Unwittingly Protecting the Bounty Target
08 Feb 2022Vodan
21 Draco appeared to be the journeys' end, not 26 Draco this time; Vodan looked up the stations and planet side ports Creamy could be heading for. There was a particularly beautiful paradise world turned over almost entirely to crops and livestock, but it was also an exclusive holiday destination for those that could afford it.
From what Vodan had learned of Creamy over the last few months, it was exactly the sort of place the man would be heading for, but not something the exiled Count-to-be could afford right now.
“What are you up to this time twinkle-toes” Vodan asked out loud.
Creamy had been rescued from interrogation on Vodans’ watch months ago, and Vodans’ Master Vengerfield repaid that sort of failure only one way. Vodan had gone from being in command of a fleet of raiders operating out of the carrier Anansi, to a man in a stolen ship on the run from the people he formally commanded, all thanks to Creamy and a pair of mercenaries. He could see only two ways out of his life as pray. Bring Vengerfield the information Creamy had on the whereabouts of Doctor Nerys Nymei, or move to Colonia and get a new face to match a new identity.
The problem was, Vodan liked the face he had, and after following Creamy for so long, it was obvious Creamy didn’t know anything about the Doctor. The doctor and Creamy were close friends, and if Creamy knew where to find her, they would have been together by now. After all, Creamy had been down on his luck after the mercenaries had dumped him at Citi Gateway. If ever he needed help from a close friend, it was back then, and no one had come for him. Still, if someone else got to Creamy first, Vodan only had 'Run Away' left as a direction to take his life.
Drawing comparisons between himself and the man he was following was impossible to avoid. Both Vodan and Creamy had their lives turned upside down over the same event and just like Creamy, Vodan found himself totally alone with barely any credits to his name and every skunner with access to an underworld bounty board on his tail. The biggest difference between them was, while Creamy had worked to get some money back in his wallet, Vodan had spotted and taken down every hunter that had tailed him or Creamy.
Vodan hadn’t intended to protect Creamy, it was a side effect of protecting himself. It was hard to tell who the hunters were hunting when Vodan and Creamy were usually in the same place anyway. Vodan kept Creamys’ wake signal on his scope and waited at a good distance to see who was following this time. He wasn’t all that surprised when a Diamondback dropped in to scan the wake.
It was what the Anansi called a Portia class scout. Everything but the support ships, like the one Vodan was flying, took a spider themed name. It was the Portias’ job to follow targets and report their movements back to the fleet, so the combat class ships could wait in ambush to disable a target for looting or capture. While Vodan was contemplating an engagement with the scout to stop it scanning Creamys' wake, he impulsively fired. A faint bolt leapt from Vodans’ Asp to the Diamondback as the ships' lone Rail Gun fired.
“Oh shit” Exclaimed Vodan.
“The Portia class was fast and had two rails of its own, but at least it looked like it hadn’t finished scanning Creamys’ wake. In the Asp, Vodan knew he didn’t stand much of a chance. His ship was for refuelling and repairing the Anansis’ raider ships out in the field, not engaging them. Vodan had more weapons, but the manoeuvrable Portia would just stay clear of the firing arc and snipe Vodans’ power plant; especially when the pilot found out who was flying the Asp. Vengerfield would pay a good chunk of change for Vodans’ death.
Turn tail and run, thought Vodan. Keep the Portia interested until Creamys’ Wake and faded and then jump randomly unti....
FSSSRRANK!
A blood lit beam traced a burning path over his shields, and a pair of Imp Hammers impacted the energy barrier. The Bars’ shields give out and what was left of the rail slugs bored into his ship. The Portia pilot had reacted quickly, Vodan hadn't even started accelerating away when he was hit hard with return fire.
“Well, if it isn’t former captain cockhead his self” chided a voice over the open coms.
The voice was familiar, but Vodan didn’t know the name of the pilot. Not that long ago he would have just called the guy Portia Pilot, and sorted out what cut he was worth given how much the Anansi had earned. Portia Pilots didn’t get much of a cut, so this guy was going to enjoy giving it to his former boss.
“Keep running asshole, you’re not jumping out of here”
The FSD was almost halfway charged when the next volley hit. It was probably the power plant or the shift drive taking the punishment, either way, Vodan didn’t want another test of the ships' integrity. Being on the receiving end, he knew the next shot would be the last. He flipped the best an Asp could flip, and boosted towards the Diamondback.
If they collided, Vodan and his former gofor would die, but if the Portia pilot chickened out before his rails recharged, there was a chance Vodan make his jump.
The Diamondback was coming at him fast, and Vodan mirrored the action, praying they would close the distance before the raiders rails were ready to fire again. He saw the weapons light up as the charge built and fort against his instincts to bank away, aiming his cockpit at the incoming ship. It worked, the Portia dove under the oncoming Asp and the shots disappeared on their endless journey as Vodas ship accelerated into a jump.
After a brushing a handful of random stars, Vodan dropped in to 21 Draco and looked at the stations available. Only one station had habitation rings and there for a decent sniff of gravity, and Creamy liked feeling his feet on a floor. Chilton Terminal was as good a place as any to pick up the Imperials trail again.