[Halo] Onyx Wind

[Erik Vale]

While not visable, Argyle raises an eyebrow as he's filled up.
"So the other AI is active then. That should make my job easier. Heck, it should be to the point of just finding the power button for everything and having a chat, unless engineering has been so damaged that the AI has shut the ship down to conserve power as a survival mechanism, in which case we might have some trouble..."

After a moment Argyle comes over, and removes Iaoch from the slot, plugging him back into his helmet.

"Ok, just need a couple of personal O2 Tanks, unless we want to do this by switching out the pilot with someone fresher."

[DoctorFaust]

Grabbing a spare canister from near the supply tank, Volsung grunts noncommittally and says, "Eh, I suppose I could take a shift piloting the Phantom and some tanks out with me so that we don't have to switch out so often, but that'd still leave us one short our usual strength."

[Erasmas]

Argyle moves and retrieves Iaoch, plugging him back in. He relays pretty much exactly what Ceara had said only moments before - it appears that the primary AI had the system still locked down and denied the lesser AI any access.

544's HUD blinked, as it had been doing for the last several minutes:

WARNING - O2 levels at 15%

[Erik Vale]

[[Assuming I've been filled up and I have however many oxygen tanks]]
Argyle hefts the O2 tanks for Anex.
"Ok, one of you try and talk to the AI or find a way to retrieve it. I've got a refill run..."
Turning, Argyle makes his way to the huge hole, waiting for a chance to jump to the hijacked phantom.

[Erasmas]

Argyle takes two canisters and, tying them together with a section of hose, he moves back to the secondary breach. Taking a moment to see where in the rotation the Summer Storm was, he spotted the Phantom sitting still down below his current 'plane'. Positioning himself on the ceiling of the hallway was not a problem due to its Zero-G status. O23 then crouched down and pushed off towards the Covenant Corvette. He had to use his jet pack momentarily, to increase his speed enough to miss the remainder of the ship as it continued to spin. Soon, he managed to grab ahold of the Phantom and make his way inside.

Meanwhile, still on the Bridge, the remainder of Crimson Team refilled their suit's oxygen levels with no interruptions at all.

[DoctorFaust]

Standing aside as Argyle launches himself back into space, Volsung slowly turns in a circle on the bridge of the ship. "Alright, the first order of business is to try and restore power. Ceara, Drake, you two fan out and check the consoles on the periphery of the room. I'll check the main console. If you find the power, call the rest of the squad over and we'll proceed from there."

Putting actions to words, he heads to what looks to be the main console and begins checking the controls.

[Erik Vale]

In the less hectic environment of the Phantom Argyle manages to land quietly and softly... Because Jetpacks don't make sound in space.
"Anex, I'm here. Let's get you full up, out of your chair, Gnomere can more than handle autopilot, speaking of which I'll be taking you to the ship, perhaps another smart AI may help talk the thing down."

Argyle will quickly refill Anex's suit, before taking Gnomere and flying back when the oppertunity arises, leaving Anex with a simple-
[Anex]"Hold down the fort. If we're lucky we won't need the extra firepower but an additional ship is always useful."

[moomoo]

Thanks, I will stay here for the moment, keeping my eye on the scanners to make sure nothing will disturb you finishing the mission.
Anex replies while checking all the scanners another time.

OOC: He will check the scanners periodically now, reporting every anomaly to the rest of the team.

[Erasmas]

Volsung, Drake, & Ceara

Ceara nods and adds a simple, "You got it, Captain.", before moving off to the left-hand side of the Bridge, while Drake moves to the right. When you approach the central command table and activate the control deck, a blue flickering dot appears in the corner of the table nearest to you. The dot then pulses several times before expanding into the shape of the personification of an AI - dressed in clothing that you barely recognize as that from a far-bygone era.

Spoiler

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He looks up at you and tips the brim of his hat as a wry smile crosses his digital face.

"Wasn't expectin' no Spartans; but I ain't too sore 'bout it bein' ya'll that found me neither. Name's Doc; pleased to meet ya'll."

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Anex & Argyle

Argyle and Anex arrange the tanks and manage to get 544's suit refilled without too much trouble. Argyle moves back towards the bay and begins timing the moment for his jump back in the rotation of the UNSC ship's path. Anex settles himself back into the pilot's seat and starts checking over the scanners once again, when something catches his attention. Apparently, as they were messing with his oxygen refill, a transmission was made. It seems as though it came from onboard the Summer Storm... and was sent planet-side. The transcripted message reads:

'[Covenant]We have encountered a squadron of human demons onboard! Engaged, but have taken heavy casualties and have been forced to fall back! Requesting artillery fire on my position!'

The coordinates read out as the same as that of the Engine Bay.

[moomoo]

Valkyrie, the covvies have requested artillery fire in the engine bay. Can you reach the others already?
Anex radios in, with some urgency in his voice.

[Erik Vale]

Argyle's face is grave.
"In any case, we need to find a way to jam their signals and may sure they don't send a distress call. By the sounds of it the covenent are on the ropes but we could be useful. I'm going to jump back, lets get this AI out ASAP, However let's not fire on their position, we don't want to catch our own in the blast.

Argyle continues to wait for his oppertunity to change ship.


[[OOC: Aliens and Cowboys protaganist.]]

[DoctorFaust]

Gazing wryly at the form the AI chose to take, Volsung replies, "The pleasure's all mine, cowboy. We're here to get you outta here so we can find out what in the gorram hell happened to this place. You mind telling us how to remove you from the ship?"

Hearing Argyle and Anex's transmissions, he swears softly to himself and resumes talking to the floating figure. "It looks like our timeframe just got moved up. I don't mean to be rude, but we need you to tell us how to get you out of here without damaging your info, and hurry."

[Erik Vale]

Argyle sounds surprised.
"He's Awake?! Ok, yank him safely then come abord, let's be heroes. Anex, begin plotting a course that will get us as close as possible to the covenent, Gnomere, prepare a transmission for the covenent that goes along the line of 'No, but we'll come in person, fall back and keep reporting position. Ship will remain in standby for bombardment if deemed neccessary'... Should be honor bound enough for an elite..."

[[OOC Note: Argyle will always let Gnomere prepare messages to the covenent when they are to appear covenent. Because she's the one with more ranks in bluff and know [covenent]]]

[moomoo]

Anex puts the ship's schematics back on his HUD and checks if there is an easy, fast and relatively safe way to the coordinates the covenants transmitted earlier.

[Erasmas]

Volsung, Drake, & Ceara

"Course, much obliged for the ride. I already downloaded all the quarantined data, along with m'self, into the chip stuck in slot C, right over yonder.", Doc says... indicating the other side of the table with a jerk of his thumb.

Moving around the table, you see that there is, in fact, a chip in the slot labelled as 'C'. Just before you are able to retrieve it, however, there is a massive jolt in the ship and you are forced to grab ahold of something just to prevent yourself from flying across the room. After a moment, your momentum synced with that of the ship and you were able to stand again.

>>>>>>>>>><<<<<<<<<<

Anex & Argyle

Just as Anex readies the Phantom to relocate, the Dawn Evader's AI comes back, "Negative, Spartan 544. They still appear to be within the shielded area. But artillery would mean that they were targeting the ship from the planet!"

As if on cue, Valkyrie's premonition was realized. You both easily spot the enormous bolt of plasma that pierces the atmosphere of Pegasi Delta, a ripple forming around its exit like a water drop in reverse. You watch in terror as the blue mass rockets past you and rips into the Summer Storm. The Corvette spinning trajectory slowed with the hit so near the sternside, but it likewise sent the UNSC ship into a lumbering escape directly away from the orbit of Bellerophon's moon. A massive hole, still glowing in shades of molten orange and plasma-scored pink... not unlike the one you saw in her when you first arrived... now sits in the rear of the vessel as well. You can only imagine what this likely spells for Sapphire Team.

[DoctorFaust]

Jolted off of his feet by the massive impact, Volsung struggles to his feet as the world settles to a halt around him. "Argyle, I need a status report on the ship. Ceara, Drake, get ready for quick evac. Doc, I'm sorry if this hurts." Reaching over, he yanks the AI chip from the C port and hurries over to the door.

[Erik Vale]

"Anex, bring the phantom in as close as possible for Evac. Spartans, prepare to jump, this unit will assist if neccessary, Surface to Space artillery barrage has commenced on the ship. Team shall transport to the initial insertion point to assist Sapphire Team."
Argyle moves back to the cockpit to return Gníomhaire to the ships AI slot, before returning to his original position.
"Valkyrie, I need you to try and inhibit that AtS gun if at all possible. Any jamming you can perform would also be good."
Gníomhaire quickly begins going through the ships Databanks, searching for the name of the highest ranking elite as she does a quick damage assessment on the ship.

[[Erasmas]]

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Gníomhaire will do a very quick and rough damage assessment on the ship, specifically if it is in any way possible for the covenant to have survived the blast. If so she will send this message.

'[Covenant]Human Demons destroyed! Please cease fire.''
Bluff check for believability: (1d20+16)[31]
Knowledge Covenent Check to edit message to acceptability: (1d20+12)[25]

[moomoo]

Holy ****

As the ship starts to move away from them, Anex immediately sets course after it, trying to keep position for the team to jump over.
Meanwhile he tries to get a grip on the damage made to the Summer Storm with the scanners.

[DoctorFaust]

"Rodger 3, we're prepping for evac."

[Erasmas]

Volsung, Drake, & Ceara

You pull the AI from Slot C and moves towards the door. Loose in your hand, you know that the chip is not 100% secure. You can see, however, that Drake has several pockets on his chest piece as well as a hardcase as one of the utility loadouts on his thigh. The three of you move out from the Bridge and position yourselves immediately inside the secondary breach.

Looking out, you can tell that the trajectory of the ship you were on had indeed changes. In addition, you were no moving away from the orbit of Pegasi Delta and out into the expanse of space. You could see the Phantom in pursuit of you, though it was having to keep a fair bit of distance in order to avoid the still somewhat spinning Mako.

Suddenly, your comm crackles to life and, though static-laced, you hear, "Mayday, mayday! Crimson Team, this is Onyx One! Do you read, over?!"

>>>>>>>>>><<<<<<<<<<

Anex & Argyle

Anex pilots after the retreating Summer Storm, forced to keep his distance because the damn thing was still spinning enough to put the Phantom in danger were he to get any closer. As it careened through the debris field left from its battle with the Covenant Corvette, the UNSC ship batted broken pieces and broken bodies in all directions, sending them off into the untold corners of space.

Argyle, meanwhile, had returned to the cockpit and slid himself into the co-pilot's chair, feverishly working the scanners and injecting Gníomhaire back into the system.

Valkyrie comes back, "I am afraid that I cannot affect any of their planet-based systems, Onyx Three. Unless they have probable reason to suspect that you are not all dead already, the Covenant will likely not fire upon the Summer Storm again. It is, however, almost certain that they will send another team to investigate our presence here and to see if the areas which they could not access before are now obtainable."

The highest ranked among the sangheili that Gníomhaire is able to find on record for Pegasi Delta is an individual named Ritan Bandon. The AI is also able to ascertain that it is only the smallest possible percentage chance that anyone near Engineering could have survived.

The damage assessment of the ship is catastrophic. This second shot put another hole in her every bit the size of the first and her structural integrity was shot to hell, especially in the area between the two massive hull breaches.

Just as Gníomhaire has constructed her message to send to the Covenant and the notice that it is ready appears in Argyle's HUD, both Anex's and Argyle's earpieces broadcast, "Mayday, mayday! Crimson Team, this is Onyx One! Do you read, over?!"

[Erik Vale]

"Saphire team, Unit O23 recieves. Crimson team is currently extracting to phantom with mission complete. Status Report."
Argyle talks to Gníomhaire through direct broadcast.
[Gníomhaire] "Could a hull-walk be feasibly performed-"
[Argyle] "Just no, take to long, and should reinforcements come they would be to easy to kill. They would be better off walking through the ship and trying to get to our own rides themselves."
[Gníomhaire] "Check to see if hull integrety is secure enough for the rest of Crimson team to walk to insertion vessels, Saphire teams need may be more important. Ensure that you are fully linked into the sensor systems and can mimic Ritan well enough to claim transmittor damage if neccessary. This unit may need to perform space rescue."

[DoctorFaust]

Slipping the AI chip into one of his chest compartments, Volsung keeps swearing to himself as he and the other two Spartans approach the door to the cockpit. As the transmissions from Arglye and Valen come in, he stops himself short of opening the door and opens a squad wide comm channel. "Major, we're currently on the opposite side of the ship. Unless you have any recommendations on how to get to you quickly, we might have to risk a hull walk."

[Erasmas]

Valen calls back, "We have Leonidas One, Four, and Six! Repeat, we have Leonidas One, Four, and Six! There was some kind of explosion that ripped the godd@mn hull apart right in front of us! In bad shape down here! Objective Two is... currently pinning me down!"

"Onyx Five, that is a negative on the hull walk. We are heading back into Kainan's Belt and if you aren't inside when we do, your chances of being picked off by an asteroid far exceed the allowed level of risk.", Valkyrie chimed in after Volsung.

[Gníomhaire to Argyle]Hull integrity should maintain its present status, unless acted upon by an outside force equal to or exceeding that of the last incident.

"You've got the Primary Objective. Come and get the Secondary and get them both back onboard the Dawn Evader! And while I hump my sorry @$$ on back to the ship, your team will press on to this precious mystery Third Objective of Harper's. And then we get the hell out of this place! Do you copy?"

[moomoo]

How long until we are at Kainan's Belt?
Anex inquires as he tries to move the ship closer to the Summer Storm

[Erasmas]

"At the ship's current velocity - T-minus five minutes and 23 seconds. Putting a counter in your HUDs now."

Just as Valkyrie said it, a timer appears in the lower right-hand corner of your HUD, with the last two digits cycling downward.

[DoctorFaust]

"We copy, major. Onyx 3, if he's by the hull breach, I'd recommend you go and get him. Me, 3, and Drake will go and retrieve mystery objective 3," Volsung says, slapping open the door controls. Stepping out into the void, his boots hiss as the magnets engage. "Val, I need the coordinates for objective 3."

[Erik Vale]

"Onyx 5, Orders were to get the AI to the Dawn Evador first, hull integraty should be maintained unless another artilary strike occurs, in which case it shouldn't be called down on the rest of Saphire team unless ship demolishment is decided upon by the Covenent. Onyx 1, Unit and Ivory 2 are inbound abord phantom. Ivory 2, let's extract Saphire team."

[DoctorFaust]

"Three, if the ship's hull integrity fails, we're all dead anyway. Way I see it, there's three of us, one of him. He's more vulnerable, so go get our damned CO!" shouts Volsung, stamping towards the aft of the ship. Pausing to orient himself, he reopened the squad chanel and yells, "Val, where the hell is goddamn objective 3!"

[moomoo]

Extracting Saphire team is a go!
Anex replies, as he redirects the Phantom towards their location.

[Erasmas]

Volsung, Drake, & Ceara

"That is a negative, Onyx Five. As much as I would prefer to grant you the access to that information, it violates a directive inserted into my mission perimeters and therefore I cannot. Objectives One and Two must be secured aboard the Dawn Evader before I am allowed to even obtain whatever specifics Fleet Admiral Harper has arranged for Objective Three. I apologize, sincerely."

>>>>>>>>>><<<<<<<<<<

Anex & Argyle

Anex pilots the Phantom in as close as he is comfortable to the runaway Corvette, nearing the third hole that has been blown into the large ship. As he flies in nearer, it is difficult to tell what is what amongst the wreckage, some of the things still cooling from the orange and pink glow from the extreme temperature of the blast. After a second, Argyle is able to spot a sizable expanse that must've been the Engine Bay. More than likely, Valen and what was left of Sapphire Team must be somewhere nearby.