Foundation

[Eppy]

Jacob Bonello sat down with a sigh into his chair, sipping from the flask of Cardamine-laced water he kept tied to his belt at all times. Twiddling with a stray silver lock, he tapped some odd sequence into the arm of the command seat, sending the Skipper's Sign out to Isengard control. The bridge immediately went into overdrive, the dozing crewmen quite excited to be on this new boat.

"Arkady Darrel, this is Isengard Control. You're clear to disengage. Safe journey, and may the Radiant Illuminate Your Way."

"Thanks, Isengard." Jacob gave one of his rare true smiles. "Helmsman, take us out one-quarter throttle. You have the coordinates."

"Yes sir. Course laid in. Proceeding." The ship's deck began to hum slightly as the oversized fusion drive kicked her out of dock, slowly gliding away from the massive tower and the warships decorating its spire. The Asimov, at the top of the station, let loose a six-gun salute, swirling ivory bolts of antimatter sailing across space. The small Aspirations Nebula became clearer, the loose purple gas left over from the destruction of the second Nomad Supernova Torpedo. If one looked closely enough, one could see the burnt-out wreck of the Nomad escort battleship, dubbed Sherman by the admiral of the prevailing Foundation fleet, some two hundred years ago.

"And we're off." Bonello smiled again.

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On the same small shuttle, back on the way to the Asimov, Ian Gedrix suffered a fatal stroke.

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Some dark room lit up briefly as a purple, fluorescent creature, coughed sickly. It had felt him go.

Atticus Rockwood was, once again, without a face and voice for his empire.

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Quick comment - we thought that Panzer was the Leader, Swift. -Agmen

Which Dreadnought was that?

One of your nine.