ADS: Like A Phoenix

[Thexare]

A pale, thin man confidently and silently strode through the halls of ADSV Nonsuch, the oldest ship in the Aquila fleet. When he reached the bridge, its captain - a taller, healthier-looking man - gestured for the rest of the staff to leave. The visitor stopped him. "That won't be necessary for this, John."

The captain, and Director of Aquila, was surprised. "That's unusual, for you. Not scheming today?"

Escher smirked. "Oh, I am, but all of you can be involved this time. Tell me, how do you feel about blockade running?"

"Gonna need you to narrow that one down, Escher."

"Gallic blockades."

"Just tell me where you want me."

Escher set his tablet down on the central command station, and displayed a list of Aquila assets. "The Leeds resistance needs supplies, and nothing heavy can get to the dropoffs. Your Arrastras and Spatials aren't of any use for mining anymore. These craft can be refitted to run the blockade along with being armed enough to escort other freighters, especially the Voyager type; heavier craft simply aren't going to work. This needs to be a quickly in, quickly out operation, and it needs to happen repeatedly but not regularly. Keep it unpredictable, we can't let this get intercepted by Gallia."

"This is gonna be dangerous, you know. I can't just order my people to do this."

"Fully aware. Civilian participation is on a volunteer basis, and the operation will have support from the Commission. The Fourth Fleet will be occupied with securing our new home - it's allied territory, but I have some concerns about our relocation drawing undesirable attention. Operative Shiranui will be directing Commission support, as I will also have to attend to establishing security." Escher paused for questions, but none followed. "Once our new home is properly settled and orderly, Fourth Fleet logistics may be redirected to this effort, but that's still up in the air. We're still not entirely sure what we'll need, or what we'll have. But the more we can bog the Gauls down in Leeds, the better off everyone will be."

"Understood. Are we diverting from our current course?"

"No. We're getting everyone to our new home so we can give them some rest and give their ships a proper inspection before moving out. We can't have anything breaking down at a bad time." He paused, and looked over the bridge of the ancient transport he was aboard. "How is this thing still spaceworthy, anyway?"

"Built to last. Slow as all hell though."