Darkspleen

New Dawn Rising

Good~ Good~
*Rubs hands together*

New Dawn Rising

@Monkeypants PM me with whatever ideas you've got when you have the chance.

New Dawn Rising

Ok. So first post out. Monkey, Ink, if either of you want to collab some interaction between your forces and my fighters let me know. If they aren't noticed by your forces they are just going to do a flyover and take pictures.

If anyone else in the region want to have some sort of interaction with the Victoria lemme know.

New Dawn Rising

USS Victoria, Somewhere below the Arctic Icecap

“Captain…”

Shawn could hear a voice from beyond the darkness, beckoning him. His mind, sluggish as it was, sought to comprehend what it was supposed to do even as it came to the realization that the body it controlled couldn’t move. No. That wasn’t quite right. It COULD move the body a small amount. Even as he felt his finger twitch Shawn’s mind registered that his body was cold. And it was no normal feeling of cold. The cold extended all the way to his bones, felt as if they came from his bones.

“Captain Taylor?” There it was again. That voice. Shawn struggled to open his eyes. Fought against the cold with all his might and, after what felt like an eternity finally managed to open them. “Captain! Thank god. I thought we had lost you!” Shawn opened his mouth to speak, but found he could form no words. “Don’t worry captain,” The owner of the voice, a young petty officer, sensed Shawn’s apprehension. “You’ll be able to talk shortly. Just need to thaw out.”

“What…” Shawn’s throat felt impossibly dry. “Happened?”

“Something.... Went wrong with the automated system, Captain.” The petty officer answered as he helped Shawn rise into a sitting position. For the first time it occurred to Shawn that he and Captain Taylor were one and the same. “The system never woke us up” The petty officer continued. “And I only woke up after my pod had an error.”

“How long?” Shawn asked. With every second he could feel himself regaining his strength.

“At least a few centuries” The petty officer answered after a moment of hesitation.

“Well shit.”

After a minute of awkward silence the petty officer asked “Shall I wake up the other officers?”

“No.” Shawn answered, as he swung his legs over the side of the pod and stood. He felt a little uneasy on his feet, but seemed to regain full control after a few seconds. Something had gone horribly wrong, that much was obvious. Shawn could feel a sense of unease began to creep in and he found that he couldn’t squash his unease. Not yet. Even so it wouldn’t do for his subordinates to sense his unease. “I will handle the officers” He spoke as if it was just another normal day. “I need you to get the chief petty officers up. Have them meet me in the conference room in an hour.”

“Aye skipper!” The petty officer rendered a salute before turning and taking his leave.

Shawn watched the petty officer leave before turning to the pod next to his. The pods hadn’t been designed to keep someone under for centuries, only decades. He couldn’t help but feel a sense of dread as he walked over to the oval pod and peered through its clear top to gaze at its occupant. He let out a sigh as he noted that Commander Lyssa McCarthy looked identical to when he had last seen her. He had once heard another officer say she was as “hot as a plasma field” and had found the analogy to fit her perfectly. What few seemed to realize was that she had an intelligence that seemed to somehow surpass her physical appearance. It was why he had made her his XO. He pressed a button on the pod’s side, causing the pod’s top to swing upon as it began to bring its occupant out of her deep sleep.

“Commander McCarthy. Wake up.” Her eyes fluttered open after only a moment, a feat that had taken Shawn much longer. Her piercing blue eyes seemed to drift over the ceiling before locking onto Shawn.

“How… long?” She managed to ask.

“Centuries.”

“Shit.” She closed her eyes for a moment before accepting Shawn’s aid in rising to a sitting position. Shawn felt almost ashamed at how much more quickly she was recovering from their long sleep than he had. Almost. It certainly helped that she had received a fair bit more genetic treatments than he had. Surely one of the perks of being a senator’s daughter.

“Help me wake up the other officers. We have a lot to discuss.”

***** ***** *****

“We’ve been asleep for fifteen hundred years?” Commander McCarthy asked.

“Fifteen hundred and twenty years, give or take a few years” One of the chief petty officers responded. The original plan had been for the crew to be put into a cryogenic slumber at the outbreak of war. Ten years later a portion of the crew would be awakened to ascertain the conditions on the surface. Obviously that second part hadn’t occurred.

“I should also inform you” The chief petty officer continued, “that we lost one-hundred and fifteen men due to various errors.”

“The America we knew, and anything that might have survived the war, is long gone by now” Lieutenant Colonel Meier said.

“At least Victoria is still seaworthy” Commander Azor offered after a moment of silence. If Shawn could gauge how his men were feeling, which he most certainly could after thirty years of command experience, he would certainly be able to tell that his men were uneasy. Understandable given their situation, though not helpful in the least. Losing their homeland was bad enough as it was, but they had at least been partially prepared for that when they boarded the Victoria. Losing their mission on top of that would be too much. They needed an objective.

“This is a very different world than the one we grew up in” Shawn said, drawing the attention of all the officers and chief petty officers present. “We need to figure out how different before we can determine what to do next. We’ll travel south into the Atlantic and see what has happened to the East Coast and British Isles.

***** ***** *****

Ian performed a very thorough check of his craft. A VERY thorough check. He knew that the mechanics had also checked over the Firefly jet numerous times, but it was always the responsibility of the pilot to ensure that his own craft was service worthy. He had to admit that the automated systems had done a good job preserving the sub’s equipment. At least that automated system had worked, unlike the one that was supposed to wake the crew up after a decade.

“Yours looking good?” His wingmate Jessica, a fiery young woman, asked from across the hanger.

“Uh…” He gave the engines one more look over before answering. “Yea. I’m set to go. You?”

“Yup. Let’s get these birds into the sky!” The two of them had been tasked with performing a reconnaissance mission over the American East Coast. Another pair of fighters would be heading towards the British Isles. To make the trip the fighters’ hardpoints were occupied by spare gas tanks, save one which was reserved for the special reconnaissance pod: a fancy way of saying “expensive camera”.

Ian hopped into his jet’s cockpit and began the startup procedures as the hanger’s crew toyed his and Jessica’s jets to the elevator. From their they were raised onto the top deck and loaded onto the catapult.

“”Prefly this is Longsword One. We are ready for takeoff.” Ian said.

“Longsword One. Prefly here. You are go for launch. Activating catapult and handing you off to CIC.” Ian immediately felt himself pressed against his seat and the catapult launched his firefly into the sky. He angled his firefly’s nose up and towards the West, aware that Jessica was back and to his left slightly.

“Longsword One. CIC here. Assume course towards the United States East Coast and perform flyover. You are not to contact any unidentified craft without permission. I repeat you are NOT to contact any unidentified craft without permission.”

“Copy that CIC. We’ll make sure to bring some nice pictures back for you.”

“You do that. Take a nice long look at the new world. Victoria CIC out.”

An hour later Longsword One and Two caught sight of what had once been the East Coast of the United States of America.

New Dawn Rising

USS Victoria

Government Type:
Stratocracy - Strictly speaking the USS Victoria still operates in much the same fashion it did before the Cataclysm with the primary difference being that the captain has full authority to promote or demote his crew as he sees fit and that his XO will automatically assume his rank and position should something happen to him.
Head of Government: Captain Shawn Taylor
Persons of Importance: Commander Lyssa McCarthy
Commander Raynard Azor
Lieutenant Colonel Hugh Meier
Race:
Prewar Humans - For the most part they are “standard” humans and have had limited genetic engineering done to them. For the most part this genetic engineering was intended to reduce birth defects, increase resist to diseases, and extend the person’s youth (but not their overall lifespan). Some individuals, those hailing from wealthy families, had more invasive genetic engineering done and have been altered to be more physically attractive and a slightly longer lifespan.
Population: 2,953
Culture and Religion:
The majority of the Victoria’s crew are either one of the numerous christian denominations or atheist. The culture of the ship is what one would expect from pre-Cataclysm America: freedom oriented, individual based, and hardworking.
Pre-Cataclysm Technology: By definition the USS Victoria and everything in it is a piece of Pre-Cataclysm technology. Of important note, besides the military equipment located on the ship, is the existence of an electronic library containing much of the Old World’s technological knowledge.
History: The Cataclysm caught most of the world’s population by surprise, but there were some who had come to expect, or at the very least be wise enough to prepare, for the worst. Project Pandora was a USN project designed to ensure the survival of the human race in the event of geothermal nuclear warfare. Project Pandora entailed the construction of massive submarines that would seek shelter under the arctic ice caps during the war and ensuing years of nuclear winter. Once the surface was safe, the submarines would then aid in the reconstruction of the United States and her allies and, if necessary, continue the fight against her enemies. The project produces three Enduring Freedom-class amphibious assault submarines in the years leading up to the Cataclysm.

Of the three submarines only the USS Victoria was fully supplied and prepared to conduct its mission. Once the Cataclysm began the USS Victoria immediately sought refuge under the arctic ice cap as per her orders. The crew was put into a cryogenic sleep and were supposed to be woken 10 years later in order to ascertain the surface’s condition. Unfortunately something went wrong with the system, resulting in the crew remaining asleep until recently.
Military: The fighting force on board the USS Victoria is divided into three groups: the crew of the USS Victoria who are in charge of operating and maintaining the ship, the marines under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Meier, and the air wing under the command of Commander Azor. The marines and air wing are both subordinate to the USS Victoria’s commanding officer, Captain Taylor.

USS Victoria

The USS Victoria is a massive amphibious assault submarine. It is designed to be able to act as both a traditional amphibious assault ship and a submarine. The Victoria is an absolutely massive submarine and has many of the facilities one would expect to find on a normal aircraft carrier. Its primary power source is a nuclear reactor, however it also has fuel cells that it can use when it wants to operate silently. While it is not designed to engage other naval vessels in direct combat it does possess a variety of missiles, torpedoes, and CIWS.

Sentinel Patrol Boat

Sentinel patrol boats are small stealth craft designed to be able to perform a number of maritime operations ranging from scouting to transporting troops. These ships are lightly armored and armored, relying on speed and stealth to avoid hostile fire. These craft come with a single 20mm railgun and can be outfitted with two 8mm machine guns if needed.
In Service: 2

F-41E Firefly

By the time the Cataclysm had begun the F-41 Firefly, models C and E, had become the US Navy’s primary carrier based fighter. At the time it was noted for being a nimble fighter, able to use a combination of its particle-beam weapon and 20mm railgun to great effect on enemy fighters. The VTOL capabilities of the E model made it especially sought after for the use on carriers. Unfortunately it was noted as lacking staying power in a fight, having only four hardpoints and a low fuel capacity when compared to contemporary aircraft.
In Service: 12

F-42B Starfire

The F-42B Starfire was designed as an ‘all-purpose’ aircraft. The use of modular parts allows for the craft to be geared better towards different roles in between sorties and also make it easier to upgrade. The Starfire is noted for being an incredibly fast fighter, much more so than the Firefly, however this comes at the cost of the Firefly’s agility. The Starfire is equipped with a particle-beam weapon, two 20mm railguns, and eight hardpoints that can be fitted with missiles, bombs, or fuel tanks.
In Service: 4

AH-5 Tiger

The AH-5 Tiger is an attack helicopter designed to provide ground troops with close air support. It is equipped with two 20mm railguns and two rocket pods. The Tiger is noted for being a durable craft, although its wings are weak points.
In Service: 8

UH-7 Super Mustang

The UH-7 Super Mustang is a massive transport craft capable of carrying either a platoon of soldiers or an armored vehicle. It is well armored, but lacking in armaments thus requires an escort.
In Service: 2

M4A1 Armstrong

The M4A1 Armstrong is an IFV capable of fighting main battle tanks and is designed to float, allowing it to “swim” in water. It has a three man crew and is capable of carrying ten soldiers into combat. It is equipped with a 20mm railgun and 7mm machinegun and can be outfitted with a rocket pod, anti-air missile, grenade launcher, and other armaments depending on its mission.
In Service: 12

Advanced Warrior Armor

Advanced Warrior Armor is a pre-Cataclysm set of power armor designed for use by the US marine corps. The armor is designed to provide the soldier with protection from various kinds of danger including chemical weapons while also increasing the user’s strength. Despite the intent to protect from chemical and biological weapons, it was well known that the Advanced Warrior Armor’s filtration system would only last a few minutes before being burned out by contemporary chemical weapons; it is not known how useful it would be in protecting the user from “modern” chemical weapons.

Other:

New Dawn Rising

I've been jumping back and forth between the Atlantic and Pacific. I do want to visit both Europe and the Far East at some point, but that might be so far in the future that which ocean I start in doesn't really matter.

New Dawn Rising

Honestly I struggled with the sub's name. I hate how most modern US names are named after Navy commanders or dead presidents, cause ships are usually referred to in a feminine sense and it just seems weird saying something like "The George Washington is under fire! She can't take much more abuse!" Some of the other names I toyed with were America, Enduring Freedom, California, etc, etc. Though do note that Victoria can be used as a surname and there are some towns in the US named Victoria, for what its worth. =P

But anywho. Yes. There reaction to the NAU, as well as a great many other places, shall be interesting indeed.

New Dawn Rising

Here's what I've got. It still needs a bit of work but its more or less done.

USS Victoria

Government Type:
Stratocracy - Strictly speaking the USS Victoria still operates in much the same fashion it did before the Cataclysm with the primary difference being that the captain has full authority to promote or demote his crew as he sees fit and that his XO will automatically assume his rank and position should something happen to him.
Head of Government: Captain Shawn Taylor
Persons of Importance: Commander Lyssa McCarthy
Commander Raynard Azor
Lieutenant Colonel Hugh Meier
Race:
Prewar Humans - For the most part they are “standard” humans and have had limited genetic engineering done to them. For the most part this genetic engineering was intended to reduce birth defects, increase resist to diseases, and extend the person’s youth (but not their overall lifespan). Some individuals, those hailing from wealthy families, had more invasive genetic engineering done and have been altered to be more physically attractive and a slightly longer lifespan.
Population: 2,953
Culture and Religion:
The majority of the Victoria’s crew are either one of the numerous christian denominations or atheist. The culture of the ship is what one would expect from pre-Cataclysm America: freedom oriented, individual based, and hardworking.
Pre-Cataclysm Technology: By definition the USS Victoria and everything in it is a piece of Pre-Cataclysm technology. Of important note, besides the military equipment located on the ship, is the existence of an electronic library containing much of the Old World’s technological knowledge.
History: The Cataclysm caught most of the world’s population by surprise, but there were some who had come to expect, or at the very least be wise enough to prepare, for the worst. Project Pandora was a USN project designed to ensure the survival of the human race in the event of geothermal nuclear warfare. Project Pandora entailed the construction of massive submarines that would seek shelter under the arctic ice caps during the war and ensuing years of nuclear winter. Once the surface was safe, the submarines would then aid in the reconstruction of the United States and her allies and, if necessary, continue the fight against her enemies. The project produces three Enduring Freedom-class amphibious assault submarines in the years leading up to the Cataclysm.

Of the three submarines only the USS Victoria was fully supplied and prepared to conduct its mission. Once the Cataclysm began the USS Victoria immediately sought refuge under the arctic ice cap as per her orders. The crew was put into a cryogenic sleep and were supposed to be woken 10 years later in order to ascertain the surface’s condition. Unfortunately something went wrong with the system, resulting in the crew remaining asleep until recently.
Military: The fighting force on board the USS Victoria is divided into three groups: the crew of the USS Victoria who are in charge of operating and maintaining the ship, the marines under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Meier, and the air wing under the command of Commander Azor. The marines and air wing are both subordinate to the USS Victoria’s commanding officer, Captain Taylor.

USS Victoria

The USS Victoria is a massive amphibious assault submarine. It is designed to be able to act as both a traditional amphibious assault ship and a submarine. The Victoria is an absolutely massive submarine and has many of the facilities one would expect to find on a normal aircraft carrier. Its primary power source is a nuclear reactor, however it also has fuel cells that it can use when it wants to operate silently. While it is not designed to engage other naval vessels in direct combat it does possess a variety of missiles, torpedoes, and CIWS.

Sentinel Patrol Boat

Sentinel patrol boats are small stealth craft designed to be able to perform a number of maritime operations ranging from scouting to transporting troops. These ships are lightly armored and armored, relying on speed and stealth to avoid hostile fire. These craft come with a single 20mm railgun and can be outfitted with two 8mm machine guns if needed.
In Service: 2

F-41E Firefly

By the time the Cataclysm had begun the F-41 Firefly, models C and E, had become the US Navy’s primary carrier based fighter. At the time it was noted for being a nimble fighter, able to use a combination of its particle-beam weapon and 20mm railgun to great effect on enemy fighters. The VTOL capabilities of the E model made it especially sought after for the use on carriers. Unfortunately it was noted as lacking staying power in a fight, having only four hardpoints and a low fuel capacity when compared to contemporary aircraft.
In Service: 12

F-42B Starfire

The F-42B Starfire was designed as an ‘all-purpose’ aircraft. The use of modular parts allows for the craft to be geared better towards different roles in between sorties and also make it easier to upgrade. The Starfire is noted for being an incredibly fast fighter, much more so than the Firefly, however this comes at the cost of the Firefly’s agility. The Starfire is equipped with a particle-beam weapon, two 20mm railguns, and eight hardpoints that can be fitted with missiles, bombs, or fuel tanks.
In Service: 4

AH-5 Tiger

The AH-5 Tiger is an attack helicopter designed to provide ground troops with close air support. It is equipped with two 20mm railguns and two rocket pods. The Tiger is noted for being a durable craft, although its wings are weak points.
In Service: 8

UH-7 Super Mustang

The UH-7 Super Mustang is a massive transport craft capable of carrying either a platoon of soldiers or an armored vehicle. It is well armored, but lacking in armaments thus requires an escort.
In Service: 2

M4A1 Armstrong

The M4A1 Armstrong is an IFV capable of fighting main battle tanks and is designed to float, allowing it to “swim” in water. It has a three man crew and is capable of carrying ten soldiers into combat. It is equipped with a 20mm railgun and 7mm machinegun and can be outfitted with a rocket pod, anti-air missile, grenade launcher, and other armaments depending on its mission.
In Service: 12

Advanced Warrior Armor

Advanced Warrior Armor is a pre-Cataclysm set of power armor designed for use by the US marine corps. The armor is designed to provide the soldier with protection from various kinds of danger including chemical weapons while also increasing the user’s strength. Despite the intent to protect from chemical and biological weapons, it was well known that the Advanced Warrior Armor’s filtration system would only last a few minutes before being burned out by contemporary chemical weapons; it is not known how useful it would be in protecting the user from “modern” chemical weapons.

Other:

New Dawn Rising

I'm pretty interested in joining. Been talking to Sigma a bit about my idea, which is an amphibious assault submarine (and complement) from before the cataclysm; the crew having been in cryogenic sleep until recently. More details to come soon.

A Gilded Throne- The Shadow Looms (Recruiting)

Mooooooooooooooooonkey!