Liberty Forces Message dump

[Jane Hartman]

****INCOMING TRANSMISSION****

COMM ID: CAPT HARTMAN, Jane
TARGET ID: Liberty Forces Reporting Centre
SUBJECT: Nomad Contact
ENCRYPTION: High
PRIORITY: Moderate

Good Morning Sir/Ma'am,

Hartman here, reporting contact with a nomad gunboat-class vessel in core space. LLS Mount Sentinel, a Bison-class fleet auxiliary, exited Houston orbit at 2130 hours with a load of hull panels bound for Long Island Station. We rendezvoused with Long Island at 2140 and the cargo was offloaded under the supervision of LT Irving. Mount Sentinel entered the Fort Bush lane at approximately 2144. A timeline of the events that followed is below:

2145 - Lane disruption reported, Mount Sentinel ejected from corridor. Nomad craft detected in close proximity to hyperspace corridor.

Code:

[21:45:36] [LN]-LLS-Mount.Sentinel: Irwin: Contact, heavy!
[21:45:46] [LN]-LLS-Mount.Sentinel: Irwin: Are you seeing this, ma'am?
[21:46:07] [LN]-LLS-Mount.Sentinel: Hartman: Assessment?
[21:46:30] [LN]-LLS-Mount.Sentinel: Irwin: Your guess is as good as mine, ma'am.

2146 - Nomad craft attempted contact - closed to within 0.5m of Sentinel Peak and retreated to 300m repeatedly over the next minute. It may have been scanning Sentinel Peak, but if it was, there was no indication from our sensors. Nomad continued in what I assume were attempts at communication. LT Irving reported disorientation, nausea.

Code:

[21:46:45] [LN]-LLS-Mount.Sentinel: Irwin: Why isn't it attacking?
[21:51:04] [LN]-LLS-Mount.Sentinel: Irwin: Did you hear that?
[21:51:25] [LN]-LLS-Mount.Sentinel: Hartman: No, Lieutenant, I didn't.
[21:51:49] [LN]-LLS-Mount.Sentinel: Irwin: Ma'am, I think it wants to talk.
[21:52:09] [LN]-LLS-Mount.Sentinel: Hartman: I'll bet it does. What's it got pointed at us?

2152 - Energy discharge detected from nomad ship, levels roughly equivalent to our Defiant-class. Mount Sentinel shield's overloaded in port and bow quadrants. Mount Sentinel ordered to condition one. All compartments sealed.

Code:

[21:52:39] [LN]-LLS-Mount.Sentinel: *Alarms ring out across the bison's bridge.*
[21:53:28] [LN]-LLS-Mount.Sentinel: PA: All hands, action stations.
[21:53:42] [LN]-LLS-Mount.Sentinel: Irwin: Ma'am, surely you're not-
[21:53:51] [LN]-LLS-Mount.Sentinel: Hartman: Get that engine online.

2153 - Mount Sentinel's cruise engine bought online. Additional fire from nomad vessel sustained to stern shield quadrant. Shield batteries deployed to maintain integrity. Hit from nomad disruptor sustained shortly after acceleration - primary engines failure. Secondary Fleet pilot Jim Schofield entered sensor range and engaged the alien with fighter-grade weaponry, to no effect. LT Irving reported further disorientation. Mount Sentinel's defensive weaponry bought online and course set for Manhattan's defensive grid. Initial volleys by Mount Sentinel absorbed by nomad shielding.

Code:

[21:54:10] Jim.Schofield: Oh snap.
[21:54:29] [LN]-LLS-Mount.Sentinel: Irwin: *Pulls back on the throttle.* Ma'am, I really don't think this is-
[21:54:52] [LN]-LLS-Mount.Sentinel: Hartman: Engines. Now.

2155 - Mount Sentinel's shields non-responsive. Hits sustained to stern superstructure, primary reactor automatic shutdown initiated. Loss of air pressure in compartments 5-7. Cargo bay breached. Defensive weapons continued to operate under secondary power. Nomad shield failure detected - hostile shield integrity restored before hull damage was sustained.

2157 - Hits sustained by port secondary reactor. Weapons non-responsive. Communications and scanner arrays destroyed. Systems shut down initiated, and sensor contact with nomad vessel and Schofield lost. SOS burst sent to Manhattan orbital stations via sub-light systems.

Code:

[21:57:02] Death: [LN]-LLS-Mount.Sentinel was put out of action by K'Hara|Zul`Tharus (Gun).
[21:57:15] [LN]-LLS-Mount.Sentinel: Hartman: Manhattan orbit, this is - *Static.*

2226 - Physical contact made by Newark-based heavy lifters Carlton and Dancing Lady, assisted by freelance recovery vessel IRV Jolly Green Giant. Orbit stabilised, and crew, myself included, transferred to Long Island Station aboard Carlton.

0400 - Orbital repairs of Mount Sentinel's hull completed to allow tradelane travel. Mount Sentinel exited orbit with LT Irving, SM Summers, SM Verna and myself aboard under tow by Carlton and Dancing Lady to undergo further repairs at Norfolk Shipyard.

The presence of nomad ships so close to core space is the subject of no small amount of concern. I've informed the media that the damage sustained by Mount Sentinel was the result of a pirate attack, rather than a nomad incursion. Neither's likely to boost morale, but the populace knows how to deal with news of pirates. I'd prefer not to see how they'd react to word of nomads within spitting distance of Fort Bragg.

Regards,

Jane Hartman
CAPT
CO LOG
1FLT

Important: This communication remains the property of the Liberty Defence Forces and is subject to the jurisdiction of the Neural Net Communications Act 807A.S, Section 30. If you have received this message in error, you are requested to contact the sender and delete the communication.

****TRANSMISSION TERMINATED****

---

| Character Sheet | Laws of Liberty | Hartman's Theme | Feedback |