DaydreamChronicles

Episode 2: A New Offensive

“You have a very resourceful sister, and a family that is basically crazy!”, Captain Ivanov greeted me with these words as soon as I boarded his ship. His remark left me perplexed. “Come now my friend, we have much to discuss.”

The starship was very peculiar. Named the King’s Crown, it had a large assortment of modifications. I helped with providing these changes and thus had to study the original plans. Originally a Starlance Assault class starship, weaponry and power generation changes were made. Weapon damage output was increased at the cost of rate of fire. Meanwhile its own defenses and engines were modified for speed and resistance. I used a lot of what I learned to make adjustments to my own ship. This vessel has mixed use hangar bays. They can store a small amount of star fighters but they are mostly used for cargo. There is also a smaller assault fighter, which is the ship I encountered the first time I met Ivanov.

James and I arrived at a meeting room. I guessed Ivanov’s next question and thus started our conversation.

“Ivanov, this is James Collins, brother to your doctor and a very good friend of mine.”, I had briefed James on the way back about a few things and the fact that Ivanov was a pirate. He was reluctant to meet him at first but I assured him that Ivanov is an honorable man. “James had been trapped in the sector I was researching.”

“Ah, I see. What of your mission, what did you find?”

“All the data I could extract from the ship is stored in this data pack. We should have your technicians inspect its contents.”

“Good, that will take some time, so while that happens you should see this”, Ivanov showed me a strange looking device. After a short inspection I noticed it was a highly disguised data pack. “I took the liberty of verifying its contents. I confirmed the young lady’s identity, it is your sister with a message to you.”

“You watched it?!”

“Hey, I have to keep an eye on my interests. You are my friend and I felt it was necessary.”

“Nevermind, can I see it now?”

“Of course”

I connected the data pack to a nearby monitor and saw Dana’s face appear on the screen. A wave of relief washed over me. She explained some of the events that had transpired while I was away. Her survival depended on the sacrifice of many of her own friends in the colony and a number of soldiers that worked for the CLF. The message was about a month old and she used a complex network of messengers to send it my way. As she expressed herself, I had become an elusive man, and in the eyes of Starlance, a dangerous renegade. My exploits and raids on Starlance became well known, even Dana spoke of some of them. This was also the reason for her message. It was time to prepare for a far more destructive blow to Starlance. Dana revealed that Starlance was preparing to launch two new Supremacy class cruisers. The Centauri Liberation Front and a number of pirate factions were now willing to unite their strength to ensure that freedom was attained once more. A plan was being created for the purpose of crippling Starlance. Her last words were for me to stand ready and that I would soon be needed.

“And that is it, your sister said to prepare and we will do so”, said Ivanov as soon as the message ended. “You should go rest for a moment, maybe talk to your friends. I will be on the bridge preparing a new task for you. Mara should be arriving soon as well, join us at the bridge once you’re done here.”

“Good then.”, I looked toward James, “Let’s go find Crystal, she should be on a break now.”

The internal corridor of the ship had been stripped of the usual paneling used to cover the supply pipes and other systems. Only a few remained in place to protect more critical circuitry. This gave it a very crude look, a stark contrast to the sophisticated and sleek look of Starlance ships. James looked around and winced as we made our way to the mess hall.

“You should groom a bit by the way, she might not recognize…”, I was cut off by Crystal as she jumped from her seat and hugged James.

“James! I’m so glad you’re alive!”, she said and then released him, taking a few steps back.

“I’m very glad to see you too Crystal. Is everything ok here? Are they treating you well?”, James said, concerned she works for pirates and mercenaries.

“Oh I’m fine. We have had a lot of work. Supplies are almost always low and I’ve seen some, well, interesting injuries to say the least, but they have always treated me with respect. Not that I wouldn’t give anyone a sound thrashing if they disrespected me”

“Whoa, that bad eh?”

“Yeah, anyway, you should do something about that long hair and this beard. Adrian can give you what you need as well as the details of our next steps. Get going, I have to go back to work”, she turned and sat back down to finish her food.

“This is almost like back at Starlance. How is this ship running so smoothly?”, James asked, turning to me.

“I’ll give you all the details you need later. For now, go do as your sister suggested, you look more like a pirate than any of us”. After his meeting with Crystal he seemed far more energetic and hopeful. I showed him the place he would be staying at.

After leaving James I made my way to the bridge. There, Mara and Ivanov were waiting.

“So you have finally decided to join us. I would have called ahead, but your little reunion seemed important”, Ivanov said.

I replied, “Finding an old comrade alive is indeed important. You should know that by now. Every ally we find is important for the coming battles”

“Yes, yes, I will not question you. What rank were you again?”

“Buzz off Ivanov, I am no longer a Starlance grunt as before”, the remark irked me the wrong way.

“It’s actually kind of funny how these guys have influenced you. You’ve grown beyond that shy little man”, Mara said with a big grin on her face, “Let’s get to work though, we have our hands full right now. We have to start making our moves against Starlance”

“Of course, I’ll let you old soldiers begin”, Ivanov said as he sat at his chair while we moved up to the holographic projection table.

“As you well know Starlance has a tight grip on the systems. Their heavy handed approach has made them enemies within the colonies, despite many of them pledging their allegiance. We have no hope that Earth or the Sol System will interfere. For months we heard nothing from them, so I don’t think they’re coming. It’s up to us. Our tactics have so far revolved in poking holes in their defenses. That is, until their Supremacy class cruisers are moved to engage. At that moment we scramble away before we get destroyed. In the year that has passed since the battle at Proxima Centauri One we have discovered that they have only made small improvements to their weaponry. Meanwhile we have continued our search for a way to thwart those powerful ships”, Mara explained in her debrief. “Adrian, the data you brought from the Proxima Eclipse helps a little in understanding how much power those energy cannons can unleash. Sadly, a lot of that data is also a year old, which means we can’t rely on it too much. The engineers and technicians are still analyzing the data though, so there is still a chance to find something that could help us”

I continued, “In the meantime I have a number of targets that I have taken interest in. I am not exactly sure what the capabilities of what remains of the Liberation Front are, but these targets are important if we want to truly strike a blow to Starlance. The first is Centauri Starlance Four. This base and its accompanying space dock are the main launch point and repair center of Starlance in Proxima Centauri. Hitting that station will weaken their response time to threats to their other stations in Alpha Centauri”

“What is the next point of interest?”, asked Ivanov.

“Sector Epsilon”

“You can’t be serious”, Mara said, her expression changing to a more serious one. “Last time you were there you nearly died along with James.

“It’ll be very different this time. I’ve been spending time researching the old activation protocols and control systems of the weapons there. I found something we overlooked before. Hidden deep within the minefield is a cache. Whatever it contains could help us fight Starlance”

“Are there any other targets? I admire your courage Adrian, but you shouldn’t risk everything on a hunch. Besides, we need you for the coming conflict”, I knew Mara was worried, but I felt that it was important to do this.

“Sector Epsilon is also a key test area for Starlance. Stopping them from using it will force them to find alternatives closer to their own territory. They will not want to risk experimental weapons near any of their other stations or fleets”

“Well, I don’t care how you proceed, but you’d better come back in one piece. You still owe me for that stunt a few months ago”, Ivanov was referring to a brief stint where I nearly faced off against one of the Supremacy Cruisers. If it wasn’t for his diversion Starlance would have caught me.

“There you have it”, I looked at Mara with a slight smirk.

“Oh whatever. I’ll see if I can arrange a meeting with the leaders of the Centauri Liberation Front. Like the captain said, you’d better get here in one piece”

“I’ll do my best”, I said, and then left the bridge to get to my ship.

I arrived at my base in half an hour. All the stealth tech I had to acquire to have a little peace was worth it. I also had a nearby Starlance listening post that I hacked into. With it I was almost always up to date with information. That is, until they entered the area and restored the satellite’s systems. In order to avoid any suspicions on my whereabouts I planted jamming devices and programming bugs in many other similar satellites. At the very least, it keeps their technicians busy.

Episode 1: River of Time

In all my days spent traveling through the stars in this past year, I did not once think of returning here. Where am I? My most recent jump took me to the one sector that still filled me with dread, sadness and hatred. This anger was as present as the day I battled here. It has been a little more than a year since that day. The sector was blockaded by Starlance and a number of patrols guard its edges. A military station and a sensor net now orbit around the remains of Proxima Centauri One. It is a reminder of the power that Starlance has acquired. The wreckage of the Proxima Eclipse also haunted the vicinity.

The Centauri Liberation Front had no choice but to go into hiding after such a devastating confrontation. A long range message was sent to the Sol System and Earth, but no response was ever received. We speculated that Starlance had jammed all communications, a common war tactic. In this war they mercilessly hunted down people by mere suspicion of aiding either pirates or the CLF.

With my escape from the battle and nowhere to turn to I decided to take on jobs as a mercenary. This quickly earned me a reputation and the branding of renegade by Starlance. My own father put a price on my head, though this tactic failed to gain any real interest among the mercenaries. With the money I made and my technical knowledge I built a small refueling station for myself. This included a cramped room that served as living quarters. It was crude and sometimes troublesome but worth it. I gathered as much technology as I could, even stole from Starlance in order to build a place where I could sleep safely. A number of devices helped with concealing the base from scanners and unwanted visitors. This also allowed me to make additional modifications to my ship, the Star Shadow.

Of my friends, I knew of two whom I reunited with. Chief Mara came to serve aboard a pirate ship as the second mate for her military experience. Crystal was also alive and well. She became a medical officer aboard the same ship. I met them after my dear brother set a trap for me using a mercenary job as bait. A very helpful pirate captain saved me that day, and since then we have been close friends. His name is Ivanov Roshenko and to my surprise I had met him once before. When I was still a soldier during an exchange of information, I battled one of his assault vessels. He did not recognize me at first. Once he talked, his accent made me realize who he was. I found this humorous, fate seemed to tie us together. Many months passed and I helped Ivanov gain power and wealth. His missions were often risky, but the target was almost always Starlance. The rewards for his missions were also good and allowed me to keep Starlance in check. I monitored everything, from weapons exchanges to the most vital communications between high command and the Starlance Legacy. Father was very displeased with many of his officers and their failure to capture any of us.

Starlance applied a strict military code and rules that led to uprisings in some colonies. Those that agreed with the new policies were allowed to maintain control of colonial leadership, the rest were replaced with commanders and officers. The mining operations that were having trouble in the past no longer showed those problems. The military force itself was causing the accidents in the mines in order to blame the CLF and pirates. Now that these supply lines were under their full control, there was little need to continue the charade. The lack of accidents helped ease the minds of some people and reinforced the idea that Starlance was in full control.

Mara, Ivanov, Crystal and I decided it was time to begin to take steps to free the colonies in the same way that the Centauri Liberation Front wanted. People had become very unhappy under the rule of Starlance. This is why I returned here, to this sector. Mara knew that they left the wreckage of the Proxima Eclipse untouched after the battle and since they established the blockade no one else has had access to it. This meant that data recorded in its last battle could still be recovered and used to formulate a strategy against the Starlance Legacy.

The Star Shadow had its signal deflectors online. I passed through the sensor net without a problem. My approach to the Proxima Eclipse was filled with memories of the battle. Glimpses into the past that were painful to me. Dana, Vivian, James, Vance and Captain Villanova were all presumed dead.

After a second sweep around the ship I saw one of the hangar bays with its doors jammed, still showing the signs of the desperation to evacuate the ship. It seems one of the escape vessels hit the door. I entered the hangar bay and surprisingly some of the systems were still operational. A light blew and faded in a flare of sparks as I landed my ship.

My helmet activated and closed up. I wore an armor suit that I developed for use in hostile environments. The alloy plating and an energy shield provided ample protection. Added to this was a number of sensors and analysis programs for monitoring. Scanners showed that the air was breathable, somehow life support was still operational. “Incredible!”, I said to myself. Here I was, a year from the battle that crippled this ship and its life support system was still working. The Proxima Eclipse was a sturdy vessel, despite the damage it had sustained. Artificial gravity was active as well. This turned my surprise into suspicion, there was someone on the ship. Inside the hangar control room, dust had settled all over the computer interface and the monitors. I brushed off the dust and input a series of commands. Nothing about the programming had been tampered with, which meant that Starlance had not boarded the ship. The monitor displayed the door jam, nothing could move those doors anymore, they would have to be replaced if they were ever to work again. As I checked the system further it was revealed that the main computer core was destroyed, but that the bridge core was still operational. If I was to find more information I would have to get to the bridge. Luckily, it was just a short climb away. I doubted any of the rail transports had survived but I walked to the nearest station to make sure. Many of the doors required manual override to open and some I had to force open. Once at the rail station I saw the transports broken down and a mess of cables and panels over the rails. To the right side of the room is the main service shaft that would lead me to the bridge. Before I began my climb I checked the scanner for any activity. A small blip confirmed my suspicion, there was someone on board and very likely he or she was on the bridge.

After about thirty minutes of climbing, with sore legs from hauling that heavy suit, I made it to the bridge. I drew my weapon and slowly continued to enter. Once inside, I looked around, but all the lights were off. When I moved to see if the interface worked, my proximity sensors warned of someone in the room. Before I could react I felt a weapon pushing against my helmet.

“Who are you? Are you with Starlance? Why are you here? Show yourself!”, a man roared at my side. The lights were activated. Many systems on the bridge seemed operational. I decided to reveal myself to whoever was threatening me.

As my helmet withdrew, the stale air assaulted my senses. I shook my head a little and looked to my side. The man had his eyes wide open.

It…, it can’t be! It’s impossible! Adrian!”

I stared at him wondering who he was. His voice was familiar, but his long hair and beard made him difficult to recognize. It had been more than a year, but I guess there were no other possibilities, it must be James. So I asked, “James? Is it you?”

“By god Adrian! You remember!”, he threw his gun on the floor and embraced me. I was taken aback, but reciprocated nonetheless.

When he released me, I looked at him again and saw the familiarity that he shares with Crystal. I began to ask about what happened and how he came to be there.

“It has been a horrible year Adrian. The colony survives but barely.”, his voice breaking up a little. “Adrian, I must ask, please be truthful, what happened to Crystal? If you know, please tell me!”

“She is safe, I discovered her serving with… a friend of mine.”

“Oh thank goodness, I thought she had died that day. We became separated, so I decided to return to the carrier in order to help with the evacuation.”

“What happened that day? Where is Captain Villanova?”

“I don’t know, she escaped on an assault fighter so that she could protect some of the fleeing ships. They were being fired upon by some of the Starlance fighters as if they were target practice. Some of us had to remain so that the carrier could continue to function and provide some cover. I volunteered to command in case there were any boarding parties, yet none ever came.”

“And now you’re here.”

“Yes, after a few days we restored short range communications. Some of the survivors on the colony sent a transport for us, but we eventually returned later on. We wanted to continue to monitor the actions of Starlance. We saw as they closed off the sector. They didn’t care for any of us, nor the colony.”

“What about supplies?”

“The colony is still partly operational. They provide some food on occasion, though the Eclipse still has some stores of rations. The past few months I’ve stayed mostly on my own keeping some systems actively monitoring. Most of the equipment here is working at minimal capacity so as to not draw attention. So, that leads me to the next question, how did you pass the sensor net? Also, what are you doing here?”

I explained my mission to James and some of the events that had happened during the year. After that we settled down to copy some of the data I needed. I offered James the chance to see Crystal and he was more than glad for the opportunity. He left a message in case anyone returned from the colony. No one had relieved him recently though, many had lost hope that anything would be done against Starlance.

Once all the information was on a data pack it was time to leave. As James and I returned to my ship I was very curious about whether I could visit the colony. He answered that they would gladly accept any outside visitors but I would have to bring something in exchange. Information was the most valuable thing I carried and they were desperate for it. So I made my way to the colony. A short detour and I was able to talk to some of the leaders of the survivors.  The real reason for my visit though was far more personal. Dana had been in the colony when it was struck by the Starlance Legacy’s main weapon. I speculated that there was a faint possibility that she was still alive. After about an hour long search, the computer system revealed a log entry with her name, it was three months old. It was some relief for me. I asked around what happened and one of the medical staff working there told me she had left in search of a way to gather supplies. She was accompanied by a small group of CLF soldiers who had stayed behind to protect the colony. Again I feared for her life, but if she had survived until three months ago then I had no doubt in my mind she was still alive. Her resilience matched my own. After a few more exchanges with the leaders, James and I left the colony.