Well here it is, this was my first attempt to write any fiction. Sniper Story which has already been posted takes place after this. There are some discrepancies between the story and the EV plot line since I had not finished any of the missions when I wrote this but in all I hope you enjoy it. Obviously there is more to come after this.
Prologue. Perils of the Abyss
A minute speck of light periodically flashed in the immense void between the stars of Orions belt. It traveled constantly away, farther and farther from the cradle of mankind, a small planet named Earth. Its brutal impact drives, pushed the merchant frigate well beyond Polaris into the vast unknown. Behind the helm, a young blonde man who looked more at home on an Idaho Farm then at the bridge of the immense vessel stared intently at the various poly-projection monitors. Sir, we will be at the jump point in three minutes he stated.
Very well, Taylor set the co ordinance for Koria stations Captain Skies replied.
Taylor quickly locked in the destination, before moving on to a standard sensor sweep of the immediate area. Isaiah Skyes could do nothing but embrace the feeling of pride welling up inside of him and why shouldnt he. His ship and crew had served him admirably for nearly seven years now in conditions that would make planet dwellers cower, and he was making a small fortune putting both in harms way.
The crew he had hand picked from wherever he could find them. He salvaged a dejected Taylor from the bottom of his class at the Space Merchant Academy. His chief engineer had survived on the burned out hull of an E-60 destroyer for two weeks, before Skyes had been fortunate enough to find him. His absolute pride were the three fighter pilots, their vipers, support crew and the bay, he had won off a drunken Federation admiral in a fierce game of five card stud. As for the other 18 crew members, he pulled them from barstools, from corporate offices, as in his oldest member, Ambrez, and even from the warrior houses of the Auroran Empire. All of these brave men and women to serve on the youngest of the 1170 series KDY IDA frigates, an ancient but tried and true design.
Eight years ago, he found his ship, the mistress of Twilight, when he still worked for the mammoth Sigma Corporation. Back then he was just one of the companys worthless underlings, and he was given the odious job of clearing out abandoned hangars on Earths artificial ring. The KDY hangar had been untouched since the company dried up five decades ago, and Sigma finally needed the space for its ever expanding wealth. For months he and his teammates dug away at the mammoth assembly line until one day he found her, buried under weightless mounds of refuge and debris; he knew then that he must have the star ship. He used everything in his power to place the Mistress at the end of a very long and very worthless auction of the recovered items. When she came up fifty eight hours after auction started, he was the last one to remain on the site in the omni web and he poured every credit he had into the minimum bid. Well, he thought that was then, now he could almost afford the mammoth Leviathan class bulk carriers that his old company just began to reproduce.
The captain stood up and walked to the single large viewing port on his bridge. His craggy features strained as he stared into the abyss. Suddenly his broad five foot nine frame went rigid as he turned to face Taylor Son Of A B.........Time froze aboard the mistress as her main engines propelled her to speeds that minds in the archaic early twenty first century thought were completely impossible.
Three days later and not a second past aboard the Mistress, she slowed to a more believable speed. .. itch!!!! Skyes yelled. Next time give me a damn warning Tay!
Taylor just looked up and smiled as he plotted the course for station Koria.
The door opened behind the two members of the bridge, as the captain requested. Sparks, hail Koria and do whatever it takes to get us clearance to bunker fuel.
No response came from the woman who entered.
Sparks! I have had enough attitudes from Taylor. up here to last the entire crew now hail Koria.
Yes, my captain! Came the feminine voice over the radio, but who are you yelling at on the bridge?
Isaiah turned around and came face to face with the woman interloping on the bridge and he could hardly contain the rage building up in him. Maam, now you know passengers are not allowed on the bridge.
She gave him a dejected almost tearful look and like so many times before, his resolve melted away.
I I just was wondering have you found any anything yet? I mean any thing of my hus Her voice trailed off and she wept softly.
The captain placed his hand on her shoulder and he felt her shutter, he wanted to offer her comfort but this woman had gone through so many emotional changes he did not know what to expect next. No, not yet but we have so many places to look just yet. me mumbled and then he stared intently at her eyes with the resolve of a captain who had yet to let anyone down, But, Dont worry, we will, Miss.
For once it seemed she had been appeased and she strolled gently out of the small bridge into the corridor. Skyes look longingly at absolutely gorgeous frame as she disappeared into the bowels of the ship yet he knew enough to suspect something was amiss.
She had approached him back at Earth at his favorite bar where they served brews from a rusty tap, and had dazzled him with her luscious eyes. He could not help but recall that moment.
You look like a man one can trust.
I might be maam, but I am already taken he nudged the passed out brunette sleeping on his muscular shoulder.
I am not some dumb bar room babe come here to woo you, you crusty old urchin! She snapped, that was the first and the last time she had ever exploded at him.
Slightly flustered at the incandescent fury, he asked Well, then miss, how can I help you.
She suddenly became emotional, My husband ship is over due and feared lost,
I need someone to find him, I love him dearly, and I cannot imagine life without him. She broke down and began to sob.
The captain took a swig of is beer and looked at her In all honesty, miss my vessel is a freighter it takes me days to jump from system to system and I have to stop to refuel every three jumps. What you need is one of those fancy new Star Bridge couriers
No, she replied, as she regains her composure, I need firepower, he was lost in the Northern frontier, beyond the pirates space, I He is a billionaire; I could make your venture worth your while.
Well he thought to himself, she seems desperate and I only need a few more credits to settle down he gazed longingly at the snoring brunette. Sure, why not I will help you find him.
From there everything got more suspicious, he found her later at his ship supervising several rather military looking men load over twenty tons of equipment onto his ship, when he asked about it he got handed a 100,000 grand credit stick and told to mind only the mission. He noticed at times that she seemed like she had years of command experience behind her and at other times like she had the capacities of a lost child. Anyways, what did it matter she was paying him enough and he was running out of navigable space to explore, He could soon return home.
Mistress of Twilight, You have passed security and medical clearances please dock on level three hangar two niner, welcome to Koria.
Thank you, Koria, is there anything you recommend while we stay, maam the captain replied.
The feminine voice responded back The guys tell me that the bar serves a drink that is to die for.
Thank you for the advice, we are commencing docking procedures now
Eight hours later, the mistress jumped into hyperspace leaving the expanse of explored space behind. Four months later she was pronounced overdue and presumed lost with all hands.