Forsaken Ruins: Part 5 (468 hits)
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Submitted by Craig Williams <thetyrant82.at.hotmail.com> (View user info) at 2005-05-10 04:06:19 EDT
Part 4: http://www.ubersite.com/m/65313
Part 3: http://www.ubersite.com/m/64985
Part 2: http://www.ubersite.com/m/64817
Part 1: http://www.ubersite.com/m/63802
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Part 5:
Mattias thought about his question carefully before answering. Odds were that the Jovian already knew the answer, if he was able to follow them to the rock formation. Veniel was fishing for information, and Mattias decided to play along.
"We discovered an artifact in an asteroid field not too far from here, and it led us to this location."
"And this 'artifact', did it contain the corpse of a Gallente?"
Aha. The man knew exactly what he was looking for. "Yes, it did."
"Then I have a proposition for you and your crew, Captain. First, let me begin by saying that you will not survive another attempt to run the gauntlets in place at the gates in this system. Trald is focused on your destruction, and you will not escape from him again. Therefore, in exchange for the artifact in your possession, I offer you all three of the following: Access to this station, the explanation for its existence, and a way past the blockades in this system."
Mattias had heard about the Jovians insatiable lust for knowledge, and that they were often willing to trade hyper-advanced technology in exchange for it. Veniel, on the other hand, was offering ways to spare their lives in exchange for, of all things, a corpse. Why he wanted it was both beyond explanation and irrelevant in this context. The upper hand in this agreement belonged to Veniel, and Mattias knew he'd be a fool to refuse. The Jovians were never known for cruelty or deceit, and although this one seemed atypical of the stereotype, he sensed no ill will on Veniel's part.
"Very well, Veniel. Deal."
"Excellent, Captain. Now, the artifact, if you please."
"I have your word that you'll fulfill your part of the bargain?"
"Most certainly, Captain."
Mattias took a deep breath through the nose tubes. "Alright, then. Matuno, please jettison the casket."
"Roger." A tiny cargo container appeared just above the Tempest. Mattias was thankful that the errant plasma and fire jets still erupting from the damaged ship were pointing away from it. The Wraith slowly pulled away from the Blackbird and positioned itself above the floating cargo container, guiding it on board.
"Superb. Now, for my part of the bargain, if you'll excuse me for just a moment..." The Jovian broke the connection. Mattias focused his view on the Wraith hovering above the Tempest, already beginning to question his own judgment. It wasn't the first time he'd done that today.
The DED is the police force of CONCORD, and a Spartan affair even by military standards. Charged with the responsibility of maintaining law and order within the borders of Empire space, the men and women who make up its ranks are meticulous in their work, fervently devoted to their mission, and strict advocates of structured rank and their own respective place within it. Candidates wishing to join the DED are subjected to a near ruthless application process. If accepted, recruits are given a training regime whose intensity rivals or exceeds any military institution in mankind's history.
Their philosophy discourages autonomy insofar as its place within fighting units is concerned. DED ships are rarely seen alone. They patrol Empire shipping lanes and property in balanced fleets of varying military capacity, and are always within range of other patrols so that the response time to any crisis is almost instantaneous. The DED's prowess for coordinating strikes and rapid-response counterattacks within Empire space is staggering, thanks to the uniquely trained individuals that CONCORD enlists for the task.
But no large organization is without its informants. And the DED, despite the extensive background checks, personality evaluations, and constant surveillance of new and experienced employees, was not without their own. With so much power concentrated there, entities both malicious and neutral went to great lengths to infiltrate the law enforcement agency. The DED quietly dealt with the moles they were able to catch. But with espionage at this level, where the stakes are so high and the potential for damage so great, no one could ever be certain that every spy was purged.
Tantoseisen Kakkichi—the Chief of Internal Security at the DED—knew that other spies existed within the agency. He had been reviewing disinformation items designed to expose potential operatives when the Jovian contacted him. Midway through the conversation, Tantoseisen started believing that he was being set up for a disinformation play as well.
"How many stations did you say there were again?"
"Sixty-nine, to be exact," Veniel repeated.
"In twenty three deep space regions surrounding Empire space?"
"Correct, Commander."
Tantoseisen sat back in his chair, glancing towards Veniel's dossier on the other screen. Although they never formally met, this was one of the few Jovians that CONCORD had some record of. Ever since the legendary trade that brought pod technology to the forefront of naval warfare, contact with the elusive race had been rare. Veniel was the only Jovian who surfaced from time to time, and whenever he did, there were always significant repercussions. The consensus among DED intelligence analysts was that Veniel was the Jovian equivalent of a maverick, and they had serious doubts that his actions proceeded with the blessings of his own kind. That notion alone would make anyone wary of trusting him, let alone believe his claim that dozens of stations existed in deep space which CONCORD knew nothing about.
"Veniel, with all due respect, you'll understand that I'm having a difficult time believing your claim." And that's about as delicately as I'm capable of saying that, he thought.
"If you so desire, I can show you proof."
"Very well then. Show me proof."
Veniel's pale, vein-crossed, elongated face was replaced with the image of a Jovian frigate cruising slowly against the backdrop of a station. That could be anywhere, Tantoseisen thought. Something did seem different about it, but nothing so much out of the ordinary.
"Are you convinced yet, Commander?" asked Veniel.
"I'm afraid I haven't seen anything to make me change my mind."
The image rotated so that the camera perspective was behind the frigate, still continuing its deliberate pace outside the station. Tantoseisen could see the outer hull of the base in more detail. Emergency lighting, he thought. But again, that could be any one of dozens of Gallente stations here in Empire space. Approaching the end of an enormous hull section, the ship began a slight bank to its left. When it finished rounded the corner, the camera panned back again.
The image of a critically damaged Tempest-class battleship came into view.
"Veniel, I thought you said that no one in Empire space knew about this."
The Jovian did not answer. A second ship—an Omen-class cruiser, also badly damaged—was there, floating alongside the battleship. Both ships looked like they were on fire.
"If my word alone will not suffice," said Veniel. "Then perhaps his will." The view focused back to the Tempest, then panned to an angle above and behind it. A third ship—a Blackbird—was also there, on fire and...
The image suddenly registered as being very familiar to Tantoseisen: A Caldari, an Amarrian, and a Minmatar...
User Reviews
Submitted by Brdn_Nkd (user info) at 2005-05-10 11:10:54 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Continue, I'll watch for the next installment.
Submitted by Williams_2004 (user info) at 2005-05-10 09:35:07 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
Go back and read all of my other chapters then arab. You will know what the story is about then, thanks for the review and postive rating. For some reason no one is looking at this series.
Submitted by Arab (user info) at 2005-05-10 09:09:49 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Very good reads! I hate when I find a good series and I catch up to the last chapter before
the next chapter is ready. There are only 5 chapters to this so far, so you better get crackin'
and make me more good reads!
Good job.