The Exodus

[Fuski]

The Cincinnati had returned with the Artemis to the fleet of random ships. Amongst the Armada including the Overlord, they had accrued: A Core Thresher, An AWACS Corvo, A rogue Destroyer, a Bustard Carrier, A Stork class ship called the Chocobo, a repair ship, and a sutinga fighter: Phantom-1. That wasn't all of their ships. Working out in the field were 2 more Sutinga's: Phantoms 2 and 3, and the other 2 of the 3 CT-73 class Stork vessels: The Shiva and the Ifrit. They were getting on their feet. Becoming quite the little clique. Maverick and crew carefully positioned the Cincinnati amongst the fair ships and moored her to the side of the Sovereign. Closely they drifted. The mooring points extend, anchoring each other and Maverick with Sylus in tow, once more board the Bustard looking for Hunt. They ask around. Stopping in the usual spots before coming across Stacker who was pushing a finger across a datapad.

"Hey Stacker." Maverick held out a hand in front of him, waving it side to side to draw his attention. "Oh, hey. What'chya' need?" he asks, quickly pulling the datapad down and placing it to his chest. "We're looking for Hunt. We got some stuff we need to tell him. Artemis is done.. So's the Revenge. Literally. I got a shipmate working on the Scylla as we speak. He's one of the top mechanics. Should be done within the hour." "Ah, That's good. Real good. Seems like everything is falling into place. Hunt has some good news for you as well." Stacker says, making sure the datapad is tucked snug away. "You can find him on the front bridge scoping out planets." "Hm. Alright. We'll work our way up there. Thank you Stacker." "No problem... O'Howell." Stacker goes back to what he was doing as Maverick walks passed him and out of sight around the corner.

After a short interlude of conversation between Sylus and Maverick, They manage to come up to the main bridge where they find Hunt sitting in a chair. His Suit is wrinkled slightly, the tie is taken off, and the top part of the undershirt had been unbuttoned to about mid way. He looked like hell with little pieces of paper crumbled up and tossed to the waste bin, some littering the area nearby. Maverick walks over to the bin, picking up a ball and pulls it open. Inspecting the writing and seeing a planet with a system. Some things wrote down like benefits and little stuff. Disadvantages also appeared at the bottom of the list. Maverick picks up another one. Same thing. And one more. Again. One thing listed is there is only one disadvantage wrote down. Seeing the pattern, Maverick walks up to Hunt. He's in the chair still, not taken notice of Maverick's presence, hunched over with his head on the console before him. In front of him, Maverick see's Stingray who notices him approach. He puts a finger to his lips, motioning him to not say a word. Stingray nods with his featureless face as Maverick begins to creep up on Hunt. Slowly taking steps in his boots trying not to squeak them. He gets just behind Hunt and quickly crumples up the paper. Hunt bolts up from the chair drawing his sidearm from the holster. Maverick dips to the side and Sylus draws his with a quickness pointing it at Hunt. Hunt stands there with a finger on the trigger, breathing heavily in surprise. Maverick, now having Hunts sidearm pointed at him, he chuckles, tossing the crumpled paper at the startled man's chest, bouncing off and resting beside the many papers below.

"Good god Maverick. Don't f---ing do that..." Maverick cocks a grin and moves toward Hunt, pushing the pistol to the side and down, passing his shoulders and stands just behind him, placing his hands on his hips looking up at the System displayed before him. Sylus holsters his gun, and takes a seat in one of the bridge's chairs in front of a radar display. "You're quick on the draw, Joshua." Maverick begins. Hunt finally comes to terms within his mind putting his gun back into the holster. "So what's all this stuff about?" He asks. "It's a system. We're looking to go planetary. If they want us, they'll have to find us." Hunt replies, resituating himself and taking off his waistcoat and laying it over the backing of the chair. "And I'm assuming by all these papers, you've not found one just yet." Maverick cocks his head, sliding his eyes to the side watching Hunt from the corner of his head, looking over Hunt who starts to re-cuff the shirt at the wrists. "No. I can't find a single one." while holding the button with his left hand, motions to Ray with the right, flicking up a finger. "I've gone over a large portion of the systems. We have to avoid house space. Means no Rheinland." Flicks a finger, Ray displays Sirius systems, and zooms into the Rheinlandic house. "No Bretonia." Flicks a finger to the side, Zooming out of Rheinland and over to Bretonia. The same happening with each command given to Stingray by Joshua. Who finishes buttoning his cuffs and sliding his left hand into the pocket of his slacks. "Obviously, no Liberty. We want to Avoid Kusari. Definitely no Gallia. I want to get back at the Corsairs for being unfaithful to their word. And the Outcasts see the Nomads as their supremes and worship them. So we have Enemies all across the eastern side of Sirius. Between Nomads, Outcasts, And Corsairs, Our hands would be full over there. If we make an appearance, We side with Corsairs providing they don't see us a threat first. Currently, Our allies lie with the Independent Miners. They have given me the green light to use their shipyard in Tau-44. So I think that's where we should start. But we have Gallia within that system. So I don't think we should start there unless the I-M-G have a planet we could use to start operations." He explained to Maverick. "You know speaking of. They offered their hand of generosity. Should the time come. Want to lend our fleet to their defense?" The captain asked. Pausing for a reply. "You know that's just what I was thinking. I'm sure they wouldn't object." Hunt turns around and grabs a tablet off the console against the end wall and under the panes of reinforced glass, showing the space beyond, Spinning back around and punching some things into the pad. "I've sent you the way to the system. You'll need to use the cloak somewhere nearby. You'll be skirting the edge of House space to get there. But I'm sure you'll know when." Maverick nods. Smiling at him and as he walks past, the captain pats Hunt on the shoulder and walks toward Sylus beckoning him to come along. Sylus gets up and looks at Hunt while tailing behind, also cracking a smile before walking into the back of Maverick, who had abruptly stopped. "Did you send out for the 73's?" Maverick asks, placing his right forearm across Sylus's chest and his left hand on the railing. "Way ahead of you, Captain." He responds. Maverick takes off the forearm from his XO's chest, and with one movement, snaps his fingers and points at Hunt with a wink and a cocked smile and returns back down the stairs toward the Cincinnati's mooring point on the Sovereign.