Ask Jin and Tonic

[Ceris Odrosess]

Ceris approached the Fleet Admirals office agitated. She had finally received a vacation, only for it to be cut short by 2 days. Taking a moment to adjust her attire, Ceris knocked on the door twice before entering. "Captain Ceris Odrosess of the EF76 Nebulon-B Frigate code FF1 reporting in sir." Ceris stood firmly at attention, awaiting to be relieved. The Admiral, who seemed to be in a bit of a grumpy mood himself, quickly motioned Ceris to take a seat as he pulled up information on a datapad.

Through a quick briefing, Ceris was instructed to assist a New Republic Senator in delivering medical supplies to the planet Cyborrea. While she never stepped foot on the planet herself, Ceris has traveled to and from the now slowly infected planet. Recent scouting reports have noted that pirates have been sitting along the trade routes near the territories of the Five Syndicates, looking to steal and resell the medical supplies. Most of the infected planets were inside or near the Five Syndicates' territories, making it the perfect areas for pirates to wait around. Thus Ceris was authorized to use her Frigate in order to deliver the supplies safely. It would be her first 'solo' mission, as in without any other military commissioned ships accompanying her. So, it was another small step for her to prove her worth.

Fondor was home to the Scepter Armada, one of the three main fleets of the New Republic Navy. If that wasn't exciting enough, Ceris would have the opportunity to meet a Senator for the first time, so she felt that it was imperative to make a quality impression. The Frigate would make its way to the planet's surface, landing in one of the massive landing strips on the planet. Eventually making her way out of the ship, Ceris would be directed to a nearby depot center office building, where she was to meet the Senator and discuss details.

The frigate was being loaded by the ship's crew and the depot station workers as Ceris made her way through the building, being confronted by another office room door. As she did before, Ceris knocked twice, entered, and gave her introduction: "Captain Ceris Odrosess of the EF76 Nebulon-B Frigate code FF1 reporting in." She kept her eyes forward, but still caught a glance of the senator. He was tall and looked fairly young. When given the permission to do so, Ceris would take a seat to discuss the trip.

@Feng Mian

 

[Jin Vaisra]

Another day, another planet to save. Jin was frankly growing tired of these military-sponsored excursions, tired of having to clean up other people’s messes, tired of having to carry the whole Republic on his back because the Chancellor and his squabbling Senate could not get off their asses to do the bare minimum. It was always down to Senator Vaisra to do the work for them.

Cyborrea was a small, insignificant world in the eastern reaches of the galaxy, far from the Republic but not far enough for the Senate to tune out their cries for help. They’d been struck twice—first by an unexpected incursion of pirates, then by an outbreak of the AMS pandemic. They were in desperate need of both liberation and medicinal supplies. Fortunately, the Republic was willing to provide both, between Fondor’s slew of medical equipment and a military defense force led by a captain Jin couldn’t quite remember the name of.

He glanced down at his datapad. Ceris Odrosess. Born and raised in the lap of luxury on Coruscant’s upper levels, she quickly rose into the position of captain over her own frigate within seven years. According to reports, she was known to be arrogant and brash—qualities Jin found oddly relieving, contrary to popular opinion. He was just so tired of all these old, crusty men withholding their ranks in the Republic Navy, clinging to their traditions as if they were oxygen pumps and life lines.

Well, it was high time for them to be unplugged from their life support and cast out in favor of new blood. Jin would just have to wait and see if this ‘Ceris’ was worthy enough to replace them.

As she stepped inside his office at the supply center, Jin stood to his feet and bowed. “A pleasure to meet you, Captain Odrosess. I’m sure you already know who I am—Jin Vaisra, Senator of Fondor, and the Republic representative you will be escorting to Cyborrea.” He flashed a thin smile. “Now that introductions are out of the way, I must ask. Do you not have a name for your ship? Because I’m afraid 'EF76 Nebulon-B frigate code FF1' does not quite roll off the tongue.”

@Altaria

 

[Ceris Odrosess]

Ceris had no idea who the Senator was prior to her briefing with the admiral. She cared little for politics and politicians, whether or not they were good or bad; whatever that meant. However Ceris knew to withhold all comments and thoughts about the topic, acknowledging the power the man in front of her held.

The Senator's question prompted Ceris to let out a chuckle. "Unfortunately the ship does not belong to me, but to the Navy. So I can't name it, but if you want to save you breath you can refer to it as the Airatla" She pulled out her datapad and stepped forward to hand it over. "The datapad contains all the information about the ship regarding it's crew members, cargo capacity, armament, composition, and other equipment." Ceris took a step back and placed her arms behind her back. "The ship is currently being loaded as we speak. If you are satisfied with the vessel that will be transporting both you and the medical supplies, then we should be able to depart soon. The trip will also take roughly 3 days, that's while we are in hyperspace travel. Do you have any questions Senator?" Ceris provided a grin to accompany her last question.

There was nothing but confidence flowing through Ceris for this mission. She dealt with pirates before, and knew a single ship would be sufficient enough to take them down. Most pirate groups worked by boarding ships anyways, which would be impossible or a death sentence on a military frigate. However, Ceris was a bit confused on why the Senator would be coming along. Was it that important for him to see it through himself? He did strike Ceris as an odd fellow; the possibility that he was a nit-wit wasn't zero.

@Feng Mian

 

[Jin Vaisra]

“No questions here. I’ve already been filled in on the smaller details of the operation, but I have a feeling you may have questions of your own. ‘Why a Republic Senator is here,’ for a start.” Jin slumped into his cushioned seat and steepled his fingers, studying the captain closely. “On the surface, this operation is strictly a matter of delivering both military and pandemic relief to a crippled world. In reality, our job—and mine specifically—is to persuade the local government into an alliance with the Republic.”

Just as Ceris had given him her datapad, he did the same, sliding it over the table for her to examine. It would display the more classified end of their mission, with minor revisions. “Cyborrea is located at an incredibly important junction between the Sith Empire and the Five Syndicates. Because of rising hostilities, it’s important we establish a base of operations in case either of them attempt to stage an attack against Republic assets. So, this isn’t just about saving some thousand civilians from a band of pirates or a fading pandemic. This is about their future and our own.”

It was a small exaggeration. Cyborrea, in Jin’s honest opinion, was valuable only in its location. He didn’t care about its population or government. He would have much rather the planet been a barren wasteland so the Republic could sweep in and set up a military installation without resistance, but Chancellor Ro had been rather insistent on “building bridges”—which was ironic considering his blockade against Denon—but nonetheless a policy Jin would have to abide by.

He leaned back into his seat, losing his smile. Whether or not Ceris fell into the same mindset, he would just have to wait and see. “Knowing this information,” Jin began, “are you still willing to commit to the mission and to my presence aboard your ship, or shall I contact the Fleet Admiral and see if someone else is up for the job?”

@Altaria

 

[Ceris Odrosess]

Ceris was rather displeased looking over the datapad the Senator had passed towards her, but her expression remained neutral as before. She didn't see the appeal in Cyborrea, both materialistically and strategically. The distance and the resources necessary to supply and defend such a planet that, on the surface, had no value, wasn't the greatest idea. Ceris could only assume there was some sort of resource unbeknownst to her. However she knew it wasn't her place to decide for the republic, and she placed the datapad back on the table with a smile. "It's nothing my crew and I can't handle Senator."

Two knocks onto the door occurred, as Ceris turned around one of her junior officers entered introducing himself in a similar fashion as Ceris did to the Senator. The officer informed the two, although speaking to Ceris directly, about the progress of the cargo loading and of the current diagnostics of the ship; everything has proceeded smoothly. Ceris relieved the young man and he promptly exited the office room. Turning back around Ceris continued on "Now then since both of us seem to be ready, we should go begin getting ourselves ready for the trip."

If no further questions were asked, Ceris would exit the office room and head out of the depot station office building. Her large vessel in site with crew members and droids scurrying along to get everything ready. Ceris proceeded towards the ship to board with the Senator "We'll be going to the bridge first," she said "I'll have someone direct you to your quarters eventually. Have you ever been on the bridge of a Capitol ship?" She asked, stepping onto a large entrance ramp.

They would make there way through the large and busy ship towards the upper deck where the bridge was located. With every turning corner being another crew member coming to a halt in order to salute Ceris. Eventually entering the bridge, where Ceris would take command of the large vessel and it's occupants.

@Feng Mian

 

[Jin Vaisra]

“Of course,” Jin said once the junior officer had updated them on the status of the ship’s loading. He didn’t bother gathering what reports were left on his desk. He already had everything he needed. Soon enough, he found himself outside the dockyard of the frigate, an enormous slice of titanium and steel, loaded and ready for travel. He strode toward the entrance ramp side-by-side with Ceris, dark eyes trailing to the sky.

“I’ve been aboard a capital ship plenty times. I’m Fondor’s largest shipyard shareholder, so I’m quite familiar with the layout and bridge functions of a Nebulon-B frigate,” Jin said with a coy smile. “Of course, I’ve never been on one during hyperspace, which should prove to be an interesting experience, I’ve heard.” He followed her up the entrance room and through the winding corridors to the upper deck.

There, Jin couldn’t help but admire the crew, the state-of-the-art control systems, and the viewport windows that wrapped around the bridge like a cocoon of glass. As much as he detested his rivals on Kuat, they certainly knew how to construct a ship.

By now, Ceris would have noticed the mysterious young woman that had been following Jin since they departed from the office, with black hair and porcelain white skin. Even now, she lingered several paces behind the Senator, dressed in a suit—but, if one looked close enough, they’d find she was armed to the teeth. “I hope you can forgive Venka here,” Jin said, gesturing to the woman. “She is a member of the Midori, a retinue of elite, female soldiers who have guarded the Vaisra dynasty for the last century. I’m afraid we are quite inseparable. Where she goes, I go.”

Jin clasped his hands. Since the destruction of the Final Order, Fondor had suffered a civil war that eventually ended with Vaisra rule—and a strict matriarchy that excluded men from royalty. Jin may have been a prince, but his power was based solely in the Senate and Fondor’s wealth of shipyards. A position he had fought hard to build, and one he would fight harder to keep.

As last preparations were made for orbital launch, Jin stood quietly, observing Ceris as she brought the bridge to order. He was eager to leave and get this mission over with, so once she was finished, he tilted his head to the viewport.

“Ready when you are, Captain.”

@Altaria

 

[Ceris Odrosess]

Stepping into the bridge Ceris dropped her tame militaristic act and seemed to have been filled with sudden vigor, but this was purely her natural state. "All right you all know the drill" she said to the men and women standing at attention before her. They quickly but proficiently made their way to their stations preparing for the voyage.

Ceris turned back towards the senator to engage in his conversation; she had already assumed the woman was a bodyguard prior. The Senator's last statement made Ceris' laugh "I believe you meant to say wherever you go, she goes?" she teased. "Either way it is fine with me as long as she doesn't press any buttons." Ceris turned back around putting on a headset in order to speak to the rest of the crew working on the bridge.

"Plot a course to Cyborrea via the Corellian trade spine. We'll exit jump to take the Sisar Run hyperlane the rest of the way" Ceris said speaking into the headset. "Leave the deflector shields deactivated for now to conserve energy" she said to a nearby station. The crew members of the ship worked like a well-oiled cog in a machine. Each person acting like a part of the whole, the Naval cog operated by the Captain. When all calculations and preparations were met, Ceris walked over to a computer which had a large microphone connected to it, picking it up to start the mission. "Attention all crew members this is your beloved Captain speaking. We are set to launch into orbit, so make sure you have you prized possessions secured. We'll be making two hyperspace jumps today, with our final destination being Cyborrea. We are expected to arrive there within three days of the current time, and are expected to stay for at most two. Please stand by for the launch" Ceris placed the microphone back down and made her way towards a seat, prompting both the Senator and his guard to take a seat as well.

Once the Senator took his seat the ship would begin it's launch. Flying upwards in a 40-degree angle, balancing itself out once in orbit. Ceris exited her seat and gave the go ahead to a nearby crew member to begin the planned jump to Cyborrea. "Now then Senator," she turned back around with her hands resting behind her back. A small droid appeared at Ceris' side. "This little guy here will escort you to your quarters whenever you are ready to go. I should let you know that there is only a single bed made to rest one, so I apologize for any future problems you may have creating some room for Miss Venka here." Ceris gave a smile at the end. While there was no ill-intent, she still found the situation hilarious.

@Feng Mian

 

[Jin Vaisra]

Jin laughed as Ceris caught his mistake. “A small miswording on my part, but not entirely untrue. The Jade Queen has been quite involved in my affairs as of late, and Venka here often acts in her place, serving as her eyes and ears on the ground.” He cast a long glance to the young woman. “So I would be careful what you say around her, but don’t worry. She won’t press any buttons. I’ve learned she much rather prefers to play statue.”

“Or shield,” Venka interjected. “Depending on how much trouble Senator Vaisra gets in, which is more often than you might think.” Jin snorted. Again, not entirely untrue. He had his fair share of assassins and battles, including most recently his rescue mission to Firrerre. The Sith had utterly obliterated the planet’s surface, leaving a rock of smoke and ash, and Jin had very nearly been crushed to death trying to pull civilians out of the rubble.

As Ceris made her last rounds and seated alongside him, Jin waited patiently while the ship soared up and into the atmosphere. Through the viewport windows, he could spot the many shipyards that orbited Fondor, constructing the latest medical frigates and transports that the galaxy could possibly require. Despite the economic downturn in the Core, his homeworld was doing pretty well for itself—no thanks to the backbreaking work he'd been doing in the last month.

Once the Airalta had broken from the planet’s gravitational field and aimed into the direction of Cyborrea, Jin unbuckled from his seat, lingering behind the Captain as she informed him of his new quarters. “The single bed shouldn’t be a problem, Captain,” Jin said. “I’m sure Venka would be happy to sleep on the floor in the hallway outside.”

To his surprise, Venka let out a chuckle. “Please. I will find my own accommodations. Just try not to wander too far, Jin. Last thing I need is to explain to Queen Leyti why you accidentally ejected yourself out of the cargo bay.”

“Funny,” said Jin, his face blank and deadpan. He turned his attention back to Ceris. “Well, Captain Odrosess, if there’s nothing else you’d like to add, I will retire to my quarters for now. It’s been a long day and these supply reports won’t file themselves. For our sake and the sake of the Republic, let’s hope this voyage runs smoothly. Not that I don’t doubt your capabilities as a military strategist, of course.”

@Altaria

 

[Ceris Odrosess]

Ceris chuckled at the exchange between the senator and his guard. "Enjoy your rest sir." she said in response with a smile. Ceris waved as the two exited the bridge, and the smile quickly wiped away as she turned around. She stepped towards a crew member by one of the control panels and placed a hand on her their shoulder. "Leave it on." she said sternly. Ceris was referring to the recording devices within the quarters, hidden within the thick metal walls of the ship. They weren't planted for the Senator specifically, but were placed for a previous mission long ago. Typically used for certain untrustworthy guests, although Ceris didn't expect to receive anything useful; it was just curiosity.

The travel itself was standard, or boring if one was to look for any fun. The senator wouldn't receive much special treatment outside of the respect from the crew and having his own quarters. Other than that he would be equal: eating the same food in the mess hall with others, using the regular bathrooms, and his access to certain areas, including the bridge, would be restricted. The restriction was mostly due to safety reasons, although he was permitted to inspect the cargo bay whenever he pleased. It was on the third day his access to the bridge would be granted, when Ceris was also there.

The bridge would be extremely busy with the hyperspace exit into what could be dangerous territory. Ceris again commanding her junior officers via her headset. "Have all starfighter pilots ready to launch. Standard defensive procedures if we are directly confronted by any opposition." Many beeps and boops from computers would be heard and a lot of communication between the bridge crew to the rest of the ship. "Have both the shield and weapon systems online. Hold all fire until my command."

The Airalta exited hyperspace, and the planet Cyborrea could be seen directly in front through the large viewport. There were so far no sign of pirates, which was good. "Approach the planet facing port side but just outside of orbit." Ceris said to her crew. She would turn to the Senator to explain the plan "We have 4 shuttles aboard the ship; we'll deliver the supplies via shipments. We'll establish ground contact with the local government first before sending you, just in case something does happen." The first 2 shuttles would head down to the planet first, the other 2 staying.

@Feng Mian

 

[Jin Vaisra]

The days meshed and blurred together like a dream. Jin, to his displeasure, was given similarly equal treatment with the rest of the crew, resigned to eating in the mess hall, or sharing the cargo hold, or being excluded from the bridge. He was a son of the Vaisra line, and easily one of the most important senators in the Republic. It was an incredibly humbling experience, one Venka loved to poke fun at him about. But more importantly, it was a helpful reminder. A sign that there was always more work for him to do, and more ranks to climb.

He would command the respect he deserved, and nothing else.

By the third day, when Jin was finally welcome aboard the bridge, he observed the planet ahead, an ugly rock home to a number of vicious, warlike species. It would prove to be a challenge for a future Republic base, but Jin had been dealt worse cards before. “Sounds good, Captain,” he replied after she ran him through their approach. “But are all these defensive measures necessary? I understand military protocol, but I should be the first to land on the planet surface to greet the local officials. There doesn’t seem to be any sign of pirates or—”

A blaring alarm began to sound over the bridge. Jin’s eyes widened as several vessels appeared from around the planet’s orbit, flying straight toward them. With a quick glance at the radar systems, he also noticed three more enemy transports coming in from the other side. Jin was no naval strategist, but he recognized a pincer movement when he saw one. They were trying to catch the frigate by both sides. “It seems I spoke too soon,” Jin murmured, watching the bridge devolve into a clamor of panic and shouting.

Venka came up from behind him, a hand resting on where he knew she kept a protracted sword. “Senator, we should take you somewhere safe.” Jin shook his head and replied, “I feel perfectly safe right where I am.” He cast Ceris a quick glance, wondering what she might have to say about it. This was her ship after all, and now that they were under attack, she was in command.

@Altaria

 

[Ceris Odrosess]

Ceris turned around to face the view port taking notice of the enemy vessels and begin her work. The pirates were foolish to focus their attention on the large shielded frigate, rather than the defenseless shuttles. They were probably under the assumption that the frigate would have it's shields down, giving them the ability to get a quick and early strike in. "Unfortunate," Ceris eerily muttered to herself.

"Have the fore side laser turrets focus the transports. I want the starboard side laser turrets and all turbo lasers on the larger vessels from the right side." Ceris commanded her crew sternly, but there was no rush or sense of urgency in her voice. She placed her hand on a passing crew member "Have all starfighters launch, focus in on the transports they do not have a hyperdrive. Immediately eliminate anyone in an escape pod." The crew member nodded their head and proceeded to carry out the order.

Hearing a piece of their conversation, Ceris turned and faced the Senator who had a slight bit of concern on his face, but seemed more so due to the surprise attack. "You are correct. These pirates won't stand a chance, but there is still a reason we maintain defensive measures. They must have assumed our frigate was a much older model used solely as a medical aid ship." She turned back around to witness the pirates become overwhelmed, with a somewhat sinister grin on her face. "All gunners are authorized to fire when ready." she commanded. In just a few seconds a shower of blasts bombarded the enemy ships, each explosion illuminating in Ceris' eyes.

The larger vessels, realizing their weapons had little to no effect on the frigate, began focusing their fire on the starfighters in order to protect their transports. However they would soon realize they would need something to protect themselves. While they had adequate mobility, a few turbolaser shots landed causing significant damage. One of the vessels was hit in a vital spot, and in an attempt to hyperspace jump away, the vessel exploded. The transports did not have it any easier as well. While they had decent weaponry, they lacked in mobility; it was also rather difficult to get quality shots on a fast moving starfighter. The second large vessel fled the battle and jumped away; this ruined their formation spacing, allowing the gunners to focus solely on the last large vessel on the right side. The transports, noticing their main firepower was gone, also began to flee in an attempt to return to the planet's surface. However their attempt was futile with the starfighter pilots constantly harassing them.

One by one each of the enemy vessels began to fall, many of them starting to fall down towards the planet's surface and crashing. Behind the planet seemed to be a much larger ship, one that seemed just capable enough to have taken on the frigate, however it too jumped away. It was safe to assume that the larger ship was there as backup in case the others were facing difficulties, but realized that the frigate would be too much to handle anyways. There was still a possibility of a returning force, so extra precautions will still be taken. The shuttles sent down earlier had touched down, and began communications with the locals. "Send the next shuttle." Ceris said to a crew member before turning around to face the Senator. "I'll have you go on the last shuttle, after this one, just to be cautious. A planet with that many pirate ships lurking around is potentially trouble."

@Feng Mian

 

[Jin Vaisra]

“Shooting down escape pods? Ruthless, but admirable. Never hurts to be thorough when taking out the trash.” Jin couldn’t lie. He appreciated the extent of the captain’s determination, her willingness to do what was necessary. Not many in the Republic, particularly the Senate, had that kind of spine. Politics was a circus show, with almost everyone involved serving as the clowns. He could only dream of a day when his colleagues wiped off the makeup and started doing the dirty work, making real change in the galaxy. Permanent, too.

Unsurprisingly, it didn’t take Ceris long to eliminate the rest of the enemy ships. Beaten and scattered, she cut through the remnants like leftovers of a meal, and even the larger vessel, disguised around the planet’s bend, jumped away in retreat. Jin doubted they would be returning anytime soon.

“Splendid work, Captain. You’re already proving to be a far more capable tactician than half the admirals I know in the Navy.” Jin gave her an impressed nod. Grand Admiral Brum, the man who led the Seventh Fleet in the blockade against Denon, had failed miserably when the forces of Darth Caelestis broke through and forced a Republic retreat. It had played out poorly in the public, and especially in Jin’s views. Once again, another reason for new blood to be injected into the upper ranks of the Republic military.

“I’ll head to the diplomatic transport shortly, but I have to insist, Captain, you should join me. The local officials deserve to see the woman responsible for saving them, and I’m sure it would generate some goodwill to see you in person.” A warm smile tugged at his lip. “I’d also much rather trust my life to your hands than a random security detail. I’m sure the Airalta could stand to be without its captain for two hours.”

He knew Ceris might not agree to his proposition, but it was worth a try. Jin was simply not fond of heading down to unfamiliar territory alone, especially with only Venka and a bunch of nameless soldiers for company. Still, he’d respect whatever decision the captain would make.

@Altaria

 

[Ceris Odrosess]

"I appreciate the kind words Senator." Ceris responded to Jin's compliment. Although it didn't feel like a compliment to her; she already believed herself to be the best tactician in the military, whether or not it was true. However Ceris was determined to prove her vision to the galaxy, but aspirations could wait for now.

Ceris listened curiously to the Senator's proposal. She did not enjoy the thought of leaving her ship, especially when it was all alone in such a territory. On the other hand, she knew the recognition she would receive from the locals, albeit small on a galactic scale, could help increase her reputation. Any thing that could progress her career to the next step was valuable, and she saw the potential worth at having the trust of the locals. If the New Republic could establish something on the planet, having the loyalty of the locals could potentially be used as leverage. Throughout history, people always tend to follow great military leaders, rather than politicians.

Turning her head to the side, Ceris called out "Lieutenant!" A young man in uniform, of similar height to Ceris, appeared to her side at attention. She turned to face her junior "I'll be travelling with the Senator. Can I trust you to take care of this ship?" The Lieutenant responded, "Yes Captain." Ceris took a step closer and placed the back of her hand on the officer's left cheek "Is that a promise?" she asked in a soft girlish tone. She loved to tease her juniors, especially the young men. "Yes Captain!" he responded, this time with a shout. Ceris chuckled and turned back to the Senator "Let us be on our way."

"We'll have the 4 pilots make routine trips back and forth with cargo. 10 of my men will wait with us on the ground, both as protection and to unload the supplies." Ceris said to the Senator while strapped into her seat within the shuttle. "I'm sure you already know, but Cyborreans are an aggressive species of people. They still continue to hunt and train their famous battle dogs." The planet's surface was starting to become more detailed as they got closer. Crashed ships, both very recent and very old, lied on the earthy surface. "The planet's gravity is also a bit stronger than other planets, so mind your step." The shuttle eventually landed next to the previous 3, and Ceris would step out. The extra weight was noticeable, it felt like if a person was to push down on your shoulders. Long exposure could probably cause some lower back pain.

As they stepped out a tall burly Cyborrean man made their way to them. He introduced himself as the leader of the 10 local nearby tribes, and thanked the group for dealing with the pirates. Ceris simply stood at the side to let the Senator engage the man.

@Feng Mian

 

[Jin Vaisra]

Buckled to his own seat, Jin nodded as the diplomatic transport made its descent into the planet's atmosphere. “The Cyborreans are slightly more violent than I would have liked, but it’s nothing to be concerned about. I’ve dealt with senators twice as likely to shoot me in the face. Believe me, when they call it ‘the political arena,’ they mean it. Men and women have died plenty in service to the Republic and their respective worlds. I understand the risk.” He pursed his lips. “Besides, if there’s anyone they’ll be hunting, it’ll be their own infected.”

The shuttle shook and rattled the deeper they plunged into the planet’s gravity, as if the walls were adjusting to the heavy pressure, and Jin could feel the oxygen around him thin. Still, the air was certainly cleaner than what he was used to on Fondor, where surface dockyards and weapons factories choked the skies with smoke. At this rate, he could probably survive in the vacuum of space with how long he could go without a breath. Not that it stopped him from taking a nice whiff of the planet the moment he stepped out of the transport.

“Ah,” he muttered. “Smells exactly how I expected it would.”

Jin strode down the landing platform to where a small assemblage of Cyborreans waited, dressed head to toe in armor and brandishing polished spears. The largest of them stepped forward to greet him as their leader, the Lion of the Ten Tribes, a lovely title had the man’s breath not smelled like a molding corpse. It took Jin everything not to retch as he dispensed with introductions and pleasantries, working his charm on the grateful tribesmen.

“I am also honored to introduce to you Captain Ceris Odrosess, the woman who expelled the pirates from your space.” Jin bobbed his head to the captain. The tribal leader, on the other hand, stared at her for an inordinately long time before breaking out into a grin. “Ceris Odrossess,” he repeated. “An honor it is. Our people saw your battle in the stars. What we have struggled to defeat for months, you have destroyed in less than an hour. We are grateful.” The Cyborreans took a deep bow, as if they were about to fall onto their knees.

Jin couldn’t deny the stab of jealousy he felt at seeing Ceris so praised, but this was why he’d brought her, after all—to charm Cyborrea into not just an alliance with the Republic, but into devotion. “Please, this way,” said the tribal leader, who’d since named himself simply as El’oan. “We must celebrate. Perhaps you could even attend one of our hunts?”

@Altaria

 

[Ceris Odrosess]

The Senator's explanation of the 'political arena' exuded a rather familiar feeling. Life as a military officer was similar, confronting and being confronted by men and women looking to gain power. Ceris wondered if Jin faced the same loneliness, the one of untrustworthiness amongst peers. After all she had never heard of two senators being friends with each other.

Ceris waited patiently for her moment to make an impression on the Cyborreans, and with the Senator's introduction was her chance. She fell onto one knee and bowed her head down to the leader and his people, rising only after they did. "No, it is my honor to have helped you." she responded, staring deep into the the leader's eyes. Showing deep respect and bravery to the Cyborreans was a good way to make an everlasting impression. For now it would have to be slow, but Ceris was eager to see how quickly she could get a grip onto the locals. Ceris figured the Senator was also playing her up in order to get these people to devote themselves to the republic, but she could manipulate it. For they wouldn't be devoted to republic, but devoted to Ceris who worked for the republic. Having an entire planet to supply you with weaponry and powerful soldiers willing to do anything for you was desirable.

"I wouldn't mind" Ceris responded to El'oan's offer; she walked beside him, but slightly behind. Turning her head and looking back to the trailing Senator, Ceris asked "What about you?" Behind them the four shuttles would leave to continue bringing the rest of the medical supplies. Eight of the soldiers would stand by unloading the shipments, while two would follow the group.

@Feng Mian

 

[Jin Vaisra]

Jin was suddenly beginning to regret having taken the captain down to the planet surface, now that she’d robbed him of the limelight. On top of that, from his view four paces behind her and El’oan, it was looking a lot like Ceris was turning this meeting into a personal opportunity, instead of one for the Republic. It wasn’t hard for him to tell. Jin was an opportunist and a morally corrupt businessman. He’d networked under the table plenty of times. But to see it firsthand, from an outside perspective? It was quite baffling.

But fascinating, too. He would have to keep an eye on Ceris in the future. She may just as well prove to be an interesting ally—or a potential rival. “Of course,” Jin said at her question. “I’ll come along. Although I’m afraid I didn’t come prepared for a jungle expedition.” He laughed, but El’oan cast him a long look over his shoulder and smiled. “Not to worry, little Senator. This is no jungle we are heading to, but a village. One to the east, overwhelmed by the pandemic.”

Jin blinked. “Pardon?”

“We’re going hunting,” El’oan said, like the matter was set in stone. “I know you have come to talk diplomacy—and with medical supplies to help tackle our refugees—but it would be greatly appreciated if you would join us in purging our infected as well. A sign of our new relationship with your Grand Republic.” The Cyborrean chuckled. “After all, it is not a celebration without a good hunt.”

“Ah, of course.” Jin did his best to hide the disgust roiling through him. He’d hoped the elimination of the pirates would lead to easy negotiations and a quick treaty, but it seemed he was wrong. Soon enough, he and Ceris were being led onto a convoy of speeders before launching across the forested plains of the Cyborrea, toward the presumed location of the village.

His nostrils flared as they neared the village’s perimeter. The whole place reeked of bile and rotting flesh. Seated nearby El’oan, the man handed him a small blaster, and Jin wasn’t sure whether to feel relieved or insulted. “You are going to need this,” said El’oan. “The next hour is going to be a frenzy for a fragile thing like you.” He turned to look at Ceris. “The lady already has a weapon of her own, I expect?”

@Altaria

 

[Ceris Odrosess]

Ceris was a bit afraid of this happening. It wasn't that she was afraid of the infection herself, but that this was somewhat of an unavoidable danger for the Senator. For if he didn't come along, El'oan may refuse to engage in diplomacy. On the other hand if the Senator is injured, or killed in the worst case scenario, then all of Ceris' efforts were all for naught. The easiest way of dealing with the situation would be to just bombard the village from space, but then the so called 'hunt' would be ruin. It was a bit agitating how unnecessarily difficult the task became.

The village was indeed a hideous site. It was almost more horrifying than a desolate war torn land. For the village and environment was still fairly in tact, but the smell of agonizing death lurking was a bit frightening. "Yes I have my own blaster." Ceris responded to the leader. She stepped towards him and placed her hand on the breastplate of his armor "but I trust you'll watch over us." This was the first test; Ceris wanted to see how much the Cyborreans valued her help. She gazed into the leader's eyes with a sort of warm motherly look, before removing her hand and being the first to take a closer step towards the village.

The Senator was most likely in good hands with his bodyguard to protect him. The two soldiers that tagged along would also be there to protect him. Although she herself lacked direct confrontation with the virus, infected Cyborreans had to be more deadly than regular infected humans. Luckily the village was not that big, so surely there could not be many. Just before she turned to ask a question, a deathly screech erupted from the village, which was now about 50 meters away. Five large Cyborrean men burst through huts and sprinted like mad-men towards the group with eardrum-busting shrieks. Ceris quickly pulled out her RK-3 Blaster Pistol and began firing. A few bolts hit their marks, but the infected men continued their charge as if they were never hit. The two soldiers and one Cyborrean ally began firing with their blasters as well. The tribal leader, armed with a spear, hurled it towards one of the infected and it pierced directly through it's skull. The other four infected continued their charge, now within 20 meters of the group.

@Feng Mian

 

[Jin Vaisra]

Jin whirled as a screech radiated from the village. Several giant, Cyborrean men burst from the collection of tall grasses and straw huts. Just as Ceris fired at them, he did the same, aiming for the head but shooting wildly, without discipline. Jin had been trained in swordplay, military strategy, literature and history, but marksmanship? That was a talent he still desperately needed to work on. Not like his aim would have mattered, of course. Even the shots that landed left no impact on the Infected, and they continued charging at them without so much as flinching.

El’oan had managed to stick one through the head, but more approached at a startling speed. Twenty meters, then fifteen, then ten. Jin backpedaled, panic starting to set in, just before Venka stepped into his path. She revealed a long ceremonial vibrosword from her back, the blade extending out to the ground. Her dark hair snapped in the wind, her expression was cold and unreadable. She sighed. In her next breath, she cut through one of the infected Cyborreans effortlessly, leveling his shoulders and sending his head flying into the grass.

Jin gaped. Meanwhile, El’oan brandished a machete and bared a grin. “It seems you have another warrior among your ranks. Another woman, no less. Are all Republic men so weak?” The man sounded haughty and proud, as if the gruesome battle was a party in itself. He was enjoying himself way too much.

But out of nowhere, a sixth man sprung from behind them. Or behind Jin, more like it. He pinned him to the ground, thrashing violently, his teeth snapping like a wild animal. Jin did his best to keep the man from sinking them into his neck, grateful for the bulletproof suit he’d chosen to wear prior to landing. He had no idea what to do, though. No clue how to stop the Infected from tearing him apart. So, he acted on instinct.

Jin shoved his blaster against the Cyborrean’s eye socket. Let’s see if you can take on a blaster bolt point blank. Then, he fired.

The blast didn’t just take out the Infected’s eye, but the top quarter of his skull, scattering blood and brain matter into the air. Jin shut his eyes and mouth just as it spattered across his face. Next thing he knew, the man crumpled. Jin gagged and pushed the corpse away from him. “Someone get this shit off of me,” he said, trying to regain his bearings as the hunt raged on.

@Altaria

 

[Ceris Odrosess]

Surprised with El'oan, Ceris admired Venka's skill. "Midori.." she thought to herself, making a mental note to find and conscript the same type of people. Chuckling at El'oan's question, Ceris replied "Most are indeed weak." She continued firing away, finally managing to take one down with the combined fire power from the two soldiers. Leaving just two left now within range. El'oan tackled away, pounding away at it's face. While Venka moved onto the next one.

With the sound of an abrupt scuffle, Ceris and her men turned around to see the Senator on the ground. They all three quickly fired onto the infected man's back while moving quickly to rescue Jin, but the infected Cyborrean shrugged the bolts off. That is, until he took one to the eye. The two men quickly lifted the mess of a Cyborrean off of the Senator, making sure to not get any blood or other fluids on their face. Ceris knelt by Jin's head "Don't speak, leave your lips closed." She pulled out a handkerchief from her uniform pocket and wiped the Senator's face clean. She then placed the handkerchief in her back pocket. "Hopefully you took the vaccine. However I'll happily put you out of your misery if you become infected" she said sarcastically.

Venka quickly came by to help the senator while glaring at Ceris; it seemed she was able to take out the last infected Cyborrean with ease. Ceris got up and turned back around to inspect the scene. El'oan, who had just started to get excited, picked up his spear. "Let us continue our hunt" he shouted, with his Cyborrean ally letting out a war cry. Taking a quick look back at Jin, Ceris responded "I think the Senator is done for today. It has been a rather eventful few days for him already." El'oan had a rather disappointing look on his face and was silent for a moment. Nevertheless he agreed to return back to camp, but insisted we at least inspect the infected village first for any resources.

Ceris herself didn't think there could be anything useful in the village, but figured it wouldn't hurt. She turned back around to speak to Jin. "I think it's best for you to stay here by the speeders with Venka and my men, while I go with El'oan. Unless you want to tag along?" Ceris only knew about the AMS virus through reports. For all she knew, there could be more infected lurking around the village. The Senator's life was already endangered once, it would be unwise to risk it again.

@Feng Mian

 

[Jin Vaisra]

“Thank you for that small comfort, Captain, but I am vaccinated.” His face wiped of infected blood, he climbed back to his feet, aided by Venka, who’d just helped E’loan finish off the remaining attackers. As Ceris walked away to speak with the tribal leader, Jin hissed under his breath, “So much for being my appointed bodyguard. Where were you, Venka, besides making an infected kebab?” He was not visibly upset, but the fact he’d just ruined another good suit brought him very close to the edge.

“Please, Jin,” Venka said in that calm, soothing tone she always used whenever he was about to snap. “You handled yourself well. Instead of having every woman in a mile radius do everything for you, I think it’s important you prove yourself to El’oan.” Jin frowned. He wished he could be angry with her, but Venka was right. Ceris was running laps around him and he needed to keep up in order to please the Cyborreans into a military alliance.

“No,” he spoke up at the captain’s question. “I’ll come along. Would hate to miss out on any fun surprises that might be waiting for us in the village.” He forced a smile. Meanwhile, El’oan roared his approval. “That’s the spirit! Come, now. Let us see what remains.” Jin had the distinct feeling more Infected would be lurking in the dark corners or alleys of the tribal settlement, but now he knew their weaknesses: the head, the eyes, the brain. All he needed to do was just practice his aim.

The village was in a sorry state. Bare-boned market stalls, dark lanterns swaying from old porches, thatched roofs and shattered windows. Honestly, Jin wished there were more Infected around, if only to make the place feel somewhat lively. Instead, the settlement left a depressing ache in his chest. A little creepy, too, he thought bleakly. Jin caught up to El’oan and Ceris. “Do you see anything?”

@Altaria