The Aftermath of War
11 Mar 2016Ronin Vakris
With Mitchel Orbital in the Jera system now secured by the Sovereign Justice Collective, due entirely to the heroic actions of Ghost Legion during the war, it is a period of transition for the system and a time of celebration for the victors. Ronin Vakris brings Bonaparte in to dock at Mitchell Orbital. He can see SJC security forces directing prisoners and the station's former owners into orderly rows as they are escorted under armed guard into waiting transport shuttles. Part of SJC's policy is to treat prisoners of war fairly and humanly. Of course, individual members sometimes don't uphold that policy but then, that's partly why Ghost Legion personally visits newly occupied stations. As a newly created saying goes, "A Ghost Legion member a day keeps thoughts of corruption at bay."
Although he doesn't necessarily feel like celebrating after so many deaths on both sides Ronin came to congratulate his fellow Ghost Legion commanders on staying alive and getting the job done, for without them this war would have dragged on and claimed millions more lives.
As he walks down through one of the corridors leading to the bar Ronin is suddenly greeted by the sight of a blaster muzzle shoved in his face from out of a dark corner. The owner of the hand holding the blaster is a young man.
"St-stay right where you are!" he exclaims nervously.
"You sure you want to point that at me with the safety on?" bluffs Ronin.
"W-what? No, it's-"
Fortunately the young man is inexperienced enough for his attention to wane momentarily as his self doubt takes over. Ronin takes full advantage of the man's lapse in concentration as he deftly moves his body away from the gun while simultaneously grabbing the young man's wrist and twisting it so that he drops the weapon. Without letting go of his opponent Ronin then follows up his attack by shifting his weight forwards and slamming the man, face first, firmly into the wall.
"Let him go SJC!"
Ronin glances towards where the voice came from and sees a woman holding a blaster on him. Behind her are a small group of men, women and children, all unarmed. Seems she's the leader.
"Would it help if I said, 'he started it'?" replies Ronin.
"Continue to hold him and you will die."
Ronin lets the young man go and steps back away from him. The young man attempts to rush back towards the woman holding the blaster. Without moving her eyes from Ronin she points with her blaster towards the fallen weapon on the ground.
"Retrieve your weapon, Vel."
The young man stops reluctantly mid stride. He see his fallen blaster a couple of centimetres behind Ronin's left boot and goes to retrieve it. Ronin nonchalantly raises his heel towards the gun behind him and through an interface built into the palm of his suit's gloves reverses the magnetic polarity of his left boot. The blaster on the floor suddenly flies off back down the corridor as if possessed, its clattering getting quieter and quieter as it disappears from sight.
"Whoops. Suit malfunction."
"I still have a gun on you SJC." the woman says coldly.
"I'm not SJC lady and I'm not your enemy."
"You flew for them, you killed for them. Blood is on your hands whether you admit it or not."
"If you truly believe that I am your sworn enemy then you best shoot me now."
The woman cocks her blaster and takes aim.
"Or, we could talk some more."
"There is nothing to talk about. You will either stand aside and let us proceed or you will die."
"You go to the docking bay with a blaster in hand and you'll get yourself and all of these people killed."
"Better than being prisoners."
"Says who?"
"Oh please! This isn't the first war in this system. Being captured and sold as a slave with no rights is a fate worse than death!"
"It's the first war Ghost Legion has dealt with in this system and hopefully the last. Trust me lady, that's not the way we do things."
"Trust is for family and comrades. You are neither."
Blaster fire suddenly erupts from the corridor where the woman's group came from.
"There they are!"
The group takes shelter behind the walls as blaster fire peppers the ground and ceiling. One of the men in the group gathers the children and addresses the woman with the blaster still held at Ronin, "Katra, we must go!"
"No!", Ronin blocks her way, "You'll get yourself killed. Let me call them off, I can assure your safe-"
A blaster bolt hits Ronin 's torso and he falls to the ground. For a moment the woman, Katra, just stands there in surprise. She quickly recovers her composure and looks to see who fired the shot. Almost immediately her eyes rest on Vel, the young man whom Ronin had disarmed earlier. He is holding a small hold out blaster, the muzzle still smoking from the shot he just fired at Ronin. His face a sudden mask of fury even though his eyes betray a deep sense of fear, shock and horror at what he has just done. Katra didn't have time to wonder where the boy had gotten the gun. She shoved him forward and urged the others to follow her as they make their way to the docking bay.
The SJC security guards that had opened fire come around the corner as they give chase. They come across Ronin and instinctively point their weapons at him.
"Identify yourself!"
Ronin grunts as he raises himself up slowly.
"A space pixie ... I be."
One of the men spots the silver Ghost Legion wings on Ronin's jacket collar. He scans the insignia.
"He's with Ghost Legion sir. Commander Ronin Vakris."
The officer in charge starts issuing orders.
"Comm for a medic. The rest of you men get after those insurgents."
"Belay that order!" Ronin cuts in through gritted teeth.
"What? I am in charge here."
"I outrank you, bubblegum."
The officer is left momentarily speechless.
"He's right sir. Ghost Legion members are granted official field command wherever they are-"
"I am familiar with the rules, private." grumbles the officer formerly in charge.
"Comm the security detail at the docking bay, officer.... tell them to let that group board a shuttle with enough jump range to get them out of this system." Ronin orders.
"But Commander."
"Do it. I will be held responsible for this action, not you."
The officer complies and starts barking orders into his comm line. The private offers Ronin a hand to help him stand up but Ronin bats it away and attempts to stand up on his own. He manages to raise himself a little by using the wall for support but then collapses to one knee. Ronin now beckons for the private to help him stand up. The private rolls his eyes and obliges.
"Sir, we need to get you to a med bay."
"No. Get me to the docking bay."
Ronin and the SJC security team arrive at the docking bay just in time to see an Adder filled with the so called insurgents take off and leave via the mailshot. Ronin casts a look at the ship,
"Well shit. You gave them an Adder."
"Was I not meant to let them actually leave ,sir? The docking team leader answers nervously.
"No, it's not that. You did as I ordered exactly. It's just.... I never got a free Adder."
The SJC team around Ronin look worriedly at each other.
"Um, sir. You've lost a lot of blood. It's best if we took you-"
Ronin interrupts, "Officer. Please have your men transmit the Ghost Legion transmission that is sent out to potential recruits to the departing Adder. I will clear it with my superior."
"Very well sir... If I may sir, what do you hope to achieve with this?"
"Oh, just showing someone aboard that ship a little something about ... trust and justice."
The private chimes in, "Sir, we really must get you to a med bay now."
"I'm fine."
Ronin shrugs off the private's support and begins walking to his ship. He takes three confident steps and collapses entirely on the forth. The private rolls his eyes again as med bay staff finally arrive to collect Ronin in a stretcher.
Before completely blacking out Ronin spots CMDR Benevolant's custom paint job:
"So.... Awesommmme."
And with that Ronin blacks out to the sweet embrace of unconsciousness.