OSN Corsair

In Orbit

Orais

To many people, Orais – home world of the Orion people – was the anarchist's paradise. The Orion Free Colonies – or what came close to an actual nation state – practiced almost no rules for its own people. Coming and going from the system were a constant stream of freighters and merchantmen carrying anything that anyone could possibly want.

Tetro always got sick of being at home. There was almost nothing to do on the planet. Anyone who didn't leave Orais was doomed to an existence of endless leisure. Food, water, homes, and any medical care could be had at a push of a button. No strife. No challenge.

She hated it. Tetro had never been one for sitting still, even when she was a girl. She had moved constantly from place to place, planet to planet, ship to ship. Life was constant motion. Standing still felt too much like death. Like losing her wife.

Corsair dropped out of warp and approached the OSN HQ, Hunter's Hall. While it wasn't quite a modern Starbase like the Federation's ESD or New Romulus' Orbital Control, the space station served its purpose of maintaining and coordinating the conventional Orion space forces. Today was a particularly auspicious day, after all.

All four Corsair class carriers hung in space around Hunter's Hall, all eagerly awaiting a meeting that no one had realistically expected to happen.

Tetro rose from her command seat. "Laycek, open a channel to my fellow commanders. Let's get this underway."

Laycek nodded and hit several buttons on his console. Seconds later, three other commanders – all men, to Tetro's disgust – appeared on three different windows on her screen.

"Gentlemen, thank you for agreeing to meet me on such short notice. I do apologise for the inconvenience. I'll see what I can do for compensation."

Haaggal, the second most combat-experienced Commander in the OSN besides Tetro, audibly scoffed in reply. Plunderer was a hard-fought veteran of many external campaigns, and Haaggal had almost managed to earn her respect.

"What are you up to now Tetro?" he asked with a deep sigh, "I've put off several far more important engagements for this. Engagements such as drinking, sleeping, anything beyond talking to the likes of you."

"This is worth interrupting your boring life. Gentlemen, I have intercepted cargo from the almighty Milky Way Alliance that will finally put the Free Colonies on par with any power in this galaxy."

"What are you talking about?!" Haaggal asked sharply.

Tetro held up on of the torpedo components recovered from the cargo. "Weapons, intelligence, manufacturing plans, doctrine examples. We can arm and equip ourselves as never before. I've already slaughtered a Romulan convoy and most of Nerkit 1 and sent a team of those dreaded Federation Marines running for their lives!"

Tetro had expected cheering. But instead, Haaggal shot her a look of pure fury.

"You have lost your mind, haven't you?! Attacking the Alliance?! You've put everything at risk Tetro! Stand down and surrender that cargo immediately! If we are fortunate, the Alliance may just simply allow us to return their property and leave us alone."

Tetro lowered her gaze and tone. "Coward."

"I gave you an order, Commander. Return that cargo and stand down!" shouted Haagal.

Tetro flashed an evil looking smile. "Very well, Commander. Standby to receive our cargo."

Closing the channel, she looked over at Laycek. "Lock missiles and fire at will."

In the inky blackness of space, Corsair lit up like roaring fire as she fired dozens of anti-ship ballistic missiles. Unprepared for the sudden assault from a supposedly friendly vessel, the other carriers couldn't raise their shields or engage their CIWS systems in time.

Plunderer took the first hit. Dozens of Thalaron-tipped missiles lashed into her olive hull, ripping the carrier apart in debris and flame. Raider was struck by flying debris from the fallen Plunderer and exploded seconds after. Only Buccaneer survived long enough to present a challenge to Tetro.

The slightly newer carrier shot out like a wild beast, bracketing Corsair with phasers, disruptors, torpedoes, and every ounce of anger their fellow Orion crews could manage.

From her command chair, Tetro couldn't help but smile as her fellow carrier lashed out against her with all of the hate and weaponry it could possibly managed. Buccaneer's weapons deflected harmlessly away from Corsair's newly installed Starfleet Mark X shield core.

"You have to give them credit for confidence," Tetro said with a smile, "I certainly didn't expect old Buc to be the last one standing."

Laycek simply nodded back. "Shall I destroy them, Miss?"

Tetro rose, closed her eyes and took a deep breath. The taste of victory was sweeter than candy.

"Fire!"

Corsair's torpedo tubes opened up, and five blue quantum torpedoes raced across the darkness of space and slammed into Buccaneer's forward section. The carrier had no chance. Her green shields shattered apart, and her hull buckled and collapsed as the quantum fields ripped through her structure, crushing Buccaneer like a tin can.

It was all over seconds later. Buccaneer exploded in pieces beside her fallen sisters, the few surviving escorts were mercilessly run down by Corsair's own escort group, and Tetro couldn't help but cheer in victory.

"What a wonderful day! Oh I do so love when a plan comes together!"

She then raised her comm and broadcasted on the open channel. "All OSN forces, this is Tetro. I hereby assume command of all conventional Orion forces. Make yourselves ready, gentlemen. We move to war within the hour!"
Laycek felt his Commander's confidence. But something didn't sit right in his soul. He stood up from his console. "If I may be excused Miss, I don't feel well, I'd like to visit the infirmary."

"Everything alright?"

"A pain in my stomach. Something I ate maybe. I'd like to be in top shape for your campaign however."

Tetro smiled. "Good Boy. You may be excused, Laycek."

He got up, nodded, and left the bridge without another word.

─•~:~•─

He had to hurry. He was supposed to be on the way to the infirmary, after all.

Laycek walked – briskly – to the hatch and looked at the one idiotic guard outside.

"I need to speak to the prisoner. Immediately," he ordered.

"Sorry, Sir. Only Miss can speak to the prisoner. Take it up with her," The Guard answered back.

Idiot, Laycek swore under his breath. There wasn't time for this. He reached into his pocket, drew the knife, and rushed the guard, shoving him into the bulkhead and stabbing the blade through his throat. The guard moved to scream, but he was quickly silenced with Laycek's free hand.

He struggled as the weight of the guard's corpse forced both of them down to the plate, but Laycek kept his hand over the guard's mouth the whole way down. Satisfied he was dead, Laycek activated a hidden panel on the wall and shoved the guard's corpse inside.

Once alone, he opened the chamber and quickly walked inside, approaching the prisoner from behind.

"Romulan!" he whispered, "Wake up!"

Slowly, Rela stirred awake. "Wha-"

"Shh!" Laycek said, "We don't have much time! I have to get you to a shuttle. I'm going to release your restraints. Don't struggle."

Rela calmly allowed Laycek to undo her restraints and help her to her feet. He turned for the door, and Rela made her move.

She drew in close and quickly wrapped her left arm around his throat. He struggled, but enough to prevent Rela from grabbing her left forearm with her right hand, trapping Laycek's throat between her arms. She applied hard pressure and forced him down to his knees.

"Move again and I'll break your neck right here and now! Who are you and why are you here?!"

"I-I'm trying to release you! Idiot!" Laycek said, struggling under her grip. He stood on one knee, only for Rela to kick his other knee in. She wrestled him into the deck plate, choked back even harder, and watched as his disruptor slipped out of his pocket.

Laycek tried to buck Rela off and reach for the disruptor, but she again moved faster, sailing over his should and breaking his arm, before quickly scooping up the pistol.

"Wait!" he shouted.

Too late. Rela squeezed the trigger and vaporised the Orion in heartbeat. Her first real kill, but there wasn't time to think about it.

Move, her mind screamed at her, Move! Assess enemy potential, locate exfil… just move!

Slicing the pie, she cleared the outgoing corridor and confirmed no enemy targets. Rela was alone, but she was confident. And she had something else working to her favour. Hate.

─•~:~•─