Deceiver

[weemadando]

Looking back on it, it was the longest day in his life. Without any doubt whatsoever it was beyond comparison. Not even the most intense training had prepared him for the events of the past day. The recovery vessel floated next to the crippled Victory class vessel. From where he lay on the bridge he could see the scattered fighters exchanging fire as they flitted past the massive windows. All over the bridge bodies were scattered, dead from a variety of causes, some covered in blaster scorches, others as pristine as the day they were born. The shock was setting in now. Not long left.

The day before . . .

The VSD Deceiver was stationed in the arse end of the universe. Patrolling deep within the Empire all they ever got were a few random smugglers and some poor rebels on ill-planned scout missions. The Deceiver had a long and proud heritage dating back to the opening days of the Clone Wars. One of the first to enter service it had fought long and hard for the glorious Empire. Now it was just another beat cop, nearing retirement, but still up for a scrap.

Onboard the bridge Captain Lotor surveyed his crew, dedicated, loyal and brave. Just like the Empire had trained them. Each one would give his life in service of the Empire with little thought. "A good crew." The officer stands next to the captain.
"As good as this vessels seen in its time in space. What's the hourly report?"
"Threat level for the area is still Green. Some pirate activity reported but several other vessels have been dispatched to cover that. We have had a few people violating the hyperspace lanes, so an interdictor might be passing through at some point to try and catch them, but that's dependant on availability, by the sounds of things, most of the local interdiction vessels are still tied up trying to lock down the smugglers in CK9460."
"Anything else?"
"Heard a bit of scuttlebutt from the intel boys about a Rebel fleet near Sullust."
"Really? Sullust. That's a bit out of the way. Anyhow, its this sector that we are concerned with until told otherwise."
"Definitely sir." The Lieutenant returns to his station, the captain returns to his thoughts. A recent refit, the latest updates to targetting software and weapon systems. Shields tweaked. Fighters fully serviced and refitted too. With a well trained crew, this baby could probably match up to an ISD in battle. And he had a well trained crew. But he knew that many of them would not live through the day.

[Evil Sadistic Bastard]

Which immediately begs the question - what could have happened to the VSD?

[weemadando]

"Captain! Holonet flash traffic for you!" The captain spins to face the comms officer. Holonet traffic by itself always meant something important. But a flash message . . .
"I'll take it in the briefing room. XO, you have the bridge." Stepping down from the walkway above the bridge from which he liked to command Lotor marched himself into the briefing room. Carefully he seals the doors and initiates the anti-surveillance devices. The holonet signal verifies and then begins to play. A Moff's face appears on screen, "Captain Lotor, you have been assigned to act as escort for the ISD Indefatigable while it passes through your sector. Its origin and destination are not your concern. But I will make it clear to you that it carries an exceptionally important cargo. At the edge of your sector you will transfer escort duties to the dreadnoughts Spartan and Yunta. You will be handed escort control by the VSD Demeter. You will need to be at hyperbuoy BZCS29218 in two hours precisely. We show you currently easily within that range. Do you have any questions?"
"Do you expect any attacks?"
"One should always expect rebel attack, or have you and your crew grown lazy and fat in the core?"
"By no means. We will be in position for escort as requested."
"Excellent." The transmission cuts out, and Captain Lotor is left staring at the air infront of him. He activates the shipwide PA, "Ships executive, please report to the briefing room." He moves to the front of the chamber, taking a seat behind the control desk. Slowly the officers trickle in, flight officer, comms, engineering, XO and many many others. A large crew and ship led to a large contingent. "We have just received a priority tasking from command. We are to escort an ISD across our sector. Not expecting any Rebel attacks or similar but I want us on Condition 2 Intsec until we have completed this tasking. You know what that means, no external comms, off-duty crew confined to quarters and the rest of the crew at general quarters. Any questions?"
"Why are we escorting an ISD so close to the core?"
"I wasn't informed. Anything else?"
"What's the route?"
"I've been given an RV point and I'm assuming that they will give us a destination."
"Any word on special circumstances?"
"None. Is that all?"
"Umm, just one more question. It relates to shipboard security too. The latest refit gave us a complement of a pair of assault gunboats. Which as we all know are hyperdrive capable. Under Intsec these should be kept onboard, but under Condition 2 running, we need to keep them on patrol. What should we do?"
"Send them on patrol but disable the hyperdrives. Lock the drives into bridge so that they'll need authorisation to jump."
"OK, we'll set that up."
"That's everything? Good. Return to stations. I'll send the call out to the crew in five minutes." The crew get up and march out of the room, leaving the captain alone. After a time he reemerges onto the bridge, marching to his usual position he grips the rail and leans forward and calls to the nav officer in the pit, "Set your course for hyperbuoy BZCS29218. Run hyperjump checklist."

The Deceiver's engines flare as it increases power to realign itself, then with a flash of light it rushes into hyperspace for the voyage to the rendevous. Leaving behind a single innocuous piece of electronic debris as part of the garbage dumped before the jump. The tiny canister suddenly explodes outwards becoming a large antenna, it broadcasts its message once, then detonates itself, becoming just another piece of scrap.

[Pcm979]

Capt. Lotor's pretty good at remembering buoy numbers, isn't he?

[weemadando]

Capt. Lotar's pretty good at remembering buoy numbers, isn't he? :D

Its Lotor, and he's an Imperial Captain, he's VERY good at memorising details like that.

I also just ran up a calc, using that designation system there could be up to 45697600000 hyperspace buoys in the galaxy, assuming that that is the only method of recording them.

[Edi]

Looking good, weemadando. Interesting to see what happens next.

Edi

[Pcm979]

Capt. Lotar's pretty good at remembering buoy numbers, isn't he?

Its Lotor, and he's an Imperial Captain, he's VERY good at memorising details like that.

I also just ran up a calc, using that designation system there could be up to 45697600000 hyperspace buoys in the galaxy, assuming that that is the only method of recording them.

Fixed.

[Soontir C'boath]

cool so far......smooth sailing too.

Cyaround,
Jason

[Coyote]

That better not be all.

Clipped and fast action-- while you don't need to flesh this out more, you could if you wanted to add more flavor. Is that your plan, or are you just going to keep it sleek and to the point?

I'll be watching this space...

[weemadando]

Captain Yotor lay in his quarters, desperately seeking the sleep that would not come. Even a quick cat-nap would have been perfect before having to start this escort. The stormtroopers outside his door were on strict orders not to allow anyone in, unless they carried flash traffic for the captain. Ever so slowly, he could feel his eyelids becoming heavier as the dull grey of the cabin slowly melted away to be replaced with the darkness of the closed eye. The faintest noise jolts his eyes open. His heart-rate doubles and a cold sweat breaks out along his spine. It couldn't be, he had only just transmitted. They must have been very close to have heard it and replied so rapidly. The tiny hum begins again. Ever so carefully Yotor stands up and walks over to his drawers. Pulling the middle drawer out fully he reaches towards the back of it, opening a tiny hidden compartment. From within it he removes an object just three centimetres across and barely 5 millimetres thick. He presses his thumb onto it as it begins humming for a third time. Abruptly the humming stops and Lotor places it on top of the drawers. A voice comes from the tiny device, "Captain Lotor, we have received your transmission and have a task for you. . ."

On the bridge at a console an ensign looks up from his screen to the XO, "Sir, are we expecting any holonet traffic?"
"Negative, what's the problem?"
"Just had a spike in the background. We must have just hit a transmission path, that would probably explain it."
"Don't disregard it. Transfer it to my pad, I'll take it to the captain. Let him decide." The ensign returns to examining his display as the XO leaves the bridge.

Lotor is just replacing the drawer when the knock comes. "Enter!" Seeing the XO as the door flits open Lotor pulls out a chair, "Please, sit down Noslen."
"Thank you sir." Noslen takes a seat on the high backed metal chair, he looks over at the captain, whose lined face is beaded with sweat. "Nightmares again?"
"Err, yes. I keep thinking back to that mission. It won't let me sleep, and when I do, well-"
"I don't think anyone outside of the stormtrooper's doesn't have nightmares about that mission. It was a shit call and we got dumped with it. We should have had more support, but we didn't and we had to watch it all happen. There wasn't anything we could have done."
"I know!" Lotor's eyes bulge slightly as he yells at Noslen.
"Have you been to the infirmary, they've been helping a lot of the other crew."
"I'm the captain! I can't just walk into the infirmary and ask the med-droids for some tranquilisers! Word gets around!"
"I don't think the med-droids would talk-"
"Not from them! Have you ever seen an empty infirmary? There's always someone in there!"
"Well . . ."
"Look, I'll get over it. Now, just what is so important that you came down from the bridge?"
"Spike in the holonet signal. Techs think it was just some random background noise, but I came down to tell you that you need to be more careful in future."

[weemadando]

The VSD emerges from hyperspace at the buoy, drifting slowly to a halt and awaiting the arrival of the Indefatigable. "Flight officer, launch TIEs and secure the perimeter. I don't want anything within a thousand kilometres. I don't care what it is."
"Launching Alert pair. Next pair will be away in 2 minutes."
"Excellent. TacOps, you have intercept control. I want the gunboats shunted up to Alert 2 status. Maintain hyperdrive control."
"Shuffling launch order now."
"Gunnery, what's our status?"
"All weapon systems are coming up green. Gunnery crews are on standby for repairs and manual firing should we lose systems."
"Excellent. Engineering, any problems?"
"Some minor vibration reported on decks 12-14 in M area. Dispatched a team to check that. Likely a faulty grav generator twitching while the hyperdrive was running."
"OK. Security, any problems?"
"None, Intsec is still in effect. No breaches."
"Intel?"
"Nothing new for this sector."
"Everything looks good. Now, I hate to do this, but as we are now in the spotlight, full formalities are expected. Yes sir, no sir, three bags full sir. You all understand?"
"Yessir." Comes the chorus response from the bridge pit.
"Excellent. -PA-." He waits for the activation, "All crew, this is Captain Yotor. We are maintaining Con2 Intsec. Be prepared and be vigilant."
"Jump signature! Hyperspace vessel approaching." Yotor looks at his datapad and brings up the sensor map. Sure enough a massive object was approaching through hyperspace. "Its decellerating. Estimated point of arrival is ten klicks on from the buoy."
"Our TIEs clear?"
"Well clear Sir."
"Good." Noslen leans over to the captain.
"Here they come." The huge steel dagger snaps to a halt, immediately a voice comes over the comm systems.
"This is the ISD Indefatigable, VSD Demeter will be here momentarily."
"Second craft incoming. Its smaller, VSD class. It'll be coming out between us and the ISD."
"This is Captain Lotor of the VSD Deceiver. We are your assigned escort for this sector. We require a destination so that we can plot a course."
"Of course Captain. Our initial destination is hyperbuoy DMNT89139. Once there you will be given the next coordinates." Another voice comes over the comm relay.
"This is Captain Curin of the VSD Demeter. VSD Deceiver, you now have escort. Good luck."
"Thankyou Captain." Lotor turns to the helmsman, "Bring us alongside the Indefatigable, maintain standard escort formation. TacOps, keep the fighters cycling. I want a screen up at all times." Briefly glancing at his datapad and noting the time Lotor walks along the catwalk, "XO, you have the bridge. Comply to all requests of the Indefatigable. Call my quarters if you have a problem."
"Yes Sir." As Lotor leaves the bridge he hears the order for the first jump come over the comm systems. As he wanders through the corridors he looks at his beloved ship. Every blast door guarded by a pair of stormtroopers, only opening it to those with clearance. IntSec was definitely in full effect. With a slight lurch the vessel jumps to hyperspace just as Lotor opens the door to his quarters.

Retrieving the hidden commlink Lotor makes sure that the door is securely shut. Picking up the commlink he activates it and begins speaking. "We will make the play at DMNT89139. Confirm according to operational plan. Expect support at RV. End." Replacing the device he moves to his bed, he lays back, almost hoping that the message that he is expecting doesn't come.

"Sir, we're getting another spike in the holonet signal."
"Again?"
"Yes sir, same band and all."
"Could we be hitting another transmission path?"
"Unlikely."
"Log the event. Inform the captain when he returns to bridge."
"Should we run a full ship scan for transmissions?"
"We're running under Condition 2 IntSec. That means that all appropriate EmCon measures are already in place." The XO looks down at the young ensign. Still just a kid, his face so innocent and pale.
"Of course Sir. Sorry Sir."
"Don't apologise. You made a good suggestion. Just in the wrong context."

With a flash another one of the transports detonated. The TIE complement had been swept from the area, victims of intense AA fire from the pirates. It was unlike anything he'd ever seen. The shields flared briefly again as an MTL hit near the bow. So many pirates, it was unbelievable that the Empire had allowed them to grow to these numbers. And their fighters, like flowers, that unfolded to release death to the unwary. "Engineering! What's our status!" The bridge was dark, illuminated only by the flare of turbolaser fire and the dim red glow of the emergency lights.
"That mag-pulse did bad things to our conduit grid. Damage control teams are trying to replace damaged sections and reroute where they can. But until then we're on emergency power."
"TacOps?"
"Shields are holding well on the backup reactor. Only have point defense weapons active though. We're feeding everything else into life support."
"XO. Is there any area of the ship that at this time is undercrewed?"
"Yes sir."
"Engineering-" Yotor's eyes snap open, his body tense and his heart beating hard. The blood making a subtle thumping noise as it pulses past his ears in a frenzied state. The buzzer on the door sounds again. Yotor sits up. He'd been asleep. Remarkable, he hadn't been able to sleep for days.
"Open." The door disappears upwards, an ensign stands in its frame.
"Captain Yotor, we are receiving holonet flash traffic."

Rushing back to the bridge Yotor pauses on the catwalk only long enough to shout at the bridge pit, "Ships Executive, report to briefing room!" As he turns to move the briefing room he is distracted by the mesmerising pattern of the hyperspace 'tunnel'. It was always beautiful, no matter how many times he saw it. Moving back into the briefing room he waits as the officers take their seats. Activating the projector he stands in the centre of the briefing rooms 'stage'. The Moff's head appears, "Captain Yotor. We have just received word that the ISD Indefatigable intends to defect at the next waypoint." The entire room suddenly stops, every single person staring at the image of the Moff floating above the floor. "Your mission has changed. You are to attack and disable the Indefatigable at the first possible opportunity."
"But, but- We're just a VSD. You can't possibly expect us to take down an ISD."
"You just need to disable it. You're the only friendly vessel within two hours of it. You also have the element of surprise. They don't know that you are aware of their treachery. Make them pay for their crimes against the Emperor. That is all." The hologram disappears. Yotor's jaw sags, "OK, all crew, return to stations. XO stay here, TacOps, take the bridge." The room empties again, leaving just the XO and the Captain.
"They did a good job Captain."
"I couldn't tell the difference. The crew believed it as well."
"The crew believe anything that the Empire tells them."
"Do you think we can do it?"
"I have no doubts about the act. It's the aftermath that concerns me."
"Me too Noslen, me too."

[Vympel]

First post. Bwahahahahah.

[Zaia]

Damn, Ando, this story is really pulling me in. Nice work.

[Evil Sadistic Bastard]

AIIF boss dude: That is one great story. I salute jo0r writing skilz.

[Knife]

Damn, it flows very nicely. They are right, its good, and if you wanted to you could flesh it out more.

[Ted]

AIIF boss dude: That is one great story. I salute jo0r writing skilz.

Adno's ATJ, Alyrium is AIIF.

[Coyote]

Wow! You just keep reeling me in... In all the "vs." arguments I had yet to see a scenario where a VSD tackles and ISD with surprise. This oughta be interesting!


BTW, you frequently switch between calling the Captain "Yotor" or "Lotor".