Introduction
Honestly, I lost count of the different factions playing tug-of-war with the lives of the citizens of Anderson Northwinds. It seems everyone wanted something from that little colony, and all they wanted was to be free.
Sometimes you just have to take a stand for the little guy. And hope you don’t get crushed under the big guy’s boot.
-The Memoirs of “Gentleman” Jack Cartwright
17-18 February, WY603 – Helena
Current Contract: They’re Trying To Make Slaves of Us
Over the course of several hours, seven Free Corps ships surface at the edges of Helena’s well. Four light cruisers (FCI An Unsubtle Request for Calm, FCI Figaro’s Sordid Past, FCI Spare Me Your Platitudes, and FCI The Finality Of The Gun) and three gunships (FCI The Horse I Rode In On, FCI Big Tittied Valkyrie, and FCI Fear My Boomstick). Platitudes and Valkyrie pair up, as well as Finality and Boomstick and begin long roundabout courses around the planet, while Calm, Figaro, and Horse begin a burn straight for Legitimate Salvage.
Free Corps Colonel Casey Vidrickson announces that they have a legal contract to end the work stoppage at Anderson Northwinds. He advises the crew to stand down. Several of the crew recognize the name of the FCI commander and recall him as a sharp former Navy man. Instead of responding, the crew straps in and start a high-G burn to intercept the group of three ships with the hopes of catching at least one of the groups of two before they can make landfall.
Vidrickson makes one final attempt to dissuade the crew, stating “No matter who wins, this is going to be expensive. All my expenses are paid, are yours?” The crew responds that they intend to do what’s right.
The entire FCI force fires missiles at Legitimate Salvage, timed in such a way as to arrive at the same time. A pitched battle ensues as both sides exchange ordinance. A volley from the crew seriously damages Calm, but a return strike critically damages Legitimate Salvage’s reactor.
As things become more grim for the crew, the sensors screech as a volley of three torpedoes emerge from the ring cloud and streak towards the battle.
