Approximately one week into Operation: Codename Stormbringer, aboard the Galactic Imperium vessel named Judgement.
“Are you sure this is a good idea? I’m sure we can still pull out of the deal. This doesn’t feel right.” The fresh recruit protested with wide eyes and an unblemished uniform.
“I’m sure. If you question me one more time, I’m jettisoning you from this damn ship. Is that clear, recruit?” She stared down over her console to her left at the high-back chair the lowly recruit occupied. After silence had passed for a couple moments, she repeated slower and crystal clear, eyes still focused on his head, “Is that clear?”
The young man turned around in his chair, big brown eyes wide with fear. His short, matching brown hair gave a stark contrast to the pure white uniform all recruits wore. “Yes, ma’am.” He turned around, and pretended to act busy by punching a couple buttons that amounted to checking the ship’s fuel and hull integrity; both insignificant at the time.
Lieutenant Farseer didn’t think she would actually follow through with the threat, but the temptation was still there. If there was one thing that she learned from watching that brute Captain Demico rise through the ranks, it’s that sometimes you have to follow through with a threat or two before people start listening. The trapezoidal viewport in front of them extended the width of the bridge, and nearly the full height of it, too. Among the stars in the distance, they could see a small, crescent-shaped vessel being pummeled with cannon fire as it flew up and over the bow of the assaulting pirate ship. It was fitting, perhaps, that the pirate ship looked like those once described that sailed on watery seas of the ancient Human planet called Earth in the Milky Way galaxy. Though it took their shape, the massive vessel took very little other design choices from it. Likely for the best, considering those primitives barely made it to this galaxy in one piece.
Her mind snapped back to the present; back to the immediate threat at hand. One less Aetherial was one less threat to her Galactic Imperium. Without them, she didn’t want to think of where she would be by now. Starving in the “free” streets of Eolian, begging for a piece of bread while everyone blatantly ignores her pleas and casually walks by? The G.I. wasn’t perfect, but it was far from the enemy of the people. If anything, the people needed to get out of their way so they could help without constant interference.
A blinding azure flash from the tall bridge of the pirate ship made them all wince, and the recruit frantically pressed button after button on his console. “Their comm system just went offline. I don’t know what happened; one minute they were there and now, it’s like they vanished.” He frantically pushed a bevy of buttons in front of him, trying to re-establish a connection with them. No matter how many he pressed, it would not work.
Farseer knew exactly what happened. The overconfident pirates underestimated the sleek Dominion ship’s capabilities. They must have successfully deployed an E.M.P. blast straight into the bridge. Sneaky bastards, those ones are. Blasted Space Wolves, only good for harassing merchants and causing limited distractions. Definitely not worth the small fortune we had to pay them.
“Alright, listen up. Change of plans. We are going to do this ourselves. I’m going to take out their engine so they’ll be forced to land. That’s when the boys and a I will capture the Aetherials so we can transport them back to Aegis Prime. There are plenty of hills on Eolian so unless they crash literally into a city, which I doubt they will, at least not intentionally, we will have the upper hand. Everyone clear?”
A chorus of ‘yes ma’am’ rang out across the bridge. Every once in a while, it was nice to have the authority and respect of her squad. Anytime that damned Demico monstrosity came around, the mood always changes from sincere respect to pure fear. Though she respected a strong leader, she had seen the aftermath of leading through fear. It wasn’t pretty, and never ended well.
She turned to her right and barked orders to the soldier seated in that lower position of the rectangular bridge. “Target their engines with our gatling lasers. No heavy weaponry. We want to damage the ship, not blast it into oblivion. Since we will be catching them off-guard, I doubt they will have rerouted their shields to cover their aft.”
A confident male voice replied back from the tall soldier with short, blonde hair in the starboard seat. “Weapons systems armed and locked on, Lieutenant. T-minus twenty until in range.”
Every moment that passed dragged on. Her foot quickly tapped the floor, creating a melodic tin-tin-tin throughout the spacious room. She had no doubt everyone heard the nervous habit, but no one dared to mention it. Not even the new cocky recruit.
A green light illuminated the soldiers face to her right. “We’re in range and the target remains in sight. Shall I fire?”
Farseer, without any hesitation that betrayed her nervous foot, said as she nodded her head, “Fire away. Once you disable their engine, fire off a tracking beacon onto their ship. I want to know where it’s going if they escape.”
To her surprise and annoyance, the recruit turned his head and yelled back over the right of his shoulder. “You sure? If they crash won’t that just be a waste of a good tracker-“
“One more word, and I swear by the Holy Mother’s blessings I’ll toss you out of this ship into the middle of nowhere on Eolian and you’ll have to explain to anyone there why they shouldn’t shoot you on sight. We all know how much the locals there hate our guts, and would love to make an example of what can happy to a fresh recruit abandoned by his officer.”
“Understood. Beginning attack now.”
If only Rodriquez were here. She knows I didn’t need to repeat my order twice before executing it. Damn I miss her.
The man gulped hard, and the lack of color in his face as he turned to face forward in his seat told her all she needed to know about his continuing lack of obedience. She always prepared for the worst, and even if they failed in capturing them, at least others would know where they were headed next.
As purple flashes of light poured out towards their prey, she admired the beautiful light show. Parts and pieces exploded from the left engine, and it sputtered a few times before its blaze was extinguished. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see her more trusted crew member press a button that launched a tiny claw-like probe towards the ship. It blinked red every so often, something she hoped wouldn’t be caught by the enemy before they were apprehended.
Satisfied with her plan, she punched a few buttons on her console. A translucent image of a balding forty-something year old man appeared in front of her. His cheeks were flabby with age, and an unhealthy diet.
“G.I. Intelligence, Officer Anders Fleury here. What can I do for your Lieutenant Farseer?”
“There’s a rogue vessel we believe is harboring an Aetherial threat; an old Dominion Crescent class. We are currently following them in a descent to the surface of Eolian. I just hit them with a tracker. I’d like you to keep tabs on it and let us know where they are headed next, should they somehow make an unlikely escape.”
It was the slightest of movements, one that most would have picked up on. Anders Fleury’s face lost the blush red on his cheeks and his eyes widened every so slightly. Farseer prided herself on the ability to pick up on miniscule social ques, and something told her he had prior knowledge of this craft, or those aboard it. She filed that away in her memory as he quickly regained his composure.
“Yes, ma’am. I have it pulled up and will continue tracking it. We will let you know if it leaves Eolian space and where it is headed.”
“Thank you, Anders. Mother guide you.”
He nodded in return. “And you as well.”
The transmission cut off as quickly as it appeared.
As her foot again tapped the metal floor anxiously, she promised herself that after she captured the Aetherial and returned him to Emperor Tenon, she would leave with Rodriguez and get as far away as possible. Whenever doubts about Emperor Tenon’s righteous cause crept in, and they did often recently, she reminded herself the most important lesson she learned the hard way: the end always justifies the means.
I’m coming Rodriguez, just hang on a little bit longer.