GC 10 - New Edit Pt 1

-1-

Chapter 1: Into Free Space



Free Space was not a natural region, it existed only on maps, in Nav-Tanks and Computronic files.

Its boundaries had been defined by diplomats and delegates during the last Armistice Conference on the planet of Intergalactic peace.

The Big Four, the Blue and about seventy independent space faring civilizations discussed, argued and finally agreed on this region.

It was to act as a buffer zone between the Big Four and give those who did not want to ally themselves with one of the big powers a place to exist after their own fashion.

The very core stipulation of that treaty was the mutually agreed condition, to kee this region of space free of war ships and troops. It was agreed upon that no ships or parties of any of the Big Four were allowed to enter Free Space. That meant Military ships, law enforcement or even science expeditions.

Free Space was also meant to be a Free Trade zone for civilian commerce and traffic enabling commerce and trade. Free trade and civilian contact was seen as the best way to create understanding and a base to ensure lasting peace.

Smaller indepencent societies in that region lamented the fact that many violent and bloody battles were fought literaly on their door steps, with foregin fleets and troops on their planets and within their space.

The Big Four, namely the Shiss, the Galactic Council ruled by the Kermac , the Nul and the United Stars of the Galaxies agreed to these Free Space terms and since it was signed watched that none of the others broke that treaty, but they all did, not openly of course.

Free Space did not turn out to be the region of peace where free commerce and civil exchange of culture was to erode the differences and ring in a new age of universal peace as the dreamers, diplomats and Utopians hoped it would; instead it became a breeding ground of pirates and a destination of the lawless from every corner of the Galaxy.

Planets like Sin 4, Alvor's Cove , Kalimant ,Drogs and N'ger were just a few places that gained notoriety as lawless hell holes



Most of the smaller independent societies that signed the Treaty regretted their decision as their worlds became the target of pirate attacks and slaver raids. And of course, now without the danger running into battle ships and fleets of the Big Four, some of the more aggressive independent species saw this as a perfect oprtunity to increase the size and influence of their own empires. Thus this region that was meant to be a path to peace was the most violent and constantly war torn region in the known parts of the M-0 Galaxy.

To all this came the Karthanians who hated the Togar ; and the Togar disliked everyone, except for dinner. The former ancient Oghr Empire, shattered into Nine Kingdoms were constantly fighting among each other, didn't get along with the Togar and considered the Karthanians hostile competition and agitators. When speaking about Free Space one must of course also mention the many Dai Than Clans roaming the region. As well as the Shiss sponsored, openly denied and condemned Shiss Raiders. This explosive and violent mix was agitated by the countless schemes and covered actions of the Kermac. Not to mention the not always legal dealings of private corporations who saw Free Space as a perfect region to conduct the less legal aspects of their businesses. And if truth to be said, the Union was also involved with its secret fleet and agents.

<p style="margin-bottom:0cm">So far it seemed only the Nul actually kept their part of the treaty and showed little interest in Free Space affairs. In other words, Free Space was dangerous, completely lawless and far from peaceful.

<p style="margin-bottom:0cm"> After encountering a living mountain, floating rocks , a Kermac scheme to move an entire moon and finding a ship full of human body parts , the USS Tigershark was now making her way to Brhama port , a well known pirate base.

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<p align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom:0cm">--””--

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<p align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom:0cm">– Aboard the Tigershark--

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<p style="margin-bottom:0cm">Har-Hi the Dai first Officer of the Tigershark was sitting in the Command Chair as he held the Conn. during the second dog watch. This truly ancient system originating from the wet keel navies of Pre Astro Earth was still kept on all Union ships and at the moment he was not only the First Officer of the ship but also the Officer of the watch and holding the conn.

<p style="margin-bottom:0cm">Har Hi loved all these traditions of the Union Navy, especially these military traditions that came from that for him mystical and magical planet Earth, the home of the Terrans. A planet he had never visited. He was Dai Than and had heard many legends and stories about this most aggressive and warlike civilization of the Union and perhaps even the known Galaxy.

<p style="margin-bottom:0cm">Not even warrior like Dai had so many military traditions as them.

<p style="margin-bottom:0cm">He knew that his own father had instituted the Union fleet way of keeping watches within the ships of his tribe.

<p style="margin-bottom:0cm">It was another hour to midnight OTT and the end of his shift.

<p style="margin-bottom:0cm">The USS Tigershark perhaps the most unusual ship in the Union fleet, with perhaps most diverse crew ever assembled on a single ship was on her way to a place called Brhama Port. This was an independent mining outpost in a shattered star system and also a notorious pirate port.

<p style="margin-bottom:0cm">As per Fleet regulation all of the main duty stations had to be occupied while the ship was underway. At theNavigation station sat a 12,000 year old Golden who had been the undisputed, absolute leader of his kind, and sort of still was. It was his first time officially manning this station.

<p style="margin-bottom:0cm">This dwarf like being with bronze colored skin had been field commisioned to the rank of Ensign by the Captain after this member of a previously independent civilization basically forced himself into the crewm but even Har-Hi had to admit Sobody was a good addition to the crew. While the Golden had of course not been to a Union Academy, he and his kind were in many aspects just as technologically advanced as the Union and he had almost 12,000 years of life expeeince. Navigation was not completley new to him and he was eagerly and willingly learning. The Captain agreed to give the Golden a chance and try some hands on learning experience.

<p style="margin-bottom:0cm">Krabbel the Archa spider and the actual senior navigation officer was off duty, but was present anyway sitting right beside the Golden to supervise the Old Merchant handling this post.

<p style="margin-bottom:0cm">And since Krabbel was here anyway he had volunteered to take helm. While Krabbel was the ships Chief Navigator, he had a more than sufficient helm rating to steer the Tigershark.

<p style="margin-bottom:0cm">An Attikan Marine officer named Fectiv manned tactical. That a Marine manned a bridge position aboard a Union Navy ship was about as unusual as the ship.

<p style="margin-bottom:0cm">While it was technically not against regulations, it was virtually unheard off. Marines were to stand guard on a Navy Ship and nothing else. But then aboard the Tigershark existed quite a few conditions that stretched the very limit of standard Navy regulations and procedures. Har-Hi smiled as he was thinking all this. He was certain there was no other Union vessel with a genuine Y'All warrior manning the communications console. Not that there was another Union vessel with a genuine Y'All doing anything else for that matter.

<p style="margin-bottom:0cm">The Tigershark had its Janus masking system active. This unique device conceived by Narth Engineers and Mothermachine. manipulated materials, energies and conditions in such a way that it allowed the USS Tigershark to appear as something else.

<p style="margin-bottom:0cm">This was no mere projection but a physical change that withstood the probing of any known sensor and scanning method, including of course sight and touch. The most advanced ship of the Union appeared to the outside world as a heavy modified old Karthanian armed trader.

<p style="margin-bottom:0cm">An old ship with crudely added ISAH pods and Nul weaponry. The simulated hull featured a sloppy paint job, had welded armor plates patching battle damage. Some of that apparent repair patch work was added in a semingly uncaring and hasty way. Somde of the hull damage patches even showed signs of genuine rust. The sides of this simulated ship were decorated with a stylized silver lighting bolt and the name Silver Streak was painted by hand across its bow. The Silver Streak was known to be the pirate ship of the notorious and mysterious render captain Black Velvet.

<p style="margin-bottom:0cm">As Har-Hi thought about the Captain, his subtle smile deepened. If anyone in the entire universe ever deserved the description mysterious then it was Captain Erica Olafson.

<p style="margin-bottom:0cm">Har-Hi considered that human from Nilfeheim his very best friend.

<p style="margin-bottom:0cm">He had met Eric aboard the USS Devastator while they both were in their senior year. Their first meeting was anything but friendly but their animosity turned into a deep friendship fast.

<p style="margin-bottom:0cm">That human from a wild and cold world full of humans calling themselves Neo Vikings was as honorable as amy Dai Than warrior. Yet Eric had some sort of gender issue and wanted to be female.

<p style="margin-bottom:0cm">This was the reason, General Cherubim choose the identity of Black Velvet for Eric in the first place. So Eric could become Erica and didn't have this gender issue clogging his mind.

<p style="margin-bottom:0cm">Har-Hi did not understand why, to him it was strange why a accomplished warrior and blade master like Eric would have such desires.

<p style="margin-bottom:0cm">Yes of course he knew about the Saresii who basically made gender bending the core of their society, but Eric was not a Saresii. Har-Hi shrugged at his own thoughts. Eric or Erica as he wanted to be called now, had changed only on the outside. He was the same ready to fight in a heartbeat Neo Viking warrior he had always been and he would follow Eric or Erica to the gates of hell. Deep down however Har-Hi had the certain feeling that Eric's change was not permanent and he would eventually become Eric again.

<p style="margin-bottom:0cm">Har-Hi turned his head and saw one of the ships engineering officers, a small rodent like fur covered Holdian and asked. "Everything alright with the tractors?" Because they were towing a Pirate ship.

<p style="margin-bottom:0cm">The little Holdian answered. "Yes Sir, once the mass is in motion it takes very little to keep it going. The material stress and shear forces are well within expected tolerances."

<p style="margin-bottom:0cm">Har-Hi said. "We once towed a full size Hospital ship with a Barracuda destroyer. Back then we were beyond any tolerance, but of course we had Circuit, holding it all together."

<p style="margin-bottom:0cm">The Golden said without taking his eyes of his read outs. "I really want to hear all the adventures you and the Captain had. It seems there weren't many dull moments."

<p style="margin-bottom:0cm">Har-Hi was both relaxed and highly alert and the tall Dai Than turned back towards the Golden. "Indeed, Mr. Sobody there weren't many dull moments since I met our Captain."

<p style="margin-bottom:0cm">A black shrouded being, a genuine Narth, who of course like all Narth had no individual name, sitting at OPS said. "I have not yet managed to understand what the exact definition of a moment is. Is it more than a minute, less than 30 seconds. The expression of taking a moment or waiting a moment is quite confusing."

<p style="margin-bottom:0cm">Har-Hi agreed with his shrouded friend. “Many human expressions can be confusing indeed, but we Dai have our share of rather strange expressions that only make sense in context with knowing our society in great detail.”

<p style="margin-bottom:0cm">Narth did not respond to that instead he said. Sensor contacts, at 7.9 degrees due course, distance 14.1. Contact is small and energy signature suggests a small space ship. It is currently not under propulsion and appears to be drifting. Sensors now also pick up a larger metal mass, but no energies I can confirrm at this distance eminate from the larger mass.”

<p style="margin-bottom:0cm">Har Hi swiped over a field screen to get a visual of the scanner contact. "Space salvage from the looks of it indeed." He adjusted his posture and added. "All stop, Mr. Krabbel. SHIP go to Yellow and be so kind and inform the Captain. She said everything that crosses our bow is fair game."

<p style="margin-bottom:0cm">The voice of the ship AI responded. "She is on her way." And since SHIP was way more than just a standard ship Computronic, but an actual sentient member of the crew she added. "Knowing our Captain she will make sure they cross my bow."

<p style="margin-bottom:0cm">Har-Hi was almost sure even the shrouded Narth was smiling at that comment.

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<p style="margin-bottom:0cm">Yellow Alert and SHIP's voice caught me on deck R just as I was about to jump into the cold water of the ships swimming pool. "Captain we have a contact on scanner horizon. First situation assessment suggests an unknown party engaged in some sort of space salvage action.”

<p style="margin-bottom:0cm">"Nothing for days, but each time I decide to take a swim, there is something." I sighed and said. "Maintain yellow alert and I am on my way."

<p style="margin-bottom:0cm">SHIP of course had her audio sensors open and since she wasn't like any other Ship AI I knew, she said. "It was you who wanted to be informed about any scanner contact. We could not even have to change course to give them a wide berth and you could go back swimming."

<p style="margin-bottom:0cm">I gave the shimmering inviting water a last longing look and said. "I can swim anytime, this isn't a leisure cruise and I am the Captain and must set an example. You know we can't leave things unchecked. It's part of our mission. Distance to the closest star system?”

<p style="margin-bottom:0cm">“The closest star system is our destination the shattered star system and Brhama Port, 67.4 light years.”

<p style="margin-bottom:0cm">“That makes it an odd place for any salvage action and we need to investigate. Why I am even explaining such things to you?

<p style="margin-bottom:0cm">"Because I am your SHIP and I like have things explained to me by my Captain."

<p style="margin-bottom:0cm">I jumped into the auto dresser and dialed for my usual pirate outfit. Of course I could have stayed and finished my swim and let Har Hi handle the whole situation, but this would have been highly inappropriate out of a number of reasons. I was the captain and it was my responsibility. We had standing orders to investigate any ship contact during our mission here in Free Space and besides this was what I lived for, I could swim anytime. While the Auto Dresser assembled the leather outfit around my recently altered body, I once more remembered Captain K'Tngnk lesson. He had told me while he let me steer his Pounder Class Battleship : Encounters in deep space were usually extremely rare and most situations developed in or near star systems, the usual destination of space ships.

<p style="margin-bottom:0cm">In my short space traveling career, I encountered things that were floating in space and it was never anything harmless.

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<p style="margin-bottom:0cm">However this was Free Space and the region we traversed right now was called the Devil's Playground for a reason.

<p style="margin-bottom:0cm">Our galaxy consisted of spiral arms. Each arm was made of billions of stars, but between these spiral arms were the so called spiral arm gaps with almost no stars. These gaps were thousands of light years wide. Ships using conventional, known propulsion systems were limited how far they could go. Civilizations using Hyper jump technology jumping from gravitation well to gravity took an enormous risk trying to jump a gap and civilizations utilizing ISAH type Quasi space FTL were limited by the fuel they could carry and the FTL engine maintenance cycles needed to maintain the utmost critical Quasi space super symmetry.

<p style="margin-bottom:0cm">So ships that traveled from the Down ward sector to this region of space needed to make the jump across the gap and then find a star system to refuel or drift in space until maintenance could be completed. Depending on the technology level such maintenance could take from a few minutes to a few days.

<p style="margin-bottom:0cm">The Downward sector was virtually unknown to the Union but it was safe to assume it was just as populated as the rest of the Galaxy or the known universe for that matter. From Har-Hi and now from Sobody, the Golden I had learned that there was trade and traffic between all these to us unknown societies. Civilizations known to the Togar, Oghr, Karthanians, Jooltar and many of the smaller independent species and societies that spread throughout Free Space and beyond. This traffic had from the Downward sector and vice versa had to go across the gap and after that long trip ended up in this region. There weren't any alternatives realy. The space closer to the Galactic core was too dangerous because of the many young violent suns, terrible radiation and not just a few murderous singularities and white hole matter fountains.

<p style="margin-bottom:0cm">Space to the other direction was thinly populated in terms of stars and added tremendous distances to the already long contact routes. All these conditions concentrated cross spiral arm traffic in this region and made it rich picking for pirates ans privateers.

<p style="margin-bottom:0cm">Our current course more or less followed the that outer rim of the Scrutum Centaurus arm of our galaxy. Pirate nests, independent trade bases were suspected to be located here and somewhere in this region was Brhama Port our first official destination.

<p style="margin-bottom:0cm">There at Brhama Port we planned to make our first official appearance. Up until now Black Velvet and the Silver Streak was only a rumor spread by NAVINT. In order to hunt pirates, find the Red Dragon we had to become part of that lawless community. This was, after all the reason we were posing as pirates in the first place and introduce the Silver Streak to local eyes and establish ourselves as major player in this lawless region of space.

<p style="margin-bottom:0cm">It was the core of our mission to identify these hideouts, gather intelligence and assess, identify and whenever possible engage and eliminate pirate activity.

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<p style="margin-bottom:0cm">Only ten days ago we intervened as we witnessed a pirate attack on what seemed at first a harmless civilian freighter. That freighter even belonged to a Union company and was everything but harmless. After we captured and boarded the freighter, we found a horror freight consisting of human body parts and human captives intended to be sold on the Togar meat markets.

<p style="margin-bottom:0cm">That horror freighter, it's crew and the human freight was on its way back to Union Space aboard corporate security ships send by Enroe industries and we were towing the pirate ship sans its crew behind us, with the intend to sell it at Brahma Port.

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<p style="margin-bottom:0cm">While all this went to my mind I reached the bridge simultaneous with Shea, Mao and Shaka. Almost like a choreographed act Har-Hi got up in a fluent move so I could sit down in the command chair and so did everyone else; my senior staff found their stations.

<p style="margin-bottom:0cm">I sank into the leather of my Command seat and as always all doubts, all uncertain feelings left me. This is where I belonged. "Engineering disengage tractor fields and set the the Mighty Nine to drift. Tactical go to standby and pre load snipers. SHIP, Battle view."

<p style="margin-bottom:0cm">Circuit my chief of engineering confirmed tractor projectors deactivated. Mao removed the safety locks of the weapon controls and my Command seat was pushed up into the battle view dome. I now had an unobstructed view of space, a simulated computronic enhanced view of course, bridge stations reduced to floating icons, ready to be accessed by eye blinks and the intuitive controls under my hands.

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<p style="margin-bottom:0cm">At 11 degrees towards galactic East and at 5.9 light years distance, bright icons floated in deep space, representing the scanner contacts.

<p style="margin-bottom:0cm">Har Hi spoke after he collected the different department reports and combined them. “All stations report battle ready.”

<p style="margin-bottom:0cm">I blinked at Shea's icon and she responded. “The contact identifies as a Tullerman brand 75 meter Dinghy. It is one of the smallest and cheapest space ships capable of Translight. We are reading 2 life forms. The larger mass appears to be a ship wreck of sorts. I have no detailed infornation on its origin, but no life or energy detected.”

<p style="margin-bottom:0cm">Mao was next and he said. “The Tullerman is armed, but that Class IV Battle laser could hardly scratch us, even without shields and if we really were a Karthanian.”

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