Freelancer Mission 13

Sinclair: As you know, Doctor Quintaine and I have pored through the translations from the panels, the Proteus Tome, and even the stolen data from the prison ship. It seems the Daam-K’Vosh had a vast empire long before man ever evolved.

Trent: So if these guys were so much more advanced than us, where are they now?

Quintaine: We don’t know, Mr Trent. There’s no evidence to suggest any kind of war or disease or natural disaster that may have done away with them. They just vanished, leaving behind the Nomads.

Sinclair: It seems Nomads, or whatever they were really called – we can’t pronounce the name yet – they were apparently created by the Daam-K’Vosh to, well, look after things.

Trent: We’re fighting the caretakers?

Sinclair: Well, in a manner of speaking. They are opportunistic parasites, not only of Human beings, but of technology, as well.

Quintaine: Which brings us to the artefact. The Daam-K’Vosh had an amazingly advanced technology that was only partially based in these delicate formations. They used them for power, shields, erm… this one is, a, erm… well, we’ll show you. Kendra?

Sinclair: I discovered that if the computer sounded out the phonetic representation of the glyphs in a particular order–

Jacobi: Please, Doctor, in deference to those for us who are simple politicians…

Sinclair: Very well.

Orillion: I’ll be damned.

Jacobi: It’s beautiful!

Trent: What’s that?

Sinclair: That would be us. The artefact knows where it is in space at all times. It’s a map!

Juni: But of what?

Sinclair: Well, it’s just a theory, but–

Orillion: Spit it out, Doctor!

Quintaine: From what we now know, with an empire as large as the Daam-K’Vosh, they couldn’t rely on simple jump-gates like we have today. They had to develop something more sophisticated. A vast array of hyper-gates linking the far corners of their empire via one incredibly fast system for travel. This device is not only the map, it’s the trigger. A key to reawakening the system!

Orillion: Are you suggesting we turn this thing on?

Quintaine: Yes. If we can reactivate the hyper-gates, we’ll break the hold of the Nomads on their power supply and cut them down to a more manageable size. In theory.

Orillion: Every key has a lock, Doctor. Where do we find this one?

Quintaine: There.

Orillion: Mr Trent?

Trent: Me?

Orillion: Yes, you. I want you and Zane to spearhead this effort. Understood?

Trent: All right. I’ve come this far, I may as well see it through.

Orillion: What’s going on?

Assistant: Nomads, sir! A whole fleet of them!

Orillion: Prepare ships for intercept!

Assistant: Aye, sir!

Orillion: Dammit, they must have followed us! We have to evacuate. Everybody to their ships! Take only what you need. Trent, Juni! We have to buy some time.

Juni: We’re on it!

Orillion: Now, how do we turn this tinker toy into a weapon?

Control: Alpha and Gamma wings: cleared for launch. The Nomads have destroyed the primary generator! All support personnel, move to evacuation points immediately!

Trent: Be careful out there!

Juni: You too!

Orillion: This is Orillion. The base is taking heavy damage from the Nomad attack group – several dozen small Nomad ships. We don’t know where they’re coming from. You have to hold them off as long as you can. Orillion out!

Juni: They’re everywhere! This is Colonel Zane. We are entering combat.

Alpha Leader: This is Alpha Leader, Colonel Zane. Alpha and Beta have been holding ground but we’re taking steady losses.

Juni: Roger that, Alpha.

Beta Leader: Beta Leader here! We’re going in.

Beta Leader: Colonel Zane. This is Beta Leader. A large Nomad ship just uncloaked in our sector!

Juni: Acknowledged! I bet it’s the base they’re launching from. All units: concentrate your fire on the Nomad battleship.

Alpha Leader: This is Alpha, engaging the enemy.

Beta Leader: Understood. We’re going in.

Alpha Leader: We’re engaging the battleship!

Beta Leader: I can’t make out a command centre. What is our primary target?

Juni: Beta Wing: concentrate your fire on the engines. Alpha Wing, take out those turrets!

Orillion: Colonel Trent! Colonel Zane! Break away from the battle and return to base immediately.

Juni: Sir, another Nomad capital ship just uncloaked! We can’t leave–

Orillion: That’s an order. Our tinker toy weapon is ready.

Juni: Understood! Returning to base! Come on, Trent. Don’t engage any Nomad fighters. We have to get back to Orillion.

Trent: Looks like the base has taken a pounding.

Juni: The evacuation should be almost complete. We have to land quickly.

Quintaine: Trent! We’ve made modifications to the artefact. It should work now. All you need to do is activate it in the right location. What’s the status out there?

Trent: It’s unbelievable! The Nomads are constantly getting reinforcements. We won’t be able to hold them off much longer.

Orillion: This is it. Everybody to their ships! Trent, Juni, escort the freighter with Quintaine and Sinclair. Our forces will meet in the nebula field on the far side of the system. Good luck.

Juni: Quintaine, fly directly to the rallying point in the nebula. Trent and I will provide you cover.

Quintaine: Understood! We’re on our way.

Orillion: We‘re picking up another set of signals. Yet another Nomad capital ship is approaching Omicron. All combat wings: concentrate your fire on that ship and whatever else they throw at us. It is imperative that we buy our people some time to evacuate! I’m heading to the Osiris. Colonel Zane, make sure that Quintaine and Sinclair get safely to the rallying point.

Juni: Yes, sir! Damn it! Trent, we have to protect the transport at all costs. Quintaine, keep heading towards the Osiris.

Quintaine: Understood. We have to get out of here.

Juni: We made it! The Nomads are falling back.

Delta Leader: This is Delta Leader. Colonel Zane, we’re here to escort you to the Osiris.

Juni: Roger that. What’s the situation?

Delta Leader: We took heavy losses during the evacuation. Only four transports and about two dozen fighters made it back to the Osiris.

Juni: That bad?

Orillion: To all units: I’ve arrived on the Osiris and we have reached the rallying point. Everybody – fall back!

Delta Leader: Colonel Zane, we’re approaching the Osiris.

Juni: Okay, this is it. Go ahead and land Trent. I’ll meet up with you on the deck.

Trent: Where is everyone?

Juni: The briefing’s already started. Let’s go!

Orillion: Is everyone clear on their assignments? Okay, then.

Orillion: Ah, Trent, Jun’ko. Good, you’ve arrived. We’re just now discussing our attack plan. Long-range scans have detected a Nomad jump-gate in the area that will lead us to our final destination. We’ll fly there through the Badlands, which should give us some cover from the Nomad attacks. We’ll enter the jump-gate into what we think is the Nomad home world. Once there, we’ll have to improvise. We’ll break into four attack groups. Trent, you will lead Alpha Team. I’ll lead Beta and Colonel Zane will head up Gamma. A group of heavy bombers will maintain a holding pattern until we can clear them a path. Any questions? Okay, let’s go!

Pilot 1: Let’s get ’em!

Pilot 2: All right!

Pilot 3: See you in space…

Trent: Herr Von Claussen! You’re coming with us?

Von Claussen: Yes, I am. We must still drive the Nomads from our worlds and avenge those we have lost. I’m going with you because I owe them something. I wouldn’t miss it for the world.

Trent: Good luck, sir!

Von Claussen: To us all!

Orillion: Now that we’re all here, let’s move out. The co-ordinates to the Nomad jump-gate have been uploaded into everyone’s Neural Nets.

Juni: All right people, here we go.

Orillion: The Osiris is too large for the Nomad gate and won’t be able to assist us. According to our scans, the Nomad gate is close – just outside the nebula. Expect heavy resistance once we clear it.

Von Claussen: What’s our strategy?

Orillion: The Osiris will create a diversion on the other side of the system. Hopefully, the Nomads will fall for it. Our strategy is to head directly into the Nomad gate. We believe the alien home world lies directly on the other side. Out best chance is a frontal assault with everything we have.

Juni: I see the gate – there it is!

King: Look at that thing! I’m not picking up any ships.

Orillion: Keep your eyes open! The Nomads are bound to know we’re coming.

Juni: There! A Nomad battleship!

King: All fighters: engage the Nomads.

King: What the heck is that?

Orillion: Looks like a giant barrier of some sort. We must find a way to break through it.

Juni: How do we do that?

Orillion: I’m reading several strong energy signatures on the surface. Those could be our targets. All ships, head for the barrier.

Juni: I’ve found an entrance through the barrier, but it looks heavily shielded. Looks like several power generators are supplying the shield with enough power that I can’t penetrate it.

Orillion: Understood! Trent, you and your wing have to take out the power generators. All other units continue to engage the Nomad fighters.

Juni: You did it, Trent! The shield is going down!

Orillion: All units: proceed through the opening. Trent, you and your wing go first.

Juni: Trent, fly through the opening in the barrier. We’ll follow you.

King: Wow! Look at this place!

Juni: It looks like the Nomads built a complete shell around this sun!

Orillion: Incredible! It’s similar to the old theory of a Dyson sphere. It allows the Nomads to harvest all energy coming from that sun.

Von Claussen: What do we do now?

King: Whatever it is, it’s massive! Uploading co-ordinates.

Orillion: All units: proceed to King’s co-ordinates. Trent, this could be your target.

Juni: More Nomad ships!

King: Here they come!

Orillion: Trent, Juni, take your wings and proceed to the structure ahead. King, go with them. All other units: stay here and engage the Nomads.

Juni: All right, it’s up to us.

King: Let’s put an end to these Nomads, once and for all.

Juni: It’s a city! A giant Nomad city!

King: I’m reading a strong energy field around the structure. We have to find a way to disable it.

King: We’re running out of time!

Juni: Trent, there are several generators powering that shield, much like the ones we destroyed earlier. Try taking them out – we’ll cover you.

King: Be careful, Trent. Looks like they’re surrounded by defence platforms!

Orillion: Trent! I’m picking up an energy surge from your ship! Seven hundred rels and rising!

Juni: Trent, it’s the artefact! Something’s gone wrong!

Orillion: Nine hundred rels!

Juni: It’s too dangerous! Trent, jettison that thing before it blows!

Orillion: Twenty five hundred rels!

Trent: No, I’m already committed. We’ve only got one shot at this!

Juni: Trent!

Orillion: The hyper-gate is open!

Von Claussen: It’s beautiful.

Orillion: …and it’s driving out the Nomads. They can’t take the redistribution of power. They can’t fight any more.

King: We beat them!

Juni: No. They’re gone but they’re not beaten…

Orillion: The Order will watch this gate. We’ll be ready for them next time. There is much to be done in the colonies to repair what has happened. You’re needed at home, Trent.

Trent: Home? And where is that now?

Juni: Manhattan, Trent. You can do a lot of good there.

Trent: Home? In Manhattan…? You know, it doesn’t sound so bad now… Now if I could just get a good Sidewinder Fang. Let’s go.

Reporter: It’s been nearly two weeks since the hostilities between Rhineland and the other houses came to an abrupt end, and peace has settled over the colonies. Despire many lingering questions, government officials remain tight-lipped about what has triggered this sudden change. In other news, LSF commander Jun’ko Zane and Freelancer Edison Trent – both former enemies of the state – have been granted full pardons and have received the Lone Star for Bravery, the highest decoration and individual in the colonies can receive, though the details of their heroism have been sealed by executive order. Meanwhile, the Chancellor and several of his staff are still missing at this time, and face a long list of charges. Newly-appointed government officials in Rhineland are now looking into recent events and are even said to have enlisted Liberty to aid in their investigation.

Juni: Liberty Ale, Mister?

Trent: No, thanks.

Juni: I never told you – I asked the bartender about you the day we met…

Trent: You did, did you?

Juni: Mm-hmm. Sorry, I’m late. The debriefing took longer than usual.

Trent: I suppose you can’t rush the President – or Amnesty.

Juni: Not to mention the generous reward! Hang on, one second, I’ll be right back.

Trent: Orillion! Let me tell Juni you’re here.

Orillion: No, Colonel Trent. Even with the colonies rebuilding and the contaminated Human population restored to normal, the threat isn’t over. For now, it’s better I stay less well-known. I just wanted to see if you would consider a proposition.

Trent: What sort of proposition?

Orillion: To be the eyes and the ears of the Order here in Liberty. Think about it. Enjoy your holiday, Freelancer. I’ll be in touch.

Trent: Be seeing you, Casper!

Juni: Trent, let me introduce Mr Harrison, our newest diplomat. Mr Harrison, Edison Trent.

Harrison: Edison? What an unusual name.

Trent: Ah, call me Trent. Pleased to meet you.

Harrison: The pleasure is mine, Mr Trent. President Jacobi speaks highly of you.