"DAMN YOU!! DAMN YOU TO HELL !!!" Jacey screamed at Page over the comm-unit. "DAMMIT!"
Then, to himself,
"He didn't even give me a chance to unload my fighters..."
Jacey slammed his fist on the main control board.
==========
Back at the spacedock, someone stood up from behind a shuttlecraft. Carefully removing his cloak and then tossing it to the ground, the strange individual began swaying back and forth, then froze where he stood.
==========
" Lazira 841 requesting a direct comm-link," Orion notified Page.
"Sure."
Jacey's face appeared on Page's main screen. Jacey was noticably unhappy about the duel's outcome.
"Hey buddy, you had to go all out on me there, didn't you!"
Jacey paused.
Page didn't say anything.
Jacey cracked an eager smile.
"Okay, I'll admit. You had me beat from the start and you knew it. But I had a plan, and I just wanted a chance to try it out. I swear it might have worked."
Jacey didn't sound convinced by his own words, and by quickly sensing the surrounding weaves Page could feel the boy's anxiety even through the space separating them.
Jacey quickly wiped the sweat beading down his forehead, hoping he hadn't come across as too pathetic.
Page contacted the pirate captain.
"Had fun, old-timer?"
"Aye," he grunted back. "That's certainly a fine vessel."
"It's a mech," Page corrected him.
The captain couldn't help feeling a little disappointed. He had used up few of his outfits. In fact, most of his SAD modules remained as well as a slew of other secondary weapons he had added to his systems. Though he was quite taken aback by Page casual approach and quick turnaround during the duel, he was even more surprised at his ally's behavior...
After purchasing his Lazira, Jacey had left it in the hangar for a handful of engineers "to tweak," as Jacey said to the pirate captain later.
All the captain had noticed however was a forklift delivering a massive cylinder to the hangar where Lazira 841 was kept.
The pirate asked if it was an engine part, but all Jacey did was turn to the forklift driver, say distractedly, "Yeah, yeah, that's wonderful... Just leave it right there," and run off toward the warehouse district.
When Jacey met the pirate captain later at the spacedock, all he did was complain.
"Dude, I can't tell you how much money it cost to bribe those warehouse workers! And I barely got enough to fill my cargo bay!"
"Cargo bay?" the pirate asked.
"Don't ask," Jacey responded, and that was the last the two had heard from each other before the duel...
A white-knuckled Jacey let go of the sides of his captain's chair and finally sat properly in his seat. Sitting in his derelict vessel as it drifted through space, Jacey felt a strange sensation throughout his entire body and then froze.
----------
I thought you could use my help this time around.
----------
Staring at the monitor in front of him, Jacey winked at his own reflection and smiled confidently. He had felt good sitting in the position of the captain's seat, and he wasn't ready to give up that feeling yet.
He wondered if Page would notice the sudden transformation.
Neatly flipping a few switches on his sensor array, Jacey looked back to the spacedock, secretly wishing Yume would be nearby when he got back.
Larra and Ta-vora watched from afar as blue vapor engulfed Lazira 841 and then seemed to gel around it.
Meanwhile the veteran space captain sat in his newly disabled Lazira, wishing he were back in his old ship where he belonged. Casting a longing look at the spacedock, he leaned forward to gaze out from the cockpit over the Rock and noticed Jacey's ship - surrounded by the rich blue color of sapphires - rotate slightly to aim in Page's direction.
----------
Jacey, give me a moment. I have to divert my attention to assist the pirate's ship as well.
Good luck, kid!
----------
Feeling a sudden tremor rock his ship, the pirate captain noticed a blue haze surround his ship. He also sensed a presence in his mind that he somehow understood was telling him to start the ship up again.
Wondering briefly how this could possibly happen, the captain sat back up in his chair and commanded his crew to attention.
Page immediately sensed the universe surging around him. Tapping into the surrounding space, Page spread out his weaves to make contact with the source of the anomaly but couldn't detect it.
Next he turned his mech to face the pirate captain.
Page cursed openly,
"What the **** is going on?!"
The Lazira had been transformed, and it looked disturbingly similar to a certain ship type that Page was already familiar with...
"No... that can't be..."
Page anticipated a psychic attack as it reached his mind, quickly throwing back the enemy weaves with his own.
Suddenly a barrage of dispersal rockets hit Orion from behind.
------------------
the boozy bar isnt for posting on, its for pissing on
- a friend
(This message has been edited by JaceySquires (edited 07-15-2004).)
(This message has been edited by JaceySquires (edited 07-15-2004).)