Snippet #1004519

This was not the entrance to Mars Captain Arthur Wainwright wanted.

"Action stations, action stations, set condition one throughout the ship, inform the docking crew to ensure the 'Frames are kept in their launch tubes, but do not launch, I repeat do not launch. Helmsman, bear the ship on course for sector alpha-alpha-delta. Engineering, cool down our solar boost drive as soon as possible, and make for flanking speed; we may need to get out of here real fast, and I want as much space between us and those phycho-Frames as mechanically possible." His orders were barked, and within an instant, the ship lurched, the inertial dampeners only compensating a second later as the ship made a hard turn to port. Red lights flashed along the walls, as people on the bridge scurried back and forth, checking various data-feeds as the each of the crew members attempted to verify what was going on exactly.

Finally, the long range scanners confirmed the zoomed in image in front of the captain, creating a digital overlay to the large frontal view screen at the front of the bridge. A small Federation ship was under attack by a Confederation craft. It was far away - the solar jump thankfully landing them near the other side of the red planet - but caution was a virtue that Arthur resolved to maintain. Call signs for the Frames launched from the crippled starship were faded out, the last one turning from green to gray as his life support cut out, debris sensors picking up what was left of the unfortunate pilot as the enemy craft smashed through it. The fight was far away though, and getting further as the engines rumbled to life, pulling the Valkyrie away from the conflict.

The F.F.S. Valkyrie was another Tomahawk-class ship, similar to the one now crippled. However, unlike the powerless starship ready to be torn to pieces, the Valkyrie was ready for punishment. Green lights lit up all across the ship, indicating full battle-readiness within moments. Her guns swiveled, maximizing their firing arc as Valkyrie made for a wide orbit of the red planet, hoping to buy itself some time before any exchange of fire may emerge. So much for the rendezvous Arthur thought to himself, raising his hands to massage his temples as the ship settled into a more relaxed course, Mars' gravity well doing much of the work for the ship. Sighing, he tapped his Federation pass code into a data slate, and started hailing any Federation troopers present on the planet, hoping that he was not actually alone in the forsaken place.

((I hope that was a good start ^^*))