[Great Western Sea] Operation Caldera
Posted: Tue Dec 05, 2017 6:55 pm
Overview: A humanitarian operation comes under the threat of a Shirerithian Gravship Raid (Ref; Operation Caldera & The Cruise of Medusa)
‘We are being pursued! ..ed assistance urg…’ The radio in the bridge of the SS Keltian Conveyor erupted into a hiss of static.
Leading Rate Colin Piper cursed inwardly as he fought the dials in a vain attempt to boost the signal of the distress call. ‘Unidentified vessel, this is the Nova English Naval vessel SS Keltian Conveyor. We have received your distress call, please report your location and situation.’ This time there was no garbled response, only the constant crackle and pop of static. The radio operator was about to call out again to the distressed ship, when he felt a hand clasp his shoulder. Above him the imposing figure of Captain Mark Hwite shook his head.
‘Leave it Piper. They can’t hear us anymore.’ He said, his voice muffled by the smouldering pipe hanging from the corner of his mouth. Looking back at the crewmen in the bridge he motioned to the operations map in the middle of the room. Pins and coloured lines straddled a detailed nautical map of the Home Islands, identifying positions of cleared settlements, aid vessels and rescue parties involved in the overwhelming humanitarian mission. ‘Sub-Lieutenant Vickers, the accent on the radio sounded faintly Jingdaoese. Get me a list of all the Jing flag-carrying vessels in the region and have Piper confirm their current status. If luck is with us we should be able to deduce which of the ships is missing.’
Sub-Lieutenant Olric Vickers saluted, responding ‘Aye Aye Captain’ and set about raiding the files for the correct folder.
Twenty minutes later Vickers had exhausted the list, Piper had only been unable to contact two Jing registered ships. One of which was visually confirmed by a Brettish trawler near Forest Row but the other remained silent to all calls. The MS Eternal Dawn had been due to make contact with rescue teams near Montfort to collect refugees for ongoing transportation to the Skerries later in the day. The Sub-Lieutenant quickly plotted the ships last communicated bearings against an approximate route of approach to the outskirts of Montfort. Adjusting for an average speed he circled two points on the map, marking one as 06:50 and the other with the time of the distress call.
‘Captain’ called the young officer ‘We have an approximate search area for the MS Eternal Dawn, according to our calculations we believe the ship to be around this region’ he continued as he pointed to red circle highlighting an empty patch of sea several miles from the coast of Montfort.
Captain Hwite grunted in recognition ‘We’ve got an L-15 Crew 40 miles north of that position assisting a rescue team. Get them re-tasked to search the area and update us when they have a visual.’
Minutes later Foxtrot-21 an L-15 Multi-Role Helicopter banked away from an ash covered temporary refugee camp. Its Pilot Major Beowulf Blaec fought against the turbulence and strained his eyes as he tried to gauge what lay ahead in the constant gloom of the never-ending volcanic dusk.
As they neared the search area, the co-pilot switched on the aircraft’s searchlight and began panning it through the grey ash laden haze searching the sea below it.
‘To the port!’ Called the loadman through the helicopters internal radio system. The major quickly adjusted the position of the helicopter and sure enough a dull red clump of light descended slowly through the gloom.
‘SS Keltian Conveyor, this is Foxtrot-21. We have a visual on a distress flare and are moving towards the location now.’ Reported the Major as he made haste towards the origin of the flare.
Moments later the searchlight began to pick out floating wreckage, before coming upon a small inflatable life boat manned by pitiful handful of survivors. Major Blaec gave the order to begin winching the survivors up and establish what had happened to the MS Eternal Dawn.
‘It’s no use sir’ said the loadman as he wrenched the side door closed ‘I’ve tried to question them but the only one talking doesn’t speak English.’ He motioned at a clearly distressed Jingdaoese sailor, covered in cuts and bruises flinching at every attempt to calm him. The other four survivors simply sat pale faced, staring hard into the distance and existing only on autopilot.
‘Roger that.’ Responded the Major as he relayed the report onto Captain Hwite.
Suddenly there was a faint buzzing as the Mk I Grav-Sensor panel burst into life, the system had only entered into service recently and provided a simple jury-rigged sensor capable of providing early warning of Gravmetric tanks. The Major shared a look of confusion with his co-pilot before one of the Jing sailors stood up pointing and screaming at the window. All eyes on the aircraft followed the sailor’s arm, where ahead of them bursting through the gloom of the ash cloud advanced a ship of monstrous proportions. The IRS Medusa’s Gravmetric engines created a pocket of ash-free sky as it cut across the gloom.
The co-pilot quickly informed the SS Keltian Conveyor ‘This is Foxtrot-21, we have sighted a large Gravship advancing on the Home Islands!’ Meanwhile the Jing sailors became more agitated, crying, shouting and pushing at the helicopter’s crew.
Major Blaec remained in shock, never in his life had he seen such a craft. It was at that point, the helicopters lock-on alarm sounded. ‘Ah fuck’ sighed the Major.
Summary: A Nova English Helicopter discovers the wreckage of the cargo-ship MS Eternal Dawn and finds itself in the path of 'Hunting Party 01'.
