Chapter 02 (Portents)
Chapter 03 (Passing of a Fantasy)
Chapter 04 (Fissures in the Dark)
Chapter 05 (Reminiscence)
Chapter 06 (Things that go Bump...)
Chapter 07 (The Rocky Road)
Chapter 08 (Escape Plan)
Chapter 09 (Becoming)
Chapter 10 (And it Begins Again)
Chapter 11 (Flight)
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DARK HAVEN
Chapter 12 (Cut-off)
Discoverer
'Anyway, time to look at my passenger.
Just check the speed one more time... four-ninety to three-zero-four, good.'
'He should be in the small cargo bay at the rear of the ship, that's if he hasn't got up.
Got up, hmmm, maybe I should take a gun in case it's not who we think it is.'
'I'm in the living area.
There should be a pistol in one of the storage lockers.
No, food, empty, EVA suit, more food and drink.
Ah yes here it is, pistol extra power clips, ironically the medi-kit too.'
'I'm making my way through to the back of the ship.
Open the hatch into the cargo bay.
It's dark.
The light switch should be around here somewhere...
There, light.'
'Holding the pistol I step through the doorway.
I would have expected the cargo bay to be empty but there are several crates stacked up along one side and a few more in the center.
The autoloader missile rack on the other wall has three wasp missiles ready for use. There will be two already in place in the launch tubes, not yet armed of course.'
'My guest, I expect, will be in the cargo net at the far back of the bay. I'll take a quick look at the crates on the way past.'
'The stack of eight crates against the wall and all but one in the center are marked 'Hornet Missile'.
Odd, I wonder why a Discoverer is carrying Hornets.
Well, we do use Discos as fast transports sometimes, maybe spares for the Jubilee.'
'The final crate in the center is unmarked, mmmm, maybe food, or maybe more Hornets.
I'll scan it when I get back to the cockpit.'
'Ah, there he is, lying crookedly in the net.
I take the last few steps to him, no movement.
I bend down to take a closer look, he must be unconscious, not surprising with minimal life signs.'
'After tucking the pistol into my belt I turn him over so he is facing upward.
I notice his leg.
What is left of it anyway.
Torn, shredded.
An almost unrecognisable pulp of flesh.
The bone clearly visible in places, broken.
Without the protection of the suit it has frozen in the vacuum of space.
I'm no doctor, but I know that the leg is dead. If not from its injuries, then certainly from the exposure to space.'
'He is lucky indeed that his helmet was on, just as lucky that the suits have many safety features.
Sealant gel that automatically plugs any small puncture, the gel freezes when exposed to space, creating an air tight seal.
In this case such extensive damage can not be fixed by the gel alone. The suit constricts tightly around the nearest uncompromised area, here the upper thigh. Then it floods the area with all available gel to create a seal. Thus saving the life of the individual and as much of the limb as possible.
This poor guy has lost almost the entire leg, top six inches may be salvageable, but that's for the doctors.
Nothing I can do for him here but make him comfortable until we get back to the Jubilee. Argon Prime would be better, but the Jubilee has a fully equipped medical facility, if a little small.'
'Right, so who do we have here then?
Can't see much through the visor, blood smeared across, not a good sign.
I'd best take the helmet off now.
Unfasten the... there we go, off.'
'It is Monroe.
The pulse is weak but steady.
He has a nasty head wound. The bleeding has stopped but it looks like he's lost a lot of blood.
Again, nothing I can do for him here. I'd best not move him. He'd probably be just as comfortable here on the cargo net as on the bed anyway.
I'll get back to the cockpit.'
...
Argon Fleet Command
The Admiral is sat at his desk, his conversation with the Generals ended only a moment ago.
'So, it has come to this.
The great Argon Fleet must beg the other races for assistance.
I hoped I would never live to see this day.
The Boron, maybe the Teladi, not so bad. But to have to ask the Paranid and the Split...
Well it has to be done, I can't put it off.'
"This is Admiral Ornov of Argon Fleet Command, I need to speak to the 'Royal Military Advisor', it is urgent."
The almost musical tones of the Boron who answered came back.
"Greetings our Argon friend, please hold a moment."
A Boron face appeared on Ornovs screen.
'These Boron all look alike to me.'
"Admiral, on behalf of our glorious Queen and myself I greet you.
How can I help you?"
The Admiral explained the situation.
"This is troubling news indeed.
The Argon have been our greatest ally, and so of course we will lend all the support we can.
None of our capital ships are jump capable, we haven't yet been able to adapt the technology to them.
So the only ships that are near enough to be of use are two of our new advanced destroyers currently stationed in Menelaus Paradise, and one of our carriers stationed in Ocean of Fantasy.
The destroyers are battle ready, unfortunately the carrier is very old and run down, its compliment of fighters is in the same state. It is due for decommissioning once the new model is complete.
You can consider all of these at your disposal. I will order them to Teladi Way immediately."
"Thank you Advisor, your help is most appreciated."
...
The Admiral then called the Teladi 'Director of Military Action' and explained the situation to her.
"War is alwayss good for profitss, especially for thosse who have the foressight to build weaponss.
The loss of ssector Teladi Way would be no great shame, almosst abandoned as it iss.
But more than that would not be.
We will help all that we can.
But we have no ssectors or shipss closse enough."
"Surely you have some jump capable ships?"
"Yess, one Condor and two Albatross Transporters, we will load them up with fighterss and ssend them to meet with the otherss."
"Thank you Director, your help is most appreciated."
...
Next the Admiral reluctantly called the Split 'Chief of the War Council' and explained the situation.
"We Split not usually refuse fight but we will not fight on side with Boron scum.
You send Boron away we might reconsider.
Now you go away."
...
Finally the Admiral called the Paranid 'High Priest of Vengeance' and explained the situation one last time.
"We know this enemy of which you speak, the Emperor and the Priest Dukes do not consider them a threat.
We will not get involved."
...
'Well, the Boron and Teladi have joined up. The very least I had hoped for.
Between them, that has doubled the number of capital ships and maybe five times the fighters.'
'I could call the pirates...
No Ornov, that's just the desperation talking.'
...
Paranid Prime
Office of the High Priest of Vengeance
"Send the head of intelligence to my office immediately."
"You summoned me, High Priest?"
"You insult me with your presence.
The Emperor would have your head.
I have just been contacted by the Argon.
They tell me there is a new race on the move and that they are causing some trouble.
There is a war going on out there and I have to be told about it by Argon Fleet Command.
Remind me again what it is that you do?"
"I... I... don't know what to say."
"Then you had better say nothing, lest I behead you myself.
You will personally take a cloaked Pegasus to Teladi Way and find out what is going on."
"Yes... sir."
...
Discoverer
'I'm back in the cockpit.
Heading correct.
Speed... four-ninety to three-eighteen.
Hmmm, their acceleration is speeding up. Now an increase of around one every fifty sezuras.
Still, should be nothing to worry about. Even if they match or pass my speed I should be so far ahead that it won't matter.
I'm so far ahead now that I can't visibly see the black cloud anymore, just on the radar.'
'Well, nothing much to do here for the time being.
Getting a little hungry, not eaten all day.
I think I'll go see what there is.'
...
Jubilee
"Captain, I'm detecting gate activity.
There is something coming through."
"How far is the gate now?"
"A little over eighty kilometres."
"Display the gate on the main view."
The gate fills the main view screen. The white vortex of the incoming wormhole turning in its frame, a whirlpool of focused energy.
A flash and two Mandalay fighters appeared side by side, they move away from the gate and come to a stop.
A moment later and another flash, an Orinoco with a Bayamon on each wing. They also move aside and wait.
Another flash and four Bayamon followed by another four.
The vortex in the gate closes and no more ships come through.
The thirteen pirate vessels start to move off. Staying in formation their heading right towards the Jubilee and the station beyond.
"Pirate ships."
"Yes Captain, a lot of Pirate ships."
"A signal is coming in from the Orinoco."
"Put it through Ensign."
The voice of an angry Split is heard over the communication channel.
(Well I say 'angry' Split, I'm assuming they are capable of sounding otherwise.
)"Argon ships, I am a Captain of the Blood Moon clan.
You are responsible for loss of communication with our station?"
"No, we are here investigating the disappearance of one of our ships. I had initially assumed that you might be involved, but now..."
"I do not believe you.
The Argon Military has no business being here."
"We are not responsible for whatever has happened to your station and I don't believe you are responsible for the loss of our ship.
If you check your long range sensors you will see a large fleet of unknown vessles."
"... I see nothing but meteor storm. Which is not even heading this way."
"They are ships Captain and they are in pursuit of one of our own."
"You lie!
You will stop your ships and prepare to be boarded.
Your crew will be sold into slavery or executed and your ships will be added to our fleet."
, hehe not too hot on diplomacy this one eh? not to great on tactics either, just lost any chance of a suprise attack, way too overconfident methinks.