Throne's Fortune Escort Ship Svitre's Vengeance

Commodore Dolin sat in his command chair calmly, watching the holos they'd managed to scrape together from Hurdop. It was difficult to not be angry as he watched a second-hand and re-cut feed of 'The Victories of Gunner's Mate Kiole's Husband, Freelord Gryzzk'.

They'd fallen so far, so fast. Not a year ago they were lauded as sword, shield, and hunters for Hurdop. His brethren of the Throne's Fortune had kidnapped the heir to the Vilantian Throne, and the worlds of the sector were going to learn to show their bellies. Now they were being seen as a relic, something to be honored but not followed. All of this because of the Terrans.

After the Shaming of Vilantia, the Terrans had moved into both systems with a purpose that would have been beautiful if it hadn't been aimed at the destruction of his life-work. For the first time, the Freelords of Hurdop had met and collectively decided to divide systems among themselves to play both ends of the field as both helpful saviors and wanton pirates. It was a good trail to walk, and Freeclan Svitre had gotten fat and happy on their labors.

Too fat, as it turned out. It rankled to think how two ships - respectably armed, but still only two - had moved like a keen blade through their defense and turned what was supposed to be a battle hardened group of fearless warriors into scampering pups. Still, there was a lesson in that defeat for those with the courage to sift the ashes.

He went over the ship's sensor logs as well as requesting logs from other ships, and finally finding a Widegrid site that held recordings of a Terran mercenary commentary show in both subtitled and dubbed versions. The commentary were varied, and one of the more common debates that he saw was whether the subtitled versions or the dubbed versions were superior, with the debates all agreeing that with no scent track something was distinctly lost. Finally they found one that actually included scent-markings, and was thoroughly displeased to see that it was a dissection of their engagement. But still he watched it.

And watched again. Over and over for half a day until he could almost say the commentary before the figures on the holo did. But from that, he and Smeitr began to plan. They didn't know precisely when the bastard Freelord was going to arrive, but as they followed various Gridspace entries, it seemed soon. Freelord Gryzzk had fought yet another engagement with his own planet and come out a clear winner, giving him even more laurels and an entire Vilantian Greatclan at his beck and call. This prompted a call to the other Commodore, hidden halfway across the system.

"So he has a Greatclan, as well as his Freeclan. What of it?" Smeitr had always been a doer, not a thinker. Dolin inhaled and exhaled once to calm himself before responding.

"It means that if we could board and take him hostage, we could...convince him to relay our wishes to his new clan."

There was a moment of thought. "We may not even need to take him, taking his wife or child would suffice to make him barter and see the wisdom of our words."

Dolin shook his head. "Freelord Svitre thought as you did. Shall we ask for his opinion?"

There was a grunt of memory. "Perhaps another route then."

"Overwhelm and declaw his ship. Board it and take it as ours; from there we separate the crew among our ships. Keep them divided. Eventually with the promise of being reunited, we'll be able to find a way to turn his newly found gains to our advantage."

Smeitr seemed pleased by the idea. "You seem to have thought of everything."

"Not quite. The test comes from when his ship emerges from R-space. I've been watching analyses of his actions, as well as taking in things that were seen as laudable by us in our previous engagement..." Dolin began explaining his plan.

___________

Terran Foreign Legion Ship Twilight Rose

Gryzzk glanced at the entirety of the bridge squad before speaking. "We'll be exiting R-space during the early morning. You'll be on duty during that time, and we expect an ambush as soon as we exit. That said, we've got a plan in the vat based on what we think they're going to do - but I need to know right now if any of you are uncomfortable with the idea of flying into an immediate combat scenario." He looked around and up, holding his gaze on Miroka for a long moment.

Laroy spoke first. "Well, hope they made their peace then. Ser'en' Major showing me a thing or two, so if it's time, it's time."

"I will fly well." Miroka stood rigid, her scent one of readiness.

Reilly smirked. "If we get their comm frequencies, I got something for 'em."

Larion looked around for a moment before speaking. "I was raised to fight the Hurdop. Now I am. It would be ungrateful for me to not accept this."

There was a nod. "Very well. Captain Hoban, dismissed - brief the shuttle pilots on their part, confirm their loadouts, then make sure they are rested."

Hoban flipped a little salute as he exited, leaving Gryzzk to look at the rest of the squad. "Now then, for everyone else. Based on what we know, I believe the Hurdop ships will be doing a tight patrol of the area. Once we exit to normal-space, Larion will confirm hostile ship location. After that the shuttles will launch for intercept, carrying printed volcanic ash that will ejected once they're inside the shield radius of the enemy ships. Theoretically this will disrupt sensors and theoretically cause damage to weapon blisters, after which they'll retreat to a safe distance. Reilly, flood their comm frequencies. XO, attempt to gain access to their systems and once successful...talk to them."

"During that time, Laroy will fire disabling torpedoes at widest possible spread - we want to disable their weapons. Corporal Larion, you will have the entirety of the torpedo runtime to locate and mark all hostiles. Corporal Miroka, once we have positions, plot an immediate escape course and exit toward Hurdop V."

Miroka cocked her head. "Our destination is Hurdop Prime."

"Indeed it is, and they know that. They may even set a trap for us, offering a route to Hurdop Prime. Make for Hurdop V, confuse them. They will hesitate, and then we'll be able to assess from a strategic location."

Gryzzk paused to look at the entire squad. "Now the normal dayshift will be in the conference room - they'll be backup in the event of injury, and only in the event of injury. I suggest you familiarize yourselves with your station harnesses. For the next few hours, we'll be running through some simulations courtesy of the XO. Fair warning, Rosie has been in a mood since Corporal Kiole sat on my tablet earlier today."

Rosie pouted from her spot outside the conference room. "She didn't have to sit on your tablet."

"Why don't we save that conversation for a moment when we're not planning an engagement." Gryzzk paused. "I can't say that I have the best squad in front of me that's ever been in existence. I can say that this is the best squad I've had the pleasure of commanding. And that I would like to continue that command for as long as possible. Take the hours to consider every possible bad thing that can happen, and then find the best way to counteract it with the tools at your disposal. To your stations."

As they settled, Reilly cleared her throat. "And just remember, we're not doing this for money. We're doing it for a shit-ton of money."

The next few hours were tense. Rosie threw scenario after scenario as they drilled for possible outcomes. For the most part, they came out well, with corrections made after the fact.

After a few hours, Gryzzk called a halt and break. He was admittedly a bit tired but he knew that the upcoming events would keep him from rest. Instead he went to his quarters, put his face above the planter, and simply breathed. The mix of scents was intoxicating on a level - Vilantia with it's familiar call of home, Hurdop as familiar and alien as possible. Then Terra, a confusing mixture but deep with possibility, and finally Moncilat, which smelled rich but delicate at the same time. He let the cloying scents sift through his nose and closed his eyes for a moment.

"Freelord Major, we are fifteen minutes out from Hurdop."

Gryzzk blinked at his tablet and looked over at the door. Rosie was standing in the doorway, garbed in combat armor and waiting for him to acknowledge. Next to him someone had placed a cup of tea that was still steaming warmth. His took a sip, stood and stretched, feeling a few slight cramps in his legs.

"Thank you XO. Boarding parties?"

"Loose as a goose and twice as mad. 'Bout a third of them were planning on taking the skin-boat to tuna town before we made Hurdop, and this little meeting from the Throne's Fortune threw those plans to hell. Everyone else is at condition yellow, armed and in their quarters waiting to go."

"I would feel for them if they weren't planning to attack us." Gryzzk made his way to the bridge and walked the numbness out of his legs as he donned his combat armor. This also gave him a chance to look and scent everyone. Overall, there was tension, but it was measured. Overall there seemed to be a grim resolve present both on the bridge and the conference room, where the day shift had chosen to take a little nap themselves before helping themselves to dark, viscous print-coffee.

Gryzzk's tea was empty, so he set the cup in the holder calmly before slotting his tablet into place and prepared as rapidly as possible for what might happen.

R-space fled and immediately there were proximity alerts flashing red as Miroka coolly made the ship pirouette through the not-as-empty as he would like.

Larion reported in first. "Freelord, I count eight ships total." He paused. "There should be twelve. They're breaking patrol orbits, weapons charged."

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Reilly reported next. "R-space buoy launched. Locking to comm frequencies and backfeeding. Shuttles report clean launch, intercept in forty seconds. Inbound transmission just keeps repeating 'The Clanwar continues.' I don't think they want to parley, Major."

"They firing, plasma only. Torps away, Maj'r." Laroy's fingers drummed at the control panel as he kept the gun turrets moving to prepare to fire.

The ship was slightly buffeted as Miroka dodged fire elegantly, causing the incoming plasma to skip off their shields or absorb its energy into the ship systems, causing Rosie to jitter slightly and move about with a touch more energy. The torpedoes detonated on cue, bubbles of disruptive energy that caused the plasma turrets aimed at them to fall to silence. They were fifteen seconds in, and nothing had gone wrong. This was quite possibly a record. Gryzzk was considering what to make of his good fortune

Then fortune changed dramatically. Larion's scent went surprised for a moment as he reported. "Major multiple R-space exit signatures, single point." He shifted the sensor view to point at the area, and four ships all appeared from R-space to immediately collide each other. While R-space wasn't exactly a dimensional shift, the transitional moments were something of an exercise in physics where lots of things could go very wrong very quickly if one was not cautious.

Things went wrong for the incoming ships in short order as four contained singularities became uncontained catastrophes of astrophysics. Miroka didn't hesitate, turning the ship with the engines toward the explosion and letting the explosion propel them forward before the shockwave passed over them. Not all the other ships were so lucky, with two spiraling wildly as they vented smoke and atmosphere into space. The shuttles were buffeted about, tumbling wildly for several seconds before they each recovered, finding their targets and then beginning some rather unorthodox maneuvers as they darted in to release billowing clouds that damaged sensors and jammed weapon mobility platforms. The enemy turrets recovered from their brief torpedo-induced seizure and began firing anew.

Laroy grumbled slightly, pausing his firing sequence as the ship swiveled under Miroka's command like a ballerina going from plié to relever to fifth position in a space of moments. "Got-dammit Petitchat!"

"The choice was to lose lock or lose the weapon cluster, Mister Laroy." Miroka didn't look over, keeping her eyes on her console.

"Fiiiine."

During this, Reilly and Rosie were wreaking havoc on the comm feed, with Rosie doing most of the talking. "Hole-ey fuck, what kinda bass-ackwarks fucking pageantry is happening here - I thought we were up against a fuckin' team and the fuckin' '74 Caps show up? Hang on, we'll eject a garbage can so's you can skate it like it's the Cup on your way home. Fuck, you want a square go there's a Mighty Mites team out of Neo-Toronto that you titfuckers'd be an even match for. Hang on, call coming in." Rosie paused with an expression that suggested she'd been waiting for this one. "Hey it was your mom calling from my bed asking me what's taking so long with the warm towel and a blow-dryer, I had to tell her I'd be a minute cause I needed a magnifying glass and tweezers to help her bouncing baby boy find his favorite toy."

The taunting seemed to drive the remaining attackers to utter madness, with the results being predictable to everyone - Gryzzk noticed one ship staying to the edges and being...well-managed. Scans noted it as the Svitre's Vengeance, which set it apart - the ship seemed to be the flagship of this remnant fleet which was being quickly set to floating scrap under the exceptional fire from Laroy.

"Redirect. Corporal Laroy, take a few shots at the Svitre's Vengeance - Rosie, keep the other ships busy for a few moments. Miroka, plot a course to maximize our coverage from that ship." Gryzzk lowered his voice slightly, forcing calm. "They've only thrown a few shots at us. Let's see if we can tease them from their perch."

Her reply was soft and confident. "I am a leaf on the wind. Watch how I soar..." Miroka moved the ship in a twisting spiral arc, hiding behind a dead hulk and showing just enough of the weapons for Laroy to sail a short burst of fire at the marked ship as the other ships were de-engined and forced to eject their singularities, causing more waves of damage than Gryzzk would have liked. for its part, the Svitre's Vengeance took damage, but not a great deal - it seemed as if it had defensive augmentations that the other ships didn't.

The response to the incoming fire was both expected and surprising, as the Svitre's Vengeance leaped forward like a spurred horse, finally pitching itself forward and rotating along its spine to slam its forward portside hard into the Twilight Rose, causing Rosie to emit a cry of pain as the ship was damaged by both the Svitre's Vengeance and the poor ship they'd been using as cover. The entire bridge squad was thrown against their harnesses, with Miroka screaming in pain for a moment before she went silent as her head collided with the control panel. Hoban launched himself from the conference room, taking only a moment to check on Miroka before assuming her position. He did however keep a foot on her chest as it rose and fell.

"Aft portside airlock being force-breached."

Laroy swiveled the forward gun emplacements and began a relentless assault on the enemy ship engines, causing the other ship's power to go to emergency before he stopped. "I pop 'em again and the singularity might go and that's a party nobody wants an invite to Maj'r."

Even as Laroy was talking, Gryzzk was nodding and tapping his tablet.

"Aft boarding parties, prepare to defend and assault. Forward boarding party move to midships for support. Clanwar rules of engagement are in effect." There was a chance that this insanity was a diversion and another boarding party might attempt entry at the forward airlock. At least that's what Gryzzk thought he would do in a reversed position.

The attempt to board was enough to make Gryzzk's heart beat fast enough that for a moment he couldn't think clearly. The attackers surged forward for a bare instant before fire extinguishers and shotguns were put to use along with energy pistols to make the pirates realize the extreme error of their ways. Then the boarding party surged forward from the Twilight Rose to the Svitre's Vengeance with a collective howl of anger. Gryzzk could only watch and watch more as the squads from the armory and security sections boiled into the pirate ship, taking lives effectively and efficiently as they moved through the ship like a cloud of death and dismay. The conversations were quick, the shots effective. In a span of minutes it was over, and the other ship secured.

As soon as the officers had confirmed the area initially secure, Gryzzk and O'Brien carried Miroka's unconscious form to the medbay as the medical teams moved out to attend the wounded and begin triage, helping everyone back and taking a few back on stretchers. The cleanup from the battle took almost as long as the battle itself. After tending to Miroka, Gryzzk went aft to take a look at the damage. Overall, it didn't seem too bad until he got to the airlock and then came the part he was almost looking forward to.

"Tuckers Trashheap and Taxidermy - we'll stuff it somewhere, Chief Packer talking what?"

"Chief, I require a time estimate for repairs."

"Sometime between now and the heat death of the universe. We got structural damage across most of the aft spaces, airlock's gonna need a couple hours to uncouple. Figure three before we're moving again. Take a nap already."

"Understood chief. Advise when something goes wrong and the estimate becomes three hours. Gryzzk out."

Rosie was using a cane as she moved toward Gryzzk. "Freelord, Delia insists that she be allowed access to inspect the other ship. She has invoked the proper clauses, and indicates that the safety of the ship clause does not apply, as she wishes to inspect another ship and not this one."

Gryzzk exhaled softly as he weighed the options. "Very well. We'll allow it however for her own safety she gets into a set of armor before leaving the ship."

Reilly stood and grabbed her pistol and shotgun from the side of her console. She shrugged at Gryzzk's questioning look. "She's gonna want me to be her bodyguard; might as well get this shit over with."

Gryzzk nodded, and Reilly left. "Corporal Larion, make sure there's no life signs on the other ship. And get a constant feed from Reilly's helmet."

"None that I can detect, but there is a great deal of interference and several dead zones in the ship. Reilly's feed is live."

They watched the holo feed as Reilly approached Delia calmly, with Delia seeming far too excited. Somehow this was...pleasant for her.

"Oh, I'd hoped your Major Gryzzk would agree to this. He seems quite reasonable really. I've always wanted to know how the socially common elements express themselves."

There was an exhale as the younger Reilly spoke in chopped sentences. "Delia, I hate to burst your bubble but - scratch that I love to burst your bubble. Anyway, the closest thing to art that we're probably gonna find on this heap is Hurdop-on-Vilantian porn. And not the good stuff either, more like the ones that make you wonder if this was a job or mental sickness. Now when something goes to shit you do exactly what I tell you to do when I tell you to do it. I tell you to run, you fuckin' run. Stay behind me."

Delia's reply was cheerful. "Oh, I'm sure I'll find something worthy."

The walk-through was mostly quiet, with Delia looking all around in a dizzying fashion and somehow missing the results of recent combat while her daughter kept her head moving in a careful sweep pattern. The elder Reilly kept a running commentary.

"Well, I see some things...the graffiti suggests deep anger. Isn't that the Major's family...oh." Delia's helmet stayed fixed on a bit of bone surrounded by other fluids and brain.

"That's a still life sculpture in a biomass medium. The working title's probably something like That's When I Knew I Fucked Up."

"How can you...how? This is not how..." Delia was stammering a bit at the reality in front of her.

Reilly's voice was soft. "Not everyone plays by your rules. These guys are part of a group that wants everyone in the Majors clan dead - me included. No negotiation, no dealing. Either we kill them all, or they kill us all."

"That's hardly civilized."

"It's very civilized when you consider the alternative."

"I don't see ho-hrgh!" Whatever Delia was going to say was cut off as a body exploded from a pile of debris; Reilly swiveled, exchanging shotgun for pistol as the situation clarified itself. Delia was on her knees and gasping, being held by the throat with her armor hanging slightly off her body. Behind her was a Hurdop with a pistol at Delia's head. His eyes were wild and unfixed, but his clothing and jeweled adornments suggested he was one of the higher-ups of the ship's company.

Delia's captor snarled. "Get off my ship before she dies. As soon as I have control again the war will continue."

Reilly's response was devoid of emotion as she backed off a pace and took a knee. "Listen twilight-fucker, there's three ways this goes down. Option one - you catch a sudden case of I-Wanna-Live-itis. You drop the gun, your ass goes in the stockade and you get tossed at the authorities when we hit Prime. Option two. You shoot her, I shoot you, and I'm pretty sure the gods take her to y'alls afterlife so you can spend eternity getting bitched at by a professional beee-yotch." Reilly's vitals had gone up a touch, but not dangerously so. By contrast, Delia's vitals indicated extreme panic at the situation, with her heart rate and respiration spiking wildly into levels that were far outside the normal range - though considering the current situation, outside normal was in fact normal.

There was movement behind Delia as Reilly continued talking. "Option three, you stand there with your thumb up your ass and try to figure your way out of this until I get bored and decide it's time to play an exciting game called Shoot the Hostage. At that point, I shoot her under the collarbone and put a round in your throat. She lives and spends the next week in the medbay, you die. Oh, and just so you know – I get bored very easily. For me, the last two options are what I like to call a win-win." Reilly paused, shifting slightly to keep the Hurdop's attention on her. "Or is it win win win? Like you shoot her and I shoot you, that's a double win because whatever bounty's on you I get. And then with that last option, it's like all the win for me because like I get to shoot her and you at the same time, and I still get the bounty. Hmm. Maybe we should think about this for a second, yeah?"

While Reilly had been talking, the silent movement behind them resolved to a form Gryzzk knew all too well, and he didn't need a nameplate to know that Kiole was creeping up with a pistol in hand. Kiole came up closely, aimed, and Reilly's video pickup was suddenly replaced by a field of red as a single shot rang out, and then two more shots followed in quick succession.

There was a great deal of motion as Rosie switched feeds, first to Delia who was watching the floor, and then to Kiole who had a slightly obscured vision field due to carrying Delia. There was no talking until they reached the safety of the Twilight Rose.

Once there, the feed was switched to the internal camera that showed Kiole setting Delia down, who seemed to be in some sort of shock. Then Reilly wrapped both Kiole and Delia in a tight embrace, and a single word was choked out, barely audible.

"...Mom."

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