Atropos: No Good Deed...
26 Nov 2020OmegaPaladin
When I got the call that the Marlinist terrorists had attacked the Federation Starport at Atropos, I turned back from my exploration run and headed back to HIP 13644, while I put in a few calls. Mercedes Nawrocka is a special cargo pilot and Elite trader, More importantly, she has a 'Conda called Drinks and Revenge built for getting into dangerous places. While I didn't know her, I knew Aleksei well enough, and he was a watch officer on Nawrocka's Fleet Carrier. With my references, she agreed to lend me her Anaconda if I covered any refits. Then I called the Atropos Emergency Response contact. Now that was a surprising conversation..."Okay pilot, we get you your authorization paperwork in the Federation Navy Auxillary, for your ships and permits. Just start getting people off that station, and whatever salvage you can bring to our Rescue Ship"
That was how they were getting pilots to help? And I thought I was pretty mercenary. "Sure, you need any supplies?"
"You can sell the ship some shelters or liquid oxygen, but we don't really have the money to make those worthwhile." He sighed. "Sorry if I come across as cynical, but I've seen enough hell today."
"I get it." I took a breath in. "Listen, I grew up in ZTA. I know I'd hope people came running if Guest City got bombed. While I expect to paid for my time, I'm here to help."
"Thank you, we appreciate it. After the we help the Marlinists and their crazy friends decide to shank us, and the only thing most pilots are asking is when they can get their damned corvette." He paused for a moment, the connection silent, before he continued, his voice lighter. "This your first run on a damaged station?"
"Yeah. I've done salvage and passenger work before, how bad is it there?"
"The entire dock is on fire. We have to keep it hot to burn the Thargoid goo off and avoid things getting worse. Bring heat sinks, and make sure you can manual dock. Bring every group or bit of salvage you can out of there. Atropos and Co has tossed down serious capital to get people out of there, while the Liberals are opening up the security force stockpiles to commanders." He gave a wry laugh "Bring out everyone and everything, we can sort out who they belong to later."
I said my goodbyes and finished the trip. A few hours later, the Drinks and Revenge was finished with refit, and I was on my way to Atropos. It was an ironic parallel - the memoirs I had been reading Amelie Morello's explorer crew on the SSV Buzz Aldrin ended up doing a lot besides exploring, including investigating crimes and emergency response. Apparently, not much had changed in the centuries of spaceflight. The fast, long-range ships are called to take on the most risky roles. First to the fight, meant most in demand.
When I finally dropped out next to Atropos Orbital, it was a horror show. How many thousands had died for the NMLA to get their rocks off - against the people who had taken them in? If the bastard responsible are found, I'd take the job to kill them for the pleasure. Flying into the docking bay was like the old stories of the Gates of Hell, a raging exploding inferno. It was all kind do to hold the ship steady as my salvage limpets did their job, and I burned through heat sink after heat sink. As I touched down, they immediately took my ship into one of the few undamaged hangars, snapping coolant hoses into place. All the ground crew were gone, aside from a single loadmaster. The only cargo I was taking on was people. Lots of people. First priority were Federation citizens, then local network independents and travelers.
There was one exception - no Marlinist refugees on my ship or cartel members. They could find their own way off.
As I flew out of the explosions, I had never been so happy to leave station behind and head out to low wake. I pulled into the rescue ship and docked, where the passengers streamed off and I handed over salvage, sorting out while the hangar crew fixed up my ship. Fortunately, the credits were more than plenty to cover refits and repairs. Then I flew over to the hellish station again and repeated the process. I made dozens of trips, running back and forth until I needed sleep. The crew kept the pad ready for me and the other pilots hard at work here.
Today I finally got the news that the rescue ship was moving out. The station was going to be under repair for a week or so now that the place was cleaned up. I'll do a run for building supplies before I return the Drinks and Revenge and have a chat with ZTAC's Emergency Response division. I want them to be prepared.
While I was pulling out from the rescue ship, I got a call from the Atropos Emergency Response contact - same guy I had spoken with earlier. "Nice work in there pilot. I got you approval for everything but the Corvette. You can give Earth a flyby now if you want." He paused for a moment, his voice dropping in volume. "You out in a lot of hours there kid, and for the right reasons. We found a basic-model cargo Anaconda sitting in storage, it belonged to a guy who died on the station with no living relatives. It would save me some paperwork if I could sell it off right away - at a discount, naturally."
An Anaconda, for that price? "Thank you sir, thank you so much. I'll run the transaction shortly." Soon it seemed I could have a Buzz Aldrin all my own.