Keiko tossed and turned in her cot. Groaning she rolled over. She was having the same nightmare that she had at least once a week nowadays.
----- "Approaching Kyushu wormhole" The announcement and the beeping that accompanying it woke Keiko from her slight daze. She shook off the sleepiness and switched to manual control as she neared the jump point.
200 M.... 150m.... 100m... 50m.... She entered the wormhole, the familiar feeling of being pulled forward and unimaginable speed that she had felt a million times before happened. Then she was deposited into the Kyushu system. Right into a warzone.
Klaxons fired all around her. "WARNING: HOSTILES DETECTED" Keiko had wandered into what looked to be an engagement that involved the Kusari Police and another vessel. Keiko could not make out what the other vessel was before it exploded in a flash. She was left alone surrounded by 3 police fighters. With a hold brimming with Cardamine."Great...."Keiko quickly flipped the switch that activated manual cruise control, cursing the few seconds it took for cruise to fully engage. She knew it wasnt going to be fast enough. Sure enough her cruise was immediately disrupted.
"Cargo vessel Black Rose. Stop so that you may be scanned for routine inspection."
'Yeah no... not going to happen'Flipping her communicator to secure lines, she rushed to request backup from nearby Battleship Matsuda."Calling all active Chrysanthemum Patrols. This is Keiko Matsumado abord the Chrysanthemum freighter Black Rose. I am at coordinates B4 in the Kyushu system. I am surrounded by a police patrol. Please assist."
Somehow she knew they wouldnt be here in time. Keiko had the sinking feeling this might be the end for her. She kicked the afterburner thrusters forward and engaged cruise again, hoping she could get far enough away to engage it fully. Unfortunately she wasn't that lucky.
"Cargo vessel Black Rose. By refusing to stop you are resisting standard procedure documented in the shipping codes of Kusari and are breaking house laws. Stop your vessel for routine scans or we will be forced to put you under arrest."
Keiko switched to local communications."Eat Dirt"She spat into comms as she engaged autopilot and switched her overlay display to combat mode. She swung her transport guns towards the nearest patrol officer and fired. She was outgunned, outnumbered, and the nearest help was at least 120k away. It wasnt enough. Her freighter shook from a barrage of blaster fire from the patrol.'I knew I should have replaced those rusty armor plates before I left Malta. Crap Crap Crap.'Soon enough the armored bulkheads gave way and she was able to hit eject right before her freighter exploded.
-----
Keiko sat bolt upright with a gasp. As had happened hundreds of times in the last 2 years, her eyes adjusted to the darkness. Around her was the padded walls of the facility that had become her home.
