The Sentinel Fulcrum, 3: Decisions Precede Actions
31 Oct 2021Meowers
When I picked up the trail of my target, things became... Less messed up, maybe. Signal was getting stronger and stronger each jump, the sequence of actions seemed clear enough, and all that. Less uncertainty, more direct actions. I like it! Just go and make things happen. So..Following through series of mesmerising, fancifully swirling hyperspace tunnels, making short stops to scoop some hydrogen from the stars... Ummm...I wasn't so familiar with the concept of chasing somebody through the Galaxy, but..Seems like trying to catch up with that shabby-looking T-7 freighter was a good 'medium-level training'. Yeah, 'medium', not so 'easy', that ship is quite slow, but the path itself was kind of... Long.
During one of those fuel scooping stops, I've tried to run a cross-reference scan about the target guy. And how and why he ended up as an 'assassination target' of a contract with so tremendous money bonus. That... Uh. Maximillian Philippe... Uh. Joubert-Cartier. Did he blew up a station? Bacteria-bombed some civilian settlement? Ran deadly wicked and inhumane experiments on captured people? Forged their IDs to turn them into slaves with enormous debts? Ah, don't ask me, it's all happening... Or maybe he threw that Herthans Labour rep's pet hamster into the airlock and pressed the button? That may happen too! Even...Hell. Even I, with all my record of hitting those authorities hard, erasing their goons out of the sky, never had that large bounty on my head.
Actually, took several stops and reconnections to the network, should've get this thing running before the chase, but, nevertheless. No matches. Completely. With... Anything. That Maximillian guy had only one record of working as a hired pilot of that T-7... For five years? So, that name is much likely a fake. A pseudonym. Or the intel was wrong...Who knows. Anyway, I was able to use only open-access data, without any 'dark secrets' or something like that, I'm no hacker... Okay, okay, let's find that guy and make him talk.
So, they were actually heading 'to Pollux or somewhere close', signal became 'local' in the Lushertha system, and led me to A1 body eventually... Earthlike planet with mild gravity and comfortable temperature, and they were landed in some private little camp, in the sub-tropical region, and it was on the 'day side'..Ow. Might be a nice day to... You know, just to walk around, lay on the grass and stare at clouds, have a picnic, maybe even some swimming in the local river. But, yup, the contract...
I've made an atmosphere entry and spiraled down, observing the surroundings..Nothing of interest, no serious military or scientific stuff, no heavy defences, only one most basic turret, and I even doubt it's operable. That place was looking like a farm or something like that. A few improvised landing pads, without underground hangars, those ferroconcrete slabs were just dropped on the flat ground...And here we go. That T-7. Hah, 'Rumbling Pelican'. With its main bay hatch open and cargo machinery working, looks like unloading was in progress. Also none less shabby Hauler on the neighbouring pad, and a few empty pads nearby..One of them was fit for Marshmallow.
It was a private little place, without that clearance, traffic control and tracking headache... I could open fire right now, hanging in the air, and end this fast, it will take several minutes for that turret to pierce my shields, however... Explosion of a large craft will much likely destroy or damage the buildings, not to mention tents, they'll be just thrown away like an old rags. With everyone inside. Like an old rags. And I clearly see the people walking around... Too much possible civilian casualties. Too much collateral damage. Someone depends on that farm. I'm fighting the elitist crap, not the civilians. And also... I don't know was this guy on the ship or not. Maybe he's away. And why he's a target of such a priority anyway? Too much questions. No, I won't start firing without knowing why I should. Money? Can't clear your soul. Can't wipe away the memories. And I know some..memories too well. This little farm is... Peaceful. Am I the one to take someone's life in a place like this? It must be an immensely strong, unbreakable reason.
Looking like a casual visitor, I've slowed down before landing and made a soft touchdown. And, well... Looking casual, like a...random mercenary looking for a job? A pilot with her navcomputer fried, landed in that place to make repairs? Something like that. At least on the initial approach... As, hah, crawling and kissing grass on such an open plain space, in a broad daylight, with rifle in hands, it's.. It's like placing a sign 'I'm goin' to kill ya so much dead!' on your posterior. So... Rifle - check. Three spare mags - check. Knife, pistol, flask of water... And that, um...Personalised medkit with two weeks' worth...supplies. Got it.
Let's find an answer on all the 'whys' and 'hows'.
(Lushertha A 1, view from the orbit.)
This story continues to the RP channel. After finishing the RP session, I'll put everything together and will compile a standalone story to keep it in the logbooks, with proper comments, design elements and maybe some screenshots to illustrate it, make it more 'alive'.
'Heavy Plasma Rifle', that I describe and use in stories and RPs, is an abstract 34th century equivalent of 20/21st century .30cal machinegun (M60/M240). Rifle was 'introduced' into my RPs and stories as a primary weapon before Odyssey release, a 'gift from one Independent faction'. And I'll keep 'using' it in my texts, taking its strong points and drawbacks into account, and they're typical for a weapon of that class. As Odyssey is also known for its poor variety of personal weapons, and their performance is a crap, because 'realistic' weapon features will break that silly game-design balance. FDev, why? And where are the machineguns?
Also I've updated the cover art banner. Left pic is a bit better shot of a Guardian Beacon.