2467 Crescent Expanse: Warp Lane 7 Arc — Ship Navigation

[kermit]

TO: Command, Bridge Crew
FROM: Automated Bridge Notices
SUBJECT: Bridge Notice: Flight Plan Update

MESSAGE BODY:
A flight plan update has been made.

The SCCV Horizon is now routing to BETA MARAX I via WARP GATE TRANSIT.

Estimated total transit time: 5 DAYS. Please make the appropriate preparations.

[kermit]

Crescent Expanse: Warp Lane 7 — Week 3

———

Bridge Memo: Ship Navigation

Good morning, Command and Bridge Crew,

The SCCV Horizon awaits course adjustment after evaluation of the vessel's current situation.

Following the incident at the hivebot-infested propellant depot, a number of important developments should be noted:

• The SCCV Horizon was able to salvage 1 weeks worth of supplies from the derelict, as well as the surrounding graveyards of hivebot robot debris left by the Purpose synthetics. This is only enough to recoup what was lost relocating to the system. Scans prior to the derelicts detonation, a successful attempt to interrupt the worst of the hivebot interference of the SCCV Horizon, indicated the gas holding tanks were left untapped of a potential 1 weeks worth of bluespace drive moderator gases.
• The Purpose synthetics encountered around the derelict disappeared from our sensors, alongside all equipment and material brought with them. Their treatment by SCCV Horizon personnel suggests future aid is unlikely.
• The SCCV Horizon continues to experience network faults, despite best efforts to prevent them. ((OOC: For reasons currently unknown to the crew, there is a 25% chance to lose an additional 1 supplies per week)).

In addition to this, the Malebranche was detected warping into the Berkley 73 system and is now actively patrolling Warp Lane 7. The sensors suite will continue to track the Malebranche, utilising bluespace sensors unable to be traced by the dated vessel.

Routed via internal relay. Composed by Virgil AI.

———

OOC

On the Malebranche

• The Malebranche is now on the gamemap in its attempt to pursue the SCCV Horizon.
• The Malebranche has a shorter sensor range than the SCCV Horizon, and can only see adjacent systems.
• The Malebranche will move a random direction as permitted by warp lanes. A random number will be generated, with a number corresponding to a direction.
• The Malebranche has 4 'patrol' states:
  • Hunting: The Malebranche is not aware of the SCCV Horizon's location and is attempting to locate it.
  • Pursuing: The Malebranche is aware of the SCCV Horizon's location (or last known location), and will begin moving to that direction.
    • This state is triggered when 'spotted' by the Malebrache by being in an adjacent system.
    • This state can be triggered by certain event outcomes, where something may tip of the Malebranche.
  • Disengaged: It is possible the Malebranche to give up, at which point it will return to Sawal. As you can infer by previous posts, this requires rendering its escorts non-operational, which can be done a number of ways, such as with the help of potential allies.
  • Recovering: The Malebranche is recovering from an attack or being interdicted. It skips its movement that week.
• The Malebranche has 2 'targetting' states:
  • No Lock: The SCCV Horizon is not actively being tracked by the Malebranche.
  • Locked On: The SCCV Horizon has locked on and can 'see' the SCCV Horizon.
    • This is usually hand-in-hand with the Malebranche's 'Pursuing' state, and is used to differentiate whether the Malebranche is pursuing because it can see the SCCV Horizon, or if it's pursuing what it thinks is the SCCV Horizon.
• The Malebranche has 3 special capabilities:
  • The Malebranche has a 75% chance to perform a special capability a turn, where a special capability is selected by random, and where a special capabilities may require a precondition (eg. being Locked On).

Edited September 14 by kermit
post-sleep elaborations, forgot to mention what the scuttle was for, and the Malebranche's rules

[JuneauQT]

Elena Ashpole, Bridge Crew:

Sooo, like... it's kind of a waste to use some of our bluespace jump fuel on a one-system jump... but I think Xar'qui 52 is probably, like, the best option we have left?

Liiiike... it's the only signal we can get to, and there's no real sense to skipping over it, you know?

Maybe if the Malebranch goes to Beta Marax II next week we could move to, like, CES 144 one week, and then maybe jump to 146 the next?

Ai-Dei-Kei...

[greenjoe]

Narasi:
While she thinks there could something useful at Xar'qui 52, the risk of pirates being there is also a factor. They are already fleeing from one group of pirates so causing issues with another does not seem the best idea. She would think CES 144 may be better, and seeing if they can find supplies there.
(Though I oocly vote for Xar'qui 52)

[hollyhock]

Tsuchinoko, Hangar Technician:

A baseline with a green display reads a magazine, behind the counter of the ship's commissary. An analog radio next to it blares whatever scream-heavy song is being transmitted this far out. It looks like a slow shift. As the recording starts, it looks up from its book at whoever's recording.

Eh? What's with the cam-

...

The baseline sets down its reading material and turns down its radio, leaning in.

Oh, okay. Well, I keep hearing, you know, someone talking about the Xar'qui systems over the radio when I can't catch the music station's signal. Something about Skrell jamming something? I feel like they might be friendly, right? So we should, you know, go toward them. Wherever that way is.

As long as it's not more hivebots...

Why are you asking me, anyway? Go bother, you know, an engineer.

It goes back to reading, before the recording ends.

[kermit]

TO: Command, Bridge Crew
FROM: Automated Bridge Notices
SUBJECT: Bridge Notice: Flight Plan Update


MESSAGE BODY:
A flight plan update has been made.

The SCCV Horizon is now routing to XAR'QUI 52 via BLUESPACE JUMP.

Estimated time of arrival: 5 DAYS. Please make the appropriate preparations.

[kermit]

Crescent Expanse: Warp Lane 7 — Week 4

————

Bridge Memo: Ship Navigation

Good morning, Command and Bridge Crew,

The SCCV Horizon awaits navigation to a new system.

After the SCCV Horizon's impromptu port of call at the ISS Lu'Nioh, a sensor data exchange has seen a number of unconventional warp lanes (marked in yellow in sensor graphics) added to the SCCV Horizon's registry. These warp lanes are consistent with lanes often charted and frequented by smugglers and often bypass longer routes, however they can be risky to traverse, particularly in larger vessels such as ours. ((OOC: There is a 10% chance to lose either 1 Supplies OR 1 Bluespace Jump Budget when using a yellow smuggler's lane))

Xar'qui 52 and the ISS Lu'Nioh will continue to be monitered for future transmissions directed to the SCCV Horizon, and it may be possible to trade with them again should we be unable to find a timely route out of Warp Lane 7.

It should also be noted that the SCCV Horizon is soon to be overdue its expected return date, with the original flightplan seeing the vessel return on 2467-09-25. It is this intelligence's hope that Central Command will have a contingency plan in place in the event the SCCV Horizon far exceeds its expected return date, however we cannot predict when any such rescue may arrive.

Finally, the SCCV Horizon is critically low on supplies. Automated measures will be taken to stretch existing supplies; it is strongly advised to prepare and implement additional supply conservation strategies, and ensure crew members are adhering to preexisting conservation strategies.

Edited Sunday at 03:09 by kermit
typo

[Jasorn]

Jackson Fernand, Operations Manager:

A hungover looking middle-aged man appears on holoscreen, a few empty beer bottles line the shelf behind him, clearly hasn't kept his hair and beard in a couple weeks. He speaks barely understandable to normal Basic, and mostly understandable to Freespeak outer spacers.

AUDIO STARTS:

Right so, da fuq been goin' on?? Gettin' dem' alarms' 'n shite, why we so fuggin' low on supply? Normally ma' ass ain't needed to handle any problem like dis cuz it ain't need it, ops runs itsself everyday, yeh? I can see some help needed, fekks sake man. Why's no one tell me bout dis' could'a handle any supp shite meself... fekkk.. *sigh*

Should be easy 'nuff we gotta head fer damn C-E-S 144. Best option around fer sure, 'n y'all better grab every damn lick of supply ya can get, assumin' I ain't there my self!

If ain't shite there.. well, den I'll see y'all in line fer da last of da rations.

AUDIO CUTS.

The man takes a shot of what seems to be a brown liquor, then cuts the video feed off, seemingly pissed off.

[kermit]

Spoiler

TO: Command, Bridge Crew

FROM: Virgil, AI

SUBJECT: RE: Bridge Notice: Flight Plan Update

MESSAGE BODY:

A question was received regarding re-contacting the ISS Lu'Nioh.

While we are positioned in the Xar'qui 52 system, it is more than possible to coordinate shuttles between the SCCV Horizon and ISS Lu'Nioh. As such, should we wish to trade for supplies, that is doable.

I will leave any discussions on this to you.

Spoiler

TO: Command, Bridge Crew

FROM: Virgil, AI

SUBJECT: Distress Beacon Usage

MESSAGE BODY:

Following this week's flight plan update notice and the awareness of the SCCV Horizon's passing of its expected return date, a majority command decision has seen it fit for the distress beacon to be utilised alongside an Emergency Broadcast System bluespace transmission on 2467-10-11, approximately 3 weeks from now.

If any rescue has been sent for this ship, the beacon will be vital for them to precisely locate us.

If no contingency plan has been effected, the receiving of our distress beacon and bluespace SOS transmission should hopefully see one devised.

————

OOC

Permanent Settlements

Systems with permanent settlements (prescribed a different colour, EG. purple in the case of the Lu'Nioh) can have actions done to them, as follows:

• Barter:  Resources can be exchanged at a 1:1 rate. EG. 1 Supplies can be bought for 1 Bluespace Jump. Special resources, such as the Warp Interdicton Net, also counts.
  • This doesn't cost a turn, and the SCCV Horizon can still move in the same week.
  • This can be done every 2nd week, and the system will be marked with a green exclamation mark (!) when this option is available.
• Befriend: Gifting 2 of any resource will sway the settlement towards the SCCV Horion.
  • This doesn't cost a turn, and the SCCV Horizon can still move in the same week.
  • This only needs to be done once.
• Raid: The SCCV Horizon can raid the settlement for resources.
  • This does cost a turn, and sets the stage for that weekend's event.
  • This will remove the permanent settlement from the map.
  • This can be done at any time.

If the Malebranche enters a system with a permanent settlement, and that settlement's faction isn't amiable with the Malebranche's faction, the settlement will be engaged.

•  There is a 80% chance the settlement is disabled, removing it from the gamemap.
• If the settlement survives, the Malebranche is placed into its Recovering state and misses its movement.

————

The Distress Beacon and Other Turn Options

The SCCV Horizon has now become desperate enough to consider the additional options per turn (read: I only just thought of these):

• Distress Beacon: The SCCV Horizon can deploy its distress beacon, alerting all nearby ships and stations (including the Malebranche) of its location.
  • This will put the Malebranche into's Pursuing state and it will beeline the SCCV Horizon's location at time of emitting the distress beacon.
  • The Distress Beacon is a prerequisite for any rescue vessels to be able to locate the SCCV Horizon.
    • Because of such, the Distress Beacon will be launched uninfluenced by player decision on 2467-10-11, if the SCCV Horizon has not yet found and used Warp Lane 7's exit.
    • It may still take some time for the rescue vessel to arrive however (basically, when I can't manage this minigame anymore and need to wrap things up lol)
• Create Debris Field: The SCCV Horizon can expend 1 Supplies to leave a bunch of debris in a warp gate's ingress zone, similar to using a Warp Interdiction Net.
  • This will have a 50% chance to put the Malebranche into its Recovering state if it uses that warp lane. A costly and unreliable alternative to a warp interdiction net, for when the net has already been used or you want to save it for a more optimal usecase.
• Other reasonable actions can be suggested and will may considered. Keep them simple, like the Debris Field action, and avoid contradicting/bypassing any 'rules' or other actions.

[CourierBravo]

Brian "Elizabeth" Pinkman, Hanger Technician:

A message sent out as follows: 
I'm gonna keep it real, best bet's gonna be moving somewhere. There's nothing for us here. Whatever we do next though, we need to A. Not act like assholes and B. Actually make sure we got everything instead just following orders or whatever. We need to take our time and like, be thorough. Let ops and engineering fully look into wherever we go.

[greenjoe]

Narasi: This one votes to move to CES 144 via the warp gate. She heard it mentioned on the radio, something about progress being made there. It would be worth checking out.