Time to get to work, it seems. Ali takes the time to dress in her uniform, straightening her tie and tucking her braided hair up into her hat, before slipping between time and space to her little ship-away-from-home. Then she arranges herself in the pilot's seat and takes a deep breath. A faint otherness settles over her: a shift in the set of her mouth, a slight narrowing of her eyes. This is not the sweet young woman to whom people flock for love and affection; this is a warrior queen, preparing to address her subjects.
With a flick of her finger, she answers the call. "Admiral Trainer speaking. To what do I owe the pleasure?"
*A hologram of a stern-faced mammal, large eyes hooded warily, materializes. The display helpfully supplies his name (Admiral Jan'ing) and rank (Grand Admiral, third chevron--the third-highest ranking officer in the Fleet). He speaks in the clipped, precise tones common to officers across the ages.*
Admiral. We have a mission, and it's urgent. One of our patrol craft went down in combat with Pirates. We believe the crew is likely to have survived the crash, but it's likely the pirates either crashed as well, or made safe planetfall. Either way, we want that crew back alive.
"That would be the preferable outcome, sir," she agrees cordially, "though it might not be within our sphere of influence any longer. I'll assume you also want any Pirates in the vicinity dealt with in the usual manner. Where did the incident occur?"
While they converse, she's already sending Samus a message: Grand Admiral Jan'ing has invited us Pirate-hunting. You game?
*Samus' reply is as prompt as it is wry: "do I have a choice?" The admiral's hologram, meanwhile, conjures up another--this time, of a planet with an artificial ring, a structure encircling the planet in orbit over the planet's equator, with four slender spokes lancing down to touch the planet itself.*
They're on Neurtid, in the Valgish system. That's where the risk comes in: the planet's peizoelectric field is unstable. Electronics don't last long any closer than the ring, and that includes most weapons and cyberware. The Pirates' gear is mostly biological; they're probably close to full-strength, while our marines are crippled. The only way off the planet is by the orbital elevators--even organic ships have problems taking off. That, in an eggshell, is the mission: secure orbit, make planetfall, find the troops, and bring them home.
I'm here to protect you from the worst missions, remember? It's on Neurtid, in the Valgish system. Have you heard of it?
Ali takes a moment to study the second hologram, then asks her ship's computer to find any relevant information on the planet in a quiet aside to the DI (who, it should be noted, is named Lucy).
"That would certainly complicate matters, sir. How long ago did the engagement occur? Do we have any confirmation that the elevators are still in working order?"
*The summary Lucy brings up begins with a class 4 environmental hazard; massive EM surges and frequent seismic activity. The planet is one of two places in the galaxy known to contain a type of crystal which has a wide array of applications. The other planet is infested with a cellular symbiont which infects visitors and makes them dependent on the crystals' resonance, but no such microbe exists on Neurtid, which made it seem a promising prospect for mining in the initial survey scans. The Braltin Mining Concern nearly bankrupted itself building the orbital facility and dropping anchors for elevators before even making planetfall, which proved the company's undoing: the stress of tectonic activity amplifies the crystals' natural resonance, which turns the planet's magnetic field into a massive, ongoing EMP. The planet has since become a haven for fugitives, luddites, and others who don't want to be bothered with modern concerns.*It happened a little under three hours ago. The
( ... )
"That assumes they're capable of thinking so far ahead, sir," she points out wryly. It's mostly an effort to stall for time while Samus makes her decision. "Are there any Fleet ships in the vicinity?"
It wouldn't matter. Any marines we might send down would face the same problem. The planet's EM field burns out cyberware along with everything else, but rumor has it your soldier somehow managed to slip through life without the usual implants. She's the only person with the skills we need who won't be going down there with a bomb in her head.
Hunting pirates in an earthquake-riddled jungle without my armor or anything above simple tech? Sounds primal. Cathartic. How does the pay look?
"One might say that most of Hunter Aran's success in life was found in refusing to follow the easy path, sir," Ali points out in a rather steely voice. His talking about Samus like she's an object has cost him what little goodwill Ali was willing to extend. "I assume your staff is capable of sending me the rest of the mission's details. If they can do so in a timely manner, you'll have our answer shortly."
Don't wait on this, Admiral. There are lives on the line.
*Jan'ing's image winks out, and the rest of the mission's details scroll into view; the pay is by individual rescues and kills, and while the bounty on a single pirate isn't high, rescuing Fleet personnel pays rather better.*
Ali forwards the information to Samus, and tacks her own note on the end: I'm surprised they know to value their own people more. So, up to you: we going?
If the Marines are still alive, it is. I'll let Command know, and meet you there.
To Command, she sends a slightly different message: Hunter Aran has agreed to accept the mission. We will contact Command again when the mission is complete.
"Lucy, please plot a course for the Valgish system."
With a flick of her finger, she answers the call. "Admiral Trainer speaking. To what do I owe the pleasure?"
Reply
Admiral. We have a mission, and it's urgent. One of our patrol craft went down in combat with Pirates. We believe the crew is likely to have survived the crash, but it's likely the pirates either crashed as well, or made safe planetfall. Either way, we want that crew back alive.
Reply
While they converse, she's already sending Samus a message: Grand Admiral Jan'ing has invited us Pirate-hunting. You game?
Reply
They're on Neurtid, in the Valgish system. That's where the risk comes in: the planet's peizoelectric field is unstable. Electronics don't last long any closer than the ring, and that includes most weapons and cyberware. The Pirates' gear is mostly biological; they're probably close to full-strength, while our marines are crippled. The only way off the planet is by the orbital elevators--even organic ships have problems taking off. That, in an eggshell, is the mission: secure orbit, make planetfall, find the troops, and bring them home.
Reply
Ali takes a moment to study the second hologram, then asks her ship's computer to find any relevant information on the planet in a quiet aside to the DI (who, it should be noted, is named Lucy).
"That would certainly complicate matters, sir. How long ago did the engagement occur? Do we have any confirmation that the elevators are still in working order?"
Reply
*The summary Lucy brings up begins with a class 4 environmental hazard; massive EM surges and frequent seismic activity. The planet is one of two places in the galaxy known to contain a type of crystal which has a wide array of applications. The other planet is infested with a cellular symbiont which infects visitors and makes them dependent on the crystals' resonance, but no such microbe exists on Neurtid, which made it seem a promising prospect for mining in the initial survey scans. The Braltin Mining Concern nearly bankrupted itself building the orbital facility and dropping anchors for elevators before even making planetfall, which proved the company's undoing: the stress of tectonic activity amplifies the crystals' natural resonance, which turns the planet's magnetic field into a massive, ongoing EMP. The planet has since become a haven for fugitives, luddites, and others who don't want to be bothered with modern concerns.*It happened a little under three hours ago. The ( ... )
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Reply
Hunting pirates in an earthquake-riddled jungle without my armor or anything above simple tech? Sounds primal. Cathartic. How does the pay look?
Reply
Reply
*Jan'ing's image winks out, and the rest of the mission's details scroll into view; the pay is by individual rescues and kills, and while the bounty on a single pirate isn't high, rescuing Fleet personnel pays rather better.*
Reply
Reply
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To Command, she sends a slightly different message: Hunter Aran has agreed to accept the mission. We will contact Command again when the mission is complete.
"Lucy, please plot a course for the Valgish system."
Reply
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