Kepler Orbital bombed; NMLA again
21 Nov 2020Cayce Luther
Atropos; Kepler Orbital Rescue ship. A Midnight Black Python came out of supercruise eight kilometers from the megaship. With a flick of its boosters, it closed the 1.5km gap to docking request minimum distance, and sent out a request. The autodock took over from there and the heavy ship, loaded with 112 passengers, started its approach. Meanwhile its pilot, Cayce, was prepping the computer for the return trip. The blue haired pilot was haggard, having slept little since the attack on Kepler, having raced over from Sol in his Anaconda, and quickly called for his mining Python. Once it arrived, he quickly refit the ship with a load of passenger compartments, a heat sink launcher, deactivated every single turret on the ship and set off for Kepler.The news had hit him suddenly; NMLA attacked Kepler station to wipe out nine NMLA members hiding among the refugees. He immediately made way from Abraham Lincoln station to Spedding Orbital, called for his cargo Anaconda and Orca, grabbed the Python and started flying into the burning inferno that was Kepler station.
He'd glared ahead as the ship landed. He cashed out his missions, taking rep where he could, engineering materials wherever else, and the last ones just cashed out for the money. Sure, he planned out the rewards to benefit him, it would be foolish not to. But, staring out into space as the last of his passengers disembarked the ship, all he could feel was his blood boiling. Once again, another station. This time though, it was Federation. NMLA was completely indiscriminate in their attacks. 'The Nine Martyrs,' they said; bull shit. As the ship crews performed fast repairs and a quick rearming of the heatsink launcher, he clenched his fist. "'Praise' my ass." They were slaughtered, along with innocent men, women and children aboard the station. This time they threatened the Federation, 'Further reprisals if the Federation impedes our cause.' Meanwhile the Empire and Federation are acting like children, blaming each other while people are out here dying to these animals. Civilians being upset, he can understand, not everyone will know the risks, but the superpowers did, and the Empire rubbing salt in an open wound was a great way to improve relations.
He blinked out of his fuming as the hatch leading to the rest of the ship slid open. Cayce spun around, seeing his pilot Shyanne standing there. "Commander, you have a moment?"
"...While we're waiting for everyone to disembark, sure. What's up?"
"Some of the passengers wanted to speak to you."
As Cayce tilted his head in surprise, Shyanne stepped out of the way to reveal a group of three people standing behind her, a man, woman and a child. They looked like a small family, their clothes were singed, and the little girl rubbed her eye. The male spoke. "You're the pilot that flew us out of Kepler, captain?"
Slowly, Cayce nodded, slowly pulling himself out of his chair to stand. "Yeah, I hope the trip wasn't too unpleasant."
"N-no, it was fine, all things considered. I just, we wanted to meet you." He glanced at the Aisling patches on his flight jacket for a moment. "Y-you're an Imperial pilot?"
"In name and citizenship only. I'm an Independent, I just happen to support the princess."
"I...I see."
"Trust me, I'm no fan of how the Empire is handling this. Nor am I exactly a fan of the Federation. I'm just here to get people to safety."
"I see..." The little girl tugged on her dad's jacket, looking up at him. He nodded slowly. "Right..." He cleared his throat. "We...actually, my daughter, wanted to meet the pilot of this ship."
"Oh yeah?" Cayce looked down at the girl for a moment, then smiled and slowly nodded. "Heh, sure. What's up kid?"
Slowly, the small brown haired girl stepped forward. Her clothes were a bit tattered and singed, likely from evacuating a damaged section of the starport. Skinny, small cuts and bruises on her arms. She was shaking slightly and seemed to shrink away as she got closer. 'U-uhm...'
Waiting for a moment, Cayce gave a soft smile and knelt down, trying to make her more comfortable. "Hey, you doing okay? You've had a pretty busy day."
"I-i..." she hesitated for a moment, then, Cayce noticed the sudden steeled look just before she leapt, hugging him tightly. "Th-thank you for saving us..."
Stunned, but only for a moment, he closed his eyes and hugged her in return with one arm, gently patting her head with his other hand. "It's no problem, kid. Just doing the right thing, is all."
She held the hug for a moment, then backed up slightly. Cayce lowered his arm and smiled again. She wiped an eye with her open hand. "Y-you're going back there, right?"
"Uh huh, more people to help. I'm not done yet."
"Th-then, here, take this!" She thrust out her hands, holding a small black teddy bear that she was carrying with her. It was a little singed and torn, but mostly intact. "She...she kept me safe in the station. She'll keep you safe, too!"
Stunned for the...third time, tonight? Cayce must be getting sleepy. He paused for a moment, before reaching out to take the bear. Holding it in his hands, he's reminded of something from a long time ago. He looked back up at the girl's parents, then back to her. "Heh, are you sure? Won't you miss her?"
She shook her head quickly. "Uh uh. I'm safe now. But, you're going back. You need her."
Cayce almost choked up. He thought about it for a second, then slowly got up, walked over to the console of the ship and set the bear down, next to one of the bobbleheads mounted there. When he did, he brushed the Anaconda one and looked at it. It was a custom painted bobblehead, done up in the same Operator Blue scheme as his combat ship, the Luther's Folly. It even carried the name plates and hull number etched on it. He thought for a moment, then picked up the small bobblehead and turned, heading back and kneeling in front of the girl. "In that case, how about a trade?" and he held up the Anaconda bobble.
The girl's eyes lit up as she looked at the custom miniature bobbing slightly in Cayce's grip. "R-really?!"
He smiled, nodding. "This is painted just like my real Anaconda. She's been a good, faithful friend to me, she'll be the same for you too."
He opened his hand as the girl grabbed the base of the bobble. Squealing in delight, she hugged Cayce again and he responded in kind. "Thank you, thank you! Be safe, mister!"
"Heh, call me Cayce, kid." He pat her head and let go as she run back to her parents, showing off the Anaconda.
As Cayce stood, the father took the excited girl and started to leave. The mother stood there for a minute, looking between them before speaking. "I suppose I should thank you as well, so many other pilots are risking their lives, but you've been in and out more than most. But I have to ask...why? Most of the Empire wouldn't even bat an eye at Federation territory being bombed. Yet, here you are?"
Cayce looked at her for a moment, then closed his eyes, exhaled slowly and put his hands in his pockets before reopening his eyes. "Because I don't believe in governments. I believe in people. I'm here because innocent lives were uprooted and destroyed in all this, that's really all there is to it. The Federation and Empire can play the blame game all they want, but the real enemy is the NMLA and I'm not waiting for them to realize that when there's work to be done. And when we find them, I'll show them exactly why my squadron is called the 'Dead Pirates Society.'" Cayce turned to his console, inserted a card into it and tapped a few buttons. When it beeped, he pulled it out and walked up to the mother, handing it to her. "Here, this isn't much, but I'm sure it'll help. Use it however you see fit. Move your family, buy supplies, do what you want. It's the least I can do to apologize for the absolute cluster this mess has wrought."
She took the card, then gasped when she saw the balance readout: 20 million credits. "Th-this is enough to buy a ship! I can't possibly-"
"No, please. I'm not exactly hurting for cash right now, I can let this go. If it helps people get back on their feet, it's money well spent."
He gave a small smile, and nodded to Shyanne, who also nodded and pat the mother's shoulder. "Miss, we best get you and your family off the ship. We have to depart so others can land."
The woman nodded and turned, Shyanne leading her towards the exit of the ship. When the hatch slid shut, Cayce's demeanor changed, his blood once again beginning to boil at the thought of what NMLA did to these people. He turned and went back to his chair, sitting down and punching in the launch sequence. When Shyanne gave the all-clear the family was off the pad and safe within the megaship, he hit the launch button and the landing pad slipped forward, raising up and giving way to stars above. Once settled atop the rescue ship, the Black Pearl leapt off its landing pad, full boosters as he aimed the ship once again towards Kepler Orbital. "You best keep running, NMLA. Because if we find you. Nothing will save you."
Time was ticking on, and there were many more runs to make as the black python leapt into supercruise, and back into the fray.
