Transmission; Start
Identification: Operative Megan Xei
Location: November Lima Sierra
Encryption: Secure
initializing image feed...
image feed not available...
Ashfield.
I have picked up your message and I am relaying it to the rest of the agency. I am proceeding post-haste to your position within the next thirty standard minutes. If need be, engage pod ejection and set your transponder to #95AS6351FG. I will sweep the sector looking for that code.
• Encrypted Transmission Received
• Encryption Label: Alpha-4-0-4-2-Iota-Lambda-Sigma-2-2-3 [[Agency 404, Security Level 7/9]]
• Decryption 100% Successful! SOS signal confirmed
• Sender: Joshua Ashfield, Agency 404 Field Agent Are you telling me I gotta dump the ship?
Bloody hell, there's plenty of taxes invested into this thing!
...
Alright, alright. I'm retrieving the last batch of data from the ship's computer.
Ashfield felt the tractor beam zapping his pod up and down, ceasing its motion with a loud "bang". A cargo hold? Or the space monster ramming his pod, ready to destroy it for once and for all and thus putting him out of his misery?
It couldn't be real, but that's how it was: the real Megan Xei. Or so he hoped.
"Hey! Could you play some music, at least?" He said aloud, still doubting whether feeling safe and exhaling deeply, or keep going on with the last prayers.
Kaze got out of the pilot seat and touched Victor's shoulder as a reassurance. She deftly moved through the vessel, slithering through the cargo that was part of the cover deep inside the Sigmas. Medicine, water and several caches of food. Finally she arrived at the tractor area, and there it was, one liberty style escape pod. And one angry operative no doubt.
Kneeling at its side, she accessed the control panel. That was barely functional. At least the display was still on and showed steady signals and a decent power reserve. Either way, the locking mechanism was fried, a security feature when jettisoning into a rock filled nightmare. She cleaned the small glass and peered into it. Ashfield's eyes met hers and she signaled him an ok. She got up and looked for the main lock, finding it completely welded. Her bionic hand grabbed it and the military grade hundreds of servos delivered the power needed to rip it out like it was made of paper, being shoved to the side of the ship. Finally, she got up and opened the pod, revealing the much alive Joshua Ashfield.
"Good evening, Mr. Ashfield."
She offered him her bionic hand to get up, which he promptly took it.
The "fresh" recycled air inside the Anki brought Joshua to a next level of relief, right after the pod was opened and reached Megan's prosthetic hand. "To hell with these airtight pods, duude!"
He got on his feet with the help of Megan, releasing the grip and giving a look of pity back at the completely battered lifepod. "Okay not to sound too hasty but we should really get out of here ASAP. Those guys, or things, or drones or whatever-crap could've been stalking my pod for a while now."
As they gave some space to each other, as much as the cargo hold of the Anki could offer, he shot the next top priority question: By the way, you brought any cheeseburgers with you? Can't wait to get to Liberty already."
Her hand reached to the earpiece and opened a channel to Victor. "Turn on the empowered tractor and get that ship towed, please. We may have hostiles about." Kaze heard the reply and soon the sound of a heavy tractor beam was heard, with the ship trembling some as the cruise engines were ignited. Looking back at Joshua, Kaze eyed him and nodded.
"I am afraid we have no cheeseburgers here. And we are not heading into Liberty yet. We have to take the long route through Kusari, after we place your vessel in a more secured space in this system." She stopped for a second. "We do have tea, though."
Her back leaned against one of the cargo containers in the hold, and she lit a cigarette, offering one to Joshua. "So, my dear Joshua, what were you doing here without backup? I haven't even heard from our Director, yet."
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