Victoria II - Aftermath [Open]

[bunansajr]

Characters: Ffamran and whoever else on the Vic2 wants to join!
Content: Bitching and moaning
Setting: Bridge of the Vic II
Time: After the 4423 has gone over the boarder
Warnings: Manfred von Karma is going to kill us all

Comments

[karmicwhiplash]

She had missed it. The whole damn battle, she'd missed it. Bunansa had been on duty, and the whole battle was so quick she'd barely had time to get in uniform before it was over. And they'd failed! As impossible as it seemed, they had failed to sink the enemy. It wasn't even inconceivable, it was just impossible. Not on this ship. Not with her father as captain

[bunansajr]

Ffamran was glaring with no small amount of loathing at the navigational charts of the Badlands that were currently spread out on his workstation. How was he supposed to tell the pass was too small for the 4423, much less the Victoria, to pass through if these charts were entirely inaccurate.

He scribbled a few notes on the map, indicating the mountain 'pass' and its size - too small by at least ten feet - that was one loophole that would be closed to the pirates as soon as he could get this data back to command. It was a great maneuver, but it would only work once.

His counterpart, Franziska von Karma, stormed onto the bridge, looking murderous. Ffamran imagined she was man about the same thing her father was, their failure, with an added bonus that the younger von Karma hadn't even been on the bridge, that had to sting for a von Karma.

"Ah, Lieutenant von Karma." Ffamran gave her a tight smile, ready for an explosion.

[karmicwhiplash]

"Mr Bunansa," Franziska began coldly. She spied the charts laid out on the navigation table. "Attempting to learn from your mistakes, I see. A good plan, though I must say, I had expected better from you. You struck me as more competent than the average lot around here."

She knew full well that the charts were no good for precision navigation, of course. A good navigator didn't rely on third-hand maps, but on direct knowledge, or failing that, a solid understanding of the ship, her capabilities, and a keen eye for terrain. But she wasn't interested in that. She was testing the boy. Did he own up to his short comings, or try to pass the blame. She knew how to take the measure of a man, even an imperfect one. She waited silently for his reply.

[bunansajr]

Just like her father, it seemed. While the gunners had undoubtedly been missing or not even trying, there was only so much he could do with navigational charts. She knew that, and was probably baiting him.

He shrugged. "I'll be sure to take a more detailed accounting of the terrain the very next chance I get." To be honest, Ffamran was feeling the weight of his inexperience. He would have loved to be able to tell von Karma there was no way for the 4423 to make their maneuver, but he couldn't. On the other hand, if the Admiral didn't know that, it was highly unlikely his much younger daughter did either.

"Perhaps I could have learned from your experience had you been here." Ffamran could tell Franziska was angry at having missed the battle, and he couldn't quite keep himself from nudging at that wound.

[karmicwhiplash]

The boy's tone was unmistakeable. He had cheek, but he didn't weasel, either. Perhaps it was better not to write him off too quickly. Still, she couldn't let the challenge lie. Both rank and honour were at stake, after all. It wouldn't do to let him go unanswered.

"No doubt it would have, Mr Bunansa. But no worries. We'll have plenty of opportunities to remedy that. Besides, nobody's perfect."

She let slip the slyest of grins.

"At least, not many are."

[bunansajr]

Her arrogance might have been irritating, if Ffamran didn't find it so amusing. The von Karmas might be known for their perfection, but it was rapidly becoming clear that neither of them were as perfect as their records might otherwise indicate.

"I, for one, will be hanging on your every word and deed, Ms von Karma. Who could pass up the chance to learn at the knees of perfection?" His tone was partially serious - he was interested in learning from von Karma, both of them - and partially humorous with just a touch of innuendo, nothing too overt - he valued his manhood after all - but she was cute, and he had the feeling it might annoy her even more.

Call it a fool playing with fire.

[karmicwhiplash]

Was he... flirting with her? Now this was really too much. At least he'd left her the perfect opening for a rebuke.

"Mind your protocol, Mr Bunansa. Is that any way to address a superior?" She tried to put a little sting into it, but not too much. This boy was no pushover, she could tell. Beating him down mercilessly wouldn't get the job done. She'd have to be more subtle, though how to accomplish that with a whip she wasn't entirely certain. Those saps at the Academy hadn't left her prepared for this sort of exercise. It could be rather amusing.

[bunansajr]

"Humble apologies, Lieutenant von Karma." He gave her a stiff, but shallow, bow. "A slip of carelessness on my part. It will be an object lesson in the fact that you are, in both experience and position, my superior."

He gave her a warm smile, with just a quirk of the corner of his mouth. It was ninety-five percent honest warmth, but the remainder continued to be flirtatious.

[karmicwhiplash]

His cheek might have been endearing the first time, but Franziska decided it could become intolerable if allowed to flourish. She began to run a thumb idly over the whip coiled at her side. Her reply was terse.

"Perhaps you could walk me through what happened here, Sub-lieutenant. Begin with our sighting of the 4423. Try not to leave anything out, particularly if it's a detail you fear would cast you in a bad light. After all, we can't learn unless we admit our mistakes."

Any opportunity to twist that knife. If he's made it onto the Victoria, he'd have to be the type that was stung by such criticism. Her father would have it no other way. For now she would try to steer the conversation back to the business at hand. If he insisted on speaking out of line, well. She had ways of dealing with that, too.

[bunansajr]

Ffamran didn't miss his fellow navigator's hand at her omnipresent whip, and he realized he might have pushed a little too far. Still, it was good to know her hot buttons, and flirting certainly seemed to be one. She'd ordered for a report, so he had to give it, he thought a few moments before giving his best.

"Well, we came upon the 4423 as she was heading towards mountains." Ffamran pointed to his charts where he'd made his notations about the pass - or lack there of - between the mountains. "The Admiral sent out fighters to investigate the possibility of passable terrain. Reports were inconclusive, but leaning towards the negative. My own analysis was the pass was unnavigable."

"After a few ineffectual volleys, the Admiral ordered us to to pursue, at which point the 4423 made great haste to --- get the hell out of there. One of the gunners, Rolo, scored a hit, but she otherwise escaped unmolested."

[karmicwhiplash]

"Yes, I heard about Mr. Lamperouge's success. Commendable." Probably the only person who'd done their job, besides merely keeping the ship in the air. She needed details, though, particularly the point when the enemy had outmanoeuvred them.

"How did they get away so easily? What was our course when they escaped?" She had a feeling she knew what had happened, but it didn't make sense. If Ffamran was telling the truth, he'd correctly deduced that direct pursuit would be futile. And of course they could not have gone around to cut off the other end of the pass without encroaching on Vohemaro airspace. The Admiral had been right to order a close chase. What other option was there? Certainly he couldn't have been wrong. Laughable.

[bunansajr]

Ffamran indicated the Victoria's trajectory, which was still written on the charts in grease pencil. "We were at cruising altitude until here -" he pointed - "at which point the Admiral ordered the descent to get a better targeting solution."

"The 4423 had good cover in the mountain alcove, but once we came down they gunned their engines, which was clearly the plan all along. With us descending and them climbing fast - well, she's a good girl, but she can hardly turn on a dime."

Ffamran ran his hand over one of the control panels, she'd performed well within tolerances of handling, the guns maybe not as much. He couldn't help it, his father's blood assured he wouldn't be able to feel anything but warmth for the ship, even if it was just steel and steam.

[karmicwhiplash]

So they'd been suckered, essentially. Still, it seemed like such an obvious ploy. Why would her father have fallen for that? Was it intentional, and his show of anger an act of some kind? It would explain the apparent failure, but it wasn't a satisfactory answer, really. Something just wasn't squaring, here. Why allow himself to fall for such an obvious trap? Was it only obvious in hindsight? No, he was far too clever for that. Ship battle was like chess; you always had to be thinking several moves ahead.

"Very well, Mr Bunansa. I see I might have been a bit harsh in my earlier assessment. I won't say I'm pleased, but you followed your orders. At least you were at your post, unlike a certain gun crew I can think of."

[bunansajr]

He arched an eyebrow in response to her -- backpedal? He gave her a grinning smirk.

"Following orders, yes, they did teach me that at the Academy." Sadly, the Admiral's orders hadn't been particularly sound. Ffamran wasn't sure they could have sustained a bombardment of any effect where they had been, but moving to engage when the 4423 might have been trapped wasn't the best decision. Von Karma was known for more precision than that.

[karmicwhiplash]

"Carry on, then. If another battle breaks out, I'll be in the galley. Please try to get word to me before the enemy escapes, this time." She had enough to chew on at this point, and as much fun as beating up on this junior officer might be, she had the feeling he'd be more useful in one piece. Besides which, she really needed coffee. It had been a long morning, and it was barely getting started.

[bunansajr]

He resisted making it more obvious he was ogling, but he enjoyed the view as Lieutenant von Karma stalked off the Bridge. After she had disappeared from view, he went back to his charts, continuing to plan their course.