I still remember that first time I saw him. I couldn't understand how they could give an inmate the nickname, "Why?," That is until I saw him.
His file seemed normal. Well, as normal as can be for the usual ones I see. It said he was captured during the raid on New Tokyo. Kusari was getting bolder and bolder each day, attacking further and further into the Edge Worlds. Everyone knew their would be a response. No one could have believed it was going to be that bold.
---
That morning I woke up, and I knew something was wrong. I could taste the panic in the air. Being the head psychologist, no one had thought to wake me. I walked down to the command room, and it was pandemonium. Ok, almost every day it was pandemonium, but this was busier. I just happened to glance up and then my eyes wondered over the room. Then I looked up again. I did a triple take.
There were ships everywhere, in a deep heated battle that must have been many hours old. Every Kusari ship type ever made was represented. It looked like 4 Battleships had just joined the fight. I knew because of the raids that was all of the battleships currently in Kusari. Then I started picking out the attackers. I saw Titans everywhere. They were manhandling everything in there way. Then I started seeing Eagles as well. Then Daggers and Sabres. My heart filled with pride as I saw a Sabre pilot make 1 last pass and torpedo a Kusari Destroyer. Then a little off to the distance, firing wildly into the fray, I saw a Zoner Juggernaut. It was as if the entire Edge Worlds had decided to attack New Tokyo.
And the commanders thought that too. However when it became obvious the Kusari Battleships were trying to completely surround all the attacking ships, they began retreating. But not without one last victory. Every single attacking ship converged on the fourth battleship as they retreated, and it literally just disintegrated. The commanders were just stunned. They didn't think it was possible to destroy one of their Battleships.
But the point was made. That day Kusari withdrew all its ships from the Edge worlds, and quietly wrote that chapter out of their official histories. But I was there when the Edge Worlds struck back.
---
So it was in that circumstance that Why? was captured by the Kusari. And they were going to do everything they could to extract every single piece of information out of him that they could. And they tried.
Every trick they knew was thrown at Why?, but his pure hatred of Kusari was all they found. When a prison worker put his arm too far into his cell one day and Why? practically bit the whole thing off, they packed him up and sent him to me.
They still wanted to get information from him, but they believed he was completely insane. And they were right, their tortures and 'treatments' had driven him so far out into space that Why? could focus on only two things;his hatred for Kusari, and his percieved betrayal by his peers who he believed left him to be captured.
That was the state he was in when I first saw him. It took 20 men to strap him into the white jacket and lock him up in his very padded cell. He was screaming and fighting every step of the way. He fought so hard they gave up on strapping his arms into it and just tossed him in there whole. And he almost made it out before they slammed the cell shut. But one of the men didn't get out of the way in time, and Why? bit that mans finger clean off.
So I stood there just watching this man scream at the top of his lungs. Over and over again he screamed the word, like it was the only one he knew. He screamed so loud and so long that blood started to fill his throat. He coughed that up and started to use it to right the words Why? on the wall. He made it to the letter h and then his head jerked straight up, and he went silent.
He stared straight at me. Softly are eerily he said," I know you. You are out of place, you don't belong here.'
Then he began his screaming again.
I was a bit shaken at first, but the nurses and the other staff told me not to worry about it, they told me he was just a nut case. Of course I knew they were wrong. I just didn't know how he knew.
Two weeks later our sessions began. I hadn't had a real patient in a few years, and this one obviously needed some help. I was lucky enough to be able to secure a room with no eavesdropping devices. I didn't need my new patient telling my employers exactly who I was.
Since getting him, I kept him off all drugs and fed him a very healthy well rounded diet. As I had suspected, this quickly helped him back to some of his senses, although he still had an eerie quality to him, and his still seemed to know who I was.
As the days passed our sessions grew longer. A top secret military facility didn't have much for a psychologist to do, and Why? seemed to have a knack for being able to tell me where to look for what I was searching for.
As the months passed our sessions became more intimate. His feelings of betrayal turned into a deep hatred of his brother Corsairs, deeper than any hatred I had known before. And I was so deep undercover that I couldn't be myself around anyone else. I never told him who I was or where I came from, but he just knew.
One year passed by. Why? had become mostly sane, but he still carried that eerie vibe, and he still had a knack for knowing how to get to the super secret Kusari data.
1 year and 2 months after Why? showed up, together we found everything I needed. Why? helped me plant explosives that I had managed to steal all over the base, and then we were off.
For not being needed, it didn't take them long to figure out I was missing. Just as my ship took off I heard the sirens start ringing. Then Why? pressed the button. Our ship was propelled off the planet and well into space by the explosion. Apparently he knew something about demolitions as well. I quickly set our course for the closest allied base, Ainu. While it wasn't an Outcast base, the Golden Chrysanthemums were good friends of mine, and we would be safe for as long as we needed.
The next night we finally arrived. I found out that Why? liked to tease the enemy just a little too much, so I flew most of the way, far out of the normal routes so there would be no chance at getting caught.
As my ship rolled to a stop on Ainu, I finally relaxed. It took 5 entire years of my life. But with that 5 years I was able to steal every single secret Kusari had, and we had been able to destroy almost all data that Kusari had on both the Edge Worlds and the Border Worlds. Plus, I met Why? I would call that a distinct victory for me.
As I popped the canopy and hopped out of my ship, the normal greetings from the GC quickly evaporated and they started to scream,"Corsair."
I had to very quickly get their attention and tell him who he was. Only after Why? very graphically described in detail what he wanted to do to every Corsair he came upon did the GC finally believe that he was on my side. Well, after they all stopped getting sick.
Introducing Why to the wonders of Cardamine was something that I was looking forward to. I hadn't done it before because I had a hard time getting enough for myself, but on Ainu it was flowing plentifully.
Why loved it. Or maybe he loved what we did while he was on it. Either way I am sure he has not spent one waking minute not on Cardamine since. In total we spent six months on Ainu. It was a dream.
Then I had to go back to Malta. Why? was coming along, but that was a conversation I wasn't looking forward to. An Outcast with a Corsair! I was just hoping the amazing success my mission had would be enough for to them to not kill Why? on the spot.
I was right, thankfully. the Don told me incursions into the border worlds stopped completely by Kusari, and both the GMG and Bretonia had severely curtailed theirs as well. After I explained who Why? was, and after the Don and his circle were sufficiently happy that he really did hate Corsairs as much he said he did, they scheduled him to do a torture session on a captured Corsair just to prove it.
Why? was brimming with excitement. He was finally going to get back at the Corsairs, if only by torturing one of them. That night was a very good one for both of us.
The next morning he awoke early, and dressed in some old fatigues one of the Don's people had given him. We set off to the dungeons to see if Why? could really live up to what he said.
He did. That torture session was taped, and it will be forever used by Outcasts on how to cause pain and agony. Why broke the Corsair slowly enough, and he did it in such a way as to even impress the Don himself. They were able to get every little scrap of knowledge out of that Corsairs brain. And then they let Why? have his fun. Until he made them sick. The things he did to that Corsair literally made hardened torture experts vomit. Even the Don himself was forced to leave. Why? tortured that Corsair for 14 hours straight, with no breaks, until finally the Corsair died. And then Why kept on torturing his dead corpse for another hour before the experts realized it was dead. And they had to forcefully pull Why away. That performance made Why? a legend among Outcasts. His name was spoken by every Don, and everyone in and around the Council. A few months later, every single Don in the council voted to allow Why to become an honorary Outcast, mostly on what he did that one day.
I was ecstatic, and so was Why? He quickly adopted to Outcast life, and he seemed to revel in it. Since the day I met him, he never seemed more right. I believe he was finally healed.
We both started out and about after that. We mostly did smuggling, easy stuff at first. Then the Don gave a Sabre to Why? and my earlier suspicions were confirmed. He was simply insane in a fighter. He had a ton of natural talent, moreso than anyone I knew, but he was hyper aggressive, to the point of being almost suicidal. I never allowed him to go out without myself on the wing, fearing without my steadying influence he would never make it home alive. So we stuck to smuggling, where I could be beside him in the cockpit, making sure he wasn't going to ram it headlong into whatever tried to attack him.
With our wealth increasing, so did the length of the smuggling routes. Finally we settled on one route, and we became wealthy. One day while on a base, Why? saw a Luxury Liner. He gravitated to that ship, and the owner was gracious enough to show us through it. The owner happened to be a corsair, but I kept Why? from killing him on the spot.
However a month later we happened to land at another base, and saw the same Luxury Liner. We then met the same pilot in the bar of said spaceport. We tailed the corsair and he slept for the night on his ship. Well, he thought he was going to sleep for the night, just like he thought he had secured the vessel for the night. He was wrong on both counts. While Why? was on board dealing with the corsair, I had everything transfered over to the new ship, and quickly sold our old one. I boarded the Luxury Liner, secured it fully, and then went to find Why?
I found him in a pool of blood in what was obviously the captain's quarters. The ship was gorgeous, Why had that one right. He literally dumped the dead body on the deck and we made our escape.
We made our way back to Malta, had the ship cleaned and added some more luxury items. We were able to recruit a full 11 people to man the turrets, mostly Outcasts with 3 or 4 GC as well. We then started smuggling.
We both loved that ship. It flew like a dream and was so amazingly luxurious. We were able to fly it for 2 months before I found out the bad news.
The Don needed me again. I had spoken with Why? many times, and he fully knew that one day I would have to go covert again. The Don was more than gracious and said he would allow Why? to stay as long as he wanted, going as far as to offer Why? the use of one of the Don's personal homes. While Why? was gracious, we had our own home Why could stay in, and Why was very happy among the Outcast people. I knew we would meet again, and I knew Why would continue to use that grand ship he stole to smuggle Cardamine for the Outcasts. We spent one last week together, and then I was was off, leaving Why? with our one really fond token from that Kusari military camp: A yellow rubber ducky.
Hmm, where have I come? Why does it seem so familiar to this one?
My love has been gone an entire month. I want to rip my heart out of my chest and eat it, but I know my love would not like that, so I sit in my cockpit with Rubber Ducky and we just keep smuggling cardamine and slaves.
I really don't like these slaves though. They are so noisy. I even gave them cardamine, and they wouldn't be quiet. The spirits don't seem to like them either, they always leave when I have slaves on my beautiful ship. And I don't like when the spirits leave, me and rubber ducky like conversing with them ghosties. It just makes me want to make the slaves be quiet. But they won't. I even asked the guy at the base how to make them just shut up, and he said he couldn't figure that one out either. Is there not a way? Well, besides ripping their throat out with my teeth. I did that to one that was being overly loud, but the gentleman buying them on Malta wouldn't pay for that slave. I guess he doesn't like dead slaves. I've come to think that is the only good kind. At least the dead one was quiet.
There seems to be some odd goings on on Malta. First it looked like two of the fighter wings were going to go to war. I saw them insulting each other a few times, and if anyone said that to me, believe you me that person would be my next meal.
Now there are grumblings because of an organization called the Blue Lotus Syndicate. The Outcast people are worried that this will make them all poor again, and they really don't want that. My love's Don has told me that the Blue Lotus Syndicate is on the right track to make the Outcasts even wealthier. I do think the Outcasts smuggling operations need to be united, as together smuggling could be made safer than it is right now. My love's Don said I should seriously consider joining, as he has already done. I don't know if I should make such a commitment without my love.
I wish I could talk to her. I miss her. I am thankful that the Golden Chrysanthemums are with me on my voyages, because without their support I do not think I could deal with my sanity. They are also teaching me how to use a katana. It is a sword that helps me make people bleed. I like that. The last time I landed on a freeport I was able to cut a corsair in two with my katana. That was funny. It took the corsair a few seconds to realize he was going to die, and as the blood exploded from his body his face made all of these really funny expressions. It made me laugh.
Laughing reminds me of my love. I miss my love. My love saved me from my darkest hours. All the pain and anger and hatred and fear and rage and loathing and sadness and all the others were wrapping themselves around me, crushing me with their weight. I thought they were going to crush me alive, the ghosties were trying to keep me fighting, but the fight was very hard. The ghosties even told me God told them that He would not allow me to die. I did not believe the ghosties. Some of the things they told me didn't make sense, because they had not happened yet. The ghosties told me all sorts of things, and they still tell me things, only I believe them now.
They told me that God told them that my love would save me. I thought they were just trying to get me to fight harder, that is until I saw my love for the first time. The ghosties had even shown me a picture of my love. I saw her standing there on the other side. Everything left then. One second all of the things were pressing down on me, on the verge of crushing me, and then everything was gone and I saw my love.
I knew her. The second I saw her I knew her. She was not one of them, she was not kusarian slime. She was beautiful and nothing else mattered. The entire world left and there was just my love and myself. I knew that she would save me, that my love was real and the ghosties had not lied to me. And then I felt it. Just for one second I felt it.
And then the world crashed back down on me. Everything was back and ready to crush me. But everything was different. My love changed everything.
Hmm, where have I come? Why does it seem so familiar to this one?
My beautiful ship wants me to tell you about her. She sings to me sometimes. She called to me that first time I saw her, I do not know why. I had seen other ships, other Luxury Liners, but they were happy in their situation, but this one called to me.
This one told me that she wanted me. She didn't like her captain, but she was too scared to tell me why. She asked me to free her from him and to be her captain.
I told her I would, but I couldn't do it at that time. She was sad, but I promised her I would rescue her, and the next time I saw her I did.
The ship was overjoyed when she saw me again. I told her it was time, that I was going to free her from her evil captain. She let me in, and told me where he was. she sang to me as I slaughtered the corsair scum who was her previous captain. She was so happy to be free, and when she met my love she was even happier.
After I killed her past captain and brought her on my journeys she started to tell me why she hated that corsair scum. I told her it was enough that he was a corsair, that is all that was needed, but she wanted to tell me what that evil man did on her.
My ship told me that the evil man hurt children on her. He did sick and twisted things to them, and she cried out and tried to stop it or comfort them, but they could never hear her scream.
I comforted my ship. I could hear her, I would not do disgusting things like the corsair did.
I told my ship about me and my love. I told her our story, and she was so happy. She enjoyed having me and my love on board. my ship liked the Outcasts and the Golden Chrysanthemums who were her gunners. She even liked talking with Rubber Ducky and the ghosties. My ship is so happy that her songs can finally be heard and appreciated.
My ship wants a name now. I have been asking her what type of name she wants, and we have been talking about it for a while. She knows a lot of old songs, and she wants to be named after one.
Somehow she knew all sorts of music, even music from a planet called Earth. She sang us all sorts of different music. She seemed to really like music by a band she called Queen. She sang us hours upon hours of those songs, and then she sang a song that she called Resurrection.
She said this song was by a man named Brian May, who was the guitarist of the band called Queen. When she first sang us this song I cried. It fit everything so well. The music the lyrics, it soothed my sanity. Everyone wanted that song. The ghosties, rubber ducky, my love, my ship and myself.
My beautiful ships new name is going to be Resurrection.
Hmm, where have I come? Why does it seem so familiar to this one?
My love's Don contacted me again today. He really wants this one to join the Blue Lotus Syndicate. He says they are going to start really cracking down on ships that are not part of their organization.
I talked to everyone about it. The ghosties like the idea very much. My ship likes Cardamine almost as much as I do, and she really doesn't care if we join or not. The Outcast and GC gunners talked it over, and they think the organization can make smuggling safer for us all, so they are for it.
I hesitated about it at first, wondering what my love would want. However she had told me to trust her Don, so I am going to trust him. He has been very kind to me in the past, so I do not think he would lead me astray now.
So today I contacted the BLS, and I told them I wanted to join. They accepted me, they hate corsairs as much as I do.
One of their members today called me insane. I am not insane, my horizons have just been expanded. I can see and hear and talk to things normal people cannot. The Outcasts knows what this feels like, as the Cardamine has expanded their perspective.
We are different than the rest.
Hmm, where have I come? Why does it seem so familiar to this one?
My katana training is going well, and some of the other Outcasts are learning as well. Pretty soon my crew is going to be a well oiled assault force as well. That would be fun.
I really like the katana, it just feels right in my hands. When I am sparring with the others it is doing what I want it to before I am conscious of it. It is like I was meant for this weapon. Everything in my life seems to be clicking into place.
However the GC had a special mouth guard made for me. It actually wasn't meant to protect my mouth, but the body of the person I was sparring with at the moment. I tend to have the habit of trying to bite my attacker when I get the chance, and they wanted to stop that. The mouth guard does that very well, and it has helped me to focus on my katana while we are sparring.
One of the Outcasts said I had an oral fixation. He then had to tell me that meant I liked biting things. I could have told them that one.
Another plus side of the ghosties is they sometimes show me what my opponent is going to do before he does it. So I will be able to attack where my sparring partner will be, not where he is. I've asked the ghosties if they could do that to space ships as well, and they said they could not, because the distances were too far.
Oh well, I had to ask.
I still think of my love all the time. I hope her mission is much shorter than the last one, she told me her mission to kusari lasted 5 years. That would be way too long for me to be away from her. I would be forced to go find her if she was gone that long. She has given me everything, and I long to share it with her. If I had to kill everyone in Sirius to find her, I would. But I hope she comes home to me before I do that.
Hmm, where have I come? Why does it seem so familiar to this one?
This night my gunnery crew came to me to complain about how little they get to shoot at. I told them that was a good thing, but they said they wanted to be sharp just in case.
They asked if we could spend some of our earnings on a Cap ship, something we could use so they could have stuff to fire at, something we might also use in case we had to defend Malta for some reason, plus the Outcasts are always looking for someone to go slaughter the newest bunch of slimy bounty hunters.
I told them I'd have to talk to my love's Don to see if he could source a capital ship for us. I don't know what that might take, or how much money it would be, but I promised them I would make the inquiry.
After all, a happy gunnery crew is a good gunnery crew. And who knows, maybe with the right Cap Ship and our katana training, we could start attacking and stealing ships from other people. That would be a nice way to earn money.
Hmm, where have I come? Why does it seem so familiar to this one?
My love's Don's mansion always reminds me of the Resurrection. The thing is that huge. Add to that all the cardamine fields that surround it, and he owns an incredible amount of land.
I walk up to the massive front door, and before I can ring, the Don's butler opens it.
"Greetings Why, the Don is waiting for you in his study."
"Thank you," I say to the butler.
The Don does all his business in his study, so the hallway to the study was specially designed to show his power and wealth. It also has no doors, except the large door to the secretary's office. It is lined with antiques from all over Sirius, as well as paintings and weapons and other things wealthy and powerful people like to show off.
As I walk up to the secretary's door, it opens and all of a sudden I feel like I am outside. The room itself is rather large, but the spacious feeling comes from both side walls being all see through. Add to the fact that it is on the third floor, and you can see a very long way. Another hint at how much power the Don has.
"Ah, good day Why, the Don should be able to be with you in a minute or two," the Don's secretary tells me. Her desk is rather large and imposing, and she herself is rather a piece of art to look at as well. That and a deadly weapon, as she is very skilled in all types of combat, being raised from a very early age to be both the Don's secretary and his bodyguard.
I sit in a very large, very comfortable sofa, wishing I could put this in my luxury liner. It is too expensive though, I forget exactly how much the Don said it cost him, but I am sure it is more money than I have right now.
"The Don is ready to see you, please go up."
"Thank you," I tell the secretary.
The Don's study is the 4th floor of the mansion, and all its windows are clear as well, but the Don can darken them as well if he chooses. There are even more valuable artifacts and other things in the study. The Don's desk is massive, and also a piece of art. It looks like a smaller version of the Outcast Dreadnought, but it is so large it dominates the massive study. It is also mostly for show, as the Don likes to speak with people face to face, and he has a very nice set of couches off to the side of the room for just such occasions.
"Thank you, my Don, for seeing me today."
"You are welcome Why, you have earned both my trust, and the love of my daughter. How may I help you?
"Well Don, my gunnery crew feels they are getting a little sloppy with their skills, and they would like to be able to practice more on a ship that could handle taking a few hits. At the moment I have 12 gunners, but a few more Golden Chrysanthemums are going to join my crew, both as katana and martial arts trainers, and as extra gunners so that they can have breaks on our long journey to Liberty. It looks like my crew is going to total 18 or 19 when done, and they all want to be able to keep sharp, and be able to help the Outcasts out as well. I notice that the Outcasts are always looking for people to clear out the latest bounty hunter slime that has invaded our beloved Alpha, and with the right ship I believe my crew can both get their practice and help the Outcasts out when they need it. We have a decent amount of money set aside for purchase of a ship, I just am not sure where I would go to order such things.
"I see. I will be glad to help you with such a transaction. However I would have to talk to the construction crews and see how our new ships are coming, depending on how much money you have, I might be able to source you a brand new ship, or maybe an older one that is due to be replaced. Either way, capital ships cost a lot of money to maintain, but with your smuggling abilities, I do not think that you will have a problem coming up with that. I will talk to my contacts, and I will recommend that you be put on the list to eventually get one of our newest models, the Dreadnought. However that could take a long time, as even our military does not have many of those yet, and of course our military needs come first. However, as I mentioned a smaller capital ship, or one that is being decommissioned from our military is definately an option now, and is something that will be much easier for me to give you the ability to purchase. I will let you know when I find out something, and what and how much it would be.
"Thank you my Don. About my love, your daughter, do we know how her mission is going? Do we have any idea how long this one could take?"
"Why? I understand how you feel about that, but even I do not know how long her mission could take, or even how she is doing. I worry about her all the time, but she has been trained especially for these types of missions. This is what she does, and she is the best at it. I have no doubt she will come back to us eventually, with a very successful completion of her mission. She has never let me down before, and I have no doubt she will come back to us yet again. You can trust me Why, she will be back. I promise you that."
"Thank you my Don, your words comfort my sanity."
"You are welcome Why. These absences of my daughter pain me as much as it pains yourself. Speaking of absences, how has the Blue Lotus Syndicate been treating you?"
"They are treating me very well so far. My crew has been able to freely smuggle cardamine and have been able to put away a large sum of money for being a member for such a short amount of time. Given a few months of this, and I have no doubt we all will be very very wealthy."
"That is good to here Why. Just make sure you keep yourself alive out there, you are almost a part of my family, and we can't you have you dying on us."
"I agree my Don. I don't want to have my love chasing me through the after life. I promise I will always survive, no matter what happens.
"It is always good to talk to you Why. Sadly though, I have some business I must take care of. Please keep in touch."
"Thank you again for seeing me my Don. Your words encourage me."
I leave the Don's office and say goodbye to his secretary. I am hopeful that the Don will be able to source a capital ship for me and my crew to purchase, and my Don really has made me confident that I will see my love again. I actually think I feel almost good today. Well, as good as I can without my love by my side.
Hmm, where have I come? Why does it seem so familiar to this one?
The alarm is so loud I jump out of my bed and my katana is unsheathed in my hands before I hit the ground. I look around and see that I am on the Resurrection. I cannot see the source of the alarm, so I slowly look out into the corridor. I see a figure coming up quickly in the shadows, I thrust my katana straight into the middle of it. The shadow easily spins around my sword, and she clamps it between her hands.
"Captain, it's me."
"Oh, sorry," I say a little sheepishly." What is with that obnoxious alarm?"
"The Don is on the com. Its urgent, hurry."
I scramble up to the bridge and quickly key the comm.
"My Don, How may I help you today?"
"There has been a problem. My daughters cover has been blown. She is in trouble. You are the closest ship to her right now, so we need you to get to her before the Corsairs do. We will be sending a Destroyer with a fighter escort, but it will not get there in time. Please hurry Why? you are her only hope."
"Just give me her location my Don, and I will find her and smite anyone who dares to hurt her."
"I know you will. Her last known location was Dresden. Godspeed and good hunting. Don out."
As the engines start to spin up, my anger wells up just as fast. I will destroy anyone who dares to hurt my love.
"Get those engines on now! Comm, get permission to launch, I don't want to have to run through that door. All hands, battle stations. We're going to Dresden."
As the launch bay doors open, I quickly key in a route from Texas to Dresden. It's going to take far too long, even with those obnoxious trade lanes.
"Captain, all hands at battle stations, we're launching now, you'll have steering control in 3..2...1."
"Thank you comm, it's time to blow this joint."
I hit the cruise engines and pull up, having found that to be the easiest way to turn this massive ship around. After a quick roll everything is where it should be, and I lay in the course for the auto pilot.
"Comm, see if you can get the Red Hessians. We're going to need their help."
"Sir, what should I tell them?"
"Tell them we're gonna have a feast on Corsairs today."
"Aye sir."
I sit back and wait. There is nothing left to do. I know my crew knows it roles, I just wish I was in something a little more powerful than a luxury liner, but it will have to do.
Hmm, where have I come? Why does it seem so familiar to this one?
We approach the Hudson jump hole, no incidents so far.
"All clear for jump, in 3.2.1 Jump engaged."
Surprisingly, the other side was vacant.
"Thats a bit of good luck for us. Comm, have you been able to contact the hessians?"
"Not yet sir, their seems be to something big going on in Rheinland."
"Yea, I bet there is. Give a call to Dawson, see if they care spare some ships. Tell them I'll pay, too."
"Roger that captain, contacting Dawson now."
I lay in a course for the Bering jump hole, hoping I can get some support from the Rogues at least. While not the best fighter pilots, they're good enough to find a way to get the job done. Hopefully the offer of money will bring enough ships.
"Radar, be on the lookout for hostiles, especially xenos. The last time I talked with the Rogues they told me the xenos had some of their better pilots based out of Hudson somewhere."
"Aye sir."
"Captain, the rogues want to know how much you are willing to pay. They said they might even be able to have 2 gunboats help us out for the right price."
"Gunboats, wow, today is a lucky day. Ask them what they want."
"Roger."
Man, I never expected to be able to find 2 rogue gunboats out here. Maybe there is a chance we won't all die today.
"They said they want 20 million for the two gunboats, and they want 5 million each for four vhf escorts."
"Tell them I'll give it to them, have them meet us at the Bering jump hole."
"Roger sir."
More waiting. Radar has absolutely no contacts, and there is no extraneous chatter on the comms either. I have a bad feeling about this.
Hmm, where have I come? Why does it seem so familiar to this one?
We hit the Bering jump hole, with still no hostile contacts. We do find the rogues.
"Greetings friend rogues, it is a pleasure to see you."
"It will be more of a pleasure when you pay us, 25% up front."
"Straight to business, as usual. Transferring the credits now."
"Thank you.So how you want us to do this?"
"I'd like 1 of the gunboats 4k in front of us with one fighter as support. The other gunboat 2k behind my ship with 1 fighter. The other two fighters 1 k on each side of me. I haven't been able to get any responce from anyone in Rheinland, so this could get interesting, or it could be boring. Gunboat 1, jump now please and give us the all clear in bering.
"Roger that. Gunboat 1 jumping...now."
"Fighter 1 jumping."
"Why, this is GB1, There are no hostiles on scope. Nothing on the comms either. It is too quite. Freaky."
"Indeed it is. Thank you GB1, we will be jumping momentarily. Fighter 2, please jump before us, fighter 3, after us. Then GB2 and Fighter 4. Everyone copy?"
"Rogues copy."
I brace for the jump, and it is as the gunboat said, nothing in Bering either. The rest of the group jumps through, with no excitement.
"Everybody to your places, set course for the Hamburg jump hole. Be on your guard, I'm not even getting anything from the Unioners."
"Roger that. Taking position."
I watch the 6 rogue ships take up their positions.
"Why, all rogue ships are in position."
"Thank you GB1. Set course to Hamburg jump hole. Cruise on my mark. 3...2...1...Mark."
The formation enters cruise smoothly. The comms are still quiet. We fly right past Pacifica, and there is still nothing on the comms.
"Comm, can you raise anyone at Pacifica?"
"No sir. Not a peep at all. Wait, I'm getting something. Sir, it seems to be an automated broadcast."
"Put it on loudspeaker please."
"Attention all ships. This base is in fully automated defense mode. Any ship that comes near it will be vaporized. All Unioners, you know where you should be, be there yesterday."
"Turn it off, thank you comms. Well, that is a bit odd, you'd think they would leave someone at the base."
"Indeed it is very odd. Radar still has no hostiles, nor anything else in range."
"To all ships, this is why, be on the lookout for anything, if the Unioners aren't around, something really big is going down. If you get anything on your radars, let us all know."
"You got it Why? This is starting to freak me out. All Rogues, be on your toes.
So we fly onward to the Hamburg jump hole in this heightened state. I have no doubt Hamburg will have something in it. I just wonder what.
Hmm, where have I come? Why does it seem so familiar to this one?
