A peek inside a mind
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1842H 08/06/08 (GMT +0800)
Stasis prior to kinesis
~~~Location: Inside the Samurai - Heavily modified Pellaeon-class Imperial Star Destroyer, currently traversing Infinity
~~~Dramatis Personae:
Bridge Crew:
Commanding Officer : My self
Executive Officer : Hannibal Lecter, MD
Weapons Officer : Teletha Testarossa
Launch Officer : Lisa Hayes
Tactics Officer : Lacus Clyne
CIC (Combat Information Center)
CO: Status please.
XO: We're currently in enforced stasis due to two heavy Interdictor-class cruisers. The crew is restless from twiddling their thumbs instead of being allowed to do their jobs. Internal resources are within the imposed limits.
CO: [sighs in frustration] Weaps, we've no attack options, do we?
WO: Actually, we do, Taichou. Unfortunately, starting an attack against those two Interdictors will precipitate a severe war of attrition that we're bound to lose. [plays with braided silver hair while perusing her screens] We can outlast them, true. It's just not worth it, though.
XO: Phyrric victories [smirks].
CO: True, that [shakes head]. Launch?
LO: Gryphon & Sphinx are still out of commission until we have all those Veritechs online. The squadron leaders and their flight officers are about to max out the flight simulators but actual use of the variable fighters are imperative, sir. We won't stand a chance against the next projected battle in our current state. The Samurai was lucky to have won that battle last July 26-27, 2008.
TO: Taichou, we've nothing to do except wait.
CO: Tell me something I don't know, Tac-O [exhales in exasperation].
XO: We wouldn't be in this situation if you planned the situation better.
TO: Our Taichou has done what he was able under the circumstances, Doctor.
XO: Those actions are demonstrably inefficient, as our present situation indicates [gestures with the left palm towards the Interdictors].
LO: The Samurai left the drawing board no less than five months ago. A full half of our mobile units are unavailable & the three functional mobile suit teams aren't enough to win us the victory we need. Our turbolaser & ion cannon batteries have yet to be mounted & our Tannhauser positron cannons are only being constructed as we speak. Our only option is to ram one of the Interdictors while our mobile suit complement engages the other.
CO: In short, we launched too late.
XO: Yes.
TO: Still, what we have is a lot more than what we had months, even years ago. When the opportune time comes, we can wage unlimited war because we'll have the resources we need. Patience & focus are to be exercised, taichou, if we are to win this war.
CO: [rubs face with palms] Doesn't mean I have to like it, do I?
XO: Though you don't have to like it, stressing over it is most unwise. We've already made plans according to what we have & our projected acquisitions. In the interim, the Samurai's crew will continue to run the drills we've scheduled. Completion & upgrades will proceed as planned. [smirks] Besides, you're not exactly at your peak, either.
CO: [glances out of the corner of my eye] Says the old geezer.
XO: [raises right eyebrow in retort]
CO: [snorts in acceptance of the jibe] I'll stick to the exercise program. Satisfied? Anyhow, Weaps, Launch, Tac-O [the three nod in acknowledgment while watching their monitors] I need status reports on the Quest, Operation Overlord & ... [stares towards the stars]
TO: The Quest is currently directed towards a Lady the Samurai has encountered approximately three months ago.
LO: I'd like to repeat my opinion that engaging a new target so soon after a failed campaign is foolhardy, sir. We still need to repair the heavily damaged portions of the Samurai. We'll likely need those repaired if we're to engage & win with minimal losses.
CO: "The meek shall inherit squat", Ms. Hayes. I know how much the Samurai can take & I'm confident we'll survive another defeat if that is how this current campaign will turn out. I'm hoping we'll win, though.
XO: Overconfident, aren't we?
WO: I'd say that Taichou knows the limits of the Samurai & he's willing to dance quite close to those limits, Doctor.
CO: Still, our current objective has yet to react. We need a reaction if we're to proceed. Tac-O, what's the plan for a "non-responsive"?
TO: [taps her screens to bring up schematics] Astrogation plots us a new course. The pertinent portions of the Samurai will stand down from yellow alert until a new probable is located. Drills, tactics & strategies will be practiced until the crew has nightmares from it.
XO: A "responsive" will be more chaotic, though. We'll be dealing with a lot of unknown variables that are potentially destructive. MAD comes to mind.
WO: We're running simulations to avoid just those situations, Doctor. Mutually Assured Destruction doesn't benefit the ship, even if we're able to withstand such an event. Collateral damage is to be avoided at all costs.
XO: Not if it compromises the ship.
CO: [glares at the good doctor] While we're prepared to hurt others just to survive, we're NOT, I repeat, NOT going to be cavalier about this. We're going in slow & cautious until we get our fighters & finish our repairs. While our ship & its crew are most important to us, we're also to value those outside. We gain nothing from needless belligerence.
LO: Launching our fighters as a display of force isn't needless belligerence, Taichou.
CO: Tell that to the natives [snorts]. Sorry, we're all tired from this aggravating imposed stasis. Doctor, Tac-O, please activate Perception of the Present, Ruthlessness & Imagination while we all take a rest. Those three will be able to tend the ship while we rest. Have the two Shield triums on stand-by. I don't want to be caught with our pants & skirts down. Tell the crew to spend their time relaxing in shifts. Gryphon & Sphinx will continue to twiddle their thumbs in between simulations. Attack, Defense & Drop teams are to stay in their quarters until we have those variable fighters. Tell Engineering to rush those turrets & positron cannons. We're worse than sitting ducks here, people. [rises from the command seat] I'm hitting the sack, [bows at the waist] Ladies, [turns & bows at the neck] Doctor. [walks towards the turbolift]
TO: Before you go, Taichou, [fingers bring up an image] you'd better see this.
CO: [scans the image] Yep [sighs]. The Samurai is still hurting over that latest defeat. Doctor, have Engineering expedite repairs. Even if I'm getting used to those rumbles & shakes whenever that defeat's results act up, it would be best if the damaged portions are preferably repaired or reduced to their atomic components for recycling if they're beyond help. The Quest's next Objective deserves a Samurai in its peak so let's not disappoint, shall we?
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1842H 08/06/08 (GMT +0800)
Stasis prior to kinesis
~~~Location: Inside the Samurai - Heavily modified Pellaeon-class Imperial Star Destroyer, currently traversing Infinity
~~~Dramatis Personae:
Bridge Crew:
Commanding Officer : My self
Executive Officer : Hannibal Lecter, MD
Weapons Officer : Teletha Testarossa
Launch Officer : Lisa Hayes
Tactics Officer : Lacus Clyne
CIC (Combat Information Center)
CO: Status please.
XO: We're currently in enforced stasis due to two heavy Interdictor-class cruisers. The crew is restless from twiddling their thumbs instead of being allowed to do their jobs. Internal resources are within the imposed limits.
CO: [sighs in frustration] Weaps, we've no attack options, do we?
WO: Actually, we do, Taichou. Unfortunately, starting an attack against those two Interdictors will precipitate a severe war of attrition that we're bound to lose. [plays with braided silver hair while perusing her screens] We can outlast them, true. It's just not worth it, though.
XO: Phyrric victories [smirks].
CO: True, that [shakes head]. Launch?
LO: Gryphon & Sphinx are still out of commission until we have all those Veritechs online. The squadron leaders and their flight officers are about to max out the flight simulators but actual use of the variable fighters are imperative, sir. We won't stand a chance against the next projected battle in our current state. The Samurai was lucky to have won that battle last July 26-27, 2008.
TO: Taichou, we've nothing to do except wait.
CO: Tell me something I don't know, Tac-O [exhales in exasperation].
XO: We wouldn't be in this situation if you planned the situation better.
TO: Our Taichou has done what he was able under the circumstances, Doctor.
XO: Those actions are demonstrably inefficient, as our present situation indicates [gestures with the left palm towards the Interdictors].
LO: The Samurai left the drawing board no less than five months ago. A full half of our mobile units are unavailable & the three functional mobile suit teams aren't enough to win us the victory we need. Our turbolaser & ion cannon batteries have yet to be mounted & our Tannhauser positron cannons are only being constructed as we speak. Our only option is to ram one of the Interdictors while our mobile suit complement engages the other.
CO: In short, we launched too late.
XO: Yes.
TO: Still, what we have is a lot more than what we had months, even years ago. When the opportune time comes, we can wage unlimited war because we'll have the resources we need. Patience & focus are to be exercised, taichou, if we are to win this war.
CO: [rubs face with palms] Doesn't mean I have to like it, do I?
XO: Though you don't have to like it, stressing over it is most unwise. We've already made plans according to what we have & our projected acquisitions. In the interim, the Samurai's crew will continue to run the drills we've scheduled. Completion & upgrades will proceed as planned. [smirks] Besides, you're not exactly at your peak, either.
CO: [glances out of the corner of my eye] Says the old geezer.
XO: [raises right eyebrow in retort]
CO: [snorts in acceptance of the jibe] I'll stick to the exercise program. Satisfied? Anyhow, Weaps, Launch, Tac-O [the three nod in acknowledgment while watching their monitors] I need status reports on the Quest, Operation Overlord & ... [stares towards the stars]
TO: The Quest is currently directed towards a Lady the Samurai has encountered approximately three months ago.
LO: I'd like to repeat my opinion that engaging a new target so soon after a failed campaign is foolhardy, sir. We still need to repair the heavily damaged portions of the Samurai. We'll likely need those repaired if we're to engage & win with minimal losses.
CO: "The meek shall inherit squat", Ms. Hayes. I know how much the Samurai can take & I'm confident we'll survive another defeat if that is how this current campaign will turn out. I'm hoping we'll win, though.
XO: Overconfident, aren't we?
WO: I'd say that Taichou knows the limits of the Samurai & he's willing to dance quite close to those limits, Doctor.
CO: Still, our current objective has yet to react. We need a reaction if we're to proceed. Tac-O, what's the plan for a "non-responsive"?
TO: [taps her screens to bring up schematics] Astrogation plots us a new course. The pertinent portions of the Samurai will stand down from yellow alert until a new probable is located. Drills, tactics & strategies will be practiced until the crew has nightmares from it.
XO: A "responsive" will be more chaotic, though. We'll be dealing with a lot of unknown variables that are potentially destructive. MAD comes to mind.
WO: We're running simulations to avoid just those situations, Doctor. Mutually Assured Destruction doesn't benefit the ship, even if we're able to withstand such an event. Collateral damage is to be avoided at all costs.
XO: Not if it compromises the ship.
CO: [glares at the good doctor] While we're prepared to hurt others just to survive, we're NOT, I repeat, NOT going to be cavalier about this. We're going in slow & cautious until we get our fighters & finish our repairs. While our ship & its crew are most important to us, we're also to value those outside. We gain nothing from needless belligerence.
LO: Launching our fighters as a display of force isn't needless belligerence, Taichou.
CO: Tell that to the natives [snorts]. Sorry, we're all tired from this aggravating imposed stasis. Doctor, Tac-O, please activate Perception of the Present, Ruthlessness & Imagination while we all take a rest. Those three will be able to tend the ship while we rest. Have the two Shield triums on stand-by. I don't want to be caught with our pants & skirts down. Tell the crew to spend their time relaxing in shifts. Gryphon & Sphinx will continue to twiddle their thumbs in between simulations. Attack, Defense & Drop teams are to stay in their quarters until we have those variable fighters. Tell Engineering to rush those turrets & positron cannons. We're worse than sitting ducks here, people. [rises from the command seat] I'm hitting the sack, [bows at the waist] Ladies, [turns & bows at the neck] Doctor. [walks towards the turbolift]
TO: Before you go, Taichou, [fingers bring up an image] you'd better see this.
CO: [scans the image] Yep [sighs]. The Samurai is still hurting over that latest defeat. Doctor, have Engineering expedite repairs. Even if I'm getting used to those rumbles & shakes whenever that defeat's results act up, it would be best if the damaged portions are preferably repaired or reduced to their atomic components for recycling if they're beyond help. The Quest's next Objective deserves a Samurai in its peak so let's not disappoint, shall we?