"I'm happily surprised you're all back with scarcely a bruise. However, how in the galaxy have you consumed all that medi-gel?" Jima asked, bewildered as the four walked by and depleted her dispenser of the precious fluid.
"Want a simple explanation, doc?" Dalora offered.
"Sure, Miss Algre." Jima responded.
"Other people got blown up for us." the mercenary answered.
"Oh...oh my..." the startled Quarian raised her hand over her audio speaker just as the party left as quickly as they arrived.
The four then filed into the communications center where the waiting Dolphos negotiated with the numerous computer monitors, struggling to bring up all the information. The Hanar got everything to his liking and waited for someone to say something. As usual, it was Nalia who started the meeting.
"Well, you boys got what you wanted. We saved a couple of scientists." Nalia started.
"It was the right thing to do." Lucas argued.
"And it also startled those raiders. We could have sprung a trap around them and captured them, sadly losing a few lives in the process, but finding out who sent them a whole lot faster." Nalia snapped.
"Don't try to argue with her, Lieutenant." Julland whispered to him.
"However, we were able to pull computer access records from the terminals. Apparently, the invaders had tried to access a more specific file than we did." the Asari continued.
"What was that?" Dalora asked.
"Testing reports. Dolphos here is still rapidly scanning them to find out what they might point to. Most interesting to note though, is that these files were heavily encrypted and under many layers of cyber security." Nalia answered.
"Have you found anything yet, Hanar?" Julland inquired.
"This one is most sorry that it is unable to report anything yet. However, it meekly offers that it has noticed numerous mentions of a small moon located in the Terminus systems." Dolphos answered.
"We'll take care of that later. In the meantime, I have requested flight records from Noveria control. They have been able to track down the fleeing raiders. Until we know what specific moon to investigate next, we're going to try and take that group out first." Nalia said darkly. She looked around, as if expecting questions. Since no one said anything, Nalia continued.
"All stations have been put on high alert. Expect a small rumble in the near future. Lieutenant, I would suggest you inspect your fighter in our cargo hold and be prepared to use it at a moment's notice. You're dismissed." Nalia told them.
Dalora followed Lucas towards the cargo bay. Clearly he could not wait to see his star fighter. Dalora never understood what the expression was suppose to mean, but perhaps the look on the lieutenant's face had the same glee that was suppose be like "a kid on Christmas day." Perhaps it was with good reason. The fighter was sleek and impressive. The closed hatch doors were the only hints where the missile banks were and a row of slits along the bottom of the nose signaled where the cannon ports were. Lucas, still grinning from ear to ear, climbed up into the cockpit and surveyed his old workplace. Still curious, Dalora followed but waited out of the cockpit, leaning on the edge of the canopy rail to peer inside.
"You never told me you were a pilot." Dalora stated.
"There's a lot of things about me you don't know." Lucas chuckled.
"Well maybe if you talked to me more..." Dalora hinted, sounding slightly unhappy.
"Dalora, we've only been around each other for two days." Lucas reminded.
"But do you seriously have to spend all that time cleaning weapons and hanging out with the Turian?"
"His name is Julland, and you should know how much maintenance it takes to keep a gun operating." Lucas reminded.
"I guess..."
"...But you're right. Perhaps I have been ignoring you. What would you like to know about me?" Lucas asked, as he went down the monitors and dials, making sure everything was working.
"First of all, where'd you get that?" Dalora pointed at a strange trinket lying off to the side of the cockpit. Lucas picked it up.
"So here's where I left it..." Lucas chuckled. It was a rosary, his very own.
"I have one myself, but what are they called?" Dalora asked, pulling out a rosary from her jumpsuit.
"I take it you're not Catholic." Lucas inquired.
"How many times must I tell you? You don't get a lot of information about what you earth borns would know about when you're a spacer like me. All I know is that these things had a lot to do with God. A God that would forgive you when no one else would. I'm sure that God would also know how much forgiving I needed...a false ID being the least of them." Dalora explained. Lucas looked at her.
"They're called rosaries. Its a type of guide to a meditation. I'll teach you how to do it sometime."
"You know a lot about these things, then?"
"Know? Dalora, I was a Catholic student of theology studying to be a priest. The rosary was the least I had to remember." Lucas stated.
"You're a priest?" Dalora asked, clearly shocked.
"Oh gosh no. Just a student. I never made it into the priesthood."
"You weren't good enough?"
"In a way. I never completed it. I quit."
"Why?"
"I had my doubts. I did not think I would have made a good priest. I didn't believe I had the right personality and I wasn't sure if I was completely convinced of what I was learning anyway." Lucas admitted.
"But you still believe in God?"
"Oh yeah. My doubts went away pretty quickly, but I was already a combat pilot...and mom and dad were already disappointed by my decision anyway. The Alliance saw my resume though. For whatever reason, they gave me the privileges of chaplain. Guess they had a lot of empty ranks to fill."
"What made your doubts go away?" Dalora asked curiously.
"They say there are no Atheists in foxholes. I was only in one foxhole but that alone was bad enough. Most people know it by the name 'Torfan.'" Dalora was staring at him, clearly shocked by everything.
"Near Catholic priest, combat pilot and Torfan veteran. Anything else I should know about you?" Dalora inquired.
"Hmmm...you probably already heard I'm a fighter ace...uh...nope, nothing comes to mind."
"I never would have guessed all of that about you." Dalora admitted.
"Well...I didn't ask for any of it. Looking back, I probably should have listened to mom and dad and stayed in the priesthood." Lucas explained.
"But then you would not have saved those lives that you did today." Dalora reminded him.
"Hmmm...sometimes I wonder if I do more harm than good." The two sat in silence for a moment. Dalora looked at his rosary again.
"What is yours made out of?"
"Carbon...except for the cross. That's made out of iron."
"There a reason for all that?" the mercenary asked.
"Yes actually. Carbon because that what man is made from. "Dust you are, and unto dust, you shall return." The iron because if you tap it right, it'll ring." Lucas explained.
"What kind of reason is that?"
"There's a Latin saying, 'What is done now echoes through eternity.'" Lucas answered.
"That's...poetic." Any further conversation was interrupted by an urgent message sent into the P.A system.
"Lieutenant Lucas Von Seraph, prepare your fighter. You will be jettisoned in two minutes. We are approaching hostiles."
A few minutes later, Lucas' fighter craft was flying a close escort to the Shiloh. The two spacecrafts rocketed through space towards the proper hostile contacts. Nalia radioed her instructions to the accompanying fighter.
"Lieutenant, you're the fighter ace, not me. Your main job will be to prevent any large bombs that are launched at the Shiloh from reaching us. Otherwise, provide whatever support you can and don't get killed."
"Roger that, Shiloh." Lucas radioed.
Meanwhile on the bridge of the frigate, Nalia, Talana and Julland took their proper positions. Julland was planted firmly in front of the weapons control panel, just behind and to the side of Nalia and Talana. Everyone from the bridge to the bottom in engineering were in high alert, knowing that they were getting close. Dr. Jima stood by waiting for any possible, and almost inevitable, injuries that might occur.
Nalia looked behind her shoulder at the Hanar who was still feverishly working at the many panel readouts.
"Dolphos, what can you tell me about those three hostile contacts? What kind of ships are we looking at?" Nalia asked.
"This one sees that two of the ships look like they are freighters that have been most cleverly re- purposed for the intent of pirating. The other ship is a small warship of unknown design, possibly a private build from inside the Terminus systems. This one is unable to identify all the weapons systems that might be most viciously thrown against us." Dolphos announced.
"Thank you." Nalia answered.
"I suggest we slow down and activate stealth systems. That way we can approach them and hit them where they are most vulnerable before they can prepare themselves." Julland stated.
"Negative on that. Talana, send us in full speed and choose your target." Nalia countered.
"Yes, lady Nalia." Talana answered.
"But Nalia, wouldn't it make more sense, if not be a whole lot safer, if we just simply went in under their radar and blasted them before they had a chance to respond? Aren't we giving them a chance to detect us and react by going in like this?" Julland asked. Nalia looked at him.
"But what fun is there in that?" the Asari inquired. The Turian looked back at his monitor and sighed.
"Captain, this one believes they have us on their radar. Their formations are changing. They are approaching us." Dolphos warned.
"Let them come..." Nalia murmured.
"Engaging all auxiliary weapons. Missile banks armed and ready. Kinetic barriers are fully functional." Julland called out from his perch.
"Do you have a plan of attack, captain?" Talana asked urgently.
"Go for the center one. I'm pretty sure that's the main muscle in their group." Nalia instructed.
"Yes, ma'am."
"Shiloh, this is Flaming Eagle. I have the hostiles on a visual contact. Requesting permission to break and attack." Lucas' voice crackled on their radio. So that was his call sign.
"Flaming Eagle, permission granted. Just remember your first priority." Nalia responded over the transmission.
"Roger that, over and out." Through the small view ports, they caught a glimpse of the flare cause by the exhaust engine as the fighter threw on its afterburners.
"We are in striking range, captain. Permission to fire?" Talana inquired.
"Fire at will." Nalia smiled.
Outside, the intrepid fighter pilot ducked and weaved through the numerous dangerous blasts of energy hurled at it. The hostile ships opened a salvo of heavy bombs. One by one, each exploded prematurely as Lucas' triple row of fire found them. That accomplished, the starfighter swooped over the lead raider ship and shot off into the darkness. The fighter escort temporarily gone, the main raider ship let off another large bomb which exploded off of the Shiloh's barriers. The smaller gun turrets lit up the darkness as streams of deadly light lashed and grazed the ships.
Lucas whipped his fighter around in a sharp U turn before hitting his afterburners again. He watched the murderous light works as he shot closer and closer to the scene. He reflected on what he saw and realized the strange aspect that for all the lights and violence of the display, there were no sounds. That was one of the first things a particularly morbid flight instructor told him and the new pilots at training. "Don't get killed. No one can hear you scream in space." The combat ace waited in vain for the rumbling explosion after the Shiloh's weapons tore through the lead privateer and transformed it into a massive fireball. He reminded himself again that noise does not travel in the vacuum of space. He wondered if, in an odd way, it was beautiful.
Inside the Shiloh, the crew held onto whatever they could, as well as their last meal, as best as they could. With all the maneuvers and weapon discharges, the temperature inside was noticeably rising. Right now the heat was only uncomfortable but if the battle did not end in a few minutes, they'd be on the verge of passing out.
"Captain, this one has run cross scans on the two combatant freighters. It believes that one is carrying slaves aboard. It believes this because of the high readings of life signs aboard, more than even a heavily armed freighter might carry." Dolphos announced. The ship rattled in the shock wave of the other freighter exploding.
"Makes sense, Nalia. I'd suggest we find a way to board that freighter and recover them." Julland suggested.
"Normally I would ignore that and blow it up. However, I'd hate to see you and the Lieutenant pouting the rest of the mission." Nalia answered.
"There's just the problem of disarming them and cutting their engines." Talana informed.
"Perhaps its possible for Lucas to take care of all of those." Julland suggested.
"You sure you really want to do this, Julland?" Nalia inquired.
"We save a few innocents and collect valuable intelligence. We blow it up, we lose any possibility of doing both." Julland offered.
"Very well. Flaming Eagle, you think there's a way you could disable the weapons and engine systems of our last freighter?" Nalia radioed. Lucas' voice cut back through the static.
"It is possible. My onboard computer is calculating the proper weak points in the engine system. Stand by..." Lucas announced.
"Roger, Shiloh standing by..." Talana responded. They waited a few moments.
"This is the Flaming Eagle. Weak points are viable. Targeting engine systems now." Lucas announced.
"All right Talana, make sure to follow that freighter at a fair distance. Most of their fire is being concentrated on taking down the Lieutenant anyway." Nalia ordered.
"Yes ma'am."
"Captain, this one sees that the targeted freighter is unable to maneuver. Its coming to a halt." Dolphos announced from behind them.
"Really? That was quick..." Nalia observed.
"The auxiliary weapons turrets are also coming offline as well." Talana reported.
"That was really quick." the Asari Spectre confirmed.
"Maybe that's why he's a fighter ace." Julland offered.
"Whatever. Julland, suit up and get Miss Algre. Us three are going in." Nalia ordered.