The holocomm was silent for a second letting what was said sink in.
“The Brigadier General arrives tomorrow. You will be ready?”
“Yes.”
“You understand what you have to do?”
“Yes.”
“This course of action is not the noblest course of action nor will it bring you glory. However, it is necessary. The safety of our people relies on what you are going to do.”
“I understand sir. I am prepared to pay the price.”
***
Rurik glanced across the displays and grimaced at what he saw. The Hookbill was being torn to shreds. The combination of drones and hybrid charges had reduced its shields to 50% despite the ships heavy modifications. The Arazu had him pinned and there was no chance of escaping its warp disrupter he couldn’t even fight back due to the sensor disrupters that were being employed, reducing his targeting range to a fraction of what they should be. To make the situation even worse a Helios was being used to jam all their transmissions for help.
“Cabara where is that damn script!”
“Everything comes in good time Rurik.”
“Well this isn’t even a good time to die so get me that script.”
Tacking Brigadier General Kovotie’s Hookbill for a joyride had seemed like such a good idea at the time. A rebellious action that would insult one of the most hated commanders in the Caldari Navy.
***
The mess room was packed. The tables and chairs had being pushed to the side in an attempt to make room for the outposts personal so everyone could watch the news bulletin. Rurik shook his head at this, normally the news was the last thing to be watched with the majority of the personal favouring gladiatorial combat shows. But this was different. This was about them.
“This is the Scope coming to you with breaking news. The Brigadier General Rautakka Inukiomaa of the Caldari Navy has being sentenced to death today for crimes against the state. This decision was made in light of the recent actions of Brigadier General Inukiomaa which resulted in the destruction of a planetary station in an attempt to subdue members from the terrorist organisation the Gallente Dogs of War. The following desertion of Inukiomaa and the resulting mutiny of the 9th fleet resulted in the Caldari State employing the services of the Capsuleer mercenary corporation Noir to capture the general and …..”
Rurik tuned out from the rest of the broadcast. Everything he wanted to know had being said. The actions of the State showed how soft the political leadership were becoming; stricter measures had to be taken to ensure the safety of the citizens and what was the state doing? Killing off its own generals because they wanted to do their duty. It was disgusting. Observing the crowd around him showed that Ruirk was not the only one who felt that way. “There will be a damn mutiny if this keeps happening” muttered Rurik.
The blare of klaxons tore through angry muttering coming from the gathered personal “This is Commander Tajuras. At 1000 hours tomorrow Brigadier General Kovotie is going to be arriving at this base. I want all officers present on the flight deck at 0930 hours in dress uniform to receive him.”
Rurik sighed, this could be bad indeed. The man next to Rurik, the chief engineer from his old Ferox, turned to face him, “Whats that bastard want? Wasn’t court martialling Brigadier General Inukiomaa enough? Now he has to come for us as well and grind us into the ground.” Rurik began to leave the mess room followed by Cabara “Most of the State views us as traitors Cabara and if it wasn’t for Tajuras we would all be dead. Those damn capsuleers wouldn’t have stopped if it wasn’t for him. Tomorrow we will get new orders and we will obey them like good soldiers. We tried to fix the problems we saw and we failed. To try again well result in more than being station bound. Now I need some sleep so I will see you tomorrow Cabara.” Cabara looked like he was going to argue some more but after a moment he turned and left.
***
“Rurik the script is ready, transferring it to you now.”
An icon on the display flashed, indicating that the software was now available to use. “Right lets see how that Helios likes this.” With the script installed Rurik was able to boost the targeting range of the Hookbills systems, putting the Helios in range of its Railguns. “Cabara, that Helios is all yours shoot her down.”
The lighting in Hookbill flickered as Rurik felt a dull thump reverberate throughout the ship as the hybrid ammunition was launched across the void. The ammunition slammed into the side of the Helios tearing one whole stabiliser of its side. The Second volley tore into the inner structure off the ship obliterating it.
Rurik fought down a savage pleasure at seeing the destruction of the ship and keyed open his comm unit “This Captain Rurik of the 9th fleet flying the Hookbill class frigate States Pride requesting immediate assistance at these co-ordinates. We are being engaged by a hostile Arazu and our shields are failing.”
Rurik sat back in the command chair, panic starting to creep in as the shield damage began to reach peak recharge. The Navy outpost had to have heard his distress signal if they hadn’t he was dead.
“Captain Rurik… this Brigadier General Kovotie.”
A rising sense of dismay began to fill Rurik as he reached for the comm unit.
***
The officers of the 9th fleet stood in rank upon rank across the flight deck. What was left of them anyway. A good third of the 9th fleet had been destroyed by the Capsuleer forces sent to hunt them down. After the surrender of the 9th fleet more officers had being lost to court martials, though only Brigadier General Inukiomaa had being sentenced to death the rest had being dishonourably discharged. Rurik had being lucky. As a captain he had being low enough in the ranks to avoid being court martialled but due to the court martials he was now in upper echelons of the 9th fleet command.
Rurik stood to attention and watched the Caldari Navy Hookbill pass through the containment field and settle on its land struts in front of the amassed officers. The landing ramp lowered revealing the figure of Brigadier General Kovotie who strode down the ramp to stand in front of the remnants of the 9th fleet.
“You men are all traitors.” Kovotie paused letting the words sink in.
“You followed your General, a man who sacrificed the people he swore to protect so he could gain personal glory, against the will of the State. In doing so you left the States defences breached and vulnerable leaving the citizens of the state defenceless. You men should be ashamed of yourselves. I have been given command of the remnants of this fleet. You will be given a second chance to show the State that you will protect it and serve it no matter what your opinion is of the orders given. At 0800 hours tomorrow I want all personal to report to their respective ships for fleet manoeuvres. Those crews who cannot perform up to standard will be sent to the 13th fleet and fight the sleepers.”
Rurik was stunned. The 13th fleet was a penal fleet and thus reserved for prisoners who made bargains to escape jail terms and disciplined crew members. Since the appearance of wormholes the 13th fleet had been charged with their exploration and as a result had the highest casualty rate. Some times death was the most acceptable outcome in the 13th fleet, there were terrors out in wormhole space that men should not have to face, terrors that could destroy a man. To send a person there was to sentence them to death.
“Now, Commander Tajuras. I wish you to show me to my quarters and have my Hookbill prepared for some drone practice at 1300 hours” ordered Kovotie. “Sir, I shall put Chief Engineer Cabara onto it. If you would follow me I will show you to your quarters.”
With the departure of the Brigadier General the gathered officers began to disperse to prepare their crews for tomorrows fleet manoeuvres. Rurik made his way over to where Cabara and his men had began to prep the Hookbill; “Cabara I think this boat needs a test flight to make sure that it is in proper order for the Brigadier General.’ Cabara looked up from his datapad, “You know Captain I think your right. We want to make sure everything is in working order for the Brigadier General.”
***
With a sense of desperation Rurik clicked on the comm unit “Brigadier General I am requesting emergency assistance. We are under attack and need immediate assistance our coordinates are …”
“Request denied Captain. Any attack being made against you is a feint. I can not afford to leave this outpost undefended against any potential hostiles. You are on you own.”
“Sir, you are condemning us to death!”
“A fitting punishment for the commandeering of an officers personal vessel. Farewell Captain, die an inglorious death.”
Rurik looked out the viewport and watched the haze of the battered shields growing ever more indistinct. With their failure it would all be over. The armour would disintegrate under the Arazu’s fire, the hull would rupture and expose the delicate insides of the ship to the projectiles currently slamming into its shields. Why attack a Hookbill though? There were plenty of transport ships in system, all of which would have died faster and have been a greater loss to the State then a single Hookbill. As the shields started to fail Rurik thought back to the ships he had previously commanded where he had installed emergency protocol 417 for such situations as this. Regrettably, Brigadier General Kovotie did have such a protocol installed for his ships.
Then it became apparent to him. The Arazu thought this ship was piloted by Kovotie. It was an assassination. The screens on the command console kept on flickering as more and more power was diverted to the shields. Rurik battled though the dying screens with a renewed sense of vigour trying to bring up a schematic of the ship. There maybe a way for him to survive, just maybe. The schematic flickered to life in front of him showing him what he needed. An ace in the hole. A way to survive.
“Cabara”
“Yes Captain”
“I have had a look at this ships schematics, it seems the brigadier general installed a warp capable escape pod. However, it only has room for one. I want you take that escape pod and get away. I shall go down with the ship.”
“I won’t go Rurik, the escape pod is yours.”
“It wasn’t a request, It was an order. If I was to survive this Kovotie would most likely execute me so I am a dead man. Now take that escape pod and get out of here.”
Whatever Cabara’s response was Rurik didn’t hear it. The shriek of tearing metal reverberated throughout the entire ship as the shields failed. Klaxons went off throughout the ship declaring its immediate destruction and for all crew to abandon ship. Rurik turned back to his displays and saw with satisfaction that the escape pod was preparing its self for launch. Rurik began to prepare the remnants of the Hookbill for warp. The computer complained that the ship had suffered to much mechanical stress for it enter warp. Rurik ignored it, staying here ensured no chance of survival.
Rurik watched as Cabara’s pod was ejected from the Hookbill. Everything now depended on the competence of the Arazus crew. Rurik watched the displays intently waiting for that one icon to flash green. The seconds passed. They dragged on for a eternity. Then damage readouts showed that the Hookbills armour had being stripped, the very structure of the ship was being damaged. Then it happened. A single icon turned green in a field of red. Rurik tapped the one button in the ship that now mattered. The warp button. The ship bucked and screamed as the stress of entering warp hit the ship. The engines protested, but in the end they gave into the demands of the computer and they pushed the ship into warp.
As the Hookbill entered warp Rurik watched the Arazu place its warp disrupter on the escape pod and unleash the fury of its drones on the escape pod destroying it and the man inside it. “Farwell Cabara, you were a loyal friend. I knew the Arazus commander would destroy try to destroy the escape pod before it initiated its short rang warp engine. He reasoned that the escape pod would contain the Brigadier General while the ships crew would fight to allow him to escape. You see I had to survive. The State is getting soft and the Gallante Dogs have to be dealt with. I have the opportunity to do that. Your death will not be in vain.”
As the Hookbill exited warp outside of the Caldari Navy Outpost Rurik directed the ship towards the docking facilities and proceeded to decelerate the ship. Glancing across the readouts Rurik saw that the ship was not slowing down fast enough, franticly bringing up the ships schematics Rurik saw that a number of the thrusters had be damaged making them inoperable. As the Hookbill hurtled towards the containment field Rurick sat back in the command chair and began to encase him self in the crash webbing. “Well Cabara we may both die yet.”
The ship passed through the containment field and slammed into the hanger floor and proceeded to skid across the floor. As alarms sounded throughout the station personal ran to emergency stations to prepare for the coming collision. Tractor beams attempted to slow the wreckage of the Hookbill before it collided with the hanger wall. They failed. The Hookbill collided with the wall.
