Critique: Breaking The Iron Fist

[Bio-Wulf]

Looking for help with expanding on each chapter because i feel like i need more details and longer EVERYTHING in general. thanks!

Tidbits that might help make more sense
* In this story, interceptors are generally 1-3 person vessels, almost like fighters sent from a carrier. most dont have jump drives

*Telmoren/Grojen - Both races of lizards, used to be of same species, but conflicts thousands of years ago in past separated them. Telmoren became more advanced, the Grojen attacked the Telmoren, almost killed them. Telmoren's fled the planet they both shared, and detonated several nuclear esc. Devices setting the planet, and thus the Grojen back several thousand years. Punishment per se. In the lore thing i've almost finished, which is based off of another online game (personal message me for more details)
Here's the story


This is Sci-fi of course, and more stuff about characters that might help reading it right now, anyone that talks with multiple ssss’s is one of them lizards^. Mm, yea. Also, ch. 7 is the experimental one that I don’t rele like at the moment and am going back to rewrite. Cheers

Chapter 1 - Galactic Year 4318
"I said take your squad and fall right!" Sergeant-Field Commander Dierchek aka ‘Drake’ Leggamond screamed into his telecom-mike. "Hit those [gorram] drones NOW, Foyer! If they hit the HELLBOUND we're all gonna wind up screwed! Squads 1, 3, and 4, reform behind me, we’re flying under drones boys! Foyer NOW OR I'M GONNA...”

‘Drake’ threw his interceptor into a gut wrenching barrel-roll and the incoming chain gun rounds whizzed past his pride and specially-configured-joy THOR'S HAMMER.

"Squads 1,3, and 4, I said FORM NOW!" Drake roared into his mike. He slammed both command sticks forward and gave a death grip to the triggers. A small group of drones just ahead of his exploded from the sabot and chain gun rounds ripping through their delicate armor. As he slowed down and flipped the HAMMER around towards the GUNGIAN for another run, 8 of the 11 interceptors came in behind his.

“Alright boys, I’m figuring a couple more salvos on the aft shields and the engines should be fair game. If not… well I’ll think up plan 2 when we get there. Follow my lead!” And the 9 shot out for the GUNGIAN, a Federation Destroyer, who had somehow found the HELLBOUND and its precious cargo.

"Can’t believe we’ve already lost 3… Alright boys, turn around and start hitting those engines, before those drones come back!" And on that note, the 9 interceptors unloaded on the GUNGIAN's back shielding, with each firing dozens of light concussion-missiles, and hundreds of gauss and chain gun rounds before peeling off to regroup. Well, almost all of them peeled off.

"Hey Drake, looks like we're gonna have to do this the hard way, damn federation shields are too stiff.” Foyer always seemed to appear out of no where at the perfect time. ”I'll give you the hole in 3 seconds boss." Foyer's interceptor flew straight for the GUNGIAN's shields, firing non-stop with Drake in tow. Foyers 'ceptor shuddered as it impacted the ships shields, breaking through what little had been left from the whole assault "Foyer, I need coverage over the nose of the GUNGIAN, NOW! All other squads break off attacks and prepare for routing. I'm about to drop off 'The Package'."

The Package was a powerful emp spike, a weapon unique to Drake's own interceptor. Very much akin to a splinter, the main engines on THOR’s HAMMER would overcharge, transferring all power to the main gauss cannon. The spike would explode, causing severe structural damage and disabling effects. The only downside being the emp shockwaves immense range of explosion, and the HAMMER’S engines usually overheating after firing. As Drake's interceptor jetted over the GUNGIAN, he pulled up, and dove for the middle of the ship, launching the spike deep into it.

"You know the drill boys, my engine are out for the next 30 seconds or so; need some towage!" And right on cue, Foyer's interceptor slowed down, came up next to Drake's launched the grappling clamps, and jetted back towards the HELLBOUND. The other interceptor's had managed to keep the GUNGIAN''s drones and weapon systems at bay while Drake and Foyer pulled off the daring move, but as they retreated, a wave of rounds reached Drake, and while not denting his baby's shields too bad, they cut through the grappling clamps and he was left stranded in space. The GUNGIAN was still flying forward, and gaining on Drake's still-overheated ship.

" ... I hope everyone else is out by now..." He muttered to himself as he popped the lid on the detonating switch for the package.

"...Don't fail me now baby...” Drake pushed the switch. For another split second nothing happened. Then a blinding light shone out, making Drake squint even through his reinforced, tinted, blast shielding and then he knew. The hour long battle was finally over and won.

He reached into his front coat pocket, and pulled out a bottle. Raising the small bottle to the window, he unscrewed it, and raised it to the window. “Here’s to that promotion, oh hell yeah." He took a victory swig, and waited as the HELLBOUND and its swarm of interceptors came back towards him, and the now disabled GUNGIAN.

Over his now semi-dead com link, Drake heard Foyer coming in short static-filled bursts. "So yo....l...ke bei...g...he...big sh...? ...ho's pay...ng fo...the rep...s!" Foyers interceptor, the MAVERICK came into view, and filled Drake's view out of the cockpit. "Come on Foyer! If those stiff’s at HQ don't give us a promotion for capturing a whole brand-spanking new Federation destroyer, I’ll give you my next 2 months salary!" He could picture Foyer grinning through the glass, shaking his head with cig' stuck in the corner of his mouth. "Alr...t *ut I'm h...ding yo...to it th... tim...!" Drake took another swig just as another set of clamps hit his hull. "About time! Reel me in quick would ya? I bet landing crews are already assembling."

The left over interceptors had gone out around the GUNGIAN looking among the wreckage for survivors. After the several rounds of searching, those who were out came back into the HELLBOUND for preparation. As the MAVERICK and 'HAMMER pulled into the dock's, Drake saw a survivor being pulled out of an interceptor in similar condition to his own.

"No way that Sam's managed to break ANOTHER 'ceptor; no way! Ha-ha, I’m never gonna let you forget this one either Sam! 6th one; when you going to learn how to fly, boy?" Drake yelled over the public channel, and got the privilege of seeing the techies in the dock's collapse with laughter and Sam make several rude gestures, along with what looked like several suggestions involving a blowtorch, a chair and Drake's sexual preferences.

"Wow, that never seems to get old" Foyer said as he helped Drake out of his now basically dead 'ceptor. A passing techie looked over Drake’s shoulder and just shook his head. "You know maybe you should work on YOUR flying, Drake. You know we're going to have to replace practically every circuit on this thing to make it flight-worthy again, right?"

"Yeah, yeah, prep me on all that when we get back, eh?. We’ve got to get the shuttles ready to intercept and take over the GUNGIAN right?" The technician just sighed scratched his head and jumped into the cockpit of THOR.

Foyer, and the other half dozen interceptor pilots in the docks followed Drake over to the nearest shuttle, where landing parties were gathering, getting ready to board the GUNGIAN. ’Damn only 7 other flyable ‘ceptors… I hope we can take this thing without too many more casualties.’ Drake thought to himself as they reached the edge of the crowd. "...And from there, we need to make it up to the engine room. From the engines, there should be a main corridor leading down the spine of the ship, straight to the Control Deck. Ah, Drake, nice for you and your girls to finally join us." Jack Lenceth, the Commander of all support and assault groups on the HELLBOUND tossed a pair of IXS-0992 "Detro" assault rifles to Drake. "I try Jack, I try." Drake said with a smirk as he handed one to Foyer.

"Yeah, yeah, shudap and lemme finish pre-briefing. Once we have those 3 main areas, the shuttles will return, dock, and unload the technicians. They'll be bringing ‘em up to replace a few things on the engines, and then go to the control room, that Drake so kindly blew to pieces. Resistance is expected to be medium to heavy, as the GUNGIAN is hot off the U-Fed’s factories, and is so deep into our territory, its people are probably packing. Try not to damage the structure too much if you'd please. If the initial teams can make a lighting run to the control room, then we can lower life support systems in all secondary and tertiary sections of the ship. This will incapitate all remaining crew members in those sections."

"Hey Jack, you mind not using such big words? Some of us are just simple pirates trying to make a living here." Most of the shock-troopers just grinned at their friends remark.

"Don't worry, you shock-boys won't need to understand too much anyway. Drake here will be bringing the important stuff in." He hefted up a duffle bad and handed it to Drake. "Howz about not dropping that huh? When on the control deck, set this on top of the In-Ship control panel and just hit the big red button. Don't worry; you can be in the area when you hit that Drake." All Drake could do was grin like a fiend, and take the bag.

"Alright, 4 shuttles, 2 trips. Heavy shock troops take first 3, Drake and support group take the fourth. Remaining support troops and technicians for main engines and control room will be loaded onto 3 of the shuttles for the second trip. You all have your orders. Move out and capture that ship. Oh, and try and make it quick, it the Fed's decide to send a search party for this ship... well I’ll let you use your imaginations."

Commander Jack saluted, and got quick crisp return salutes from the 60+ people in the area and then returned to the HELLBOUND's bridge.

The same shock trooper elected to get everyone moving "Well, what are we waiting for? Last one aboard ain't gettin' no extra pay!" And on that note the troops picked up their weapons, and boarded the shuttles.

“Hey Sergeant!” A younger kid came running up to him from across the landing bay. Geez, Drake thought as he examined the fresh-faced rookie, this kid can’t be more than 16… Is the war truly going that badly? But he let none of these thoughts cross his face as he gave the kid a salute, and got a crisp one back. “Here, uhm- Sir! Reporting from Shipmaster Fewitzer! She instructed me to give this to you before leaving for the raid, sir!” The kid handed him a data-pod that was glowing a dull green, and a ‘new message’ icon was lit up.

“Er, thanks” Wait a sec, how old am I? Getting side-tracked again Drake, focus now, zone later. Drake quickly saluted, and ran for the last boarding shuttle. It’s been a couple of months since I left, hasn’t it? Or has it been a year? He just shook his head closing the shuttle door.

“What the heck is this all about?” He asked grabbing the command seat next to Foyer. “No idea, but you better open it quick, if it was from the Lady-Captain herself.” Drake mulled over Foyers words for a second or two, but knew he really had no choice. He flicked the ‘receive’ button on the data-pod, and quickly read down its list of Resistance Codes. He quickly typed his Soldiers number, id and security clearance into the blanks and waited. A bright red data-chip popped out. He grabbed a nuero-visor from the rack next to him and put it on. “Activate.” The visor remained dead.

“Maybe it wants you to ask it nicely?” Came the quip from someone down the row. “Alright, PRETTY PLEASE.” And Drake knocked it a few times with his hand. It abruptly came to life and asked for awaiting data-chip. Smiling he pointed at the quip’ee “See; just hit it a few times, then it all works right. My general rule with technology.”

A Resistance header scrolled down the visor, and he thought it would just be a repeat of everything else he’d seen so far. “Damn Officers always sending you last months check-up to make sure you read it…” But Drake was dead wrong. “Holy mother of…” As he read on, his heart beat escalated, and his face turned pale. ‘There’s absolutely NO WAY the U-Fed’s could do that…’ he thought, pulling out the now spent data chip and crushing it in his palm. Starring at the pieces, he thought back to when he had first joined the navy.

Someone in the back of the shuttle spoke up as the shuttles in the bay started lifting off, startling Drake from his train of thought. "Looking out of the back of these things always gives me a bad feeling..."

And for some reason, Drake couldn't help but to agree.

 

[Bio-Wulf]

Chapter 2 - Galactic Year 4314.2
"So what'd ya think they've got planned for you this year, eh 'legs?" Foyer said as he pushed his gyro-speeder up another gear and flew down the hill from the suburbs to the city.

Well, on 'Harlas' suburbs didn't really exist. There were small patches of sky-scrapers, and then there were huge patches of space-scrapers. But, most would be disappointed if it weren't like that. After all, this WAS the United-Federation of Arastole's largest inner-rim planet.

"How many times do I have to tell you Virian, its DRAKE now. D-R-A-K-E. Drake. If we're joining the navy, you better start showing me some friggin respect man." Drake sighed and took another sip on the bottle of what Foyer Virian called 'scotch'. Not quite what he was used to. And Foyer had laughed hysterically when he had pulled off the lid and tried to chug it. Everything was still burning inside of him.

"Oh, right man, sorry. So, DRAKE, what do you think your gonna get? A gyro-speeder? Or another mindless Dio-vision game? Hehe." Drake stared at the bottle for a minute lost in thought. What WOULD his parents get him this year? God they had horrid taste in gifts. At least Foyer always surprised him with something good. Like this old Earth liquor.

" Honestly, i'd rather not know Vir'. I just hope I can return it for some credits." His so called "parents" barely knew him. Father worked on the board of a very successful mining company, and mother was always busy at the Telmoren embassy these days. The gyro-speeder started to slow down, knocking Drake out of his chain of thought. "Well, at least they won't repeat the stylist again..." Drake slugged Virian in the arm as Vir' erupted in laughter. " All right, all right! I'm sorry le-uh, Drake. “

That had been a most horrible present. What in the world could his parents have been thinking ordering a STYLIST to come over and make Drake up for his birthday? "Yeah, yeah just shut it would ya? Not all of us have normal, sane parents." Vir' had turned 19 several months before him, and still flashed his ride and liscense at every opportunity.

"Well. Here we are 'sir'. The not-location of your not-surprise party." Foyer popped the doors open, and they both walked up to the space-scraper front steps. “You got the forms right? For tomorrow? I'm getting the heck outa here ASAP man." In answer, Vir' opened his front pocket, and flashed 2 white data-form's. "Don't worry so much, everything’s all right. You just gotta sit through one more deathly boring party. Oh, and I’ll be leaving once both our parents see us. A few more things I gotta do." Drake's face fell slightly. Vir' being at his parties was usually one of the few good things.

"Alright, alright, I guess I can stomach one politically-stuffed night on my own." Knowing his parents as he did, they would definitely invite as many high-status folks as they could, and then be parading him around like a show-horse all night. But tomorrow... oh tomorrow he'd start a new life, sitting in the back of a United Federation Space Cruiser, flying to the training academy for his 5 months training. And from there, well from there he’d be free.

Naturally, he wasn't going to tell his parents. They'd never let him go if they knew. "Partillian's School for the Gifted" that's where they thought he was going. Hah, another uppity school, filled with snobby aristocrats sons, and daughters. No, he'd already spent 3 months in the prep-school for it; no way was he going to the real thing. "Hey Drake, you gonna push the button or you want me to?" Foyer was staring at him, as they were at the grav-lift, and he was closest to the panel. "Ah sorry Vir', just thinking again." He pushed the 98th floor button. “I swear you look like you've taken some Ruby Dust or something. Zoning out more than that day we..." Drake went back to zoning out, not noticing his friend going on about some story of when they were younger. Foyer was a lot like Drake, same family type, background. He also didn't like the life of the "upper-class" here. But his parents had SPECIFICALLY sent him away to the U-F naval academy.

Absently, Drake noticed he still had the bottle of scotch in his hand. Then the buzzer signaling arrival on the 98th floor buzzed. "Oh crap, uh here, stuff this in your jacket Vir'!" Taking the bottle of scotch, he just grinned "Hehe, right i forgot your parents would flip if they saw this." Vir' stuck it down his coat "Swing by later and get it...but not too early, Crystal's comin' to say goodbye, you interrupt and I’ll kill ya myself!" Drake blushed a bit and Foyer laughed. "Ok, ok, just make sure your here at 7 tomorrow so we can get to the station early, ok Vir’?" Virian just smiled and they stepped off the grav-lift.

The traditional happy birthday salute went out from everyone in the area, and his parents came to swoop him off. The fake smiles on the people that seemed as if they really wanted to be elsewhere only made him look forward to tomorrow all the more.

"Having fun dear?" His mother asked him several hours into the event. Without stopping for a reply "Oh, here comes senator Johnsdai, you must meet him!" "Just a couple more hours..." He muttered to himself as he plastered on a fake smile of his own and went to meet the man.

 

[Bio-Wulf]

Chapter 3 - Next day (Galactic Year 4314.2)
"Ugh..." Drake rolled over and turned off his hologram-alarm. "Geezuz it can't be 7 already..." Rubbing his eyes, he saw that it was indeed 7, and that meant Foyer was probably outside waiting for him. "Great, awesome." The 'party' had lasted until 1 this morning, and if he didn't hurry he was about to miss the only application time for the next 3 months. Drake hurtled out of the 50'th floor of the apartment building.

"Of course... if the grav-lift were here, that would make everything too easy!" he mumbled to himself, shoving a shoe on and hitting the button for grav-lift. "AH! Almost forgot the data-form!" He vaguely remembered filling it out the night before and hoped he finished it. Just as Drake got back to the grav-lift with the data-form, it arrived. 1 minute later he burst through the doors at the bottom of the space-scraper.

"Don't worry about it bro, i just got here. We both had late nights its okay," Foyer said cutting him off before he could even start apologizing for being late. "Hurry up and get in, we got exactly 15 minutes to get to the naval office!" Drake scrambled to get in, and put the gyro-belt on. It was a good thing too, as Foyer shot the speeder into full blast in the direction of the office.

"Oh, you'll be surprised, i got something useful for once Vir'." He said through gritted teeth. "Oh yeah? This oughta be ground breaking history right here." Drake had to wait a second to reply as Foyer fishtailed the speeder through a back alleyway, and popped up miraculously at the Naval Office.

"Egh, yeah uh, hold on." Drake fumbled around in his pockets for a minute, finally coming up with the little purple disk. The numbers 20k were lit up in green numbers on the front. For once, it was Foyers jaw that fell down, and he took a second to get a hold of himself. "Th-they gave you 20,000! CREDITS?!?"

"No, they gave me 20 thousand cryo-pods; DUH! Dude, it was completely worth 6 hours of being paraded to all the senators." Drake couldn't help but smirk. Most people didn't make that much in 3 months... oh how this would help in the future...

"Well, i guess they finally succeeded in making up for all the years of legendarily bad gifts, huh?" "Sure did Vir'. So..." Drake pushed open the door, and gestured inside. "Where in here do we go to register?" "Ah, we go up to those holo's in the back, insert these forms, and just wait a few sec's for everything to be processed. By the way, what did you end up picking?" Foyer was referring to the career choice that each person marks on the forms.

"Field Commandor-Squad Leader of Special Forces. You were right, i mulled it over after the party and definately don't wanna be piloting one of those huge hulking star cruiser's."

"Hehe, well i guess we'll see who'll be leading who in a few months." Drake inserted his chip into the holo, and it immediately turned green, and went through a few screens preperation and instructions. "Haha, yeah your gonna loose that bet." Just as they both finished processing all data on the forms, a pair of Telmoren officers walked out of the office to the side.

"Sso you boyss are in with the new recruitss today? Do you find it funny coming in a minute before the introduction sstartss?" Neither Drake nor Foyer were quite sure what to do in the presence of officers, having 'just joined'. Luckily the other officer broke the silence.

" Now your already ssccaring the new recruitss Jaron!" The one on the left, Jaron apparently, started laughing in a slightly odd Telmoren laugh. "Ssassassa, proccceed through here, the introduction iss about to begin!" The pair of officers walked out the door, still laughing. Foyer grinned as they turned and walked down to the room motioned to by the officers.

"I have no idea what just happened. But i sure can't wait to do it to green recruits when we're officers!" Drake was just a bit shaken, not understanding either. There were about 20 other recruits in the room, all humans, already seated. Drake and Foyer both took a seat, and just as they did, someone unexpected walked out.

"So you all want to be star-flyer's huh? Hmmm, 2 dozen. Nice round number. Well, you might not get there; heck you might not make it past the training period in boot camp. But, we're at war with those outer-rim resistance folk now. As all of you must know..." He had an intimidating commanding aura about him, and when he smiled after that last bit, it made everyone in the room's hair stand on end. "Oh yes, we'll see what you are all made of before the end. I am General Brian Ser Violoski, as some of you might have noticed. Over 15 battles with the Resistance, major victories in every single one. 25% of known Resistance space recaptured under my stead. Now I’m back here on 'Harlas' to train a special set of recruits. I will personally be overseeing your training during boot camp. And afterwards if any of you happen to make it you'll be riding out privy with some of the United Federation's most veteran warriors in hopes to stop the growing Resistance threat!" He gave another one of those hair raising smiles. "NOW recruits, lets see how well you listen! All hands report to shuttle for transfer to training academy! ON THE DOUBLE SOLDIERS!" Drake could tell as the whole group stumbled out the door behind General Violoski that they were about to be whipped into shape, or death. And so they were. It was the 5 hardest, most painful, hell filled months he'd ever lived through.

 

[Bio-Wulf]

Chapter 4 – Galactic Year 4317
Corbin Sanders sat at the bar of a rickety old space port, drinking away all his worries. "...I mean, what would you have done? Yeah, you woulda dumped it too... pair of U-Fed 'vette's this far out in 'Free space' who woulda thunk it..." "Sir, you've been here for 3 hours, and downed 219 credits worth of Salzmo-Colataries. Are you going to be ok?" "I'll be okay as long as you keep em coming!" 5 minutes later Corbin was facedown on the hull-plates outside port "Seltian's" bar.

"Uggggh... why's my head hurt..." After 3 failed attempts at finding his head with both hands Corbin gave up. 'Maybe it'll all go away if i sit here long enough.' he thought to himself. 'Worth a shot i 'spose, ive tried everything else and tha hasn't worked...' As Corbin was about to try his masterful plan, a voice cried out "Oh Corbin! I can't believe your doing thisss again. Every time sssomething goesss wrong your alwaysss the firssst one drunk on the ground." "Lerya, pleash jus go away, my head hursh." He accentuated this point by attempting to hold his head again. And missing.

Lerya was a Grojen, and Corbin’s employer. They were long-time friends from childhood. She sighed and nudged Corbin several times. “I’ve just finished the deal for our next set of cargos. If we do these 4, Severn said he'd forget about the shipment we had to dump. Let’s just not get caught this time hmm?" "Egh, alwash in debt rn't wee...debt. desbt, deshbt, debtshts..." Huh has that word always sounded like that? Who would make such an awful sounding word... "CORBIN! Hey, you lazy bum, I’ve just got a way to get us out of these smuggling troubles and your just laying on the ground! Do I need to find another pilot or do you feel like paying off your share?!"

"AAAwwwggg... ok, ok, ok. When do we leave port?" Corbin had finally managed to find his head with his left hand. Big bump. Hurt alot. Debtshs..

"OOOOOOOWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW!!!!" Corbin sat bolt upright as a scaly hand slapped his head. Right on the friggin bump "WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM ME!?!" Lerya sighed again and walked away.

"Frigin lizard ain't got no sense, I swear..." At this point Corbin fell forward and started analyzing the word swear, and thinking about how funny it was. 'Sounds a lot like debtshshs actually...' He lay there contemplating it for another 5 minutes before Lerya came back.

"Corbin, forgive me. Again, hun." A bucket of freezing cold water was thrown over him. "I'M GOING TO KILL YOU!!!!" Corbin sat up and attempted to lunge at Lerya. He missed horribly, hitting a wall. As he fell over from the collision, Lerya stared down at him.

"One more?" A second pail emptied directly over his head. At this point Corbin just rolled over and started pounding the ground in frustration. "OK, OK, OK you FREAKING lizard! I'M AWAKE. Go load up the cargo I’ll be there in 5 minutes... have a pgair of caffeine shlots waiting for me, freaking lizards, one of the days ima make you into seat-cussion for that hunk-o-junk freighter…"

At this point, convinced Corbin was truly up and going to come back to the ship, Lerya left for the hangars. "Don't forget, bay sssixteen." Corbin stood up, soaking wet, shakily.

"Why does everyone in this whole damn star system hate me today?" He managed to make it as far as the junction in the hangars, where 1-15 and 16-30 split. ", did she say 15 or 16? …!" And from behind him out of nowhere another bucket of space-cold water was emptied.

"LERYA!!!! GET THE F-" Corbin whirled around. The person behind him was definitely NOT Lerya. Not even a Grojen lizard. "What the F*CK do you want you damn hippie??!?!" The man was old. VERY old for a human. He seemed slightly amused at Corbin's reactions, but didn't laugh.

"You sir are drunk. I hope if you can remember it, to tell this to your very kind patron. 'The eye of the lion is found at the center of dusk and dawn. It’s from the book Aristhmenius.' Remember that son." And with that he walked away.

"What the heck was that? Ok, let’s pick on the drunk guy I see how it is. He was about to turn around when he heard scally feet and water sloshing in a bucket. "Lerya if you want to keep your tail, I wouldn't suggest throwing that bucket." He'd had enough of people today.

"Dock 16, I REMEMBER!!! Is the cargo packed?" Lerya just smiled. "Everything's been packed for about an hour. I wanted to give you time to cool down." Corbin tried to mash the sleep out of his eyes. "Egh... thanks, I think. Ship. Now. Let’s go before I change my mind.”



As Corbin slid into the piloting seat Lerya handed him a glass of black liquid. He downed it with a grimace, but instantly felt its affects. The edges of his vision hardened up, and stopped wavering. The 3 Lerya’s all came back into one. “I’ll go turn on Verya then?” Verya and Lerya...He always wondered if Lerya had created that AI herself. All Grojen were amazing with technology, so it was more than likely. A ringing ran out over the ships speakers, noting that the onboard ship AI had been activated. "Verya, please activate warm up sequence for all thrusters, double-scan cargo for stragglers, report fuel level's, cargo destination, estimated warp transit time, current destination, and no music this time around.”

"Working sir..." A hologram activated to Corbin's left and all the desired information popped on screen. The calming silence of the ship steadied his nerves. People may accuse him of being a drunk (which he was), or an idiot (regarding other people and the relationships between them...which he was), but no one could ever accuse him of being less than an amazing pilot.

"Alright Lerya, engines are warmed and ready." Lerya handed him another glass with the shot in it. He downed it too with a grimace and felt the last trace effects of all the drinks he’d had vanish. "Ahh…there we go... sorry about that earlier Lerya. Bad week, you know." She just nodded in sympathy and took his glass. “9 hours estimated warp time, running through no expected United-Federation resistance. I've got some upgrades to do to the onboard computer, and AI, I’ll be back later. “

He mumbled some reply, and popped the port-release-clamp holding the freighter in dock. Easing the multi-ton freighter out of port 'Seltian' he thought for a minute about what Lerya had just said. "Huh, your getting an upgrade Verya?" The AI responded instantly "Yes Corbin, to keep up with the numerous additions this freighter will soon be receiving." He plotted the co-ordinates of the next jump and paused. "Your getting an upgrade, and this ships getting overhauled?!?"

"Yes sir, reasons are rated under classification of shipmaster, so unfortunately I cannot allow you access to details." Freaking AI. He couldn’t even catch a break from the shipboard AI! Forget for a second there were only 2 people ON this hunk of junk, and HE was the one driving...

"Ok then, ping Lerya and ask her to come up deck when she gets a free minute would you?" He activated a series of commands and felt the sudden pull as the FORIEL'AS' (some odd word in the Grojen language, Corbin could never remember it) Subspace jump drive activated its field, and the ship was pulled into the subspace.

"Ah, there we go. Now just a few more things and I should be good for another hour…” Corbin went to work for a couple of minutes then pulled off his flight nuero-visor “Whew, and there’s another paycheck in the bank. Huh… I've really got to stop talking to myself. If I ever meet a woman, I might scare her off."

"I don't think you talking will have to ssscare off women. If you could ever meet one of your own ssspeciesss that ssstayed around long enough to hear you ssspeak that isss. Your wonderful breath will do the trick!" Lerya climbed through the hole to the Deck from the 'cabin'.

"You know I never seem to get tired of you somehow. So what’s this encoded nonsense Verya's talking about? Or am I not privy, o wise SHIPMASTER." Lerya just gave him a lopsided grin, and looked ponderously at the roof for a moment. "Weeeeeeell, I guessss telling you won't have any major negative impactsss. At leassst not until we reach the next port. Ok, I’ve got a few friends and they’ve asked me to-"

"Lemme guess to Join The Resistance?” Corbin finished her sentence and just laughed at his own joke. Lerya just stood there. ”You've got to be kidding me! Is that what all this lion's eye junk is about?"

"Did someone talk to you about it? Who was it? Never mind, what did they say?" Now it was Lerya who looked eager and Corbin who was going to hold back. “Well, it’s the dandiest thing; I can't seem to remember now..."

"OH! Don't make me hit you in the head again you bum!" She made threatening gestures with the micro-wrench in her left hand.

"Owe no need to go that low, sheesh. Ok, ok, he said some code about a lion's eye in dusk and dawn and an Aristhmenius's book or summit. By the way, when were you planning on telling your pilot you were going to run off and join ‘La Resistance’?" Lerya just ignored him "I'll be back in 10 minutes, I think I know how what this means!"

Corbin sighed again. "Almost caught smuggling, dunked in ice cold water, back in debt, dunked again in even colder water, under watch by the U-Feds', dunked a third time by some stranger with even colder water, who talks to me in thousand year old riddles, drunk, and now a lizards trying to get me to join a huge conspiracy. Well, not even asking… What a day."

From down the hall of the freighter, he could hear Lerya digging through something, and her muffled reply "Stop talking to yourself!" Corbin just chuckled.

 

[Bio-Wulf]

Chapter 5 - Next Day (Galactic Year 4317)
Corbin typed in a quick line of coding and saw the stars reform through the blast shielding. A large port orbiting a Gas giant came into view through it several seconds later.

"Agh we're already there?" Lerya cried from the back room full of ancient volumes she insisted on carrying onboard. Nevermind they could be copied to a datapod in an hour max... But Lerya was an insensible creature when it came to such things.

"No, no not yet. We just got out of subspace. Should be at 'Port Hope' in 40 minutes. He thought on it for a second and then added "By the way, did you find what you were looking for? I'm guessing you didn't here me when i called the first 20 times."

Lerya just jumped into the co-pilot seat and opened a holo-panel. "No... itsss a very frustrating myssstery. I've located the old text, and the information but i think i am missssing sssomething. I have a guess but i won't be able to check until i can get in Port Hopesss database."

Port Hope, one of the largest ports on the outer rim of known space, was also a well known source of Resistance members. The United-Federation would come time after time searching and hunting for them, but never found a trace in or around Hope. It probably wasn't a coincidence that the next cargo shipment was headed here and Lerya had that enigma of a Resistance recruiter giving hints to...something.

Now the Port was taking up the whole view of the ship, and Corbin could make out the ships coming and leaving from it. They seemed like small specs from this far away, but he knew they must be at least the size of this freighter. Most were probably larger.

"Heh, the Port's database. There's only one thing in the private database not in the local one or the one on this freighter. Which must mean you need the local and private star-charts to...?"

"Ah Corbin, sssometimesss you amaze me with your assstounding knowledge. Yes, i will need the chartsss. I believe that thessse cluesss are actually coordinatesss to a meeting placcce, or a bassse or sssome sssuch thingsss. While i couldn't find it in the booksss, the goodsss we trade might be another hint."

This perked Corbin's curriousity. "What exactly ARE we carrying? I don't seem to remember you telling me about what it was." Lerya gave a quite chuckle.
"Land thisss and i'll ssshow you! Actually i need to make a few adjustmentsss... yesss come down to the holds when you've finissshed."

She walked away and Corbin was forced to count to ten. 'How is it she could be so infuriating sometimes? Best to just assume its nothing... let it go until you can dock Corbin...'

Just under an hour later, Corbin had gone through all the ports security checks and was manuervering the bulky freighter into place for the docking bay clamps to attatch. A pair of heavy 'thuds' resounded throughtout the ship, and Corbin floated to the holds, massaging a headache.

"Come, come, come!" Lerya sweeped him through into the holds and he floated over to a container. Lerya closed and locked the bay door, then floated over to him and the first container.

"Well, at least the gravity is still working here." Corbin said sighing and popped the catches on his side.

"Jussst don't do anything when you sssee it, ok?" Corbin raised an eyebrow as Lerya popped her side. And proceeded to do just that. His jaw felt like it was about to fall off. Because laying inside the container was a pair of people in Federation uniforms. They looked like unconcious officers. Sitting on a pile of papers, other uniforms, and datapods.

For another few seconds he remained silent, jaw still dropped. "I... I should have known you'd end up getting me into such trouble. Oh my god. I'm now officially a conspirator against the United-Federation with the Resistance!"

"Corbin, come now, do you honessstly want to be able to sssay that?"

"What I WANT is at the end of the day to be considered an HONEST PIRATE!!! And just what the heck was i supposed to do if we were pulled over by a FEDERATION SHIP?!?! Just JETTISON them!?!"

"You are ssseriousssly over-reacting now... don't you think the Resistance would have gotten usss a window? And before you can think it, the lassst ssshipment WASSSN'T people Corbin, dear."

"Just... I... I need a drink Lerya."

Lerya walked over, pushing Corbin away from the door, blocking the exit.

"Now you hold on a sssecond! Bursssting on me?!? You sssay you want to be part of the United-Federation. But i know you've ssseen the reportsss that they have enssslaved other racesss! That they declare war on all whom oppossse them and turn thriving planetsss turned to glassss for no other reassson then their Governments didn't want to turn citizensss into ssslavesss. They're practically a tryanny! The outer coloniesss die in droves and they hurry to cover it up. You ssshould be assshamed of yourssself WANTING to be part of it!"

He mulled this over and managed to re-attatch his jaw in the mean-time and lock the lid.

"Ok, i could understand that. Maybe. But look, the Resistance has been loosing this battle practically from the start-" Lerya cut him off before he could get rolling on his argument.

"No. The Resssissstance has been at a ssstalemate with the Federation. AND only becaussse they haven't attacked the Federation in any large ssscale asssaults. The Federation sssaysss they are winning. Onccce again to further their persssonel agendasss. THINK Corbin! How long have you heard of the Resssisstance being around?"

Thinking back Corbin realized... the Resistance had always been there. For his entire life. Probably for decades before or more. One of those constants. The sky was blue, the grass was green, and the resistance was evil always attacking the heroic Federation.

"At any rate, i have to finisssh giving thessse to their rightful ownersss now. Excuse me while i finisssh trading. I take it you'll be in the bar?"

It took a keen sense to detect a Sarcastic grin on a Grojen. Corbin was still in shock though, and not ready to return any jokes.

"Yeah, I sure as heck need that drink." And with that they entered the port and went their separate ways.

 

[Bio-Wulf]

Chapter 6 (shift 7) - Galactic Year 4318
Drake shook off the memories and shrugged the pack onto his shoulder. "We're last in so the bay should be clear when we land. Scanners to the fore, zoom in on bay."

At his command the holo-monitor flickered to life a close up of the incoming, and a few brief flashes were seen. "Ok, so Mike and Trig' you 2 take fore, Alex, Doug, and the twins, i want you racing straight for the door and busting it open if it isn't already. If it is, make us a barrier there and wait. Foyer, Dallas, Brent and Tyler stay back and set up the com-line with the HELLBOUND. Once its set up you've got clean up until you reach us. Try and make it snappy, i godda feeling we're gonna need you." A resounding chorus of salutes and 'HOO-YA's' met his words and the men raced out of the shuttle.

Instantly enemy fire was laid onto the men running out first. Drake thought he saw 1 or 2 fall down, but he didn't have time to stop.

In the bay there was a small bunker with what seemed 10-15 marines laying fire on anything that moved. Some smart marine found a few barrels of oil, kicked 'em at the bunker and shot them when they were close. Half the hastily errected-bunker went up in flames and the few men that ran out were laid down. 2 of the other 3 shuttle units had already headed up to the engine rooms, so the leftovers of Drakes and that last shuttle quickly cleared out the bunker and ran on ahead.

Alex and one of the twins were at the door, laying fire around the corner "Sir! they came out of an access hatch and cut us off from the main group! They've got another major defensive structure up there! If the other units come back around the corner, their going to be slaughtered." 'Gotta think quick, gotta think quick man... got it!'

"Ok, you eight," he didn't have time for names if he even knew half of them. "prime the SX-Grenades into your rifles." He primed a smoke screen grenade in one hand and a blinder in the other. "Wait until after you hear the explosions then turn the corner and let'em rip!" Drake mimed 1...2...3 and the tossed them around the corner.

For a second there was a hail of shots. Then a chorus of screams as the Federation marines were blinded and coughing through the dense smoke. The Resistance marines pounced and were around the corner firing the armour-piercing grenades. 30 seconds later and Drakes troop was running full speed up the hallway to the engine room.

Everything had been running so smoothly that when Drake turned the corner and saw over a dozen Resistance fighters dead in the open and the rest huddled behind whatever they could find, he was shocked. But that didn't stop his reflexes.

"Unit 3, Barrage that corridor, Unit 4, follow!" The corridor running up the spine of the ship was almost completely barred off at the entrance with fused on plating pieces. The only spaces remaining were filled with 2 very large turrets which didn't cease firing for a second. Drake managed to get most of his unit in one piece about 20 feet right of the rightmost turret.

"Do we have the techies working on a schematics crack for the ship yet?! I got a HUNCH that assaulting that blockade isn't gonna end up too nicely!" Drake roared over his mike.

Several static filled bursts before one finally made it through "...egative sir, they've got their technicians holding us back like theres no tomorrow. And their deleting everything off the main drives! If we don't make it up there in 20 minutes, we're just going to have an empty shell of a ship!"

As much of a prize this ship would still be, Drake imagined having half a ship database would PROBABLY be better.

"Alright then. You 3 follow this wall down that side of the wall. It looks like it may turn into another possible route," Drake said pointing away from the turrets. " and comm me as soon as you find anything."

For a split second Drake thought he heard gunfire BEHIND them, back towards the hangar... "Of course!" Quickly he ran through his list of marines and which were most knowledgeable about ships and the mechanical hatches " Unit 2, my men are gonna give you some covering fire, make your way BACK towards the last bunker! Wait for me there!"

He pointed at 2 men and Foyer "You 3 come with me, we're gonna see where that hatch leads. Alex i want you to take over this squad. If the men i sent looking for an access hatch come back, i want you sending this unit in there. Let the remainder of the men guard the engines for now and hunker down from those turrets. Now, give me some cover!" The men he left there roared and sent a barrage of bullets, explosives and blinders flying at the turrets. Drake thought for a second that one of them stopped whirring, but it started up just as quickly as it stopped.

'So if they sent more men down that hatch... It is gonna lead up the spine of the ship... and we can break down those turrets from behind.'

He and his men had reached the bunker, where the remaining 10 men of unit 2 had regrouped. "Ok, you 2 on fore, everyone else switch to rapid fire over explosive. DOWN THAT SHAFT ON THE DOUBLE!"

The genius part of the Destro Assault rifle was that it could switch between the smart rounds for rapid fire, armour pierce, and light explosive. The massive clip load didn't hurt too much either.

As they raced down the passage, he was relaying everything through his visor to a group of technicians in the hangar. Over the comm he finally heard what he wanted "Yes! From what we've been tracking this access hatch should lead up just behind the turrets."

Finally a spot of light at the end of the access hatch shone up and he almost felt the pain as the first man slammed the hatch open with his shoulder.

"What the...!?!" That was all the 5 United-Federation marines at the turrets had time to say before they were lying in pools of their own blood. "HURRY, WE'VE BROKE THROUGH!"

All of the remaining shock marines were sprinting full out to the control room. There were about 35 with Drake when he was about to turn the corner to the final stretch. "Hold!" He shot his head out for a second and was so surprised he almost fell out.

"It's...open?" Something wasn't right and he knew it, but the control room was open and time was ticking. "Ok, i want you 4, you 4, and you 8, fire off smoke grenades at the front, middle and end of this hallway. Count to five and we're charging down! Everyone turn on your unit-markers on your visors. Friendly fire isn't, girls!"

A screen of smoke lit up the hall and the 35+ men charged down it, silent at the wind. Just as he cleared the smoke, Drake found a very welcome surprise. The crew and technicians were all hands behind their heads on the ground. And then his men made the mistake. They put down their guard.

As they walked into the control room, what looked like the captain screamed "HIT EM!" and hundreds of rounds richoted down the hallway into his ranks.

" INTO THE CONTROL ROOM NOW!" Less than half his men were left when they finally closed the blast doors, and were forced to open fire on the GUNGIAN's crew as they started pulling firearms out of seemingly no-where.

"Ok, I'm in the control room, were do i plant this thing?" Drake ask over the com-link. "Well... there should be a large command-control pannel, place it on there, push the two red grips until you hear a pop, and we should be able to finish everything from down here!"

'Heh at least theres only 20+ frigin panels in here!'

"Alright, spread out and search for it, we got about" Drake checked the timer in his visor and cursed. "2 more minutes to stop this ship from being an empty shell. That and those friendly Federation boys out there want a piece of us."

With just over a minute left he placed the panel-piece over the controls and slammed it on. From over the comm-channels he heard a resouding "ABOUT TIME!" as the technicians earned their keep.

In less then a minute the sounds of guns chattering over the ship went null as life support was dropped, and every remaining concious Federation personel was knocked out. Drake and his team went to start up medic duty.

'Whew. This better be worth it. I think we've lost more men on this assault then in the last couple of months we've been out.' Always on a tight schedule he thought... and never running on time.