[Fiction] - AA: Privateer

[JonHandby]

Okay, on the last forum i posted 'Dark Day' My first completed novel based in the universe i do my renders on.
None the less to say it was popular and ive had several e-mails since asking when the next novel is coming out. Well ive taken a break from the intrepid novels and making a one off following a group of civilian traders.
Ill post part one here, and if it proves popular will upload it to the AA Website at HTI.
And no i havent spent christamas day writing this...

Firstly the traditional cover
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After Armageddon
Privateer

Chapter One - Part One

8th January 2317
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The winds of the Empyrean Colony are renowned for being the strongest in the innerworlds colonies. Diligent, one of the newest confederation cargo ships, tried to make its way down to the landing pad. The colony was based on the northern most continent, where all year round it is covered in snow. Its high mountains can usually be seen above the cloud line.
Diligent was one of the first long range cargo ships based on the smaller battle versions used by the military. Several were built and were sold to Civilian Privateers to aid the confederation shipping supplies during the Matak war that started in 2316, when the Dark Day of mankind started. The Matak tried to biogenetic plague that would have wiped out mankind. Since then War has been fought on all fronts, Diligent’s main mission was to ship weapon and food supplies to the front lines.
“Diligent to Empyrean Control, we are at 12 thousand feet. Awaiting further orders,” Jaren Byeran, the captain of the Diligent said, in his late thirties with short black hair, half Kelsari and half human, this was shown by the distinctive pattern of veins that run under the skin on both sides of his body, up the neck to the sides of his face.
“Diligent, this is Empyrean control, you are clear to land on pad six, descend to 1 thousand feet and head along path two seven one,” the voice came back,
“Understood,” he tapped in the controls, “Sarah,” he shouted to the brown haired woman sat behind him, “Prepare landing struts,”
“Gotcha,” she shouted back, turning her chair to face the engineering controls, four doors opened on the underside of the craft, four landing struts extended outwards,
“Four Thousand Feet, I have the colony in sight” another crewmen shouted, he had short blond hair mixed in with black,
“I see it Phil,” said Jaren, he kept switching between radar and navigation controls,
“Three Thousand Feet,” shouted Phil, “I've got another craft on radar, she’s at least a mile away, headed in this direction,”
“Probability of collision,” asked Jaren,
“Ain’t gona happen, she’s travelling at Two thousand feet,” replied Phil,
“We are stabilising at One Thousand Feet,” said Jaren, “Control, we are at one thousand feet,” he said pressing a control,
“Understood Diligent, you are now clear to make your way down,” replied the voice.
Diligent made its way through the lowest cloud layer, the colony could be seen, set in a large crater next to a frozen lake, eight domes, several landing pads and towers nearby, a large cargo yard under cover and a trade port. The colony had it all. Diligent was slowing down as it approached the colony, the landing struts extended slightly more to allow for stabilisation, the main engines powered down as the anti-gravity drive kicked in, the ship hovered over a landing pad for a few seconds before slowly landing on the large circular pad. The landing drive powered down and hissing could be heard. The pad started to lower under the ground into a large hangar area, a door closed where the ship had landed to cover the landing bay. Crew from the station walked towards the ship as it finished its journey.
“We are here!” Said Jaren smiling,
“About time, ill tell the cargo crew which pods to get, then I'm headed for the rec centre!” said Phil,
“Your welcome to it, ill get that ion drive fixed, I'm sure it was acting up in orbit,” Sarah said, her mood was normal, never happy,
“I’ll go to the dock master and get these flight plans put in, see what’s on offer mission wise. I intend to meet you all back here tomorrow, take your comms with you this time!” said Jaren walking out of the command area. The ship was small, tight corridors joined the rooms up, Jaren walked down a set of tight steps to a control panel on the wall, he pressed a button which was flashing, checking he had his gun. The main door started to open outwards, making a ramp for him to walk down onto the hangar deck of the colony. Phil was behind him,
“Jaren, you forgot this,” he said, Jaren turned around, “The data crystal! How are you going to submit out flight paths without the flight paths!”
“Don’t be smart, ill speak to you later,” Jaren walked off, “Thanks!” He shouted back a few moments later.
The ground crew were busy unloading the cargopods of the side of the ship; from the outside she doesn’t look as small. Jaren was half way across the bay now, equipment lay on the sides of the room, Cargo Lifters and Engineering Equipment, then the door to the colony, Jaren walked through it, the cold corridors of the sub levels lay ahead, hissing and banging could be heard from the workshops. It carried on for hundreds of meters until the elevator. Jaren Traveled upwards to the upper levels of the ship control area.

“Captain Jaren Byeran,” a voice shouted from over the room as he walked out of the elevator,
“Commander Beswick,” he said back, both men met up and shook hands, Jaren handing over the crystal, both walked over to a console,
“So, how was a cargo pick up from Confederasia?” asked the commander,
“Boring as hell, that planet is just one big military hole,” replied Jaren,
“Well, I have something else for you,” he said putting the crystal into computer port, “I need you to ship 300 units of Empyrean Grass Wheat to Manchester,”
“That’s it!” said Jaren, his mood changed, “That’s not what I expected,”
“What did you expect?” asked the commander,
“Weapons shipments, computer re-supplies to confed ships, something that pays good!” said Jaren,
“Empyrean Grass Wheat is all we have!” said the commander,
“Then stuff it, pay me for this mission then let us go,” said Jaren,
“You sure you want to do that?” asked the commander,
“I do not want to spend the rest of my career shipping Grass Wheat from Empyrean to Manchester, or Confederasia, we need to make a living,” said Jaren standing up,
“Then I'm sorry to loose you,” the commander said tapping at his computer, “I've deposited twelve thousand credits as agreed into your account,”
“Good,” said Jaren walking back into the lift,

Starlight Bar

“You told them to stuff it!” said Sarah,
“Yeah, Empyrean Grass Wheat isn’t a profitable trade for a cargo prowler,” said Jaren cradling a glass,
“But we need the trade!” said Phil,
“Our jobs, the whole point of having a fast cargo ship, was to aid the war, how is Empyrean Grass Wheat aiding the war!” said Jaren, all three crew took a moment to take in what had happened, a woman came out of the crowd and headed for the small table in the corner where the Diligent crew were sat,
“Captain Byeran?” she said,
“Yes,” said Jaren still holding his now empty glass,
“I have a business proposal for you,” she said.
“You two, go,” he said to Sarah and Phil, they got up holding their glasses and headed for the bar, the woman sat down, “What do you want?” he asked,
“My name is Joanne Zhar,” she said,
“That’s a Kelsari last name,” said Jaren,
“I know, I am like you, half Kelsari,” she replied, “I need transport off world,”
“I don’t do that sort of work,” he said, “You on the run or something?”
“Yes, but not from the confederation,” she replied, Jaren looked confussed, “From the Matak, I have some information about a race who poses much more of a threat, allies of evil and darkness,” she said,
“Allies of the Matak?” he asked,
“Yes, but they are much more powerful, I've been trying to get this information back, but I am being followed by many people, including members of the confederation who are corrupt, I need to make it back to Kelsar,” Joanne replied,
“I am not headed that way,” he said,
“Good, drop me off at your next stop, and I will find my own way, but I need to leave Empyrean,” she paused for a moment, “Or my mission will have failed.”
“I don’t know how to get you off world, each ship is scanned leaving the colony, Diligent is the same,” Jaren replied,
“I know you will find away,” she said standing up and walking away.
“Hell!” said Jaren to himself.

To Be Continued