Excitement (Darksword)

[Makiro]

((OOC: I'll put this here for now, but after a while - when they find the coordinates - I'll move it to wherever the pirates were.))

Tanis stared silently out of the bridge viewport at the verdant world below her. Yaga Minor, an important shipbuilding world on the Outer Rim, was surprisingly beautiful, given its military heritage. She sniffed moodily as she brooded on the past few days, which had been full of nothing but endless patrolling, never encountering anything more than a disgruntled customs official or confused freighter pilot. After several minutes of brooding, the Echani captain flicked a strand of silvery hair out of an equally silvery eye and strode off the bridge, asking Lieutenant Jofta to alert her should anything... untoward happen.

The brisk walk to her quarters did a lot to improve her mood, as she began to clear her mind of the boredom of her newest posting. Stepping through the door of her cabin, she looked around at the familiar room and smiled. Locking the door behind her, Tanis stripped off her uniform, not bothering to hang it up, and fell into bed, falling asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow.

*******

Tanis awoke to the sound of frantic knocking at her door. Luckily, she was a light sleeper, and so she was fairly certain that whoever it was had not been knocking for long.

Jumping out of bed, she pulled on a fresh uniform and went to her door, shoving her dress cap onto her head as she did so. As the door slid open to reveal a flustered looking Lieutenant Jofta, Tanis grimaced inwardly, wondering what it was that had got him so worked up. He saluted briskly before allowing a tumble of words to spew forth.

Captain Alithma! There's a... He paused to catch his breath, holding on to the door frame for support. Sorry, Captain, I... I ran. There's an urgent... urgent transmission waiting for you on... on the bridge.

Tanis nodded and hurried out of her room, looking back only for a brief moment.

Thank you, Lieutenant. We really must talk about your health though.

Back on the bridge, Tanis hurried over to the holocomm device and activated the waiting message. A ghostly image of a tall Human in the uniform of a Republic captain swam into view above the transmittor, and immediately began to speak.

Ah, good, Captain Alithma. I thought I recognised the Tython's signature! I'm rather afraid to say that... The hologram flickered violently, before swimming back into view again. ...pirates. So if you could lend any assisstance, that would be most... The hologram flickered again, but this time it did not return.

Someone find me the transmission coordinates of that message! As soon as you do, input them into the Hyperdrive, and order the Avenger to do the same. It looks like excitement has found us, Gentlemen.

[Darksword]

Davis immediately spun about in his command chair at the news. He then said loudly and firmly, with just a hint of excitement. "Best speed for those cooridinates. I want us to be there before the Tython if possible! Have all squadrons ready for launch and all personnel at their battle positions!" He immediately turned around and watched the viewport as the Avenger turned about and started to accelerate slowly but surely, till the white lines of hyperspace were along it. He then tapped a COMM control on the command chair's arm, communicating to Captain Tanis.

"Captain, before communication is cut in hyperspace, note that I want you to be the second one there. Lower your speed, go after me, I don't care how, but I don't want us coming into a trap and your ship being the first one there. The Avenger has more firepower and armor then yours." The moment he finished these words and had sent it, communication with any other ships was cut as they accelerated to hyperspace. "I want all weapons systems online and running in a minute. Have medical personnel and the Marines ready for anything." He then sat back in his chair and set his hands together, tapping his talons againest each other as he waited patiently to arrive and assist their fellow Captain.

[Makiro]

Tanis smiled as the Avenger's shape elongated and then disappeared in a point of light.

Lieutenant Jofta. Exactly how much faster than the Avenger is the Tython?

The Lieutenant supplied Tanis with the correct figures.

And how far, exactly, are we from those coordinates?

Again, the Lieutenant supplied Tanis with the figures.

Thank you, Lieutenant. By my calculations, we must depart in thirty minutes. Please prepare yourself, and ask that the men do the same.

So saying, Tanis turned around and walked off the bridge, heading towards her Briefing Room. She needed to contact the surface.

*******

Exactly twenty-nine minutes later, Tanis strode back onto the bridge, nodding confidently to her men. Lieutenant Jofta, who was bent low over a blinking console, looked up at her as she stepped up behind him.

Ma'am?

Tanis nodded.

Engage the Hyperdrive, Lieutenant. We leave in ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one...

For the third time in five days, the stars scattered before the Tython stretched around her, before falling together to form a swirling vortex of purple light. It was time for action.