The Return of Malfeas IC

[sun_tzu]

"On it," said Berger.
Let's see. I've always been good with computers, and I've gotten A LOT better with my exaltation. But I wouldn't be in the least surprised if Ligier was better. Can Malfeas or any of his cronies access me from there? Maybe, maybe not.
Let's not take chances. Cut off any external communication more complex than bare-bones audio.
De-automate every system we don't need right now. Rededicate their resources to security.
Actually...create dozens of surface copies of our central system in the non-essential processors. They'll act as decoys - any hacker will have to waste time hacking the fake ones before finding the new ones. Program the neural network to analyze HOW these decoys were hacked, and automatically plug the corresponding holes in the defenses of both the real system and the decoys.
Meanwhile, manually watch over alerts and try to patch every failure in our defenses.

Spoiler

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Once again, spending 6m and 1WP to buy 4 successes, and turning each stunt die into an auto-success.
(6d10)[6][8][7][6][2][7](36)

[horus42]

(Both of you take two stunt dice.)

Ships explode in a soundless flash of light. It looks as though Watson and the Dragon-Blooded are managing to keep the Malfeans far enough off your tail, while Berger successfully keeps out any other intrusion into the ship's computer systems.

The Malfean fleet starts firing, but the shots miss. It looks as if they're trying to corral the Mercury in a certain direction, away from the assembled Imperial Fleet.

[sun_tzu]

Berger frowned. "Watson? Ignore the enemy shots. Malfeas can't afford to actually hit us. It's a bluff, a game of chicken.
But if he's trying to direct us away from the ambush point - and I think he is - then that means he's figured out that there's an ambush. Which was always a risk, but...Any way we can contact the fleet and be sure we aren't listened to?"

[Maugan Ra]

"Not that I'm aware of. They'll be keeping tabs on where we are, though, don't worry about that. We just need to stay alive long enough."

Even as he speaks, the pilot studies the patterns in the incoming fire. It's systematic, intensifying power in different areas in the hopes that he'll move to avoid them. After all, moving into the fire and away from safety would be insane.

Watson has never claimed to be sane.

Eyes narrowed in concentration, he veers into the heaviest section of the fire pattern, keeping on course for the intended ambush point. Under his expert guidance, the heavy frigate dances like a ballerina between the endless hail of shots.

"Singing in the rain..." Watson murmurs to himself.

[horus42]

It would seem as though Watson's gambit paid off. Not wanting to lose the schematics, the Malfean fleet makes sure not to actually harm the Mercury. It was a bluff after all.

The comm screen flickers to life, showing a very tense Admiral Harshaw. "Commander Berger, we're detecting a massive fleet nearing the Carna system. Is it safe to assume that you could use some help?"

[sun_tzu]

It would seem as though Watson's gambit paid off. Not wanting to lose the schematics, the Malfean fleet makes sure not to actually harm the Mercury. It was a bluff after all.

The comm screen flickers to life, showing a very tense Admiral Harshaw. "Commander Berger, we're detecting a massive fleet nearing the Carna system. Is it safe to assume that you could use some help?"

"Safe enough, Admiral," said Berger. "They've been trying to force us off-course, but they can't actually shoot us and destroy our cargo. I suspect that even if you attack them, they'll keep trying to pursue us. I intend to keep us going in a straight line." So, if Malfeas wants these schematics as much as I think he does...You're going to get a nice, easy shooting gallery. Let's see how many ships he's willing to sacrifice for this.

[horus42]

"Safe enough, Admiral," said Berger. "They've been trying to force us off-course, but they can't actually shoot us and destroy our cargo. I suspect that even if you attack them, they'll keep trying to pursue us. I intend to keep us going in a straight line." So, if Malfeas wants these schematics as much as I think he does...You're going to get a nice, easy shooting gallery. Let's see how many ships he's willing to sacrifice for this.

She nods. "We'll meet you in the middle, then." Her image on the screen flickers out, and the Imperial fleet moves to engage the Malfeans.

[sun_tzu]

"All right. Guess it's showtime," said Berger as she took control of the railgun once again. "Watson? Try to stay within relatively close range to our pursuers - I want us to stay a tempting target for Malfeas long enough for him to waste ships on pursuing us instead of reorganizing to fight the ambush." Even as she spoke, she sent out a shot against the nearest pursuer, aiming for the missile bay.
But, more importantly than that, she tried to analyze the flow of the battle. Malfeas isn't stupid. He had to know there'd be an ambush. The admiralty aren't stupid. They had to know he'd know. It's still bad for Malfeas, because he wanted those schematics badly enough, and was willing to run into the ambush anyway.
Let's see...analyze their forces and ours...analyze flight patterns...analyze trajectories and firing ranges...

Spoiler

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Regular shooting with Dex+Firearms: (12d10)[10][2][6][7][9][6][4][8][2][7][7][10](78)
Berger is also trying to analyze the battlefield as the battle unfolds to figure out what's going on and who has the advantage. Wits+War, Tactics specialization, spending 7 motes to buy dice: (16d10)[7][6][5][9][2][6][4][2][8][5][5][9][2][3][5][6](84)

[horus42]

(Take two stunt dice for your rolls, Berger)

[sun_tzu]

(Take two stunt dice for your rolls, Berger)

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Yay motes!
Gunnery: (2d10)[2][3](5)
Tactics: (2d10)[3][1](4)

[Maugan Ra]

"Ladies and gentlemen, please hold on tight. Things are about to get rather hectic." Watson calls out over the ship-wide intercom.

"Commander, if you have any suggested flight plans to maximize the enemy exposure to our friends... now would be the time."

He waves a hand, and next to Berger a holographic display springs up, showing the current positions of every ship that the Mercury can detect, their projected flight plans and firing arcs marked with faint lines.

[horus42]

At first glance, just comparing the fleets, the Empire clearly has the advantage. However, if you factor in the rapidly approaching Stellar Intelligence, there is almost no hope.

The empty void comes to life with lights and missiles, as the fleets hammer at each other with burst after burst of photonic destruction.

The nearest ship's missile bay explodes noiselessly, heavily damaging it.

[sun_tzu]

"Ladies and gentlemen, please hold on tight. Things are about to get rather hectic." Watson calls out over the ship-wide intercom.

"Commander, if you have any suggested flight plans to maximize the enemy exposure to our friends... now would be the time."

He waves a hand, and next to Berger a holographic display springs up, showing the current positions of every ship that the Mercury can detect, their projected flight plans and firing arcs marked with faint lines.

"By all means," said Berger. "Hitting this navpoint here. It'll make it look like we're just in a hurry to get out of the firing range, so they'll accelerate after us. Then hit this one. That should get us close enough to this cluster of Destroyer-class ships, and their fire should do a good part of the job. Then hit this cluster, and this one - organizing a trajectory to follow us without suffering too much fire from the fleet should be doable for a Stellar Intelligence like Malfeas, but with so many variables, he'll have to focus his computational skills on it instead of the rest of the battle." She grinned. "And I may have left him a little surprise earlier."

Spoiler

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Again, Wits+War with the specialty. Spending not only 7 motes on extra dice, but also a Valor channel - Berger is after all using herself and the rest of the crew as bait.
The goal is to keep Malfeas busy and prevent him from influencing the battle as much as he otherwise would. And if the virus she left also works, that should make for a devastating combination...hopefully.

[rolv]20d10[/rollv]

[Maugan Ra]

"On it. So, making bait of ourselves to distract Malfeas." Watson considers this, and then grins. "I love my job."

The Mercury rolls over and banks sharply, flying straight into the teeth of the ongoing storm of energy fire. Several times, Watson directs his ship straight between groups of Malfean vessels, throwing them out of alignment as he dances straight through their formation. It is courageous, and mad, and skillful almost beyond measure. It is, in short, the sort of thing that will rapidly become legend among the pilots of the Empire.

Assuming he survives, of course.

Spoiler

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Right. Fateful Sail Excellency, buying all the successes, and spending another willpower point to channel Valour on the roll as well. Because I reckon if anything counts for that, this does.

Total successes... 14. Combined with Berger's 15 war successes, this should be good.

[horus42]

With Berger's strategy and Watson's piloting skills, the resulting action is truly a sight to behold. The Mercury lures two massive Malfeas ships into firing at it, but Watson weaves between the blasts from the Essence cannons, causing the two ships to tear each other apart.

Meanwhile, the Imperial Fleet is making short work of the Malfeans. However, Malfeas himself has just gotten withing range. Bolts of that baleful, thermonuclear fire close the gap at ludicrous speeds, destroying everything they touch.

[Maugan Ra]

Watson grits his teeth as he watches the blasts of green fire devastate the Imperial fleet. "Not on my watch..."

He guns the engines, heading straight for Malfeas at top speed. The blazing orb grows ever larger in the view screen as he hurtles forwards, growing so close that the radiation warning sensors start chiming in alarm. Only then does he alter course, moving past the giant Stellar Intelligence and into space beyond in a blur of gold and white.

With a single action, he flips open the communications system, broadcasting directly at Malfeas but fully aware the other ships in the two fleets are likely going to hear it as well.

"Hey there, you great ugly bastard. I've still got your precious schematics, and look! I'm heading away from my reinforcements." his voice turns into a snarl as he finishes. "So catch me if you can, Fallen King."

Then, engines screaming as they push into the red zone, the Mercury accelerates away.

OK. Now I've done it... Hopefully, it'll follow me personally while it's fleet holds off the Admiral. It's the closest, and I think I just kicked it in the pride. That should give our guys the time they need to destroy the lesser ships and get ready for ganging up on the big bastard. I just have to keep it occupied until they can.

...this is a really bad idea.

[sun_tzu]

Berger considered the situation grimly. If the virus is going even HAVE an effect on Malfeas, it apparently won't be right this instant. And unless the Admiralty have prepared a surprise of their own - and I'm rather hoping they do - it looks like we positively, absolutely need to get an additional edge against Malfeas if we want to turn this battle around.
She nods approvingly at Watson's tactic. Right. Taking Malfeas out of the fight, even for a few minutes, might give our fleet the edge it needs. But on its own it won't be enough. What do we have that CAN hurt a Stellar Intelligence?
Her eyes settle on one of the most gigantic ships in the enemy fleet - a mechanic behemoth the size of a mountain. What did they call these again - Executor-class ships? Something like that. What I'M seeing is a nice, improvised needle to drive into Malfeas.
Malfeas, assuming he follows Watson's bait, is about to launch in pursuit of us. That will take him on a trajectory just to the right of that ship. If I shoot that ship's left thruster, and time things JUST right, it will involuntarily make a hard turn to the right, and RAM Malfeas at top speed!

Berger briefly took control of the ship's artillery, redirecting all guns to aim together with her own shot. She then waited for Malfeas to hopefully follow them, ready to make the ultra-precise shot...

Spoiler

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Spending ten motes on the Firearms Excellency, and channeling Valor to add four dice.
Using Nova Shell Ordnance to halve the ship's Soak.
Using Lightspeed Trigger Technique to halve the ship's DV.
Actually hurting an enemy capital ship is secondary - what Berger really wants is to hurt Malfeas as much as possible with this stunt.
(26d10)[10][5][3][8][10][5][5][6][10][9][1][4][2][10][1][5][8][6][5][8][2][2][3][5][10][4](147)

[horus42]

Berger considered the situation grimly. If the virus is going even HAVE an effect on Malfeas, it apparently won't be right this instant. And unless the Admiralty have prepared a surprise of their own - and I'm rather hoping they do - it looks like we positively, absolutely need to get an additional edge against Malfeas if we want to turn this battle around.
She nods approvingly at Watson's tactic. Right. Taking Malfeas out of the fight, even for a few minutes, might give our fleet the edge it needs. But on its own it won't be enough. What do we have that CAN hurt a Stellar Intelligence?
Her eyes settle on one of the most gigantic ships in the enemy fleet - a mechanic behemoth the size of a mountain. What did they call these again - Executor-class ships? Something like that. What I'M seeing is a nice, improvised needle to drive into Malfeas.
Malfeas, assuming he follows Watson's bait, is about to launch in pursuit of us. That will take him on a trajectory just to the right of that ship. If I shoot that ship's left thruster, and time things JUST right, it will involuntarily make a hard turn to the right, and RAM Malfeas at top speed!

Berger briefly took control of the ship's artillery, redirecting all guns to aim together with her own shot. She then waited for Malfeas to hopefully follow them, ready to make the ultra-precise shot...

Spoiler

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Spending ten motes on the Firearms Excellency, and channeling Valor to add four dice.
Using Nova Shell Ordnance to halve the ship's Soak.
Using Lightspeed Trigger Technique to halve the ship's DV.
Actually hurting an enemy capital ship is secondary - what Berger really wants is to hurt Malfeas as much as possible with this stunt.
[roll0]

(Take three on this one, I like it.)

[sun_tzu]

Spoiler

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And another six brave motes of essence join the war against Malfeas. (3d10)[4][7][9](20)

[horus42]

The ship's left thruster explodes, forcing it off course. It careens through space trying desperately to avoid crashing into Malfeas.

Malfeas himself tries to fire another of his blasts of hellish fire at the ship, but misses entirely. Looks like that virus might be distracting him enough after all...

The ship crashes into the Stellar Intelligence, damaging one of the massive brass cityscapes which constantly orbit the green star.

[sun_tzu]

"Bullseye!"
If you had told me a month ago I'd be stabbing a Stellar Intelligence with a capital ship today...
Berger considered the situation. All right. We just hurt it at least a little. The virus might be slowing it down. We've got a fleet full of Exalts, including many Sidereals, who are no doubt figuring out their own tricks for dealing with this. And hopefully, Malfeas will focus on us instead of the rest of the fleet...
"Got any more ideas, Watson?"

[Maugan Ra]

"Assuming you mean beyond 'run like hell, try not to die'? Can't say I do." Watson comments as he keeps an eye on the target lock sensor. "I'm the department of Journeys, this sort of thing really isn't my forte."

With a quick gesture, he throws the ship into a spin to avoid another barrage of thermonuclear death. "Fun, though."

[sun_tzu]

"All right then. Maybe try to fly us through that concentration of enemy ships - if Malfeas wants to follow, he'll have to break their formation."

[Maugan Ra]

"There had better be medals for this. Really big, shiny medals." Watson mutters as he dives the ship straight towards the indicated grouping of ships. Blasts of energy fly all around them, some barely missing the hull by no more than a few metres as the Sidereal makes his ship dance through the barrage.

"Also cake. Chocolate cake."

[sun_tzu]

"There had better be medals for this. Really big, shiny medals." Watson mutters as he dives the ship straight towards the indicated grouping of ships. Blasts of energy fly all around them, some barely missing the hull by no more than a few metres as the Sidereal makes his ship dance through the barrage.

"Also cake. Chocolate cake."

"I was thinking imperial favors," said Berger, aiming more of the artillery at the engines of nearby enemies, trying to keep them from getting out of Malfeas's way. "Promotions would be nice too, but I prefer imperial favors. They don't hand those out posthumously."

[horus42]

Malfeas continues to fire his bolt of thermonuclear death towards the Mercury. Oddly enough for him, he seems to actually be restraining himself. The ship takes a hit, not enough to destroy it, but the explosion rocks the bridge.

[Maugan Ra]

"Oh, I don't know, it might.... son of a bitch!" Watson curses as the sudden blast rocks the bridge. Scarlet warning icons light up all over the control panels.

"Was afraid of that. We're too damn close... Even with everything I do, there's not much that can stop Malfeas from hitting us."

OK, so it's aiming for disabling blasts. Means it still wants the data in my pocket. Worse comes to worse, I shatter the damn crystal...

[sun_tzu]

Berger hesitates. "Watson, can you put us on a collision course with Malfeas? He can't afford to destroy us. If we play chicken, he'll have to get out of the way. With little concern for the safety of his own fleet."

[Maugan Ra]

Watson blinks, and stares at Berger, his yellow eyes wide. "You realise, of course, that's completely insane?" he says softly. "But what the hell. I think I can pull it off."

He taps a few controls, and the Mercury flips and heads straight for the giant, burning star-city. "Either he gets out of the way, or I can stay too close for him to fire at. Inside his reach."

[horus42]

The plan seems to be working without a hitch. Malfeas' bolts can seem to hit you, more than they already have. However, as you get closer to his surface, you get closer to being in range of the smaller turrets mounted on towers for smaller scale defense.

In response to this, the smaller turrets start firing, trying to get you off his back, so to speak. In addition, a detachment of frigates disengage the Imperial Fleet, and start heading your way. It seems that his plan is to force you to land on his surface.