Both Sides Now (Artemis): Difference between revisions

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''"The energy field this thing generates can fragment reality at the quantum level and then collapse it around its target. When directed at a ship, or a planetoid, or- ::beat:: a person, the prismagon’s energy essentially forces them out of reality, particle by particle. Colonel, we’re going to steal one."

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Major Stennes made it back to the CIC Desdemona with the intel, and briefed its crew on their next, and possibly final, mission. They needed to steal a Prismagon from a Shint Warcruiser. Lt. Colonel Adea was to spearhead a team consisting of Captain Yellir and 2nd Lieutenants Kuva, [[Lux]] and [[Gila Thevn|Thevn]], assisted by [[Jovenan (alternate)|Jovenan]], to develop prismic shielding for a small shuttle and an away team intended to sneak aboard the war cruiser and retrieve the Prismagon. Meanwhile, Captain Olivera and 2nd Lt. Flint Kader had to find a suitable target for the heist, while Major Dakora, 1st Lt. [[Harry Sato|Sato]], 2nd Lt. [[Savel (alternate)|Savel]], Colonel MacKenzie and Major [[Didrik Stennes (alternate)|Stennes]] put together a plan for the heist, complete with contingencies for any complications that might arise.

Lt. Colonel Adea's team went to the Tactical Laboratory to get an idea about their preferred approach to the adaptation of the Prismic Shielding. While there, the team split into several smaller units depending on their focus. [[Lux]] and [[Jovenan (alternate)|Jovenan]] focused on the shuttle shields, working on the idea of modifying the prismic shielding into a portable solution to allow the infiltration unit more options while aboard the Shint vessel, while [[Gila Thevn|Thevn]] and Kuva brainstormed an idea for making the prismic shielding capable of both confusing the prismic scanners and act as protection against common Shint weaponry. Colonel Yellir was confident the plan could be put into work, and suggested equipping the shields with backup batteries to ensure that the infiltration team would be covered for the entirety of the mission.

<br>As the team started discussing how to actually implement their plans - outfitting the shuttle, updating anti-Shint coding and actually creating the shields - 2nd Lt. Kuva revealed something concerning. The Shint had not reshuffled their codes in more than two months, which was irregular to say the least... Had the aggressors gone complacent, or was the ''Desdemona'' being lured into a trap?

Captain Olivera and Lieutenant Kader were in charge of selecting a target for their Heist. Captain Olivera contemplated the value of lying in wait in the Azure Nebula, obscured by the natural phenomena, while Lt. Kader suggested a daring target for them. An Atraxia-class Warship. Large and powerful, yes, but without an escort to harry the ''Desdemona'' if things went south. Knowing that the CIC ''Othello'' - one of Olivera's previous postings - was in the area, they contacted the vessel for their latest scans of the Atraxia's patrol route, hopeful that these scans could aid them in plotting a good approach vector for the incoming heist. Within an hour, Colonel Thera MGia of the CIC ''Othello'', an old flame of the Human Captain, appears on a safe comm-link and agrees to share their sensor logs with the ''Desdemona'' to better their chances of success. The information, however, concerns 2nd Lt. Kader: The ''Othello'' is in their mission area, and is moving far slower than its max speed. If it comes to a firefight with the Atraxia vessel, it is very likely that the ''Othello'' - and Colonel MGia - will be caught in the crossfire...

[[Harry Sato|Sato]], Savel and Dakora examined holographic displays of Shint Warships, trying to find out how to breach the vessels. While initially considering breaching through the sensitive sensor array - thus achieving both entry and a blinding of the vessel, they also considered disabling the ship weapons, to give the ''Desdemona'' more leeway. Colonel MacKenzie urged for simplicity, focusing on the likely success of the infiltration team, which focused the following planning. Using some of the scans that [[Didrik Stennes (alternate)|Major Stennes]] had been able to steal away with, it was likely that they would be able to create 'sensor echoes' of the shuttle, hopefully confusing the Shint sensors for long enough to allow the shuttle's approach.

<br>Through brainstorming, the team arrives at a plan for the Heist Team Shuttle to feign at being a group of deserters, shot dead by the Desdemona. Then, while the enemy ship is distracted by the larger threat, the 'inert' shuttle can quietly drift closer, steal the Prismagons and get out of there. A risky plan, but one that might just be insane enough to work. The battleworn [[Didrik Stennes (alternate)|Major Stennes]] still seems out of sorts though, and as he walks to the replicator to steel himself alongside [[Harry Sato|the Counselor]], his recurring nightmares nag at him. Who is the mysterious figure he sees every night, and what will happen when he's finally able to grab the extended hand?