This is a the timeline of events as relayed in the short story ‘Damage Control’ and what was taking place in orbit during Valkyrie. -L
***PRELIMINARY ACTION REPORT FOLLOWS***
SHORT FORM NAVAL ACTION REPORT 35262B
Date of report: 26 APR2245
Date and place of Action: 15MAR2245
13 Orionis; High orbit over Planet V335 ‘Desolation’.
SUBJ: Preliminary Action Report of MARCH 15, 2245 Fleet Carrier UEAN ATHENA’S BOW
Ref: UEANCINC dispatch of April 2245. Information requested by UEANCINC is reported herein.
OFFENSIVE MEASURES TAKEN:
1325h General quarters sounded; all pers to battle stations. Cond ZEBRA ordered. Defensive Fire and Countermeasures initiated.
1336 Defensive fire with port side 250 tHz batteries commenced.
1337 Defensive missile fire with port side ‘Shrike’ batteries commenced.
1346 Opened fire on two ‘Komodo’ class enemy cruisers. Fire continued until cruisers knocked out by UEAN Shuriken (Destroyed in engagement) at 1359.
DAMAGE TO ENEMY: Multiple non-incapacitating hits scored on Elai cruisers. Seven inbound missiles intercepted and destroyed.
OVERALL CREW COMPLEMENT
Two thousand, six hundred fifty three (2653) Ship’s Crew,
One thousand six hundred twenty three (1623) Air/Space Wing,
Two hundred fifty two (252) UEAMC Pers.
LOSSES AND DAMAGE:
Six hundred eighteen confirmed dead. (618)
Two hundred twelve remain missing, presumed dead. (212)
Eight hundred thirty lost in action of 15MAR2245.
Enlisted: Seven hundred eighty three. (783)
Officer: Forty Seven (47)
ACTION TIMELINE
1324 Multiple incoming stealth missiles detected. GENERAL QUARTERS SOUNDED.
1325 Three anti ship missile hits to the port side, Frames 32, 33, 34, Decks 7-12. Multiple point hull breaches on port side.
1331 Two anti ship missiles hit port side, Frames 63, 64, Deck 15.
1338 Ship Reports CONDITION ZEBRA in all non damaged areas.
1341 Debris impact port side, Frame 32. Likely remains of UEAN Shuriken.
1346 Multiple coolant line ruptures with extensive radiation leak, Deck 15. HAZMAT Black.
1351 Power failure to port side.
1352 Additional debris impact port side, Frame 33 and 38. Assess likely stern of UEAN Shuriken.
1355 Multiple fuel cells rupture on damaged ‘Apparition’ fighters on flight deck, multiple fires. Fire suppression systems damaged. Fire suppression teams activated. Secondary coolant lines rupture, Deck 15 sealed, 14,16 HAZMAT BLACK-RAD EMERGENCY
1405 Power restored to port side. Multiple breached compartments. Section 32 Overpressure system ACTIVE.
1423 Radiation leak spill to decks 14 and 16. Eng teams sealing sections. Multiple secondary fuel cells jettisoned. Emergency power restored to port side. Reactor scram for Number 1 and 3 to contain rad leaks. Extensive crew casualties.
1450 Damage control teams sealing exterior hull breaches.
1457 Explosion, Forward Hanger Bay B; likely fuel cell detonated in fire from damaged SGF-117 Specter Fighter 115. Multiple casualties in damage control teams on hangar deck. Power lost to port side.
1502 Explosion, Forward Hanger Bay B, fuel cell from SGF 117 Specter Fighter 112 and 110. 1503 Second hangar explosion. Fuel pellet storage damaged, fire in fighter fuel cell storage.
1515 Hangar bay atmosphere vented for emergency fire suppression.
1520. Fire in Forward Hanger Bay B contained. Radiation leaks on 14, 16 contained.
1605 Reactor Three restarted. Steering control restored.
1655 Fires declared under control by DCO.
1735 Rad leaks declared contained by DCO, decon ops underway.
1745 Ship declared stable by DCO and EngO.
1925 EngO and DCO determine FTL systems operative.
1955 Ship taken in tow by UEAN Allentown (Fleet Heavy Repair Ship) for assistance to Ceres Fleet Yards.
NARRATIVE
On 15 MAR 2245, the UEAN Athena’s Bow SCV 113 (AB) was assigned to the UEA’s Third Fleet TF 3.2 in support of Operation URGENT DAWN. As no Elai naval assets were identified in the system, the Athena’s Bow was assigned to transport the 1st and 2nd Battalions of the 17th Spaceborne Division and to provide atmospheric close air support for planetary operations.
At the time of the Elai attack, the Athena’s Bow was in a low orbit, having been engaged in launch operations of both spaceborne transports as well as fighters to reinforce the 5th Army (Spaceborne) as they engaged the Elai surface counterattack of 15 March.
At 1100h, electromagnetic interference increased throughout the system, attributed to a progressing solar storm. This interference was highly variable in frequency modulation and intensity and caused near complete communications losses with the surface, and significantly hampered ship to ship communications, as well as long range sensors.
At 1235 hours, the destroyer UEAN Katana reported multiple transient sensor contacts at 2million kilometers, approaching from the direction of the system’s asteroid belt. Contact was subsequently lost, and additional destroyer screens could not confirm the sightings, neither visually or with sensors.
The interference progressed until 1322 hours, when the primary sensor array identified several ships, moving under power, within the defensive formation of the fleet. No transponder or IFF pings were received. Intensive sensor scans were ordered, and the flagship, the UEAN SHIVA’s WRATH was signaled unsuccessfully due to the interference. At 1324 hours, fifteen electromagnetic flares were detected at 20 thousand kilometer, consistent with Elai anti ship missile launched. At 1325, three missiles hit the port side, causing extensive damage to the hull, and puncturing dozens of compartments. It was at this point that the Athena’s Bow suffered the majority of her crew casualties.
General quarters was sounded, and Condition Zebra was ordered throughout the ship. The port side close in laser defense batteries immediately opened fire, destroying seven additional incoming missiles. At 1331, two additional missiles hit, having slipped through an open area left by a Port Battery 3, which was knocked out in the first wave of missiles. The two missiles hit, and detonated on Deck 15, approximately thirty meters forward of reactor number two. The reactor immediately scrammed and sealed itself per the safety protocols but the shock of the impact ruptured coolant lines throughout Deck 15. Power was lost to the port side distribution grids. At this time, two enemy cruisers made a close in attack run. The UEAN Shuriken volley fired all her remaining missiles at one enemy cruiser and rammed the other, preventing additional damage to the Athena’s Bow.
A large section of the remains of the bow of the UEAN Shuriken struck the forward portion of the ship, causing significant damage forward.
At that time multiple ‘Specter’ Class fighters currently being loaded and fueled in Forward Hanger B were shocked off of their mounts and multiple fires were started in the hangar bay. The fire suppression system was also offline due to the lateral shock impact of the second wave of missiles. Fire suppression teams in vac suits were dispatched to the hangar bay. Emergency power was restored to the port side to assist in rescue efforts of sailors in trapped in holed/vacuum compartments.
At this time due to the damage to the coolant systems Reactor Number Three scrammed, and primary power was lost again on the port side. The fire suppression systems were noted to have failed on deck seven, leading to multiple trapped groups of sailors between holed compartments and compartments on fire. Local damage control teams provided aid and evacuated trapped personnel.
After approximately thirty seven minutes, Specter 113 in the forward hangar bay’s left fuel cells detonated, causing a chain reaction that tore through the hangar bay. The damage control crews there were in the process of jettisoning dozens of ground attack munitions, but in the process were caught in the explosion and suffered significant casualties. It was at this time that the damage control officer opted to evacuate the hanger, despite multiple access hatches being jammed open by the force of the explosions. This suppressed the fires on the hangar deck, but lead to dozens of compartments forward of the hangar bay being exposed to vacuum. While the teams attempted to contain the forward fires, the engineering teams attempted to repair the ruptured coolant lines before reactor one shut down, leaving the ship powerless and adrift. Patching and splicing the coolant lines from damaged reactor three into reactor one, the engineering teams were able to get a second reactor back online. The engineering teams suffered 55% casualties in the repair crews due to radiation during this operation. At 1505, Reactors One and Three were brought up to 50% power, and steering control was restored.
Through prompt local damage control by the sailors and a well organized response, aided by the heroic sacrifice of the UEAN Shuriken, the crew of the UEAN Athena’s Bow was able to contain the fires, stabilize the reactors, seal the leaking radiation, and prevent total collapse of the pressure integrity. She was declared stable at 1745, and was subsequently escorted back to the Ceres Shipyards in Sol for repairs.
ADDENDUM:
The 76 following personnel have been recommended for posthumous valor awards, including Fleet Captain Marie de Chamal-Ettin, who stayed at her station on the bridge directing damage control as the radiation overwhelmed the section. She died in transit to Ceres Naval Hospital.
<List attached>
The following 215 personnel have also been recognized for their heroic efforts in saving the Athena’s Bow.
<List attached>
Undersigned:
CAPTAIN Christobal Andionetta, UEAN,
Acting Captain, UEAN Athena’s Bow.
‘Bright as the Sun’