LANCER: BATTLEGROUP - To Kill the Worthy King

[Tun Kai Poh]

This Will Be Rough, Part 2

Round 2 begins. The Richard Wagner's weapons continue to charge while the Björn Járnsiđa's 'hot' targeting lasers damage the Cornicen. Ongoing greywash damage erodes the hull of the Nikolai Bukharin. And the K-Drones reach the Bukharin.

Gunnery Officer Bryant watches her screen intently, carefully adjusting the calculations to account for the movements of her quarry as the Wagner begins to decelerate into firing position. She casts a glance at her captain, standing stoically before the battle display.

Caspian says nothing, continuing to watch the deadly dance of the Bukharin and her escorts silently.

There is a silent flash on Bryant's terminal, indicating the Wagner's guns are now at 65% nominal charge. She turns back to her station and continues to her power up procedures as the confidence lasers on the Björn once again flash, carving a wavering tattoo of vaporized armor plate on the hull of the Cornicen.

The range clock on the incoming warheads ticks down. As the munitions pass into the battlegroup's perimeter, the surviving Peregrines swoop in, their weapons blazing. One by one, the little markers wink out, but more leak through. At point blank range the Bukharin's CIWS systems swing into action sending a storm of flechettes, each deploying hardened nanofibre filaments as they are flung towards the incoming weapons trying to create a wall of micron-sized scythes against the incoming.

But the CIWS on the Bukharin's starboard hull fire off intermittently as the aggressive nanite swarm begins melting into their vital innards. The range ticks down. Fifty feet. Forty. Warrant Officer Gbeho calmly hits the alert button and throughout the ship the the alert siren blares, commanding everyone to brace. Captain Saint Germaine leans forward and grasps the edge of the Holodisplay tightly.

"Brace for impact."

Ike Gbeho barely finishes that sentence before the first of the projectiles slam into the Bukharin's exposed flank, blasting into her massive belt and sending fragments spalling off into the void. More detonations. Many many more. The Bukharin quakes and heaves as multiple explosions ripple across its starboard quarter.

"Hull breach, Printers in Sector 52A and 52C are offline. Damage control is sealing it off." Ike's fingers dance across his console as he leans over to look at the screen of his fellow defensive systems officer. "We have more drones filling the breached area. Venting."

The ship shudders as atmosphere blasts out through the damaged compartments, snuffing out fires and blowing dozens of Saboteur Drones out with it. As the venting dies down, the Bukharin's own nanomachines kick in and a dull grey film begins to form across the breach, sealing it off.

Ike looks up at his captain. "No casualties, but we can't take another hit like that in the same spot."

Tabitha nods. "Affirmative. Helm, roll us 180 and give them our undamaged side to shoot at."

State of the fleets after the Impact Step of Round 2:

2nd Crisis Response Group (Union Navy)

Battlegroup Eland (Range 2)
Interdiction 1d6+2
UNS-BB Nikolai Bukharin (16 HP), 1 volley counter on 3x3 Block Short-Spool Cannons, 2 greywash counters, boarded by Infestation, Locked On
UNS-CV Shamokin Rising (16 HP)

• 2x Fighter Wing (1 HP, 5 HP)
• Destroyer Unicorn (8 HP)
• Destroyer Undine (8 HP)

Battlegroup Splinter (Range 4)
Interdiction: 1d6+2
UNS-BB Richard Wagner (26 HP), 1 charge counter remaining on each Spinal Petajoule Kinetic
UNS-LS Björn Járnsiđa (14 HP)

Cogent Mind Fleet (Karrakin Trade Baronies)

Battlegroup Denver, Gyre Center
Cornicen (25 HP)

• Endless Cosmonaut (6 HP)

Battlegroup Elvis, Gyre Center
Hivequeen (30 HP), 1 reloading counter on Sapper Drones

• Diluvia (15 HP)
• 2x Starfield Furies (10 HP, 10 HP), inbound Razorback Missiles with 2 flight counters
  • 4x Fighter Wing (3 HP, 3 HP, 5 HP, 5 HP)
  • 2x Bomber Wing (6 HP, 6 HP)

Aegis speaks to Tabitha in a low voice. "Captain, I recommend opening the distance against the enemy fleet. We are within range of the nuclear bombers - and the Hivequeen's K-Drones are capable of rapid repeating salvos at this range. It is not a good position to be in."

Kilauea bombers on Hercynia illustrated by Peyton Gee

"I intend that, Aegis. But it won't be us who will be moving." She straightens back up, "Captain Meade, Captain Evans! I want that Hivequeen pushed back. Captain Ki, support!" Tabitha Saint-Germaine turns to her bridge crew and points furiously at the Cornicen. "All stations - Fire on that ship!"

Battlegroup Eland:
1) Maneuver: Unleash Hell!
Fire 3x3 Short Spool Cannons (Roll: 19) (Hit, Damage: 12)
Fire Heavy Kinetic Batteries (Roll: 4) (Miss, Reliable Damage: 2)
Fire Gemini Laser Array (Roll: 15) (Hit, Damage: 4)
Three Auxiliaries fire:
DD Undine (Damage 2)
DD Unicorn (Damage 2)
Flyswatter Missiles 2 damage to each of the damaged fighter wings

On command, the Nikolai Bukharin lights up like an apocalyptic Christmas Tree with attached disco ball as a mazurka of lasers and solid-state armor piercing shells slam into the Cornicen shattering armor and crushing hull beams. Then her mighty antimatter cannons speak, hurtling their titanic charges at the crippled Karrakin ship. The first technicolor pulse flies wide, followed by a second. But the third brackets the dying Cornicen and the Bukharin's two remaining turrets fire in concert, their massive energy blasts tearing their target apart in spectacular bursts of radiation.

The screens on the Union holodisplays register the death of the Cornicen as a series of silent energy pulses that gradually fade away to black.

2a) Tactic: Destroyer Command - Snapflight Torpedo, targeting the Starfield Fury with intact wings. Damage 6
2b) Wolfpack Tactics: Destroyer Command - Encirclement. Battlegroup Eland withdraws to range 3

On board the Shamokin Rising, Captain Meade and his crew are frantically coordinating the assault of the Destroyers on the Hivequeen. Urgent communications flash between the three ships as final calculations are made and the Unicorn and Undine increase speed to flank, rounding on the Hivequeen.

The timing is impeccable as both the Undine and Unicorn circle the enemy Battlegroup. Undine dashes in and once more, her Snapflight torpedoes trace their deadly trajectory towards one of the Starfields. The Unicorn follows in turn, firing her weapons, circling, driving the Hivequeen and her escorts away from Battlegroup Eland and her battered wings. They are soon beyond fighter range.

For the crew of the Nikolai Bukharin, there is no celebration. Warrant Officer Ike Ghebo and his team are still playing a game of whack-a-mole with the Sabotage Drones from the Hivequeen. It is a game they are still losing as sections of the ship go offline and internal defenses get overwhelmed by the hostile infestation. Little by little, the crew is forced back, sealing bulkheads as they go. The fight is still very much on.

Next: Spinal Petajoule Kinetics

 

[Tun Kai Poh]

Petajoules

The Endless Cosmonaut, having survived the destruction of its Flagship, joins the Hivequeen's battlegroup.

Battlegroup Elvis:
1) Hivequeen uses Tactic: Infestation to Lock On to Shamokin Rising, launch boarding pods at Shamokin Rising.
2) Hivequeen uses Maneuver: K-Drone Kill Pack to launch an Area-Target Payload at Battlegroup Eland. Flight time is 2 (range 3, minus 1). Starfield Furies use Angels of Death trait: 1/round when this Escort’s Flagship uses a Maneuver, repair 3 HP to one of this Escort’s Wings. You can only use this ability as long as neither ship in this Escort group is destroyed. One Fighter Wing is repaired to full HP.
3) Diluvia uses Tactic: Lashing Storm to deal 1d6 damage to a hostile Escort within range 4-0 - target Destroyer Undine, rolled 2 damage.
4) Starfield Furies use Tactic: Wing Commander - Interceptor Screen.
This Escort’s battlegroup gains +1 Interdiction until the end of its next turn for each Fighter Wing remaining in this Escort group. That's +4 total.

The Undine quivers under several minor impacts as the diluvian swarm reaches out like a starbound amoeba, dozens of its constituent drones sacrificed in an attempt to scour the destroyer's armour.

Despite taking torpedo hits from the Undine, the starfield carrier continues its methodical business of recovering fighters, rearming and refueling them, and launching fresh wings. Soon, the Passacaglia squadrons are flocking to reinforce the Hivequeen's interceptor screen.

The Shamokin Rising begins to come under fire from the Hivequeen's batteries. Breaching pods strike the carrier-frame amidships, disgorging their drone cargoes.

And a new configuration of K-Drone missiles flashes towards Battlegroup Eland, carrying powerful cluster nukes aimed at bombarding not just the battleship, but its escorts as well.

5) Endless Cosmonaut uses IMPERATIVE: ATTACK, which increases damage to 2 and deals its damage to the Nikolai Bukharin.

"We're picking up that transmission again," reports Aegis. "The one from the Cornicen's solo mech fighter. It's clearly still in the fight."

<TABITHA 7777777^%&?::I SEE YOU>

The exotic particle beam whips across the battleship's bow, frying sensitive electronics and impairing internal life support systems. It's stronger now, better attuned to the ship's weaknesses...

Battlegroup Splinter:
1) Maneuver: Retrograde Burn! (+2 Defense, +1d6 Interdiction)
2) Tactic: Lock Firing Solution (Hivequeen)

"Hostile Battlegroup is being pushed back, Captain. They're taking the opportunity to recover and bolster their defenses." Chief van Ghent looks over at Captain Var. "Battlegroup Eland has taken serious damage but they're holding for now."

Caspian Var nods imperceptibly. "Very well then. Helm, burn retrograde. Sensors lock up that Hivequeen." He looks over at the holographic projection of Captain Lutjens of the Björn Járnsíða. "Captain Saint-Germaine has crippled them. We will end them."

"Weapons are at 75%. Beginning targeting procedures." calls Gunnery Officer Bryant.

Boarding Step:
Breaching pod attempts Infestation against Nikolai Bukharin, roll of 16, success. Nikolai Bukharin takes 3 damage and is Locked On at the start of next Action Turn.
Breaching pod attempts Infestation against Shamokin Rising, roll of 6, failed.

All across Battlegroup Eland, crews struggle and strive in red-lit combat compartments, all under varying levels of acceleration. In cramped destroyer decks. Aboard Peregrine fighters landing hot for combat refueling and rearming. And on the bridges of the battleship and carrier.

Many of the crew members have private, unofficial timers set up on their consoles. Counting how long it takes for spinal petajoule kinetics to charge.

If an entire fleet could hold its breath as one, it would. Waiting for the shots that could end this battle...

Round 3, Logistics Step.

There're tremors coursing through the Richard Wagner now as the last timer ticks down the last few minutes to full power. Gunnery Officer Bryant and her team are making last minute adjustments. The tension shows on their faces as the numbers tick down. Thirty minutes. Twenty.

Ten.

Aboard the Björn Járnsíða, the systems on her twin Harbinger turrets swing to bear, their focal heads making final calculations as they zero in on their quarry.

Eight.

Capacitors hum with power as their beam's intensity amps up geometrically pumping petajoules of directed radiation in a pair of coruscating beams that rake across the tattered hull of the crippled Starfield Fury.

Five.

Composites wilt and steel sags as the focused energy beams paint the ship, seeping through rents punched into its armor by the Undine's torpedoes, fracturing hull frames and crumpling sensitive electronics.

Three.

Then it happens - the lasers searing touch grazes the robotic mothership's fuel stores. For a moment, reinforced internals struggle to keep the heat from its deadly cargo. Then they too begin to wilt. Volatile gasses spew forth, expanding rapidly and uncontrollably, blowing out bulkheads and venting out through weakend skin.

Two.

Jets of flame burst from multiple holes in the baby carrier's hull, consuming it rapidly. What little remains of the ship is shattered moments later as its ready-use stores cook off.

One.

Captain Caspian Var watches the destruction of the Starfield Fury with grim satisfaction, her attached combat wings spiralling aimlessly as central control is lost. He folds his hands behind his back and looks down at Gunnery Officer Bryant.

"You may fire when ready."

Art by Utopie Selective

Impact Step:
Battlegroup Splinter:
SPK 1 - Fire at the Hivequeen (Roll: 3 + (6/5/4 take highest) = 9). 15 damage to Hivequeen. 5 Damage to Starfield Fury
SPK 2 - Fire at the Hivequeen (Roll: 8 + (5/3/2 take highest) = 13). 15 damage to Hivequeen. 5 Damage to Starfield Fury

Total Damage: 30HP to Hivequeen, 10 damage to Starfield Fury.

Time seems to stand still for a split second as the Richard Wagner's twin SPKs discharge with enough power to light up all the cities on Cradle for a day within a split second. The colossal shockwave causes the quarter of a million ton ship to physically recoil in its free fall trajectory. The vast energy surge instantly ionizes the solar wind around the ship and its hyperdense projectiles creating a shimmering multicolored halo around them as they streak just below light speed towards their target.

The titanic slugs careen through the enemy formation, passing bare kilometers either side of the surviving Starfield Fury. Even at that range the shockwave from their passage slams into the smaller ship with all the force of a battleship at full pelt. The carrier visibly crumples in on itself as its hull is stressed beyond capacity, shattering hull plates and spewing its contents into the void. Then they hit the Hivequeen.

The gigantic capital ship shatters like an egg as the slugs strike home, her hull first buckling on impact, then exploding in a storm of exotic alloy fragments and heavy composite shards barely recognizable as having come from a ship. The expanding cloud of hypersonic debris then acts like a giant fragmentation bomb tearing through the Diluvia swarm and the Starfields' surviving strike craft, ripping them to shreds.

Caspian Var turns to Gunnery Officer Bryant and nods.

"A successful shot." he says with a thin smile.

Nothing, it would seem, could emerge intact from the detonation of the Hivequeen. Nothing, except the Endless Cosmonaut. The skeletal frame of the mech fighter is backlit against the incandescent cloud that once was an automated Karrakin warship.

<TABITHA, IT WILL BE AN HONOUR. UNTIL OUR NEXT WALTZ.>

The mech explodes.

Across the Union fleet, sensors reach out to confirm the kills. No enemy vessels remain, except for a few dozen orphaned Passacaglias left behind after their carrier was destroyed by the Björn Járnsiđa. Enemy warheads in flight, bereft of guidance, are detonated safely.

The fleetmind begins to disentangle. The fleet legion unfuses, individual NHPs returning to their shipside duties.

The familiar voice of Vera can be heard on the Nikolai Bukharin's bridge. "Captain, I'm afraid I cannot track the mech's tachyon signature. It's escaped."

"What do you mean, escaped?" asks Petrov.

"The Captain has a time-travelling stalker now," explains Vera. "Not the most ideal of situations."

Tabitha Saint-Germaine acknowledges the Cosmonaut with a slightly raised eyebrow at Vera as she turns to speak to her fellow Captains. "The Bukharin has taken a lot of damage. We'll need to put in for repairs before we return to station. Captain Meade... conduct S&R to see if any of our pilots made it out of their ships. Everyone else, let's prep for jump." She looks around at the crew and her Captains.

"Well done everyone."

Spinning, stars streaking madly around him. Lieutenant Vau taps his helmet again, but it's no good - comms are still dead. Warning light blinking at the edge of his view, telling him that the O2 is running out.

He's pretty sure at least half his flight made it through that last attack pass. Those damned Karrakin fighters hit hard, but the Union wing gave as good as they got. He wishes he at least knew if the others made it.

A light among the spinning stars, getting brighter. Every rotation, the source shines closer. He waits long minutes before a grapple claw gently catches him and stops his rotation. The S&R shuttle pulls him into its airlock, and the air hisses all around him.

Vau yanks off his helmet, gasping, then groaning. He hears voices ask him if he was hurt.

"I'm okay," he says weakly. Then he grins. "We won?"

Vau is one of 13 pilots recovered after the battle. A small consolation for an engagement that had hit the Peregrines particularly hard.

Half a day later, the Union fleet is underway at nearlight speed.

The nearest port of call would be Lighthouse Station, run by Interplanetary Shipping-Northstar, the premier shipbuilding corprostate. Lighthouse is ostensibly neutral during the Dawnline Shore conflict, but IPS-N sells ships, mechs and arms to a number of local factions, and has leased some private security vessels to clients within the Karrakin Baronies. So it's complicated. But at least the Union ships can dock and resupply here.

The routines on board the members of Battlegroup Splinter remain largely unchanged. The entire Battlegroup is unscathed and the mood is mostly of quiet satisfaction of having done their jobs. Beyond that, the only difference is an increased tempo of battle drills and wargames - something the crew is well aware that their ever watchful Captain is fond of. Even at the best of times, Caspian Var can be something of a martinet.

For Battlegroup Eland, things are different. Personal messages from Captain Saint-Germaine and the other senior officers to the survivors of the Shamokin's fighter wings, damage inspections, constant reviews of combat footage and the endless cascade of information and intelligence requests as the Battlegroup's officers analyze their findings in minute detail as best they can - Captain Ki of the Undine is nursing a pretty spectacular shiner on her forehead from the Diluvian attack on her ship.

Next: At Lighthouse Station

 

[Tun Kai Poh]

Lighthouse

Lighthouse Station is a spindle-shaped hive of economic activity, nearly thirty kilometers long. Even in wartime, cargo vessels can be seen on approach, hanging in holding patterns at a distance, or docking and undocking all along the axis of the station. The surface of the station is sometimes broken up by vast hangar spaces, void docks that provide the extensive repair, maintenance and overhauling services that IPS-N is known for.

As the Union battlegroups enter their final approach to Lighthouse Station, both flagships are invited for a conference call with the local Union liaison, Kelvin Baird. The stocky young man appears distracted by goings-on behind him in the station concourse. "Ah...Captain Var, Captain Saint-Germaine? Good to see you back safe and sound. We've got a lot of fuss around the station ever since the war picked up pace. We have a DOJ/HR investigative team due to arrive within 12 hours, and they have requested to meet with you for debriefing on the Shirline incident. There's also a large House of Stone merchant contingent parked here waiting for private security ships to arrive to escort them to DS11 Mesa, or Gloria, as they call it. Noisy lot, they're coming several times a day, making demands of Union's office here. And to top it off, my sources tell me that some tramp freighters from the Long Rim encountered this Meritorious Rex ship a few months before the war - I haven't had the manpower or the time to track them down, but they might yield intelligence on this ship..."

"Thank you Lieutenant Baird. I will assign some of my officers to track down these freighters while we wait for the investigative team - and get our ships patched up." Captan Saint-Germaine makes a couple of notes. "And while we're at it, what exactly are these merchants demanding of you?"

"We are responsible for maintaining the no-fly corridor, but I was not given the impression that we were supposed to be at the beck and call of these travelling salesmen," Captain Var notes sardonically. "Has something changed with the security situation that they find it necessary to trouble you, Lieutenant?"

"Well, they're demanding either an escort or reparations from Union. Originally, they had hired several Trunk Security frigates to protect their convoy, but the war started and Union closed the local blink gate before the hired security force could transit through. And after the Shirline incident, the merchant captains are understandably unwilling to travel without protection.

"Officially, we aren't obliged to do anything. If the House of Stone convoy remains here, they'll keep on racking up docking fees with IPS-N, and that will be a problem for the House and the corp to sort out..."

The Karrakin House of Stone. Art by Tom Parkinson-Morgan.

"Alright Lieutenant, thank you," She turns to Captain Evans of the Unicorn - Jacinda, could you take a look into this for me? The Unicorn is still undamaged so..." Caspian Var cuts in, "Splinter is fully operational, Tabitha. I'll take CSO Richards and a detachment of his security team with me and we'll track down this information for you." Tabitha Saint-Germaine nods.

"Alright then. Good luck."

Next: At the Sign of the Leaky Gunship

 

[Tun Kai Poh]

Gunship

An hour later, Caspian and his detachment stand below the neon sign of the Leaky Gunship, a semi-reputable drinking-hole for long-haul freight crews, mercenaries and other travellers from the Long Rim. Captain Cal Cortez of the Spinnerbait, one of two ships that reported hostile encounters with the Rex before the war, is said to spend much of his time here.

The bar is full of space crew in transit. Many eyes look towards the Union Navy uniforms with annoyance or anger.

"Some people blame us for closing the blink gate and jamming up traffic to the Shore," says Richards to Caspian. "Even though we didn't start the fire."

"People will look to blame any immediate authority for their woes, regardless of the truth to it." Caspian sniffs haughtily. He motions one of the bar staff over.

"We are looking for one Captain Cal Cortez of the Spinnerbait. I am told that he frequents this place and I would like to have a word with him."

The server points towards one of the larger enclosed environment cubicles at the rear of the bar. "He's been on Bliss Mountain all morning, drinking highballs and watching birds, I guess? You can send him a text chat on the door screen. Also, are you by any chance the big Cosmopolitan client who's supposed to pay his station tab? He's in debt to almost everybody..."

One of CSO Richards' men punches a laconic text message into the door screen requesting a brief interview with Captain Cortez as Caspian arcs an eyebrow at the server "And exactly who is this client you speak of? How long have they been here and how have they been able to finagle so much support from the locals as to be in debt to all of them?"

"I don't know about the client," replies the server, "but Captain Cortez is one of those younger noble sons from the Baronies, from the House of Symmetry I think. He's been running his long-haul courier service for almost a decade in the Long Rim, racking up debts, then getting big paydays every year or two. And there's a rumour his mommy back in the Baronies will bail him out if he gets too deep in debt, like she did back in '12..."

The environmental pod hisses open, and fresh pine-scented mountain air wafts out. Backlit by a holographic backdrop of the idyllic alpine resort, the gangly figure of Cal Cortez staggers into the doorway, gin-and-tonic in hand. "Aha, the heroic Union Navy has come to our rescue! Surely these stout-hearted lads will put an end to the terror of Captain Wilder and his superdreadnought! I tell you, the scoundrel accosted my crew, boarded my ship illegally and threatened my life, back on Garland Station in the Rim. And this was six months before the war began..." He gesticulates toward some unseen villain. "Accusing me of being a spy for Baronic Unified Command! As if I had the qualifications to engage in any kind of skullduggery...alas, my heart is far too honourable..."

Meanwhile, a situation at the cargo loading dock of the Nikolai Bukharin is occupying Tabitha's attention. Ike Gbeho is in the middle of arguing with an IPS-N security inspector when the captain arrives.

Gbeho turns to report to Tabitha. "Sir, I'm sorry, but the inspector here says we can't load these supplies and parts, because it violates station neutrality."

"That's right," says the short but fiesty corporate cop, glaring at Tabitha over old-style wire-frame spectacles. "Pardon me, Captain. Inspector Frieda Loving. I'm charged with making sure all parties involved in the war - including Union - do not acquire new armaments outside of allowed channels during this conflict. At least, not while they're at this neutral station."

This is odd. As far as Tabitha knows, the battlegroup is only taking on fuel, printer feed stock and specialized machine parts, none of which count as arms.

"My apologies, Inspector Loving, but would you care to elaborate? As far as I am aware there are no arms being loaded on board our ships. Perhaps you could provide us with the relevant manifests and documentation regarding the stated violations?" Tabitha extends a questioning hand towards the Inspector and stares unflinchingly into the shorter woman's eyes.

"Ike, can you and Vera run a check on our own manifests and make sure nothing is being loaded on outside standard neutrality protocol?"

"These parts were signed off by Vera," says Ike. "We made the order the last time we were in port." He frowns at his hand terminal, scrolling through the list.

"I'll save you the trouble," says Inspector Loving. She leads Tabitha to a surprisingly slim case tucked between larger containers. "This is a custom-ordered IPS-N PIPECLEANER Combat Superiority Subaltern with onboard partition capacity. Under your laws, it is classified as a Class I weapon."

Vera's holographic avatar appears on the nearest wall display. "Pardon me, Inspector. This is a misunderstanding. This is merely the humanoid travel chassis that I have requested for off-ship activities, which I am certain the captain will approve."

Frieda Loving stares daggers at Vera. "This is a Warfighter combat subaltern."

"Ah, but - this is my mobility device."

"It's an origami murder robot!"

Pipecleaner subaltern art by @LymphOwned on Twitter

Next: The Rex's Captain

 

[Tun Kai Poh]

Son of Glass

Caspian arcs an eyebrow at the loquacious Baronial. "So you are familiar with Captain of the Meritorious Rex?", he asks as he deftly puts his foot in the entrance of the pod.

"May we come in? Or would you like to come out? We would like to learn more about your encounter with the Rex and its Captain - did he indicate what he was looking for and why he suspected you of being a spy?"

"Please, please come out to my mountain," says Cal, with a grand sweep of his arm.

Inside the pod entryway is a wooden observation deck, bathed in yellow sunlight and awash in clean mountain air. Scattered white clouds drift overhead in a cerulean sky. On three sides, the green slopes fall away precipitously. Somewhere, Caspian can hear an alpenhorn being blown. A fine simulation, indeed.

There are comfortable deck chairs on the platform. Cal Cortez invites Caspian and his companions to sit.

"Now, that Harman Wilder...quite a tale." Cal strokes a chin and holds up his glass to peer through it, as if looking into the past. "I heard this from some Rittermeer spacers, over a half dozen drinks. Harman was born the child of serfs on an industrial colony under the House of Glass. I'm told it was a miserable life, full of deprivation and tears. Such is the case with the lowest tier of society there. At some point in his youth, his family were able to smuggle themselves off-world, and many months later entered Purview space in the cargo hold of a tramp freighter. Something must have gone very wrong, for only the mother and one other child besides Harman survived the voyage. Nobody knows. The Armory took them in as refugees and settled them on Rittermeer, I think it was. And young Harman was eager to serve in the military - 'service guarantees citizenship' as they say in the Purview."

Cal taps a few commands into the interface console on the railing of the observation deck. The sun is blotted out by the five kilometre-long bulk of the Meritorious Rex, floating improbably overhead. "And after decades of service in the Purview...here he is, Strike Captain Harman Wilder, patriotic citizen, in command of their mightiest superdreadnought. They say he wields his authority like a brutal cudgel. And he has a hot, fierce grudge against all things from the Karrakin Baronies. No wonder the Armory chose him to prosecute the war here in the Shore, where the great Houses have staked their fortunes and their future prosperity."

Next: Caught in the middle

 

[Tun Kai Poh]

Fracas

Tabitha looks from Loving to Vera and back with some amusement. "Again, I apologize for the complication, Inspector Loving. You may place a hold on the subaltern while we complete the loading of all other compliant materials. You may accompany my security officer to oversee the process if you wish to ensure nothing else is out of order."

"And my apologies to you, Vera - I'm afraid you're going to have to make do with a less lethal mode of transportation while we are at this station. We will have your custom mobility device delivered via the appropriate military channels. The inspector is right in pointing out that this station is a neutral party and all applicable laws are to be conformed to."

Ike rolls his eyes with an infuriated grunt.

"I'll do a double-check on all the items on the manifest, Captain."

Inspector Loving holds up a hand as she listens to her cochlear radio. "Captain, please tell your crew to stand by. We have a developing situation - violence between Karrakin and Purview crews in the docks. There is a breakway group headed through the link now..."

The nearest crew members lay down supply containers and take cover, while a trio of marines clank forward to protect Tabitha.

"There are fifteen individuals that have pushed past the dock officers," reports Vera. "It looks like twelve in pursuit of three." After a pause: "The murder robot could come in handy, sir."

And from the far end of the dock, where the linkway connects the station to the Nikolai Bukharin, the fracas boils into the wide cargo area.

Three purple-jacketed spacers stumble and fall. One woman is bleeding from the face. The lead spacer gets to his feet, runs towards Tabitha's group even as marines level their shotguns at him.

"Help! They're trying to kill us!"

Behind him, gold-jacketed spacers from the House of Stone, prybars and heavy tools in hand. The tallest one shouts to the Union marines: "Pardon the intrusion. We'll just collect our prisoners and be on our way."

The Karrakin spacers start hauling the fallen Purview crew to their feet, roughly. The injured woman cries out: "We're a satellite repair crew! Civilians! We've got no part in this war! Please!"

Tabitha stiffens and her expression grows cold. "Would any of you care to elaborate exactly what is going on here?" She glares at the pursuing spacers as she motions to Ike to bar their retreat.

Next: Suspicions

 

[Tun Kai Poh]

True Believer

"None of that quite explains why he deliberately murdered unarmed civilians on a disabled ship." Caspian looks up from his notes, "Unless you're implying that such behavior is par of the course for this individual. Do continue. I would like to learn more about your own encounter with this individual. Have you heard of other such tales of his behavior in this sector among your erstwhile colleagues?"

"The man is what we call a true believer. He has seen his life transformed, from hereditary serf to free citizen, by the values of the Armory's Purview of Worlds. Meritocracy, ambition, the free pursuit of wealth. He is an instrument for his superiors to inflict terror upon shipping in the Dawnline Shore. Ostensibly, his oversized and over-armed warship is there to stop espionage - searching freighters like mine for 'spies, saboteurs and terrorists,' or materiel in support of same. And, if I may wager, a search-and-seizure incident escalates into an 'unfortunate exchange of shots,' as he will no doubt claim, the result will be just what you see here. Every non-military Karrakin vessel in the region, paralyzed in port, waiting for escort convoys. The flow of supplies to Baronic-friendly worlds shudders to a halt. And if Strike Captain Wilder were to be made to answer for his actions, he would simply take the fall for his superiors, a deniable asset. Although I warrant he has no plans to be captured quietly."

Cal Cortez flicks a holographic icon over to Caspian's data surface. "On a related note. The heavy gas freighter Chartreuse Star," he says by way of explanation. "Registered in Rittermeer, of all places. A month after Captain Wilder's thugs boarded my ship, the Rex attempted to ram the Chartreuse Star just outside of Lambent Station, in the Rim. A harsh exchange of words followed, and Wilder sent Armory marines to search the Chartreuse Star. Apparently the situation took two days to resolve. Even Purview ships weren't immune to harassment. The Chartreuse Star is parked here at Lighthouse Station, so if you want to know more, you could pay her a visit and interview her captain, Ernestine Loong."

Caspian arcs an eyebrow, "Even Purview ships? That seems...excessive even for someone like that", He steeples his fingers as he ponders this piece of information. A few more taps on his pad sends another set of notes back to Bernd and the Wagner requesting a review of all available logs of merchant harassment in the sector. What is the Armory playing at?

"I see. Thank you for that information, Captain Cortez. We will investigate this issue thoroughly. I assume you filed the logs of your incident with the relevant authorities? I will have my crew review them, including your flightpath and manifest. Simply as a matter of procedure, you understand. Do you have anything else to tell me about this unfortunate circumstance?"

In the background, Richards is already arranging to travel to the Chartreuse Star.

Next: Other suspicions

 

[Tun Kai Poh]

Warring States

Ike and a select team spread out to cut off the Karrakin spacers. Vera silently beams a visual update showing dots moving in on the stationside area to take control of the violent situations in progress: hardsuited IPS-N security teams, and mid-sized Nelson and Vlad mechanized chassis. Even if the gold-jacketed crews were to flee, Loving's allies are already closing the net.

Vlad art by Tom Parkinson-Morgan

The tall spacer nods towards Tabitha. "We had some...security breaches. These Armory space rats were caught sneaking around a printing hangar where we were manufacturing parts for our ship. Spying on us."

"We have legit business!" objects one of the captives, only to be silenced with a fist to the temple.

"We are being targeted by the Armory!" roars the lead Karrakin spacer. "They're murdering us out there, you saw it yourself, captain!"

"I understand your frustration at the situation, sir, but responding in kind is not going to help settle matters." Tabitha responds curtly, "What ship are you from?" she asks as she turns her steely gaze at the wounded Purview spacers, "And you, what business did you have?"

"Prester John III, under Captain Warham of the House of Stone." replies the tall spacer. "You may have heard of him, he's part of the Order of Khayradin." The implication in his voice is that the captain has influence in the Baronies.

When Tabitha addresses the Purview spacers, the one closest to her says: "We were printing engine parts, same as them. Our ship doesn't have a Schedule 3 printer, so we booked a slot at the printer hangar."

"Someone in the printer shop made a mistake," says Loving to Tabitha in a low voice. "Shouldn't have booked crews from warring states to print in the same hangar..."

"You can check with Captain Ernestine Loong," says the Purview spacer. "Our repair skiff is part of the Chartreuse Star's support complement."

"Very well," Tabitha nods slowly at the two groups. "As far as I'm concerned this is neutral ground and everyone is entitled to the same privileges as any other. We'll run the checks to make sure nothing is amiss, but there won't be any prisoners taken by anyone today," she looks meaningfully at the Karrakin spacers. "You lot can stay here a bit until we've done our checks," she says at the Purview spacers, "And if you want to leave anyone here as well," she says, turning back at the Karrakins, "That's fine if it makes you feel better but I strongly suggest you all get on with what you originally came here to do,"

"And you can deal with the hangar foul up, Ms. Loving," Tabitha says quietly with a sardonic smile.

Next: A Reputation and an Accolade

 

[Baron Opal II]

Enjoying the Story Hour, and the glimpse into the Lancer milieu.

 

[Tun Kai Poh]

Enjoying the Story Hour, and the glimpse into the Lancer milieu.

Thanks, it's a great sci-fi setting, and we're having a blast.

Tell your friends!