Spaceship Spaceship Spaceship

[freearcadia]

Who: Harlock, Donatello, Terra, Kaitlyn, Atom, Kanna,
What: Let's steal a pirate ship back!
Where: A military installation in Davkor
When: Shortly after Asphodel preparations are complete.



Harlock had his suspicions where his dear Arcadia was taken, but among all the military bunkers, factories and storehouses, finding the right installation was trickier - as while he was there briefly, he was knocked out before being taken to the Larnedt labor camp where he was rescued. as he did not want to waste time searching deep in enemy territory, but a combination of intel from the deep-cover Corsairs, and a happenstance of a soldier in Vindess having been transferred out from Davkor, drunkenly bragging about the "Weird shit" she was guarding.

Once he got what he needed, he had sent out a missive, either to those he knew personally and could trust, or those he had heard would be suitable for a mission of this type.

Comments

Pre-Davkor Planning

[freearcadia]

Once everyone was gathered, Harlock looked over the group with a grim nod as he lays out several parchments on the table - one is a rough outline of airship base, with one hangar circled and several other areas marked with Xes.

The other is a sketched outline of a peculiar ship and the floor plans of several decks. "Thank you everyone for accepting my request. It took time, but I finally found exactly where I was originally held before I was shipped off to Larnedt, and where my ship is."

"The Arcadia is a ship capable of traveling through air, space, and through the sea of stars, and armed to fight an entire armada at full power - you can imagine how bad it might be if the Empire succeeds in reverse-engineering the technology on board." He looks... almost pained by the thought before pointing to the map. "This is a secure base, for experimental ships and 'anomalies' so security will be tight, so we have to be smart about this. Luckily, the crackdown on Vindess and the investigation in our scavenging battles sites for airship parts means the manpower is lighter than usual - and we need to take advantage of this while we can."

"I would suggest that we split into two teams: One to sneak into this hangar and onboard the Arcadia, securing him - Atom, Donnie would you two assist in that? The other team - Kanna and Kaitlyn will create the clearance needed to fly out - most likely by subduing the soldiers in the control tower and the gates, but if you think you can pull it off in another way I'm all ears... And Terra, it's your choice who you wish to go with,"

"Any questions?"

Re: Pre-Davkor Planning

[bearsperminute]

"The most obvious one that occurs to me is--" She taps the map. "We're getting out on the ship itself. How are we getting in?"

Re: Pre-Davkor Planning

[frost_and_shinies]

Kaitlyn carefully listens to the plans. "Temporary control of the control tower and gates seems the optimal way to secure the escape route, yeah. As long as they don't have heavy armors inside the tower or something, I think I can secure a couple points fairly easily."

Of course, if there are heavier systems, as long as they can be bypassed...

"Naturally, this operation goes loud invariably, we only influence when. The best route to get out is if all of us get on the ship. Depending on how it moves, there's multiple ways that can be done, but it is something we gotta keep in mind."

Closing her eyes, she stops. "... Nothing else in mind yet."

i just wanted to use this icon

[purplexing]

Donnie is trying to not look too excited about all this, but the fact of the matter is he is. Very Excited. He's going to finally see this fantastic ship of Harlock's! The sketch of it alone is impressive, unlike any sort of ship he's ever seen. No masts or sails? But then if it travels through the stars with rockets or something then where would be the need?

His only regret is that Raph isn't along for this venture, but his not-exactly-brother has already committed his meaty fists to other things, and Donnie can only trust that this Raph is just as tough if not potentially more so than his own.

"Do we have an idea of the security for this base, captain?" Yep, still calling Harlock captain. "And is there anything we need to know about actually getting aboard the ship? Does it lock differently, for instance..?"

Re: Pre-Davkor Planning

[freearcadia]

Harlock traces the path from the control tower to the hangar, and gates - given the lay out both were rather straight forward at least in direction. "Agreed, and we need to keep in communication in case of anything unexpected."

Re: i just wanted to use this icon

[freearcadia]

He gives a firm but grim nod. "I do - I was held here when I was first taken - they, wanted to know about him and were quite... thorough in making sure I can speak the local language. The reason I was sent to Larendt was to soften me up more." Beatings weren't enough to make him crack, they assume the forced labor and confinement would tempt him to give up for escaping that place.

"Guards regularly patrol the perimeter, there's enough of a gap to slip in, there's usually a few at the hangars, and the bunker where I was held." He points. "There may be more inside, and you might be ready to run into researchers or mechanics if they managed to get inside The Arcadia."

"As for getting inside, there's a few ways - The main boarding ramp is usually not accessible from the outside - I had a device that opens it from the outside but I destroyed it before they could confiscate it. Second are these doors under the skull and bones on the starboard and port sides - they're meant to be airtight, and likely where the Imperials are the most apt to break in being the most accessible, so they - might already be open." His expression darkens at the thought. "The third is the stern bay - this is where the Space Wolves would exit and enter - they're smaller ships - it is also designed to be tightly sealed, and likely the best way to enter without being noticed. And the forth is on top of the Sterncastle - there is a secondary helm, and a hidden hatch - like the rest it is meant to be airtight once shut."

"...If the side doors are somehow intact, there a hidden keypad." He wrote down the number: 36375327. "Not only is a long number harder to guess - it has a special meaning."

Re: Pre-Davkor Planning

[frost_and_shinies]

"Well, we have the right equipment for that part. I'm still working on efficient use of comms but..."

She glances over the map.

"... How stupid would breaking the control tower window and jumping onto the Arcadia be, for someone who can stick to walls? Without damaging them?"

That doesn't account for Kanna directly, but it would allow for a very efficient exit.

Re: Pre-Davkor Planning

[freearcadia]

The man starts, looking at her, before giving a laugh - oh. He likes her. "I really should keep those kinds of abilities in mind. But hm - if you can jump to the radar tower here." He gestures on the sketch - "It wouldn't require much of a drop. "Then you get to the Sterncastle's roof - there is a hatch near the surface helm."

[purplexing]

At least Donnie shouldn't have to anticipate running into any nobles, not that he means to be seen anyway. He nods as he listens, looking on as Harlock points out key areas.

"Got it," he says.

Mentally he marks the potential access points, noting to have a good look around the ship to see if the aforementioned places have been opened. "Might be good to have a quick look around its entirety, just to make sure nothing's been compromised." Hopefully the Imperials haven't managed to crack into the Arcadia to remove anything needed to get it out of the ship bay.

Donnie also commits the number to memory as he taps it into his ENC bracer. "And once we're aboard, there anything we should do right off the back, or at least as soon as possible?"

[freearcadia]

"There is the heart. Deep down here. You have to gain the trust of Arcadia's heart - and know that you're there because I asked." Harlock started, almost cryptically. "Every ship has a soul, and he is no different. If I can make my way before you have to start take off procedures, I can take over."

Harlock would rather be the first to return to his eternal friend, but he knew his role is elsewhere.

[purplexing]

"The heart...?" Ships have souls? What? Donnie's really no good at these sorts of concepts, but at least it'll help to know that he should probably address the ship as more than a ship.

"It'd probably be more preferable if you were there to do so, I agree, but um. I'm going to assume we'll need a rundown on how to do that if that's not the case."

Because he imagines they'll all be wanting to get out of there as soon as possible once they're clear.

Re: Pre-Davkor Planning

[frost_and_shinies]

Kaitlyn doesn't realize he thought this... Admittedly slightly crazy, plan was funny until a moment later.

Going over the sketch, she nods. "That'd cover for me, at least. Though if I'm actively moving with Kanna, rather than us on the same goals in multiple locations, then unless she's got a similar trick up her sleeve, it'll need to be ground-based escape. Still... Opens options."

[freearcadia]

"That is a good question," He agreed. "We'll be smuggled in, an infiltrator works in transporting materials to and from Davkor - we'll be taken to a factory on the island that is not far from this facility, and we have to walk from there."

[bearsperminute]

"Mm." She nods. She assumes the maps they have are the best information they have. Would they had the original blueprints! "Simple, bold, daring. Works for me."

[freearcadia]

"The ship will never leave me behind," He assured with an absolute confidence of someone who had been in similar situations and had his faith proven true.

Harlock pauses for a moment, well... it was time to tell the secret, it was necessary in his war back home to keep the Mazones from figuring out how they kept surviving. "Yes... the heart," he points deep in the bowels of the ship. "Is a {{Supercomputer}}... an advanced calculating machine, but besides the that ability... the Arcadia possesses the mind and soul of it's creator - my eternal friend."

[purplexing]

Donnie blinks at that. The more Harlock talks about the ship, the more alive it sounds.

He looks back down at the outline of the ship, focusing on that space where the captain points out as though he's able to actually see it if he looks hard enough. "Wait-" He lifts his head then, staring at Harlock.

"So it is an actual person in there?"

[upupatomway]

Atom's gaze wanders for a moment when Harlock explains what the base is, wondering if he would have been trapped in the same place if Imperial officials hadn't been arguing over what to do with him and compromised on sending him to the mines in the meanwhile.

Harlock asks if there are any questions. Of course Atom wants to know more details. "Does your ship have an AI we can communicate with? Or will we be judging the status of the ship by running our own scans?"

[freearcadia]

He nods. "In a sense... he is no longer among the living."

[freearcadia]

"No, not quite an AI - more... a spirit." Tochiro had talked about it, but there would not have been enough time between the Arcadia's completion and his death to do it - there was only one explanation in the pirate's mind to explain the phenomenon.

"As for damages - it was designed with the intend of having its condition easily read without being familiar with the controls, as we - tend to pick up people with the will to fight for their freedom but not necessarily the experience."

Re: Pre-Davkor Planning

[bearsperminute]

Okay! Okay. Ship's haunted. That's. Good to know! She hopes at this point she has the proper revolutionary spirit because if she doesn't that thing is going to make her explode.

No pressure. "How active is this ghost?"

[purplexing]

"....."

Transport (General Mingle)

[freearcadia]

The infiltrator was ready for them - thankfully the accommodations wasn't as dire as sitting in apple barrels for the entire trip. Their smuggling companion was the first mate, who pulled enough sway place the group in a small secured room meant for more sensitive materials, and they were free to lay down, chat, or play a few rounds of dice or card games long as they keep their voices down.

Harlock spent most of it meticulously peeling an apple with a dagger, a tense energy going through him as the skin is sloughed off in one piece, then he starts cutting it into pieces, almost stabbing.

Dealing with the Guards (Kanna, Kaitlyn, Terra)

[freearcadia]

As the group arrived near the perimeter, and they took what little was in the way of cover outside as a pair of guards patrolled the fenced perimeter, and the control tower spiral above buildings large enough to contain modern aircraft carriers with dotted bunkerhouses.

Harlock gestured to the three to wait as he finished his own prep-work, smearing streaks of charcoal on his face and shedding his cloak, creating a sleek silhouette, then he separated from the women, taking a wide berth to the other side of the compound.

What he was doing soon becomes clear as the next set of guards suddenly stopped as their comms flared, the sturdier of the two answering.

"Intruder spotted on the east! Suspected to be the captain of OOP Subject 23."

"So he's trying to get it back?"

"Affirmative. All non-vital personnel are ordered to capture the intruder. The intruder must be taken alive. Repeat. He must be taken alive."

"What a pain in ass-"

"This is direct orders from the Commander. Who just heard that. Further complaints will be taken as insubordination."

"...Affirmative. On our way."

The pair broke into the run, heading eastward - this would be a good time to get over the fence.

Sneaking onto the Arcadia (Donnie and Atom)

[freearcadia]

As Harlock pulled guards out of position by his "fumbled" sneaking operation, and the three are dealing with the guards on the outside, it was time to get to the Arcadia itself.

The hangar in question was the largest, and there's evidence that the bay door was hastily made taller as much as the building's design would allow. Thanks to the decoy, some of the guards had been pulled away, leaving three at the main entrance - two searching outwards, and two focused intently on folks of all types draped in mechanic overalls or lab coats - from towering bullkins to halflings who are either carrying things in and out, or ducking into a nearby barracks.

Re: Dealing with the Guards (Kanna, Kaitlyn, Terra)

[frost_and_shinies]

"Easy enough," Kaitlyn mutters, quickly moving in toward the fence, moving a few steps up it until one arm and both legs are locked in place - then putting an arm out to give the others an easy handhold to get up fast.

Her expression is a bit warmer than before, but Kaitlyn does seem to be in a more serious mode, already looking side to side for the next bit of cover to take - or the next place she could be seen from.