The Ringed Quest for the legend. Part 1: the decision
30 Nov 2024Claude Lecardunoie
Wednesday 27th of november 3310.
Well, looks like I turned up early...
Let me check my pocket terminal.
Yep, actually, even earlier than I thought: a new notification just informed me that the departure has been delayed to the 8th of december.
Am I in the right system, anyway? Another look to my terminal: yes, at least I have this right, Algorab!
What brings me here, in one of Forbes Terminal landing pads lounge? How did I end up making this decision?
Let's go back some weeks earlier...
October 3310, Desurinbin System.
The last thing I thought was that I forgot to activate my shield. Again.
The last thing I saw was the flash coming out of a Karma C-44 carbine, last thing I heard was the "pop" sound of a detonation, soothed by the the thin atmosphere around me.
Last thing I felt? The awful pain of the impact on my chest.
And then...
Nothing...
The first thing I felt under my fingers was the rough touch of the low quality disposable bed sheets typical of a public administation's medical unit.
"Wooow... How long have I been here?", said I loud.
"Actually, three and half day", answered, to my suprise someone, that my still blind eyes were not yet able to spot, "But you'll be allright. You were lucky that the shot was deflected. You've been brought here by Rescue Rangers. Shot down, as you were illegaly trespassing a planetary installation".
"Wait, wait, wait... What? I was there to help repairing this base, attacked by Thargoids some days earlier".
"Well, I don't know where you received your intel and your contract from, but you should check twice next time. Anyway, here you are now, in The Redeemer facility".
I could now see the person who was talking to me, a thin, bold man, wearing the strict suit of a civil servant. The tag, pinned on his chest, said "Detention Center Assistant Director".
"Don't worry too much", he added, "We did check your bank account and you have more than enough credits to pay your bail and the medical care we provided to you. You won't be able to stand on your feet before two days, though. So enjoy your stay with us. Oh! And here's your personal terminal", throwing the device on my bed as he left the room.
Well, the cell actually.
Two days to wait and to rest: that gave me time to think about what I achieved these last months. Not much, I must confess. Ok, I managed to outfit a decent AX Alliance Chieftain, but without Guardian tech, it's hard to make any difference against those Interceptors. So, I went back to support and humanitarian missions, to at least do something in the conflict against the Thargoids.
In my last mission, I was talked into repowering this planetary installation. Under Thargoid attack, they said. But not at all! I didn't even make it inside the base perimeter before getting shot down by some private corporation mercenary.
At least, the war against the Thargoids was on the downward slope, with the Humankind victory at reach, or so I was reading on most of the newsfeeds editorials I could access to on my terminal from my cell.
That was when I started thinking: "What's next then?".
Actually, below the last article, a lot of expedition announcements kept poping on my screen. Not so surprising, I thought, remembering my lessons of pregalactic history about Ancient Spain. After the Reconquista, didn't all these soldiers of fortune converted themselves into Conquistadores, pursuing dreams of uncharted territories, wealth and glory. Almost 2000 years later, may be it is not any different for idle pilots, veterans of the Thargoid war. Besides, with peace in sight, rumors where spreading about the superpowers eager to promote expansion by allowing colonization of systems outside the Bubble. Why not anticipating the global trend by discovering new habitable systems?
That is how I took the decision to join one of these expeditions.
Among these annoucements, one looked extremly promising and really ambitious: "The Ringed Quest for the Legend", a private initiative, led by the Sidewinder Syndicate. Departure scheduled on the 30th of November 3310. That didn't leave much time, but I used my days in detention to first fill the registration and it didn't take long to be enrolled. Then, I carefully planned everything I had to do, before flying to Algorab, the expedition meeting point.
When you have some goal to hang on to, two days are very short. And after 48 hours, that same person came in my cell to notify me that I was free to go. After the usual paper work, I took off The Redeemer Detention Center on my Vulture.
My decision was made. Time now to prepare my ship
Forbes Terminal - Algorab The Ringed Quest for the Legend meeting point
... To be continued in The Ship
- Ringed Quest For The Legend graphic material credits: CMDR Richard Fluiraniz -
- Many thanks for letting me using it in these log entries -