Fiction Friday - Series 2: Chapter 12

Previously:
Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8
Chapter 9 Chapter 10 Chapter 11
* * * * * *

On the Ferox the Captain's Ready Room was a short walk down a corridor from the bridge, with a table and a few chairs for the officers to plan and organize. Since I could not actually go there without going through the rigmarole of leaving the pod, there was a holoprojector that I could activate and hook into my voice and motions so that it would appear I was there. Small and older classes of ships simply used a vidscreen but our ship was a newer version and had all the amenities. 

I had my projection stand at attention as the Captain entered the room and sat in the chair at the head of the table. "Have a seat," he said absentmindedly. I smirked a little and changed the projection to make it look like it was sitting in a chair at the table. He pulled out a datapad and activated it, looking over the contents before laying it on the table and sliding it over towards me. My vid feeds quickly focused on the pad's surface and read it.

"We have new orders," he explained. "We are to leave the battlegroup after we arrive at the rally point and proceed to Atai system where we will meet up with the Aegis and Locus. There we will receive further instructions."

The Aegis was Jace's Harpy assault frigate and the Locus was a FC-A "Crow" combat interceptor flown by another pod pilot named Lt Commander Pertins. Only three ships but considerable firepower and all flown by capsuleers meant that the mission required faster reflexes and flexibility than a conventional battlegroup could provide.

"Atai? That's out in Lonetrek, isn't it?" My neural interface confirmed that fact before my mind asked the question, but I felt the need to prompt the Captain for more information. He did not cooperate. "Yes, it is."

I waited a couple of seconds to see if he would offer anything more, and when he didn't I 'stood up' and said, "Very well, I'll go plan the route and make preparations. Anything else?"

"No, dismissed Commander."

* * * * *

KK> hey jace, you got the new orders?
JR> yeah, looks like we get to fly together finally
KK> any idea what's going on?
KK> my SO was tight lipped, more so than usual
JR> nada.
JR> my capt put on her poker face
JR> told me to dock in Piak and pick up a shitload of ammo
JR> whatever it is, it could be a good fight.
KK> hmmmm. odd ship types though
JR> yeah.
KK> I mean a sniper and a close range ship in the same fleet?
KK> very odd
JR> *shrugs*
JR> maybe a distraction tactic
JR> like in Corson's course back at academy
KK> maybe
*** Lt Commander D. Pertins joins channel ***
KK> hey pert
DP> there you dumb shits are
DP> why not in Atai yet?
KK> 15 jumps out
JR> blow me pert
KK> pert, you know what's going on?
DP> nope, don't care, as long as you cone heads do your job right
DP> and don't get me killed
JR> you inty pilots are so fucking paranoid LOL
DP> just do your job
DP> I've died enough for other people's glory
KK> don't worry pert, I've got you covered
DP> pfft, you sniper assholes are the worst!
DP> too far from the combat to really appreciate it
KK> jeez pert
KK> do all inteceptors come with built in Jerk-3000 hardwirings
KK> or did you get that at the academy?
JR> ROFL
DP> ha ha
DP> ass
JR> ok pert, warping to you now
DP> rgr jace
KK> don't get to comfy guys
KK> be there soon