Feelings of guilt, but carrying on.
28 Aug 2022Talon Avex
Cubeo 3 – Chelomey OrbitalCurrent Day
Early afternoon
Talon Avex sat in cockpit of his Python, the ‘Sgt. Voight’ looking across the hanger bay. For three weeks, he wondered about his friends in HIP 22460. They went for adventure and to do what they felt was right. Talon would have gone with them but being the only married man and father in the group, he stayed behind.
And for everyday since everything went wrong in HIP 22460, he sat in the ‘Voight’ feeling guilty for not being with them. Talon couldn’t even power up all the systems. He spent hours just looking out the cockpit at an Anaconda. It belonged to Jeff and Bruce…his partners in trade, travel and getting in trouble.
The Anaconda was the latest purchase by Jeff. It wasn’t ‘fresh’ from the factory floor…far from it. The ship was already 40 years old when Princess Aisling Duval was born. It had been used primarily for cargo runs. The armament was okay but had seen better days. The Frame Shift Drive was shot due to a well-placed beam laser five years earlier by a pirate. The engines were original and needed a massive overhaul.
In short, Jeff bought a ‘handyman’s special’ and he loved it.
It was going to be the latest edition to the transport fleet. The rebuild and overhaul was going to take six months to a year. Everything was on course to make that happen. Bruce and Talon would continue runs in their respective ships, an Imperial Cutter name ‘Cubeo Special’ and the ‘Voight’. Jeff was going to get the newest addition up and running.
Then, Salvation put out the call for help to in HIP 22460. Jeff and Bruce heeded the call and figured they would be back in a short time. They loaded up the Cutter and swapped out some weapons and other items that were meant for the Anaconda.
Three weeks, and no news.
Three weeks since messages from them stopped.
Three weeks since everything went wrong.
Talon’s attention had been stuck on their fates since that day. He never heard his wife, Jenna, walk up. She was with the hanger manager, Bryan Everson. Talon looked up and the first thing he noticed was his wife was in tears.
Jeff’s body had been found floating in a malfunctioning life pod. The shattered remains of the ‘Special’ were found floating not too far from an Imperial capital ship. Bruce’s body was nowhere to be found. A shiver went down Talon’s spine with the thought of Bruce and the rumors that the Thargoids were collecting bodies and prisoners.
The Imperial Navy gave Jeff a space burial (which he always wanted) in a nearby system to HIP 22460. Apparently, the ship’s logs and the black box from the “Special” had been collected but were being held for “review”. Talon was sure he didn’t want to see any of it.
Talon and Jenna spent the rest of the day remembering the good times. The hanger manager had left a sealed letter with them from Jeff and Bruce. It was a ‘just in case’ packet, should they not return.
There were two wills, a couple of letters and one other thing: a signed-over title for the Anaconda. Over the next few days and after filing the wills, Talon and Jenna stood in front of the Anaconda.
“So, what are we going to do with this, dear?” Jenna asked while looking slowly at the old ship. “This old girl has seen better days. We might be better off selling it for scrap.”
Talon glanced over and lightly laughed, “And give Jeff a reason to haunt us? No way. You’re going to get your pilot’s license renewed and we’re going to carry on.”
“And what about the kids?”
“We stay close and do mostly in-system or short trips. Talon said as the entry hatch opened, and a boarding ramp lowered. “Our parents are ground-side and I imagine they’d be more than happy to help. Hell, they keep harping on us to visit more. Besides, we can finally go do the exploring you’ve always wanted to do. School can be taught anywhere…I think you mentioned that once or twice.”
“We’ll see. So, we really are keeping it, I take it?”
“Wouldn’t have it any other way…and we owe Jeff and Bruce to carry on. Besides, hopefully when this all settles down, maybe we can go to the coordinates where Jeff was sent on his eternal journey.”
Jenna shook her head, “Well, lets see what we’re going to have to do to get this bucket running again. You got a plan?”
“Not yet, other than what Jeff was planning to do.” Talon glanced at Jenna and looked at the ramp, “Ladies first and lets see what awaits us…”