Ajay's Story 2.0: Open The Door, Step Outside.
-Since when are you trading ships? - Flyagin asked.
-Since I have got an altruistic streak in my frozen heart - I replied.
We were sitting in a bar of Freeport 1, talking over a bottle of soda. Since I had to deliver a ship for another person, I had to ask somebody to follow me on the Stranger. Only person I could think about was my CO. Thankfully he's a total bro and was not really busy at that moment - or, to be more correct, he needed my services and had to get on Stranger anyway.
Well, the mission on a ship delivery was somewhat of a "shake off the boredom" thing. My acquittance needed a new ship, J-40 Quicksilver. Why he needed it was his own business, and I didn't want to be nosy. Granted, being nosy was more or less my job description as Intelligence scout pilot, but part of that was also about knowing when not to be nosy. Notably when it's about other person's private business.
How I met that man was a quite interesting story. It involved an infiltration of a small prison camp and my engineered capture. My connections even allowed to hire a Siriusan mercenary for that. The charges - impersonating a Navy officer - looked even more natural, guys on Gorlowka knew I worked there, but I wasn't listed as a Navy officer. That was a few weeks ago and nearly blew my "dry streak", so I had once again to try going cold turkey after that story ended. Hence the soda.
That story ended with a flak ton of Nomads, flak ton of Nomad controlled Rogues with odd Navy guys, and a group of Shocktroopers mincemeating anything purple, so in addition to resurgence of drinking I had to deal with a couple of light gashes.
-Anyway, now I understand why you like Stranger so much - Canteen smiled for a second (and I shuddered and then chuckled from the very thought of somebody else ogling the flak out of Stranger's wheel) and returned to serious look. - Anyway, we both are needed in Sol sector. I got a trace of these guys. We need to head to Tau Ceti.
-Unknown sleepership? - I asked.
-Unknown sleepership.
Generally I try to avoid having business with the Order. Some might be more or less nice, but others are far too ominous. I am sure they are getting off on the image of the Man on a Mysterious Mission to Protect Mankind. When I was younger, I was, too. But now I find all of this irritating, especially "Mysterious" part.
However Canteen said that we needed to request a pass to Epsilon Eridani jumphole.
So here we are, on the Order HQ near Mars. Order guys apparently gotten nuttier with time, one of them outright flakking collapsed in a epileptic fit screaming "he's nothing, nothing!!!" just as I passed by. What the actual flak.
We finally reached the bar and met the representative of the Order. Usually I do not memorize people's faces, but this time I recognized said representative easily, before she actually introduced herself.
-General Major Flyagin, I am Colonel Jun'ko Zane. Sit down please - she said to Canteen. - As I've heard you requested a pass to Tau Ceti. What would you need there?
-Coalition Security Directorate is currently investigating a couple of incidents involving Nomads, and there are hints that might or might not lead to the unknown sleepership. We are going to investigate.
-Aha. So this is what also brings a known arms dealer here as well. - Zane's eyes turned to me. - I believe you prefer to be called by your codename, am I correct?
-And I believe you know it.
-Yes, Ajay. I have a few questions. First... What do you know about the F-Blank phenomenon?
-Nothing - I replied. What phenomenon? Flak-Blank? Wait a sec, "Blank", I've heard that somewhere...
Jun'ko smiled, as if hiding something.
-I thought so. Next question... What's the price of one W'ar-Sy Propulsor in your store? We might be interested in purchases in the near time...
Whew, back in the sane land. I am not greedy but at least that's the topic I can talk about quite a lot of time.
Ultimately a lot of time was what we did not have. I left a comm channel number (I think it was the first time a woman that was not related to me asked me for a comm channel number, go figure) and then we hurried off with our desired permission to investigate Tau Ceti.
-Now, Canteen, care to explain whatever the flak that was about? - I asked, setting a waypoint at Epsilon Eridani jumphole.
-Flak knows - he replied, using my favorite phrase. - From what I recall, F-Blank is a human with a slight genetic mutation. They nullify certain energy fields in a radius around them. This might unnerve people who are sensitive to these fields.
-Sounds like some stuff ripped straight outta 40k.
-You compare everything to 40k.
-Flak yeah I do. In my defense 40k is a golden standart of grimdarkness, pathos and epicness. Only in 40k you can see, like, 14 factions and they are all evil to some degree.
-Yes, and only in 40k 316-ton tanks are not only usable, but also viable? - Flyagin replied with a laugh.
-Hey, it's not my fault my Baneblade got back its point cost in your units yesterday! - I said when I realized that my CO was ripping on my 'strategy' I used back in our gaming.
Oh right, I forgot about the music...
"Sabaton - Panzer Battalion.mp3"
-You've got to be trolling me - he said.
-I pretty much am - I added. - The flak you wanted? You know, whenever you board a ship, you put your lives into captain's hands, and sometimes it can be a man with a complicated life...[1]
-Wrong song - he noted. - Am I going to learn your whole playlist's lyrics one day?
-It is next in playlist - I said and he nodded. - Brace for the jump.
The flight was more or less calm, after we figured out local purple flakkers had no cruise disruptors. So we had no actual trouble reaching an unknown sleepership.
-Listen up, Canteen. You need somebody to go there to the bridge. I figured it'd rather be me. I am getting full gear, blast down there and check out the computer. I have a special scanner that can let me determine an airlock I will be able to blast through.
He nodded as he helped me install a propulsion system onto the back of my massive suit.
-My personal bioradar and all suit system readouts are routed onto your tablet. If my life signs stop, fly away. If I'll croak there, Stranger is yours. If you'll dare to get rid of or do something nasty to my Bassie, I will haunt the flak out of you.
-Gotcha - he said with a smile as I stepped into an airlock.
I ended up to be able to open the sleepership's bridge airlock without an use of the plasma cutter. This was not, however, the only function it would fulfill, such cutters were also used as a short-range anti-everything weapon.
So I stomped through the corridor towards the main room, plasmacutter on the ready in my right hand, sensor array on the left.
-No signals so far. Keep advancing. There is a door to the bridge... there. Try to open it, but be careful.
I did so and entered the bridge, looking around, ready to blast anything suspicious with the cutter.
-By the way, the encryption seems to be a modification of Exodus Pattern - Flyagin said.
-Noted - I replied, taking a look at the computers and turned one near the helmstation on, waiting for it to boot. There. It is unable to change anything in the navigational lists and requests a password to launch all the systems, but I can see the destination... Second, going to compare to the star map... Acubens? Who the flak would need anything in the Cancri Sector? Second, uploading all data... Done.
-Heck if I know, Ajay. We're done here. Return back.
I returned back into the Stranger's pilot seat after decontamination and taking the suit off. In that time Canteen got us out of Tau Ceti and then from Epsilon Eridani.
-We need to get to Sovetskaya. Quick land on Deliverance.
The flight wasn't as calm as the flight through Nomad space - GCs and Outcasts had cruise disruptors, unlike Nomads. But as we got out of the Sol Asteroid Belt, the flight was uneventful, up until Gorlowka, where my CO bid me goodbye and I headed to Murmansk.
After all, it was a while since I have been home.
A/N: Guess who's back.
I still have doubts the size of Craftworld Ulthwe about this one.
Footnotes:
1) Lyrics of Funker Vogt song Hostile Waters.
