Steller_Drifter’s YouTube News documentary
“And that is it for our sponsor. Now back to the story.
So, whoever these ships belong to, they knew this other fleet was coming. They had somehow managed to strap engines onto some big ass rocks and hurled them at these three big, manta ray looking ships. This completely knocked them out of the fight. And the remnants of both fleets fought each other to annihilation. Now this is where something weird happens. I'll show you in the video in just a second. But when each of these large ships got hit with the asteroids they eject something from their center. The biggest ship also ejects one but it's barely visible.
Now a couple things happen simultaneously here. All four of these cores, or whatever they are are seen flying information away from the battle. There's also some sort of energy buildup around them which is now recognized as an attempt at emergency hyperwave jump. Just as they're doing that one of the ships from the ambushing side deploys something. There's a weird flash of blue and then the cores detonate. OK let's watch.”
The video shows the battle as it plays out. The four largest ships were struck by the asteroids with the manta ray shaped ones being completely destroyed after they launched their devices. The large one stays in the battle a good while longer. In the distance the four cores can be seen flying away and as an aura of energy builds up around them one of the small attacking ships can be seen ejecting something small and glowing. It flashes blue then detonates in a wave of energy. Off in the distance the aura around the cores violently shifts and twists they also detonates with a brilliant green flash.
“What most people don't know is that this detonation coincides with the reports of multiple people being hospitalized for severe migraines and delirium. Some people reported hearing voices and that they, I quote ‘couldn't get them to stop’. Others said they could see people’s minds. In one case a blind kid claimed He could see. However, tests showed that his eyes still weren’t working. And that was the beginning of psionics. That's right ladies and gentlemen. What many called the ‘Awakening’ was triggered the exact same time those strange devices detonated. No one has really figured out what it means yet or how it happened, but it did.
Now the travel time from earth to Mars is between 150 and 300 days depending on circumstances. To get out to the Kuiper Belt takes way longer. Its so far out that pluto is considered a part of it. from So how did we get out there and salvages those wrecks so quickly. Well, that brings us back to Mars.
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Unidentified location
Edward Teach walked the halls of his brand-new battleship. Polished utilitarian floors, corridors, and pressure doors. All of it made by technology he didn't understand, left behind by species he'd never met. But he didn't need to understand it to use it.
As he walked onto the bridge his Bright pilot/computer tech Stares-Into-The-Abyss had his many tentacles manipulating a control nexus specifically designed for him. Jack-o-Lantern, the weapons specialist, stood on the right side of the bridge toward’ s the back. The power armor he wore, still on him, even in the safety of the bridge. The helmet was shaped like a carved pumpkin, complete with holographic flames coming out of a grinning mouth and eyes.
As Edward sat down in the captain’s chair in the center, a hologram of Cerberus popped up in the center display. Edward had decided that the figure should match the name, therefore Cerberus was a muscular three headed hound.
“What's new Cerberus? Hoping to test out my new battleship soon. Anything come up?”
The deep, gravelly voice of Cerberus, designed to be slightly unsettling, growled out “It seems Gorn-Vertal the Bloody got himself captured recently. There is a sizable bounty on his head. And it's doubtful his crew will be able to break him out.”
“Well then, looks like we can launch our maiden voyage.” he gazed at the holographic display now showing the star-scape peeking beyond the dark side of the moon. “It’s time for The Queen Anne too sail once more.”
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Hobo Station: Station security HQ
August 24th, 2272 – two weeks since Jhorns Death
Rasputin
“Two Weeks. 8 crates worth of refugees to process. And a diplomatic incident that just will not go away. And not to mention the new diplomat the Scre sent here.” Chief Maxwell was not happy. “So why do you think you're here Rasputin? What paperwork induced headache could've brought you to my office?”
“Keeping the Scre captain in the Brig for a week until ordered to drop my charges against her, Sir?”
“No, no, that's not it. You see I just went over the transcripts for the voice logs. And imagine my surprise when I came across this little tidbit.” As he opened a file on his pad Rasputin visibly winced. He glanced at her, and cleared his throat. “I’m going to try and piss the big one off’. Now I know I made a joke about how talking to you could have led to violence, but apparently thats exactly what you intended. Now understand, I get why you had to do what you did. It wouldn't have worked any other way but I should not be holding a record of your intentions in my hand right now!” he shook the pad in Rasputin’s direction. “This is all the Scre need to claim incitement, and arrest you for starting the violence. DO you know what they would do to you if they managed to steal you off the station? Fortunately, I found it first and they won't be getting their hands on it.”
“Sir, I…”
“No, no, no! No apologies, no excuses, no response of any kind. Your file says you're incredibly impulsive and not recommended for contact with aliens. However, this station needed Tom. He is one of the best telepaths we have that can probe both alien and human minds easily. Gleaning information about the wider galaxy would ten times as difficult without him. And it said he would work best if he had somebody he trusted watching his back. Unfortunately for me, that someone was you. So, I decided to take a risk on you. See if for once someone didn't live up to their file. I have to say I'm disappointed. This is strike one Rasputin. I'm not telling you how many strikes you get, or what qualifies as a strike, 'cause those are both things that you should know. What we should be working on right now is the case of the active serial killer onboard the station. Instead, I'm dealing with this. So, get your head out of your ass, and get your priorities in line. Am I clear?”
“Yes Sir.”
“Good. Dismissed.”
As she left Chief Maxwell's office, the Scre diplomat waiting outside charged in. He had been trying for a week to have the refugees return to the empire. Maxwell had been delaying him for all of that week. From asking for citizen's proof birth and workplace location, to medical records, and dietary needs. When those options run out, it became clerical errors, translator malfunctions, and every roll of diplomatic red tape he could find. But he was running out of options. The demands were turning to threats. Apparently, there was a warship on its way now. Earth had dispatched one of its own, but it wouldn't be here soon enough. The Lygotti apparently, where sending a small battlegroup. They would take every oppertunity they could get to stick it to the Scre,skrak,skauter Holy Empire, but they didn't look like they would arrive soon enough either.
Tom was waiting for her down the corridor. “So, what did you do to piss off Maxwell?”
“Apparently, saying that I'm going to piss off somebody intentionally puts me in the wrong.”
“Technically yes, that is how it works.”
“I will get them off this station. No one deserves to live in chains.”
“And they will Rasp. I’m with you all the way. Just watch that big mouthof yours ya goofball.” he said smacking her shoulder.”
“So what now?”
“Well we’ve had no activity from Stalker. He’s past his one kill a week deadline, so that trail has gone cold. In which case, it’s prisoner interrogation again. This guy is a tough nut to crack. But! We're trying something different today. You get to pretend to rough him up to distract him from me.”
A smile crept back to Rasputin’s face. Finally, the day was starting to look up.
“Oh shit! Rasputin! Rasputin! Your face is doing that thing again! Oh God it's horrifying. Please for the love of all that is holy make it stop!”
“Shut up you little shit!” She scowled at Tom but couldn't hold it. She broke into a grin at the ridiculous faces he was making.
“There it is again! Hhuuug. Huuuugrk. Aaakkk. I’m gonna vomit”
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Hobo Station: The Cardboard Box
August 24th, 2272 – Early-to-mid night cycle, The Cardboard Box
Josh
Movie night had gone well. There wasn’t a lot of demand yet for earth made movies, so they had to run it through a translator for the subtitles. Josh had decided to start out with Guardians of the Galaxy. Some of the language had confused her at first but apparently she ‘really loved the plot’. It had been a really good start.
Then, suddenly, her job got very busy. Apparently stationed security needed a clerk of her skills for some nearly round the clock work. She had barely anytime off, and when she did he was working. Fortunately, she was able to spend some of that free time at the bar, so they still chatted some. But apparently now she had done all she could for whatever project it was they had her working on. And they finally set up another date.
“So, you call these Blue Eels?” Josh looked down at the small blue spaghetti like food at the end of his fork. “They used to be alive?”
“It’s as close a translation as possible. They’re not exactly alive but pretty close to it” Tre-La laughed at the look on his face. “They're more like plants. But they act like animals, burrowing, moving, and able to sense and avoid danger. They grow in shallows and photosynthesize sunlight.”
“Oh. That’s cool.” the relief in his voice was quite obvious.
“No, they are usually quite warm. They mostly grow in the tropics.”
“Oh sorry. I just meant that's an interesting and fun fact. So, it is true then, that your planet is mostly an ocean? I mean I know your kind is amphibious, that's why people call you mermaids.”
“Yeah, our planet is covered in about 80% water. And I meant to ask you this earlier but what is a mermaid? I've heard other humans describe us that way, but I never asked what it meant.”
“Well back on Old Earth sailors would tell stories of creatures that dwelled in the ocean.” He took up a storytellers dramatics. “Half woman half fish, beautiful beyond compare, with voices that would drive men mad with desire. There was legends of whole ships being driven onto rocks as the sailors desperately tried to reach the mermaids. Then of course the stories get even darker, telling how mermaids will strip the flesh from your bones or drag a man down to the bottom of the sea and drown him.”
“Well, we are omnivores. But what about the rest? Am I beautiful beyond compare? Does my voice drive you out of your mind with desire?” Where the hell did that come from? Did I actually just say that to him?
“Well you're certainly one of the most beautiful women I've ever met. As for the voice… well I'll have to hear you sing first, unfortunately this bar doesn't do karaoke. Or maybe that's for the best. Can you imagine Greegan trying to sing?
Tre-La giggled into her wineglass. This was the most fun she'd had all week. “Oh, I needed this. You have no idea how stressful and draining it can be to become deliberately inefficient at work. Uuhhhhggg. I just want to tear my eyes out sometimes.”
“Oh now, don't do that! Who will ogle me while I'm working if you do? What was that all about anyway. I heard some people talking about refugees or something?”
“Yeah, a bunch of Scre laborers fleeing from the ‘Holy Empire’ desperate to find a better life. Bunch of xenophobic trench dwellers.”
“Yeah, I've heard only bad stories about those guys. Glad they're nowhere near our space. Ah shit, Greegan’s giving me the look. My shift is probably going to start soon.”
“Can we have another movie night soon?”
“Sure. We can watch Guardians of the Galaxy 2”
The only reply was an excited squeal.
As Josh stood up he waved at Greegan and made a nodding motion to the door. Pointing to something sitting on the counter he motioned for Greegan to throw it to him. Obliging the copper lizard tossed him the device
“What was that?” Tre-La asked quizzically.
“Just a little souvenir from home.” Josh replied with an impish grin. “Come on, I'm walking you home.”
“But I thought you had to work?
“Yep, but that crotchety old lizard can wait. Everyone still gotta travel in groups remember. Seems to be working too. There's been no killings for a while.”
“But then you'll be walking back here alone.”
“What? Absolutely not. I'll be running. As fast...as I possible…can.”
Laughing they both headed out the door.
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There is a certain tension to the air when something is waiting to happen. No matter if it's big or small, significant, or insignificant, the world knows. And tonight was no exception. The air felt slightly stiff, motionless. As if the station itself was holding its breath.
As the Scre ambassador stepped out of his new temporary office, he paused and sample the air. He wasn't sure what it was, but something had caught his attention. Something familiar and dangerous. An old instinct from when his ancestors had roamed his world, hunting the dangerous creatures there. An instinct that stirred once again centuries later. Warning that something was afoot, that something was not quite right. He shuddered briefly and shook it off. He had an important task to finish. It was time to make a call.
In the station’s computer systems and surveillance programs, foreign data packets begin to alter information. Inserting or changing code, laying the groundwork for what was to come. It was not malicious or evil, it simply did its job unknowing and uncaring of what the results would be. And it did its work well. Foot traffic was diverted, drones found themselves taking slightly longer routes to deliver goods to their destinations. Station comms were set so that all calls from a particular area were routed away to a specialized bot, set to reply to any distress call using recorded information gathered from the station itself.
“All of life is a stage. And we the players.” Stalker grinned as he slipped his mask on. “And it's time to play. Let the hunt begin” And with that he slipped into the shadows. He began to follow and gently, silently, and subtly corral his prey.
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Hobo Station: Main Concourse leading to Ver-Katarri District
August 24th, 2272 – early to mid night cycle
Josh and Tre-La
“All I'm saying is if Rocket Raccoon use traps that incapacitated rather than causing extreme discomfort, you could have knocked out the entire pirate crew and parlayed with the Yondu without so many guns pointed at him.”
If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.
“Yeah, but it wouldn't have been as funny. So in that respect it also kind of fits with his character. He does things that are funny rather than…”
“Shush.”
“I'm serious it's…”
“Josh, shush, I heard something. It sounds like…like a child. There it is again!”
They had stopped walking by this time and as Josh strained his ears he heard it as well. “Mommy, Mommy where are you!” The Language was definitely Ver-Katarri, made sense since they were close to their district. “What the hell is a kid doing out here this time of night?” The hairs on the back of Josh’s neck bristled. His gut was telling him that something was a bit off right now but he couldn't place it. As Tre-La started to move towards the sound he grabbed her arm. “Wait. Shouldn’t we call Security?”
Tre-La paused “I guess, but she could wander off by the time they get here. We are here now.” She looked at him with pleading eyes.
“Ok just let me…Hello yes. We kind of found a lost child wandering. Could you send a team here please?”
A voice crackled through the com. “Officers have been dispatched please stand by. Try and keep the child calm.”
And with that Tre-La started moving. “Come on she’s getting farther away.”
“Damn it. You’re going to be the death of me” Josh sighed as he started after her.
As he watched, his prey took the bait, heading into the dark alleyways between buildings. The ‘child’ keeping just in front of them. Just close enough that they wouldn’t give up, teasing them with a brief glimpse, or a startled gasp. The pair whispered to each other before the xeno took the lead, calling out softly. The other human was wary, continuously looking about and forcing Stalker to be extra cautious. As he warily followed, reaching to his belt he pulled Night’s Blood from its sheath. Under his chest piece his heart began to hammer. He could feel the adrenaline begin to trickle into his bloodstream. For a moment he paused, closing his eyes and revealing in the feeling, the rush. But it would only get better. Moving out from his hiding spot he continued to follow the duo. Time to finish this hunt.
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Hobo Station: The Cardboard Box
Tom
For whatever reason, neither Tom nor Rasputin could sleep tonight. He was pretty sure Rasp had a lot of aggression pent up from the dealings with the Scre. That was why she was currently on the dance floor, vibing to the sick beat of techno music. The Traxian she picked as her dance partner had been surprised at first as she dragged him to the dance floor but jumped into the music with gusto. So she was having a blast. But him…
It was hard to explain. Just a sense of unease. Like a humid summer day, and the AC is broken. Or sitting in the dark and swearing that the shadows were moving. Something was tickling his subconscious, and he had learned a long time ago not to ignore such warnings. Even if it turns out to be a false alarm. So that’s why he sat alone at the bar, sipping a fruit juice, gently projecting ‘not available singles on both a physical and psionic level. And hoped to whoever was listening that this was just a false alarm.
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Hobo Station: Back alleys
“It’s ok little one. We’re not going to hurt you. You are looking for your mother?” the child had run into a dead-end alley. She was cowering off in a corner as Tre-La slowly approach them, making soothing sounds. Josh hung farther back so as not to spook the kid. How the hell did someone lose their child on a space station. Curious, he pulled out his datapad, took a quick snapshot of the child's face, and pulled up his backdoor access to station medical records. It wasn't something he should have but old habits die hard after all. He narrowed the search down to Ver-Katarri children and ran a comparison search using the picture. Nothing. No matches. He ran another search, looking for mothers who lost their children while docked with the station. Again, nothing. This didn't make any sense, according to the system the child didn't exist.
Suddenly the hairs on the back of his neck stood up, and all the unease of the past two weeks began to boiled down to this very moment. The feeling of being watched. Constantly catching view of something out of the corner of his eye only to turn and see nothing. Now here he was, in the middle of a dark alley, with a child that didn't exist, and a killer on the loose. “Oh no.” He quickly sucked in a breath, ready to shout that they had to leave now.
A hand clapped over his mouth and nose. At the same time a knife slid between his ribs, aiming for his heart. He wanted to scream. To do something, to warn her, to fight back. But he was paralyzed, like his nervous system just got shocked. He felt the knife savagely pull itself out of him. Then a blow to the side of his head left him to bleed out in unconsciousness.
As Tre-La approach the child. She reached out to gently touch her on the shoulder. But her hand simply passed through, as the hologram fell away revealing a simple floating drone, playing faint sobbing noises out of a speaker. Suddenly there was a loud -thump- behind her. Startled she spun around only to see Josh is body, unconscious on the ground, with a pool of blood spilling out from underneath him. And standing over him was the vision of a monster.
A silver mask like a skull, clothing darker than the darkest abyssal trench, and eyes that glowed like a lures in the dark. Then she caught a look at the knife. A darkness so complete it was visible even among the shadows around it. Sharp jagged edges and long enough to kill her with one thrust. Suddenly her back met the wall behind her. Without noticing she had been backing up till she hit the it.
The terror on her face…that made the wait so worth it. She knew who he was. And why he was here. That fear was Intoxicating. This one…ahhhh…he was going to have to take his time on this xeno. Her eyes were on his blade. Perfect. “Like what you see? A thing of beauty isn’t it. Want to see it up close? I can do that for you.” Her eyes darted left and right, looking for a way past him. Couldn’t have that. Quickly he drew and fired his stunner pistol. The Xeno gasped as the pain shot through her nervous system, shocking her long enough for him to dart forward and slap a nerve inhibitor at the base of her neck. Now unable to move, but able to feel everything. He checked his monitoring programs. Everything was working perfect. No one would be close enough to hear a thing.
As Tre-La looked for a way past the creature, it seemed to anticipate her move. Pulling out a handgun of some kind it shot her with an energy discharge. Instantly it felt like every one of her nerves had caught fire. For a second, she blacked out, but when she came to lying on the pavement with the beast above her panic set in. She tried to scramble away but found all she could do was wiggling her head a little, the rest of her body didn’t respond. She could still feel everything, she just couldn't move it!
“Well then. Shall we start? You were interested in my blade I think.” He held it over her face, tilting it from side to side. “You and I are going to have so much fun.” The blade went down, just out of her sight. Then she felt it dragging across her arm. She could feel the flesh peeling back like an over-ripe fruit.
“AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!”
He watched as his blade dragged across her arm. Going deeper every moment. He felt his heart hammering behind his rib cage. The butterflies in his stomach were going crazy at the sight of her skin folding back away from the point of his blade. He paused with the blade just above her wrist. He took a moment and just…watched as the blood welled up spilling over the edge of the wound. She was screaming. He felt a shudder run through him. Part revulsion and part glee. The total control he had over her was better than any drug. He turned her palm over in his hand, facing it upward. “Such delicate fingers. I wonder what the bones are like”
He placed the tip of the blade on her palm, and began to trace lines from the top down to the tips of her fingers.
“No! Please NOOOAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!”
“…HHHHHHHHHHHHHH!”
Josh started back to consciousness. He was staring up at the simulated sky of the dome. His breathing was shallow and labored. Like he was breathing through liquid. He could hear Tre-La alternate between begging someone so stop and screaming in pain. He raised his head to try and see who was doing this, but all he could make out was a shadow. Reaching into his pocket he grabbed the device Greegan had thrown him. Bringing it too his mouth he pressed the talk button. “Greegan…he’s here in an alley near the Katarri Aquarium. Need help. He’s killing her.” He could barely whisper out that out. He left the button on transmit as Tre-La’s cries filled the air.
Siting at the bar Tom let himself drift across the brilliant lights of the minds here. Such amazing feelings here. Joy, excitement, trepidation, a few drowning their sorrow in the emotion of the crowd. It was indescribable. Like swimming in a living sea of light and color. Light and color that had taste, texture, and a life of its own. Every wave alive with form and feeling.
Suddenly a ripple sot through the turbulent sea of ecstasy. A dark tendril of fear, worry, despair. It came from the bartender. The Dragon who never gave off anything at all. Like a rock in the center of a pond he was always visible, but never changing and unreadable. Until now.
Tom opened his eyes and looked at the Dragon. He was staring right at him. Holding something out towards him. An old walkie talkie. Tom pushed over as fast as possible. When the one person he couldn’t normally sense was suddenly readable you don’t ignore it. That feeling of unease was back, stronger than before. Instantly he sent a urgent mental ping to Rasp. He knew they were needed badly.
As he reached the winged lizard, he could suddenly hear a sound coming from the speaker. Pain. On the other end of the line someone was in unspeakable pain. Shrieking and pleading, begging for it to stop. Then a noise that chilled him to his core. Another voice, soft, low, and robotic. The voice of the monster. Tom just asked “Where”
“The Aquarium, Ver-Ketarri district”
He turned and Ran to the door “POLICE! MAKE A HOLE!!!” he screamed as he charged through the crowd. Banners of purple waves snaked in past him, forcing the crowd apart as Rasputin came up beside him. Together they raced through the doors and onto the concourse. His pad was out, the emergency line already died. “This is officer Piper, confirm voice print! We have an active stalker killing happing in the Aquarium, Ver-Katarri district. We need units dispatched NOW!”
“Voiceprint confirmed. Dispatching units now.”
He clipped the pad to his belt and focused on his speed. They had him! This time he was going down! “I’m coming for you, you son of a bitch!”
Tre-La wasn’t screaming anymore. Just whimpering. It was awful. He could barely move, and breathing was getting harder every second. Darkness had started to creep around the edges of his vision. Stay awake. You have to stay awake. If you close you eyes…you’ll…you…
Then the voice cut through the shadows.
“So what should I take with me. You won’t last much longer, and I need you to be here for that. Let’s see…hmm…AH! You have amazing eyes. Has anyone ever told you that? It would be a shame to never see those again. Yes, yes that’ll do nicely. Now hold still darling. It will all be over soon.”
No! he had to do something! Anything. But how do you stop a killer who’s never been caught before? How do you keep him from finishing his victim. As he heard her begin to cry again it came to him.
“Hey dipshit.” He managed to raise his head and look at the monster. Raising the walkie talkie, he grinned his best ‘fuck you’ grin and said “Guess who I invited to the party.”
In a flash the walkie was snatched from his hand and he heard the voice “No, no, no ,no! This is….NO!”
The kick to his head almost pushed him back under. But out of shear spite he came back. ”Hee hee hee. You should see your face. Looks like your shit out of luck, bitch.” The mask stared down at him, the hand gripping the walkie shaking. The he saw the knife start to rise. Right! He had just pissed off a psychopath “Well fuck me.”
“HEY. FREEZE MOTHERFUCKER!!” the shout rang out farther down the alleyway. Looking down the way he saw debris start to fly from the ground. Like a wave was rushing down the alley. WAM! Suddenly the figure flew off his feet and into the back wall. He staggered for a moment then stood. He looked down the path at the two figures rushing down towards them, then turned and stared to climb straight up the wall. “Great. He’s fucking Venom too.” the darkness began to creep around his vision again.
“Don’t”
The command shot into his brain, joilting him back to the surface. “Don’t give up. Stay awake. We’re here now.” A face suddenly loomed over him, eyes glowing a ghostly lime green. “Rasp go after him. These folk need immediate care. Remember. Catch him alive, no matter how badly you want to crush his fucking skull.”
A female voive joined in with a growl “He’ll be alive. I can’t say how many pieces he will be in, but he’ll be alive. Fucking monster.” Then suddenly he saw the woman start too…fly? Was she flying up the wall too?
“I died, didn’t I.”
“No, you are ok. Just hang in there I need to check the woman. Miss are you…oh my god” he finished in barely a whisper. “What the fuck…”
The darkness started to creep back over his vison. That was ok…that was fine…
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Hobo Station: Top of the Ver-Katarri Aquarium Habitat.
Rasputin leaped over the edge of the building. She left a trail of cracks along the side, showing where she had clawed her way up with her powers. She could see him running across the top of the building. Manic grin stretched across her face, she bolted after him. The building they were running on was tall and wide, giving almost nowhere to hide. As she ran, she concentrated a portion of the energy in her hand, forcing it down to the size of a baseball. Raising her arm she flung it as hard as she could at his back. There was a satisfying crack! and he fell over. But only briefly, leaping to his feet he bolted towards the edge of the building. “This is one tough son of a bitch.”
As he reached the edge of the building, to her great surprise he simply leapt off. Rushing up to the drop she looked down to see him already running across the road. It had been a good five story drop. “Two can play at this game.” Leaping over the edge she wrapped the majority of her psi energy around herself, sending down three pseudopods the arrest her fall. With a loud crash, the tendril slammed into the ground below her, gradually arresting her fall and transferring the energy into the pseudopods. Three-point superhero landing. “Damn I’m a badass” she said with a grin.
As she took off, she noticed he had pulled a weapon and was pointing at her. Freezing she began to weave the power into a dense shield. Two energy discharges splashed into the field. Much to her surprise she could actually feel the shock shooting into her mind. Like someone had stabbed a couple of needles into her brain. Leaping forward she responded with attempt to knock him off his feet with a sweeping blow to his right. Again, she was surprised when he raised his arm and a shimmering shield appeared on it, managing not only to block her blow but to dissipate the energy that directly contacted the shield. “What in the fuck is that. How the fuck did…”
Suddenly all the lights on the station shifted, going from the night cycle to a strobing red. Startled Rasputin looked up as emergency alert began to flash in multiple languages on the holographic Dome.
Suddenly the pain was back but it was like someone had taken a train spike and drove it into the base of her skull. reflexively she drew the power back into his shield. This turned out to be a good idea as another two shots splashed into her shield. Clutching the side of her head, she let out a pained snarl. As she looked up she saw nothing but an empty road in front of her. He was gone.
“Fuck. Fuck, Fuckity, FUCK!”
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Hobo Station: CIC
Bright Tech, Drops-From-The-Highest-Branch
There was a developing situation in the main Dome. As per protocol all personnel were required to report to their stations. And so, Drops-From-The-Highest-Branch found himself at the main sensor station and traffic control with his night shift counterpart. And so when the Scre capital ship jumped in system unscheduled she was quick to react. Quickly directing the sensor suite to read the ship she noticed the weapons were armed. Moving with a speed that came from years of practice she triggered the station wide emergency alert. The shield generators snapped online, flinging their protective fields around the massive station. This managed to catch the opening salvos, as several heavy plasma cannons fired rounds that would have destroyed their targeted station weapon systems. Whatever was happening inside the station had just become irrelevant.
Onboard the Scre Battleship Saint of The Faith the captain was fuming. “What happened! Our agent said they were in a state of low alert. that this would be a prime time to surprise them! But instead, we get this!”
The inquisitor next to her spoke in a calming tone. “This is still salvageable. We can claim those were simply warning shots. And the Corvette is out on patrol so not all is lost. Hail the station. I will speak with their commander.
This was just not his day. The Lygotti Station commander Clorth had had just about enough. First, he had to deal with the complaints about the Scre refugees that a few of his people still harboring bitterness toward their kind had been making. Second the Imperial “ambassador” had spent yet another day harassing him about the same refuges. Then he had been dragged out of his nest because apparently the killer had been caught in the act. Now an Inquisitor of the Holy Scre,skrak,skauter Empire was demanding to speak with him. After their battleship had opened fire on his station. The humans had a word that Clorth had whole heartedly adopted. “Fuck. Ok put the Inquisitor on. Maybe we won’t have to resort to violence.” The primary holoprojector brought up the offending person up, dressed in those pretentious white robes, supposable to denote purity, but all Clorth could see was a killer. “Too what do we owe the pleasure, Inquisitor?”
“You know very well why we are here Impure. You will return the Imperial citizens you are holding or suffer the wrath of an inquisitorial battleship. There is no room for negotiation”
“Very well dispensing with the pleasantries. Well then my response is as follows. You can fuck right off, and jump into a black hole. The Scre we have here renounced both their citizenship and their Faith. Technically they’re now one of the Impure. So you can take your holier than thou attitude and your big spaceship and ram them right up your…”
“Commander!” the Traxian night tech called out. “There's something strange happening behind the Scre battleship. Some sort of bizarre distortion. The sensors can't make out heads or tails of it.”
The Commander turned to the hologram about to say something when he noticed to the inquisitor was also frantically talking with someone off of the holo. “Whatever is going on I don’t think our guests are behind it. Get me a visual scope on that ship.”
As one of the external cameras was called up, the hologram shifted from the Inquisitor to a projection of the ship. From the top it looked like a wide maple leaf with smoothed edges, the front was hollowed out into an oval shape to make room for the primary cannon. The hull was a glossy black but strips of white adorning the hull identified it as an inquisitorial vessel. In the center of the ship towards the back the hull sloped upwards into the control tower. Several heavy Plasma Cannons sat on the top of the wings supported by a compliment of Gamma Lasers and anti-matter missiles. Sporting a Zero-point Energy reactor it was one of the most advanced war ships the Empire could field.
Behind the ship however space began to distort, bending and twisting, light stretching. Then a shimmering black void of darkness snapped into being. A metallic shaft slipped past the event horizon. Mounted underneath was a skeleton, holding a chalice in one hand and a spear in the other. Following that, the prow shaped and molded like the wooden planks of sailing ship. This faded into the ornately carved and decorated body of the ship. Carved into the metal was an ocean vista, crashing waves, great beasts of the deep, and ships of legend sailed its skin. The super structure came out last. Like a Greek temple and a gothic cathedral artfully combined, it was a thing of beauty. On top of the ship was a flagpole flying a Massive holographic flag. A grinning skull above two crossed bones, resting on a field of black.
The Jolly Rodger.
As it began to come abreast and above the Saint of The Faith, the Scre ship hit them with a target lock. Almost immediately one of the main belly cannons swung toward the offending ship. “The Inquisitor is demanding the ship identify itself or be destroyed.” The coms tech reported. The response was immediate. Each of the three barrels on the new ships gun shifted slightly, targeting different points of the hostiles hull. Caps in the shape of a shark heads covering the tips of the barrels opened as if to take a bite. And dark sapphire blue beams spat out in rapid succession, each beam sustained for three seconds. The first two splashed against the shield, causing it to flair and fade. The third beam struck just beneath the bridge, punching straight through to the other side. The turret rotated, dragging the ray along the ship, severing the bridge from the body.
As the stunned CIC crew looked on the two pieces began to drift apart as the Saint of The Faith began to lose power and vent massive amounts of atmosphere. “How many do you think survived” a voice asked quietly. At that moment the reactor lost containment and the vessel detonated in a brilliant flash. “Commander did that really just happen?”
“Yes I believe it did” he replied, not even looking to see who had addressed him.
The Coms officer piped up again “Sir. The new ship is hailing us”
“Let’s see it”
A face popped into the projector. It was human, sporting a short, dark, beard and wearing an odd three-pointed hat “Hello there.” He said cheerfully “It has come to my attention that you have someone on board that I very much want. Seeing as I just took care of your inquisition problem, would you mind terribly letting us take the pirate you currently have in captivity.”
“And whom am I speaking to?” Despite the terrifying display of power, the commander needed to look like he had the situation under control.
“Of course where are my manners. My name is Edward, Edward Teach. I and captain of The Queen Anne's Return. Permission to come aboard, Commander?”
Today was just not his day.
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Posted also on Reddit. This is my work.
Chapter 4: The Rules of The Jolly Rodger.