*Vast emptiness of space can only be compared to hollowness of soul searching its reason for existence.*
If Earth was but a pot of dirt in which seed of humanity was sowed, Sirus was a rich, fertile garden in which that seed flourished. Even the most beautiful garden has its share of thorns. In Sirius, those thorns were: greed, corruption, hunger for power and domination, vanity and disillusion. All these infused conflicts. Once dormant Sirus, suddenly became filled with high energy discharges ripping through the very fabric of space and time. Where those found their marks, miniature suns were born, feeding on the hydrogen fuel, destined to live only for a few seconds, before surrendering their heat and light to the overwhelming freezing darkness of space. In their place, dust and tumbling scraps vouched that some space-ferrying vessel met its end there. But humanity is a strange plant indeed. Its most beautiful flowers blossom only in the heat of conflict. Thus many great heroes arose on all sides. They engulfed the hearts and minds of the rest of humanity with their intoxicating scent of glory. But this story, is not abut them. Every garden also has its share of bugs crawling on the bottom, getting by mostly unnoticed. This is the story about two of those.
Red flashing lights and howling sound of alarm echoed through the corridors and cavities of the Kyoto asteroid, Blood Dragons use as their base. Whole facility was resembling an ant-lair. Narrow corridors were crowded with combat personnel running in both directions, trying to get to their battle-stations. Others were gluing themselves to the wall, holding their breath and bellies in, wishing to become two dimensional pictures on the walls, as it was not very advisable to get in the way of the ill-tempered samurai pilots, trying to get to the hangar. Apparently, there was a raid scheduled against a Kusari Naval convoy.
Shiritaki never cared much for raids, combat, KNF. nor politics. All he really cared for, was his best friend Sukiyaki, and his lovingly made "nomad tail fin" soup. You see, Shiritaki Katsudon was a cook. And not just any cook, but the personal chef of the Kyoto's commander. He and his colleague, Sukiyaki Oyakodon, were considered by many in their branch, to be cooking geniuses, or if u will "Aces of cooking". They happened to be the only two people in whole of Sirius, capable of turning a super-hard organic polymer composites of the tail fin taken from a Nomad living ship, into a tasty dish. Though no other person knew the secret recipe, it was rumored that a lump of rock was supposed to be cooked together with Nomad tail fin. Once a rock was "done", the tail fin was supposed to be cooked for another 3 hours. Whether this was the fact, or just a joke senior chefs used on their apprentices, was not as important as the fact that dish made out of such resilient substance, required a great deal of skills and efforts. Shiritaki was just contemplating on this, while personally delivering this exquisite meal to the base commanders inner chamber, when just around the corner he bumped with Matamashi Kodyiro. Blood Dragons famed Ace got Shiritakis soup all over his flight suit. Still in shock, looking as the testimony of his cooking skills and efforts drip to the floor, Shiritaki almost failed to notice a violent strike to his face, made by Matamashis marshal-art trained hand.
- You half-witted, brain-dead, blind monkey! Look what you've done to my flight suit!
Shiritaki was still trying to figure out how he ended up on the floor, and if anyone got an ID of that Cargo Train Transport that just hit him, when another blow came. This time, samurai used his foot to Shiritaki's abdomen, to express his utter dissatisfaction with the fact that delicious soup was all over him. Out of air in his lungs, Shiritaki contemplated through the red curtain of pain, if death in vacuum of space was feeling anything like this. It was quite obvious Matamashi was in a really bad mood. Fresh insults and strikes were keep coming and coming at Shiritaki twitching on the floor. At this point poor cook completely stopped paying attention to them, concentrating on finding a way out of his peril. Suddenly, something snapped! Shiritaki may have liked the idea that the "snap" came within him, compelling him to defend his life and his honor, but he was not destined to be a hero. The truth was that everything happened without his actions. The "snap" actually came from a wooden rolling-pin colliding with the back of Matamashi's head. As the body of the now "pacified" samurai-pilot fell to the ground, Shiritaki managed to catch a glimps of the rolling-pin's wielder. It was none other than his friend and colleague Sukiyaki Oyakodon. The sight caused cooks heart to shrivel in fear, even more than the sight of the raging samurai before.
- Suki you fool! What have you done?! He's a samurai! Do you know what will happen to two lowly cooks, once it's discovered we attacked a member of the samurai caste?! We'll be jettisoned out of the airlock wearing nothing but thong underwear!
Sukiyaki was still gripping the snapped wooden rolling-pin, with his face as pale as the third moon orbiting Hokaido (being entirely out of silicon dust, that moon was very pale indeed).
- This is all your fault! How the hell was I supposed to know you decided to pick a fight with a samurai?!
Sukiyaki's reaction didn't really come as a surprise to Shiritaki. Ever since two of them met, Shiritaki being older and wiser, tried to guide and advise his young and rash friend. Alas, more then often, his advice would fall on def ears. Few months before they got the job as master-chefs on Kyoto, young Sukiyaki came up with a crazy scheme of buying a scraped Zoner's Juggernaut from an orbiting junk yard. His intention was to turn this leviathan into a luxury restaurant. Needles to say, Shiritaki was opposing this idea, as the start investment of 200 milion credits was way over their heads. The Juggernaut would need at least as much credits to get in shape, as it was terribly damaged. The story behind it, was that the Jugger was a brand new guard ship, just launched and sent by zoners all the way from Omicrons to Tau-31, planet Harris, to protect their traders there, from pirate attacks. At that time Bretonia Armed Forces offered loads of credits to any independent trader helping them evacuate Harris, which was about to fall into KNF hands. Unfortunate leviathan met her doom at the end of her maiden voyage. Just as she entered orbit above Harris, she was jumped by two corsair gunboats and after fearsome firefight, took too much damage and was abandoned by her crew. Though damage on the Jugger was too extensive to be used as space-ferrying vessel ever again, she was still space-worthy, and Sukiyaki insisted it could be turned into most desired orbiting hotel/restaurant in whole of Sirius. The enterprising cook took all his earnings and a loan from some shady Hogosha characters, and put his idea into action. Shiritaki could do little more than stand aside and grumble while he watched his friend acting out his juvenile enthusiasm. As Shiritaki predicted, plan failed almost as fast as the once proud leviathan did on her maiden voyage. Orbiting restaurant turned up to be bottomless money pit. No matter how much they invested in it, it always seemed only half way there.
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Very soon, all the money was gone, and their project wasn't even half finished. Just as soon, shady characters from Hogosha came knocking on their door...with an assault photon blaster. The cooks decided their current kitchen was sanitary unhealthy, or should we say, their oven was too hot, so they ran. They ran all the way to the blood dragon's territory. Luckily for them, local Blood Dragon commander was a gourmand, and he immediately recognized their talents and offered them a deal they couldn't refuse: cook for him every day, and in return live to the next day. Once he got the post as a commander of Kyoto base, he took them with him. And that's how we came to this moment.
Shiritaki took a deep breath in an attempt to steady his heart and clear his thoughts. Unconscious body of the Blood Dragon's warrior laying before him, made one fact painfully obvious: It was time to run again. Blood Dragons were traditionalists, and by that tradition, samurai caste was above non-warrior castes. There would be no remission for the cooks that attacked a samurai. No matter the circumstances, no matter the reasons. Figuring out that part was easy. Figuring out how and where to run, was a different matter.
- C'mon Suki, we have no time for arguing now. Help mi drag samurai-san to his quarters. The raid is on. We'r in luck. All combat personnel quarters will be empty for some time. We have to get to his room. We can use his thumb print to get us in. - Shiritaki grabbed the limp samurai's body.
- Hai Shiri-san! - replayed Sukiyaki helping his friend pull the unconscious pilot up and on their shoulders while picking up his helmet and the rest of his gear.
Combat personnel quarters section of the base was indeed deserted. Cooks sighed in relief once they confirmed this. They had no trouble finding the Matamashi's room due to the info card all Kyoto personnel were required to carry at all times. Using the thumb print of the unconscious pilot got them inside.
- Quickly! Search closet for the reserve flight gear Suki. I'll undress him and take his suit. Those are our tickets out of here!
- Seems the time we've spent playing in Blood Dragon fighter simulator, will prove quite useful now. - grinned Sukiyaki annoyingly cheerful.
- Damn his youthful enthusiasm! - thought Shiritaki to himself. - It serves him as a class 10 shield, easily deflecting anything harmful or disturbing life might throw at him.
They suited up and with space helmets covering their faces, left Matamashi's room heading for the hangar. Previous owner of the suits was left nicely tied up and mouth stuffed like any good cook would do when preparing a stuffed eel. Their journey to the hangar was uneventful because the whole base was still heavily focused on incoming transmissions from the squadron intercepting Kusari convoy. Before entering hangar, Shiritaki followed by Sukiyaki took a left turn and climbed up to the observation deck etched in the asteroid rock above it. From there he intended to ascertain the situation without being too conspicuous. Shiritakis gaze met with two Blood Dragon Heavy Fighters fully fueled and armed, sitting on alert catapults.
- There Suki, - he nodded in direction of the fighters - those are our rides. They always have two alert fighters ready to launch in case reinforcement or interception is required. We will just walk down to them, nice and easy. Keep your head cool this time Suki. No dumb, rash moves. - Sukiyaki offered just one fast silent nod in response.
They walked down from the observation deck into the hangar, and went straight for the Blood Dragon Fighters. With every step, they were trying to mimic the confidante and arrogant attitude of the Blood Dragon samurai-pilots, while inside their hearts were screaming for them to run for their lives. But their acting succeeded. Hangar crew was readily stepping out of their way and bowing down to them as they went by.
- So far, so good - thought Shiritaki trying to encourage himself. - I have no clue where to go from Kyoto once, or if, we actually manage to launch, but I know that anywhere but here will be just fine.
- Look at those fools bowing to us in fear... - sneered Sukyaki in his thoughts - I could really get used to that. Maybe being a warrior instead of a lowly cook, isn't so far out of my reach. I was pretty good in that simulator. I would probably be as good in real combat. All I need is a chance to prove my worth - concluded Sukiyaki to himself.
Cooks were often visiting hangar in their free time, watching real pilots and their crew operate. Now this came quite handy, because they knew exactly, what they were expected to do. Each approached his chosen fighter, and than circled around it, pretending to check equipment. They were grabbing and shaking up a bit: shield generator, counter-measures launcher, thruster, mine dispenser and every weapon on its pylon, one by one. Sukiyaki seemed specially interested in checking out Inferno cannon, new hight tech weapon blood dragons got from their Outcast allies. Kyoto was a high priority base, and all weapons and crafts in it, were top of the line. Thought of stealing this from under blood dragons very noses, made Sukiyaki grin like a mad man under his space helmet.
Finally, they climbed into the cockpits. Crewmen helped them connect communications, helmet up display data cable, oxygen and anti G force inertial dumpers to their suits. Non of the crew ever suspected even for a second, that they were assisting cooks and not real fighter-pilots. Once done, they signaled "thumbs up", and Shiritaki and Sukiyaki signaled them back the same way, and pushed the button to close down and pressurize cockpit. When the sound of heavy locking mechanism clanked with a hydraulic hiss, they were completely sealed off from the rest of the world and on their own. They both knew the starting up procedure from the simulator by heart. In few minutes, fighters came to life, with engines humming and all electronic systems buzzing. Shiritaki set comm channel to Kyoto tower, closed his eyes and took a deep breath to relax himself before one final bluff.
- Blood Dragons, Tanto 1 to Kyoto tower: Requestiong permission to launch. - While he was waiting for the answer, seconds seemed like hours. The answer that came, froze Shiritakis heart.
- Kyoto tower to Blood Dragons, Tanto 1: Hold your position!
Hundreds of possible horrifying outcomes were pushing themselves into Shiritakis thoughts, completely uninvited. He was feverishly trying to figure out the reason they got busted. What gave them away? What did they do wrong? Who was the one that figured it out? New comm from tower dispeled them away.
- Kyoto tower to Blood Dragons, Tanto 1: We have incoming traffic in the pattern.
Shiritaki sighed so deeply in relief, that he twitched again out of the fear that someone might hear it, even through the space helmet and pressurized cockpit. And than he smiled at himself for being such a coward. In the next moment, his attention was occupied by the sight of hangar outer doors opening to allow incoming vessel to dock. Shiritaki could see its shadow casted on the floor of the hangar bay before the door opened enough to reveal the vessel itself. It was huge. Certainly not a fighter. To Shiritakis utter surprise, opened bay door revealed a Cargo Train.
- What in the hell is Cargo train doing docking at the pirate base? - Shiritaki asked himself.
He pealed his eyes to it, trying to find some written sign on the fuselage of the Train. Most of the decals were covered in space dust, but Shiritaki managed to make out letters GLY**-***SPORT written on the side.
- This stinks worse than cabbage casserole cooked in an old sock. - He locked his sensor on the Cargo train and scanned it.
- Trader ID, in a pirate base? - Shiritaki was just contemplating on his discovery when incoming comm broke the chain of his thoughts.
- Kyoto tower to Blood Dragons, Tanto 1: Your are cleared to launch. Have a nice flight.
In the next moment, violent yank, view of the hangar details rushing past, force crushing him in his seat...and than...eery greenish glow of the nebula outside.
- Kyoto tower to Blood Dragons, Tanto 2: Cleard to launch, good luck Sir.
For a moment Shiritak watched at Sukiyaki catching up and forming on his wing, and than he pointed the nose of his fighter into the unknown.....
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Start spreading the news, Im leaving today
I want to be a part of it - new york, new york
These vagabond shoes, are longing to stray
Right through the very heart of it - new york, new york
I wanna wake up in a city, that doesnt sleep
And find Im king of the hill - top of the heap
These little town blues, are melting away
Ill make a brand new start of it - in old new york
If I can make it there, Ill make it anywhere
Its up to you - new york, new york
New york, new york
I want to wake up in a city, that never sleeps
And find Im a number one top of the list, king of the hill
A number one
These little town blues, are melting away
Im gonna make a brand new start of it - in old new york
And if I can make it there, Im gonna make it anywhere
It up to you - new york new york *
Music coming from the mess-hall speakers was echoing through the corridors of the Newark facility. Shiritaki was whistling and singing with the music, while he was working in the kitchen. It was his favorite song. Forever reminder of how New York and Liberty welcomed, with open arms, two desperate cooks on the run.
Liberty...Freedom...Freedom from the Kusari bonds. Freedom from the caste system. Freedom from the Blood Dragons and Hogosha. They were free to start over in this space of opportunity and equality.
Every begging is hard. They had no credits, no friends, no acquaintances. With their cooking background, only job they could get was in a Synth-Food restaurant. Still, they had each other, and last but not least: they had two fully armed Blood Dragon space-superiority fighters. In another brain-storm, Sukiyaki suggested they could have two jobs, for faster credit income. By day, they would work as cooks in a Synth-Food restaurant, and by night, they would fly their fighters as mercenaries. For the first time since two of them met, Shiritaki didn't oppose his friends crazy scheme.
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Sukiyaki-san left Newark station and headed to Dublin system to fulfill contracts on Outcasts scum.
In Dublin system, 2 Outcast bombers were engaged and destroyed.
Some Midas helpers, known as Mollys came to help Outcasts, one GB and one fighter.
Fighter destroyed, GB disengaged.
Client payed 10 millions as promised, for heads of 2 Outcasts.
We are having a luxury dinner tonight, it seems.
All on Sukiyaki! Hai!
*Sending over*
Lucendez Wrote:
It is every Corsair's responsibility to die a beautiful death in defense of Crete, regardless of how OORP or how capwhoring the opposition is. Launch your fighter, joust the battlecruisers and die a beautiful death. Then, drink it down in the bar.
Sukiyaki was watching TV in his comfortable apartment, eating cookies he made for himself.
He was watching the TV, but he thought about something else.
He was in loved in a young waitress from the Manhattan elite restaurant. Sukiyaki was going there almost every day, but she always ignored him. Even though he makes his hair the way he once did, when all Kusari women thought of him as a stallion.
He just couldn't get what was he doing wrong. He even asked Shiritaki, but he knew there will be no result from him.
Shiritaki lost interest in women once he divorced from his last wife. Yes, last, not the only one.
Since then, he is making cookies in women-head shape, and then he crushes them with his own hands.
Weird he is, that is for certain.
Anyway, that cute young waitress from the bar must be Sukiyaki's, he just has to find out how.
Hai!
Lucendez Wrote:
It is every Corsair's responsibility to die a beautiful death in defense of Crete, regardless of how OORP or how capwhoring the opposition is. Launch your fighter, joust the battlecruisers and die a beautiful death. Then, drink it down in the bar.