“I’m…I’m fine… As fine as scared to hell man can be, anyway.”
Tommy sighed loudly and tried to keep his cool.
“I think I should clarify why I’m in such shape. It’s not because I ran into some Police patrol, or BAF blockade of Dublin. It’s because of something… I can hardly describe it”
He took a bottle of Liberty Ale, poured a bit into the glass, drank it in one shot and continued:
“I was on my normal route. Gold to Freeport 11, Iridium back to Foyle. Treacherous, but manageable, especially with my blockade-running experience. First part was a breeze. I even had some fun, racing to Freeport with some Gallic Transport through Theta and Delta.. It’s the second part where things got awry.”
Tommy visibly shuddered.
“Just as I undocked from Zoner’s base, my sensors picked up a transmission. System-wide, mind you. It was very weak, barely detectable from a background noise. But I… I was clearly able to hear a woman, sobbing. Then I heard, way more clear, the cry for help. Desperate, screeching even. Usually people would shrug it off and leave, but my curious nature has forced my hand.”
He stops to catch a breath and continues.
“I tried to triangulate the signal, but to no avail. Then another systemwide transmission, filled with the unintelligible pleas and cries. She was crying about the storm, that they hurt her, that there’s darkness everywhere. At that point I already knew something wasn't right, but decided to search anyway. I went for the Palau nebula, thinking that signal came from there. with no results”
Tommy stops again, pours the rest of the Ale into the glass, sips a bit and then continues, his voice stuttering.
“I was…was about to head to Tokelau, trying to probe it a bit, not…not actually going there. Then… then IT happened. I heard the m-m-most terrifying screech ever… On a systemwide channel. It n-n-nearly blew out the speakers of the headphones I was wearing. Before that, I didn’t even t-t-t-think that human can screech that way. And then-n-n-n the cry. KILL MEEEEE!!! Ag-g-g-gain, and again, and again. Last thing I heard before my ship flew th-h-he Theta hole was the pleading weep. DON’T LEAVE MEEEE!!!. A-a-and the sound… Like nails on a chalkb-b-board-d-d. I-i-it still haunts me. I can still hear it.”
Once fearless captain, who managed to outrun Police patrols of Pennsylvania, who took Corse patrols head-on, lowered his head, almost weeping. He tries to calm himself down, instinctively huffing his electronic cigarette. Finally, he manages to focus, grabs a glass of beer and empties it
