The city of New Hope, the new colonial capital, and a new chance for the colonial nation... at least that's what was written on the propaganda posters on the city walls. In reality, the city wasn't actually a city in the first place. A few small buildings resembling ancient structures of Earth, not taller than 20 meters since the air at 30 meters is toxic, some dirty streets patrolled from time to time by armed guards dressed accordingly to the frozen weather. This is the image of the New Hope of the colonials. The real city was underground. The complex was planed to go deep, 50 levels to be precise; each floor measuring 20 meters high and 10 square kilometers wide.
Of this ambitious project only the first two levels were complete. The colonial population was living and working in crowded spaces. The frozen world above was too hostile for them. Work on level Three started four months ago but encountered difficulties right at the start. A gas pocket exploded when the excavation started. Three workers were killed and two were injured. One of the injured returned to work...
- Hey, Snow, glad you're back in once piece! Now get to work and make some money. You still have a debt to pay... ha ha ha!
- Relax, Parker, you'll get your money... someday. It's only 1000 credits after all.
- Only...
- Yeah, yeah, cut the chatter and get back to work, Parker! Bennet, come here! Snow, you'll be working with Jack Bennet at the main corridor. Gear up! The locker room is over there.
- Danno Snow! Oh man, seems like you cheated death. Glad you're alright. Ready to get back in this?
The two workers hopped in two Colonial Excavation ExoSuit (CEES) and headed to the excavation area.
There are 1896 colonials working at the excavation at this moment. The area is too small to get all the workers there. Normally there were over 6000 workers on a level and they were working on three levels in close succession. In two days they were going to start excavations for the forth level and two months after that the fifth level was planned to start. Of course, things were never working as planned. It was demonstrated.
~ * * ~
Omicron 74 system
Livadia Shipyard
Capital docks
Everybody in the shipbuilding domain heard rumors or even seen the Leviathan class dreadnought called Persephone. Most of the people didn't think that they will see a second ship like that but they were wrong. Human minds managed to replicate. It's not a perfect copy, that's true but it can be called the child of that wonder and human built "Juggernaut". They called it "Nephilim" and it's been in production for quite a while but it still is a beautiful sight in the docks of Livadia.
This one is called Starlight and it's about to receive its commanding officer, Stella Arch. No ceremony, no fireworks, no champagne, only a nice little speech from the woman that will ensure that this ship stays alive long enough in a war thorn Sirius.
- Libertonians, Rheinlanders, Kusarians, Gauls, Bretonians, Colonials, Outcasts, Corsairs, Hunters, Mercs and everyone else that was chosen to be part of my crew, people, humans, my brothers... welcome! We are about to begin an adventure, for some of us, this is the start of a new life, for others, this is a new chance, for many of us, this is the chance to learn, study and understand many questions that were asked long ago. From now on we are trully free! All aboard, people! We're leaving in thirty minutes.
As any real zoner, Stella was not going to answer to anyone but she was going to help anyone she would see fit. You will ask yourself who would invest an astronomical sum of money and resources in a ship that could go rogue at any time? And the answer to that question is: a regional director of IMG that made billions from mining operations - her father; an agent of the Order society that blackmailed the right people - her mother; a zoner that got rich over night after a couple of contraband runs - herself; a mercenary pilot that transferred all his earning to Stella's account just seconds before he died (rumors say he was hired to kill her but he felt in love). Sum up all these millions and you'll see that this ship could have been multiplied 2 more times to spend all the credits. Now let's get back to the story.
After three days, the Starlight was still in Omicron 74, completing all the formalities and tests. Stella Arch was in her apartment while the biodome shields were being tested.
- This is so damn boring... Let's see; I've been to the biodomes, the living quarters, the markets, the cargo bay and the depots, the school, the medical center, the... hey! I haven't checked the hangar.
In five minutes, she was in the hangar bay. An old concept was adopted by Stella to ensure fast travel around the ship: turbolifts. Using her portable TDCC (Transmission Device Closed Circuit), she announced her arrival in the hangar:
- Pilots, this is Stella Arch, please carry on with your duties. I'll be supervising your activities as long as the damn boring tests are continuing.
After that, a young, good looking girl, Erisian by the clothes she was wearing, approached:
- Praise Eris, ma'am!
- Praise Eris, child!
- I've been waiting for a chance to meet you to thank you for this opportunity.
- You're welcome. What's your name?
- I'm called Tel'Chi, madam.
- Cut the formalities. Call me Stella. What's your job here?
- I'm a fighter pilot. You see the yellow one? That's mine!
- A yellow Marauder? Yes, of course, I remember you. I've seen some videos with your combat tactics. You're good. I'd love to meet see you in the simulator. It would be a good training for me rusty fighter skills.
- Seems we have some time, don't we?
- I guess so. Those tests are taking forever. Lead the way, pilot!
- Yes, madam!
~ * * * ~
Munich System
Sector C5
Rheinland lost some serious ground in the war against Liberty. With this in mind, the unlawful groups are even more dangerous for the common civilian. A problem to your propulsion system can be fatal if your ship is drifting towards hostile space. Of course, being assisted by a wing of law enforcers should be enough to scare off the birds of prey... usually. Something like this happened in Munich. The crew of a transport ship called for immediate extraction when they failed to put down a fire that started in their reactor core. The ship started drifting and headed towards the Schwarzwald Cloud. Soon, a wing of Rheinland Federal Police ships appeared. It was formed of two Phantoms, a Falcon and a Ragnar freighter. The first three ships secured a twenty cliks perimeter while the Ragnar evacuated the crew of the transport. All things went good till not less than ten red contacts appeared on their scanners. The commander of the RFP wing was Jan Hass, flying the Falcon. His first reaction was... none. He was stunned.
- Was ist... das?
- Commander, what should we do?
- Retreat! Cover the Ragnar. To Augsburg, schnell!
The Ragnar was not fast enough and soon, a cruise disruptor hit its engines. Hass ordered the fighters to engage the hostiles hoping that the freighter will have time to repair. This was pointless when a torpedo hit the small freighter and sent its crew and the transport survivors to Valhalla. Hass managed to take down an enemy fighter but suddenly he remained the only one alive, with his ship badly damaged. The hostiles retreated and gave him time to recover and use the nanobots he had. He received the request for a video transmission.
- Commander, your bravery saved your life today.
- Who are you? What's your identification? I've never seen so many hostile ships so deep in Rheinland space.
- I am Gratia Saalbach and my affiliation is not of your concern at this time. Hmm... I was right to use the video transmission. Even with a helmet, you are good looking. Take care of your sweet face and maybe we'll meet again... oh and, don't follow me.
- Wh... so that's it? You're gonna let me live because I'm good looking? You killed all my men, you sadistic bitch!
- Don't make me come back there and finish the job, commander!
~ * * * * ~
Newcastle System
Belfast Production Facility
Detention cell 14C
A bretonian armed forces officer being captured by the mollys is not a rare sight these days. This is exactly what happened to commander Amanda Scott of the Bretonian Armed Forces. Her gunboat was attacked and her crew captured or killed in the battle. She has been taken to Belfast for interrogation, probably.
- Their commander is a woman... you know what will happen to her, right?
- Ay! I love interrogatin' women! It includes sex and that's... nice 'specially since I haven't left this station in th'ee months, mate. The hookers in here are too common for me already!
- You know that the brits have royal asses in their command structures. Maybe she's a princess or somethin'. I'll think that I'm hitting a princess...
- Wait... what if she tells us everythin' we wanna know?
- Hah, it doesn't matter! We still rape her and then we use her information to kill some more brits. I don't think she knows much anyway. She's just a gunboat commander.
- Unless she really is a princess! Ah ha ha ha...
The problem with these two fine gentlemen was that they weren't alone when they were planning this. Jane McNamara, a simple woman, a sound technician that was working on Belfast heard their discussion and decided to do something about it. She went to the cell block and told the guards that she's checking the loudspeakers. When they weren't paying any attention, she killed them both and freed the prisoner...
- They were goin' to rape you. I heard them... I can't permit this. I can get you out o'ere. Follow me!
- Thank you!
- The hangar has some ships all the time. Can you fly?
- Yes.
- Good, we must steal one of the ships and fly away. You're not a princess, are you?
- What? No...
- O'aight! There, that ship. Follow me!
- You're just gonna walk in plain view?
- Aha, and so are you. Your uniform is dirty and they will not see it as an armed forces one. Besides, many of our pilots wear uniforms. Let's go!
The two women managed to get out of Belfast, without raising any suspicions. Because Jane was known as a Molly in the BAF database, they decided to fly to Coronado and split on the Barrier Gate Station but crossing Bretonia in a pirate ship wasn't easy after all. They encountered a bounty hunter and Amanda had to fight him, even if she didn't want to. Blowing her cover would have ended with Jane as a prisoner of the Kingdom.
~ * * * * * ~
Alaska System
Revolt on a LSF Prison Liner. The commanding officer is suspected of being infected and shot dead by his second in command, a young and promising agent by the name Helen Den. Now in command, the young libertonian decides to follow her instincts and turns the ship towards nomad space, hoping to find Order operatives. The liner is filled with order prisoners and returning them should be seen as an act of good faith... or at least that's what she was thinking before meeting a recon cruiser that opened fire. Now, with the ship in flames, Helen surrenders without asking for anything in exchange.
In the interrogation room, a woman is already waiting for her. She's the commander of the Recon cruiser, Rachel Ownes.
- So, Helen Den, you're not infected, your commanding officer wasn't infected either. Why did you kill him?
- He was infected and he infected others as well.
- Is that so? Our scans indicated no alien infection.
- Who said anything about alien infection? He had AIDS and he knew about it but he infected others, one of them being my older sister and she died. When I enrolled I knew nothing about this but fate helped me and I got in his crew, went up the ranks because I'm capable, more capable than him. And I discovered a medical record of his, made by a private clinic. His superiors also knew about this but they did nothing because he probably had them at hand with something. Blackmailing is the new trend in Liberty. So I came to you and I didn't receive a very warm welcome!
- I will look into this. If your story confirms, you'll be welcome properly; if not, you get a one way ticket to my airlock.
- Take your time; I'm not going anywhere.
After an hour, a guard lets Helen out of her cell and takes her to the command deck. Commander Owens approaches and shakes her hand.
- I never thank you for helping our agents escape. You are free to go.
- Thank you. Is there any empty position on your ship?
- I like your direct way of negotiation and the fact that you're stubborn. I lost a fighter pilot a few days ago. he was killed by nomad fighters. I still have a ship with no pilot. It's yours if you want it.
- Alright.
- Good, go to the hangar and meet the crew there. They're your new family from now on.
- Perfect. Thank you!
~ * * * * * * ~
Pennsylvania System
Bethlehem Station
Sunshine Bar
A kusarian woman sits at a table and drinks a glass of Bear Beer, a local brand of beer. She's alone and a man notices her. He decides to make his move.
- I can't believe that a fine looking woman such as yourself is alone in a place like this. Please, allow me to buy your next round.
- Thanks.
- So, what's your story?
- If I tell you, I'll have to kill you.
- Whoa... but really, what's your story?
- Well, it all started when I ran from Kusari with the Kusari State Police on my back. I got to Liberty, changed identity and went to Bretonia. from there, I went to the Corsairs and offered my services as a spy. I returned to Bretonia and blackmailed some lord there telling him I'll give intel to the Corsairs if he doesn't pay me. Then I went to the Corsairs and told them the same. Both factions paid me but figured it was fraud so now I'm wanted in bretonia and in Corsair territories. I'm also a wanted fugitive in Kusari and Liberty for murder. So next stop was Rheinland. There, I made a deal with the Unioners and gave them intel on a LSF mission in Munich. I took some money from them and then killed one of them that tried to rob me. So the Unioners are not so friendly anymore.
- Wow, that's quite a story... how about we go to my room and I'll tell you mine.
- Perfect. let's go. Pay the beers.
The stranger takes the woman to his apartment and starts kissing and making out with her. She seems willingly. They end up in bed...
- You know, this is all nice but as I said in the bar, knowing my story equals death.
- Ha ha, I like your humor.
- Then you'll die with a smile on your face.
She swiftly grabs a knife from her clothes near the bed and stabs the poor guy. She then enters the shower and cleans herself up. When she exits, another kusarian woman is waiting on the bed, near the body of the man.
- I see you've been busy, Shimata. This is the end of the road for you, you crazy bitch. Kusari is about to get you.
- So, Wu, you think you can stop me?
- I stopped your Chrysanthemums, haven't I? Why should you be any different?
- You'll see why.
The two women start fighting and give a very nice martial arts show. The apartment is devastated in their fight and being of equal skill, none is victorious. Security personnel is alarmed and the two fighters have to break combat and disappear.
~ * * * * * * * ~
Languedoc System
Around Limoux Base
Osanne Paol is the leader of a Gallic Royal Navy strike wing. Their task is to inflict as much damage as possible to the Limoux Base and surrounding hostile installation. The wing is composed of several bombers and many very heavy fighters. The battle has started and for the moment, the Maquis have been taken by surprise and are sustaining many casualties. Seeing that the situation is getting worse every minute, the base commander orders his top fighters to launch! Ariane is leading the defenders. The balance is established on the battlefield. The battle lasts for several hours when the GRN forces decide to retreat with minimal casualties but major equipment damage.
- Impressive skills you got there, Ariane. You won't escape next time!
- You got me in disadvantage here, cherrie! Who are you?
- Osanne Paol, leader of the wing that kicked your Maquis ass.
- I lost ten fighters in three hours. Not bad for a bunch of low skilled Maquis, don't you think?
- I lost five... see the difference?
- Oh la la... we're getting better and better. Five of your very well trained professional fighters being killed by a bunch of dirty terrorists. That will look bad on your daily report. Have no fear I'll make others look worse when I'll attack some convoys.
Ariane docks on the station and starts planning a counter attack against a royalist convoy that was supposed to go to the sirian front line the next week. Meanwhile, Osanne went back to debriefing and asked to lead the next convoy because she had intel that it will be attacked...
Work on the level Three was stopped yet again but this time it wasn't an accident or the nature that denied the advance of the project. The workers were in strike. Snow and Bennet were not taking part to the manifestations but decided to meet in their new "free" day and discuss with a couple of beers in front of them.
- Any plans for the near future? asked Bennet.
- To be honest I'm thinking of leaving this planet and return to space.
- Yeah, I've been thinking the same thing but then I realized that I never left the planet on my own will. I mean... I wouldn't know how to deal with space problems, you know?
- Well, you can do a few things that could be done in space, as well...
- Like what? I can use a CEES to dig tunnels in space?
- No, but you can dig tunnels in an asteroid or even more fun and well paid dig a tunnel into a mine field, heh...
- Yeah, right.
- No, I'm serious. I heard of a guy that did that and made a fortune. Of course, it's not really digging tunnels. More like removing a mine or two from the vicinity of an asteroid or something.
- You need military training for that.
- Military my ass... you need to know how circuits work. The old mines are not very complex.
- Well, I did install some wires in my life.
- See, told ya...
Suddenly, both workers receive a message on their mobile comm devices. Bennet ignores it but Snow takes out his mobile and reads it.
- Nope, not spam. Well, it's actually interesting. Read it.
The message was from an army colonel that was calling a revolt against the current leadership of the Republic.
- Nice timing, said Bennet with a grin on his face.
- Yup...
The message was:
Citizens of the Republic,
I am not sure if you have heard of me, but at least the Colonial soldiers should remember my name. We have fought against the Republics enemies together for a long time. We have fought against the Bretonians, we have fought against the Maltese, we have fought against the Rheinlanders, we have fought against the Gallics and everyone that attempted to harm out Republic in any way, we have always fought for our freedom.
At least it was that way until President Diocletian had been murdered by the former Admiralty. Soon after the chaos that his death had left behind a new government was formed, but dear citizens of our glorious Republic, have you elected this government that speaks for you these days, this government that voices its opinion as if it was yours?
Does this government speak for you? I doubt it.
Many of you might remember Colonel Diocletian for his cruel actions and many of you might remember him for his style of running the Republic like a tyrant. But you were the ones that gave all this power to him, he did everything he did in your favor. He was the one that was responsible for the evacuation to Coronado, the very action that saved the life of nearly everyone in the Republic.
Now look at your new government, it has not been elected, so it does not act in the way you have chosen for the Republic. This new government is what I call a tyrannis.
I have chosen to fight it, because I have chosen to fight for your freedom my dear brethren. Many of you will remember the Colonial Freedom Front, we had orders to terminate these terrorists back then, but now I do understand why they acted this way, why they acted against the Republic. They had to do this in order to save us from ourselves and they were, at least to a limited extent, successful.
Those of you, that wish to join my fight against this government are more then welcome to aid me. I do not aim to harm anyone that does not assist me, my Colonial brethren. But I will do so, should you decide to step into my way. Do not follow your orders blindly you brave Colonial soldiers, you would regret it.
This government of lies will burn.
Sic semper tyrannis.
-Colonel Myers"
- Well, he is right about some things but overall, I'd say that he's a dumbass. He's defending Diocletian after that idiot started as many wars as possible... Nah, a lunatic and nothing more. This goes to my spam folder.
- Mine goes to the trash one, said Snow.
An alarm starts on their level. The two men get outside the bar they were in and see people running in one direction. Snow stops one of them and asks what was going on.
- Someone set fire to a local governmental building. The workers that were on strike were attacked by the law enforcers because it is believed that they did it. People are fighting for the workers. It's a total mess over there... Follow me! Let's help them!
- No, thanks.
- Snow! Now's our chance. We go to the surface and steal a ship. We make our debut in space. You know how to fly, right?
- Are you... man, you're serious about this.
- Aha.
- Fine... let's go to New Hope West. The civilian spaceport. Not so well guarded like the other one. I suspect a mess is there as well.
The two head straight to the elevators that take them to the surface in a few seconds. On the radio, they hear that the revolt has been defeated and arrests have been made. Access in and out of level three has been restricted as investigations are underway. The spaceport is crowded with people that want to leave the planet, mainly businessmen and traders. Snow shows Bennet a Celestra transport:
- That baby is ready to go.
- It's big. Can you fly it?
- Well, it's a new model for me but I think they kept their controls style. It wasn't changed to much since Crayter was left behind.
- Let's go!
Right when they were about to sneak in the ship unseen, a small freighter makes a crush landing near the spaceport. Emergency crews rush to the site of the crush and Snow decides to move to the Celestra now as it's a good opportunity. The ship takes off with Snow and Bennet as its only passengers.
The airlock was now pressurized; the junction between Starlight and Freeport 9 was complete. Stella Arch was explaining to the crew the mission they had.
- You already know that I will assign missions from time to time. Today we start with something easy. A milkrun. A friend of mine is at Freeport 11, waiting for his crew. It appears that his crew was left on the Nine by the transport company... I always told him not to make deals with house corporations. Anyway, we will be taking his men and a few others to Freeport 11. Please make sure that we have all system in perfect operation capacity because we will be entering systems with possible nomad presence! Alright, that's all I have for you right now. Begin the loading procedures!
In one hour, all passengers were on board and Starlight began its journey to Omicron Delta. The route was simple; returning to Omicron 74, the jumping to Omicron Kappa, passing Gammu and arriving to Omicron Delta. The last two systems were considered dangerous as nomads could be seen attacking human ships from time to time. After successfully jumping to omicron Delta, a fire alarm was activated on the Starlight. Emergency crews were dispatched...
- Team 1, captain Arch is requesting a status report! Team 1, please respond! Team 1, do you copy? Team 2, proceed to sectors 58 and 59. We lost communication with the other team.
- This is Don from Team 2. There's fire everywhere and the access doors to the entire Block 5 are blocked from the inside. It must be the fire that damaged the controls.
- Roger that, Team 2. Please stand by. Captain...
- Yea, I heard him... Scramble two fighters. I want to see how bad it looks from the outside.
...
- This is Tel'Chi, ma'am. This doesn't look too good. The fire was clearly triggered by an explosion. Sector 59 is compromised but the fire appears to be contained just to that sector. The others seem in good order... I propose we send a team from the outside once the fire is out.
- I can't risk having a team outside in this system.
The conversation is cut short when the ship trembles again and another alarm is triggered. This time power is cut down in the entire ship. Emergency reactors kick in.
- What the hell... that was the main reactor! I want communications back up ASAP!
- Comms are back online, captain!
- Tel'Chi, what the hell was that?
- That was another explosion... this time near the reactor core. The engines are dead. We're sitting ducks, ma'am.
- That's it. Get me that guy, Don from Emergency Team 2.
- I hear you, captain.
- Meet me at the reactor core.
- Understood.
- Scramble all fighters. I want to establish a 15K perimeter around the Starlight. If anything red appears on scanners, you report back.
The reactor core was in sector 199 but access was also blocked by the malfunctioning doors.
- Alright, Don, have you tried a manual approach?
- Yes. We tried everything. Overriding the system did nothing, using the manual valves, didn't help either. We're out of...
- Captain Arch! One of our fighters reported a group of nomads getting in scanners range.
- Damn it! Send all our fighters to intercept them. Alright, chief! Let's make a hole. Bring some explosives.
The station speakers started operating.
"People on board of the Starlight! This is the Voice of Freedom! You will be part of our greatest achievement. You've received the honor of being present at this historical moment, the moment when the Voice of Freedom will have it's own operation station!"
- What the hell? Command Center, is that live?
- Yes, captain.
- Trace it.
- It's coming from sector 199. Madam, one more thing... we lost a fighter already.
- Tell our pilots to lure the nomads close to our ship and open fire with all weapons except flaks! It won't be much of a help since the weapons systems are also running on secondary generators but it's better than nothing. Tel'Chi, do you copy?
- Yes.
- We'll use your plan but you will be the one that enters the ship from the outside. Hurry up back to the ship.
- Roger.
- Chief, those explosives. Mount them on that door. Have your weapons ready. We need to fight the terrorists and give Tel'Chi free space in order to activate the reactor.
- What if its already destroyed.
- It's not. Those idiots wanted the ship for themselves and blowing up the reactor would only give them a sitting duck in nomad territory. They probably deactivated it in some way.
"The Voice of Freedom is watching you, captain Stella Arch. What do you think you'll find after you blow up that door? Only death is on the other side. You better stay out!"
- Do you really think that you can steal a ship such as this? You idiot! Nomads are attacking us as we speak!
"You're bluffing, captain! My scanner doesn't show anything. Stop bluffing or I'll blow the entire ship to pieces! Oh yeah, that's right, I have mounted explosives all over the ship since I joined the team on Nine."
- Command Center, identify this idiot. Compare the files of the people that joined us on Nine. And scan the entire ship for explosives.
- Affirmative.
- Tel'Chi?
- I'm in.
- Change of plans....
A third generation battlecruiser is leaving the docks. On its side stays written LNS-Miami. After a long break, the ship is being brought back to action by Marcus Walker, a middle age captain in the Liberty Navy Secondary Fleet. The mission for next 3 months will be to patrol and defend the inner systems of Liberty.
Communication officer, Michael Reel decided to keep a private log about the ship, its crew and their missions.
<<Entry 1 | 13:04 | May 08
We left Norfolk an hour ago and we're already heading to the Texas jump gate. We received reports of a hostile ship in that area. We might even see the first battle after the repairs.>>
<<Entry 2 | 14:18 | May 08
We found it. Liberty Gunship with wrong identification papers. Its crew was arrested and it appears they're the nephews of some admirals. The ship was towed back to Norfolk. Another report about hostile activity around Texas jump gate. We're heading back there.>>
<<Entry 3 | 17:02 | May 08
The ship is in flames. We got fires and multiple levels emergency generators are not responding. It's a God damn Rheinland cruiser with two bomber escorts. We're trying to retreat but the engines are being disrupted. We managed to cripple their cruiser but the bombers are intact. If we don't get help this will be the shortest log ever made!>>
<<Entry 4 | 19:38 | May 08
We made it back to Norfolk. Another battlecruiser entered the fight and gave us time to retreat. What the hell was a Rheinland Cruiser doing in New York? Norfolk is not safe for us. We're being sent to Colorado for repairs.>>
![[Image: ZZ0gBOD.png]](https://i.imgur.com/ZZ0gBOD.png)