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Post by ebonyviper on May 15, 2007 14:10:21 GMT -5
Without a word, Nerina changed course and sped up the required number of knots without complaint. She didn't need a confrontation with her clanfolk now, especially when she's on a mission of peace. Right now, she just wanted to keep her mind on her own business.
Once we reach our destination, I won't have to deal with those nomads for awhile, she thought.
Nerina's face appeared unfazed, but inside she felt a bit strained upon finding out that those ships were of her own clan. What did they think they were going to do if confronted her?
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Post by Tracker89 on May 15, 2007 14:19:46 GMT -5
"Family drama, just great." muttered Fletcher to himself, of course with his radio and internal PA switched off. He quickly increased speed and changed direction as ordered, keeping with his position ahead of the carrier, and waited quietly to see what happened. Coming from one of the more "modern" tribes, as they referred to themselves, he saw no reason to fear those females as other members of the fleet did. They were merely an annoyance to him.
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Post by Evangeline on May 15, 2007 15:04:11 GMT -5
The nomad women finally snorted in contempt and moved off, blowing their horns in a note indicating scorn. Horns were what ships had traditionally used for long-distance communication where speech wouldn't carry. The import of the blast would not be lost on the fleet.
"What's that all about?" Tobias asked the forklift who was going over him.
"They're ragging at Lt. Hampton again." the technician, an older CPO, frowned. "Best to stay outta ship business, lietenant, it'll drive you crazy if you let it."
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Post by ebonyviper on May 15, 2007 15:32:39 GMT -5
The note of scorn in the horns weren't lost on Nerina either. Yeah, I know you don't like me, but I'm not going to let you all tear down my dreams.
Nerina was of the mindset: Get to their destination and those nomads would be out of her backwash. At least for awhile anyway.
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Post by Tracker89 on May 15, 2007 15:44:20 GMT -5
((Just realised that Fletcher would be formally called "Lt. Anderson" rather than "Lt. Fletcher". Looks like my mind died for a moment. )) Fletcher resisted the urge to reply to those horn blasts, knowing that as satisfying as it would be to give those stuck-up nomads a piece of his mind, it would cause more trouble than the fleet needed right now. Of course, if they came closer, he wondered how long he could ignore the situation. He decided to forget the whole thing and kept his concentration on the sea ahead. Those must be some stubborn dinosaurs if they're brave enough to follow us to the frontlines...
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Post by Evangeline on May 15, 2007 16:49:47 GMT -5
Djakarta, Indonesia.
Yvonne Gordon was not in a good mood after the morning briefing with her employer. There were those who NEVER found her in a good mood, but they kept that observation to themselves. Having had to leave your home country in a hurry at a tender age would really sour a person. Her daughter, Elspet, sighed and found something else to look at while her mother sat in place and radiated ANGRY.
"We could've dealt with those pirates quickly and quietly until the damn U.S. Navy got into it!" the big delta-winged fighter spat out her words with cold fury. Her golden eyes seemed to emit fiery sparks. "A few ATS missiles and that would've been the end of it. Now we have to deal with their military and their politicians horning in."
"They're not here yet, Mother." Elspet dared at last to speak. "Not until tomorrow."
"Their jets will be sniffing around." Yvonne turned and spat on the ground. "No matter where we go, we can't get away from their influence. They ruined a ten-million dollar job for us. Hope they're satisfied."
Elspet clammed up again. No point in talking to Mother when she was on a tear. The woman had a lifelong hatred of politicians and their publicity and point-seeking machinations.
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Post by ebonyviper on May 15, 2007 16:56:06 GMT -5
(((((OOC: Okay, I'm a little stuck and don't know what to do next.)))))
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Post by Evangeline on May 15, 2007 17:38:44 GMT -5
Caleb eyed the nomad women, just visible over the horizon. He normally restrained himself in an attitude of sublime indifference, but on the open sea, he was the highest law in the fleet. He let off a series of sharp blasts that, in the horn-talk of the tribes, said something to the effect of "mind your own @#%$% business!" Those biddies would know exactly who it was intended for.
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Post by ebonyviper on May 15, 2007 18:05:57 GMT -5
And they should stay away too and let me live my life, Nerina thought as Caleb blasted his horn at the clanswomen. She translated what that blasts meant and agreed wholehearted too.
Now she wondered how much further the fleet was to their destination. She knew Malacca Straits was a narrow passageway and the fleet would have to change their position accordingly to get through. Merchant ships also passed through the shipping lanes on their daily runs, but pirate ships lurked in the vicinity as well.
Nerina hoped that they wouldn't have to break off and answer a distress call, but was prepared to do so anyway if Caleb gave her the order. This was what it meant to be in the Navy and she not only had to understand the rules, but to obey them as well.
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Post by Evangeline on May 15, 2007 18:49:21 GMT -5
Caleb relayed standing orders for altering fleet formation while negotiating the straits - they were to begin now. Orders for the young lieutenant-ranked destroyers were to go into the point position and look out for any potential threats. The radar planes had already reported back that suspicious craft had been seen in the area, several souped-up trawler-type vessels.
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Post by ebonyviper on May 15, 2007 18:57:35 GMT -5
Just as soon she recieved Caleb's order, Nerina took up point position and put her radar to full use so that she could look out for any potential threats that might come their way. With any luck, which she probably doubted right now, the fleet would get safely through the Straits.
(((((OOC: Hmmm... maybe some of these souped-up trawlers could be NPCed, because there'd be quite a fair number of them, although I'm still working on my pirate ship character.)))))
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Post by Evangeline on May 15, 2007 20:40:32 GMT -5
The trawlers retreated warily as the forerunners of the fleet approached. They weren't exactly stupid, they probably had an idea that they had been seen from the air a long time before the Navy ships made their presence known. But they were always quick to test the defenses and boundaries of the fleet, to find what the limits of their security - and their tolerance - was. The scent of a female reached them, and this piqued their interest. It was certainly tempting to probe her "bubble" and see what she would put up with...
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Post by ebonyviper on May 15, 2007 20:48:03 GMT -5
Uh oh... I hope that's not more trouble and just a couple of merchant ships.
Nerina had picked up a few more blips on her radar, hoping to the Sea Gods that they weren't the same ships that the fleet had encountered earlier. Her defenses had been up for awhile and she was a little on edge as her radar swept the perimeter of her range, hunting for the blips.
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Post by Evangeline on May 15, 2007 21:29:36 GMT -5
Every ship had, in addition to its native armaments, the add-ons which were computer-controlled or crew-served. The sailors and NCO's were responsible for those, and they were also monitoring the ships' radars. Most of these crew were forklift types, with some small cars in the mix. The ship's visor display showed radar, position on the map, and positions of other ships in the fleet, as well as aircraft. The others could also see the blips starting to alter course and converge, and notified the carrier's communications chief, who relayed the most critical items to Caleb's display.
"Maintain course," he said. "They're going to make some provocative moves, so don't let them bait you. The usual measures apply. It won't be possible to maintain the usual bubble, but warn them off if necessary."
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Post by ebonyviper on May 15, 2007 21:39:55 GMT -5
"Yes sir," was Nerina's formal reply as she prepared for the eventual moves that these unknown ships were going to try to make on the bubble of the fleet. She made sure to have her weapons and guidance systems online and ready just in case.
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