November 21, 12,327 CE

Unionport System, Unionport Sub-Sector, Profetta Sector, Ghorovas Rift Cluster, Milky Way Galaxy...

Kino tensely gazed out the front of her viewport as her ship emerged out of FTL travel in the outer system. Over the course of a few hours, she cautiously crept toward the last known location of Unionport Station at sublight speeds.

"Hermes, what's on sensors?" Kino asked once they were barely in range.

"We're detecting three capital ships, over a dozen freighters, and a space station. IFF unidentified."

"Unionport Station?"

"Approximate 65% match. Several erratic sensor readings can be detected- likely to be debris fields caused by space combat."

"Jeez, what to do..." Kino pondered her options. "Perhaps we should surrender to whoever controls the station. Maybe they are who control the galaxy now. Perhaps we can establish a peaceful contact."

"The decision is yours. But I advise caution. Our mission is to gather information and return that information to Camajuani. If we are imprisoned or destroyed, that would not be conducive to our mission."

"I know, I know," Kino sighed, stretching in her cockpit. "Try to chart a safe path through the Uroso Belt. "Let's take a little risk... prepare to send an open transmission to the station. Let's judge their reaction."

"As you command."

Kino readied herself and began to speak. "This is a scout ship of the Union of Earth and Artemis, on the periphery of the Unionport System. If anyone is listening, can you refer me to port authorities? I have been lost for a long time. End transmission."

Kino leaned back in her seat.

After about a few minutes, Hermes spoke urgently. "Alert: All warships mobilizing, detecting launch of small craft, likely fighters. Mobilization 78% consistent with hostile activity. Advise immediate retreat."

Kino groaned. "There goes that plan. Pull back!"

"Open-spectrum transmission coming in."

"Play it."

"This system is under the control of the Imperial Navy!" A voice barked back sharply. "The Union has no jurisdiction here! Follow designated beacons, power down weapons and engines, and surrender! Otherwise, we will be forced to destroy you! Glory to the Empire!" The speaker began to repeat their message.

"Fuck that!" Kino exclaimed. "Hermes, get us out of here!"

But as their scout vessel hightailed out of the Uroso Belt, heading for the outer system where they could plot a clear FTL jump, a pair of corvette-sized vessels suddenly dropped out of FTL right in her flight path.

"What the-" Kino exclaimed as Hermes abruptly changed course, the directional acceleration fast enough to kill any organic, were there any organics on board. As there weren't, Hermes hadn't even bothered to activate eezo dampeners, and Kino slammed against the side of her ship.

"Fuck! Oww!"

"Apologies. Any damage?"

"Only- only superficial..." Kino touched the side of her head, her hand coming away smeared with red subsurface lubricant. "Be careful, would you!"

"Taking evasive manuveurs!" Hermes reported, as the corvettes opened fire, and a number of strange, smaller craft flew out of the corvette and pursued them.

"Initiate emergency jump!" Kino glanced at the starchart for the nearest known system. "Um, Koden System!"

Kino finally breathed a sigh of relief as the ship leapt away from their unknown attackers.

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Three days later, November 24, 12,327 CE

Previously-Uncharted System, Sub-Sector and Sector Unknown, Ghorovas Rift Cluster, Milky Way Galaxy...

Kino gritted her teeth as her damaged ship floated through space, the sixth system she'd fled to after Unionport. It was clear at this point that there was no way she'd be able to make it to the sector capital at Profetta, where a secondary relay was located. But of course, Kino had no way of knowing if it was still there, or if the mass relays were still operational.

"Kino, we are losing fuel," Hermes warned. "The ODSY II Drive traded some fuel efficiency for speed, and the damage we sustained at Destination 3 was severe. Fuel reserves at 20%. Retreat to Greater Magellan now impossible without repair and refueling."

"By the Humanity, I've really fucked up..." Kino was on the verge of a breakdown. "Who the hell are these guys, and why do they want our gears so badly?!" She unbuckled her seat belt and climbed into the airlock.

"What are you doing, Kino?"

"Trying to fix something- somethi..." Kino's voice disappeared as the airlock cycled out the air. Attaching herself to a tether, she climbed out and began some rudimentary patchwork to the damaged engine.

"I cannot recommend this action," Hermes radioed directly to her headset. "If we are attacked again, you will be vulnerable."

"Not like we can run much anyway like this," Kino growled, transmitting directly back at the computer. "Just... just let me be, will you?"

Hermes fell silent for a few hours, as the ship floated through the system, only the dim light of the system's red dwarf illuminating them.

Kino did make impressive progress on the engine, given what little she had available, until Hermes finally broke silence.

"Kino, urgent news. I just detected an automated beacon. It's signal is weak, nature unknown, but if it's an enemy beacon, they may know we're here."

"Again?" Kino scrambled back into the ship. "How long have they been able to detect us?"

"Unknown. Our sensors are still damaged, and unable to adjust to current stellar radiation interference. But their sensors could be specifically tailored. Worst case, they've known about us since we got here."

"But that would mean- Hermes, let's get out of here! Make a micro-jump!" Kino entered in some coordinates, and the ship risked a small jump to the edge of the system, from which Kino hoped to better observe neighboring stars. This, was, after all, uncharted territory as far as she was concerned.

But just minutes after her, a corvette appeared in close vicinity to the Hermes and immediately launched a number of hostile drones, while opening fire with its weapons.

"Crap, it was a trap!"

"Affirmative. They were likely in wait somewhere in system. Looks like they aren't even asking for surrender now."

"Damn, get us out of-"

Abruptly, two ships the size of frigates suddenly appeared out of FTL and opened fire on the hostile corvette. The drones quickly peeled away from the Hermes and charged at the new threat, only to prove no match for point-defense weapons.

Kino could only watch in astonishment from the limping Hermes as the newcomers reduced the enemy corvette to a burning hulk in a vacuum slugging match lasting less than fifteen minutes.

"Open transmission incoming!" Hermes reported. "Multiple languages, including English!"

"Play the English one!"

"Unidentified vessel, are you in need of assistance?" A voiced asked. "Please identify and report identification."

"Okay, here goes nothing." Kino took a reflexive breath, and reactivated her Union transponder. "This is the Union scout vessel UEASN Hermes-37. Thanks for the assist. Can we be assured you mean us no harm?"

"A Union vessel here? Looks like an older code… but your transponder checks out," The voice on the other end sounded surprised. "An expeditionary vessel, huh? Of course, we mean you no harm! This is the Batarian Republic frigate Juxus and our sister ship, Moramae! We've been conducting hit-and-run attacks on the Imperials out of Rahnelo! We were trying to trace that corvette back to its resupply point, but we stepped in when we saw them attack you... we didn't expect a Union vessel this deep in the Terminus!"

"Yeah, well, it's... a really long story..." Kino's mind was filled with questions. But she decided to give them the benefit of the doubt- not like she had much choice. "We're... not doing too great..."

"It does look bad," The voice sounded sympathetic. "Damn the Empire! We're always ready to help our Union comrades! If you come aboard, we can probably manage some repairs and refueling.

"Alright... I'll take you up on that. Talk more when I get aboard, okay? End transmission." Kino turned her attention to Hermes. "Looks like we don't have much choice. Proceed with docking procedures."

"Should I prepare contingency measures?" Hermes inquired.

"Probably, but let's not be too trigger-happy. Not like we could shoot our way out anymore, so let's try the diplomatic approach."