Who goes there?

[thespaceopera]

[After weeks of relative silence, our intrepid passengers finally travel within visual range of a blue planet. Marsiva's slow-and-steady course makes it clear that this is the Drift Fleet's next destination--but just as your ships come within scanning range and your computers begin to gather data, a fleet of quick little watchdog ships zip out of the planet's atmosphere, heading straight for you!

They do not swoop in for an attack, but hold their positions between you and the planet. They look close enough to cause some trouble, and any working Communications Officer can tell you that they have weapons locked on the Fleet in warning.

The tell-tale sound of an incoming hailing frequency chimes over your ship's alert system. Someone would like you to pick up the phone. Thanks to their augment, all passengers instinctively know that they'll be looking for the Captain or the Communications Officer of the ship--but no one says someone else can't pick it up first.

On the bridge, the hailing frequency can be viewed on screen, along with the attached subject: "Identify yourselves." The notification chime goes off every seven seconds. These ships don't look like they're going anywhere, but they don't want to be kept waiting, either.

What do you do? Will you accept the frequency?]


ooc → see the July Star System post for details about this event! there is no real rush in this post (we won't even be around to begin responding to it until Sunday afternoon), so take your time, feel free to tag each other in this post (maybe try to get your Comms officers off their asses), and there is no time too late to tag into this post. the element of urgency is all IC, and there is no OOC pressure at all.

Comments

SS Pathstone

[heresyandlace]

→A
[does he have to do everything around here? while the more competent captain is on hiatus. once scanners pick up that trouble is approaching... though probably more due to the sudden chatter over the network... Tek is pretty quick to leap out of his nest and head for the helm.

on the way, however, he's on the lookout for a certain communications officer. this crewmember may find themselves soon to be bodily hauled toward bridge. anyone else on board-- I am just sorry. you maybe should have transferred to a different ship.]

→B
[and whether or not his communications officer or co-captain is anywhere around, he will be hastily responding to the signal once he reaches the bridge.]

Captain Tekhetsio of the SS Pathstone, here.

...Let me first offer you my sincere apologies if we are trespassing on your space.

SS Pathstone

[killedwithlove]

[The best bit is that Cole is sitting in the bridge, in the pilot's seat.

Ignoring the chatter completely, because he has no idea it's important, really.

He waves at Tek as he rushes onto the bridge and turns back to flying them in lazy barrel rolls. What?]

[heresyandlace]

[Tek had been intending on completely ignoring him. because really, he's never had to think much about pilot things in general, since the auto-pilot had been so handy, and he doesn't generally care what Cole is ever up to when he's not being upsetting.

so, it isn't until he looks out the window and sees the stars and threatening ships... slowly... rotating... that he even deigns to look in Cole's direction.]

...Is that you?

[killedwithlove]

[Cole ignores Tek in return. It works for them.

Then Tek speaks to him and Cole looks back, hanging backwards off his seat and look at Tek upside down.]

Is what me?

[heresyandlace]

That.

[he points out the window!]

--We're spinning!

[killedwithlove]

No. I'm not a window- Oh. The Pathstone is turning, yes. She likes moving, she was made to move.

[heresyandlace]

[a little hiss through his teeth.]

Well, make it stop! We look ridiculous.

[killedwithlove]

I don't understand.

[heresyandlace]

We're spinning. [--gesturing almost helplessly at the window now.]

We have all of the fleet at our sides, potential enemies before us, and we're the only ones spinning like we've lost our minds.

Just... make the ship sit still, and hold formation.

[killedwithlove]

If we have enemies in front of us, we shouldn't be lining up to get shot down, we should be moving.

[He is still not doing what he was told to. Hi, Tek, meet Cole. He's stubborn. And only really follows a couple of people's instructions.

You are not any of those people.]

A

[onlyanapple]

[He's sleeping in his chair at his comms station, so technically he's on the Bridge. He's just not a concious part of the bridge. Details.

He doesn't look like he's planning on waking up any time soon.]

[heresyandlace]

[well, his collar is being unceremoniously grabbed, as he's kind of dragged around in his swivelly comms chair to face him. if his feet were up resting on anything important, they won't be for long.

and he gets a friendly hiss and growl for his troubles.]

--Wake up!

[onlyanapple]

[Crowley gives an undignified hiss as he's dragged from his nice, comfortable spot and brought unwillingly into the waking world. He squints at Tek through his lospided glasses, because seriously dude, what the fuck? ]

Well, that was rude.

[heresyandlace]

[fingers still curled in Crowley's collar, Tek points with his free hand at the screens on the comms array, where a certain little alert is flashing.]

We are being hailed.

I would assume that being blasted out of the sky is a much worse fate than suffering a little rudeness.

[onlyanapple]

[Crowley turns his head lazily in the direction of the console, then turns back to Tek. He gives a wide smirk, the sort he's about to give before his a defiant little ass. Which is most of the time.]

Well, you're a captain. I'm sure they'll want to speak to the highest authority.

[heresyandlace]

[oh he knows the look. he much prefers it when they're both giving that look to someone else.]

Oh, believe me-- I wouldn't leave the responsibility of speaking for the ship to you.

But you still have a job to do, so wake up and do it. You don't even have to leave your gods-damned chair.

[onlyanapple]

It's a little adorable that you seem to think that actually snubbed me.

[He'll lean back in his chair, examining his finger nails. ]

And you didn't say please.

[heresyandlace]

[slowly straightening up himself, he folds his arms and levels a look at him that is nothing but ice.]

...Crowley, we really shouldn't be ruining our raport like this. I'd hate to have to stoop to leveraging tactics.

[is that a threat? yeah, might be a threat.]

B

[thespaceopera]

[the frequency patches through, but there's a lengthy silence before anyone really responds. when they do, it's a stern, somewhat perplexed female voice. could be human.]

...Captain Tekhetsio, are you aware that your ship is drifting?

[heresyandlace]

[oh, by all the gods...]

--Yes, I am aware.

My apologies. We... are having a few mechanical difficulties.

[thespaceopera]

I see...

[the imperfect quality of the transmission does not completely hide her small, irritated sigh.]

State your intended purpose here, Captain.

[heresyandlace]

We are a part of drifting, nomadic fleet, and we hold no outstanding goals.

I can only speak for myself and my crew, of course... but the Pathstone holds no ill intentions. If we are unwelcome here, we did not realize, and will leave immediately.

[and hey, he can force a shallow smile into his voice, at least.]

Otherwise... we're only here to make friends, and perhaps resupply if we are granted permission.

[thespaceopera]

Really.

[that doesn't sound like a question, or like she believes him.]

And is the Nunnilis ship in your ranks part of this "nomadic" venture?

[heresyandlace]

Yes, really. [--ah, and he doesn't have to think too long to figure out what that voice on the line might be referring to.]

And it is part of it, in the sense that we stumbled upon it and thought it best to take it with us, instead of leaving it for scavengers to pick apart and desecrate.

[at least he manages to leave some of the cockiness out of his tone and sound a little more somber, then. he might not trust the strangers any more than they trust him, but he at least takes the matter of the bugs very seriously.]

The crew of that ship passed away in a sort of plague, and we would not see anyone come by to tamper with the grave.

[thespaceopera]

You can't be serious. The crew can't all be--

[a sudden stop. the woman sighs again, building frustration.]

Captain, we can not let this fleet through if you're dragging an infected ship behind you.