Light...orange and flickering through the nebula...light, and a dull throbbing. Consciousness slowly returned.
How had he arrived here? The last thing he remembered was saying his farewells to his family on Cambridge as he left for another routine trade mission for Planetformno, waita battledozens of fighters, twisting and turning in the voidBounty Hunters and Corsairs. And the Bounty Hunters were firing athim? This made no sense; he had never broken any laws, why would bounty hunters be firing on him? Casting such thoughts aside, he took stock of his surroundings. He was floating in an orange nebula cloud, full of lava asteroids, the only thing between him and space, the thin walls of an escape pod.
Using the small attitude thrusters, he rotated the pod to get a good look at his surroundings. In one direction could be seen filtered sunlight coming through the nebula. In the other, he could just vaguely make out the silhouette of a largestation? Battleship? He could not tell for certain. Suddenly, out of the corner of his eye, he noticed a cluster of specs, moving at great speed. Slowly, they resolved themselves, and he almost jumped through the roof of the pod in fear. Titans! The chosen ship of the fearsome Corsairs! How did he manage to become stranded in an escape pod in corsair territory?
As these thoughts went through his head, he felt the pull of a tractor beam. No, not like this, he thought, recalling the horror stories of the Corsairs penchant for cannibalism. He searched around himself for something, anything, to use as a weapon, but this was an escape pod, designed to provide a temporary refuge for a pilot, not a storage space for sundry weapons. Then, with a resounding clunk, he felt the pod settle into the Titans cargo bay.
A grizzled face appeared on the pods comm. screen and its owner hailed him. Heya, chum, looks like youve been out here quite a while, eh? Be looking forward to some good food and drink, Ill wager. Unsure of himself, he stared at the face, and stuttered uhuhyeah
Hey, you ok in there? continued the man on the viewscreen, say something, eh? He realized that he had not flicked the switch to permit transmission, and therefore, the man on the other end would have heard nothing. He moved the switch to the send position, and managed to get out Who are you? Where am I? Whats happening?
Safe is what you are, going to the Fez is whats happening, and my names Hector Fernandez. Youre lucky we found your pod out here, what with all those Hunters hanging around-Im sure their reception wouldnt be as friendly.
Waitwhy wouldnt the Bounty Hunters be friendly? Againwhat had he ever done to upset anyone? Well, anyone that would set Bounty Hunters onto him.
As these thoughts were again pestering him, he heard, over the comms This is the Fez to Corsairs sigma eleven, you are cleared to dock one
Well, here we are, soon get you fixed up, said Hector, as the Titans slid, one by one, into the docking bay. As soon as Hectors ship came to rest, he jumped out, opened the cargo bay and pulled out the escape pod. Several deck workers, as well as a medical team, gathered round as he depressed the door release and climbed out. Waving the medical team away, he stepped out of the pod, and eyed the assembled Corsairs warily. He recognized the man whose face had been on his comm screen almost immediately. Hector Fernandez was a giant of a man, it was a wonder he could fit inside a fighters cockpit, let alone move around enough to fly it.
As none of those nearby showed any signs of hostile intent, he turned his attention to the pod. It certainly didnt look the type used by Planetform, which meant he probably wasnt on one of their ships when he ejected. He took another quick look around the interior of the pod and an ident card caught his eye. He picked it up, and examined it. It read Anthony Joshua Baines, bomber pilot, 125th Guard unit. He examined it carefully.
This couldnt be him, could it? That was definitely his name, but...Bomber pilot? He had never flown anything other than a transporthad he? And guard? Guard of what? All he ever guarded was tons of terraforming gasses, and alien organisms, and no one was exactly going to give him special status for that.
He turned to Hector and asked him what signal was my pod emitting when you found it?
It said it contained an Order guard pilot, he replied. So, that must be me, he thought, unless I got into someone elses escape pod. Waitwhats anhe looked up at Hector again whats an order.
Eh? I think youve had quite a nasty experience, mate. Here, lets find you a place to kip, then well see about a transport to take you home where your docs can have a look at you.
HomeCambridge?
Cambridge? Nah, why would you want to go to Cambridge?
Butwhere, then?
Toledo, of course, replied the man, starting to look a bit confused. Well get in touch with the Zoners on Gran Canaria and arrange a lift for you.
Wait, where are we?
I told you, on the Fez.
Yeah, but wheres that?
Omega-47, you didnt know that?
Sosomewhere in the Omegas
Can I get a transport to Freeport 1?
Hector sighed Why would you want to go there? Ah, never mind, you lot are always doing odd things. Fine, Ill see what I can do. Meanwhile, lets find you a room.
Now, feeling slightly safer, almost certain that he was not going to be eaten alive, but still concerned about the fact that he was wanted by bounty hunters, the man named Anthony Baines followed Hector, the Corsair, down the corridors of the Fez towards the guest quarters.