Hero Machine, a easy way to do cartoon type portraits for games and or comics
http://www.heromachine.com/heromachine-3-lab/
Thanks, yeah my portrait for my Avatar was done by it. Though probalby shoud do an Axy (cat girl)
Anyway start of Chapter 3, things get bigger and messier. (nothing like a space age version of the Pacific War in World War II to make life interesting.)
Chapter 3: Corporate Entanglements: 2630-2634
Expedition to History: To make things more interesting for this cruise I was back to MCO, 1st Watch but was also the deputy BDCO 1st Watch. Miss Watson assumed the duties of BDCO 2nd Watch at the rank of Majourette. Ms. Francis was happy to see me back on 1st Watch. Miss Jones was made first chair for the MC section, aided by the capable hands of Senior Helms Mate Ichorne.
Unlike the previous cruises, the ATG operated as full group, not as independent squadrons. This put quite a few ships in one area but it also meant a very impressive defensive net. This net consisted of the Gremlin and the Goober, (Goal Keeper for the Interdependent (Flag Ship of the ATG), three Venus class Destroyers, eight Aphrodite Frigates, and sixteen Scylla Corvettes. Debutante and all of the Saturns (6), and four Tyches formed our offensive punch. Three Eros heavy destroyers and four more Tyches and all 10 of the Vulcan frigates formed the screen, and for scouts we had two new Hermes destroyers and seven oracle class corvettes. Tucked in the center along with the Interdependent were the three Bacchus and two Agni tenders. And this was just one of the six task groups in the 141st. And the 141st was only 1/3rd the size of the two Starfleets that made the bulk of the EXFLEET.
In ATG 85 there were over 250 Aerospace craft. The Interdependent had over 150, the other 100 spread about the cruisers. The biggest change was with the types of craft. No old Amazons or even Sheena-Cats and Jean De Arcs were carried. All of the fighters were either Warriors or Raptors, and all of the attack fighters were of the new 201 C, renamed the Tempest. They carried two pulse lasers along with the particle cannon, as well as an even heavier payload. Instead of Arcs we now had Shaman Bombers, they were a little bit bigger than the old Arc, but packed more weapons, mostly defensive and had small jump engines, allowing them to attack away from the carriers, but this also meant away from any fighter support, unless the cruisers jumped as well.
Barb complained about the lack of a jump capable fighter many times, although it would be impossible to make the Raptor jump capable and still carry the same weapons. The Tempest looked like it would be the most logical candidate for adding jump engines. As it was with the Oracles and Hermes ships, we finally had our own hyperwarp capable ships and vessels, still nothing compared to the Corp ships but a start in the right direction.
Anyway the plan was for this massive organization to sweep deep into Corp Space, starting with the Zeta sector, the 141st was in the van, and we were the starboard flank, the center was BTG 16, port flank ATG 78, and trailing behind were CTG 61 (yes the big Illy was back), then ATG 45 and ATG 41. So we had 6 Carriers, five dreadnoughts, and seven battle cruisers with about double that in other cruisers and almost four times the number in destroyers and frigates or other smaller vessels. All and all the 141st when concentrated was a very potent force.
Up until this time the largest concentration in any given system was a TG, now we are going to push seven fleets (3 per Starfleet, plus the 141st) in an area no bigger than 12 systems wide, this ought to be fun. We had a division head briefing, (as senior MCO I represented MC as well as being a BDCO). TGR stated that we were to go through the Nebula (Le Petite, the practical border between Corporate and Imperial Space) and then swing into the Zeta sector; we will be escorting four squadrons of transports carrying two legions, one of NGAL and the other of Mechanized to retake New Sophia. The other ATG’s were escorting similar formations to recapture Orion, and take for the first time Fujiwara and several unnamed CRWS. Intelligence placed three battle groups in our way, each centered on a Pascal and several Dolci’s, there were rumors of a carrier type ship but we had yet to encounter them in this area. The jump to New Sophia went without a problem, in fact arriving at New Sophia we encountered minor resistance; the fast recon ships went to scout the neighboring systems while we protected the landings.
I was on watch when we got the signal that the enemy was located.
“Ma’am we have a report just in from the Home-wrecker, a large group of enemy capital ships are heading this way, TGR says we are to escort the Big Deb along with the rest of the strike group and take them out.” The lewie at Commo said, Miss Emily Schneider, the daughter of a Countess in the Huntsman court.
“Right, ok get her Ladyship on the line…. Ma’am this Parker in the BDC we just got word we are moving with Debutante to next system, enemy ships spotted by scouts… aye Ma’am. Commo signal 2nd Watch to start their shifts early 1st Watch is to stand down after jump.”
“Aye Ma’am, Ms. Francis is still in the meeting with the EXE and Department Heads.” Miss Schneider said
“Right, I think we can plot this without her help, ok Helm give us best course and speed to jump point, Nav give Helm the data and jump coordinates, set ship to condition Zebra.”
NOW HERE THIS, NOW HERE THIS SET SHIP TO CONDITION ZEBRA, PREPARE FOR JUMP IN 15 MINIS
“Very good, is the coordinates locked and course set?”
“Aye Ma’am coordinates set…” The chief at the Nav terminal said, Miss Duncan the NAV-O was actually in an adjacent compartment with the big star-chart holo tank and her plotters.
“Helm?” I nodded, to the chief then asked Miss Jones
“Course and speed locked, awaiting execution command Ma’am.” She replied.
“Right Commo let me know when Condition Zebra is achieved, then we will execute.”
“Aye Ma’am Zebra is set all stations, Falmouth has just jumped we are next in queue.”
“Roger, ok Helm, execute, and begin jump sequence on my mark, Mark!”
As was done several times already the jump went without any complications. We took station to the starboard and slightly ahead of the big Deb while the Saturns formed a V, which angled slightly up, and the Tyches a loose box around the V. The Saturns then took turns deploying their Warrior squadrons for CAP, while the big Tempests and Raptors were held back in reserve. The first ship through the far jump point was one of our Oracle corvettes, she was hauling butt; four more jump signatures came minutes after, and matched those of Thetas. We were at full EMCON or no active signals so the Theta group, intent on overhauling the small corvette never saw the four beams from the Debutante rip into the first two cruisers. The other two soon met the smaller beams from the heavy particle cannon on the light cruisers. The next jump signals were from eight Trig class destroyers, it seemed we were catching this group of Corp bastards as the transited in piecemeal. Each group met a similar fate until finally the cap ships arrived, four Dolci’s two Pascals and one huge unknown ship, that had to be one of the new carriers as it just spewed out wave after wave of Pi and Quadratic fighters, followed by Numeric bombers. The squadron regent signaled to the Oracle that we needed support, or we would need to withdraw to New Sophia.