Ah. Yes. The nuances of language can get tedious sometimes. Especially when you want to kick the character you're writing about...
Where's the happy ending, anyway?
Betrayal is a Double-Edged Sword - TC 3.2 DiD
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kgkosio
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Song Of Obsidian
- Posts: 305
- Joined: Wed, 19. Jun 13, 19:46
Heh. Since this story only ends with my character's death, tragedy looks like a good fit.
Chapter 32 - Young Wisdom
Get jumpdrives for my three new ships. Send them somewhere safe, then rendezvous with the Caiman to offload most of the 200 MJ shields I'd been hoarding. Repair Sprite. Send the Hercules to Hohindras. Business as usual.
I avoided my surviving commandos and took the Medusa out to find some work. Because I didn't want to have to sell more ships, I told myself. But I couldn't focus. I took an asteroid scanning job in Seizewell and aborted it after a couple minutes because I didn't feel like jumping around. Declined a taxi mission because I wanted to be alone. Similarly declined a station construction contract because I didn't feel like waiting on a transport for hours. So I finally gave up and tracked down the Express, then took it out with the Medusa following to a far point in Akeela's Beacon.
I watched the bright atmosphere outside until my eyes hurt, then closed my eyes and rested by head against the seatback. Some of the commandos on the transport with me had been involved in the day's operations. I had enough others to leave me with a full 20-man assault team, but only barely. I needed more men, and my Boron contingent was still under-strength. Details...
I should have been watching for threats. But even if I had, things would have turned out the same. Unless I abandoned the mission. Then those three would be alive. Three Split. Three BROTHERS.
The family hierarchy of our race was not something we took lightly. Individual families fought, for station or wealth or territory, but siblings always struggle with each other for dominance. The worst examples of our treatment of each other may be the most publicized, but they are only publicized because they are so extreme and rare. The Argon had nothing to compare to our unity, nor the Teladi. The Boron were united more by fear than anything else...hence their pacifist leanings. Take away their safety? I had ten Boron commandos to demonstrate what happened to them then. And then the Paranid, united by arrogance born of religion and some sort of need for some abstract 'purity'. They would let their own die and claim some holy purpose or eternal reward.
We're not all that different after all.
The cockpit's door opened behind me and I turned my chair around to see who was intruding on me, and why. I recognized Kile Colard, one of the youngest of those in my service. He nodded to me and set his rifle into the gun rack just inside the door. "Reporting for Rope duty, Commander."
I nodded, suddenly weary, but didn't move. The boy - I couldn't help but think of him as such, despite his skills and willingness to use those skills - sat down in the copilot's seat, seemingly ignorant of my stare until I spoke. "What do you do during your time off, Kile?"
He glanced over at me and flushed, then looked away to fiddle with the comm panel. "Depends, Commander. I gamble a lot. So sometimes I fight too."
For some reason that amused me. "Gamble with your life all the time in your line of work. Is that not enough?"
"Doesn't matter," he said with a shrug. "None of us expect to get old. May as well have fun before we go out."
I blinked a couple times, and my brow furrowed. I couldn't fathom that sort of thinking, such a defeatist attitude. "Why?" I managed to choke out.
He shrugged again, which made me want to hit him. "We go into an enemy's home to kill them and take what's theirs. They have every advantage. If we focus on staying alive, we never press them hard enough and we die, or the fight drags on until the ship escapes. Then they dock somewhere and bring in reinforcements, and we die. Accepting our deaths gives us power over them." He looked over and gave me a tight-lipped smile. "That's how we've killed 207 for you with only three losses."
Only three.
With the collusion of rational thoughts forcing aside my emotions, it became easier and easier to recognize guilt. To process it. To recognize that there was some sense of righteousness in my self-incrimination, all at odds with itself. Little wonder...
"How is everyone taking the losses?"
He sat back and rather carelessly propped his feet up on a stool on the side opposite from me, so his response sounded a little distant. "We wanna kill ten more for each of them, Commander." He leaned over the arm of his seat and grinned at me. "Best find us some targets."
I grinned right back, and hoped this kid survived the next few ops. "Don't lose your edge, Kile. There will be plenty to go around."
Chapter 32 - Young Wisdom
Get jumpdrives for my three new ships. Send them somewhere safe, then rendezvous with the Caiman to offload most of the 200 MJ shields I'd been hoarding. Repair Sprite. Send the Hercules to Hohindras. Business as usual.
I avoided my surviving commandos and took the Medusa out to find some work. Because I didn't want to have to sell more ships, I told myself. But I couldn't focus. I took an asteroid scanning job in Seizewell and aborted it after a couple minutes because I didn't feel like jumping around. Declined a taxi mission because I wanted to be alone. Similarly declined a station construction contract because I didn't feel like waiting on a transport for hours. So I finally gave up and tracked down the Express, then took it out with the Medusa following to a far point in Akeela's Beacon.
I watched the bright atmosphere outside until my eyes hurt, then closed my eyes and rested by head against the seatback. Some of the commandos on the transport with me had been involved in the day's operations. I had enough others to leave me with a full 20-man assault team, but only barely. I needed more men, and my Boron contingent was still under-strength. Details...
I should have been watching for threats. But even if I had, things would have turned out the same. Unless I abandoned the mission. Then those three would be alive. Three Split. Three BROTHERS.
The family hierarchy of our race was not something we took lightly. Individual families fought, for station or wealth or territory, but siblings always struggle with each other for dominance. The worst examples of our treatment of each other may be the most publicized, but they are only publicized because they are so extreme and rare. The Argon had nothing to compare to our unity, nor the Teladi. The Boron were united more by fear than anything else...hence their pacifist leanings. Take away their safety? I had ten Boron commandos to demonstrate what happened to them then. And then the Paranid, united by arrogance born of religion and some sort of need for some abstract 'purity'. They would let their own die and claim some holy purpose or eternal reward.
We're not all that different after all.
The cockpit's door opened behind me and I turned my chair around to see who was intruding on me, and why. I recognized Kile Colard, one of the youngest of those in my service. He nodded to me and set his rifle into the gun rack just inside the door. "Reporting for Rope duty, Commander."
I nodded, suddenly weary, but didn't move. The boy - I couldn't help but think of him as such, despite his skills and willingness to use those skills - sat down in the copilot's seat, seemingly ignorant of my stare until I spoke. "What do you do during your time off, Kile?"
He glanced over at me and flushed, then looked away to fiddle with the comm panel. "Depends, Commander. I gamble a lot. So sometimes I fight too."
For some reason that amused me. "Gamble with your life all the time in your line of work. Is that not enough?"
"Doesn't matter," he said with a shrug. "None of us expect to get old. May as well have fun before we go out."
I blinked a couple times, and my brow furrowed. I couldn't fathom that sort of thinking, such a defeatist attitude. "Why?" I managed to choke out.
He shrugged again, which made me want to hit him. "We go into an enemy's home to kill them and take what's theirs. They have every advantage. If we focus on staying alive, we never press them hard enough and we die, or the fight drags on until the ship escapes. Then they dock somewhere and bring in reinforcements, and we die. Accepting our deaths gives us power over them." He looked over and gave me a tight-lipped smile. "That's how we've killed 207 for you with only three losses."
Only three.
With the collusion of rational thoughts forcing aside my emotions, it became easier and easier to recognize guilt. To process it. To recognize that there was some sense of righteousness in my self-incrimination, all at odds with itself. Little wonder...
"How is everyone taking the losses?"
He sat back and rather carelessly propped his feet up on a stool on the side opposite from me, so his response sounded a little distant. "We wanna kill ten more for each of them, Commander." He leaned over the arm of his seat and grinned at me. "Best find us some targets."
I grinned right back, and hoped this kid survived the next few ops. "Don't lose your edge, Kile. There will be plenty to go around."
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Song Of Obsidian
- Posts: 305
- Joined: Wed, 19. Jun 13, 19:46
Still needs another nudge, but thanks. I'm not very good at coming up with dialogue most of the time, so I'm pretty pleased with that one too.
Chapter 33 - Project Planning
Nothing like a lovely run through sectors where every single being wants you dead to get the blood flowing. Who needs coffee to wake up in the morning?
The Jaguar continued to serve me well as a scout, this time in Paranid space. I made a run through Third Redemption just to see if they had given a sector with a shipyard an actual defense fleet yet. They had not. Then I went east and south, all the way to Unholy Descent, and finally west into an Unknown Sector.
The location was favorable, I decided. No one would expect a Paranid-hating organization to build a complex right off their territory. The sector had many asteroids as well, another necessity, so I started scanning them to check for higher yields.
Ore would not be a problem. I thought not, at least. The silicon counts were exceedingly low though, and, unfortunately, I discovered a Paranid fighter in the sector. It looked abandoned, but if someone came looking for it I didn't want to have a major manufacturing complex sitting there.
I moved on.
Unholy Descent and Consecrated Fire were relatively devoid of military traffic. During the brief flight through them I reflected on the conversation with the young Argon warrior the night before. It didn't relieve me of my guilt for sending those men into a situation that got them killed, but it did help to know the survivors didn't blame me as much as I did. The thought was a selfish one, perhaps, but it mattered. They would still follow me.
Self-examination came to an end when I entered Friar's Retreat. I could see several warships at long range, ranging from scouts to a corvette. None tried to pursue me, but I wasn't going to get lazy either. Pontifex' Seclusion was even worse, with a garrisoned military base and orbital weapons platforms. I zipped right through to Heaven's Assertion, then turned east and kept going.
Flying through Contorted Dominion again brought Laludinas to mind. I hadn't thought of her in some time. She would be long gone, of course, with a new name, possibly a new appearance. Most likely still worked for Teladi intelligence services though. She had given up a mate to join up. I couldn't imagine her retiring so young.
The sector seemed small in the fast Jaguar, so I was soon through and into Boron space. Safe space.
My destination was a small uncharted sector south of Menelaus' Oasis. I had never entered the Oasis when I was in the area the first time, and I learned why this was idiotic of me when I did make it there. Southeast of the west gate, I found a medium shield production complex. I didn't need to cross half the known universe with only 5 MJ of shielding on the Medusa...
I tried to view it as humorous though. I was doing well enough despite that rocky period. I had a fully-equipped Paranid M2 destroyer sitting in Argon Prime, after all. Maybe I would deploy it to defend my new complex, if I ever got to built it.
The first thing I noticed in the Unknown Sector was how open the space around the gate was. I could put some decent defenses in right at the gate without worrying about asteroid collisions. But as I looked deeper into the sector I couldn't really imagine where Hohindras would put the complex. Of course, that would depend on where the better asteroids were located. So I jumped in the Chokaro to sit in and sent the Jaguar to scan the asteroids while I watched the readouts.
50 Ore, front and center. 43 and 30 silicon not too far to the west. I saw Nvidium pop up and did a double-take. Now THAT was interesting. Might be able to use that...
Toward the end of the Jaguar's circuit, it tagged a 57 silicon mine near the east edge. Good. That should help with the energy issues.
I moved away from the gate and ordered the scout to dock while I entered the encryption key for Hohindras. The small Jaguar approached quickly and turned aside while I waited.
"Yeeesssssss?"
"You just do it on purpose now," I said with a fond smile.
He shrugged. "It amusses me."
"Well I hope to keep up your good humor. I fou-"
The Chokaro jerked around me and I heard an explosion. "What wass that?" Hohindras said with alarm. I ignored him. A glance down told me the scanners were clear. Shields were still at 98%. What...
I checked the ship's docking ports. No Jaguar.
"Never trust the autopilot," I said with a distasteful sneer. The Teladi gave me a puzzled look. "My scout ship was docking and apparently missed. Rammed my military transport. Nothing to worry about, just...annoying." Nothing to worry about. I'd only thought I was under attack.
After a couple breaths that did nothing to slow my frantic heart, I went on. "I found a decent sector for the complex. Not as secluded as I'd like, but easily defensible to keep it secluded." I looked away to start the data transfers. "I'm sending you readouts of the asteroids with visual captures so you know what it looks like, and I can bring you out here if you want to take a closer look."
He nodded, his eyes moving away as well. I saw them widen, probably at the word 'Nvidium'. "Can I-"
"No."
He sighed. After a long moment he frowned. "I am in Great Trench at the moment. Come get me. I need to verify a few thingss."
-------------------------------------
Being upside down in the Chokaro made me feel like a giddy little girl. I wasn't sure if I should be amused by this or not.
We looked down at the asteroid field from above and mapped out the asteroids we wanted visually. At length Hohindras finally asked, "I would like to build here," he said while indicating a position just west of the ore asteroid. "We will need a tractor beam to move the ssilicon miness."
I winced. That was one thing I had never seen transported, and the Paranid would never sell it to me. "That won't be possible."
He glanced at me, then, I think, remembered some of his own guesswork from what I had already told him. "Then we will need a freighter."
"And a trustworthy pilot," I said slowly. That would be the hard part.
Chapter 33 - Project Planning
Nothing like a lovely run through sectors where every single being wants you dead to get the blood flowing. Who needs coffee to wake up in the morning?
The Jaguar continued to serve me well as a scout, this time in Paranid space. I made a run through Third Redemption just to see if they had given a sector with a shipyard an actual defense fleet yet. They had not. Then I went east and south, all the way to Unholy Descent, and finally west into an Unknown Sector.
The location was favorable, I decided. No one would expect a Paranid-hating organization to build a complex right off their territory. The sector had many asteroids as well, another necessity, so I started scanning them to check for higher yields.
Ore would not be a problem. I thought not, at least. The silicon counts were exceedingly low though, and, unfortunately, I discovered a Paranid fighter in the sector. It looked abandoned, but if someone came looking for it I didn't want to have a major manufacturing complex sitting there.
I moved on.
Unholy Descent and Consecrated Fire were relatively devoid of military traffic. During the brief flight through them I reflected on the conversation with the young Argon warrior the night before. It didn't relieve me of my guilt for sending those men into a situation that got them killed, but it did help to know the survivors didn't blame me as much as I did. The thought was a selfish one, perhaps, but it mattered. They would still follow me.
Self-examination came to an end when I entered Friar's Retreat. I could see several warships at long range, ranging from scouts to a corvette. None tried to pursue me, but I wasn't going to get lazy either. Pontifex' Seclusion was even worse, with a garrisoned military base and orbital weapons platforms. I zipped right through to Heaven's Assertion, then turned east and kept going.
Flying through Contorted Dominion again brought Laludinas to mind. I hadn't thought of her in some time. She would be long gone, of course, with a new name, possibly a new appearance. Most likely still worked for Teladi intelligence services though. She had given up a mate to join up. I couldn't imagine her retiring so young.
The sector seemed small in the fast Jaguar, so I was soon through and into Boron space. Safe space.
My destination was a small uncharted sector south of Menelaus' Oasis. I had never entered the Oasis when I was in the area the first time, and I learned why this was idiotic of me when I did make it there. Southeast of the west gate, I found a medium shield production complex. I didn't need to cross half the known universe with only 5 MJ of shielding on the Medusa...
I tried to view it as humorous though. I was doing well enough despite that rocky period. I had a fully-equipped Paranid M2 destroyer sitting in Argon Prime, after all. Maybe I would deploy it to defend my new complex, if I ever got to built it.
The first thing I noticed in the Unknown Sector was how open the space around the gate was. I could put some decent defenses in right at the gate without worrying about asteroid collisions. But as I looked deeper into the sector I couldn't really imagine where Hohindras would put the complex. Of course, that would depend on where the better asteroids were located. So I jumped in the Chokaro to sit in and sent the Jaguar to scan the asteroids while I watched the readouts.
50 Ore, front and center. 43 and 30 silicon not too far to the west. I saw Nvidium pop up and did a double-take. Now THAT was interesting. Might be able to use that...
Toward the end of the Jaguar's circuit, it tagged a 57 silicon mine near the east edge. Good. That should help with the energy issues.
I moved away from the gate and ordered the scout to dock while I entered the encryption key for Hohindras. The small Jaguar approached quickly and turned aside while I waited.
"Yeeesssssss?"
"You just do it on purpose now," I said with a fond smile.
He shrugged. "It amusses me."
"Well I hope to keep up your good humor. I fou-"
The Chokaro jerked around me and I heard an explosion. "What wass that?" Hohindras said with alarm. I ignored him. A glance down told me the scanners were clear. Shields were still at 98%. What...
I checked the ship's docking ports. No Jaguar.
"Never trust the autopilot," I said with a distasteful sneer. The Teladi gave me a puzzled look. "My scout ship was docking and apparently missed. Rammed my military transport. Nothing to worry about, just...annoying." Nothing to worry about. I'd only thought I was under attack.
After a couple breaths that did nothing to slow my frantic heart, I went on. "I found a decent sector for the complex. Not as secluded as I'd like, but easily defensible to keep it secluded." I looked away to start the data transfers. "I'm sending you readouts of the asteroids with visual captures so you know what it looks like, and I can bring you out here if you want to take a closer look."
He nodded, his eyes moving away as well. I saw them widen, probably at the word 'Nvidium'. "Can I-"
"No."
He sighed. After a long moment he frowned. "I am in Great Trench at the moment. Come get me. I need to verify a few thingss."
-------------------------------------
Being upside down in the Chokaro made me feel like a giddy little girl. I wasn't sure if I should be amused by this or not.
We looked down at the asteroid field from above and mapped out the asteroids we wanted visually. At length Hohindras finally asked, "I would like to build here," he said while indicating a position just west of the ore asteroid. "We will need a tractor beam to move the ssilicon miness."
I winced. That was one thing I had never seen transported, and the Paranid would never sell it to me. "That won't be possible."
He glanced at me, then, I think, remembered some of his own guesswork from what I had already told him. "Then we will need a freighter."
"And a trustworthy pilot," I said slowly. That would be the hard part.
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Song Of Obsidian
- Posts: 305
- Joined: Wed, 19. Jun 13, 19:46
Chapter 34 - Amends
Hohindras started out slowly, piecing the complex together one station at a time with the buying of them spread out over time and from various shipyards. The first was a Bio Gas station, and I brought in the first 22k or so energy cells myself. Getting the place up and running would be tedious, but he had a decent enough plan for it. I noticed something about it that made me a little suspicious...not of treachery, but of deviousness. I could swear he was going to try to make the place turn a profit in spite of my restrictions. I'd confront him about it later.
I made a habit of flying through Third Redemption in Sprite to see if I could snag a freighter carrying tractor beams, but I never saw any dock at either of the factories. Both even had a full stock. Miserable way to run a business.
I never stuck around for long though. They had finally decided to defend the place, though I wouldn't call a couple Perseus fighters with only two or three weapons installed much of a defense. I didn't want to goad them into more just yet though, so I left the fighters alone.
I made a run through the Highway, targeting Paranid freighters only. At first. I ran into a fighter cloud in the process of shuffling through the gate between Danna's Chance and Brennan's Triumph and tore into them. Two of the Perseus pilots bailed and I sent them back to Light of Heart. With no shields...maybe I should look for a TM target for boarding.
In Brennan's Triumph, though, I found something else to play with.
There were a few more Paranid freights in the sector, but I ignored them. So did the Argon patrol. It consisted of three Busters, two Novas, a Nova Sentinel, a Nova Vanguard, a Gladiator...and a Heavy Centaur Prototype.
What a message I could send by taking one of those.
I got on the comms to the commandos on my still-unpiloted Minotaur, and ordered fourteen of them to transport to the Cerberus. That was all I had time for. The patrol unit was a bit away from the regular shipping lane and I flew right in among them...and activated my ion disruptors.
Icons on my heads-up display changed from blue to red and the Centaur's turrets started firing while the fighters scattered. It didn't help them. The unique weapon's energy bounced from target to target, stripping away their shields and slowing every one of them. I made it through the cloud and got a little distance on them. They pursued and I looped around to force a confrontation while they were still clustered.
The Gladiator launched a tomahawk and I switched to my chaingun just long enough to send some energy bolts into its path. The explosion vaporized three of the fighters. Oops.
The swarm of them was converging on me, and some weapons fire was as well. I dodged what I could until we were a little over a kilometer apart.
Flames poured out from my ship and erupted right in their path. I heard screams this time and winced. It felt the same as when my commandos had died. This isn't the enemy.
It was too late to turn back though. I had to dogfight with the Gladiator and a Nova, but after a few hectic moments the corvette and I were alone. I scanned it to make sure there were no sentry lasers and started looping around with him, peppering his shields with disruptors while slowly luring him toward the north.
Once the gate was 18 kilometers from our duel, I activated my jumpdrive and ordered the Minotaur in.
I made the jump first. He must have sensed victory, thought that I was fleeing, because he came after me at full throttle.
Then the Minotaur arrived and his speed dropped immediately.
After a few moments of indecision, the Centaur came on. I transported to the Minotaur. He must have thought he could handle a missile frigate, and Marines. Only I didn't use Marines.
Taking down his shields required most of my remaining Flails. Keeping them down was a close thing, but I launched the boarding pods while it was still nine kilometers out.
While they were outbound, I called back to the Cerberus and asked Aron Silsarna who I had performing the boarding op. Gu t'Kt was leading it, and one of the names in particular caught my attention. Kile Colard.
Happy hunting, kid.
I jumped Sprite out. Strong as the Centaur was, the Minotaur's shields could take the punishment. The fighter, not so much. The boarding pods had made it safely, and Gu's higher-pitched voice announced their progress.
"Covering fire!" My heart leapt into my throat. Not again. Please, not again.
"Pick your targets!"
It was taking too long. Far too long.
"Reached central computer. Hacking system, now."
A spacesuit flew away from the Centaur, and its icon flashed blue. Then it was green, and I heard a familiar voice.
"Whew, cramped in there. Come get me, will you, Commander? I don't wanna get left."
I grinned. Only reason why one might jump out was if all six survived. Either that or he was playing a prank, and that was something my people weren't known for. The rush he must be feeling was more than evident in his voice and cadence.
Mission more than successful.
"I'm coming, Kile. Just enjoy the pretty lights and try not to collide with an asteroid."
"Whatever you say, Commander."
Hohindras started out slowly, piecing the complex together one station at a time with the buying of them spread out over time and from various shipyards. The first was a Bio Gas station, and I brought in the first 22k or so energy cells myself. Getting the place up and running would be tedious, but he had a decent enough plan for it. I noticed something about it that made me a little suspicious...not of treachery, but of deviousness. I could swear he was going to try to make the place turn a profit in spite of my restrictions. I'd confront him about it later.
I made a habit of flying through Third Redemption in Sprite to see if I could snag a freighter carrying tractor beams, but I never saw any dock at either of the factories. Both even had a full stock. Miserable way to run a business.
I never stuck around for long though. They had finally decided to defend the place, though I wouldn't call a couple Perseus fighters with only two or three weapons installed much of a defense. I didn't want to goad them into more just yet though, so I left the fighters alone.
I made a run through the Highway, targeting Paranid freighters only. At first. I ran into a fighter cloud in the process of shuffling through the gate between Danna's Chance and Brennan's Triumph and tore into them. Two of the Perseus pilots bailed and I sent them back to Light of Heart. With no shields...maybe I should look for a TM target for boarding.
In Brennan's Triumph, though, I found something else to play with.
There were a few more Paranid freights in the sector, but I ignored them. So did the Argon patrol. It consisted of three Busters, two Novas, a Nova Sentinel, a Nova Vanguard, a Gladiator...and a Heavy Centaur Prototype.
What a message I could send by taking one of those.
I got on the comms to the commandos on my still-unpiloted Minotaur, and ordered fourteen of them to transport to the Cerberus. That was all I had time for. The patrol unit was a bit away from the regular shipping lane and I flew right in among them...and activated my ion disruptors.
Icons on my heads-up display changed from blue to red and the Centaur's turrets started firing while the fighters scattered. It didn't help them. The unique weapon's energy bounced from target to target, stripping away their shields and slowing every one of them. I made it through the cloud and got a little distance on them. They pursued and I looped around to force a confrontation while they were still clustered.
The Gladiator launched a tomahawk and I switched to my chaingun just long enough to send some energy bolts into its path. The explosion vaporized three of the fighters. Oops.
The swarm of them was converging on me, and some weapons fire was as well. I dodged what I could until we were a little over a kilometer apart.
Flames poured out from my ship and erupted right in their path. I heard screams this time and winced. It felt the same as when my commandos had died. This isn't the enemy.
It was too late to turn back though. I had to dogfight with the Gladiator and a Nova, but after a few hectic moments the corvette and I were alone. I scanned it to make sure there were no sentry lasers and started looping around with him, peppering his shields with disruptors while slowly luring him toward the north.
Once the gate was 18 kilometers from our duel, I activated my jumpdrive and ordered the Minotaur in.
I made the jump first. He must have sensed victory, thought that I was fleeing, because he came after me at full throttle.
Then the Minotaur arrived and his speed dropped immediately.
After a few moments of indecision, the Centaur came on. I transported to the Minotaur. He must have thought he could handle a missile frigate, and Marines. Only I didn't use Marines.
Taking down his shields required most of my remaining Flails. Keeping them down was a close thing, but I launched the boarding pods while it was still nine kilometers out.
While they were outbound, I called back to the Cerberus and asked Aron Silsarna who I had performing the boarding op. Gu t'Kt was leading it, and one of the names in particular caught my attention. Kile Colard.
Happy hunting, kid.
I jumped Sprite out. Strong as the Centaur was, the Minotaur's shields could take the punishment. The fighter, not so much. The boarding pods had made it safely, and Gu's higher-pitched voice announced their progress.
"Covering fire!" My heart leapt into my throat. Not again. Please, not again.
"Pick your targets!"
It was taking too long. Far too long.
"Reached central computer. Hacking system, now."
A spacesuit flew away from the Centaur, and its icon flashed blue. Then it was green, and I heard a familiar voice.
"Whew, cramped in there. Come get me, will you, Commander? I don't wanna get left."
I grinned. Only reason why one might jump out was if all six survived. Either that or he was playing a prank, and that was something my people weren't known for. The rush he must be feeling was more than evident in his voice and cadence.
Mission more than successful.
"I'm coming, Kile. Just enjoy the pretty lights and try not to collide with an asteroid."
"Whatever you say, Commander."
-
Song Of Obsidian
- Posts: 305
- Joined: Wed, 19. Jun 13, 19:46
Chapter 35 - Living the Lie
I decided to take it easy for a day. No stressful combat, just some easy jobs in and around Argon Prime. I took some potshots at a Paranid Demeter Super Freighter XL and he let me have the ship. I didn't pick him up though...despite the offer from that pirate leader in Acquisition Repository. Hiring slaves, I could do and had done. Creating them?
One taxi run sent me out to The Hole with a contingent of troops, bound for the sector's trading station. It felt odd, ferrying Argon soldiers about. I could hear their light banter on the comm channel I left open with the cargo bay in case they needed anything. They sounded like somewhat more carefree versions of Kile.
This isn't my enemy.
A fighter passed by right in front of me, close enough to deactivate the autopilot. "Autopilot, off," the computer said, but nothing else changed. I targeted the ship; it wasn't showing as hostile. It was a Discoverer, a scout ship with hardly any armaments. Not a threat to me. I checked the scanners and didn't see any military craft within 30 kilometers. This one, however, slowed down and stayed just in front of me, slowly tacking left and right. The movement was almost hypnotic.
"Eclipse pilot, acknowledge," a female voice instructed.
I killed the comms to the cargo bay before answering. "Acknowledging. How can I be of service?"
Pause. "You're with the Heirs."
The Heirs? Oh. OH. What is this going to be about? "How did you find me?"
"Your ship ID number was reported by the Daily Prime with a bounty for the theft of a Minotaur-class missile frigate."
And she wants to talk? Not on open channels. "I have Argon soldiers aboard. Can you wait until after I've seen them safely to their destination?" It occurred to me, then, that if the men in my cargo hold were aware of that bounty I'd be in a lot of trouble.
"I'll follow you."
-------------------------------------
Whoever this woman was, she did exactly as she said she would. She followed unerringly from The Hole to Rolk's Fate, and docked at the Cerberus without hesitation. I ordered the frigate to the Unknown west of Unholy Descent remotely before I got out of Sprite.
She was waiting for me beside her fighter, with Marissa Halter's squad of five of my Argon and Split commandos surrounding her. The pilot ignored them, watching me instead with an unreadable expression. I returned her stare for a few moments. Average height, perfect posture, brown hair bound back and unadorned, confident eyes. No earrings. By appearance alone she looked like a warrior who happened to be a woman, rather than a woman trying to be a warrior. But appearances deceive.
I turned away and walked deeper into the ship. Bootsteps followed.
-------------------------------------
We had the run of the ship; there was no crew to get in the way. Even my commandos had only been transferred over from the Minotaur. Nowhere would seem really habitable, and I didn't want to interrogate her. Per se.
I led my people and our guest to the galley, because it was the only place other than the bridge that I was certain would have chairs. I was wrong, as it turned out. It had benches. That would work too.
I walked along the right side by the wall while the pilot was ushered down the aisle between the two rows of tables. The ship was long, and every room was either square or correspondingly long. Maybe forty people could have eaten here at once. Odd, really, since the crew had been somewhat less than that.
I finally sat down on a bench near the end of the line, and the pilot sat down across from me without encouragement. I looked up at Marissa. "Was she armed?"
She nodded. "A phase pistol and a knife, Commander." The pilot started, then stared at me, while I nodded significantly toward the other end of the room. The commandos went to wait out of earshot.
"So now you know something important." I looked at the pilot, who seemed to have lost some of her calm. I had too, but I was at least masking it better. The Heirs were supposed to be a disguise, meant to cover up my aggressions against the Paranid. I didn't have any interest in helping the Argon officially, and I certainly wasn't looking for recruits.
Short-sighted and arrogant.
"Not what you expected, I take it."
She blinked a couple times and seemed to compose herself. "I wasn't expecting a Split of high rank in the Heirs, no."
Yes, that complicated things. I was already being forced into a position of trust. I had to be honest about some things if I didn't want to kill her. And I didn't want to kill her. But how much did I have to tell? "Who are you?"
"Flight Officer Nyota Braks, Weaver Squadron, based in Elena's Fortune."
Ah. "And why are you here?"
She hesitated, maybe more uncertain now that she knew we weren't all Argon patriots. "That broadwave, after the battle...I don't know. We followed our orders. We were waiting for help. There was nothing our fleet could do against a destroyer but die, even if it was alone. Not while Elena's Pride was out patrolling the contested sectors, at least." There was an accusation in her eyes. Pride conflicted with duty with this one. "But you shamed us. Parliament and High Command can say whatever they want, but that shame isn't going away. It won't unless we act, and they won't LET us act. So I want to join those who will." She hesitated again. "Sir."
She seemed out of breath when she finished. I let her sit for a moment. I hadn't planned for this. This wasn't a burden I wanted, or even felt prepared to deal with. And while it was true that the Paranid had attacked them without provocation, and I had saved them, I had done so with a mask firmly in place. It wasn't personal. It was a means to an end. Their war is not my war.
Could I tell her that I had acted almost entirely alone? That it was one pilot with twenty commandos who stopped that attack? That the leadership of 'Gunne's Heirs' was, in fact, not an Argon at all?
No. "Is that Discoverer your military-issued craft?"
She shook her head. "I resigned my commission, sir."
My brows rose. She really was putting everything on the line here. "And what were you flying before?"
"A Buster, sir."
"I see. We don't have much call for interceptor pilots, but our situation will be changing rapidly from here on out. A bounty on my ship changes everything, in fact," I mused quietly, then returned my attention to Kyota, who looked crestfallen. "But if you're willing to serve in a different capacity for a short while, I might be able to find you something with more under the hood, so to speak."
She didn't even pause to think it over. "Whatever you need, sir. Just get me in the fight."
So now I had a freighter pilot for that complex, albeit on a temporary basis. Eventually I would need to give her an actual combat ship. Which meant I apparently was recruiting.
What am I doing?
I decided to take it easy for a day. No stressful combat, just some easy jobs in and around Argon Prime. I took some potshots at a Paranid Demeter Super Freighter XL and he let me have the ship. I didn't pick him up though...despite the offer from that pirate leader in Acquisition Repository. Hiring slaves, I could do and had done. Creating them?
One taxi run sent me out to The Hole with a contingent of troops, bound for the sector's trading station. It felt odd, ferrying Argon soldiers about. I could hear their light banter on the comm channel I left open with the cargo bay in case they needed anything. They sounded like somewhat more carefree versions of Kile.
This isn't my enemy.
A fighter passed by right in front of me, close enough to deactivate the autopilot. "Autopilot, off," the computer said, but nothing else changed. I targeted the ship; it wasn't showing as hostile. It was a Discoverer, a scout ship with hardly any armaments. Not a threat to me. I checked the scanners and didn't see any military craft within 30 kilometers. This one, however, slowed down and stayed just in front of me, slowly tacking left and right. The movement was almost hypnotic.
"Eclipse pilot, acknowledge," a female voice instructed.
I killed the comms to the cargo bay before answering. "Acknowledging. How can I be of service?"
Pause. "You're with the Heirs."
The Heirs? Oh. OH. What is this going to be about? "How did you find me?"
"Your ship ID number was reported by the Daily Prime with a bounty for the theft of a Minotaur-class missile frigate."
And she wants to talk? Not on open channels. "I have Argon soldiers aboard. Can you wait until after I've seen them safely to their destination?" It occurred to me, then, that if the men in my cargo hold were aware of that bounty I'd be in a lot of trouble.
"I'll follow you."
-------------------------------------
Whoever this woman was, she did exactly as she said she would. She followed unerringly from The Hole to Rolk's Fate, and docked at the Cerberus without hesitation. I ordered the frigate to the Unknown west of Unholy Descent remotely before I got out of Sprite.
She was waiting for me beside her fighter, with Marissa Halter's squad of five of my Argon and Split commandos surrounding her. The pilot ignored them, watching me instead with an unreadable expression. I returned her stare for a few moments. Average height, perfect posture, brown hair bound back and unadorned, confident eyes. No earrings. By appearance alone she looked like a warrior who happened to be a woman, rather than a woman trying to be a warrior. But appearances deceive.
I turned away and walked deeper into the ship. Bootsteps followed.
-------------------------------------
We had the run of the ship; there was no crew to get in the way. Even my commandos had only been transferred over from the Minotaur. Nowhere would seem really habitable, and I didn't want to interrogate her. Per se.
I led my people and our guest to the galley, because it was the only place other than the bridge that I was certain would have chairs. I was wrong, as it turned out. It had benches. That would work too.
I walked along the right side by the wall while the pilot was ushered down the aisle between the two rows of tables. The ship was long, and every room was either square or correspondingly long. Maybe forty people could have eaten here at once. Odd, really, since the crew had been somewhat less than that.
I finally sat down on a bench near the end of the line, and the pilot sat down across from me without encouragement. I looked up at Marissa. "Was she armed?"
She nodded. "A phase pistol and a knife, Commander." The pilot started, then stared at me, while I nodded significantly toward the other end of the room. The commandos went to wait out of earshot.
"So now you know something important." I looked at the pilot, who seemed to have lost some of her calm. I had too, but I was at least masking it better. The Heirs were supposed to be a disguise, meant to cover up my aggressions against the Paranid. I didn't have any interest in helping the Argon officially, and I certainly wasn't looking for recruits.
Short-sighted and arrogant.
"Not what you expected, I take it."
She blinked a couple times and seemed to compose herself. "I wasn't expecting a Split of high rank in the Heirs, no."
Yes, that complicated things. I was already being forced into a position of trust. I had to be honest about some things if I didn't want to kill her. And I didn't want to kill her. But how much did I have to tell? "Who are you?"
"Flight Officer Nyota Braks, Weaver Squadron, based in Elena's Fortune."
Ah. "And why are you here?"
She hesitated, maybe more uncertain now that she knew we weren't all Argon patriots. "That broadwave, after the battle...I don't know. We followed our orders. We were waiting for help. There was nothing our fleet could do against a destroyer but die, even if it was alone. Not while Elena's Pride was out patrolling the contested sectors, at least." There was an accusation in her eyes. Pride conflicted with duty with this one. "But you shamed us. Parliament and High Command can say whatever they want, but that shame isn't going away. It won't unless we act, and they won't LET us act. So I want to join those who will." She hesitated again. "Sir."
She seemed out of breath when she finished. I let her sit for a moment. I hadn't planned for this. This wasn't a burden I wanted, or even felt prepared to deal with. And while it was true that the Paranid had attacked them without provocation, and I had saved them, I had done so with a mask firmly in place. It wasn't personal. It was a means to an end. Their war is not my war.
Could I tell her that I had acted almost entirely alone? That it was one pilot with twenty commandos who stopped that attack? That the leadership of 'Gunne's Heirs' was, in fact, not an Argon at all?
No. "Is that Discoverer your military-issued craft?"
She shook her head. "I resigned my commission, sir."
My brows rose. She really was putting everything on the line here. "And what were you flying before?"
"A Buster, sir."
"I see. We don't have much call for interceptor pilots, but our situation will be changing rapidly from here on out. A bounty on my ship changes everything, in fact," I mused quietly, then returned my attention to Kyota, who looked crestfallen. "But if you're willing to serve in a different capacity for a short while, I might be able to find you something with more under the hood, so to speak."
She didn't even pause to think it over. "Whatever you need, sir. Just get me in the fight."
So now I had a freighter pilot for that complex, albeit on a temporary basis. Eventually I would need to give her an actual combat ship. Which meant I apparently was recruiting.
What am I doing?
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Song Of Obsidian
- Posts: 305
- Joined: Wed, 19. Jun 13, 19:46
That's about the reaction I was going forPoseidon wrote:What a cluster!
Chapter 36 - One Problem at a Time
When everything goes wrong, lose yourself in the work. Emotions are the enemy. Immerse yourself until there is nothing else. Set a small objective and achieve it. If it does not then require another objective as a direct result, you chose wrongly. Forget-
There comes a point when you realize the training is all about as useful as space fuel after it's been processed by a person's body.
The problem with recruiting someone, is that sooner or later they are going to expect to meet other recruits. Nyota Braks wouldn't want to fly alone as I'd been doing. She had come up in units with support personnel, commanders, peers. She could become disillusioned pretty quick. That would be the easy way out for me. Even if she blew the whistle on me afterward, at least I wouldn't be responsible for her. I could do as Laludinas had done. Just create a new identity and let the universe solve the problems I started.
But there was one problem it couldn't solve. When I had seen her so crestfallen when I said I - we, ha - didn't need interceptor pilots, I realized it immediately.
I didn't want to disappoint her.
It seemed about the most idiotic reason to go through with any of this, but what could I do? Go tell her it was all just a joke and to go home? Could I live with myself if I broke her spirit further?
Enough. Can't live with myself being so maudlin either.
I had a real problem now though. Both the Medusa and Sprite were too high-profile. I could use the Medusa at times, as long as no one realized the leader of the Heirs was also a fugitive from the Paranid and Split governments. I needed to find a new ship that was neither Argon nor Paranid in origin, yet would still allow me to make money. Decently fast, good cargo capacity, and able to defend itself. And, hopefully, one that wouldn't draw attention to me. But without buying something, how could I get something like that without stealing it? And what would I want anyway?
I really only had one option. It would require that I play with its computers and do some creative hacking, and actually register it with an ID number so people would think I HAD stolen it. What a mess.
So I grabbed the Chokaro and headed to Senator's Badlands.
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Song Of Obsidian
- Posts: 305
- Joined: Wed, 19. Jun 13, 19:46
Chapter 37 - More Transitions
Speed, significantly higher. Shielding, significantly lower. Max laser energy, comparable. Laser recharge, slightly higher. Cargo, slightly lower. Price? Hard to beat free.
The fact that I had to pay for it was the biggest thing in the deficit column for the Tenjin compared to the ships I was used to. That was unavoidable. The shielding was a bit questionable too, but I wouldn't be using it for too much combat...I hoped.
No one asked any questions when I took it around to various places for software and equipment. Not in Argon space, anyway. Once I was at Terracorp HQ I actually climbed around the exterior of the ship. Interesting structural design that reminded me of a broken pretzel. Decently low profile for head-on engagements. The potential turret coverage was rather impressive. No coverage on the bottom, but it was maneuverable enough to avoid having a ship in that blind spot very long. If its shields could hold that long.
It would do, for now. Tempting as a Hyperion was, that was far too much attention to bring toward myself...even though it likely COULD outrun anything that could kill it.
I also decided to spend some time in Boron space, in and around Depths of Silence. The faster ship would help in those large sectors, and there were centroidal solar plants. Plus I still needed more credits to finish the complex. It sounded like a good reason, anyway.
But before running away to hide - and I had to admit that was exactly what I was doing - I used Sprite and the Minotaur, with a few purchased Flail Barrage Missiles, for one last operation. I captured a Magnetar in the Pirate Highway, then began the slow process of retrieving the numerous fighters I had scattered around the universe. They could serve as automated escorts, and I wanted to give the Cerberus a full complement.
But most importantly, if I was able to find more recruits, I wanted them to have something to fly.
Speed, significantly higher. Shielding, significantly lower. Max laser energy, comparable. Laser recharge, slightly higher. Cargo, slightly lower. Price? Hard to beat free.
The fact that I had to pay for it was the biggest thing in the deficit column for the Tenjin compared to the ships I was used to. That was unavoidable. The shielding was a bit questionable too, but I wouldn't be using it for too much combat...I hoped.
No one asked any questions when I took it around to various places for software and equipment. Not in Argon space, anyway. Once I was at Terracorp HQ I actually climbed around the exterior of the ship. Interesting structural design that reminded me of a broken pretzel. Decently low profile for head-on engagements. The potential turret coverage was rather impressive. No coverage on the bottom, but it was maneuverable enough to avoid having a ship in that blind spot very long. If its shields could hold that long.
It would do, for now. Tempting as a Hyperion was, that was far too much attention to bring toward myself...even though it likely COULD outrun anything that could kill it.
I also decided to spend some time in Boron space, in and around Depths of Silence. The faster ship would help in those large sectors, and there were centroidal solar plants. Plus I still needed more credits to finish the complex. It sounded like a good reason, anyway.
But before running away to hide - and I had to admit that was exactly what I was doing - I used Sprite and the Minotaur, with a few purchased Flail Barrage Missiles, for one last operation. I captured a Magnetar in the Pirate Highway, then began the slow process of retrieving the numerous fighters I had scattered around the universe. They could serve as automated escorts, and I wanted to give the Cerberus a full complement.
But most importantly, if I was able to find more recruits, I wanted them to have something to fly.
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Poseidon
- Posts: 325
- Joined: Wed, 6. Nov 02, 20:31
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Song Of Obsidian
- Posts: 305
- Joined: Wed, 19. Jun 13, 19:46
I'm actually growing pretty fond of the Tenjin. Playing it honestly as a Yaki ship is the only complication, but I diverted around that because of my character's skillset.
To join the Heirs I need you to fill out this application...no, no, ignore the 'Accidental Damage Report' at the top. Here, let me cross that out. 'Employment Request' sounds good, right? Yes.
Your references will have to be other people I can recruit. Also, you'll need to fill out the form three times. I require triplicate but the copy machine is broken and this doesn't have that nifty pink and yellow carbon copy deal.
Or uh. You could ask nicely. That works too.
To join the Heirs I need you to fill out this application...no, no, ignore the 'Accidental Damage Report' at the top. Here, let me cross that out. 'Employment Request' sounds good, right? Yes.
Your references will have to be other people I can recruit. Also, you'll need to fill out the form three times. I require triplicate but the copy machine is broken and this doesn't have that nifty pink and yellow carbon copy deal.
Or uh. You could ask nicely. That works too.
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Song Of Obsidian
- Posts: 305
- Joined: Wed, 19. Jun 13, 19:46
Chapter 38 - Growing Pains
The fleet for Gunne's Heirs was certainly growing.
I was keeping it together and on the move now. The bounty from the Argon changed things, though I can't say I was necessarily worried. I had yet to see any level of coordination from them, even when an entire sector was being torn apart. But the moment I let my guard down they would learn. That's how it usually goes.
I flew Sprite through the assorted craft. A TL-class transport; a military transport; a frigate; a rather useless missile frigate; a destroyer; three heavy and very rare corvettes; and eight fighters, all of Paranid or Argon make. My Split, Boron, and Xenon ships were elsewhere with my other collection of misfits, and all the passenger transports, except the Express, were in use by my commandos at different pirate bases. Which reminded me that I still needed more. After the complex was done, I could afford to train them.
It was at the Express that I ended my tour. I still chose to sleep on it. The warships were all built for people of other races, but luxury is universal. Or so I told myself.
-------------------------------------
"Rimes Fact M beta to friendly fighter! We're getting hammered in here! Can you pull us out?"
She wasn't exaggerating. Inciendiary bombs were decimating the station's shields, and the structure itself wouldn't last long once those were gone. But what was I going to do with an Odysseus at such close range? I'd never make it.
"Cannot assist at this time, Rimes Fact. I repeat, cannot assist." The words came out mechanically. Emotionless.
"Please Commander! I don't wanna get ra- Get your hands off me! Help!"
"Commander! I'll pay off my debts and stop gambling, I swear it to you!"
"Thinkin' I trained these folk fer ye to throw 'em away fer no reason at all? I'll kill you myself in the next life!"
"Paranid not save cowards. Come die with us."
I started drifting toward the station. I killed the throttle but my speed but the fighter was accelerating.
"You will not take uss from thISSss place? Then come die with ussssssss."
I spun the fighter away from the station, but my momentum continued unabated.
"I had faith. I gave up everything, and you'd turn your back on me? Why don't I put a knife in it?"
"Come die with us."
Weapons fire streaked by the cockpit, bathing me in light that ebbed to blackness and swelled until I was blinded.
"Come die with ussssssss."
"Come die with us."
"I'll kill you!"
The shouts joined a toneless roaring in my ears and my vision refused to clear, now just light and the absence of light chasing each other endlessly.
"I can't help you..."
I sat up in a frantic rush, then ducked down under the sheet when a brilliant light blinded me. I covered my eyes. It wasn't real. It can't be real.
"Commander? The light's off. I just came to tell you the Rope's been pulled, emergency call on the comms."
I uncovered my eyes. It was dark, so I threw off the covers and looked at the timepiece, head swimming and feeling detached from my body. Two hours since I laid down. And next to the time my datapad was flashing and chirping. Hohindras, using the emergency code.
"I'll be right there." I glanced toward the dim doorway. Who was that? Mak Yatar, I thought, but his face was shadowed. Or I was partially blind. He nodded once and left...with the door still open.
I rubbed at my face and picked up the datapad with my other hand. Accept the call. Answer.
Hohindras' face filled the screen, and there was more than a little fear there. "You mussst come quickly! She threatenss to desstroy the new sstations if you will not meeeet with her."
I blinked. Coffee sounded like a better idea right now. "Who?"
"Ask her yourself. Jusst get here!" he snarled and cut the connection.
Hello to you too.
I dressed and headed forward to see what the other emergency was, though I really wanted coffee, whiskey, and a couple years of sleep. That combination sounded heavenly, actually...
"Commander," Kaylen Gisler said in stern greeting once I entered the cockpit. "I have a Nyota Braks on the line. Says there's imminent danger at her location." The tiny woman gave me a questioning look and I nodded toward the door. She got up and left without a word, and I took her seat.
"Report."
"I have a Ryu and a Hydra in front of me, sir. And a Hercules but I gather that's ours. They want to talk to whoever owns these stations, sir, and they said to come alone or they'll blow them all. I think they're pirates."
Great. I felt awake now. More than. Mental note: Extortion works as well as coffee.
"Sit tight. I'll be there in a couple minutes." In the Odysseus, in case they get rude.
The fleet for Gunne's Heirs was certainly growing.
I was keeping it together and on the move now. The bounty from the Argon changed things, though I can't say I was necessarily worried. I had yet to see any level of coordination from them, even when an entire sector was being torn apart. But the moment I let my guard down they would learn. That's how it usually goes.
I flew Sprite through the assorted craft. A TL-class transport; a military transport; a frigate; a rather useless missile frigate; a destroyer; three heavy and very rare corvettes; and eight fighters, all of Paranid or Argon make. My Split, Boron, and Xenon ships were elsewhere with my other collection of misfits, and all the passenger transports, except the Express, were in use by my commandos at different pirate bases. Which reminded me that I still needed more. After the complex was done, I could afford to train them.
It was at the Express that I ended my tour. I still chose to sleep on it. The warships were all built for people of other races, but luxury is universal. Or so I told myself.
-------------------------------------
"Rimes Fact M beta to friendly fighter! We're getting hammered in here! Can you pull us out?"
She wasn't exaggerating. Inciendiary bombs were decimating the station's shields, and the structure itself wouldn't last long once those were gone. But what was I going to do with an Odysseus at such close range? I'd never make it.
"Cannot assist at this time, Rimes Fact. I repeat, cannot assist." The words came out mechanically. Emotionless.
"Please Commander! I don't wanna get ra- Get your hands off me! Help!"
"Commander! I'll pay off my debts and stop gambling, I swear it to you!"
"Thinkin' I trained these folk fer ye to throw 'em away fer no reason at all? I'll kill you myself in the next life!"
"Paranid not save cowards. Come die with us."
I started drifting toward the station. I killed the throttle but my speed but the fighter was accelerating.
"You will not take uss from thISSss place? Then come die with ussssssss."
I spun the fighter away from the station, but my momentum continued unabated.
"I had faith. I gave up everything, and you'd turn your back on me? Why don't I put a knife in it?"
"Come die with us."
Weapons fire streaked by the cockpit, bathing me in light that ebbed to blackness and swelled until I was blinded.
"Come die with ussssssss."
"Come die with us."
"I'll kill you!"
The shouts joined a toneless roaring in my ears and my vision refused to clear, now just light and the absence of light chasing each other endlessly.
"I can't help you..."
I sat up in a frantic rush, then ducked down under the sheet when a brilliant light blinded me. I covered my eyes. It wasn't real. It can't be real.
"Commander? The light's off. I just came to tell you the Rope's been pulled, emergency call on the comms."
I uncovered my eyes. It was dark, so I threw off the covers and looked at the timepiece, head swimming and feeling detached from my body. Two hours since I laid down. And next to the time my datapad was flashing and chirping. Hohindras, using the emergency code.
"I'll be right there." I glanced toward the dim doorway. Who was that? Mak Yatar, I thought, but his face was shadowed. Or I was partially blind. He nodded once and left...with the door still open.
I rubbed at my face and picked up the datapad with my other hand. Accept the call. Answer.
Hohindras' face filled the screen, and there was more than a little fear there. "You mussst come quickly! She threatenss to desstroy the new sstations if you will not meeeet with her."
I blinked. Coffee sounded like a better idea right now. "Who?"
"Ask her yourself. Jusst get here!" he snarled and cut the connection.
Hello to you too.
I dressed and headed forward to see what the other emergency was, though I really wanted coffee, whiskey, and a couple years of sleep. That combination sounded heavenly, actually...
"Commander," Kaylen Gisler said in stern greeting once I entered the cockpit. "I have a Nyota Braks on the line. Says there's imminent danger at her location." The tiny woman gave me a questioning look and I nodded toward the door. She got up and left without a word, and I took her seat.
"Report."
"I have a Ryu and a Hydra in front of me, sir. And a Hercules but I gather that's ours. They want to talk to whoever owns these stations, sir, and they said to come alone or they'll blow them all. I think they're pirates."
Great. I felt awake now. More than. Mental note: Extortion works as well as coffee.
"Sit tight. I'll be there in a couple minutes." In the Odysseus, in case they get rude.
Last edited by Song Of Obsidian on Mon, 30. Sep 13, 16:54, edited 1 time in total.
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Poseidon
- Posts: 325
- Joined: Wed, 6. Nov 02, 20:31
The subconscious can be an ugly thing, yes?
If you're inclined to write me in, I think it would be a good time, but I don't want to add to your work load. Writing and playing is quite a bit of effort, after all. I'll send you a PM with a couple ideas, so you can keep your plotting free of public pressures and expectations. :-p
Your writing is getting better as you progress. The last few chapters have been downright Good Stuff (tm).
If you're inclined to write me in, I think it would be a good time, but I don't want to add to your work load. Writing and playing is quite a bit of effort, after all. I'll send you a PM with a couple ideas, so you can keep your plotting free of public pressures and expectations. :-p
Your writing is getting better as you progress. The last few chapters have been downright Good Stuff (tm).
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Song Of Obsidian
- Posts: 305
- Joined: Wed, 19. Jun 13, 19:46
Actual character interaction makes any writing better. So no, I wouldn't mind bringing in a fresh character and perspective at all. But now that I'm not describing every little thing, the writing is more fun. In the game right now I'm actually just letting things go and build up, with a freighter sending teladianium to the Hub while I work with Duke's Buccaneers. I write between missions
I think you'll really like the next post. Stretches coincidence more than I like, but hey, it's my story.
I think you'll really like the next post. Stretches coincidence more than I like, but hey, it's my story.
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Song Of Obsidian
- Posts: 305
- Joined: Wed, 19. Jun 13, 19:46
Chapter 39 - Unlikely Encounter
The two offending ships were on the opposite side of my burgeoning but still unconnected complex. Smart. Damn them.
The Hercules, with Hohindras at the helm, was above me on the left. I could just barely see the Demeter Super XL I had given Braks, motionless near the ore mine. Nothing looked damaged yet. Diplomacy seemed like the best first option, so I cut the throttle and the destroyer took its time slowing.
"Took yaw sweet toime." I flinched, startled by the level of familiarity in those words. And then I laughed.
"I liked you better without the accent."
I heard something slam on the other end. "You? YOU?! And I thought you were a legitimate businessman." Was that a smile I was hearing?
"I am. Or a quarter of me is, at least." Let her make the second first move. I wasn't about to instigate her.
"Good. Then hopefully we can come to an arrangement." Not the move I was hoping for.
"Long as we're about to talk about why you're here, how about if we start with the reason why you've left your cushy facility job?"
There was a brief silence. "It's gone," she said tightly. I hit a nerve.
"I'm sorry." Strangely, I actually was. "Looking to build a new base here, then? Not as accessible to clients."
"I was, until your freighter pilot said this place was the property of Gunne's Heirs."
Damn. "I forgot to list 'discretion' in the job requirements. You wanting some bounty money?"
She scoffed. "I'm not tangling with a destroyer. But I wouldn't mind helping you blow up a few of them."
My mind reeled. Was she asking for a job? I could only think of one reason why a Pirate Queen would ask to serve someone after losing a place they obviously loved. "Who attacked Mi Ton's?"
"Paranid. An Agamemnon out for shits and giggles." Her voice was tight again. Forcefully controlled.
I considered that. Vengeance can be a powerful motivator. I knew from experience. Though other motivations had apparently proved stronger still. She IS Argon. No rule saying I have to recruit from the Argon military.
"You have the ship ID number?"
The two offending ships were on the opposite side of my burgeoning but still unconnected complex. Smart. Damn them.
The Hercules, with Hohindras at the helm, was above me on the left. I could just barely see the Demeter Super XL I had given Braks, motionless near the ore mine. Nothing looked damaged yet. Diplomacy seemed like the best first option, so I cut the throttle and the destroyer took its time slowing.
"Took yaw sweet toime." I flinched, startled by the level of familiarity in those words. And then I laughed.
"I liked you better without the accent."
I heard something slam on the other end. "You? YOU?! And I thought you were a legitimate businessman." Was that a smile I was hearing?
"I am. Or a quarter of me is, at least." Let her make the second first move. I wasn't about to instigate her.
"Good. Then hopefully we can come to an arrangement." Not the move I was hoping for.
"Long as we're about to talk about why you're here, how about if we start with the reason why you've left your cushy facility job?"
There was a brief silence. "It's gone," she said tightly. I hit a nerve.
"I'm sorry." Strangely, I actually was. "Looking to build a new base here, then? Not as accessible to clients."
"I was, until your freighter pilot said this place was the property of Gunne's Heirs."
Damn. "I forgot to list 'discretion' in the job requirements. You wanting some bounty money?"
She scoffed. "I'm not tangling with a destroyer. But I wouldn't mind helping you blow up a few of them."
My mind reeled. Was she asking for a job? I could only think of one reason why a Pirate Queen would ask to serve someone after losing a place they obviously loved. "Who attacked Mi Ton's?"
"Paranid. An Agamemnon out for shits and giggles." Her voice was tight again. Forcefully controlled.
I considered that. Vengeance can be a powerful motivator. I knew from experience. Though other motivations had apparently proved stronger still. She IS Argon. No rule saying I have to recruit from the Argon military.
"You have the ship ID number?"
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Poseidon
- Posts: 325
- Joined: Wed, 6. Nov 02, 20:31
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Song Of Obsidian
- Posts: 305
- Joined: Wed, 19. Jun 13, 19:46
Thirty-five marines, 30 of them with all 100s(except fighting, of course). 20 available for an anti-Paranid op with my storyline. Unfortunately she doesn't want it.
Hope I'm not wrecking one of your ideas for plugging yourself in by bringing her back
Chapter 40 - Served Hot
The Agamemnon frigate was 17 kilometers ahead of our position at the west gate of a sector called, appropriately, Moo-Kye's Revenge. It didn't seem to be heading anywhere specific, and its speed was at half. Carefree and lazy. Out for shits and giggles.
"Turret control is yours. I'm just here to keep us from ramming an asteroid." Such an accident played a large part in my acquisition of the ship, and I could only handle so many ironies in one day.
Chianna nodded and looked over the panel with all the weapons listed. She had given her name in the conversation that took place while Nyota Braks' unmanned Discoverer scouted the pirate sectors north of Cardinal's Domain for the frigate. And when asked whether she wanted it captured or destroyed, she answered with fury tempered by sorrow in her wide, dark eyes. "No weapon or soulless Paranid on that ship will survive to kill again. And they'll feel the terror of powerlessness."
I wasn't about to try to change her mind.
Our closure rate was low, but I saw no impatience in the woman. "Give me a shot on the right turrets, and go below it." I changed the intercept vector enought to accommodate her desire. The front was stuffed with IBLs, and the top had phased shockwave generators. The turrets on the left only held ISRs...she had chosen the right side, which was fully loaded with PPCs. The Agamemnon bridge crew wouldn't have much hope when they saw those huge searing balls of pure-white energy coming for them.
Five kilometers. The PPCs were in range, and the IBLs would be shortly. Neither fired. I glanced over; she was staring straight out the viewport at the ship. I could tell she wasn't totally lost because one of her fingers was wavering over her panel. Fine. It would be her way. That was what I had offered her.
At two kilometers the frigate started to slow, then stopped. We were nearly on a collision course, so the reaction was understandable. They were giving us the right of way. I wondered why they didn't try to reach us on the comms though.
And once it stopped, Chianna opened up the jaws of hell.
The shields fell appallingly fast. "Xaar's Teeth, we did not mean to give offense! Please forgi-" The bridge disintegrated just as shockwaves began to buffet the smaller ship. I looked at Chianna again; tears clawed angry tracks down her face. There was too much emotion there for me to even try to share in. I faced forward again.
The Agamemnon exploded right above us. Total time from first shot to kill? Perhaps four seconds.
I brought up the scanner display. Some significant debris still floated out there. Even some weapons. But those started to vanish too. She didn't sit back until there was nothing left to remember the ship by...except the memories themselves.
I brought the Odysseus to a halt, and we stayed there for some time while Chianna wept. Vengeance is a powerful motivator...but what is left when that overwhelming desire has been fulfilled?
Hope I'm not wrecking one of your ideas for plugging yourself in by bringing her back
Chapter 40 - Served Hot
The Agamemnon frigate was 17 kilometers ahead of our position at the west gate of a sector called, appropriately, Moo-Kye's Revenge. It didn't seem to be heading anywhere specific, and its speed was at half. Carefree and lazy. Out for shits and giggles.
"Turret control is yours. I'm just here to keep us from ramming an asteroid." Such an accident played a large part in my acquisition of the ship, and I could only handle so many ironies in one day.
Chianna nodded and looked over the panel with all the weapons listed. She had given her name in the conversation that took place while Nyota Braks' unmanned Discoverer scouted the pirate sectors north of Cardinal's Domain for the frigate. And when asked whether she wanted it captured or destroyed, she answered with fury tempered by sorrow in her wide, dark eyes. "No weapon or soulless Paranid on that ship will survive to kill again. And they'll feel the terror of powerlessness."
I wasn't about to try to change her mind.
Our closure rate was low, but I saw no impatience in the woman. "Give me a shot on the right turrets, and go below it." I changed the intercept vector enought to accommodate her desire. The front was stuffed with IBLs, and the top had phased shockwave generators. The turrets on the left only held ISRs...she had chosen the right side, which was fully loaded with PPCs. The Agamemnon bridge crew wouldn't have much hope when they saw those huge searing balls of pure-white energy coming for them.
Five kilometers. The PPCs were in range, and the IBLs would be shortly. Neither fired. I glanced over; she was staring straight out the viewport at the ship. I could tell she wasn't totally lost because one of her fingers was wavering over her panel. Fine. It would be her way. That was what I had offered her.
At two kilometers the frigate started to slow, then stopped. We were nearly on a collision course, so the reaction was understandable. They were giving us the right of way. I wondered why they didn't try to reach us on the comms though.
And once it stopped, Chianna opened up the jaws of hell.
The shields fell appallingly fast. "Xaar's Teeth, we did not mean to give offense! Please forgi-" The bridge disintegrated just as shockwaves began to buffet the smaller ship. I looked at Chianna again; tears clawed angry tracks down her face. There was too much emotion there for me to even try to share in. I faced forward again.
The Agamemnon exploded right above us. Total time from first shot to kill? Perhaps four seconds.
I brought up the scanner display. Some significant debris still floated out there. Even some weapons. But those started to vanish too. She didn't sit back until there was nothing left to remember the ship by...except the memories themselves.
I brought the Odysseus to a halt, and we stayed there for some time while Chianna wept. Vengeance is a powerful motivator...but what is left when that overwhelming desire has been fulfilled?
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Song Of Obsidian
- Posts: 305
- Joined: Wed, 19. Jun 13, 19:46
Chapter 41 - Secondary Arrangements
"Iss the situation ressolved? I have work to do."
I stared at the doorway Chianna had taken to leave the bridge. I had offered her revenge without asking anything in return. It was stupid of me, really. A very brutal sort of compassion. But it was done. The next move, again, was hers.
"Drop what you're doing for now. Are there any other holes in the market you were thinking about plugging?"
I looked at the screen again, but Hohindras was looking elsewhere. At his own notes, some sort of database, a map. Maybe he even had his own satellite network in place. Who knew. I certainly didn't.
"There iss a ssevere shortage of BoFu between Shore of Infinity and Great Trench." I nodded; I had taken some contract work to remedy that, but it a single chemical lab M isn't going to fill that hole.
"A little close to Paranid space for my liking. But you could build a small complex in Montalaar. Just a single Bio Gas and BoFu pairing. With the two new solar plants in Light of Heart it should be easy to keep the place supplied. Wouldn't draw much attention, and it would be safer." Yes, this would do nicely. There were a lot of Boron weapon factories in that stretch of space in need of food. "Oh, and build the complex away from the shipping lane. Just in case."
The Teladi's profit radar must have been whirling. He knew his percentage. "It will be done today. Another day for the pilot."
"I'll send you a Caiman Hauler. Not the best cargo, but right under 100 m/s. That'll help if your pilot decides to make energy runs to Akeela's Beacon." He nodded. I was learning. A little.
I cut the connection. No troublesome farewells for us. Pragmatism in its purest form seemed a necessary and well-earned indulgence after a long day of emotional trials. And it wasn't even over.
It felt strange, being on this huge ship alone. Even with one other person somewhere else aboard, the silence was loud. I didn't know how else to describe it, but I kept hearing nothingness. There's not a thing to compare to it when sitting in a fighter's cockpit. I felt like a part of a fighter's systems. There was a slot made especially for me, and that was it. In the destroyer though, I felt like a graverobber. No one should be here.
Another door opened and Chianna appeared. Her eyes and face were dry, but I could still see the puffy redness. She walked purposefully, but there was an air of vulnerability about her. "It's over," she said as she plopped down in the weapon officer's seat again.
There was nothing I could really say to that without seeming more insensitive than I cared to. She took a breath, then swiveled her seat around to face me. "Give me something to do," she said as firmly as she could, but there was a plea in her voice. It hurt to hear it.
I held her eyes with a steady gaze. Was she broken? Would she break if she was pushed? It felt like the talk with Nyota Braks all over again. Except this woman had been a leader. And what was she now?
I thought over her rather demanding request. I can't help you, I heard in my head. Only...maybe I could.
"You might be able to help me." The dim light in her eyes was crushing. "I need more warriors. Yours have performed well, as have those I hired from two other pirate facilities. I have thirty-five. I need no less than sixty more: thirty-five Boron and twenty-five Argon, Split, or a mix of the two. Preferably a mix." She nodded slowly. She was still with me.
"I'll need a ship. Neither of the two I have are suited for this."
"I still have the two Toucan Haulers I brought when I came to see you. Gull and Gall. Will those do?"
She thought about it for a couple seconds. I thought she looked a little more like herself. Wishful thinking, perhaps. "Good enough. Might take a few weeks, but it'll get done, long as you're footing the bills."
If she hadn't guessed who actually led Gunne's Heirs, she had me fooled. "We'll need to go over a few details." I hoped that she might come back ready for something more intensive. She had taught her people well. I would love to have her as a full-time instructor. If she could recapture some of her vitality.
"Iss the situation ressolved? I have work to do."
I stared at the doorway Chianna had taken to leave the bridge. I had offered her revenge without asking anything in return. It was stupid of me, really. A very brutal sort of compassion. But it was done. The next move, again, was hers.
"Drop what you're doing for now. Are there any other holes in the market you were thinking about plugging?"
I looked at the screen again, but Hohindras was looking elsewhere. At his own notes, some sort of database, a map. Maybe he even had his own satellite network in place. Who knew. I certainly didn't.
"There iss a ssevere shortage of BoFu between Shore of Infinity and Great Trench." I nodded; I had taken some contract work to remedy that, but it a single chemical lab M isn't going to fill that hole.
"A little close to Paranid space for my liking. But you could build a small complex in Montalaar. Just a single Bio Gas and BoFu pairing. With the two new solar plants in Light of Heart it should be easy to keep the place supplied. Wouldn't draw much attention, and it would be safer." Yes, this would do nicely. There were a lot of Boron weapon factories in that stretch of space in need of food. "Oh, and build the complex away from the shipping lane. Just in case."
The Teladi's profit radar must have been whirling. He knew his percentage. "It will be done today. Another day for the pilot."
"I'll send you a Caiman Hauler. Not the best cargo, but right under 100 m/s. That'll help if your pilot decides to make energy runs to Akeela's Beacon." He nodded. I was learning. A little.
I cut the connection. No troublesome farewells for us. Pragmatism in its purest form seemed a necessary and well-earned indulgence after a long day of emotional trials. And it wasn't even over.
It felt strange, being on this huge ship alone. Even with one other person somewhere else aboard, the silence was loud. I didn't know how else to describe it, but I kept hearing nothingness. There's not a thing to compare to it when sitting in a fighter's cockpit. I felt like a part of a fighter's systems. There was a slot made especially for me, and that was it. In the destroyer though, I felt like a graverobber. No one should be here.
Another door opened and Chianna appeared. Her eyes and face were dry, but I could still see the puffy redness. She walked purposefully, but there was an air of vulnerability about her. "It's over," she said as she plopped down in the weapon officer's seat again.
There was nothing I could really say to that without seeming more insensitive than I cared to. She took a breath, then swiveled her seat around to face me. "Give me something to do," she said as firmly as she could, but there was a plea in her voice. It hurt to hear it.
I held her eyes with a steady gaze. Was she broken? Would she break if she was pushed? It felt like the talk with Nyota Braks all over again. Except this woman had been a leader. And what was she now?
I thought over her rather demanding request. I can't help you, I heard in my head. Only...maybe I could.
"You might be able to help me." The dim light in her eyes was crushing. "I need more warriors. Yours have performed well, as have those I hired from two other pirate facilities. I have thirty-five. I need no less than sixty more: thirty-five Boron and twenty-five Argon, Split, or a mix of the two. Preferably a mix." She nodded slowly. She was still with me.
"I'll need a ship. Neither of the two I have are suited for this."
"I still have the two Toucan Haulers I brought when I came to see you. Gull and Gall. Will those do?"
She thought about it for a couple seconds. I thought she looked a little more like herself. Wishful thinking, perhaps. "Good enough. Might take a few weeks, but it'll get done, long as you're footing the bills."
If she hadn't guessed who actually led Gunne's Heirs, she had me fooled. "We'll need to go over a few details." I hoped that she might come back ready for something more intensive. She had taught her people well. I would love to have her as a full-time instructor. If she could recapture some of her vitality.
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Song Of Obsidian
- Posts: 305
- Joined: Wed, 19. Jun 13, 19:46
Chapter 42 - Unplanned Endeavors
Equipping ships is tedious work.
I wasn't at a point where I could afford to buy weapons and shields. Thankfully I had enough 25 MJ shields to take care of my entire fighter force, but barely. Weapons would be more troublesome.
So I returned to the Highway in Sprite for equipment and stress relief.
The latter proved simpler than the former. At the end of two runs I barely had anything to put on my fighters. Ion disruptors seemed especially popular, but their value to me was minimal. However, I did make some additions to my fleets.
One of the most important was a Boa, which I made a special effort to capture. That special effort required some of those ion disruptors, since it had sentry lasers and an advanced firewall installed. That was the only ship I needed commandos for. Two freighter pilots decided to give me their ships instead of their cargo, so I added a Caiman Super Freighter XL and another Demeter Hauler to the list of freighters needing assignment. I increased my collection of Eclipse heavy fighters by two, and also acquired a Kea and another rare treasure: a Nova Prototype.
Of my 23 fighters, 12 of them were suitable for the Heirs. If things continued this way I would need to look at acquiring a carrier. But what would serve even better would be pilots.
-------------------------------------
I wasn't sure when I had started to think of the Heirs as an actual organization, or as myself as their leader. I had an immediate problem, however, bigger than the bounty on my head. Too many days had gone by without any real action or message from the Heirs. Perhaps I could remedy that while also plucking a potential thorn before it had a chance to fester.
So while I watched the Nova Prototype dock with my Magnetar for a quick trip to Lucky Planets for outfitting, I pulled up my communications protocols and sent a long-range transmission to Nyota Braks. Her face came up immediately. "Yessir?" Her anticipation was palpable. Either she was eager to betray me or eager to get out of that freighter. Or both.
I smiled at her. "How would you like to fly on my wing for a mission?"
-------------------------------------
While I waited for a Perseus to get fitted with shields and some particle accelerator cannons, I put in another call to someone marginally less eager to hear from me.
"Yessss?"
"Couple things," I said curtly. "How is the complex coming?"
"It hasss a large surplus of food, energy, and ore. I have already built one of the hammer torpedo fabricators." That pleased me immensely. Maybe I could start going after bigger targets again soon. "It requiress ssix more stationss before I can begin connecting them."
"When was the last time you built one?"
He looked down for a moment. "Seventeen hourss ago."
"Good. Get it finished today. Try to work some connections to get a tractor beam as well so we don't need a pilot down there. Also, you'll need to handle the silicon shuttling for the time being."
That didn't make him happy at all. "Where iss Braks?"
"That assignment was never meant to be permanent. She's going to be with me shortly and she won't be returning." For one reason or another.
"I'll have a tractor beam within the week," he said a little viciously, then broke the connection.
Can't make everyone happy all the time.
Equipping ships is tedious work.
I wasn't at a point where I could afford to buy weapons and shields. Thankfully I had enough 25 MJ shields to take care of my entire fighter force, but barely. Weapons would be more troublesome.
So I returned to the Highway in Sprite for equipment and stress relief.
The latter proved simpler than the former. At the end of two runs I barely had anything to put on my fighters. Ion disruptors seemed especially popular, but their value to me was minimal. However, I did make some additions to my fleets.
One of the most important was a Boa, which I made a special effort to capture. That special effort required some of those ion disruptors, since it had sentry lasers and an advanced firewall installed. That was the only ship I needed commandos for. Two freighter pilots decided to give me their ships instead of their cargo, so I added a Caiman Super Freighter XL and another Demeter Hauler to the list of freighters needing assignment. I increased my collection of Eclipse heavy fighters by two, and also acquired a Kea and another rare treasure: a Nova Prototype.
Of my 23 fighters, 12 of them were suitable for the Heirs. If things continued this way I would need to look at acquiring a carrier. But what would serve even better would be pilots.
-------------------------------------
I wasn't sure when I had started to think of the Heirs as an actual organization, or as myself as their leader. I had an immediate problem, however, bigger than the bounty on my head. Too many days had gone by without any real action or message from the Heirs. Perhaps I could remedy that while also plucking a potential thorn before it had a chance to fester.
So while I watched the Nova Prototype dock with my Magnetar for a quick trip to Lucky Planets for outfitting, I pulled up my communications protocols and sent a long-range transmission to Nyota Braks. Her face came up immediately. "Yessir?" Her anticipation was palpable. Either she was eager to betray me or eager to get out of that freighter. Or both.
I smiled at her. "How would you like to fly on my wing for a mission?"
-------------------------------------
While I waited for a Perseus to get fitted with shields and some particle accelerator cannons, I put in another call to someone marginally less eager to hear from me.
"Yessss?"
"Couple things," I said curtly. "How is the complex coming?"
"It hasss a large surplus of food, energy, and ore. I have already built one of the hammer torpedo fabricators." That pleased me immensely. Maybe I could start going after bigger targets again soon. "It requiress ssix more stationss before I can begin connecting them."
"When was the last time you built one?"
He looked down for a moment. "Seventeen hourss ago."
"Good. Get it finished today. Try to work some connections to get a tractor beam as well so we don't need a pilot down there. Also, you'll need to handle the silicon shuttling for the time being."
That didn't make him happy at all. "Where iss Braks?"
"That assignment was never meant to be permanent. She's going to be with me shortly and she won't be returning." For one reason or another.
"I'll have a tractor beam within the week," he said a little viciously, then broke the connection.
Can't make everyone happy all the time.