On Board the Providence, Janus System

"Dom?! Domitia?!" Dell panics, "Shit, shit, shit, where are you?!"

He flips through multiple channels, trying to get her back. His mind is racing for any solution, any way to get back into contact with Domitia. The connection shouldn’t have dropped; he was broadcasting on all frequencies. Domitia should have been able to pick up on any of them. Time is running out, they have to get off this rock.

"What the hell is going on? Am I being jammed?" Dell thinks aloud, "Shit."

"You're not being jammed," Murcia chimes in, "Domitia is."

Dell takes a moment to think over what the Net Head said, and realizes she's right, "Must be localized somehow."

"I might be able to cut through it." Murcia says.

"How?"

"Get me close to a transmitter. If I can jack in I can get into their subnet." Murcia explains, "From there, I can switch off the jammer from the backend."

Dell then begins a scan of the station, looking for any active, wireless signals. He begins to hone in on one, bringing the Providence in as close as he can. He brings his ship near the planetoid's surface, the sound of debris bouncing off his ship giving him thoughts of a rainy day.

"Close as I can get before I have to land on this rock." Dell says.

"Close enough." Murcia then inserts her data link into the Providence's terminal. Like before her eyes glaze over, but Dell then hears her voice through the terminal, 'Huh, not badly organized. Was expecting way worse data stacks.'

"I take care of my baby, now get us in."

'Working on that now.'

As Murcia works on that, Dell flips through his scopes, keeping an eye out for any signs of pirate ships converging on him. So far they've kept their distance, clearly licking wounds from their last bout. He worries that these ships are just a taste of the armada; after all, taking a mining colony of this size is a tall order.

The Grumlian looks over, watching the hacker work. She's knelt beside the terminal, unfocused eyes darting around every so often.

'Don't stare, please,' Murcia requests.

"Right, right," Dell takes his eyes off Murcia, looking for anything to keep his mind busy.

Yet right now all he can do is wait.

Janus Mining Colony, Janus System

The tension in the tunnel can be cut with a knife. Various voices call over any open channel, trying to figure out what's happening, what can be done, and what threats lie before the train. It's all background noise to Domitia, who tries to figure out her next move. Dell is in trouble, she can't stay here any longer. Every minute spent on this station is another minute Dell has to spend dodging Fallen Star patrols that are most certainly out to get him.

The Necromancer's offer weighs heavily on her as well. It gives her Flynt, exacting justice that was long overdue; it'd make Those Who Came Before proud. It'd also mean plenty of creds, enough to fix up the Providence and even Domitia's armor. If she could swing it, she might even be able to keep the Fallen Stars off Dell's back. All she needs to do is make sure - confirm that what the Necromancer said was true.

She launches up from the platform she was on and zips over to where Boss is. His Peacekeeper has been clearly damaged, with scorch marks running across its armor, and the right HAMR is destroyed, sparking from a clean shot to the accelerator.

"Hey, are you even listening to me?" Boss' words finally register with Domitia.

"Sorry, was on a call," Domitia answers, her tone devoid of emotion.

"Oh?"

"Just got one question."

Domitia flies to Boss' level, her visor pulling back, allowing her face to be visible, her eyes piercing through the Peacekeeper's cockpit.

"Then ask it," Boss says, switching back over to the radio he'd given her before.

It takes a moment for Domitia to find the words, "Dacian Colony, Catho. You led the attack on it, correct?" The question isn’t for Boss, it’s for Flynt.

It takes a moment for Jericho to answer, clearly blindsided by the ask, "Yeah, that's right."

"Why did you strike it?"

"Was a legit target. Coalition forces were using it as a junction to move war material." The cockpit of the Peacekeeper opens, and a man wearing an ill-fitting void suit looks back at Domitia, his helmet's visor stained with dried droplets of blood, "This what it's about? Justice for some backwater colony?"

Words come to Domitia’s mind, yet she can’t figure out how to string them together. She finds the fury building inside her more human than the raw thoughts and cold combat data of her Legacy. Memories swirl in her head - a red sun, golden grasses, the feeling of sitting on a shaggy carpet, a reel playing on a bulky screen. A time before she was a Bellator, a time when she was human.

"My feelings are irrelevant," Domitia says the words but finds them hard to believe, "Your crimes are many, and I'll bring you to justice. But right now," She motions down the train, "They matter more."

Flynt pauses for a moment, really thinking over what the Bellator said, a wry smile coming over his face, "Right. Like I said, didn't plan on living past this point. Ask you one favor?"

Domitia nods silently.

"When you bring my corpse to the Bounty Board, tell'em I died in the void, with iron in hand." Flynt says with a raspy cough, more specks of blood appearing on his visor, "Cause I don't want my death certificate to read, 'Coughed himself to death.'" He laughs at that.

"I'll see what I can do." Domitia says.

"Right," Flynt then switches back over to the main channel, "Settle down, settle down, fuck's sake."

"Boss, we need power," One of the miners says, "The rail won't work unless we got the juice."

"Any work around?" Domitia asks.

"Maybe." Sam chimes in, "What about the emergency start up? If we can flip that, we can get the rail back on."

"Yeah but that's behind us," A miner says, "Way back. Back where that... Mech is."

Domitia finds herself gazing back down the tunnel. In the gloom she could see it - the Nihog. It stands at six meters, its 'head' containing a baleful eye that glows in the gloom. As she focuses on it, the Mech drifts back into the miasma of red dust, the glow of its optics the last thing to fade away.

"So that's it, huh?" Flynt says with grim certainty.

"Makes sense," Domitia muses, "Lures us back into the open, has the advantage there."

"Right." Flynt says, "Hmm, think I got an idea."

Domitia looks over to the old pirate, "All ears."

"They're after me. Not you. I'll draw the Nihog off, you get the power back on, and get the fuck outta here." Flynt proposes, "I know you're here to cash in, but if you really care about those people, it's our best shot."

Domitia mulls it over, "Don't think I have much of a choice. Even if I got the bounty, the train isn't going anywhere and I got a Nihog on me."

"Guess we have an understanding then. Ready?"

"Yeah," Domitia's visor comes back down, the optics on her helmet glowing to life, "Ready."

"Sam, stay on the train. Once the power’s back online, get it rolling." Flynt orders, "Rest of ya’s, get in the cabins and lock the doors."

"Got it, Boss!"

Domitia and Flynt then begin the journey back. Domitia gets a good leap and then a boost from her thrusters and then powers down her armor to the bare essentials. She knows that the Nihog is scanning for both ion and heat and while it’s a risk to go in on just momentum alone, the benefit of concealment against a superior foe outweighs that risk. Flynt's Peacekeeper takes point, the four-meter tall mech moves directly down the main tunnel, thrusters burning, weapons powering up. Clearly attempting to draw the attention of the Nihog.

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The Bellator takes a quick inventory of what she has left. She has twelve rounds left for her hand cannon, along with two frag grenades and two IR countermeasure grenades. The latter of which are probably the most useful, albeit, for only a brief moment. She knows the Nihog has advanced targeting arrays that allow it to negate counter measures like that. Domitia makes a note to try and target those sensors if she can, it could make the difference between making it out of here and taking in a lung full of void.

"Emergency power’s going to be back up from where you came," Flynt says over the comm, "Follow the rail. Start up’son a panel right of the tracks. Open it up, flip the red switch."

Domitia doesn’t respond, she feels no need to, the task ahead requires a subtle hand. Overt communication would disrupt that touch. Right now she keeps her focus on following the tracks and keeping her eyes out for the Nihog. As they leave the tunnel back into the wide-open fissure, Domitia feels far more vulnerable. This is what the Nihog wants - a wide-open battlefield where it can use its range to its advantage. An urge to move quicker, to activate her boosters and race towards the start-up wells up in her. The Bellator keeps cool, knowing that doing anything rash like that will get her killed. Slow and steady keeps her alive.

The tracks lead back to the gateway she had previously opened and sees the interface panel Flynt had told her about, rusty dust covering the controls. The Peacekeeper mech carries on, slowly turning off the tracks and into the chasm.

"Hey! Old friend!" Flynt begins to transmit over open channels, "C'mon! I'm right here! Why don't you come out and say hi."

Domitia silently gets to work, dusting off the panel and finding the activation switch. She tries to pull the lever but it doesn't move. Fearing she might rip it off the hinge, she looks around the panel, searching for a release or another switch to flip.

"Old friend?" The Necromancer calls back, his voice as crisp and clear as it was before, "I don't remember our last interaction being that charitable."

"It's been a long, long time. Perhaps you're misremembering." Flynt carries on, clearly trying to stall for time, "Me and you left on good terms if I recall. So why come after me?"

"You're a coward, Flynt, that's why." Sassia replies, "You didn't go down with your ship. Left it, and your crew to die. Your--"

"Don't monologue at me, you old fuck." Flynt shouts, a violently, rough cough coming right after, "You really gonna lecture me on that?! You fucking helped me!"

Domitia finds an additional button underneath the switch and presses it; the panel lights up, allowing Domitia to flip the switch at last. She feels the panel vibrate as power is restored to the rail line.

"Times change, Captain." The Necromancer says, "Guess you haven't noticed. Oh by the way, do be nice to Bull. You know Nihog pilots, always have a chip on their shoulder."

Domitia turns to see a bright red light shine through the gloom. She launches herself upward, just in time to witness the total destruction of the panel. In the wake of the ion lance the Bellator reaches out and tosses an IR grenade, sending out a myriad of flares that scatter across the mine just as a flurry of missiles blitz toward her. The missiles scatter after the spinning flares, they'll work to confuse them, but not the Nihog's lance. The Bellator knows the game is on, and awakens her suit from its slumber. The ion boosters roar to life, sending tremors through her armor as she launches toward a gangway hanging above her.

"Come on! Let's dance!" Flynt cries as he shoots off into the gloom, toward the Nihog, shoulder mounted HMGs blazing at the enemy mech.

Domitia knows the play, - Flynt will draw the Nihog's attention, the Bellator needs to close in. Another lance strike streaks through the gloom, vaporizing the gangway just as Domitia leaps off it. She needs to get closer; the Nihog's armor and shielding will shrug off anything she can do from this range. Knowing she doesn't have the firepower to kill it outright, Domitia settles on the next best thing - crippling it. If she can destroy its optics it'll allow her to slip away.

Flynt's HMAR fires, the magnetically propelled round lighting up the iron-rich air with sparks as it zips across the mine. The round strikes true, the shielding glittering as it absorbs the blow, allowing Domitia to see where it is. It leaps from the platform it's on, boosters lighting up as it seeks to gain a new vantage point. Domitia leaps from one gantry to another, building momentum as she goes. As she gains speed she redirects power from her boosters into her lance.

'Lance Charge, 23%. Lance Heat 30%'

She knows it'll be close, but she needs a maximum charge to try and blast the Nihog's optics, which light up the gloom with an ominous glow. She can also see the glow of its ion lance as it charges up a shot. Her mind races, she needs to find some cover.

'Lance Charge, 48%. Lance Heat 55%'

A derelict worker mech floating in the void gives her a thought. Just as the Nihog is about to fire, she suddenly dives towards the wreck, as if she intends to use it as cover. The Nihog fires, hitting the mech dead on, but misses Domitia as she swerves back to her original course.

'Lance Charge, 70%. Lance Heat 77%'

The Nihog is seemingly caught off guard by this and tries to line up another shot, only for Flynt's Peacekeeper to butt in. Another HMAR shot lands, this time smashing into one of the Nihog's weapon pods. The shields buckle and the mostly empty pod crumples, then explodes as the unfired missiles detonate within it. The Nihog snaps around, firing its lance at Flynt this time. The lance strikes true, hitting Flynt's HMAR and leaving him spinning in the void for a moment as the Peacekeeper tries to even itself out.

'Lance Charge, 92%. Lance Heat 99% WARNING! LANCE HEAT CRITICAL'

The Nihog focuses its sights on Flynt, charging up it's lance to fire once more. Its lance glows with murderous intent as it lines up the killing blow. Yet it never gets the chance.

'Lance Charge, 100%--'

Domitia fires at nearly point blank range. The bright blue beam of energy strikes the Nihog in its 'head', the shields doing nothing to halt the impending devastation. The head mounted optics deflagrate violently, followed closed by its remaining shoulder mounted weapon pod melting, then detonating as well, leaving only its ion lance.

'WARNING! ION LANCE COMPROMISED! FOCUSER MELTED!'

Domitia doesn't need her HUD to tell her what the searing pain in her right arm screams at her. Her ion lance is partially melted, and she can feel her enhanced nervous system trying to deaden the pain from the burns on her fingers and hand. But she isn't finished yet, her momentum carries her right into the Nihog, her kinetic maul at the ready. She charges the weapon and slams it right into the arm holding its ion lance. It catches right on the power coupling of the limb, vaporizing the power line and smashing the joint holding the lance up. Her momentum continues to carry both her and the Nihog several more meters until it finally stops in a spray of broken metal. With one last kick, she launches herself back into the void.

"Shit..." Flynt's voice comes through, static ridden and breathless, "Did we kill it...?"

Domitia thinks for a moment, looking over the crippled mech, "No."

Domitia takes a moment to look over the Nihog. The black hull is criss-crossed with depictions of serpents, each of them devouring a star. The Nihog's remaining arm reaches up to its cockpit door and rips it clean off, the pilot now clear to see. His void suit is armored and reinforced, his optics shining just as the optics of the Nihog had. In his cockpit Domitia catches the glitter of chains, trinkets and trophies. The pilot says nothing; the mech's thrusters speak for him.

The Nihog rushes Domitia. She goes to switch to her hand cannon, just as the mech closes on her and slams her back. The blow sends her spinning backward, flinging her hand cannon from her hand and disappearing into the void. Flynt moves to intercept his Peacekeeper’s remaining HMGs firing but missing the Nihog's exposed cockpit. In blind rage the Nihog's fist smashes through Flynt's cockpit; a small geyser of blood signals the passing of the Pirate King.

Domitia slams against a gantry, and is just barely able to catch herself. Numerous warnings and notifications flash across her HUD, the blow doing more damage than internal bleeding. With no other option, the Bellator then does the one thing she can do - dive. She launches herself downward, thrusters on full blast as she attempts an escape, leaving a trail like a falling star, the shadow of the Nihog looming behind her. She tosses her remaining grenades,merely inconveniencing the immense mech as it pursues Domitia, the optics of the pilot burning like the eyes of a demon. Though she gains some speed, but she can already see the notifications telling her that her boosters are failing, along with the ion generator on her suit. She slowly loses power just as the gloom of rusty dust subsides and she bathes in the blue light of Janus' star. She turns, looking back into the gloom, and sees the form of the Nihog.

It emerges into the open void, its pilot's optics burning into Domitia, as if looking right into her soul. She breathes deeply, spitting blood from her mouth and unsheathes her kinetic maul, readying to die with weapon in hand.

"Hey buddy."

Domitia hears Dell's voice over the comm, and she glances over to see the Providence cresting the horizon of dust. Though in pain, she can feel a smile tug at her lips as she watches the ion lance mounted on the nose of the ship charge up. The Nihog turns just in time to be hit by a lance shot from the ship. The unshielded mech is torn apart, it's pieces trailing off into the void.

"So was that our a man or a... Dom? Domitia?" Dell's voice fades as Domitia feels herself slip into darkness.

------

She can't breathe. She can't scream. Not with all the fluid in her lungs. She looks around, seeing others like her through the foggy glass. Suspended in bio-gel. A giant steps in front of her pod, his amber eyes looking down on her

'Sleep. Let it take hold. Feel Her embrace. You are being made into one of us. Another link in the chain. Another link in the chain. Another link in the chain...'

The words becomes hard to grasp as she feels slumber take hold of her. Her eyes close once again, and suddenly breathing becomes an afterthought.

Domitia wakes with a jolt, finding her lungs free of fluid and the low amber lights of her quarters greeting her. She flexes her fingers, feeling pain shooting up her right hand. She looks over, the flesh on her right arm already scabbing over and mending the burnt tissue beneath. Her enhanced biology has already gone to work regenerating her broken body, and while it means she'd be able to keep her limbs, it also means she'll need to rest, a state that ran paradoxical to her nature.

"Fuck..." Domitia curses.

"That's a rare thing to hear outta you," Dell says.

Domitia leans up and Dell hopson the end of her bed, "How long have I been out?"

"Long enough for me to make it back to Mayden," Dell says, "Was starting to get worried. Thought you might actually die."

"Yeah..." Domitia rotates herself, sitting up fully and resting her feet on the floor. She feels healing bones and mending organs flare up with the motions, "Suit fare any better?"

"Fuck..." Dell says with a sigh, running his comb through his hair, "It's beaten up bad. Real bad. You came milliseconds away from having a total oxygen system failure. You're lucky you had me to bail your ass out."

Domitia snorts, "Thanks for that."

"Don't mention it." The grumlian says, "Though I gotta ask, was our boy even there? Did we go on this chase for nothing?"

Domitia thought over her words carefully, "He was. Fallen Stars were after him."

"You see him?"

"I did."

Dell perks up at that, but Domitia’s vague response troubles him, "Alright... What happened to him?"

"Nihog reduced him to paste. Not enough to collect a bounty."

Dell pauses mid way through combing his hair, "Well... Shit."

"My thoughts too." Domitia then asks, "Murcia?"

"Out of our hair. Dropped her off on Mayden." Dell says, "Good news is we aren't entirely emempty-handed

"That so?"

Dell nods, "Workers pitched in, gave us some supplies and scratch. Compensation for fighting pirates. Enough to break even and then some."

Domitia breathes a sigh of relief, although it does pain her ribs a little, "At least there's that."

"We’ll need to lie low for a little while. Keep out of the reach of the Fallen Stars." Dell says plainly.

"Got any ideas?"

"Yeah, ever heard of Prospect?"

File: Mine Your Own Business - Closed

---End Transmission---