Memory Lost

[Minimum]

Chapter II: Bigger Guns Nearby

It has been a few weeks since Mike started working on board the mining ship. It had been quite peaceful, until today. The alarms blared throughout the ship. "ACTION STATIONS, INCOMING ROGUE ATTACK PARTY" was announced over the intercom. Mike braced himself for an attack. It seemed like hours, he could hear as the ships defenses fired away at the invaders. Then it happened. Mike (and the rest of the crew around him) were thrown off their feet. The Rogues had launched a barrage of EMP missiles, effectively disabling every electrical function the ship had, except for some essentials such as life support.

The emergency lights kicked on. Mike could hear a loud thud as it echoed throughout the ship. A fellow crew member yelled "THEY HAVE SOFT SEAL, PREPARE YOURSELF." as he handed Mike a heavy wrench. They sealed the airlock door and waited. They could hear gunfire at the lower parts of the ship. Fellow miners screaming as holes were torn into them for resisting. It came closer and closer, until it suddenly stopped. There was a noise at the other end of the door.

Then it happened. The door's handle started turning. This would be it. The end of whatever meaningless life Mike had. The door opened.

Mike to this day isn't sure how it all went down. To him it was just a few mere flashes. But whatever happened, he woke up dazed with two dead Rogues at his feet and himself holding a bloody wrench. The miner he was with was in complete shock. He gazed upon Mike who had dropped two pirates with ease and without hesitation.

"How? WHAT did you just do?" asked the scared miner.

"I...I have no idea." Replied Mike as he dropped the blood soaked wrench.

"We're in BIG trouble now...you just killed two of their friends." yelled the miner.

Mike reaches for the two sidearms carried by the dead pirates. He picks them up and has a good feeling he knows exactly how to use them. "It's time to take this ship back. You stay here." demands Mike as he closes the airlock door.

Mike then makes his way for the bridge, where the pirates will most likely be. As he goes around a corner he is spotted by two other pirates. They don't wait around to ask questions and open fire on Mike. Mike takes cover behind a wall and mutters "Time to see if I'm right..." He shoots around the corner, and fires on the two pirates. The first one is struck in the head and the second is struck in the chest, multiple times. They only had time to get a mere 4 shots off before they were both dead. Mike looked at the two bodies for a few seconds but had to move on, after all, this is no time to be sitting around. He grabbed the mags on the bodies and headed towards the bridge.

He took cover behind a wall. He was at the hallway leading to the bridge. Outside the door were two guards ready to shoot anyone who came close. He saw a figure across the hallway that intersected the bridge hallway. It was another miner who had a pirate weapon. They signaled each other to take out each guard and rush into the bridge. The two dropped the guards and rushed into the bridge. The miners and captain took cover as the firefight took place. One pirate was struck almost instantly. Then the miner who was helping Mike was struck in the shoulder. Mike jumped around a console and returned fire, striking two more pirates. This left only one more pirate and Mike.

"I'VE GOT A HOSTAGE!" yelled the pirate.

Mike took a peak to see the pirate with a gun to the captain's head. He got up.

"YOU COME ANY CLOSER AND YOUR FRIEND HERE WILL BE ALL OVER THIS ROOM." yelled the pirate, with a slight mania.

"Yeah, but my bet is that you're not man enough to pull that trigger." said Mike calmly.

"REALLY, WHY DON'T WE SEE ABOUT THAT.." yelled the pirate as he shot at Mike.

This was the diversion needed. The captain and other miners quickly disarmed the remaining pirate and restrained him. Mike wasn't in sight.

"Mike?" yelled the captain.

"He's been shot!" yelled another miner.

One Week Later

Mike had been in the medical bay for laser burns for nearly a week, though he has almost fully recovered. The laser had struck his chest, missing his arteries and organs. The other miner hadn't been so lucky, though. One of his arteries had been shot, effectively causing him to bleed out, in the process killing him. The captain walks into the room.

"How have you been holding up?" asked the captain.

"Alright, I guess, though the food in here still tastes like dirt." remarked Mike.

"Heh, well I never really got to thank you for what you had done. So thank you." said the captain.

"It was no problem, I would do it again if necessary." replied Mike.

"I'm sure you would, that is why I am giving you enough credits for your own ship. It's not much, as it is can get you a simple Hawk, but I am sure you will make of what you have." said the captain.

"Wow...how could I ever-"

"You don't need to. I'm positive that you will do more good out there than you could ever do in here. I'll have you released today when we land at Erie. If you ever need a place to crash, we will always be here." said the captain.

Before Mike could say anything, the captain begins walking out the door.

"Thank you!" yelled Mike.

The captain shakes his head as he leaves.

Planet Erie, Pennsylvania System

"Congratulations Mike, you have bought your first ship! Here are your keys, and have a safe trip up in space." says the dealer as he hands Mike the fibre-encrypted key.

Mike gets into the Hawk, which isn't much, but will do for now. He puts the key into the ignition slot in the cockpit. Lights on the control panel light up and pre-flight checks automatically commence. He takes a seat in the pilots seat. He sits back as the lights glow in his face and smiles, the first time in a long time...


Chapter III: Close Encounters (Of a Blue Kind)

No more is the Hawk. By this time Mike is flying a fully loaded Nyx and is a freelance exploration pilot for the IMG. He is currently in New York, back from exploring around Kusari and the Tau systems. His com systems are open as usual. He picks up a lot of chatter. He listens for awhile, and finds that some of the pilots in the system are arguing with someone known as Zenon of the Oracles. Open-minded, he joins in on the debate, but in Zenon's favor. The others call him yet another fanatic and tell him to keep his trap shut. But he continues to talk in Zenon's favor. Zenon then reveals a riddle to Mike, which leads the way to a so-called "Shrine." Soon enough, another joins in on their favor. Known as Wolf, he calls the Nomads "Great Spirits" and so on. Mike has heard of the Nomads, but just from talk around the mining ship. He had never actually seen one or even knows what they look like.

He finally meets up with Zenon and Wolf. His radar picks up some unknown objects moving around with them. What he sees he will never forget. He sees two Nomad Fighters in the process of attacking some Junkers. Their grace possesses Mike for a minute, who has to knock himself out of the trance. After the battle is finished between the Nomads and Junkers, the Nomads approach the three. Zenon remarks how if you do not attack, they will do the same. The Nomads start speaking as if they are inside his ship. Mike cannot make out what they are trying to say, but it is very much interesting and extremely scary at the same time. The Nomads take off and the three follow. They get into a quick battle with many humans, causing them to have to flee.

Separated, Mike finds himself only with the two Nomads. He follows them through three different systems. He begins to have the feeling that they are leading him on a course to nowhere. This is confirmed when they insist that his presence is no longer wanted. They fire a few shots across his bow, causing him to flee to a safe distance. The two disappear off of his radar, lost to him for now..

Mike decides to start searching the systems around where they had left him. He finds many interesting things, including what appears to be an entire Nomad city and a Nomad-Human research facility. As he is searching one of the edge world systems, he is caught by a Corsair patrol, who fire on him. He manages to flee them and counter their missiles until his countermeasure dropper fails on him. His ship is struck by a missile, knocking him out, destroying a wing, and knocking his engines out. The Corsairs presume him dead and leave.

Unknown Time

Mike wakes up. He does not know how long he has been drifting, but that is the least of his problems right now. He spots a blue object in the far distance of the nebula he had been searching. He rubs his eyes and makes out that it is a Nomad ship, and it is getting closer. He is completely defenseless. He attempts to reset the engine. The ship gains emergency power and the consoles flicker. One minute until engine reset. The Nomad is right on top of him.

***Human***Alive***

Mike looks down at the console, 50 seconds. He begins to feel a strange sensation.

***Different***

Mike looks up to see what appears to be a lady walking on the unbroken wing of his ship. He blinks.

This figure he sees seems to be looking right into his very soul.

***History***Sorrow***

He finds himself in another place. He is looking up at what appears to be a gigantic sleeper ship. It reads Liberty on the side of it. He finds the lady standing next to him.

***This***Is***You***

"WHAT AM I?!" screams Mike.

He is startled by the engine, which is firing up. He finds himself in the real world again. The lady is nowhere in sight. He puts his engine to full blast, and activates the cruise engines.

***MUST***STAY***

The words sends shock waves rippling throughout his mind. It develops an intense burning sensation in his head, but the cruise engines have already come online, carrying him away from the pain. The Nomad takes chase. As the Nomad gets closer, the pain increases. He must stay away from the Nomad, or he will be consumed. He evades his way through the nebula. He makes his way to the nearest jump hole. He jumps. He continues to cruise away, but the Nomad has not followed any further. He makes his way to the nearest Freeport and docks. He rents a room for the night and sleeps. Three words continue to go through his mind: "Who am I?"

The next day, he gets into contact with Wolf, the one who has also been searching for the Shrine. While he does tell him about his findings such as the city, he does not tell him about the encounter. After searching many systems, Mike has a good idea on the path to this Shrine. They meet up in Liberty again. They are on the right track. But this is cut short by Wolf's duties. Mike knows he's close, he can feel it.

To be continued..

OORP: Cannot continue until Kansas is fixed, at least with the Shrine storyline that is. =/

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