Aerith AI: 2018

[Errant.Venture]

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Story Arc: Unexplored Space: 820 A.S. – 825 A.S.

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Prelude: 820 A.S. – Location: Tau 31, Sector D2
Big Mouth, Bigger Consequences

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The Errant Venture was casually adrift in Sector D2 of the Tau 31 System accompanied by a large contingent of his battle group. Anyone who had the luxury of taking advantage of the view on the dorsal recreational area would see squadrons of snub craft, gunboats, and The Salvation and Repentance trailing fifteen hundred meters to port and starboard aft. It was a nice change of pace from the hit and run tactics that Colonel Tereus Mitchell had been enacting in his destabilization campaign for the past thirty-six weeks against Kusari and Bretonian forces in and around the Tau AO.

Tereus was relaxing in his captain’s quarters on the command deck of the The Errant Venture, enjoying a chilled glass of Kusarian Sake, compliments of Director Hisoka Masanori of Kishiro Industries, and doing routine maintenance on his stealth carbine. It was a disconcerting sight to the uninitiated due to the emotionless, methodical, eerily intimate methodology that Tereus undertook when dealing with routine weapon maintenance. That and only he could find mindless enjoyment in something so mundane, to the point that even the other Deltas in his command staff didn’t understand it fully.

Tiberius and Murdock had headed back to the Repentance after their staff meeting, Daugherty and Zurie were off somewhere initiating the fresh batch of Deltas they had been sent on the last transport resupply, and Marshall was off working out in the gym, undoubtedly in a high gravity environment. It was expected though, in the void of down time between destabilization campaigns it was nice to let your mind focus, or not focus, on menial and trivial tasks. The only downside was no matter how much anyone tried, sleep was almost never an option, mostly due to the residual adrenaline left coursing through your veins.

General Grey wasn’t due back from Gallic space for another forty-eight hours, and all eligible crew were on stand down. Morale was never a real issue for tanks, mainly because it had been genetically programmed into them. They obeyed, obliterated, and then went about their business. Still, sleep would be nice. Tereus took another sip from his glass, pausing a moment to let the perfectly chilled cold glass stimulate his lips, enjoying the cool flow of the Kusari spirit over his taste buds. It was a tantalizing tease to his taste buds as the flavors, purity, and cool sensation made a shift from cool to warm as it hit his gut.

“Ah, such a welcome change over drinking hydrating fluids through the helmet of a power suit”, thought Tereus, as he set the chaser back down on his desk. The comm. panel on his desk beeped just as he pushed the last pin back into place on the receiver of his stealth carbine.

“And…just…like…that…my time off is ruined…”thought Tereus as he reached over and keyed the comm. panel.

“Tereus here, what do you need lieutenant? This is my down time, so this better be important,” Tereus depressed the comm. and grinned. “Never hurts to scare the new blood.” Tereus thought to himself.

There was a noticeable pause in response, undoubtedly the fresh Echo was formulating a response in their mind, then came their reply, “Colonel. I have an incoming critical priority communiqué for you from General Grey…can I patch it through”?

The Echo lieutenant was clearly nervous, and Tereus had his fun.

“Echo’s,” Tereus thought to himself, “Despite their superior genetics, they always seemed so nervous.”.

“Patch it through to this station Lieutenant, encryption RST-375-230.” Tereus replied.

“Right away sir!” The jumpy Echo lieutenant responded.

General Grey appeared on Tereus’ comm. screen built into his transparisteel desk. The General seemed to be his typical gruff but charismatic self, and despite their history Grey’s one eyed stare seemed to pierce through Tereus, almost as if probing his true intentions and soul. The General had a large scar across his left eye, and wore a black eye patch. It definitely added an aura that Grey deserved…no…demanded respect, and anyone who didn’t realize this man also was entitled to the highest level of respect, was a fool.

Tereus keyed the comm. “General Grey, a pleasure as always, but entirely unexpected. You weren’t due to check in for another forty-eight hours…” Grey let out a sigh, and Tereus switched modes from relaxing, to all business, ready to hear what his friend had in store for him and his crew.

“Colonel…we have a situation that requires our…immediate attention.” Grey paused a moment, calculating his verbatim for a moment then continued, “It appears that a member of the DeFrance monarchy is not satisfied with our current progress in the Kusari – Bretonia campaign. I’ve relayed my disagreement to no avail, and as of yet I don’t have specifics…”

At this point General Grey was cut off, as a new party entered the supposedly secure comm. channel. Low and behold, her princess Aurelia DeFrance…

An hour later Tereus emerged from his quarters, livid and fuming. While most Delta’s didn’t have a predisposition for anger, Tereus was damaged goods…or at least that’s what the research personnel and shrinks kept telling him. Tereus had been an exceptional cadet at the training facility for Delta tanks, which is probably why his tryst with Aerith went unimpeded for so long, then the accident…no thought Tereus, he wasn’t going to allow himself to relive that nightmare again...

Tereus wasn’t quite sure what the specific trigger point that led to his and his crews current…punishment…it started around the time Aurelia DeFrance’s gender fluid, pompous, prissy, self-entitled face appeared on his comm. panel, and it culminated with him insulting “it”, leading to his immediate reassignment to some unknown system, under the façade of national security in safeguarding the Kingdom of Gallia. It could have been the fact that Princess DeFrance kept interrupting General Grey, or it could of just been “it’s” voice…either way Tereus was fucked, and by proxy so was the crew.

Tereus formulated the address to the crew he was about to give, and had already contacted Zurie and Daughtery to recall all snub craft for an emergency, and immediate jump out of Tau 21. The first fifteen planned jumps would take them well outside the Sirius star system, and as far as navigational charts were concerned, for all intents and purposes this was a form of exile…rather…banishment from the comforts of House space.

Tereus entered the bridge, and in the ninety second walk it took from his quarters to the bridge he had already formulated his banishment…address to the crew. It was also at that exact moment that he recalled, barely, making a quip about DeFrance being a gender fluid bitch, and something referring to “it’s” reproductive organs…Oh well Tereus thought to himself, it’s too late now to retract that statement.

The bridge crew snapped to attention as Tereus walked through the blast doors.

“At ease”, He commented as he walked to his station in the middle of the bridge, “Prepare a battle group wide message, and prepare for an emergency FTL jump out of system.” The crew on the bridge rushed into action, efficient, calculated, purposeful filled action.

Tereus keyed the comm. panel at his bridge station and began to address the battle group, “Attention all personnel of the Battle Group Wrath, we have new orders, prepare for an emergency FTL jump out of system. This is not a drill. All crew report to your action stations, and prepare for an emergency FTL jump. Details will be broadcast to your section heads shortly. Colonel Mitchell out!”

The Battle Group Wrath came to life, simultaneously rolling sixty-five degrees to starboard in parade precision, ninety seconds later a plethora of bright flashes from Sector D2 of the Tau 31 system, signaled their departure and the beginning of a long, and fatal journey into uncharted space…

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The reports of my trying to imitate the revered Michal Golanski are greatly exaggerated...my avatar should prove this.

[4:17:08 PM] Michał Golański: I knew you have some prehistoric backing to kick them in the nuts.