Chapter 142 - Business Meeting
(BSS Starlight Raven, Dimiya Space)
I smiled, and leaned back in my pilot’s chair to stretch a bit once we had transitioned out of FTL and back into ‘real’ space. Being able to cover astronomical distances in days instead of years was amazing, and I did appreciate how it would allow players who weren’t in long-term immersion pods like me take breaks for their real life while they traveled between systems. But for me, it just left me with a lot of time to sit back, relax and… well, have a lot of fun with the girls. So I guess I really didn’t mind the travel time at all.
Raven looked up from the chair where she was monitoring sensors. “Captain, we are being hailed by the heavy cruiser CNS Aepetor. They have orders to escort us to Dimiya for a conference on Netherstorm Station.”
I checked the scanners, and saw the Aepetor about a light minute out, and on an intercept course with us. It was a corvette, like the Assassins, but was a more traditional model. The fact that they sent a ship to escort us was unusual, though. Probably for the best that I had ordered Shadowdancer and the Luvon Gilrie to enter the system under stealth, just in case. I hadn’t been expecting trouble, but the idea was that you practiced like it was the big game, not a scrimmage against the scout team. So even coming into the Dimiya system, where I had a sizeable fleet to back me up, we played it with cards close to the vest.
“Really? And what reason have they given for the escort, or the conference?”
Raven shook her head. “The message didn’t include anything. However, the orbital shipyard’s office just received a message that they’ve forwarded along to us from Lieutenant Maeral Zumrora of Naval Intelligence. Putting it on your screen.”
| Captain Mollen, The ship escorting you to Netherstorm Station has been given orders by Rear Admiral Ayre Sylsalor. Officially, the conference you’ve been invited to is to negotiate the Black Star Navy’s help in rooting out some of the pirate clans working in the Tietera-Vulsore corridor along the border with the Free Worlds Alliance. Unfortunately, the Admiral is a rather proud sort, and the actions of Black Star of late have caused him to get his back up about asking ‘mercenaries’ for help. He wishes to provoke you into some action that would allow him to place legal restrictions on you, or say that you are not negotiating in good faith to allow the Navy to take the lead in this. As you might guess, the Admiral does not have my knowledge of your capabilities and habits, and since I would rather not have to put together an intelligence dossier on how to survive a fight against your forces, I’m giving you this warning. He will try to bait you. However, there will be others listening in electronically who may lean on him if he goes too far. In hopes of future business dealings, Lieutenant Maeral Zumrora
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