In pursuit of revenge and answers. Part 2

Location - Outer rim orbit of "The Frontier" star system.

Vessel: Unregistered salvage

Captain (Unofficial) - Jack Soto

Current activity - Currently in pursuit of unidetified vessel.

"Main guns reloading! 20 seconds! I missed again! Luca keep her steady, damn it!" Yells Dimo across the bridge.

"I'm trying! It'd be better if certain someone got off his a$s and marked those torpedoes for the Flashlights, so that I don't have to keep changing the course!" Luca yells back.

"If you two wanna complain, try it for yourself first, I have my hands full just keepeing track of the target for you two in this mess!" Retorts Kha'ro.

The small dispute soon turns into a full out quarrel.

That ends when Jack yells out.

"Watch out for that...!"

The ship shakes from explosions as several torpedos hit at the same time, and it starts brealing appart, the last thing the crew sees before darkness envelops them, is the bridge collapsing, getting torn appart and pices of debris being sucked out into the void of space.

There were no survivors...

...

"... Torpedo barrage..." Jack sighs.

"Come on, really, torpedoes again? We've been doing these practice simulations for the past, I dunno like hour and a half. And we get killed every time because someone starts a dispute!" He rants as he takes off the 'expanded reality headset' (1.).

"Jack..." Says Luca.

"I get it." He cuts Luca off. "We're 5 people on a bridge that is supposed to be operated by 7, we're uderstaffed... Kha'ro how far are we from the target?" Jack asks.

"About 30 more minutes, were closing the distance on them." Says Kha'ro

"Do we finaly know where they're headed?" Jack says.

"We cant know for sure, but I have a hunch that they're heading for a gate to the Naowian space. Because of we prolong our current flight path, and then exit warp we will be close to the gate." Says Kha'ro.

"That could be problematic..." Jacks says and falls into his thoughts.

"Yeah, I get what you're affraid of. Says Dimo. "There's no way in hell the border patrol just lets an armed unregistered ship into their space.

"Lets just hope we manage to stop them before they get to the other side." Jack says and crosses his arms.

*2 hours later...

Location - Solan-Naowian border gate. Solan side.

Vessel: NPS Manara, Naowian border patrol cruiser.

Captain - Aswind Koloev

Current activity - Patrol duty.

"Captain, we have an incoming vessel, exiting warp. Tyger, civilian model, gunship class." Says the officer on the sensors.

"Hail her." Said captain Koloev.

"On it sir." Says the comms officer.

...

"Well?" Asks captain Koloev after a while.

"They're not responding to our hails, captain." Says the officer.

"Captain, I have another vessel approaching, this one is bigger... !" Says the officer on sensors.

"I... cant find anything, no model name, manufacturer, nothing." The officer adds looking bewildered.

"The second ship is hailing us, sir!" Says the comms officer.

"Put them though, they might be able to enlighten us as to what is going on." Says the captain, putting on a stoic facade for the upcoming transmission.

The link between the ships is established and one of the captain's screens switches into a communication mode.

The screen pulses with light and a familiar face comes into view.

For a moment the captain is surprised, has he seen this guy before? Is it the black hair or the blueish green eyes, something on him seems familiar but the captain cannot quite put his finger on it.

This surprise last for only a moment as the guy starts talking, sounding almost desperate.

"Don't let that ship get away!" Jack yells.

The captain's mind quickly goes back into his normal, border patrol, self.

"NPS Manara to unknown vessel identify yourself and state your business." Says the captain.

"Oh, god damn it. This is unregistered salvage vessel, we are in pursuit of a ship suspected of destroying the mining transport Arborat 1 and the murder of its crew. Do not let them get away!" Jack says.

Captain Koloev rises an eyebrow, but quickly puts it back down. "That is a serious accusation, do you have any prof?"

"We have two witnesses, who are willing to testify, aboard and I'm pretty sure we downloaded the database of our mining pods..." Jack says and looks away from the screen. Then back and says. "Yes we did, so we do have a proof. Will you stop them?" Jack asks and gives him a pleading look.

"I wasnt planning on letting either of your ships pass without an inspection, but since we have this kind of situation we can be a little more aggessive with our actions." Says captain Koloev and cuts link.

"Contact NPS Kerzu to form a blocade, do not allow the ship to get through. Also, send a message to that ship." Says the captain.

"Yes, sir! The recording is on." Says the comms officer.

"This is captain Aswind Koloev of the Nowian border patrol. Shut down your engines and decelerate, you are going to be inspected! If you do not oblige you will be fired upon! This is your first and only warning!" Says the captain and the message is sent.

The fleeing ship doesnt respond or slow down. Giving the captain Koloev the excuse he needed.

"They think they can get through us? I don't think so, prepare to fire on my mark! Use EMP amunition." Says the captain.

Just then the ship sends an encrypted message.

"Let them come closer..." Says the captain.

"Captain something is coming from the gate... Torpedo alert!" Yells the sensor officer in sudden panic.

"Sh!t! Evade, eva..." Yells the captain.

Both NPS Manara and NPS Kerzu are caught in the surprise barrage of torpedoes and the blockade falls appart.

.....

Location - Solan-Naowian border gate. Solan side.

Vessel: Unregistered salvage

Captain (Unofficial) - Jack Soto

Current activity - Currently in pursuit of unidetified vessel.

"Torpedo alert! Marking them down!" Yells Kha'ro.

"Flashlights are firing!" Yells Dimo.

"There's too many, go over them!" Yells Kha'ro.

"Hold on!" Yells Luca as he pulls hard on the controls.

The ship tilts up and changes course, the dumbfire torpedoes (2.) that would still hit them are then easily disposed of thanks to the Flashlights.

"They missed!" Yells Luca.

"And we still live, I suppose there's a first time for everything them." Says Jack, upon which the who bridge gives him an incredulous look.

When they turn to look at their screen, they collectively freeze in shock. Both patrol ships are dissabled, smoking from their rear and the fleeing ship has just dissapeared through the gate.

"I've lost the signature!" Says Kha'ro.

"Damn it! Lets check up on the border patrol, if they're okay." He says. "Kha'ro send a hail."

"On it, Jack." Kha'ro says and moves over to the comms station.

"We've got a link, with NPS Manara." Says Kha'ro.

"Alright... Unregistered salvage to NPS Manara, do you read us?" Says Jack.

"We read you, those bastards got help from someone, they got away." Says captain Koloev looking pi$sed off beyond measure.

"What's your status, do you need any assistance?" Asks Jack.

Koloev rises an eyebrow but in the end says. "Our engines are down, and several key systems are out of commision, but its nothing we can't handle ourselves, thank you for your concernt though."

"Jack, something's wrong, the other ship is doing something." Says Luca looking at his screen where he has a zoomed in video feed of the other disabled ship. Several red flares are departing from the sides of its hull.

"I think they're launching their lifeboats." Says Luca with a face full of concern.

Just as he finishes the sentence, the light goes dim and an alarm starts blaring out.

"Radiological warning! That ship's reactor is going to blow!" Yells Kha'ro.

Jack gasps and turns towards Koloev.

"Can you get away in time?" Jack asks Koloev who overheard the whole thing.

"Our engineers cannot work that fast, and the lifeboats are stuck in their launch beds!" He says with a dreadfull expression. "You're still far enough away, if you turn around and jump, you migh be able to get away. We'll try our best here."

Jack looks around the bridge, then at Kha'ro. A silent question is passed between them. Kha'ro nods in agreement and Jack looks back at Koloev.

"Gather everyone who is still alive on the ship to your port side docking port, we'll get you out of there." Jack cuts the link before Koloev has any time to object and immidiatelly turns to Luca.

"How fast can you bring us in?" He asks.

"As fast as the engines allow me." Luca says, sounding unsure whenever he can pull off what is being asked of him. But he shakes his head and smiles. "If we die because of this stunt, I'll personally strangle you."

He says and speeds up the ship.

"Sur'ok, Dimo go to our starboard side port and help the people aboard!" He says and starts working the intercom.

"Heh, you got used to the captain's role pretty fast." Dimo laughs as he and Sur'ok leave the bridge. "Not a bad thing at all..." He whispers to himself.

Jack calls the sickbay. "Max! You're gonna have a lot of patients comming in soon, make sure no more people die today!" He says.

"Eh, what the hell? There was an alarm and now you're telling me that people are dying, what's going on out there?!" Max asks.

"I'll explain later, just make it work!" Jack says.

Then he switches to the engine room and calls out. "Thooomaaaaas!" For a while there is no response, but then Thomas's voice rings out.

"You called?" He asks.

"We'll need full power output for the engines, make the preparation, we're gonna need to run like hell after this." Jack says.

"Heh, I thought you'd never ask me to do anything. Finaly, I can do what I always wanted to try." Says Thomas.

"What, what are you gonna do?" Jack asks in shock at Thomas's words

There is no response.

"Hey, come back!" He calls out.

No response either.

"Great, just great." Jack says and sighs.

.....

The ships dock and the crew of NPS Manara starts evacuating.

(Dimo's perspective.)

"Head over to the sickbay with this one. Sur'ok how many of them are left?" Dimo asks as Sur'ok comes back leading another injured crewmember from the NSP Manara.

"Not many, and most of them can walk on their own." Says Sur'ok

Suddenly a young officer comes running down the hall way, screaming for help. At least until Dimo grabs him and yanks him back.

"What's going on, why are you running around like that?" He asks.

"I... i... it's the captain, he got stuck under some debris." The young officer stammers out.

Upon hearing this, Dimo lets him go and rushes into the bowels of the dissabled ship himself. It doesnt take him too long to find the captain, who is struggling to lift the panel that fell on his back. When he sees Dimo, his eyes shoot wide open. He is confused and manages only a few words.

"What, you, why... how?"

"We'll talk later Aswind I have to get you out of here first! Push hard on three... One. Two. Three!" Both of them struggle to lift the panel, it only lifts a little, but its enough for Koloev to crawl from underneath it.

Dimo then helps him up. One of his legs is broken and but they manage to quickly stumble their way back to the port, where a very nervou Sur'ok is already awaiting them.

"Get him into the sickbay, I'll look after things here." Says Dimo handing Koloev to Sur'ok.

"Jack, the ship is evacuated we have to leave now!" Says Dimo into the intercomm.

(Jack's perspective.)

"Alright, we're undocking..." Jacks says and works his controls, on cue the airlock doors closes shut, and the ships separate from each other.

"Go, Luca, go!" Jack yells after having the ships separate.

And just in time.

A blue light could be observed leaking out of the NPS Kerzu's hull, gaining on intensity, until the hull ruptured completely and a violent explosion occurred, swallowing everything in its path.

Jack's ship was already on the move, with a surpising but helpfull burst of acceleration, and heading towards the closest and safest place.

The other side of the gate.

Jack was pretty sure that under these circumstances they wouldnt be punished by the border patrol. Espetialy with both of their ships destroyed and a massive explosion on their tail.

"Go through and underneath!" Jack says.

"This is nuts!" Yells Luca as they pass through the gates, dangerously close to the rim tides (3).

Once they're on the other side, Luca literaly stomps the brakes and simultaneously puts the dorsal maneuvering thrusters at maximum output, to get below the gate's relative position.

Soon a stream of fire, plasma and radiation bursts through the gate, thankfully missing the ship.

Everyone on the bridge is breathless.

"Kha'ro..." Says Jack his heart racing.

"Y-yes, yes...?" Says Kha'ro in a similar state.

"Chart a course towards the closest station, I think its high time to get the ship properly registered..." Jack says. "In the meam time... I... I gotta go get something to drink." Jack says and leaves the bridge in a hurry.

.....

*In the sickbay...

"You mean to tell me that he is..." Says Koloev who was talking with Dimo after Max put his broken leg into a splint.

"Yeah he is, and keep it down, if someone hears us, its gonna mean nothing but unnessesary trouble." Dimo cuts him off.

"I still cant believe it Deimos, does he know?" Asks Koloev.

"Nobody ever told him and thats the point, and I think its better that way, he'll find out when the time is right or when THEY give me the message. And for the final time, call me Dimo, my identity is supposed to be a secret." Says Dimo.

"Dont worry, Dei... I mean Dimo, nobody will suspect anything. Should I at least inform them that he's here in the territory?" Asks Koloev.

"No, its better they dont know. He needs to develop on his own, and besides once they meet, there'll be no going back, I want him to enjoy his freedom as much as he can for now." Says Dimo.

.....

(1.) - 'Expanded reality headsets' are semi-VR devices generaly used to simulate realistic combat scenarios, in comparison to full VR, these sets are see through and only add the necessary elements to your surroundings.

(2.) - Dumbfire torpedos/rockets. The word dumbfire means that this type of munitions lack an targeting or tracking as well as the ability to manuever, which means that once they are fire they will stay on that course untill they either hit or untill they run out of fuel.

While extremely inaccurate and only really viable in close range combat, this type usually carries a much stronger payload, due to there being more space for it in the munition's body, thanks to the lack of targeting computers and manuevering thrusters.

(3.) - 'Rim tides' are tidal and gravity anomalies, between a wormhole's rim and a gate's inner walls, fully capable of tearing appart any ship that gets too close, they are the most dangerous aspect of traveling through any gate.