I watched the map as ships docked with the carriers who had turned and were beginning to fly out of the Solar System. The dreadnought from the celestial duke clan got a little closer to a carrier as they traded shots. The carrier ended up taking damage and had a huge hole in its side when the carrier suddenly lurched forwards as it sank downward, the next second the map registered it as entering subspace and then it vanished. A few moments later, the dreadnought lurched and followed the carrier into subspace, vanishing from my map.
I turned, glancing at Jessica who just stood there smiling before I looked at the other two carriers, one had a huge hole in the side of it and only half of its thrusters operational. I watched a ship dock with it and a few moments later it lurched forward only for something near the rear to explode. A few moments after that, ships began to pour out of it as they attempted to run for the last carrier, many of the ships that had come to defend the orbital station immediately engaged them, picking them off. Not all made it unscathed, as the ships did fire back and a few of the defenders were blown apart. Only three shuttles and a frigate made it to the carrier. The frigate did not even have time to dock before the carrier lurched forward, sinking into subspace as it ran from the overwhelming force that had followed the frigate. Without anywhere to run to, the frigate immediately surrendered. The five ships that still had not made it to a carrier found themselves with no way out of the system and decided to turn back towards earth.
I watched the map as many other ships began lurching and sinking into subspace as they either followed or went somewhere else. Leaving only a dozen ships still in system, Ashley suddenly stepped forwards, placing her hands on the command table as she glared up at the Five ships that had turned back to earth. A microphone appeared in front of her, and she screamed into it.
“Surrender or you will be fired upon for failing to heed the Blossoming Terranova Orbital Station's warning!”
After receiving no response and the ships did not change course, Ashley gave the order and the orbital station began firing on the five ships. The battlecruisers moved to defend the freight cruiser as the destroyers lurked in between them, trying to add their own firepower to the defence of the freight cruiser. Moments later, a battlecruiser took a plasma bolt to its engines and died, it ejected what my map registered as a life bank. A destroyer managed to collect before moving to rejoin, only for it to fail to defend itself and went down, ejecting two life banks.
“What are these life banks?” I asked curiously as I watched the last three ships getting near a planet.
I watched as the freighter and last destroyer suddenly changed course and headed towards the planet's surface.
“Hmm? Oh, it is the stored consciousness of all those that were onboard the ship. There should only be a skeleton crew of necessary personal on it, the rest would have transferred themselves to a carriers' life bank, that left the system or to one already out of the system if they could afford the long transfer fee.”
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“And if they couldn't and went down with the two carriers that didn't make it out?”
“Then they are stored on the carrier's life bank, awaiting your mercy.”
“Can the host body die? If I show no mercy?” I asked as I watched the battlecruiser eject its life bank.
“No, they will be forcibly ejected, and the system will delete everything they had including credits, they will have to start all over again.”
“What should I do if I decide to show them mercy?” I asked curiously as I watched the freight cruiser reach what my command table's map said was the atmosphere of Mars. A few moments later the last destroyer took a shot and I watched its life bank fly out into space.
“Well then you would collect up all the life banks and store them, the host body can connect and disconnect from it while they wait for your decision but while they are connected they will be sitting in a military version of a day spa being pampered and looked after. But they are completely cut off from the rest of the universe while there. My recommendation would be to begin construction on your prison while you collect the life banks.”
I nodded my head as I brought up the orbital stations construction menu. Discovering nothing was currently being built, I manoeuvred over to the prison and found I had enough credits and resources for its construction and immediately selected it. As I glanced up at the map, I noticed most of the remaining ships were registering on my map as salvage ships, and they were salvaging the wreckage and debris that were still floating away from my solar system. I was about to turn to Jessica and ask for an explanation when the Command table alerted me that it had an incoming call. I mentally clicked answer, only for a familiar face to appear standing on the edge of my table, grinning at me.
“What the hell, Kenna? I leave you alone for five minutes, and you get into a fight?”
I laughed and shook my head before replying. ”It's not my fault, Zeo, I was just sitting here minding my own business when they showed up, making all sorts of demands and statements, they even filed complaints against me for disagreeing.”
“Yes, well my clan is already investigating that but in the meantime I have loaned you a dozen of my salvage ships with pilots, they will haul all the wreckage and debris into a hangar for your people to sort out at a later time, they will even collect the life banks for you to place in your prison. Can we agree on a fee of no charge for the next three ore shipments?”
“You want to take the entire shipment instead of paying me a percentage?”
“It is a lot of wreckage, you could use it to build a carrier and fill it will all the required ships. The wreckage is worth way more than what the ore charge is.”
“Fine, I suppose that is fair.”
“Okay, it's a deal, well I got to run now, dads already throwing a fit and wanting to go on a Twiddles hunt. See ya around.”
She smiled to me then waved before vanishing. A ship on the map near the edge of the solar system suddenly lurched forwards and vanished into subspace. I let out a sigh and made sure the map was still tracking that freight cruiser, now resting on the surface of Mars. Before sighing and turning to face the man, who presumably had the same last name as Jessica Biko.
“So, you want to open a guild hall on my Orbital Station?”
“Yes please, Ma’am. I have prepared a guild hall rental contract that I think you would find agreeable.”
He moved his hand from where I presumed his HUD was and flicked it towards me. My HUD pinged, and I looked at the contract that he had sent me.