Title of Marque Last Chapter
25 Jun 2024Vodan
Following Favors Part 7Today was a bad day. Sure, the Anansi had come out on top, but she was one or two hits away from being an explosion, and nothing Vodan wanted was in his grasp. At least now they knew the secret to Red Jade’s success over the decades. A god damn golden age interdiction field generator. Once you were inside, it made it real hard for anyone to get in, or out.
Only a few of the best pilots on Vodan’s side had managed to make it in eventually, leaving the Anansi at the mercy of the Jester and the Löwe for way too long. Now the captains of the Ophois and Nila knew there was golden age tech up for grabs, the alliance was all but over.
Vodan swung the receiver by its cord into the dash again and again until it shattered.
“Sooo, what did he say?” asked Thade, unwilling to let an opportunity to needle his buddy go by. It was nice knowing something he didn’t.
“What do you think he said dumb ass? He told me he’s taking the Jester, and he’ll blast us into dust if we fuck him around. FUCK”
That was the Nila’s captain for you. A mercenary amongst mercenaries. The Jesters interdictor may be full of torpedo holes, but they’d managed to make a copy for the Löwe, so he wanted what was left. Besides, the Ophois was on the tail of the other carrier, and he didn’t want to put his nicely painted ships against a fleet that hadn’t already taken a battering.
“I think you may want to see th..” started Thade before he was interrupted by smug seat belt guy.
“Sir, the last of our short-range ships is back. We really need to go”
It was true reflected Vodan. Run away and live to fight another day. He may not have the letter of marque, or Red Jade, but there was a good chance that bearded twat in command of the Nila would ransom off Jade, and wouldn’t care if Vodan paid. As long as he didn’t learn about the title of Marque too.
“Ok yeah” answered Vodan sounding like a pissed off teenager “Move us away from the fight and plot a jump for Syma Bay. We need help with the repairs”
Thade tried agian.
“Vodan, you need to see this..”
“WHAT? WHAT THE FUCK IS SO..”
Vodan carried on shouting at Thade, so he held up a pad with the pic Bell had sent while Vodan was having an argument with the Nila’s captain, as a shield.
It was a selfie Bell had taken with the boarding party from the Thunderchild. In it, she had one arm around the big hansom squad leader, and together they were holding what looked like an old leather-bound book. It was in fact a data slate. An old imperial issued one-of-a-kind data slate. It was the Title of Marque.
While the rest of Vodan’s guys were fighting with the Jesters crew and blowing up toilets left and right, Bell was staking around the command crew quarters and braking into safes.
“.. MYSELF AND FUC.... Is that the Title of Marque? Who is that guy?” asked Vodan taking Thades’ pad off him to get a better look at the picture.
“Yeah, so that's the boarding party from the Thunderchild. Bells going with them to help with, um” he tried to think of a nice way to put it, but they both knew Bell too well. “Ok, we both know why Bell is going back with them. She’ll catch up once.. .Well she’ll catch up”
Vodan’s mind raced. Ok, Bell had the title, and as long as Mercy didn’t betray him, that was one part safe. Bell’s hands were almost as good as his hands. She’d gladly stab him in the back, but not like this.
“Sir?” Said seat belt guy “Got another transmission for you, and it's a big one”
“Anansi, this is T-608 Long Road. We have something you want. Perhaps we should talk.”
Stomping over to a panel with a coms unit someone with a temper hadn’t smashed, after seeing a confirmation of Red Jades biometrics, Vodan swiped up the receiver and asked a simple question.
“Da phuq are you?”
TBC in RP.