the {TG}-nadesico

[marauder]

Tau 37 system, falkland base...

"Got any jobs you too busy to deal with?" a tall, thin, kusari man asked the falklands head of security.

"Yup, lots of outcast activity around here lately." the security officer was a balding middle-aged man heading rapidly towards being fat due to the long hours spent at the desk sifting through reports made by train escorts and recon patrols. "Take your pick, just remember to sign your name and ship call-sign besides whichever one you take." the officer turned back to his reports.

"Thanks." the man checked to jobs listed and decided on one that was to strike at a new space-station that was being built...

Once he'd left the security officer got up and checked to see what the stranger's name had been.

"Pete Ling, executive officer of the nadesico... Hhmm, why do I recognise that ship..." he turned back to his desk and type the ship name into his computer terminal "Wow, a TG battleship! those outcasts are in for a world of hurt." he chuckled as he got back to his work.

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"Confirmed nadesico, your clear to depart mooring point 6." the docking robot said before switching to another channel and yelling at an IMG train that had blundered into the wrong area.

"Thanks falkland." the comm officer, a non-descript rhinelander, turned to Pete Ling.

"we're cleared and ready to go."

"Thank you Hans. Helm? bring us about. Engineering we'll be going slow until we've cleared the asteroid field, so be ready to engage cruise shortly." Ling stood to one side of the command chair, no-one sat in it apart from Marauder and he was off somewhere in his private fighter.

"Aye, we'll be ready." the former molly engineer replied before returning to supervising the stripping down and repairing of weapons and equipment that had been looted from pirates.

The helm officer, a young former DSE transport pilot, didn't reply as she guided the massive ship through the asteroids.

"All turret crews to your stations." Ling continued to issue orders "Gunnery officer, I want that station destroyed before their fighters engage us."

"We'll be firing on it as soon as it's in range." the gunnery officer was a former BMM mining ship captain and was well aware of the devastating firepower under his command and knew where to direct it for best effect.