Dark Haven 2 - Chapter 3

[crunn]

Chapter 01 (Survivors)
Chapter 02 (Excursions)

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DARK HAVEN 2

Chapter 3 (No Place Like Home)


Discoverer (Pierson)


"Entering system Getsu Fune."

"Ah-ha, I thought so!"

'I'd heard they were planing to building one.
Select target, TerraCorp Advanced Navigation Satellite Factory.'

'Last time I was here there were only the Wheat Farms and a Cattle Ranch.
I used to bring in the energy cells now and again.
I worked around the Argon Prime sectors mostly. But when the need arose I would be temporarily reassigned.'

'Let's see some info on the satellite factory.'

"Full stock, forty. Outstanding!"

'All resources are half or a little under including EC's.
Buying EC's for eighteen, not bad.'

'Let's see who I know onboard...
Most are unfamiliar. The Commander, I know the name but we've never met.
The Assistant Commander is a different matter.'

Pierson contacts the station.

"Put me through to Assistant Commander Braks please."

A moment later.

"Pierson, is that you?"

"Yes Braks, it's good to see you.
You've certainly moved up in the world. Last time I saw you, you were still hauling freight in that run-down Lifter of yours."

"Oi! That was the best Lifter in the fleet and you know it.
I've not seen you in over two jazuras. I heard you quit TerraCorp and joined the military.
I didn't believe it of course. You are the last person I'd expect to join up."

A slightly unenthusiastic Pierson replies. "Yes, it is true. I felt a change would do me good."

"Well you seem to be doing quite well, Lieutenant isn't it?"

"Yes."

"And flying a brand new top of the line Disco too.
Most impressive.
So what brings you to our quiet little sector?"

"Trading.
You know, old habits.
I'm bringing you some EC's and I'd like to take some of those Ad-Sat's off your hands.
I'll be docking in a moment."

"Come straight in, I've already cleared you."

"Thanks."

"How many do you want?"

"As many as I can hold.
Emm...
Once the EC's are off I can take thirteen more."

"No problem." He looks down and keys some numbers into his console.
"I can give you eighteen credits per unit of Energy.
And if you promise not to say anything I could give you staff discount on the Sat's."

"Thanks Braks, that's very kind of you."

"If you dock in bay four they will have thirteen ready for you in about ten miz.
Meanwhile they will start offloading the EC's."

"Thanks. It's been good seeing you again."

"What you talking about Pierson?
They'll be at least fifteen mizuras, maybe twenty.
Come onboard, I'll give you the quick tour."

"Yes, I'd like that."

"Ok, I'll meet you in the customs area."

...


Getsu Fune

TerraCorp Advanced Satellite Factory


Pierson steps into the customs area and looks around.
A smile crosses his face. He feels suddenly calm, relaxed, tranquil.

"I am home."

'Typical TerraCorp station. Pristine, perfect.'

'Plants in large pots throughout every station.
Carefully selected from all the known worlds as plants which most resemble Earth plants.
I have no idea the names of these plants or their Earth counterparts, but they really do make a huge difference. They brighten up the place.
Kyle Brennan. An odd man, eccentric in some of his ways.
But a good man, perhaps the best man I have ever met.'

'The air is also better than other stations.
Fresher somehow, crisp, perhaps in part due to the plants.
The lights, not too harsh, the colour...
Oh, just everything.
Such a pleasure to come onboard a TerraCorp station.
Such a pleasure to work, or rather to have worked for TerraCorp.
Yes...'

The Lieutenant then notices his old colleague rush around a corner ahead and come straight for him across the sparsely populated area.
The two customs officers and two visitors look up a little startled to see the fast moving Deputy Commander.

"Pierson, Pierson, in the flesh. It is good to see you."
Braks takes Piersons hand and quickly, but gently, shakes it.

'Ah, the hand shake. Another Earth custom to have spread through TerraCorp.
Many people don't like it, the abruptness of the physical contact, especially when not expecting it, it can throw you off a little.
You get used to it.'

"And good to see you too.
A tour of your station... I'm already impressed."

"Just wait until you see my office.
I'm afraid I couldn't get you clearance to see the manufacturing area, staff only, you understand."

"Yes of course."
Pierson smirks inwardly as he thinks, 'Staff only...'

"But we wouldn't have time for that anyway.
Well take a walk through the marketplace on the way to my office."

"Very well, lead on."

As the two leave the customs area, in the direction which Braks entered, a public announcement is heard.

"There is a sale on in the toy store. Don't miss the special offers."

The pair enter the elevator at the end of the corridor and go up two levels to the marketplace.
They begin talking of the good old days.

Pierson says, "Do you remember that time four of us got together with our Lifters. We took a huge number of crystals to a SPP. Made a scandalous amount of profit on them.
Then we bought up the entire supply of EC's.
That really made the owners tazura. I thought he was having a fit the way he was jumping around excited like that."

"Yes, I guess business hadn't been going too well for him.
We had a good night on the profits too."

"We did indeed. Pirate station in Atreu's Clouds if I remember correctly."

"Yes it was.
No one knows how to throw a party quite like the pirates."

"Perhaps a little too riotous, but certainly enjoyable."

"Absolutely!"

The two are now slowly meandering through the marketplace.
They continue to reminisce about the times they worked together as they continue on.
Occasionally they stop to look more closely at a stall or an item in particular.

Eventually they reach the elevator at the far end and step in.
This time the top floor is selected and a few sezuras later they arrive.

Braks stops at the third door on the right.

"Name on the door and everything.
You're just showing off now." Exclaims Pierson.

The door opens.
They step in.

"Wow, big.
Bigger than Captain Hall's office.
I'd best not tell her." Jokes Pierson.

"I love it. Spacious, comfy chair, big desk. I even have my own plant.
I looked it up. 'Jynaria' from the second planet in Patriarch's Keep. Apparently it looks similar to an Earth 'Fern'.
It drinks water at an extraordinary rate, but it does give off a pleasant smell in the early evening.
Oh, and a secretary..."

Piersons PDP bleeps indicating that the cargo has been loaded.

"Could I interest you in a drink before you go?"

"Thanks, but I'm on duty. Besides I really better be going.
The Captain is waiting for me."

"Of course.
I'll walk you back to your ship."

The door silently slides closed behind them as they make their way back to the elevator.

...

Pierson steps into the Discoverer.

"Call again, anytime."

"I will, anytime I can."

He closes the hatch and prepares to launch.

'Cargo...
Fifteen advanced sats total.
No units of empty space.
Good.'

'Launching.'

A few moments later the M5 is at top speed heading back towards the east gate and Menalous' Paradise.

'I think I'll try the Auto Pilot.
Ship...
Commands...
Navigation...
Dock At...
Trade Station Bluish Snout.'

"Command Accepted."

"Wooo... Nothing like this back in the day."

'So what do I do now?
Hmmm...
Well...
Not hungry or thirsty, a little tired, but I'll be there in under ten miz.
I guess I'll just look at the pretty colours.'

...

"Docking granted."

'It even finds me a parking space.
Excellent.
Although in a way, not so.'

"Connection to local trading network established."

'Trade menu...
Sell Ad Sats...
Nine...
Accept.'

"Thankyou.
We have credited your account with 121284 and will now begin to unload the cargo.
Approximately nine mizuras."

...

"Launch."

'Now back to the Jubilee.
I think I'll Pilot it back myself.
Heading, south gate to Ocean of Fantasy.'

...


Jubilee


"Entering system Teladi Way."

"First thing's first, lets see who's in the sector...
No Xenon or Black ships in scanner range.
Just a few civilian transports, Teladi, one Boron."

"Ensign, keep watching the sector map. I'll take us within scanning range of the Dark Haven gate."

...

"We are leaving range of the west gate now, Captain."

"Yes, I see.
We really need better scanners, Duplex just aren't good enough.
Not to worry, we'll soon have it sorted when Pierson gets back with the Satellites,"

...

"There.
The edge of the asteroid field near the path. This gives us a good view of the Dark Haven gate and a little way beyond."

"Ensign, contact the Trading Station, Rurandis Uguras."

"Putting you straight through."

"Rurandis Uguras here.
Glad to sssee you're back Captain."

"Has there been more trouble while we were away?"

"No, not yet, but there isss alwaysss more trouble."

"We will be deploying several Nav Satellites around the sector shortly.
Of course we will give you access so we can all keep a close eye on the Xenon movement.
Hopefully that new alien race won't be a problem here, but we will see them if they come through."

"Yesss, and thankyou Captain.
I have spoken to my government, requested ssector patrol shipsss.
They did not give an answer.
On previousss occasionsss their refusal wasss immediate. Frustrating, but understandable. This sector iss, after all, almost abandoned and with the increasing Xenon attacksss it has become more trouble than it isss worth.
But thisss new threat seemsss to have shaken them.
So I am ssstill waiting for an anssswer.
If there is anything I can do to help."

"Well, actually, I have noticed that you have a laser tower in stock. It might be an idea to deploy it to defend the Trading Station."

"I'm afraid, Captain, that it would do no good.
Not against the Xenon anywaysss. They are smart.
They have learned that they can destroy them from a distance with missilesss.
We lost three laser towersss to the Xenon recently and killed none of them.
Too expensive a losss to repeat."

"I see.
The Xenon do seem to be getting smarter, certainly the fighters we fought here earlier.
Very well. But keep it for now. We might find another use for it."

"Yesss Captain."

"Jubilee out.
Anything Ensign?"

"No. All very quiet."

"Good, I like quiet."

[Moss]

"Good, I like quiet." But not for too long eh?

Some nice atmosphere building, life goes on much the same as allways, but can it last, I think not, either the Xenon or the aliens will likely upset the peace again fairly soon.

[KiwiNZ]

Like Moss wrote, good atmosphere. Nice description of the distinctiveness of TerraCorp facilities Also good background on Pierson.
They should have updated their scanners in Ocean of Fantasy, the Boron do seel Triplex's

So yes, quiet for how long?

Looking forward to the next chapter!

[crunn]

Thanks guys.

"Good, I like quiet."
No, not for long enough.
(There are evil plans afoot)

They should have updated their scanners in Ocean of Fantasy

Doh!
I have some upgrades planned for the Jubilee, triplex being one of them...
But you are absolutely right, they could/should have got that in OceanOF.
Oh well, not to worry, Pierson will be back in 10miz with the sats.

[FourFingers]

Great Stuff!!

Finally managed to get round to doing some reading so i sat down yesterday and read Dark Haven through...

The whole episode of Monroe on the station was really atmospheric for me and i must admit that i was morbidly curious to see how he would get eaten!

Glad to see the continuation!

Ff

[crunn]

Great Stuff!!

Thanks Ff

"morbidly curious... get eaten."

*chuckle*
Another one couldn't wait to see Monroe's demise. What is it with you guys?