"We’ve been cleared to leave." Jasmine said from the support station to the left and slightly behind Avery.
Since Kasandra was going to be receiving her own vessel in a few months, Jasmine was currently training to take her role.
"Got it. Then let’s head on out. Can’t leave Kaiden and Ezra waiting for us too long."
Avery started up the Dauntless and as its thrusters roared to life, he pulled out of the hangar the ship had been docked at.
The mont Avery left the confines of the station, the familiar black expanse of space, dotted with the glimring lights of stars and other celestial bodies, was there to greet him.
As always it was awe inspiring, but this ti it was even more so than usual. For this was going to be the last ti for likely several years that Avery would see the space outside of his ho station.
Looking at the view of the stern cara, he took one last long look at Yuson II before imputing the coordinates for Yuson Pri where the rchant fleet his rcenary group would be protecting was waiting.
A familiar hum resounded through the ship, and a few monts later all the light on the view screen seed to elongate as the Dauntless jumped to light speed.
"This is my first ti seeing light speed from a small vessel. It’s quite sothing." Jasmine comnted, enamored by the new experience.
She had been on passenger and Alliance Police spacecraft before, but those had all been large vessels and she had not been allowed on the bridge. She had never been able to see what the outside looked like before when traveling at light speed.
"Just wait until we enter hyperspace in a little while. Now that’s a really impressive sight." Avery said pridefully.
"Why are you acting like an expert when you only recently traveled through hyperspace for the first ti. You’ve barely any more experience than Jasmine."
Kasandra’s teasing reply got a few chuckles out of Jasmine, and Avery could hardly be upset with her for pointing out the truth.
Just a few minutes later, the Dauntless exited light speed and Yuson Pri ca into view.
This station normally had the most traffic in the system, but today there were even more ships than usual within the vicinity.
Around forty large cargo ships belonging to the Moonrise rchant company were either docked or floating within a few dozen kiloters of the station.
"Wow those are massive. I think so of them might even be bigger than the Alliance Police’s heavy cruisers." Avery said in amazent.
Moonrise’s flagship was over a kiloter and a half long. Making it the largest vessel in the system.
By itself it was capable of carrying several millions of tons of goods. It was a true behemoth of a cargo ship and currently being fully loaded with refined tals produced by the several mining companies based in the Yuson System.
"It certainly is large, but you can’t compare it to a warship. It doesn’t have any weapons, and its shields and plating are only a bit stronger than on an average civilian ship. That thing is built solely for transporting goods." Kasandra comnted.
Taking this into account, it did seem a bit less impressive. Still, it was a behemoth of a ship. There was no doubt that it could fit thirty or more of the Dauntless inside of it.
Along with the rchant fleet was several bands of rcenaries that were unfamiliar to Avery or Kasandra. Most likely the guards the had accompanied Moonrise’s vessels on their way here.
Checking the signature data, Avery found that they were all three star rcenaries and part of eight different groups.
"It looks like they are all solid rcenaries. A mostly successful record for each of the groups." Jasmine said, having pulled up the information from the signatures that the Dauntless’ sensors had recorded. When working with unfamiliar individuals, it was best to gather what information was out there.
Not even a minute later, they received a transmission from Kaiden and Ezra. The two of them had been waiting for Avery and his two crew mbers’ arrival.
"Glad to see that all of you made it. I received a ssage from the rchants’ leader earlier, and I expect he’ll contact you soon as well." Ezra inford them.
Kaiden had less to say, and only glared at Avery and told him to do right by his sister. Fortunately, Kasandra had already contacted him and updated him on the situation with Jasmine, otherwise he would have been liable to go ballistic.
There was still about a half hour until the agreed upon departure ti, so Avery moved his vessel closer to Ezra’s and Kaiden’s and the three of them, mainly Avery and Ezra, shared what information they had.
"Oh, looks like you were right. The fleet leader is contacting . Let put you two on hold for now." Avery said, putting Ezra and Kaiden’s transmissions into the background and accepting the incoming one.
"This is four star rcenary, Avery Asteria, callsign Dauntless. What can I do for you?"
"I’m the one in charge of the rchant fleet, Svantur Fendar. Seeing as how you’re the fad recipient of the Alliance Silver Cross of Heroism, I felt that it was my duty to speak with you directly."
Svantur started off with a bit of flattery and explained the full makeup of the vessels under his command as well as the other guards that had been hired.
Eventually though, he broached what he was truly after.
He wanted Avery’s team to guard the flagship that would be at the front of the fleet, and that he would be on and had the most valuable cargo stored within it.
Naturally, Avery agreed since it was a request from his employer, but he was a bit nervous since this was his first escort mission.
The most dangerous positions would typically be at the front or back. This is where most attacks would co from.
"I get why he wanted us there, but this is my first ti escorting anyone. I’m most used to fighting other ships. Urs hardly touched on guard jobs." Avery muttered once the call ended.
When it ca to ship-to-ship combat, he was fairly confident in his skills. But protecting others while in transit was sothing new. He had protected mining ships before, but there was far more backup around and defensible positions everywhere. That would not be the case this ti.
"There’s probably nothing to worry about. This group is too large for anyone average outlaws to even think about attacking it. We’ll probably have an uneventful journey and make it to our destination without issue." Kasandra said, recalling her own past experiences with similar jobs.
Only about one out of twenty rchant caravans were ever attacked. Of course, those that had a large number of strong guards reduced that chance even further. It was really only traders that hired incompetent guards or none at all that ended up raided.
"But that only accounts for space pirates. We could run into monsters like energy life forms as well."
Kasandra shrugged her shoulders and had no rebuttal for this. People could hardly understand why most creatures classified as space monsters did what they did. They were not as targeted or malicious as other people were, but when they attacked, it was typically brutal.
Once the last of the Moonrise cargo ships was fully stocked, the entire fleet got into formation, a and the hired rcenaries surrounded them as protection.
At the very front of the line, Avery, Ezra, and Kaiden held what many considered to be a coveted position. If any pirates did attack, their loot and bounties were up for the taking. Whoever took them down received the rewards.
"We’ve received a sync request from the lead vessel." Jasmine said.
Avery nodded his head, and his newest crew mber sent a confirmation, and the Dauntless’ computer was linked to the flagship. Now they would travel together as a group when going to light speed and entering hyperspace.
After a couple minutes, all of the cargo vessels and rcenaries were synced up and ready to go.
A countdown soon ca out to all ships, and the light speed drive began to charge up.
All at once, the impressive number of vessels seed to elongate and disappear. They had successfully entered light speed.
"Every ti I look at our route, I can’t help but think it’s a bit of a roundabout way to get to our destination." Avery said, studying the path laid out on the galaxy map displayed on the console in front of him.
"Well, there are only so many hyperplanes large enough to accommodate sothing as big as Moonrise’s flagship. Still, there are a couple faster ways we could have gone."
Kasandra and Avery intently looked over the map. Their journey could have been cut down by four days if they had gone with a different route.
The only conclusion that they could co up with was that the rchants believed this way was safer. Unfortunately, they did not have much data on far off routes that they would not be traveling through.
"Oh, looks like we’ve finally reached the first hyperplane. You’re going to be in for a treat when you see this Jasmine."
The three of them kept their eyes on the viewscreen as they waited for the synchronized entry with the rchant flagship.
It was not too much longer before they received a half-minute warning before the jump into hyperspace.
When they were finally given the signal, an energy field ford around the Dauntless, and a mont later it moved forward and entered what appeared to be a massive glowing tunnel that was primarily dark blue and black.
User Comments
0 comments from readers