Mudhrid. Here we go again.
25 Nov 2021Cayce Luther
Cayce walked the halls of the carrier. He'd ordered an emergency jump the second GalNet dropped the article, and managed to by luck snag a spot within spitting distance of the stolen Far God megaship. Sacrosanct, at this moment, was no more than six Megameters off of the carrier's position, perfect to stage for any kind of rescue, or attack.Out on pad 01, the Luther's Folly sat, in open space. The Midnight Black Anaconda stood proud out on the deck as ships, allied and otherwise, utilize the carrier for supply and rearming. The megaship, now rechristened the DPHS Renegade, bustled with activity as crew hurried about, preparing for as many possible scenarios they can come up with.
For Cayce, it was a welcome feeling, but it was also tense. This is the second time the NMLA has run to Mudhrid, and this time they'd not only retaken Steel Majesty, they've stolen a Far God megaship, and with hostages almost a certainty. He climbed a ladder to a hatch that head out onto the flight deck of the ship, and when he emerged, he turned to look up at his ship.
The Folly wasn't Cayce's first ship, but she was certainly the most battle hardened. The ship had seen countless engagements, has been limped back to station barely flying multiple times, and been badly crippled once. But through all that the ship was never destroyed and went on to be, alongside Morgana's Might, one of the most successful combat vessels in the squadron. She faced pirates in Anahit, turned her guns on imperials in LTT 1935, fought the Federation in Paresa, and has been present in every single combat campaign against the NMLA since the group made itself known. He'd made the full move from trucker to full-time combat pilot in this ship. And now it was time for another go.
Cayce thought about it. Since taking off in a sidewinder almost two years ago, he'd never really known who he was. He has little memory of his earliest years, and spent most of his life in and out of foster homes. He has no idea who his parents were, or if they were even alive. He spent most of his time working odd jobs until finally getting into a spaceship for the first time. All he knew was that people said his hair reminded them of the princess and that his first name was spelled weird. Now here he was, commanding a squadron of pilots against one of the most prevalent threats the Big Three factions have ever faced.
Atropos, Paresa, the Marlinist colonies..Mudhrid. And now the Dead Pirate's Society finds itself back in Mudhrid. This time, with a brand new megaship of their own, ready to engage at a moment's notice and more than willing to take the fight to the NMLA. The space Conflict Zones have been open for the last day but like Phoenix, Cayce was itching to face them on the ground and was holding off, at least for now, so he could monitor the situation, wanting to confirm the lives of the hostages before pressing for any direct engagement.
But that moment stopped as ATC piped over the comms. "Commander this is Captain Luther Hudson; the ground CZs have just opened up. The campaign is live."
"Appreciate it, Hudson. Thank you. Keep an eye on our girl, and make sure our allies get the best." Cayce clicked his comms over to open band and looked up at the big black Anaconda now sporting a brand new 'Elite' combat insignia. "Squadron, this is your commanding officer. Head to Payne-Scott and sign up. Let's get these fuckers back for everything they've done."
He clicked off the comms and started walking towards the Folly. "We warned you, Theta Seven. You chose to ignore it. Now; we're going to make sure you hear us."
