Shadow of the Empire: Day 12

[aesmael]

Originally published at a denizen's entertainment. You can comment here or there.

Haven't posted updates for a couple of days because while I have been writing my output has not felt substantial enough to merit posting. Have not really got enough for that so far either, but I've been doing some thinking about what to do with this story to regain momentum and the next update, while likely not coming tomorrow, is probably going to be relatively lengthy. So here's a plate-clearing update of wretched writing:

They did regain consciousness eventually. Altair cried her relief, but they all needed time to recover. Fortunately they had it. Garrett, the Potboiler and Shihab were all well behind them now, but they had also come to the end of their plans. Therefore, dinner. A meal to celebrate that they still lived, until they decided the next way they would jeopardise their lives.

"I'm glad I didn't have time to rebuild any of my models. It would have been awful if they had been broken again so soon."

"Or if we'd been broken," said Altair.

"Tragedy is a matter of scale. I like to start small, so I can get a run-up at the bigger ones."

"Like being conquered by an aggressive empire."

"Precisely. Ask me how I feel about that in a month."

Altair giggled.

"We need to decide what we do next," said Algol. "The main options I am aware of are: we charge back in with a desperate attempt to take out a carrier before we are obliterated; we flee and abandon our home forever; we skulk around the system looking for ways we can help the cause of freedom; or something else I haven't thought of yet."

"I am always in favour of skulking," said Ferideh.

"It is your job to say that."

"Yes. But how else are we going to accomplish anything?"

"I couldn't promise we would survive getting so close to an Algonthen carrier," said Altair. "That escape was the very best I can yet do. I had to learn new things just to get us here, and I could not guarantee being able to do them again, or that they'd be what we'd need in a next time."

"We are too heavily damaged to risk combat anyway," said Shula. "If you could see the aft hull, well. Just be glad engines are working well enough to get us anywhere. Especially since we're doing about 0.01c in the direction of nowhere right now."

"So we turn around and head back to Kitten for repair first."

"Why do you keep calling it Kitten?"

"Well," said Ferideh, "when I was a kid I had a pet kitten, who I loved very much. And his name was Snowball."

Nawar narrowed her eyes at Ferideh, while Hanifah grinned from across the table.

"I think Ferideh is right," aid Hanifah. "We need to go to ground and repair. Then, we keep quiet and look for an opportunity to accomplish something. There's not really anything else we can do unless we want to get all the way out of here. I don't."

Altair nodded. "That's how we'll do it. Shula, if we decelerate to a proper in-system speed and keep as quiet as we can, what are our nearest practical destinations?"

Path projections appeared in the air over the table, curving arcs labelled by destination and time for travel for them to study.

"That one."

* * *

Decelerating to a more legal speed was certainly bright enough to pinpoint their location throughout the system, but couldn't be helped. They had to do it sometime or zoom past any destination they chose, so better to be seen from where they were now than where they were going. As for the rest of the trip, Altair did her best to conceal their further movements, but it was nearly three weeks to Ice Raven. Plenty of time for leaks in an imperfect process.

There seemed no sign of pursuit or interest when they entered Ice Raven's control space. A hopeful sign, that perhaps their passage indeed was unremarked.

"Unregistered vessel, please state your identity and purpose."

"That was fast," said Algol. "We've barely been conquered two months and already these little independents are refusing to recognise us in our own system."

"Just be glad this isn't Base 13," said Ferideh.

"Yeah, let's not bring that up."

"Unregistered vessel, please state your identity and purpose."

"Ferideh, this one's for you."

"Aye Commander. Ice Raven, this is Mulazim Ferideh of the Shula, currently between affiliations. We request permission to dock and abide within your domain a time."

"We're going to have to get back to you on that. Don't make any course changes."

The line was closed for less than a minute before further communication from Ice Raven: "Shula and crew, while we are sympathetic to your situation, Ice Raven is not in the business of charitable acts. Regretfully we must decline your request unless you have something to offer of benefit to us."

Algol nodded.

"We would be willing to work for our keep if that might persuade you."

"That would work very well. Transmitting course and docking information now."

* * *

Unlike Base 13 huddling in its scarcely worth noticing few kilometres of ice, Ice Raven was an exercise in outer system extravagance. Built into a body of similar scale to the inhabited moon of Shihab, Ice Raven was a mostly subsurface complex of perhaps surprising population and very insistent on both its independence and legality. The sort of freehold which accumulated at the fringes of every system unwilling to be tyrannical in weeding them out.

The bay they were directed to was cavernous and empty and empty of all but themselves and the representatives of Ice Raven who had come to meet them. Altair danced a twirling, weaving path around the crew and Shula while those representatives approached; at their arrival she paused briefly to bow in their direction before continuing.

"Mahtab!" said Ferideh, eyeing her escort. "Are we being honoured or has this turned into some sort of unfortunate circumstance."

"Ah, Farideh, you should give us more credit. At least wait until we have been given an offer for you before presuming things have become complicated. I just wanted to see you all for myself and to welcome you to our humble home."

"Thank you Mahtab," said Algol. "We appreciate your generosity. Is there anything we need to know about Ice Raven while we are staying here?"

"Just stay on our good side: don't break any laws, make sure you're available when needed, and have fun. In fact, let's go get something to eat. I know a lovely place just away from the shore. The food is excellent and we won't be disturbed."

"That's sounds wonderful. Doesn't that sound wonderful everyone? Let's go."

There was a chorus of assent as Algol's eye fell upon each member of her crew. They walked off - and in Altair's case, skipped - with Mahtab and company.