UNDER THE EBON VEIL (FT, ATTN Alversia)

[Alversia]

Shadow's Axe

Tate rolled her eyes at Jericho, as unimpressed by him now as she ever had been but she did not recognise the wisdom of his Captain's words, much as she hated to admit it. With a sigh, she slid reluctantly off the bed and followed him to the door. As soon as both captains were standing there, the door opened with a hiss to reveal four power-armoured soldiers carrying rifles. Their armour was black with red motifs across the breast and shoulders. They watched the room carefully as the two headed through and only when they were out were the doors closed again and sealed shut with a final heavy hiss. Tate had strode from the room without a backwards glance, happy to be rid of the cramped quarters that had been her prison for many days longer than she would have preferred.

They passed through a maze of corridors that seemed mostly deserted aside from a few marines dressed in the same armour who protected the through-ways. It actually reminded Tate of a normal vessel, much as she hated to admit it. There was really no indication, intimidating soldiers aside, that this was a pirate vessel. They went down two decks and ended up in a wide room, tastefully furnished with wooden floors, wallpapered walls and rather accommodating lighting. In the centre was a large dining table with four chairs around it. Two of these chairs were occupied, one to the left was filled by a large and burly man who looked uncomfortable in the dress uniform he was wearing. He looked more akin to a bar-fighter than to an officer, even though his insignia marked him as such. At the head of the table was a man who looked entirely comfortable in his own expensive attire. He had the air of the aristocrat around him, a self-confidence that nearly boarded on arrogance and a look that suggested he had received some rather expensive schooling at some point.

“Captain Hicks,” he bowed his head to the Karaigan as he entered, before bowing even deeper to the woman coming up behind him, “Captain Tate. I am glad you accepted my invitation for dinner,” he indicated to the two spare seats. The four marines who had escorted them to the room did not leave but took up positions in the corners, those helmets burning holes into the two captives.

“May I ask you to consult your menus? You may order as you wish. The Cook has an excellent touch, if I do say so myself.” Carloa advised, indicated to the rather lavish menus in front of them. Tate looked at it and was surprised to see virtually every sort of meat on it in some form or another. She put it down hard on the table but its lack of mass lessened the impact somewhat.

“I'm not hungry,” she growled.

APS Juniper

“Very well Captain, I was more thinking for co-ordination purposes but I accept your arguments,” Carter nodded his head to show there was no hard feelings, “I will have my marines board immediately. They will attack from the far-end of the compound and make their way into the centre. If your marines could attack from the near-side and then push inwards I recommend that they met in the middle, squeeze the defenders between them. Can you request of your marine contingent to tune in to the same frequency as our own? I feel it is important that they keep in contact given that neither of our units have ever worked together.” The alversian Captain explained, “we have also conducted scans of the station to ascertain it's layout and passed this own to our own marines. May I recommend that you do the same?”

“I believe that is the final thing that needs to be carried out, otherwise I suggest we send in the fighters and follow up with the bigger guns of our vessels.”

[Karaig]

UNKNOWN SYSTEM
CORSAIR SHADOW'S AXE
DINING ROOM

Captain Hicks followed the sable and crimson power armour of their captors, marching tightly with Miss Tate as they weaved through the ship's corridors. The ship, not surprising to the Karaigan captain, is far from spartan. It seemed regal and stately, which seemed to fit the Karaigan's views on successful pirates: always on the run and dodging authorities and hunters, many pirates would turn their ships into luxury killers, with the corsairs who believed themselves gentlemen recreating stately manors and estates on board.

Upon entering the massive room, which Hicks took for a dining hall, he was again not surprised. The room's occupants were definitely corsairs, unfit for uniform and regalia, but the one who punctuated the room was definitely their leader. He seemed to be a gentleman, at home with the regal wear of an aristocrat, as well as confident. it fit of course, the captor was always confident. When he spoke, he played the part of a noble aristocrat who had invited willing guests to dinner, not the unwilling Hicks and Tate were.

"I'm fine for now," replied Hicks with a slight bow, though it lacked any sincerity. "I'm hear to understand our position. Obviously we're captives, not fancy meal's gonna change that. I just wanna know your plan. In the long run that is. You don't seem to be a slaver, but maybe you have contacts? Or impressment into your.... organization of outlaws."

EBON GULF NEBULA
SYSTEM EGN-052
EKNS-CCS-182-FORLORN WALTZ

"But of course, communication on multiple fronts is paramount to such an assault, I will contact my ship's quartermaster immediately." Kortag sat back in his chair as a hard light screen appeared. After typing rapidly into it, he turned back up to the Alversian's image. "I belief we should deploy the fighters afterwards, to limit any chances of friendly fire or collateral damage caused by enemy ships and munitions detonating. To surgically strike at any stragglers. Besides, I'll be committing a good portion to escort my gunships, to be safe. Afterwards i'll have them break off an assist your fighters immediately, or replace them if you require reloading and rearmament after such a strike."

[Alversia]

Shadow's Axe, Dining hall

Carloa allowed Hicks to say his piece, his expression unchanging at the words that flowed from him. Only once it was clear that he was finished speaking and that Tate was not going to interject with her own opinions did he speak. He believed that the only reason the Alversian did not follow up the Karaigan's words with some of her own was because anything she might say would only be a prelude to launching an attack on him physically. Certainly the men standing around the room seemed to think so, judging from the way they had tensed ever so slightly in their armour. He was relaxed as ever. He did not feel threatened.

“I do not believe you are captives aboard my vessel, Captain. You are more...detainees until such a point as we reach our destination. I can assure you that no harm will come to either you or your crews. Their separation from you is merely a precaution as is the confinement to your quarters. This is due to the surefire knowledge that letting you out would be bad for both my ship and my crew. In accordance with the conventions of space your crew have been housed in appropriate accommodation, they have been fed and watered to their dietary needs and entertainment has been provided to ensure that they do not become bored. If you or your crew choose not to use any of the facilities provided, I cannot be held accountable to that.”

He took a sip of wine, savouring the flavour while looking over the rim at his unwilling guests, “I invited you to dinner, will you do me the courtesy of joining me? I will explain the long term plan for you and your crew to you over this meal. I can recommend the salmon. It is quite excellent.”

APS Juniper, Outer rim

“Besides, I'll be committing a good portion to escort my gunships, to be safe. Afterwards i'll have them break off an assist your fighters immediately, or replace them if you require reloading and rearmament after such a strike."

“We carry limited numbers of small craft so assistance would be much appreciated,” Carter nodded in thanks, checking his own readout to be sure that his Marine strike teams were in position. Only once he was sure they were did he turn his attention back to Konrad,
“Well, Captain. Do you wish to do the honours,” he made a show of a slight bow towards the enemy base, where the vessels were lined up in docking bays, exposed and powered down. A few drifted lazily around the base but it was quite obvious that none of them were prepared for action. Most of the base itself seemed to be inside the asteroid only a few pieces of metal jutted out from it. There were no obvious external defences. It looked ripe for the picking.

[Karaig]

UNKNOWN SYSTEM
CORSAIR SHADOW'S AXE
DINING ROOM

"I'll have the salmon then." Hicks replied with icy courtesy. "Tell me at the very least, no bullshit, slavery. Is that our fate?"

The man before Hicks and Tate had all the chips, and enough arrogance to back them up. Courtesy was not courtesy when chains were involved, no matter how much regal attire. This Carloa was dangerous because he wasn't like the run of the mill corsair. He didn't treat them like cargo, nor was he arrogant enough to loom over them, though he was vain enough to invite them to dinner.

Hicks furrowed his brow as he stared around, his mind trying to comprehend what sort of situation they were in. He knew they were prisoners, but how bad was it? Suspense was, at its very core, maddening. Then his mind clicked a fact together.

"Mr. Carloa." he said once again with icy tone. "you stormed me ship with assault drones, and I assume you used them against Miss Tate." Hicks said nodded at the Alversian. "You're well equipped, for a raider, which means either you clawed your way to the top, or you have a benefactor beyond the standard slave owner."

EBON GULF NEBULA
SYSTEM EGN-052
EKNS-CCS-182-FORLORN WALTZ

"I shall take this honour with great pleasure." Captain Kortag nodded curtly to his Alversian counterpart before turning back to his bridge crew. "Gentlemen, first blood goes to us. I want firing solutions now, heat up the silos, charge the MACs, and bring the prow rotaries up to maximum yield."

The Waltz begun its attack like a knight of old: with a charge. Its afterburner flaring and engines roaring, the Sabre class cruiser drove towards its targets hundreds of kilometers away. It wasn't long before the cruiser's prow lit up, radiant beams of scarlet cracking through the empty void. Set into the lower front of the ship's prow sat three rotary cannons, colossal laser batteries that spat death at incredibly rates. What looked like one constant beam was in fact thousands of instant blasts capable of slagging armour and overwhelming shields in seconds. It was to this end that the corsair vessels lying at birth would be gutted as the laser blasts raked over their exposed engines and thrusters, easy prey with their shields down.

"Put some rounds through them, gut anything capable of standing up to a cruiser." barked Kortag to his bridge. "Inform the Juniper of our firing solutions, I don't want our rounds hitting their rounds mid transition. Ensign, the marines are clear."

The Waltz's magnetic accelerator cannons, six in all, fired their rounds at c-frac speeds. Per Kortag's instructions, the MACs unleashed a salvo of solid munitions, as to punch clean through the vessels and not detonate. There was no point completely destroying the vessels for the time being. After all, valuable data pertaining to their quarry could be on board any one of the vessels.

It didn't take long for the turreted guns of the Waltz to turn their sights on the base itself. The point offence cannons of the cruiser began to fire as they unleashed their rail launched munitions onto the asteroid, smashing into any exposed fuel and munitions depots, as well as generally scarring the face of the already cratered rock. No doubt superficial damage in the long run, any damage, no matter how small, would put the defenders at a disadvantage.

EBON GULF NEBULA
SYSTEM EGN-052
EKNC-0335-DAISY ACTUAL

The Dragon gunship was aptly named for its aerodynamic frame and heavy firepower. Daisy Actual was just one of the countless millions in the Karaigan Military doing the same thing as the rest: ferrying troops into battle. Delilah and Daphne flew closely behind, the energy signatures of the small dropships completely masked by the fusillade of destruction that their mother vessel was unleashing across the enemy births and hangers. Each one carried enough firepower to clear the LZ if need be, as well as thirty marines in each one.

As the gunships approached the entry point the troops inside began the gung ho process of locking and loading their weapons, sealing their power armour, as well as dropping the pre-action bravado. Professionalism took over, and the marines prepared for the upcoming assault.

"Alright boys, standard dispersal." barked Captain Aldric Raussan. "Alversians will be hitting their flanks, they'll be the anvil and we'll be the bloody hammer. These raiders won't stand a chance. They're not the bugs, they're raiders. So no need for heroism, keep breathing ya bastards."

[Alversia]

Shadow's Axe, Dining Room

Carloa did not speak until one of the servants in the room had placed down in front of both Hicks and Tate plate of finely cooked salmon. It was clearly not a synthetic replica for the smell along would have brought gods down from the heavens. Tate found her body betray her as she started salivating at the rich aroma. It reminded her far too much of home. Unfortunately, it also reminded her of her second home, the home this man had taken from her. That thought nearly sent her over the table towards him, ignorant of the consequences or her own fate, willing to sacrifice it all for one chance at this man. It was only the bare remnants of her common sense that kept her back.

“Slavery, Captain?” Carloa swirled his wine glass, watching the deep, rich liquid swish around before taking a sip “you seem to have an odd fascination with this fate. Alas, I regret to inform you that slavery does not lie in your future. You are to be hostages of myself, kept aboard this vessel until diplomatic avenues have been fully explored. You see, slavery is something that appals me and it is not something I would force upon any being. My crew and I, we are...mercenaries I guess you could say. This vessels has but one master and answers to him alone. Me. The crew are my crew, hand picked and trained to be amongst the best. There is no rowdiness on my vessel, there is no violence. This ship is run with the efficiency and discipline of any warship you care to mention. Now, if people were to need such a ship for whatever reason, leading their personal navy, for example, or transporting them somewhere they do not feel particularly safe or, in this case, kidnapping, who am I to decline? As to where the start up funds came from. I don't think that's necessarily important, do you Captain Tate?”

The Alversian looked at him, her lips pressed to tight they were but a single line and her passionate eyes burned with a loathing as wild as any bushfire. Hicks would be able to see under the table that she gripping her salmon knife so hard that her knuckles had gone white.

“Anyway, I do not expect your stay here to be long. Ten days at the most perhaps? That is the point at which negotiations succeed. Governments may not negotiate with terrorists but, as you may realise by now, I am not a terrorist.” He held up a bottle of rich and expensive wine, “care for a taste? It is an excellent vintage.”

APS Juniper, Pirate station

Carter settled into his seat and watched as the Karaigan cruiser went to work, setting his own ship so that they moved in formation together. The effect of the initial barrage was devastating as the docks seemed to erupt not unlike a fireworks display. Hulls were twisted and torn apart as they were hit by fire, ships seemed to simply disintegrate under the weight of fire directed towards it. The Alversians really needed to do little to assist, but even so, their beams lashed out from their turrets, carving up the remaining defensive emplacements like a knife cutting a fine ham. There was no fire, but the smoke hung in the air around the asteroid like a cloud of ominous fog, a pale through which the devastation of their attack was all too clear.

“Defensive grid is offline, Sir,” his XO reported from over his left shoulder, “all vessels disabled or destroyed. The Karaigans have launched their landing parties.”

“Well, by all means, inform Marine Lieutenant Coleman that she can proceed immediately.”

“Yes, Captain.” Carter watched the devastation from his chair, eyes flicking to the 3D tactical readout that showed four small blips departing his vessel and heading for the station, flanked by Alversian fighters all the way. He did not hide his distaste at the scene but he acknowledged that such things were a sad necessity. Turning to his XO, he hid the look behind a mask of professionalism.

“Establish us 55km from the asteroid. Fire ion cannons on any ship trying to escape.”

“Aye, sir!”

Pirate Station

Marine Lieutenant Catherina Coleman rolled her weapon over in her hands, ignoring the juddering that went through the floor and up her spine. These damned shuttles could be so bloody uncomfortable at the best of times, never-mind when the pilot was jinking like mad to avoid the point defence storm that was clearly on its way. She always hated this part, nevermore so than when the shuttle lurched sickeningly to one side, jerking her against the straps that held her in her seat. This was always the worst, the transport, the journey to the battle. It didn't matter how lucky she was, it didn't matter what implants she had or what experience and training was under her belt, a single good shot from the station's defences was going to kill her dead. There was nothing she could do about that. To have her fate in another's hands like that, to know that her death could really come down to random chance, spurred the women on as she examined her weapon one more time. The BCC carbine was a beautiful weapon and she didn't just mean it's smooth, curvy shape. It had been machine-crafted with perfection. She could almost feel the love in it as she squeezed the grip gently. It had been her friend through many adventures, this gun. She knew that if she could get onto the battlefield, it was not going to let her down.

She looked around at her team, two dozen Marines crammed into the confined seats, power-armoured shoulders brushing off one another as they prepared themselves. Some muttered prayers to themselves, others turned religious tokens over and over again in their hands while yet others seemed content to and stare blankly at the opposite wall, consumed by their internal thoughts. There was total silence on the radio, for Coleman had told them the plan beforehand and she was not going to go through it again. Her teams were too good for that. It was simple enough really, break into three distinct groups and begin to clear from right, left and centre simultaneously. They were the beaters, herding and shepherding the pirates towards the Karaigans. A simple enough assignment. It did not seem so simple as there was a grinding from beneath them, an announcement that they had docked from the pilot and a hiss to signal that the doors were opening for them. Coleman was the first off the shuttles, her weapon raised, peering down the sights as she dashed off and scanned the surroundings.

The scenes that met the two landing parties could have been identical. There was no form of organised resistance, no internal defences that seemed to be working and most people they ran across seemed more interested in looting and smashing up the local establishments than actually fighting against the Marines who were sweeping towards them. There was the odd resistance here and there but the lone gunmen, armoured in nothing better than jumpsuits and carrying antiqued slug throwers could do little to stop the advance. There were prisoners being taken aplenty by the Alversians, funnelled back to a fourth team waiting in the hangar for them. They would be interrogated on the Juniper.

“Alpha Leader calling Zulu Leader,” Coleman spoke into the vox, “we are at 041, hostiles zero contact. ETA to RV is four minutes. Copy, over.” No sooner had she finished speaking than a shot punched through the wall next to her head. Reacting on instinct, she dropped to one knee, brought her carbine up into her shoulder and fired. The bright yellow rounds, hissing with energy, struck her assailant twice in the torso and threw him back like child throwing away a doll. There was no need to check him for vitals.

The plan was simple, sweep the superficial structure in a two-part flanking move before joining up in the centre, finishing off resistance there and then moving deeper into the core of the asteroid, the part that the weapons of the cruisers couldn't reach without tearing the whole structure apart. Coleman suspected that was where the real fighting would be. No evidence to suggest this, she just knew.

[Karaig]

UNKNOWN SYSTEM
CORSAIR SHADOW'S AXE
DINING ROOM

Captain Hicks was not the definition of cultured. He had been raised in the hard lifestyle of a frontier colonist, tossing his gloves in with blue collared workers ranging from assembly lines, to rail construction, to dredging, to freighting. Hicks had never had a care for the lives of politics and the upper class, all biding more of what they always had in abundance: wealthy and power.

Carloa seemed no different.

Hicks had served in a merc outfit for a short period, mostly for the free transportation to new worlds, so he knew a little bit about the ways of guns for hire. They were all the same: always saying they were professional and better than the average guy with a gun, and they always had the same morality when it came with jobs. Yet, unlike the lowliest grunt of any nation, they didn't have loyalty. Contrary to popular believe, giving men money gives you no power over them. Mercs talk big, but when it comes down to it they value their own hide over their pay cheque. Hicks wondered if Carloa would die for the money he'd been promised.

If he did, well that just showed fool-hearty gun for hire as opposed to the average craven gun for hire.

Letting the man finish his piece, Hicks turned his gaze to Miss Tate. She clearly wasn't cut out for this, the poor thing. It amazed Hicks that with all the cutthroats and cheats running around and/or the galaxies, it was always the good and honest folk who suffered. He wondered if pirates and marauders raided each other as much as the helpless. He turned back to Carloa.

"Diplomacy? You think your client will get terms over two merchant vessels captured?" Hicks said with a look of disbelieve an skepticism. He let out a dry breath. "I'm just a freighter, Mr. Carloa. But I know my nation well enough to know your employer isn't too bright. I dunno about Miss Tate's people, but this is the Ebon Veil. Its frontier space, and I'm afraid most of my people are trigger happy gun boys.

"You're right, Karaig doesn't negotiate with terrorists. They kill 'em. Mercenaries on the other hand, well let's just say the rights and laws of war don't apply to hired guns. I wonder... does your employer see you as expendable, because I may be a prisoner, but that's how you look right now."

Hicks paused and raised his glass. "Oh, and that a yes to the wine."

EBON GULF NEBULA
SYSTEM EGN-052
EKNS-CCS-182-FORLORN WALTZ

"Beam fire, Alversian. They're disabling the station's defensive positions." said one of the lieutenants at his consoles. "They just launched a sortie is well. Bearing on the station. Look's like they're withdrawing to the outlying perimeter."

"Excellent, they're backing off to cover avenues of movement. No pirate gets in our out without Captain Carter's vessel meeting them." Kortag said as he sat back in his chair, minimizing the feeds of wrecked vessels and infrastructure. He let a grin break his professionalism, the carnage before him a day's good job, hopefully the commanders back home would see it and put him into the real fight.

He had to admit though, despite his vessel taking point and annihilating the corsair positions, the Alversians were about the best allies he could ask for. No quarrying over who got first blood, and very adept at bringing up the rear. The reports confirmed it: anything Kortag missed, Carter made sure couldn't bite them in the ass. He'd have to thank the man once it was all over.

"Lieutenant. What's the sitrep station side?" the question barked over the chatter of the bridge.

EBON GULF NEBULA
PIRATE STATION
CPT. RAUSSAN, EKN MARINES

The round tore through the hostile with sickening gore. The fifty caliber tungsten rounds, or spikes to be more accurate with their six inch profile length, were death incarnate against the unarmoured thugs Captain Raussan's marines had engaged. One round would tear a limb off or, in the event of a body shot, liquefy any internal organs; three could bisect a man leaving his burnt entrails splattered across the floor. It made sense for the WLFHND-ARM55 gauss assault rifle to shred the competition. Doubly so if the competition lacked the armour the ARM-55 was designed to shred.

Fortunately for the station's occupants few rounds were fired, with the resistance being minimal and utterly petty to constitute a drawn out fire fight. His marine forces simply had to approach and arrest, with most of the vagabonds and looters being unarmed and uninterested in throwing their lives away. Though some did, and they probably regretted it the moment their entrails were torn out.

All in all, Raussan saw it as a sub routine job. He had expected heavier resistance and had brought supporting weapons to match it, but there was no need. Maybe the Alversians were feeling the brunt of the station's teeth. The moment his mind turned to the Alversians, his comlink blared to life. Speak of the devil.

"Captain Raussan here, go ahead." he said as he listened to the report. With a few nods and grunts at the Alversian side he realised there was definitely no need for firepower. "Copy that, Alpha. Advancing to RV point, minimal resistance. See you when we see you, over."

[Alversia]

Shadow's Axe, Dining Room

"Diplomacy? You think your client will get terms over two merchant vessels captured? I'm just a freighter, Mr. Carloa. But I know my nation well enough to know your employer isn't too bright. I dunno about Miss Tate's people, but this is the Ebon Veil. Its frontier space, and I'm afraid most of my people are trigger happy gun boys.”

“It's two merchant crews at the moment, Captain Hicks,” Carloa replied smoothly, “but it will soon be more. We have no intention of slowing down or stopping at this point I'm afraid. We shall keep going until the terms of our contract are satisfied. At which point, you will be safely deposited at my employer and then things will pick up from there. As to how your people will react to the negotiatons...well...I imagine that my employer will not be so dense as to ask each individual government to pay him for his hostages. More than likely he will ask a single government to spare all of you. I can't think of many governments that would like to watch as a potentially friendly nation rescued their own people and left their allies or potential trade partner's citizens to rot no? As to being gun boys...well,” The Captain snorted before taking another delicate sip of the wine, “that may as be, but space is a big place and I am a very careful man, Captain Hicks. I am in no danger of being found and neither are you.”

I wonder... does your employer see you as expendable, because I may be a prisoner, but that's how you look right now. Oh, and that a yes to the wine."

As one of the servants came around with the bottle and poured it into the glass of the Karaigan, Carloa looked at him as if he just said a highly inappropriate joke, “Please, Captain Hicks. You will need to do better than that, really.” Another sip, “I do not know my employer, he does not know me. Of course I am expendable. that was why I was hired in the first place; to take the risk so his men do not have to. I can assure you that I have been well compensated for my...expandability.” He turned his attention to Tate, “and you, Captain Tate? May I offer you some wine?”

“There is something I want you to do,” the Alversian replied through gritted teeth, “but it's not for civilised company.”

“And there was me under the impression that Alversians were so well mannered.” Carloa chuckled, unperturbed by her retort.

“They might be, if you haven't stormed their ship, taken their crew hostage and planned to ransom them back to their own nation. There are some limits on even Alversian patience.”

“As I said, the government that you will be ransomed to has not yet been decided-”

“Oh please,” She rolled her eyes, “who else do you think is seriously going to go along with this scheme of yours? The Karaigans? The Xiscapians? The Huerdaen?” she snorted aloud, “no, the Alversians are the only ones who might even remotely fall for this plan, because it's in our nature to be nice like that. You're not planning on bringing us anywhere are you? We're just going to float around in space until your employer can agree terms, then we'll be released. We never have to see who employed you. No way to trace it back if you're caught. What was it you said about taking all the risk?”

Carloa was silent for a couple of minutes, his smile slipping just a fraction as he cradled his wine, “you are a sharp one, Captain Tate. Captain Hicks could learn much from you.” he shook his head, “but enough of such discussions. Your dinner is going to get cold and I fear it a rudeness to the chef who has toiled over it don't you?”

The Alversian Captain glanced down at the fish precisely once then brought her eyes back to Carloa, narrowed in deep dislike.

Space Station

Aboard the station, the Alversians progress was steady and thorough, moving through the now darkened corridors in teams of six, covering one another as they advanced. Above them, the large drones that the Alversians were famous for kept a watch over their charges, engines thrumming gently as they hovered above them. There was almost no resistance from this point in, whoever was willing to fight and die for this part of the station seemed to have already done so and the others were loath to get in the Marines' way. Her people disarmed the pirates where they found them, smashing or otherwise disabling their weapons and leaving them to be scooped up by the second wave following in behind. Attacking this station relied on speed after all and she did not have the time to slow and search every person thoroughly.

Coleman was at the head of her squad when they reached the rendezvous point, the point at which the metal structures on the surface gave way to the hollowed tunnels that had no doubt been the purpose of this station in the first place. As she turned the corner, she for the impression of a massive, hollowed out hall with great caverns above them and dozens of little enclaves and hidey holes. There was also a quite extensive mining complex here as well, a building nested within a building, spreading out over the area like a fort, guarding the entrance to the core of the asteroid. It seemed like all the corridors of the upper station heading down led to the platform on which she was standing, with the fort spread out before them. She had seconds to observe this before a round smashed past her head and embedded itself in the wall behind her.

Immediately, the Alversian ducked back into the corridor as the heavy automatic weapons opened up. She guessed there had to be at least four or five judging from the stuttering of the fire but it was impossible to tell for sure. Massive holes were being punched into the corridor in which her people had concealed themselves, showering them with fragments of wall as she got into the communicator.

“Alpha calling Zulu, at the rv zone, under heavy fire from at least four HMGs, I repeat, at least four HMGs. Can't see another way around, over.”

[Karaig]

UNKNOWN SYSTEM
CORSAIR SHADOW'S AXE
DINING ROOM

Hicks frowned before eating, inwardly cursing the man before him, the situation even more dire. The man, Carloa, appeared to boast quite the situation. He had complete control of them, and the mercenary knew it. He probably relished it. Pirates.

The thought of being ransomed didn't sit well, mostly due to his own government's lack of flexibility with pirates. His government would sooner blast the ship asunder than pay any amount. It was a matter of principles... but those same guidelines could easily have Hicks and Tate dead in the void. Maybe the Alversians would cave to the demands. But then again, the White Knights of AXIS weren't weak for their mercy. No, Hicks had a feeling no one would pay for them.

At the very least, he had Miss Tate's company: he sharp tongue seemed to be the other thing Carloa couldn't smirk about. But then again her voice did give him the uneasy feeling that their situation was going bad fast. She was right: only Alversia would have negotiated, and he'd heard how the Huerdaen work, as well the the Xiscapians. There would be no peaceful resolution to this.

"Miss Tate," Hicks said without looking at the woman beside him. "Aren't the Alversians renowned for their boarding actions? Or am I mistaken? Because I think I heard that AXIS marines are very good at dealing with men like our gratuitous host."

EBON GULF NEBULA
PIRATE STATION
CPT. RAUSSAN, EKN MARINES

The Karaigan advance was methodical and relentless, the station's token resistance faltering nine times out of ten within seconds. The rest held on for minutes, but they ultimately were torn down. The armoured marines did not slow down for anything, their pace quick as the rumbling of their heavy armoured footfalls announced their arrival. Many would argue this gave the enemy time to repair, and was thus a sloppy and lousy advance. But even with the time to prepare, the pirates feel in droves.

Captain Raussan stood over the pulped and shredded remains of resisters and shoddy barricades. The junction had fallen with a salvo of rounds and two grenades. The overuse of force was not on purpose, it was simply all they had. Armour piercing weapons for punching powered armour, high impact grenades for maximum damage, heavy armour... the Karaigan arsenal was meant to hammer the highest, so it easily squashed the lowly pirates.

"Delta-Five, break off and flank down that corridor, Delta-Three support. Gamma-Three back up D-Five." the soldiers methodically followed the orders as they broke off, only for weapons fire to announce hostiles minutes later. He didn't need to command them, his sergeants could take care of the skirmishes. He had a rendezvous to make.

"Delta-Two, Delta-Four, let's move-" he barked as his comlink to the Alversians crackled to life. He listened, nodded even though he was unseen, and hefted his gun. "Zulu copy. Advancing to flank the enemy, we'll hit them in the rear an ease off the pressure. Over."

It didn't take long for the Karaigan force to break through the token resistance and enter the hollowed out tunnels of the asteroid. Raussan moved quickly, hoping to stem any loss of life from the Alversians, his gun trained ahead. Rounding a corner just behind the armoured backs of his vanguard, Raussan's audio receptors picked up a faint sound of automatic fire. He gritted his teeth hoping it was just the MGs laying down suppressiing fire on the entrenched Alversians, and not an actual fight. He didn't think the Alversians would sally forth and gloriously charge MGs, but then again, they were close with the Xiscapians, well known for their aggressive doctrine.

"Alpha Leader, check you fire, we rounding behind the enemy now. Stand by, over." Raussan voiced into the comlink as he maneuvered his men.

Tactics would need to be aggressive, he couldn't allow the enemy to swing their machine guns around and pin him down in the choke point of a tunnel. They'd need to charge out, find cover, and spread to minimize any concentration the enemy might have set up. Raussan decided that shock an awe was the tactic of choice.

The Karaigan marines charged out of the tunnels, explosives tearing across the enemy positions as the squad grenadiers fired their under slung launchers, the grenades easily pulping anything without armour. Raussan himself was one of the first out, his assault rifle kicking hard as it launched its grenade into the mining platform. The cover was minimal, mostly machinery, but at least the industrial grade materials could withstand weapons fire. The Karaigan Captain gestured to his second line, which promptly advanced under the cover of his first rifleman units. The second wave's fire roared as the squad MGs tore into the positions of the pirates, the 20mm gauss RVGR-90s filling the room with automatic fire.

"Delta-Four, focus on the MG closest to the Alversians. Bravo-Two, suppress the other two closest to us, have your gatling weapon shred the fourth." Raussan barked over the comlink before switching to the Alversians. "Zulu on site, we're engaging the enemy. Can you create a crossfire from your end?"

[Alversia]

Shadow's Axe

"Aren't the Alversians renowned for their boarding actions? Or am I mistaken? Because I think I heard that AXIS marines are very good at dealing with men like our gratuitous host."

“They're not half bad at it,” Tate answered his question with her eyes still firmly fixed on the man, “have you heard about their battle drones? It's like being face to face with a tank with no where to run. On a raiding ship, they're nearly unstoppable. A ship like this one in fact,” she smirked at Carloa, her food still untouched.

The man shook his head at them, a combination of disappointment and amusement, “you could make your lives so much easier if you were just to co-operate for the length of your trip. I have no intention of harming you or letting harm come to you while you are aboard. You could make your own lives so much easier.”

“So could you,” Tate replied, “you could jump to the nearest Alversian planet and hand yourself in. I'm sure that would make everyone's lives a lot easier.”

“Your hostility does not serve you well, madam,” the Captain of their vessel furrowed his brow, “you harm no one but yourself.”

“Better myself be harmed than you helped,” the Alversian shook her head.

“Am I to take from this that you will not be partaking of dinner after all? This is the last meal of the evening, Captain Tate. My cooks will be off duty and the best you can hope for will be light snacks.”

The woman did not answer but nor did she go for her food. It summoned to mind the image of a stubborn child refusing to eat her greens. It seemed that the Alversian had something of a stubborn streak.

Pirate Base

Coleman give her confirmation into the radio that the Karaigans were going to flank, fully aware that there was little her troops could do to help at this point besides from be targets. The fire from the automatic cannon was heavy but unfocused and definitely concentrated. She got the sense from the firing that it was more to keep their heads down than to actually kill them. She was fine with that; the sounds of the impacts smashing through the walls like wet paper told her that the guns were firing solid rounds and, unlike energy weapons, slug throwers were bound to run out of ammunition eventually. It was as inevitable as the tide turning or Alversia rotating. As such, she was more than happy to play up the distraction element and keep her drones and troops back in reserve. She was planning a rush across the gap but only once the fire had been taken down. The Xiscapians may have risked the casualties charging into heavy auto-cannon fire but she was not so aggressive.

“Smoke!” She called to her men over the vox, “Smoke 'em!”

In seconds, two smoke grenades flew past her ear and rolled into the centre of the cavern. There they began to fill the atmosphere-laden asteroid with thick, black smoke. Immediately, the fire from the guns became more wild, the gunners no doubt imagining line upon line of Alversian Marines charging towards them out of the smoke. In fact, they were doing no such thing. The smoke concealed sensors by design so her Marines were just taking potshots they knew would miss, purely to keep some fire on the Pirates and keep their attention away from the threat looming up behind them.

The Pirate gunners were focused so heavily on the smoke up front that they singularly failed to notice the advancing Karaigans coming up from behind. These troops were better armed and armorued than those they had encountered in the upper facilities but they were still far from the power-armoured marines who were attacking them. The explosions and rifle fire quickly tore through their ranks and before long the guns had fallen silent. Coleman had heard the battle but, knowing that with the smoke she could do little without risking the Karaigans, she waited until the sound of battle had fallen away. She trusted her fellow Marines enough that they wouldn't need her help. They were a radio call away anyway if things started to go wrong.

Once the battle was finished, the smoke quickly dissipated and the Alversian Marines walked up to join their collegues, the drones hovering above their heads, lights flashing.

“Captain Raussan?” She asked, approaching the man, “Lieutenant Coleman,” she saluted him, “did you take any casualties during your advance?”

[Karaig]

UNKNOWN SYSTEM
CORSAIR SHADOW'S AXE
DINING ROOM

Though her tried to mask it, Captain Hicks was indeed surprised by the Alversian's tone and response, what had appeared to have been a distant girl was now a strong woman. He leaned back in his chair and watched the show, all the while continuing to eat. Hicks pondered for a split second if maybe, just maybe, the food had something in it. Poison, nanites, or if the mercenary before them was just trying to be a gracious host. Though when Hicks looked at the man, the gentleman persona seemed to crack a bit at the Alversia's vocal assaults.

"Excellent food." Hicks responded with a half full mouth. He swallowed before continuing. "Tell me, your payment for capturing us for this... plan of your employer's. How much you getting out of it? 'Cuz you may want to ask for more money."

He paused to take another bite out of his meal. Hicks wondered if the Captain had expected such resistance from his prisoners. Even Hicks was surprised by Tate, and maybe Carloa was too. Hell, Carloa probably wasn't getting paid enough to hold prisoners not only from intergalactic powers, but also prisoners who talked back. The prisoners, it would seem, had a little fight left in them.

"Karaig doesn't use drones to storm ships like the Alversian do. I mean, where I'm from, each soldier makes your men look like paper. Karaigan powered armour," he spread out his arms almost insultingly. "is big. Tough as nails. And each soldier's gun can mulch most powered armour targets. I mean, I like the black armour you got going on, but its a little... thin."

EBON GULF NEBULA
PIRATE STATION
CPT. RAUSSAN, EKN MARINES

Raussan's men were fanning out and securing the area when Lieutenant Coleman made contact. The scene from the Karaigan side was one of complete carnage, the pirates caught unaware for their sloppy deployment, and they'd paid for it. Gore was slick across the ground where hostiles had fallen: though instead of corpses there were mangled husks shredded with gauss fire and entrails strewn about where grazing hit had torn open the targets.

Suffice to say, the Captain almost felt guilty when the Alversian approached, his mind backtracking to how he could have ended it with more prisoners for interrogation. He had heard of the White Knights of AXIS weren't as ruthless as their counterparts, maybe they would have wanted survivors. Either way, no chance for that now, Raussan thought as he pushed back his thoughts as the Alversian spoke.

"I'm Captain Raussan, It's a pleasure." He responded to Coleman. "We sustained one casualty in the tunnels leading up. IED, some sort of make shift high explosive grenade. In surprised it got through the armour, must of tore through the joints. Our medics are moving him back to the Waltz as we speak. He'll be needing an augment to replace his left leg, and a lot of shrapnel pulled out of him. Other than that we've received no additional casualties or fatalities."

Rausaan paused as he gestured over his shoulder back to his men. "The enemy wasn't facing us, it was a textbook assault. Hopefully we arrived in time to stem any loss on your side. How are your troops faring? Casualties?"

[Alversia]

Shadow's Axe

"Excellent food. Tell me, your payment for capturing us for this... plan of your employer's. How much you getting out of it? 'Cuz you may want to ask for more money."

At the compliment, Carloa gave a low nod of his head, eyes never leaving the Karaigan but with enough emphasis in the movement to let him know that the gesture was genuine, “Thank you, Captain. My chef does not have much to work with but he does his best. I suppose there is little chance of you breaking your hunger strike, Captain Tate?”

“Oh well, since you asked nicel-no.” The woman interrupted herself, having completed the first part of her reply in a simpering and highly sarcastic tone before letting it drop into the same deadpan she had been using for the best of the conversation. The two Captains' eyes met and they held that stare for the longest time, to the point that the ambient temperature in the room itself seemed to drop by several degrees. Finally, Carloa broke it with a casual shrug to suggest he was too old for such games and turned his attention back to Hicks.

“I am not at liberty to discuss my fees but, as I have said before Captain, it is enough for me to happily take this assignment regardless of the hostilities.” Tate was staring daggers at him, as if hoping to melt him away with her glare alone.

“Tough as nails. And each soldier's gun can mulch most powered armour targets. I mean, I like the black armour you got going on, but its a little... thin."

“Then it is perhaps fortunate that my men do not intend to engage with Karaigan Marines or Alversian drones, Captain. As a matter of fact, would you mind telling me a little about yourself? I am sure that Captain Tate laid out the reasons her ship was targeted quite adequately, her people being so easily to manipulate, but what about you? What do you think makes you worthy of capture?” He took a sip of wine with the corners of his mouth curling up into a small smile.

Pirate Base

For her part, Coleman seemed utterly unperturbed by the piles of goop she was stepping through and so where her Marines as they spread out to form a loose cordon of protection around the cavern. The bulk of their guns faced down into the tunnels but a few were still watching their backs.

The woman grimaced at the reply from her opposite number but she replied in the same calm and level tone as before, “nothing but a few scratches and bruises. Frankly, we were lucky the pirates were both unprepared and undisciplined. They could have turned this station into quite a slog. Given the level of defences here however, I am willing to place my next salary that their real hard-hitters have fallen back into the core. We have a second wave coming in after us so they'll secure the rest of the station. I have orders to push in and take the core.” She nodded down the tunnel, deep and badly lit, it wasn't long before it stretched out of sight of even the Marine helmet flashlights.

“I assume your orders are the same? If so, I recommend we do not break our forces up too much. Even with our superior fire power, there is too much risk of smaller units being overwhelmed in the tunnels.”

[Karaig]

UNKNOWN SYSTEM
CORSAIR SHADOW'S AXE
DINING ROOM

If anything, Carloa's tone and ability to hold all the chips made Hicks wish Jericho was sitting beside him. The pilot's laconic, sarcastic, and silver tongue may have been the only thing that would have kept Carloa back. Hicks wasn't the smartest, a simple man, and Carloa's culture was simply too much to deal with effectively. Despite everything that had happened during this dinner, every time Hicks had verbally jousted with Carloa, he couldn't hold on to his poker face for ever.

"Worthy of capture...?" Hicks pondered, cursing inwardly. Damn the man. Damn him to the darkest depths of the void. "My company won't negotiate, they'll contact the Extrasolar Navy immediately." Hicks frowned both outwardly and inwardly. Was there something else? Their cargo? No it wasn't worth ransoming, any smart pirate would him them and steal it. Hicks' personal wealth was minuscule, so that couldn't be it. Damn Carloa.

"Enlighten... me." Hicks said with an undertone of anger.

EBON GULF NEBULA
PIRATE STATION
CPT. RAUSSAN, EKN MARINES

Captain Raussan nodded in response to Lieutenant Coleman's plan. "Agreed. No doubt they've dug in deep by now, and if I can loose a soldier to one sloppy IED then I can loose more to other dirty tricks. We move together, I'll take point, my men are heavier. We provide the heavy frontline, and take the brunt of the assault. Your mobility will allow you to flank any strong points. We'll support each other."

The Alversians were indeed lighter than the Karaigans, but they made up for it with mobility and speed, much like their doctrine. They were smaller in powered armour, but much more agile: suitable to move around and strike the enemy's weak points, or hit them head on with speed. He knew his men were slower but they wore much more armour, in both rigidity and inches, and could weather the storm the pirates would throw at them.

Raussan signaled his men to form up, gesturing for two troopers carrying rotary cannons to move up. "Load up, You're dusting the crops. Have the flamers cover our flanks." Raussan said to the two heavy troopers before turning back to Coleman. "Any issues with that plan of action?"

[Alversia]

Shadow's Axe, Dining room

"Enlighten... me."

“Ah, so you don't know!” Carloa smiled in delight, as if he had just bested an opponent in a game of chess, “well far be it from me to spoil a good surprise Captain. Perhaps you underestimate yourself, or maybe your company cares more about your life than you seem to think they do. Who can tell these things really but alas, it is not my place to make such decisions.”

“Yeah, funny that,” Tate replied as the last remnants of the food were cleared away, with her own plate untouched, “for a lord of the manor you seem to be spending a lot of time telling us what you're not allowed to do, or tell us, or bring us. How about you start telling us what you can do eh Carloa? How about you drop this veil of utter bull that you keep feeding us and start giving us some cold, hard facts?”

“My, my, losing our temper are we, Captain Tate?” Carloa fixed her with an indulgent smile, pleased with the angry outburst from the Alversian woman, “perhaps some dessert will clear that right up. It can do wonderful things for the disposition can strawberries and cream.”

As he said it, the plate before them was laid with all manner of fine sweets and treats. Everything from gorgeously indulgent chocolate gateau to the aforementioned strawberries and cream were laid out. There were even pots of steaming coffee and small biscuits for dipping. Carloa helped himself to the chocolate cake and a cup of the coffee, stirring it with a spoon as he poured in four sugars.

“May I tempt you Captain Hicks? I doubt that Captain Tate will break her fast at this late stage but there is no reason we cannot continue to act as gentlemen no? May I tempt you with a cigar?” he opened a case to reveal three; long, thick and of the finest quality even for an amateur smoker, “they come from Setulan. Only the best.”

Pirate Station, Cavern

“I have no opposition,” Coleman shook her head to emphasise the point, “my people will keep behind yours then. We'll keep our drones up front with you though. They're mobile tanks,” She patted one of the hovering masses on the side without reply, “it can take a lot of punishment and dish out a lot of punishment and, at the end of the day, better one of these things falls victim to a pirate IED than one of your men. We have six of them with us so it'll help with your fire power considerably. They can also intercept incoming rockets, just in case they try that trick. All in all, a handy little box of kit.” She gave it another tap on the side. The metallic clanking noise echoed in the halls but again, the drone made no movement aside from rotating it's laser mounts from side to side in seeming anticipation of what was to come.

“if you have no opposition then we can move out. I say reaching the core is our priority. The second wave can focus on clearing out the side rooms.” She switched to her internal comm, establishing a link between herself and her vessel only, “Ground team to Juniper, we have secured the upper structure and are pushing into the core now over.”

“Understood, ground team,” the voice crackled from the effort of forcing itself through the rock, “remember that quarter is to be displayed. Capturing senior officers takes priority. We need information over.”

“Understood, over and out.”

She looked to the Karaigan once again, imitating a rather mocking bow,
"After you."

[Karaig]

UNKNOWN SYSTEM
CORSAIR SHADOW'S AXE
DINING ROOM

Hicks helped himself to a cup of coffee, dropping in two blocks of sugar, never one taking his eyes off their captor. He didn't understand Carloa's last statement, and the suspense pertaining to his capture was eating him alive. His duty to his crew over rid his duty to Tungren: Tungren was a massive company, focused in the primary mining and construction industries, and would not weep for lost crew. The cargo was even expendable, for the Pilgrim had been one of countless hundreds hauling ore that day. They'd call the Extrasolar Navy and be done with it.

"As such a gracious host," Hicks began with venom as his mind's cogs began to grind together. "surely you can tell us why you took the job. You seem well equipped, by a corsair's standards. A hired gun such as yourself seems more useful as... well a hired gun. Why are you babysitting the captives? Miss Tate is right, for a Lord of the Manor, you're definitely below yourself with this job."

Hicks paused for a sip of coffee. Maybe the man's vanity would be his undoing. Though despite his arrogance, Carloa still maintained a high level of cunning. Appeal to his pride? Sigh work. Or not. "Desperate for cash? Surely you could find better work for your crew than simple terrorism. I bet there's tons of work in... the AXIS Galaxy, is it? I here it's a mercenary's market over there right now."

EBON GULF NEBULA
PIRATE STATION
CPT. RAUSSAN, EKN MARINES

"With pleasure." Captain Raussan replied with a mocking bow of his head. He turned around, switching his comms to the Karaigan contingent. "Form up and advance, Costin bring up your rotary, let's move! Everyone switch to NV, lights out, I don't want them seeing us a mile away."

The combined force advanced into the depths of the caverns, the rock face of the asteroid's innards supported by the skeletal structure of industry. It had been well hollowed out, with tunnels branching off in every direction. Raussan assumed it used to be a mine, whether started or seized by pirates he did not know. A he cared about was the fact that the mining had turned the asteroid into a dark labyrinth, making his job much more dangerous. All they had to go on where the sonic scans and blueprints of the network, but even those were fallible. At least the core's energy signature was a beacon, like a lighthouse in the dark.

"Sir, I have enough charges to seal the flanking tunnels. Just give the order and I'll cut off any flanks."

Walking beside the Karaigan Captain was Second Lieutenant Marric, marine of the Waltz's combat engineers. His helmet contained extra optics while his back hardpoints had a mechanical system of servo arms and equipment locked on. Indeed he had three additional robotic appendages beyond the ones he was born with.

"Not yet, I don't want to sound off our location with microwave charges, and we may still use them for other matters." Raussan replied.

"Luckily I have a combat shield then," the engineer replied lifting up his left arm, the massive armoured shield easily two meters tall. "working under fire can be hazardous."

"Quite, but I have faith in my men and Coleman's to keep the enemy back if you need to work." Raussan said before switching to the open comlink between him and the Alversians. "We got nothing so far, your sensors picking anything up? I'd hate to walk into another ambush, slow and tedious business those situations are."

[Alversia]

Shadow's Axe, Dining room

Carloa took a coffee for himself and, like Hicks, slipped two small cubes of brown sugar into the mix, which he began to swirl with a spoon. It seemed strangely out of place for the two of them to be sipping coffee out of china cups while sitting on a large vessel hurtling through space. There were only two of them drinking for Tate had again refused his offer and was sitting and glaring at him, no longer willing to engage in verbal combat. The Captain seemed to have taken that as a victory for there was a very self-satisfied expression on his face as he drank, blowing on the coffee to cool it before taking a sip. It was an expression that only widened when Hicks replied to him. He could hear the anger in the other's voice and he could see just how deeply he had gotten under his skin, under both of their skins.

“Really, Mister Hicks? Retreading this points is not going to make me doubt myself any more now than I did then.” Another sip, “for your benefit, I shall repeat. The fee offered for this job was such that only a fool would have turned it down, regardless of his station or ego. As you can no doubt tell, Mister Hicks, I am not a fool. I am getting you here captive until such a point that my employer decides to release you for his own purposes. As to why I am not in the Home Galaxy, I believe it's called. Isn't that right, Miss Tate?” he turned to look at the Alversian who just glowered at him, “yes, it is the Home Galaxy. Why would I go there when I have this well paid and easy job here? You may call me a terrorist, Mister Hicks, but remember that one man's terrorist is another man's freedom fighter. It all depends on perspective.” He drained his cup and looked to the pair, the same amiable expression on his face.

“Well, I believe that this concludes our business for this evening. I would offer you cigars but I can tell that you would rather retire to your quarters. It has been a long day. If you have any further questions or requests of me, do not hesitate to ask.” He nodded as they rose, immediately flanked by two of the black armoured guards, “we will talk again, ciao.” He lit up a cigar and began to puff as the two Captains were led from the dining room. There was silence between them until, after a surprisingly brief period in transit, they arrived back at the rooms, into which they were corralled. As soon as the door was shut, with the two guards taking up positions to either side of it, Tate stormed over and sat back on the bed, bringing her legs right up and curling her arms around them, an ugly expression decorating her cute features.

“Bastard,” she muttered to herself, “total Bastard.”

Pirate Station, Tunnels

“We've detected nothing yet,” Coleman replied over her radio to Raussan, her eyes still very much focused dead ahead, her weapon steady in her hands. The marine team she was accompanying had fanned out as best they could in the confined tunnels, taking advance of the corners to shield themselves while they moved. Above them, the drones hovered near silently, like guardian angels standing watch over their charges.

“Ma'am, we have something on sensors ahead,” She heard one of the Marines up front report, “large concentration of troops.”

“Understood, have they detected us?”

“Hard to tell ma'am, they're not reacting to us if they have.”

“Roger that,” Coleman switched her transmission to her Karaigan opposite number, “Captain, we have a large concentration of enemy forces directly ahead. Can't tell their numbers yet, they're not reacting to our presence.”

[Karaig]

UNKNOWN SYSTEM
CORSAIR SHADOW'S AXE
DINING ROOM

"How was dinner? Any chance of a second date?"

"Shut up Jericho," Hicks muttered as he and Miss Tate entered their lavish prison once more. Than again even at dinner they hadn't really left their confines at all.

Hicks left Miss Tate to her own devices as she returned to her position on the bed, muttering dark thoughts about their ever gracious host. Sitting down beside Jericho, the former Captain of the Pilgrim exhaled, his hands massaging his temples. They had no way of knowing how this would play out, the situation practically hopeless. Despite the bravado Hicks had attempted to build, he felt the pangs of reality and hopelessness seep in. Sure, Carloa would loose ten times out of ten if the Extrasolar Navy showed up, but the problem was if the navy would make an appearance. The galaxy was a big place. The universe, much larger.

"Maybe you should go talk to our host next time." Hicks said off hand to Jericho. "Maybe your charm could appeal to him."

"Ha, that's funny." the other man responded with a grin. "I could sit down with him, light a cigar and talk about the family business. He'd love that."

"Well I'm all out of ideas. So if you have any plans, no matter how dumb, I'm all ears." Captain Hicks sighed. Carloa hadn't even given them enough rope to hang themselves with, he had them perfectly under his control. He looked around the lavish room, his eyes drifting from wall to table, chair to bed, Miss Tate to Jericho. Jericho seemed to be the only person he was capable of counting on, with Miss Tate more or less being completely broken by the man. Though her tongue still shot flames, her mind seemed elsewhere.

The Karaigan shifted in his chair, leaning over towards the Alversian across the room. "Miss Tate, would you like to join us over here? I know Jericho isn't the most civil of men, but there's no need to separate yourself from us."

EBON GULF NEBULA
PIRATE STATION
CPT. RAUSSAN, EKN MARINES

Captain Raussan raised his arm to signal his men to halt. The tunnels were silent, labyrinthine and twisted. Insofar there had been absolutely no resistance, traps, or even barricades to funnel the joint task force into any kill boxes. It was never a good sign when the enemy retreated with all due haste, leaving nothing behind to slow their opponents. They were conserving what little they had for the coming battle. Raussan was about to order a squad to break off and scout ahead, but then Coleman's transmission broke the radio silence.

"Copy that. Large enemy group ahead, numbers unknown." He paused signalling his men to aggressively advance. "No sense in beating around the bush with our tails between our legs. I'll take my force and bring up the vanguard. See if you can flank around and hammer them from the rear. The tunnels should allow for numerous advantages. Your drones are your assets, use them as you will."

The Karaigan section advanced, knowing full well that they were going up against a large unknown force, but taking solace in the fact that the enemy wasn't aware of their position yet. They moved with a predator's prowl, silent and fast, and though their heavy armour impeded most stealth, the shadows hid them and their plating protected them.

The moved along the walls, leaving a corridor down the center of the tunnel, the most common place the enemy would aim. Rifles and cannons raised, the Karaigan marines closed in, ready to act as the anvil and distract the corsairs until the Alversian hammer could flank around and drop.

[Alversia]

Shadow's Axe, Dining room

"Ha, that's funny. I could sit down with him, light a cigar and talk about the family business. He'd love that."

Tate rolled her eyes at the conversation but it seemed to be more an expression of internal frustration than at anything they themselves had said,
“Carloa is not going to invite Mister Jericho to these dinners, any more than he's invited any of my crew to them,” she explained, keeping her head low against her knees, “this is the third time that I've been to dinner with him. Just me, him and that army of his. He doesn't want company, he wants to gloat. He wants us to sit there and just boil while he lords it over us. Because he can,” She shook her head in disgust, “he's just waiting for one of us to snap, because then he has even more control and to that bastard, control is the most important thing in this galaxy.”

"Miss Tate, would you like to join us over here? I know Jericho isn't the most civil of men, but there's no need to separate yourself from us."

She looked at them at that, analysing each of them carefully, almost suspiciously, before acquiesting with a small nod of the head. She unfolded herself from her position, but the action of doing so elicited a loud and audible rumble from her stomach as she walked across the room and took her place in one of the seats. She wrapped her arms around herself, as if trying to keep warm, eyes closed. She seemed to be concentrating on something, temporarily lost in her own little world with her lips moving in rapid and silent conversation with herself. She was like this for only a second before she returned back to the room and looked at each of the men.

“I apologise for my behaviour towards you earlier, I shouldn't have snapped,” She seemed almost embarrassed, “both for my rudeness and for letting him get to me.” her stomach rumbled again, “I am glad for some company, truly.”

Pirate Station, Tunnels

“Understood,” Coleman's voice echoed in the ears of the Marine Captain, “we'll take the flanks.”

As the Karaigan Marines moved forward, they would find that the tunnels were gradually getting wider and wider. The signs that they had been used recently also began to recede, like the tide pulling away to leave only debris to mark that it had ever been there. There were ancient structures; supports and facilities that had no doubt once been filled with life but were now empty and desolate. There was an air of death around this place and the stillness only seemed to reinforce that point. It was a graveyard, a monument to a long lost time, a cenotaph to the people who would once have called these tunnels home.

Finally, the tunnels all opened out into a single, large cavern. Much like the cavern that had marked their entrance it seemed like it may once have simply been a half-way house, tunnelled out of the rock simply to give the workers a place to store material and equipment without going all the way back to the station. It was rough hewn, with jagged edges and outcrops dotting every surface while even the floor beneath their feet took the appearance more of a stormy ocean that had been frozen in time, the waves petrified to stone.

At the far end was what appeared to be a wall of sorts, an entirely sheer face that was notable because it covered the entire opposite face of the cavern. It was a fortress, with large, ornately carved gates at its bottom both to welcome allies and intimidate foes and fortified heavy weapons nests dotted along every floor and holding everything from repeating blasters to small cannons. There was no doubt these were manned, for as soon as the Karaigans made themselves known, it seemed even the shadows offered them no solace in this, the emplacements opened fire.

This was different to the two nests they have encountered in the other cavern. There had to be at least a dozen hacked from this artificial cliff-face and fortified with heavy-looking armour. The entire wall seemed to have lit up with weapons fire and it came not in a trickle but as a flood, a monsoon of weapons fire that began to shred the cover they were using, chipping it away with a thousand tiny impacts or else simply shattering it as explosive shells began to erupt around them, debris whistling in every direction. Their tormentors could not be seen, hidden in the shadows of their emplacements but there was no doubting they were there as the relentless fire did not let up for a single moment.

[Karaig]

UNKNOWN SYSTEM
CORSAIR SHADOW'S AXE
WELL FURNISHED ROOM

"There's no need to apologize," Hicks began. "these situations aren't normal to begin with. Given the circumstances you've preformed admirably."

"Well, not as award winning as me, but close enough." Jericho chimed in with a faux smile as he handed a drink to the Alversian. "Coffee, it'll fill the stomach for now."

"Unfortunately there seems to be little food about this room. Next time we should both eat regardless of the company Carloa emits." Hicks finished, but not before knocking Jericho in the shoulder for his jerkish qualities. Despite Jericho being rugged, the man meant well, at least when the situation called for it. Given any other situation he probably would have been shamelessly hitting on the girl, though Hicks still feared he might attempt to in the near future after she settled down. He already planned to slap his pilot upside the head in the event of that happening.

"Yeah.." Jericho replied as he turned to Hicks. "the ass hat outside probably wouldn't be able to handle me. What with my dashing good looks and family's success."

Hicks smiled faintly, surprised that Jericho would say such a thing. He wasn't piloting Hick's Pilgrim for the money, he had enough of that. It was more of a get away from the pressure of his family. Old blood they were. He shifted in his seat, thinking that maybe he should have been the pilot for Jericho, the man could have easily had his own ship. They also wouldn't have been taken by Carloa, which was always a plus.

Hicks turned back to the Alversian. "Miss Tate, are you saving you've had three dinners with the man? He just gloats but he hasn't slipped any info? If he's said anything that could be a tip, or even an edge against him, we could really use that. I doubt help will get here quickly, so we need to hold our own until than. Anything at all?"

EBON GULF NEBULA
PIRATE STATION
CPT. RAUSSAN, EKN MARINES

The silence of the hewn tunnels was shattered when the first emplacement opened fire. The rounds ricocheted off the ground as they cut an arc into the Karaigan marines. The first trooper was thrown back as the rounds violently impacted against his armour, sparks and ricochets as the rounds failed penetrate. He fell back, the force sending him sprawling before fellow soldiers dragged him back behind cover.

Captain Raussan barked orders as the troops took cover and return fire as rounds exploded all around. Panning his head quickly he already saw soldiers retreating back as cover dwindled closer to the enemy, rounds exploding as ordnance hammered their position. So far the readouts displayed zero casualties, though the numbers would rise as cover dwindled. One thing was for sure: staying bottled in the tunnel would allow the enemy to concentrate fire and tear his mean apart. He was not going to let that happen.

"HAZE! All soldiers prepare to advance! We need to spread out and take cover, out of the tunnel! Go, go, go!"

Soldiers began ripping large cylindrical canisters from their armour, tossing them out into the cavern. They opened mechanically, spraying out a smoke screen not unlike the ancient smoke grenades of old. The difference was that the smoke was in fact clouds of nanites designed to interfere with targeting systems and other devices using spectrum frequencies such as infrared and EM vision. The Karaigan soldiers moved out, hugging the walls and avoiding the central channel of the tunnel before flanking into the cavern.

"Medic, Status!" Raussan barked over the comlink as he felt the kick of his grenade launcher fire off a high impact round.

"Three casualties, two wounded one KIA." came an emotionless reply over the link. Across the cavern one of the medics was working on a soldier with a grievous wound in his lower torso, the spider-like optics and robotic appendages applying bio foam and other medicine needs while the medic's left armour held up a combat shield to weather the fire. A shell exploded against it, but it failed to penetrate as a blue flash erupted between the metal barrier and the ordnance.

"Shit," the captain cursed as he fired off a burst of gauss fire. "gonna have to force them. No mercy. Bravo-Two, light 'em up.!"

Squad Bravo-Two advanced, stoking to cover as best they could. twelve in all, four of them immediately fired off their grenade launchers at the closest emplacements before the squad's twin troops carrying the SAWs opened up. The 20mm automatic fire cut into the emplacements, the rounds raking the area with anti infantry fire. Bravo-two however did not lack for firepower as they were supported by two soldiers hefting their gatling weapons, the 20mm cannons six barrels whirling up. With the sound in which each shot sang as one, the gatling guns began to shred the opposition.

"Flamers melt them!" Raussan yelled over the comm as a soldier nearby was thrown off his feet by the impact of an explosive shell. "God damn it, medic we have a man down!"

Suddenly the room turned bright orange as the marines equipped with the plasma flamers unleashed their super heated tongues of fire at the enemy. Streams of ten thousand degree plasma shot over, bathing the wall in temperatures that would boil away armour and make powered armoured individuals disappear. Raussan could almost feel the heat.

Turning away from the fire fight, he tapped his comlink, reloading all the while. "Coleman, we've made contact. Substantial resistance, casualties low but mounting. I'd rather not force this and cause heavy casualties, so if you don't mind its in your hands." He finished loading before turning to another squad. "Launchers up, kick in the door."

[Alversia]

Shadow's Axe

Tate rolled her eyes at Jericho's words but accepted the coffee he offered with a murmured thanks and a small smile. She took a sip of the burning liquid, feeling that warmth flow down into her stomach. It was almost like nectar and it was only then that the Alversian realised just how hungry she really was. She drank the rest of the coffee far quicker than could be recommended with great gulps in between blowing on it to cool it down. She placed the empty cup beside her, grateful for the presence of something in her stomach only to regret it once the rumbling started again.

"Unfortunately there seems to be little food about this room. Next time we should both eat regardless of the company Carloa emits."

“There was a bit of food,” the Alversian woman admitted, “But I've eaten most of it. I know I should really eat something at these dinners of his but...damn it, every time I look at that cocky grin it just completely destroys my appetite, or any desire to eat in front of him.” She growled, shaking her head, “maybe I'll eat something next time I go to one of his dinners...or maybe I'll just get stubborn again,” a shrug of the shoulders, “I don't know.”

"Miss Tate, are you saving you've had three dinners with the man? He just gloats but he hasn't slipped any info? If he's said anything that could be a tip, or even an edge against him, we could really use that. I doubt help will get here quickly, so we need to hold our own until than. Anything at all?"

“Every second day now for a week,” the Merchant Captain sighed, “without fail. Dinner and desert in his cabin then cigars to finish. I've been trying to get him to slip now every time but he's bullet proof. He never complains, he never loses his cool. No matter what I say, he just takes it as a joke. I've tried everything I can think of but he gets under your skin very easily. Then it's you trying not to punch him.” Tate leant back in her chair, eyes closed, “I've been looking for weak points and found nothing. He's like a damned battleship. Unless you want to try next time.”

Pirate Base, Cavern

The daunting superstructure shuddered under the Karaigan fire, explosives tearing out chunks of the masonry and sending body parts in every direction. The emplacements hit by the Marines fell silent quickly but the others kept up their relentless fire, pouring as much destruction down on their attackers as possible. Those on the ground floor who were hit by the plasma throwers did not stand a chance, their entire worlds being engulfed in a brief flash of pain before everything faded into darkness. Of course, the plasma troops had to get relatively close to the wall to use their weapons effectively and to fire them through the slots through which the guns poked. This opened them up to a full barrage of fire as battle rifles as well as the heavy weapons began to fire through the gaps in the armour. Rifle slits drew open all along the wall and began to pour out their own brand of vengeance, not aimed at any one person but filling the exposed cavern with as much death as possible.

In spite of the heavy damage being done to the façade facing them, it seemed like the Pirate defenders were not giving up and there were still more than enough heavy weapons and cannons to give the outnumbered Marines difficulty.

"Coleman, we've made contact. Substantial resistance, casualties low but mounting. I'd rather not force this and cause heavy casualties, so if you don't mind its in your hands."

“Understood, we're in position.” Coleman replied over the radio. Her marines had been climbing for what felt like a good hour though it could only have been minutes. The rocks had been slippery and awkward to scale even with the power armour though the fact that they were trying to ignore the sounds of battle that echoed deafeningly in the tight space would not have helped. They had taken up positions along a high ridge that ringed the cavern, probably at some point an access point to the roof but now offering a prime position onto the battlefield. The Alversian Lieutenant quickly surveyed the scene and found it was not good. Raussan's men were being pinned or driven back mostly, forced into the killing zone by the very layout of the cavern. They had put down a smoke screen to block sensors and sight which was working but it seemed the pirates were just throwing down whatever fire they could anyway without a care as to where it landed. When there was so many people firing then it could definitely be effective.

Now though, her Marines were in a prime position above the fortress. They had no way to gain access yet as the top was flush with the wall but perhaps they could soon change that.
“Drones,” she hissed into her radio. Obediently, the big and rounded cuboid war machines hovered up to the edge of the wall, the single red eye glowing eerily in the semi-gloom, they floated there nonchalantly while the Marines formed up around them, lying prone and thrusting their weapons out from under their bodies, peering down the sights, barrels still.

“Fire at will,” The Lieutenant dropped her hand to reinforce the call. As one, the drones opened fire, thick blue beams of light flashing in the darkness, lancing through the open slots with the sort of precision and skill that only the most skilled of snipers could manage. Immediately, more guns fell silent, their users sliced down by weapons they never saw coming. From one of the bigger gun emplacements, an explosion tore out a considerable chunk of the wall, the percussive blast sweeping over the cavern like a tidal wave as the floor above seemed to collapse into it, men and weaponry finding the ground beneath them simply disintegrate as flashes filled the cavern like a fireworks show. The fire from the cavern, for the first time, slackened as the Alversian Marines poured semi-automatic fire into the now open gaps, the signature high pitched crackle of the BRR carbine bouncing around the stone walls to make it sound like an army had descended upon the Pirates.

“Captain, we've got them occupied,” Coleman reported, “if you want to force the gates, now's your time.”

[Karaig]

UNKNOWN SYSTEM
CORSAIR SHADOW'S AXE
WELL FURNISHED ROOM

"You ate all the food?!" Jericho exclaimed with fake sincerity before taking another swig from his drink. "At least we have this booze. I mean, yeah its weak like water, but it does but a fire in my stomach."

"Eloquent." replied Hicks as he took another drink.

"Well at least we know when there's going to be an actual dinner. I mean, I won't be invited but hey, the company sucks." Jericho leaned back in his chair, staring at his drink with some disdain.

While Jericho was in thought, Hicks turned back to Tate. "Even a battleship has a weakness. Anything in the room that gives away his past? Pictures, rings, I mean anything we can use could be helpful. Hell maybe we just need to approach him differently. He clearly won't be moved by criticism, maybe something else..." Hicks paused as he thought about other options. Trying to empathize probably wasn't going to work, and finding a common history won't probably not work either. The man really was a Battleship.

"Why not threaten him?" Jericho said, talking into his drink. "I mean, even he must fear what is going to happen to him if the Navy catches up. I mean, how hard can the bastard be to track? Hell, his employer may even give him up, though it all depends on how well the Navy preforms."

EBON GULF NEBULA
PIRATE STATION
CPT. RAUSSAN, EKN MARINES

Sparks flew off Raussan's shoulder guard as corsair rounds grazed the armoured marine. Raussan ducked done as another shower of shots passed over his head, cursing all the while. The situation was tough, to say the least: the pirates were dug in and Raussan was wishing he'd had the foresight to bring more explosive. Automatic grenade cannons and missiles would have punched through the fortifications much sooner. And with a lot less damage to his own forces.

"Medic. Status report," the Captain barked over the radio as he fired off burst over the boulders he was using as cover. "What's the damage."

"Up to seven. Three wounded, four KIA." came the meticulous response of the medic, almost mechanically devoid of emotion.

"Damn, either the Alversians need to hammer them now or we'll need to set up a medical station."

In line with the old saying about speaking of the devil, Raussan's comlink burst to life as Coleman responded. Though in the current situation the term angel would have been more appropriate for the Alversian response. In an instant the field of battle was pierced by a luminescent storm of blue lasers as the Alversian marine contingent entered the fray. Explosives and super heated rock began to fill the zone, the pirate barrages withering as they braced against the Alversian volleys.

"Bout time," Raussan said to himself with a grin of relief. "Nice of you to join the party. Thanks for the opening, we'll bust it wide open."

The Karaigan marines formed up as the pirate barrage withered, the once threatening suppressing fire now severely damaged by the Alversian surprise. They returned fire with renewed vigor, their rifles barking, rotaries growling, and flamers howling. Raussan made quick and wide slicing motions with his arm as his men followed their orders to advance. With the Alversian forces suppressing the enemy, the Karaigans were free to smash the door asunder.

Grenade launchers pumped as their shells were flung through the air, explosives tearing out chunks of rock, masonry, and metal. Smoke began to fill the battle zone as the Captain ordered more HAZE canisters deployed to add to the already considerable smoke coming off the debris from the battle. Raussan jabbed his arm, a fireteam breaking off from the main force. They ran quickly, their heavy armour unnaturally fast despite the size of the frame. The massive door set into the wall loomed over them as the six marines charged forward. Four dropped to a crouch, firing rounds at the nearby bunker slits and emplacements, covering the twin marines that rushed the door.

Within seconds the planted their payloads on the door with a clunk. "Charges set and primed."

"Fall back and brace." Raussan said as his left arm began to emit its hard light interface, the blue glow centered around a a command. Once his men cleared, he pressed the detonator. There was no explosion, no massive blast of debris or thunderous boom. There was a flash, and a chorus of screaming as the armour of the door melted and boiled away, the charge melting away all resistance. It would take more than just the door as the frame and surrounding walls began to bubble and break apart under the extreme thermal radiation.

"Wall breached. We're moving in to seize the opening." Raussan radio Coleman as his men began their aggressive advance.

[Alversia]

Shadow's Axe

"You ate all the food?! At least we have this booze. I mean, yeah its weak like water, but it does but a fire in my stomach."

This time, even Tate couldn't help but smirk at Jericho's response. It was more of a grimace really, the sort of expression a person made when they knew they should be either annoyed or offended by something but couldn't help but find it sort of funny. Given it was the first time she'd done anything other than scowl, it was a welcome change and made her face light up with youthful energy for a flicker of a moment.

“Well, when I say 'food' what I'm talking about are digestive biscuits and packets of crisps. Plain flavour of course. I do agree with you on the drink though, it's more like water. Except that water doesn't remind you of real drink like you got at home like this piss.” She sighed in a somewhat less serious manner than they were used to, shoulders relaxing for the first time.

"Even a battleship has a weakness. Anything in the room that gives away his past? Pictures, rings, I mean anything we can use could be helpful. Hell maybe we just need to approach him differently. He clearly won't be moved by criticism, maybe something else..."

“You're assuming that Carloa keeps any of that stuff anywhere that he would me see it,” she countered defensively, “everything he lets me see is a performance. It's an illusion to either rile or gloat over. Your Captain saw what he was like, absolutely nothing we said disturbed him in the slightest. In fact, anything we said just made him enjoy it all the more.” She shook her head with a scowl, “you're more than welcome to have a go. I've tried everything at this point.

"I mean, even he must fear what is going to happen to him if the Navy catches up. I mean, how hard can the bastard be to track? Hell, his employer may even give him up, though it all depends on how well the Navy preforms."

“You can threaten him if you want,” she shrugged, “but what would be the point? Right now he holds every trump card and he knows it. Threats of his death or imprisonment sound a bit hollow from his own prisoners. He's either heard them all before or he's got a skin like a Carvon. Any more ideas? Maybe we should try playing him at poker, win our freedom that way.”

Pirate Base, Cavern

The combined firepower of the Alversiand and Karaigans had clearly come as a surprise to the fortress as it very quickly fell silent the moment the doors disintegrated under the impact of the Engineer's explosives. Not only did it bring down the doors, but it also seemed to tear down what was left of the floor above it, masonry and rubble raining down to form a small pile in the centre. It was with a weird ringing sound echoing in the cavern that the Karaigan Marines made their forward push, supported from above as Alversians leapt the relatively small gap between their overhang and the now gaping holes in the upper levels of the fortress. Both sets of troops would find exactly the same thing; dead pirates hanging over their weapons or slumped in corners, wounded pirates moaning or howling for assistance (quickly provided by the Medics following up with the Alversians at least) and yet others who had their hands in the air, their weapons at their feet and absolutely no intention of continuing the fight.

As such, the smoking, very burnt outer ring of defences was swiftly overtaken, with the Alversian Marines quickly rejoined by their Drones and the two forces soon running into one another in the shattered remnants of the fortress. The prisoners in Alversian custody were being led away by the second wave, who had now arrived to secure the barricades properly and to replace any losses taken by the first wave.

“Captain Raussan,” Lieutenant Coleman quickly found her opposite number amongst the Karaigans, “we've secured this section of the defences. Our sensors indicate that there is a single building at the end of this tunnel,” she pointed to what the wall of guns and gates had been protecting, a single dark tunnel that seemed to lead into the very heart of the asteroid, “How do you want to approach it? The prisoners have informed us that it's very heavily defended for a frontal attack. The Pirate lord of this asteroid has his best people protecting him and they know we're coming.”

[Karaig]

UNKNOWN SYSTEM
CORSAIR SHADOW'S AXE
WELL FURNISHED ROOM

Jericho let out the laugh at the idea of playing poker against their captor. He doubted that this Carloa fellow was a honourable man to concede a defeat and hold up his end of the bargain. "Riiight, hell if we can get him to bet the ship and crew we'll be set. I say we try it, I'm quite the shark."

"Jericho you're a shark when it comes to anything we ever do." Hicks signed as he took another sip of his drink.

"What can I say, confidence breeds success." Jericho retorting, downing the rest of his drink before slamming the empty cup on the table upside down. "Maybe we can insult his pride. I mean he had drones and shiny toy soldiers but pffft... that's pretty easy to come by in today's day and age. Hell, maybe we can convince him to switch sides."

"He plays the part of a gentleman." Hicks replied, dismissing Jericho's idea. "No doubt he has some honour to his contract, at least for now. We'll see after the shooting starts. Many mercenary captains claim to be rock solid under pressure, but once the shooting starts, his men may even abandon him to die. Depending on their loyalty and if he cares more for money than his own men."

Hicks paused as he thought about his own words. Carloa seemed to be a steadfast and stalwart individual, one who would stick to his contract even if he was offered a larger sum of money: at least until the contract expired, as was his mercenary code. However, Hicks had to wonder what the man's men were made of. Would he expend them carelessly? No, Hicks saw none storm the Pilgrim, meaning that Carloa cared for his men. So it begged the question: would Hicks favour the lives of his crew over the contract? Even more enticing was the thought of everyone around him breaking under the pressure of a naval squadron showing up.

"Well sound's like we got jack so far." Jericho said leaning back in his chair like a lazy cat. "just wait until the next dinner and you two can try your luck at the man again. Who knows, maybe you can get him drunk enough to monologue about his ingenuity?"

EBON GULF NEBULA
PIRATE STATION
CPT. RAUSSAN, EKN MARINES

When the smoke from the debris and weapons fire finally faded, it was the marines that stood dominant. The grey and blue accented soldiers standing over the rubble of what was once weapons emplacements and fortifications, the mangled bodies of the dead and dying beneath them. The corsairs, for all their defences and preparations, we no match for the exceptional tenacity and training of the Karaigan and Alversian marines.

"Medic," began Captain Raussan as he tread over what was once an autocannons emplacement. He approached Corpsman Draev, who crouched over the collected fallen. "what's the final butcher's bill?"

The medic responded y standing up, the mechanical servos arms retracting to his back, the medical and surgical equipment folding into his back pack. "We only suffered another wounded after the Alversian salvos. The final loss is four wounded and four KIA."

"Too high for what we faced. Alright then, you know the drill." Raussan replied as his visor surveyed the four dead marines. Some had died horrendously, the most gruesome being the headless corpse of a corporal that had suffered an autocannon round to the face. The price had been too high, four lost in a firefight and four wounded, plus the soldier who was already back on the Waltz receiving augments.

"I will send the bodies with the relief force," Began the medic with little emotion. "What of the pirates? They are unlawful combatants."

"Unlawful combatants..." Raussan mused to himself as he watched the Alversian medics begin their sweep. "Leave the thugs to the Alversians, they seem to be collecting them. I won't waste valuable supplies no matter how abundant on pirates." the Captain spat out the last word. "Any beyond help should be given peace though, we're not savages."

"Understood." replied the medic. It was at that time when Lieutenant Coleman arrived on the seen, the form fitting armour of the Alversians looking anorexic beside the heavy armour of the Karaigans. Raussan turned to salute the Alversian for her intervention, a job truly well done.

"Lieutenant, excellent crossfire, I'm in your debt." the Captain began as he heard two distant Karaigan shots, no doubt ending the lives of wounded pirates. "Your drones are quite handy in these tunnels." Raussan paused, thinking on the Alversian's question, before coming to a swift conclusion and continuing. "We could be diplomatic, such is you way: we could imply that our ships can and will destroy the rock if they don't surrender. If they refuse I could have the Waltz fire a warning shot... into them. Still we cannot risk the loss of any substantial data, so I am prepared to take them head on if there is no other tunnels for flanking. I've already signaled my men to bring up the heavier ordnance."

[Alversia]

Shadow's Axe

"No doubt he has some honour to his contract, at least for now. We'll see after the shooting starts. Many mercenary captains claim to be rock solid under pressure, but once the shooting starts, his men may even abandon him to die. Depending on their loyalty and if he cares more for money than his own men."

“He doesn't seem that sort to me,” Tate shook her head, tucking her legs up again so she could hug her arms around them. She was chewing her bottom lip in thought, brow furrowed delicately as she pondered, “I've spent my whole life around captains; good and bad. I know when a crew are only following their Captain because they have to and when they follow him because they want to. Carloa's crew are definitely the latter, they respect him. They look up to him. You can see it in their eyes, whenever he gives an order there is no half-second pause, there is no grimace or aside look. They do it and they do it quickly. They're loyal and they're disciplined. As good as any navy crew I've ever come across.”

“Just wait until the next dinner and you two can try your luck at the man again. Who knows, maybe you can get him drunk enough to monologue about his ingenuity?”

“He never gets drunk,” the Alversian sighed, “always the same amount of alcohol; exactly one glassful. He will never take more than that, no matter the situation. Always from the same bottle of wine, always the same amount of it drunk. Just as he always eats the barest minimum of food he can without seeming rude. Next time you go in, see what he actually eats compared to what he makes you eat.” She was looking at Hicks specifically rather than the relaxed Jericho, “I doubt he will ever invite more than me or you to dinner. We are his trophies after all.” She made an ugly face.

“So...we're stuck here until he decides that we're worth his time again,” the woman rested her chin against her knees, “what's you guys's story? How'd you end up here? I mean, how did you end up hauling freight around the place? Big thing on Karaig?”

Pirate Base, Cavern

Coleman batted away the compliment with ease. She was a professional and she had been doing her job, nothing more and nothing less, “it was a pity we could not get into position sooner, stopped your men having to soak it up.” She looked down at the dead Marine the Medic had just finished tending to, one of four who were now lined up side by side. It was a grim toll for what was only a pirate raid. The pirates had suffered considerably worse however, for her people had counted their numbers to be high into the double figures, if not triple. It was hard to tell with the body parts scattered all over the place.

She heard the sound of rifle shots ringing through the now virtually silent fortress but she did not so much as twitch. Her people had already taken the wounded and surviving prisoners and rounded them up. The Pirate wounded had been dispatched back to the Juniper with their own wounded and the Prisoners were being escorted by a combination of Marines and Drones back to the shuttles. What their fate was beyond that was none of her concern, she would do her job and let other people do theirs.

“We could be diplomatic, such is you way: we could imply that our ships can and will destroy the rock if they don't surrender. If they refuse I could have the Waltz fire a warning shot... into them.”

“Diplomacy would seem to be the best route forward. We do not have the numbers nor space to launch such an offensive without sustaining unacceptable casualties,” she looked around at her force with a frown, or what she had of it. There were just fifteen Marines who would be assigned to any forward attack through coupled with the half-dozen drones they also had, it evened out the numbers considerably, “and risking your men for the sake of a quick victory does not sit well with me, no matter how ready or capable they are. My Captain has however informed me that the Juniper can not and will not fire on a space station containing woman and children, even Pirates,” she looked the Karaigan square in the eye, level in height, “that is non-negotiable.”

“However, I do agree that we should open a dialogue. If the Pirate Lord has any sense, he will prefer to discuss terms than risk a siege. A siege we are in an infinitely better place to sustain than he is to defend against. If he will not discuss terms,” she shrugged, “then we can plan for our assault.”

[Karaig]

UNKNOWN SYSTEM
CORSAIR SHADOW'S AXE
WELL FURNISHED ROOM

"How'd we end up here?" Jericho shrugged leaning back lazily into his chair. 'Adventure, fame, fortune, women. You know, the standard job description for hauling ore."

Hicks rolled his eyes at his pilot, knowing full well why the man had taken the job when he could have owned a freighter. Or five. He turned to Tate, preparing to give an actual response to the woman. But, much to Hick's chagrin, he too could only shrug at the thought of his employment. He was a captain, but that in itself was a title that, outside the military, anyone could have for any reason. It was a job, one he enjoyed because it was simply. Point A to B, deliver the goods, get paid, minimum oversight.

"Truth be told it's just money. I used to run around my country, doing jobs as a mercenary. There's a big market protection against pirates and providing corporate stations with security, or even gang wars. Honestly I took this job because its really the same job, but with less shooting." Hicks yawned as he sipped his drink. "Or so I thought. It pays less, that's for sure, but it's still good pay. Up till now it's been quite peaceful and easy. Really easy work, especially when you're single. Settle down though, and this job gets a little demanding. But I enjoy it, it's nice drifting between stars."

EBON GULF NEBULA
PIRATE STATION
CPT. RAUSSAN, EKN MARINES

"Do we have solid intel on civilians in the core of this station? I would have thought your people would have taken care of them already." Captain Raussan replied as he jerked his thumb over his shoulder, pointing at the lines of prisoners being led away from the site. "Either way I am in agreement with you. Diplomacy it is, will you be taking point? As far as my procedure goes, pirates are unlawful combatants, so my position in having to enforce that principle makes me a poor negotiator. However I must make my point. There will be no pardons, even if they deliver the information unto us. You can lie, leave out, or warp the truth, but a pirate is a pirate. I have a duty to do."

Raussan paused as he looked around, watching the settling off the dust as it were. With a few taps from his gauntlet he typed a command into his hard light interface emitting from his left armour. That done, his attention turned back to the scene. He could see that the bodies of his fallen men were being returned to the Waltz for the long journey home. There was a certain macabre air to being placed in a refrigerated box and sitting in a ship's hold. Not the glorious end one would expect for the valiant defenders of humanity.

Still the captain did not want to add to that list of bodies, and though his men had only fallen to heavy emplacements, it was sobering to see trained soldiers die to rabble. Such was war. He was placing trust in his Alversian counterpart to deliver a peaceful resolution, lest Raussan be forced to defend against any pirate attacks that strike during the talks. He didn't trust the outlaws, with good reason, but he would be prepared.

"If negotiations fail we can take them in a direct assault." Raussan turned back to his Alversian counterpart, a certain emotionless confidence in his voice. "It would not be sacrificing my men. I know the enemy know, I shall adjust accordingly. I still have thirty soldiers, and I can easily deploy more if need be, however I don't think I'll need to. If the negotiations last long enough I can however resupply and equip for a heavier engagement."

In fact it had already been done: he had already ordered soldiers to bring up heavier hardware. Anti-tank lasers, more rotaries, automatic grenade launchers, even thermal radiation weapons to literally melt walls to breach through. Or the opposition to horrifying effects. He was still showing restraint: all of those weapons could target hostiles, and at the thought of civilians in the core he had decided to keep a tight leash on flame units. A tactical neutron bomb could have cleared them out in seconds, but that would kill any civilians as well, and of course a weapons such as that had a lot of paperwork and protocol to get the authorization to use. Then again, he didn't have any, but Raussan almost wished he did to avenge his fallen men.

"Lead the way," Raussan replied as he shouldered his rife. "Lieutenant."

[Alversia]

Shadow's Axe

"How'd we end up here? Adventure, fame, fortune, women. You know, the standard job description for hauling ore."

“Uh huh, if that's the case then I need to get to your country because they sure as hell don't offer those sorts of boons on my hauling jobs.” Tate shook her head with a knowing smirk.

“But I enjoy it, it's nice drifting between stars."

“Quiet and peaceful,” she turned her attention to Hicks who had furnished her with a much more substantial answer. She closed her eyes and began to speak in a steady voice, recanting something from deep within her memory, “we walk amongst the stars, sailors of the endless depths and explorers of the great unseen. We do not accept the dangers; we embrace them. Mystery can only be solved by curiosity and courage, by we who set course for the impossible. Go forth, heroes of oak, and prove your dreams are true.”

She looked at Hicks for a moment, taking a breath having finished before smiling softly, “It's from an old Alversian story and a creed to Spacers across the Republic. It's always been close to my heart. My Dad used to read it to me all the time.” She shook her head, “what you said just reminded me of it. Are you guys pretty typical of Karaigan haulers then? I've never met any of your people before.”

Pirate Base, Cavern

"Do we have solid intel on civilians in the core of this station? I would have thought your people would have taken care of them already."

“We have been unable to differentiate civilians and non-combatants from sensor readings,” Coleman admitted, “but the potential for such means that we will not risk undue casualties.”

“I have a duty to do."

“As do I,” the Alversian Marine nodded, still looking her opposite number right in the eye, “I will take point in negotiations and make a request that any pirates who surrender will be taken into Alversian custody. That way, you do not need to perform any nasty work and I do not have to make a formal protest at the treatment of surrendered and disarmed combatants; legal or not.” the woman was exceptionally confident in herself but then perhaps betrayed a little more than she intended with her next sentence, “however, any reinforcements in hardware or troops would be much appreciated. It is always good to have a bargaining chip. Shall we?”

The pair of them walked around the corner, weapons in their hands but quite clearly not coming out to perform any sort of offensive action. That was probably why the fortress arrayed against them did not fire immediately.

It was much more impressive than they had been led to believe by their prisoners. Rather than just being a house, it appeared to be a multi-tiered castle, lined with so many casements and rifle slits that she very quickly gave up counting them. There was absolutely no cover on the approach and it was readily apparent that there was no obvious entrance at the front either. High above and to either side, yet more encasements looked down on the only approach, ready to catch anyone advancing down the narrow channel in the most murderous of crossfires. To Coleman's trained eye, it looked like any successful push was going to incur very heavy casualties.

Switching on a microphone she had brought, the Alversian shouted, her voice magnified in the narrow space,
“This is Lieutenant Catherina Coleman, Alversian People's Marines from the APS Juniper. I have come to negotiate terms of surrender with the Commander of this fortress. Will you hear me under a flag of truce?”

She was uncomfortably aware that if they did not hear her, there was not a lot she or Raussan could do before they were hacked down.

Then, from off to the side, a group of Pirates appeared. They were dressed in good quality armour, she would have guessed. Not powered but protective nonetheless. They were carrying assault rifles, clean and well maintained and they looked like hardened individuals. In the middle of them was another man dressed in a suit and carrying only a side arm. He approached the pair and stood facing them, at about eye level with Raussan.

“I am Den Veneer. I have been authorised to speak on behalf of Pirate Lord Dredax on these matters. What are your terms?”

“You lay down your weapons and surrender your fortress without a fight. In return, you are promised safe passage to the Juniper and a return to Alversia to stand trial for your crimes.”

“This does not sound like a promising deal, Lieutenant Coleman,” the human sneered.

“Allow me to put it bluntly then. You have three choices. You can deny my offer and hold your ground. At this point, Captain Raussan and his men move on your fortress, closely followed by my own. As the good Captain will be taking the lead however, I expect you will find quarter to be in very short supply amongst his troops. Those important may survive. Everyone else?” She looked to the guards who were flanking the man and saw them looking away. She drew a line across her throat with her hand to illustrate the point, “Option two is the one I have just given you.”

“And option three?” the man looked on interested.

“Option three is that the Captain and I decide this fortress is not worth risking our men over and we withdraw. At that point, the Juniper and the Forlorn Waltz open fire and reduce your entire rock to gravel. Your choice.”

The man paled at that and looked to Coleman as if hoping to see if she bluffing through her helmet. There were no such signs. With a sigh, she saw his shoulders slump,
“I will...need to discuss this with my lord. May we have ten minutes?”

“You may,” she nodded graciously, “we will return to our troops. When you have reached an agreement, you will return to this spot. If I do not see you here in ten minutes, then I shall assume you have chosen either option one or option three. Which I have decided you have chosen will depend on what mood I am in. Do I make myself clear?”

“Abundantly,” the man gave another hurried nod and with a quick signal to his men, scurried to the door hidden in the side of the cavern. Coleman and Raussan walked back to their own troops who had finished fortifying the wall against attack.

“That went better than expected,” she sighed, the noise sounding strange through her helmet's synthesiser, “what do you think? Reckon they'll bite?”