The Reunion

[|Scarecrow|]

"I've checked over everything sir, the tractor beam on the remains of Wilder's ship is still secure," Lieutenant Kaye smartly reported before Admiral Scarman.
"Good work Lieutenant, how about our company?" Marcus handed the data slate back to Kaye.
"They are still following us, but they haven't portrayed any further provocative behavior,"
"Alright, maintain a vigilant watch, I don't trust them." Admiral Scarman nodded at Kaye and spun his seat back around to face the main viewscreen.
"Does the course Rear Admiral Anderson and I devised in Astrometrics shave off any time at all Ensign?"
Jessica Powell tapped at her keypad for a moment before answering. "Your course ought to cut off an extra five days from our journey Admiral,"
"Excellent, implement it at once,"

"Admiral," Victoria spoke from a console behind Scarecrow, "After studying the data in Astrometrics I have managed to make a rough triangulation on our position,"
"Go ahead," Marcus turned to face Edge. Ever since their encounter in Astrometrics, she had been stiff around him, almost tetchy.
"Admiral, I think we are somewhere near the Sigma - 17 system," She tapped the controls of her console and brought up a small star chart on the screen above her head. It showed Sirius space, but with added details. "I have made a localized scan, there seems to be a greater number of colonized systems and it was difficult to pinpoint direct familiarities, but I think that is definitely Sigma - 17,"
"Good work Captain," Marcus smiled at her as she turned to face him, "To say you're specialist field is combat, you're proving to be a half decent navigator,"

Victoria gave him a hollow smile and returned to her console. Marcus knew he had blown it with her, she would never come around. He had decided to shut out his feelings for her and only prayed that in doing so he didn't silence their friendship. However that seemed to be turning into a reality as Victoria seemed more bitter by the hour.
"Once we enter the Sigma - 17 system I want to send out a low bandwidth message, seeking only Freedom Fighter frequencies," Marcus turned back to the con, "Even if our allies are not in this universe, the chances are there will be an alternate version of the FF. Seeing as we have no knowledge what so ever on universal politics, I don't want to bring an armed Dreadnought into non-Liberty territories."
"Good idea," Admiral Wilder said from the communications console, "I'll begin composing a message for the Freedom Fighters,"
"Thank you Admiral," Marcus turned to the rest of the bridge crew, "If anyone needs me I'll be in my ready room."

***

Marcus almost jumped out of his skin as his communicator alarm went off. He hammered his fist down on the receiver irritably and scowled at the console.
"I told you not to contact me unless it was an emergency,"
"This is Sayne Jyant Jadyn," A familiar voice spoke through his speakers. Marcus' anger rose. "I have managed to unmask you Scarecrow, you remember me right?"
"Sayne," Marcus growled, "How could I forget?"

"I can help you Marcus, I see you are running low on fuel and supplies, I have an extensive knowledge of this region of space," Sayne's voice was almost patronizing.
"How could you possibly know, and how the hell did you get here!"
"Calm down Marcus, I hitched a ride with the Freedom Fighters, as I'm sure you must also have done, somehow." Sayne's voice became serious. "You want resources and a good bed to rest in, I can give you coordinates to the nearest populated star system."
"Why would you help me Jadyn," Marcus spat.
"Not out of the kindness of my heart Scarecrow, don't worry." Sayne took a deep breath. "I need you to do something for me..."
After a moment's pause, Scarecrow replied bitterly. "Speak your piece Hacker."

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| S C A R E C R O W |

"See you space cowboy..."