h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

[lizzy] hoopy!

[Wesker] Agreed. *Bridge crew notice that Wesker's voice has become more monotone and metallic.* Captain, do we have a destination?

[lizzy] are you ok Wesker?

[Wesker] Everything is fine.

So since they don't HAVE blood, then whose blood was that?

Oh.

Medicz!

*Wesker catches the Captain before he falls, hands almost crushing his wounded limbs to stop the bleeding.*
[Wesker] Serious plasma burns, kinetic impact damage, tissue rupturing from high force impacts...

Stand by, Sickbay. Prep for emergency surgery. We are bringing down the captain. (shifts the Captain to the stretcher and he and Augie begin to carry him away. Looks to Wesker as he leaves)

That must leave you in command. I suppose you should get acquainted with the ship systems.

Hello, all. I'm Major Danko Rusevski, Senior Pilot for the Khar Siid. I've recieved word that the Captain is fine and regenerating in the Medilab, so while he's there it will be my job to get you acquainted with what we do aboard the Bridge.



The Pilot's Chair is where a human pilot does the real-time maneuvering of the Ship. Though large, the Siid is very fast and maneuverable for ships of the mothership class. As such, the Pilot's Chair is very much like the cockpit of a fighter craft. A holographic image is collated from throughout the ship's external sensors, and projected out onto the clear visor. This gives me a perspective as up-close and personal as through any fighter cockpit's.

The controls are simple and instinctive. Anyone can learn to fly it. Ducking and dodging in the chair are translated into evasive maneuvers by the ship. Weapons here are the biggest and most powerful known, yet targeting and firing are the same as any fighter system.

There are also special

access routines for the hyperdrive as well as the more exotic superweapons.

While immersed in holographic vr, any action the pilot may take to interact with what he sees will be interpreted as best as the ship can. Idly swatting a tiny holographic fighter with one hand will cause the real fighter to be shattered into a million pieces from turret fire.

The Navigator's Station is located to the left and somewhat behind the Pilot's seat, just beside the Captain's chair. A clear visor is also supplied here but it does not envelope as completely as the Pilot's. Constellations are projected onto it and computer charts overlaid. The Navigator sits before an encircling console wherein the ship's three-dimensional course is plotted, and executed by the Pilot.

A similar dedicated screen is located at the Captain's post. This command screen allows him to supply flight plans to his fighter squadrons and frigate formations. When the Captain is not there the Navogator takes over supervising the fleet at his post.

The Sensors/Science Database combines sensor data from the outside to the complete Scientific Database, as well as an information pipeline directly to Engineering, Medilab, and Hangar, and allows the Science Officer to identify spatial anomalies, gather information on alien technology and weaponry, and supervise research works in the various sections.

[Wesker] Understood. The Minions have fallen back. I don't think they'll bother us again for a while...

[lizzy] i hope they dont come back!

[Wesker] They will... eventually. But we are safe for now.

[lizzy] can we do anything to make it harder for them?

[Wesker] Recruit a Chapter of Adeptus Astartes...
*Turns around and returns the unimpressed stares*
Alright, alright! But I am serious that it takes a lot to kill them off. We were lucky that time...

(The captain walks into bridge, looking hardly worse for wear. He gives everyone a quick glance and heads for his chair.)

"How are you doing, Wesker? And Lizzy? And you as well, Major Danko. How was you battle?" As if he were asking how Danko's tea party was.
Danko shrugs. "Nothing really difficult. We need to speed up the rearming process, recruit a supply pilot for the Repair Corvette. My wingman, Quicksilver, is a brave and skilled flier, but unorthodox and cannot be controlled. He must learn his function, his role as part of an organized squadron."
(Giving Danko an upraised eyebrow) "Some squadron, there's only two of you."
"Yes. Our recruiting is not going well."
"Okay. And everyone else, what's up?"

*Eric walks onto the bridge.* 'Good afternoon, which station should I take?'

*Barges in, yelling loudly with the engineering crew. Quicksilver has his trademark pistols drawn.*
[Engineer] Captain, it seems we-
[Quicksilver] You've said enough! Get the frag outta' my face or I'll blow it off!
*When everyone is calm again, Quicksilver holsters his weapons.*
[Quicksilver] Cap, y'know my Rapier was damaged yeah? Well these guys claim that my Rapier's for the scrap head 'cause Khar Siid's scout ships are "better". I don't mean to offend you, but what where you on when you hired these scrag heads? Do they even know what a scout ship /looks/ like!? The Rapier can out-run anything in your roster without even touchin' the afterburners.
[Engineer] Yes, but the shielding-
[Quicksilver] -is minimal, as expected-
[Engineer] -is non-existant, which is a serious hazard.
[Quicksilver] Look, it's got a deflector, so I'm not gettin' fragged by space dust, or anythin'
[Engineer] What about asteroids?
[Quicksilver] Oh, and just how many fighters' deflectors can deflect something the size of a small building!?

The captain spoke in his deal-with-situations voice.
"Mr. Hofhine, your post is to the right of the Captain's Chair. Take it while I deal with this."

Turned to the irate gunslinger and the engineering crew and fixed them a hard stare. "You," he says, directing his voice to the head engineer, "why wasn't I notified? You may have run the show at NASA, but this is my ship and things are very different."

He strides down from his station and met them on equal ground.

"Quicksilver, you're right. I wouldn't trust my life to a new and abruptly issued craft, either, over an old and trusted one."
He turned to the engineers again. Again, but in a softer tone:
"We're not going to be able to use Siid-issue equipment all the time. We make do with what we have. I expect many other ships will be added to the fleet this way."

"Quicksilver, will you accept an upgrade? My engineers will repair and augment your ship, update clearly outmoded hardware with First Tech-class weapons and drive systems, while remaining faithful to the original design philosophy. It would please me if you'd go to the Hangar and supervise the shipwrights."

"We will not speak of this again."

[Quicksiver] Hmm... I've seen Rapiers with Proton Cannons... they're deadly, but pretty much cannon-fodder against a lot of stuff... I'll be down in Engineering sorting this mess out...

Quicksilver and the engineering team shuffle out, placated and impressed. The Captain clears his throat and turns to the bridge crew.

"Good evening, Mr. Hofnine, and welcome to the crew. Naturally we are glad to have you aboard, as we are just about to come out of orbit and power our way on a tour of the H2G2 planet.

Your Diplomatic Station is equally comfortable, to the Captain's right. Directly stored on local memory is every language and communications pattern known to man. Simultaneous translation for Yanomama, Hindi, Swahili, and Dolphin sonar, among others. Literal millions of language-analysis programs ready to go. Pipelines to Biolab as pertaining to body language analysis. Every written language available, every judicial document, every anthropological and bevarioal paper ever written here. A secret, dangerous psionic uplink communicatiosn system. All at the Diplomatic Spec's fingertips for aiding the Captain in channels and negotiations, whether human or extraterrestrial.

Will you need anything else? There are training programs on-screen. Help yourself while I prep out pilots to take us on a mild burn.