Fiction Friday - Series 4: part 6

Previously:
Prologue Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5

* * * * *

Odonnelson negotiated with in her professional voice with station docking control and soon micro-tractors were guiding the Insisto Oblivum from her berth into the main access channel and through the station to the exit. Once past the bulk of the superstructure the station personnel gave us the all clear and our thrusters kicked in and I took control of the ship.

I set up a new fleet command package in the ship's main computer and opened a channel to the other pilots that were in their own pods and ships. Seven Six and Luccul went green on the interface first, followed by Minessis a moment later. I waited a few seconds and pinged Kla'strit. "What's the hold up, Kla?"

"I had to buy more ammo, just securing it in the ship now."

"Alright, we'll meet you at rally point one."

"Roger."

I checked my overview and saw Seven Six in his durable Dominix battleship, Minessis showing off his new Ishtar heavy assault cruiser, and Luccul sporting a Drake battlecruiser. "How's your shields on that thing, Luccul?" I asked the less experienced pilot.

"Pretty solid," he replied, "holds up to several cruisers and can even take on some of the Cartel's battlecruisers and older battleships."

"Good, good. Don't be afraid to warp out if you start taking fire, and aim for the small stuff first where your heavy missiles will work better than our big guns."

"Nah, don't worry about that," interjected Seven, "my drones can clean up all the frigs and cruisers."

I sighed. "Seven, your heavy drones work better on the battleships than his missiles will."

"My heavy drones can kill everything the Cartel throws at us!"

I sighed again.

"He's right, the five of us are going to be overkill against anything the Angel's have around here," Minessis piped up.

"Well, you and Seven can hit up an agent for another job and us three will take this one of Kla's if you want." Those two were always full of ideas and plans and sometimes you just had to let them run.

"Yeah! Come on Min, let's do that! You and me, drone power dude!" Seven cried enthusiastically.

"Alright," the other agreed, and to me he said, "We'll stay fleeted-up and just us another comm channel in case we need to hook up."

"Roger," I acknowledged and they switched channels just as Kla'strit's big Maelstrom warped into view. The Dominix and Ishtar aligned and warped off as Kla'strit's comm handshake finished. "Where are they going?" he asked with bewilderment.

I explained what Seven and Minessis were up to while his computer worked with my Rokh's AI and Luccul's Drake and directed up in coordinated warp. We went only a couple AU before dropping out and easing into range of an acceleration gate.