| Author |
The Puma |
Captain LlamaPajamas
Vice Admiral
Joined: November 24, 2007
Posts: 76
From: Virginia, USA
|  Posted: 2009-01-02 00:19
In memory of principal Mark B. Sherkey, of whom a character is named for; may he rest in peace.
September 12, 1946 - December 21, 2008
CHAPTER I
The UGTO cruiser, the UWS Puma, was slowly drifting away from Earth, the mother of humanity. She was on her maiden voyage, and was going to revolutionize the way the Organization waged war. She was loaded with revolutionary new weapons and systems, many of which were unheard of by other UGTO ships.
She carried new weapons that could easily defeat an enemy ship swiftly and cleanly. These included torpedoes containing huge EMP warheads that could knock out Confederation shields and cannon that would burn through the hull and armor before the opposing ship could properly react.
The Organization expected the war to end by the end of the year. After all, who could lose with such advanced weapons?
The Puma was comissioned to test this weapons against the raising threat of the Interstellar Cultural Confederation. She was expected to be ready in early 2266 CE, but she was completed several weeks early, to the delight of UGTO officers.
"Navigation, turn on the scanners and check the course to the nearest jumpgate. Ask the engine crew to check the Tachyon, report to me with the results", the bridge commander ordered. He was an experience, militaristic man, who would stop at nothing to stamp out the resistance from the ICC.
He had worked his way up from military academy to an officer aboard a frigate to one of the most prestigious commanders in the UGTO navy. His crew respected him and his orders to the point that they would point the ship at a star and charge if he asked them to.
A young crewman ran up to the commander. "Umm, sir, I have the results from the check on the Tachyon drive..." The commander, known as Bridge Commander Hakaru Yamagata, a powerful-looking Asian man with broad shoulders and a weathered face, cut the ensign off. "Do you normally disrespect your officers by talking before being asked?", he said. "No, sir!" "Then do not start now. Continue."
"Sir, the core temperatures are normal, almost no fatigue on the machine, plenty of power and fuel to spare...we are ready to jump, sir."
"Perfect.", the commander said, reaching for a large microphone on one of the bridge's many control panels. "This is the commander. I am going to ask the crew to prepare to enter faster-than-light speeds. I expect all crew on the external sections of the ship to be contained within the hull. We will begin the jump sequence in ten minutes.", he said.
"Order the engine crews to rotate the ship so we are facing the jumpgate. I do not want to be delayed!", he said fiercely. The ship tilted ever so slightly as the thrusters lightly pushed the UWS Puma's bow to aim directly for the jumpgate. "We will jump on my mark!" he said, this time into a radio. Outside, supply drones could be seen buzzing away as space was cleared for the jump.
"Ten." The ship seemed to silence as the bridge and the crew anticipated what was happening.
"Nine." More silence.
"Eight."
"Seven." A light hum is heard.
"Six." The hum continues.
"Five." The slight hum disapears- only the orders of the navigation officers are heard.
"Four." The massive Tachyon drive roars to life.
"Three." The ship seems to begin to move forward.
"Two."
"One."
The crew, looking out the portholes at the giant blue marble known as Earth, looked at each other disapointedly. Why had nothing happened? Why could they still see their planet?
And suddenly, they could not. They saw a few seconds of a grey blur of stars zooming past before seeing the massive jumpgate in front of them. The UWS Puma's first jump was a success! The warpath it would sail could
surely never be stopped.
[ This Message was edited by: Captain LlamaPajamas on 2009-01-02 00:21 ]
[ This Message was edited by: Captain LlamaPajamas on 2009-01-02 10:07 ]
[ This Message was edited by: Captain LlamaPajamas on 2009-01-02 10:08 ]
[ This Message was edited by: Captain LlamaPajamas on 2009-01-02 11:59 ]
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Captain LlamaPajamas
Vice Admiral
Joined: November 24, 2007
Posts: 76
From: Virginia, USA
| Posted: 2009-01-02 00:19
CHAPTER II
Robert Gonzales, an ensign aboard the Puma, could not contain his excitement. He had been chosen from naval academy for being a very knowledgeable sailor with high potential, and was among the first chosen to help operate the Puma. He was a systems specialist and would one of the strongmen among the electronic warfare systems- he would be the one keeping them working as his officers ordered him to.
He switched off the scanner. The Puma was gliding through space, seemingly silent with her revolutionary new electron fusion engines. These engines would fuse together the immense power of the resistance between electrons, which most UGTO engineers thought impossible. It, among many other systems aboard the Puma, was kept secret by UGTO administration.
He had been even more excited about someone he had met that morning. A woman who worked in the fighter maintenance area, who seemed to be perfect to him- she was beautiful, nice, and smiled a lot. He could not wait to see her again, if only barely, whenever he was not busy with the sensors.
Meanwhile, Bridge Operator Yamagata was bathing in his quarters when he heard a knocking on his door. Pulling on a robe, which was a deep gray with the UGTO stars sewn onto the chest, he opened the door. A good friend of his, and a high-ranking officer, Lieutenant Mark Sherkey, awaited him. "Sir, we have received news that an expeditionary fleet led by Admiral Chao has disappeared. We are told to be on the lookout for ICC ambushes." "I see, my friend. I will keep this ship alive at all costs for the Organization. Be sure the electronic warfare turn on the ECCMs.", said Operator Yamagata. "Understood, sir.", the lieutenant said, walking away when the operator went back into his quarters.
The next day, the sensors picked up something odd after an ECCM malfunctioned immediately after being turned on. It was not broken, but a short in its power supply caused it to turn off. However, they seemed to detect a ship nearby- a small one, but fast, as it travelled far in the seconds they could detect it. The command assumed it was a glitch and moved on.
[ This Message was edited by: Captain LlamaPajamas on 2009-01-02 00:37 ]
[ This Message was edited by: Captain LlamaPajamas on 2009-01-02 10:09 ]
[ This Message was edited by: Captain LlamaPajamas on 2009-01-02 12:08 ]
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-Shadowalker-™
Admiral
Galactic Navy
Joined: September 23, 2007
Posts: 709
From: Shadows
| Posted: 2009-01-02 00:24
cool story. we need more fan fiction, it really neat too read.
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Captain LlamaPajamas
Vice Admiral
Joined: November 24, 2007
Posts: 76
From: Virginia, USA
| Posted: 2009-01-02 00:38
=I will be sure to keep any non-related stuff within = marks such as this. Thank you, I will continue writing tomorrow morning  I will reserve spots now, however.=
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Captain LlamaPajamas
Vice Admiral
Joined: November 24, 2007
Posts: 76
From: Virginia, USA
| Posted: 2009-01-02 00:38
CHAPTER III
Two weeks into the trip and many jumps into faster-than-light speed later,
the UWS Puma seemed to continue to run without problem. Bridge Commander H. Yamagata was beginning to ease on the lookout for Confederate ambushes.
Until one day when it went dark.
After a few seconds, the emergency power lit up the control panels and a few lights. Lieutenant Sherkey pulled an alarm, which was to warn the crew to be ready for battle.
Suddenly, a large explosion is heard from the aft of the Puma, and she rocks violently.
A radioman shouted into the transmitter "SOS! The Puma is under attack! Send help!"
With all guns ready to fire, the Puma waited...
And waited...
And waited...
Until help arrived in the form of the Dreadnought UWS Beethoven arrived. The Beethoven's crew called over the transmitter, "I don't think you're under attack."
"What! What do you mean we're not under attack! Do you think we did this!"
"Your left ion engine seems to have exploded."
"N...b...what? This cruiser is the finest, not the biggest, in the UGTO fleet! That is impossible! We don't even have ion engines!"
"I will send a transpor t crew with a few ion drives in an hour. I expect you to be ready to send me your old drives, regardless of what they are, by then."
"Alright."
The crew was very busy. Transport crews were preparing to launch shuttles, while engineers were slowly destroying the fusion within the engines so they can be removed and disassembled. Sensor crews, including Robert Gonzales, were checking the area for space debris and other materials that may make it hard to send the transports back and forth.
Once the Puma had the engines aboard, the progress of the day sped up. The drives were designed to be able to be quickly replaced, and so were running within the next two days. The UWS Beethoven shared its huge supply of food and other resources with the Puma before setting off.
[ This Message was edited by: Captain LlamaPajamas on 2009-01-02 10:28 ]
[ This Message was edited by: Captain LlamaPajamas on 2009-01-02 10:30 ]
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Captain LlamaPajamas
Vice Admiral
Joined: November 24, 2007
Posts: 76
From: Virginia, USA
| Posted: 2009-01-02 00:39
CHAPTER IV
The year was 2269. Several months ago the government made contact with an alien ambassador, and relations were expected.
UGTO government had ordered the Puma to delve into ICC territory. She was closing in on Exathra, planning to destroy any resistance there.
Robert Gonzales had been dating his crush, who turned out to be named Avery Hart, for several months. They could not wait to return to Earth and marry each other. It was all they wanted!
She had become a fighter pilot when one was hurt in an accident aboard the ship.
In February 2269, another explosion went off. Except this time, an entire fleet of K'Luth ships seemed to come from nowhere. Several destroyers surrounded the Puma, while a massive Hive waited about eight hundred galactic units away. UGTO Marines were rapidly running to the site of the explosion, where K'Luth infantry had boarded.
The Puma fired on one of the destroyers, causing a very large, bright explosion, which destroyed the ship. Alarms sounded all over the Puma.
Bridge Commander Hakura Yamagata ordered calmly. He would not fall to these lobsters.
PILOTS TO THE FIGHTER BAY, PILOTS TO THE FIGHTER BAY sounded over the ship's intercom systems.
Avery kissed Robert and ran down the hall. She had snuck into the sensor room to be with him but had to leave. "Wait!" he shouted. "Don't get hurt."
"I won't."
"You promise?"
"I promise."
And she went.
[ This Message was edited by: Captain LlamaPajamas on 2009-01-02 11:15 ]
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Captain LlamaPajamas
Vice Admiral
Joined: November 24, 2007
Posts: 76
From: Virginia, USA
| Posted: 2009-01-02 11:32
CHAPTER V
Robert was pinging the ECCM, a technique they learned from their experience many months before. Suddenly, the door to the sensor room flew off it's hinges, nearly hitting a young midshipman. K'Luth infantry walked in with weapons raised.
"You now belong to us."
Robert could not be captured. He would never see Avery again!
"No." he said, pulling a handgun and shooting the K'Luth team's Artisan in the eye before the Warriors stopped him. The Artisan was dead.
And so was he.
Avery, having become a top fighter in the last few months, was leading a squadron of fighters at the hive. "This is exterminator one to Puma, exterminator one to Puma. We are flying at the Hive and preparing to arm our weapons."
"Roger that. Best of luck from the crew. Godspeed!"
Bridge Operator Yamagata was worried. The Puma was falling, and these weapons could not be captured. The UGTO could not afford to lose such impressive technologies, most of which is unique to the Puma!
After destroying three destroyers, two remained. These things seemed to do anything to keep the Organization cruiser from firing at the Hive.
The squadron was flying straight for a small duct in the hive, leading to the heart of the massive, living beast. K'Luth fighters flew at the squadron, knocking out a few fighters, but the UGTO squad quickly dessimated the enemy squad.
"Puma to Exterminator Squadron, over."
"This is Exterminator One. Go on."
"He's dead."
"Wha...who? Who is dead?"
"Robert is, Avery. He's dead."
And there was silence.
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Captain LlamaPajamas
Vice Admiral
Joined: November 24, 2007
Posts: 76
From: Virginia, USA
| Posted: 2009-01-02 11:52
CHAPTER VI
Death was everywhere. The Puma was heavily damaged, and could not fire on the Hive. Her only hope was the two squadrons of fighters going for the Hive.
"Fatal Squadron to Exterminator Squadron, do you read?"
"...Yes, we do."
"Enter formation with us. I will lead. We will fly at the duct and fire into it and see how it works."
"....Roger."
As they approached the Hive, massive yellow beams began knocking out individual fighters.
"My God! Get back to the Puma! We need to refuel and head to the nearest UGTO planet!" cried the Fatal Squadron leader Joe Bud.
"There's only four of us left."
"I know!"
"We started with sixteen. Twelve have died for this."
"We need to go!"
"Thirteen."
"What?" Joe screamed.
"Thirteen have died. " she said.
"I see four of us still!"
"Good luck to the Puma."
She swerved away from the formation, dodging Luth weapons and flying straight for the duct.
She turned up the power going into the fighter's engine although it could not go any faster. Avery wanted it to overload.
Deep, deeper into the massive beast she went.
Finally, she broke a glass panel on the ceiling of the fighter and removed a key. She then used this key to unlock a compartment containing a second key and a slot, with a large red button. She turned the second key and hit the button.
"SELF DESTRUCT CONFIRMED. SELF DESTRUCT IN 10."
Bridge Commander Yamagata and his last lieutenant, Mark Sherkey, we alone in the bridge, silently. Three fighters were killed by the K'Luth captives when they boarded the ship, and the other thirteen were unnaccounted for.
Suddenly, a slight poof was heard from the Hive.
And everything went white.
The Puma nearly did a barrel roll from the explosion.
The Hive was on fire, exploding in various areas every few seconds, falling apart. A Marine walked into the bridge. "Sir, we finally pushed back the K'Luth infantry to a small section of the ship. It's over, sir...we've won."
Suddenly, a massive UGTO fleet ended FTL speed all around the Puma and a huge station used tractor beams to pull her under. The battle was over. UGTO forces learned that the Hive was travelling to destroy Earth from a captive K'Luth, but was destroyed before they got anywhere close. The Hive was still in ICC space.
The ICC, learning of this incident, made peace with the UGTO in order to fight the K'Luth menace.
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Captain LlamaPajamas
Vice Admiral
Joined: November 24, 2007
Posts: 76
From: Virginia, USA
| Posted: 2009-01-02 12:07
EPILOGUE
Bridge Commander Hakura Yamagata returned to Earth where he retired. He was a military man his entire life and had no family.
Lieutenant Mark B. Sherkey later died of a pneumonia, as did the real Mark Sherkey.
Both men were heavily awarded for their decisive actions and were thanked for managing to avoid being captured by the K'Luth.
The UWS Puma was retired by the UGTO, and her weapons were decided to be too dangerous and having them captured could destroy the UGTO.
She was retired formally with an appearance by Grand Chancellor Dobry Mato. Her engines were turned on, and she was pointed to the star, being operated by an autopilot function.
After speeches by former crew and politicians, her jump drives were activated, and she disapeared into Sol forever.
[ This Message was edited by: Captain LlamaPajamas on 2009-01-02 12:08 ]
[ This Message was edited by: Captain LlamaPajamas on 2009-01-02 12:09 ]
[ This Message was edited by: Captain LlamaPajamas on 2009-01-02 14:26 ]
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