Ben Faraday did not melt out of the San Quentin docking bay's shadows. He tried, but Faraday wasn't the melting-out-of-shadows kind of Liberty Rogue. He didn't succeed at slipping, nor even at padding; his effort could best be described as a type of leisurely straightening up.
"So, Mort, I see you've returned. Tell me - did the LSF girlie have anything productive to inform us about, or was I perfectly correct, and is she, in fact, a waste of time?"
He laid a friendly hand on Mort's shoulder - fortunately blood-free, Ben's hands were so often bloody these days. "You'll let me take her on a terminal night out once you see no further purpose in retaining her?"
Though she kept her distance from Faraday, Ashes was also waiting back on San Quentin. She was thoroughly frustrated that Mort had departed on this 'business trip' without informing her that he was leaving. It wasn't until she had checked the launch records that Ashes discovered he had left. She had spent the time he was gone worrying, the LSF and Navy could have easily taken the opportunity to arrest or kill Mort. And if that happened, it would mean that she was in charge, and that responsibility was one she was not ready for.
Ashes took a step out of the shadows with her hands on her hips and her lower lip pouted out.
"What's the big idea, taking off like that 'n' leaving me here to worry? I swear if you die and I have to become the Crimeboss, I'll kill you." She said, leaning forward slightly and waving a fighter under his nose.
Seth sat down in his quarters aboard the San Francisco, placing his blaster on the desk, and stretching slightly. He picked up a small picture of his mother, and kissed it lightly before returning it to the table.
She would be proud of him if she was still around.
All alone in the world, and yet so busy at the same time. He flicked a switch on the stereo, and an ancient melody started playing.
Birds in the sky... you know how I feeeel
Seth smiled and picked up his computer. He would protect those who needed protecting. He would save those who needed saving, and he would do it for his mother. He would do it for all those who raised him after his true parents died.
He stood, and placed the blaster back in the holder on his belt.
Mort chuckled silently, he was greeted by a group of unamused rogues, he noded to Ben and grinned "Think you can handle her? She's a lethal bitch, I assure you. Almost blew the head off a navy admiral for a few guncam shots." He shook his head and smirked "Get another dancing partner...and did you fix your ship yet?"
He asked, before noticing the finger under his nose and he grabbed Yotaka's hand quite roughly and smirked "Hey...I slithered off right as they started to fight each other...oh..and I got you something" He said and pulled out a bracelet from his pocked, handing it to his underboss and chuckled "A small item of memory from some lass...forgot to ask who gave to her. Oh well. " He smirked and poked Ashes in the belly with a finger in a teasing way, before he walked off to his quarters, his eye was beginning to twitch a little again, he needed a drink.
As Mort grabbed Ashes' wrist, she reacted from instinct. Her hip moved forward to meet her elbow and her weight shifted to the foot beneath it. Her other foot swung around behind her other foot, and she opened the palm of her hand wide and tilted it back. It was such a quick and subtle movement, that the Crimeboss probably didn't even notice, and if he did he probably mistook it for nothing more than a startled reaction. But the instincts ingrained in her head from childhood had made her automatically react and move into a vantage point to fight back. Ashes stopped herself before she took the next step, though. She remembered that it was Morty that had grabbed her, and although he was a ruthless bastard, he wouldn't hurt one of his Rogues for no good reason. She almost felt stupid for reacting that way.
Ashes stared at the bracelet as Morty slid it over Ashes' hand and onto her wrist before releasing it and poking her belly. She winced slightly as he did, too busy gazing at the bracelet to retaliate. When Mort continued by and left her staring at the small trinket, there was a slight movement beneath Ashes' shirt. She could feel the fur brush against her skin as the Gaian Wildlife animal peeked its' head out from her shoulder. It had been hiding beneath her clothes ever since Faraday had come in to wait for Mort. That man scared her little pet just as much as he creeped out Ashes. Ashes stroked the top of the small, feline-like Gaian animals' head with to fingers as it began to purr.
"We really gotta get off this dump and back to Alcatraz." Ashes said soothingly to the beast.
Dervin was still covered in sweat when he burst into the bar and whipped out his personal computer to file a report. "Wine! Someone get me some cheap wine!" He needed something to calm his nerves, so he took another hit from the cardamine in his pocket. He thought about getting one of those inhalers that the Outcast used, but bushed away the thought before it could distract him. He had to tell Mort what had happened to him.
"Yer wine, boy," said the bartender, waiting for payment and a tip.
Dervin's growl must have worked because the 'tender left him alone to hack a secure channel to Alcatraz base:
>>nc -v -n 80.77.94.16 80
(UNKNOWN) [80.77.94.16] (?) open
GET //80.77.94.16/scripts/..%255c../secure_server/cmd.exe
Gateway Error
Alcatraz
Boss, I've just finished escaping those Navy boys that crashed our party in California. They almost got me. I thought you said to not harm em'? Weren't they supposed to let us off easier too? Well, I got off, but only because they were distracted by a hacker base. I'm not sure which one since most of em' ain't in my computer, but something got them off my back.
I hacked into the neural net for any information that I could find about the attack and realized that they're sweeping California. At least, that's what it looks like. I don't know what to do Boss, I'll await your orders in Cassini.
If ya need more detail, I'll be leavin' a post in the message dump in the usual place. Look for post 240. Sorry that I didn' make it to the base, but I couldn't jus' lead them there.
Dervin Out
>>exit
Dervin finished up the hack and closed his computer. Collapsing into his wine, he allowed himself to cool off and consider how to cover the repair costs...
Sylpheed headed out of the hangar on Fort McMurray. The Rogues had been sworn to secrecy, Microbombs hardwired to the station commanders daughters forebrain ensured that talk would be squashed, or the 9 year old would not be seeing 10. Sylpheed headed towards Red Deer station, he flicked his transponder and changed the Ident to aa civilian one, he had a meeting with a copper and he intended to get their without being caught or captured. So much work to do and so little time.
Saint Del is considered a holy healer of diseases of children, but also as a protector of cattle.
Seth recieved the guncam shots from Wolfe with little happiness. The pictures clearly showed some pretty heavy Rhienland ships in California.
This can't be happening...how are they getting such heavy tech through a Jump hole?
He had once witnessed a Navy Commander try and take an Assault Carrier through a jumphole after being battered by 2 Outcast Dreadnoughts... the Jump hole had destabilised due to the incredible mass, and the only thing that emerged from the other end was wreckage of the ripped apart ship. There was no way a Rhienland Battleship could get through-
"INCOMING DISTRESS CALL FROM THE LNS DEFIANT." The computer blared at him. He jogged out of his quarters and onto the bridge.
"Report?" he ordered, his voice calm and collected. Sonya looked up from the console on the other side of the bridge, and as Seth took his seat, she started reading the report.
"LNS Defiant, Cruiser class, currently stationed in California. Under attack by a Rhienland Cruiser and a fighter wing."
Seth flicked up his console in the arm of his chair and pressed a quick button, calling the battlegroup to close in to the San Francisco.
"Charge Hades." He ordered, and a tech ran to a corner of the bridge.
"COMMAND CODE REQUIRED." The computer screamed, and Seth gripped the arms of his chair.
"Seth Alpha Alpha 9 Tetra Red." he intoned, and was rewarded with a small beep of affirmation.
"CHARGING HADES. 70%"
Seth flicked the comms open and started the general orders alarm.
"This is the Captain, all hands, hole onto your hair. Battlegroup, prepare to jump."
With a roar, the 2 cruisers and the 4 gunboats that made up the San Francisco battlegroup closed in, and a split second later, the massive Dreadnoughts shields extended around all 6 vessels, holding them close.
"HADES 95%"
Seth gripped the arms of his chair tighter, and through clenched teeth started feeling the massive ship start to shudder under the enourmous power throbbing within it.
"HADES FULLY CHARGED."
Seth looked up, and laid his finger on a small black button on his chair. He pressed it, bringing weapons online.
"Jump" he said.
With an incredible flash, the Hades engine ripped a hole in subspace, the ships falling down into a giant abyss. The cruisers and gunboats merely passengers in the incredible roar of a hyperjump. Light seemed to consume everything, and all covered their eyes from the massive power.
And with a gigantic explosion, space ripped itself apart in the California system, and the crew of a Rhienland cruiser saw a sight that they would never forget. The San Francisco, along with her escorts, charged into normal space again, turrets already blazing.
Each gunner aboard the San Francisco sat in a see through pod, pointing the guns with their joysticks, pressing a small button to release a massive charge. The San Francisco was still several kilometres away, and they still managed to hit the small shape on the horizon with everything they had.
Teya screamed a war whoop as she launched the Heavy Mortar, and a second later shrieked a second as it connected perfectly with her target, the explosion seeming dull and dark compared to Hades. The Cruiser responded quickly, targeting the incoming ship, it's green and powerful turrets pushing the San Francisco's shields to the limit. Bombers appeared from behind the cruiser, sillouhetted by the Texas sun, the rays of which shot far and wide, turning a scene of death into one of beauty.
Seth held tight as the San Francisco slid sideways, the momentum from the jump still evident. The Gravity panels failed and the crew were thrown to the right hand side of their seats as the ship groaned and twisted. The gunners kept firing, even when the enemy cruiser saw their chance and pounced, focusing on the San Franciscos large side while only presenting a small front profile in return.
Seth cursed, and the Golden Gate and the San Jose moved in beside them. 2 Liberty Cruisers, renowned for their crew and commanders. The large forward guns spoke power, and the cruiser seemed only to whisper in response.
"Launch all fighters!" Seth roared, as the San Francisco continued to spin. "Ensign, get my ship under control!"
The ensign was doing his best, but the way they had come out of Hades meant that the sun was pulling them in. The momentum was magnified due to the position of the drop out point... it was too close to the sun, far too close. The impulse engines roared their anger, and the thrusters responded, and slowly the San Francisco began to slow her spin.
The Cruiser's started battling it out, each ship giving as good as it got, and slowly the enemy shiop began to weaken.
Then the bombers arrived.
Each ship had a Nova torpedo and a Supernova cannon mounted, each one primed for death. Seth cursed again, and watched as the fighters moved in. 3 wings of Guardians. 15 ships. He thought that would be enough, but watching the 20 or so bombers incoming, he knew he was in serious trouble. If they managed to launch their torpedo's at any of the ships, they would be doomed.
"FIRE FLAKS!" He bellowed, and the gunners on deck 9 narrowed their eyes, and fired their charges. The small capsules shot across space, before exploding in huge death, small fragments ripping into the bombers.
Seth sighed, this was not going to end well. He looked out of the window, and Sonya sat in her chair, his XO shrieking commands left and right.
Time seemed to slow for him, as the shield of his proud ship fell, and explosions were heard and felt across the ship. He had the choice to use Hades, to escape... but he would be leaving his ships behind.
Leave no man behind.
He knew that oath, and he stood by it. More torpedos hit the San Francisco, and he prepared to order an abandon ship. Then they came.
"Need a hand there Navy boy?" came the drawling tone.
Before he could blink, before he could open his mouth in amazement, almost 50 Rogue fighters and bombers shot into the battle, targeting the Rhienland bombers, targeting the enemy ships.
Seth grinned in disbelief, stunned for just a second, he came back to the battle in a second though, and slammed his hand onto the console, taking command again. The San Francisco pitched and rolled around him, but his face was always clear, and when the bridge crew looked at him, each and every one felt invigorated, ready to battle more. Never to give up.
"This is Seth. Noone target any Rogue vessels! Teya! Make that damned ship go away!"
And about 400 metres above him, a 23 year old brunette with stunning looks smirked, and hit her comms button.
"With pleasure sir."
The Heavy Mortar blast ripped from Teyas cannon, and streaked across space, ripping particle from particle on the enemy ships hull. With an explosion to rival that of a dying suns, the Rheinland Cruiser exploded, the shockwaves reaching out and hitting fighters like a massive hand from the heavens.
Some of the enemy bombers started to run, and Seth watched as Rogues seemed to appear in front of them, destroying them before they could finish retreating.
Seth collapsed back into his chair, and opened comms.
Andrew watched the last Rheinland warship light up in flames and chuckled gladly. They had came just in time as well, tho gathering up so many rogues was a problem sometimes.
"Hahaaaaa, come on, boys, we got a navy scrappile here!" "Oyah! Let's get him next!"
Andrew blinked for a moment and thought faster then usual, activating the private comms
"Hold it, return to the Rheinland wrecks and begin salvage before the Navy get reinforcements. We need all the hull panels and fuel and any kind of tech we can get, move it."
There was some chatter between the independent priates and he narrowed his eyes.
"It's an order, do it now or else you can fly all the way to the Junkers or Outcasts only to re-arm your ship, move now." "But Mort.." "No buts, quickly salvage and flee, while they are repairing that battleship. We have a window of opportunity here!"
There was another wave of muttering and the ships flew away either to inspect what was left from the fleet or back to the Whitney icefield. Andrew sighed deeply, this was harder than it looked. He didn't know about the Navy and LSF, but the other rogues needed to stay clueless to their little deal.
He only hoped that the lawfuls would use the window he gave them to leave quick. While it was hard to assemble this many rogues, it was even harder to control them enough for them not to start attacking both sides.
The future held great promise for the Rogues and the Liberty forces alike, but for now it was so blurry, noone would know what the outcome would be.
He only hoped that the soon introduction of the LSF higher ups would clear up this mess and Julie and Seth would explain to them the situation at hand.
![[Image: SLRU.png]](http://i668.photobucket.com/albums/vv46/Nighthawkashes/SLRU.png)
![[Image: SethSig.png]](http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p272/Sedrander/SethSig.png)
![[Image: Del1.png]](http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a344/Spiderjerusalem1979/Del1.png)
![[Image: nomnomb.png]](http://img268.imageshack.us/img268/3729/nomnomb.png)