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The Privateers of SDN

Posted: 2008-07-29 05:13pm
by Lonestar
Marina wrote:I WISH we could get a letter of Marque. Since we don't have any high-ranking navy types, the most experienced navigator gets to be the ship's Master, like in the 18th century, and the ranking Army officer gets to be the Captain. The most skilled mechanical engineer is the Cheng, the mechanical sorts of people get to be the plant crew, with the other engineers as officers.... The navigational crew (Master's Mates) consists of everyone else with navigating experience (ooh, that includes me) to handle the navigation watches, and battery commanders and so on are the remaining military officers, everyone with radar experience gets stuck in CIC, and Shep can even be the ship's electrician--we'll find Elfdart dead one day in one of the showers due to 'faulty' wiring, of course, but whatever.

OPENING CRAWL

The Election of ’08 was a tumultuous one, with the Democrats and Republicans fighting for the American People. This was the first year that the Val-U-Vote machines were deployed nationwide. On Election Day polls showed a nearly 50-50 split between Obama and McCain.

That evening the polls reported that Bob Barr had won the election. Riots soon erupted across the country. McCain and Obama held a joint Conference calling for a re-vote.

Alas, the Randoids attacked the conference, killing both candidates and their running mates. The country soon started to break apart, and the EU began to dispatch forces to Canada. After a series of naval battles in the Atlantic, the USN forces loyal to the Federal Government were defeated,.

In Fall of ’09 President Barr signed the Marque and Reprisal Act, granting the Executive Branch the power to issue Letters of Marque. In order for the country to survive it would take men, strong men, men who would be known as….


The Privateers of SDN





February 12th, 2012

“CAPTAIN ON THE BRIDGE!” CWO5 Lonestar barked as Captain Jegs stepped onboard the Bridge. Jegs grinned.

“You ready for our first combat patrol SIGWO?”

“Itchin’ for it Skipper.” Lonestar said. He was watching the tugs pull along side the Resolute(Formerly the Barry). The linehandlers on the pier at the Washington Navy Yard threw off the lines. The BOOW blew the whistle into the 1MC.

“UNDERWAY, SHIFT COLORS!”

The Ensign came up on the mainmast.

Things were grim for the Republic. Everyday more and more enemies appeared, both from within and without. The United Alliance now had a Million Man Army in Canada, and the Federal Forces were having trouble maintaining order in the country. Whole parts of the West were virtually independent.

The USN was virtually gone, reduced to a coastal defense role and attempted interdiction of EU convoys.

Which is where vessels like the Resolute came in. Privateers had been operating with much smaller vessels, so now most commercial ships were equipped with the arms to chase them away. The Resolute would be able to resume the interdiction of Venezuelan oil tankers, vitally needed for the war effort.

The Anacostia churned under the vessel.

“Boats’, you got it?”

“Ah reckon ah do sar.” The BMOOW said.

“Fine.” Jegs said. “Officers meeting in the Wardroom, pass the word.”

******

The Letter of Marque, signed by President Barr, hung in the Wardroom. Jegs walked in(he had early on issued a standing order to dispense with coming to attention when he entered the Wardroom) and sat down at the Captain’s spot. He frowned.

“Where’s ELECTRO?”

“Shep is down in DCC.” Ender, the CHENG said. “I told him to watch the board. I can call him if you want…”

“Nah, that’s fine. I’m just going down the list before we exit into the Chesapeake. AIRBOSS?”

“The Water Spaniel is ready, so long as we have MILSAT. As you know, that’ll change once we enter the Caribbean AO. It’ll be a bit trickier.” CWO5 Beowulf said.

“Indeed. OPS?”

“Comms are good so far, and all the radars are working as designed.” LCDR Tsyroc said.

“CHENG?”

“We’re doing as good as we can with the…seasoned equipment we’re using.” LCDR Ender said.

“CSO?”

LT. Stile leaned back and gnawed on his cigar.

“We’re ready to blow some shit up."

“SUPPO?”

“All Mountain Dews and Pepsis present or accounted for Sir…” Setzer said.

“Good, Good.” Jegs looked around the table, he had just spoken to the department heads.


“As you know, we will be departing the Chesapeake and targeting God’s Will States’ shipping along the Southeastern seaboard on the way to the Caribbean. There, we will aggressively interdict Venezuelan oil Tankers. We’re doing this for the Republic, for the poor bloody infantry, and for our homes.” Jegs paused, then grinned.

“Now, let’s go make some money.”

Posted: 2008-07-29 05:34pm
by The Duchess of Zeon
So I guess that makes me a CWO4 and we need to hunt down everyone else on the board who's navigated on open ocean in something bigger than a powerboat to fill out the navigation watches. Weee!

Posted: 2008-07-29 05:53pm
by The Duchess of Zeon
Oh, and do we have four ASROC and four Harpoon in the box launcher?

Posted: 2008-07-29 06:07pm
by Ford Prefect
Bob.

Barr.

Mountain Dew! Official fuel of piracy! :lol:

Posted: 2008-07-29 06:49pm
by TimothyC
I've got a knack for logistics, so if I could have a minor role I'd be ecstatic.

Posted: 2008-07-29 06:54pm
by Themightytom
MariusRoi wrote:I've got a knack for logistics, so if I could have a minor role I'd be ecstatic.
Hope I'm not in it, I'm still a red shirt, I Know My Fate.

Posted: 2008-07-29 07:36pm
by CaptainChewbacca
I can run sonar.

Posted: 2008-07-29 07:43pm
by Scottish Ninja
Can I be the luckless schmuck in the engine room who's the first to die in some spectacular fashion during a major battle?

Perhaps two paragraphs after being introduced?

Posted: 2008-07-29 07:49pm
by Lonestar
The Duchess of Zeon wrote:Oh, and do we have four ASROC and four Harpoon in the box launcher?
Before setting the sea the Resolute underwent a significant modernization, to include the installation of a Spook 9, SLQ-32, and AN/SSQ-137(The last because the guv'ment pays us for any SIGINT and ELINT "Take").

I've intentionally left the deposition of the ship's systems vague otherwise, because, frankly, I'd like to hear input from everyone else first.


As for the "BobBarrverse", it'll bare a passing resemblance to Marina's Global Peakverse, the primary difference being that oil shortages are being caused by the MNF rampaging through the Middle East(following a disintegration of the NCA in the States) rather than peak oil per se. Much of the South is paying lip service to the Federal Government in exchange for the Feds looking the other way from the Bad Things the local governments are doing.

Out West, Texas is quasi-independent by virtue of squeezing some more blood from the stone of the Permian Basin, while the Mormons have effectively seceded from the Feds. Elsewhere swathes of the Southwest are under control of the La Raza movement, cutting off the West Coast from the rest of the USA.

The United Alliance(EU, Canada, Australia, and various others) have pushed as far South as West Point in New York State, with so much of the US fighting strength in the Middle East setting up it's own kingdom the war has not gone well.

But that doesn't me we cannot have FUN conducting piracy in the Caribbean!

MariusRoi wrote:I've got a knack for logistics, so if I could have a minor role I'd be ecstatic.
Due to the RL qualifications of Setzer, he gets to be head of the Supply Department, sorry.

:wink:


EDIT: changed the ship's deposition a bit on recommendations from Marina.

Posted: 2008-07-29 08:02pm
by Themightytom
Themightytom wrote:
MariusRoi wrote:I've got a knack for logistics, so if I could have a minor role I'd be ecstatic.
Hope I'm not in it, I'm still a red shirt, I Know My Fate.
Well actually im a padawan now, but i still have no useful skills on a boat, unless you need a lifeguard

Posted: 2008-07-29 08:16pm
by TimothyC
Lonestar wrote:Due to the RL qualifications of Setzer, he gets to be head of the Supply Department, sorry.

:wink:
That's fine. I also have worked as an engineering co-op (insanely enough this is where I discovered my logistics knack), and I'm good with geography/photo analysis.

Heck as I said I'd love to be any minor role (so long as I don't die soon after being introduced please).

Posted: 2008-07-29 09:07pm
by Lonestar
February 15th, 2012. 0130

Well, one thing that hasn’t change. Chief Warrant Officer(5) Lonestar thought, looking down at the selections. Midrats sucks as much on a privateer as in the USN.

Lesse…there’s hot dogs…hot dogs…more hot dogs…and iceberg lettuce. Decisions decisions. I think I’ll go with the hot dog.. He picked one up with the tongs(the water/juice from the pan dripped) and meandered over to the table in the wardroom, splashing some Texas Pete(how is this still available?) on it. The Zenith display was playing Full Metal Jacket on the ship’s closed circuit TeeVee channel.

He had the Wardroom to himself, mostly. ELECTRO was lying on the couch passed out, grabbing precious sleep before the next inevitable disaster that only he could resolve popped up. Lonestar was on his 20 minute break before he had to run back up to the TAO station. The Wardroom IVCS phone rang. ELECTRO didn’t even move. Sighing Lonestar got up and walked over to the bulkhead.

“This is SIGWO”

“Morning Sir.” CTIC Publius sounded entirely too functional for one-thirty in the morning.

“What do you got, Pub?”

“We have a COI down here in SSES, you may want to see it.”

Lonestar sighed, “Be right down.” He hung up, called up to the Surface-subsurface warfare officer and told him he would be in SSES briefly, and threw his food in the trash.

Stepping into the passageway, he navigated his way through the dim red lights and the manholes at the base of ladderwells, finally he arrived at a stout door that had “SPY VS. SPY” painted on it. He punched the code in and entered.

“What’s up Chief?”

“Looks like we got a Columbian Freighter South-Southeast of Bermuda, bearing North. The MV Bogotá Belle.”

“Fantastic, but we’re looking for oil tankers or possible God’s Will shipping, not freighters full of…”

“Coffee.”

Lonestar paused.

“Beg pardon?”

Chief Publius tapped his classified computer monitor, where the browser was set to the secure ONI page.

“It carries coffee beans. And since there is a crippling shortage stateside…”

“We would probably get some pretty good scratch from that. Okay, I’m convinced. You send the track up to CIC?”

“I will now sir…”

“Fine. I’ll call the Old Man.”

Lonestar left SSES and headed back up to CIC(groaning a bit has he went up the ladderwell and squeezed through the hatch…he didn’t miss that one bit). After entering he walked over to the TAO station, put on the headphones, and hit TRANSMIT. “TAO is on station.” After getting a chorus of acknowledgements he switched to the IVCS phone, and called the Captain’s Cabin.

“Hello?”

As had been the case in 2 of the 3 other skipper’s Lonestar had, Jegs managed to give the appearance that he was awake 24/7. Maybe he was.

“Sir, it’s TAO…”

“Morning TAO.”

“…thank you sir. We have a COI, track number 1672B, it’s a Columbian freighter, the Bogotá Belle.”

“Roger that Warrant, but we’re hunting oil tankers not-“

“It’s carrying coffee sir.”

There was a pause.

“The Folgers company would probably pay a nice chunk of change for that…” Jegs mused. “Alright, set an intercept course. I want the Water Spaniel up and following it. ASAP. Time to intercept?”

“About 1030. After we send a prize crew over we can take it to Charleston or Wilmington,” both ports had grown in importance with the United Alliance bearing down in New England “biggest concern is tipping off the RN detachment in Bermuda.”

There was another pause. Then both men starting laughing at once.

“You kill me Warrant, the RN is even more of a joke than the USN is right now. Alright, go wake Chief Wilkins…”

Posted: 2008-07-29 09:12pm
by MKSheppard
Lonestar wrote:He had the Wardroom to himself, mostly. ELECTRO was lying on the couch passed out, grabbing precious sleep before the next inevitable disaster that only he could resolve popped up. Lonestar was on his 20 minute break before he had to run back up to the TAO station. The Wardroom IVCS phone rang. ELECTRO didn’t even move. Sighing Lonestar got up and walked over to the bulkhead.
As I said to Loinstar in AIM:

YES -- I don't move, because I don't hear the phone! YES --GO ME!

Posted: 2008-07-30 02:45am
by Adrian Laguna
Can be the loader in one of the guns? I'd prefer to command a gun crew (even better, all the guns), but I'm not qualified for that. Moving heavy objects around, however, is something that I have done in a couple of jobs.

Posted: 2008-07-30 09:42am
by Shroom Man 777
Mang, I was hoping this was gonna be something about SDN World and those Goddamn Libertopians - but this sounds cool as well!


Can I be in it as well? Some crazy guy... I don't know. Maybe I own a pirate radio station and am a voice of freedom and insanity! :)

Will Mr. Coffee be on that boat full of coffee? :P

(That was a terribel joke)

Posted: 2008-07-30 09:57am
by That NOS Guy
Can I die in a senseless human waste? :P

Posted: 2008-07-30 11:49am
by Vehrec
Vehrec (Aka Bill A.) will have been last seen boarding a boat to row his way to Cuba and out of the remnants of the States. He is currently in the Caribbean, doing Something, but probably Nothing of Importance.

Posted: 2008-07-30 01:30pm
by Agent Fisher
I'd like to be a member of the boarding team.

Posted: 2008-07-30 03:18pm
by tim31
I have to wonder if we'll eventually hear of Australian members of the UA expeditionery force... There's certainly a few people to choose from :D

Posted: 2008-07-30 05:10pm
by Ender
So who are my bitches here? I have Shep for RE, but who else is splitting the work load? Who are my watchstanders? Who is my training officer? Where are my chiefs?

Posted: 2008-07-30 05:31pm
by Lonestar
Shroom Man 777 wrote:Mang, I was hoping this was gonna be something about SDN World and those Goddamn Libertopians - but this sounds cool as well!


Can I be in it as well? Some crazy guy... I don't know. Maybe I own a pirate radio station and am a voice of freedom and insanity! :)

Will Mr. Coffee be on that boat full of coffee? :P

(That was a terribel joke)
Only American citizens will be crewmembers, since these are all "real" SDN members.

(Financing comes from Beowulf winning the $160mil Powerball while overseas...thus making it tax-free)


Ender wrote:So who are my bitches here? I have Shep for RE, but who else is splitting the work load? Who are my watchstanders? Who is my training officer? Where are my chiefs?
Since you are the department head I'll be glad to have your input on such things. No non-Americans, MESS Members get first call(unless someone is way, way more qualified), and they have to be in good standing. Feel free to PM your suggestions, post them in the Recon thread in the Mess, or right here if you don't give two shits about everyone's hurt feelings.
:P


FWIW, I think Meterion Cascade is the only other engineer in the Mess.

Posted: 2008-07-30 07:05pm
by LadyTevar
You need music ;)
Barrett's Privateers wrote:Oh, the year was 1778, HOW I WISH I WAS IN SHERBROOKE NOW!
A letter of marque came from the king,
To the scummiest vessel I'd ever seen,

God damn them all!
I was told we'd cruise the seas for American gold
We'd fire no guns-shed no tears
Now I'm a broken man on a Halifax pier
The last of Barrett's Privateers.

Oh, Elcid Barrett cried the town, HOW I WISH I WAS IN SHERBROOKE NOW!
For twenty brave men all fishermen who
would make for him the Antelope's crew

God damn them all!
I was told we'd cruise the seas for American gold
We'd fire no guns-shed no tears
Now I'm a broken man on a Halifax pier
The last of Barrett's Privateers.

The Antelope sloop was a sickening sight,HOW I WISH I WAS IN SHERBROOKE NOW!
She'd a list to the port and her sails in rags
And the cook in scuppers with the staggers and the jags

God damn them all!
I was told we'd cruise the seas for American gold
We'd fire no guns-shed no tears
Now I'm a broken man on a Halifax pier
The last of Barrett's Privateers.

On the King's birthday we put to sea, HOW I WISH I WAS IN SHERBROOKE NOW!
We were 91 days to Montego Bay
Pumping like madmen all the way

God damn them all!
I was told we'd cruise the seas for American gold
We'd fire no guns-shed no tears
Now I'm a broken man on a Halifax pier
The last of Barrett's Privateers.

On the 96th day we sailed again, HOW I WISH I WAS IN SHERBROOKE NOW!
When a bloody great Yankee hove in sight
With our cracked four pounders we made to fight

God damn them all!
I was told we'd cruise the seas for American gold
We'd fire no guns-shed no tears
Now I'm a broken man on a Halifax pier
The last of Barrett's Privateers.

The Yankee lay low down with gold, HOW I WISH I WAS IN SHERBROOKE NOW!
She was broad and fat and loose in the stays
But to catch her took the Antelope two whole days

God damn them all!
I was told we'd cruise the seas for American gold
We'd fire no guns-shed no tears
Now I'm a broken man on a Halifax pier
The last of Barrett's Privateers.

Then at length we stood two cables away, HOW I WISH I WAS IN SHERBROOKE NOW!
Our cracked four pounders made an awful din
But with one fat ball the Yank stove us in

God damn them all!
I was told we'd cruise the seas for American gold
We'd fire no guns-shed no tears
Now I'm a broken man on a Halifax pier
The last of Barrett's Privateers.

The Antelope shook and pitched on her side, HOW I WISH I WAS IN SHERBROOKE NOW!
Barrett was smashed like a bowl of eggs
And the Maintruck carried off both me legs

God damn them all!
I was told we'd cruise the seas for American gold
We'd fire no guns-shed no tears
Now I'm a broken man on a Halifax pier
The last of Barrett's Privateers.

So here I lay in my 23rd year, HOW I WISH I WAS IN SHERBROOKE NOW!
It's been 6 years since we sailed away
And I just made Halifax yesterday

God damn them all!
I was told we'd cruise the seas for American gold
We'd fire no guns-shed no tears
Now I'm a broken man on a Halifax pier
The last of Barrett's Privateers.

Posted: 2008-07-30 08:43pm
by Mark S
^ That would be better suited for us Canucks. :)

Posted: 2008-07-30 09:11pm
by The Duchess of Zeon
Here we go:
An American frigate, a Frigate of Fame,
with guns mounted fourty, the "Richard" by name
Was cruising down the channel of Old England
With a bold commander, Paul Jones was his name.

We had not cruised long before two sails we espy
A large forty-four and a twenty likewise,
Some fifty bright shipping, well loaded with store,
And the convoy stood in for the old Yorkshire shore.

'Bout the hour of twelve we came alongside
With a long speaking trumpet: Whence came you? he cried;
Pray, give me an answer, I'll hail you no more
Or at this very instant a broadside I'll pour.

We fought them eight glasses, eight glasses so hot,
Till sixty bold seamen lay dead on the spot,
Seventy more, they lay bleeding in gore,
While the pieces of cannon did roar.

Our carpenter being frighten'd, to Paul Jones he came,
Our ship she leaks water and is likewise in flame,
Paul Jones he made answer, and to him replied,
"If we can do no better, we'll sink alongside."

Paul Jones he then turned to his men and did say
Let every man stand the best of his play,
For broadside for broadside they fought on the main
Like true buckskin heroes we return'd it again.

The Serapis wore round our ship for to rake,
And many proud hearts of the English did ache;
The shot flew so hot, and so fierce and so fast,
And the bold British colours were hauled down at last.

Oh now, my brave boys, we have taken a rich prize
A large forty-four and a twenty likewise;
To help the poor mothers that have reason to weep
For the loss of their sons in the unfathomed deep.

Posted: 2008-07-30 09:33pm
by Battlehymn Republic
Pschaw, all of the good universes where America breaks into warlord states use aero-pirates.