Smoke screens
13 Oct 2020Eagle 5
0700 HoursI woke up to a pounding headache and the chirp of the comm panel. I hadn't adjusted the room's lighting yet because I had not intended on getting up for another hour or two.
> Ugh.... Damn... Three and a half hours of sleep.... hardly conducive to a great day of work.... selling cigars.
The hotel's environmental controls were individually taylored for each occupant. I was born on Lave and spent my teen years on Ross 154 making me more or less happy with temperatures much lower than someone from Altair or Epsilon Eridani. The environmental controls kept the room at a nice comfortable temperature but also filtered out virtually all the smoke from the previous night. Kamitra's finest stogie had now completely turned to ash leaving the smell on my clothes as the only remaining trace of it...
... and the hangover of course.
"WAKE UP SUNSHIINE!"
Slone's ugly mug filled the comm panel's screen having obviously found a way to override privacy controls.
"What's the matter? Got high on your own supply?"
> Top of the morning to you too asshole.. What do you want?
"The intel.. It's been a few days and so far I got less than nothing to go on from you. Don't forget you're down there to do a job not get blitzed got that?"
> Perfectly.. I've been places... seen some things. I'm going to go back and have a closer look today and I can finally get you what you want.
"Good... see that you do, word on the street is that your real career has gotten a bit more transparent through the cigar smoke. Watch your six"
Now I hate the man with a passion as he reminds me of everything that is wrong with the Federation but, for just once, I believe he slipped me a solid one.
> Always. I'll see about wrapping it up.
"On the double. The Empire's on the move and those recent attacks may just be the right sort of... smokescreen they need to mobilize. There is already movement against one of the Engineers who is a suspected terrorist and NMLA sympathizer."
> Oh? and which one is that?
"The Ryder girl. Her system will be under siege shortly and I expect a nice little high profile incident to break out there. This of course leaves plenty of room for a nice force buildup away from the spotlight.
We MUST NOT be left in the dark in these most difficult times."
> Understood I'll be on my way shortly.
And before I could finish the screen went back to the usual comm's menu. A quick check of the logs obviously revealed that no such conversation ever took place... which was smart.
Liz Ryder was a bit of an eccentric revolutionary type but to actively furnish weapons to an aggressive terrorist organization doesn't sound like her style.
These weapons were those exotic Thargoid charges too so obviously there were some big implications to go with all of this.
And what is this business about most difficult times? I know Slone couldn't give two shits about the Empire if anyone even paid him to but what is that all about?
***
A quick look over the docking ring area revealed the Liberty had been restored to its previous glory. The bright blue paint replaced the unsightly burn marks and all the panels looked like they were back where they were supposed to be.
The shift deck officer confirmed the ship was ready for launch so my next step was to put in a call to the market and get my shipment of Kamitra's finest cigars ready for transport.
The shuttle trip back ensured that I wouldn't have anything to do except launch.
As I settled into the pilot's seat I couldn't help but notice how fresh everything felt. It would seem that the Liberty was long overdue for some thorough maintenance and I'm glad it got it because there was no doubt in my mind that this mission would hinge on the outcome of today's actions.
> Ready Leo?
"Affirmative"
*** DOCKING RESTRAINTS DISENGAGED - SHIP RELEASED ***
> Here we go.
