Said Star Colonel Cristina Hunter while she sat in her office,looking at a copy of the Gallic maps she received from Star Captain Dagon. She made herself some notes before she went to the hallway. From there she could see through the window to see the Libertine idling in the docks of Leniex. A formidable warship, equipped with the best scanner technology currently available in Sirius. Experimental Jumpdrives and powerful sensor jammers, she had it all. Her eyes were focused on the huge construction, her thoughts, however were focused on the upcoming mission.
Isn't she beautiful ?
Were the words of Fleet Admiral Kyle Ormaan who stood near Hunter, she was too focused so she didn't notice him coming.
Si, she is indeed a beauty...the preparations should be done soon and we can commence with the operation. I don't know how you feel about this, but I am a bit nervous...
The Fleet Admiral shrugged.
It'll be alright...
Major Warren, the technical officer, whose job it is to prepare the Libertine for the mission joined them. He saluted in front of the Star Colonel and the Fleet Admiral.
Star Colonel Hunter, Fleet Admiral Ormaan, the Libertine is almost ready, it'll take aproximately 3 and a half hours and the operation can begin.
Hunter nodded, he saluted again and went away to finish the preparations. She turned herself back to Ormaan.
I'll have to deal with the last remaining SAD and AR stuff, I'll catch you up later on the command bridge.
She walked to the SAD quarters to check if her pilots were ready...
Meallan Dagon was whistling a tune while screwing a bolt into his bio-mechanical forearm, in his quarters.
An enourmous screwdriver was being applied, and he just leaned over his chair, trying to balance himself in only two of the four legs of the chair.
"Teki wa ikuman aritotemo... subete ugoh no sei naruzo...
ugoh no sei ni arazu tomo... mikata ni tadashiki dohri ari.. Ja wa sore sei ni kachi gataku..
He barely noticed that his Star Colonel was peeking through the door. A small creak came from the door and he lost concentration and balance, falling to the floor on his back.
Nghhhhhnnnn... Gorram great... Who's there?
He stood still in the floor, still sitting on the chair, now nursing his hurting nape.
Hunter scratched her head when she saw Dagon sitting there.
Doors can be dangerous Mell, better watch out for them next time...
She looked arround and saw the usual picture, her Star Captains relaxing. The SAD quarters were always a special place inside of Leniex. The most important part of it was of course the bar, the second home for some Star Captains. Some people outside of the SAD would call it chaos, but the past has shown that it always worked that way so nobody really tried to change it.
Anyway guys, get ready for our mission to Gallia. Libertine will launch in 3 and a half hours, so make sure you have all your stuff together when we depart. Trust me, there won't be much time to relax, better enjoy the remaining time here.
With that she returned to her office to finish the mission plan.
It knocked on the door and Major Warren entered the room.
Star Colonel Hunter, the Libertine is ready. Departure is in 30 minutes.
Hunter nodded and watched him leaving the room again.
Alright, time to head to the command bridge then.
She left her office and made her way to enter the Libertine, she was one of the last persons who went there. She walked through the hallways towards the command bridge where Fleet Admiral Ormaan was already sitting in the command chair, only waiting to start the operation.
Right, Ormaan, we can start once everybody is ready.
The most senior member of the Hellfire Legion's vaunted Assault Reconnaissance wing - known by his codename "Malikmata", but usually referred to simply as "Recon One" - was smiling. Fifteen minutes later - slow, by normal standards - this simple fact, along with the entire conversation involved, was classified.
Two days later, the entire Assault Reconnaissance wing was on board the Battleship Libertine. Gathering the entire wing in one place was rare enough, but the Libertine had never before played host to any Reconnoiters other than Recon One himself, making this a singularly unique event. The wing, used, of course, separate quarters; while they would normally wander freely around bases and blend in, the Libertine had so few people on board that anyone other than the normal crew and Specials would be easily recognized. The wing's policy of anonymity was as much a mystery to its own members as it was to the rest of the Legion; they did not understand why their own identities were so highly classified. They had asked Recon One before, of course. But he never answered; he just smiled.
Thirty minutes before the Libertine was to depart, the Reconnoiters took roll call. Malikmata, Erinyes, Dapperdan, Venatrix, Szellem, Oculus, Widmo, Skugga, and Sigilo were there. Umbra was not; he had been killed in action some weeks prior. It didn't happen nearly as often to the Reconnoiters as it did to the rest of the Legion, but they still had a few casualties a year. Only their skill and neigh-untouchable ships kept the numbers that low, because their job was one of the most dangerous in the Legion. No one outside the wing was clear on exactly what that job was, but it was obviously very heroic and dangerous.
While they were gathered, Recon One informed them that they would be sharing their section of the ship with new people. Oh, one or two new recruits to the wing, yes, but there would be another wing joining them in their quarters. The wing was, of course, as closely classified as them, and they would refer to each other - and the new wing members - by codenames only. This came as a surprise to some of the Reconnoiters, but not all of them. More then one were already very personally acquainted with the new wing.
On the way back to their quarters to prepare for the jump, they - and Recon one - smiled.
The bridge of the Libertine bustled with activity as final preparations were made. Fleet Admiral Kyle Ormaan sat calmly, surrounded in his command chair by a broad array of holographic status displays and the shimmering tactical grid. As Star Colonel Hunter left the bridge, he toggled the comm for shipwide.
"All stations, final status report in ten minutes. Non-essential personnel, report to your assigned stations, and prep for jump. Departure in fifteen."
He closed the comm, then turned and nodded to the helmsman.
"Major, take us into the Passage."
The Libertine nosed slowly out of the docks Leniex, its decks rumbling softly under the power of its engines. Swooping up on either side of the massive vessel came the in-system escort, two gunships and half a dozen fighters, as ahead in the nebula mists, The Passage yawned open.
Within the nebula, the station-keeping thrusters of the hundreds of asteroids comprising the elaborate security system known as 'The Passage' began to fire, and, slowly, a compact tunnel began to form through the dense asteroid field. Navigating the tunnel was a feat so complex that it could only be trusted to the Libertine's navigational computer, in conjunction with the networked systems of The Passage, as the tunnel's dimensions were so precise that the clearance on all sides of the ship was so close, it could be measured in tens of metres.
As the massive ship cleared the edge of the field, the escorting ships broke away and swept back into the mists, The Passage closing behind them. A handful of minutes passed as the Libertine plowed through open space, and then Ormaan activated the comm again.
"Alright, attention all stations, we're passing minimum safe distance. Status reports. I want go/no-go for jump. Navigation?"
One by one, each station responded on command with their status.
"Navigation is go."
"Drive?"
"Go."
"Sublight."
"Go jump."
"ECLSS."
"Go jump."
"EW&C."
"Go."
"Tactical."
"We are go."
The list went on down through all the major ship systems until, finally, there remained only one station left. Fleet Admiral Ormaan inspected the status displays hovering before him for a few moments, then nodded and spoke.
"Command is go. Leniex Control, this is the Libertine. All systems green, departure imminent.
All stations, prepare for jump."
He nodded again to the helmsman.
"Major Garrett, take us away."
The Libertine seemed to pause in space for a moment, then a brilliant, almost blinding light flared up around the ship, growing in intensity until it seemed as if the ship had been replaced by a miniature star. Then, just as quickly, the light faded out, leaving empty space where moments before had been a ship.
Hundreds of light-years away, the Libertine floated in the empty void of interstellar space.
"Jump transition complete. We've cleared the Barrier. Aligning for next jump."
It would take three more of such jumps to reach their destination.
Characters Alan Markson: The Hellfire Legion's Lord Commander The Perihelion: Freeport Four's guardian, and yet much more. Missing and assumed Lost with all hands. Eric Dresmund: Junker, smuggler, thief. Last seen drunk on Beaumont Vayrn Wyard: IMG Recon pilot turned Neo-Terran Captain. Last location unknown
For heavens sake, man. I told you, i need this lab ready, asap.
Dagon was talking to one of the staff sargeants, in front of a room. With a heavy metal case in hand, this conversation was already pinching his nerves.
I am going to give you a chance, staff sargeant. Either you get me some hands to set up this before we reach our destination, or i will make you a test subject in my latest tubular bio-part. And you don't want to know where i am going to shove it.
The staff sargeant quickly saluted and scurried off, probably getting some men to help, and Dagon entered the room.
Sterilized and bare, perfect for his little lab where he could continue his research on new bio-prosthetics.
This will do.. just fine.
He said in his bretonian accent, and started to unpack the metal case. Not two hours after, the lab was up and running and Meallan, whistling, was already testing a new eyeball bio-camera.
The last remaining jumps were finally done and the Libertine entered the Orkney system and headed to a secure location, far away from any potential threat.
Finally.
Star Colonel Hunter was getting unpatient, the whole trip to Orkney took its time. She activated the comm systems.
All SAD and AR pilots are to report to the bridge.
Meallan dropped the apparatus he was working on. His table was a mangle of small electronic pieces, armor platings of several materials and even a half-dismounted laser rifle was there.
He turned to the marine at the door as he was exiting the room.
No one except me, Star Colonel Hunter or Admiral Ormaan enters here, understood, Sargeant?
The marine quickly saluted and stood in attention. With that, Dagon left in a brisk pace, grabbing a small data disk, that contained the big part of the systems intel he could gather. As he got near the entrance to the bridge, he whispered.
Back to the battle, unto hell once more.
The guards saluted him and the double blast door to the bridge started to open.
A load thud startled Beumont. Although it turned out to be a crewman rousing him to get to the Bridge. Beumont nodded, and started a slow jog up to the bridge from his bunk. As he lit a cigarette, he muttered to himself.
SSDD, as they used to say. Hope they don't break too much while we're gone. And maybe I'll finally...
He stopped whispering to himself as two Legion Marines patrolled down the hallway at a brisk pace. They stopped and saluted Beumont as he jogged past, and then continued on. Beumont quickly made his way through the ship, and finally came up to the double blast doors of the bridge.
"Now we see if all of this trouble will be worth it."
He puffed a billow of smoke as the blast doors opened.