His time had come, for quite some time now he had been hidden away, kept safe while his betrayers rested in their bed of absolute control, thinking him forever gone, missing, however their arrogance has blinded them. Thinking that he was too cowardly or indisposed to face those who betrayed him to the darkness during such trying times.
It took some time, but after he left the data disk he had taken with them into the custody of the Benitez Familia he was allowed to wander from the safety of the base, while Ben had kept several secrets within his own mind that were not on the disk he had given them plenty of information to look over and keep busy. During his time he had corresponded with the Captain of one of a Corsair Osiris, Pedro Ravenov, over the months he had talked with him, shared ideals and eventually established a friendship with the man, eventually he had managed to acquire a shuttle to Omicron Theta due to his friendship with the Tall Captain.
Brushing a hand through his brown hair and shifted his gaze towards the bartender who was cleaning a mug at the counter, surprisingly Ben's glasses were absent for once as he looked at the man briefly before looking around him at the other patrons, a party of Corsairs were taking up the corner of the Bar, drinking and joking with one another, a pair of Bounty Hunters in a booth sipping liquor calmly, patiently waiting for their marks to leave the safety of the Freeport. Ben shook his head as he looked at the Data Pad in his hands, it had become his personal refuge during his 'House Arrest', a diary and personal communicator, it did not have the strongest transmitter, but for his needs, it would do the trick, he wore a simple refugee's cloak, a depressingly grey article that was designed to keep the wearer warm in cold weather, the hood of it over his head as he sat down, underneath a simple brown flight suit kept him from being 'exposed'.
Seemingly without a single care in the world he calmly wrote a single message, it's destination was one he wrote often to in the past and would bypass the usual firewalls due to the manner in which it was written. It was not a mere need of vengeance that spurred this action, but his own mind needing answers for an injustice upon him.
As the former Coalition hero sent out the message he stood up from the small table he was seated at and left the Bar, picking up the copy of his old TT-33 from the Bouncer at the door to the bar, he headed towards one of the Freeport's several Cargo Bays. As Ben entered the room he did a mental tactical evaluation, judging by the large supply containers scattered throughout the room he had decent cover, a door on the far side of the room led deeper into the Cargo Bay and his escape route. Looking around and noted surprisingly the bay was empty of workers for now he let out a small breath he was holding, he did not want to have to incapacitate or otherwise harm those simply doing their jobs...
Ben, after tucking the pistol into a holster he had sown into the inside of his cloak, ducked down behind a large container that was about twice his height, it was filled with Food Rations if the label could be trusted. Scoffing he shook his head in disbelief, it was far more likely Artifacts or some other contraband in disguise but he simply squatted down, sliding the pad down onto the floor and jamming it between the container and the wall it was rested against where it would be hidden until his business was done...
As he sat there, waiting patiently he couldn't help but wonder how this would turn out, Ben had an escape plan in place should this turn ugly, but he had acouple questions that required answers, it would be a shame to have to leave without said questions.
The cloaking device, fitted to the Social Credit was a useful tool. A recent wonder of Doctor XiaoBei, Volgograd Industrial, and the technical genius of reverse engineering of old Sol Coalition technology brought back by the Resurgency mission.
It had allowed the Social Credit to slip into the Omicron Theta system undetected, sitting in the sensor shadow of an unsuspecting Zoner Whale that was running supplies into the starbase. The system was crawling with Corsairs, Bounty Hunters, and Outcasts, not to mention the Omicroners who would love to catch a Coalition Storm on its own.
The pilot, however, had flown that ship most of his military career. He'd been one of the few honoured with permission from Commandante Ares to skip straight to gunboat command. The controls of the oldest Storm in active service were second nature to him, each switch and dial a familiar friend.
He'd been given command of the Social Credit after Captain Norman Bethune had found him ready for the command, the aged school master of the Coalition training him in the field operation of the vessel. He in turn had passed it on to Angelica Broch, who in turn had handed it to Jayce Brooks, and Enrico Alvarez. An unbroken chain of service. The Social Credit was a workhorse of the Coalition.
He eyed the station ahead of him, getting aboard was going to be a difficult feat, why Warner had chosen here of all places, he couldn't fathom. But then, Warner always had a habit of picking the most difficult of holes to get into.
However, he didn't necessarily have to dock with the station, to get aboard.
To one side was an old frieghter, moored and awaiting its cargo being unloaded. A few hours for that, combined with a few hours for the cargo to be loaded. Plenty of time for what he needed. He swept the Social Credit down along the hull, finding a spot that was perfect for his needs, the Storm slid into position, the grappling claws extending to take a firm hold. Like an insect grasping its prey. The Storm pulled close with an almost delicate mating maneuver.
The pilot stood, pulling on a relaxed leather jacket.
He was one of the most notorious people in known space, there were posters of him all over Sirius, he wouldn't have long. He grabbed a laser pistol, Zoner made, to be sure. Taking a long sigh as he slipped back through the Credit, down to the second deck, to where the breach-boarding equipment was located.
The twin-laser cutting system switched on, as the umbilical extended to enclose the other ships hull. A flash of light as it spun, carving a hole in the other ships hull, a magnetic lifter pulling the section of hull up, to allow the Coalitioner a chance to slip inside.
A touch of his wrist mounted remote, and the boarding equipment replaced the section of hull, flash welding it closed.
He was in a darkened section of the upper cargo bay, the crew too distracted by the cargo operations to notice the shadow in the upper catwalks, and the Coalitioner slipped away to one of the docked hatches, which had cargo sweeping across to the stations bay.
Keeping his head down, he slipped across using a large box container as cover.
Aboard Freeport 9, he was now in very real danger. But the plan was that he wouldn't stay long enough for them to figure it out. He wound his way through the mooring facilities, till he reached the designated point, drawing his las-pistol and sweeping through the bay, looking for the inevitable trap.
"You called, Benny," Alvin Katz called into the shadows, his pistol up and ready.
As Ben waited in the shadows behind the container he nodded to himself, now he would either get answers, be killed or get nothing and escape. Time always told what would happen.
As Alvin called out his presence Ben silently drew his pistol and checked it over quickly just incase while answering in a calm and mildly surprised tone.
"And you came, I must say I half-expected you to send Alvarez or perhaps a Commissar, but than again you always did like doing your work up close and personal." he commented lightly, clutching the pistol in his hands as he flicked the safety off silently.
"Amazing is it not?" he asked with a light chuckle. "That the betrayed would dare to poke his head out of his hole right in the sights of the hunter, you must be wondering 'Why would he do this?' or 'He's normally smarter than this.' " he commented, his tone light and almost cheerful with a side of sarcasm. "But I digress, I always have a reason for every action I take, so I shall enlighten you, during the Civil War the crew of the Lithuania saw fit to attempt to kill me, however I know they were not loyal to the Volkhan which only leaves you, the question I have for you is simple; Why?" he asked, his tone turning as cold as the Siberian Ice Field as he waited for an answer, listening for both an answer from his old friend and any sound that would give away his position.
Katz eyed the shadows of the dark cargobay, slipping back between the large steel shipping containers.
"If you were redacted, Benny, we wouldn't be having this conversation," he glanced up above him, making a note of the catwalk structures above. He should have brought a Coalition Seeker Sniper rifle, but then he hadn't expected to be playing hide and go seek.
"You knew your maneuvering would eventually come to the attention of the Commissariat. You hid your ship away during Yuveraj Khan's assualt, then when the Volkhan rose, you took your ship off to the Tau systems. Crewed by men hand picked by yourself... you think that His Watchful Eye wasn't aware of your plans?"
Katz shook his head, "you ask why, when you painted yourself into this corner, Benny. Just take what you did after the fact as evidence of the kind of man you were becoming... tell me," he swept around a corner gun up, sweeping the shadows. "How do you like being nestled into the cold Bosom of the Benitez clan?"
He was uneasy, and that unease was growing.
Touching his TAC-link twice, he gave the signal to the Social Credit that there was trouble.
On board the Social Credit, a red light flashed up on the Co-Pilots dashboard twice before going dead. Two flashes from TAC-COM link meant trouble, by the signals the Premier had passed to Lt Colonel Ling.
"Damn. I told him this was a bad idea... Lt's Baker and Vitalievich! Ready your side arms, if the Premier flashes twice again. We go in and extract him. If it flashes just the once, we go back to standby."
Ling signaled the back-up pilot to take over and headed down to the cargo bay where he retrieved his Jian and a sub-machine gun. He then made his way to the two newly promoted Lieutenants. They were to be the Premier's bodyguards, if they were to die for the Premier to live - So be it.
"Lt Vidali, if that TAC-COM blinks twice again - We're going in."
"You say this as if I was the one who betrayed the Coalition." He comments, his tone even and unflinching. "I was already in the Taus when the Volkhan rose to power, on your orders I might add, establishing contact with the Colonial Republic to attempt to access their shipyards since the Order cut us off from theirs." he commented, picking up his datapad in his other hand as he slowly and softly shifts away from the container he was hiding behind and slowly retreating towards the exit.
"Put yourself in my position, you are surrounded by men you formerly trusted with your life, only to have them turn on you with no apparent reason and those who want you dead potentially discovering you at any moment." he commented as he looked around carefully, listening and watching for any signs of hostiles, his former Terrorist instincts at full capacity, his senses hyper-active as adrenaline began to pump through his system.
"As for the Benitez, well I obviously could not trust any within of the Coalition any longer, you could never tell when one you called brother would turn on you for the so-called 'Volkhan', it could have been anyone, I was not willing to take the chance that it was a sanctioned death warrant either." he retorted as he stopped behind a tall container, continuing to listen as he looked towards the exit...Just a few feet away...As his mind raced with possibilities and scenarios he attempted to keep Alvin's mind occupied.
"Here's a tactical situation for you, perhaps it will clear things up. You are alone, your comrades trying to kill you, you cannot return home for fear of being either killed or stapled, who then do you turn?" he commented, activating the datapad and bringing up a schematic for this section of the base, hacking into the local network for information.
"As for the Commissariat, you forget whom you are speaking to, my successor to His Watchful Eye is an inept fool, if he indeed planted an agent aboard my ship than he would have tried to silently kill me, not enlist the aid of the crew who is fighting against the Commissariat and the Volkhan." he commented, shutting down the pad as he finished reviewing the specs.
As he shuffled towards the door he called out once again.
"If I indeed ran into the bosom of the Benitez than perhaps you should consider this saying; The Enemy of my Enemy is my Friend." he said before ducking through the door, he knew Alvin would still follow, but due to the massive amounts of cargo in the second bay it would be easier to keep his distance from him. Aisles of cargo lined the deck, containers of all sizes lined up carefully and obscured the sight from one aisle to another.
Walking as fast as he could down the fourth one he crouched slightly, making his profile as small as he could as he tried to keep the distance between them constant.
Katz shook his head almost sadly, "truth too much for you, Benny?"
He kept his pace steady, the footsteps clear, leaving him no question that Ben was leading him somewhere.
"You were poised to steal a Coalition Typhoon, and we couldn't allow that. Trust goes so far, Benny, and you know the Coalition. The Commissariat is an integral part of the revolution. Denying it will only serve to put your head on a block. No Benny, you could have come home, you could have done your duty... instead you ran to the Corsairs as fast as your legs could carry you."
He shook his head, weaving through the containers, knowing that he couldn't keep the man contained on his own.
He touched his TAC and lifted it to his mouth, "Colonel Ling, I need someone to shut down this entire section of the station. Get yourself and one of the others in here with me, and bring me a Seeker."
"Ben, he called, loudly. "You tried to sell our secrets... you not only betrayed the Coalition, but you betrayed me as well. Didn't you realize we would notice the datafile theft? It was that theft that sealed your fate with the Commissariat."
The orders were received and acknowledged. "Dammit", he thought. There was supposed to be a strict radio silence, any sort of burst transmission like that would have been detected.
"Vitalievich! Head up to the control room on the main tower. Lock down this entire area, try not to kill too many of the Zoners while you're at it!"
Ling signaled Lt Baker to grab the Seeker and then to follow him down to the bay. He crouched down as he entered the cargo bay and raised his sub-machine gun up to his eye. The darkness was unnerving. Something wasn't quite right, something Ling couldn't put his finger on. Lt Baker startled him as he arrived back with the Seeker.
"Argh. Oh it's you, good. That thing packs quite a punch."
He put the rifle on his back and moved silently through the bay with Baker covering his back. A light shone up ahead. Ling motioned Baker to hold while he checked it out.
A PA announcement rang out clearly across the bay.
"Station warden to security office, I state again, would the Station Warden please report to the Security Office."
Katz winced, his communication had been picked up. That meant the warden would have to get to the Security Office, analyze the encrypted message, try to pin-point the source, dispatch a patrol to investigate... fifteen to twenty minutes till they found the bay was locked down. Another ten minutes for them to mobilize a SWAT team... they had time.
Ben rolled his eyes, Alvin really thought he was a traitor, not shocking, people believed what they wanted to believe. Freezing his movement he listened carefully, mentally calculating the distance he concluded that Alvin was three Aisles away and moving towards him at a moderate pace, moving again he started to squeeze in between containers, bypassing an entire aisle and putting more distance, he only had to get to the other side of the Cargo bay, from there he could escape into the habitat wing.
"Alvin, Alvin, Alvin." He commented, pity clear in his voice. "I never wanted to steal anything, I was content with following orders and killing my nemesis, the Outcasts, however you changed the rules when you sent those men to kill me, so I changed them on you in return, as for selling, well no Credits changed hands." he commented while tucking the datapad into his cloak and gripping the pistol with both hands.
"As for 'returning home', you have no proof that you did not order the attack, I know how the Commissariat works, lies and betrayal are much more common within the organization than you believe, Yes it does serve a purpose, I do not deny this, but the people within the organization are not as...Pure as everyone thinks. Even if you did not order the attack, my predecessor would have killed me to cover up any...Loose ends" he spoke calmly, he knew that it was only a matter of time before Alvin had reinforcements in.
"I did not betray the Coalition, the Coalition betrayed me, Two Years of blood, tears and sacrifice I put into keeping it stable, two years I followed your lead." his tone started to get sarcastic, annoyance creeping in slowly as he continued through the aisles.
"As for the 'theft', I consider it collateral, if I do not return soon...Well...Let's just say the passwords I put onto the disk unseal themselves and the full knowledge I downloaded upon them is free to access by any of them...So you have two options really, you can kill me here in a vain attempt to prevent me from telling secrets that will be told upon my death anyways, or you stop right here....And I keep my secrets that I have not told, although I doubt you'd accept such an offer..." he commented, waiting until the footsteps came closer as he ducked behind cover, the crate he was hiding behind had a good view of the next aisle. Ignoring the PA announcement as he checked his clip of ammo one last time before sliding it back in.
"So Alvin, my former friend, what will it be?" he asked, aiming down the sights in the direction he could hear Alvin coming from....