Part 47: Rebellion - Part 03 - September 13th, 1178 NC: Fight the power
September 13th, 1178 NC: Fight the powerWe get to bounty hunt a bounty hunter.
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"It's actually something of a running problem," sighs Folstam. "You see, our Guild works along very similar lines to the 'Guild of Free Traders', read pirates, but we operate within the bounds of the law. They aren't so constrained and they make a lot more money. Therein lies the attraction.
"Once you becomes a competent bounty hunter," he explains, "you have all the skills necessary to become a very rich pirate. Every few years we lose someone, but, as far as I can tell, no senior members have gone over for about four decades. And nobody has ever gone so far as to deliberately target other Guild members.
"But that is exactly what Gareth Drisbon and his friends have been doing," Jack continues, slamming his fist on the table. "I want you to go to Harbor in the Scheall system and pick him up. He'll probably have a few of his lackeys protecting him in orbit, but he'll be hiding on the surface.
"Once you've picked him up, take him to Earth and we'll deal with him.
"Good luck."
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Almost before you land you launch yourself out of your seat and into this station. You know something of the rules by which this place operates and you know that what you are going to do breaks any number of them. If you are too slow you'll end up as yet another pirate casualty.
You sprint up to the palatial residence of Gareth Drisbon and shoot down the door, killing the door guards standing behind them with your blistering hail of fire.
You leap through the shattered remains of the door, laying down enough blaster fire to make most of Drisbons' hired thugs to keep their heads down. You reach into your 'suit and flip out a large stun grenade. You hurl it at your foes, and dive behind cover. A huge flash nearly blinds you, and a rolling concussion wave washes over you. You quickly leap up, and run past the inert forms of Drisbon's heavies. Dashing up stairs, you find Drisbon coming down the hallway, armed with a wicked looking scatter blaster. You dive, firing from a full stretch, your blaster set to stun. You feel the heat of a number of blaster shots passing over and under your body. Luckily, none of them punch through you, but it is a close shave. Your bolts punch into Drisbons' body, and he flies backwards, falling into a deep unconsciousness. You quickly grab him and head for your ship.
Outside you see that the pirate overlords of Harbor have already sent some of their minions down to investigate, and you are forced into a pitched gun battle just to reach your ship.
Once inside, you slam the engines up to full, and you make your getaway.
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As you pilot your way into one of the Kane Bands countless docking bays Gareth Drisbon continually hurls various forms of abuse at you. Eventually his tirades set your teeth on edge and you give a cold look over your shoulder.
"Remember the second rule," you state icily. He immediately subsides.
You open your hatch to see the waiting Jack Folstam who looks pleased to see you bring in the traitorous Drisbon.
"Well," he drawls in a sugary tone, "if it isn't my old friend Gareth."
He turns more serious.
"Forget some of the rules, did we?" he asks sarcastically. "Perhaps you should learn what happens to those who bite the hand that feeds them."
Folstam turns to you and thanks you for your extraordinary service before telling you to see Corrin in the main office to get a suitable reward. He turns back to Drisbon.
"Come on, you snake," he hisses angrily. "You and I have much to discuss."
With that he frog marches the prisoner off to some dark hidey-hole to exact the Guilds' revenge.
"Remember the second rule," you state icily. He immediately subsides.
You open your hatch to see the waiting Jack Folstam who looks pleased to see you bring in the traitorous Drisbon.
"Well," he drawls in a sugary tone, "if it isn't my old friend Gareth."
He turns more serious.
"Forget some of the rules, did we?" he asks sarcastically. "Perhaps you should learn what happens to those who bite the hand that feeds them."
Folstam turns to you and thanks you for your extraordinary service before telling you to see Corrin in the main office to get a suitable reward. He turns back to Drisbon.
"Come on, you snake," he hisses angrily. "You and I have much to discuss."
With that he frog marches the prisoner off to some dark hidey-hole to exact the Guilds' revenge.[/quote]
Porkins really is a cold-blooded killer. At least everyone else had some misgivings about slaughtering everyone in their path.
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After taking care of your ship you head off to talk to Corrin about getting your reward for this nasty piece of Guild business.
She is actually dealing with another Guild member claiming a bounty when you walk in. As soon as she sees you she stops her banter with the man and pays him his money before coming over to you.
"You keep impressing," she says seriously. "We have had a few problems dealing with renegade bounty hunters over the last few years, and up until now Jack couldn't trust anybody else to take care of them. That's what he has been grooming you from the time you joined."
Corrin looks around and leans a little closer before whispering conspiratorially, "Actually, I suspect he might be thinking of retiring soon," she winks stepping back arching her eyebrows. "Guess who would be next in line?
"Keep checking the mission BBS's," Corrin continues, "and if anything like this comes up again I'll post it for you. In the mean time, here's 250000 credits for your efforts. Have fun!"
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After ordering your usual drink you sit down to put your feet up for a few hours. You are quietly enjoying the music of the band playing in the corner until Jack comes through the door.
You sigh, take your feet off the chair and wave to get his attention.
"I seem to spend more time looking for you than actually doing my job," Folstam grumbles without preamble. "I've got another mission that needs your touch."
He chuckles as you roll your eyes in mock surprise.
"In a roundabout way the rebels have gotten in touch with me," he continues in a hushed voice, "they went to extraordinary lengths to do so and to maintain their security. Apparently they have some information they want to pass on and the trouble they went to just to get in contact tells me that it might be serious.
"Interested in a courier job?"
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"Obviously they didn't pass on a lot," continues Folstam, "if there's one thing the rebels do well, it's security. If you believe their propaganda one of their leaders is the former head of Federation Intel. Regardless, whoever taught them how to run a tight ship did a good job; the Bureau would love to bust them up but thus far have been unable to.
"They wanted to meet me specifically," he explains, "but I told them that I would be sending you, so there should be no problems there. They want you to travel to Rebel II in the Koria system and meet them.
"Be wary of Federation patrols. You can be sure that whatever the motivation, the Federation won't like it that we've been working with their enemies. People tend to disappear into the clutches of the Bureau when they get caught doing things like that.
"Anything you get, bring back to Corrin as soon as you get it," insists Jack. "I have a feeling that what they've got will be fairly important.
"Good luck Porkins, and watch your back."
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On arrival you are greeted by two men. You recognize one as being Dr. Oriallo Pentecost, a former Federation Councillor, and the only honest one in recent years! If he is alive you wonder what other 'rebel myths' are true. The other man you don't recognize, but he wears the robes of a high ranking member of the Church of Krim-Hwa.
After entering a small room you learn that the other man is Cardinal Vardy de Valera.
"Our agents have uncovered evidence that the Bureau is harboring people with prices on their heads," begins Dr. Pentecost without delay. "We think that they are being coerced into working for the Bureau in exchange for protection from your organization.
"The information is all contained in here," he hands you a data crystal, "we hope it helps you in some way.
"I apologize if this seems rude," he continues, "but we must be on our way as we do not want the Bureau getting any solid leads on our whereabouts.
"Good luck with whatever you decide to do, Captain."
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You quickly make your way to the Guild offices keeping clear of all Federation personnel on your way there. As soon as you walk in the door Corrin shuts up shop and Folstam walks out from the back room.
"What did they have for us?" asks Jack and you hand over the data crystal explaining the events that went along with it.
"Dr. Oriallo Pentecost is alive?" exclaims Corrin, a look of utter surprise on her face. "He did so much for Port Kane when he was representing them. More Councillors should be like him. Hasn't the Bureau officially declared him dead?"
"Yes," replies Jack absent-mindedly as she scans the information in the crystal, "the Bureau have been using that to discredit the rebels for years now. Interesting, isn't it?"
Folstam drags himself away from the data and turns to you.
"It's going to take a while to analyze all this," he explains. "I'll probably need your help when I figure it all out. When I do I'll find you. In the mean time I have to find somebody to help me decrypt this damn thing!"
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After Jack says his goodbyes you and Corrin are left alone.
"Well that got him interested" she says cryptically. You give her a questioning look.
"Remember what I said about him retiring?" Corrin asks and you nod. "I think that that's going to be postponed for a while now that he has something new in his sights.
"He's been moping about for a couple of years now," she explains, "going over the same old stuff day in and day out. He became the Night-Master because he always loved a challenge, and so the extraordinary nature of the job suited him down to the ground. But eventually he had seen and dealt with just about everything and he was getting bored. He looks as though he could get his teeth into this though."
Corrin punches up a credit transfer.
"I've transferred over 250000 credits," she continues, "I think it's worth it considering the dangerous political nature of the mission and the fact that you have done something that has brought Jack back into the fold. Enjoy!"
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It comes as no surprise to you when you see Jack Folstam stride purposefully into the bar. What does bother you is that your ever-confidant Night-Master is wearing a slightly worried frown.
"Am I glad I found you," he mutters. "We've got a problem."
Jack looks around and leans closer before whispering, "The Bureau is trying to shut us down, I'm just glad that I got to you before they did."
You look a little skeptical.
"I wouldn't be visiting the Earth offices very soon," he says noting your reaction, "they got Corrin and have impounded any number of young bounty hunters since. I hate to think of what they're doing to them now," he pales at the thought. You have never been in a Bureau interrogation cell before, but if half the stories you have heard are true, you are pretty glad that you haven't.
Jack opens his mouth, but something over your shoulder draws his attention. You turn to see a group of Federation militia entering the bar via the back door.
"We leave now," he hisses urgently and you both get up to leave quietly without looking in their direction.
"Halt!" calls one, and you have no doubt who they mean.
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Blaster bolts whine around you, and you and Jack roll to cover. Patrons rush the exits, and outside you can see more Feds trying to push their way through.
"Jack, we gotta go," you yell, returning fire and trying not to hit any innocent people.
"Just hold them off for a few more seconds," Jack yells above the din of battle. "I'm working on the walls here."
"Hurry it up Jack, I'm running out of ammo," you yell.
Folstam bellows at you to get down, and as you hit the deck an explosion rocks the room. The bulk of the Federation Troopers fall to the ground as a concussions wave hurls bits of plascrete and flying debris at them.
Jack leads the way as you burst out through the dust and smoke. Troopers are pouring in from all directions, but for the moment you are able to hide in the confusion. Suddenly, a trooper starts to open fire and Jack is caught in a hail of Lascannon rounds. You grab him, but can tell that its too late. His side is missing several large chunks, and the smell of cauterized flesh is strong in the air.
"Porkins, you've got to get clear," he gasps as you pull him into cover "You know that I'm done for, so get out of here as fast as you can. Those Bureau bastards won't get me without a fight!"
You share a look of understanding, and bolt off down the promenade stowing your blaster.
"Long live the Rebellion!" You hear Jack yell, followed by an station rocking explosion. You don't look back, but decide to throw your lot in with the Rebels.
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You are met by a slightly suspicious rebel dockmaster who inquires why you have returned. You explain the circumstances of the death of your friend, and what happened to the Guild. You don't go into detail, your emotions won't allow you.
The dockmaster understands, telling you that any number of rebels have similar pasts. He tells you that you are lucky to be alive, although your own resourcefulness helped. Normally the Bureau stops at nothing to achieve its own ends.
"We always have a need for freighter captains," he explains, you nod in agreement with the implied level of security, "and you can do that without actually gaining a lot of our secrets. If you were planning on doing something more dangerous, you are going to have to prove yourself first.
"Go and see the dockmaster on Merrol in the Aldebaran system while he is off-duty in the bar and give him this," he hands you a data crystal. "He should be able to find something for you."
Next time: Supplies!