The Hunter, part 6
Making her way back to Dylan's office, Rommie noticed that the new crewmembers were keeping their distance, but their eyes followed her. What a treat it must be for them: the ship's infamous first Avatar, back from her self-imposed exile. The thought made he chuckle: How many of them knew the whole story?
She stopped out side Dylan's office and knocked. The door opened automatically, and she stepped inside. Dylan sat behind a stack of flexies, "Ah, Rommie! I just want to tank you for changing your mind. It must be hard for you to be back here, but we've missed you." Rommie sat down, "You missed me so much in fact that you had Harper build you a replacement." Dylan winced, "I take it you've met Ann then." Rommie smiled, "She popped into the machine shop while Harper was giving me a tune-up. Now, you want to tell me what this is all about?"
Dylan sat back in his chair, "We've had reports that the Magog World-Ship is almost ready to attack, and we need a way to defeat it. We think we've found on, but it's on New St. Petersburg." Rommie laughed, "New St. Petersburg! As is, the biggest, most heavily defended, High Guard supply depot in the Milky Way Galaxy?" Dylan nodded, "That New St. Petersburg."
Rommie rolled her eyes, "Your mad! What on earth could be there that is worth the risk?" Dylan handed her a flexi, "According to the last inventory taken before The Fall, 1,500 Nova Bombs." Rommie's whistled, "That's a lot of firepower! But how do you plan to get it? There must be automated defences, a controlling AI with defensive androids and nano-bots!"
Dylan nodded, "True: if we tried to take the Andromeda anywhere near the planet, we'd be blasted into vapour by the orbital defences immediately." He handed her a second flexi, "But a small team just might be able to land undetected and reach the AI's control processor and convince it that we're friendly." Rommie nodded, "Who do you have in mind for this elaborate suicide pact?" Dylan smiled, "Me, Tyr and You. We'll need a pilot to fly us there. I was going to ask Beka, but as I plan to use your ship for this mission, I might ask your friend Dex to do it instead."
Rommie stood up and slammed her hand down on the desk, "What the hell makes you think you can use my ship?" Dylan's smile widened, "Articles of War: a High Guard officer in Commonwealth space may commandeer any and all ship, vessel and other craft they need to complete his or her mission. Well, I'm a High Guard officer, and this is Commonwealth space. You going to help me or not?"
Rommie sat down, knowing there was nothing she could do, "I'll help."
TBC
Making her way back to Dylan's office, Rommie noticed that the new crewmembers were keeping their distance, but their eyes followed her. What a treat it must be for them: the ship's infamous first Avatar, back from her self-imposed exile. The thought made he chuckle: How many of them knew the whole story?
She stopped out side Dylan's office and knocked. The door opened automatically, and she stepped inside. Dylan sat behind a stack of flexies, "Ah, Rommie! I just want to tank you for changing your mind. It must be hard for you to be back here, but we've missed you." Rommie sat down, "You missed me so much in fact that you had Harper build you a replacement." Dylan winced, "I take it you've met Ann then." Rommie smiled, "She popped into the machine shop while Harper was giving me a tune-up. Now, you want to tell me what this is all about?"
Dylan sat back in his chair, "We've had reports that the Magog World-Ship is almost ready to attack, and we need a way to defeat it. We think we've found on, but it's on New St. Petersburg." Rommie laughed, "New St. Petersburg! As is, the biggest, most heavily defended, High Guard supply depot in the Milky Way Galaxy?" Dylan nodded, "That New St. Petersburg."
Rommie rolled her eyes, "Your mad! What on earth could be there that is worth the risk?" Dylan handed her a flexi, "According to the last inventory taken before The Fall, 1,500 Nova Bombs." Rommie's whistled, "That's a lot of firepower! But how do you plan to get it? There must be automated defences, a controlling AI with defensive androids and nano-bots!"
Dylan nodded, "True: if we tried to take the Andromeda anywhere near the planet, we'd be blasted into vapour by the orbital defences immediately." He handed her a second flexi, "But a small team just might be able to land undetected and reach the AI's control processor and convince it that we're friendly." Rommie nodded, "Who do you have in mind for this elaborate suicide pact?" Dylan smiled, "Me, Tyr and You. We'll need a pilot to fly us there. I was going to ask Beka, but as I plan to use your ship for this mission, I might ask your friend Dex to do it instead."
Rommie stood up and slammed her hand down on the desk, "What the hell makes you think you can use my ship?" Dylan's smile widened, "Articles of War: a High Guard officer in Commonwealth space may commandeer any and all ship, vessel and other craft they need to complete his or her mission. Well, I'm a High Guard officer, and this is Commonwealth space. You going to help me or not?"
Rommie sat down, knowing there was nothing she could do, "I'll help."
TBC