Attack on Slackager's Hangout
12 May 2019Gorankar of Baal
12 May 3035.I had picked up some Guardian worshipers in good ole' Sol and was detouring to Slackager's Hangout to turn in a bit of cargo I was contracted to deliver, before heading off to Guardian space. Was planning to swap the cargo bay module after delivery for a used SRV hanger and a couple SRV's. The cultists wanted to "commune" with the Guardians at some ruins. They were going to need the SRVs, since I have no intention of landing my ship within 10Km of any Guardian ruins. Never can tell when you might set off one of their defense mechanisms. I just haul cargo and people, with a bit of mining on the side, my guns are just for show, when I even have any fitted that is. In any case, the credits were good, and up front, so I can deal with some odd chanting here and there.
I drop into Exigus and the coms light up. Distress calls. There was a Thargoid attack on Slackager's Hangout. There was already a rescue ship in system. Much to the dissatisfaction of my passengers, I dropped them off there, and headed to the stricken station to help ferry any passengers I could. One of the cultists, Dr. Paszkoviak, was a trained physician, and asked to stay aboard to help if he could. It was every bit as bad as I had feared. The station was on fire, had greenish looking filth that appeared to be acidic melting it's way into the station. The station did, remarkably considering the damage, answer comms. They told us to turn and leave unless we were here to pick up refugees. We responded that we were, and they gave us a pad to try and land on.
If the outside of the station was bad, the inside looked like a blast furnace. I had to pop a heat sink just to land, and 2 more while taking on passengers. There were many wounded and the doctor looked after the ones he could with his and my own limited medical supplies. I would like to believe all of the ones we picked up made it, but I know that was not likely. 72 Hours, and I don't know how many trips, later and my ship is parked at the rescue ship. We did all that we could really. She has taken a lot of heat damage and she is barely fit to fly. She will not be able to survive another trip into Slackager's Hangout in her current condition. I suspect it will be a few weeks before she is whole again. I have reloaded my original passengers and am going to try and make it out to the Bastille mega ship for repairs.
I had assumed my client was likely dead, or at least in no position to accept her cargo. With the station in ruins, her cargo had just been sitting in my hold getting cooked. Luckily she did survive, and her cargo of ceramics did as well. Once my ship is fixed enough to make the jump, I will be heading to Khun with her cargo. Hopefully I will be able to refit as I had intended for the cultist's needs.
The cultist's have decided that this was a test of faith and are seemingly OK with the delays. Dr Paszkoviak stayed on the rescue ship for a bit longer. By the time Gath's Dagger, (I may have to rename her "Burnt Toast" ), is fit to jump out of system, the good doctor's service will likely no longer be needed. We will pick him up, then and be on our way.
Thankfully, it seems one of the local Federation factions has decided to pay for my repairs. So aside from some frayed nerves, lost sleep, and a bit of a delay, I did not have to sacrifice anything. So many others sacrificed everything, lives included, to help out.
The Thargoids are a threat that needs dealing with. I can run from pirates or talk them into some sort of arrangement that leaves me alive with most of my cargo. There is no reasoning with the Thargoids. They refuse to communicate with us except with, seemingly at random, violence or apathy. They may need to learn just how good at violence humanity really is. The Federation, the Empire, the Alliance, the Pilot's Federation, even the pirates, need to unite and deal with this.