MIA: Lt Gunnar Goderich of RM and devotee of St Ulrich

[ProwlerPC]

In the files of St Ulrich's Hardcopy Dataarchive

Profile

Name: Gunnar Goderich
Occupation: Lieutenant, Rheinland Military
Date of Birth: 785 AS
Origin: Planet Hamburg
Height: 6' 4"
Weight: 225 lb
Sex: Male
Status: MIA (last known location: Dresden System, 816 AS)

Background

Born in 785 AS , as the son of the engineer Garret Goderich and the late Matilda Goderich, Gunnar Goderich's first years of life as a child was as any proud Rheinland parent could hope for their son to have. Despite the financial hurdles many Rheinland families face, the Goderich family prospered quite well in Hamburg, thanks to Garret Goderich's expertise in engineering, and years experience working on Alster Shipyard. Gunnar not only enjoyed a life in a good home but he also was fortunate to be enrolled in Hamburg's best academy of learning and more importantly was indoctrinated early into the teachings of the Church of the Green Eagle. The ideal beginnings for a Rheinlander in those days, but at the age of twelve a family crisis pulls Gunnar away from his ideal life.

In 797 AS Matilda Goderich was on board a Republican train headed for the Alster Shipyard to meet her workaholic husband when it was attacked by a Unioner strike group from the Alsterfeld. Unfortunately there were no survivors. While this loss hurt Gunnar deeply, it was too much for his father, Garret to bear. With his wife no longer at his side Garret decided to accept the invitation to represent Rheinland in the inter-space organization known as AP Manufacturing based in a remote location in the Omegas. Gunnar had little choice and soon he was with his father heading out to the home of the Bounty Hunter Guild where his father was contracted to build engines and power plants.

For the next five years Gunnar spent his adolescence with his father under the umbrella of the BHG. Thanks to his father it wasnt all boredom for the restless boy. Gunnar got to test pilot many of the ships AP manufacturing built in the final stages of their production. During these tests, Gunnar was asked to push the ships to their limits in speed and turning. He developed exceptional piloting skills as a result. Coupled with the teachings he grew up with in the Church of the Green Eagle this only made the young man even more restless.

In 802 AS at the age of 17, despite his fathers pleas, Gunnar left the Omegas and went back to Rheinland to return to the embrace of his faith at St Ulrich and also to join the ranks of the RM so he can put his new piloting skills to use in the name of the Holy Kanzler. With his piety and abilities in a cockpit, Gunnar was able to make a reputation for himself amongst his peers. Over a period of 14 years, Gunnar achieved medals in the military as one of their ace pilots and acquired the rank of Lieutenant in command of his own wing. Never leaving his beliefs, he also became sworn into the clergy of St. Ulrich and his zeal on the battlefield had struck at the hearts of the enemies of his Holy Kanzler. Life was ideal again, he had purpose, he had faith and he still had his proud father whom he visited regularly on his shore leaves.

It was on a return flight from one of these visits in Dresden System, near the end of 816 AS, in which Gunnar disappeared. It was on that flight that fate decided to play a cruel joke..

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Dreden System, 816 AS

Like ominous birds of prey a squadron of Rheinland Military ships consisting three wings comprised of Phantoms, Valkyries, and Wraiths were silently assembled in the Shwefelnebel. These werent the typical Rheinland Military one would expect made more poignant by the presence of a rarely seen Scorpion Gunboat nearby.

***<a Rheinland Bergelmir exits from jump hole> The -human- is in Dresden in the nebula of their -Leipzig-.<Three wings of RM ships poised at trade lane in Kruger Lavafeld> Intercept.***

In unison all the RM ships left the Scorpion Gunboat in the direction of the trade lane between the Pirna Outpost and Bautzen Station.

Meanwhile

Lt. Gunnar Goderich had just come out of the jump hole from Omega 15 and switched to the Battleship Altenburgs comm. frequency before entering the Daumann Lavafeld.

Guten Tag Battleship Altenburg, this is Lieutenant Goderich. Ive just returned from my shore leave and am passing through Dresden to resume my post at Battleship Karlsruhe in the Stuttgart System . If any of the Dresden forces need my assistance while Im passing through Ill be at your disposal.

Guten tag Lieutenant, came the response over his comms, this is Battleship Altenburg, we have your projected path on our systems. Reports have shown no activity in this system, you may pass through. Welcome home.

With that Gunnar continued his flight through. Letting the auto-pilot do most of the work, Gunnar relaxed and smiled to himself as he thought about his father..

~~~

Aha! Come here my son! bellowed the large man, who despite a large mid-section was in great shape for his advancing age, Let this old dog have a better look at you

Gunnar stepped forward towards his father in the Rostock docking bay. He was still impressed, as he neared closer, at the physical stature his father maintained. Gunnar himself was a large man but any onlookers in that bay would have said differently seeing the two men standing before one another.

Look at you! beamed his father as he looked at his sons uniform and merits, I cant tell you how proud I am of you. To think that fourteen years ago I was so worried and didnt want you to enlist. But now look at you, a real man!

Gunnar smiled as he always smiled when his father performed this routine each visit. He couldnt blame him, after all with his mother gone he was the only thing his fa.

~~~

Trade lane disrupted. squawked his alarm, snapping Gunnar out of his daydream as his ship slowed suddenly to impulse.

What is this? muttered Gunnar as he noticed a wing of RM ships blocking the next lane. He switched to the local channel, this is Lieutenant Goderich returning to my post with the Battleship Karlsruhe. I received a transmission from Battleship Altenburg that I was clear to pass through.

***<A Bergelmir in the Schwefelnebel surrounded by the squadron and Scorpion> Bring him. <-human- being possessed by a Nomad> Hell do.***

Nein, Herr Goderich, we are in need of your assistance, came the reply on his comms, please follow us.

Having just been told by Altenburg that there was no activity currently underway in Dresden, Gunnar was suspicious. Protocol dictates that the squadron working for mission control must include the new ship into the groups comms. channel as its blocked the other way around. Gunnar sent a the digital request to their ships to achieve a group comms. channel nonetheless. They joined his comms. channel!

Gunnar rocked back in his pilot chair. They were not linked to the mission control of Altenburg nor anywhere for that matter. This was unusual, sure at the border to Liberty where the war is happening sudden changes in protocol will happen as field commanders adapt to the enemy, but here and with no hostiles in sight. Gunnar became suspicious that this group wasnt operating under command at the moment. He sighed. Yes times have been hard but hes heard a story or two of military personnel doing odd jobs on the side. The idea of serving anyone but the Holy Kanzler never entered Gunnars mind.

I repeat this is Lieutenant Goderich of the Rheinland Military and sworn devotee of the Church of St. Ulrich, added Gunnar, feeling sure that if they were breaking command that they knew he was serious, What is the name and rank of the commanding officer of this wing? I am switching us to Battleship Altenburgs channel so that your commanding officer may provide a briefing on your mission to mission control as is protocol.

***<The Bergelmir racing to the Schwefelnebel with RM ships chasing close behind> Herd him here, disable ship systems. <flurry of images of the locations of systems on the Bergelmir> <a heavily disabled Bergelmir in the Schwefelnebel helpless before the Scorpion> Hell come this way***

Battleship Altenburg this is Lieuten..what the! suddenly the wing in front of him opened fire on the surprised Gunnar. He quickly spun his ship around to thruster to the lane behind him. Alert! Alert! I am under fire by rogue military ships, I repeat, I am under fire by rogue military ships at the lane south of Bautzen Sta.*

Gunnars comms went dead as his ship rocked from a missile explosion that came from the direction of the lane he was currently headed to. Another wing of ships were there blocking his path. A barrage of fire came his way to knock back down his returned shields forcing Gunnar to veer away. He headed in the direction of the systems star and hopefully closer to Altenburgs position. Another violent shake shuddered through his ship as the left pair of guns got blown off with the tip of his wing.

By the undying breath of the Kanzler, theres more! Gunnar shouted to himself as his ships radar picked up another wing blocking his route to Altenburg, Got to fight through this.

Gunnar spun his ship back to the closest wing and began his joust run. He was an ace with many ships downed, todays foes will find that out for themselves. Fearless, he flew straight in the direction of the oncoming wing, strafing to avoid most of their fire. Selecting his target he fired three bursts of his shield buster and quickly fired his cannon at the shieldless opponent destroying it in an instant.

***PAIN***

The expected shower of fire from the first squadron that was coming in on his flank didnt happen right away. Gunnar noticed that they momentarily broke formation when he destroyed their wing mate. He caught on! He fought alongside others in the battle against the infested Rheinlanders they later termed as Wilde. This looked grim.

Already his enemies had recovered and were concentrating on him, harrying him, and keeping him from reaching any of the stations in Dresden. Gunnar had an idea, during his time with the BHG he had learned of a limited number of jump holes from those hes befriended. He knew of the one in this system that lead to New Berlin System. It was his only hope but he wouldnt make it unless he got some distance between him and his attackers. Gritting his teeth, he killed his engines and rotated his ship for another joust.

Paying heavily for the manoeuvre, Gunnar was forced to watch as his shield systems got blown as well as his mine dropper. Shrugging it off with usual discipline he thrustered right in the direction of his enemies, strafing all the way. Same thing a few shots of his shield busters followed quickly with a well aimed cannon shot. This time he killed his engines just as he shot his cannon and rotated his ship as he passed through the wing and the fiery debris of the now destroyed ship.

***Pain***

Gunnar was already facing the direction of the jump hole as the Wilde in front of him broke formation again. As they were regaining their sense and turning to meet Gunnar, he had already thrustered right past them in the opposite direction and his cruise engines erupted to life as he made a run for the Schwefelnebel. As he hoped he was out of CD range by the time they turned around to chase him.

Screaming out of the Kruger Lavafeld, Gunnars Bergelmir unerringly headed to the anomaly in the nebula before him. Only 2K away his pursuers were doggedly on his path. Despite that Gunnar was feeling confidant, as he entered the Schwefelnebel, that hed make it to the jump hole and shake off his pursuers when he reached the NB System.

Incoming missile

Gunnar lurched forward as his ship jolted out of cruise.

No, no, no, no! yelled the surprised man, what is there now!

But no sooner than when he had fallen out of cruise and exclaimed his surprise when a swarm of missiles sped out of the clouds an lit up his ship with explosions. Engines, guns, countermeasures all lost in an instant on the already shield less Bergelmir. Gunnar was helpless and at his enemys mercy, or lack of.

***<several lines shoot out from the smaller ships and harpoon the disabled Bergelmir> We will bring his ship***

Within Gunnars cockpit the red ejection light suddenly flashed alive in the astonished mans face. With a violent rush his life pod burst out of the Bergelmir and into the waiting tractor beam of the Scorpion. Trapped and helpless inside his life pod Gunnar, through clenched teeth, began reciting a litany

Oh Great and Holy Kanzler, father of Rheinland, my body is but a vessel of your righteous strength and divine will.. began the prayer, the usual prayer that reached the lips of a Rheinlander expecting to die.

The irony.fates cruel joke.

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