The Pi Effect Snippet 3

 Sitrep: So, I spent Monday working on a submission for the Daz International Women's Day render contest. It didn't quite render as planned but I got it out and submitted. :)

I had to take a break while the handyman fixed the water heater (bad thermister) so, hot water is back. Very cool... or should I say hot? lol

Anyway, I made some progress on the R2 but I ran into some issues and it looks like I'm going to have to slow or stop for a while. Bummer.

Chapter 3

 

Hawkwood

 

Captain Raymond Bordou strolled through his ship and gave the occasional nod to his crew. The walk wasn't really an inspection, just a stroll to get some of his frustration out. He was suffering a lot of frustration these days.

The captain of the Admiral Hipper class heavy cruiser Hawkwood had left Horath full of life and eager for his mission. He had been senior officer of a six cruiser escort for three plague ships. He'd left his family behind to perform the mission even though it would be years before he'd return. He'd been tasked with the duty, however onerous it was, and he'd been determined to see it through.

No longer.

They hadn't received a warm reception in Devil's Playground or Tortuga Pi. That hadn't stopped him from showing his orders and making it clear he was determined to carry them out. What he hadn't counted on was the Federation's presence in the sector. They had just gotten the news that Port Royal had fallen.

He'd had a row with the admiral over being stopped and effectively turned into a fighting force to hold the Federation at bay. That hadn't been his mission. Admiral Suirez had stripped his force down to the three plague ships and Hawkwood when he'd insisted the mission had to continue. The admiral had then sent them up to Devil's Anus.

He'd spent months fuming over that and over the strict orders not to deliver the payload of plague to the two worlds in the thirteen jumps north to Devil's Anus. That had been annoying but “Rear Admiral Blackfoot” had countersigned the order when he'd arrived.

Worse, she'd told him not to spread the plagues along the jump line west. His orders had said he couldn't salt plague on worlds the local pirates designated so he had to agree to her order.

She'd ordered him to head west and then south from PK5-136 into what was assumed as Federation friendly territory. He'd initially agreed; it would make sense to get behind the enemy lines and sow the plagues and disrupt their civilization that way.

It hadn't quite worked out that way however.

It had taken him nearly a year to get to PK5-136 and then south. But they had picked up rumors of the Federation and news of a battle in Horath along the way. He'd slowed down for supplies and to get more information since any data they picked up about the enemy could be valuable to Imperial Intelligence. Just knowing when a ship had come in and if it was on a set schedule might help the pirates in the area to ambush them … if he could get them off the stick to try it.

He'd sat his task force in PG9-137 before continuing. He'd considered heading south through the hidden jump chain in PG6-134, but the other captains had been less than confident about their survival in the jump chain. He had to admit, they were right, their ships weren't really set up to run the risks involved in running through destroyed star systems to get to where they needed to be. Worse, they'd come out and have to head to PR9-70 to the west. It was a space-only colony, and he was pretty sure that the enemy would be there, which was why he'd sat in orbit of Pk5-136 for so long while he considered his options.

He'd considered going north to Dante's Playground, but there were precious few worlds to perform his mission on. He was stymied. Which was why after sitting for so long he was headed back to Devil's Anus without anything to show for it.

That sucked.

He winced in memory at the run to Long Views in the south. The crew had been muttering about the stories they'd picked up on the colonies they'd passed through. He'd been slow on censoring them. That was his fault.

He'd initially discounted the reports as enemy propaganda but they'd been consistent. Worse, the news had come in at Long Views that Horath had been destroyed. He'd been shaken by the news, and the sight of a Federation picket ship had been enough of an incentive for him to turn tail and run north again back to PK5-136 and then back to PG9-137.

He'd spent the voyage back north contemplating the news. He'd had his XO pull everything together. Jamey Schultz was a good sort; she'd enlisted Lieutenant Tion as their resident skeptic to double check everything.

What they had shown him had brought up more questions. How had the Federation gone from a scavenged fleet to a full battle fleet that had bested Horath? What had happened? From the media reports they had shown him, it was clear that Horath had indeed been invaded. There were plenty of shots and video of Horath with landmarks they recognized.

Which meant the news that Horath had been nova bombed even worse.

What had happened to his family? Did any of them get out? There were stories of a pirate empress and of her retreat with a fleet of ships. What had happened there?

He shook his head. He personally doubted any of his family had survived, which left him little to nothing.

He looked over to where Clouse, his yeoman/steward, was clearing the dishes. No, that wasn't quite right. He had Hawkwood, his adopted family, his duty, and most importantly of all—vengeance.

His eyes grew cold as he stared out into the simulation of hyperspace on the window video screen nearby. He also had the means to exact vengeance; he just needed the right opportunity.

~~(O)~~