Chapter One
Just Another Day…
JOINT BASE ATLANTIS / MAY 13th 2017 / NEW LANTEA STAR SYSTEM / ANDROMEDA
The conference room of Atlantis had hosted dignitaries from thousands of solar systems and almost a dozen different species; from Tok'ra to Wraith to Lanteans to humans. The seats had been occupied by Generals and Colonels planning wars, to trade representatives haggling over the price of beans and rice. Now, however, it felt as if the room was about to collapse under its own legacy. The lights were bright and the reflective surface of the table was almost blinding at certain angles. With the light coming in from the tall stained glass doors, it gave the entirety of the room an almost uncomfortable ethereal feel that transported one away from reality. Major General Samantha Carter rubbed her brow in small circles with her index and pointer finger, trying to relieve the headache that was rapidly growing.
She surveyed the room. Arrayed at the tables were Colonel Kevin Marks of the Pioneer, Captain Ben Royer of the Alan Shepard, Colonel Evan Lorne and Brigadier General John Sheppard, Doctor Rodney McKay, Director Richard Woolsey, and Doctors Jennifer Keller and Carolyn Lam. All had visible heavy bags underneath their eyes but were nonetheless alert and ready. Colonel Marks had a steaming cup of black coffee slowly steaming in front of him. Humorously enough, it was held in a plain white mug with a large, black Starfleet symbol emblazoned.
"Alright," Sam started. "Now that everyone's here, let's begin."
"Sounds good," John commented. "Never been one for just hanging out."
"Oh, please," Rodney said.
"McKay," Sam said with a sideways glance.
"Sorry."
"I know tensions are high and everyone is a little bit restless, but let's try to be civil." Sam glanced down at her dossier. "Now, to recap what has happened. One week ago, on Sunday May 7th 2017 at 12:00 city standard time, the entirety of the New Lantea Star System was struck by a semi-transitioned subspace energy wave. This caused the star system to be propelled approximately six million light years away and eight hundred years into the future. We currently reside in a small, three thousand light year cluster of the Andromeda Galaxy. During this anomaly, the city experienced heavy damage to long range sensors and defensive systems along with the loss of five people. However, with help from the Pioneer's engineering and damage control teams, we've managed to get the city back in operation and are ready to begin exploratory operations to determine what our status is here. Colonel Marks?"
Colonel Kevin Marks nodded, "Thank you, Sir." His blue eyes darted across the room. "Since the Event, as it's being called by my crew, the Pioneer has been making local scans of the surrounding star systems. Tentatively, we've identified these as Echo-One through Seven. All of these systems are completely uninhabitable but rich in natural resources such as titanium, naquadah, and trinium. We've dropped several Class Five surveillance probes to set up an impromptu WATCHTOWER early warning system until Atlantis manages to get her long range sensors back online. Once that is done, and myself and General Carter have determined that the base is capable of defending itself against any aggressor, we will begin an accelerated pace of exploration to determine our current stance and begin to identify potential threats and opportunities. The first threat that we've identified is something that we're calling the Scourge at the moment due to its pathogen like structure. Doctor McKay?"
"Alright." Rodney looked up from his computer. "We've identified a unique phenomena of dark energy. While it seems attracted to naquadah and neutronium based technology it moves towards those materials very slowly. Each 'strand' of it can range from a few meters to thousands of kilometers with each centimeter home to dozens, if not hundreds, of microscopic subspace and gravitational anomalies that will grab onto a ship and rip it apart. The probe launched from the Pioneer was completely ripped apart in less than five seconds, heavy electrical charges frying it as soon as it came within a meter of contact."
"John, Evan, I want you to have our Jumper and Warlock patrols to stay at least a thousand kilometers away from these strands." Sam looked at the two men, "I don't want to lose people this early on. Continue, Rodney."
"Right," he looked down quick and then back up to the group. "The Pioneer managed to identify an artificial structure within Cluster thirty-three-Sierra, located in a system we are also calling Echo-Five. This vessel was approximately fifteen meters in length and marked in English lettering identifying it as a UT-47 Kodiak Dropship. Three crew members were identified, a human and two different unknown species. Jennifer? Carolyn?"
Jennifer Keller, Rodney's fiancée, smiled warmly. "The first non-human body we identified belonged to a species we've designated as X-ray-Three-Two. They're a bipedal, avian species that have a dextro-amino acid genetic base. An interesting point is that there is an external carapace that is made of some sort of bio-metal that is surprisingly similar to what we've seen in Wraith. Doctor Lam surveyed the autopsy of the third individual and other non-human."
Doctor Carolyn Lam leaned back in her chair, the ergonomic back flexing to accommodate her. "The second one, tagged as X-ray-Three-Three, is a bipedal amphibian with a long, elongated body with what we believe is an absolutely ridiculous metabolism. We believe that due to the lack of eggs that this individual was a male, that is if they present as sexually dimorphism, like we saw with Three-Two."
"At the moment, we do not know what these two species have in terms of relations with humanity, but based off the technology found in the Kodiak dropship, which was similar in size and role to our Darters and Jumpers, we do not believe that we are dealing with a naquadah-based technological civilization, much less one from our own galaxy." Sam paused. "Our current mission, now, is to identify what local powers exist within this galaxy and begin analysis regarding their capabilities and prospects. I'd like to make friends, but considering what we found in Pegasus when we arrived and in the Milky Way twenty years ago, I know that those chances are remote."
"Currently," John said. He leaned forward on his forearms, hands clasped together, "The city is back to full operational capabilities. Shield generators are repaired and humming, point defenses are back online, our 302C's are fully manned and operational, and the Asgard beams we have are ready to pop anything that might come poke their nose into our business. I'm confident that if we have a hostile come visit, we can take care of ourselves until the Pioneer can swing by and hit them hard."
"With that said," Sam stated, smoothly transitioning from General Sheppard's message. "Kevin, you're formally cleared to begin operational exploration to asses local strengths, weaknesses, threats, and opportunities. I want every system within fifty light years mapped and a WATCHTOWER set up. We have long range sensors online again, but with this Scourge, we need more than one viewpoint to identify anything beyond a sun. We have almost forty thousand people in this city, I'd rather not jeopardize their lives so be careful. With that being said, Royer, the Alan Shepard is going to be staying in orbit for the time being. Anything else?"
Kevin nodded, "Yes, Ma'am. What are our rules of engagement? The Pioneer was equipped with a cloak before we left Luna Joint Base Armstrong, but if we have to, what are our boundaries? I'd rather not just sit there and get shot at by whatever this galaxy has to offer."
Sam paused and considered her options before her. "You're free to engage, Colonel. Same to you, Captain Royer. If you believe that an entity is a determined threat to the safety and or security of this base, your ship, or our personnel, you have full authorization to use whatever force necessary to neutralize or destroy it. Just don't blow up a sun. That's a bit much."
"You would know…" Rodney smirked.
Sam ignored him. "However, I'm having Director Woolsey head out with you should we make first contact. Richard?"
"I'll gladly be joining you, Marks. If we can make friends, that's great, but I don't have my hopes up given other galaxies' track record." The accomplished diplomat leaned back in his seat, "It'll be nice to take my mind off everything here. While everyone has been relatively well-behaved as we're all dedicated professionals handpicked for this, it'll be a definite help when we start getting back into some kind of a routine."
"Agreed. Teal'c told me something when I took command of Atlantis the first time. Draw from the past, but do not let your past draw from you. Dismissed."
The command staff slowly exited the room, leaving only Colonel Marks and Sam.
"How'd it go?" Sam asked, standing from her seat.
"Well, as usual." Kevin brought the cup to his lips and took a sip. "Thank god you guys managed to get a coffee bean grow operation up and running or you'd have a mutiny on your hand. I'd have to replicate it in the Asgard core otherwise but that breaks about a thousand regulations."
"It's not like we don't have several metric tonnes of tea and coffee." Sam laughed. "Just wait until we run out of the good booze and chocolate."
"Especially the booze," Kevin commented. "Radek's stuff is decent but it could burn the warts off a hog. Good thing the Pendergast's last delivery was pretty much all of the above."
She winced, "Yeah, not a fan."
"Pioneer is finishing up some diagnostics and some recalibration of our hyperdrive that should take about an hour. After we're done with that, we'll grab our CAP and head out. The first system I have in mind is designated Foxtrot-One. We picked up some possible radio signals coming from there so a quick snoop won't hurt anyone." Kevin took another sip. "Mmmm."
"Don't remind me that I haven't had my morning cup of joe." Sam gestured to him to follow here. "Let's get some fresh air."
"And who's the Star Trek nerd here, Captain Janeway?" Kevin frowned, "It can't be the guy drinking from a Starfleet mug, can it, Ma'am?"
Sam smiled and gave a small shrug. "I don't know. I always liked Deep Space Nine." They left the conference room and entered the balcony overlooking the ocean of New Lantea. A fresh breeze washed over them as they stepped through, bringing forth the plethora of smells and scents that dominated.
"Well," Kevin said. "You do have a bit of Kira Nerys in you."
"Sheppard is definitely Kirk. Lorne is more like Malcom Reed than anybody," Sam said. She smiled, "I've always loved the sea. I would have gone Navy if my dad hadn't pressured me into the Air Force."
"It does have its charm," Kevin said. "I was raised in San Diego. My dad was the Captain of the USS Long Beach and then Destroyer Squadron 50. We travelled a lot, but we were always in some of the most beautiful areas of the world. Europe, Asia, Australia…simply breathtaking scenery. Good food too."
"You were a Navy brat?" Sam let out a laugh, "If only your dad could see you now!"
"He already hears scuttlebutt from some of his friends that are still in the service. When you retire as a Vice Admiral, you never really leave the service. He has a vague idea that I'm in space on a ship called Pioneer. Won't press me for details. Probably doesn't have to, to be honest. Lord knows how he and Admiral Reynolds talk."
"Oh, I know what you're talking about. The same goes to Air Force brass as well," Sam said. "My dad was still being told all sorts of classified stuff or being given 'hints' about it when he retired."
"They would both be freaking out if they found out that the Joint Space Command is operating almost thirty interstellar warships." Kevin smirked, "hell, he'd probably get back in. Fight until he could be on the bridge again."
"Sounds like our two dads would have gotten along," Sam said.
"They'd be inseparable. Two of the same kind, although my dad is a bit of a nerd when it comes to science fiction. Kinda wore off. By the sound of it, your dad was a bit more of a fantasy man."
"Lord of the Rings. He couldn't live without it. He hated Star Trek and Star Wars." Sam smiled, "Ironic."
"Agreed. Well, ma'am, my coffee is gone and my ship needs her CO. Permission to disembark?"
"Permission granted, Kevin. See you starside."
He saluted with his free hand before tapping his earpiece. "See you starside. Pioneer, one to beam up."
Kevin was enveloped in a flash of shimmering white light with the accompanying musical tone before he vanished in a blur of vertical motion.
Sam returned her gaze out to Atlantis and the waves splashing against its piers. This was home now. For good and bad.
U.S.S. Pioneer / MAY 13th 2017 / ORBITING NEW LANTEA
The halls of the Pioneer were like that of other Daedalus-class Battlecruisers. Nondescript and utilitarian, they nonetheless seemed to vary very subtly between ships. A blue tinge was shared between that of the Apollo and Pioneer, strong florescent lights casting intricate shadows from the equipment installed on walls and in the hallways. From the Prometheus to the William McCool, the ships of Earth had served as the stalwart defenders of mankind. The Pioneer was no different, simply assigned to a different area.
Colonel Kevin Marks entered the bridge of his command with minimal fanfare, the doors hissing open and revealing the bridge of the Flight II Battlecruiser. Largely the same as the Daedalus and her sister ships, it nonetheless better distributed the workflow, had a large holotank at the aft section replacing the original tac-plot, and was buried at the heart of the vessel. The large bridge windows were actually displays, fed by thousands of real-time high definition sensors on the exterior.
"Commander on Deck!" Lieutenant Colonel Jennifer Hailey called out. The ten men and women on the bridge stood straight.
"At ease," Kevin said. "What's our status?"
Lieutenant Colonel Hailey looked up from her computer screen. Her command chair was situated next to his own, flanked by sensors and helm at either side. The rest of the stations were arrayed in dual blocks across the bridge. "Diagnostic completed, all systems report ready. We're maintaining a steady orbit at an inclination of fifteen degrees off-planet."
"Understood," Kevin said as he took his place at the command station. Pulling up the arm-mounted display, he linked into the main system control. "General Carter has cleared us for operations. Our first destination is Foxtrot-One. Helm, begin charge of hyperspace engines and standby for jump. Comms, send our flight path to the Shepard."
Captain Carson Del Rio didn't even turn to acknowledge the order, simply nodding and quickly going to work. A soft hum emanated from the ship as the neutrino-ion and naquadah reactors began to divert energy into the Asgard-based hyperdrive. "Hyperdrive charge underway, jump ready to commence at your order, Sir."
"Alright then." Kevin said, "Anything else from long range scanners?"
"Negative," Hailey responded. "We're identified some errant radio signals but that's it so far. Best we can tell is that there is, or was, some sort of artificial structure in orbit of the gas giant."
Kevin keyed the display, bringing up the long-range scans of Foxtrot One. It was a moderately sized star system, with four planets and one moon. Most of them were gas giants or small, rocky worlds with minimal potential for life. The only point of interest was that spectral analysis determined there to be significant deposits of naquadah and quasi-neutronium in the outer planetary rings and asteroid belt.
"If we're stuck here for good," Kevin said. "Then we're going to need all the naquadah and neutronium we can get."
"Agreed, Sir." Hailey stated. "At five light years out it should be a relatively short hop, even with accounting for the Scourge and its navigational difficulties."
"Alright then. Helm, commence jump."
"Yes, Colonel. Commencing jump to Foxtrot-One." Captain Del Rio grabbed the controls for the six hundred meter long Battlecruiser and pressed it forward. Ion-Gravimetric engines flared and pulled the Pioneer from orbit, rocketing away from the shrinking blue world. Once free from orbit, he pressed the hyperspace activation switch. A shimmering purple and silver smear appeared a few kilometers off the bow of the vessel. Accelerating forward in a blur of motion, the Battlecruiser vanished into the rift.
A bare few seconds passed before the hyperspace tunnel; a continual passing of distorted stars and stellar bodies, dissipated in a flash of white light. Discharging into real space, the Pioneer screamed out.
"Jump complete. We're at the fifth Lagrangian point in the star system, bearing two one three."
"Adjust to solar equator," Hailey ordered.
"Yes, Ma'am," Del Rio answered.
"Anything on sensors?" Kevin asked. He stood, walking away from his chair and to the expansive monitors at the fore. The system was under the charge of a pale blue sun, flickering softly and likely for trillions of more years. Small pockets of the Scourge could be noted even from here, gray smears with specks of gold electricity and stellar phenomena.
"Contact. Orbit of Foxtrot-One-Five," Lieutenant Josh Tally said. "Unknown design. Hull is composed of titanium, trinium, and an unknown alloy. Power generation is approximately twenty five percent that of an Alpha-Sierra class Ha'tak."
"On screen," Jennifer ordered.
The main monitor snapped from the bow camera to a composite image formed from scans. The vessel was a harsh, mottled green. Insectoid like antennae protruded across from the hull, with six circular bow lights giving it a distinct quasi-beetle appearance. Six cannons were studded on either sides of the main hull, with smaller ones in various locations across the hull in strategic positions.
"Size?" Kevin looked back.
"One thousand, seven hundred meters in length. Armament consists of multiple high-powered mass drivers and several missile silos. Unknown shielding. Propulsion is primarily a fusion-torch design, but with the energy readings that we're getting, I wouldn't put too much on it catching up to us." Josh looked up from his monitor, "I don't think they have FTL sensors. They haven't made any motion to respond to us jumping in but I'm detecting at least five thousand life forms."
"Can we get a detailed scan of their biology?" Hailey asked.
"Not at this range, Ma'am," he responded. "We'll have to get within ten thousand kilometers before we can."
"How long until they detect us?" Kevin knew a warship when he saw one. Even though the unknown contact likely couldn't harm them based off initial scans, it was always good to be certain.
"Ten minutes," Josh said.
"Alright. Lieutenant Albers, cloak the ship." Kevin looked to the young woman at defensive operations control to his right. "We're going to go right under their nose."
"Yes, Sir. Cloaking ship now."
"Helm, go to full military thrust and put us ten thousand kilometers out from the unknown. Update threat board with target designation Sierra-One." Kevin turned and moved back to his seat.
"Yes, Colonel." Del Rio pushed the throttle and angled the ship towards its destination. "Eta ten minutes."
"Nice and easy," Kevin added. "Anything else on sensors?"
"Besides quite a bit of cosmic debris? No, Sir." Josh's expression soured. "Correction, there's two Kodiak type shuttles rapidly accelerating from Foxtrot-One-Five. Sierra-One is moving toward them. Detecting multiple smaller vessels launching from it and angling towards the two shuttles. There is weapons fire. Small caliber mass accelerators."
"On screen," Jennifer said.
The main display snapped away from the image of Sierra-One to that of multiple fighters chasing after the two shuttles. Thin trails of railgun fire were streaking away from the attacking T-shaped craft. Six of them in total, they were arrayed in a flat line and failing to hit the two fleeing Kodiaks.
"Life signs?" Kevin kept his eyes on the scene playing out before him. The last thing he wanted to do was get involved in someone else's war, especially with only Atlantis and two Daedalus available. "Threat board, designate unknown fighters as Sierra two through eight."
"Shuttle one has five life forms and shuttle two has three." Josh paused, "ETA two minutes until we're in range for bio scan."
"Receiving a distress signal," Communications Officer Lieutenant Margaret Johnson called out a few seconds later.
"Let's hear it," Kevin directed.
"One second, Colonel. I have to convert it to be compatible with our system." With a frown, she glanced back. "It's in English and two other languages I can't identify. Putting it on now."
The bridge speakers popped and crackled as it played the message. A distinctly human male voice came through, laced with panic and fear. "This is the Initiative ship Dancer, we are in need of immediate assistance. We're under attack by a Kett warship. FTL drives are offline."
"They're…human." Jennifer looked at Kevin, shock visible on her face.
"Sierra-One is firing main weapons at the shuttles."
Kevin clenched his jaw. "Raise shields and ready main weapon systems. Helm, put us between the two shuttles and the pursuing fighters. DefOp, drop the cloak. Time to introduce ourselves."
"Yes, Sir."
The Pioneer angled itself in space, cloak vanishing and presenting its pale gray form to the enemy craft. Surging forward, the Battlecruiser inserted itself between the Kodiak shuttles and the Kett Heavy Cruiser. Streaks of glimmering mass accelerator rounds slammed into the Battlecruiser's shielding, impacting like a bug on a windshield to minimal effect.
"Shields holding," Hailey said.
"Open a comm channel, translate it into every language we have in our system," Kevin ordered. "Helm, keep us between the shuttles and that warship."
"You're on, Sir."
Kevin held his head up, "This is Colonel Kevin Marks of the United States Air Force Battlecruiser Pioneer. These shuttles are under our protection. Withdraw your attack now. Any attempt to fire on this vessel will be matched with force."
"They're firing again. Reading forty fighters launching."
"Sound general quarters. Fire at will."
The Kett fighters accelerated towards the Pioneer, lines of mass accelerator cannons screaming down and slamming into the shields. Pivoting almost effortlessly, the Earth ship's thirty-two M630 CIWS railguns came into play. Depleted uranium-tungsten rounds screamed out at dozens of kilometers a second, slamming into the pale green fighters and ripping them apart with Asgard sensor-guided lethality. The few Kett fighters that had avoided the massive amount of fire being directed down range were quickly engaged by the ten RIM-117S missile launchers located across the ship. Thirty pound explosive warheads slammed into the attackers, coring through and sending them into tailspins. Splattering against the shields like bugs on a window, the fighter swarm was quickly diminished to ineffectuality.
"Enemy fighters neutralized," Hailey reported. "Minimal damage."
"Reorientate us to bring our bow to bear on Sierra-One. Helm, ready APB battery one. Fire on my mark." Kevin kept his eyes immersed in the data read outs, analyzing performance statistics and a thousand other strands of data.
"Yes, Sir."
Pioneer swung her large bow to bear on Sierra-One. At ten thousand kilometers distant, it was a speck that was barely visible. White lines of fire slammed into the shields of Pioneer, shields flaring and shrugging off the damage as if they were micrometeorites.
"Fire main APB battery, target their engines." Kevin studied the enemy ship. The six engines on the back were tapered from the rest of the vessel. If they were destroyed by plasma beam fire, it might just force the enemy vessel to disengage.
"Firing now."
Twin needle-thin beams of burning azure streaked out from the nose of Pioneer, crossing the distance between the two vessels in the flash of an eye. Making contact with the aft quarter, the beams simply overloaded any shielding in their way and cored into the hull. Armor plating rippled and boiled as it was deconstructed and melted at the molecular level. The plasma beams passed clean through, having severed the engines from the rest of the enemy ship. Even with their legs swept out from under them, the enemy ship continued to fire.
"Persistent," Kevin commented. "Comms, open a channel."
"You're on."
"Unidentified vessel. Abandon ship, I intend to destroy you. Again, abandon ship, I intend to destroy you. This is your only warning." Kevin looked back at Josh, still hearing the rhythmic pounding against the hull of Pioneer, "any sign of escape pods?"
"Negative, Sir. They're still firing."
"Alright, let's get this over with. Weapons free. Fire at will." Kevin switched to the external view, watching as the six beam emitters on Pioneer fired, sending rounds down range and slicing clean through the enemy vessel as if it were flash paper held to a blow torch. The vessel split in half and the aft quarter, where the reactor had likely been stored, illuminated into a miniature sun.
"Threat board clear," Jennifer said. "Enemy forces neutralized."
There was a somber silence on the bridge. Three thousand lives had just been winked out from existence. All that was left were the scattered remains of the ship, most no larger than a baseball. The bow section of the ship, just over six hundred meters in size, was scarred by weapons fire from either plasma beams or the Pioneer's five inch railgun batteries. Smoke and debris trailed the tumbling derelict, casting intricate shapes throughout space.
"Get our new friends on the horn," Kevin said. "Let's see who we just saved."
NEXUS / MAY 13th 2820 / ZHENG HE SYSTEM
Chief of Security Tiran Kandros stared out at the long, six kilometer portion of the Nexus' bottom arm. Lights blinked Kevineath a blanket of atmospheric gases and solar debris from the gas giant that the massive space station skimmed. In the six months since the end of the Archon conflict, the Nexus had come alive with activity as both Angaran and Initiative had made the station home. Many areas were still untouched, serving as storage until the population grew large enough to need them. With Prodromos, Meridian, and Elaaden thriving, that would happen sooner rather than later. It was quite a sight; Turians, Salarians, Krogan, Humans, and Asari working in close tandem and harmony. All for the greater good.
He sighed and allowed his eyes to drift off to the very end of the arm. Covered in lattice work and scaffolding was the sleek, predatory form of the ASV Jien Garson, the first domestically-built vessel by the Initiative. Designed almost exclusively off the blueprints of the SR-2 Normandy, the stealth heavy frigate was a few days away from formal launch. Armed to the teeth with the latest Thanix cannons, mass accelerators, torpedoes, and powerful shields and armor, she'd be able to match the Kett in space and serve as the first line of defense for the colonies. Even though the Nexus' defenses; GARDIAN lasers, mass accelerator turrets, and shielding had finally been installed, they were nonetheless a sitting target for any determined adversary. More were planned, the Alec Ryder would be laid down as soon as the berth was cleared, followed shortly after by the Zevin Raeka, Ishara, and Macen Barro once berth two was finished. Soon, they'd have a squadron of warships to ensure the survival of everyone on the Nexus.
Soft footfalls drew his attention. Looking behind him, the doors opened to reveal the form of Pathfinder Captain Scott Ryder. With his typical confident swagger, and boyish smile, he seemed to always be in a good mood. If it weren't for the sidearm holstered to his leg, he would have thought the young man to be on shore leave.
"Ryder."
"Kandros," Scott said. "How goes it?"
"Oh, you know."
"Mass hysteria?" Scott asked, smirking.
"Almost," Tiran admitted. He allowed Scott's infectious optimism to permeate through his typically steel-hard demeanor. "Swinging the Tempest by for some work?"
"Yeah," Scott replied. "Gil wants to take a look at the core and make sure everything is working properly. We hit some asteroids on our way out from Kadara and he wants to make sure nothing got busted. Drack and Peebee had to sell all the 'Varren's Jaw' that they've made in the last few weeks."
Kandros winced. "That stuff is strong. Makes paint thinner seem like water."
"Tell me about it." Scott crossed his arms, "Takes the edge off though when you're out of medi-gel."
"I'll take your word for it. No offense." Tiran gave the human a weird look before returning to the specter outside. "We picked out the Captain for your dad's ship."
"Really?" Scott asked. "Who is it?"
"A human Alliance veteran. Captain Daniel Cassing. Commanded the London before joining the Initiative." Tiran gave a nod. "He's a good man. Similar to your own dad."
"Thanks, Kandros." Scott said. "He'd be proud."
"I know, Pathfinder. Captain Cassing is a good man. Good mind too."
Scott looked out a the Jien Garson. Her hull was a dark blue and sterling white, with her name proudly displayed in galactic standard on the flanks. Small spurts of flame emanated from her aft engines as they were tested. In a few days, it would join the Tempest and the other ships of the Initiative's growing fleet in exploring and defending their new worlds. "Think you can give Temp some new KBs? Maybe those cyclonic ones Gil chatters my ear off about?"
Tiran nodded, "I can see what I can do. Have you found anything else interesting out there?"
Scott sighed. "Not really. We've been too busy dealing with the remaining Kett in the cluster. They still have a few Cruisers out there and they're pestering our automated stations. Cora and Drack and I will go in, bust their ship, and bug out."
"Too bad we don't have more nukes. Then we could really start giving the Kett some nosebleeds." Tiran clicked his jaw, watching as a caravan of automated transports swooped in low to discharge their payloads into the receiving bays for processing.
The door behind them hissed open and a nervous looking Salarian peered through. "Sirs, we've received a distress signal from the Dancer and Hera. They're under attack."
"Do we have fighters in range?" Kandros asked.
"No."
"Scott?"
Ryder was already consulting his omni-tool. "We can be ready for launch in ten minutes."
"Get to it then. Take Apex Fireteam Diamond with you."
"Got it." Scott made a beeline for the door, radioing Gil and the rest of the crew while doing so.
"Good luck, Pathfinder."