Desperation

[cats]

OOC: But I have too much work to do!

[Professor Fenway]

Taylor looked at the blinking sensor contact. Very close to their line. He opened up the channel. "Acknowledged Captain Rau," he responded. "A recovery cruiser is being sent now." As he spoke, one of the cruisers in the fleet broke out of the line and headed towards the wrecked ship tumbling in space. As it approached, it fired several tractor beams, stabilizing it, before reeling it in towards the cruiser and docking.

Aboard the cruiser, Sergeant Jimmel locked his pressure suit and faced the docking door. He pressed a small rotating panel next to it and deactivated the pressure seal, releasing the room's atmosphere into the depressurized environment of the Sorceress' beauty. He and the 5-man team behind him entered the wrecked ship, systematically searching every room, deploying atmosphere shields in front of still-pressurized rooms. They placed beacons in the cargo hold; soon after they left, a small shuttle from the cruiser cut through the hull to the cargo bay and retrieved the cargo with magnetic locks before exiting.

When the team reached the bridge, they deployed a final atmospheric shield and opened the bridge. They saw Rau floating in the center with his eyes closed. Jimmel saluted as he reached the bridge. "Captain Rau?" Rau opened his eyes.

"I'm here," he responded, lowering himself to the floor.

"Take this." Jimmel unhooked a small device from his waist and pushed it toward's Rau. It hovered over to him. "Atmosphere shield." Jimmel then pressed a button on the side of his helmet. "Rockeye, we are ready for pickup."

"Roger Sorcerer," squawked the helmet. After a few seconds, the shuttle latched onto the transparent bridge and began drilling through.

[Error]

The fleet returned to realspace over the Midway Beacon. Turning to the helm, Meinholl checked their position - on target - and their batteries - nearly drained.

"Commander Belzhan, damage reports from all vessels, and estimates on when we can jump again." he said over his shoulder.

"Sir. Two destroyers with severe engine damage. Three with hull damage. Six frigates with minor hull and maneuvering damage. Two cruisers with extensive hull damage, and Prometheus' port lower landing bay is vented to space. No crew losses from the damaged ships." Belzhan reported.

Meinholl sighed. "Tell everyone to make quick and dirty repairs. Thirty minutes until we complete the trip home, and I want all combat-capable ships on overwatch. If we can, shift our fighters from port-lower to port-upper landing bay and s3cure them for jump."

- - -

Valkyrius stared at the damage control panel, unamused. Greatly so. The forward-port engine gimbal was gone, torn off by a collision. He growled and turned to his XO.

"Captain. DC teams to swcure any hull breaches, and see what we can do about weapons. Take the engine gimbals offline and seal off the area around port forward. Relay to Meinholl we're about useless in a fight."

[Professor Fenway]

With the cargo and Rau secured, the cruiser returned to the line. Taylor watched the starfield in the distance. There were no more sensor contacts. He sighed and turned to the sensor operator. "Any other signs of life?" he asked.

"No, sir," replied the officer. "Sensors are clear across the board. No sign of the Ringworld ships either."

"They must be after the Novans," Taylor sadly muttered. He turned towards the console in front of him and opened a fleet channel. "Prepare to return to NeoRoman space. We're getting out of here. We'll close the portal on the other side."

[Archduke Daynel, PhD]

"Have you got any contact with the others yet?" Chernov asked the comm officer.
The Angel of Eden had been on the other side of the planet when shit had happened, trying to get as many citizens of the Zuguthian colony as possible aboard the ship.
"Negative, Sir. Something must've happened. I suggest we go around and have a look."

Chernov just looked straight forward.
"We can't risk it. Not yet. We'll wait another hour and then we'll send a small ship to scout-"

Chernov was interrupted by an incoming message.
"Unless anyone else wishes to follow the Novans to death, I suggest you come with us. We will hold this subspace portal for two hours. After that, we leave. With, or without you."

The bridge of the Angel went quiet for a moment.

"I think.." the comm officer started, "I think we should go see what's going on."

[Error]

At five minutes to jump, the fleet reassembled their formmtion, grouping around the flagship as it prepped its FTL system. Meinholl stared at the sensor reports, disbelieving. He glanced over at the tactical officer.

"The probe reported no enemy ships leaving Andromeda in our direction? None?"

"No contacts, sir, and it would likely take them some time to follow us." he turned to his console, and the comms officer suddenly looked up.

"Sir, transmission from the Spyglass over Novus. They report... six undamaged destroyers, five undamaged frigates, a pair of cruisers, and... Pegasus is almost totally undamaged, sir. They say.... five civilian ships made it through the gate, and they're boarding and checking Peggy now."

Meinholl resisted punching the air. A second battlecarrier? It was almost too good. "What about wrecks or damaged ships?" he inquired.

"Uh... seven destroyer hulks, ten frigate hulks, four cruisers beyond repair and they're not sure about Memory."

Not bad, all in all. It gave them comething, at least.