"You check out Mr. Goodman, you can go ahead and report back to the front lines." The Doctor said lightly standing up and leaving the room.
Austin nodded, smiling he followed out of the room and then headed down to the front door. Where surprisingly a personal-taxi was waiting to take him to the transport leaving the port. It took a total of fifteen minutes to get to the spaceport, another five just to get checked out, and...another twenty to actually sit and wait for the transport to actually launch.
So good to be in Bretonia space again... He thought as he started to dose off on the slightly long flight.
Yesterday Battleship Derby, Leeds
"Oi! Got a transmission, seems a political convoy is going out, they need some escorts." Someone shouted from across the bar. Some of the pilots ignored the guy, another half laughed, and only one stood up.
"I'll do it." Austin said, nearly shouting, when everything got quiet. One guy started clapping, and laughing at the same time. "Ah, leave it to the so called King of the Paladin, eh boys!" he said, some more pilots laughing.
"Bah, go put two in your arm, chap." Austin replied walking out of the bar and to the hanger. He stared, looking at each of his ships first. "Paladin, as always I guess." He said walking over to it, then climbing in.
Yesterday California System, Diplomatic Convoy -- Arrival
"Alright, area around California is clear, erm, hold on got someone hailing me." Austin said muttering as he switched his communications channel.
"Soldier! Get moving there is a Civilian ship under attack near the Magellan gate!" A Female voice crackled over the comms.
Austin mumbled and switched back to secured, "Sir? Did you get that?"
"Yeah, we did Austin. Go ahead and go. We'll wait for you."
"Copy." He turned sharply and entered the Tradelane to the Magellan gate. Upon arriving nothing was there. "Bah...nothing here, looks like it was a fake call." He shook his head and went back to the diplomatic fleet.
Today California System, Diplomatic Convoy -- Return trip
"Brill, hows it looking up there?" Austin said over the comms to an Ensign in the Liberty Navy.
"Mojave is clear." Brill said.
"Copy that, the Brookstone is through." Austin said, watching the LNS Brookstone come out of the gate. "Alright, the Prime Minister's ship also made it. Moving to Mojave now." He said spinning his ship around and entering the tradelane. So far so good Austin thought.
The fleet, more heavily guarded then yesterday, made it to Cortez fine, where the LN Ships dropped off and headed back to the Liberty Core worlds. Upon entering Manchester, everything was fine. Nothing happened. Until they got to New London.
Austin smiled, seeing the New London star. "Aye, when this war is over with I'm thinking about going into the parliament, or..something." He said, after the Prime Minister told him that he was an old Soldier who served in the Bretonian Armed Forces. The conversation was finished when the tradelane was disrupted, and a Corsair ship, along with a Hispanic voice, came. Without thinking, Austin's reactions kicked in as his guns warmed up and engaged the Corsair ship.
Last Transmission ever received at that moment was "Goodman, pull out." It came from the Prime Minister himself, Austin replied back "Negative Sir. Not until your safe." Shortly after, The Prime Minister was safe in Salisbury, and Austin was forced to eject from his Paladin.
' Wrote:
Bretonia Broadcasting Corporation
817 A.S. - Earlier today, the Prime Minister's office confirmed rumors of an attack on the HMS Whitehall, which was carrying Prime Minister Mountbatten back from a diplomatic conference in Liberty. The attack was believed to have been carried out by a pair of independent Corsair pirates who were not connected to any known major Corsair faction.
Despite taking heavy fire, the Whitehall was able to escape from the pirates with only minimal damage, and is presently undergoing repairs at a secure BAF facility. Prime Minister Mountbatten himself is unharmed. The escorting fighter, piloted by BAF Ensign Austin Goodman, was destroyed in the fighting, but the Ensign's escape pod was retrieved, and he is also unharmed. BAF and third party reports indicate that Ensign Goodman's brave resistance was what allowed the Prime Minister to escape the firefight and make it to saftey.
While it is believed that this was an attack of opportunity, rather than a planned assault on the Prime Minister, the BAF continues to investigate the details of the attack. BBC will follow this story as it develops.