A story that Disco made...

[dexben]

Chapter 2 The proving of worth

Reaching the elevator she checked the door on the right .. sure enough it was the laundry room and after dumping her flight suit in the hopper, made her way down in the elevator to the flight deck. Technicians where milling about busy at there work preparing the craft that called the hood there home. 'Wonder where jack is -- she thought and quietly, feeling a little out of place picked her way through the ships to launch control.

Upon reaching the door to control anna glanced at the badge.. that was all she needed and entered the room with all the bravado she could muster. "Security detail Anna McCarthy requesting launch clearance... and the location of Jack Henderson... please" The room was a large array of consoles tables and screens and the few men who worked there looked up from there tasks and smiled at this young woman who had just burst in on there world. "Miss McCarthy how very pleased to meet you my name is Johnson" he gestures to the others "Symes, Wilcox and Edwards" The others in the room give a nod at the mentioning of there names .." Jack has told us to be expecting you .. please take a seat we are preping that ship of yours as we speak... and as for jack .. Well lets just say miss slept in some"

Fifteen minutes later and anna is strapped into her beloved ship and sitting a few clicks off the hood. "Mccarthy to henderson Jack are you in range ...." static and some bleedover from the hood but no jack .. Control had said there was an operation going on but didn't know where as jack kept the location secret to cut down risks of ship to shore comms being intercepted . "Ok.. lets go take a look .." She flipped the afterburners on her sabre to max and waited for the cruise engines to come online.

Taking a route that went past the molly base Arrenmore down to Omicron 49 jump hole she expected to find the IMG mining crew hard at work in this area .. but no .. nothing but rocks and space. "Phooey.." she exclaimed to noone in particular flipped open the system comms and with as much authority as her young voice could muster.. "IMG craft in Dublin space this is Anna McCarthy from the battleship Hood .. Please upload your vector details if you need security services.. out" Smiling she plugged her personal comms unit into the ship and hit the play button.... set course for the essex and relaxed.

With no workers from IMG seemingly needing her services it seemed prudent to anna to carry on the work started by jack and some of the other img employees the day before to "fix" her standings with the various factions that called sirrius there home. "McCarthy to Essex upload mission plans and waypoints for this sector please..." a few seconds later her comm screen lit up with various missions the Armed Forces needed doing that day and set off to complete them.

A couple of rouge corsair installations left in twisted wrecks and several small skirmishes later anna was feeling better about her standings -- things where starting to come around. Time for a patrol she thought and kicked in the cruise engines.. Nearing the leeds jumphole a familiar signal pinged up on her scanner.. " Jack!! Hiyyaa!~"
.."Good day anna nice to see you out of bed" jack laughed "Set course for the hood anna will meet you there". Smiling happy to have her employer nearby she changed course.

"Sorry for not being around anna .. escort to new york.. Form up we have a job for you" anna hit the autopilot and settled back as the sabre glided smoothly into formation with the four IMG ships. "Heading set sector D6 ..lets go people.. anna security net if you would please start tight take it out to nine clicks" ... Anna loving the responsibilty " Aye aye jack ... mind if i play my music ?" Jack chuckled "By all means go ahead anna but keep your eyes open ok." .. "yes boss~" The small group reached there destination and the Hegamon pilot started work.

Anna flew her patterns watching intently on her scanner .. "Jack contact fourteen clicks... twelve, ten.. ship identified ..... Kaufmann, Outcast gunboat class vessel ..orders ?" ... before jack could reply the outcast vessel opened a private comm channel "You for hire.." the wheezy voice crawled into her cockpit ... feeling revulsion at the noise she keyed up "Sorry suga you couldn't afford me .. and im already employed thank you"....." Jack he's trying to poach me over private comms" .. " did he say to what end anna ??" came jacks reply .. "didn't give him chance jack turned him down and cut the feed" .... "ok anna sit back two clicks and await instructions." Jack ever the diplomat had words with the outcast the conversation lasting a few minutes before the cardimine addled pilot finally decided to go his own way and be no bother.

"Good work anna.. i don't like the fact these people see you as a ship for hire...." a few seconds silence "After todays work i want you to come and see me in my office.. i have a proposition for you ..ok?" " Roger that jack" her mind raced over what it could possibly be.

The rest of the operation passed without incident and the small group headed back to the hood. Upon reaching the hood the mining ship unloaded its cargo and jack ordered a new sector heading "F3 please ladies and gentlemen.. quick as you like . anna the usuall please." "Copy that boss.." anna already feeling comfortable in her role reached the sector first and took up position. All was well the miner mined, the escorts milled about chatting small talk and telling jokes when ... "Jack contact multiple signals coming in high and fast!!." "Number and ship types please anna.." she waited for them to move into scanning range. "Oh crap!" she exclaimed " 3 outcast ships 2 very heavys and a gunboat.. This could get ugly jack we are slightly outgunned here"... "Let me do the talking anna stand easy. The three ships pulled up and sat themselves between the hood and the mining group. Jack as usuall put his head to work instead of his trigger finger.. "Easy outcasts this aint the tau systems lets keep this tidy." ZaZa the outcast lead engaged jack for some length, the conversation moving from trade attacks to compensation to finally a demand for credits.

"Anna you think you can get that miner out of here, with him gone they have no leverage here ....?" .. "Keep them talking jack ill slip him away." slowly she moved her ship to the miner opened up a private comm "Ok buddy were going to make a break for it on my signal ok... stay at max speed head for the hood direct route .. You get cd'd we stop and resume negotiations ok .. loosing that ore is not an option." the pilot of the hegemon nodded in agreement.

She waited till all three outcast ships where engaged in a debate over just how much money they should extort from our operation "Heg GO! i got your six.." The two ships moved off slowly at first while the hegemon gathered cruise speed. Anna piloted her craft directly behind the mining ship in the hopes any cd missiles would hit her ship first. Swoosh the cruise engines kicked in both ships sped off heading straight to the hood...... The outcasts too engrossed in amounts and greed didn't even notice... amatures anna grinned to herself and keyed up the comms "jack heg safe .. returning to you." "Good job anna hurry please this is going to get nasty i fear".

Anna adrenaline now pumping rocketed back to the two IMG defence fighters.. "five million credits mr henderson that is our wish" jack laughed " this situation has changed outcast where is your leverage on us ??.. Our miner is safe back at base you have no hold over us" ... clearly not happy at being hoodwinked the outcasts where getting ready for combat. "Anna charge weapons this is going to kick off" .. "Already done jack capacitors to max targetting systems online."

The tense standoff seemed to go on forever both groups of ships staring at each other scanning weapons loadouts, making mental plans, selecting primary targets. The gunboat was going down first there was no other choice it was clear. "Jack full on assault on the gunboat maximum evasion patterns please. If we leave that it will destroy us.. dont worry about the fighters just stay out of trouble." "Agreed anna... good look little lady." Anna grinnned "This is what i do suga.. you just keep your six clean."

The scene was set ... two IMG NYX class fighters and the adorable Anna in her pride and joy Sabre versus two outcast sabres and a gunboat. Just about even thought anna knowing full well the precious weaponry she had installed on her ship and its massive destructive power. "Contact fourteen clicks !!! ......." annas voice trailed as she reconized the transponder signals callsign "Anna we have trouble its another outcast gunboat.. this is not going well" jacks voice filled with reluctance floated over her head as she double checked the signal as it came closer. "Jack you trust me right..." "So far you have given me no reason not to anna" "Then power down your weapons and slowly move away i have this situation under control." jack sounded confused "Anna ... are you sure.. i dont und..." anna cut him off "Jack its maximus the outcast i told you about the man i tried to save that day.. he has honour jack he wouldnt hurt me im sure of it."

Her mind cast itself back to the events concerning this man.... The fight in leeds when she was a freelancer just starting out the, BAF forces she was helping and the outcast maximus who aided them and helped win the day. He had been courtious and a gentleman she found him charming and friendly.. Then to find him in the position she did the day after surrounded by no less than five IAB agents and the spiteful BAF captain clay... oh how she tried to make them see what she had seen she pleaded for his life explained he was an ally not a enemy retold the events of the previous day .. put herself in the firing line........ They destroyed his ship anyway like a pack of dogs teeth sunk into the last piece of meat .. savage .. brutal .. barbaric..... She had failed him and even as the last splitter shots ripped into his hull he had sent her a message "Thank you anna you truly are a friend to have tried to help me so .. now go save yourself they will turn on you next...." He was right..........

She shook here head not wanting to remember any further she had someone else to save now and this time she knew she could do it. "Max suga we have a little situation here i could really use your help on.." "Ahh miss anna truly a sight for my tired eyes.. i see the situation anna i will deal with it." she smiled that dazzling smile at him "Max your a love and i owe ya one.. drinks later ??" "You owe me nothing anna and i will take you up on that another day perhaps .. for now i will deal with this. Go now please."


Anna set course for the Hood " ANNA! are you ok" jacks voice was full of worry "im fine jack situation dealt with..." she flipped the comms unit off took a deep breath and relaxed in her chair.

Returning to the hood anna docks to find jack waiting for her. "Anna follow me please." he leads her to her ship and waiting for them is Donald the chief engineer "this your ship maam?" pointing at the sabre. Anna walks over lovingly stroking her sabres wing tip .. "more than just a ship suga she is me i am her.." Donald looks quizzicaly at jack who nods "Keep her happy donald .. she is working for IMG now... if you would install the new transponder id donald i would be very gratefull." Anna looks puzzled for a moment until the realisation hits her .... " jack are you sure .." her head is racing first a room now this ... " I .. wont let you down jack" jack smiles "I didn't think for a second you would... this should keep any -bad- influences from trying to hire you anna .. its as much to keep you from trouble as anything else... now then you work for IMG you fly an IMG ship i think we had better draw up your contract little lady." he gestures to the hanger elevator " After you miss.."

Bouncing into the elevator anna waits for jack. he selects the flight crew quarters deck and turns to anna. "Anna i need you to tell me if there is anything amiss with your age.. you say your 17 but you look... younger." anna smiles a knowing smile she has been here before it seems. "Ha i always get that reaction mom always said it was good genes." giggling she adds " It got you too jack.. please upload my files from my ship they will verify i am what and who i say i am." anna gives jack the codes for her commlink "I would have checked anna i just wanted to hear it from you." He seems content with her, maybe himself its hard to read.

Arriving at the flight deck the elevator AI sarah reminds jack for the hundreth time to take the right turn ... jack sighs anna giggles and tickles sarahs grill " Thank you sarah~~ ... so erm that would be a right then jack huh" the mood is light as she spins and dances down the corridor laughing at her own joke. The pair arrive at jacks quarters he opens the door and gestures her inside.. she slips in and takes the room in... neat, tidy same size as hers just more decorations mostly corperate .. "drink anna ?" jack quips as he goes to the kitchen and motions to the couch. "Soda please jack..." she looks around the room and finally sits on the couch.. jack arrives with two glasses and hands anna her soda.

Sitting opposite her he reaches for a datapad "Ok to buisness i know you have had a hard day and need some rest so i wont keep you long.. these are contracts for you to sign anna they stipulate a two million per day credit as long as you proove you do work for IMG." Anna takes the pad scans the contract .. all is well there is even a good bonus scheme "Perfect jack i like the bonus scheme" ... she taps in her code hesitating on the last keypress a smile forms that grows into her trademark dazzling smile .. she taps the key...........

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I have many enemies in the dark. So i stand in the light so i can see them..

Anna's ongoing 95%(ish) true ingame story.