Purple Banners Off to Colonia
20 Dec 2024ASmallerMolecule
12th of December, 3310Miquitagat 5, Joint Sagacity Systems installation
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Mathew spots a wanted Krait Mk2 pitching and yawing towards him from a thousand kilometers away, firing twin laser beams that streaked across his ship's shields. Mathew's Federal Corvette, however, had stronger armaments, erasing its already weakened shields with laser fire. The troublemaker was running from police Vipers and an Anaconda that wasn't fast enough to catch up; or more importantly, the gargantuan installation behind it that had grazed the Krait's hull. Somehow, the ship regenerated its shields before disintegrating from homing missiles. The vessel's shields died off as it roared past; Mathew heard the Krait boost for faster turning, and so did he, seeing it come into view from his canopy's ceiling. Now, the Krait's rear faced in front of the Corvette. Pulling the trigger, the Corvette laid arms onto the Krait.
The target swiftly bailed on the attack out of fear and desperation. "Frame shift charge detected," COVAS notified Mathew. Mathew applies full strength to engines and minor strength to the weapons capacitor and boosts to stay within range.
"Oh no you don't!" The Corvette blasted away at the Krait, shredding the bulkhead's exterior, and then insides. Seconds later, explosions ruptured from the Krait now spinning out of control, until a larger explosion made the vessel completely unrecognizable. "That's all of them! Thank you, Commander. You really made a difference," the installation director breathes a sigh of relief. "My pleasure," Mathew said, managing to be calm after a long session of defending the installation. Years and years of combat had made him shed the panicking nerves any new Commander dabbling in combat has. He leans against his chair and pulls the throttle back to halt his ship. "Alright, Alannah. Running low on ammo. Get that fighter in the bay so we can restock," Mathew relaxes. The fighter bay lowers from the Corvette's belly, and he selects the closest station with large landing pads as his target.
It was here that he was intrigued to see a voice call request... from Harrison Wells. The last time he heard from Harrison was weeks ago when he told him he'd take a break from being a Commander. Praetor Hellrider's Order of Heavens Charting Project burned out Harrison from exploring, and later, that apathy spread to his defining career. He refused to mention it during Paresa News Network's interview with the Nova Science Team. Mathew believed it completely fair to say the bold words "I feel like taking a break from being a Commander" to him, considering his popularity in the Nova Navy. Mathew accepted the call, expecting a tired man behind the screen.
"Good evening Mathew," his voice strained from the day now behind him. Mathew's face turns slightly right to the screen now fading in.
"You're just in time for a chat, Harrison. Just got done cleaning up some pirates at an installation." Harrison was on his bed, and Mathew recognized the room quickly: he was in his quarters aboard Destiny, his fleet carrier. From behind the hologram screen, Harrison scratches behind his neck.
"I think you'd find this conversation noteworthy. While I was eating dinner, a Commander contacted me, and she told me something interesting. Do you recognize the moniker Bail Mortem?" The engines from the Vipers chasing after the destroyed Krait cackled as they passed by the standstill Corvette. Mathew glanced away from the screen and paused, searching his mind for such a name. Meanwhile, the fighter had docked with the extended bay, and it pulled the fighter upwards into the ship. "No. No, I don't," he says with a long delay, looking back at Harrison. "Get this: she's from Lavigny's Legion. And she wants to speak with you, specifically," Harrison highlights the name with a drawn-out voice.
Lavigny's Legion. This Mathew recognized. Lavigny's Legion is a large squadron - quite a margin larger than Nova Navy - that serves the Imperial Emperor Arissa Lavigny-Duval. He knows of the higher-ups in the Legion's roster: St. Michael, Daedalus Spyke and Hannibal Corvinus; back when the Navy and Lavigny's Legion collaborated to fight the Thargoid threat years ago. Back when the Titans were all the rave... and still are all that time later.
"Them?" Mathew raises his voice, now clearly involved in the discussion. "I know Nova Navy has a rocky history with the Legion."
"The Treaty of Paresa has that covered. Arissa's the Emperor, not Hadrian."
"You say they think of us as an awkward distant cousin from the far Empire."
Harrison forms a somewhat noticeable grin, out of amusement. "Mmm.... yeah..." the grin fails, turning into a broad smile. "Though, from that conversation, Mortem's a nice person. She spoke about how the Legion noticed our prowess in the exploration leaderboard. She'd be taking his carrier out to Colonia to focus on helping Commanders do chores for the engineers there," Harrison laughs lightly. "She also mentioned Sagittarius A*."
Harrison notices Mathew's slight recoil back into his chair. He renders Mathew surprised. "I told her how I wasn't in the mood for piloting... or delivering doodads to a stranger. That's when I told her about you, Mathew."
"Go on," Mathew says, his voice having some personality. "After becoming best friends with all the ship engineers there, a Legion carrier already stationed at Colonia will depart to Sagittarius A*. Not sure what Legion Commanders will think of the odd one out joining in on their fun," he generalizes.
Mathew pushed the throttle stick forward and initiated the frame shift drive. "Well... if this Mortem person asked YOU to join, I think she'll be fine if I hitch a ride."
Harrison waits for the COVAS's countdown to finish. "Five. Four. Three. Two. One. Engage." The frame shift drive screams to life.
"You're considering it?" Harrison questions, leaning to his right to grab a water bottle from his nightstand.
"The Thargoids are done for. Why not? Besides, It's time the Mandalay shows me what it can do, besides being a Bubble taxi."
Harrison drinks from his bottle and then places it on the nightstand. "You sure? I'll message Mortem if you're really interested," he extends.
"Tell her..." Mathew thinks, looking up a tad. "Tell her that I'm down for it." Mathew looks at the hologram screen straightly.
"Alrighty then. Mortem's waiting on her carrier. Perhaps you'll start a dialogue and get to know each other. I'm sure she's dying to meet you," Harrison exaggerates.
"Pfft. NO ONE is shaking in their boots to see me."