ACE up the sleeve.
17 Sep 2021Hark Pendragon
"Commander Pendragon! Am I glad to see you."I turned and made eye contact with the agent. He looked exhausted but relieved.
"Likewise Agent Crest." I reached out and shook hands with Nathan. "Welcome aboard the Dragon."
Just then a rich, earthy, pungent odor wafted into my nostrils. "What is that odor? Nathan, you smell like a Tauri Boar farmer."
"Wow Hark, good nose."
"Joey Tsang?" I quizzled at Crest.
"Yeah, Seems like he'll be a good one." Crest said back.
"I agree he is very precise and follows orders to the 'T'." I reaffirmed Nathan's evaluation. "Now, Go get cleaned up Crest. We will need you on the bridge for this next part of the mission."
"Aye, Sir"
"This is your captain speaking. The precious cargo has been secured. All hands on deck for lift off. Double time. Lets get out of here!" I instructed everyone to their stations and we prepared the Dragon for lift off.
Pre-Flight checks were almost complete. Nathan and Game where on the bridge with me. Then word come over the comms.
"Commander Pendragon, It appears OVS is sending their own to meet you once you have entered space." Tara said in a slightly confused manner.
"Yes, Tara. I requested them." As I spoke this both Game and Nathan's jaws dropped. I assume Tara's did the same as there was no response.
"What are you thinking!?!?" Both Game and Nathan spouted confused and slightly irritatingly at the same time.
"Relax, Jericho said he's got a plan to get us out of here and to clear us. So, we do not have to worry about OVS again. Any where." I said with confidence.
Jericho had not revealed his full plan to me. He told me to get Crest on the bridge and request a meeting with OVS claiming that Crest had been lost and we wanted to cut a deal to get all our assets out alive. If there was anyone with the foresight to out think a Corporate power such as OVS on their own turf. It would be Officer Rolkein. I looked over at Game and got a salute. I looked over at Nathan. He was zoned out. Probably playing the last seventy two hours over in his head.
"Couplers detached ready for lift off!" I shouted.
The massive hull of the Dragon groaned and moaned as we began to vertically lift off the pad. I turned the nose up at a sixty three degree angle. Then I gave it one hundred percent forward thrust. Just as we started to increase in speed and altitude I felt a sudden jolt. No way I thought to myself I looked out of the bottom portion of the canopy another jarring impact.
"Incoming fire from Rawn Works!" I shouted across the ship comms. "Everyone to battle stations! Nathan. Are you up for a little shootin'?"
"Turrets, I'm on it."
"Game grab a Taipan. We've got fighters incoming."
"Got your six Hark!" Game exclaimed.
We engaged in a small fire fight with OVS Rawn Works security. Game was in form today taking out two manned security ships solo as Nathan was able to drop one anti-air turret and one drone. The automated turrets were doing some work as well. When it's bearing teeth it's almost hard to get anything close to the ol' Dragon. As soon as we were out of mass-lock.
"I need one hundred percent to systems and fifty to engines!" I shouted as I activated the supercruise FSD. Then I used the last of the engine distributor power to boost us away from Rawn Works to avoid anymore shield damage from the anti-air turrets. I opened the hanger bay and instructed Game to dock it. The FSD finished charging. 5. 4. 3. 2. 1. and boom supercruise. Just then the comms. panel lit up with messages from Jericho and Tara.
"Hark! Get outta' there! They know he's with you!" Tara came across
"Commander. OVS has some how learned that Nathan made it to your ship. You need to leave as soon as possible. Meet up near the nav. beacon." Jericho instructed in a very calm tone as always.
"A little late guys." I sarcastically announced.
"Sorry, Hark the comms. were jammed again." Tara said with relief in her voice. "Everyone make it out ok?"
"Yes, we're ok."
We target locked the Nav. Beacon and headed that way. We fended off multiple attempts to interdict us from supercruise. As we approached the Nav. Beacon we saw Jericho.
"This way Pendragon."
I locked onto his wing beacon and followed him to Orionis 1 a. A moon. He dropped from supercruise into a seemingly random area of open space.
"Jericho what are you up to?" I said confused "We're kind of sitting ducks out here."
Just then a flash. Another flash. And another.
"Right, on que." Jericho said with a little bit of 'I knew it' in his voice.
The flashes were the OVS ships chasing us. Just as the wing of four Fer-De-Lances opened fire there was a giant wake anomaly seemingly out of no where between us and them. They quickly diverted and regrouped. The A.I. Capitol Ship Discovery slowly come into view.
"Holy hell Rolkein! I didn't see that one coming!" Shouted Nathan "Haha Wooo! Who's running with their tail tucked now!"
"Lets get docked and regroup." I said "We're gonna have to be on our toes until she cools down and is ready to jump out. We're on their turf."
We sat there for what seemed an eternity. Fifteen minutes... Ten minutes... Five minutes... sixty seconds... forty five seconds... thirty seconds... twenty seconds... ten seconds... five. four. three. two. one. I felt the tension in my chest and neck release. I took a deep breath.
"We're out! Ladies and gentlemen!" I exclaimed over squadron comms. "We made it. Most importantly, we got out with everyone!"
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TROUBLE IN ORIONIS | Saving Crest with no vision | ACE up the sleeve
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This is the end of Pendragon's POV in the Orionis saga