BCH #017: Plan of Attack
Plan of Attack
Summary: It all starts when the Admiral shows up. Next thing you know, the TACCO is whippin' out maps and drunk-dialing fleet logistics.
Date: 17 BCH
Related Logs: Wargames shite.
Players:
Abbot Tillman Oberlin Mackay Gabrieli Cidra 

CIC
The central nexus of the ship, the fighting capability all stems from here. With entrances on both sides, an entire section of the wall will twist its armored glass and doorframes out of an air locked position and allow access. At the rear of the room is a standard hatch that allows access as well. Computer terminals sit in a semi-circle around the main plotting table in the center of the room. DRADIS and other essential readouts are displayed on screens that hang from the ceiling. Forward and aft are a set of glass plots that hang vertically from the ceiling and provide the crew with the ability to coordinate air traffic operations in the easiest way possible.


The CIC at this time of evening is winding down from the day, though contracters are less of a problem as they approach the launch date. Tactical personnel are at their stations, working to fine-tune their systems. One of the contractors is installing a callbox at the rear of the room near the secondary hatch. Till man is standing at the plotting table with a series of charts lain across it, reports sitting foremost on them that he's sifting through. A cup of coffee steams nearby.

There's something to be said about arriving on the ship in secrecy and then moving about as you see fit, and it seems that's exactly what Michael did. Having made a detour to the map room for a couple of moments, the Admiral finally makes his way through the doors that lead into CIC and once there, he stops for a moment, letting his eyes play around the room and over each of the personnel that go about their business.

Tillman glances up to the officer entering through the doors, the man unrecognized. When he gets a bit closer, the Tactical Officer straightens off his lean and comes to attention. He's still in his grays from meeting the XO on the Hangar Deck. "Admiral ahn Deck!!" he calls with precise cadence, his voice suddenly booming around the room. Naval personnel are on their feet like a shot for the Admiral. Everyone stares straight ahead except for the contractor, whose screwdriver can be heard turning and squeeking at the back of the room.

Oberlin arrives from Deck 7 Corridor.
Oberlin has arrived.

As CIC is called to attention for Michael's presence, the Admiral offers each individual another quick glance before giving a nod of his head in the direction of Tillman, "Please, carry on with what you were doing." With that said, he begins to make his way farther into CIC, angling down towards Tillman is standing, "Captain. I trust that everything is being handled per the schedule laid out by Fleet Command?"

Everyone finds their seats again, getting a good look at the Admiral to make sure they recognize him in the future. Occasional glances serve to remind their brains what he looks like even from the corner of their eyes. Tillman doesn't have a seat, though. His hands clasp behind his back and he keeps his eyes locked onto the Admiral on the man's approach. "Aye, Admiral. We are to depart not later than forty-eight hours from fourteen hundred Caprincan Standard Time today. Preparations are already being made for the receipt of the Quorum group tomorrow as well as final preparations and system installs." He'll leave the introductions until the man is ready for them.

Mackay arrives from Deck 7 Corridor.
Mackay has arrived.

Listening for the moment, Michael simply gives a slight nod of his head as Tillman speaks. When the TACCO has finished, the Admiral's own hands move to clasp behind his back, resting comfortably against the small of his back. "Excellent. Please ensure that the XO is kept abreast of all things. For the initial departure, he will be running the show while I play .." A look is taken around CIC before his settle back upon the TACCO, ".. socially with the civilian delegates who are aboard."

Again, the hatch swings open to allow access from the deck outside to admit another presence in CIC. With a series of neatly stacked and filed folders with those distinctive angled corners common to all paperwork in Colonial life clutched to his side, Lieutenant Oberlin slips in as he walks at fairly swift gait. His head snaps back slightly as he scans the room noting the presence of contractor and officer alike, straightening when he gets to both the TACCO and the Admiral. "Sirs." He snaps off crisply and followed by a salute, before making his way to the EW station and giving the equipment a once-over.

"Aye, sir. Colonel Sarkis is already aboard and I believe in his Stateroom. I've already forwarded him our orders as well as our latest information on the composition of what we will be facing down during the games." Tillman stands rigid, his eyes locked onto the Admiral without so much as a hint of hesitation. "Will the tour group be here in CIC during launch, sir?" With the approach of Oberlin, the Captain nods but does not salute - leaving that for the Admiral to return as the ranking officer.

Turning his head in the direction of Oberlin, Michael simply gives a nod in return to the salute. Then, his eyes return to Tillman, "I've spoken to Colonel Sarkis, briefly, in the Map Room. As for the delegation? No, they can observe our launch from the observation deck. There is no need for civilians to be tromping around my command deck, regardless of what Fleet Command thinks." A hand lifts, coming to rub at the back of his neck, "Which is exactly why I'll be up there with them, to answer any questions and appease their questioning minds. In other words, I've been told to play nice for a couple of days and make myself available."

The usual creaking tweet from the hatch signals another person coming in a few minutes behind the Lieutenant. Armed with a file under one arm and a cup of coffee in the other hand the Weapons officer seems hardly out of place, and given the slight smile on the one eyed man's face it is easy to tell that he's in a fine mood. "Bloody hell, Cap'n. I tell you our guns look right an ready as ever. Just need my last bits and personnel coming in." A pause as Mackay catches the sight of the Admiral standing with the TACCO. A straightening followed by a crisp salute. "Sir." Oh dear.

While not specifically voicing an opinion, as the conversation between both Tillman and Abbot plays out, Oberlin thoughtfully nods his head once in a gesture that is positively dripping with agreement on the issue of civilians at the time of launch. As Mackay speaks, Cal's lips twitch into a brief but unmistakable smile. Something's got him amused.

Tillman nods once. "Very good, sir. I'll arrange to have refreshments set-up on the Obs Deck. Maybe that will help settle the beast. I'll risk saying that I would much rather be here than with them." A smirk touches at the edge of his face, venturing the remark. "And sir, just so you are aware of the minor situation, one of the delegate members was just removed from the ship and had her clearance revoked because she was unable to keep herself out of restricted areas. As far as I know, she is already back on Leonis.." He trails off as Mackay approaches, that smile finally showing. "Admiral?" He extends a hand towards Weps in gesture. "This is Captain Mackay, your Chief Weapons Officer."

"That will do nicely, Captain." Then, Michael is lifting a hand to rub at his forehead for a moment as he gives his head a shake, "Lovely. Not even launched and we're already running into issues with the Civilians. Well, I suppose it was only a matter of time." The entrance from MacKay catches Michael's attention and his gaze shifts in the direction of the man, a brow lifting ever so slightly, though the slight hint of a smile does touch upon his lips, "Captain. I'm pleased to hear that our weapon systems are in order."

One dark brow is itching up as he looks between the Admiral and the TACCO. Apparently he missed the earlier fireworks, specially since someone was escorted off? Busy, busy day it sounds. However upon the introduction from Tillman, Mackay sets aside the folder once his salute is finished. "You an me both sir." And with that his hand is out, nice to meet the Admiral after all. "We're just waiting on one of my weapons officers who is due to come in tomorrow with a small shipment of spare parts." you know incase something breaks. "Looking forward to serving under you sir."

"This too shall pass, sir." Lieutenant Oberlin's silence is finally broken as he muses aloud. "I guess a circus for the taxpayers justifies R & D and budgetary funding. Guess a ship like this is a worthwhile reward." He clears his throat audibly and starts thumbing through the top folder full of printouts at his station, clicking his tongue almost soundlessly while periodically looking from officer to officer.

Tillman gives a quick sound like a dry chuckle, but he doesn't seem to carry the humor. "Regrettably it happened the way it did, sir. Its my hope the delegation will take their physical position on the ship more seriously, now." He then falls quiet again, waiting for the Admiral. That hint of a smile returns at the Lieutenant's words but he doesn't say anything else.

Accepting the Weaps hand, Michael gives it a firm shake before settling the hand back in the small of his back. Eyes shift in the direction of Oberlin, to whom the Admiral offers a low chuckle, "It was either put on this parade or risk having our funding cut. Therefore, the powers that be jumped at the chance and we got stuck filling the bill. So, we'll do this little parade and then offload the Civilians so that we can function as we should." Looking back to MacKay and then Tillman, a nod is giving to each, "Lets ensure that a memo gets passed around the Civilian Delegation, informing them of locations that are strictly offlimits."

Mackay grunts when his hand comes back, as he's moving to flip through the file left on a table close by. "Funding cut. They'd do that if they had th' frakkin chance. If anything to save a penny and to come off as humanitarians, they'd have us throwin' rocks instead of firing shells. A gods damned Sagittaron artillery barrage." the Weaps mutters, before he's looking over towards Oberlin "Gods I hope so..Luckily we haven't had much pokin' in my neck of the woods. Some of the privilege with havin' restricted area…" and with that Sig's looking back to Tillman, "I take it I missed more fireworks today?"

His head tilts at a slight angle as he eyes one of the documents, smirking as he pages through one sheet and the next. Oberlin just nods his head again. "Fireworks?" He echoes Mackay's statement in a soft tone of voice. It sounds like enough of a question that it's likely he missed them too. "And Captain - I think the philosophy behind the Mercury Class is that 'the best weapon is one you never have to fire.' She' got some -big- guns."

"I'll have enough copies printed to give one to each member, sir." Tillman glances up to the DRADIS display as it flickers once, holding his gaze on it as if daring the screen to try it again. "No real fireworks. Just a minor altercation of the verbal extent." Eventually his eyes fall back to the Admiral and he glances to Mackay. "As I mentioned sir, we have new information about the games." He clears his throat and gestures for the intelligence officer to join them at the table. Waiting for the man's arrival, Tillman begins again: "Our last orders state that we are to rendezvous with the Praetorian and the Corsair." He let's the information stick for a moment. "As some of you know, the Praetorian is a point defense and missile frigate. First in its class, too. Its got the firepower but we have the range. The Corsair is an old Flak Frigate. I have some service time on those so I may be able to provide some information. All this just came through within the last few hours so Captain-" Clive nods to Mackay "You and I are going to need to get with some people pronto." A glance to Oberlin. "I'll want you there too, Lieutenant." He settles back on the Admiral as if to offer time for a question or belayment of orders.

Listening to both MacKay and Oberlin, the Admiral can't help but give a chuckle before his attention is directed back to Tillman. Michael listens and then gives a nod of his head, "Oh, I'm aware of what we're going to be doing, Captain. The reason for my delay is that I got stuck at Fleet Command Headquarters, where they walked me through each little step in this whole affair as if teaching me to speak for the first time." A hand lifts, giving a slight wave, "Thanks for making sure I was up to speed, though." There's a glance around before his hands unclasp, "I'll let you carry on with your business, now. I have some more stops to make before I retire to notify Fleet Command that I'm here and that we'll be ready to get underway, per their schedule."

"Flak Frigate…I served on one of those when I was a Pee-Oh." Mackay offers as he comes back over towards the plotting table as it seems Tillman is speaking his language. There's a look up towards Oberlin though as a toothy smile is passed as a chuckle scraps along easily enough. "Yeah, but what's th' point of having them if you shouldn't fire em?" A grin there, "That she does, Lieutenant. That she does." It is something he's come to love. And with that he's looking back towards Tillman as the Admiral is making his leave. He'll wait before poking some more for ideas.

With a tight smile and firm nod, Oberlin's fingers thumb through a couple other printouts. "Corsair and Praetorian. Could use them to cover some natural blind spots in the Mercury class's design although those are really hard to point out." The Lieutenant drips with some additional approval for the sheer destructive power the Cerberus can bring to bear. "Say the word, and I'll be there, Captain." He finally notes towards the TACCO before shifting his head to eye Mackay. "Fair enough. Most common scenario is only having to fire them -once.-"

"Fair enough, sir. Didn't want to leave you hangin' in the breeze, Admiral." The TACCO seems a bit more relaxed as the discussion turns towards what his job entails. "Yes, sir. If I'm not here, Captain Price will be the Watch Officer but I essentially live here." He reaches for the cup of coffee and tilts it a little as if to indicate that he is fueled. Then, looking back to Mackay he grins. "Outstanding, Captain. I was on the Theatron back about a decade ago." Then with a smirk, he shakes his head to the Intel Officer. "Nuh uh, Lieutenant. We have to -fight and kill- them. More than likely by ourselves. Which is going to be a bitch since we don't even know what the capabilities of that Praetor look like. Though I think that's more your department anyway, isn't it?"

Michael has left.

"Boudica, we watched the Wake Island's ass." Mackay offers with a faint chuckle, before he's reaching for his coffee mug, remembering it again, for a long sip. He's good now for a few hours in the CIC. A glance is given back between Oberlin and Clive, to which he nods once in agreement with the TACCO, before he's adding in. "Well, I will agree with that Eltee. I'd rather have them fire once. Only once, if they get that shot." A chuckle there before he's offering his hand to the Intel officer. "Mackay."

"Oh. I was getting ahead of myself." The Lieutenant chimes in in response to Tillman. "This ship is positively damn -massive- compared to the Ilium. But the Praetorian's a fire platform and wouldn't be able to stand up to a Mercury-class Battlestar with adequate Air cover. I'd have to run some numbers to give you an adequate breakdown of their chances, versus ours but I think that Missile boat will get carved up like a Feastday roast if you get my drift." He flashes another quick smirk and accepts Mackay's hand firmly and shakes it. "Lieutenant Oberlin. It'll be a pleasure working with you, sir." Clearing his throat, he looks down at his paperwork a moment later. "If you'll excuse me, sirs, I need to go gather some of those schematics in the Map Room."

Oberlin has left.

"Nice, Sig. Nice. Sounds like we're going to have plenty to discuss about killing one. That frakking EXLORAD is going to be a bitch to get around." Tillman grumbles the last as he looks back to the table at the Uram Sector diagram under the distribution of reports. "Yeah. Maybe. But its designed for point defense. I'd bet they can put a lot of missiles into action real fast." He keeps staring at the table, tapping a single fingernail on the surface. "We're going to have to think way outside the box on this one. Especially if they can somehow link the fire control computers on the Praetor to the EXLORAD on the Cors. I'm not sure the Cors has the linkage power for it, though." He's musing loud enough for Mackay to hear before looking up to Weps again. "If you had one of them old Flakkers, how the hell would you fight it out? Would you team up or hunt separately?" Tillman holds up a finger, then, and takes up the intercom. He pushes a button. "Major Hahn to CIC. Major Hahn, CIC, please." The phone is replaced and tapped to a snap with his knuckles.

<OOC> Cidra is about to join your location.
Cidra has arrived.

"No shit. Quicker we can pick out those chinks the the armor, the quicker we can tear through wargames." he mutters before he's shaking his head, and with that he's looking right towards the diagram that Clive's peering over. And Mackay comes in a a little close to peer over the ex marine's shoulder before back away. "From what I know, they can. Heard something from a friend of mine. basically these bastards park and let em off like a whore asking for shots on two cubit night." A shake of his head. As for the question Sig falls silent. Nodding once as Tillman reaches for the phone, before he's eyeing the TACCO for a second.

"Well, if I was younger, I'd be foolhardy and fly her on her own. They can take some hits, and if you're going hot, you're basically coming in like a bottle of buckshot in all directions. It's how I learned my triple a walls…And how to sling. If anything I'd use it to come in close and dirty while keeping the Praetor to a flank to just fire and burn. They'd have to focus on one." Mackay, finishes.

[CTC] "Jugs" Quinn says, " Raptor 363 to Cerberus, permission to bring aboard our newest LT… One Lieutenant Abram Hawke."

Cidra comes as summoned not too long after Tillman rings. She must have been lurking somewhere not too far from CIC. She's in her officer blues rather than flight gear. "Captain Tillman. I was rung for?" She inclines her head to him, and the Weps as well. "Captain Mackay."

[CTC] "Cerb Tactical" Tillman says, "Raptor Three-Six-Three, Cerberus." There's a short pause. "You are cleared into the break on the port flight deck. Contact the LSO for handoff on three-niner-six point one. You are paddles green for approach. Welcome home."

[CTC] "Jugs" Quinn says, "Permission for a hands-on approach, Cerberus?"

The pair of men are grumbling over the Tactical plot, both looking rather deep into their work. The TACCO is about to say something when the Major appears. He nods to her. "Aye, sir. Thanks for coming on up. We're talking some strategy and I wanted the opinion of our senior pilot. Hell, I'll take ideas, too. But I've got some key information for you to pass along to your boys and girls: We're going up against an old Flak Frigate, the Corsair, and that brand new point defense missile boat - the Praetorian. We have to find and kill both of them, most likely. If you haven't met Weps" A gesture to Mackay "This is Captain Mackay. Good man and a good head on his shoulders. Wait one." He steps away for a second to glance up at the air traffic control boards before he taps an earpiece, speaking into it. There's a pause and he finishes before returning to the pair. "So we're trying to come up with attack profiles. Mackay has some good ideas about approaching these bastards for some good gun hits but the Flakker has a super-powered DRADIS. First blush sir, what are you thinking?"

[CTC] "Cerb Tactical" Tillman says, "Copy three-six-three. Cleared for hands-on."

[CTC] "Jugs" Quinn says, "Landing in three… Two… one…"

As sounds slide over the comms, Mackay looks towards the DRADIS for a moment as he watches the incoming blip. A slight motion made as one hand forms into the shape of a gun, and fingpoints before a light 'pshoo' sound leaves his lips. A look back towards Clive, and then over to the Major as a smile and a slightly straightening of his posture is given. "Major Hahn, always a pleasure." Given the Flakker's going to have a heavy DRADIS read he's trying to think of what can be done to keep signatures from being found out.

Cidra nods to Tillman. Intrigued. "I see. Are the specs on these ships available in our databanks, Captain? I suspect my squad leaders could work up some pertinent simulation exercises." A faint smirk, and nod to Mackay. "We met briefly when I came aboard. You were there at the time, Captain Tillman. The early days on this ship have been most chaotic, however, so it is understandable to forget. How is Weps shaping up, Captain Mackay?"

Tillman slaps his forehead. "Damnit. You're right, Toast. Sorry about that. Been a long few days." He shakes his head and looks back to Cidra, then. "The Praetorian is a brand new ship. The specs are probably locked up real tight. But I would suggest getting with Lieutenant Oberlin, our intel kid. He can probably provide your squad leaders with better hard information than I can. I just exploit information." He smirks and looks back to Mackay. "Weps here is saying that the big DRADIS array those flak ships use can probably link with the Praetor's missile systems. If that's true, we're going to need a way to spoof it. He thinks that according to gunnery, they're probably ride shotgun on each other. If that's true, it'll present an interesting dilemma. We may have to find a way to put that flak ship between us and the Praetor.ooor figure out a way to take the flak frig out of the equation altogether."

"Depends on the system, but I know we linked with the Wake in order to help give the vipers added boost. But then that was a CEC added DRADIS with one of those is a gods-send." Mackay adds, before he's looking back towards Tillman. "I'm sure right now sending out those damned requests will help. If anything it'll make em think we're limping in. They might expect us somewhere else, giving us time to lay a trap." Just something to think over, with that he's looking back towards Hahn, and there's a nod given. "We've got everything slowly coming into order. Basically we're waiting one more shipment and one more officer. Then my babies will be ready." A grin. "Your kittens, they all wrangled in?" asked back to the CAG.

Gabrieli arrives from Deck 7 Corridor.
Gabrieli has arrived.

Cidra is standing near Tillman and Mackay, talking shop. "That is good. It gives me confidence to know the hands behind the big guns are steady. Much less to worry about out there." The faintest of smiles. "The Air Wing, as always, it is like herding cats. We will manage, however. Many of my pilots show s a good deal of talent, and I have hope they will acquit our part of the games well. I am thus far well pleased with my squad leaders, and they are helping with my wrangling."

Tillman lets the two talk shop, falling quiet for the most part to let all this absorb into his mind. But he's smiling and looking a little eager. Once again there's blood in the air. He nods to Mackay at the end, though. "What I'll do is get with the XO and CO and see about sending out a ton of requisitions once we get out of port. Things like circuit breakers for a DRADIS or replacement parts for the EMALS." The electromagnetic launch stuff for the Vipers. He then looks to Cid. "Yeah. I've spent some down time with Captain Quinn. She seems like a competent squad leader."

"The hell are you going to be doing with circuit breakers, Tillman?" Just the man to ask, naturally, is right at the hatch. Complete with coffee, Gabrieli has an overstuffed folder under one arm, likely checklists of things to see to around the ship. "You can barely screw in a light bulb up here."

"Always was gifted with that red right hand, Major. Gods just letting me do my shooting here." he offers before he's looking back to Tillman with a slight chuckle. "Hopefully we can get that dry fire before we head out, it might add to the whole we're frakked before we even leave drydock." He states with a slight nod. That is till the snipe or head snipe is sneaking in complete with files and coffee. Well ain't the CIC popular tonight? A look is given over Gabrieli for a moment before Mackay's nodding to the man, and eyes turn back to the DRADIS as more terms get tossed around. "Could work…Or we could use the clump of Raptors to work as jump breadcrumbs."

"Captain Quinn is one of the things I am very well pleased with," Cidra affirms to Tillman with a small nod. "She has a good head on her shoulders. Usually the Raptor personnel are not so high-strung as the Vipers, though a few are proving my prejudices wrong. In any case, she seems quite up to handling them." She seems about to reply to Mackay as well, but Gabrieli's entrance provides a distraction. She turns her head, giving him a deep nod. "Captain. It is good to see you again."

The TACCO looks up and laughs, the gravelly sound welcome. "Hey Cap'n. Nobody ever said I knew how. I can just tell you the best way to plan it out and discuss the variables of counterclockwise screws and their problems. I'll leave the execution to the professionals." Tillman lifts his cup in cheers to the man before taking a sip. "We're talking about false-flagging the Navy and ordering spare parts we don't need. A few key things that might tell our foes something. Which-" A finger points off the mug to Gab "-you can probably list better than anyone else on board." He nods to the reminder of the idea from Mackay. "Truth." His attention falls back to the CAG, then. "Yeah she does, Major. Reminds me of a Captain I used to know back on the Aegean." A friendly wink is cut to her before he looks back to the ChEng.

"Major." Gabrieli spares a slightly longer look at Cidra than for the two men, but then they all get a lift of coffee cup. "Captains." He heads for a place to put his files down, the folder about bursting with paperwork. His hands have smudges on them of all different colored ink. "Well, be sure you give us ample warning before you flood the storerooms. It may be fun to go drunk-dialing logistics back home, but it's 3M up here that gets to wade through all your shit."

Mackay nods as he looks back towards Gabrieli, ahh indeed, so here's where part of his let's say we're limping plan comes into fruition. "Captain." returned back as he lowers his mug, to let one eye scan the bottom, before he's looking back up. "Don't worry, if anything we might think up some stuff that can be useful, other than boxes of contraceptives and lightbulbs." a grunt there before patch and eye are turned on Clive. "Anyway."

Cidra's gaze holds Gabrieli's for a beat longer as well. Expression inscrutable. Not that that's unusual for her. A wry chuckle at Tillman's words. "My squad on the Aegean never gave me much trouble. Low maintenance Raptors, as I say. Those were good days all around." She cracks the faintest of smiles to the TACCO.

Tillman chuckles lightly, shifting most of his weight to one foot while looking to the ChEng. "Well I tell you what, Captain. How about I go to the Admiral and if get the green light for this, then you grab someone to fill out the requests or just send me the list and I'll place the order myself. That way there's no surprises and you know what you have space for." He lofts a brow with the proposition and smirks to Cidra. "Aye. Some of the best. Hoping for a repeat on this cruise, Major." But Mackay brings him back. "ANYway…So like we were talking about? This flak frigate we're going up against has this nasty EXLORAD system. Triple our own range. Captain Gabrieli, got any suggestions on how to beat it? I imagine the Raptors might be able to grab the emissions off that sucker but we need a way to get our fighters in close. Ideas from anyone?" TACCO looks around the table.

Gabrieli smirks at Tillman. "You want me to give you daddy's credit card. Alright, honey. But no thongs until you're eighteen." He sits down in a chair that he wasn't invited to take, plopping the folders down. Somewhere in here there's paperwork that he meant to turn in to CIC. "Let me know when it's greenlit. We'll work it out. As for their system." He sits back, pulling his pen from behind his ear. "I'm a mechanical man, so my mind instantly goes to deflection options."

Mackay nods right back towards Tillman "We'll need to really knock the shit out of em, because if they get away, or see us coming in from a mile a frakkin way without us bein' ready you can kiss our surprise goodbye." Sig notes idly while swirling his cup before finally setting it down a little harder than usual. And with that he's looking back towards Gabrieli, and offers a hand finally "Mackay." just so as to get to know the man, before he is quickly shutting up, face screwing up into a scowl. "Deflection." repeated. "Well then it comes down to what can really Frak with an EXLORAD, let alone the DRADIS." Radiation? What else?

"It is possible theoretically," Cidra says with a small nod to Tillman to his comment about the Raptors. "I have seen the like of it done. I am uncertain how to pull it off precisely, however." Her head tilts at Gabrieli. "In any case, whatever me and mine can do to help you and yours, Captains, say the word. The various things that can frak with our systems do concern me. I am hoping we can come up with some way to compensate for the system interference." She doffs her head slightly to Gabrieli again.

Tillman nods, looking around. He idly sips at his mug before reaching into a pocket and pulling out a pack of smokes and tossing them onto the table after getting one for himself. "Help yourselves," he offers. His attention falls to the CAG first. "Major, what about your ability to jump in all that junk. If, say, we wanted you all to perform a precision jump into a location in formation, could you do it? And more importantly - could you make five squadrons look like a Battlestar on a DRADIS?" He waggles his brow at her before looking back at the other two. "I have no idea about how to deflect DRADIS. Point-blank, its just not my area. I can screw with communications plenty but beyond that, not much. What would mess with their dishes? And would it mess with ours?"

"What about swallows?" Gabrieli glances at Cidra for that one, raising an eyebrow. "Those Raptor drones. Can't they be planted and fake a signal that looks like a Battlestar on DRADIS? I remember seeing some seminar about that once." He sips his coffee, waving off the cigarette offer for now. Though he does smell like smoke a hint already. "As for deflection we have two main options. One: Signal-absorbing paint and Two: Things like corner deflectors and re-entrant triangles. Though before I go off on that, what /is/ the plan? What are you trying to make stealthy here, the birds or the battlestar?"

"Uram's got debris don't it?" Mackay asks, as he looks back towards Tillman. "That'll help us if we can slide in close, but it means we'll lose some of your paint, if you're okay with the sacrifice." he adds on before he's looking back for the diagram that Clive was peeking out. Sig's interest more or less piqued. As for if it would Mackay shrugs. "It might a little, but it's a risk we'll have to take, whatever we do think up." Which means they're going to need something…Or someone "We got any good ECM specialists that are lookin t' lick some boots? They might know what fraks with us more, and can create a DRADIS ghost.." A beat and with that he's looking over to Tillman. He'll let the TACCO field that one.

Cidra's brow furrows. "That would be…touchy work." She sounds as much intrigued as daunted, however. "A fine show if we can pull it off, however. Ahhh. The swallows." She lets a rather hissing breath out between her teeth. Grinning. "It might work well at that. We would have to be cautious of their affects on our own system, but the difficulty is not insurmountable. I have the utmost confidence in an ECO's ability to play such games if it is asked of them, Captain Mackay. Though I would like to know the ultimate goal more clearly as well." She looks to Tillman. "I came in rather in the middle of this. And Uram does have debris. More of it than I like to fly in. But, I do not mind a challenge."

Tillman lights his smoke and claps the zippo shut, repocketing it. "Our plan right now is to field ideas. Committing to one thing right now is a bad idea. We need to pool our resources and see what we have to work with. And yeah, Uram is a giant clusterfrak of asteroids and DRADIS mess. Lots of interferance that will screw with us and them. The wing will have some real tight spaces to operate in, though. My first suggestions is that we get them to come to us. Someplace where our fighters can lay it on thick. Give them something irresistable." He sniffles a bit and takes another drag, setting the smoke into a nearby ashtray. "As for making something stealthy? It depends. We have a week. If we can frag their DRADIS with something electrical like a transmission that might work, too. What about a Raptor designed solely to work that. Paint it up black and modify the hell out of it. See if we can get that DRADIS signature minimized?"

"We can install deflectors on a Raptor easily enough," Gabrieli offers, pulling an ankle up comfortably over one knee. "Electrical ECM isn't my speciality, but physical deflector cups, sure. We could do that. And as for getting them to walk into a trap, those swallows would do the job if they could be planted and activated from a distance, then shut off just before we get into their range."

The sight of the cigarette is something that catches Mackay's attention, and with that he's nodding slightly, before patting down a pocket on his trousers, before a pack and lighter are pulled out. Though he has no thick zippo. Just a simple slender stick in which flame can be brought to life. One cigarette is brought out before his pack is stowed away, only then does the cyclopean Captain work on lighting his cigarette. A puff of smoke and another deep drag, before the green grey eye fixes on Clive. "Well we need to use that mess to our advantage" Sig begins, "Plus whatever our Snipe here, an th' good major can cook up will work. Basically we need enough that we can come in and let me let my salvo's lose in their britches before they can wreak into us. With the Corsair's range..That's what's going to be difficult." a pause for a moment while he chews on Gabrieli's suggestion to the Major "Could we do something like that to the Cerebus? Mind you we'd need big enough cups.."

"My main priority at this point is figuring out a way to deal with the inference so my Raptors - and by extension my Vipers - will have clearer eyes in that mess," Cidra says. She eyes that smoke and, as if it reminds her, fishes into her own pocket to retrieve a pack. Standard Picon-brand cigs, smoked the Navy over. "A light, please?" The request is made to whoever is quickest with fire. "My people *can* go about these objectives many ways but it is important that we focus. Part of our mission in the upcoming games is to provide electronic warfare support for CIC, and the swallows would do that more than well." Another nod to Gabrieli. Oh, she likes that. "In any case, I am looking forward to what the Admiral has to say about the operation in detail."

Gabrieli hehs at Mackay. "Yeah, double-Ds wouldn't quite do it for this bitch." He lifts his chin, indicating CIC by way of Cerberus as a whole. "Keep in mind, this is one big damn boat. Even with DRADIS deflection, it's going to be painfully obvious. I'll put it to my people for ideas, though I suspect our best hope will be something like shielding our FTL signature, so they don't get wind of us jumping in. Once we're close, though, we'll be screwed on the stealth angle, so we'd have to be ready."

"Swallows would be good to get their attention but they aren't going to fall for that alone. They'll scout before they approach for a killshot. Now.." The TACCO squints a bit as he works on the idea. "We could always play lame. Use those requisitions like we want to. Let them nibble at us a bit, then we could jump in close behind them around back. If we can put one of those ships between us and the other, it cuts their fighting capabilities in half." He looks around to the small group, producing his Zippo for the Major. "If we can get one of those Raptors set-up to cause problems, we can nickle and dime them. When they jump a Raptor in to scout a Raptor that's throwing out a mess of signals, we can have a flight of Vipers sitting nearby. He'll need a few minutes to spool his FTL. We can take out their scouts. If they jump something bigger in, we can show up right after they do and do it right on their doorstep. Like Mackay said earlier: We use our guns like a door breacher and kick their teeth in from close range."

"Boy can be wishful." Mackay adds with a slight whistle around his cigarette before he's sliding his lighter into his pocket, His eye catching the move from Tillman. A nod and he's bringing his hand up to rub his jaw, before he's moving his cigarette in order to do a quick ash in they nearby tray. "I like also thinkin' of it, as we're a big ol' fist of an angry god an we're lookin' for teeth." Sig grins for a second before he's nodding. "Bingo. That's what we're lookin' for." In so little words.

"Fall for or not, it shall confuse them, and such tricks give us a slight edge. And enough of those, you forge a knife," Cidra replies, taking the light and smoking up. "I will think more on it for when we meet about it formally. There is much to sort out. I am curious to see how the pilots confront these challenges." That bare hint of a smile comes to her lips again. "Now, I fear I cannot linger here much longer. Was there more you needed of me, captains?"

"I'll have a look into the deflection cups and FTL shielding for you." Gabrieli's done scribbling whatever that was and pulls out the few nicely-printed papers he'd come to leave, setting them on a table. Then it's back to his feet for him. "I'm going to get back to the cave, myself. Major…" A slight browraise at Cidra. Slight. "We'll talk."

Tillman shakes his head to Cid. "No. That's all, Major. Thank you for the time and input. I'll have something more coherent when we get together." He takes another drag and repockets his lighter. To Gabrieli: "Outstanding, Captain. Appreciate the time, too. I've got some things to work out myself. I'll see you at the meeting."

Mackay nods "I need to take my watch here." Mackay adds, as he looks back towards Gabrieli "Captain." And a glance is given back towards Tillman, the Weaps clearly already chewing a little further. "I'll get some plots your way." Sig adds, before he's sneaking off to his station.

"We will talk," Cidra echoes Gabrieli. Somewhat inscrutably yet again. She regards the ChEng a beat loner, then gives a nod to Tillman. "Always. Gentleman." And with that she takes her leave of CIC, smoking as she goes.

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