Rogue Trader; season one
Episode Ten; Project Windfire
(part I)
Sometimes the truth hurt too much. In this case. Ni-Fang fiound herself in the hangar, Cirir close behind. She knew he was there, so she said aloud. "Cirir, what am I to you?"
The question caught the four legged mutant off guard. He said softly in his manner of speaking, just above a whisper and as if unable to drink anything. "You are my captain." He replied.
Ni-Fang stopped andlooked at her ship, Windfire she had named it, shortly after Hiedens 'death' she had taken to flying the craft at Geras instruction, taking the knowledge needed from the headgrabber as she learned to fly the thing. She had made so many modifications to it that only she could fly the craft on her own. "Aside from that, what am I? A killer? Cold hearted," She turned towards him, "Hieden kept the secret from me, telling only when it suited him best, but now, he tells me freely, though I had to threaten him."
Cirir said nothing. ni-Fang continued, "He is like an uncle to me. Yet he treats me as if he is in charge and I am not, when it was he that I hired at Port Wander, and through him I found you. But you and I spoke between ourselves before I took on Hieden."
Cirir nodded, "Yes, you took it on without speaking to Hieden, he is your first mate, and nothing more thne that. " Cirir looked towards ther hangar door leading to the causeway to the bridge. " One would assume he is planning something, knowing what information is needed and where. That black box TechPriest Pretas carries with him at all times. It is unlike any other Vox system I have seen."
"Nor was that Holographic thing inside the mountain." Ni-Fang muttered briefly remembering the fall into the mud, her hair in a few places still had black oil in it from that fall, but it wasn't as bad as before. "Hiededn knows something is happeni9ng, but what exactly is to be seen. For now I wabnt you to do me a favor, you have access to all camera systems, under my command which overlords Hiedens to you, Unless I tell him to send a message to you, he can't over rule." She was planning something
"What is it you wish me to do?" Cirir asked.
"Keep an eye on Hieden at all times. Assign either Drake or Varsalis to keep watch at the camera station in the engineering deck control room when you can't be there, the nonmoving mutant, Kasica, he is good ot draw on to watch the cameras every waking hour." She gave Cirir a look, a look he knew well. it pretty much translated into "if you refuse, you're fired."
"Consider it done Captain." Cirir said as the annument from the bridge rang through the hangar, "Lokika system in one hour." clearly they where making better time then previously planned. Apparently the modifications done to the Spirits drive systems were helping imensly. Now to hope the clak worked just as good as the engine speed up
Other fighter pilots were arriving, Ni-Fang turned to Cirir, "get to your station Cirir, you know what to do." Cuirir nodded and scuttled off as Ni-Fang climbed into her fighter craft and began going through the list of modifications she had yet to do, the wiring inside was a mess, and she had removed the sheilds, perfering speed over defense but added a cloak. eithout the cloak in use, Windfire could get up to 135 sublight units per hour (about 1350 miles MPH) though out in space things like speed only mattered when going into the Warp.
Things like time also factored in, speed in space pretty much had no effects from time or the like, unless too close to a planet. As far as Ni-Fang was concerned, Windfire would scream past the enemy craft, leaving behind a "gift" in its wake, which was a time bomb, a odd, dronelike weapon and several sesimic charges all at once. one heck of a sonic boom. Ni-Fang cleared away some of the loos wirers, none of them wqere attached to anything, and she even told the ground crew to leave her craft alone when repairs were needed as she'd handle them herself. One thing she did not want to happen when the crew was repairing was having them screw up on something she had modified. Soon she would be at her mothers homeworld, a world she rarely, if ever, visited.
Within the Spirits brideg a woman in dark emerald entered, it was Xue Shen. She had gone along at Fans request, mostly because if she had to, she could KO Linelle or Hieden, though she told Fan she would try to not go to such extremes unless it was the only thing she could do. "Snapping Tigers Palm" She said to Fan, "Is only used to send a person into sleep, thus rendering them helpless for several hours." Obviously Xue Shen had been praticing something for long periods of time in her chambers at Holy Terra. the woman spotted Hieden standing at the controls, near the helm. When she spoke in english is was similar ot music one would say should they live long enough to speak of it.
"She left you in her stead." She meant Ni-Fang, Hieden only nodded, Xue Shen was a woman few could cross and get away with. So he said nothing. Xue Shen stepped closer and stood at the rail looking out of the bridge towards the darkness ahead, "She left me to keep you, should you try anything of getting off this craft, and leaving your children without a father." That made things slightly weorse for Hiedens plan, which was to find as much technology on or around the planet as he could before Xi Lan could.
But before he could say anything a sharp stinging was felt in his right cheek, apparently Xue Shen could injure when she felt like it, and get around his newly aquired healing ablities pretty easy. He stared at the brown eyed, black haired green clothed woman in shock. But then again she was his employers mother, and his first employers wife. he didn;t have to ask what happened to cause such a strike before Xue Shen spoke, a tear coming to her eyes. "When Johen told Ni-Fang the news fifteen years ago of your passing, she locked herself in her bedroom for ten and seven days. Taking only food and drink whwen it was time, but speaking to no one."
"When Ni-Fang turned seven she began to learn of ships, and trading from Johen, being our only child she wanted to command a ship, but Johen had no craft that could be made, the Dawn had been destoryed, or so it was said." She looked hard at Hieden, "When reports came from Ni-Fang a year ago that the Dawn was still in one piece and her first mate, a man named Hieden. Yourself, was to command it. New light came to Johens eyes. A light that I had not seen since the Dawn first went missing fifteen years ago." Xue Shen looked out the viewport. "Why did you do that to us?.... To her?" She ssaid nothing of who she meant, which could have been either Ni-Fang or Linelle.
"Xue, you have known me for a very long time, tell me, have I ever done anything to harm you or your family?" He said a slight anger in his voice. Linelle watched, she trusted Hieden, she had only spoken the Xue a few times but respected her, but she would not tolerate an abuse of her husbands trust.
"No, but to disappear like that, yes I know you were prisoner. But you had three years of freedom, you could have found us and we could have sheltered you from the Laraxans."
"True, granted and for that I'm sorry. I know it hurt Johen and Ni, but I had my reasons Xue, and that lies out there, attacking your homeworld now. Trust me, and tell Ni to do the same, my love for your family is as strong as the day it was when I pledged my service to your husband. You gave me a family I never had, and I cherish that, so understand me when I say, I have things I must keep to myself...for everyones safety."
"Ni will never understand Hammer, she loves you even more than her father, you know that. Talk to her, you are the only one who could ever get past her daemon...apart from your wife here as I understand."
Linelle crossed the few paces, her hearing was five times better than a humans, she placed her hand on Xue's shoulder gently. "Xue, Hieden does what he does, because his fate is determined by powers even I can't fathom. Rest assured though, if he tries anything stupid, he will regret it." She smiled with those green eyes and wicked smile. Xue knew well at that moment she had an ally.
"Thankyou Lin. Now master Hieden, I believe you have a fighter squadron to command, Ni is leading in her craft and you will be flying 'top cover' I believe was the phrase she used, in your mysterious craft with twelve of the others."
"Yes that is the plan, I hope that Pretas will be comfortable in my back seat, he was not well pleased when I told him about the possible consequences of touching things he shouldn't, I might have to tape his fingers."
The three of them enjoyed a brief laugh, before Hieden bid his wife and Xue farewell.
"Good luck." They both told him as he headed for the hangars. On the way he found Fan, she was crying and walking as if she were lost. She saw him and rushed to his arms.
"You are going away again, I just heard."
"No Princess I'm only going to protect your sister. It seems she wants to keep me out of the thick of things."
"Can you blame her Daie, you have left us twice now, ....too many broken hearts." She said simply. Kissed him on the cheek and headed for the bridge.
Heiden came into the main hangar amidst a hive of activity. His F307 parked amongst the smaller 304's stood out, Pretas and Ni-Fang stood by the grey craft's undercarraige, for once the Techpreist was not carrying the laptop, but he looked uneasy. Ni-Fang waved Hieden over her face full of more questions, he could see. Questions she had a right to know the answers, but now was not the time. He one thing to do before this battle took place.
Standing less than a metre from her he asked Pretas to get into his place in the cockpit of the 307 and run a system check, of course it was a ruse. The techpriest acknowledged Hieden with a "Yes Sir" and climbed the ladder into the second seat. When he was gone, Hieden gently took Ni-Fang by the head, one hand either side.
Ni-Fang felt a rush of cold, like being dropped in ice water, then a caressing warmth. Colours swirled through her mind and images rushed like phantoms. All that she had learned from the head grabber seemed to disappear, all but a few random things, but now with all that clutter gone, she understood, she was not ready for all that she had found, and finally it made sense...but he left her some things....why? She fell against his chest and sighed, it was a wieght she was never meant to carry.
"Thankyou." She whispered. "But there is still some in there...can't you take it all?" A tear fell down her cheek.
"No I'm sorry Ni. I left some things for you, to help you much later on. You will meet someone, a another species I think be th' best way te' say it, he will need this information to save his life, it will be up to you." He held her tightly.
"Uh? How do you know this?" She looked at his steel blue eyes.
"Don't ask, just trust me."
Now she knew why she did the modifications to her own craft, no shields, but a cloaking device was added ot it. though once detected she doubted she'd need it, and could thusdrain the power from the thing to give greater speed in combat. The announcement came over the PA system, Lokika system in three minutes. Everyone in the hangars began dashing around to get their work done, never expecting to be at Lokika for another two days!
Ni-Fang turned towards Hieden, the information he removed from her mind was only so much, she knew that for sure, the stuff she had access to as is the modifications to the ships power systems, and to her crafts main draives and the like. It didn't take lok for her to only nod, Hieden would remain as far back as possible, keeping cover so to speak, for the rest of the group. She spoke, "I can see your worry." She said to him
"What?" he asked her, startled, how could see tell? Then he remembered Xue Shens words, "She loves you more then she loves her father or myself. Her heart was shattered at the report of your death."
"You worry for others, or for me?" She seemed to get too close ot the mark there, hieden was worried alright, worried for her due to no shields, much less an air supply, then he remembered, she was a child of the Warp. She could breathe in peace without air for all anyone knew, same for Fan. Ni-Fang stepped closer to Hieden, her face centimeters from his own. "You are going against my orders to remain on the Spirit, yet Linelle is following them, you are going to provide cover long enough for us to get the job done, unless we need your flight groups help. I don't want you seen by Xi Lan or any of her craft"
The announcement of leaving the Warp in one minute Ni-Fang looked to Hiden one last time before going to her craft and getting back into it. "I will not have fatherless children as part of my crew, Kran can only do so much." Hieden watched her get into her craft, Windfire had odd markings on it, clearly damage marks of some kind, either that or unwanted addons. Apparently he realized too late that he removed the information, most of it was genetic information he removed, the technical things, for her ships and the like he left alone.
Hieden watched the seal set into place on the craft, an odd creation of fighter craft. wedge shaped, small, one man fighter. with twin lasrain canons that were magnetically powered. in this case, an endless stream of firepower on the wind one had once said after witnessing the craft at work. "It is as if rain of red water was falling from tjhe clouds, the rushing of the wind was also felt when the rain fell. We called it windfire, sa it felt like the wind was bringing fire with it." a Laraxan soldier said after the battle on the ground the first time Ni-Fang had used the craft, back near Oraxisis Prime.
The spirit fled from the darkness of the Warp and appeared in normal space, unseen by the Ha'tyaks of Xi Lans soldiers, a heartbeat later, Hieden spotted Ni-fang placing a odd type of helmet on her head, it wasn't bulky like the rest of the pilots helms were; it was more like a simple headband with a radio in the left side. the squad of six fighters left the now open hangar several seconds later, one after the other. taking up a formation never seen before, even in Hiedens days as MacGregor long ago. the fighters faded from sight as the cloaks kicked in.
The voices of the pilots were heard on the tactical map station within the Spirit. "All wings report" Ni-Fang chattered in Lokikaen, apparently the pilots were all from Lokika to begin with. voices chattered. shortly they seven pilots were all reported and paired off, none of them paired with Ni-Fang, she already had her needed pair off. the small wedge shaped fighter containing Ni-Fang blasted forwards towards the largest Ha'tak, the golden ship looked odd. how could it be flown?
A single command was heard. "Decloak and let loose first ram." meaning the EMP wave of missles. which blasted forwards as the seven craft appeared out of nowhere, letting loose fourteen trails of fire on the lone golden ship. the shields were impacted, and died moments later as all fourteen trails of fire caused the EMP to overload the system. Ni-Fang noticed something then, it was a shipyard! The golden ship they had fired on was still incompleted! had Xi-Lan taken the planet already? where they too late?
Thinknig dfast as a pair of gullwing fighters appeared on her tail Ni-Fang smirked. "seven and five, on me." she said calmly. turning her craft towards the still unfisihed golden ship, blasting into its infrastructure of steel and other items. weaving, the gullwing craft follwoing her collidied into several things, leaving holes in the newly made work. Ni-Fang only smirked as she blasted out the other side, after leaving a 'gift' within the core of the golden craft. "All wings break off attack, rally point Aer" She said into her radio as she hit the keycodex to set off the bomb.
The golden ship exploded into a mushroom cloud of metal and fire. So far so good.
Then she noticed other ships, and more fighters. Maybe they needed back up, or head for the planet, keep the spirit far enough away and maybe they could do this. Maybe
Pretas was watching intently as Hieden took calls from his own group, the five other pilots eager to join in battle he admonished them to hold, he would not break his word the Ni-Fang or Xue, he held Blue squadron in top cover, but Pretas's voice was urgent. "Sir we have incoming, maybe twenty of their fighters coming up from the planet at speed, they are heading straight for the Captain's wing."
Hieden had to make his descision now, there was no time to choose. "Blue wing on me, line astern two stack." The five other fighters from blue wing formed up behind and below their leader and banked to meet the oncoming threat, angling down so the sun's radiance was behind them, blind targets for the enemy.
"Missile locks free, choose your splash.......go, go!" He barked as Pretas set the warheads on the 307, six misslles, two for each target.
The six grey/black birds of prey fell upon their foe, but Xi Lan had trained these pilots well, and in the first strike, only four fell to the Firestreak rockets, the auto sensors on the gull winged gliders steeing them form harms way. Now the melee was on, six to fourteen, bad odds Hieden reprimanded himself. "Break, break, go low, head for the surface and lets pray the follow. Which indeed they did. The greater dive speed of the Spirits fighters put them well ahead of Xi's craft, which now opened fire with plasma cannon, one of Hieden's wing went down in a ball of wicked flame, the last he heard was the scream of "Nooooo...."
"Sir this is not good." Came from his number two.
"I know....." MacGregor now took over, he was in his own element now. "On my mark split 'S' and double back.....'mark!" The five pulled up and over the pursuers, their own speed now too great as they closed the gap on their quarry only to realise too late the planets surface was so close. Nine of fourteen crashed in a firey display on the sides of Mount Shinghan, a billowing plume marking their demise. Five left, they pulled up and pushed harder, now one on one as they again gained the outer atmosphere.
Ni-Fang now turned her group onto the second and third Hat'aks, missiles launched and again the emp explosion dropped the shileds, but this time it was not so easy, these were complete ships as defence canon opened up and gliders came pouring out. Two of her wing went down in a murderous hail of fire.
"This is not going to plan." She thought idily as a glider came right on her tail, canon fire taking chunks from her starboard wing, but Windfire held strongly, and she did as Hieden taught her, a curved reverse turn which put her in behind her pursuer, two bursts from her guns and he went down, but the odds were stacked against them now, they needed a miracle.
As the second group fought their own battle now four to three in the enemies favour Hieden/Will need to pull a rabbit out of his hat. He didn't realise he said that aloud, and Pretas asked him amidst the terror. "A what sir?"
"Never mind son, just arm the mines, all of them."
"Sir, eight mines sir, that's enough to..."
"I know.....Blue four and two, break now and head for Ni-Fang, go now!"
The other two followed orders and banked away from the melee and sped to join with Red squadron high above them. Now Hieden had four alone as he jinked and turned with every manouver in the book. The blackness of space lighting up with a merry dance of technobirds. With so many changes of attitude, even with inertia dampeners, Pretas felt a little sick, but he held and did his job, at Hieden's command the mines were released in the middle of the enemy four, Hieden punched the hyperdrive with a small burst to put them just behind the Spirit a thousand kilometres away. The effect was resounding, all eight mines vapourising Xi's gliders and sending a shock wave through the void.
Ni-Fangs little 302 rocked from some unseen blast, she looked below and saw the orange glow expand and knew at once the meaning. "Break, break go high now!" She called urgently to the remainder of her wing. they climbed at speed, the shock wave following them, but as it passed through the Hat'aks, hull began to crumple until only Xi Lan's mothership remained. Ni-Fang looked back and felt satisfied, and led her group back to the Spirit to plan her next move. But she would have words with Hieden, that was too close.
Four craft lost, that was all she could count, though she was thankful as it was, for Hieden to be there as backup, it had gotten extreme she knew, extreme enough for him ot enter the fray. The fact her own craft had knocked forwards, slamming her forehead into the cockpit latch (which thankfully did not open) A trail of blood from the cut appeared yet she took no notice as she headed her craft to land within the Spirit. The wingless heavliy modifed craft settled cleanly on the hangar's steel and rock floor.
All of Xi Lans fighter craft where gone, all of their enemy laid out in the void from the ensuing firewave that Hieden set off. Only ship left was Xi Lans own craft, and for all anyone knew the woman was on the planet already. But at the cost of four craft and two pilots, Ni-Fang noticed a gunboat arriving with the two fighter pilots, both of them shaken, but safe and alive. there were more ships being made on Mars and Holy Terra for MerTelCom they were later told. They'd be part of her wing once more. now was time for R&R until further notice, but to stay ready for anything to happen next.
She turned to Hieden as she stepped out of her craft. two new scorce marks on the underbelly she noticed instnatly, at least she was still alive. Removing her "helmet" and setting it within the fighter she spoke towards Hieden as he walked torwards her. "How many made it back?"
"Twelve, two were killed of all of us that were out there, we lost for fighters too." Hieden said as if thinknig they had short supply when the pioint in fact was that Mer TelCom had started building them by the dozen to guard against more attacks with the recent uprising of Orks in the Calis Sector, the fact her own craft had the wings removed to pretty much nothing but stubs where a pair of lasguns had been mounted, heavy duty lasguns in fact. a total of four of them two per "wing", Now all she had ot do was get her father ot have her new craft ready. Project Startail she had named it.
"Don't worry, more will be ready for use, or did mother not tell you? After your death Father begain an assembly line for more craft of this typwe to be built, along with a new craft more me. rthe rest of the designs are directly from this one, smaller, and easier to handle. Father said my craft would keep costs down as much as possible and also bring in more money as well." Ni-Fang thought a second before muttering "I hope he is right"
That caught Hieden off balance for the first time since leaving Terra, "What? Making more 302s?" When had Johen started not telling him those things? It didn't matter the point being that a very secret starfighter was being built from Nio-Fangs own mind alone. Based somewhat off the 302 she currently used, but also something more, with a pair of supersonic capible stardrives called 'Herizon Jet' engines, that even without her modifications was capible of producing a supernova heat wave worth of exaust.
"Yes, and something more as well, but Father said the ships would not be ready until after we had returned. You still have to meet with Father as well Hieden, yet he knows you only as my first mate, Hieden Hieldenhammer. Remember you place when you speak to my Father when this is over." She told him before heading to the bridge, she stopped. "oh, have the fighter pilots asemble in the dining hall for orders, and food. I will meet them there" She disappeared into the corridor.
Meanwhile the Spirit of Silence remained unseen in the darkness at the edge of the Lokika system.
Xi Lan watched everything, her fleet was nearly whiped out, but thankfully most of the ships where on the planet by the time whatever that attacked, and so suddenly disappeared, had arrived. Almost all the gullwing craft were gone, but it didn't matter, all that mattered was getting what she required from the planet below, and that was its leadership caste.
Her eyes glowed gold for a heartbeat or two, "Have the troops on the ground redirect their movements to take all the leadership members and also the scholar caste. Have them brought here for questioning." She ordered before turning her gaze to the darkness of space, whomever those craft were piloted by had skill, skill enough to be one she knew.
Her first in command, second only to herself stepped into the chamber, "Madam, we hgave captured the MerTelCom office complex, yet many of the staff members were gone before we got to that area."
"That does not matter now, take the building and search its databanks. All data is to be transfered to vox datachips. Then transported back here. Then ready the troops on the ground for an extended stay on the planet below, we have work to do, this attack was by another group, a group known to me from battles past." She then growled a name, "Xaiu" The soldier nodded and elft in haste to do as ordered, not wanting to be on his lady's bad side.
Hieden sat in his private chamber studying the schematics on Ni-Fangs Windfire, it was a simple matter, she had virtually butchered up a perfectly good F302 for womanly aesthetics. He looked across to the sleeping form of Linelle, she wanted to be here, but she worried for the children as well, hoping to the Eldar gods they were safe.
A soft wind blew across Hieden's neck, he did not have to turn about to see what it was.
"Hello Daniel, I was expecting you to show sooner or later." He then turned in his seat after saving the data on Pretas laptop he had finally managed to get off him for a while.
"You look tired, even you have to sleep sometime Will, that is still flesh and bone youre wearing, even with the upgrades," His friend smiled, he was wearing the same outfit he last saw him in, simple pale blue shirt, black trousers and casual shoes, nothing ancienty at all.
"Yeah I am a bit, Ni-Fang worries me. She is wreckless and foolhardy. She wont listen to advice, I feel like an idiot around her at times. Do you know what she did to her fighter?" He stood and walked toward the bulkhead, passing right through the visage of Daniel. "She cut...."
"I know Will, give her time. Remember in her eyes now, you are hardly much older appearing than her, and she still is not completely over you disappearing when you did." Daniel went and sat in the now vacant chair, he became a solid form as he did.
"Yeah I know, but its not like I could help it though, is it. Anyway, you didnt come here for nothing, did you?" Hieden peered through the window into the blackness of space, in his quadrant few stars could be seen, he shook his head and turned, waiting for a reply.
"No I didnt, shes onto you, she knows who, or rather what attacked her."
"Your talking in riddles as usual Daniel, she...who?"
"Xi Lan, she knows someone, an Ancient, or rather an Ancient Venator is after her, and she is prepared of that Im sure." He turned and looked at the laptop screen. "Interesting."
Hieden sat on the corner of his table. "How in the hell does she know th....dont tell me, I know the answer, shes an Ori, blah, blah."
"Dont take it so lightly Will, she has gained a lot of power in all these years. She is not like any you have faced before." Daniel tapped the keys, he found something, perhaps Hieden and Ni-Fang could use. "I realise MerTelComs resources are stretched thin, but you should have Johen build these." He turned the screen around and Hieden stared for a brief minute.
"The 340's? Why"
"They are your best hope of defeating her armada when it comes, shes raiding the MerTelComs offices as we speak, but she does not know about these. Pure gunships, small fast and cheap to build, courtesy of Sam Carter."
Hieden looked even closer, he smiled. "You're right you...." Daniel was gone. God I hate it when he does that, at least Elizabath says goodbye. He climbed into the bed and nestled closely to his wife, in the morning Ni-Fang will listen to him, or hell go it alone.
Pretas was busy in his quarters when a knock sounded.
"Come!"
Hieronyma walked in rather shyly. He looked up.
"Hi there. Oh yes, I meant to give you something I jerry rigged. I know its a healing device, but as to how it works, no clue. It can even revive the dead, although how I know this is unknown as well."
He handed the cube over and turned it on. It started glowing whitish blue as Ancient characters shone clearly. Hieronyma was at a loss for words as she looked at it. He understood.
"It is yours, and I think you will require it."
He started to reassemble the weapons he was working on. Such weapons would be needed, for he was building drone launchers and drones themselves. He had the chair already assembled, but the drones and the launcher were needed now. He was feverishly making as many as he could before the fleet reattacked. If they did, he could fire over 100 drones at them and the entire fleet would be severely depleted.
Cirir was waiting for her as she entered her cambers, "Captain, a private vox channel has been connected and is awaiting your reply, it is your father." Cirir said before leaving, he knew nothing of what her father was calling about.
Ni-Fang waited until the door was sealed before keying her vox to the private channel. "Father?"
"Daughter, it concerns Project Startail" came the reply, "It is completed and awaiting your command to take it as part of your fighter wing."
That was good news. Yet there was a problem. "I am at Lokika, we lost two soldiers, good men, but we lost four craft in total. Two we found. Hieden did something, but what I do not know."
"He's a good man, but why he is getting reckless I do not wish to know or comprehend." Johen replied. "Even though you are at Lokika at this time I am sending the Dawn to you in noncombat readiness. in its forward hangar bay is Project Startail, ready for battle and fuly outfitted as per your data banks input system that you had set it up for. Should be there shortly, as the Dwan left this morning, shortly after you did."
"With the modifications I had done to her it shouldn't take too long to get it here and battle ready. " Ni-Fang replied before saying tersely. "Xi Lan, from what I understand has taken the MerTelCom complex on the planet below. and Hieden is having the Spirits sesnors scanning all the moons around the planet," Things were getting out of her control. "I found another box, a DELL thing, yet am unable to see what it contains, I cannot see a vox screen for it. I have given it to Pretas, he is to contact me when he has found anything worth note." She did not mention that it was also him that had created the drone weapons (as he called them) a mind controlled explosive, that could also be made into a timebomb of sorts with insane power at setting off.
A notice came over the public channel to her chamber, "the ship is leaving orbit, captain should we follow?" They had been gone only a single day from Terra, but time passed faster at Lokika. Had Fan stayed at Lokika rarther then venture into the underground cityplx as she called it she might have grown older and become more of a benifical person, but instead she was taken to Mars Station.
Ni-Fang spoek to her father, "When the Dawn arrives I'll contact you, but for now we have troubles on our side of things. I must go."
"Good luck daughter, may the god emperor bless you!" The vox channel died then and Ni-Fang left her chambers, just as the spirit was rocked by gunfire. apparently other ships had been following them unseen, gullwing craft, the nine gliders opened fire, the cloak replaced the shield, to a point, hitting a key code she reactivated the sheidl system and two gliders died instantly. "Cirir, full power to front void shields, keep just enough cvovering everything else. the Dawn is on its way." She grabbed Cirir by the arm as a panel exploded in front of him. "And wake up Hieden, he should be steering us right now but instead he is fighting with me out there? who does he think he is?"
Cirir said nothing, but understood his captains need for her crew to obey her orders at all times. Ni-Fang continued; "You are the only one who has followed my orders to the letter, everyone else is failing to do so. Continue to follow as you hqave been and you'll move up in rank, yet if you weish you may stay in the engineering. You make good for a sure footed man, get to it, waken Hieden and have him come to the bridge, i'll be there, the Dawn should be here shortly. when it arrives direct it to the hangar onboard the Spirit."
The Spirit thankfully had a hangar large enough to hold the Dawn within it rather well. the case in point was that the Spirit could carry another ship in reserve and not worry of space for fighters, as the Dawn could carry up to two full wings of fighter craft. Plus two fo those odd craft that Hieden and Pretas liked to use at times.
Leaving his chambers Hieden headed for the bridge, only to find Ni-Fang had left and was in her own chambers, Fan was becoming more familiar with the workings of the Spirit and was doing well in her role as undertudy to both the Captain and himself, she will make a fine officer in short time he thought. Xue sat not far away in Linelles navigators chair, reading some files he had given her on the Dawns specifications and wore a smile as she read, she looked up at him and nodded in approval. He headed down the companionway for Nis room and felt for the usb stick still in his pocket, the Dell he carried under his arm.
Walking swiftly through the accomodation level he was not surprised to see Hieronyma leave Pretas' room, Hieden chuckled to himself, but was glad, those two had opened up and both of them were more confident now, and more a part of the crew. He stopped by the slightly open door and called his XO "Pretas, you decent lad?"
"Er ah just a minute sir...." A ruffle a quick dressing and the young man appered. "Hehe I am now sir, do you need me?"
"Yes I want you to look at these drawings and pictures." He opened the laptop and plugged in the usb, the machine hummed to life, and Hieden began showing the files, and photos of what Pretas saw as a small but heavily armed ship.
"Shit sir...theyre gorgeous, theyre from your...er former time arent they?"
"Yes they are, Heroine class we called them Cruisers CG340's. Now do you think we can build them? Theyre modular, so theyd be quick and cheap."
"Yes we could sir, but ultimately it would be up to the captains father sir."
"Yes I know. Well we shall both speak to Ni-Fang and get her on side, Xue as well. If he has run out of resources, I have a plan B."
Pretas grinned. "Well you and I always seem to have plan B dont we sir."
The news rthat hit Ni-Fang felt like a locomotive ran her over, Fan had left to her chambers to sleep, amazingly the daemon possessed women kept themselves pretty well kept, but their rooms at times, those were another story. Ni-Fang was at the bridge, watching the last golden ship leave the planets orbit and disappear as sten more craft just like it appeared and headed for landing. followed by more. She spoke into the radio as Hieden arrived at the Bridge, watching as the barricade of the planet was over, but what were those ships doing? "You're sure? You never saw her?"
"No Madam" Came the reply, "We only saw her soldiers, bearing the mark of the Black Condor of the North." The Black Condor was the symbol of Xi Lans household. Every major house had it, Ni-Fangs was the White Condor, Fans, had she a household still would have been the Green Fern design.
"And the dead?"
"Seven of our own people, all of them children, shot through the stomach in all of them." That made her madder then normal.
"And the database systems?"
"Destoryed, however the datawithin them was taken before we could get back in, the computer ranks holding the vox databanks were broken when we entered." Came the reply.
This was worse then going after the stupid key. Yet she had it hanging around her kneck, You never know when you'd need it again one thought. If Ni-Fang could set fire to something she would have but didn't. A smile graced her face as she spoke again. "Where did the ship go?"
"Lars; a tomb world, its dead, there are evils there that do not sleep." Came the reply, ther sound of the mans voice on the other end was scared. But it seemed as if Ni-Fang wanted to go after Xi Lan right then and there. "I urge you not to go that way my lady, going there only increases the danger to yourself and MerTelCom. Should you be taken prisoner by her, or them. There is no telling what would happen to the galaxy as a whole." Apparently ther man was scared, but not for his life now.
It was rthe look on her face that made Hieden also shake his head, it was too risky to take the Spirit to Lars, the tomb world was with the dead, the dead coulx also rise again as well. That was one of the reasons of why things were going bad, or worse. If the Laraxans were using the Necrons as part of their army.....
.... Well, that wouldn't bode well, for the Necrons
Hieronyma was organizing some of the medical supplies in the infirmary, cataloging everything.. She hummed softly to herself, a lot happier than she had been a month or so ago. She looked up as Pretas walked in. She blushed and smiled shyly at him.
Pretas smiled at her slightly, even though he was nervous. "Hello..."
Hieronyma smiled shyly. "Hi," she said timidly.
Pretas looked around, rather hesitent to speak as he looked around the infirmery a bit. He paced slightly. Hieronyma watched him, seeing the nervousness in his step.
After a moment, she spoke. "Something wrong?"
"No nothing...." He stopped and turned slightly. "I was wondering......if you would.....have dinner tonight with me...."
Hieronyma's cheeks flushed a deep red. She stared at her feet, smiling shyly. "I-I..." She looked up at him, and smiled. "That would be nice."
Pretas let out a sigh. "Well that is good....I will get it prepared tonight...." He smiled slightly, happier than he has been the past year.
Hieronyma smiled, and walked over and kissed him on the cheek. "See you later."
Pretas smiled slightly. "Thank you..."
Hieronyma flashed him a smile, and turned and started to organize her supplies again.
Several hours later...
Pretas was scurrying around in his quarters, preparing the meal for both of them. He was cooking some steak and potatoes, the fresh kind, which are hard to come by on a ship. He was in a hurry, since he hadn't set the table yet and the meal had to be done first.
About ten minutes later, there was a soft knock at the door.
Pretas had the meal done, and he was dressed in his finest clothing, but he hadn't set the table yet.
"Come in!"
Hieronyma walked in, dressed in a Lokikaen style clothing with a sash, and her black hair up in a tight bun. She blushed when she saw him. "Hey."
Pretas was rather stunned by her beauty.
"Hello....ummm....come in come in."
He looked at the table and scooped up the schematics he was pouring over earlier.
Hieronyma glanced at the schematics. They seemed slightly familiar... "You did this?"
Pretas blushed slightly.
"Yes....I build things. I don't even know why I build it or how, just that I seem to know what to do instantly. It is strange, i've had it all my life."
"Happens to me sometimes, too," Hieronyma blushed. "I built a hand held scanner that reads life signs and other things...no idea how I did it."
Pretas was rather stunned.
"I thought it was unique....well I guess it still is."
Hieronyma shrugged. "I have never met anyone else who has done this...you're the first. So I guess it still is."
Pretas put down the schematics in the corner and started to set the table.
"Well, lets sit in. I'll bring the food over momentarily."
Hieronyma smiled and sat down at the table, throwing sash over her shoulders. She smiled shyly at him, blushing.
Pretas brought over the plates and silverware and placed them on the table. He walked back over to get the food and a set of candles.
Hieronyma smiled at him, seeing all the details he had put into this dinner. She smiled sweetly at him. "This is nice." She blushed.
Pretas smiled at her.
"Thank you....I tried to make it as nice as possible...."
"You did a good job." Hieronyma smiled, and started to eat some of the food. She smiled. "This is good. And it's nice to have fresh food for once."
Pretas smiled as he sat down and put the napkin in his lap. He began to eat as well.
Hieronyma ate slowly, knowing this would be the last fresh food she had for a while. She watched him out of the corner of her eyes, smiling slightly. She finished more quickly than she meant to, she was starving.
Pretas ate his food as well, he was rather pleased she enjoyed it. It had been forever since he had been with a woman. 5 years as a matter of fact. Being on the run doesn't invite female company, and Imperial Guardsmen definitely does not.
Hieronyma delicately set her napkin and silverware down. "That was very good, thank you."
Pretas nodded as he wiped his mouth slightly with the napkin.
"I am glad you enjoyed it."
Hieronyma smiled. "I'm still a little surprised...as a psyker and a null psyker we are more opposite than anyone else can be."
Pretas nodded.
"I have developed a device as well that allows us to be in close proximity. I put it in my necklace. I can still sense you, but it won't harm me to be near you."
Relief spread over her face as he said this. "That's great!" She blushed. "I...I was worried about hurting you," she said sheepishly.
Pretas looked at her with a smile.
"I am glad you feel that way...."
Hieronyma bushed again, her cheeks flushing red. She stared at her hands shyly.
Pretas got up slowly and walked over to her end of the table and placed hands on her shoulders.
"It is ok dear......"
Hieronyma looked up at him and smiled, her gray eyes bright for once. It has been years, ten years, since those eyes had really had life in them.
Pretas smiled back, he started to clear the table and put the dishes in the small sink. He would wash them later.
Hieronyma watched him, smiling. "Thank you," she said, and smiled. It seemed that her eyes almost turned blue for a moment.
He had put the dishes in the sink and cleared the table.
"Perhaps we should....go for a walk.....the observation deck....I go there sometimes."
Hieronyma smiled. "I would like that."
Pretas held out a hand and they walked together through the halls of the ship, finally looking out of a large window used to observe battles with the naked eye.
There was no battle going on now, simply the beauty and majesty of space. Hieronyma looked out into the darkness, her lips blossoming into a smile. "No matter how many times I see it," she whispered. "It still amazes me."
Pretas looked out.
"It holds beauty and terror greater than even we could imagine. I have been in space much of the past 6 years, deploying either as part of the Guards, or on the run. The last 18 months have seen me considering low rent hotels luxurious. I spent alot of my time sleeping in cargo holds and baggage areas."
"I'm sorry," Hieronyma said, placing a hand on his shoulder.
Pretas shuddered.
"Being on the run is not fun. I still get dreams where the Sisters have caught me."
Hieronyma placed both hands on his shoulders, looking him in the eyes. "Well that is over know." She hugged him gently. "They will not both you again."
Pretas hugged her tightly.
"I hope so. It has driven me to exhaustion staying alive."
Hieronyma smiled, and hesitantly placed a hand on his cheek. "You can relax now, Pretas."
Pretas put a hand to cover her own and then leaned in slightly to kiss her.
Hieronyma hesitated a moment, then leaned towards him, kissing him softly. They wrapped arms around each other, the stars glinting in the background.
The Dawn arrived, with the ripping of light and darkness the oddly built craft rumbled towards the Spirit as Ni-Fang ordred the decloaking of the ship. Sooner or later the craft would land in the hangarbay of the Spirit, and with it, Project Startail.
But then plans changed. When sherecived word that Xi-lans craft was leaving she called for a shuttled to be made ready, "I will go to the Dawn and retrive Project Startail. I want both the Dawn and the Spirit to land a the MerTelCom docking center on Lokika. Mother knows what to do from there." Ni-Fang told Hieden, "Follow Mothers' lead, Hieden, you will find yourself in hot water, and not mine. If you fail her." Ni-Fang didn't want to mention how Fan had been slowly going back to the point of saying nothing, and only mentally speaking.
Ten minutes later the shuttle landed on the Dawn, five minutes after that a small wedgelike craft, clearly wingess by sight of it appeared from the forward docking bay of the Dawn. Hieden had to stare, what in the galaxy was that craft? Was that Project Startail?
The tiny one person craft blasted from the Dawn moving swiftly the craft headed for the planet. Far too fast for even a 302 to keep up with the little thing, not even nine meters in length, the fighter was tiny compaired to a 302 or even a jumper like craft. The craft itself was capible of warp travel forup to one week, and normal space travel for two weeks at best speeds. But what had bothered Hieden when he saw the wingless fighter leave the Dawn was that it did not look like a space usible fighter of any kind.
Dubbed Project Startail, the fighter was powered by a magnetic system of coils, providing power to last pretty much until the end of time or it was blown apart, whichever came first. But then in the4 hands of the pilot like Ni-Fang, it appeared until the end of time would be when it would stop providing power at a constant rate. The wedge shaped craft was not just fast and small, but small enough to not be seen by other craft due to its color as it headed for the planet Hieden lost sight of it. Then he saw it again as it passed over a harther away Hatak like ship. Which promptly began firing in Ni-Fangs general direction, until it stopped as the trails of fire were suddenly aiming at one of its own kind.
Apparently Ni-Fang was either out of her mind or doing something important. There was also a new crews listing that Hieden was to read over, several new recurits had joined up on the Dawns roster, and only three of them were technicians for Project Startail. Of the names on the list of new crewmen was an odd one, clearly of an older group of planets. Hoi'mon, Nimbolt, and Sacar. One of them a spy of some kind, yet none knew this.
But if one was a spy.... why was he working for? And why?
Hieden watched the tiny craft's light hurtle off into space like a comet, he shook his head and swore, unaware Xue was standing behind him, watching Gera's troops file out in tactical groupings through the ruined buildings. Linelle was leading a squad of ten and entered the main office area through a concealed basement stairway.
"Bloody fool girl, what the hell is sh...."
"Thats our daughter you speak of Star." Xue said to him quietly as she tapped him on the shoulder, he spun around in a blur of movement that made him disappear briefly, Xue took a step back in startlement, but his iron hand was on her throat.
"You betrayed me twenty years ago Xue.". He looked to watch Linelle follow the soldiers into the basement." ...I will not have ye betray me again." He let her go and began to walk away, but she did not let him unsettle her. She grabbed him roughly by the arm.
"I did not betray you Hammer Starfire, you knew I could not marry you. My family traditions demanded I marry wealth, my brother put a bounty on your head as it was for just merely being attracted to me. It was only in being married to Johen, that Che called it off, though he still curses your name." She rubbed her slender neck and dropped her hand. Hieden mellowed slightly then.
"Che would have had a hard time collectin it Xue, we could have gone..."
"Away? He a father would have scoured the verse for us, and had us both killed, would you have wanted that for Ni?" She looked genuinely sad. "And Johen needed me, I could not leave him, in time I grew to love him, in a fashion."
"No....I would not. Yes I suppose, but you were willing to leave him then, that's what hurt. But I'm past that now." They began to walk toward the front of the main building as the first of the planets three moons edged over the horizon, the sudden shift of sunset to night was a magnificent display of reds, pink and the the deep violtet of night. "Johen knows of course?"
"Yes, I could not keep it from him, that is a part of the reason he loves you like a brother, he knew, in his own words, he could not father a goat. So he was eternally grateful to you for his newborn child. But Ni does not know, maybe as age at last takes Johen, she should."
"No....not now. I have my own family to care for, and Linelle would never forgive me, you know I went straight back to her, after we...parted ways."
"Yes I know. But she knows Hammer. She knows."
"What the ......how in hells name does she kn....."
"Shes eldar, she came to me and simply asked me, I could not lie to her. She has no issue with either of us, what is done is done as she told me." They neared the front doors as a vox call came through.
"Xue its Linelle, we've secured the building, that harlot didn't leave much. We believe she may have taken about twenty senior staff as prisoners the rest are dead, except for one, Liela Macros, your secretary, she is in a bad way. But the good news is there was one secure terminal she did not find, and it has an encrypted message on about Ni-Fangs little craft."
Hiedens ear pricked up on hearing the last, he spoke into Xues vox. "Well be right there lass." He followed his elegant once love, through the broken doorway.
Hieden and Xue entered the complex through the main door and headed to where Linelle was waiting, the walls wwere pockmarked and in several areas all that was left was broken glass or burn marks. Xue seemed angered somehow as she inspected some of the marks. "Laraxans weapons make burns, and also worse." she mumbled to herself as they arrived at what should have been a closet, but with the stuff within removed, and a blinking voxscreen staring them in the faces.
Another man arrived, one of Geras newer men, yet well trained enough he carried only a odd looking lotus like weapon of bronze color. "The main building is secured." Hoi'mon said calmly. With a slight bow to Hieden he continued speaking towards Xue, whom he knew top be in command at the minute. "None of the other staff, be they maids, jaintors or otherwise survived, all senoir staff are gone. Vox systems as well."
Xue was fuming; "So the Desecrator had tried ot retake the planet she was born from? What did she want from here?" She was looking towards Hoi'mon as she spoke.
"My guess is the Enemy is interested in MerTelComs current trade routes and otherwise, cutting off supply routes from here to Holy Terra makes for another war perhaps between Lokika and Terra?"
"Unless she wanted something else" Hieden said going ot the terminal and typing in code after code, none of them working. Linelle shook her head, even she was unable to get the thing to work for her with the codes she knew. And none of Hiedens codes were working.
"You think the Desecrator is after something of my daughters creations?"
"Possible" Hieden replied clearly frustrated that none of his codes worked. not even Carter could try to crack the complity of the codex that Ni-Fang had set up. One code worked, and the rest followed suit. But none of the codes tried uunlocked the first encryption. Hoi'mon smiled faintly watching them try, so far only he and two others knew the access code, but he was not showing that he knew it, but he did send off a codex of somekind through subspace to a homeport of some kind.
Pretas was humming to himself as he walked along with a blueprint rolled up under his arm. He was designing a new class of ship, the prototype which he hoped to command. It would be a nice little niche to fill in what was starting to appear to be Ni Fang's growing fleet.
Hieronyma had been talking with Heiden briefly, but she turned and smiled at Pretas when she saw him, walking towards him. "Hey."
Pretas smiled at her. "Hello. I thought I might find Hieden here......"
He unrolled one of the two blueprints and handed it to Hieden. "This is the outmoded specs for the new 340 model you requested. I will oversee the production facility today."
Heiden took the blueprint and looked it over, impressed. "Aye, lad, you've done well." Hieronyma peered over his shoulder, eyes wide.
Pretas was still holding a blueprint. He held it up. "This is something else I designed entirely. I have been working on it for a few weeks. I think it is ready for production once I get the goahead."
Heiden took it, unrolling the blueprint and looking if over. He nodded slowly. "I'll have te take it to Ni-Fang, but I think she'll be impressed."
"It is much more advanced than Imperium tech.....It carries 6 guns as you can see, but the 4 front ones fire a rapid pulse laser that is deadly to fighters and even fairly larger ships. The 2 rear mounted ones fire beams that slice right through battleship armor."
Heiden shook his head in wonder. "Sometimes I wonder how you come up with these things, lad. But good job, I'll take these to Ni-Fang right away."
Pretas pointed under the two wings. "These also fire drones, the new weapon i designed for the building fleet. The drone luanchers. It carries 72 drones per luancher and it has 2 luanchers for 144 drones overall."
Heiden laughed. "Ya don't have te say anything else, lad, I'm impressed. I'll get back te ya and tell ya what Ni-Fang says, but I'm sure she'll approve."
Pretas looked at Hieden. "Also put in a request please for me to command the prototype.....I could house this ship in a cargobay quite easily. It is only 100 meters in length or so. It only requires a 5 person crew to run it."
Heiden nodded. "I'll make sure to do that, lad. I'll get back te ya on it." He nodded goodbye to both Pretas and Hieronyma, and walked away.
Pretas looked at Hieronyma. "Hello dear."
Hieronyma hugged him gently. "Hey, Pretas." She kissed him on the cheek.
He kissed her back. "I designed that new ship. If I do get to command her, would you want to be on it?"
Hieronyma smiled. "I would love to, Pretas, though I don't know of how much use I could be."
Pretas looked at her with a smile. "It really isn't a place for a medic, but you could be useful. It requires a 5 man crew to run everything, even though one person could fly her. I would captain it, and 4 other crewmen will be needed. A security officer, a tactical officer, a pilot, and a navigator."
Hieronyma laughed a little. "Well you will have to teach me to do something, then, so I can be of use."
Pretas smiled. "I could teach you something about tactical officer. I could even show you navigation. I think Gera would make a fine Security officer."
"Pretas, I'm sure that Gera is good at anything and everything." She laughed.
"Yeah, you could be a navigator and double as a medic as well. Useful to double up as a skill set on a small ship."
Hieronyma smiled a bit nervously. "Let's just hope I don't mess anything up."
Pretas looked at her and put a hand on her cheek tenderly. "I don't think you would.....it would be a small ship, rather cramped. The captain's quarters are a bit smaller than my own on the Spirit, and there is 4 other smaller spaces for quarters. They are all in the same section of the ship and I could have one of the smaller spaces renovated to join with the main quarters. It would make it larger for the both of us if you choose to stay with me...."
Hieronyma smiled, and touched his shoulder in a tender fashion. "You know I would..."
He looked at her with a warm smile. "I am sure Ni Fang will approve. A whole fleet will be constructed if she approves. I could easily have 5 of them assembled and our ship would be the prototype. I will also modify it to be even more advanced since it is the flagship of a frigate group if it comes to fruition."
Hieronyma smiled. "I know you can, Pretas. And I am sure Ni-Fang will approve. A fleet has its advantages."
Pretas smiled. "They are already planning to make a bunch of the escort cruisers with the 340 models......I am making a warp capable frigate designed to hit and run an attacker. This new ship is bred to be an attack ship. The 340 is a defender. It would be very useful. And its more advanced." He grinned.
Hieronyma laughed. "You have so many ideas, it is insane." She smiled sweetly at him, blushing a little.
Pretas blushed slightly. "I had them when I was in the Guards too. It was very useful for my company of soldiers. They loved my innovations. I don't even know where the knowledge comes from. I just seem to have it stored in my brain somewhere."
Hieronyma smiled. "I know the feeling. It's only happened to me once...but it was strange."
Pretas shrugged. "Well this would mean I would gain alot of prestige inside MerTelCom. I could be a fairly rich man."
Hieronyma laughed. "Doesn't matter to me if you are rich, I will love you either way and I just want you to be happy." She hugged him gently.
Pretas hugged her back. "It will provide us with the various means that we could use to enhance our living. A nice house perhaps when we are not in space."
"Which will be rare," Hieronyma said with a laugh.
Pretas smiled."Yes.....but it would be nice to have one. I could even form a fleet after a time of my own like Ni-Fang and have trade fleets running around. Be a nice retirement too..."
Hieronyma laughed, and smiled. "Let's not get too ahead of ourselves now. Want to go get some lunch?"
Pretas smiled. "Yes.....I think so."
Hieronyma smiled. "Let's go, then." He took her hand and walked off to the mess hall. His weapon ready looking for enemies.
Liela Macros sat up against the door of the closet she had hidden in, she was in bad shape but at least alive. Xue knelt beside her.
"What can you tell us Liela? Take your time." She wiped blood away from her secretary's face and gave her warm tea.
"Not much ma'am. When her soldiers first came in they killed most everyone except the technical staff, they were herded away in a transporter. Me that evil woman, she questioned me, hurled me around just with her mind...ma'am her eyes glowed red gold, ....I..I was so afraid...I soiled myself." The poor young woman was truly terrified, tears flowed down her cheeks. Linelle came and joined them and held her hand. The warmth of that touch renewed her voice.
"She kept asking about the Lady Ni-Fang, and some Admiral or something, I told her I didn't even know what the word meant." She sipped the tea. "A man, she said, an Ancient man who lives and dies. She claimed he worked for you ma'am.....I don't know, but she flung me again and I landed here...I think they thought I was dead and they left."
Hieden turned when he heard the last and left the console he was working on. "Lass this be important, so if ye can, did she take anythin else other than what we know is missin'?"
"No sir....she really wasn't interested, just killing and Ni-Fang and this....man."
"Alright lass." He straightened. "Linelle, Xue, maybe we should see about this data, I canna nae crack it here, but Dawn can, I can load it directly into her main drive and she will show us what that whore missed out on."
"Yes I believe that to be our best action. Linelle would you mind supervising Gera and his men in cleaning up this mess and help moving the dead" Xue took on her managerial role again, she also ushered two crew to carry Liela back to the Spirit.
"Of course Xue, you need not ask, it will be done." Linelle said and kissed Hieden's cheek softly as she passed him. "Do not worry too much for Ni-Fang, she takes after her father." She whispered to him.
Hoi'mon was taken aback when he heard Hieden mention the Dawn and what the ship could do, he needed that data himself and when Xue and Hieden headed for the ship he quietly followed them some paces behind.
Many leagues away, Xi Lan sat atop a packing crate in the warehouse of one of MerTelCom's suppliers. Every single soul of that company was dead, corpses littered the area she was in and some of those were her own, for no other reason than it gave her pleasure. She could feel the prescence of her nemesis, his power, but not the girl, she could not sense her, and that gave her worry. But even more so if they were together, they would destroy her. She lashed out with her power and brought a wall down on a small freighter in the dock....just because she could.
Apperently Xue Shen knew Hoi'mon was following, though she voxed Gera to ask why the new soldier was with them when they had scoured the complex, and was given a simple reply, Hoi'mon was assigned to keep watch over madam Xue Shen, mother of his employers captain, Ni-Fang at all costs. Hoi'mon was most trustworthy in battle due to his training skills. However it was noted he perfered to work alone as much as possible.
Xue Shen spoke up as Pretas left to go eat, noticing how he and Hieronyma seemed closer, the male much more relaxed around the Techmedic. "Hoi'mon, According to my husbands charter listing for crew workmen you are on the list of men surrounding the item known only as Project Startail, no doubt a creation of my daughter?"
"Yes" Hoi'mon replied hesitating for but a heartbeat to keep himself from replying with indeed, he had to maintain his cover of being from Port Wander, where most of the soldiers were taken in from anyway.
"What do you know of my daughters creation?"
"All i know at this time madam Xaiu, is that Master Johen, my employer, wanted one with skill in technical systems and computers for starfighters, apparently Captain Ni-Fang wished to use this technology in her fighter."
"Why kind of technology?" Hieden interjected, earning him a crack to the chin from Xue for butting in, Xue Shen spoke then, saying simply, "What he said"
"Apparently according to the doctuments used, Captain Ni-Fang has the same technology as the Dawn when it comes to flight systems and weapons control, along with top navicomputer systems as well. Master Johen wanted simulations run, Apparently project Startail is faster then even the Dawn itself. Though I've yet to be impressed about it as it looks, well, fragile is not the right word for it."
Was he laying it thick or telling only what he knew? "The craft, it is a one personm thing, not large for two, yet faster then anything inthe MerTelCom fleet." Xue said aloud in thought.
Hoi'mon was thinknig of what to put in his next report. With a slight bow of Lokikaen style he said simply to Xue, "if you'll forgive me madam I must have some time to myself to tend to some personal things concerning myself anda refresher unit, andalso some sleep as well,for I have been awake for almost two days and require sleep." Most of it was true, Hoi'mon only wantedto get somewhere on his own, And apparently that only place he coulduse as a refresher was on the Dawn, and it oddly recognized him as a soldier under Geras command list. And even more so as one of Johens top advisors.
That was when Hieden spoke, "There's a refresher onboard the dawn within the main cargo hold as you enter on the left, also asleep pallet there as well. You can freshen up there as well and report to the the main offices of the complex here when done so." That said Hieden watched Hoi'mon take a nod from Xue to leave and enter the dawn. Though one thing was for sure, the Dawn wouldn't be able to crack the codex that Ni-Fang had setup, only N-Fang, Johen, and Hoi'mon knew it.
Once Hoi'mon was onboard the Dawn and had found what Hieden had said, he ued the refresher, then took out his small PDA like device, a vox of sorts one called it. Though his was modified ot the point of subspace transmissions. Hesent the following notice to somewhere in the Astralis Sector, beyond the Kronos Expanse.
From: Operative/Hatter M
To: AlHiCom Secure Net/NABIS
Public Key; Negative
Code key: Rings of Moons shield fear
Sirs in higher ranks; (Hoi'mon never reverted any of his employers, those being General O'Niell himself and also several other Tok'ra operatives) There is notice to take extreme caution. There is a woman in this galaxy calling herself Xi Lan, Apparently a native of the planet Lokika. Be warned; this womanis dangerous, she seeks an Ancient being. Also note the details of previous report of Project Startail prototype starfighter. I assume this is what this Xi Lan also seeks.
Also take note; Local trader group known as MerTelCom has in its possession a Daedalus Class cruiser classed as Red Dawn, a near exact match of Daedalus class carrier Starfire. Be warned, Dawn has onboard AI similar to NABIS system. Localised however to own fleet workings and fighters.
Hoi'mon sent the databurst, not leaving his name either, then he went to sleep, the databurst sent through subspace, and his PDA vox untracedconnection wasn't found. If it was, it was a normal outgoing data pieceIDedas basic supply report.
Hieden and Xue reached the Dawn's bridge, she appologised for hitting him but he just smiled as she rubbed her knuckles, "Gods is he made of iron" She thought. Then she asked if she could be logged into Dawn's system, Hieden had the bio sampler moved to the bridge next to his command chair, he logged in and took a small amount of blood from her finger and entered her into the ships system, Dawn responded in her usual cheery voice.
"Welcome aboard madam Xue, how may I help you."
Xue was a little surprised but didn't show it, that a ship could talk. She took the data disk from Hieden and inserted into Dawn's mainframe. "Can you extrapolate this encyption Dawn?"
"I can Xue, the algorythm is complex, perhaps a day or so. But I must tell you, a data bust has just been sent from a remote terminal in the cargo hold, should I send security droids?"
Hieden and Xue knew who it was, Hieden spoke up. "Yes Dawn, do so, but subdue only, no lethal action."
"I think we have some questions to ask of someone Hammer."
"I agree, we'll take the rear elevator, it will block his exit if he suspects and sees us coming from his front." Hieden replied and the two set off to uncover this strange turn of events.
Four Sentinel probots, formerly human beings calnked onto the deckplates towards the small unit that Hoi'mon took for some rest. But he wasn't resting since he had kept his name only as one of his alias' he liked from a comic book series from Earth that Walter had gotten him into. Hoi'mon typed out something on a small computer and inside of five heartbeats Hoi'mon had stark white hair that went past his shoulders, a tall dark brown hat, anda dark navy blue suit.
He sent another data burst to the MerTelCom complex for a supply report as per normal readings, this time signing it as Johen himself, as if Johen had arrived on deck. Putting on his overcoat Hoi'mon, known now as Hatter M, eaded upwards, directly into the vent systems, after injecting himself with an isitope at least.
As they walked Xue Shen had to wonder who wouldsend such adatastream report ofsome kind, then shewonderedaloudand asked Dawn; "Where was the databurst sent?"
"To Holy Terra madam." Came the reply. "From my reading of it the report is merely a report of how things fare here for Master Johen to review. I have isolated one fothe rooms on the aft section of deck nine. just above the engines, my connection there in holographic form is limited to only engineering and medical."
"So Johen wants to know how things fare? why is he so worried of my homeworld?" That even Hieden couldn't answer.
"He's dying" Daniel stood behind Hieden, who had to twist his neck to see his firend and also to see if he was solid matter or not, Hieden spoke with his mind, a old trick he had long forgotten. "Johen is?"
"Yes, he has an incurable cancer, well, you could heal him I suppose, but that's not the point. He simply wants to make sure everything is secure before he goes." Daniel looked pensive, then Elizabeth appeared beside him.
"William, you have to somehow convince Xue and Ni-Fang to return. I will 'speak' to your daughter and implant in her mind the need to come here immediatley. Besides, there is little else for your people here now, Xi Lan is going to move against Terra in ten days time." She left as mysteriously as she came.
"Hmmm, alright then Daniel, I will do so, but there is something I need you to do." Heiden said without turning, Xue was totally unaware this was going on.
"Yes Will?"
"Go to Dakara and see if the Fraiser is still there, she should be, I sealed the hangar before the war finished, let me know how she is."
"I'll be back Will, take care." And then he was gone again.
"Xue, we must leave, matters need our attention elsewhere." Hieden said softly. She could see in his eyes it was serious, and if anything else, Xue always trusted his judgement.
As she tested out her new project she was glad to see it perform as expected. She blasted apart severaldrone operated items for target practise aswellas other things, speed turns, braking. Everything worked. Then it happened, A voice, looking over her shoulder andseeing nothing she slowed her craft to a halt anddrifted in space, the daemon within her growled something. Something of a hologram appeared on her dashboard area of the craft. She spoke, her voice ice cold. "Who are you? What do you want? How do you know this channel?"
Daniel could tell this was going to be a hard talk. So he simply said, "You are to return to Terra, Xi Lan is moving against the planet in ten days time. Your father, Johen has need of your presence." he told her.
A quickcheck showed her that the holo system was turned off and not reciving anything. So how could? "Who are you? Are you one of those that Hieden refuses to speak about?" Daniel realized that Ni-Fang would never accept the truth of who her father truly was. Even in death she'd be truly defiant that Johen was her father.
And it was msotly true, Hammer was merely her uncle, not her father. Daniel merely repated thatshe was to head to the planet and return to theDawn, afterwich the ship and the Spirit would return to Holy Terra. Ni-Fang replied, "Look, I don;t know who the freck you think you are to tell me what to do, if you don't tell me your name, I'll murder Hieden myself, andhe wont be able to return from the dead when I'm through with him!" She was clearly angered to be distractedduring thetesting of her new project.
Daniel sighed, he did what hecould as he faded from her view and went back to Hieden. Unknown to either of them, Ni-Fang already knew of her fathers illness. She was the one that instated it into his system, it was cureable, but then she hada plan in mind for her father, she beingthe sole heir to MerTelCom feuled that move. But she was not going to kill her father, not yet.
Not ever.
Her father, Johen Xaiu, was going to take on Xi Lans forces in full health. Her father would live another day. But the truth of her birth, she would never accept. With that thought shewent back totesting thecraft, her anger clearly felt, not many could get past her anger, the only one at that point who actually could, was Fan.
Hoi'mon, now known as Hatter M, an advisor to Johen himself and more or less acting as if he had always bee nthere on theship, which he had arrived to Lokika on in fact, arrived near where Xue Shen and Hieden were in the hallsheading for the cargo hold area. Xue Shen recognized him instantly. "Master Madigain?"
"In the flesh Madam, I am here by Johens request to oversee operations here on Lokika, consideringthe ammount of losses taken by both staff and technology anddata itself. I also bring an announcement, the God-Emperor wants to see your daughter." he said to Xue, he had read a report sent to him. Johen needed them all back at Terra within five days! "Johen also makes that asof now, Madam Xue Shen, is in charge of MerTelCom and all its holdings, as Master Johen can barely get out of bed as it is." Hatter M finished speaking.
Hieden said nothing as Xue raised a hand to her mouth in shock, Hatter M continued. "Master Johen also wishes to speak to you personally Captain Starfire. He also has request that his daughter, Ni-Fang be present, where is she?"
"Not heeding the summons we sent to her." Hieden replied sensing both Daniel and Elizabths 'we tried our best' shoulder pat to him.
"Hmm. Though that need not worry, I can contact her via its vox system, and have her meet us at Holy Terra." Hoi'mon said.
"Why Holy Terra?" Hieden faked it and asked that question, as if not knowing exactly why theDawn and the Spirit were both needed.
"It concerns the Laraxans. Several troop movements have beensighted near a odd point in the warp, the God-Emperor wants every able soldier ready to defend Holy Terra. That includes Ni-Fang,, her mother, and yourself." With a tip of his hat, Hoi'mon left the Dawn and headed for another ship as if to leave the planet.
With Hoi'mon off the ship, and on a different one heading back to Holy Terra, but also a small interception with another craft ofsimilar make. That left Xue, Hiden and Linelle at the hangar bay of the Dawn. Xue spoke her mind. "Ni-Fang refused your summons? you never sent one, so how would she knew we have need of her?"
"I have my ways Xue Shen, you know that" Hieden said. A heartbeat later and a blade was at his neck.
"Do not lie to me Hieden Hieldenhammer. You know something tohers do not, out with it!" Apparently Xue was not one for games at this point, Johen had placed her in charge of the company until Ni-Fang took over, or until he was well enough to oversee things again. But until that time, no secrets would be kept. None.
Hieden took a breathe, then spoke, telling as much as he knew at that moment, but nothing more. Since Xue only asked how he knew Ni-Fang had refused the summons that was never sent. "So the dead help you know things? what are you Hieden? A dead speaker?" She removed the blade from his neck and turned away. "Have the Dawn loaded onto the Spirit, then have them head for Terra, I'll be in my chambers" She left the hangar of the Dawn and entered the Spirit, locking herself in a room.
Outside a ship a hail came, it was Ni-Fang "I'll meet you at Holy Terra, Hieden, I expect you to follow Mothers orders, don't do anything rash." With that she hit the warp drive and shot into the void, heading for Holy Terra. It was then the first of many headaches would hit. And none of them were fun.