Post by contributor on Aug 19, 2013 17:51:08 GMT -5
“Captain, radar contact at 100,000 kms. It’s an Obliterator Cruiser flying a Cadar flag. It matches our marks signature. They’re hailing us, sir.”
“Typical” Captain Holvast thought to himself. Then out loud, “Open comms, I suppose we should at least talk with them.”
The haughty voice came through before the picture was up, “Let me just start out by being honest. I don’t like having to deal with you Rychart vipers, but I believe we have something you’ve been waiting for. Please prepare a shuttle to retrieve your package and wait until our payment has been verified by the responsible...”
Ever since the other captain said “vipers,” Holvast had been smiling. He was now squatting down looking at a piece of carpet that was coming loose on his bridge and signalling one of the ensigns to come take a look. When the other captain finally broke off what he was saying with a huff, Holvast looked up, seemingly startled by the silence. “Most noble captain, of the good ship Doomstroke, in most circumstances I would take offense at being called a viper, but in this case it seems justified as my employers have certainly placed me in the center of their double-dealing. Now, if you wouldn’t mind taking your weapons and engines offline we will send a boarding party to escort you and your first officer to our ship.”
“You can’t be serious” said the Cadarian trying to look as serious as he could. His brain was racing, trying to figure out what was happening. “We have been commissioned to deliver this important package to a certain Captain Holvast at this location. Perhaps you haven’t fully reviewed the terms for it’s safe transferral. They are all clearly spelled out in the contract.”
“That’s all fine. We will do whatever you like with the package, but I don’t think anybody is going to miss the minister’s report on the price of luxury goods in the Javat hinterworlds.”
“What, you can’t know what’s in...” Stammered the Cadarian.
“What’s more important is that I have my own commission from your very own Lady Emille Crass, instructing me to escort you and your first mate to new lodgings somewhere just outside Olggavan Hold. I’m sure you’ll find them very accommodating. Now, for those weapons and engines...”
The captain of the Obliterator Cruiser glared at his first mate while the latter managed to stay busy staring at his report screen tapping buttons furiously, seemingly oblivious to the fact that he was also being discussed.” Turning back to the view screen, the Cadarian forced a smile. “If you would just be patient for a moment, we will get this all straightened out, we’re not interested in a confrontation this far from any civilized planets. Ensign, would you issue the standard Cadarian...” and with this the comm channel snapped off.
“I’m picking up two incoming torpedoes, sir”
“Typical, Chowders” Holvast thought again, stepping forward into his flight controls. “Dax get us past those fish and in a little closer to that ship.” The captain and his pilot officer began the well coordinated moves that had become so familiar to them. They no longer communicated verbally to execute the most complicated maneuvers. A few sideways glances, a quick turn at the last minute and the Jango Class slid easily between the two incoming missiles.
As they approached the halfway point to their target Holvast cast a glance at his new recruit. “Where’s my analysis of their firing patterns, lieutenant? That ship’s bristling with guns and I need an approach corridor or everyone’s going to have a lot of painting to do when this is all over!”
“Sir, I’m having trouble tracking their gun movements, they seem to be inactive.”
“Two more torpedoes sir.”
It was a real “What the hell?” moment for everybody. “Who torps at this range.” Shouted Holvast clenching his teeth. It wasn’t good tactics, but it had caught him off-guard.
Dax pulled a tight, angled roll that the gravity compensators had a hard time dealing with. There would be a some injuries and a real puke-fest on the lower decks. He just grinned from ear-to-ear, as the near explosion of the torpedos could be felt through the hull.
Looking a little green in the face himself, Holvast pulled down his targeting HUD. “I have the forward gun battery. Dax, keep me where I can hit his engines.”
At short range, the Obliterator was no match for the Jango Class. In fact it seemed to have become lethargic, offering even less sport than it should have. Dax’s smile was fading fast, when Holvast grunted “Feck! I could have done that better! Why didn’t they bank?” He had anticipated a move they didn’t make and drilled a hole through the center of their ship instead of cleaning out their engines. “Get me Wallace.”
Holvast’s military officer appeared on his screen. He was fully suited up and crammed into a boarding shuttle. “It’s time for plan B. I’ve made a lovely entry point for you and the mercs just forward of their engines. Remember we need our mark alive or we don’t get paid for this.”
It was always agonizing not going on the boarding missions. The captain and Dax kept the Jango Class out of the Obliterator’s sights while they waited for word from Wallace. “Something’s not right here” said Holvast. “This guy’s not putting up nearly enough of a fight. Lieutenant, I want full scans. Any shuttles leave that ship and we need to be on top of them.”
Suddenly the comm line came to life. It was Wallace. “Sir, we’re in position, limited resistance, one shuttle damaged in the landing and won’t be able to return, but we can deal with it. We’ve nearly got control of their ventilation system now.”
............
The debriefing room was thick with cigar smoke.
“Ŋɔmi did you ever figure what the deal with this guys was?”
“I’m still working out all the details, Captain. Best I can tell is that one of Lady Emille’s ladies-in-waiting decided she just couldn’t wait for it no more, if you get what I’m saying.”
“And”
“Well the official story is that she is engaged to be married to some Star Hero’s kid and they sort of jumped the gun and now she’s pregnant. From what I gather though, she was pretty close with the first mate here,” she put her arm around the Obliterator’s first mate who happened to be standing up in front of the group. “It just wouldn’t do for anybody to know that the real baby-daddy was some no-name first mate.”
“No, guess not” replied Holvast. It always sort of bugged him the way that Cadar Syndicate seemed to carry on like one of the houses. “Wallace, you really liked how that Xebolithricyn worked?”
“It couldn’t have gone better sir. Once we hacked the ventilation system it was no fuss and no mess.” They all looked at the captain and the first mate standing in front of them. The ridiculous grins frozen on their faces eyebrows raised mouths hanging open and lips curled out, together with the protruding Cadarian foreheads made quite an impression. “As long as the anti-toxin is administered within three weeks they should snap out of it and be just fine, any longer and they start digesting from the inside-out.”
“I don’t get it though sir. When we made it to the bridge they were both just frozen where they had been, looking at the view screen. They weren’t at battle stations or nothing”
“And” said the captain.
“They had our ship name front and center. There it was “Jingo Jango,” like they were just snooping on passing liners.”
“Ŋɔmi, I want you to follow up on that. If there’s any chatter, we’re putting her in drydock for a year until things cool down.” Holvast wanted nothing less than to be at the center of some unfolding faction drama.
“And what do you make of that?” He said, pointing to the massive book still clutched in the other captain’s hand. “Is it some sort of manual or code-book?”
“It’s a dictionary sir.”
“Hmmmm, doesn't make sense, whatever, they're ours now. Wallace why don’t you bring the Captain down to the mercenary berths. Let them dress him up and keep him until we get to Olggavan. We’ll keep the First Mate on the bridge. It’ll be good for morale.
“Typical” Captain Holvast thought to himself. Then out loud, “Open comms, I suppose we should at least talk with them.”
The haughty voice came through before the picture was up, “Let me just start out by being honest. I don’t like having to deal with you Rychart vipers, but I believe we have something you’ve been waiting for. Please prepare a shuttle to retrieve your package and wait until our payment has been verified by the responsible...”
Ever since the other captain said “vipers,” Holvast had been smiling. He was now squatting down looking at a piece of carpet that was coming loose on his bridge and signalling one of the ensigns to come take a look. When the other captain finally broke off what he was saying with a huff, Holvast looked up, seemingly startled by the silence. “Most noble captain, of the good ship Doomstroke, in most circumstances I would take offense at being called a viper, but in this case it seems justified as my employers have certainly placed me in the center of their double-dealing. Now, if you wouldn’t mind taking your weapons and engines offline we will send a boarding party to escort you and your first officer to our ship.”
“You can’t be serious” said the Cadarian trying to look as serious as he could. His brain was racing, trying to figure out what was happening. “We have been commissioned to deliver this important package to a certain Captain Holvast at this location. Perhaps you haven’t fully reviewed the terms for it’s safe transferral. They are all clearly spelled out in the contract.”
“That’s all fine. We will do whatever you like with the package, but I don’t think anybody is going to miss the minister’s report on the price of luxury goods in the Javat hinterworlds.”
“What, you can’t know what’s in...” Stammered the Cadarian.
“What’s more important is that I have my own commission from your very own Lady Emille Crass, instructing me to escort you and your first mate to new lodgings somewhere just outside Olggavan Hold. I’m sure you’ll find them very accommodating. Now, for those weapons and engines...”
The captain of the Obliterator Cruiser glared at his first mate while the latter managed to stay busy staring at his report screen tapping buttons furiously, seemingly oblivious to the fact that he was also being discussed.” Turning back to the view screen, the Cadarian forced a smile. “If you would just be patient for a moment, we will get this all straightened out, we’re not interested in a confrontation this far from any civilized planets. Ensign, would you issue the standard Cadarian...” and with this the comm channel snapped off.
“I’m picking up two incoming torpedoes, sir”
“Typical, Chowders” Holvast thought again, stepping forward into his flight controls. “Dax get us past those fish and in a little closer to that ship.” The captain and his pilot officer began the well coordinated moves that had become so familiar to them. They no longer communicated verbally to execute the most complicated maneuvers. A few sideways glances, a quick turn at the last minute and the Jango Class slid easily between the two incoming missiles.
As they approached the halfway point to their target Holvast cast a glance at his new recruit. “Where’s my analysis of their firing patterns, lieutenant? That ship’s bristling with guns and I need an approach corridor or everyone’s going to have a lot of painting to do when this is all over!”
“Sir, I’m having trouble tracking their gun movements, they seem to be inactive.”
“Two more torpedoes sir.”
It was a real “What the hell?” moment for everybody. “Who torps at this range.” Shouted Holvast clenching his teeth. It wasn’t good tactics, but it had caught him off-guard.
Dax pulled a tight, angled roll that the gravity compensators had a hard time dealing with. There would be a some injuries and a real puke-fest on the lower decks. He just grinned from ear-to-ear, as the near explosion of the torpedos could be felt through the hull.
Looking a little green in the face himself, Holvast pulled down his targeting HUD. “I have the forward gun battery. Dax, keep me where I can hit his engines.”
At short range, the Obliterator was no match for the Jango Class. In fact it seemed to have become lethargic, offering even less sport than it should have. Dax’s smile was fading fast, when Holvast grunted “Feck! I could have done that better! Why didn’t they bank?” He had anticipated a move they didn’t make and drilled a hole through the center of their ship instead of cleaning out their engines. “Get me Wallace.”
Holvast’s military officer appeared on his screen. He was fully suited up and crammed into a boarding shuttle. “It’s time for plan B. I’ve made a lovely entry point for you and the mercs just forward of their engines. Remember we need our mark alive or we don’t get paid for this.”
It was always agonizing not going on the boarding missions. The captain and Dax kept the Jango Class out of the Obliterator’s sights while they waited for word from Wallace. “Something’s not right here” said Holvast. “This guy’s not putting up nearly enough of a fight. Lieutenant, I want full scans. Any shuttles leave that ship and we need to be on top of them.”
Suddenly the comm line came to life. It was Wallace. “Sir, we’re in position, limited resistance, one shuttle damaged in the landing and won’t be able to return, but we can deal with it. We’ve nearly got control of their ventilation system now.”
............
The debriefing room was thick with cigar smoke.
“Ŋɔmi did you ever figure what the deal with this guys was?”
“I’m still working out all the details, Captain. Best I can tell is that one of Lady Emille’s ladies-in-waiting decided she just couldn’t wait for it no more, if you get what I’m saying.”
“And”
“Well the official story is that she is engaged to be married to some Star Hero’s kid and they sort of jumped the gun and now she’s pregnant. From what I gather though, she was pretty close with the first mate here,” she put her arm around the Obliterator’s first mate who happened to be standing up in front of the group. “It just wouldn’t do for anybody to know that the real baby-daddy was some no-name first mate.”
“No, guess not” replied Holvast. It always sort of bugged him the way that Cadar Syndicate seemed to carry on like one of the houses. “Wallace, you really liked how that Xebolithricyn worked?”
“It couldn’t have gone better sir. Once we hacked the ventilation system it was no fuss and no mess.” They all looked at the captain and the first mate standing in front of them. The ridiculous grins frozen on their faces eyebrows raised mouths hanging open and lips curled out, together with the protruding Cadarian foreheads made quite an impression. “As long as the anti-toxin is administered within three weeks they should snap out of it and be just fine, any longer and they start digesting from the inside-out.”
“I don’t get it though sir. When we made it to the bridge they were both just frozen where they had been, looking at the view screen. They weren’t at battle stations or nothing”
“And” said the captain.
“They had our ship name front and center. There it was “Jingo Jango,” like they were just snooping on passing liners.”
“Ŋɔmi, I want you to follow up on that. If there’s any chatter, we’re putting her in drydock for a year until things cool down.” Holvast wanted nothing less than to be at the center of some unfolding faction drama.
“And what do you make of that?” He said, pointing to the massive book still clutched in the other captain’s hand. “Is it some sort of manual or code-book?”
“It’s a dictionary sir.”
“Hmmmm, doesn't make sense, whatever, they're ours now. Wallace why don’t you bring the Captain down to the mercenary berths. Let them dress him up and keep him until we get to Olggavan. We’ll keep the First Mate on the bridge. It’ll be good for morale.
... I was going to add (story) to the end of your thread title.
