--The Captain finally came out of his quarters, it had been days since the crew had seen him or heard anything from him directly. The Metzger was fully stocked, and they had made some modifications to her weapons, taking nomad hardware and incorporating it onto the hull of the ship as well as a few items that allowed the reactor to put out nearly 150% of nominal. Some of the crew were a bit hesitant about it, they knew nomad technology was illegal but the job they had to do called for some firepower and they found it.
'Helm, lay in a course for the Omicron Gamma jump hole, and from there plot the course to Omicron Minor.'
'Aye aye sir'
The command crew seemed energetic now, as they finally were able to act again sitting on there hands for as many days made them all a bit, twitchy, and now they were able to do their jobs.
'We have cleared Freeport 5 Sir'
'Understood, best speed to the Jump hole mister.'
'Tactical, I want a full weapons test when we are a safe distance from Freeport 5, I dont want to take out any Zoners, yet'
'Aye Sir'
The Metzger made her way to the Jump hole, and the Tactical officer, began firing all batteries, they were amazed at the power drain that the new weapons had, but also at the power they put out, and at the resiliance of the improved reactor.
'That will do Tactical. Communications, I want silent running, no unecessary communications from this vessel. understood? We are going back into hostile Territory and we will find the Angelfire. Also from this point on, we will not engage any Corsair, Outcast or Hessian vessels unless we have no choice in the matter, am I clear?
'Aye sir' The last order was a bit odd, but then again, the old man had done some strange things before and it always seemed to work out, so they trusted him a bit further.
One individual stared out a window, he had already planned what he would report, and now simply waited for the right time, a moment later, he returned to his duty station, even though he was Corsair, he still had to make sure this ship, crew and himself survived.
The XO knocked on the door, the dull thud of his knuckles hitting steel echoed through the room. "What?" The Captain said somewhat annoyed at being taken away from precious sleep. He hadnt slept in days, to invigorated by his last pirate hunt. Sailing arond Sirius hunting can be a bit draining, even for a Cruiser Captain.
"Sir, comm link for you sir"
"I'm suprised lieutenant, that you can't handle this on your own"
"Sir.... Sir it's Nick, I just thought that id..."
The Captain rushed to put on his boots and headed out. The door opened quickly and startled the XO.
"What? what are looking at me like that for"
"uhhh...Pants...Sir?"
Properly dressed the Captain headed to the Bridge. "CAP'N ON DECK!" yelled the Sergeant at Arms.
"AS YOU WERE... Everyone.... off the bridge, Sergeant get me a private comms link, XO take the helm. i said OUT!" Quite abnormal for the Captain to act as such, but he has never led them wrong. Semper Fidelis, Always faithful was their motto, From Captain to crewman they shared the common bond of space travel. Captain would take care of them no matter what.
The crew absent, the Captain activated the comms headset. "Nick, Nick can you hear me."
"............Eli, Eli where are you?"
"Wandering around Sigma 13, having tea with the Pirates, buisness as usual nick where are you?"
".... Help... Eli somethings wrong......."
"Sir we're losing the signal, I, I can't explain it Sir"
"*heavy static* sig *static*.... 19..." The comms linked beeped, warning the connection ended.
Eli jumped at the console and hit the "O.S." button... Once before had that ever been used.... today was the second. The crew came roaring into the bridge room. "ALL HANDS, This is the Captain Speaking, ALL HANDS Battle Stations" The intercom echoed down the ship.
"HELM! Emergency redirect, 180 degrees, Engages the cruise engines."
"Aye, E-Redirect 180 Top Speed Aye Sir"
"NAV! COMMS! Plot course to the Sigma 19 Jump and find nick, get a fix on his last transmission"
"Aye, Sigma 19 Jump, Tracking The Angelfire, Aye Sir."
"TACCOM!....TAC, where the bloody hell is he! Sergeant Find the TACCOM...NOW!"
The Captain assumed his spot in the middle of it all... the Cruiser did a deep turn, and the Engines whined as the cruise engines kicked in... "we're coming Nick, hold on bud"
A man appeared on the Bridge... "Sir *yawn* TACCOM reporting for duty, Sir" The Tactical Commander, third in the command of the Ship. Both he and the Captain had been awake for days, "Having tea with the Pirates" as they put it. "Sir?"
"Get the gun ready..."
"What one Sir?"
"EVERY DAMN ONE OF EM!" The Captain yelled. The Bridge went silent. The Crew knew something was wrong, something was very wrong. It isnt every day the Captain yelled at his brother like that.
"Aye, full guns, Aye Sir" The TACCOM raced off the Bridge.
Eli bowed his head, only to find closed eyes, the crew was alright, he could sleep. "Captain, NAV, were approaching the Jumphole Sir"
"Copy NAV...HELM, slow speed prepare for the jump" the Captain ordered as leaned over and hit the console, sending a tone through the ship alerting of a jump.
"Aye, slow speed prep for jump Aye Sir"
"NAV, get us in there, COMMS! you got a fix on Nick yet?"
"Negative Sir, we're still trying, theres heavy interference here, no sign of the Angel..."
As the Gabriel approached the Jumphole 3 ships came racing through.
"WHAT THE FRACK!, HELM FLY US OUTTA HERE, GET US BROADSIDE!"
"Aye, E-Redirect bringing guns up to fire, Aye Sir"
"....nick..."
"Eli! Get the Corsair, I NEED HIM *static*"
"Captain, NAV, we found the Angelfire" the radio said, sighed, heavely, "Thank you NAV..." Eli replied, somewhat astonded and annoyed.... "All I wanted, smart NAV officer, but noooo we had to go cheap"
"HELM!, bring us around, TACCOM fire on the corsair..."
"Aye, bringing up the guns, engaging Corsair, Aye Sir"
*Game on*
Gabriels guns in action are a thing of beauty, the sounds, the smell, the feel of it... its intoxicating...
The Corsair Fighter fell quickly to Gabriels guns... "Eli! Disable only, what are you doing?"
"Eh..." The Captain looked around at the crew, hoping for some words, locked eyes with the XO. XO just shrugged. "oops?, what now nick?"
"I have to go to kuril..."
"NAV..."
"Captain, NAV, we're showing a Corsair in the area sir, its a pirate sir!"
The Captain paused for a moment... placed his face in his hands and replied "Thank you NAV...... Please plot a course for, nevermind...HELM...follow nick" The XO just smiled.
"Aye, not listening to Nav anymore, Aye Sir"
Man entered the bar and sat down at the table with Nick. Eli and Victor were at the bar sharing a drink, noticing the man they sat down at a table within earshot. Nick began to speak to the man, he said he was a representative for "The Corsair" the one Gabriel "had tea" with earlier. He was a bit under the weather, imagine that, and unable to speak to nick himself. "Whats going On?" Eli thought to himself. "Why the frack am I out here? Pirate scum"
The man talking to Nick, said something him being engineered? A weapon? A danger to us? Corsair elders?. At that, victor left the table and made straight for nick... "What is his purpose? What do you mean engineered?!?" The man talking to nick became uncomfortable and irritated. Eli grabbed Victor, "Quiet now, let them speak in peace"
"Hands off me" Victor said as he left the bar, Eli followed him out and waited out of the door for nick to come out...
The corsair left in a hurry, and nick soon exited. "Nick!"
"Eli, I'm sorry this couldn't be on better terms and that we can't talk more but I need some time for myself...this is..so...strange"
Eli looked back over at him... "To the death, I'm with you"
Location: Crete Medical Centre (VIP Wing)
Vincent Valentine & Johny Solo
He was dreaming..Fire, Blood and steal. The sound of the Titan in a tight turn with guns hitting its hull. Plasma against metal, never a good thing to hear. Something approaching him, not human, reaching out to him.......
"Sir, are you ok? Sir, its John." John sat next to Vincent in the medical centre. Vincent was still abit banged up by his encounter with the 4 Gunships today. "Doctor, when will he be out of here and ready to go". John asked. "Well, he took a pretty good beating, but has recovered amazingly quick. By the look of things he should be out tomorrow morning" the docter replied, looking at the charts in front of Vincent's bed.
*moan* "Aaargh, John, that you" Vincent said with difficulty as his Eyes slowly opened, and the life came back into the Corsair. "Yes Sir. What the hell happened out there yesterday?" John eagerly replied.."Ahrgh, Well, never go up against 4 gunboats..thats what happened."
Yesterday: 1000 Zulu.
The Valentine Titan was Cruising along to the Sigma 13 Jump gate. Vincent picked up some traders in the system via the long range scanners, and was going in for some Donations. The first trader was picked up near the Gas Miner Naha. The usual proceedings came into affect as the trader was hailed, and just to convince him of the position he was in,his shields was also taken down immediately. Vincent found that it was a very effective way of stopping these boys in their Trains. The usual begging took place from the traders side, and the usual convincing came from Vincents side until finally the Neural Net transfer Link was established. Vincent just finished the Net transfer when his Scanners went off, and the whole cockpit was red with the proximity alarm. Its Dancing time.
The Valentine Picked up a Dragon Gunboat closing very quickly. The Trader must have send a distress call. Vincent Weighed up his options, and knew what he was going to do. The Valentine engaged the gunboat in the Gas Clouds in Sigma 13. It was a short teaser for the gunboat, as Vincent only wanted to anger him in order for him to follow the Corsair Titan. That was successfully accomplished in a very short time. Vincent Knowing that he needed to get this Gunboat into open space, and with a little more support engaged the Cruise engines, and Headed for the Sigma 17 Jump hole. The Dragon Gunboat in Hot persuit. "Secure comms Opened: To all corsair Ships near the Sigma 13 Jump hole in Sigma 17, I am brining a Dragon gunship through the hole in about 5 minutes. Setup Ambush and arm weapons." The comms was sent. Everything was in place. This was what Vincent Lived for. The Hunted, becoming the Hunter. The Valentine Jumped through the gate and was met with 4 Corsairs Waiting on the Other side. "Excellent boys, he will be jumping in shortly...Lets take this guy down"
The Gunboat jumped through the gate, and Vincent would have given his left ankle to see the surprise on the GB Captains Face. All hell Broke loose as Salamancas and Del Cids started hitting the Gunboat. He had nowhere to run. His shields was taken down pretty quickly. *Arm Mini Razor* "Its not long now my friend" Vincent Thought to himself as he armed his mini Razor Canon..Or as he liked to call it, the GB Killer. A couple of shots to the hull of the Gunboat and pieces started tearing of the Dragon. The Captain of the Gunboat knew he only had one chance to live..A hasty retreat. And he did so via the Sigma 13 Jump hole. The Valentine Followed, no hungry for the kill. "Only one more Shot and his gone" Vincent said to himself. But, Alas.
As the Valentine Entered Sigma 17, his Scanners lit up again..But this Time the Computer Voice said repeatedly "Priority Targets Identified. Ship ID: Angelfire Identified." Vincent was dumbstruck with another 3 Gunboats right in front of him. The Dragon GB was clearly not part of this group and made a hasty retreat with his tail tucked firmly between his legs. "Well this is going to be tough" Vincent said to himself as he opened fire on the nearest gunboat....
Present Day: Back in the Medical Centre.
"John, thank you for picking me up from Atka. God knows what would have happened if you didnt" Vincent said while shaking the Knox Pilots hand. "It was my pleasure sir. I took them to Kuril as you instructed, and I had the meeting with them. I told them what you said I must" John filled Vincent in on the proceedings of the meeting.
"Ah, good, they know a little now, but not all...Not all..Good work John..We are entering dangerous times now John, and we need our wits about us. We must prepare..........."
The Captain awoke with such force that it threw him from his bunk. He flew down to the ground and with a sick, wet, fleshy SMASH, shattered his nose, Sending a splater of blood around the floor. Blood pouring from his face he stood up looking for the voice...
ha ha ooo Eli
The Captain now aware nothing was in the room replied...
Who are you?
hahaha oooo Eli, look at you Eli. The voice now behind him, the Captain spun around. PATHETIC! the voice scream at him as if right beside his ear.
PATHETIC Eli
The voices now came from all around him, the Captain turned and turned Who are you Eli? the voice asked, Captain spinning and turning Who are you Eli...
ELIJAH WHO...ARE...YOU
The Captain, anger burning inside him, feeding him, lifting him. He never felt so alive, so empowered, untouchable. The Captain now stood in the center of the room, his head down, eyes closed, blood pouring from his face, dripping into a pool that now covered the floor. ELIJAH...WHO...
I AM ELIJAH, CAPTAIN OF GABRIEL!
BOOM! The room shook as the door was rammed.
HAHAHAHA, The voice whispering in his ear now, Elijah... you know what you are what you were born to do. You know who he is and what he was MADE TO DO. Relax your mind Elijah...don't fight
BOOM! The door sounded again.
With that a pain emerged in the Captain like nothing before, piercing, hot and burning, cold and freezing, fear, screaming, death, fire, smoke, can't breathe, darkness, hate... the wretched... the world dissappeared from vision and nothing was left.
The Captin now stood on a hilltop. The ground was orange, the sky was blue and the air was clear... Peace. The Captain felt home and relaxed... euphoric. The ground rumbled, shook, the entire plant shook under his feet. THe Captain looked down as blood soaked the dirt, the grass turned to ash and the sky, filled with pain and hate, turned red. PAIN
It is time Elijah, but not yours... save him
As if someone reached in a took hold, pulling him, he was ripped from the ground into blackness...nothing was left only pain...and purpose, clarity. The Captain fell to his knee as the pain was lifted instantly.
Elijah... who are you? The voice said, now angered.
ELIJAH WHO
I AM ELIJAH, CAPTAIN OF GABRIEL...
...COMMANDER OF THE SERAPHIM
BOOM the door flew open as crewman rushed into the room. The Captain fueled by anger, rage, hate, floating inches off above the deck, fell motionless to floor...
"Bridge, XO, dispatch medical teams to Captain's quarters NOW!"
The Hull banged and clanged and moaned in protest as the Wild spat their vengence at the gunboat.
Nick swung the ship hard to port and activated the turret view holo, external cameras relaying a three dimensional third person perspective of the gunboat to his visor.
The gunboat errupted into green fury as the turrets unleashed their torrents of destruction, cutting a swathe through the inferior vessels!
He swung hard to starboard and activated the tractor beam while his turrets tracked the next two targets and kept singing their song of death.
'Incoming missile', mash mash mash.... countermeasures spewed, and then... straight ahead, a Corsair Titan materialized from the Sigma 13 jumphole.
It was reflex, the forward gun fired, shaking the entire ship.
The projectile hurtled towards the Titan and seconds before it found it's mark, Nick saw the mixed horror and surprize on the pilots face.
There was nothing he could do, the projectile hit it's mark and the Titan exploded into a ball of flame.
It was enough, Nick activated the cruise engines and mashed countermeasures from the gunboat.
'Incoming Missile' 'Incoming Misile' 'Incoming Missile' 'Frack!'
A Cruise disruption missile found it's mark and left the Gunboat dead in the water, 'Too many Wild, dammit!'
His scanner display filled with four, five, six, 'Frack!', too many targets!
Then... something else...'What is that?'
A Gunboat flashed past on starboard and erupted into green fury carving it's way through the pursuing Wild, 'Smaltz!' Nick laughed and hit the comms, 'Hoorah Smaltz, just in time as usual!'
'Aye Aye Angel!' came the excited reply. Nick could imagine the adrenaline high Smaltz was on at the moment, this was his game, coming to the rescue. Smaltz was made to 'save the day'.
'Ha ha!' Nick chuckled again and hit the comms button once more, 'What would I ever do with out you Captain Smaltz?'
'Suuuuper Smaltz!' and background chatter came back, obviously his crew were working their butts off while Smaltz had all the fun.
Nick shook his head, Smaltz was certainly the coolest Commanding Officer in Sirius, mad as a hatter but a loyaler friend you could not find.
'Well', he said to himself, back to base to process thse Wild and see what information he could extract...
The magnetic clamps softly thudded against the housings as the rear ramp lowered automatically, the hydrolics breathing out softly.
Nick strolled out of the loading bay whistling softly to himself, the dreams had not come for weeks now and he was in high spirits.
Maybe it had all been some kind of subconscious hallucination as a result of a head trauma - maybe from the same accident that had claimed his memory.
Who was he that these madmen would say he had special powers?
He was no-one, just a trader with a strange sense of humor.
He took a deep breath and turned into the RepEx satellite office and winked at Betty, the Republican Shipping receptionist.
'Hey Nick, how are you today? Victor dropped off some prisoners he said you might be interested in. They're in the holding cells across from the Hanger.'
'Thanks Betty, I think I'll pop over there and have a look. I'll be back in a moment.'
Nick excitedly half walked, half jogged over to the holding cells. Victor usually caught some very lucrative pirates, Nick was very interested in todays catch!
He turned the corner and stopped.
There must have been 50 prisoners there, all standing silently, swaying, staring....at him.
He stood still for a moment longer and started backing up slowly...and then... it started.
Location: Angelfire Gunboat, Property of RepEx Shipping.
The Corsair looked out of his holding cell aboard the Gunboat. Across from him, something was beginning to happen to the strange prisoners who had been staring at him hungrily for the past two hours, like they wanted him for some Sirius knows what purpose.
Their eyes rolled back and their lips curled upwards as a strange transformation began to take place. Something was detaching itself from them, something big, too big to be in a human being, something.... 'OH GOD NO...NO.....NOOOOOOOOOO!'
Petty Officer George Christopopolous heard a soft boom, like a distant explosion, coming from the direction of the hangars.
He immediately activated hangar image feeds 7 and 9 and brought the images up on monitors 2 and 5.
The image wavered slightly and came live. Five seconds later the all stations alert rang throught the space staion. Two minutes later he rounded the corner, weapon drawn with safety off. Three seconds later he was dead.
A subsonic frequency flew through space seeking something.
It flew, not like a ship or a bird, but like space itself, omnipresent and omnidirectional.
Concealed inside it's vibrating particles was a message.
The message boomed like soft thunder, it thundered quietly, pulsated warmly and finally arrived at the various different destinations it was intended for.
The message spoke softly, like an inner voice.
...and woke up one of it's intended receivers.
..and the message said:
'I am awake, I am alive, I remember, I remember... I REMEMBER!'