Chapter 01 (Survivors)
Chapter 02 (Excursions)
Chapter 03 (No Place Like Home)
------------------------------------------
DARK HAVEN 2
Chapter 4 (Rising)
Jubilee
"Captain!
There!..."
Ensign Jareat jumps to her feet, three quick steps forward to the main observation window and points out.
"That one!
That asteroid there.
I saw something. I swear I did.
It didn't show up on the scanners, but it was there..."
"What?
Calm down.
Tell me what you saw."
"Movement.
Barely a glimpse.
It darted from behind that asteroid to behind that one there.
Small."
"One of the Black ships?"
"I'm not sure...
No, probably not.
It was only a glint, a reflection. But I think it may have been grey."
"Grey?
You mean like the colour of asteroids?
It couldn't have been one of the shards that are still floating around out there?"
"No, reflective, probably metallic.
Maybe the Xenon again."
"I'll move us a little closer. Just into the path.
Keep watching, I'll watch the scanners."
...
"Ah, I saw something on the scanners there.
Like you say, just a flash then gone.
Couldn't identify it."
"What do you think Captain?"
"I think we go in and check it out.
I seems to be heading deeper into the asteroids, possibly towards the Dark Haven gate.
I'm taking us further in."
...
"There!" "There!" They both exclaim at once.
"Scanners got a better look that time.
Definitely a craft.
Approximate size makes it an M5 class...
"Captain Hall." The Ensign interrupts.
"I saw it that time.
I'm sure it's a Pirate Mandalay."
"Ah, of course. It will be another Blood Moon ship sent in to see what happened to the station and their fleet."
"I can't imagine they will be terribly happy with us at the moment."
"No, probably not." Smiles Hall.
I'm going to try to head it off at the gate. Hold on."
Jessica hits the boosters and expertly navigates the ships through the asteroids.
The path cut by the Armadeaus and the Titan make things a little easier. But the high speed so close to the large rocks has the ensign seriously on edge.
"Broadcast a message. Tell the Mandalay to stop, we just want to talk, and warn it not to go through the gate.
Set the message to repeat several times."
Ensign Jareat does so.
"What would happen if he does go through?"
"Good question.
I don't think anyone has ever been stupid enough to try that before.
I can't imagine any good would come of it.
But I can think of three possibilities.
First - This gate knows that the destination gate has gone so it has shut itself down.
When the Mandalay passes through the gate nothing will happen. It will simply continue on in this sector.
Probably hit the cluster of rocks just behind the gate.
Second - ...
Actually Ensign, could you go over to the weapons console."
"Sir, I'm not trained for the weapons."
"That's ok.
Just press, top left, yellow then green then select Navigation."
Jareat gingerly presses the buttons. "Ok done."
"Thanks, that's transferred weapons control to me here.
Keep watching for the Mandalay.
Second - ..."
The Captain swings the Jubilee sharply left then back around to the right narrowly avoiding two particularly sharp looking asteroids.
"... - He would successfully make it into Dark Haven but be unable to get back."
Another sharp turn
"I saw it again just as we turned.
Definitely Mandalay. Blood Moon.
We are slightly ahead, But he is travelling fast."
"Excellent!
Third - He makes it...
No response from our message?"
"No, nothing."
"Ok."
Without slowing, the Captain targets and destroys a shard of rock blocking her way."
"There again, not far from the gate now."
"No problem.
... successfully thorough this gate but then is lost forever in whatever lies between wormholes.
Bad news for him in each case."
The Jubilee makes final approach on the gate.
The Mandalay darts out just ahead and accelerates faster.
"For his own sake I can't let him reach the gate.
Besides, I'd like to take him alive, find out what these Blood Moons are upto."
The Captain cuts the engines and tilts the corvette sharply downward allowing the momentum to carry it forward towards the gate.
At the same time she targets the Mandalay with the upper turret, which is now in a perfect line of fire.
She taps the firing control three times in quick succession.
The three pink GPAC bolts burst out of the turret and tare their way to the fleeing M5.
The first two hit the target precisely, ripping away the shields and causing some hull damage.
The third shot only misses because the Mandalay begins to spin out of control.
"Oh dear."
"I think he might crash."
"Eject you fool!
Damn!" The Captain exclaims as the Mandalay bursts into flames and crumples against an asteroid.
"Those shots did far more damage than I expected."
The Ensign thinks to herself. 'Wow! That was impressive.
The whole chase, the way she handled the ship...
I seem to have been under the impression that commanding Officers can't actually fly ships, they are just there to give orders... but...'
"Nice shooting all the same.
And some Extraordinary flying."
"Thankyou. I was hoping to keep him alive though."
The Jubilee has mow come to rest and Hall tilts it back level.
"We will wait here near the gate. There may be more of them."
...
Thirty Mizuras Earlier
Pirate Mandalay
*Beep Beep*
'An incoming message... From HQ'
"You are the closest and fastest ship to sector 22,4. Kailmun wants you to go and investigate. See what happened to the fleet and our Solar Power Plant."
"Ok. I'm on the way."
"Be careful, At least one Argon Fleet Corvette has been seen around that area."
"No problem."
The comms are cut.
'No problem. I just hope the Shark isn't too near the gate in Ocean of Fantasy.'
'A scouting mission, makes a nice change. I'm usually running escort for freighters.'
...
'Approaching the Ocean of Fantasy gate. Fingers crossed. Boosters ready.'
"Entering system Ocean of Fantasy."
As the Pirate M5 exits the wormhole the boosters are already engaged.
The small fighter darts upward reaching top speed in a moment.
'Scanning...
No Shark?
Or not in scanner range.
Not many system security ships either...hmm.'
'Bringing the ship back level.
Heading for the east gate.'
'I'll take a look around, external camera...
No sign of the Shark anywhere.
Ah, the shipyard, maybe it's docked...
No. Weird.
Good, makes my life easier.'
...
"Entering System Teladi Way."
'Ready with the boosters again.'
'No combat vessels atall within range.
Actually, there are only two ships total, very quiet sector.
Two stations, a SPP and an Ore Mine.
I see in the distance the Trading Station and maybe two or three more mines.
Very quiet.'
'No, wait... There's something.
Zoom...
Argon Corvette, Unmistakable.
On the edge of a huge asteroid field. Biggest field I've ever seen, fills more than half the grid and as far as I can see beyond.
I hope they don't have Triplex scanners. They don't seem to have seen me, they're not moving anyway.'
'East gate then...
Great. That puts it in the middle of the roids and not too far from the M6.
Some careful flying, dodging between roids, should keep me off their scanners for most of the distance. The last few K will be tricky.'
"In I go."
'Try to stick as close as possible to the roids to mask my signal.'
The small ship skips from asteroid to asteroid gradually closing in on the Dark Haven gate.
'If the Corvette has Duplex scanners I'm well within range now.
I can't keep out of their sight forever. I will have to enter the open path for the last few sez before the gate.
They certainly will see me then.'
...
"Oh!!
They've seen me."
'It's moving along the path, fast. Too fast.
It must be some crazy person piloting that thing.
Forget the hiding now. Fast as I can... without hitting anything.'
The voice of a young Argon Female is heard over the comms.
"Argon Corvette to Mandalay, Please stop your ship.
We wish to speak with you.
Do not go through the gate, it is not safe.
Please stop your ship."
The message begins to repeat before he kills the sound.
*Smirk* "I'll bet she says that to all the guys."
'No way, on to the gate.
I'd best report in just incase.'
"Mandalay to Head Quarters."
"Go ahead."
"I'm in Teladi Way being pursued by an Argon Corvette, the Jubilee. It's guarding the gate into 22,4.
It's closing fast, but I should make it to the gate in time...
What the Hell!!
She's out of her mind!!
And she's firing..."
The Mandalay spins out of control, bursts into flames and crumples against an asteroid.
...
Blood Moon Pirate Headquarters (Location Unknown)
Kailmun's Office
"The Mandalay scout is reporting in from Teladi Way."
"Well?"
"The Corvette Jubilee is guarding the gate.
Wait, additional...
M6 is attacking...
We have lost the signal.
Sir, I think they have destroyed the Mandalay."
"What the hell are they playing at!
Argon Military patrolling Teladi Space. Even the standard system security ships would leave us alone in the outer sectors. That's why we're out there, to be left alone.
This is getting too much.
We need to send a message to Argon Fleet, we are not to be messed with, especially not in our own sectors.
All ships stay out of Argon space.
Instruct all fighters to attack any Argon Fleet ships in non-Argon sectors, where victory is certain.
And avoid them where necessary.
Fighters travel in packs.
I will not stand for this!!"
Dark Haven 2 - Chapter 4
Moderators: TheElf, Moderators for English X Forum
Very good read. I too have been muttering about thos stupid pilots that won't bail on numerous occasions. After all this effort to keep them alive ... 
I guess the Argon are in for trouble now. But considering all races kind of know about the poblem with the Khaak they may be inclined and provide some means of protection ... once their cap ships have been re-build :8
Looking forward to the next chapter.
I guess the Argon are in for trouble now. But considering all races kind of know about the poblem with the Khaak they may be inclined and provide some means of protection ... once their cap ships have been re-build :8
Looking forward to the next chapter.
-
FourFingers
- Posts: 163
- Joined: Fri, 26. Mar 04, 22:37
Thanks guys 
What can a bunch of pirates do against the Might of the Argon Fleet?
Well... ok... there really isn't much left of the AF but still...
Though it's not so much a request, as it is a, "Kill all the Argon Fleet ships especially that damn Jubilee!!!"
I have a couple ideas for a name, but not too happy with either.
Any suggestions?
*snigger*KiwiNZ wrote:I guess the Argon are in for trouble now.
What can a bunch of pirates do against the Might of the Argon Fleet?
Well... ok... there really isn't much left of the AF but still...
Indeed.Mercenary wrote:It'll be interesting to see what the Argon Military are going to say to a pirate clan request to be left alone..
Though it's not so much a request, as it is a, "Kill all the Argon Fleet ships especially that damn Jubilee!!!"
Oh, they're not the Khaak, just some other race I havn't thought of the name for yet.poblem with the Khaak
I have a couple ideas for a name, but not too happy with either.
Any suggestions?
Thanks N19h7m4r3 (interesting name)N19h7m4r3 wrote:Why not just call them the DARK ONES. Maybe they don't have a name or mabey its lost to time.
I love Dark Haven should br put into an expantion for X2.
Wooo, the Dark Haven expansion...
I like the sound of that
'The Dark Ones'
I also like the sound of that... thinking... possibly... maybe.
