On board the Sovereign

[Fuski]

A few days after arriving on Navarro, Maverick is told by Jayse Maxwell that he's needed on board a ship called the Sovereign, the Initiative's Mobile Command Center. Maverick and his crew board the Cincinnati, all members taking positions at their posts, as Maverick and Sylus board the bridge along with the few men of the main command. Maverick Peers out into the orange abyss...

Maverick: It's definately different than the rocks and clear space in Liberty.
Sylus: Indeed. I'm not used to it.
Maverick: You could have stayed behind. You didn't have to join me in my mad escapade away from it all. I'm sorry I brought all of you into this with my own selfish needs and anger.
Sylus: I have nobody myself Maverick. When I signed on to the Navy, I was expecting to die. I wanted to. Untill you saved me. I'll venture to the ends of Sirius with you. Along with all of your crew. We're here for you. All these men have devoted their lives to you, Sir. Nobody wants to go back. I've spoken to each man myself. They, including myself, respect you.

Maverick pauses and just ganders out the window of the bridge. A still silent minute passes by as the crew awaits orders. The sounds of pings, tings, and the Humm of the engines starting up from the rear of the Cincinnati is all that's heard.

Sylus: Sir. The crew stands behind you Maverick. Lead us to our destiny. To our new home. And our new life.

The crew can be heard from all sections of the ship as they slowly start to chant Maverick's name. Maverick stands tall. Clinching his fist in front of him. The crew's chant dies down to a silence once more. Maverick points into the orange Nebula.

Crew. Onto the co-ordinates of the Sovereign. Move it!

AYE AYE SIR!

The Cincinnati un-moores from the station and cruises off into the system. The ship alive as it ever has been with Maverick at the helm and a new found confidence knowing that his crew would back him in every decision. A couple hours inch away as the Cincinnati come up to the location of the Sovereign. The ship is large like the Cincinnati. Carefully, the pilots pull along side the ship. A landing bay extends, securing itself to the Sovereign hull, Pressurizing with Oxygen, and a gravity field activates to ensure the walkway is traversable. Cincinnati's engines come from the roar of power, to a cut of hum, to silence. The Spyglass still spinning, The turret's pointing off into the distance. Maverick, Sylus and a few men from the bridge move to the extended bay and cross into the Sovereign's third floor bay door. Maverick looks around, seeing only a couple of crew members and a few robots and automatons.

One such automated figure approaches Maverick and company. Addressing them and welcoming them to the good ship.

"*Hello, MAVERICK O'HOWELL and Companions. Welcome to the Sovereign. We have been expecting you.*"

Well. What a greeting. We don't even have that on the Cincinnati.

That's only because Liberty hated anything to do with Artificial inteligance, remember Sylus?

Yes, but... *points to it with a little finger flick and a slight one shoulder shrug* The rules don't apply to us anymore.

Oh. Right. The whole.... Starting over thing. Maybe we can get a few on the ship. Test run th---

*"Please, MAVERICK O'HOWELL, This way."*

You know it's rude to interrupt.

*Maverick, Sylus, and crew follow the Automaton down a series of halls, corridors, and bays. Behind heavily guarded doors and locked entrances. Maverick looks around and gets a feel for his surroundings.*

This place is tight on the lockdown isn't it?

It is. Hey, isn't that Pierce's fighter there? The Phantom-1?

*They walk past a hangar bay just before a few more doors, noticing the Sutinga fighter sitting within the docking hold. On the ship's side reading "Phantom-1".*

Well, I'll be. It is. It's the gent who invited us to come along. The guy who told me Hunt was still alive. I wonder if he know's why we're here.

Sylus shrugs casually as he pauses near the window that overlooked the bay where the Sutinga resided. Maverick and the rest of the men that came along, continue on down the hall through some passageways and down to a set of bulk doors. Sylus catches up and stands next to Maverick. Maverick stands just behind the Automaton with his arms crossed, as it presses a series of buttons and inserts a key like object just below the keypad. A light turns green, the doors hiss, and slide open.

The automaton moves out of the way, revealing a pool of blood that trailed off to the right, just past the wall. Maverick sees the red amongst a room of white and medical equipment, and grabs his holstered pistol. Following suit, Sylus and the crew brandish theirs at the ready. Maverick looks down and peers around the corner, tracing the blood to a body. It hadn't looked familiar. He slides around the corner, Sylus and crew in tail behind with guns drawn. There are 4 men sitting behind a table with a man laying down on it, next to the table, a coat with burnt hole in it. The men stand up and pull guns on the captain and crew Telling them to stand down.

What is the meaning of this?! Sylus, Check vitals.

On it.

*Sylus kneels down next to the body, placing 2 fingers on the neck, shaking his head to Maverick that the man was gone.*

"That... Was Pierce." Said the body on the table, Slowly sitting up and turning to position with his legs dangling off the table.

That voice... I remember that voice....

"Lower your weapons, Men.... *The man's bodyguards lower their plasma rifles off the crew.* "Maverick... It's been some time." Said the man on the table, standing up.

HUNT! YOU PIECE OF SH-- *The sound of the pistol, Maverick fires a single round at Hunt. Hitting him in the stomach, pinging off some plating but still hitting a bunch of nerves, bringing Hunt down to the floor.*

Agh.... Dammit....

*The 4 men from just behind the table move up and surround the Cincinnati's crew with their Rifles drawn on them once more, Hunt raises his hand. Issuing yet another stand down order. The men, slower than the first, lower their rifles off the Cincinnati's crew, Sylus gandering at Maverick. Such anger never emanated from the captain ever before.

THAT WAS FOR MY CREW, YOU WALKING FLAK JACKET.

hmm... Did you... Have.... *nnng* *Hunt tries to pull himself up before Maverick stands over hunt, grabbing him by his medical gown with a fist, rearing back and hitting Hunt across the chin with a heavy right hand, knocking him back down once more.*

THAT.... Was for me.

*Hunt coughs a little bit, Picking himself up off the floor, holding his gunshot wound and leaning against the table.* I guess I deserved that....