"Partial owner, yes. Jenni Everson. May I ask what this is about?"
The woman in the uniform puts the ID scanner away, and touches the comm unit on her mask with one finger. "This is Inspector Torche, I've found one of the ship owners. Proceeding as instructed." She says, obviously over the comm unit. She then removes her finger from the unit. "I'm afraid I don't know ma'am. All I know is that there is a Imperial Request to find the owners of the Red Dawn, and request that they accompany security to Bloodtalon Estate."
Imperial Requests are, legally, just that, Requests. Legally, you can ignore one. Reality however, is that ignoring an Imperial Request without a really damn good reason, and one a Noble would consider good, is usually considered a very sub-optimal life choice in the Empire. At about the same level of very sub-optimal life choice as publicly assaulting and then urinating on your boss on a planetary trid-cast is for your chances of getting a new job.
Jenni shrugs. "I don't know exactly where everyone else is, but I'm happy to accompany you, with the understanding that I will make no decisions in the absence of my companions."
The officer leads Jenni about a half a block, and then waits at a street intersection. She doesn't do a lot of small talk, being polite if asked questions, but not giving many answers about what this is about, as she doesn't know. After about 10 minutes, a car pulls up, with Imperial sigils on the doors. "Here you go, ma'am." The officer seems to snap to attention, and provide Jenni with more respect than she did earlier.
Getting into the car, she finds it's a luxurious car, with room in the back for about 8 people, with the seats arranged so everyone in the passenger area can see everyone else face to faceish (a big circle). However, she's alone in the car. There's a privacy screen that lowers, and the driver, a young man with a black uniform on smiles at her in the mirror that lets him look back. "Hello Ma'am, if you'll just have a seat please, we have about a 15 minute drive." The car then jerks up and into the air, the grav plates pushing it up and forward with a smooth power that speaks to a precision piece of equipment to Jenni's engineer mentality.
The car then moves to a height and flight lane usually reserved for military, emergency, or government vehicles, and Jenni is pressed smoothly back into the seat as the car accelerates rapidly away from the port.
The driver is friendly enough if asked anything, but can't provide any answers beyond specs of the car, or describing any sights seen out the window.
Finally, the car lands at what Jenni at first mistakes for a military base but upon looking around, she realizes it's actually a noble's estate. It appears that the estate is built next to one of the planetary defense arrays. Despite appearances, the bulk of the estate is likely underground, behind defenses, as this area would expect to get hit in a planetary assault, wiping away the surface buildings that weren't heavily armored. Although, all of them appear to be heavily armored as well.
A man in a uniform that Jenni recognizes as an Army Brigadier General is waiting, and gives Jenni a salute. "Sublieutenant Everson, if you'll follow me please?" He says politely as he finishes the salute. "Dame Bloodtalon has requested your presence. As her adjutant, it is my duty to conduct you while you are on the premises. Dame Bloodtalon prefers to be referred to by that name, in this context, as opposed to using her full title. Please keep that in mind."
Jenni exits the vehicle and follows the adjutant quietly, still wondering what this could be about.
Jenni is lead into the main building, and then through a maze of corridors, until she's not sure exactly where she is. Finally, she's lead through an outer reception area and through a pair of double doors into an office as large as the Dawn's dining area. A heavy wooden desk with holographic interfaces sits at one end, with a long haired woman behind it, wearing what looks like a military jumpsuit that's been stripped of all rank and affiliation symbols.
Behind the desk, and to one side, is a female security guard who watches Jenni's every move with eyes that are cold and dead enough to be cyber replacements in all likelyhood. She also stands with the preternatural stillness of someone with enhanced reflexes (the reflexes override the natural minute motions the body normally makes as part of being alive). Jenni's seen that kind of stance and look from Special Ops personnel.
The woman behind the desk looks up, and the Adjutant gives her a salute, which is waved off tiredly. "Subliuetenant Jenni Everson, 4A8AD4, Formerly of the Imperial Navy. Aka 'Glitch'. Current recorded partial owner of the Red Dawn, Imperial Registry F382736KKL7, Dame Bloodtalon. SL Everson is time-displaced." He informs her formally.
The Dame nods, and waves him toward a smaller desk to one side. "That's fine Bradley, get back to your duties while I deal with Citizen Everson." The man nods and returns to his desk, bringing up his holodisplays with the privacy mode on, so Jenni can't see what he's working on. "Citizen Everson, as an Imperial Noble tasked with the direct security of this sector, I am afraid I require your ship. You have the option of turning it over until my business with is done, in which case you and the other owners and crew will be supplied with housing and living allowances. Because of your former military service, I can instead re-activate your commission and you can continue on the ship while I use it, if you so choose. This option is available to your co-owners and crew, where appropriate. If there's crew you feel is vital to the operation of your ship that do not have prior Imperial military experience, I'll consider impressing them into the service on a temporary basis. Having now dispensed with the requirements required by Imperial law before pressing your ship into service, I am now authorizing my people to board your ship and relocate any passengers and crew to temporary housing on the star base until such time as I am ready to leave. You have..." She pauses, and looks to the adjutant.
"...Approximately 3 hours until we can have it loaded, ma'am." He supplies.
"...approximately 2 hours to make your decision on whether you wish to return to active duty for the duration of my use of your ship. I cannot tell you exactly how long I'll need it, nor can I guarantee it's safety while I am using it. The Empire will, of course, provide repairs if needed before it's returned to your ownership. Do you have any questions besides 'how dare you' and 'what is the meaning of this'? I really don't have time for those."
On the Red Dawn, passengers and crew are surprised to see a dozen security guards enter the ship and order them to disembark immediately, and they are then escorted to a lounge area to wait for decisions to be made.
Jenni bites her lower lip, curtailing the instinct to ask questions such as 'How dare you?' and 'What is the meaning of this?'. "Understood," she replies stiffly. "Of course, I will need to inform my fellow crew members. Excuse me for a moment, please."
Jenni speaks into her comms. "Everson to Red Dawn crew. A local noble by the name of Dame Bloodtalon has need of our vessel. We are able to join them or living quarters and allowances will be provided for the duration. Those of whom are military will be reactivated for the duration. Civilians may be pressed into temporary service, based on their skills. We have two hours to accept the terms or vacate the vessel. The ship will be repaired if necessary for damage incurred during its usage. It would seem that we have little choice in the matter."
Warren replies to Jenni over the comm, "How dare she! What is the meaning of this. Hold on a second. Moyas! Is this legal? Can she do this? Wait a sec. It doesn't matter. Tell her we'll do it Jenni. This is just the sort of thing we were heading out to the Marches for. If we get some more experience in on the way there even better. Plus the goodwill of a noble is a bonus. We'll have to do something with our guests I guess. It would be good to know more about them though. I'm heading back to the ship. Meet you there, unless I need to go elsewhere."
Elrick didn't respond. Being technically Navy meant he didn’t get a choice, so he was going to enjoy the next two hours while he could.
"Legal, yes. I am not a citizen of the Imperium and so her authority to recruit me is dubious," says Moyasmedsev. "But Imperial nobility do have the authority to commandeer vessels at need. I can't speak as to her authority to activate an officer of the Imperial Navy - not my field of study. But I'd say that authority or not, it would we wise to cooperate with a woman who may control a considerable portion of an entire planet. But I'll be damned if I'm leaving our ship. Call the crew and have everyone return to Red Dawn. Leave is cancelled. Tell our passengers they'll need to wait in the port - at Dame Bloodtalon's expense, of course."
Moyas puts down the datapad he was reading and hustles back to the ship.
Moyas is diverted by security on his way to the ship, and ends up with the rest of the crew and their 2 long term passengers in the very well appointed lounge. There's complimentary food and beverages.
The crew seems a bit nervous, although the passengers seem to be enjoying the complimentary food (and making annoyed noises over the complimentary beverages all being non-alcoholic).
Shortly after he arrives in the lounge, Warren is also diverted into the lounge by security. As one of the owners enters, the crew begin clammoring for Warren to explain what's going on.
Jenni turns to Lady Bloodtalon. "Sounds like we're all in, madam. I expect that the crew will want to remain on."
Warren turns to the crew and says, "It looks like I'm the first back. Dame Bloodtalon has "requested" the use of our ship and we are volunteering to crew it for her. Once we know our mission we will tell you what we can. Shandar and Skip, it looks like you will have to stay here. I understand the Dame will make suitable accommodations for you."
The two old men look at each other, then at Warren, and back to each other. "That would be a first." Skip says, with a bit of droll irony.
Shandar shrugs. "True, but there's always a first time for everything?"
The rest of the crew begin to mutter amongst themselves, and the engineering chief pipes up after a minute or two of intense muttering. "Sorry boss, we mustered out of His Imperial Majesties service, and short of being forced to, we aren't re-upping. If that means we have to quit being crew, well, we won't be happy about it, but that's what we'll do." It appears the engineering crew is not wanting to go back into service.
Dev shakes his head. "No. I'm done with the Imperial Navy. I refuse to be reactivated, I'll just stay here with whatever crew doesn't want to go, and by god, her Bloody Taloness can just pay for our vacation."
Moyasmedsev stares up at his human crew with unreadable, featureless lidless eyes for several seconds, then shrugs. "As you will. You are welcome back when we return."
He looks at the other owners, waiting for dissent or assent. He only knows he's not abandoning ship to some other captain.
Jenni is returning to the ship and is ready to go.
Dame Bloodtalon, and her bodyguard, are on the bridge of the Red Dusk three hours later. A crew of 6 engineers is aboard, as well as 30 heavily armed military people and four assault tanks.
The other hold is also loaded up with missiles which are set up to feed into the ship's weapons systems, even though the ship doesn't have missile launchers.
You do not recognize the armament codes on the missiles. They are not an imperial code you have seen before.
"We'll be stopping in at a private shipyard for 24 hours while we replace some of your weapons loadout in your turrets." Jenni is informed. "I'll brief your crew as much as I can after that is complete. Until then, please follow orders. I've agreed to keep your Droyne on as well, and he'll be let out of his quarters after he's signed the NDA and conscription paperwork."
The Knight's pilot takes the ship out of port, and expertly engages the FTL drive at the minimum distance from the planet. Not the minimum legal distance, the minimum safe distance, something that would get anyone but military piloting licenses pulled in a heartbeat.
"We'll arrive at the base in two weeks, switch out weapons and refuel and be on our way."
As a whispered aside to Warren, Jenni notes that they are violating several Imperial directives. She also points out that the armament codes on the missiles are not Imperial-standard. "What have we gotten ourselves into?" she wonders aloud.
Warren looks at Jenni, "I've got no idea, but I'd rather be with my ship. I've got no real idea what directives have been broken. I've never been in the navy. Keep an eye open."
Moyasmedsev contacts Dame Bloodthorn. "I will sign this on behalf of my ship and my crew with three stipulations. First, you certify in writing that the actions we are taking on your behalf either violate no Imperial laws or that you have Imperial sanction to do so."
"Second, you indemnify Red Dusk, her owners, captain and crew for any claims against them for damages resulting from this expedition."
"Third, I am not an Imperial Citizen. I am a citizen of the Ruler of Five, a Vargr state. Upon the successful completion of this mission, I would like you to grant me full Imperial citizenship."
"You can sign or not sign, your choice. Until you sign it, you may not leave those quarters, nor may you receive a briefing. My authority covers your first request, and no writing is required. Secondly, I have already done so. And thirdly, I will take it under advisement."
The two weeks in hyper is tense to say the least. While the soldiers are not exactly hostile, they also don't talk to the ship's crew and owners, likely for operational security.
When the ship comes out of hyper, it drops into a brown dwarf system. That is, the 'sun' never quite got enough gas to self ignite, but it generates enough gravitational pressure that it gives off infrared and maintains a gas status without another star companion.
Coming into the system, the computer's astronomics system goes off line, apparently pre-programmed by the Knight's flight crew to go off-line after coming out of hyper, thus ensuring that the location of this system is not recorded in the computer banks.
There is a rather advanced, but small, shipyard in orbit around the brown dwarf, in an orbit filled with large asteroids in various states of processing, all of them being turned into asteroid ships or being mined for materials or both.
Thousands of mining drones zoom about in intricate pathways carrying ore to or from locations, or going to get more ore.
Docking with the station, which doesn't identify itself, Bloodtalon nods. "Very good, ship's owners and crew are confined to ship while we switch out weapon mounts. We'll keep one sand caster, one pulse laser, and switch the rest out for two missile launchers." She looks to the owners and crew. "Don't worry, the very fine engineers will take good care of your ship." Outside the forward viewport, dozens of techs can be seen in bright and clearly well maintained engineering suits zooming out of the station, along with small tugs carrying missile launchers.
The missile launchers are not standard Imperial missile launchers, and each is half again as bulky as a normal launcher, based on the size of the housings.
Moyasmedsev signs the documents and then retreats to his quarters, giving into his addiction to drugs for the first time in a long time. He doesn't go wild, but begins to use again, just enough to take the edge off his longing for home and company. Sometimes, his definition of oynprith to include his human crew simply doesn't satisfy his social needs.
As the ship arrives in-system, he eagerly looks for landmarks and constellations that might help him recreate where they are.
He also examines those strange gun emplacements they're putting on his ship.
Finally, the former Captain spends his time examining star charts of the Sector, noting the nearby border and the neutral worlds between the Imperium and the Vargr Extents.
Moyas is unable to specifically identify where the ship is. He can narrow it down, but no more than he could have by the knowledge that it was within 5 jumps of where he started. There's a LOT of empty space for a brown dwarf to exist in. The gun emplacements are oversized missile launchers. Each is half again as big as a normal missile launcher, and thus takes up two 'slots' in the triple turrets.
Exactly 21 hours and 12 minutes after docking, the ship releases from docking clamps, and begins vectoring into space again.
Upon entering hyper, Bloodtalon calls everyone to a meeting in the commons area, leaving only the pilot on duty on the bridge, with an open comm.
"For those of you who own or are part of this ship's normal crew, I will remind you that violation of your NDA is an automatic 20 years. On top of that, this is everyone's last chance to go sit in a cabin for the remainder of this operation. From this point forward, revealing anything that happens between now and when we return to port will be considered treason, and you will be executed for doing so. If you do not think you can keep your mouth shut, I urge you to go to the main suite, and stay there for the next few weeks."
As the two elderly men start to stand up, Bloodtalon waves her hand. "You two I want where I can keep an eye on you the whole time. So you two do not get a choice. I'm reactivating your commissions. Sit down, Commodore Skipander Vace. You too, Master Chief Petty Office Shandererion Napoole." There's a bit of wide eyes amongst the Marines as the two ranks and names are revealed. Skip and Poole wince at their ranks and full names being used, and sit back down.
"I'm too old for this scrap." Poole says, giving Skip a glare. "You promised I was out."
The elderly Varger shrugs. "Must be important if the girl is activating us." The Varger then grins showing off shiny white teeth. "Maybe we'll get to stir up some trouble?"
Poole grimaces, and then grins. "Guess I better break the luggage open..." He gets up and heads over to the secure lock chamber, does something to the control panel, and bypasses the security and vanishes in. "I'm Listening girl, go ahead..." He calls back from within the weapons locker, noises accompanying him opening things.
Warren stands and thinks for a moment as those names are mentioned and a spark of recognizance appears on his face.
Commodore Skipander Vace was an Imperial Commodore in the Intelligence branch of the Imperial Scout Service. During the last war with the Zoldane (a little over 40 years ago), he was known for performing a dozen different behind the lines missions, assassinations, sabotage, destruction of enemy supply lines, stirring up rebellions on planets, the exact list of what he did was not exactly published by the Empire. He had a companion, a human enlisted officer, who was his primary asset on missions. Full details are classified, but enough details slipped out after the war to cause a series of holodramas about 25 years ago based loosely on the exploits of the two. In the holodramas, the partner was a busty female human.
Jenni gives Warren an askew glance and cocks her head.
Warren smiles at Jenni and whispers "I don't think now is the time, when the briefing is over. We can't get away with their antics."
Moyasmedsev stares at the Countess with unblinking intensity, occasionally tapping a sharp claw on the deck. He has no idea who these men are, but obviously they are important.
When nobody leaves, she nods. "Very well. The following information is an official State Secret. Anyone repeating it at any point will find out where all the unnofficial and illegal prisons are, and what the sewer under them smells like." She glares at everyone. "Prince Alsatius Marivold Kolvalus Alkhalikoi, heir apparent to the Throne of the Empire, has managed to get lost somewhere in this sector of space. Worse, he appears to have gotten captured by pirates while lost. Fortunately, the pirates do not seem to know whom they have captured, as he was travelling under a pseudonym, per standard protocols. Unfortunately, all my Naval ships were pulled off to go search for him when I got the word about where he was, leaving me no choice but to commandeer this ship." She gives everyone in the room an equal glare. "Needless to say, we are going out to get him back. A source that I trust ensures me he's currently safe, an being held by a Vargr raiding clan. Unfortunately, they are not likely to keep him safe if they figure out who he is, as they'll likely kill him and then scatter to avoid Emperial wrath. Therefore, time is of utmost importance. Due to the severity of the event, I backstopped some experimental missiles that were on their way to a research station, and then had the launchers mounted instead." She turns her steely gaze on the Dawn's owners and crew. "Needless to say, if any of you did somehow manage to figure out where the research station is, I would need to have you mind wiped to ensure you never revealed it. I strongly suggest you don't try to recalculate our navigation parameters."
Skip gives a long low whine. "That's a serious fubar, how'd the royal brat get lost?"
Poole comes back in, carrying a pack, and wearing one as well, along with some armor that looks old but serviceable. "Little idiot was chasing the Alkinor again no doubt."
When the Knight glares at him, the old man shrugs. "What? It's no secret the boy idolized his uncle, and his uncle vanished chasing that damn space myth. Only stands to reason the idiot would go and do the same thing."
“What is this, an old opera?” Elrick ask, using his hand to come back his hair. “I swear this sounds like the beginning of some playwrights script. Something written by whatever his name was. George Shakespeare or something. Are we going to come across some noble lord trying to stage a political coup to take over the empire?”
Warren pauses lost in thought after hearing the name Alkinor mentioned. That name is familiar. Where have I heard that before.
"If we do, we will execute them immediately." Bloodtalon responds to Elrick's comment.
The Alkinor was a massive Imperial Monitor, built in the early 800's during the third Solimani war. It was supposed to be an automated warship, the first of it's kind, with a dedicated AI and AI controlled robot repair crew. Before it could perform it's final shakedown cruise, it went rogue, blasted it's way out of dock, and vanished into the darkness of space. There have been 'sightings' of it for the last 300 years, but no confirmations of it. At the time it was state of the art, today it would be a very dangerous, but ultimately obsolete, ship of the wall. Many people pursuing it have vanished, adding to the mystery. The most notable being the current Emperor's brother, about 10 years ago.
Warrens eyes light up and he says Poole, "You think he went looking for his uncle and the Alkinor? It may be good he didn't find it then. With all these people disappearing looking for it, what do you think the chances are that they found it and it took them out?" He then looks at his comrades "The Alkinor was a massive automated warship. It went rogue and blasted it's way out of drydock and vanished 300 years ago. Lots of people looking for it have vanished, including the Emperor's brother about ten years ago."
Elrick clearly has a fine understanding of the situation and is understandably unnerved. “Well, Warren, it’s nice that your knowledge of history is keeping the rest of us in the know, but I hope you can understand why what you just said does not make me feel better.
Elrick turns to Bloodtalon. “Which brings me to the question of why is this the plan you decided to go with to try and get him back? Surely there must be some other factor other than a rogue ship that makes commandeering the Red Dusk the best plan you can come up with.”
Bloodtalon raises an eyebrow. "As I said, I've since gotten information that he was captured by pirates." As if that made all the sense in the world.
Poole nods, apparently understanding the logic. "Yeah, the boy's dead for sure if we don't get him back right fast. He's travelling on an alias, so they won't know he's Royal, and if they think he's not worth ransoming, they'll space him. If they find out he's a royal, they'll space into a sun and break up and high tail it in 20 different directions. No pirate group in their right mind wants to try to ransom a member of the Royal family, it's guaranteed they'll have a price on their head for the rest of their lives. Their only chance is to kill him, erase all traces they ever had him, and light out for the far end of Vargr space."
The old Vargr nods. "Not that it will help them, the Royal family has very good relations with bounty hunters throughout space, and anyone they want especially dead will be. But a next to zero chance is better than a zero chance. This ship is heavily armed and armored, it should be able to take on several pirates without being destroyed." He nods at the Knight. "I assume you have information on their base?"
She nods. "Reliable information too, this contact has never given me wrong information. Sometimes untimely, but never wrong."
“Why don’t we play the ransom end? Hire some actors to play his concerned parents trying to get their son back and just buy the pirates off. I’d understand wanting to immediately backstab them because they’re pirates but that’s still a safer option. The only reason I could think of that plan wouldn’t work is if the prince himself blew his own cover... You know, I was in the deep freezer for a pretty long time so I’m a bit behind on the modern state of the royal family. How old is the prince?”
Poole snorts. "Sure, and how do we do that, Moynehan? His cover identity doesn't have the resources to track him down out here. And they didn't contact anyone for a ransom now did they? So we pop out of hyper space and say we're here to pay his ransom? You think they won't figure out right fast that they got someone hotter than they want? What would your reaction be if you had some nobody you captured, and some really expensive brand new ship popped out of hyperspace at your doorstep and offered to ransom him back? Be a might suspicious wouldn't you?"
“I would be suspicious, and scared, but we have more important things to do, so we can let bureaucracy play the blame game later. Ma’am, what is the rescue plan?” Elrick stand a little taller as he falls into his Navy training.
"The plan should be that we care for him not at all," says Moyasmedsev in his chirping lilt. "We have heard about the ship they stole and we desire another ship to add to our secret pirate fleet. We buy the ship, not the man. And then we offer to take the ship and passengers, too. Pirates will understand buying a ship."
"So this warship is an old spacer's myth? Like the legend of the Beowolf? I mean, every spacehand knows that one."
Bloodtalon grins, and shows off some very white teeth in a predatory smile that would do a shark some good. "Well, Mr. Moyas, that's actually not a bad plan. Except I have no intention of paying the pirates anything. I fully plan on them being dead when we leave. If I offer to buy the ship, they'll still be suspicious. I want them overconfident and lazy when we hit them. So, instead, we are going to do something highly illegal, and extremely dangerous, to your hyperdrive coils and drive capacitors, which will be extremely effective in assuring our piratical prey that we are as meek as kittens and defenseless as baby chicks."
Skipander suddenly starts huffing in amusement. "She's going to do a Nova Burst."
Poole nods. "That might work." He eyes Jenni. "You're an engineer, c'mon girl, I'll show you how to do something to your hyper drive that is absolutely guaranteed to break the warranty. But it can be very effective in certain situations."
Bloodtalon raises a hand. "I have engineers Poole."
Poole nods. "And how many of them have actually done this? With a real ship, and not in a simulation?" He looks at Bloodtalon's engineers, who all obviously from their faces haven't. "That's what I thought, I've done it 7 times. Hell, I'm the one who came up with it. C'mon boys and girls, and let Uncle Poole teach you how to do things to your hyperdrive your chief engineers will kill you for if you actually do them."
Jenni follows Poole, curious to see what he has planned.
”I agreed to you using my ship, not destroying it,” says Moyasmedsev. ”What are you planning to do with Red Dusk? What is a Nova Burst’?”
Warren smiles to Moya and says "I'm no engineer, but I'm guessing from they way they are talking, they are going to make it look like our hyperdrive went boom and we're sitting there helpless and when they come in to take advantage we turn everything on and let them have it." He turns to Bloodtalon "Am I close?"
After receiving an answer he says "With your permission I'll go with them just in case someone hurts themselves." And maybe I'll learn something in the process as well.
Skipander nods. "Exactly. Sublight engines are working, we just start screaming about how we've had a hyperdrive failure, and how we need assistance. Most pirates love having a fat juicy prey come to them and offer all sorts of assistance. Can't do it too often, plays hell with the hyperdrive, but it's very effective. Given this ship has a 5 sector drive, the results should be... spectacular."
Erick wants to say that this sounds less like a booby trap for pirates and more like a death trap for the Red Dusk but decided against it. The fact that Poole performed this the Nova Burst maneuver seven times means he’ll either do it excellently or his due has finally come.