ELLESMERE SYSTEM
- ALERT STATION, LSF HQ
[font=Palatino Linotype][color=#FFFFFF]"Mr. Secretary..."
The agent took a deep breath before continuing.
[color=#FFFFFF]"We have called you here due to a situation that requires your full attention."
Robert Mackay, Liberty's Secretary of Defense leaned back on his chair.
"Shoot."
The agent laid down a few documents in front of the secretary.
"Our intel have given us strong signals that the Rheinland MND are ready to commit a strike against LPI-Huntsville."
"Why would they bother wasting resources against a prison station?"
The agent took another deep breath.
"They are after Willows, sir."
The secretary leaned forward with his eyes wide opened,
"Logan. Willows?"
"Yes, Logan Willows." The agent responded.
"When will they attack?"
"We have estimated the attack to occur in less than 48 hours sir."
A few seconds passed.
"Mr. Secretary, what is your move?"
The secretary rubbed his chin, evaluating different possible scenarios.
"Shi*. Alright, we need to move him, and we need to move him ASAP."
He finished his whiskey in one go. "Transfer him to LPI-Sugarland."
"Ten-Four Mr. Secretary."
"And agent."
The agent turned around to answer.
"Yes?"
"Lock him up tight."
The agent nodded and proceeded to exit the room.
TEXAS SYSTEM
- LPI HUNTSVILLE, CELL #666
[font=Palatino Linotype][color=#FFFFFF]"Get up you bastard."
[color=#FF0000]"Only for your mother."
The guard flings a punch hitting Logan directly in the face.
"What was the second one for?"
"For looking so stupid."
Semi-unconscious the four well-armoured guards drag him to the shuttle doors.
Five years without Liquid Cardamine is fatal for most people, the strong-willed become half-insane and physically weak. Logan's prime passed away a long time ago. He is almost like an empty shell, a shell that is about to crack wide open as well.
With a bit more shuffling, another punch and a leg-kick, Logan was finally pushed into the heavily-fortified vessel. Locked up tight, just like the secretary requested.
For some reason though, Logan couldn't help but grin. Like he knew something was going down. Real fast, real hard.
TEXAS SYSTEM
- HOUSTON-HUDSON TRADE-LANE CONNECTION
[font=Palatino Linotype][color=#FFFFFF]"Navigator to Board Control, we are initiating trade-lane sequence."
[color=#999999]"Copy that navigator, smooth sailing."
"Navigator to Board Control, trade-lane sequence has been disrupted, I repeat trade-lane sequence has been disrupted! We are sitting half-way to our destination, open space, over."
"Uh, navigator, the trade-lane systems are off-line, something hit 'em heard, give us a few minutes to launch the backup generators."
"This is Escort Wing-Leader Epsilon-5, we have detected anomalies closing in fast from the Hudson Side, over."
"Copy that Epsilon-5, dispatching Escort Wings 3 and 4 to check it out."
"Board Control, we are currently sitting on a stand-by mode until the trade-lanes are operational."
"Copy that navigator. Sit tight, those trade-lanes should be up in just a few minutes."
"This is Escort Wing-Leader Epsilon-5, Escort Wings 3 and 4 sitrep, over."
"Escort Wings 3 and 4 requesting sitrep, over."
"This is Escort Wing-Leader Epsilon-5, we have lost contact with Escort Wings 3 and 4."
"Shi*. Captain, do you think it's the MND strike?"
"Impossible. Their eyes were set on LPI-Huntsville, there is no damn way they could have anticipated a transfer of- Oh. My. God."
"Board Control, this is navigator. We are reading five hostiles on radar, do you copy!?"
"We copy, we need sixty more seconds before we can get those trade-lanes operational, you need to hold out."
"Dammit!"
"This is Escort Wing-Leader Epsilon-5, sending out all remaining forces to neutralize the threat, over."
"They will all die, there are too many of them!"
"Damn this was all a setup by the MND, they leaked that intel out to the LSF on purpose!"
"This is Escort Wing-Leader Epsilon-5, allied wings have been shot down, engine systems are reaching critical failure! Mayday! Ma-"
And so he grinned once more...
BRAUNSCHWEIG SYSTEM
- BATTLESHIP MOSELLE, DAY ONE
[font=Palatino Linotype][color=#33CC00]"Are you sure this will work?"
[color=#009900]"No guarantees can be made Admiral, but if he remains with us he could prove to be a very powerful asset inside Liberty territory."
"How will you know he won't betray us? His connections to the Outcasts are no secret. Not to mention his obvious cardamine addiction."
"He might just have been badly nurtured during his time in prison Admiral, there is no certainty that the lack of cardamine is the cause behind his physical deteriorations. You know how it is with these Libertonians."
"Look at him Captain, he is acting delirious as well. Moving around like that in bed, must be experiencing hell right now."
"Could just be a bad nightmare. Five years in an isolated cell can break any man."
"Why do you remain so keen on justifying his stay here Captain?"
"I apologies Admiral, I merely see a good opportunity. One that could be decisive for our operations behind enemy lines."
"You will have your chance Captain, but if you can't control him, he will be shot down."
"Verstanden Admiral."
BRAUNSCHWEIG SYSTEM
- BATTLESHIP MOSELLE, DAY TWO
[font=Palatino Linotype][color=#009900]"How is he doing doctor?"
[color=#FFFFFF]"Heart-rate is normal, pulse is stabilized, breathing is steady. Looks like he is recovering."
"Excellent. Now I need you to-"
"Captain, he is about to wake up!"
As soon as the Captain heard the words "wake up" he immediately rushed towards the bed to take a closer look at Logan.
"Ah."
His eyes scanned for any signs of regained consciousness.
"Herr Willows, allow me to introduce myself, my na-"
His presentation was suddenly interrupted by Logan's fist shutting his mouth up.
"Captain! Are you alright?!"
"Ze bastard punched me!"
"WHERE THE HELL AM I? WHO ARE YOU? YOU DON'T LOOK LIKE NO OUTCAST TO ME. YOU SOUND LIKE THE KANZLER'S BITCH!"
The female doctor suddenly panicked out of the room screaming for any nearby guards to come and restrain Logan.
"Calm down Logan, calm down."
"CALM DOWN? CALM DOWN?! WHAT AM I DOING HERE? I THOUGHT THE DOC- WHAT THE F IS GOING ON?!"
"Doctor get back in here, he is about to collapse!"
The doctor, who remained a bit frightened about the previous scene swiftly returned to the room by the Captain's request.
"Lift him back up to the bed. Quickly!"
"You said he was recovering."
"It makes no sense, all physical factors checks clear."
"Perhaps it was cardamine afterall."
The Captain muttered to himself.
"Sorry?"
"Nothing doctor. You can return to your quarters."
"Very well Captain."
BRAUNSCHWEIG SYSTEM
- BATTLESHIP MOSELLE, DAY THREE
[font=Palatino Linotype][color=#33CC00]"Mind explaining to me what happened yesterday, Captain?"
[color=#009900]"Admiral, you were right. He is addicted to cardamine. Although we have managed to receive a small supply of it from Kreuzberg Depot, it seems to have only minor effects."
"But you just said that he was addicted to cardamine, you are making no sense Captain."
"It seems the matter is more complicated Admiral."
"In what way?"
"Well. Thanks to my access to the MND Database, I have managed to retrieve some interesting pieces of information surrounding cardamine. As you are well aware, cardamine is in its standard form consumed by inhaling the substance.
However, there seems to be an alternative form of cardamine known as liquid cardamine. Besides being classified as extremely rare and highly lethal, we have no further information regarding this item, but research have concluded that subjects who have consumed liquid cardamine have either been killed or addicted to that substance and only that substance. This meaning that the more common or standard variation of cardamine becomes obsolete to the addicted individual."
"Are you suggesting that this man is not addicted to cardamine, but liquid cardamine?"
"It seems highly probable given the diminished effects of standard cardamine, yes."
"Given these facts, wouldn't you think the best course of action would be to simply end his life now before he becomes a problem?"
"Admiral, with all due respect, we must pursue a way to procure this item before we decide to throw away a valuable asset."
"Potential valuable asset mind you, and I will give you 48 hours Captain, if you cannot find the solution before that time has passed, then we will end this experiment of yours immediately."
"Verstanden, Admiral."
BRAUNSCHWEIG SYSTEM
- BATTLESHIP MOSELLE, DAY FOUR
[font=Palatino Linotype][color=#009900]"Wake up Logan."
[color=#FF0000]"You again!"
"I hope we can have a conversation that doesn't include fists being thrown this time."
"Well that depends on the next ten seconds. Who the hell are you?"
"My name is Klaus Hauser, I'm the Captain of a small taskforce known as the Jaegers."
"My name is Logan. I like long walks on the beach, I love chocolate-vanilla icecream and my dog's name is bla-bla. Kinda similar to what you just told me."
"Indeed. Very well, I will get to the point. We fight for Rheinland, and we go behind enemy-lines in Liberty territory, shake up traders who support their local markets. Commercial raiding."
"A-ha. Now that sounds sweet and all but what exactly does this have to do with me?"
"Simple. You know Liberty. You were an ex-Liberty Navy pilot, and you have recently been working for the Outcasts. You know the patrol routes, trade-lane networks, underground jumphole passages..."
"Oh I see, you want me to go help your strudel-ass is that it?"
"Yes."
"And why do you think I will help you exactly? Now sure, I might have some problems with Liberty, the Navy in particular, and hell I love to go smoke every boyscout they send at me, but that doesn't mean I'm suddenly best buddies with you fellas. Last time I recall, I used to fight you bastards on the front-lines."
"Well. We saved you from rotting like a piece of sad meat in LPI-Huntsville. If you don't like returning favours, fine, but if you want to live, you will cooperate because else, you will never get that liquid cardamine your body so desperately needs. Yes that's right, we know all about it."
"No juice, no go yeah? Heh. You have a point."
"And don't even think for a second that you can simply walk away with a Wraith the moment we turn our backs only to run away to your Outcast friends. You will be armored up in a protection gear with special modifications. To put it simply, if you try to run, that thing will tear all your inner organs apart into a bloody mess."
"And they say Outcasts are inhuman."
"Security measures Mr. Willows."
"Right, we need to clear up two things here. First, how the hell are you going to get a hold of liquid cardamine and secondly, if you call me Mr. Willows one more time I'm going to show you a bloody mess."
"Right then... Logan. We have indeed a problem with acquiring liquid cardamine, perhaps I should contact the Junkers at Kreuz-"
"No, no, no! Man, you are talking about liquid cardamine. Not some street-alley whore they picked up from New Berlin. Junkers don't got shi* on liquid cardamine. If you want to get that stuff, there is only one man I know, The Doc."
"So this was the person you were calling out for during your shouting."
"What?"
"Nevermind. So how do we get a hold of 'The Doc'?"
"You leave that to me."
"Alright, but you will stay on this Battleship, no matter what. If needed, we will send one of our own men to pickup whatever he wish to send our way. Don't try anything stupid now."
"Geez, relax Captain Hardass, am I supposed to help your gang of losers or not?"
"Just get it done with."
"In the meantime, how about you do your duty and get me some whiskey."
"Yeah, yeah I will show you some whiskey alright."
"What was that?"
"Nothing Logan, consider it done."