didn't I? I'm sure you wanted to fulfill your end and send me on my way, but when I saw you were finished it seemed time for me to go. Well, actually, I did leave a little early, I must admit. Please forgive my lack of courtesy.

"Ah, I see a life support station behind you. Excellent move by Blake. That was his strong point, always being able to improvise when the main plan failed." He sounds wistful.



Alejandro Dominguez

"You're a bastard. If I ever hear about you again, I will come for you. I don't care how long from now. I don't care how far apart we are. I will come hard and swift. The shadow will swallow you. So, do us both a favor, live a good life. Make the most of your second chance." Dom didn't expect a response. He turned to check to see if the tech had many any progress.



Just Another Ref

The tech says she has restored everything.

"Ah yes, second chances. Speaking of which ...." Antoine holds up a small control actuator with a green light on it. He gracefully flips a switch, and the green light starts blinking red. He seems to consider something. "During lift-off the crew confidently told us that the entire ship can be abandoned by crew and passengers in five minutes. Do you suppose they were telling the truth? Perhaps we should find out. Not a test run by company employees, but the real thing with overweight holiday-makers. What do you say, Corporal? How long should I give them?"



Alejandro Dominguez

Dom glanced around the room hoping he might see the explosive, but knowing he wouldn't. "Listen, how about we extend our deal? You don't start that timer at all, and your name won't appear anywhere in my debriefing. You will have just disappeared. How's that sound?"

Dom didn't really expect him to go for the deal. Hell, if it was him, he probably would have just blown the place already. Dom squawked the Chief's radio twice, so that when he needed, he'd have the attention of anyone that could hear him.



Just Another Ref

"Oh but my name has appeared in many briefings, and I want it to appear in many more. Including yours. Besides, I won't have you sullying your reputation by lying to your superiors." He sets something on the actuator. "Let's be generous. I'll give everyone fifteen minutes. That should be enough. And when they ask you, Corporal, why I didn't kill the passengers immediately, you tell them that I said, 'Because I don't have to.' They'll know what I mean."

He presses a button on the actuator. "Clock's ticking Corporal. Good luck."

The communicator link clears to a blank screen.

 

[flykiller]

Alejandro Dominguez

Dom decided to hold on to the communicator. He figured a tech might be able to work some kind of magic with it. He spoke into the Chief MAA's radio. "This is Dominguez. We have a live explosive set to blow in less than 15 minutes. Evacuate everyone now. I repeat, we have a live explosive set to blow in less than 15 minutes. Evacuate everyone now. Me may need to be quaranteened. I want all teams to acknowledge."

Dom waited for the acknowledgements before turning to the tech. "Okay, we're gonna need a route out of here that doesn't include going that way." Dom indicated the way he had come.

"Their's either a coolant leak or a hull breach, either way, we can't go back that way and we need to get off this tub. Any ideas?" Dom waited for an answer before moving to the Chief.

"Listen, Chief, this isn't gonna be fun, but I need to move you. Have you already taken some pain killers?"



Just Another Ref

Pataki comes back at you. "Bomb in less than fifteen minutes, aye, relaying to the Lieutenant." You hear discussion and yelled orders in the background. After a moment Pataki says, "Evacuating. From the Lieutenant: where's the bomb and how big is it?"

The engineer looks completely glassy-eyed, like she just about can't take it any more. She points to a ladder going up. "Upper level."

The Chief looks a little shocky. "Have no drugs. Just do it." His speech is slurred.



Alejandro Dominguez

Dominguez replied over the radio, "Unknown, but I have strong reason to suspect that it's big enough, or located right to take out the entire ship."

Dom spoke to the tech, "Okay, you'll go up the ladder first. After that you'll follow me while giving directions. Don't worry, just stay calm and we'll be fine."

Dom slung his ACR. "Okay, Chief, you stay with me now." Dom hunched over and lifted the Chief in a fireman carry. Sometimes it's funny when you remember things. Dom hadn't really had time to think about his knee, until it was time to carry that extra weight.

"Go." Dom followed the tech up the ladder. This wasn't going to be easy or fun.



Just Another Ref

Pataki relays another order. "Passengers and wounded evacuate. Marines and liner crew remain aboard to search for and locate remaining passengers. Ship's engineers remain aboard to control ship and damage."

You heft the Chief and take a step. You can barely do it, and you sense your knee developing a serious problem. Your laser wound also makes its presence known. [Forgot about that.]

The engineer moves up the ladder, opens the hatch, and climbs through. You get the chief to the ladder, but there is no way you can get him up. It will take you a while to get just yourself up. Breathing is becoming very painful.

A general announcement sounds out over the ship's address system. "This is Corporal Oatridge of the Imperial Marines. The ship has been recaptured by Imperial authorities. By order of the commanding officer all passengers are to evacuate this vessel immediately. Report to your respective lifeboat stations at once as directed by ship's crew and imperial forces." He repeats the announcement.

You see a naval engineer above, with a shotgun, looking down at you.



Alejandro Dominguez

"Don't just stand there with your thumb up your ass. Get down here and give me a hand!"



Just Another Ref

The navy engineer calls for help, tosses his weapon aside and slides down the ladder. Together they get the Chief up and through the hatch. "Geez, anyone left alive down here? Berel, we need some people on lower level, and toss me my weapon." The petty officer looks more closely at you and notices your laser hit. "Corporal you're not looking so hot yourself, better get up and move off."

You can't get up the ladder, it's too much and getting worse. Another petty officer notices this and sets a panel. "Try it now." The artificial gravity at the ladder has been reduced to half, and you can climb it now.

You are at (F).



Alejandro Dominguez

Dom gritted his teeth and forced his way on. "Are you guys part of the search team? If so, don't head down through that hatch without environmental on." Dom indicated the way he'd gained entry.

"Either a coolant leak or a breach. Either way, don't waste too much time. We all need to get off this tub."

Dom moved to follow the tech figuring she had to know the way they should be headed.



Just Another Ref

You start to follow the engineer, but your knee gives out entirely and you're left hanging onto a pipe support like a dance partner.

Chief Socha, PFC Chambless, and petty officer Sorcha come barrelling around the corner and nearly run into you. The chief and petty officer are supporting Chambless between them, who seems to have a broken leg. Several others are behind them carrying various injured people, both marines and civilians. Chief Socha yells at the engineers to gather up you and the Chief MAA and throw you both into the boat where Team 4 entered engineering, and someone does. You are not able to resist. Someone slams the hatch shut and the boat moves away.

Chief Socha starts with you, simply slapping a stabilizer hypo in your cheek. She's hardly using her broken arm at all now, and she looks gray. She puts her prissy navy face in yours. "No narcotics until you get to medical you'll heal faster do you hear me Corporal?" She moves on to someone else. Your knee feels like it has several nails in it and your side feels like the ribs are backwards, but the stabilizer goes to work and soon both injuries feel like loose water.

PFC Chambless is sitting next to you. His raised visor is covered with lipstick and kiss outlines. He holds up a bottle of alcohol and a glass (!) and pours himself a shot. "Couldn't get to the bar, but the Chief Purser says that Duke Norris himself drinks this." He hands you the bottle. The label says "Blackstar Vodka", and under it is a small gold Imperial Sunburst on a green background.

"Cheers Corporal."



Individual After Action Report: Action #27325 Recovery of ICS Jefferson Davis

"... Positive actions by Corporal Dominguez include aggressive pursuit of tactical and assigned goals, tactical awareness, improvisation, a proper attitude towards casualties, and initiative. Negatives include unauthorized negotiations with the enemy (though senior at the time), failure to make proper use of available equipment and personnel ... advise and retrain ... recommend retention and advancement ...."

Imperial Proclamation MCG Award #194274

" ... after suffering personal injury and loss of communications with the rest of his team Corporal Dominguez, recognizing the threat to the mission and acting alone and on his own initiative, pursued a heavily armed and armored numerically superior enemy and, despite suffering further grave personal injury in combat action, prevented the enemy from disrupting the life support system of the ICS Jefferson Davis, thus saving the lives of several hundred civilians ... is hearby awarded the Medal for Conspicuous Gallantry ...."

Report on Recovery of ICS Jefferson Davis
Classification Level 7 Imperial Household Only

" ... the recovery of a hard-encrypted communicator (see appendix 23) when its self-destruct device failed (see recommendation 7) allowed full decryption of recorded transmissions (see appendix 24) and the generation of a sample of the voice of Antoine Prise (see reference 2), noted leader of the Ine Givar (see reference 1). With this breakthrough the chance of locating Antoine Prise is now sustantially increased [we'll get him my lord. J.C.D.] given his known patterns of action (see reference 3) ...."

 

[kilemall]

Tactical shields, yay!

 

[flykiller]

did anyone find this worth reading?

 

[Septic]

I certainly enjoyed this. Along with the protagonist, I felt the cold, stark environment.

There seems to be a much larger universe behind the story, which is a trait I definitely attempt to show with my adventures. It helps the reader/adventurer visualize and with their imagination, participate.

Please sir, can I have some more?

 

[JFGarber]

(Grenades - sensor (toss it, it sets up and relays information back to your heads-up display in your helmet)

Slick idea. That's going in the folder.

 

[Burocrate]

Well worth reading.

did anyone find this worth reading?

flykiller,
That was a very entertaining piece of writing. It was also educational for us referees in showing how you "paint-the-picture" for your players. You laid out an easy to comprehend universe and ran an action packed scenario. As a player, I couldn't ask for more from a referee. As a fan I can and DO ask for more of your in game content.

So Yes, if you have more of the same I would be very interested in reading it.

 

[flykiller]

well, I don't know about anything that's the same. a game involving multiple interacting players doesn't necessarily read well. I suppose I could post the action sections of the online game, might work. but there would be no context, so probably not.

for reading, have ideas for several short stories, working on one. should start posting soon, one section at a time every few days. we'll see if it's any good.

 

[flykiller]

There seems to be a much larger universe behind the story

a good story will always be a small window looking onto a small part of its universe.

while the action depicted here is limited I tried to depict what I thought combat would be like in a traveller environment. I would appreciate anyone's comments in this regard - like/didn't, smart/stupid, works/doesn't, this/that. and I do mean anyone/anything, as the audience is one of the dimensions of any story.

 

[12345]

I enjoyed both this and Recovery Mission. I especially liked the glimpses into the larger world the characters experience. More please!

 

[flykiller]

I enjoyed both this and Recovery Mission

thanks, and I hope to write more. but what I'd like to see is comments and criticism of the combat action depicted here.

 

[Sstefan]

I am not too sure about this one... (at least for a "general" audience).

For us here on CotI, it works, because we understand the background and the mechanics.

For general reading I like Recovery Mission, primarily because it reads like a good science fiction story. I really look forward to the drudge of Monday morning due to the fact that in the morning break I get to read the next installment. By the way, did you know it covers 139 pages (courier New 12 point font).

 

[flykiller]

we understand the background and the mechanics.

yeah, and I'm hoping for commentary on how this story's combat action comes across to those who know that background and mechanics. tried to depict a marine engagement in a traveller setting, was hoping to hear how well it succeeded or didn't.

did you know it covers 139 pages

yeah, thought it was going to be a nice quick short story. guess it is actually.

 

[SpaceBadger]

did anyone find this worth reading?

Yep!

 

[SpaceBadger]

yeah, and I'm hoping for commentary on how this story's combat action comes across to those who know that background and mechanics. tried to depict a marine engagement in a traveller setting, was hoping to hear how well it succeeded or didn't.

I thought it worked really well. Was this completely fiction written by you, or a solo PbP game, assuming you were Just Another Ref and had a player posting as Dominguez?

I'm marking this as an example to study on running combat for PbP, at least for a solo, and I think for multiplayers this style would at least work better than my own one go at PbP combat, back in SBRD. Mine didn't go very well, in my opinion. I didn't handle passing decision points back to the players very well.

 

[flykiller]

Was this completely fiction written by you, or a solo PbP game

just me and a player over pbp. we were waiting for the other players and I thought I'd dash off a "short" scenario ....

I'm marking this as an example to study on running combat for PbP, at least for a solo, and I think for multiplayers this style would at least work better than my own one go at PbP combat, back in SBRD. Mine didn't go very well, in my opinion. I didn't handle passing decision points back to the players very well.

well, his unstated preferences and my unstated presumptions just happened to fit well, so it worked for me and him. basically I let him make all the decisions (relevant to his place) and just described what happened because of those decisions, and also whatever else happened around him. your players may react to that style in the same way, you'll just have to figure out what they want. and you may have to wait until they figure out what they want ....

 

[flykiller]

Mine didn't go very well, in my opinion.

how's your game going?

 

[khadaji2002]

I found this thread entertaining and educational. I will work to incorporate this style of combat description into my games. Thank you for sharing this, flykiller.