Zob was hurting pretty good from the sheer multitude of pulse injuries he had received and with carrying a person with one arm he was limited to only his sidearm but despite the odds he made it over to the shuttle, "Hurry up and get aboard!" he and the injured Hermes trooper he was carrying step into the spade shuttle where he set the man on the floor.

 Morgan says, going out to the shuttle now...

 Andre   says...me too..  My machine  has   Holes..., I'll hve to use  Suit O2...

.............

 Th IS was  COMed that it was about 1/4 mile from the  STation.

..........

 The  shuttles  were quiet, there were alot of people missing, either dead, or evaced  to The Hermes.

  Will said...I dunno if we won or not?

 McCloud,.... we'll win when  we smash that  station to glitterdust...

  the shuttles waited until all the Hermes  folks made it , before they took off..the  boarding tunnels from  The drops ship  retreated, Hemsly hit the trigger one more time, and a couple more explosions .. as the amp ways closed.

"We alive we win" she said after last entered the shuttle to go back

Zob opted to not use the dermafoam on himself instead he patched up the best he could the wounded trooper at least until a proper med tech saw to him, "Akkus and the command staff are dead... but it was certainly costly" he then took a seat next to will on the left hand side, "I need a drink..."

Roy grimaced as he spoke.  "Unless Shade dug up a lot more intel than the disk Ce-Va sent out, it could be called a draw, at best...we went in after intel and to try and rescue any personnel who were slaves or prisoners.  We didn't get much intel...beyond proof that the station was not the peaceful hub of coexistence the Empire was claiming.  That will matter to a handful of people.  I'm sure Ge-Fi's already running propaganda to claim the footage was made up, and the Empire loyalists will eat that bullshit like it's ice cream.  Most of the ESN loyalists saw exactly what we expected.  There's a few teetering on the brink that will step back, and a few more that will doubt the Empire."

He shrugged, and added, "The Fleet's gonna turn it into an asteroid field of Empire corpses and wreckage...so we might have been stalemated as a boarding effort, but they're still gonna lose the battle.  The only victory they can claim is they kept us from getting everything we wanted...which doesn't help them any when they're dead."

 Shade Bleeped and looked at the on going screens, then shrugged.

  Hemsly sat down gave a shake of his head.....woulda been nice   if we coulda got some of them brass hats  fer the LC ta talk to.

 >>>> Shuttle  folks to Hanger Dec,

     Kolane was moving up.  “ Managed to pick up a pod or two after pumping all six volleys into station ring supports.  It was unclear how successful we were at cutting the power supply to the guns but we’re going to need a full reload.”

    Garrat stepped out of the static field and registered a slow leak.  Cursing he had some trouble jetting across but managed.

  The   Station was cheering, they had repulsed the  Invaders... the  Vids  from  CE-VA's hidden CAm , coupled with the Disc  Shade made..kept showing  a 5 second Vid  of  each Dec from station SEC  CAMS.

  Bodies that could  Not  Be recovered    were brutalized byt the Empire  troops,  Armor  torn off  bodies   as  the  'core' Empire  races  took  bites, sometimes.. the  trooper that had been  left behind, or cut off, was not  quite dead.

 Hack's   Jaw  worked in  anger... his fists clenched  as even Humans from the SSN  where shown,humilating those who were not yet dead..and   waving body aprts  around from those who were.

 Shadow said  softly,..thgose dumbasses  don't know, that the last acts of thier  life are showing  what kind of animals they are, and ...it is going to be the last  acts of thier Lives

 Feng was stoic...he didn't care what they did with the dead bodies..but some of the lives  one, especially the females..it even turned his  stomach.. he went to  turn away as  Shoey  Slapped him across the face..

 Kee4p watching, 'hero of the Empire'..that's  what you have become...   Delta   3, Delta one, and delta  2, formed  and   arc,,, siz  rows high.. each fleet section had thier  target  areas.

  Hack waved to  Beth Once more to open ALL COMs.....Fleet...open fire.... do not stop until its gone.

  with in a  heartbeat the Hermes  shook, lines of 'fire' from Pulse  and  torpedoes thrusters.. and glowing dots  of  Hard  ammo  streaked towards the  Battered station...eruptions of fire, bits of metal, slow , at first, then rapid, until the station looked  like a child's toy with  Red, Yellow and orange pokadots.

 The scenes  were changing now, troops  looked around  , some pointed to the screens .... Slave attacked   Guards, even as the guards  gunned them down,,confused  UEs ran out of the Hanger Dec, to die  like popcorn in The Black.

 An Empire Med tech grabbed  a COM  and tired to plead  with the Fleet to stop, but she vanished in a blaze of  steel and fire..when the  some cleared,,all that was left was writhing  bodies   and a view of the stars.

 Feng looked at  Shadow  , who sported  a smile...you are enjoying the death  of all those people...

 Yes and  no,  Fengy... the  slaves,, they are dead, they know it, the knew it all along, but not they are dying, fighting..well most are, there are still the ones who were resigned to being kibble..and death will be a release.... for the Empire  folks, which includes SSN.. i am enjoying every  death, except i wish i could  be pulling the trigger  myself....but..i'll have  my fun shortly.


 The  Fleet's ships  arched around the base from (:00 to 3:00  with  the Hermes at 6:00, there were some aircraft escaping into the Kuiper Belt, but Akkus was dead as well as Yikk..and who knows  who died defending the CNC.. 15 minutes into the  shelling, larger sections started to break of exposing many , many more open areas,  and many beings were sucked out into The Black..Fires   were starting to rage, a  second of the back half of the North-south  ring  broke off  spinning   off towards the belt.. two destroyers blew it to tiny bits.

With a little help from Meari, Izzy would make the jump onto the shuttle before heading inside and sitting down somewhere, seemingly unconcerned as to whether that was in a chair or on the floor. Hearing Meari's response to Cora's comment Izzy would give her a confused look before quietly replying "Um...Meari...I don't think that's what she meant" before settling herself down for the ride home, just as confused to whether or not they had won as the others were "Fuck the enemy Brass, they were dead either way...it was those poor people in the slave pens I wanted to get off the station" Izzy replied in a low voice that held a mix of anger and grief over the people she'd failed to help. With her thinking that the quick death they would receive at the hands of the fleet instead was a rather poor exchange.

---> Hangar Dec

   The  structure was starting to   fail, bigger parts  breaking off, more and More Bodies , equipment  and such   flung into The Black,

  Bigger explosions  now  went off inside, powercells, Gases , and ammo... a frozen ribbon appeared to form as the water reserves broke,, The last  bit of Feed from CE-VA's Cam showed the  fear of the  SSN  people and  panic of the  Empire... the Slave dead was a carnal house, but there wasn't  anyhting living on that  dec... UEs  were crazed  as they   tried to  find ways out of the  'breeding  chamber', then even attacked  the  Empire  folks to the point the Empire had to  try and Kill them...should have not wasted their  Has  Few  moments.

 Delta Fleet!.. fire  and Move,  regroup in  the Beta  Quad...

 the Admiral  almost waited too long, whether it was because  he  wanted to make  sure, or  Under estimated the  final  death...

   a small 'super Nova ' went off  as the Power Cells that powered the station took a hit  and  reacted... the  waves  went out ward,  Bodies   shrapnel and  equipment. bounced off the   Delta Ships  as they   Pulled away..
 The white -blue  explosion  made  alot of  folks  rub there  eyes... when  the waved passed the ships,  all that could be seen were bits of  metal, and debris, some of that debris, were bodies, or  parts of bodies

 Do it now, LC?

 Aye , Sir..... he waved his  arm for  Hermes All COMs..

 Attention..... we will have  the  After Party at  in 3 hours, at  2000 ship';s time...Send off  at  0800 ship's time tomorrow...

  Then he  nodded to Shoey  He  pushed   Feng to follow  Shadow. Shade was on the other  side of  Feng, he had more blood on him then  clean spots...

 Feng snorted....you do not look hurt...

 Shade Bleeped and whirled..

 he say's  you'll look alot  worse..soon...

 The Chinese Captain Stopped  , But was  hit  with Cora's rifle butt  in the back to keep moving..

  Shadow  shouted.....LARRY!!!!!

 he huffing  sound  as a  scampering Larg  grew near.

Shadow and 'friends'  to Hold

 Two days out  from Etna ( one day ahead of  The Delta  Fleet leaving Etna)

   ZU-IS walked back and  forth on his  Bridge, Looking out  towards  the  Remains opf   The  Metal planet that was once   an Empire  outpost, that became a staging point  for   Empire and EDT units  and assets.

  closing in one them were, over   1 hundred, mercenary shuttles and  Big Uglies, that contained the Transfers that were   refused by the Delta Fleet...80% of the   refusals  were   Vicrock troops and pilots,  m the  Rest were Paradise  Angels.. it would seem, that every one of the   Moon Angels had been accepted.

 ZU-IS  waved for a channel to be open.....Sol System, this  is   Grand  Admiral ZU-IS  of the PSN.  we are about to  enter you   system, with the  intent  on  taking Olympus, and will continue  to  take colonies, until we  reach  Earth...if  Earth does not  surrender, we will invade...

 GE-FI's  face appeared, and he was smiling,That is what you are goign to do is it?... There was a chuckle.

  we are allied  with The Empire... They will have ships  to support my mother  Ships  and the Sol System Navy..VicRock's few ships might help you..or they might help me? Can you fight all of that, and    Olympus's fleet?

 ZU-IS made a  smile of  his ownVicRock is our  ally ? They may decide  to help us?  or they may decide  to stay neutral... either way, you will not  get much Help from them...

 You Know, Hack sent you here to die, or ....at very least, to test your resolve.... My spies  say  that , almost all your transfers  are being returned?

 The  was a scowl on ZU-IS  face,.... His people, treated my people as if  we were Empire  assets...I have some  coming  back  injuries... i am uncertain about those form the other ships, rumors  say, The Hermes was not the only ones to abuse  my people...

 GE-FI smiled, held out his arms,..Most humans  have a odd way at looking at things, Ambassador  frans  had little  trouble  , becaoming an asset, even to the  Extent  with  the ...most unfortunate ...ESN Carnary ... Ambassador frans was quite  lucky, to have  those  female angels  and ,,,girls, to take his  mind off the death of his wife.

 ZU-IS made a disgusted face,..The Human race is  full of people who  ruined thier own countries , to grab for power  and  high living...

 GE-FI sipped some   Paradise  wine , he nodded with a smile,It isn't hard, to  bribe then, when you find out what  they lust after.... then? You use the  small bait to trap them with...

 So. What do we do about this? Hack as threatened  the Paradise System? He's a Madman , if there ever was one, and his underlings  are worse!

 Call his Bluff? his Delta Fleet  will be fighting   The creshians and Largrans soon.... The smaller  APF  fleets are more  for seek and destroy, then  for conquering . The Empire  was just a handful of days away from our  system, and  couldn't   take it!

 we shall never know?  The Council gave in to The Empire, Right  after they sent you for aid from  our  scattered colonies......  Only  Earth  was strong, and  you still had to , uplift them!....

 GE-FI looked away and shook his head, before  turning back.....That Cost Me   two daughters..one  dead, one  mated  to the most Hated Human in The Balck, at least....but the Empire. My Son is out there somewhere, he hasn't been able to contact me for years...Now, the renegade  Hack  sails  around the  Black tearing apart everything that was in Place, going back to when his  ancestors chewed on raw meat.

 You syill did not answer my question... Hack will be watching...whatever comes from this, will be linked to my Name....and yours..

 Sail to Olympus.. I will COM   Frans...you and he will hammer out a truce with the  Sol System, thus? eliminating you , having to attack us...and  giving us   a path way for goods  and supplies to the Paradise system...

 ..And Hack's threat?  He would   hesitate  to drive through the Sol system and send your Motherships to the 9 hells... I have seen what  they did  to the Ecispian  Colony world?... they devastated  a Hive ship a few years ago?  I do not thing his fleet will have  much trouble with  3   Angel Motherships...

 ..if he comes here to 'teach you a lesson'..it  will give  us  an excuse to aid you...along with Vicrock...and if he tries to sail to  Paradise?..what good  will that do, he is  about as  far away as he can be...

 ZU-IS sighed,Alright.... You set up the  truce  signing, we will reach Olympus in a little over  2  days...

 GE-FI  smiled,I wish i could see the look on   Admiral Hack's  face, when he hears the news...

    Missy lead several shuttles back into the debris field.  It was a lot less chaotic than during the battle as the tenders had scooped up tens of thousands of tons of floating scrap filling the bellies 0f the forge ships with massive bars and plates of raw ore.

    The huge forms of wrecked ships and prize vessels waited like sentinels in the black as units of engineers worked to patch some together enough to make it to dry dock and attach boosters to others to nudge them into a scraping orbit where they could be easily broken down and passed to the carrier station factories.

    Missy sought a special type of loot that would mean little to most but had an increasing worth to the Retrofit Academy and the Regenesis Corporation.

   Missy was on the com with the mech crews "So what ships did you see the mech frames on?" 

  Flex......


 The COM  came  game,One of those  Battered Largans?.... The have  a couple mechs,,,hard to tell what has  been blown into space...The serviceable ships  are already one thier  way to new owners.. I think there are two largrans Huls left for us to check..

Great, any salvageable blockade runner corvettes we can buy off of you?

  The COM  comes back,...Not in once piece, they tended to get  shattered by  Cap ship or  Fighters chew them up until the Power Cell goes....I think alot of them , cut and Run with Brass transferred from dying Cap ships..Still, nice to see almost all this scrap is
 Vicrock or  Empire Vessels...SSN  ships didn't last long... gotta wonder how long its
 going to be , before they send out their own Salvage Teams?

 In all that wreckage...down around  , where the  equator was?... that was thier Main Hanger Dec.... the think shattered in, like  20 parts, and other parts break off  as the stuff  twirls around out there...we haven't looed  there  for  things,,, trying to get as much of the Big Cred hulls and such as we  can send along...every  planet in the APF are sending Tenders  and transports  to  haul or tow this stuff...

 Scuttlebutt  says The Fleet  wiped out  the air corps?  But they wouldn't have launched   everything?...some cut and ran, for sure?...but there are aways  back up craft..might be  some 'slightly used'  floating  around, or locked down in a bit of that hanger.

   Missy was thinking of what the un named dispatcher said. A light dawns on "Oh my God, that explains why we were told most the ships in that class underwent an upgrade a couple of years back.  The IS could really book before we got some decent armor on it.  Other than that there is little reason to have this type of ship with a big fleet.  Whoever you are your a genius, I'll talk with Captain Morris, those ships can be crippled by a strafing run or two up the backside of the bridge on the conning tower.  took us a while to fix that.  Thats just the type of monkey-wrench some of the Hermes crew likes to throw into the enemies's plan."

 "We'll get on checking things out, thanks, oh, and I talked to the folks at Memphis noodles, they brewed up a couple of batches of their secret ingredient soup and sent it along for you guys.  We'll set the heated crate on the right side of that hanger entrance for your boys to pick up.  You have to try some.  Nothing like warm noodles and broth in your belly when you have a job to do."

  well? Thank you.. you folks take care,,there could still be sme survivors.

   "That could be a problem, we'll keep our eyes open."

    Missy figured there would be less interest by others in the actual mechs so she took a quick look around to see if there were anything interesting in the broken bays the man was talking about.  She also checked to see if there were any type of ship that had the docking attachment system that allowed the "Immigrant Song" to connect it's main bay to the LG01 "Retrofit" that was in conceivably repairable condition.  She didn't care if it was an unarmed cargo vessel, in fact if it was armed she would likely have the weapons removed so it wouldn't be hi-jacked for any of Garrat's hai- brained schemes.

 One of Missy's  scouts  Pointed to the  far mass of mangled metal, that looked like it  was once  part of the   Massive 'planet's'  hull, but  some  twisted metal from looking like, could be part of, the hanger Dec.There could be something in there, if we can get through all this  wreckage.. there are some  scavs out there whom lost people  from debris...

  Hey!.. Scrapper  Bob here...there is... about  2/3s of a largran Hulk out there...back half, no Bridge ..must have been a torpedo play target... there is also  a few major  holes between the hanger and the  engine  room.. hanger Dec is   in decent shape, those  two openings  the Lizards and Bugs use come in handy..though I have to thing it make the Hull weak, amidships...I'm trying to get as many  sheets of metal as i can with My  boats? More money  is  Hull pates and such...but if you can tow a Hulk..its there... The Big  Time  guys and Fleet guts  are concentrating on the   bigger  ships and Hull pieces of that  Planet-station

   Missy squinted her eyes into the mass.  "We've worked hard to get good people, I'm not going to risk them on a maybe.  Start some of our collectors clearing the debris for scrap.  as soon as it's safe enough let's get some CBMs in there to look.  The mechs can take bigger hits than scrapper suits so we should beat out other competitors."





   "Thanks Bob, we got a good shipment of o-2 oin at the "Retrofit", and it was a little more than we have tank room for.  If you want to top off after a run I'm sure they can cut you a deal."  Missy sends a message back to the quarter master.  The bulk a capital sized ship can purchase means it can still give a discount to a smaller ship and turn a profit.  Being nice to bob will cost but continued good will can save them more money. Scrappers know the game, but it's free to share information so it benefits all and establishes tight communities.

    Missy moves her shuttle around to look at the ship.  Sounds like a big project but could par off nicely.

Missy sees   the Largran Hulk. Modt of the Bow  is gone, like a nassive   shark took a  bite  out of it, right at the bridge..

  at least 4 large Holes, most likely Cap ship hard Ammo  punched holes into it...almost big enough to land a Fighter in.

 the  Hanger  Deck looked  landable, no staic  fields..object slolwy  drfted in side, bumping into each other......two of the   engine cones  where  gone..the other   was there, but had  taken some damage

     Missy looked it over the damage “No mater, we need to replace most of the engines anyway.  The damage suggests power was cut to the static field so we should be able to get it going.  For now we’ll park it and look at it later.  SGT Garrat, we have a new project to take back to the Retrofit.  Could you and your crew power the docking systems enough to park it on the right scrapping bay, don’t fool around with pressurizing it.  We’ll do that when we have some security in case we have stow aways.”

     She goes over the scanners and selects the next Largan capital ship with a vehicle bay attachment and Radios her shuttle bay where two CBMs wait.  “Okay, let’s see if we can find some Mechs.”

    “Shuttle 3, could you check out prize ship 4 before they fly it off on us.  Be nice, get in and out, you are authorized to offer their weight in plates if needed.”  She says as she maneuvers shuttle 4 into the broad hangar deck.

  The  Prize ships were under the  comanded of  ESN or APF  forces...they wouldn't let   anyone in  to 'look around".   They would have the same  uses  for  anythign they find on board, as  anyone else.

  The Hulks, or  'half-hulks', would be where it seems they would have to 'mine' for thier resources.

Missy reviews the messages she received from the prize ships,  “It seems they are using a different policy than when we boarded the vampic super vessels.  No matter, get ahold of who is getting the ships and we’ll deal with them directly latter.  As for the hulks…we aren’t running security teams and our mech riders aren’t paid for combat so we can’t risk it at this time.  Let’s focus on the debris around those planet ship bays and see what we can find there.”

     She begins to aid with having her two CBM Mechs on board hauling in debris and taking it to the forge.  After a bit she is needed on the repair deck and she leaves the project to other units
This message was last edited by the player at 19:22, Wed 26 Jan 2022.

  It takes a good  hour  or  so to haul in the 'nicest' fragments of Hull plates. A generous section of Hager Dec Plating was found, comeplet with the  Holes pouched in, which leads the  scavers to believe  it was from a ESN or angel vessel