Forastero's Redemption

[Ryummel]

He stopped counting the amount of times he jumped into the brawls that oftenly took part across the Omegas versus the Hessians. No matter whether the rest of Corsairs suddenly retreated to leave him alone against a Hessian wing or finished them altogether, the only concern of Jack was keeping the Titan that Silver gently granted him as unscratched as possible, a commitment that wasn’t actually going in the good path over the course of battles.

Freeport 5 became the only place that Jack could consider as safe haven outside Omicron Gamma while he was bearing the Corsair colors. Cadiz and Leon bases were a little far away from Silver’s hand, while oddly enough the core of the Corsair space, Crete and Tripoli, still would offer him some relief. Nevertheless, he soon realized that after the chance meeting with Aerelm at the Freeport in Omega 41, he would have to get a evasion plan ready as soon as possible, for probably the whole Imperio would rise bloodthirsty against him in case the plans of his fellow freelancer actually worked.

Jack couldn’t exactly tell to Silver if this “little” adventure among Corsairs did him any good regarding his initial purpose of unbinding himself from the people he knew before. Instead, he felt on the edge of incertitude, unable to describe what he felt for the people he cared about while another indescribable of hatred grew toward those who had hurt him. Would the void between him and the ‘Baroness’ become larger than he would have ever wished? For how long would the wounds caused by that Kusari girl stay open? These somewhat unexpected questions arose while he flew his Titan into the dangers of the Omegas, making him finally realize that he didn’t go there to become stronger physically, but to become a conscious person. But at what cost?

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The Hammen Hole was oddly unpopulated at the time Jack dived into it. Slipping through both Corsair and Hessian ship wrecks, the scanner picked up an active contact. For first time since he became an usual corsair raider in Omega 5, Jack felt confused at the ship pattern that his scanner showed. Hessian IFF, for sure. Not a Sabre, but neither an Odin by the looks that he remembered.

Jack.Darrow: How fine, a hessian!
[RHA]Peter.Schubert: Not sure if I'd be so happy about that.
Jack.Darrow: Because I'll be forced to nuke that fine piece of craft you're flying?
Jack.Darrow: Haven't seen that one before, though!
[RHA]Peter.Schubert: Are you really sure that you'll manage to do that?
Jack.Darrow: I've gone through a few of you before in here.
[RHA]Peter.Schubert: You really shouldn't overestimate yourself.
Jack.Darrow: Let's see who's overestimating who then.
Jack.Darrow: Die.
[RHA]Peter.Schubert: Let's see if you're worth the effort.

He threw his Titan at the Odin-like craft, engaging in a duel that soon proved to be the hardest one he had gone through ever since he got Silver’s Titan on his hands. Plasma and laser shots were exchanged mercilessly as both ships dodged through nuclear mines and wrecks, ensuring that only one of them stayed as a nice wreck ornament forever. Jack couldn’t find a major advantage over the Hessian as the Rheinlander couldn’t do anything close either, turning into an equal fight that eventually ended with the Titan’s right wing blasted off due to an unfortunate mine. The Odin however had also taken substantial damages caused by the plasma guns, even though it could still stand still pouring laser shots on Jack’s Titan.

Cursing in every word that he learned in Spanish, he made his way out of the Hole toward Cadiz, still being tailed by the Hessian. Oddly enough -yet fortunately for him-, the Hessian pulled out as soon as the Titan crossed the weapon platforms line guarding the Corsair side of Omega 5. Paying little attention to the Hessian’s taunts, he guided the half wrecked Titan away from the battlefield. “What the hell was that ship?”

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