The US-Opportunity - A Biography

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Jacked (incident reference Argo)

With the all clear given at the Creek and the Navy Gunboat departed, the Serpentis could resume their operations. As the loading commenced, Jimmy came aboard the ship, his ordeal of paranoia over. The cards had been played. The time he needed to complete Oyster Creek, it appeared, had been bought.

The vessel itself was in stark contrast to the scrubbed inside of the station. Heavily tattooed with Alliance insignia, large duct tape roll etchings and personal markings of Xeno pilots shrouded by a thick yellow waste plasma cocktail, the former Stork had become a symbol of the rising Xeno influence within Liberty. Jimmy looked forward to doing the same to the Oyster Creek installation itself, as he believed that the facility would never have need to allow their enemies aboard again.

He mulled these things over as the last of the pods was clamped into place, a veritable fortune of scrap attached to the usurped train. Docking control on Refugio would be most pleased to see him again. Then he got word from Harold, everything was ready. Time to go.

Moving through the Negra to the jumphole, Jimmy reflected on how well things had gone. The base was intact, Deidre had played her part perfectly. He had promised to bring her something from home, but was at a loss as to what. He still hadn't decided as the vessel lurched through the jumphole into California system.

A contact on the scope. A Pelican transport. No obvious markings, probably a cardamine smuggler. With no weapons and no sheilds, Jimmy could only hope that patrols would catch him before he made his destination.

Then something unexpected happened. The vessel turned in a lazy loop and fired a cruise disruptor, blocking the flow of ions through the intake. The engines suffocated, stalled, and then promptly died.

Jimmy was livid. Who did this guy think he was? Emblazoned across the hull was a word - "Argo". He racked his brains, searching for a clue as to who this might be, but came up with nothing. The only clue was a Freelancer transponder code.

The exchange between captains of the vessels soon gleaned new information. This guy, a mister Antares, was not liking the obviously Xeno-ish ship. Then he found out why. His lot was in with the Junker Congress, Jimmy was told matter-of-factly. According to this guy, the scrap was their property. It didn't help that they also had an open hit out on Xeno Alliance ships.

Junkers. Jimmy almost threw up at the thought of what was happening. That was Liberty's scrap, and those Congress that were now locked in a legal battle with the Liberty Government about their legitimacy, those dirty Junkers were hauling this same scrap toward the likes of Outcasts and bringing back damaging drugs. Liberty's enemies.

The Pelican was only lightly armed, but even the small amount of turrets it could bring to bear would shred the ship in minutes. He wanted the pods. With no weapons, shields, or even escape pods, breaking this down into a melee spelt certain death. Jimmy's blood began to boil. But he could do nothing.

Releasing the clamps, Harold could hear Jimmy muttering to himself "Captain Antares, Argo, Pelican. Captain Antares, Argo, Pelican."

True to his word, he allowed the now unladen Stork passage, with millions in scrap floating away. No doubt Antares would take his fill and likely call in Congress transports for the rest. Jimmy watched in silent fury as the scrap his people had toiled over was taken from them. He logged the event in the ships computer, as he was sure Captain Antares had done. Soon every Junker would know Xeno activity was on the up.

"Change of plan. Chart a course for Ouray. We could use the time to gather more pilots, and see if some will come back with us. The Congress are gonna wish they had never messed with the Xeno Alliance."