In reply to Dynamis (msg # 23):

Kayla glances at her bracer and quirks an eyebrow at it.

Strange. D doesn't usually use both speakers at once, she thinks to herself.

"Maybe we could hook up an EVA suit outside and broadcast through that, if it's just the ship that's jammed?" she suggests aloud, moving the conversation in a more useful direction.

She unfastens the helmet of her EVA suit and sets it nearby before moving toward the viewport to get a better look at their surroundings.

"But first we've gotta figure out who's shooting at us, and why, and if they're going to do it again."

Kayla puts a hand on Fiernas's shoulder, smiles at him, and gives it a squeeze.

"Great flying back there. It could have been a lot worse."
This message was last edited by the player at 20:25, Tue 01 Aug 2017.

In reply to Kayla Wallin (msg # 24):

"I have reviewed the requested video of the attack," the voice says from the console.

"Bringing video online now," the voice says from the bracer.

Two copies of the video appear, one on the viewscreen and another as a projection from the bracer. There is nothing to see except for the sudden appearance of the streaking orb of energy -- though this does seem to confirm the origin point.

The weapon systems weapon offline, however.

"Only the Captain," the console begins.

"Can order the weapons live," the bracer finishes.
This message was last edited by the player at 20:38, Tue 01 Aug 2017.

In reply to Dynamis (msg # 25):

Kayla glances back down at the bracer.

That continued disconnect is not a good sign. Where's Xander when you need him? she muses.
This message was last edited by the player at 20:39, Tue 01 Aug 2017.

In reply to Kayla Wallin (msg # 26):

I'm not requesting weapons live Dynamis.  I'm requesting painting the target with a laser so we can mark them.

In reply to Nightmare (msg # 27):

"D," Kayla says, rubbing her temples with the thumb and index fingers of her left hand with a sigh, "Paint the indicated area with the targeting laser, please."
This message was last edited by the player at 23:01, Tue 01 Aug 2017.

In reply to Kayla Wallin (msg # 28):

"Immediately, Captain," the console says, the phrase conflicting with the "Yes, Captain," chirping from the bracer.

The console lights up, and the weapons systems begin to respond.

There is, however, no immediate reaction to the maneuver.

Go ahead and try SAGE, Soph, Xander murmurs distractedly, surveying the wreckage of Abraxas with dismay. He might be able to get the mech limping again, but it wouldn't be pretty. And anything above a stiff breeze would likely knock it back down.

Before Xander could begin triaging which systems could be scrapped or cannibalized to jury rig some sort of quick fix, Abraxas' head-mounted photoreceptors power back on spontaneously, bathing the hallway in a dull red light.

A strange sound fills the hallway - a sort of buzzing, creaking whir. Xander looks down as the exposed internal hydraulics of the mech somehow begin knitting themselves slowly back together. Sparking wires cease sparking, wiggle like worms, then fuse into whole cables once more. Dented and torn armor plates stretch, flex, and pop, leaving behind no trace of their former damage.

A deep thrumming rumbles inside the chassis as the mech powers itself back on, and the cockpit re-opens with a hiss, almost as if the mech were somehow beckoning Xander to return.

What...what the actual fuck is going on?! Xander exclaims is utter disbelief. How...

Something catches his vision out of the corner of his eye. Shadowy smudges on the floor that Xander assumed where scorch marks were moving, creeping over the surroundings. In their wake, the metal of the corridors was noticeably stripped down in precise geometric patterns. The smudges moved across the floor like spilled oil, probing out before retracting to...Abraxas.

Upon closer examination, the same shimmering darkness was present on the parts of the mech that were seemingly repairing itself.

Sophia lets out an audible gasp. It can't be! This kind of technology barely exists in theory, much less functional application...

Conducting additional readings, standby.

A brief pause.

Xander, what I'm detecting here is consistent with conceptual theorizations of how mechanical repair nanomachines could work. See how wherever that substance flows, metal and other materials are stripped? The flow then returns to Abraxas, and uses the raw materials harvested from the surroundings to effect repairs. This is truly remarkable!

I had no idea that such incredibly advanced robotics was even possible, much less functional and installed on Abraxas.

At this rate, if the scavenger nanomachines have access to sufficient materials, Abraxas should be restored to full combat readiness in less than...fourteen minutes.

Holy shit... Xander breathes explosively. This changes things. Billy, how long do you think we can delay? Sophia, see if you can hail SAGE. We are still in the game.

Xander suppresses a mirthless grin. And I'm still coming for you, Faust.

"I mean, I'm watching lasers go across a hallway. I don't think we're in a hurry, but I dunno who's winning either," Billy responds to Xander, "If you could get Abraxas to less than full combat readiness sooner and get him up here we could maybe pick a side while he finishes cooking." There is a pause and one might assume he was done talking, but his voice eventually echoes in Xander's head again, "Faust mentioned something about Braeburn working with aliens, just FYI.  Might explain your nano technology thing."

In reply to Billy Laser Fist (msg # 35):

What do you want to send through the SAGE bands?

"Hi.  Who are you?  What are you doing here? Can we help?  Please don't shoot us..." Billy rattles off through the comms in the monotone of someone making a list.

In reply to Billy Laser Fist (msg # 37):

Nightmare flicks on the intercept relay to see if there is any chatter from the stealthed ship.

In reply to Nightmare (msg # 38):

Dynamis, can you resync to the tablet on Kayla's arm.  This twinning began when you were outside with us.  Perhaps this is a new symptom. 

In reply to Nightmare (msg # 39):

Syncing both voices say at the same time. A few moments pass in which nothing obvious happens, and then a single voice speaks from the console.

Sync completed. Now, what are we going to do about my stern?
This message was last edited by the player at 15:00, Thu 03 Aug 2017.

In reply to Dynamis (msg # 40):

"We'll get it fixed once we're safe, D."

Kayla hovers near the controls, then shakes her head at Rebecca.

"If we're intercepting anything with the relay, we can't actually hear it on our end," she says.
This message was last edited by the player at 15:36, Thu 03 Aug 2017.

In reply to Kayla Wallin (msg # 41):

Team Kamikaze

Sure, why not?

A moment later, Sophia's voice crackles back over the comms once more.

I told them I was patching through a high-priority call from SAGE HQ, and that they should stand by. Instead of using the words you selected. Try to use better ones now. Patch active.
This message was last edited by the GM at 15:10, Thu 03 Aug 2017.

In reply to Sophia (msg # 42):

Team Kamikaze

Almost immediately, Billy and Xander hear a female voice on the other end of the comms.

"Beck speaking, Command," she snaps. "I'm in the middle of besieging a capital ship. It's got some Roshak mods I need to pay attention to, so this damn well better be coming from Pryor HIMSELF. Now what is it?"
This message was last edited by the GM at 18:06, Thu 03 Aug 2017.

In reply to The Watcher (msg # 43):

OK so its obvious that we have signal outside of the ship but not inside... Closest area is Venus.  Shall we call in the Cavalry.  None of us are very fond of SAGE but I believe this warrants being called an existential threat and therefore transcends petty infighting between organizations.

.... If only Penny had followed the chain of commmand on this ship we could have delt with it ourselves...

She sighs heavily and picks up the comms, since most of the people on ship are in the cockpit...

Ladies... We are under attack by a cloaked threat.  We believe it to be the ship that followed us to this sector.  We are close to Venusian space and will be contacting SAGE shortly to try to call in the cavalry.  There we can begin the process of getting you home and taking care of Holt.

She looks at Fiernas and Kayla as she ponders saying something.

/ooc holding a minute, I'm trying to figure something out in my head. /ooc

"I just hope they remember me as a loyal employee..." Fiernas mourns.

In reply to Fiernas Holm (msg # 45):

"We'd all be better off without the explosion, yeah," Kayla agrees. "But if this ship we were tailing really can fight and cloak at the same time...there was never anything we could have done to defeat it or even follow it if it didn't want to be seen."

She raises an eyebrow.

"As for SAGE, unless Billy's brother did a bang-up job masking our presence on Ceres, I have a hunch they'll know who we are one way or the other. The question is whose influence runs deeper in their headquarters here on Venus: Charles Lesseur-Fische...or Denise Olsen?"

Kayla frowns.

"I'm 99% sure we were technically the reason Baxter was shot dead, too. Though Battalion's absence now might help us explain that away as rogue action."
This message was last edited by the player at 18:04, Thu 03 Aug 2017.

"Use better what?" Billy splutters for a second, sounding offended before he realizes he shouldn't completely subvert their very flimsy cover story as soon as it's set up, "Uh, yeah...hi," Billy fails to use better words as he fumbles for how to execute on Sophia's lead in with no warning, "I mean, uh, we've been made aware of two operatives aboard the ship.  They claim to have knowledge related to the Straw Raid, active hostility toward the ship's commanding officer and, to quote their communique, 'a bigass laser and a bigass robot.' You're to rondevous." As he speaks Billy turns to look back down the hallway toward the large hole and makes an exasperated expression toward to absence of help.

In reply to Billy Laser Fist (msg # 47):

Team Kamikaze

"And I'm to rendezvous with this team...where, exactly?"