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Laowai · 07-11-2011, 12:41 PM,

Lifting the vessel off she had piloted it carefully up through the layers of atmosphere, into the guiding signals of the docking rings and then gently out into space into a low orbit. Before she had left she had programmed an over-ride code into the Titans shipboard computer which linked it via Crete's communication grid to a computer terminal in the hangar on the surface. In that terminal she had programmed a command that interfaced with her Titan which would not let it leave a 5 k radius of Crete's Orbit. She felt she had to do this, her last trip could have cost her a lot, and she knew there were at least two other "journeys" she had taken of which she had no memory of leaving.
The only way to shut off the command was to go back down to the surface and enter a code manually into the terminal.

This time, she would sit and watch the sun, enjoy the feeling of warmth it gave her.... perhaps talk to some passing vessels - with restraint of course - and then head home.

"Hola!' crackled the comm system and she sat up and looked out her starboard side, a Corsair gunboat vessel sat in orbit. She could see its pilot and some of the crew vaguely through the canopy and she waved. Clicking the comm on she answered "Hello!" she said, "Thats an M24 Imperator class gunship isn't it?" she said, her mind quickly calling facts that she knew she had gleaned from someone else, probably her husband.

Before the pilot could answer a system wide comm signal broke through on an alert band. "Sails are being attacked by Hessians in Omega 41, should we help them"? Then suddenly another one, coming in almost on top of the first "I had to get out, ship has suffered heavy damage, I don't know, they probably do but...."

"Where are they?" came a third.

Zarita clicked the comm nervously... "Maybe.. um, maybe you should log into the defence net and check the wide band scanners?"

The unknown pilot's response came back over the line 'Oh... good idea, let me see if I can get that working...'
She looked out the canopy nervously, she had experienced space combat only a couple of times before and still recalled the terror of it, the feeling of claustrophobia as the space within the cockpit of her ship seemed to press in around her. She knew how to fly her ship in combat of course; she had gleaned that from her husband. But he had never been a great fighter pilot and so neither was Zarita. His strengths had always lain more in the area of organisation, planning, logistics....
'I can't... seem to locate the Sails vessels on the long range scanners' came the voice of the pilot again. Zarita clicked open the comms, 'Omega 41, check the defence net... I'm sure it will have them'. She knew, reflexively that this information was available and broadcast to Corsair vessels continually and that this could be called up by any Corsair on patrol.
'No...' came the voice again.. 'im, not getting them, there is some traffic in Theta but...'

Zarita cut him off 'No, Omega 41, here...' again without thinking she keyed in a command with inhuman speed - which made sense given that she wasn't human ' and brought up the data, she scanned it quickly and then relayed the information. 'Two sails vessels, command Sails vessel is Vito|Sails...' she shifted the screen display over quickly, 'showing at least one other HAF vessel in Omega 47 with one... 'she counted the comm signals as they came in 'two, three possible other wings, Gunboat class or less'..
The pilot answered 'oh.. right, should we go and assist them?'

At that point another ship came onto the screens, a HAF vessel with another at its wing followed by a number of independent house-less snubcraft and behind them, the slim ominous bulk of a Corsair Osiris battleship. 'Sails vessels under attack?' the HAF vessel broke into the conversation. 'We're on the way'.
The ships streaked past her at breakneck speed, firing up their cruise engines and heading towards to distant Omega 41 Jump hole.

No... wait.. Zarita thought. That's wrong, there..... There aren't that... she skimmed the data before her again quickly. There were a greater number of identified Hessian vessels registering in Omega 47 and one other vessel was a known mercenary who was on a list of hostile targets. Her husband's instincts and knowledge of protocol was almost burning in her thoughts now, she knew that the vessels in Gamma should be heading to.. 'Omega 47'.. she said to herself.

Quickly opening the comms she called to the Comms central on Crete. 'Crete Control this is Titan one five six do you confirm the Hessian signals in Omega 47 as legit out?'

The comms center on Crete replied quickly 'Titan One five six that is confirmed five Hessian signals, with at least one possibly two heavies.'

Running now on instinct Zarita switched her comms back to the rapidly disappearing HAF and independent vessels making their way across the system. 'HAF vessel , prioritize your targets to Hessian signals in Omega 47, signals are confirmed, acknowledge..'

The HAF vessel responded after a few short moments; 'Acknowledged Crete, adjusting course now, patching you into our comms, you have tactical call on the group, out'

'Wait? What?!' Zarita snapped back to reality. The HAF captain had acted completely correctly of course. An individual captains theater-wide tactical knowledge was always limited, it was a normal procedure to have a command authority or group liaison outside the combat area to update data, call responses and direct operations. However, as Zarita had done this herself without thinking, the HAF commander had mistaken her for a Controller on Crete and had patched her in as such.

'I'm... no, wait, I'm not a....' Zarita stammered. 'Jumping!' came the voice of the HAF captain, cutting her off and momentarily severing the signal.

She waited a moment, gathering her wits but nervous and angry at herself. She had come out intending to sit and be quiet, yet once again the mind in this body ran on its own... she was in it this time, she knew that the HAF vessel would be calling in any moment to...

'Come in Crete, heading to Omega 47, but we have 2 Sails vessels on scanners and there are at least 3 hostiles nearby'

Zarita paused. She knew what she should do, and she knew that the HAF task force, now nominally under her guidance would not leave their present course and assist the Sails vessels without her say so. But she also knew, she was in no way authorized to do what she was considering doing. She closed her eyes; cast her thoughts to memories in her mind, images, reflexes built on years of training and experience, her husband's years of knowledge and experience. She gathered it all up in her mind, photo-realistic visions in her thoughts, lines and lines and lines of tactical data, ship protocols, battle reports, battles, protocols, her mind now acting on reflex, instinct taking over... she allowed it to, letting her control bend til the point of danger yet not crossing it. Still, were an observer to cast a glance within the confines of her cockpit they would see dancing blue lines moving across her hands and a faint blue light beginning to emanate from her eyes.

'Sails vessel this is Crete, we have a task force heading to Omega 47, however they have reported you are in contact, do you require assistance?' she said in an expressionless monotone, the way she always spoke when she was no longer in control...

As she waited for a reply her hands danced across the readout in front of her, finding hands to be not fast enough she began multi-tasking without them, dials, switches and readouts changing seemingly on their own.

'Negative Crete, we've got this' came the Sails reply.

'HAF vessel, negative on Sails, they are fine, proceed as before' she responded.

'Roger Crete, we're about to jump'

She waited, the readout in Omega 47 suddenly updated and the task force she had sent suddenly appeared and began moving towards the fray.

'HAF vessel, call it, direct forces as you see fit, keep the heavy under guard'

'Right, got it...' came the reply with the low thumping of blaster fire behind it indicating that the ship had already taken up the fight.

A Hessian signal dropped off the screen, one was down. Suddenly there was an alert from another sensor, it was relayed from Leon base and so she quickly scrolled to it. Three more Hessian vessels were on course for the Sails vessels who had managed to down one of their attackers but were now about to become dangerously outnumbered.....

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