@TravelEcho @Malveka @Mad-Hatter
Into the Aftermath: Part II
The wheeling stars shimmered and came into view once more. The blackness of space replacing the myriad of colour. I had arrived. I bypassed my standard protocol of heading for the Station first and engaged the Pulse drive for the nearest planet. It looked promising as I entered the atmosphere, 70% water, vast oceans filled with islands and archipelagos, I flew low over the water searching for points of interest. I found a shelter and landed. The weather was pleasant but punctuated by violent storms, nevertheless I entered a scanning frenzy, this planet was rich in life, however strange. I found a sunken cave and revelled in the joy of this planet’s natural beauty. I plundered a whole vein of Rubeum and the Sentinels cared not. Maybe I could be happy here?
The thought of home and my base reminded me of pressing tasks, this was a Gek system and it was a Vy-Keen armourer I needed. This planets secrets could wait a little while as I headed back to my ship. A quick detour to the local station yielded an Economy Scanner Blueprint, things were looking up.
Opening up my record of my journey, I noticed a Vy-Keen world I had already visited. It was a long jump away but I was curious to see how it had changed and if the cataclysm was truly universe-wide. I entered the coordinates and jumped again into the spiralling light of Warp Space.
When I arrived much had changed. The solitary planet of Aria had changed, confirming my fears for the galaxy. Aria was now hot and scorched, vast deserts gripped the lifeless world, I harvested some Solanium and left. Then in my ascent off world I noticed another shape; Aria now had a moon. I adjusted course and was soon on the surface. What a difference! The Moon of Aria was lush and forested with vast open spaces and huge rocks. The native species were incredible to behold, ranging from the furtive Chameleon-Dogs, the huge bi-pedal reptiles and the massive beaver-like creatures. All these giants were harmless and were no threat to me, I still treated them with respect and trepidation however.
For now, my wandering instincts had been satisfied, I had to return to progressing my base so I said my goodbyes to the moon and took off for the Station. I Pulse-Drived as soon as I left the atmosphere, it was then my troubles began. Pirates had detected my Rubeum and using unknown technology, disabled my Pulse-Drive. They attacked almost instantly, I boosted for the station but they quickly found my tail and was soon behind me hammering my shields. Engaging the reverse thrust I stopped almost immediately sling-shotting the pirate ships forwards and in range of my own weapon systems. I unloaded a volley but the pirate turned quickly, I pressed my advantage but I could not get a solid bead on them. They attacked me again and neutralised my shields and I was out of Iron. Mercifully a spotted asteroids off to my right and had a wild idea. I adjusted course and guided my ship into the belt of floating rocks, I flew erratically and then the scopes were clear. They either bugged out or were destroyed following me. I blasted off to the station fearing more attacks.
I landed and took a large breath and sigh of relief at my escape. I gathered myself and headed for the pilots lounge and sure enough there was a down on his luck Vy-keen looking for a purpose. Just like others of his race, he was keen to help but seemed to begrudge it, I even offered him a lift to Sirasil Outpost, he violently declined.
I returned back to Sirasil Outpost and felt the need to change the décor of the base. It had lost the charm of the vibrant green it once was and didn’t quite fit in with the new landscape so I started work and seemed to be going for dark greys and reds interspersed with white. My comm beeped at me and it my armourer informing me that a Sentinel attack ship was heading for our sector, I fired up the Indigo Rain and headed for the darkness.
As soon as the void of space filled my viewport I beheld it. A gargantuan ship came of Hyper-Space right before my eyes, it was quite unlike anything I had ever seen before. Immediately I was under fire and I instinctively took evasive action. The mother-ship deployed a squadron of Sentinel Fighters and their strafing run knocked out my shields. I needed to get away! I boosted hard to get out of the range of the Mother-ship’s deadly barrage but the fighters were still in hot pursuit. I repaired my shields and turned to face the Sentinels, they seemingly caught me again with another run, I can usually stand my ground and my advanced shielding and blasters will protect me in a head on. Here though I was heavily outgunned and felt vulnerable for the first time. I pulled a high G manoeuvre and entered an almost spin cycle with my boost fully engaged to try and get behind them, the nimble Sentinel Fighters matched me and showed me nothing but their vapour trails.
I conceded that I was outgunned and out-manoeuvred, I wondered how they would perform in atmospheric flight? I boosted down to Freyo once more, the Sentinels had taken the bait and continued to pepper me with laser fire during the descent. I lost my shield and the ship was bleeping incessantly as every warning light flashed in alarm advising me of ‘Critical Damage Taken’. I prepared myself for a fiery death as I flew low down the surface, I struggled to maintain control of the massive hauler and flew lower, skimming treetops and outcrops. Then mercifully, I realised that they were pursuing but were not attacking me. I slowed and still nothing. I turned and opened up my photon blasters, destroying one of them, the other two just ignored it and continued their steady course. I finished the job with no further trouble and could only assume the atmospheric descent affected their telemetry somehow, another sigh of relief as I returned home.
When I landed my stricken ship I immediately headed for the Vy-keen. I walked in and punched him square on the face, he looked more surprised than anything but I angrily berated his actions and seeing my fury, I felt he respected me a little more. He told me he was dying and wanted to go with honour and pride, but seeing my passion for the Outpost changed his perception. He eyed the Vy-Keen dagger I had in my possession and pleaded me for it. I slammed it down on his workstation and went back to fix up my ship.
For the second time today I doubted the capabilities of my ship. I had felt out-gunned, out-manoeuvred and out-classed. Atmospheric flight and Asteroids have saved me. I was lucky and I knew it. I wasn’t really hauling a lot of cargo around at the moment so maybe I should switch to a more nimble craft? I had spotted a dark orange A-class with 36 slots, but something stopped me going for it. I had a few things on my shopping list. I was looking for rockets to better arm my ship but there were none available.
I boosted off to a wealthy Gek system and upon arrival a Super Freighter was under attack. She was blue with coral accents, not the Crimson Star I dreamed of, but it would do. Nervously I engaged the hostile ships and to my surprise, my ship proved quite capable in the dog-fight, the wingmen and their fix on the freighter probably helped.
After the battle I duly landed and took my reward from the grateful captain who offered me the ship for 256m units after trade in. She was out of my price range and answered my earlier question of how far my 65m units would get me. It seemed that in 16,000 years inflation had upped prices considerably. I departed and watched as the Freighter warped out of System, a missed opportunity.
I solemnly headed for the nearby station where it seemed this wealthy system would kick me once more. In the hangar of the station was a 48 slot, S Class Hauler, similar cockpit and hull design to the Indigo Rain but instead of the four storage spheres, it had gull wings. It was grey with orange accents and I always said it would take a special ship to replace my pride and joy, this was it. After trade in it was 126m units and like the freighter, sadly out of my price range.
I sat in the lounge and watched the ship take off, I felt lost. There was so much I needed, and I needed it all at once. It was all there in front of me, but way out of reach.
Life on the Moon of Aria
Sirasil Outpost - Colour Change
