warning! warning!

[thespaceopera]

[The nebulas are beautiful in this region of space, at the very least. They gleam as great distorting clouds of space-stuff that your scanners don't even want to attempt to analyze. They affect the ships' instruments much like other areas of disruption have in the past, but these are actually visible as large swathes of light--like giant flames frozen in their swirling shapes, suspended across impressive stretches of space. For once, there's something like scenery to look at, out here in the black...

And then, the proximity alarms begin to blare.

From a gap between the two nearest clouds comes an assemblage of ships! Familiar to some and new to others--they do not respond to hails or communications of any kind, and they're gunning straight for the Fleet without slowing. Their weapons are locking on and firing as soon as they are in range.

Many passengers have been through this before, and many of the ships are bigger and better than they'd been in the previous skirmish. Today, the Drift Fleet will put up a better fight, even punch a few holes in their attackers.

Your augment knows where you need to go! Do you run to your station? Do you dodge your job? Are you unsure how to help? Are the captains giving orders or panicking, and are their crews paying attention? Everyone's got a chance to fight back before the enemy fleet runs them into the nearest nebula--and things suddenly take a bad turn.

As soon as each Drift Fleet ship hits the nebula, its systems overload and short-circuit before going dead. It stays silent for minutes, no radar, no comms, no network. Stubborn stragglers are ganged up on and forced into the cloud, followed by the poor ships on autopilot being bodily hauled into the nebula with tractor beams. Once the entire Fleet has been set adrift as sitting ducks, before the Marsiva can get too close, the attacking fleet... turns and flees through the cloud, seemingly untouched by the nebula that scrambles your ships.

Eventually, the systems flicker back to life, blinking on one by one. It will be several hours before any other effects of the attack will be noticeable. The network shows up as live again, but Atroma never shows up to explain a thing...]


ooc: the out-of-character event post is over here! respond to this post any way you like; you can have action, comm messages, play during the attack, being stuck in the nebula, checking in after the network comes back online, or whatever else seems fitting.

Comments

[got_it_memorized]

[Wait, gone gone? When did this happen? Axel had only just seen him a few hours ago! ... Right? But when Fenris says he's been out for a month, Axel is just flabbergasted.]

A month? A whole month? [And there had been a time when sleeping for a month would have sounded great! To find that he'd done so and has absolutely no idea what happened for the past four weeks is actually a little unsettling. More than that, he was completely vulnerable that entire time! If his crew had wanted to off him, they would have had every opportunity. To hear that Fenris actually checked up on him is strangely reassuring.

[He zeroes in on a stray ship sneaking up from their left.]

Fenris, 8:00! [The enemy ship gets blasted, but without a pilot it's hard to dodge the barrage of fire from the rest of them. As they find themselves thrown into the whorling colors of the nebula, Axel leaps back from the console when it fizzles out, giving a cry of alarm.

[Then it all goes dead. Suddenly the only sound is that of his own pulse pounding in his ears, and there's an irony to that somehow. They're dead in the water, but it seems the enemy ships aren't pursuing anymore. Axel sinks into Ladon's seat and regards Fenris a moment.]

... Thanks. For, you know. [Making sure I wasn't dead.] I, ah... I'm sorry. I know I'm not really an ideal captain, but I would never have just bailed on you guys for a whole month like that if I'd had any choice.

[wolfuncaged]

[Fenris is certainly willing to go on the attack, but it proves fruitless, and after a few token attempts at getting the weapons systems to work again, he heaves a sigh and sits back in his seat. For now, they're trapped, and he HATES being trapped. He rubs a hand over his face, before turning to look at Axel. ]

You're welcome. And I have known far worse leaders. [He thinks about the last Vicount. Or Meredith. Fuck Meredith. ]

I thought as much. These thing happen. Varric was out for a time, too, if I recall. Atroma seems to do it to toy with us,

[got_it_memorized]

[Worse leaders?] Heh, I guess that makes me feel a little better.

[He looks at the smoking consoles and the dark displays and sighs softly. He's not sure how to fix any of this stuff. It's a pity Collette left, she would know what to do. Now he's going to have to ask Robin or Hiro, and who knows how badly damaged their ships might be. He hasn't forgotten how badly the Bishop was beaten up last time these ships attacked them. He glances out the windows, frowning.]

I don't get it... why didn't they finish us off? They did this last time, too, just crippled us and turned tail. I'm not complaining, I guess, but... it doesn't make much sense.

[He looks back at Fenris then.]

Wait, Varric? He's back? I'm glad to hear that, I liked him.

[wolfuncaged]

[This is worry Fenris, too. There's usually an agenda, a reason for an attack. This game of cat and mouse is getting stranger with every attack. ]

Perhaps it is not us the attack is meant for. They could be sending a message to Atroma. I imagine people like them must have gained enemies at some point.

[He nods, and his lips quirk in a faint smile for a moment. ]

He is, no doubt he'll be back to knowing everyone's secrets in no time.

[got_it_memorized]

[Axel makes a sibilant noise, curling his lip.] I don't wanna be anybody's messenger boy. Besides, it's not like Atroma listens to us anyway. Whoever, wherever they are, they don't seem to care too much what happens to us.

[But he does grin a little when he spies the faintest smile on Fenris' lips.]

See, that's why I really want to be his pal. Good gossip is invaluable, you know? [He chuckles.] Does he remember having been here?

[wolfuncaged]

No, they don't. But the fact they haven't killed us suggests they want us for something, even if it is just a way to get at those who have captured us.

He does, which is fortunate. He'd be insufferable if he thought he'd forgotten anything.

[It's said fondly. He loves that pain in the ass dwarf. ]

If you wish to befriend him, I suggest asking him to tell a story. That endears him to just about anyone.

[Except Cassandra, but she DID go about it the wrong way. ]