This is an old fic. I repeat, I wrote this a while ago.
The Firefox had landed on the galactically revered space station, Voyager's Start. The station was about the same size as the planet Pluto in the Earth people's galaxy. The station was giant floating orb with docks so large, that the carriers of the Protoss were about a hundreth that size. The inside of the large black orb contained casinos, stores, bars, resteraunts, indoor hotels, pools, arcades, laser ball courts, museums, etc...
Unit #248 left the Firefox in private landing port #4005. As many envious militia and civilians know, Ghosts are payed extremely well for service done. However, a deluxe package to Voyager's Start that the Ghosts had gotten was certainly not cheap. After Zak threatened to sue Mengsk for not giving them pay for the missions in the past(the ones which reports were sabotaged)the Dominion had offered this package as conselation.
The Ghosts were simply on vacation, and Voyager's Start harbored an almost equally extravagant ship called Proton Star. For ripping off Mengsk's resources by this outrageously high priced package, the Ghosts grudgingly gave Zak the hundred they had each bet on the court case not passing. He also earned a right good kiss from Nora and a rare thanks from Sara.
They left all their gear and guns on the Firefox as they departed to the room they would be staying until the Proton Star launched on its 23th space cruise. The Proton Star would be going on a 5 day trip to th planet Kahrg on the outer reaches of the galaxy, then on a 5 day trip back.
The long flight to the space station had only excited the Ghosts, as they went down to one of its many attractions. Well, all of them except for Zak and Nora who locked the hotel room door and were alone for hours...
Inagras continued traveling among the stars until he finally reached his destination, planet Takara. Though he was not a Takaran himself, his crime lord was. He docked in his own private landing zone and exited the ship he had stolen. Though he had cheated slow death in the Harks Installation, he was locked there in the first place for punishment. He was not sure Alan Schezar would take him back in.
Alan Schezar was the most infamous space pirate to ever defile the system, right next to the unamed system where the Protoss, Terrans, and Zerg were most abundant. Schezar was filthy rich as is, but he wanted to control his native star system and beyond in an impossible vision of conquest from there to Earth.
Schezar had stealing, smuggling, drug dealing, murder, damage of property, assault with weapons, and rape charges against him. Schezar was no fool though, as his reputation of a genius, tactical expert, and knowledge of more than a dozen languages proceeded him. Schezar was so powerful, he even named his criminal group instead of keeping it secret. He calls them The Steel Wolves, quite cliché, but that was the point.
Inagras walked through the dirty city of Takara, heading to the familiar condemned building Schezar's main headquarters was.
'Lets see....building address… Varnz Ave...64578...64579...yes this was it, 64580. "Condemned" was the sign on the door. Inagras went to a side alley and tapped 3 times on the brick of a spot with a chunk of wall missing next to it. A computer scanner appeared, verifying the retinal clearance. A hatch opened to Inagras's left. He sighed in wonderment at Schezar's ridiculous love of the dramatic and the unnecessary.
Inagras came down to the bottom of the ladder and took the underground route lined with metal and found a doorway with a bored guard on duty. The guard didn't bother to clear him, just waved him aside into the still further underground path. He finally reached a door with the large insignia of the Steel Wolves, a traingular shape where two wolves with an iron body on left and right sides were looking up at a globe, supposedly a planet.
There was an installation style maze larger than Harks with criminals and shifty looking aliens and humans bustling about. Some were chatting in the corner smoking, others were working hard or fine tuning their Vultures to go on their ships. Inagras was greeted with jeers and remarks about his luck as he made his way to the chamber Alan Schezar occupied. Sure enough, the hated pirate sat amid two women who were surely about to become topless when Inagras barged in.
"What the hell do you want?" growled the pirate, reaching for his gun.
"I wanted to see if you would give me a second chance," Inagras replied simply.
Schezar laughed as the two women continued their act,
"Oh Inagras, I don't know what I would do without you, I really need someone who can escape like you did from Harks. I mean, I left you stranded on there, without a ship, without any credits to your name, and you survive! I will give you your chance, but only because you are one tough S.O.B and weapons smuggler...and because you're the only one who has the balls to talk like that to me!"
"Thank you, but I would like to make a deal before I completely return to your employ."
Schezar growled and said, "Hurry up and speak, I would like to be alone with these two fine women."
Inagras knew better than to cut into Schezar's me-time session, but went on anyway, "You see, I had a special new gun design when I entered Harks, but I lost it when I fought against a few Ghost agents. I would like to request the Steel Wolves full attention on getting these designs back as I have placed a tracker on their ship."
"What if the Ghosts did not take the weaponry?", inquired Schezar.
"I will work in your employ for 3 smuggling operations and a mission of your choice free then."
Schezar considered, then spoke," Was the weapon really worth so much?" Inagras sighed as though speaking to someone who was dumber than he (it was really the other way around) and responded.
"The weapon was designed by the Confederates and is more powerful than any of the Dominion's weaponry and twice that. If we could mass produce it, and put it on our ships, then the Steel Wolves would be even more deadly than before...and would be a major payday for me I would think."
Schezar hesitated, then nodded, sealing the deal.
The vacationing Ghosts boarded the Proton Star two days later. The Proton Star was filled with entertainment like the Voyager's Start. It was merely a pleasure cruise on the luxury vessel, and a great one at that.
Brago was openly showing his passion by selling out his paycheck to the slot machines. Sara had finally tried what most people call alcohol, and in most cases this was bad, but in her case, she finally got a smile on her face and openly traded stories about 10 of her ex-boyfriends (that explained a lot). Kenny got drunk just like Sara and almost hit on her until he realized who she was.
Though the competitors were mostly the rich and leisurely, some of them knew how to play laser ball much to Nora's delight. She defeated 10 in a row without even getting hit(laser ball is like tennis, the almost the same as the very old style game, an orb of energy is hit by pads on the players hands).
Zak was a monster at the resteraunts, he ate about 5 servings, and when he got back his bill he just told the waiter to give it to his squad leader who'd be happy to pay for it. Speaking of the soon to be bankrupt leader, Zero was making big money at the cards table. Someone accused him of using psychic powers. However instead of striaght up denial, he just shifted uncomfortably.
A man in a black business suit departed his ship on the Voyager's Start. He ignored the drunks and the screaming children. He merely focused ahead to the employee offices. Noone questioned him as he went up to the Southeast section manager's office.
The guard on duty gave a start, but the man merely pulled out an offical looking badge with the insignia of the Dominion on it. The guard was startled, but let the man through.
"Blast it Jonesy what do you want n-,"the manager paused and looked at the man,"Oh, I wasn't expecting anyone."
The man spoke,"I have come here on official Dominion business, it seems that a stolen vessel has docked on this space station. I would like to request full use and investigation of the vessel, Firefox."
"Hmm, a stolen ship...well...if the Dominion asks it so it shall be." And with that the manager waved him away without even signing clearance forms, merely giving the black suited man a pass key to the ship. The man in the suit went to the Firefox, and studied the crew log required for reports. The crew log said that Unit #248 went on the Proton Star.
The man sent a call to his associates about the information. The man smiled at how easy the task had gone, he didn't even have to use his fake I.D or fake name.
The man was Inagras.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~The Ghosts were all toghether at the luxurious Proton Star resteraunt. Zak was already on his 2nd course and Sara was purely drunken at this point. Kenny was working away at his datapad until his meal arrived, frowning as he checked the area around the ship. Brago and Nora were having a discussion on what was better, laser ball or slots(Nora was winning). Zero looked at the price for cocktails, then at Sara, then cocktails, then Sara again. Zero nearly cried into his soup as he was managing the budget and he had no intention of stopping a drunken killer from her drinks.
Kenny triple-checked the area around the ship, and noticed the worried faces on the staff. Then the waiters and waitresses started ushering everyone out. Zak stuffed his face before they were ushered out as well, and started choking until Brago thumped him on the back.
Kenny gave Zero the datapad, who nearly dropped it in shock."Kenny..are you sure of this...this is not good.."
Coughing, Zak spoke,"What is it?". Zero put the pad in clear view of the Ghosts as they hurriedly made their way to their rooms. The datapad had a star map on it showing several yellow blips surrounding a large blue one. Nora spoke in a hushed tone after examining the pad,"If the staff is worried, then the Proton Star can't do anything about this."
They changed course via telepathic signal from Zero to the docks. They had no weapons or armor, but they went towards the docks where a yellow blip had entered anyway. Some would call them brave, others courageous. Most called them stupid.
A short firefight had erupted in the hangar as Inagras and 2 dozen Steel Wolves fought the security and staff armed with guns. Inagras had a pistol oin both hands and every shot hit a mark, even though the ship was docked low and security fought from a rail above. Inagras ducked over to a box and returned fire hitting the head chef that just came in. Only two Steel Wolves were dead when the staff was down.
Inagras felt so sure of himself, he had done the research and found the Ghosts exact plan. This was a mere pleasure cruise before taking the flight in 10 days from the Voyager's Start to the Dominion. The Ghosts were merely vacationing before sending in the designs. What fools would leave such a weapon to rot on the floor of Harks?
"Sir the hangar is clear, should we infiltrate all rooms in the ship or wait?", asked one of the Steel Wolves.
"Hmmm..those blasted Ghosts should be here soon enough, but they don't have their weapons with them..",Inagras paused to consider the situation,"I will take a dozen men with me in search of the area, you hang back and see if the Ghosts come running, if they do don't kill them."
Inagras left the hangar with his men as two of the Steel Wolves hauled their fellow dead outlaws into their ship, the (very creative) Steel Wolf. As they were doing that...
Two thumps were barely heard inside the Steel Wolf as the two startled men carrying the corpses were hit by Brago and Zero. The Ghosts didn't have cloaking ability at the moment as their armor was in the Firefox, but they had snuck on the ship during the fight.
Sara was surprisingly controlling her drunkeness, though sometimes let out a giggle at nothing at particular. Kenny looked uncomfortably at the two unconscious criminals and the two dead, bleeding corpses."Well uhh...we gotta..you know...blend in..."
Zero shook his head, unwilling to strip a dead man, or a living one for that matter,"Lets just grab their weapons and attack from behind, Inagras is gone for now which should make this easier on us."
Kenny rechecked his datapad and muttered to himself, then spoke aloud,"These are Schezar's men and ships, not easy to take on, these guys were surprised but the other pirates plus Inagras PLUS the 8 surrounding ships are a major problem".
"*hic* hes right,"interjected Sara with a giggle,"We gotta uhh run *hic* ...or WE CAN STAY AND FIGHT WOOO!". The men outside heard the last yells and surrounded the ship."So much for the element of surprise...", Zero muttered, as he grabbed a fallen rifle.
Brago and Zero both had rifles while the rest took a pistol from the waist of each fallen man.
The Ghosts lined up at the wall of the Steel Wolf's hatch, and started firing at the gang members. Two went down, but so did Sara who got struck by a bullet while almost dancing out to the battlezone. Brago cursed and dragged her back in while Kenny gave up the firefight and tried activating the ship for a quick escape.
The volley continued for about 10 minutes as the Steel Wolves fell slowly. Then there was one more standing who saw he was alone and tried to run to Inagras, but was quickly taken down by Nora.
"That was easy..Brago how is Sara doing?",Zero commented after the last man went down. Brago examined the bullet wound and Sara's half conscious gibberish. "I would say shes suffering of extreme shock mostly, the bullet was nearly spent."
"Well we are the lucky ones aren't we...Kenny hack the system before Inagras gets back, we don't stand a chance against him and a dozen more troopers." Kenny was readying the cockpit controls for blastoff when it happened.
Inagras and 5 more Steel Wolves suddenly materialized out of nowhere. They had cloaked and came back to the ship at the sound of fighting while the rest went on ahead in search of the weapon. Inagras slashed Kenny on the head with his gun, two of the thugs grappled with Brago, Zero was having a firefight with one of them, while Nora was knocked cold by another thug. Sara was merely dragged away by the last one as she was still unconscious.
All five Ghosts were subdued in only a matter of minutes. Inagras smiled down at his fallen foes,"There is no design, but at least your now mine, I can sell you onto the mines of Barath or as slaves for some private mastermind," Inagras frowned when he thought next,"Of course, I owe Schezar for the men he's lost and I have to do lots of smuggling jobs, but it was just another gamble."
The Ghosts were taken into the supplies room with the other two unconscious guards and the two dead ones. Inagras started up the engines Kenny had so graciously prepared, and veered out into space, leaving the Proton Star far behind.
Then, when all were gone, a figure originally cloaked stood, horrified in the hangar amidst the bodies of the dead. He had taken a cloaking device from one of the dead outlaws.
He stood alone, having escaped Inagras's clutches unlike the other Ghosts.
Zak.
If you want I'll continue but if you don't I wont bother...
