Prologue
Infinita Orizontas, Command Bridge
June 17th, 2013
14:00 Hours
A crew member on the bridge of the Orizontas is listening for signals on open Shadows Bane channels. It’s common with divisions of the Terror Response Ministry to monitor open Shadows Bane channels for the off chance they may be under attack by some sort of terror group. The crewman who wears a white uniform puts his middle and index fingers of his right hand to the right earphone when listening to a patchy signal.
“Sir, I have a patchy signal on an open Shadows Bane channel.” The crewman opens.
A man in dark blue uniform, the captain, nods and says. “Pipe it through the bridge speakers.”
The crewman nods and types a command on a keyboard before switching the audio to the bridge speakers. Static comes from the audio signal but its just enough to pick up a signal. The background of what sounds like a vessels alarm is blaring.
“Mayday mayday, this is the cargo ship Havoc. Our outer deck is on fire and we’re taking on water. We’re near a facility which under attack. Requesting immediate assistance to any nearby vessels picking up this signal.” The voice of an alarmed man with a heavily gravelly voice says.
After receiving a nod from the captain, the coms officer who discovered the signal asks. “Cargo ship Havoc, this response vessel Infinita Orizontas, what is the condition of your crew?”
“Heavy casualties, Orizontas. We’ve got the fire to the starboard put out, but we’re listing to the port.” The man on the radio answers.
With an understanding nod the coms officer replies. “If your ships tracking beacon is online activate it.”
“Understood Orizontas. Please hurry.” The man on the radio responds.
The captain taps a wrist communications device on his suit. A sound chimes over the whole ships speaker systems.
“Sound general quarters, away teams get the life boats ready for launch, medical staff standby to receive survivors. Security teams standby for orders. Engineering give us best speed.” The captain says before closing the ship wide channel and looking to the com officer ordering. “Contact command and inform them we’re responding to the Havoc’s distress call.”
Infinita Orizontas, command level
June 17th, 2013
17:00 Hours
Darius walks out, wearing a gray uniform the color of away teams on the Orizontas. Life boats on port and starboard are all ready to be lowered. The Orizontas enters view of the coast where they see high plumes of smoke coming from what might’ve been a fueling facility. Additionally they spot what is now the shipwreck of what they assume to be the cargo ship Havoc. After the order is given the away teams are deployed with half being sent to search the Havoc for survivors, and the other half to put the flames out enough for the Orizontas to dock and begin proper medical relief efforts.
Darius is with the team being sent to the Havoc which is now in shallow water with a slight list to port. The lifeboats lower with Darius as the acting head of the Havoc search efforts. The boats begin towards the Havoc. Thankfully the seas are calm. The teams would’ve had a hell of a time going anywhere near the ship in rough waters.
The away teams are armed with metal laced suits, and type 141 plasma pistols. The type 141 plasma pistol is designed with two modes, stun, and lethal. It’s design was intended for TRM members as a way of ensuring that TRM teams will only use lethal force if all other options are off the table. For the most part that’s what the stun setting is for. As the boats draw closer to the cargo ship they’re able to get a look at the ships damage. The outer hull is unscathed say for a what seem like lacerations in the bottom of the ship from where it likely scraped along the rocky sea floor. The ships list to port makes it difficult to see if there are any crew or cargo on the ship itself.
The vampire signals to the teams to go around and investigate the port. The team he’s with begins the row around the bow section of the cargo ship. As they round the bow they take notice that there’s a section of hull that has a cargo crate impaled through the front most bow.
“Boss, port side has a huge hole where the engines should be.” An officer reports.
Tapping his communications device on his arm, Darius replies. “Copy that Masterson. Any signs that someone might’ve made it off the ship?”
The remaining two boats round to the port where the list is. Sure enough there’s a gaping hole towards the back where engines should be. It’s almost like the engines had been completely destroyed. Darius signals the officers to use the built in maglock gloves used by away teams to start climbing. Darius and the officers use maglock ropes to bind their boats to the side of the seemingly derelict cargo ship. As they reach the top the deck looks mostly burnt away large sections of hallways, and the cargo holds inside the ship burnt or melted. The away team members begin making their way along the badly damaged top deck. The looks of things making it abundantly clear that if anyone survived whatever hellish mess was left here, they’ll probably be wishing they hadn’t.
